The simple past tense, sometimes called the preterite, is used to talk about a completed action in a time before now. The time of the action can be in the recent past or the distant past and action duration is not important.
Simple (indefinite) Past Tense के वाक्यो के अन्त मे ता था, ते थे, ती थी, आ, ए, ई आता है ।
Structure of Sentence
Subject + Second Form Of Verb + Object.
With He/She/It/I/We/You/They/Singular Noun/Plural Noun need to use Second Form of Verb.
Simple (Indefinite) Past Tense – Examples
हमने मिठाइयां बांटी।
We distributed sweets.
हमने प्रदर्शनी देखी।
We saw the exhibition.
राम ने रावण को मारा।
Ram killed Ravana.
Simple (Indefinite) Past Tense – Negative Sentence
To form the negative of a sentence in the Simple Past you need to use the past form of the auxiliary verb ‘do’ – that is ‘did’ + ‘not’ + the infinitive of the verb you want to use.
Structure of Sentence
Subject + did + not + First Form Of Verb + Object.
With He/She/It/I/We/You/They/Singular Noun/Plural Noun need to use ‘Did‘ along with First Form of Verb.
Examples
मैने कार नही बेची।
I did not sell the car.
उसे घडी नही मिली।
He did not find the watch.
हम अपना रास्ता नही भूले।
We did not lose the way.
Simple (Indefinite) Past Tense – Interrogative Sentence
An interrogative sentence asks a direct question and is punctuated at the end with a question mark. It is one of the four basic types of sentences, and it’s a highly useful one. Simple (Indefinite) Past Tense Interrogative sentences we start with did followed by the subject and the verb in its second form.
Structure of Sentence
Did + Subject + First Form Of Verb + Object +?
With He/She/It/I/We/You/They/Singular Noun/Plural Noun need to use ‘Did‘ along with First Form of Verb.
Examples
क्या हम कल स्कूल गए थे।
Did we go to school yesterday?
क्या सीमा बाजार गई थी?
Did seema go to market?
क्या आपने लडाई की थी?
Did you fight?
Simple (Indefinite) Past Tense – Interrogative Negative Sentence
In the Simple Past the negative and interrogative sentences in English are formed using the auxiliary ‘Did’ along with ‘not’.
Structure of Sentence
Did + Subject + not + First Form Of Verb + Object +?
With He/She/It/I/We/You/They/Singular Noun/Plural Noun need to use ‘Did‘ along with First Form of Verb.
Examples
क्या तुमने झूठ नही बोला था?
Did you not tell a lie?
क्या मैने नाटक मे भाग नही लिया?
Did I not take part in the play?
क्या उन्होने लडाई नही की?
Did they not fight?
Simple (Indefinite) Past Tense (Passive Form)
The simple past passive expresses discrete, completed, noncontinuous actions or events in the past while moving an object from an active sentence into the subject position.
Structure of Sentence
Object of the active sentence + was/were + past participle form of the verb + by + subject of the active sentence.
Was is used with I/He/She/It/Singular Noun
Were is used with We/You/They/Plural Noun
Examples
You ate mangoes. (Active)
Mangoes were eaten by you. (Passive)
I sang a song. (Active)
A song was sung by me. (Passive)
My parents did not allow me to swim. (Active)
I was not allowed to swim by my parents. (Passive)
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The present perfect continuous tense (also known as the present perfect progressive tense) shows that something started in the past and is continuing at the present time. The present perfect continuous is formed using the construction has/have been + the present participle (root + -ing).
Present Perfect Continuous Tense के वाक्यो के अन्त मे हिन्दी मे “से रहा है”, “से रहे है”, “से रही है” आता है ।
Structure of Sentence
Subject + has/have + been + First Form of verb + ing + Object+ since/for.
With He/She/It/Singular Noun need to use “has” along with First Form of verb + ing.
With I/We/You/They/Plural nounneed to use “have” along with First Form of verb + ing.
Since is used for definite time period for example with “Days of week“, “Month of year“, “Exact year“, “Exact Clock Timings“.
For is used for indefinite time period for example “2 hours“, “4 days“, “6 weeks“, “7 months“, “9 years“.
Examples
मै दो घण्टे से खेल रहा हूं।
I have been playing for two hours.
हम तीन बजे से फिल्म देख रहे है।
We have been watching the film since three o’clock.
For converting these sentences into interrogative sentences the formula is that you add have at the starting of the sentence followed by ‘Subject’ and then ‘been’. Rest of the rule remains the same.
Structure of Sentence
Has/Have + ‘Subject’ + been + verb (1st form) with ‘ing’ + object (optional) + since / for + time duration?
With He/She/It/Singular Noun need to use “has” along with First Form of verb + ing.
With I/We/You/They/Plural nounneed to use “have” along with First Form of verb + ing.
Since is used for definite time period for example with “Days of week“, “Month of year“, “Exact year“, “Exact Clock Timings“.
For is used for indefinite time period for example “2 hours“, “4 days“, “6 weeks“, “7 months“, “9 years“.
Examples
क्या आप दोपहर से सो रहे है?
Have you been sleeping since noon?
क्या वह 1991 से बूढा हो रहा है?
Has he been growing old since 1991?
क्या पिछले तीन वर्षो से किमतें बढ रही है?
Have the prices been increasing for the last three years?
In Present Perfect Continuous Tense, interrogative negative sentences are just like interrogative affirmative sentences with only use of “not” after subject.
Structure of Sentence
Has/Have + ‘Subject’ + not + been + verb (1st form) with ‘ing’ + object (optional) + since / for + time duration?
With He/She/It/Singular Noun need to use “has” along with First Form of verb + ing.
With I/We/You/They/Plural nounneed to use “have” along with First Form of verb + ing.
Since is used for definite time period for example with “Days of week“, “Month of year“, “Exact year“, “Exact Clock Timings“.
For is used for indefinite time period for example “2 hours“, “4 days“, “6 weeks“, “7 months“, “9 years“.
Examples
क्या हम आपस मे तीन दिन से नही मिल रहे है?
Have we not been meeting each other for three days?
क्या मै तीन वर्ष से कम्प्यूटर चलाना नही सिख रहा हूं?
Have I not been learning to operate computer for three years?
क्या आप पिछले तीन महीने से डाक्टर के पास नही जा रहे है?
Have you not been going to the doctor for the last two months?
Present Perfect Continuous Tense (Passive Form)
Most reference books say that the present perfect continuous tense has no passive form.
The Present Perfect tense is a rather important tense in English, but it gives speakers of some languages a difficult time. That is because it uses concepts or ideas .
The present perfect is used to indicate a link between the present and the past. The time of the action is before now but not specified, and we are often more interested in the result than in the action itself.
Present Perfect Tense के वाक्यो के अन्त मे हिन्दी मे “चुका है”, “चुके है”, “चुकी है”, “चुके हो”, “आ है”, “ई है”, “ए है” आता है ।
Structure of Sentence
Subject + has/have + Past Participle + Object.
With He/She/It/Singular Noun need to use “has” along with Past Participle.
With I/We/You/They/Plural nounneed to use “have” along with Past Participle.
Examples
मै भोजन कर चुका हूं।
I have eaten food.
हम खेल चुके है।
We have played.
वह सो चुका है।
He has slept.
Present Perfect Tense – Negative Sentence
We use the present perfect, in the negative form, to deny completed actions that have occurred in the past, are connected to the present, and still have effects on it. When we use the present perfect in its negative form, we start with the subject, followed by have not and a past participle.
Structure of Sentence
Subject + has/have + not + Past Participle + Object.
Examples
मैने यह नाटक नही देखा है।
I have not seen this play.
उसने नृत्य नही सीखा है।
She has not learnt to dance.
तुमने कभी शरारत नही की है।
You have never made a mischief.
Present Perfect Tense – Interrogative Sentence
We use the present perfect, in the interrogative form, to ask about completed actions which have occurred in the past, are connected to the present and still have effects on it.
For converting these sentences into negative interrogative sentences the formula is that you add has at the starting of the sentence and ‘not’ after the subject. The rest of the rule remains the same.
Has/have +Subject + not + Past Participle + Object + ?.
Examples
क्या मै खेल नही चुका हूं?
Have I not played?
क्या हमने उनसे बात नही की है?
Have we not spoken to him?
क्या वह कुत्ते के काटने से नही मरा है?
Has he not died of a dog bite?
Present Perfect Tense (Passive Form)
In the present perfect form with the passive, we always use ‘has/have been’ + the past participle form.
Structure Of Sentence
Object + has/have + been + the Past Participle form of the verb+ by + Subject.
The present continuous verb tense indicates that an action or condition is happening now, frequently, and may continue into the future.
Present Continuous Tense के वाक्यो के अन्त मे हिन्दी मे “रहा है”, “रहे है”, “रही है” “रहे हो” आता है ।
Structure of Sentence
Subject + is/am/are + First Form Of Verb + ing + Object
With He/She/It/Singular Noun need to use “is” along with First Form of Verband “ing”.
With “I” need to use “am” along with First Form of Verband “ing”.
With We/You/They/Plural nounneed to use “are” along with First Form of Verband “ing”.
PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE – Examples
मै खाना खा रहा हूं।
I am eating food.
हम खेल रहे है।
We are playing.
चूहे दौड रहे है।
Rats are running.
Present Continuous Tense – Negative Sentence
The present continuous (or progressive) is the tense used to express situations that are happening now (before, during and after the moment of speaking). When expressed in its negative form, the verb denies that something is happening now.
Structure of Sentence
Subject + is/am/are + not + First Form Of Verb + ing + Object
With He/She/It/Singular Noun need to use “is” along with First Form of Verband “ing”.
With “I” need to use “am” along with First Form of Verband “ing”.
With We/You/They/Plural nounneed to use “are” along with First Form of Verband “ing”.
Examples
बच्चे सो नही रहे है।
Children are not sleeping.
हम स्नान नही कर रहे है।
We are not bathing.
मै आज स्कूल नही जा रहा हूं।
I am not going to school today.
Present Continuous Tense – Interrogative Sentence
The present continuous (or progressive) is the tense used to express situations that are happening now (before, during and after the moment of speaking). When expressed in its interrogative form, it is used to form questions about something that is happening now.
Structure of Sentence
Is/am/are +subject + First Form Of Verb + ing + Object+ ?
With He/She/It/Singular Noun need to use “is” along with First Form of Verband “ing”.
With “I” need to use “am” along with First Form of Verband “ing”.
With We/You/They/Plural nounneed to use “are” along with First Form of Verband “ing”.
The present continuous (or progressive) is the tense used to express situations that are happening now (before, during and after the moment of speaking). When expressed in its interrogative form, it is used to form questions about something that is not happening now.
Structure of Sentence
Is/am/are +subject + not + First Form Of Verb + ing + Object+ ?
With He/She/It/Singular Noun need to use “is” along with First Form of Verband “ing”.
With “I” need to use “am” along with First Form of Verband “ing”.
With We/You/They/Plural nounneed to use “are” along with First Form of Verband “ing”.
Examples
क्या वे जन्म दिन नही रहे है?
Are they not celebrating their birthday?
क्या बच्चे फूल नही रहे है?
Are children not plucking flowers?
क्या वह कपडे नही घो रही है?
Is she not washing clothes?
Present Continuous Tense (Passive Form)
The structure for the present continuous passive is: subject + is/are + BEING + the past participle. Note that the person who is fixing the car is not mentioned in the sentence “My car is being fixed.” Leaving out the person or thing doing the action is common in passive statements.
Structure Of Sentence
Object + am/is/are + being + the Past Participle form of the verb+ by + Subject.
A tense expressing an action that is currently going on or habitually performed, or a state that currently or generally exists is known as Present Simple (Indefinite) Tense.
Use the present tense to talk about something that is going on now or that is true now and any time.
Present Simple Tense के वाक्यो के अन्त मे ता है, ते है, ती है, ता हूं, ते हो आता है ।
Structure of Sentence
Subject + First Form Of Verb + s/es + Object
With He/She/It/Singular Noun need to use s/es along with First Form of Verb.
With I/We/You/They/Plural noun need to use only First form of verb.
In this tense, ‘daily’, ‘every day’, ‘always’, ‘sometimes’, ‘rarely’, ‘often’, ‘seldom’, ‘occassionally’ such adverbs are generally used.
PRESENT SIMPLE (INDEFINITE) TENSE – Examples
मै प्रतिदिन स्नान करता हूं ।
I take bath everyday.
हम उसका पता जानते है ।
We Know his address.
आप नींद मे बोलते हो ।
You talk in your sleep.
Present Simple Tense – Negative Sentence
We use the present simple, in its negative form, to deny situations that regularly, repeatedly or always occur. When we use the present simple in its negative form, we start with the subject followed by do not and the verb in its base form. In the third person singular, we use does not.
Structure of Sentence
Subject + do/does + not + First Form Of Verb + Object
With He/She/It/Singular Noun need to use does along with First Form of Verb.
With I/We/You/They/Plural noun need to use do with First form of verb.
Examples :
तुम उत्तर नहीं जानते।
You do not know the answer.
हम तुम पर विश्वास नही करते।
We do not believe you.
सर्दी मे फूळ नही खिलते।
Flowers do not bloom in winter.
Simple Present Tense – Interrogative Sentence
We use the present simple, in its interrogative form, to ask about situations that regularly, repeatedly or always occur. When we use the present simple in its interrogative form, we start with do followed by the subject and the verb in its base form (the sentence ends with a question mark).
Structure of Sentence
Do/Does + Subject + First Form Of Verb + Object +?
With He/She/It/Singular Noun need to use does along with First Form of Verb.
With I/We/You/They/Plural noun need to use do with First form of verb.
In the Simple Present the negative and interrogative sentences in English are formed using the auxiliary do or does along with ‘not’.
Structure of Sentence
Do/Does + Subject + not + First Form Of Verb + Object +?
With He/She/It/Singular Noun need to use does along with First Form of Verb.
With I/We/You/They/Plural noun need to use do with First form of verb.
Examples:
क्या मै प्रतिदिन दाढी नही बनाता ?
Do I not shave everyday?
क्या हम भगवान से प्रार्थना नही करते है?
Do we not pray to God?
क्या वे यहां पर ताजा रस नहीं बेचते?
Do they not sell fresh juice here?
Present Simple Tense (Passive Form)
Present Simple Passive is used to talk about some actions that are performed in the present or repeatedly (habits), simple statements of fact or universal truth.
Structure Of Sentence
Object + am/is/are + the Past Participle form of the verb+ by + Subject
‘am’ is used with I only.
‘is’ is used with he/she/it/singular noun.
‘are’ is used with we/you/they/plural noun.
Examples :
Shweta plays chess. (Active)
Chess is played by Shweta. (Passive)
We know his address. (Active)
His address is known by us. (Passive)
I take bath. (Active)
Bath is taken by me. (Passive)
Today’s grammar lesson could be beneficial for, how to boost your IELTS score through mastering the present tenses.
How to structure for IELTS Essay causes and solution ?
IELTS causes and solutions Essay – Band 9 Guide
IELTS examiners want you to discuss the causes or reasons for the problem in one paragraph and the possible solutions to eradicate that problem in the second paragraph separately and at the end, you can provide suggestions or advice on the problem. Therefore, it is important that you find out relevant points of causes (reasons) and solutions respectively after reading the question for IELTS Writing.
The essay of IELTS Writing can be structured mainly in 4 paragraphs as follows:
1: Introduction
2: Causes & Reasons
3: Solutions
4: Conclusion
Further structuring of the paragraphs can be done as follows:
a. – Introduction
1- Paraphrase the Question
2-Outline the sentence
b. 2- 1 (Causes (reasons))
1- State the cause (reason)
2- Now, Explain how it is the cause (reason)
3-Write an example
c. 3- Body Paragraph 2 (Solutions)
1- State the solution
2-Explain how this solution can resolve the problem
3- Write an example
d. 4 – Conclusion
1- Write summary of the main points
2 – Provide suggestion or recommendation Four paragraphs are sufficient to explain your point of view. You may use any other structure you are comfortable with but this structure is approved by the IELTS examiners to help the students write in an effective and cohesive manner.
For example, this is the question you’ve got for IELTS writing task 2:
Influence of human beings on the world’s ecosystem is leading to the extinction of species and loss of bio-diversity.
What are the primary causes of loss of bio-diversity?
What solutions can you suggest?
Of course, the topics for causes & solutions essay may vary, but the answering strategy is pretty much the same for all essays of causes/solutions type.
Producing ideas
As you know, it’s recommended to spend about 40 minutes on IELTS Writing task 2. But before starting to write your essay, it’s a good idea to dedicate 2-4 minutes to producing some ideas for your essay. This way you’ll know what to write about and your essay will be more structured.
To produce ideas for causes and solutions essay, you have to determine 3 things:
Problem
Causes of this problem
Solutions to this problem
The problem is already given: loss of bio-diversity (in other words, some animals and plants are dying out).
Now let’s think about its causes and solutions. Don’t be afraid of simple ideas! Remember: getting a high score means writing simple things well. Here are some ideas that may come to your mind:
Causes:
change of the natural habitats When humans artificially transform the environment (build roads, houses etc.), they destroy animals’ natural habitat.
pollution Pollution negatively changes the flow of energy, the chemical constitution of the environment and the climate in general, so a lot of species cannot live under such conditions and die out.
overexploitation of resources When the activities connected with capturing and harvesting a natural resource are too intense in a particular area, the resource becomes exhausted. Example: too intense farming exhausts the soil; too frequent fishing, which doesn’t leave enough time for fish to reproduce, makes fish disappear.
After you’ve though of the possible causes, you can use them in your writing. You can invent more reasons of this problem, but usually, it’s enough to give 1-2 causes in your writing.
Possible solutions:
protect areas
promote awarenessInforming the general population about the disadvantages of loss of biodiversity will encourage people to be more conscious of the environment.
1-2 solutions are enough for a good essay. Now, after we’ve collected some ideas, it’s time to structure our thoughts into an essay.
Vocabulary:
Useful vocabulary for Causes (Reasons)
Introducing the cause(s)
A major cause of …….. is ….
· One of the causes/The reason is that
· Because/Since
· Due to this/Because of/Owing to
· As a result/Lead to the problem/Can attribute to
Perhaps the major cause of this is …
The main/ primary cause of this is …
A further cause of this is …
An additional cause of …. is
…. also plays a role in …
…… is (often/ usually) responsible for …
If you are uncertain of the cause you can add the modal verbs may / might, which are used to give more information about the main verb and are used for suggestions
For example:
Another cause may / might be …
Introducing the result(s)
For example:
More vehicles in city centers have resulted in poorer air quality
Poorer air quality results from the high number of vehicles on our roads.
Poorer air quality leads to an increased number of residents in the city who suffer from respiratory conditions such as asthma and bronchitis. (lead to is used with results that happened after some time)
How to introduce and propose possible solutions
The question usually asks you to suggest solutions – not just one solution. Therefore, you will need to use linking words to propose other solutions such as:
First and foremost,
Another possible solution is
In addition, Moreover,
Finally,
· As a result/Lead to the problem/Can attribute to
· To overcome/deal with/handle the situation/Resolve the issue
· Mitigate the problem/Notable way to solve
· Can be implemented/Steps can be taken/Measures can be taken
Tip: Checking your work.
Candidates often forget or run out of time and don’t edit their writing carefully which can result in a lower band.
Make sure you:
Check for mistakes in spelling
Subject + verb agreement
Capitalisation i.e. using capital letters on proper nouns
Grammar – Especially the use of the definite and indefinite articles a/an/ the
Writing the introduction of a Problem/ Solution Essay
In the introduction, you should first make a general statement related to the problem.
Band 9 Answer : Structure for Causes & Solutions Essay
There may be many possible answering strategies, but we’ll use this good and time-tested essay structure:
Introduction
Body paragraph 1 – causes
Body paragraph 2 – solutions
Conclusion
Introduction
Write the introduction in 2 sentences:
Sentence 1 – paraphrase the question (restate the problem): “Despite knowing about biodiversity’s importance for a long time, human activity has been causing massive extinctions of different species.”
Sentence 2 – tell the examiner what you’re going to describe in your essay: “This essay will examine the main causes of loss of biodiversity and possible solutions of this problem.”
Body paragraph 1 – causes
Sentence 1 – state 2 main causes: “The two main causes of species extinction are change of their habitats and overexploitation of natural resources.”
Sentences 2-4 – explain the first cause + give an example: “When humans artificially transform the environment, they destroy vegetation and animals’ natural habitat. For instance, to build new roads people are cutting down the trees and cementing the soil, altering the environment. Because of that, a lot of species are dying out.”
Sentences 5-7 – explain the second cause + give an example: “Also, when the activities connected with capturing and harvesting a natural resource are too intense in a particular area, the resource becomes exhausted. For example, too frequent fishing doesn’t leave enough time for fish to reproduce and makes them disappear.“
The last sentence – give a short summary (if needed) “In other words, human activities often deplete local flora and fauna and cause loss of bio-diversity.”
Body paragraph 2 – solutions
Sentence 1 – give 1-2 possible solutions: “Some possible solutions to this problem are protecting natural areas and promoting awareness among people.“
Sentences 2-4 – explain how each of the solutions solves the problem (you may give an example if you wish): “By protecting areas where human activity is limited and avoiding overexploitation of its resources, we can save the untouched environment and prevent species from dying out. Moreover, the next step in fighting bio-diversity loss is informing the general population about the dangers of this problem. This way, people will be more conscious of the environment and won’t overuse or destroy its resources.“
Conclusion
Sentence 1 – restate the causes of the problem: “To conclude, people’s activities that change the environment have a negative impact on the world’s ecosystem.”
Sentence 2 – remind the reader of possible solutions: “However, we can significantly lessen the extinction of species by protecting natural areas and enlightening people as to this problem.”
Model essay for IELTS Writing causes/solutions question
The model band-9 essay for this question will look as follows:
Despite knowing about biodiversity’s importance for a long time, human activity has been causing massive extinctions of different species. This essay will examine the main causes of loss of biodiversity and possible solutions of this problem.
The two main causes of species extinction are change of their habitats and overexploitation of natural resources. When humans artificially transform the environment, they destroy vegetation and animals’ natural habitat. For instance, to build new roads people are cutting down the trees and cementing the soil, altering the environment. Because of that, a lot of species are dying out. Also, when the activities connected with capturing and harvesting a natural resource are too intense in a particular area, the resource becomes exhausted. For example, too frequent fishing doesn’t leave enough time for fish to reproduce and makes them disappear. In other words, human activities often deplete local flora and fauna and cause loss of bio-diversity.
Some possible solutions to this problem are protecting natural areas and promoting awareness among people. By protecting areas where human activity is limited and avoiding overexploitation of its resources, we can save the untouched environment and prevent species from dying out. Moreover, the next step in fighting bio-diversity loss is informing the general population about the dangers of this problem. This way, people will be more conscious of the environment and won’t overuse or destroy its resources.
To conclude, people’s activities that change the environment have negative impact on the world’s ecosystem. However, we can significantly lessen the extinction of species by protecting natural areas and enlightening people as to this problem.
(263 words)
Exercise:
Write an essay of minimum 250 words. Use the vocabulary mentioned above. 1. Global warming has become one of the major issues the world is facing today. What are its causes? solutions.
2. In recent times, stress has emerged out to be the major challenge faced by people nowadays. What are the causes of this problem? Suggest some effective solutions for the same.
3. Furthermore, Many youngsters find it difficult to pay attention and concentrate in their classes. What are the reasons behind this? How this problem can be dealt with?
4. Also, the Crime rate against women is increasing day by day. What are the reasons for this? Discuss some possible solutions for dealing with this problem.
In this lesson, we’re going to learn how to tackle bar charts in IELTS Writing task 1 questionsto get the highest score. To get a band 9 in IELTS Writing task 1, you should follow this answer structure:
Introduction
General overview
Specific features
IELTS Bar chart answering strategy:
1. Introduction
You should start your answer by writing an introduction. The introduction is 1 or 2 sentences, where you paraphrase the information from your question. You should mention two things in your introduction:
what your graph shows
for what period of time
2. General Overview
The second paragraph of your answer is a general overview, where you briefly describe major trends on your graph. Ideally, you should describe 2-4 key features.
3. Specific details
After we’ve written the introduction and general overview, it’s time to give the specific details. You should describe the specific features in 2 or 3 (sometimes more) paragraphs.
When you have two countries (or two cities or any other two things depicted on the graph). The simplest way of grouping data is to describe each country’s trend in a separate paragraph.
When giving specific features, you have to write exact numbers/percentages and include as much details as you can.
How to choose information from the Bar chart?
Assuming one sentence contains around 10 to 15 words. We can estimate that your description of the Bar Chart will be made out of 10 to 12 sentences, we can now assign each sentence for a specific task:
One sentence for the introduction.
Two sentences with the superlative(usually marked by the suffix -est).
A sentence with a comparison. Make comparisons where relevant.
A sentence grouping two data points because they are similar..
A sentence noting an exception.
A sentence describing some data in an advanced manner.
A sentence describing the data in a normal fashion.
Two sentences for the summary.
Note that these sentences don’t necessarily need to go in this particular order. You must write them in a way that makes your Bar Chart description flow naturally. You may also have to repeat a few sentences with different data if you find your graphic contains more information. The structure above is a rough guide to get you started, once you are comfortable with it you can start experimenting. Just remember to get feedback while you are testing your ideas, otherwise, it’s quite difficult to improve.
Final tips on describing a Bar chart
Avoid listing every single data point by grouping the data together.
Avoid mixing formats, for example, don’t mix decimals with estimations in the same sentence.
After you have successfully written out your description with all of the information you wanted to include, go over it and replace some simpler words with more academic ones – this will get you more marks. For example, change “big” to “most significant”.
Check that the whole text is free of errors and mistakes.
Practice with different Bar Charts to improve.
Review the superlatives -these are essential if you want to effectively describe the chart.
The fastest way to improve is to get feedback on your work.
When analyzing a bar-chart, we cannot always give exact details (due to inaccuracies of the chart), so use words around, about, and approximately when giving inexact data.
Give data for each year shown on the chart
Look for the key data and make sure that you are comparing and contrasting the data, NOT just listing the data from one section to the next. If you just write about what happened to X, what happened to Y, and what happened to Z, without showing any relationship between them, you will not get a high score.
You will need to look for similarities and differences when you first analyze the chart and you will need to decide what can logically be put together or not. This means that you don’t have to describe everything that you see in the bar chart, just the key points!
Group the data together so that you have a well-organized and coherent answer. It is a good idea to divide your answer into two or three paragraphs so it is well organized. To do this, you should group similar ideas together into paragraphs or sections.
Use a wide variety of sentence structures. Include complex sentences and simple sentences.
Bonus tip: Try copying out sample bar charts with pen and paper. You will start to understand what information to select. Also, your confidence will improve when it comes to writing your next essay.
IELTS bar chart Question:
The bar chart shows the divorce rates in two European countries from 2011 to 2015.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Sample Answer
The bar graph provides information about the percentages of divorces in Finland and Sweden between 2011 and 2015.
Overall, Sweden experienced a downward trend, while Finland showed an upward trend throughout the period. Both countries’ divorce rates had some fluctuations. Although Finland initially had a lower rate, it outraced Sweden at the end of the period.
Sweden’s divorce rate was about 45% in 2011, being higher than Finland’s rate by approximately 8%. Then, it rose to almost fifty percent in 2012. However, the figure showed a gradual decrease to about 47% in 2013 and continued to decline steadily to the end of the period, reaching around 45% in 2014 and hitting a low point of about 37% in 2015.
The percentage of divorces in Finland was less than 40% in 2011, and it decreased in 2012, when about one third of marriages in Finland ended with a divorce (as opposed to almost a half in Sweden). However, the figure experienced a steady growth during the next two years. It rose to approximately 39% in 2013, then increased by around 3% in 2014, and remained steady for the next year, outracing the rate of Sweden.
IELTS opinion essays, come up frequently in the writing exam. In this lesson, I’m going to show you how to plan and write them step-by-step.
Here’s what we’ll be covering:
Basics
Structure
Basic Expressions to use
What to do & What not to do
Vocabulary
Sample Essay
Writing an Opinion Essay: Basics
You may be wondering: how to write an opinion essay? How is it different from persuasive, argumentative or pros and cons essay?
It’s simple:
When you write an argumentative or persuasive essay, you should provide counterpoints and describe the essay topic from different points of view. In opinion paper, you don’t have to focus on advantages and disadvantages comparison, but only in your opinion about the issue.
There’s nothing to worry about if your arguments based on well-researched data.
Speaking about the topic, some students find it difficult enough to choose the perfect one. But it’s not so hard: think about something that engages you most; that you feel strongly about.
The next steps are to pick up few reasons supporting your point of view and gather the facts that you’ll use as evidence.
Opinion Essay Structure
The next step is to writу an opinion essay outline. First of all, it will help you to overcome the fear of the blank page. Second, you’ll have a broken-down list of ideas and an organized place for your random thoughts so that you can write an assignment faster.
Here’s an opinion paper outline example:
An introduction. Write a thesis statement and the reasons for your opinion. Give your readers a hook to engage them with the topic.
A good introduction has a simple 3 part structure:
1) Paraphrased question
2) Thesis statement
In IELTS opinion essays, the thesis statement is where you state your opinion. For example,
If you decided to agree with the statement, you would write:
‘This essay completely in favour with that statement.’
3) Outline statement
An introduction should:
Have 2-3 sentences
Be 40-60 words long
Take 5 minutes to write
This introduction achieves three important functions:
It shows the examiner that you understand the question.
It acts as a guide to the examiner as to what your essay is about.
It also helps to keep you focused and on track as you write.
The main body. Broke it in several paragraphs where you provide arguments and supporting examples, statements, and facts.
The structure of a good main body paragraph has 3 parts:
Topic sentence
Explanation
Example
If you can’t think of an example, you can add further supporting ideas but we already have our two examples so that’s not an issue here.
A common problem when writing main body paragraphs for IELTS opinion essays is having too many ideas. Again, we have already chosen the two ideas we are going to develop, so we are all set to start writing.
You can see how important the planning stage is and how it make the actual writing of the essay far quicker and easier.
Main Body Paragraph
The topic sentence summarises the main idea of the paragraph. That’s all it needs to do so it doesn’t have to be complicated.
It plays an important role in ensuring that your ideas flow logically from one to another. It does this by acting as a signpost for what is to come next, that is, what the paragraph will be about.
If you maintain a clear development of ideas throughout your essay, you will get high marks for task achievement and cohesion and coherence.
We’ll now take the idea for our first main body paragraph and create our topic sentence.
A conclusion. Ending a paper, restate the main thesis and summarize central points of the essay.
Conclusions to IELTS opinion essays should do two things:
Summarise the main points
State your opinion
This can generally be done in a single sentence.
If you are below the minimum 250 words after you’ve written your conclusion, you can add an additional prediction or recommendation statement.
Our essay currently has 233 words so we’re on target and don’t need this extra sentence but you can learn more about how to write a prediction or recommendation statement for IELTS opinion essays on the Task 2 Conclusions page.
The conclusion is the easiest sentence in the essay to write but one of the most important.
A good conclusion will:
Neatly end the essay
Link all your ideas together
Sum up your argument or opinion
Answer the question
If you achieve this, you’ll improve your score for both task achievement and cohesion and coherence which together make up 50% of the overall marks. Without a conclusion, you’ll score below band 6 for task achievement.
You can start almost any final paragraph of an IELTS opinion essay with the words:
In conclusion
or
To conclude
Now all you need to do is briefly summarise the main ideas into one sentence.
Here’s a top tip. Go back and read the introduction to the essay because this is also a summary of the essay. It outlines what you are going to write about.
To create a great conclusion, you simply have to paraphrase the introduction. Let’s give it a go.
Develop an outline while you’re researching the topic and place evidence where they make the most sense. You don’t have to write whole assignment – just put stand-alone examples and facts in the place where they should go.
Well-prepared outline for opinion essay makes almost 70 percent of success. All you left to do is merely join your arguments by bridging language.
Check These Useful Tips for Writing an Opinion Essay:
State your opinion as to the topic discussed.
Make a list of viewpoints and reasons supporting your point of view.
Construct well-developed paragraphs.
Use linking words and phrases to join the sentences and the paragraphs within the text.
Start each paragraph with a topic sentence.
Essay Introduction and Conclusion
After you’ve finished an outline, you will have all of your facts organized. It’s time to develop an introduction to opinion writing. Its primary goal is to prepare your readers to dip into the essay.
The opening paragraph is a kind of a roadmap describing the path you’re your paper will take. An opinion essay introduction secret is to give a hook to your readers, grab their attention and make the rest of writing irresistible.
After giving a hook to your audience, introduce the topic and briefly describe supporting reasons that you will expand in body paragraphs.
Similar to an introduction, the opinion essay conclusion wraps up your paper. It’s a summary that broadly covers your ideas and allows your readers to understand your arguments.
Apply the Following Techniques to Start and Finish Your Opinion Essays:
Address the reader directly.
Start with a quote.
Start with a thought-provoking or rhetorical question.
Refer to some striking or unusual fact, idea or situation.
When it comes to opinion writing, a lot of students can’t provide their point of view. This shows a lack of critical thinking skills and leads to low grades.
If you need a quick fix for your assignment, check our list of basic expressions to help you start putting your opinions:
As far as I am concerned, …
I am (not) convinced that …
In my opinion/view …
My opinion is that …
I (firmly)believe that …
I (definitely) feel/think that …
I am inclined to believe that …
Personally, I believe that…
It is clear that…
It seems to me that…
In my mind…
As I see it…
My principal reason is…
Another reason is…
It is widely known that…
It could be argued that…
The well-known fact is…
Research has shown that…
For instance/for example…
This suggests that…
It would seem that…
This proves that…
This supports the …
Even though / Although…
In contrast…
Despite the fact that…
In spite of…
In order to…
To sum up…
In conclusion…
And don’t forget to use nouns, adjectives and adverbs, or make your own phrases.
What to do & What not to do?
Do you need more expert advice on how to write a great essay?
Keep reading!
What to do?
Write in a formal style. Write your assignment as if you are giving an important speech.
Avoid slang and jargon.
Introduce the topic clearly. Avoid unnecessary phrases and useless facts that do not relate directly to the topic.
Start each paragraph with clear topic sentences; outline the main ideas
Use generalizations
Use present tense when writing an opinion article
Cite your sources in a proper way
Stay brief
Make sure that there is a logical sequence that allows your readers easy to follow
What not to do?
Don’t use colloquial expressions. Even though slang language is expressive and vivid, jargon words come and go quickly.
Don’t use short forms. Replace the contractions with the non-contracted versions of the words.
Don’t use over-generalizations
Don’t use statistics without proper referencing
Don’t give personal examples
Don’t repeat arguments. If you have few similar facts, group them as a single argument.
The final piece of advice: don’t forget to proofread your paper. Revise your content, grammar, vocabulary, spelling, etc. Make sure that your essay answers the main question. Check if the evidence you provided is accurate and up-to-date.
Thank you for reading! Our free tips will help you get through any kind of essay. Still, if you’re stuck with your essay, you can always count on the tips and recommendations from professional writers!
With the help of the tips above, you’ll be able to create the most unbelievable papers in a blink of an eye. Now that you know the secrets of professional writers. Try writing your own opinion essay!
Vocabulary
In an IELTS essay, it’s important to be able to say the same things in different ways, either by paraphrasing and/or using synonyms. During the planning stage, quickly jot down a few synonyms of key words you could use to save you having to stop and think of the right language while you’re writing.
For example:
satisfaction – fulfilment, achievement, sense of accomplishment, content, sense of well-being
salary – income, wages, pay, earnings
important – significant, valued, has more meaning
job – work, employment, position
With that done, we can focus on the first paragraph of the essay – the introduction.
Try this opinion essay question about the animals. It’s best to state a clear opinion for or against it in your introduction.
A growing number of people feel that animals should not be exploited by people and that they should have the same rights as humans, while others argue that humans must employ animals to satisfy their various needs, including uses for food and research.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Animal Rights Essay – Model Answer
Some people believe that animals should be treated in the same way humans are and have similar rights, whereas others think that it is more important to use them as we desire for food and medical research. This essay will discuss both points of view.
With regard to the exploitation of animals, people believe it is acceptable for several reasons. Firstly, they think that humans are the most important beings on the planet, and everything must be done to ensure human survival. If this means experimenting on animals so that we can fight and find cures for diseases, then this takes priority over animal suffering. Furthermore, it is believed by some that animals do not feel pain or loss as humans do, so if we have to kill animals for food or other uses, then this is morally acceptable.
However, I do not believe these arguments stand up to scrutiny. To begin, it has been shown on numerous occasions by secret filming in laboratories via animal rights groups that animals feel as much pain as humans do, and they suffer when they are kept in cages for long periods. In addition, a substantial amount of animal research is done for cosmetics, not to find cures for diseases, so this is unnecessary. Finally, it has also been proven that humans can get all the nutrients and vitamins that they need from green vegetables and fruit. Therefore, again, having to kill animals for food is not an adequate argument.
To sum up, although some people argue killing animals for research and food is ethical, I would argue there is sufficient evidence to demonstrate that this is not the case, and, therefore, steps must be taken to improve the rights of animals.
IELTS PIE CHART: OVERVIEW, WRITING STRATEGIES, TIPS AND SAMPLES
IELTS PIE CHART: OVERVIEW, WRITING STRATEGIES, TIPS AND SAMPLES
Here is a post for the IELTS PIE CHART: OVERVIEW, WRITING STRATEGIES, TIPS AND SAMPLES
IELTS PIE CHART: OVERVIEW, WRITING STRATEGIES, TIPS AND SAMPLES
IELTS PIE CHART: OVERVIEW, WRITING STRATEGIES, TIPS AND SAMPLES
In writing module, task 1, of the academic section there will be a visual representation or a diagram on which you have to write a paragraph. One of these visual representations may be pie charts.
Pie Charts are the circular charts that are divided into sections or pie slices usually representing the percentages. Each section of the pie chart shows the percentage of data that it represents. When you put all the sections together it forms a circle.
The Pie charts are most commonly used in multimedia and business world and less commonly used in scientific and technical publications.
Pie chart in IELTS is one of the major question types in IELTS academic writing task 1 that are asked frequently. You are expected to write a response describing the given Pie chart.
Moreover, you are expected to write a report in a minimum of 150 words in 20 minutes . To score band 8 and more, it is essential to examine the question well and find out key features that can be written.
IELTS task 1 Pie charts are the best way to organize data in order to see the size of components relative to the whole, and especially at showing percentage or proportional data.
Now, let’s see what we are going to cover in this article.
What is the IELTS Pie Chart?
Steps to write a Pie Chart
Strategies to Score High in IELTS task 1 Pie chart
Tips for describing Pie chart in IELTS Writing Task 1
Sample IELTS Pie chart with answer
IELTS Pie chart Vocabulary
FAQs about Pie chart in IELTS
What is the IELTS Pie Chart?
Pie Chart in IELTS is a type of graph in which a circle is divided into sectors representing a proportion of the whole.
Moreover, in the Pie chart of IELTS academic writing task1, you are expected to write a short descriptive report based on the given visual data or information.
As mentioned earlier, the Pie charts are divided into ‘pie slices’ to illustrate the percentages.
The size of each pie slice displays the relative data quantity it represents. These slices together create a full circle.
Besides, these are used commonly in the mass media and business world, but less common in technical and scientific publications.
Steps to write a Pie Chart
There are certain steps that you need to follow while describing the Pie Chart. You can follow the below steps:
Introduction
You have to begin the chart with an introduction. The introduction can go up to 2 sentences and while introducing you can paraphrase the sentence that is already there in the question. You need to include two points. Firstly, what is your graph showing and secondly, the time period?
General Overview
In the second paragraph, you need to write a general overview of the graph. You need to pick some main features from the chart and explain it. Firstly, you can take the biggest or the smallest sections from the pie chart and explain it. Secondly, identify the ones that didn’t change over time. You can choose to write on any one of the options, but do not write both.
Specific Details
In the last paragraph, you have to write about the specific details. You can split the group of specific details into two or three paragraphs. You can group the specific details in the following manner:
Firstly based on the sectors that have increased and secondly based on the factors that have decreased or didn’t change.
Strategies to Score High in IELTS Task 1 Pie Chart
Read the Question Properly to Select Information
In order to properly display the information in the Pie Chart, read the given information before you proceed.
Follow the right structure
A proper Pie chart structure should include:
Introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion
Connective words to make the writing cohesive within sentences and paragraphs.
Meet the requirements of the task
Make sure that the Pie chart has enough grammar
Describing the whole graph adequately
Meeting the word limit requirements
Focusing on the important trends presented in the Pie chart
Focus on the Vocabulary
Vocabulary for IELTS pie chart plays a crucial role in achieving a good score. Moreover, to score high within the limited instructions is a bit challenging.
To prove that your report has a great vocabulary for IELTS, maintain the following:
Use a wide vocabulary range
Avoid repeated phrases and words
Use words precisely
Use Synonyms
Enriching vocabulary can help you hit a high band score as it holds 25% of the score.
You have seen about the describing a Pie chart in IELTS writing task 1 and the major strategies to follow. Now, let’s look into some tips that help in effective report generation.
Tips for Describing Pie Chart in IELTS Writing Task 1
Follow the below tips to crack the Pie chart in IELTS academic writing task 1
Read the given question and identify the key information.
Pay attention to your Pie chart time-frame and use appropriate tense.
Paraphrasing the given question using proper grammar and vocabulary
Use Transition Words to maintain continuity and keep a count on the word count.
Focus on acquiring the appropriate data from the Pie charts into your writing.
Compare the information on your Pie chart, do not panic. In such cases, give a summary of each picture.
Do not give personal opinions at any cost.
Let’s implement our Pie chart describing strategies of IELTS in the below sample and generate a report:
Sample IELTS Pie Chart with Answer
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. Moreover, write at least 150 words.
The two pie charts below show some employment patterns in Great Britain in 1992.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
IELTS PIE CHART: OVERVIEW, WRITING STRATEGIES, TIPS AND SAMPLES
The pie charts outline employment scenario of British males and females in six job sectors in 1992. It is obvious that manual jobs were predominantly done by males whereas a higher percentage of females did clerical jobs. Moreover, managerial and craft related jobs were engaged by a higher proportion of both genders.
As the illustration indicates, more percentages of British males worked in manual sectors, except in craft-related industries, compared to their female counterparts. For instance, 2% general labourers in Great Britain were men while the female labourers’ ratio was half of that. Moreover, 24% males worked in numerous other manual jobs while this was only 3% for females. Nevertheless, 27% females in craft-related industries marginally exceeded the ratio of males in the same sector.
Looking further into the data, non-manual professions included managerial & professional, clerical and other non-manual jobs. Interestingly, employment rates of females in clerical was five times higher than that of males. This is the job category that many females (31%) we engaged in. Besides, over one-third males were in managerial and professional jobs while almost 30% females were in these positions as well.
IELTS PIE CHART: OVERVIEW, WRITING STRATEGIES, TIPS AND SAMPLES
IELTS Pie chart Vocabulary :
In writing task 1 of Academic module, there is a dedicated vocabulary for pie chart. IELTS pie chart description must be done accordingly. Here are some sample vocabulary:
You can also use other words and fractions.
A large number of people
over a quarter of people
a small minority
A significant number of people
less than a fifth
This table presents some examples of how you can change percentages to fractions or ratios:
Percentage
Fraction
80%
four-fifth
75%
third quarter
60%
three-fifth
55%
more than half
40%
two-fifth
35%
more than a third
20%
a fifth
15%
less than a fifth
10%
one in ten
5%
one in twenty
IELTS PIE CHART: OVERVIEW, WRITING STRATEGIES, TIPS AND SAMPLES
If the percentages are not exact as above, then you can use qualifiers to make sure your description remains accurate. Here are some examples:
Percentage
Qualifier
77%
just over three quarters
77%
approximately three quarter
49%
just under a half
49%
near a half
32%
almost a third
This table presents some examples of how you can change percentages to other phrases:
Percentage
proportion / number / amount / majority / minority
75% – 85%
a very large majority
65% – 75%
a significant proportion
10% – 15%
a minority
5%
a very small number
When describing increases/decreases, use words given below:
Noun phrase + verb + adverb Eg : The price of tomatoes fell sharply.
There + be + noun + in + noun phrase Eg: There has been a sharp decrease in the price of leather goods.
IELTS PIE CHART: OVERVIEW, WRITING STRATEGIES, TIPS AND SAMPLES
Frequently Asked Questions on IELTS Pie Chart
1) How many words should we use to describe Pie Chart graphs in IELTS?
You have to write a minimum of 150 words or a bit more. The ideal word length is 160-180 words.
2) What are the basic elements of the Pie chart?
The basic elements of the Pie chart in task 1 include an introduction, overview, and body paragraphs.
3) Where to note the key features of Pie chart?
You will be provided with a paper and you can use a pen or pencil to note the key features in the IELTS Writing test.
4) What tense should we use while describing the Pie chart?
You have to use the right tense according to the context. Crucially the usage of tense depends on the time frame of the graph.
5) Should we conclude or give an opinion on Pie chart data?
No, you are not supposed to give any opinion on the Pie chart. It is statistics and needs to be interpreted not evaluated. In addition, the graders consider your task achievement (not task response).
6) By concluding the data can we get high marks?
Of course not! Besides, it is a waste of time. The conclusion is another form of overview relatively short. An overview is important for a good score.
IELTS PIE CHART: OVERVIEW, WRITING STRATEGIES, TIPS AND SAMPLES
Here is the post on how to write advantage and disadvantage essay IELTS writing Task 2
The first step to scoring well in IELTS writing task 2 general is to correctly identify the type of essay being asked to write. Inadvantages and disadvantages essay type, IELTS examiners want you to discuss both advantages and disadvantages separately and at the end, you need to write conclusive statements for the latest IELTS writing task 2.
Therefore, you must find out relevant points of advantages and disadvantages respectively after reading the question.
How to Structure IELTS Writing?
There are 3 types of advantages and disadvantages essay questions that require a different approach to solve them.
Essay Type 1:
Discuss its Positive Impacts and Negative Effects:
This type of question requires you to describe the positive impacts in one paragraph while the negative effects in the other paragraph. In the latest IELTS writing task 2, you should not mention your personal opinion on this question.
The Best Structure you can use for this type of Essays:
Introduction
Paraphrase the question
Outline the sentence
Advantages
The topic of the sentence (advantage 1)
Explain how it is an advantage
Write an example
Disadvantages
The topic of the sentence (disadvantage1)
Explain how it is a disadvantage
Write an example
Conclusion
Write a summary of the main points
Four paragraphs are sufficient to explain your point of view.
You may use any other structure you are comfortable with but this structure is approved by the IELTS examiners for the latest IELTS writing task 2 to help the students write effectively and cohesively.
Essay Type 2:
Do the Positive Impacts of this Advancement Outweigh its Negative Effects?
This type of question requires you to describe the advantages in one paragraph while disadvantages in the other paragraph, but you need to explain which of the two, advantages or disadvantages, is stronger than the other. You should not mention your personal opinion on this question for IELTS writing task 2 general.
The Best Structure you can use for this Type of Essays:
Introduction
Paraphrase the Question
Write a thesis statement (which one outweighs the other)
Outline the sentence
Body Paragraph 1 (The Strong Side)
The topic of the sentence
Explain how it is a strong side
Write an example
Body Paragraph 2 (The Weak Side)
The topic of the sentence
Explain how it is not a strong side
Write an example
Conclusion
Write a summary of the main points and restate the position.
Essay Type 3:
Discuss the Advantages and Disadvantages of this Essay
This type of question requires you to describe the advantages in one paragraph while disadvantages in the other paragraph. Furthermore, you should mention your personal opinion also in this question.
The Best Structure you can use for this Type of Essays:
Introduction
Paraphrase the question
Write a thesis statement (your opinion)
Outline the sentence
Advantages
The topic of the sentence
Explain how it is an advantage
Write an example
Disadvantages
The topic of the sentence
Explain how it is a disadvantage
Write an example
Body Paragraph 2 (Disadvantages)
Explain your opinion
Explain or give an example
Conclusion
Sentence 1- Write a summary of the main points.
Vocabulary and Phrases for IELTS Writing Task 2:
Useful Vocabulary for Joining Supportive Ideas
In addition
Moreover
What is more
Furthermore
Besides this
Useful Vocabulary for Joining Opposite Ideas
However
On the other hand
In contrast
Nevertheless
Important
To get a good mark in the grammar section we need to show some examples of complex structures. The following are two possible ways to do this:
Use Coordinating Conjunctions to form compound sentences.
FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so
Use Subordinating Conjunctions to form complex sentences.
E.g: because, while, whereas, as, after, since, although
Key Points for Task 2 Writing
Task 2 essays carry 67% of the marks for the IELTS Writing Test.
You should write 250 – 280 words
You have 1 hour to complete both writing tasks but should not spend more than 40 minutes on this task as you will need 20 minutes for Task 1.
Writing fewer than 240 words will result in marks being deducted.
HOW TO WRITE ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE ESSAY : SAMPLE Question
Sample Answer :
Here is the sample for the how to write advantage and disadvantage essay :
There is an ongoing debate on the merits of having a rigid discipline system in place for all crimes committed. This essay will firstly discuss, how having fixed punishments could lead to a more competent judiciary system as the biggest advantage. Secondly, this essay will discuss how this may lead to people being punished in the same way for both minor and major crimes as the primary disadvantage.
On the one hand, the main advantage of having a standardised punishment system could lead to a downward trend in crime, as the system would serve as a deterrent. This would allow the courts to easily hand out justice to all criminals, in order to make the judiciary system more powerful. For example, in some states in the USA, there are tough sanctions in place for criminals, including death by lethal injection. In 2014, the New York Times reported that up to 65% of criminals who were incarcerated for high-level crimes (murder, manslaughter) received the lethal injection.
On the other hand, the primary disadvantage of having fixed punishments is that people who have committed low-level crimes may also be given harsh sentences, in the same way as those who have been sentenced for high-level crimes. This may make the system unjust, as the punishment should befit the crime. For instance, a person who may have acted in self defence, should have their case heard in full, before being given a punishment befitting of someone who has been part of a violent act.
In conclusion, fixed punishment offers an interesting choice for effective crime deterrence and a faster judicial process. However, its inherent flaw in generalising all crime without carefully considering mitigating circumstances would compromise the very essence of justice and should warrant a closer study before fully implementing it to any modern judicial system.
