This is my IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of fossil fuels and alternative energy from the real IELTS exam.

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IELTS Essay: Laws to Limit Working Hours

Fossil fuels are the main source of energy around the world today. In some countries, the use of alternative sources of energy is replacing fossil fuels. 

Is this a positive or negative development?

Many nations are now supporting the adoption of various energy alternatives in order to reduce fossil fuel consumption. In my opinion, though there may be short-term economic downsides, this is a decidedly positive development due to the implications on the environment generally.

Those who feel the sudden adoption of alternative energies is a negative point out the financial repercussions. There are economies around the world that are currently dependent on exporting fossil fuels, in particular in The Middle East, South America, and Eastern Europe. Many of these countries are still developing and have few other natural resources or industries that could replace a decline in the energy sector. The economic effects will extend far beyond exporters though. Both developed and developing nations ranging from The United States and Vietnam to China and Russia exploit oil for private vehicles and various industries. Substituting cheap oil for a more expensive alternative might result in economic catastrophe with wide-ranging repercussions.

However, the environmental effect is overwhelmingly more important for the long-term health of the planet. The economic results of less dependence on fossil fuels will cause short-term problems but the issues caused by climate change are also becoming a present reality. For instance, there has been a rise in the number of cataclysmic natural disasters related to rising ocean temperatures and deforestation. Even more troubling are the less noticed problems such as habitats being destroyed in remote areas like Antarctica and the Amazon Rainforest. Beyond the animals becoming endangered and extinct, it is only a number of years before human life is affected. This existential threat is the reason alternative energies are a pressing need.

In conclusion, despite the economic drawbacks of a sudden shift to alternative power sources, this reorientation will have a markedly positive long-term impact on the environment. Governments should therefore implement and bolster alternative energy initiatives.

Analysis

1. Many nations are now supporting the adoption of various energy alternatives in order to reduce fossil fuel consumption. 2. In my opinion, though there may be short-term economic downsides, this is a decidedly positive development due to the implications on the environment generally.

1. Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
2. Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.

1. Those who feel the sudden adoption of alternative energies is a negative point out the financial repercussions. 2. There are economies around the world that are currently dependent on exporting fossil fuels, in particular in The Middle East, South America, and Eastern Europe. 3. Many of these countries are still developing and have few other natural resources or industries that could replace a decline in the energy sector. 4. The economic effects will extend far beyond exporters though. Both developed and developing nations ranging from The United States and Vietnam to China and Russia exploit oil for private vehicles and various industries. 5. Substituting cheap oil for a more expensive alternative might result in economic catastrophe with wide-ranging repercussions.

1. Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
2. Explain your main idea.
3. Develop it with specific or hypothetical examples.
4. Keep developing it fully.

1. However, the environmental effect is overwhelmingly more important for the long-term health of the planet. 2. The economic results of less dependence on fossil fuels will cause short-term problems but the issues caused by climate change are also becoming a present reality. 3. For instance, there has been a rise in the number of cataclysmic natural disasters related to rising ocean temperatures and deforestation. 4. Even more troubling are the less noticed problems such as habitats being destroyed in remote areas like Antarctica and the Amazon Rainforest. 5. Beyond the animals becoming endangered and extinct, it is only a number of years before human life is affected. 6. This existential threat is the reason alternative energies are a pressing need.

1. Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
2. Explain your new main idea.
3. Include specific details and examples.
4. Add as much information as you can and make sure it links logically.
5. Finish the paragraph strong.

1. In conclusion, despite the economic drawbacks of a sudden shift to alternative power sources, this reorientation will have a markedly positive long-term impact on the environment. 2. Governments should therefore implement and bolster alternative energy initiatives.

1. Summarise your main ideas.
2. Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean? Make some notes on paper to aid memory and then check below.

Many nations are now supporting the adoption of various energy alternatives in order to reduce fossil fuel consumption. In my opinion, though there may be short-term economic downsides, this is a decidedly positive development due to the implications on the environment generally.

Those who feel the sudden adoption of alternative energies is a negative point out the financial repercussions. There are economies around the world that are currently dependent on exporting fossil fuels, in particular in The Middle East, South America, and Eastern Europe. Many of these countries are still developing and have few other natural resources or industries that could replace a decline in the energy sector. The economic effects will extend far beyond exporters though. Both developed and developing nations ranging from The United States and Vietnam to China and Russia exploit oil for private vehicles and various industries. Substituting cheap oil for a more expensive alternative might result in economic catastrophe with wide-ranging repercussions.

However, the environmental effect is overwhelmingly more important for the long-term health of the planet. The economic results of less dependence on fossil fuels will cause short-term problems but the issues caused by climate change are also becoming a present reality. For instance, there has been a rise in the number of cataclysmic natural disasters related to rising ocean temperatures and deforestation. Even more troubling are the less noticed problems such as habitats being destroyed in remote areas like Antarctica and the Amazon Rainforest. Beyond the animals becoming endangered and extinct, it is only a number of years before human life is affected. This existential threat is the reason alternative energies are a pressing need.

In conclusion, despite the economic drawbacks of a sudden shift to alternative power sources, this reorientation will have a markedly positive long-term impact on the environment. Governments should therefore implement and bolster alternative energy initiatives.

Answers

For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:

supporting helping

adoption of various energy alternatives use cleaner energies

reduce fossil fuel consumption use less fuel/oil

short-term economic downsides right now how it hurts the economy

decidedly positive development due to definitely good change because

implications results, what happens after

Those who feel the sudden adoption of alternative energies is a negative point out people in favor of more alternative energies argue

financial repercussions economic results

economies finances in a country

currently dependent right now reliant on

exporting fossil fuels sending oil abroad

in particular especially

few other natural resources or industries not many other sources of money

replace a decline in the energy sector substitute a drop in energy-related businesses

extend far beyond exporters though go far past the countries sending out oil

ranging from … to … and … including

exploit oil take advantage of fuel, petrol

private vehicles cars, motorbikes, etc.

Substituting … for changing for

economic catastrophe hurts finances a lot

wide-ranging repercussions effects on lots of areas

overwhelmingly very strong

long-term health of the planet the environment in the future

less dependence on fossil fuels not as reliant on oil

cause short-term problems hurt right now

present reality how the situation is now

rise increase

cataclysmic natural disasters related to rising ocean temperatures really bad storms caused by hotter seas

deforestation cutting down forests

Even more troubling are in fact much worse is

less noticed problems not as apparent issues

habitats where animals live

remote areas places far from cities

Beyond past

endangered not many left

extinct all gone

existential threat risk to their existence

pressing need really important now, an emergency

despite the economic drawbacks of a sudden shift to alternative power sources regardless of the financial downsides of a change to cleaner energy

reorientation shift

markedly positive long-term impact on definitely good for the future effect on

implement put in place

bolster support

initiatives efforts

Pronunciation

Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:

səˈpɔːtɪŋ 
əˈdɒpʃᵊn ɒv ˈveərɪəs ˈɛnəʤi ɔːlˈtɜːnətɪvz 
rɪˈdjuːs ˈfɒsl ˈfjuːəl kənˈsʌmpʃᵊn 
ʃɔːt-tɜːm ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˈdaʊnˌsaɪdz 
dɪˈsaɪdɪdli ˈpɒzətɪv dɪˈvɛləpmənt djuː tuː 
ˌɪmplɪˈkeɪʃᵊnz 
ðəʊz huː fiːl ðə ˈsʌdn əˈdɒpʃᵊn ɒv ɔːlˈtɜːnətɪv ˈɛnəʤiz ɪz ə ˈnɛɡətɪv pɔɪnt aʊt 
faɪˈnænʃəl ˌriːpɜːˈkʌʃᵊnz 
iˈkɒnəmiz 
ˈkʌrəntli dɪˈpɛndənt 
ɛksˈpɔːtɪŋ ˈfɒsl ˈfjuːəlz 
ɪn pəˈtɪkjələ 
fjuː ˈʌðə ˈnæʧrəl rɪˈsɔːsɪz ɔːr ˈɪndəstriz 
rɪˈpleɪs ə dɪˈklaɪn ɪn ði ˈɛnəʤi ˈsɛktə 
ɪksˈtɛnd fɑː bɪˈjɒnd ɛksˈpɔːtəz ðəʊ 
ˈreɪnʤɪŋ frɒm … tuː … ænd …
ˈɛksplɔɪt ɔɪl 
ˈpraɪvət ˈvɪəkᵊlz 
ˈsʌbstɪtjuːtɪŋ … fɔː 
ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk kəˈtæstrəfi 
waɪd-ˈreɪnʤɪŋ ˌriːpɜːˈkʌʃᵊnz 
ˌəʊvəˈwɛlmɪŋli 
ˈlɒŋtɜːm hɛlθ ɒv ðə ˈplænɪt 
lɛs dɪˈpɛndəns ɒn ˈfɒsl ˈfjuːəlz 
kɔːz ʃɔːt-tɜːm ˈprɒbləmz 
ˈprɛzᵊnt riˈæləti 
raɪz 
ˌkætəˈklɪzmɪk ˈnæʧrəl dɪˈzɑːstəz rɪˈleɪtɪd tuː ˈraɪzɪŋ ˈəʊʃən ˈtɛmprɪʧəz 
dɪˌfɒrɪˈsteɪʃᵊn 
ˈiːvən mɔː ˈtrʌbᵊlɪŋ ɑː 
lɛs ˈnəʊtɪst ˈprɒbləmz 
ˈhæbɪtæts 
rɪˈməʊt ˈeərɪəz 
bɪˈjɒnd 
ɪnˈdeɪnʤəd 
ɪksˈtɪŋkt 
ˌɛɡzɪˈstɛnʃəl θrɛt 
ˈprɛsɪŋ niːd.
dɪsˈpaɪt ði ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˈdrɔːbæks ɒv ə ˈsʌdn ʃɪft tuː ɔːlˈtɜːnətɪv ˈpaʊə ˈsɔːsɪz 
ˌriːˌɔːriɛnˈteɪʃᵊn 
ˈmɑːkɪdli ˈpɒzətɪv ˈlɒŋtɜːm ˈɪmpækt ɒn 
ˈɪmplɪmənt 
ˈbəʊlstə 
ɪˈnɪʃɪətɪvz 

Vocabulary Practice

I recommend getting a pencil and piece of paper because that aids memory. Then write down the missing vocabulary from my sample answer in your notebook:

Many nations are now s___________g the a_____________________________________s in order to r___________________________n. In my opinion, though there may be s________________________s, this is a d_______________________________________o the i____________s on the environment generally.

T_______________________________________________________________________________t the f_____________________s. There are e_____________s around the world that are c_________________t on e______________________________s, i_______________r in The Middle East, South America, and Eastern Europe. Many of these countries are still developing and have f___________________________________s that could r__________________________________________r. The economic effects will e________________________________h. Both developed and developing nations r______________m The United States and Vietnam t___ China a___d Russia e______________l for p___________________s and various industries. S_______________g cheap oil f___r a more expensive alternative might result in e_______________________e with w__________________________s.

However, the environmental effect is o_____________________y more important for the l___________________________________t. The economic results of l_________________s will c_____________________________s but the issues caused by climate change are also becoming a p_________________y. For instance, there has been a r____e in the number of c______________________________________________________s and d______________n. E_______________________e the l________________________s such as h___________s being destroyed in r________________s like Antarctica and the Amazon Rainforest. B__________d the animals becoming e_____________d and e________t, it is only a number of years before human life is affected. This e_____________________t is the reason alternative energies are a p________________d.

In conclusion, d_____________________________________________________________________s, this r_____________n will have a m______________________________n the environment. Governments should therefore i____________t and b__________r alternative energy i____________s.

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic by watching from YouTube below and practice with these activities:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIU5fFmDeSc&pp=ygUSYWx0ZXJuYXRpdmUgZW5lcmd5

Reading Practice

Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice:

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/maps/alternative-energy-use/#:~:text=Alternative%20energy%20here%20includes%20hydroelectric,nuclear%20energy%2C%20and%20biomass%20energy.

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Environment

1. How are environmental problems dealt with in your country?
2. What can be done to make people recycle more often?
3. What is the most pressing environmental problem?
4. Is recycling a common practice in your country?
5. Are governments or individuals more responsible?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related IELTS essay topics below:

The best way to solve the world’s environmental problems is to increase the cost of fuel for cars and other private vehicles.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

IELTS Essay: Fuel Costs