# Working from home: advantages vs disadvantages: IELTS Writing Task 2 samples

Writing Task 2 - Work

More and more people are working from home rather than in an office. Do the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words.

Source: Sample answers and examiner notes are written by Testmigo.

## Band 6 sample

Nowadays, many people are working from home instead of going to office every day. This trend become very popular after the Covid-19 pandemic. In my opinion, although there are some disadvantages, the advantages of working from home are more than the disadvantages.

Firstly, working from home save a lot of time and money. In big cities like Delhi or Dhaka, people spend two or three hours every day in traffic jam. If they work from home, they can use this time for their family or for rest. Also, they do not need to spend money on petrol, bus fare or lunch in restaurant. For example, my brother works for an IT company and since he is working from home he is saving almost 20% of his salary.

Secondly, working from home gives people more flexibility. They can choose their own working hours and they can take care of their children or old parents at same time. This is very helpful especially for women, because in many countries they have to do the household work also.

On the other hand, there are some disadvantages of this trend. The main problem is that people can feel lonely because they do not meet their colleagues. Moreover, it is difficult to separate work and personal life, so some people work for very long hours and they become stressed. In addition, not every people have a quiet room or good internet connection in their home.

In conclusion, working from home has both advantages and disadvantages. However, I believe that the advantages like saving time, money and having flexibility is more important than the disadvantages. Companies should also help their employees to solve the problems like loneliness.

**Examiner notes.** This essay answers the question and states a position, but it is a Band 6 response. The disadvantages paragraph lists three problems without developing any of them, and the conclusion opens with the vague "has both advantages and disadvantages" before adding a new idea about companies. Linking is mechanical ("Firstly", "Moreover", "In addition"), and errors such as "going to office", "This trend become", "working from home save" and "not every people" are noticeable. For Band 7, each body paragraph would need one fully explained idea, and the conclusion would weigh the two sides directly.

## Band 7 sample

Since the pandemic, a growing number of employees have swapped the office for their spare room or kitchen table. While remote work has some genuine drawbacks, I believe that, for most people, its benefits are greater.

The most obvious advantage is the time and money saved on commuting. In large cities, it is common for workers to spend two hours or more a day travelling, which is not only tiring but also expensive. Working from home gives this time back, and many people use it to exercise, cook proper meals or spend time with their families. This, in turn, can lead to better health and higher job satisfaction, which ultimately benefits employers as well.

A second benefit is flexibility. Remote workers can often organise their day around other responsibilities, such as caring for young children or elderly relatives. This has made it possible for some people, particularly parents, to stay in the workforce when they might otherwise have had to resign. Companies also gain, since they can recruit talented staff who live far from their offices.

However, working from home is not without its problems. Many people find it hard to switch off when their home is also their workplace, and as a result they end up working longer hours than they did before. There is also a risk of isolation, especially for younger employees, who learn a great deal simply by watching and talking to more experienced colleagues. Without that day-to-day contact, their professional development may suffer.

In conclusion, although remote work can blur the line between work and home life and may leave some employees feeling isolated, I would argue that the savings in time and money and the greater flexibility it offers outweigh these disadvantages. That said, employers should try to reduce the drawbacks, for example by bringing teams together in person on a regular basis.

**Examiner notes.** This Band 7 essay presents a clear position from the first paragraph and supports it with extended reasoning, for example tracing commuting time saved through to "higher job satisfaction, which ultimately benefits employers as well". Cohesion is smooth ("This, in turn", "That said"), and phrases like "not without its problems" and "blur the line" show good collocation. The essay never quite explains why the advantages outweigh the drawbacks, though; it states it. A Band 8 response would compare the two sides directly and use more precise, carefully qualified language.

The Band 8 sample is free with an account on the [topic page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/writing/topics/task-2/work-from-home-advantages-disadvantages).

## Common questions

### How many words should I write?

At least 150 words for Task 1 and 250 for Task 2. Writing a little more is fine; an answer under the minimum loses marks.

### Can I use these sample answers in my test?

No. Memorised material is marked down and you will not get this exact question. Use the samples to see what each band does with the same task.