This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of whether or not the current generation should protect the environment for the next generation.
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Dave
IELTS Essay: The Next Generation
Some think the current generation should take steps to protect the environment for the next generation.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Many environmentalists feel that people today have a responsibility to ensure the Earth is left in good condition for future generations. In my opinion, though this duty is unfair, it is nonetheless a burden that must be taken up.
Those who argue against this sentiment can justly assign blame elsewhere. The main contributors to climate change and the current cataclysmic warnings were the large industrial powers on the 20th century. Automobiles and air travel became common in the last 100 years and are two leading drivers of the fossil fuel consumption many scientists link to global warming. Surging populations and advances in medicine have also contributed greatly to the over-production and mass consumption that defines the 21st century. It is objectively unfair that people today, and primarily the younger generation only now entering the workforce, should have to suffer for the thoughtlessness of wanton industrialisation.
Regardless, it is the responsibility of the present generation to take heed of these potentially dire warnings. People in the past were either intentionally or unintentionally unaware of the repercussions of their actions but individuals today cannot make such excuses. For example, the rapidly deteriorating polar ice caps are directly impacting the natural habitats of animals around the world and some climate scientists believe that an uptick in natural disasters is also related to this and other man-made changes to the ecosystem. Past generations who set the world on this path cannot come back and remedy their mistakes and future generations will resent the current one if steps are not taken towards drastic reforms.
In conclusion, though people today bear little responsibility for climate change, they must commit to reversing its effects. Leaving this problem for the children of the future will put them in a potentially unwinnable situation.
Analysis
1. Many environmentalists feel that people today have a responsibility to ensure the Earth is left in good condition for future generations. 2. In my opinion, though this duty is unfair, it is nonetheless a burden that must be taken up.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- Write a clear opinion. Read more about writing a band 7+ introduction here.
1. Those who argue against this sentiment can justly assign blame elsewhere. 2. The main contributors to climate change and the current cataclysmic warnings were the large industrial powers on the 20th century. 3. Automobiles and air travel became common in the last 100 years and are two leading drivers of the fossil fuel consumption many scientists link to global warming. 4. Surging populations and advances in medicine have also contributed greatly to the over-production and mass consumption that defines the 21st century. 5. It is objectively unfair that people today, and primarily the younger generation only now entering the workforce, should have to suffer for the thoughtlessness of wanton industrialisation.
- Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
- Explain your main idea.
- Develop it with specific examples.
- Add in more specifics.
- Conclude by relating it back to your main idea.
1. Regardless, it is the responsibility of the present generation to take heed of these potentially dire warnings. 2. People in the past were either intentionally or unintentionally unaware of the repercussions of their actions but individuals today cannot make such excuses. 3. For example, the rapidly deteriorating polar ice caps are directly impacting the natural habitats of animals around the world and some climate scientists believe that an uptick in natural disasters is also related to this and other man-made changes to the ecosystem. 4. Past generations who set the world on this path cannot come back and remedy their mistakes and future generations will resent the current one if steps are not taken towards drastic reforms.
- Write another topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
- Develop your main idea.
- Use real examples.
- If your sentences are long, it is ok to have just 4 in one paragraph.
1. In conclusion, though people today bear little responsibility for climate change, they must commit to reversing its effects. 2. Leaving this problem for the children of the future will put them in a potentially unwinnable situation.
- Repeat your opinion and summarise both your main ideas.
- Add a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.
Vocabulary
What do the words in bold below mean?
Many environmentalists feel that people today have a responsibility to ensure the Earth is left in good condition for future generations. In my opinion, though this duty is unfair, it is nonetheless a burden that must be taken up.
Those who argue against this sentiment can justly assign blame elsewhere. The main contributors to climate change and the current cataclysmic warnings were the large industrial powers on the 20th century. Automobiles and air travel became common in the last 100 years and are two leading drivers of the fossil fuel consumption many scientists link to global warming. Surging populations and advances in medicine have also contributed greatly to the over-production and mass consumption that defines the 21st century. It is objectively unfair that people today, and primarily the younger generation only now entering the workforce, should have to suffer for the thoughtlessness of wanton industrialisation.
Regardless, it is the responsibility of the present generation to take heed of these potentially dire warnings. People in the past were either intentionally or unintentionally unaware of the repercussions of their actions but individuals today cannot make such excuses. For example, the rapidly deteriorating polar ice caps are directly impacting the natural habitats of animals around the world and some climate scientists believe that an uptick in natural disasters is also related to this and other man-made changes to the ecosystem. Past generations who set the world on this path cannot come back and remedy their mistakes and future generations will resent the current one if steps are not taken towards drastic reforms.
In conclusion, though people today bear little responsibility for climate change, they must commit to reversing its effects. Leaving this problem for the children of the future will put them in a potentially unwinnable situation.
Answers
environmentalists people who care about the environment
responsibility duty
ensure make sure
left in good condition remain in good quality
future generations people who come later
duty responsibility
unfair unjust
nonetheless regardless
burden duty
taken up take responsibility for
argue against object to
sentiment feeling
justly assign blame elsewhere correctly find fault with others
main contributors biggest causes
climate change global warming
current cataclysmic warnings dire predictions about the future
large industrial powers big companies, nations
20th century 1900 – 2000
two leading drivers main forces behind
fossil fuel consumption burning oil
link connections
surging populations increasing number of people
advances in medicine new medical procedures and technology
contributed greatly add a lot to
over-production making too much
mass consumption using too much
defines constitutes
objectively unfair definitely not right
primarily mainly
entering the workforce getting jobs
suffer hurt from
thoughtlessness not thinking about
wanton industrialisation thoughtless expansion of industry
regardless nonetheless
present generation people alive today
take heed consider
potentially dire warnings possible really bad predictions
intentionally meaning to do it
unintentionally unaware not knowing what they were doing
repercussions effects
excuses reasons
rapidly deteriorating polar ice caps icebergs melting quickly
directly impacting having a clear effect on
natural habitats where animals live
uptick increase
natural disasters hurricans, earthquakes, fires, etc.
man-made cause by humans
ecosystem habit
set the world on this path main cause
remedy their mistakes fix what they did
resent be angry about
current one right now
steps are not taken no measures enacted
drastic reforms sweeping changes
bear little responsibility not their duty
commit be serious about
reversing its effects fixing
leaving this problem ignoring the issue
children of the future future generations
potentially unwinnable situation possibly no solution to it
Pronunciation
ɪnˌvaɪərənˈmɛntəlɪsts
rɪsˌpɒnsəˈbɪlɪti
ɪnˈʃʊə
lɛft ɪn gʊd kənˈdɪʃən
ˈfjuːʧə ˌʤɛnəˈreɪʃənz
ˈdjuːti
ʌnˈfeə
ˌnʌnðəˈlɛs
ˈbɜːdn
ˈteɪkən ʌp
ˈɑːgjuː əˈgɛnst
ˈsɛntɪmənt
ˈʤʌstli əˈsaɪn bleɪm ˈɛlsˈweə
meɪn kənˈtrɪbjʊtəz
ˈklaɪmɪt ʧeɪnʤ
ˈkʌrənt ˌkætəˈklɪzmɪk ˈwɔːnɪŋz
lɑːʤ ɪnˈdʌstrɪəl ˈpaʊəz
ˈtwɛntɪəθ ˈsɛnʧʊri
tuː ˈliːdɪŋ ˈdraɪvəz
ˈfɒsl fjʊəl kənˈsʌm(p)ʃən
lɪŋk
ˈsɜːʤɪŋ ˌpɒpjʊˈleɪʃənz
ədˈvɑːnsɪz ɪn ˈmɛdsɪn
kənˈtrɪbju(ː)tɪd ˈgreɪtli
ˌəʊvəprəˈdʌkʃən
mæs kənˈsʌm(p)ʃən
dɪˈfaɪnz
əbˈʤɛktɪvli ʌnˈfeə
ˈpraɪmərɪli
ˈɛntərɪŋ ðə ˈwɜːkˌfɔːs
ˈsʌfə
ˈθɔːtlɪsnəs
ˈwɒntən ɪnˌdʌstrɪəlaɪˈzeɪʃən
rɪˈgɑːdlɪs
ˈprɛznt ˌʤɛnəˈreɪʃən
teɪk hiːd
pəʊˈtɛnʃəli ˈdaɪə ˈwɔːnɪŋz
ɪnˈtɛnʃənli
ˌʌnɪnˈtɛnʃənli ˌʌnəˈweə
ˌriːpɜːˈkʌʃənz
ɪksˈkjuːsɪz
ˈræpɪdli dɪˈtɪərɪəreɪtɪŋ ˈpəʊlər aɪs ˈkæps
dɪˈrɛktli ɪmˈpæktɪŋ
ˈnæʧrəl ˈhæbɪtæts
ʌp tɪk
ˈnæʧrəl dɪˈzɑːstəz
ˈmænˈmeɪd
ˈiːkəʊˌsɪstəm
sɛt ðə wɜːld ɒn ðɪs pɑːθ
ˈrɛmɪdi ðeə mɪsˈteɪks
rɪˈzɛnt
ˈkʌrənt wʌn
stɛps ɑː nɒt ˈteɪkən
ˈdræstɪk ˌriːˈfɔːmz
beə ˈlɪtl rɪsˌpɒnsəˈbɪlɪti
kəˈmɪt
rɪˈvɜːsɪŋ ɪts ɪˈfɛkts
ˈliːvɪŋ ðɪs ˈprɒbləm
ˈʧɪldrən ɒv ðə ˈfjuːʧə
pəʊˈtɛnʃəli ˌʌnˈwɪnəbl ˌsɪtjʊˈeɪʃən
Vocabulary Practice
Remember and fill in the blanks:
Many e________________________s feel that people today have a r________________y to e__________e the Earth is l_____________________n for f______________________s. In my opinion, though this d________y is u________r, it is n______________s a b__________n that must be t___________p.
Those who a_____________t this s______________t can j_______________________e. The m_____________________s to c__________________e and the c_________________________s were the l________________________s on the 2______________________y. Automobiles and air travel became common in the last 100 years and are t_____________________s of the f________________________n many scientists l______k to global warming. S________________________s and a_____________________e have also c_____________________y to the o______________________n and m_______________________n that d___________s the 21st century. It is o____________________r that people today, and p________________y the younger generation only now e_______________________e, should have to s___________r for the t________________s of w______________________n.
R_______________s, it is the responsibility of the p_________________n to t______________d of these p__________________________s. People in the past were either i___________________y or u____________________e of the r__________________s of their actions but individuals today cannot make such e_____________s. For example, the r_________________________________s are d___________________g the n_____________________s of animals around the world and some climate scientists believe that an u___________k in n______________________s is also related to this and other m______________e changes to the e__________________m. Past generations who s_________________________h cannot come back and r_________________________s and future generations will r_____________t the c_______________e if s__________________________n towards d___________________s.
In conclusion, though people today b_______________________y for climate change, they must c______________t to r_______________________s. L________________________m for the c_______________________e will put them in a p______________________________n.
Listening Practice
Keep your studies interesting by watching videos related to the topics:
Reading Practice
Read more about this topic below in The New York Times climate section:
https://www.nytimes.com/section/climate
Speaking Practice
Practice with the following questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:
Talk about a person you know who is doing something to help the environment.
Writing Practice
Practice with the following related question from the exam then check with my sample answer:
The manufacturing and use of cars damages the environment but their popularity is increasing.
Why is this?
How could this be controlled?
Hi dear Dave,
Could you please give me a brief evaluation for my sample essay:
Environmental issues have always been a world-wide topic of concern. Remedial measures should be taken in this regard to conserve the nature and to make a better living prospect for the international community.
Such is the current pace of the exploitation of our natural surroundings, that it is likely to be more overwhelmingly exacerbated by the next decades. This ever-rising destruction mostly flows from the fast-paced development of technology and thus industries, which may well result in disastrous consequences, risking the human life. That is to say, not only might this lead to the future world being an uninhabitable place, but it may well also bring the whole human generation to the verge of extinction, showing that the prompt remedies are highly needed, without being delayed for even a second.
In addition to the above-mentioned necessity, it seems that maintaining the present situation of the ecosystem could be achieved by a reasonable amount of investment fund while reverting the spoiled condition to its initial state would be a costly and also arduous, if not far-fetched, task. The problematic matter of removing the pollution from the marine areas, to which a great deal of time and budget is required to be devoted, could be the very epitome of this setback. This, thus, proves the fact that the relevant, ongoing strides should be made, not making the issue so complicated in the future.
To conclude, it is better to take major steps towards the protection of the environment at the current time, not procrastinating it and risking the future of the earth, and not excessively putting money and effort into rehabilitation of the human-induced exploitations.
Sure, Nariman.
For a more detailed evaluation you can sign up here: Course.HowtodoIELTS.com/Band-Scores-Corrections
Briefly, careful with a lot of your collocations which are incorrect and make it hard to read sometimes. Also, try to write some short and simple sentences to break up the flow and gave greater grammatical accuracy.
Hope that helps!
Hey Dave , my name is Clerin. I am from India can you please tell me why many students like me are stuck at band 6.5 in writing ….and i need a 7 to crack ielts . What should i do i only have a limited amount of time?