Thao Ngo IELTS Student's Edition
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THAO NGO IELTS
MTESOL · Academic Director · IELTS–AI Trainer
IELTS Writing Task 2 · Essay Outline

Is Space Exploration a Waste of Money? — 08.03 & 05.09.2026

Essay type: Opinion (agree / disagree — to what extent)Band 4.5-6.0Stance: DisagreeTarget ≈ 260 wordsModel essay: Band 6.0
Student's Edition
Ngô Đức Thảo
Ngô Đức Thảo
MTESOL · Academic Director
Task 2 Topic

Government funding for space exploration is often viewed as a waste of resources. It would be more beneficial to allocate this budget to addressing urgent issues on Earth.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
(Same idea, 05.09.2026: Some people think investing money in developing technology for space exploration is not justifiable. They believe there are other ways to spend money. To what extent do you agree or disagree?)

1Task analysis

ItemDetail
Essay typeOpinion (agree / disagree — to what extent)
Main topicWhether money for space exploration should instead be spent on urgent problems on Earth
Keywordsgovernment funding · space exploration · waste of resources · urgent issues on Earth
Task focusJudge whether space exploration budgets are a waste and should go to problems on Earth
Required positionSay clearly how far you agree or disagree and keep the same position in every paragraph
Plain-English meaningIs spending government money on space a waste? Would it be better to use it for problems like poverty and disease?
Hidden trapAgreeing means space money is wasted; disagreeing means space research has value. Many space technologies (satellites, weather forecasts) already solve Earth problems — use this
Chosen stanceDisagree. Space research is not a waste: satellites help weather forecasts and communication, and space programmes create knowledge, jobs and inventions
Main-idea planBP1 → satellites help weather forecasts, phones and the internet · BP2 → space programmes bring new inventions and jobs and inspire young people

2Idea generation

Body 1 — Space research helps life on Earth

  • Satellites help weather forecasts and warnings ✓ strongest
  • Satellites help phones, GPS and the internet
  • Satellites watch forests and the climate dự phòng

Body 2 — Space science gives knowledge and jobs

  • Space research creates new inventions and jobs ✓ strongest
  • It inspires young people to study science
  • Countries work together in space dự phòng

✓ strongest = ý dùng trong bài mẫu · dự phòng = ý thay thế, không có trong bài mẫu.

3Skeleton

Introduction
  • General statement: Countries spend a lot on space
  • Paraphrased task: Rewrite: money wasted, use it on Earth
  • Thesis: I disagree — two reasons
Body 1: Satellites → weather warnings, phones, GPS
Body 2: Space programmes → inventions, jobs, young scientists
Conclusion: Restate the opinion → summarise both reasons → final thought

4Plan & write your paragraphs

How to use: Read the main idea, tap the cue words to add them to the box, then write your own sentence. Your essay is built automatically at the bottom and saved in this browser.

Introduction(40–55 words)

0 words
Goal: Topic → rewrite the statement → give your opinion.
General statement
Main idea: Countries spend a lot on space
Starter: Many countries spend a … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Paraphrased task
Main idea: Rewrite: money wasted, use it on Earth
Starter: Some people think that … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Thesis
Main idea: I disagree — two reasons
Starter: I disagree with this … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.

Body Paragraph 1 — Space research helps life on Earth(80–95 words)

0 words
Goal: Reason 1: explain it and give an example.
Topic sentence
Main idea: Space research helps people on Earth
Starter: Firstly, space research helps … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Explanation 1
Main idea: Weather, GPS, phone signals
Starter: Satellites in space give … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Example
Main idea: Early storm warnings
Starter: For example, when a … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Link
Main idea: Saves lives on Earth
Starter: Therefore, money spent on … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.

Body Paragraph 2 — Space science gives knowledge and jobs(80–95 words)

0 words
Goal: Reason 2: explain it and give an example.
Topic sentence
Main idea: Knowledge, inventions, jobs
Starter: Secondly, space programmes create … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Explanation 1
Main idea: Space inventions used at home
Starter: Scientists who build rockets … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Example
Main idea: Medical tools, water filters
Starter: For instance, some modern … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Link
Main idea: Inspires young people
Starter: In addition, space science … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.

Conclusion(30–45 words)

0 words
Goal: Repeat your opinion, sum up both reasons, final thought. No new ideas!
Restated thesis
Main idea: I disagree
Starter: In conclusion, I disagree … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Summary
Main idea: Helps Earth + inventions, jobs
Starter: Space research helps people … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Final thought
Main idea: Also fund poverty, health
Starter: However, governments should also … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.

📝 My essay

✓ saved

5Language bank (Band 4.5-6.0)

Mỗi đoạn có bảng collocation riêng. ✓ = có trong bài mẫu · + = cụm mở rộng để học viên tự dùng. 5.0 = nền tảng · 6.0 = nâng band.

Introduction

CollocationFormVietnameseBandBài mẫu
a large amount of moneynoun phrasemột khoản tiền lớn5.0✓
sending rocketsverb + nounphóng tên lửa5.0✓
this money is wastedclausesố tiền này bị lãng phí6.0✓
serious problemsadj + nouncác vấn đề nghiêm trọng5.0✓
on Earthprep phrasetrên Trái Đất5.0✓

Body Paragraph 1 — Space research helps life on Earth

CollocationFormVietnameseBandBài mẫu
space researchnoun + nounnghiên cứu vũ trụ5.0✓
practical waysadj + nounnhững cách thiết thực6.0✓
weather forecastsnoun + noundự báo thời tiết5.0✓
mobile phone signalsnoun phrasesóng điện thoại5.0✓
a big stormadj + nouncơn bão lớn5.0✓
warn people earlyverb phrasecảnh báo sớm6.0✓
save livesverb + nouncứu mạng người5.0✓

Body Paragraph 2 — Space science gives knowledge and jobs

CollocationFormVietnameseBandBài mẫu
space programmesnoun + nouncác chương trình vũ trụ6.0✓
useful inventionsadj + nounphát minh hữu ích5.0✓
good jobsadj + nounviệc làm tốt5.0✓
space stationsnoun + nountrạm vũ trụ5.0✓
new materialsadj + nounvật liệu mới5.0✓
medical toolsadj + noundụng cụ y tế6.0✓
water filtersnoun + nounmáy lọc nước5.0✓
become engineersverb + nountrở thành kỹ sư5.0✓

Conclusion

CollocationFormVietnameseBandBài mẫu
In conclusionlinkertóm lại5.0✓
space explorationnoun + nounthám hiểm vũ trụ5.0✓
a waste of resourcesnoun phrasesự lãng phí nguồn lực6.0✓
poverty and healthnoun phrasenghèo đói và sức khoẻ6.0✓

Useful structures

6Self-check before you submit

7🔒 Model Essay (Band 6.0)

Hãy viết bài của em trước. Khi đủ 230 từ, ô mật khẩu sẽ mở — xin mật khẩu từ giáo viên để xem bài mẫu và so sánh.