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ACCOUNT ESSAY – Problems & Solutions

I. THREE TYPES OF ACCOUNT ESSAY

Type 1: Problems and solutions:

Example: Many young people who leave school hold a negative attitude towards learning. Why
does this happen? What are the solutions?

 Requirement: find out the causes of the problem/ phenomenon and solutions to that
problem

Type 2: Cause and effect:

Example: Some findings have revealed that cities around the world are growing large. Could you
outline the possible causes and predict consequences?

 Requirement: find out the causes of the problem and its impacts/ consequences

Type 3: Pros and cons/ advantages and disadvantages

Example 1: In some countries, governments are encouraging industries and businesses to move
out of the cities and into regional areas. Do you think the advantages outweigh the
disadvantages?

 Requirement: your opinion and explanation for your choice

Example 2: In many countries, the proportion of older people is increasing steadily. What is the
positive and negative change of this trend to the society?

 Requirement: both negative and positive sides of the problem

II. PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

Topic: The internet has transformed the way information is shared and consumed, but it has
also created problems that did not exist before. What are the most serious problems associated
with the internet and what solutions can you suggest?

Writing about Problems

REMEMBER:
- Only need two or three problems (you also need to explain the problems)
- When brainstorming, think about: (a) what the problem is (b) how you will explain it (c)
and what the effect is.

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The pattern:
Problem 1: children can access potentially dangerous sites
Explanation / Example: Pornography sites
Result: Affects thought & development - negative for children & society
Problem 2: growth of online fraud and hacking
Explanation / Example: Evident from the constant news stories
Result: Criminals get sensitive information

Writing about Solutions

REMEBER:
- When brainstorming your solutions, think of key “actors” who are involved
(governments, individuals,…)
- Make sure your solutions not too simplistic
For example: The government should introduce stricter laws.

The pattern:
Solution 1: Governments
Idea: Adequate legislation and controls for young people
How: More complex website access criteria
Solution 2: Parents
Idea: Monitor children and restrict access
How: Use a computer program
Solution 3: Companies
Idea: Improve IT security systems
How: Review current systems in place

Essay sample:
The enormous growth in the use of the internet over the last decade has led to radical changes to
the way that people consume and share information. Although serious problems have arisen as a
result of this, there are solutions.

One of the first problems of the internet is the ease with which children can access potentially
dangerous sites. For example, pornography sites are easily accessible to them because they can
register with a site and claim to be an adult. There is no doubt that this affects their thoughts and
development, which is a negative impact for the children and for society. Another major problem
is the growth of online fraud and hacking. These days, there are constant news stories about
government and company websites that have been hacked, resulting in sensitive information
falling into the hands of criminals.

It is crucial that actions are taken to combat these problems. Governments should ensure that
adequate legislation and controls are in place that will prevent young people from accessing
dangerous sites, such as requiring more than simply confirming that you are an adult to view a
site. Parents also have a part to play. They need to closely monitor the activities of their children
and restrict their access to certain sites, which can now be done through various computer
programs. Companies must also improve their onsite IT security systems to make fraud and

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hacking much more difficult by undertaking thorough reviews of their current systems for
weaknesses.

To conclude, the internet is an amazing technological innovation that has transformed people’s
lives, but not without negative impacts. However, with the right action by individuals,
governments and businesses, it can be made a safe place for everyone.

(285 words)
*Onsite (adj): available or happening in the place where people work, rather than somewhere else
*Undertake (v) (fml): to do or begin to do something, especially something that will take a long time or be difficult

ESSAY TEMPLATE FOR PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

STRUCTURE
Introduction
- Paraphrase question
- Outline sentence (say what you will discuss in the rest of the essay)

Problem
- State problem
- Explain what problem is
- Result
- Example

Solution
- State solution
- Explain how solution will solve problem
- Example

Conclusion
- Summary of main points in paragraphs 2 and 3
- Prediction or recommendation

LANGUAGES OF PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

Paraphrasing languages:
o Nouns: Problem = Difficulty = Concern = Issue = Matter = Dilemma
o Adjectives: Serious = Major = Significant = Severe >< Minor = Insignificant
o Verbs: Have = Experience = Face = Be a headache for = Deal with = Tackle = Handle =
Solve = Resolve = Address Eradicate = Eliminate

 TIPS: How can we learn these words?

o Don’t learn too much at once
o Do not learn words by themselves, learn them in combinations

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o Use the phrases for yourself by using them to describe problems you know
o Use a dictionary to look at examples

Practice 1: Gap-fill

Headache Heart Recover Remedy Root Unhealthy

1. We must address the social ills that are at the …………………………..……….of crime
2. She said that there was a cancer at the very ……………..……………….of society.
3. Transport was another …………………………………….for the government.
4. The economy is very ………………………………………………
5. The economy began to ……………………………………………..
6. There is no simple …………………………………..for the problem.
Practice 2: Matching

An economy is If we examine the underlying

social problems that cause it.

We need to find a remedy For the government is rising

unemployment

A major headache Would be to address other

fundamental problems in society.

Unemployment is at the root Of many contemporary problems.

One of the major problems Unhealthy when unemployment

facing the world today rises.

One way to resolve the issue Is how to deal with rising

of rising unemployment unemployment.

It is possible to find a solution For the problem of unemployment

to rising unemployment

Solutions:
– One possible/ notable way to solve/ overcome/ deal with/ mitigate the problem would be/ is
…..
– People/ Government/ The society/ Individuals/ Each individual should focus his/their attention
on + V_ing.

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- Although there are undoubtedly some problems/ negative consequences/ effects of this trend,
measures can be taken to mitigate these potential consequences/ problems.
(mitigate:làm giảm nhẹ dịu bớt)
– While some negative consequences are apparent/unavoidable/undoubted, government and
individuals/ societies can take steps to address the problems.
– Serious problems have arisen as a result of this; however, there are solutions that should be
taken into consideration.
- The most practical solution to this problem is a government sponsored awareness campaign. An
effective advertising campaign could warn of the dangers of [X] and hopefully raise awareness
amongst the public. For example, …..
Example: Each individual should focus his attention on protecting the environment.
How to write the Introduction
Topic: In the developed world, average life expectancy is increasing. What problems will this
cause for individuals and society? Suggest some measures that could be taken to reduce the
impact of ageing populations.
 Introducing the topic:
Eg: Increasing life expectancy has become a matter of great concern
 Giving background information and Narrowing the topic:
Eg: This phenomenon proves to be more serious in the developed world.
 Giving your point of view and mentioning the main areas covered in the essay
Eg: Although there are undoubtedly some negative consequences of this trend, measures can be
taken to mitigate these potential problems.

TEMPLATE
In these years,…..(topic)…….. Although there are undoubtedly some negative problems of this
trend, measures can be taken to mitigate these potential consequences.

One of the major problems facing……..is..….(problem 1)…….There is no doubt that this affects
…..(effect 1)…... For example, ……… Another severe issue is that …..(problem 2)….. As a
result,……(effect 2)……

It is crucial that actions are taken to combat these problems. It should be first noted
that…..(solution 1 + explanation + example)……. Another notable way to overcome these issues
would be …..……(solution 2 + explanation + example)……

To recapitulate,……(summary)…….. However, with various actions taken by ……(actors of

solutions)……., these problems can be addressed effectively.

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Essay sample: In the developed world, average life expectancy is increasing. What problems
will this cause for individuals and society? Suggest some measures that could be taken to
reduce the impact of ageing populations.

It is true that people in industrialized nations can expect to live longer than ever before. Although
there will undoubtedly be some negative consequences of this trend, societies can take steps to
mitigate these potential problems.

As people live longer and the populations of developed countries grow older, several related
problems can be anticipated. The main issue is that there will obviously be more people of
retirement age who will be eligible to receive a pension. The proportion of younger, working
adults will be smaller, and governments will therefore receive less money in taxes in relation to
the size of the population. In other words, an ageing population will mean a greater tax burden
for working adults. Further pressures will include a rise in the demand for healthcare, and the
fact young adults will increasingly have to look after their elderly relatives.

There are several actions that governments could take to solve the problems described above.
Firstly, a simple solution would be to increase the retirement age for working adults, perhaps
from 65 to 70. Nowadays, people of this age tend to be healthy enough to continue a productive
working life. A second measure would be for governments to encourage immigration in order to
increase the number of working adults who pay taxes. Finally, money from national budgets will
need to be taken from other areas and spent on vital healthcare, accommodation and transport
facilities for the rising numbers of older citizens.

In conclusion, various measures can be taken to tackle the problems that are certain to arise as
the populations of countries grow older.

III. WRITING
 Overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous problems. Identify one or two serious
ones and suggest ways that governments and individuals can tackle these problems.
 In the developed world, average life expectancy is increasing. What problems will this cause
for individuals and society? Suggest some measures that could be taken to reduce the impact
of ageing populations.
 More and more people are migrating to cities in search of a better life, but city life can be
extremely difficult. Explain some of the difficulties of living in a city. How can governments
make urban life better for everyone?
 Despite a large number of gyms, a sedentary lifestyle is gaining popularity in the
contemporary world. What problems are associated with this? What solutions can you
suggest?

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 The internet has transformed the way information is shared and consumed, but it has also
created problems that did not exist before. What are the most serious problems associated
with the internet and what solutions can you suggest?
 The rates of violent crime are increasing in many countries around the world. Give some
reasons for this situation and some possible solutions.

Essay Model:
Cities are often seen as places of opportunity, but there are also some major drawbacks of living
in a large metropolis. In my opinion, governments could do much more to improve city life for
the average inhabitant.
The main problem for anyone who hopes to migrate to a large city is that the cost of living is
likely to be much higher than it is in a small town or village. Inhabitants of cities have to pay
higher prices for housing, transport, and even food. Another issue is that urban areas tend to
suffer from social problems such as high crime and poverty rates in comparison with rural areas.
Furthermore, the air quality in cities is often poor, due to pollution from traffic, and the streets
and public transport systems are usually overcrowded. As a result, city life can be unhealthy and
stressful.
However, there are various steps that governments could take to tackle these problems. Firstly,
they could invest money in the building of affordable or social housing to reduce the cost of
living. Secondly, politicians have the power to ban vehicles from city centres and promote the
use of cleaner public transport, which would help to reduce both air pollution and traffic
congestion. In London, for example, the introduction of a congestion charge for drivers has
helped to curb the traffic problem. A third option would be to develop provincial towns and rural
areas, by moving industry and jobs to those regions, in order to reduce the pressure on major
cities.
In conclusion, governments could certainly implement a range of measures to enhance the
quality of life for all city residents.
(273 words, band 9)