In this post: a model weighing paragraph for an AI Outweigh question, the common mistakes in technology essays, and three practice questions with suggested outlines.
Technology and Media · 3 parts
- 1. Common questions and argument bank
- 2. Collocations and my own paragraphs
- 3. Model paragraph and practice (you are here)
✦ In this post
5. Model paragraph: will artificial intelligence replace most jobs?
Below is a model paragraph I wrote for this post. The question is “Do the advantages of widespread artificial intelligence for employment outweigh the disadvantages?”, and the focus is the weighing paragraph in an Outweigh essay:
Model (weighing paragraph, about 130 words)
[Acknowledge the drawback] It is true that artificial intelligence will make some jobs disappear, particularly those involving routine tasks such as data entry. [Shrink the drawback] However, history suggests that new technologies tend to change jobs rather than simply eliminate them; when spreadsheets became common, accountants did not vanish but spent less time on calculation and more on analysis. [The advantage is more fundamental] In the same way, AI is likely to take over repetitive work and free employees to focus on tasks that require judgement and communication. [Condition] This benefit, however, depends on governments and companies providing retraining for workers whose roles change. [Conclusion] Provided that such support exists, I believe the advantages of AI in the workplace outweigh its drawbacks.
This structure can be applied directly to any Outweigh technology question: acknowledge the drawback → shrink it with history or common sense → show that the advantage is more fundamental → add a condition → conclude. Note that the spreadsheet example is common knowledge that everyone accepts, so it needs no statistics.
| Paragraph | Content (model outline) |
|---|---|
| Introduction | Paraphrase the question + position: the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, provided there is retraining. |
| Body 1 (disadvantages) | Routine jobs disappear; the people affected find it hard to change career (Argument 4). |
| Body 2 (advantages + weighing) | The model paragraph above: jobs change rather than vanish, and productivity rises. |
| Conclusion | Restate the position and the condition; add no new reasons. |
6. Common mistakes in technology essays
| Common mistake | Why it is wrong | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| No comparison in an Outweigh essay | You list advantages and disadvantages but never say which side weighs more, or why | Add a weighing paragraph or sentence: acknowledge → shrink → more fundamental |
| Arguments only loosely linked to the question | Writing “electric cars are green” for a driverless-car question | Check that each argument comes from the technology in the question itself |
| Mixing up advertising and advertisement | “Advertising” is uncountable; “advertisement” is countable | Advertising is… / Advertisements are… |
| Adding -s to “technology” at random | It is uncountable when it means technology in general, and countable only for specific technologies | Technology has changed… / new technologies |
| Using “sign language” for body language | Sign language is the language used by deaf people | body language, gestures |
| it is undoubtedly that | “Undoubtedly” is an adverb and cannot follow “it is” | there is no doubt that / undoubtedly, … |
| Absolute words such as never and always | The effects of technology are rarely 100% | rarely, often, tend to |
| Inventing statistics | They sound fake and often do not match the argument | Use apps, everyday scenes or hypothetical examples |
7. Practice questions (with suggested outlines)
Practice 1. Some people think that artificial intelligence will soon replace teachers in schools. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Show the suggested outline
Position (model): Disagree. AI can assist teachers but cannot replace them.
Body 1: AI can mark homework and provide personalised practice, reducing teachers’ workload (concession).
Body 2: A teacher’s core job is to notice how students are doing, encourage them and guide their character, and this requires face-to-face interaction (links to Argument 1).
Example: Hypothetical example: a student’s marks suddenly drop, and the teacher notices from his expression that something is wrong at home, which a system could never see.
Practice 2. More and more people get their news from social media rather than from newspapers or television. Is this a positive or negative development?
Show the suggested outline
Position (model): A negative development.
Body 1: Information on social media is not verified, and false stories spread faster than corrections.
Body 2: Algorithms only push content users want to see, creating echo chambers that make it harder to encounter different views.
Concession: Social media is instant and free, which genuinely helps news of sudden events spread.
Key words: misinformation, verify, echo chamber.
Practice 3. Children today spend many hours a day using smartphones and tablets. Why is this the case? What can be done to reduce it?
Show the suggested outline
Causes: ① In dual-income families, busy parents use tablets as babysitters. ② All their friends are playing, and mobile games give a sense of belonging.
Solutions: ① Parents set screen-time limits and arrange alternative activities such as sport or board games. ② Schools offer after-school activities so children have somewhere to go.
Note: It is best to match each cause to a solution: no one at home → after-school activities; peer pressure → group activities.
Further reading
- IELTS Task 2 Topic Vocabulary (Part 1): Technology, Environment, Education and Work
- IELTS Task 2 Topic Vocabulary (Part 2): Culture, Crime, Housing, Society and the Economy
- IELTS Task 2 Band 6.5 Sample: Driverless Vehicles and the Missing Comparison
- IELTS Task 2 Band 6.5 Sample: Is Advertising Persuasive? Strong Structure, Weak Grammar
- IELTS Outweigh Essays: Four or Five Paragraphs, the Concession and Weighing Both Sides
- How to Write an IELTS Agree/Disagree Essay: Full vs Partial Agreement, with Seven Real Essays
- All IELTS notes in English
This is the last part of “Technology and Media”. To start again, go back to Part 1.
IELTS Notes in English · Topic Guides (post 3 of 10)
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Task 1 Structure · Task 2 Structure · Topic Guides · Writing Language · Band Score Samples · Practice Methods · Speaking & Study Tips
✦ Target Your Future
Some days you practise for hours and the score still does not move. I hope these notes remind you that the setbacks are part of the road: every recording you replayed, every essay you rewrote and every sentence you finally dared to say is progress you have already made.
I wrote this down so the next person can take fewer detours. You do not have to follow my method exactly. Find a rhythm that works for you, rest when you need to, and come back for the next small step.
I hope what you take away is more than a number on a score report: a little more confidence in yourself, and the courage to step a bit closer to the world.
— Ting
← Back to IELTS notes in English
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