Simon’s ielts writing task 2

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IELTS Writing Task 2
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Wednesday, March 22, 2017 
IELTS Writing Task 2: positive or negative development? 
If the question asks you 
'Is this a positive or negative development?'
, you are being asked to give 
your opinion. Therefore, I consider this to be an "opinion" question, similar to the question 
'To what 
extent do you agree or disagree?'
. 
Notice the use of the word 
'or'
: positive or negative, agree or disagree. You are not being told to 
discuss the positives and negatives. 
Having said that, it is perfectly acceptable for you to write about both sides. For example, look at the 
following question and my introduction and conclusion below. Can you see how I give a clear answer 
that mentions both sides? 
Question:
Some universities now offer their courses on the Internet so that people can study online. Is this a 
positive or negative development? 
Introduction:
It is true that online courses are becoming a common feature of university education. Although there 
are some drawbacks of Internet-based learning, I would argue that there are far more benefits. 

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Compiled by Diyorbek Hayitmurodov ielts-simon.com Page 175 
Conclusion:
In conclusion, while I recognise the possible disadvantages of online learning, I consider this to be a 
positive development overall. 
I'll show you a full essay for this topic next week. 
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Simon
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Sunday, March 26, 2017