GROUP 2 SOLUTION ESSAYS

In task 2, some topics may ask you to suggest some solutions to the given problem. It also
means that you are usually not asked to only suggest solutions, you must write about the problem(s)
first, then come to the solutions logically. Just bear in mind to distinguish between causes solutions
and problems solutions, as writing about causes is different from writing about the problems.
Because we have already gone through Cause and Effect essays, in this part we just focus on Problem
and Solution essays, if you are asked to write Cause and Solution essays, just rearrange something:
you can combine the first part of type 1 with the second part of type 2.
1. What are Solution essays?
Problem Solution Essays explain a problem and give a detailed plan for how it can be solved.
2. What to write in Solution essays?
a. Introductory paragraph

Hook

Background information

Thesis statement: you may suggest about 3 solutions.

b. Body paragraph
i. PROBLEMS

Describe the problem. Ideally, you can make the problem vivid and vital (using true-life story,
personal experience, scenario, statistics/ facts, historical evidence,).

Convince the reader the problem is important and needs solving.

However, dont spend too much time complaining about the problem during the whole essay, or you
wont have enough time to create solutions.
ii. SOLUTIONS
What makes a Problem Solution paper different is that it gives a detailed plan for how the problem
needs to be solved and argues for a specific action. The body of a Problem Solution Essay argues for
your solution.

Explain the solution proposal clearly.

Argue that this is the best solution: explain why it is cost-effective, feasible and workable, how
your solution will solve the problem. It is perfect if you can offer some evidence in reality (expert
opinion, examples of when/ where it has worked before).

Explain who will be in charge and how it will be funded.

Refute any objections: your solution is better than other current/ potential solutions.
To a particular problem, there are suitable solutions. In general, however, solutions often go around
these types:
Assumes Cause of
Solution Ideas
How it works
Example
Problem is
Give
more
money,
More teachers in schools,
Add something people, equipment or lack of resources
more
money
for
fire
stuff.
department
Take
away Remove
source
of one thing or person fire bad teachers, get rid of
something
problem
causing problem
poor textbooks
Educate
Give information about people don't know Say "No to Drugs" campaign

the problem and solution.

Make laws or Create a new law or rule,
rules
or reform existing rules
Provide a way to enforce
or else provide more
Enforce laws or resources (like more
rules
police or money for
regulators) to enforce
exisiting rules or laws.
Change
the
way
Change method something is done, or the
or procedure
organization
of
something.
Use
advertising
or
emotional appeals to get
Motivate
people to do something
or not do something.

what to do
current rules don't School Dress Code revised to
solve problem
require Uniforms
Current rules are
School decides to call parents
adequite but aren't
if students out of dress code.
enforced enough.

Something
isn't Change meeting time from
done in the right Tuesday morning to Saturday
way.
to get more people to come.
people know what
they should do, but Anti-Smoking ads
don't want to do it

More buildings or a
new
organization
Build Something Give new facilities or a needed
because Build a new football stadium to
New
new organization.
nothing
currently encourage fan support.
existing will solve
problem.
Get sides of argument
Work
out together to work out a problem is mostly Trade
agreement
talks
Compromise
mutual agreement of lack of agreement
between countries.
solution
Take a solution that
Adding taxes on cigarettes
a problem that has
Adapt Solution worked somewhere else
decreases smoking, so put a
been
solved
that Works
and apply it to this
tax on snack foods that are bad
elsewhere
problem
for you
Get rid of current
Change
leader
is
the
leadership
and
get
Fire college football coach
Leadership
problem
someone new in charge
Present information or
Change
incentives to change the attitudes are causing Parents give children money to
Attitudes
way people feel about problem
do chores
situation.
c. Conclusion paragraph
You want to clinch your argument and convince your reader that your solution is the best. Here are
some conclusion ideas you can consider:

Affirm the importance of the problem.

Tell the reader what (s)he should do.

Give some description of how situation will change if your solution is adopted.