"Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?" — weigh both sides fairly, then judge clearly which one is greater. Meet its exact shape through a short story, then build your own.
The Golden Road
Read it once for pleasure. Notice how the headman decides — you'll need his method in a moment.
Engineers came to the mountain village with a promise: a fast new road, cut straight through the peaks, to replace the winding old paths. "It will change everything," they said. The headman gathered the villagers to weigh the offer. For one summer, as a trial, the engineers opened the first stretch of the road, and the whole village watched what it brought.
The good was easy to see. Traders who had never dared the steep tracks now rolled in with carts, and the little market swelled into a bustling fair. Prices for the village's honey and wool climbed as buyers competed. Best of all, the children could at last reach the good school two valleys away and return the same evening. The road, it seemed, would carry the village into a brighter future.
Yet the headman was not blind to the cost. The same smooth road that welcomed traders also welcomed bandits, who slipped in fast and vanished faster. And the quiet old paths, once loud with song, fell silent; the woodcarvers, whose stalls travellers used to pass, saw their trade wither as carts hurried by.
The headman weighed the two piles in his mind. "The good is greater," he said at last. "The market and the school will lift every family. We will finish the road — but we will post guards at the pass, and the bandits will find no easy road here."
He didn't pretend the road was perfect. He weighed both sides, then judged which was greater — and said so plainly. Open The Shape to see it.
His decision is the essay
The headman's four moves are the four parts of an advantages / disadvantages essay. Same colours, all the way through this lesson.
In the story"It will change everything." — he gathers the village to weigh the road, and already leans toward the good.
Introduction + VerdictRephrase the question, then state your overall verdict early — say which side outweighs the other.
In the storyTraders and a booming market; the children reach the good school — the road's clear benefits.
Body Paragraph 1 — AdvantagesThe main benefits, explained → give one real example.
In the storyBandits use the road too; the quiet old paths and the woodcarvers' trade fade away.
Body Paragraph 2 — DisadvantagesThe main drawbacks, explained → give one real example.
In the story"The good is greater — we will take the road, but we will post guards."
ConclusionRestate which side outweighs, and say why. Weigh them — don't just repeat both.
The three rules hidden in the story
1
State early which side outweighs. The headman leaned toward the good from the start. Don't sit on the fence — give your verdict in the introduction.
2
Advantages in one paragraph, disadvantages in the next. Keep the two piles separate and clear — benefits together, drawbacks together, each with an example.
3
In the conclusion, weigh them. He didn't just list both sides — he said why the good was greater. Explain why one outweighs the other.
The same shape, a real question
International tourism has brought great benefits to many places, but it can also damage popular destinations. Do the advantages of tourism outweigh the disadvantages?
Watch the four colours return — the headman's decision, now in exam English.
Introduction + Verdict
Every year, millions of people travel abroad, bringing both prosperity and pressure to the places they visit. While mass tourism can undeniably harm popular destinations, I believe that, when it is properly managed, its advantages clearly outweigh its disadvantages.
Body Paragraph 1 — the advantages + example
The principal benefit of tourism is economic. Visitors spend money on hotels, restaurants, transport and local crafts, creating income and jobs that entire communities depend on. Beyond the money, tourism also fosters cultural exchange, as travellers and hosts learn about one another's traditions and ways of life. A city such as Barcelona, for instance, supports hundreds of thousands of jobs through tourism and has shared its architecture and culture with the world, enriching visitors and residents alike.
Body Paragraph 2 — the disadvantages + example
On the other hand, unchecked tourism can seriously damage the very places people come to see. Fragile sites suffer erosion and overcrowding, while local residents are pushed out by rising prices and crowds. The ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu is a striking example: so many visitors climb its stone paths that the authorities have had to cap daily numbers and fix strict routes to slow the erosion threatening this irreplaceable monument. Moreover, much of the money visitors spend flows to international hotel chains rather than local people, so the communities that bear the costs do not always share the rewards.
Conclusion — weigh them, say why
In conclusion, although tourism can undoubtedly harm popular destinations through erosion and overcrowding, I believe its advantages are the greater of the two. The income, employment and cultural understanding it generates outweigh the drawbacks, provided that governments manage visitor numbers wisely and make sure that local people share in the profits.
Notice: a clear verdict early (advantages outweigh, if managed), advantages and disadvantages in separate paragraphs, each with an example, and a conclusion that weighs the two and says why one wins. Exactly the headman.
The exact phrases for each move
Keep these to hand while you write your own. One from each group is plenty.
Introduction — rephrase & state your verdict
In recent years, … has become increasingly common.It is often said that … brings both benefits and drawbacks.In my view, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.On balance, I believe the disadvantages are greater.
Advantages — the benefits
The main advantage is that…A key benefit is…One clear upside is that…Perhaps the greatest benefit is…
Disadvantages — the drawbacks
On the downside,…One drawback is that…A significant disadvantage is…This does, however, come at a cost:…
Introduce your example
A striking example of this is…For instance,…This can be seen in…Take …, for example.
Conclusion — weigh them, say why
Despite these drawbacks, the advantages are greater because…Weighing both sides, I believe … outweighs …On balance, the benefits win out, since…
Now build your own
Globalisation has brought many benefits, but it also has significant drawbacks. Do the advantages of globalisation outweigh the disadvantages?
Fill the skeleton first — verdict, the advantages, the disadvantages, then weigh them — before you write the full essay. Be the headman: weigh both piles, then judge which is greater and say why.
Check it like an examiner
Introduction rephrases the question and states which side outweighs
Advantages and disadvantages sit in separate paragraphs
Each paragraph has one real example
Conclusion weighs the two and explains why one outweighs the other
VerdictGlobalisation has both benefits and costs, but on balance I believe its advantages outweigh its disadvantages.
Advantages + exampleIt lifts living standards through trade and jobs and spreads knowledge — economies like South Korea grew rapidly by opening up to global markets.
Disadvantages + exampleIt can widen inequality and threaten local cultures and industries — small traditional producers are often undercut by cheap imported goods.
Conclusion — weigh themDespite these real costs, the advantages are greater, because the growth and opportunity globalisation brings can, if managed fairly, benefit far more people than it harms.