An IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay at Band 6, 7 and 8

Band 6

Nowadays many people learn languages through online lessons, and fewer people go to classes in a school. Some people say that classes with a teacher are always better, but I do not agree. Many of my friends study in this way. In my opinion the advantages of this development are bigger than the disadvantages, and I will explain why in this essay.

The main advantage of online lessons is that they are flexible. FirstlyA label that opens the point but links nothing to the introduction, people who work or look after children is not ableSubject-verb agreement: should be “are not able” to attend a class at a fixed time, but with online lessons they can study in the evening or at the weekend. For example, a mother can study after her children are asleep. This is the reason why I think online lessons are more convenient. Also, it is easy to start because you only need a computer. Also, they can watch the lesson again if they did not understand something, and this is very goodVague, basic phrase; a more exact word such as “valuable” is needed for students who learn slowly.

However, there is also a disadvantage. The students do not get enough chance to speak with other peopleDisadvantage is named but not explained, and no example is given. In a real class they speak with the teacher and the other students all the time, and this make them more confidentSubject-verb agreement: should be “this makes them”. Online they often only listen to a video, so they can feel aloneWrong word choice: “lonely” is the usual word here. Speaking is a very important part of a language, so this is a problem for some people.

To conclude, online lessons are flexible but students speak less, and the advantages are biggerThe conclusion repeats the introduction in other words and does not weigh the two sides. So I think the advantages is more thanShould be “advantages are greater than” or “advantages outweigh” the disadvantages, and online lessons are a good choice for many people today. In the future more people will use them.

Band 7

Learning a language online has become common, and many people no longer attend classes in a school or language centre. Online study is available to almost anyone with a connection. Although this change has drawbacks, I believe that its advantages outweigh them.

The main advantage is flexibilityThe topic sentence names the one subject of the paragraph. Adults who work long hours or look after children often cannot commit to a class at a fixed time, whereas online lessons can be fitted into an evening or a weekend. For a parent returning from work, an hour on a fixed evening may simply be impossible, whereas a lesson that waits until the children are asleep remains available. Learners can also replay a recording when an explanation is unclear, something that a live class does not allowShort relative clause attached to the previous idea with a comma. As a result, people who might otherwise have given up can keep studying regularly.

The main disadvantage is that learners get less spontaneous speaking practice. In a classroom, students must respond immediately to a teacher or a classmate, and this pressure gradually builds confidenceNatural collocation. Speaking is a skill that grows through repeated, unplanned exchanges, so its absence matters. A learner who only watches recorded lessons may understand grammar well yet hesitate when speakVerb form: should be “speaking” to a real person. However, this problem is not impossible to solve, since many online courses now offer live conversation sessionsThe disadvantage is explained and then weighed, which supports the verdict.

In conclusion, online lessons reduce the amount of natural conversation, but flexibility decides whether many people can learn at allGives the reason behind the verdict instead of repeating it. For this reason I believe the advantages are greater thanCorrect but plain comparison; a more varied verb would lift the range the disadvantages. Learners who combine recorded lessons with regular conversation practice can gain both benefits.

Band 8

Online lessons are replacing the classroom for a growing number of language learners. The question is how much each side weighs. This development does carry a real drawback, but I believe the advantages outweigh it, chiefly because flexibility determines whether many adults study at allVerdict stated with its reason in the first paragraph.

The decisive advantage is flexibility. A parent or shift worker cannot commit to a class that meets at a fixed hour, but can complete an online lesson at midnight if that is the only time available. The effect is practical rather than theoretical: a lesson that fits the day is far more likely to be attended. Recorded material adds a second benefit: a learner can replay an unclear explanation until it makes sense, something a classroom lesson, once finished, never permitsColon, apposition and inserted phrase used with full control. Together these features turn language learning from a privilege of those with regular timetablesPrecise noun phrase that carries the contrast into something most adults can sustain.

The real disadvantage is the scarcity of unplanned speaking. In a classroom, a learner must answer a question immediately, and that mild pressure is what turns knowledge into fluencyExact wording for the effect; a student who only watches lessons may understand the grammar perfectly yet hesitate when addressed by a real person. The concern is therefore legitimate, and it would be wrong to dismiss it. This weakness, however, is neither universal nor permanentSentence turns the paragraph from the drawback to the weighing without a label. Many courses now include live conversation sessions, and learners can arrange practice with a partner independently.

On balance, the loss of spontaneous practice is real but remediable, whereas rigid timetables simply exclude peopleConclusion weighs the sides and gives the reason the verdict holds. The advantages therefore carry more weight, because a learner who cannot attend a class cannot practise anything.