Mastering the IELTS Problem-Solution Essay: A Step-by-Step Guide

IELTS problem-solution essays can be challenging, but don’t worry—we will go through the process step by step.

🔹 Two Common Types of Problem-Solution Essays:

1️⃣ Problem-Solution: You are asked to provide problems and their respective solutions (pay attention to "respective"!).
2️⃣ Cause-Solution: You are asked to discuss causes and their solutions.

We will write sample answers for both types.

📌 Understanding the Prompt

Let’s examine a sample essay question:

"The world is experiencing serious air pollution.
What problems does this cause? What are some possible solutions?"

This prompt asks us to:
✅ Identify problems caused by air pollution
✅ Provide solutions to those problems

⚠ Key Tip

You are not assessed on the depth of your ideas—IELTS evaluates your language skills. Keep your response clear and structured, without worrying about solving the issue in real life!

💡 Brainstorming Problems & Solutions

Focus on two problems and two solutions—adding more may overcomplicate the essay.

🔴 Problems of Air Pollution:

🌍 Climate Change
💨 Respiratory & Cardiovascular Diseases

🟢 Solutions to Air Pollution:

⚡ Switch to Renewable Energy Sources
🚗 Promote the Use of Electric Vehicles

✅ Now we have a clear structure!

📝 Writing the Introduction

A strong IELTS essay introduction has three parts:

✨ 1. Topic Sentence

🔄 2. Paraphrase of the Question

📌 3. Thesis Statement

🕒 Take no more than 10 minutes to write this section!

🔹 Topic Sentence + Paraphrase of the Question

The topic sentence introduces the subject in a general way.

✅ Example:

"In the modern world, a significant portion of the population is affected by air pollution."

🔹 This sentence:

• Introduces the topic

• Paraphrases the question

• Avoids giving an opinion

💡 Tip: You can write two separate sentences for the topic and paraphrase, but since the given prompt is short, we've combined them.

📌 Thesis Statement

A good thesis statement should include:
✔ The specific problems you'll discuss
✔ The solutions you'll propose

❌ Weak Thesis Statement:

“This essay will discuss the problems and solutions of air pollution.”

✅ Stronger Thesis Statement:

"The major problems linked to air pollution are climate change and an increase in respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. These issues can be tackled by governments investing in clean renewable energy sources and incentivizing citizens to use electric vehicles."

🔥 Why is this a strong thesis?

✔ Clearly outlines problems & solutions
✔ Helps the examiner immediately understand the essay structure

🎯 Final Introduction Paragraph

"In the modern world, a significant portion of the population is affected by air pollution. The major problems linked to air pollution are climate change and an increase in respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. These issues can be tackled by governments investing in clean renewable energy sources and incentivizing citizens to use electric vehicles."

✅ Now your introduction is clear, concise, and well-structured!

📖 Now, We Move on to Paragraphs

🟢 Paragraph 1 – Problems

🔵 Paragraph 2 – Solutions

📌 Writing Main Body Paragraphs

Basic Structure of a Main Body Paragraph in This Essay

✅ Topic Sentence
✅ Problem 1
✅ Explanation
✅ Example
✅ Problem 2
✅ Explanation
✅ Example

📌 Paragraph 1 – Problems

🔹 Topic Sentence

✅ Example:

"Air pollution leads to many problems all around the world."

This topic sentence simply shows the reader that this paragraph is only concerned with problems.

🌍 Problem 1 – Climate Change

✅ Example:

"One of the most serious consequences is climate change."

📌 Explanation + Example

✅ Example:

"With rising dependence on vehicular transport worsening air pollution, the global temperature has increased by over 2 degrees in a decade. This may not seem alarming, but this rise has contributed to multiple tsunamis in Japan and devastating floods in Pakistan."

I honestly do not know if tsunamis and floods are a result of climate change, and also I don’t know if Japan has experienced tsunamis recently or not. The point is, I do not need to know specific examples. Just make up stuff.

Problem 2 – Respiratory & Cardiovascular Diseases

✅ Example:

"Another major issue caused by air pollution is the increase in heart and lung-related diseases."

📌 Explanation + Example

✅ Example:

"For instance, due to the high emission of harmful gases like nitrogen oxide in Pakistan, particularly in metropolitan cities like Lahore and Karachi, an unprecedented surge in tuberculosis cases has been reported by the health department."

Here, we have combined both the example and explanation in one sentence. Through the example, we have explained the problem. To reiterate the point, there is no specific structure you have to follow; just ensure clarity in your arguments.

📌 Paragraph 2 – Solutions

In the second paragraph, we follow the same structure, but for solutions.

Have a look at the finished paragraphs:

“Air pollution leads to many problems all around the world. One of the most serious consequences is climate change. With rising dependence on vehicular transport worsening air pollution, the global temperature has increased by over 2 degrees in a decade. This may not seem alarming, but this rise has contributed to multiple tsunamis in Japan and devastating floods in Pakistan. Another major issue caused by air pollution is the increase in heart and lung-related diseases. For instance, due to the high emission of harmful gases like nitrogen oxide in Pakistan, particularly in metropolitan cities like Lahore and Karachi, an unprecedented surge in tuberculosis cases has been reported by the health department.

Governments worldwide can implement a multifaceted approach to combat air pollution and its harmful effects. Firstly, since overdependence on fossil fuels results in air contamination, countries should adopt renewable energy sources. Wind and solar power have been shown to sustain entire cities, and increasing reliance on these alternatives can significantly improve air quality. Secondly, since emissions from motor vehicles also exacerbate air pollution, states can encourage citizens to switch to electric vehicles. Offering tax cuts on electric car purchases can reduce dependence on gas-powered vehicles, ultimately leading to cleaner air.”

🌟 Writing Conclusion 🌟

The conclusion is the easiest part of the essay to write! Just paraphrase your thesis statement.

✅ Start with “In conclusion” or “To conclude”:

"To conclude, while concerns related to air pollution, particularly climate change and life-threatening diseases, are serious, they can be addressed through investment in alternative energy sources and the promotion of electric vehicles."

🔹 As you can see, no new information is added.
🔹 No further explanations are given.
🔹 Just restate the problems and solutions discussed in the essay.

✨ And that’s it! Your conclusion is done! 🎉

🚦 Causes-Solutions Essay 🚦

This essay is the same as a Problem-Solution Essay. The only difference is that we need to provide causes and their explanations, rather than discussing the problems caused by the issue.

Look at the following prompt:

“In many cities around the world, traffic congestion has become a serious problem. What are the main causes of traffic congestion? What solutions can be implemented to reduce traffic problems?”

I am leaving you with sample essays on both prompts:

“The world is experiencing serious air pollution.
What problems does this cause? What are some possible solutions?”

“Air pollution has become a huge concern across the world. The major problems linked to air pollution are climate change and an increase in respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. These issues can be tackled by states investing in clean renewable energy sources and incentivizing citizens to use electric vehicles.

Air pollution leads to many problems all around the world. One of the most serious consequences is climate change. With rising dependence on vehicular transport worsening air pollution, the global temperature has increased by over 2 degrees in a decade. This may not seem alarming, but this rise has contributed to multiple tsunamis in Japan and devastating floods in Pakistan. Another major issue caused by air pollution is the increase in heart and lung-related diseases. For instance, due to the high emission of harmful gases like nitrogen oxide in Pakistan, particularly in metropolitan cities like Lahore and Karachi, an unprecedented surge in tuberculosis cases has been reported by the health department.

Governments worldwide can implement a multifaceted approach to combat air pollution and its harmful effects. Firstly, since overdependence on fossil fuels results in air contamination, countries should adopt renewable energy sources. Wind and solar power have been shown to sustain entire cities, and increasing reliance on these alternatives can significantly improve air quality. Secondly, since emissions from motor vehicles also exacerbate air pollution, states can encourage citizens to switch to electric vehicles. Offering tax cuts on electric car purchases can reduce dependence on gas-powered vehicles, ultimately leading to cleaner air.

To conclude, while concerns related to air pollution, particularly climate change and life-threatening diseases, are serious, they can be addressed through investment in alternative energy sources and the promotion of electric vehicles.”

“In many cities around the world, traffic congestion has become a serious problem.
What are the main causes of traffic congestion?
What solutions can be implemented to reduce traffic problems?”

“Traffic congestion has become a huge issue across the world. This problem is caused mainly by urbanization and companies manufacturing increasingly larger vehicles. However, these issues can be resolved by investing in rural development and enforcing policies regarding the permitted dimensions of cars.

One major cause of traffic congestion in cities is urbanization. Since a large number of companies have their offices in metropolitan areas, people from small towns and villages keep moving to cities in pursuit of better employment opportunities. World-renowned universities and schools also establish their campuses in cities, attracting more students. This leads to a continuous rise in urban populations and, consequently, an increase in the number of vehicles on the road. Besides that, there seem to be no regulations on the permitted dimensions of cars. It is not uncommon to see people driving oversized trucks merely to showcase their masculinity. This creates a misleading perception among consumers that their manliness is tied to the size of their vehicles. These larger vehicles occupy more space on the road, worsening traffic congestion.

To address these challenges, the government must implement a multifaceted approach. Firstly, to curb overcrowding in cities, investment in underdeveloped areas needs to be prioritized. States can subsidize multinational corporations and schools to establish their services in remote areas. If individuals can secure employment and have access to quality education in their hometowns, they will be less likely to migrate to cities. This will help maintain a manageable urban population. Secondly, automobile manufacturers should not have complete freedom to produce vehicles of any size. There should be clear and strict regulations on the maximum permissible dimensions of cars. Companies that fail to comply with these directives should face fines or have their licenses revoked.

To conclude, overcrowding and the use of excessively large vehicles contribute to traffic congestion in cities. To combat this, the state should promote rural development and enforce strict regulations on vehicle dimensions.”