litumi
C1 · Advanced35 min

A problem solution essay

Syllabus topic 1: A problem solution essay

220–260 words · Problem–solution essay. A fictional town has a busy community centre, but newcomers rarely attend its activities. Discuss two plausible barriers, propose a feasible response to each and explain how the town could evaluate whether the changes help. Do not invent research results.

Your writing task

Write 220–260 words. A fictional town has a busy community centre, but newcomers rarely attend its activities. Discuss two plausible barriers, propose a feasible response to each and explain how the town could evaluate whether the changes help. Do not invent research results.

Writing focus

A solution needs an owner, a practical mechanism and some way to judge its effect. Avoid promising that one change will eliminate every barrier.

Your progress

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My plan

Plan, write, revise

Suggested structure

  1. Define the problem and distinguish plausible causes from established facts.
  2. Match two practical solutions to the barriers.
  3. Discuss implementation, limitations and evaluation.

Useful language

  • One plausible barrier is…
  • A proportionate response would be…
  • The effectiveness of this approach could be assessed by…

Use these phrases if they fit your ideas. There is no single correct response.

0 words · Suggested: 220–260Restoring your draft…

220 more words to reach the suggested range.

Review your draft

This is guided self-review, not automatic grading. The word range is a guide. Editing your text clears the checklist so you can review the new version; previous lesson completion stays in your history.

See an illustrative response

A community centre can offer a varied programme and still fail to attract newcomers. Before expanding its activities, the town should examine whether people can discover the programme and imagine themselves taking part. Two plausible barriers are unclear information and the social difficulty of entering an established group. The first could be addressed through a concise, regularly updated guide explaining costs, access arrangements and what a first visit involves. A named member of staff should maintain it, with printed copies available beyond the centre itself. This would be more useful than publicity that simply describes the programme as welcoming without answering practical questions. Translated versions should be considered where local needs justify them, rather than assumed to be unnecessary or universally required. The second barrier calls for a different response. Selected activities could offer introductory sessions with a clearly identified host. Newcomers would then have someone to approach instead of arriving among people who already know one another. This would require staff time, so a limited trial is preferable to an immediate centre-wide commitment. Neither proposal guarantees continued attendance. The centre should record first visits and voluntary feedback, then examine whether newcomers return and what difficulties remain. These findings should be interpreted cautiously, since attendance can change for unrelated reasons. Nevertheless, combining practical information with a supported first experience would give the town a manageable starting point and a basis for further decisions.

This example illustrates structure and tone and may be shorter than the suggested range. Develop your own response.

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