Can Individuals Help the Environment? — 03.02.2026

Task 2 Topic

Some people believe that individuals can do nothing to improve the environment; only governments and large companies can make a real difference.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?

1Task analysis

Item	Detail
Essay type	Opinion (agree / disagree — to what extent)
Main topic	Whether ordinary people can improve the environment or only governments and big companies can
Keywords	individuals · do nothing · improve the environment · governments and large companies · a real difference
Task focus	Decide whether individuals have any power to improve the environment compared with governments and large companies
Required position	Say clearly how far you agree or disagree and keep the same position in every paragraph
Plain-English meaning	Some say ordinary people cannot help nature at all; only governments and big businesses can. Do you agree?
Hidden trap	The statement is extreme (can do nothing, only). You can disagree with it while accepting that governments and companies have the greatest power
Chosen stance	Disagree. Governments and companies have the greatest power, but individual choices add up and citizens are the force that pushes those institutions to act
Main-idea plan	BP1 → collective lifestyle choices significantly reduce waste and emissions · BP2 → consumers and voters push companies and governments to change

2Idea generation

Body 1 — The combined power of individual choices

Collective lifestyle choices reduce waste and emissions ✓ strongest
Diet and transport choices matter
Habits spread to family and friends dự phòng

Body 2 — Citizens drive corporate and political change

Consumer demand forces companies to change ✓ strongest
Voters and campaigns shape environmental laws
Volunteers restore local areas dự phòng

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

3Skeleton

Introduction

General statement: Environmental decline = serious challenge
Paraphrased task: Rewrite: citizens powerless, only governments, corporations
Thesis: Disagree, but institutions matter most

Body 1: Lifestyle choices of millions → less waste, lower emissions

Body 2: Consumer demand + votes → companies, governments act

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(45–60 words)

0 words

Goal: Topic → rewrite the statement → give your opinion.

General statement

Main idea: Environmental decline = serious challenge

Starter: The deterioration of the … ·

Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.

Paraphrased task

Main idea: Rewrite: citizens powerless, only governments, corporations

Starter: Some claim that ordinary … ·

Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.

Thesis

Main idea: Disagree, but institutions matter most

Starter: I disagree with this … ·

Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.

Body Paragraph 1 — The combined power of individual choices(90–110 words)

0 words

Goal: Reason 1: explain it and give an example.

Topic sentence

Main idea: Combined effect is huge

Starter: The main reason I … ·

Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.

Explanation 1

Main idea: Millions of small decisions

Starter: Everyday decisions about transport … ·

Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.

Example

Main idea: Cycling, buses improve air

Starter: For example, if commuters … ·

Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.

Explanation 2

Main idea: Less food waste

Starter: Similarly, reducing food waste … ·

Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.

Link

Main idea: Behaviour matters

Starter: Therefore, individual behaviour plays … ·

Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.

Body Paragraph 2 — Citizens drive corporate and political change(90–110 words)

0 words

Goal: Reason 2: explain it and give an example.

Topic sentence

Main idea: Individuals drive institutional change

Starter: In addition, individuals are … ·

Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.

Explanation 1

Main idea: Consumer demand → companies adapt

Starter: Businesses depend on their … ·

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Example

Main idea: Supermarkets cut packaging

Starter: For instance, many supermarkets … ·

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Explanation 2

Main idea: Voters → laws

Starter: Likewise, governments are more … ·

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Link

Main idea: Change starts with people

Starter: As a result, the … ·

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Conclusion(35–50 words)

0 words

Goal: Repeat your opinion, sum up both reasons, final thought. No new ideas!

Restated thesis

Main idea: Disagree

Starter: In conclusion, I disagree … ·

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Summary

Main idea: Choices matter + push institutions

Starter: Although governments and large … ·

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Final thought

Main idea: Everyone must act

Starter: Everyone therefore has a … ·

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📝 My essay

✓ saved

5Language bank (Band 5.5-6.5)

Mỗi đoạn có bảng collocation riêng. ✓ = có trong bài mẫu · + = cụm mở rộng để học viên tự dùng. 5.5 = nền tảng · 6.5 = nâng band.

Introduction

Collocation	Form	Vietnamese	Band	Bài mẫu
the natural environment	adj + noun	môi trường tự nhiên	5.5	✓
the most serious challenges	noun phrase	những thách thức nghiêm trọng nhất	6.5	✓
ordinary citizens	adj + noun	người dân bình thường	5.5	✓
real change	adj + noun	thay đổi thực sự	5.5	✓
major corporations	adj + noun	các tập đoàn lớn	6.5	✓
the greatest influence	noun phrase	ảnh hưởng lớn nhất	6.5	✓

Body Paragraph 1 — The combined power of individual choices

Collocation	Form	Vietnamese	Band	Bài mẫu
the combined effect	adj + noun	tác động tổng hợp	6.5	✓
individual choices	adj + noun	lựa chọn cá nhân	5.5	✓
energy use	noun + noun	việc sử dụng năng lượng	5.5	✓
seem insignificant	verb phrase	có vẻ không đáng kể	6.5	✓
a major impact	adj + noun	tác động lớn	5.5	✓
air quality	noun + noun	chất lượng không khí	5.5	✓
improve noticeably	verb + adv	cải thiện rõ rệt	6.5	✓
reducing food waste	verb + noun	giảm lãng phí thực phẩm	5.5	✓
sent to landfill	passive phrase	được đưa ra bãi chôn lấp	6.5	✓
plays a significant role	verb + noun	đóng vai trò quan trọng	6.5	✓

Body Paragraph 2 — Citizens drive corporate and political change

Collocation	Form	Vietnamese	Band	Bài mẫu
the driving force	adj + noun	động lực chính	6.5	✓
eco-friendly products	adj + noun	sản phẩm thân thiện với môi trường	5.5	✓
remain competitive	verb phrase	duy trì sức cạnh tranh	6.5	✓
plastic packaging	adj + noun	bao bì nhựa	5.5	✓
introduce environmental laws	verb + noun	ban hành luật môi trường	6.5	✓
care about the issue	verb phrase	quan tâm đến vấn đề	5.5	✓
large institutions	adj + noun	các tổ chức lớn	5.5	✓
pressure from ordinary people	noun phrase	áp lực từ người dân	6.5	✓

Conclusion

Collocation	Form	Vietnamese	Band	Bài mẫu
In conclusion	linker	tóm lại	5.5	✓
improve the environment	verb + noun	cải thiện môi trường	5.5	✓
greater power	adj + noun	quyền lực lớn hơn	5.5	✓
make a real difference	verb phrase	tạo ra khác biệt thực sự	6.5	✓
a responsibility to act	noun phrase	trách nhiệm hành động	6.5	✓

Useful structures

Although + clause, + main clause (concession)
Noun, which + verb …, + main verb (non-defining relative clause)
If + present, + will / can + verb (conditional for results)
This means that + clause (explaining a consequence)
… be + past participle (passive voice for processes and policies)

6Self-check before you submit

Task Response: Clear position (Disagree) in the thesis, kept in both body paragraphs and restated in the conclusion; every reason is explained and supported by a realistic exampleCoherence & Cohesion: One reason per body paragraph, both supporting the same position; linkers In conclusion, In addition, For example, For instance, As a result, Therefore, although, becauseLexical Resource: Topic collocations from the Language bank; paraphrase the key words of the question (individuals, do nothing, improve the environment)Grammar: Mix simple and complex sentences (although, which, if, passive); check articles and verb formsFit for band: Realistic examples, no invented statistics, about 270–300 words in total

7🔒 Model Essay (Band 6.5)

Hãy viết bài của em trước. Khi đủ 250 từ, ô mật khẩu sẽ mở — xin mật khẩu từ giáo viên để xem bài mẫu và so sánh.