EducationAdvantages–Disadvantages
IELTS Essay: Online Learning vs Classrooms (Band 9 vs 6.5)
In short
Below is a full Band 9 model answer to this IELTS Writing Task 2 question, the same question written at Band 6.5, and a criterion-by-criterion breakdown of exactly what separates them — so you can see what to change in your own writing. Then check your essay with the free tool.
The question
An increasing number of universities now deliver some or all of their courses online rather than in traditional classrooms. Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?
How to approach a Advantages–Disadvantages question
For an advantages/disadvantages question, first check exactly what is asked: 'discuss the advantages and disadvantages' wants a balanced account, whereas 'do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?' demands a clear verdict. If a verdict is required, state it in the introduction and return to it in the conclusion — listing pros and cons without deciding is a Task Response failure.
The plan
- 01Introduction: paraphrase the shift towards online university teaching and give a clear verdict — the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
- 02Body 1 (advantages): access for remote, working and lower-income students; flexibility to study at one's own pace and rewatch lectures.
- 03Body 2 (disadvantages, weighed): weaker peer interaction and self-discipline demands — real but manageable through blended designs.
- 04Conclusion: restate the verdict — wider access is the decisive gain, provided universities keep some face-to-face contact.
Band 9 model answer
Higher education is migrating steadily onto the internet, with many universities now teaching partly or wholly through online platforms. Although this shift brings genuine drawbacks, I would argue that its benefits — above all, dramatically wider access to study — clearly outweigh them.
The strongest advantage of online delivery is that it dismantles barriers of geography and circumstance. A nurse working night shifts, a parent in a rural town, or a student who simply cannot afford city rents can now earn a degree from institutions that were previously out of reach. Online courses are also more flexible in pace: lectures can be paused, replayed and revisited before examinations, which suits the many learners who absorb material more slowly than a one-off lecture allows. In effect, the technology tailors the university to the student rather than the reverse.
The disadvantages, while real, strike me as manageable rather than fatal. Critics rightly note that screens are a poor substitute for the friendships, debates and networking of campus life, and that studying alone at home demands unusual self-discipline. Yet these problems point to better course design, not abandonment of the model: blended programmes that combine online lectures with periodic seminars preserve human contact, while structured deadlines and online study groups supply much of the missing accountability. What cannot be engineered around — the total exclusion of those who could never attend at all — is precisely what online learning solves.
In conclusion, the erosion of campus interaction is a genuine cost, but it can be softened through blended teaching, whereas the expansion of opportunity to millions of previously excluded learners cannot be achieved any other way. The advantages therefore decisively outweigh the disadvantages.
The same question at Band 6.5
Nowadays, many universities teach their courses on the internet instead of the classroom. This development has both advantages and disadvantages. In my opinion, the advantages are bigger than the disadvantages.
There are some good points about online learning. Firstly, it is very convenient for the students. They do not need to travel to the university, so they can save time and money. For example, a student who has a job can study at home in the evening. Secondly, students can watch the lecture again if they do not understand something. This is not possible in a normal classroom because the teacher only explain one time. Also, online courses are usually cheaper, so more people can afford to study.
On the other hand, there are also some disadvantages. The main problem is that students cannot meet their friends and teachers face to face. University life is not only about study, it is also about making friends and doing activities together. If everything is online, students may feel lonely and bored. Another problem is that some students are lazy, and when nobody is watching them they do not study hard and maybe they will fail the course.
In conclusion, online learning has disadvantages like less communication and needing more discipline, but I believe the advantages are more important. It gives a chance to many students who cannot come to the university, and it saves time and money. Therefore I think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
What separates them, criterion by criterion
| Criterion | Band 9 | Band 6.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Task Response | Gives a clear verdict in the introduction, weighs the disadvantages seriously ('real ... manageable rather than fatal') and explains why one side wins. | States a verdict and covers both sides, but the ideas are listed rather than weighed — the essay never explains why the advantages count for more. |
| Coherence & Cohesion | Cohesion is built into the argument ('Yet these problems point to', 'What cannot be engineered around') so paragraphs read as one line of reasoning. | Clear paragraphing, but relies on mechanical connectors ('Firstly', 'Secondly', 'Also', 'On the other hand') that join separate points without linking the ideas. |
| Lexical Resource | Precise, natural collocation throughout: 'dismantles barriers of geography', 'a poor substitute for', 'the expansion of opportunity'. | Meaning is clear but words are simple and repeated ('good points', 'problem', 'study'); little collocation beyond 'save time and money'. |
| Grammatical Range & Accuracy | Wide range of accurate complex forms, including concession structures and a balanced final sentence contrasting the two sides. | Mostly simple and compound sentences with recurring slips ('the teacher only explain one time', 'the advantages are bigger') that do not block meaning. |
Examiner's note
Both essays give the verdict the question demands, which many candidates forget. The difference is weighing versus listing: the Band 9 concedes the disadvantages and then argues them down, which is exactly what 'outweigh' requires, while the Band 6.5 places two lists side by side and asserts a winner. Add the Band 9's precise collocation and error-free complex sentences, and the two-and-a-half-band gap is fully explained.
Vocabulary from the Band 9 answer
| Word / phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| to dismantle barriers | to remove obstacles that prevent people doing something |
| out of reach | impossible for someone to obtain or access |
| at one's own pace | at the speed that suits an individual learner |
| a poor substitute for | a replacement that is much worse than the original |
| self-discipline | the ability to make yourself work without being supervised |
| blended programmes | courses that mix online study with face-to-face teaching |
| accountability | being answerable to someone for doing what you promised |
| the expansion of opportunity | making chances (to study, work etc.) available to more people |
| to soften a cost | to reduce the negative effect of a drawback |
Frequently asked questions
Does an 'outweigh' question need my opinion?
Yes. 'Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?' is a direct question, so you must give a clear verdict in the introduction and return to it in the conclusion. Simply listing pros and cons without deciding is a Task Response failure.
Should I write more about the side I support?
Slightly, yes. Both sides must be covered, but the paragraph supporting your verdict should be the more developed one, and the weaker side works best when you concede it and then explain why it matters less — as the Band 9 model does.
Can I use examples from my own experience?
Yes — Task 2 explicitly invites 'examples from your own knowledge or experience'. Keep them brief and typical (a working student, a rural learner) rather than long personal stories, and use them to support an argument, not replace one.