By English Test Coach · Updated
Academic Task 2 · Problems / causes and solutions
Finding employment after prison
An original IELTS practice question with a planning route and a sample answer to learn from.
Aim for at least 250 words in about 40 minutes. Suggested practice level: intermediate, not a predicted band.
Your writing task
Some people who have served a prison sentence struggle to find stable employment after their release. Why might this happen, and what could employers and public services do to help them find suitable work?
How to approach this question
Answer the requested problems or causes, then explain how specific solutions address them.
Problems, causes and solutions: match the response to the question →
Worked example: Match a proposed response to an employment barrier →
Possible barriers: time away from work may leave someone without recent experience or a usable reference. An employer may also judge an applicant only by their record instead of examining current suitability. Explain how each barrier affects an application; do not assume every person leaving prison lacks skills or that every employer reacts alike.
Matched responses: public employment services could help a jobseeker identify a skills gap, obtain relevant training and demonstrate current ability. Employers could assess that evidence against the actual role while retaining appropriate safeguards. Explain how the action changes a named barrier, and avoid promising jobs where no suitable vacancies exist or claiming employment alone prevents reoffending.
These are possible directions, not required opinions or facts to memorise. Develop your own response and check every claim against the task.
A possible plan
- Introduction: identify the issue and the two parts of the question.
- Body 1: explain the requested problems or causes; do not substitute one for the other.
- Body 2: propose specific measures and explain how each addresses a problem or cause above.
- Conclusion: summarise your explanation and the most relevant response.
Vocabulary you can use precisely
Choose language that fits your meaning. You do not need to include every phrase.
- recent work experience
- Practical experience of a job gained within a relatively short time.
An applicant may need a way to demonstrate skills when recent work experience is limited.
- assess applicants individually
- Consider each person on their own relevant evidence rather than treating a group as identical.
Employers could assess applicants individually against the requirements of the role.
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