This is an IELTS Writing Task 2 sample answer from the real test/exam related to the economy and the environment.

Both topics – economics and the environment – are really common on IELTS and might come up on the listening, reading, writing, or speaking test.

Be sure to check out my Patreon exclusive essays as well.

Enjoy!

Dave

Before reading my sample essay, listen to the audio to practice your listening skills:

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: The Economy & the Environment (Real Past IELTS Exams/Tests)

Developing the economy will always damage the environment.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Real Past IELTS Tests/Exams

It is often asserted that economic progress must always come at the expense of environmental. While this is not the case for entrenched economies, it is true for nations trying to gain a foothold in the global marketplace.

Only developed nations have the prerogative of protecting the environment without major economic backlash. The best examples of this can be seen in advanced economies around the world ranging from Japan and South Korea in Asia to France and Germany in Europe and the UAE and Kuwait in the Middle East. All these nations are already dominant in various global economic sectors. Germany leads the world in automobile manufacturing and other high-end goods. Japan is famous for its electronics and entertainments brands. This frees them up to haughtily build more energy efficient factories, tax companies, pass public awareness bans, and regulate pollution far more aggressively than developing nations.

Developing nations have neither the means nor the inclination to protect the environment. A good example of this can be seen in Vietnam, which is a rapidly evolving, populous nation. A good deal of their economic growth has come from offshore drilling, which has resulted in oil spills, as well as factories dotting the countryside, which contribute to growing concerns about air pollution. Many people depend on these businesses for their livelihood and the companies are trying to compete with developed nations from a huge initial, competitive disadvantage. In order to catch up they must cut environmental corners or risk falling further behind globally.

In conclusion, environmental conservation is a privilege for countries that contributed the most to climate change historically. Developed nations ought to make allowances for countries that are still struggling to provide their citizenry with a decent standard of living.

Word Count: 290

Analysis

1. It is often asserted that economic progress must always come at the expense of environmental. 2. While this is not the case for entrenched economies, it is true for nations trying to gain a foothold in the global marketplace.

  1. Paraphrase the main topic of the whole essay in your first sentence.
  2. Give your opinion and make it 100% clear. This one kind of sits in the middle but I can do that because I am very clear about the situation when I believe it is true/not true. Don’t just write ‘both sides are right’ or you will get band 5 for task achievement.

1. Only developed nations have the prerogative of protecting the environment without major economic backlash. 2. The best examples of this can be seen in advanced economies around the world ranging from Japan and South Korea in Asia to France and Germany in Europe and the UAE and Kuwait in the Middle East. 3. All these nations are already dominant in various global economic sectors. 4. Germany leads the world in automobile manufacturing and other high-end goods. 5. Japan is famous for its electronics and entertainments brands. 6. This frees them up to haughtily build more energy efficient factories, tax companies, pass public awareness bans, and regulate pollution far more aggressively than developing nations.

  1. Write a topic sentence with your main idea at the end of the sentence.
  2. Start your example/support or explain your main idea. Mine doesn’t need any explanation so I start the examples.
  3. Here I state why those examples are important to my main idea.
  4. Be as specific as possible – that’s why I write about the products Germany sells.
  5. Same with Japan.
  6. Notice the specific regulations that I mention – be specific!

1. Developing nations have neither the means nor the inclination to protect the environment. 2. A good example of this can be seen in Vietnam, which is a rapidly evolving, populous nation. 3. A good deal of their economic growth has come from offshore drilling, which has resulted in oil spills, as well as factories dotting the countryside, which contribute to growing concerns about air pollution. 4. Many people depend on these businesses for their livelihood and the companies are trying to compete with developed nations from a huge initial, competitive disadvantage. 5. In order to catch up they must cut environmental corners or risk falling further behind globally.

  1. Another topic sentence with a new main idea.
  2. Start your example – use your country or one you know well so that you can write a very specific example.
  3. Develop your example with specific information.
  4. Continue developing it – don’t write a second example!
  5. Finish developing your example or make a general statement relating it to your main idea.

1. In conclusion, environmental conservation is a privilege for countries that contributed the most to climate change historically. 2. Developed nations ought to make allowances for countries that are still struggling to provide their citizenry with a decent standard of living.

  1. Repeat your opinion.
  2. Add in an extra detail/final thought.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean?

It is often asserted that economic progress must always come at the expense of environmental. While this is not the case for entrenched economies, it is true for nations trying to gain a foothold in the global marketplace.

Only developed nations have the prerogative of protecting the environment without major economic backlash. The best examples of this can be seen in advanced economies around the world ranging from Japan and South Korea in Asia to France and Germany in Europe and the UAE and Kuwait in the Middle East. All these nations are already dominant in various global economic sectors. Germany leads the world in automobile manufacturing and other high-end goods. Japan is famous for its electronics and entertainments brands. This frees them up to haughtily build more energy efficient factories, tax companies, pass public awareness bans, and regulate pollution far more aggressively than developing nations.

Developing nations have neither the means nor the inclination to protect the environment. A good example of this can be seen in Vietnam, which is a rapidly evolving, populous nation. A good deal of their economic growth has come from offshore drilling, which has resulted in oil spills, as well as factories dotting the countryside, which contribute to growing concerns about air pollution. Many people depend on these businesses for their livelihood and the companies are trying to compete with developed nations from a huge initial, competitive disadvantage. In order to catch up they must cut environmental corners or risk falling further behind globally.

In conclusion, environmental conservation is a privilege for countries that contributed the most to climate change historically. Developed nations ought to make allowances for countries that are still struggling to provide their citizenry with a decent standard of living.

Answers

asserted claimed

progress moving forward

come at the expense of require

entrenched economies established economies

gain a foothold become part of

global marketplace world economy

prerogative privilege/right/obligation

major economic backlash hurting their economy a lot

advanced economies developed nations

ranging from including

dominant overwhelming/in control

various global economic sectors industries

leads the world sells more than any other country

high-end goods quality products

frees them up allows them to

haughtily arrogantly

energy efficient factories factories that don’t pollute much

pass public awareness bans regulate consumer behaviour

regulate pollution pass laws for the environment

far more aggressively much more stringent

means methods

inclination will

rapidly evolving always changing/getting better

populous lots of people

offshore drilling looking for oil under the water

resulted in caused

spills oil getting into the water

dotting appearing along

contribute to add to

depend rely on

livelihood making a living/jobs

initial first

competitive disadvantage well behind

catch up become equal with

cut environmental corners not care about pollution

risk falling further behind globally might lose ground to other countries

environmental conservation protecting the environment

privilege right

historically throughout history

make allowances let them

struggling having a tough time

provide give

citizenry people of a country

decent standard of living can make enough money

Pronunciation

əˈsɜːtɪd 
ˈprəʊgrəs 
kʌm æt ði ɪksˈpɛns ɒv 
ɪnˈtrɛnʧt i(ː)ˈkɒnəmiz
geɪn ə ˈfʊthəʊld 
ˈgləʊbəl ˈmɑːkɪtpleɪs
prɪˈrɒgətɪv 
ˈmeɪʤər ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˈbæklæʃ
ədˈvɑːnst i(ː)ˈkɒnəmiz 
ˈreɪnʤɪŋ frɒm
ˈdɒmɪnənt 
ˈveərɪəs ˈgləʊbəl ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˈsɛktəz
liːdz ðə wɜːld 
haɪ-ɛnd gʊdz
friːz ðɛm ʌp 
ˈhɔːtɪli 
ˈɛnəʤi ɪˈfɪʃənt ˈfæktəriz
pɑːs ˈpʌblɪk əˈweənəs bænz
ˈrɛgjʊleɪt pəˈluːʃən 
fɑː mɔːr əˈgrɛsɪvli 
miːnz 
ˌɪnklɪˈneɪʃən 
ˈræpɪdli ɪˈvɒlvɪŋ
ˈpɒpjʊləs 
ˌɒfˈʃɔː ˈdrɪlɪŋ
rɪˈzʌltɪd ɪn 
spɪlz
ˈdɒtɪŋ 
kənˈtrɪbju(ː)t tuː 
dɪˈpɛnd 
ˈlaɪvlɪhʊd 
ɪˈnɪʃəl
kəmˈpɛtɪtɪv ˌdɪsədˈvɑːntɪʤ
kæʧ ʌp 
kʌt ɪnˌvaɪərənˈmɛntl ˈkɔːnəz 
rɪsk ˈfɔːlɪŋ ˈfɜːðə bɪˈhaɪnd ˈgləʊbəli
ɪnˌvaɪərənˈmɛntl ˌkɒnsə(ː)ˈveɪʃən
ˈprɪvɪlɪʤ 
hɪsˈtɒrɪkəli
meɪk əˈlaʊənsɪz 
ˈstrʌglɪŋ 
prəˈvaɪd 
ˈsɪtɪznri
ˈdiːsnt ˈstændəd ɒv ˈlɪvɪŋ

Listen and repeat:

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

It is often ____________ that economic ____________ must always ____________ environmental. While this is not the case for ____________, it is true for nations trying to ____________ in the ____________.

Only developed nations have the ____________ of protecting the environment without ____________. The best examples of this can be seen in ____________ around the world ____________ Japan and South Korea in Asia to France and Germany in Europe and the UAE and Kuwait in the Middle East. All these nations are already ____________ in ____________. Germany ____________ in automobile manufacturing and other ____________. Japan is famous for its electronics and entertainments brands. This ____________ to ____________ build more ____________, tax companies, ____________, and ____________ ____________ than developing nations.

Developing nations have neither the ____________ nor the ____________ to protect the environment. A good example of this can be seen in Vietnam, which is a ____________, ____________ nation. A good deal of their economic growth has come from ____________, which has ____________ oil ____________, as well as factories ____________ the countryside, which ____________ growing concerns about air pollution. Many people ____________ on these businesses for their ____________ and the companies are trying to compete with developed nations from a huge ____________ , ____________. In order to ____________ they must ____________ or ____________.

In conclusion, ____________ is a ____________ for countries that contributed the most to climate change ____________. Developed nations ought to ____________ for countries that are still ____________ to ____________ their ____________ with a ____________.

Listen and check:

Listening Practice

Practice your listening with this video about th Yamuna in India:

Reading Practice

Read here about air pollution in developing countries:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/10/03/cleanish-air-is-increasingly-a-preserve-for-wealthy-nations/

Speaking Practice

Answer these questions from the real speaking exam on the topic of the environment:

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?

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