A detailed guide to this IELTS Writing Task 2 essay type, with structure templates, useful vocabulary, and techniques to achieve Band 7+.
Originally published April 2018. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
In this post, we will look at a positive/negative essay example from the IELTS writing task 2 test. Students often ask if the questions are repeated year after year and the answer is no, but the topics are. There are so many questions written each year, you may find your practice answering various questions on different topics. For example, you could write essays to answer questions about education or the environment, which benefits you because you learn vocabulary associated with those topics and develop ideas that can help you in your writing test.
Practising writing IELTS task 2 essays on a range of topics is a great way to learn new vocabulary for those topics, but also to practice your essay structures. You begin to develop your ideas around those topics, thinking of examples and giving your opinions.
If you would like to learn how to structure a positive/negative essay please click the button below >
Businesses devote millions every year to online commercials, print ads and posters. These advertisements can influence the public to purchase products that they don’t need in their lives. Firstly, this essay will discuss the main positive aspect of businesses doing well and secondly the primary negative effect of impulsive purchases.
On the one hand, the law of supply and demand is perhaps one of the most fundamental concepts of economics and it is the backbone of the market economy. The higher the demand means the greater the supply and on top of that it can provide employment to a lot of people. Furthermore, this helps in the improvement of the economy of a country becauseof its massive tax revenues. For instance, an article from Business Mirror China in 2016 revealed that 90% of Chinese job seekers had landed jobs provided by mobile companies while it increased their gross domestic product.
On the other hand, persuasive commercials can initiate impulsive buying. This is the tendency for a customer to buy goods and services without planning in advance, as a consumer takes such a buying decision in the spur of the moment, it is triggered by emotions and feelings and more often than not they would usually end up having a lot of debts. This is because they would use their credit cards or submit themselves to loan sharks just to buy the products that they thought they needed. For example, a study by Metrobank Philippines in 2016 discovered that 90% of credit card loaners who weren’t able to pay their monthly dues came from online shoppers.
In conclusion, consumerism may have obvious positive aspects like employment for some people, however having a large number of debts because of impulsive buying is a bigger problem because people will need to pay not only for the price of the product but the added interest as well.
(Word count – 314 / Band score 8)
Task Achievement – The essay provides an answer to the question asked, supported by relevant examples.
Coherence and Cohesion – The answer has been divided into clear logical paragraphs and each main body paragraph only has one main idea. There are cohesive links between the main body paragraphs.
Lexical Resource – There is evidence of a wide range of vocabulary, with no errors in the text.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy – The answer has no grammatical errors. The sentences have a wide range of structures.
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Comprehensive guide covering essential IELTS preparation strategies and techniques to help you achieve your target band score.
Originally published February 2018. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
About Lena’s IELTS Journey
Lena, a nurse from Poland, needed to achieve a specific IELTS band score for professional registration and visa purposes. Like many healthcare professionals, Lena faced the challenge of demonstrating English language proficiency while maintaining a demanding work schedule.
The Challenge
Healthcare professionals seeking to work internationally typically need an IELTS overall band score of 7.0, with no individual component below 6.5 for nursing registration, or 7.0 in each component for medical registration in countries like the UK and Australia. This is a high standard that requires focused, strategic preparation.
Key Strategies That Helped
Focused practice on weaker skills: Identifying and targeting specific skill gaps rather than generic study
Using professional context: Leveraging medical and healthcare vocabulary already known from work
Consistent daily practice: Even 30-60 minutes of targeted daily practice builds steady improvement
Professional feedback: Getting expert evaluation on writing and speaking to understand examiner expectations
Advice for Other Healthcare Professionals
If you are a nurse or healthcare worker preparing for IELTS, focus on the academic register required for professional contexts. Practise writing reports, describing processes, and explaining medical procedures clearly — these skills directly transfer to IELTS Writing and Speaking tasks.
Originally published on IELTS Achieve. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
Comprehensive guide covering essential IELTS preparation strategies and techniques to help you achieve your target band score.
Originally published February 2018. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
About Mae’s IELTS Journey
Mae, a nurse from the Philippines, needed to achieve a specific IELTS band score for professional registration and visa purposes. Like many healthcare professionals, Mae faced the challenge of demonstrating English language proficiency while maintaining a demanding work schedule.
The Challenge
Healthcare professionals seeking to work internationally typically need an IELTS overall band score of 7.0, with no individual component below 6.5 for nursing registration, or 7.0 in each component for medical registration in countries like the UK and Australia. This is a high standard that requires focused, strategic preparation.
Key Strategies That Helped
Focused practice on weaker skills: Identifying and targeting specific skill gaps rather than generic study
Using professional context: Leveraging medical and healthcare vocabulary already known from work
Consistent daily practice: Even 30-60 minutes of targeted daily practice builds steady improvement
Professional feedback: Getting expert evaluation on writing and speaking to understand examiner expectations
Advice for Other Healthcare Professionals
If you are a nurse or healthcare worker preparing for IELTS, focus on the academic register required for professional contexts. Practise writing reports, describing processes, and explaining medical procedures clearly — these skills directly transfer to IELTS Writing and Speaking tasks.
Originally published on IELTS Achieve. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
Comprehensive guide covering essential IELTS preparation strategies and techniques to help you achieve your target band score.
Originally published February 2018. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
About Mariella’s IELTS Journey
Mariella, a doctor from Spain, needed to achieve a specific IELTS band score for professional registration and visa purposes. Like many healthcare professionals, Mariella faced the challenge of demonstrating English language proficiency while maintaining a demanding work schedule.
The Challenge
Healthcare professionals seeking to work internationally typically need an IELTS overall band score of 7.0, with no individual component below 6.5 for nursing registration, or 7.0 in each component for medical registration in countries like the UK and Australia. This is a high standard that requires focused, strategic preparation.
Key Strategies That Helped
Focused practice on weaker skills: Identifying and targeting specific skill gaps rather than generic study
Using professional context: Leveraging medical and healthcare vocabulary already known from work
Consistent daily practice: Even 30-60 minutes of targeted daily practice builds steady improvement
Professional feedback: Getting expert evaluation on writing and speaking to understand examiner expectations
Advice for Other Healthcare Professionals
If you are a doctor or healthcare worker preparing for IELTS, focus on the academic register required for professional contexts. Practise writing reports, describing processes, and explaining medical procedures clearly — these skills directly transfer to IELTS Writing and Speaking tasks.
Originally published on IELTS Achieve. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
Comprehensive guide covering essential IELTS preparation strategies and techniques to help you achieve your target band score.
Originally published February 2018. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
About John’s IELTS Journey
John, a nurse from the Philippines, needed to achieve a specific IELTS band score for professional registration and visa purposes. Like many healthcare professionals, John faced the challenge of demonstrating English language proficiency while maintaining a demanding work schedule.
The Challenge
Healthcare professionals seeking to work internationally typically need an IELTS overall band score of 7.0, with no individual component below 6.5 for nursing registration, or 7.0 in each component for medical registration in countries like the UK and Australia. This is a high standard that requires focused, strategic preparation.
Key Strategies That Helped
Focused practice on weaker skills: Identifying and targeting specific skill gaps rather than generic study
Using professional context: Leveraging medical and healthcare vocabulary already known from work
Consistent daily practice: Even 30-60 minutes of targeted daily practice builds steady improvement
Professional feedback: Getting expert evaluation on writing and speaking to understand examiner expectations
Advice for Other Healthcare Professionals
If you are a nurse or healthcare worker preparing for IELTS, focus on the academic register required for professional contexts. Practise writing reports, describing processes, and explaining medical procedures clearly — these skills directly transfer to IELTS Writing and Speaking tasks.
Originally published on IELTS Achieve. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
Comprehensive guide covering essential IELTS preparation strategies and techniques to help you achieve your target band score.
Originally published February 2018. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
About Daniela’s IELTS Journey
Daniela, a nurse from Romania, needed to achieve a specific IELTS band score for professional registration and visa purposes. Like many healthcare professionals, Daniela faced the challenge of demonstrating English language proficiency while maintaining a demanding work schedule.
The Challenge
Healthcare professionals seeking to work internationally typically need an IELTS overall band score of 7.0, with no individual component below 6.5 for nursing registration, or 7.0 in each component for medical registration in countries like the UK and Australia. This is a high standard that requires focused, strategic preparation.
Key Strategies That Helped
Focused practice on weaker skills: Identifying and targeting specific skill gaps rather than generic study
Using professional context: Leveraging medical and healthcare vocabulary already known from work
Consistent daily practice: Even 30-60 minutes of targeted daily practice builds steady improvement
Professional feedback: Getting expert evaluation on writing and speaking to understand examiner expectations
Advice for Other Healthcare Professionals
If you are a nurse or healthcare worker preparing for IELTS, focus on the academic register required for professional contexts. Practise writing reports, describing processes, and explaining medical procedures clearly — these skills directly transfer to IELTS Writing and Speaking tasks.
Originally published on IELTS Achieve. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
