IELTS problem-solution essay: structure and Band 7 tips

The problem-solution essay is one of the most common Task 2 question types. It appears in several forms, and misreading the prompt — or failing to link your solutions to your problems — is one of the fastest ways to lose coherence marks. This guide shows you exactly how to structure the essay and develop each paragraph to Band 7 standard.

Recognising the prompt variants

IELTS examiners phrase this question type in three common ways. You need to spot which variant you are dealing with before you plan, because the answer structure differs slightly for each.

The third variant is a different essay type entirely. If the question asks for causes and effects, do not write solutions — you will go off-topic. Focus on the first two variants for this guide.

The four-paragraph structure

A clean four-paragraph plan gives you enough space to develop your ideas and produces a logical, easy-to-follow argument.

1. 1Introduction — paraphrase the topic and state that you will examine the problems/causes and then propose solutions.
2. 2Body paragraph 1 — explain the main problem(s) or cause(s) in depth, with a concrete example.
3. 3Body paragraph 2 — propose realistic solutions that directly address each problem or cause you raised in Body 1.
4. 4Conclusion — summarise the main problems and solutions in one or two sentences; do not add new ideas.

Writing the introduction

Paraphrase the statement or situation given in the prompt using synonyms and a different sentence structure. Then write one sentence that outlines what your essay will cover — something like: "This essay will examine the primary causes of this trend and suggest practical measures that governments and individuals can take." Avoid copying the question word for word; examiners penalise this.

Body paragraph 1 — problems or causes

Do not open with a list. Instead, identify one or two well-chosen problems or causes and develop each one properly. A useful framework is Point → Explain → Example → Link.

• Point: state the problem or cause clearly in your topic sentence.
• Explain: say why or how this problem arises, or what mechanism is at work.
• Example: give a specific, plausible example — a country, a study, a statistic, or a realistic scenario.
• Link: close by connecting back to the central issue or signalling the next idea.

For example, if the topic is urban traffic congestion, you might identify car dependency as the primary cause, explain that insufficient public transport pushes people into private vehicles, illustrate with a rapidly expanding city such as Jakarta or Lagos where metro coverage is limited, and then close by noting how this compounds air quality problems.

Body paragraph 2 — solutions

This is where many candidates lose marks. The solutions in this paragraph must respond directly to the causes or problems you described in Body 1 — not to a different, vaguely related set of issues. Apply the same Point → Explain → Example → Link structure. For the traffic example, a matched solution would be government investment in affordable public transport, not a generic recommendation to reduce pollution, which addresses a consequence rather than the cause.

The key rule: every solution must have a matching problem or cause in Body 1. If you cannot draw a clear line between a solution and something you already explained, cut the solution. Mismatched solutions are the single most common coherence error in this essay type.

Develop, don't list

A shallow list of five problems and five solutions will score lower than one or two fully developed problems with one or two carefully argued solutions. Examiners award marks for depth of reasoning, not volume of ideas. Ask yourself: have I explained why this is a problem? Have I explained why this solution would work? Have I shown how they are connected?

A Band 7 body paragraph typically runs 90–130 words and contains one central idea, a logical chain of reasoning, and at least one concrete example. A Band 5 body paragraph lists three ideas in 40 words with no development.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Solutions that do not match the problems: the most damaging coherence error. Reread Body 1 before writing Body 2.
• Too many undeveloped points: five bullet-point ideas with no explanation reads as a plan, not an essay.
• Ignoring the 'causes' half: if the question asks for causes, you must explain why the situation exists, not merely describe its effects.
• Copying the prompt verbatim: the first sentence of many essays is penalised for this — always paraphrase.
• Adding new information in the conclusion: the conclusion should synthesise, not introduce.
• Vague examples: "in many countries" is not an example. Name a place, policy, or scenario.

Language features that support a Band 7 score

Coherence and cohesion account for 25 per cent of your Task 2 mark. Use discourse markers that show logical relationships — causality ('as a result', 'this stems from'), contrast ('however', 'while'), and addition ('furthermore', 'a further consequence'). Avoid repeating the same marker in every sentence.

Lexical resource rewards precise vocabulary over rare words. Using 'exacerbate' correctly is more impressive than using it incorrectly. If you are uncertain of a word's collocation, choose a simpler alternative you can use accurately.

Grammatical range and accuracy rewards a mix of sentence types — complex sentences with relative clauses, conditional structures ('if governments were to invest…'), and passive voice where appropriate ('a significant proportion of journeys could be replaced by public transport'). Accuracy matters more than complexity.

A worked paragraph plan

Below is a sample plan for the prompt: "In many cities, the number of cars on the road is increasing. What problems does this cause and what solutions can you suggest?"

If you want a bank of Band 7-level sentence templates and a self-marking checklist for every IELTS Task 2 type, the Band 7 Writing Playbook covers this essay type alongside opinion, discussion, and two-part questions.

Length and timing

Task 2 requires a minimum of 250 words and is worth more marks than Task 1, so you should spend approximately 40 minutes on it. Most well-developed responses fall between 270 and 320 words. Writing significantly more than 320 words rarely improves your score and increases the risk of grammatical errors; writing fewer than 250 words risks a band penalty for Task Achievement.

Spend the first five minutes planning — decide on your two problems and their matching solutions before you write a single sentence. Most structural errors in Task 2 come from planning on the page rather than before it.