This is an IELTS Sample Answer for Task 2 Writing from the test on January 20th, 2018 in the Asia region (different regions have different tests to prevent cheating).
It was a little bit tricky because of one strange part of the question but overall not the most difficult Task 2 Writing I’ve seen.
Read this sample answer and analysis and complete the vocabulary exercises below it in quizlet.
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Dave
Task 2 IELTS Sample Question
Recent research has shown that business meetings and training are increasingly taking place online.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?
Sample Answer
Many businesses today choose to hold meetings and do training online, rather than in person. While this has certain drawbacks related to interpersonal relationships, I still feel this is a positive trend because of its positive impact on employees with families. In this essay, I will discuss both sides in detail.
Conducting the majority of business meetings online has a potentially negative effect on the social dynamics of a company. The preference for online communication sacrifices essential elements of human interaction in the name of a more efficient, utilitarian process. When people sit in a room together, for training or a meeting, they are more likely to form strong interpersonal bonds. They will be able to see each other’s body language better and there is a good chance they may socialise in person afterwards. For example, employees might go for drinks or even just have a private chat about the meeting or training while still at work. This is much less likely to happen when people are working from home or a remote location and using online tools like Skype to communicate.
Companies that choose to do more training and have more meetings online are making life more convenient for their employees with families. At some point in their lives, most people must face the challenge of working and having a family. If both the mother and father work, then one of them might have to give up their job to stay home or they will have to hire an expensive caretaker to look after their child during the day. If more meetings and training took place online, this could free up time for people in certain jobs, such as IT workers, to work entirely from home and look after their children during the day. They will still have to make time for the training and meetings but at least they won’t waste valuable time commuting to the office.
The move towards increased online training and meetings may sacrifice some of the social aspects of work but this is more than made up for by the convenience it allows working families. In many families today, both the mother and father have to work to make ends meet and we should support any efforts to relieve their financial and physical burdens.
You can download it here.
Analysis
Introduction: 1. Many businesses today choose to hold meetings and do training online, rather than in person. 2. While this has certain drawbacks related to interpersonal relationships, I still feel this is a positive trend because of its positive impact on employees with families. 3. In this essay, I will discuss both sides in detail.
1. The trickiest part of this question is the mention of ‘business meetings and training.’ You have to make your answer general enough to include both of those slightly different situations but also specific enough to have well-supported and relevant main ideas. I have done this by mentioning training and meetings a few times throughout the answer.
2. The first sentence simply restates the topic. Don’t waste much time on this sentence – write it simply and quickly.
3. The second sentence clearly states my opinion, which is necessary to get at least a Band 6 for Task Achievement.
4. The third sentence simply states that I will talk about both sides. This sentence is not very important – write it quickly so you can focus on the main body paragraphs.
Body Paragraph 1: 1. Conducting the majority of business meetings online has a potentially negative effect on the social dynamics of a company. 2. The preference for online communication sacrifices essential elements of human interaction in the name of a more efficient, utilitarian process. 3. When people sit in a room together, for training or a meeting, they are more likely to form strong interpersonal bonds. 4. They will be able to see each other’s body language better and there is a good chance they may socialise in person afterwards. 5. For example, employees might go for drinks or even just have a private chat about the meeting or training while still at work. 6. This is much less likely to happen when people are working from home or a remote location and using online tools like Skype to communicate.
1. The first sentence is a topic sentence that includes my main idea for the whole paragraph (online meetings and training has negative effect on how well people get along). It is key to include both training and meetings, but not talk specifically about one or the other, just to be safe.
2. The second sentence extends my main idea by pointing out that even though companies may become more efficient, they will be less ‘human.’
3. The third sentence further supports my main idea by claiming that people meeting physically form stronger bonds.
4. The fourth sentence supports this idea by saying that body language and socialising are important parts of interpersonal relationships.
5. The fifth sentence gives the example of colleagues going out for a drink or chatting after a meeting.
6. The sixth and final sentence claims that online communication will (likely) prevent this from happening.
Body Paragraph 2: 1. Companies that choose to do more training and have more meetings online are making life more convenient for their employees with families. 2. At some point in their lives, most people must face the challenge of working and having a family. 3. If both the mother and father work, then one of them might have to give up their job to stay home or they will have to hire an expensive caretaker to look after their child during the day. 4. If more meetings and training took place online, this could free up time for people in certain jobs, such as IT workers, to work entirely from home and look after their children during the day. 5. They will still have to make time for the training and meetings but at least they won’t waste valuable time commuting to the office.
1. The first sentence is a topic sentence that includes my main idea for the whole paragraph (online training and meetings are more convenient for employees with families).
2. The second sentence further supports my main idea by pointing out that most people have to juggle family and work life.
3. The third sentence further supports my main idea by giving the example of working parents who might have to give up their job or hire a caretaker.
4. The fourth sentence develops this example by saying that online meetings might free up certain occupations to work entirely from home.
5. The fifth and final sentence extends this by including the detail that even though they will still have to do the online meetings and training they will save time on commuting.
Conclusion: 1. The move towards increased online training and meetings may sacrifice some of the social aspects of work but this is more than made up for by the convenience it allows working families. 2. In many families today, both the mother and father have to work to make ends meet and we should support any efforts to relieve their financial and physical burdens.
1. The first sentence restates the main ideas from the sample answer as well as my overall opinion. Make sure you have an overall opinion.
2. The second sentence adds an extra detail (stating how important it is to support working parents) that is needed to get above a Band 7 for Task Achievement according to some, but not all, examiners.
Vocabulary Practice
Quizlet is one of the best websites on the internet that you are not using (unless if you are using it – then good!)
Don’t believe me? Click on the link below and use it to easily learn some high-level vocabulary from the sample answer above:
Quizlet Vocabulary Study
Business / Working from Home Articles
The Perks of Working from Home
How Working from Home Ruins Everything
The Best Work at Home Jobs
Productivity Hacks for Working at Home
How to Run a Great Virtual Meeting
Acadmic Article on Online Meetings
Business / Working from Home Videos
Father Interrupted Working at Home
Working at Home vs An Office
Comparison Working from Home / An Office
News Report: Want to Work from Home?
8 Funniest Office Commercials
No More Meetings!
Short Pixar Film: Inner Workings
Seinfeld Meeting
Example Notes
Here are some notes I made on the vocabulary from the IELTS sample answer (from our Instagram page)!

Our IELTS Sample Answer notes!
Now it’s Your Turn! Comment below on our IELTS Sample Answer:
Is it a good idea for businesses to do training online? To hold meetings online? How much time do you waste in meetings every week?
But this essay type is not asking for your opinion. Should still choose a side?
Yes, always choose a side even if it doesn’t ask for an opinion!
but it asked for advantageS not just on advantage? same goes for disadvantageS, not just one? so how can we show just one idea and keep on developing?
This is a tricky area because some examiners might mark you down for not developing enough and others for not including more than 1. My advice is to relate your advantages to each other and have 2 of them so that they complement each other.
I think an examiner would have to be very strict to mark someone down for developing one main idea fully but it is better to be safe.
Is that clear?
hi dave
thanks a lot for providing th PDF for downold.
hope to have it for the rest of the essays
You’re welcome!
I only make them sometimes though because they take a while. I keep them all on my online courses: course.howtodoielts.com/online-course
one of them might have to give up their
Can we write “one of who” instead of “one of them” In above sentence?
Yes, you can write ‘one of whom’
Your essays are perfect and well written. I am glad that I am spending time here reading all your essays. Just stumbled upon this one as I see that you have added the opinion here. Is it really necessary because many other trainers have strictly denied adding opinion, if not asked for? Now, I am totally confused. Also, what if I don’t do that, Is it going to hurt my score?
I think that is odd that other trainers would say that – who said it?
You can trust the band descriptors for task achievement that require a clear ‘position’ – the safe bet is to include one, or at least phrase it as an opinion, no matter what.
Sorry for adding the link of the video just like that. Here the teacher says don’t include your opinion.
https://youtu.be/pJ-Vyqxn1To?t=690
Thanks for sending that Mitchel.
I’m not sure if he every worked as an examiner and though most of his advice is good, there are some errors in what he says.
For the essays that say ‘Discuss both sides’ – even if it doesn’t say ‘give your opinion’ – you must give your opinion or get a 5 for task achievement.
That’s a bit unfair I know, but any former examiner will tell you that.
It is also safe to include an opinion and won’t hurt your score in any way since the band descriptors ask for a ‘position’ regardless of question type.
Is that clear?
In advantages and disadvantages, can I talk about only 1 advantage and 1 disadvantage, provided that my idea is fully developing?
It’s a little risky.
It asks for advantageS and disadvantageS plural so a strict examiner could mark it down for task achievement to band 4 or 5.
To be safe, have an overall idea like ‘the advantages all relate to business’ and then a couple within that.
Hi, Dave. I really appreciate your work. I’m very confused about that you give your opinion in this essay. A former IELS examiner Liz (you may know her) said in her website that ” if the question doesn’t ask for your opinion, don’t give it”. What exactly should I do when I meet a question like this?
Thank you for sharing!
I always include it to be safe – technically everything you write is an opinion so it can never hurt your score.
Just be safe in case there are some picky examiners out there!
I knew a lot of examiners who were too strict or idiosyncratic in their marking so I always think it is better to err on the side of caution.
Does that answer your question, Alice?