Task 2 · Band 8 path
Problem & Solution
Every solution must answer a problem you actually raised.
Recognise the question
How to spot this question type, what the examiner is actually marking, and the traps that cap it at Band 6.
Every solution must answer a problem you actually raised.
Common in both Academic and General Training, often on social, urban and environmental topics.
Also called: Causes and solutions · Problems and solutions · Cause and effect essay
Spotting it
How this question is worded
What problems does this cause and what solutions can you suggest?
Two obligations: problems in one paragraph, matching solutions in the other. Both halves must be developed.
What are the causes of this and what measures could be taken?
The causes variant. Body 1 explains WHY the situation arises; body 2 proposes measures that address those specific causes.
Why is this happening and how could it be addressed?
Same task in plainer wording. "Why" is the causes half, "how" is the solutions half.
What problems does this create, and how could governments respond?
The solutions half is scoped to one actor. Keep your measures within that scope — individual lifestyle advice would be off-task.
The rule that decides Task Response
Each solution must be traceable to a problem or cause you named earlier. A solution that answers a problem you never raised is off-task, however sensible it sounds.
The standard
What a Band 8 answer to this type does
- Problems (or causes) that are genuinely caused by the situation in the question, not general complaints about the topic.
- Solutions that correspond one-to-one with those problems — the reader can see which answers which.
- Specific, plausible measures with an agent: who does what, and what changes as a result.
- Realistic acknowledgement of limits where appropriate — a solution that concedes a cost reads as more mature.
- Balanced paragraphs: the solutions half is not squeezed into two sentences at the end.
Where the band is lost
The 5 traps in this question type
Each of these is a specific, repeatable way to lose marks on this type — not general writing advice.
"The government should do more"Task Response capped at 6
Vague measures with no mechanism are the defining feature of a Band 6 problem–solution essay. "Raise awareness", "invest more", "take action" say nothing about what would actually change.
The fix
Every solution needs an actor, an action and an effect: WHO does WHAT, and WHY that changes the problem.
Solutions that do not match the problemsCoherence 6 · Task Response 6
If body 1 is about traffic congestion and body 2 proposes better recycling, the essay has answered two unrelated questions.
The fix
Plan in pairs. Write problem 1 → solution 1, problem 2 → solution 2 before writing a single sentence, and reference the problem explicitly when you introduce its solution.
Four problems and one solutionTask Response 6
Candidates find problems easier to generate than solutions and run out of time. Both halves are marked, so an essay with a thin solutions paragraph has under-covered half the task.
The fix
Cap yourself at two problems. If you can only solve one properly, write about one problem and one solution, both developed.
Describing the problem instead of explaining itTask Response 6
"Traffic is very bad in big cities and people waste a lot of time" restates the situation from the question rather than analysing what causes it or what it leads to.
The fix
Ask "so what?" after each problem. The mark is in the consequence — who is harmed, how badly, and what follows.
Utopian solutionsTask Response 7 at best
"Everyone should stop using cars" or "companies should stop polluting" are not measures; they are wishes. A solution that ignores cost, politics or human behaviour is not credited as developed.
The fix
Choose measures that a real government or organisation could actually implement, and acknowledge the main obstacle in one clause.
Quick reference
The Problem / Solution essay at a glance
Each solution must be traceable to a problem or cause you named earlier. A solution that answers a problem you never raised is off-task, however sensible it sounds.
Common in both Academic and General Training, often on social, urban and environmental topics.
How to recognise this question
- “What problems does this cause and what solutions can you suggest?”
- Two obligations: problems in one paragraph, matching solutions in the other. Both halves must be developed.
- “What are the causes of this and what measures could be taken?”
- The causes variant. Body 1 explains WHY the situation arises; body 2 proposes measures that address those specific causes.
- “Why is this happening and how could it be addressed?”
- Same task in plainer wording. "Why" is the causes half, "how" is the solutions half.
- “What problems does this create, and how could governments respond?”
- The solutions half is scoped to one actor. Keep your measures within that scope — individual lifestyle advice would be off-task.
The four-paragraph structure
Restate the situation and signal that both problems and solutions follow.
Explain one or two problems properly, including who is harmed and how.
Propose measures that answer the problems you just named.
Restate the problems and the matching solutions. Nothing new.
The traps that cap this type at Band 6
"The government should do more"Task Response capped at 6
Vague measures with no mechanism are the defining feature of a Band 6 problem–solution essay. "Raise awareness", "invest more", "take action" say nothing about what would actually change.
Fix: Every solution needs an actor, an action and an effect: WHO does WHAT, and WHY that changes the problem.
Solutions that do not match the problemsCoherence 6 · Task Response 6
If body 1 is about traffic congestion and body 2 proposes better recycling, the essay has answered two unrelated questions.
Fix: Plan in pairs. Write problem 1 → solution 1, problem 2 → solution 2 before writing a single sentence, and reference the problem explicitly when you introduce its solution.
Four problems and one solutionTask Response 6
Candidates find problems easier to generate than solutions and run out of time. Both halves are marked, so an essay with a thin solutions paragraph has under-covered half the task.
Fix: Cap yourself at two problems. If you can only solve one properly, write about one problem and one solution, both developed.
Describing the problem instead of explaining itTask Response 6
"Traffic is very bad in big cities and people waste a lot of time" restates the situation from the question rather than analysing what causes it or what it leads to.
Fix: Ask "so what?" after each problem. The mark is in the consequence — who is harmed, how badly, and what follows.
Utopian solutionsTask Response 7 at best
"Everyone should stop using cars" or "companies should stop polluting" are not measures; they are wishes. A solution that ignores cost, politics or human behaviour is not credited as developed.
Fix: Choose measures that a real government or organisation could actually implement, and acknowledge the main obstacle in one clause.
Problem / Solution questions — frequently asked
How many problems and solutions should I write about?
Two of each at most, and one of each is acceptable if both are fully developed. Depth is marked; coverage is not. Four named problems with no explanation scores lower than one problem analysed properly.
Do my solutions have to be realistic?
Yes. A measure that ignores cost, politics or human behaviour is not treated as developed. Naming an actor, an action and an effect — and conceding the main obstacle in one clause — is what makes a solution credible.
What is the difference between "causes" and "problems"?
Causes explain WHY the situation exists; problems describe the harm it does. Read the prompt carefully — answering with causes when the question asked for problems (or the reverse) is off-task and costs Task Response.
Can I put a problem and its solution in the same paragraph?
You can, and it is a legitimate structure — one paragraph per problem-and-solution pair. It is harder to control under time pressure, though, so the two-paragraph split (all problems, then all solutions) is the safer default.
Next
Once this type is at Band 8, move to another — Agree / Disagree, Both Views, Advantages — or check a full essay you have written in the Essay Checker
Go deeper on Task 2
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- Timed writing mock testTask 1 and Task 2 in 60 minutes, marked like the exam