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Build Content by Seeing which Analytical Tools Apply (Fleshing out your
Paragraphs ) :

3C’s: Cause/Effect, Comparison (Compare-Contrast), Classification

4P’s: Pros/Cons, Part/Whole, Process, Problem/Solution

In this Section you will write a problem/solution essay. .

Problem-Solution Essay

A problem-solution essay is a type of academic writing that focuses on identifying a

particular problem or issue, presenting it clearly to the reader, and proposing effective
solutions to address or resolve this problem. This essay can describe multiple solutions or
one “ideal” solution to the problem you describe.
Problem solution essays are a popular form of persuasion. In these essays, you must
describe a problem, convince the reader to care about the problem, propose a solution,
and be prepared to dismantle any objections.
This type will allow you to develop your critical thinking skills, improve your
language proficiency, and practice expressing ideas in a structured format.

Step-By-Step Guide

A good problem solution essay is going to propose a solution that can be implemented
somewhat easily and will, of course, solve the problem.

Here’s your formula for success:

1. Introduce the Problem

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In your introductory paragraph, you’re going to carefully outline the problem. What is it
and why does it need to be solved? After you’ve done so, state your thesis statement. In
these essays, your thesis will be your solution to the problem. State it succinctly in one or
two sentences.

2. Make the Reader Care

Introduce the subject in a way that will make the reader take interest. Why does this
problem matter? Why should they care?There are many ways to lure readers in. Offer
staggering statistics that will shock them into taking sudden interest. Share a
heartfelt personal narrative that will tug at the heartstrings a little. Or, explain how the
problem evolved from a mundane issue to a worthwhile cause.

3. Outline Your Solution

Once you’ve drafted your introduction, it’s time to dive into the body of the essay.
Depending on length requirements, you might want to aim for three solid paragraphs that
discuss the solution. Of course, you must begin with clarity. Explain your solution in
simple terms that anyone could understand. Offer as many details as possible about how
this will solve the problem without getting unnecessarily wordy.

Where possible, cite evidence for your solution. Offer examples where similar solutions
have worked before. Cite expert opinion, statistics, and studies. If you’re proposing a new
solution that hasn’t been explored before, then you can rely heavily on logical argument.
Explain why you think your solution will be effective.

As you weave the body of your essay together, keep sound logical arguments in mind.
Who’s going to fund your solution? How much time will it take? If you can cite any
obvious rebuttals, start to bring your essay to a close with possible responses to these
potential criticisms.

4. Paint a Final Picture

Now, it’s time to bring the essay to a close. Describe the next steps that must take place
immediately. Paint a vivid picture of what the world would look like after your practical
solution has been implemented.

Some of the best ways to close an essay are with rhetorical questions such as, “Isn’t this
the type of world we all seek to live in?” Or, you can cite some sort of call to action. Ask
others to join the cause, or direct them to some other source for more information.

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Here’s a short list of topics :

 Alcohol addiction
 Bullying in school
 Dangers of procrastination
 Endangered species
 Fracking
 Fractures in family relationships
 Obesity
 Overabundance of time spent on social media
 Pollution
 Work-life balance

Problem/Solution Essay Example 1

Exercise 1: Analyze an essay

Read one of the two Process Example Essays on the following pages to complete this
exercise.
1. Label the introduction paragraph, the body paragraphs, and the conclusion paragraph.
2. Circle the hook.
3. What is the general topic of the essay?
4. Underline the thesis.
5. Underline each of the topic sentences.
6. Do each of the topic sentences support the thesis?
7. Does the conclusion paragraph start by restating the thesis?

No More Traffic Jams

There is nothing worse than being trapped in your car, waiting in the middle of a
traffic jam. It is frustrating, knowing that there is nothing you can do and that you are

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going to be late to work. Traffic jams often occur during rush hour or right after a large
event because there are more cars on the road than normal. Traffic jams can also be
caused by car accidents or road construction. They usually occur on major roads that
many people use to travel to work or school. Traffic jams are a problem because they
make people late for work or school, they can cause car accidents, and they are
frustrating. How can we reduce the number of traffic jams? Possible solutions include
carpooling or using public transportation. The best way to solve traffic jams is by using
public transportation because it will be efficient, economical, and reliable.

First, using public transportation is efficient. A bus is a very efficient way to move lots
of people from one place to another using only one vehicle. Instead of having one vehicle
for each person on the road, busses take many cars off the road as people ride together.
Trains are even more efficient at reducing the number of cars on the road. Because trains
have their own dedicated rail system to get people around, all of the cars are eliminated
without adding any more traffic to the roads. Not only are busses and trains more
efficient at carrying passengers, but time spent on a bus or a train is more efficient for the
passenger. This encourages more people to use public transportation. It is easy to see how
efficient public transportation is and the impact that it has on reducing traffic.

Another reason that public transportation is the best solution to traffic jams is because it
is so economical. People want to use public transportation instead of driving their own
car because they can save money. Public transportation usually does not cost very much,
especially for people who use it often. There are discounts for seniors and students, which
makes it an even more economical way for these groups to travel around town. Using
public transportation also eliminates the need to pay for parking, car insurance, and car
maintenance, not to mention gasoline. All of the expenses related to owning a car are
replaced with one simple fare. Because it is so economical, public transportation is a
good solution to traffic jams by encouraging more people to travel together and reduce
the number of cars on the road.

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Finally, public transportation is the best solution because it is reliable. Many people
set up carpools to reduce traffic, but this is only a temporary solution. Every time
someone has a change in their schedule, the carpool needs to be adjusted. For example, if
someone has to go to the doctor or sleeps in, the carpool will not work that day. If
someone changes jobs or transfers to a new school, the carpool will need to be adjusted
again. Public transportation, on the other hand, is more reliable. The bus and train
schedules don’t change every time that one rider needs to go to the doctor. The schedules
are set and people can plan on them. People who use public transportation will find that it
is reliable and can help limit the number of cars on the road.
Because it is efficient, economical, and reliable, public transportation is the best way
to reduce the number of traffic jams. There are other possible ways to address this
problem, but using public transportation is clearly the best. Traffic jams during very busy
hours on the road can be reduced and more people can get to work on time and avoid the
frustration caused by sitting in the middle of a long line of cars. Cities and governments
should consider ways to improve their public transportation system and encourage more
people to use it. If they do, they will surely see fewer traffic jams on their roads and much
happier drivers.

Problem/Solution Example Essay 2

Exercises
Exercise 1: Analyze an essay
Read one of the two Process Example Essays on the following pages to complete this
exercise.

1,Label the introduction paragraph, the body paragraphs, and the conclusion paragraph.
2.Circle the hook.

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3.What is the general topic of the essay?

4.Underline the thesis.
5.Underline each of the topic sentences.
6.Do each of the topic sentences support the thesis?
7.Does the conclusion paragraph start by restating the thesis?

Conversation Confidence
Conversations happen everywhere: work, school, church, stores, dates, and even the
gym. Conversations are such a common part of daily life that people often don’t think
about how difficult they can be, or the anxiety they can cause, if all of these
conversations are happening in another language. Many international students avoid
participating in conversations, especially with native speakers of English. This avoidance
is a serious problem for international students who study English because participating in
conversations is crucial for developing their language skills. Avoiding conversations can
also cause international students to struggle making friends and make them feel more
isolated. While it is natural to feel nervous about participating in conversations,
international students need to find ways to be more confident in their ability to participate
in a conversation. International students can choose from various solutions to stop
avoiding conversations and feel more confident.
One solution for students to develop more conversational confidence is to learn about
current, relevant news. Many international students don’t join conversations because they
aren’t sure what to talk about or what other people would be interested in. The Internet
makes it very easy to find out what everyone else in the community is talking about; with
this knowledge, students can be prepared for conversations because they know what
people are generally talking about and can even look up the vocabulary words they need.
Students can start this preparation by following a university’s social media pages or

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listening to locally produced news. Learning about current events is an easy way to be
ready for a casual conversation.
Students can also prepare for common conversational topics if they want to be more
active participants in conversations. While almost every conversation is different, there
are some things that come up frequently, and those topics can be practiced. For example,
many people might ask international students about their family, their country, their job,
their reason for studying English, or their hobbies. Students can practice responding to
these types of questions while they are working or preparing dinner by talking to
themselves. As topics come up in conversations that they are not able to speak about,
they can add those topics to their list to practice. By thinking about and practicing
responses to common conversational questions, international students can have more
confidence to participate in conversations.
Another way to feel more confident is by listening to conversations. This solution
helps students hear how native speakers start (or end) a conversation, as well as how they
change topics. Examples of conversations that are easy to find include television shows.
These shows, especially if they can be paused and replayed, can be helpful because there
is no pressure for the student to participate in the conversation or to understand
everything the first time. Other conversations that are easy to watch happen in news
broadcasts between the featured stories. These conversations are a little more formal than
conversations in TV shows, which can be an advantage because students can observe the
similarities and differences between casual and more formal conversations. This listening
practice can really help students overcome any anxiety about participating in
conversations.
A final way to overcome the habit of avoiding conversations is to refine language
skills and prepare questions. By improving their vocabulary, fluency, grammar, and
pronunciation, students will not only be more confident in conversations, but they will
look forward to them as an opportunity to practice. Many students are hesitant to speak
because they do not want to make mistakes, so by refining their language, they can
reduce that concern. However, students should not wait until their language is perfect

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before they speak. An easy way to start is to listen to questions that people ask and create
some grammatically correct questions to ask in a conversation. These questions can be
practiced and memorized to make sure the language is correct. With these questions and
continued improvement in their language skills, international students can be more
actively involved in conversations.
In conclusion, students have many options to solve the problem of avoiding
conversations. Choosing to work through one of these solutions will help students
improve their English skills and help them build stronger relationships with others. They
will be able to take advantage of the time they spend studying in the United States. Since
conversations are part of everyday life and can’t be entirely avoided, it is better to
conquer the fear through preparation than to limit self-expression. Whether students are
talking to a supervisor, a classmate, a roommate, or a date, they will feel empowered to
be better conversational partners.

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In any type of academic writing, always remember to:
Use clear and straightforward language: Aim for clarity in your writing to ensure that
your ideas are easily understood.
Vary sentence structure: Experiment with different sentence structures to make your
writing more engaging.
Check grammar and vocabulary: Pay attention to grammar, word choice, and vocabulary
to enhance the overall quality of your essay.

Example 3
Topic: Write an essay proposing solutions to the problem of gender wage gap.

The persistent gender wage gap remains a pressing issue in today's society,
reflecting an imbalance that hinders workplace equality. Women continue to earn less
than their male counterparts for comparable work in many parts of the world. Some

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progress has been made as a result of ongoing campaigns, with the contribution of
significant public figures, but it is still far from enough. There are a few practical
solutions to narrow the gender wage gap such as enforcement of laws by the government,
introducing of salary transparency at the workplace, and training employees about
gender-related issues.

One critical solution includes the reinforcement of legislation that mandates equal pay for
equal work. Governments should rigorously enforce such laws, ensuring that companies
are held accountable for maintaining fair compensation practices. Introducing and
strengthening legal measures is crucial for eradicating systemic biases that contribute to
the wage gap.
Introducing transparency in salary structures is another critical factor in addressing wage
disparities. Companies should adopt policies that disclose salary ranges for various
positions, enabling employees to better understand their market value and empowering
them to negotiate fair wages. Transparent practices also encourage employers to reassess
and rectify any gender-based pay inequities. This transformation will not be welcome at
first in workplaces in Turkey and employers will probably find it too radical, but in the
long run, transparency is a must in eradicating inequal practices.
To combat ingrained biases, organizations should implement education and training
programs aimed at raising awareness about gender-related issues. Sensitizing both
employers and employees to the impact of stereotypes and biases can contribute to fairer
evaluations and promotions. Additionally, these programs can empower individuals to
recognize and challenge discriminatory practices in the workplace.
These measures, if taken properly, will address the root causes of the gender wage gap
problem and bring about positive change soon. By implementing these solutions,
employers and governments can pave the way for a workplace where individuals are
compensated based on merit rather than gender. Bridging the gender wage gap is not only
a matter of economic justice but a crucial step towards creating a more inclusive and
equitable society.

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TASKS
1. Write an essay about how to support an immigrant in a host country.
 language support (language classes/language exchange programs)
 employment assistance (job placement services, CV workshops, skills training)
 legal aid services (assistance with immigration-related legal issues)
 healthcare access (access to affordable/free healthcare services, cultural competency
training for doctors working with immigrant communities)
 education support (education counseling, tutoring programs)
2.Write an essay about how to deal with the misinformation spread on social media.
 media literacy education (integrating such trainings into school curricula)
 public awareness campaigns
 promotion of trusted news sources
 encouragement of citizen journalism
 fact-checking initiatives (independent fact-checking organizations)

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