Causes and solutions is one of the most common IELTS Writing Task 2 question types. It appears in several forms — "What are the causes and what can be done?" or "What are the causes and what are the effects?" This guide covers the structure, vocabulary, and Band 7+ examples for this question type.
Identifying the Causes and Solutions Question
Look for these phrases in the prompt:
- "What are the causes of this? What can be done to address it?"
- "Why is this happening and what measures can be taken?"
- "Discuss the reasons for this and suggest possible solutions."
- "What causes X and what are its effects?" (causes-effects variant)
Structure: Causes and Solutions
| Paragraph | Content | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction | Paraphrase prompt + state you will discuss causes and solutions | 2–3 sentences |
| Body 1 | 2 causes with explanation/examples | 4–5 sentences |
| Body 2 | 2 solutions connected to those causes | 4–5 sentences |
| Conclusion | Summarise without new information | 2 sentences |
Total: 250–280 words.
Critical principle: Solutions should logically address the causes you identified. If you name poor regulation as a cause, "stricter regulation" is the logical solution — not an unrelated policy.
Band 7+ Sample Essay 1
Question: In many countries, the number of people choosing to live alone has increased significantly in recent years. What are the causes of this trend and what are its effects on society?
The proportion of single-person households has grown markedly across the developed world over recent decades. This shift reflects both structural economic changes and evolving social values, and carries significant implications for community cohesion and welfare systems.
Several interconnected factors drive this trend. Rising levels of educational attainment and economic independence — particularly among women — have reduced the financial and social pressures that historically propelled early marriage and cohabitation. Simultaneously, urbanisation has drawn populations to cities where housing configurations and fast-paced professional cultures tend to normalise solitary living. The increasing normalisation of divorce and a declining stigma around unmarried life have further reinforced these tendencies.
The social consequences are mixed. On one hand, individuals living alone typically report greater autonomy and personal fulfilment, and solo households generate significant economic activity in housing, dining, and entertainment sectors. On the other, the erosion of household-based social support networks places greater demands on public health and welfare systems, as isolated individuals — particularly elderly people — become increasingly dependent on state or charitable provision. Communities with high rates of single-person households also tend to exhibit weaker civic bonds and lower rates of collective participation.
Addressing the more problematic dimensions of this trend requires investment in community infrastructure — social spaces, neighbourhood programmes, and digital platforms that facilitate voluntary social connection without imposing unwanted cohabitation.
(225 words)
Band 7+ Sample Essay 2
Question: The crime rate among young people is increasing in many countries. What are the causes of this? What can governments and individuals do to address the problem?
Youth crime represents a persistent challenge in both developed and developing nations, driven by structural disadvantages and cultural factors that require coordinated responses at the governmental and community levels.
The root causes are predominantly socioeconomic. Young people from economically deprived backgrounds face limited access to quality education and stable employment — conditions that research consistently links to higher rates of criminal behaviour. The breakdown of family structures, including high rates of absent parents and household instability, removes the protective social scaffolding that typically channels adolescents toward constructive rather than destructive pathways. Additionally, media environments that glamorise material wealth without depicting legitimate means of acquiring it create distorted aspirational frameworks for impressionable young people.
Governments bear primary responsibility for structural solutions. Targeted investment in deprived communities — including after-school programmes, vocational training, and mental health services — addresses the absence of legitimate opportunity that underlies much youth offending. Sentencing reforms that prioritise rehabilitation over punitive incarceration have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing reoffending rates in several jurisdictions. At the individual level, mentorship by community leaders, business professionals, and educators provides the role models whose absence contributes to vulnerability.
Neither government action alone nor individual effort is sufficient — sustainable reduction in youth crime requires the parallel alignment of structural investment and genuine community engagement.
(218 words)
Key Vocabulary for Causes and Solutions Essays
Causes:
- is driven by / stems from / can be attributed to
- a key factor is / a primary cause is / underlying causes include
- contributes to / gives rise to / leads to
Solutions:
- one effective approach would be to / governments should consider
- the most direct response is / a sustainable solution involves
- this requires / addressing this necessitates
Effects (for causes-effects variant):
- has significant implications for / results in / produces
- one consequence is / a further effect is
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