Cambridge IELTS 12 Test 2 Writing Task 2: Young Population
Cambridge IELTS 12 · Test 2 · Academic Writing Task 2Advantages and disadvantagesSociety
The question describes countries whose populations contain a relatively large number of young adults compared with older people. Candidates must decide whether the advantages of this situation outweigh the disadvantages and support their answer with reasons and examples.
The question
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. At the present time, the population of some countries includes a relatively large number of young adults, compared with the number of older people. Do the advantages of this situation outweigh the disadvantages? Write at least 250 words.
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How to read the question
- This is an advantages and disadvantages essay with a direct question, Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?, so you must give a clear answer, yes or no, and justify why one side is heavier.
- The topic is a population with many young adults relative to older people, not children or teenagers, so focus on people of working age, roughly 18 to 35.
- Discuss the situation at the level of a country: economy, labour market, public finances, social stability and innovation, rather than the personal lives of young people.
- Both sides must be covered. A one-sided list of benefits will not fully answer a question that asks you to weigh them against the drawbacks.
- Comparing with ageing societies such as Japan can strengthen your argument, but keep the focus on countries with young populations.
- Avoid turning the essay into a discussion of whether young people are better than old people; the question is about the demographic situation and its consequences.
Suggested position
Although a large young adult population brings real challenges, particularly in providing enough jobs, I believe its advantages clearly outweigh its disadvantages, provided that governments invest in education and employment.
Paragraph plan
- 1
Introduction
Paraphrase the situation, a population with a high proportion of young adults compared with older people, and give a clear answer: the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, on condition that enough jobs are created.
- 2
Body paragraph 1: disadvantages
Explain the main drawbacks: competition for jobs and high youth unemployment, pressure on housing, schools and universities, and the risk of social unrest when young people feel they have no future. Give an example such as high graduate unemployment.
- 3
Body paragraph 2: advantages
Explain why the benefits are greater: a large workforce that pays taxes and supports a small number of retirees, a dynamic economy with innovation and entrepreneurship, and lower pressure on pensions and health care. Contrast with ageing societies such as Japan, which face labour shortages.
- 4
Conclusion
Restate that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and that the problems are largely temporary and can be managed through investment in education and job creation.
Ideas and arguments
- Advantage: a large working-age population generates tax revenue to fund public services, while relatively few older people need pensions and long-term care.
- Advantage: young workers are often more willing to adopt new technology, start businesses and move to where jobs are, which can drive rapid economic growth.
- Advantage: this demographic dividend helped several East Asian economies grow rapidly in the late twentieth century.
- Advantage: ageing countries such as Japan face labour shortages and rising health costs, problems a young country avoids.
- Disadvantage: if the economy cannot create enough jobs, youth unemployment rises, wasting talent and causing frustration.
- Disadvantage: demand for housing, school and university places and transport may grow faster than governments can provide them.
- Disadvantage: large numbers of unemployed young people can contribute to crime, emigration or political instability.
- Disadvantage: the advantage is temporary, since today's young adults will eventually form a large elderly generation.
Band 8+ model answer
272 words · An original model answer written for ieltswrites, not an official answer. It stays in English, as in the exam.
In some countries, young adults make up a considerably larger share of the population than older people. Although this demographic structure creates certain challenges, I believe its advantages clearly outweigh its disadvantages, as long as governments invest in education and employment.
Admittedly, a large young population can place a heavy strain on a country. Every year, many thousands of young people enter the job market, and if the economy cannot grow fast enough to absorb them, youth unemployment rises. This not only wastes talent but can also lead to frustration, emigration of the most skilled graduates and, in extreme cases, social unrest. In addition, demand for housing, university places and transport may grow faster than the authorities can respond, pushing up prices and lowering living standards.
Nevertheless, the benefits are more significant. A large working-age population means a broad tax base, while relatively few older people depend on pensions and long-term health care, so public finances are under far less pressure. Young workers also tend to be adaptable and eager to learn new skills, which encourages innovation and entrepreneurship. Economists refer to this as a demographic dividend, and it helped several East Asian economies to achieve rapid growth in the late twentieth century. By comparison, ageing societies such as Japan are struggling with labour shortages and soaring care costs, problems a younger country can largely avoid.
In conclusion, while a youthful population can lead to unemployment and overstretched services if it is poorly managed, these problems can be addressed through sound policies. The economic energy and favourable balance between workers and dependants that it provides are, in my view, far more valuable.
Why this answer scores highly
- Task Response
- The answer gives a clear verdict in the introduction, explains the disadvantages fairly, shows why the advantages carry more weight, and keeps this position consistent through to the conclusion.
- Coherence and Cohesion
- Disadvantages are addressed first and then outweighed by the advantages, which makes the argument build towards the writer's verdict; linking phrases such as admittedly, nevertheless and by comparison guide the reader.
- Lexical Resource
- Topic-specific terms such as demographic dividend, working-age population, tax base and labour shortage are used precisely, with natural collocations like place a strain on and drive economic growth.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
- The answer uses conditional sentences, relative clauses and concessive structures accurately, showing a wide range of complex grammar with very few errors.
Useful vocabulary
- demographic structure
- the way a population is divided by age and other characteristics
- working-age population
- people old enough and young enough to be in employment
- demographic dividend
- the economic boost a country gets when its working-age population is large compared with dependants
- dependency ratio
- the number of children and older people compared with those of working age
- youth unemployment
- the lack of jobs among young people
- labour shortage
- a situation in which there are not enough workers for available jobs
- ageing society
- a country where the proportion of older people is growing
- tax base
- the total number of people and businesses who pay tax
- strain on public services
- heavy pressure on services such as schools, hospitals and transport
- entrepreneurial spirit
- willingness to start new businesses and take risks
- social unrest
- public anger shown through protests or disorder
- brain drain
- the emigration of educated and skilled people to other countries
- harness
- control and make good use of something
Common mistakes
- Failing to answer the direct question clearly, for example by listing advantages and disadvantages but never saying which side outweighs the other.
- Writing about children or teenagers instead of young adults, which changes the topic.
- Discussing only advantages or only disadvantages, so the weighing required by the question does not happen.
- Writing a balanced conclusion such as there are both advantages and disadvantages, which does not answer whether one outweighs the other.
- Describing the lives of individual young people rather than the effects of the population structure on a country.
- Using memorised general statements about young people being energetic without linking them to economic or social effects.
Frequently asked questions
- Which Cambridge book is this question from?
- This essay question about countries with a relatively large number of young adults is Writing Task 2 of Test 2 in Cambridge IELTS 12 Academic, published in 2017.
- Do I have to say that one side outweighs the other?
- Yes. The question asks directly whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, so you must give a clear answer and explain why one side is more significant.
- Can I mention countries with ageing populations?
- Yes, as a comparison. Showing the problems of ageing societies such as Japan can help explain why a young population is an advantage, but keep the main focus on young populations.
- How many words should I write?
- Write at least 250 words; around 270 to 310 words is enough to cover both sides and give a clear verdict.
Free and timed, with a live word count, just like the computer-delivered test. Then get an instant AI band score.
The exam simulator runs on a computer. Open this page on a laptop or desktop to practise.