Hustlers IELTS | Cambridge IELTS 8 (Test 4 Academic) | Band 7–9 Structure + Model Answer
This task looks straightforward. It isn’t.
Most candidates lose marks here because they do one of these:
- they describe the problem (diabetes, heart disease) instead of the causes
- they list 6–8 causes with no development
- they give “solutions” like eat healthy with no policy detail
IELTS is crystal clear:
You must explain causes and propose measures (solutions).
If you don’t, Task Response suffers — hard.
The Task (Cambridge IELTS 8, Test 4 Academic)
In some countries the average weight of people is increasing and their levels of health and fitness are decreasing.
What do you think are the causes of these problems and what measures could be taken to solve them?
Key instruction: CAUSES + SOLUTIONS.
Not: effects of obesity. Not: general discussion of health.
The High-Scoring Planning Move (What Smart Candidates Do)
This question contains two linked problems:
- weight is increasing
- health and fitness are decreasing
They overlap, but to be safe (and to fully cover the task), treat them separately in your explanation:
- one strong cause for weight gain (diet)
- one strong cause for falling fitness (sedentary lifestyle)
Then give solutions that match those causes:
- food regulation/taxation
- transport policy + personal responsibility
Band 7–9 Model Essay
Over the last few decades, rising obesity and a drop in people’s overall health and fitness have become a major concern in many countries, especially those in the developed world. This essay will consider two of the main causes of this problem, along with some possible solutions.
One of the main causes of increasing weight amongst the population is because so much food and drink contains large amounts of carbohydrates. Junk food, for example, tends to contain high quantities of cheap pasta and rice, while soft drinks often contain large amounts of sugar. If these carbohydrates are not burned up through exercise, they will simply be converted by the body into fat, leading to weight gain.
However, people are getting less exercise, which means that not only will they gain weight, they will also experience lower levels of health and fitness. One of the main reasons for this lack of exercise is our increasingly sedentary lifestyle. Whereas in the past, many people used to be engaged in manual labour such as factory work or farming, today they are more likely to be sat in an office hunched over a computer. Add to that the fact that people are more likely to commute to work by car, rather than walk or cycle, and we can see why people are getting fatter and less healthy.
There are some solutions to this problem that governments could provide, such as a sugar tax. In countries where this has been introduced, such as the U.K., this has led to drinks’ manufacturers reducing the amount of sugar in their products. I also feel that higher levels of tax on petrol might make car drivers think twice about whether they should really take the car out on the road. Ultimately, however, it is up to individuals to take more responsibility for their own health and fitness. They could make the effort to walk more and take the car less, and make better choices regarding their diet using information that is widely available on the Internet.
In conclusion, sugary, carbohydrate-rich foods are one of the main causes of increasing weight, and this problem has been exacerbated by our increasingly sedentary lifestyle. However, government initiatives such as a sugar tax and encouraging people to adopt a more active lifestyle can help counteract the problem.
Why This Essay Scores High
1) It stays on task: causes + measures
It doesn’t waste words on medical consequences. It explains why the trend happens and how to fix it.
2) It develops a few ideas properly
Two clear causes, then targeted solutions. That’s exactly what examiners reward: depth over breadth.
3) The solutions match the causes
- Sugar-heavy diet → sugar tax / reformulation
- Sedentary lifestyle & car dependence → fuel tax + active travel + personal choices
This logical linking is what makes it Band 7+.
Vocabulary & Collocations You Can Reuse
- rising obesity
- a drop in overall health and fitness
- a major concern
- amongst the population
- contains large amounts of carbohydrates
- soft drinks
- burned up through exercise
- converted by the body into fat
- weight gain
- increasingly sedentary lifestyle
- manual labour
- hunched over a computer
- commute to work
- walk or cycle
- a sugar tax
- reducing the amount of sugar
- think twice
- take more responsibility
- adopt a more active lifestyle
- counteract the problem
Use these accurately and your Lexical Resource improves naturally.
Hustlers IELTS Final Word
For problem–solution essays, don’t try to sound “smart” by adding everything you know. Be strategic:
- 2 strong causes
- 2–3 realistic solutions
- clear links between them
- clean structure