positive or negative development essay format

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Positive or Negative Development: IELTS Model Essay

An IELTS model essay for positive or negative development questions. It is common in IELTS writing task 2 to be asked to choose either something is a positive or negative development/trend. Your task is to answer the question in the introduction and explain your answer in the body paragraphs.

These instructions are asking for your opinion so it is important that you give it clearly. If you fail to present a position of your own (a view point), you will have failed to complete the task and that will affect your score.

IELTS Positive Negative Essay Question

Nowadays, more people are choosing to socialise online rather than face to face. Is this a positive or negative development?

IELTS Model Essay: Positive or Negative Development?

An increasing number of people meet and talk to their friends online instead of in person. In my opinion, this is a negative development which can lead to isolation, potentially harmful situations and also problems later on in life.

One serious problem that can arise from people socialising online is that it can lead to isolation. Before the internet, people would frequently go out to meet friends, for example in cafes, bars or restaurants, whereas now people prefer to stay at home alone, chatting online. As a result, people are starting to spend the majority of their time alone at home in their room without meeting others. Isolation of this kind is not healthy and can sometimes lead to depression and other issues.

Another issue is that meeting people online can be risky. In other words, people can assume fake identities online as well as hide their true characteristics. This is particularly concerning for teenagers who are impressionable and can easily be led into dangerous situations. Furthermore, as this interaction is online, parents have no way of monitoring it and protecting their children.

Finally, socialising online can end in difficulties years later as conversations and shared photos that had been forgotten reappear. This situation is currently critical for many people, again especially for teenagers who do not think carefully before posting online. That is to say, information which is put online can remain there forever and while people may share intimate communications with close friends, these words can then resurface later on leading to much embarrassment.

In conclusion, although it has become more popular for people to socialise through the internet, it has brought about too many problems for this to be considered a positive trend.

Examiner’s Comments: This essay provides a clear answer to the essay question. The position is clearly presented in the introduction and also explained and supported throughout the essay. Linking devices are well used and ideas are organised logically. Language is flexible and accurate. This would reach band 9. (Word count = 286)

More IELTS Model Essays:

• IELTS Agree Disagree Essay (Opinion Essay)
• IELTS Discussion Essay
• IELTS Direct Question Essay 
• IELTS Solution Essay
• All IELTS Model Essays, Tips & Free Videos for Task 2

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Hi, Liz! Is it possible for you to check out my essay? If not, it’s okay. I hope you take care and thank you so much for providing the best IELTS lessons for free!

Recently, many people have preferred to meet with others online rather than in person. In my opinion, this is a negative development that could lead to isolation and being dependent on technology.

One serious problem that arises from people preferring to socialize online is isolation. This is because they are glued to their screens most of the time, ignoring their surroundings and the people near them. There is no spare time to bond with family and friends in person, which leads to feeling left out and alone. For example, going outdoors with friends for a simple walk or doing sports can have a positive impact on a person’s mood. However, they find it difficult to stop meeting people online since hiding behind their screens gives them a false sense of identity, which results in fake confidence and online dependency.

Another issue that stems from talking and meeting people on the internet is becoming dependent on technology. If their computers, laptops, or phones break one day, they do not know how to interact in person since they are used to communicating online. For example, they cannot express their feelings well in person compared to typing what they want to say. There is no healthy balance between socializing online and offline which has its own consequences.

In conclusion, the internet is being used recently to communicate with people more often than in person. Problems arise from this such as being isolated from family and friends who are near and turning to technology as the only means of socialization. There should be a healthy balance between spending time with people that you love offline and interacting online.

My website isn’t aimed at providing feedback but I will make a quick comment so that you and others can learn more. You have excellent English and the potential to really nail IELTS. Be careful of having a conclusion longer than your introduction. It is usually shorter than the introduction. So, pay attention to that in my model essays on this website. You can find more model essays on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ .

However, there is a more serious problem with a lack of direction in your body paragraphs and disconnected supporting points. Your topic sentence said that your main point was about isolation. But then you talk about having no time for people and ignoring surroundings (those two points aren’t actually directly connected to isolation which is your main point). You can see the connection in your own mind, but you haven’t connected these points to in writing inside the sentence. IELTS isn’t just about having ideas, it’s about connecting those ideas and presenting them according to IELTS band score requirements.

1) ignoring surroundings….”Socialising online not only isolates people from each other, but also isolates people from the outside world. In other words, the lack of time people spend being outside in nature because they are glued to their gadgets has a huge impact on their mental health which can lead to depression and other chronic illnesses.”

– As you see, I’ve now connected the idea of the outside world to the main point which is isolation.

IELTS writing isn’t just about good English. It’s 50% about writing skills and techniques for IELTS. Now you know how you must improve to hit band 8 or 8.5 or even 9. Either review my free model essays (link above) or get my advanced lessons to help you focus: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/ .

I really appreciate your feedback Liz. You give me more motivation for my exam. You are such a wonderful person. Again, thank you!

I have my exam in four day’s time, could you please check my response and provide me a score to the essay question.

In today’s world, people are preferring to socialize online as compared to meet each other like earlier days. In my opinion, it is a negative development as both the persons involved in socialization can get misguided, addicted and develop trust issues.

Misguidance can occur in myriad ways. An imposter can post a fake profile, a fake photo or even a fake description which can misguide the person socializing on the internet. As internet is open to people of varying age groups, young children being at tender age and easily gullible are influenced easily. Their ability to challenge is not formed and are at age where they refuse to listen to their elders making them even more vulnerable.

The other issue with socializing online is addiction to the internet and harming one’s own health. There has been a trend where children are always glued to the screens. This has not only affected their physical health but also mental health. Their ability to use own brain and take part in various activity has been significantly reduced making them a ‘couch potato’. Young children are getting obese and are acquiring lifestyle diseases.

To resolve the growing issue of people socializing online than offline, children should be encouraged from an early age to do a physical activity and an environment should be created for them to adopt a hobby where they direct their energies. Parents should also take an active part in child’s growth and the discipling should not be left to television or screens.

Just a few quick points: 1) you mentioned three reasons why it is negative in your introduction, but had only two main points for body paragraphs. This will lower your score. The points you mention in the thesis must reflect your body paragraphs which cover each point. This usually means you wrote your introduction before you planned your body paragraphs and supporting points. Never write one word until your whole essay is fully planned. 2) you lack a conclusion which will be a huge problem for your band score. Putting solutions in a final paragraph when the task never asked for solutions anyway, does not count as a conclusion. Your conclusion must summarise your main points. I strongly suggest you get my advanced writing task 2 lessons and learn the right way to tackle IELTS essays. There’s a discount on for the next few days: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hi Liz, if the question ask to what entent it is an advantge and disadvantge, do I discuss both sides or give my opinion?

The questions are: To what extend do you agree or disagree? What are the advantage or disadvantages? Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? or Are the advantages more important than the disadvantages?

The first one is an Opinion Essay and your whole essay is about your opinion. The second requires you to give both sides The last one asks you to evaluate both with an opinion.

Make sure you don’t confuse wording and that you understand which essay type you are tackling. See my advanced lessons for detailed training. You can find them in my store: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

in the question there was no request to give your opinion, but you still wrote “in my opinion” i don’t understand IELTS ☠️

There was a clear request for an opinion in the instructions. If you are asked to choose between two options, it will require your personal choice (that means, your opinion). See the main writing task 2 page of this website and you’ll find a link to “When to give your opinion in writing task 2”: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Dear Liz, first of all, many thanks for the countless effort you’ve put into the content of this website! I’m a bit confused about the ”positive or negative development” subtype of essay: your advanced material catalogues this kind of question as being another variant of advantages and disadvantages; however, in the aforementioned example you’ve made it pretty clear on which side of the fence you at. I can’t figure out why then an opinion essay backbone was used here instead of the regular A vs D model? Fair wind to all the candidates!

This is definitely not an essay similar to “what are the advantages and disadvantages?”. That essay requires no opinion at all. The essay “Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages” is an essay which does require an opinion and so does the positive negative essay – but they are not the same essay type. They are different, even though they both require an answer based on your personal opinion. The essay “Is this a positive or negative development” is one that I call a direct question essay and I don’t have an advanced lesson for it yet, but I will be making one soon.

hi I have a question . when it said that positive or negative trend/ development is this an agree/disagree question or an advatages /disadvantages question?

It is a positive/negative trend essay question. It is a different essay type with one single question that you must answer.

Hi Liz, Thank you so much for your content. I wish you all the best! Thanks to your lessons, I got an 8.5 overall and 8.0 for Writing. I just can’t believe it! Thank you so much!

Great job! Very well done to you 🙂

you’re my favorite teacher, as well you look like my mother 🥰 My mother died in 2015😔

I’m so sorry to hear about your mother. That is a great loss for you. I hope I can remind you of happy memories

Hello Dear Madam: It’s my essay about this title that you provided. Could you please reply me, is it a good way that I should write? Thank you.

These days an increase number of individuals are opting to communicate on the internet instead of meeting each other. In my view, it’s a negative development which bring some obdurate problems and unstable result during their performances.

Firstly, the most important reason is which in the internet people cannot find trusts to each other. In fact it is very hard to have a stable relation with the public. For instance, when individuals start some conversations such as politics or about some social jobs, which will be difficult to everyone to do completely in a better way. Furthermore a research has shown which doing some talks on the internet not only may not have a good result but also it maybe wasteful of time.

Secondly, another prominent reason is which individuals may not have relation forever. Clearly having a social correlation physically is better than online. Because on the internet humans are in idiomatic world. On the other hand, if humans may not have access to internet they may miss or interrupt their communications. For example, if people may have meeting on the internet such as in (what s app, Telegram, Twitter and other social media applications which as a result it will not affect effectively whether they visit each other.

In conclusion, online communications may not be more effective which sometimes it will create unclear result and would be hardship to have relation in all parts of the life. It is a predication which individuals should evolve their visiting in a physical way.

Hi liz, from India here. Thankyou so muuuuuch for your content!! I got 8 overall, and a 7.5 in writing, the one I always dreaded. I had a question on the causes of (topic) and whether its a positive or negative development combined as a single question. Just days before I went through this particular essay, and I used it to structure my essay. I didn’t expect it to come as it rare to ask this type. Nonetheless, thanks once again!

Very well done to you!! A great score 🙂

Hello mam Can write an essay introduction without a background statement.

No. All good IELTS essays will introduce the topic and specifics of the question which your essay will tackle in a background statement (the first sentence of your essay and of your introduction paragraph).

Where are you mam,,,,, I have been missing you for ages,,,, Won’t you back YouTube?

As soon as my health is more stable and I’m stronger, I’ll continue making videos. Each year I hope it will happen, but each year my health continues to be an issue. Lets see what happens next year.

The rising numbers of people preferring to socialize online rather that to search for real life connections is perceived as a negative development due to the detrimental effect it had on mental well-being, making it questionable to consider social media as a beneficial invention, highlighting the necessity of face to face communication.

Firstly, people leaning to make friends and spend time texting online rather than meeting and socializing in real life have shown to be harmful to one’s state of mind, causing people to feel alienated due to the ease of making friends online in contrast with real life, making it a better alternative for a lot of teenagers regardless to the fact that such sites like Facebook and Twitter have the tendency to bring the worst in people, resulting in a hostile environment where many face constant bullying and abuse.

Such drawbacks made it logical to put social media under the microscope as it proved to have many disadvantages, making it less efficient as an alternative to face to face communication owing to the benefits people gain from real life conversation and overall, real life socializing. a clear example of that, is the rise in popularity, meeting apps are experiencing in the last years, which presented better virtual environment where people can get to know each other, removing many of the useless features other social media apps have, directing people’s attention to setting plans and meeting in real life.

to conclude, despite the rise of people choosing to use social media sites as an alternative to the real-life old ways of socializing, it’s often seen by many to be nothing but a trend because of it negative effects, as other apps that focus on pushing people to meet provide better outcomes both practically and commercially.

Nowadays, an increasing number of people with health problems are using alternative medicines and treatments instead of visiting their normal doctor. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

Mam, Will it be okay if I will write the positive development means pros of visiting their usual doctors in P1, as well as, ( Negetive development means) cons of not visiting their usual doctors in P???

I think these(my above ) both views are almost same.

Or Is it okay if I write 1 benefit of Visiting their usual doctors in P1 and its explanation too with relevant examples.And another benefit of same with explanations and examples in P2 ?

Would you mind suggesting me which will be going to right?

Please help me with this. I am little bit confused 😕

Try not to change this into an advantage disadvantage essay. It isn’t. It is a direct question essay. It gives you only one issue – people turning to alternative medicines instead of conventional medicine. And it asks you for the positive and negative of this trend. What is positive about people using alternative medicine instead of conventional medicine? What is negative about people using alternative medicine instead of conventional medicine. Those are your two body paragraphs. Always follow the instructions very carefully and don’t try to change the essay type.

Hi Liz, it has been a long time you have not uploaded any video on YouTube. Are you okaY?

I’m battling a serious long-term illness. I will continue making videos when I feel my health is more stable.

Wish you all the best!

This generation prefers to communicate via social media instead of one-on-one interaction. I believe this trend has resulted in an increased incidence of social isolation and loneliness which is harmful to mental health.

Firstly, although social media has created a platform where a person can reach another across the globe, it has also increased the incidence of social isolation. People spend more time online interacting with strangers. They would rather spend time with people online than have meaningful conversations with close friends and family. Social isolation and loneliness have been associated with an increased risk of depression and other mental illnesses.

Secondly, social media has increased the incidence of cyberbullying. Some people connect online to retrieve people’s personal information which they use to incite rumors. These bullies attempt to make their victims self-conscious and insecure. Worst case scenario, these bullies can locate their victims using the information they got online, and at times cause bodily harm to their victims. Cyberbullying has been linked to an increased rate of suicides and suicidal ideation.

Finally, most teenagers spend the bulk of their time each day online. With time, it is estimated that most young adults will lose their social skills. Humans are social beings. Without social interactions, one of the key components of human existence will be lost.

To conclude, social media has created a platform to improve connectivity. Ironically, it has instead increased the incidence of social isolation and loneliness. it is estimated that if this trend continues, people will no longer be able to socialize and have meaningful interactions.

Hi Liz, I hope you’re doing better than before. Thank you for sharing all the great information on this website and on Youtube. I just had one doubt regarding this type: What does it mean when you wrote “If you fail to present the position of your own (a view point), you will have failed to complete the task”? Like should I only mention only one side, i.e, positive or negative, because I was thinking we can balance it out too by mentioning both of them?

You need to be careful with your understanding of ” a balanced approach”. You can’t say that one thing is positive and negative at the same time. But you can QUANTIFY. This means you are very very specific about in which why it is positive and in which way it is negative and this is presented in your introduction as your position. Your whole essay will then support your position. Having a clear position is vital. For example: children watching TV – you think it’s positive and negative and your essay discusses this. In this case, you have converted an opinion essay into a discussion essay – you will lose marks. But if you say that watching too much TV is negative, but watching only some educational programs are positive – you now have a position which you will explain in your essay. Never take this approach unless you are 100% sure you know what you are doing. Otherwise, you will lose marks.

Thank you for sharing this great essay. The conclusion paragraph has only one sentence. Can we write a paragraph which contains only one sentence?

The conclusion is short and the essay is short. The average IELTS essay contains only around 13 – 15 sentences. That’s a very short essay. This means the introduction and conclusion will be short so that you can extend your body paragraphs for a high score.

“An increasing number of people meet and talk to their friends online instead of in person.”

Where is the verb?

There are two verbs: meet / talk

A simple way of writing this is with one verb:

“People meet their friends online instead of in person.”

From the simple sentence above, it is easier to spot the verb.

Hi Liz, Why are you not uploading new videos on YouTube?

Due to illness. I’ll try to make a video about my personal situation soon

God will heal you completely ma.

May God heal you. I have never know and very cheerful and happy person online. Watching your videos gives me so much joy

Dear Liz, I would like to know how many body paragraphs should a Positive Negative essay have? Does the marking scheme specify two or three to makes it decrestionary? I ask because some samples I’ve seen on this essay type, including yours, consistently give three body paragraph , whilst generally giving two for the other essay types.

Is the rule or mere coincidence, Please?

God bless you and your team for your selfless and humanitarian acts. The world is grateful.

There is nothing in the marking criteria which states how many paragraphs or body paragraphs you should have for any type of essay. Paragraphs need to be logically organised. Body paragraphs need to long enough that idea are sufficiently developed which means having too many body paragraphs would be a problem because they are likely to be too short. This means that either two or three body paragraphs are appropriate. You can’t have one body paragraphs because you are being marked on dividing main ideas into logical paragraphs. Thanks for your best wishes to my team – I work alone 🙂

Q.In the world today, the families has become smaller..

Is it a positive or negative development for families and society?

I approached this question by talking about the positive side of having a small family in the first paragraph and then in second para I discussed the negative side of having a small family while comparing it with having a bigger family with some relevant examples and finally concluded by saying it is a negative development by my personal view.

Is this approach correct for this question?

This question requires your opinion – not a discussion. If you think it is only negative, then you can’t write about the positive side. Your opinion must be consistent throughout the whole essay. If you think it is largely negative, but not completely negative, then you have a chance to present both sides.

Hi liz! hope you are all doing well.

I am wondering whether you can write ” in my opinion ….” in this question type. because it does not ask your opinion and just ask ” is this positive or…..” .

i think if the question was like this: ” Do you think this is a positive…..” you would be able to write “in my opinion”.

i am not sure and now i am confused! please let me know what do you think about this.

“Is this positive or negative” AND “do you think this is positive or negative” are the same questions. 100% the same. They are both directed to you personally and you must choose. It is a personal choice. It is your opinion in both.

Thanks mam for clearing this

In a positive or negative development question, can you choose both sides as your own opinion? Thanks

You can present both sides, but your opinion should favour one more than the other. It is asking for your opinion – not just a plain discussion.

Now a days, more people are choosing to socialize online rather than face to face. It is a positive or negative development.

These days, many people are communicating online rather than meeting in person. From my perspective, using online to stay connected is a negative development and it will create lots of problems. Technology had helped people to stay connected but it has also lead to unhealthy disorder. For example, 90% of younger generation had undergone depression and suicidal attempt due to loneliness. As they started to isolate themselves from others and had been interacting with people only through internet. Which is very unhealthy and cause these disorder. Moreover, it is very difficult for parent to monitor their kids and protect them through social network. Another negative aspect of this will harm individual life. To illustrate, people especially younger generation tend to make a relationship through different social website like facebook without even knowing him/her. Besides this, people used fake identities to make business and some even make their living through it. Which is very risky and will create lots of obstacle in people life. Non the less people will lost their trust in humanity. Lastly, choosing social network to socialse will make them distance between family and friends. It will also cause jealousy and lost in fait in one another. For example, my sister does not stay with us and we rarely meet. We used to interact like once in a blue moon through video calling and it did create a lots of distance between us as we work in different country. To conclude, socializing through social network have way more negative development. As it create lots of problems and it is very unhealthy. Therefore, it is much better to meet rather then connecting through online.

Dear Liz, Thank you for your outstanding Tips and Tricks. I have taken CD-IELTS today. I feel that it went good. In writing Task-II, the Question was: In some societies, fashion is more and more changing many people’s choice. Why is this? Do you think it is a negative or positive development?

I planned it in the following way.

Intro=Background statement+ reason+my opinion BP1= Reasons (Why?) BP2= ideas supporting my points-(negative opinion) Conclusion= restatement of background and reasons along with my opinion. (272 words)

Now I just want to know, what do you think? Was my approach right? Thanks in Advance Best Regards

All sounds fine. However, Task Response is more than just a brief outline of ideas. It’s about how you write topic sentences, how you explain yourself, how you connect ideas to the many task to make them 100% relevant. Good luck with your results 🙂

Your samples are really helpful and thanks to your work, I find it more easier from now.

Hmm, is it really correct sample? I mean there is no opinion or view written. What do you think? If I am wrong, please let me know why. And also I should mention that I am not professional like you 🙂

I’m a bit confused by your comment. The opinion is presented in the introduction: In my opinion, this is a negative development which can lead to isolation, potentially harmful situations and also problems later on in life. It is then explained in the body paragraphs. The thesis statement of the introduction always presents the opinion if the instructions ask for it.

If question asks for do the topic has more positives than negatives than the format to follow is same as advantages outweigh disadvantages?

I can’t thank you or praise you enough for the amount of good materials and information that you provide via your YouTube videos or your blog or your paid videos. I took your writing videos subscription along with your ebooks and they are of immense help to me.

However, I could not come across this ‘postive negative development’ type of essay types in any of your videos i subscribed to. If you could please help provide your two cents on correcting my understanding of this essay type of it falls under ‘advantages outweigh the disadvantages essay type with our won opinion’ OR does it fall under the bucket of opinion based essay that is ‘ do you agree or disagree and write your own opinion’. please help provide the structure just like your writing videos or direct me to one. Pretty please.

It falls under the label of “Direct Questions Essay”. This means you are given a direct question or questions. Not all teachers use the same names for essays or categorise them in the same way. It’s best to go for a balanced view with your opinion clearly leaning to one side more than the other.

We should try to use “phrasal verb” in writing or not?

You should use appropriate language and that might include phrasal verbs.

Dear Liz, I am a big fan of you and I appreciate your lessons and blog. Unfortunately, when I read your model essay about positive and negative developments I saw in the conclusion paragraph there is a big mistake because at the beginning you supported it is a negative development but later at the end, you said that is a positive trend. So, please read the essay again and correct it otherwise it could be confusing for us.

All the best for your future…

There is no error. The introduction and conclusion match You’ll need to review your understanding of this phrase in the conclusion “it has brought about too many problems for this to be considered a positive trend.”. It means – this cannot be positive because there are too many problems.

I am really sorry, that was my mistake because I couldn’t understand the inner meaning of this phrase. I am extremely sorry, I shouldn’t say that way before a clear review. Anyway, I wish you good luck and want more lessons from you…

All the best

No need to apologise. This is the kind of language that comes in the reading or listening test to check your understanding. The more familiar you are with such language, the better 🙂

Thank you so much for your kind information.

Dear mam, “Discuss it’s positive or negative sides”. In this types of question, is it mandatory to write our opinion? e.g. In my opinion………………..

And should we discuss only one side or we have to discuss its both side? Plz mam guide me how to write this types of question.Thanks❤️

I have never seen such instructions. You either get “discuss both sides” or “Is this a positive or negative development”. It isn’t actually possible in English to have “Discuss its X or Y” – it should be “and” when you have “Discuss it’s …”.

Plz mam tell me that i have discuss both postive and negative in the essay in which or was given if this will be wrong or not as i have attempted it partially

It is completely fine to have a partial approach – present both sides with your opinion clearly favouring one side.

Dear liz, In your above example task 2 can we write negative in para 2 and positive in para 2 or we have to justify any one of it in a complete essay. Thank u

I’m not sure why you would put negative first. You should keep a logical order when it comes to paragraphs. The examiner should never feel confused about the order.

Hi Liz, firstly, thank you so much for sharing your expertise and knowledge freely. my question is: some teachers categorize Task 2 questions into only 4 primary types, the so called “Opinion” / “Discussion” / “Opinion-Discussion” / “Situational (Direct Question)” and then suggest paragraph and content planning based on those. For example, it is recommended to NOT discuss both views in the “Opinion” type, which includes what you’d usually call “positive or negative” questions as well as the plain “what is your opinion” questions, and so on.

What is your take on this kind of classification? is it too broad? or just broad enough? (this might or might not be relevant, but I’m aiming to improve my band score from 7 to 8, so I tend to be extra vigilant when it comes to these types of guides/tips)

It makes no difference how a teacher categorises essays. The key aspect is if you feel fully prepared for all essay types. I break it down into five essay types, but within those five there are more variations. But again, there is no right or wrong – there is only full preparation or not enough preparation from a candidates perspective.

Hi Liz, Please if you don’t mind, can you summarily help to suggest how to go about this kind of question if we meet it in the exam. It seems to be a bit confusing in the approach expected.

“People born today can expect to live longer than people in the previous generation. What are some of the positive and negative implication of this phenomenon”

This is a simple advantage and disadvantage essay. It is asking for both sides = one body paragraph for each side.

Mam my local teacher has taught me that positive negative and adv outweigh disadv essays can be written with same style. Is it a right approach?

Yes, it is possible to do that – it would be a partial agreement where you admit one side and favour the other.

Sorry, I forgot to mention what my teacher writes in the outline of positive negative essay— In this essay advantage outweigh disadvantage

If it is still right then can a person score a 8 band with partial agreement?

You don’t get a particular band score because you chose a particular approach. Your score is based on other marking criteria. Even within Task Response it is about how you present ideas, how you use them, how you support them, much development you give them etc. Scores are not so simple to predict or estimate.

Thanks mam for your guidance I’ll keep that in mind

Dear Liz, I want to say a big THANK YOU for all your work. Your website is really helpful .I followed your tips many times and the explanations you give is so easy to be understood by everyone (even for those who have poor english😉).Keep going and don’t listen to those persons who are too frustated to understand the actually meaning of this website.By the way, tomorrow I have the second atempt for the IELTS test.The last one was overall 7 ,but W=6😕.Hopefully this time I will take it with at least 6.5.😁Many thanks again and hope you are feeling better now.😘😘

Fingers crossed tomorrow!! Remember that you need to take time to plan your task 1 and task 2. Then writing will be easier. Also keep your eye on the clock so that you manage your time properly. See this page for last minute tips on each section of the test: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-exam-tips-on-the-day/ . I’m really glad you found my site useful 🙂

thank u a lot mamm you are so nice 🙇‍♂️🙇‍♂️🙇‍♂️🙇‍♂️

Can we consider this kind of essay (Is this a positive or negative development) as an opinion essay when answering? I am asking just because I need to be clear on when planning this type of essay.

IT is asking for your opinion. Yes, you can consider it similar to an Opinion Essay.

Hello mam Can i apply a balanced opinion approach to a negative or positive development essay Like you have done in the advanced video of the opinion essay

Q- more and more measures to improve security in urban areas have been introduced in many countries because of the increased crime rate Is it a positive or negative development?

Intro Increasing level of crime rate have promoted authorities in many countries to strengthen their security through a variety of measures. While Some of these measures pose potential risk to individual privacy, I feel that their benefits to city residents and cities as a whole make these changes a positive development overall.

BP1– POSITIVE EFFECTS lowering of crime rate Which has increased sense of safety Attract more investments

BP2 NEGATIVE privacy intruded Agencies can access call details However this concern is undue, authorities have no self vested interest So chances of this is extremely low.

In conclusion, although some of the security measures have been introduced infringe on people’s right to privacy, it is largely a positive development as the improved security makes city dwellers’ lives more secure and cities more desirable place to live, work and invest in.

Could u please clear my doubt? Is this a right approach

It’s fine.

Thanks mam for helping me again☺ Now I can apply it. I feared that it would lower my band scores

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How to Write a Positive or Negative Development IELTS Essay

Posted by David S. Wills | Nov 22, 2021 | IELTS Tips , Writing | 0

In task 2 of the IELTS writing test, you could be asked to write a positive or negative development essay . This article will explain how to analyse the question, plan your answer, and then write an essay that can score you at least band 7.

What is a Positive or Negative Development IELTS Essay?

There are different kinds of question in task 2 of the IELTS writing test, but one of them will give you a statement and then say something like “Is this a positive or negative development?” In a sense, then, it is a form of opinion essay.

Here is an example:

Today, more people are waiting until their thirties to get married and have children. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

This kind of question is quite simple because you are given a development (that more people now wait to have children) and you must decide whether that is positive or negative . There is nothing tricky about this.

Still, it is worth mentioning a few things because people often make mistakes with this sort of question:

• This is not a discussion essay , so you do not have to give a balanced answer
• If you say “this is a very negative development,” then don’t explain the positives
• Once you have given your answer, you should try to justify your perspective

Analysing the Question

Let’s consider the above question a little more closely. You must decide whether it is a positive or negative development that people now wait until their thirties to get married and have children. Thus, we can essentially have three possible answers:

• It is a positive development.
• It is a negative development.
• It is neither wholly positive nor negative.

I strongly recommend that you choose an approach that allows you to develop your answers clearly and convincingly. By that, I mean you should decide to give the answer that allows you to present good ideas and then justify them. Take a minute or two to figure this out before you begin properly planning and writing your essay.

For example:

When you look at these ideas, which ones do you think would be the easiest to develop? There is no correct answer here – it is totally up to you .

Remember that for a good score in Task Response and Coherence and Cohesion , you must develop your ideas and sequence them logically. Thus, choose carefully at this stage.

If you have trouble generating ideas , then you can research different topics in preparation for your essay by looking online. For example, here we are discussing having babies at an older age, so we might look for news articles and then take ideas and vocabulary from there. Here is an article from Forbes about why millennial women are waiting longer to have children. Here is one from The Guardian about waiting until you’re in your fifties! Remember: Good writers read a lot.

How to Structure a Positive or Negative Development IELTS Essay

There is no perfect way to structure an IELTS essay, but there are good ways and bad ways. I strongly recommend writing four paragraphs and making sure that each paragraph has a single focus. For a positive/negative development essay, it would be a good idea to pick two main arguments in support of your view, then provide them as the focus of each body paragraph.

That’s pretty simple, right?

Mistakes that people make here include:

• Putting too many ideas into each paragraph
• Feeling that they have to give balance
• Providing an unclear position

The best approach to IELTS is keeping things simple. I cannot stress enough that overcomplicating an issue is a bad idea . Thus, using the above structures is a really effective way to produce a great essay that is capable of achieving at least band 7.

Keep in mind that approach #3 (neither wholly positive nor negative) is naturally going to be a little more complicated than the others. If you are not confident in your ability to structure an essay, you might want to avoid this one.

Personally, I feel that this issue is not purely positive or negative, so I would choose the third option. Here is my sample answer.

Sample Band 9 Answer

While in previous generations it was normal for people to get married and start a family at a very young age, nowadays people tend to wait until they are in their thirties. There are both advantages and disadvantages to this development, and so this essay will explain why it is neither a wholly positive nor negative trend.

Traditionally, people would get married and settle down at a very young age because life expectancies were short and there were also few other options available to most people. Nowadays, with people expected to live into their seventies or eighties, it is reasonable to wait until later to get married and have children. This allows people to develop more prior to starting a serious relationship or embarking on the journey of parenthood. They can gain an education, see the world, find out more about themselves, and even have the sort of fun experiences that are difficult in the midst of parental responsibility.

However, it could also be argued that people are naturally inclined to settle down earlier. The human body has evolved over millions of years to reproduce at an early age and, when people try to have children later, it often ends in failure or even with birth defects. Therefore, perhaps it is more reasonable to settle down and do this at an earlier age, and then the parents can enjoy more freedom once their children have grown up and left home. In terms of love, people who meet later might also feel a sense of regret that they did not share their younger years as this is a special time when life can be more eventful and passionate.

In conclusion, there are both advantages and disadvantages to settling down early, and it is really just a personal choice that will suit different people in different ways.

Notes on the Answer

You may look at this and think, “But that’s an advantages and disadvantages essay …” Well, it certainly looks like it because I have used the phrase “advantages and disadvantages” twice! However, I have made it clear that it is about the positive vs negative issue and that my position is that it cannot be said to be either of them.

For me, this allows an in-depth discussion that gives nuance and allows me to show my critical thinking skills to the examiner. One thing to avoid, though, is cramming too many ideas into each paragraph, which can be a big problem with balanced essays like this.

Another Sample Essay

Ok, let’s take another look so that we can get an idea of how to give a straightforward answer.

Here’s the question:

Nowadays, more people are choosing to socialise online rather than face to face. Is this a positive or negative development?

And here’s my answer:

In the twenty-first century, the internet is changing the way that people socialise. Where we used to talk face-to-face, now we tend to use different types of technology to communicate. This essay will argue that it is a positive development.

The first reason why this is positive is that humans have always adapted in order to communicate more efficiently. In fact, our ability to communicate well has led us to be the most sophisticated and powerful animal on the planet. We have developed thousands of complex languages, then learned to write them down, and in the last few hundred years we have discovered printing and telephones. Now that we have the internet, our communication skills are becoming even greater as a species, and it is hard to see why that could be a negative development.

Furthermore, the internet has allowed people from all over the world to interact with each other. Rather than speak only with our immediate friends and family, or our social or national group, we can now speak with people from anywhere, and the communication is instant. This allows us to break down traditional cultural barriers and will hopefully lead to a worldwide decline in prejudice and hatred. This is an unprecedented development in world history, and one that I think is going to make largely positive changes for all humankind.

In conclusion, the switch from face-to-face to online communication is not a negative development in human history; instead, it allows us to communicate better and interact with other people from different backgrounds.

My position was clear throughout the essay, which is really important. I started by using this easy phrase:

• This essay will argue that it is a positive development.

I then transitioned nicely into the next paragraph by saying:

• The first reason why this is positive is that…

I built up my argument convincingly throughout that paragraph, then switched to my second argument with:

• Furthermore…

Again, that paragraph built up a nice argument, and this time is reached a sort of summary sentence:

• This is an unprecedented development in world history, and one that I think is going to make largely positive changes for all humankind.

That led naturally into the conclusion, which reaffirmed my position.

About The Author

David S. Wills

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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Positive or Negative Development IELTS Model Essay: Structure, Common Questions, Sample Answers 

• Updated on  
• Jan 5, 2024

The IELTS Academic Writing Task 2 includes the challenging “positive or negative development” essay. Such questions pose a unique challenge for test takers, demanding they analyse a given topic’s negative or positive implications and articulate a clear stance. Students must demonstrate both critical thinking and linguistic prowess, judging whether the topic presents positive or negative implications overall. That said, read the entire article to learn more about the positive or negative development of IELTS model essays . 

This Blog Includes:

Frequently asked ielts ‘positive or negative development’ questions in ielts essay , positive or negative development essay structure , best tips for ielts positive or negative development essays, ielts positive or negative development essay sample model answer.

Success in IELTS Writing Task 2’s Positive/Negative Development essays transcends mere English proficiency. Beyond grammatical accuracy and stylistic flair, these essays demand insightful evaluation, discerning judgement, and the courage to advocate a stance. 

Such essays require students to showcase their linguistic mastery, critical thinking and analytical prowess. While the intriguing nature of these prompts entices many, they can simultaneously pose a significant challenge for others. To excel, one must move beyond superficial analysis and embrace a multi-faceted approach. 

For students tackling the IELTS exam , familiarity with frequently encountered positive/negative development prompts proves highly advantageous. This preparedness offers a twofold benefit: it grants valuable insight into potential test topics and empowers you to hone your essay-writing skills for optimal scoring.

By acquainting yourself with these recurring themes, you gain a solid foundation upon which to build your analytical and argumentative skills. You can anticipate the types of scenarios and challenges you might face, allowing you to pre-emptively develop effective solution-oriented approaches and articulate well-reasoned stances. Here are some of the most commonly asked Positive or Negative Development questions in IELTS Essay.   

• The government has transformed numerous parks and playgrounds into residential complexes. Is this a positive or negative development?
• Today, children tend to devote more time scrolling through their social media handles rather than spending time with family. Is this a positive or negative development?
• Nowadays, singers use auto-tune to refine their songs. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?
• Many supermarkets are selling more and more products that are imported from other countries instead of selling food that is locally sourced. What are the reasons for this? Is this a positive or negative development?
• Today, the younger generation believes in changing their jobs every once in a while rather than sticking to one company. Is this a positive or negative development?
• Many people put their personal information online (address, telephone number, and so on) for purposes such as signing up for social media or online banking. Is this a positive or negative development?
• Today, cigarette smoking has become the new norm among youngsters. To what extent is this a positive or negative trend?

While the initial prospect of attempting a Positive/Negative Development essay in IELTS Writing Task 2 might appear challenging to some, thorough preparation and strategic study can transform it into a manageable, even achievable, task. By equipping yourself with knowledge of the essay structure and familiarising yourself with sample questions, you can approach this essay type with confidence and significantly improve your chances of success. 

Here is the basic structure of a Positive/Negative Development Essay. Adhere to the following structure whenever attempting such essays in IELTS writing task 2. 

Introduction

You must paraphrase your topic into a coherent and concise sentence in your introduction. Once done paraphrasing the questions, take a clear stance on what you think. Give your viewpoint and never take a moderate position. Taking neutral stances in such essays can lead to a loss of scores. 

Main Body Paragraph 1

Provide a solid explanation of your viewpoint in the body paragraph 1. Take a clear stance on your opinion. Provide examples and anecdotes to add weight to your content. Brevity can be your ally in such essays. To put it simply, be as concise and articulate as possible. Meandering through the topic will only result in a waste of time and energy. 

Main Body Paragraph 2

Try explaining your argument with the help of more in-depth insights. Use examples to add gravitas to your voice. A good hold in vocabulary can help you land better scores in such essays. Ensure to use a diverse array of words to make your essay more impactful. The final sentence of your body paragraph 2 can add to your previous developments. 

In the end, conclude your essay by summarising your viewpoint and the major justifications.  

Here are the best tips for writing Positive or Negative Development Essays in IELTS Writing Task 2: 

• A thorough understanding of the topic lies at the very heart of crafting a successful Positive/Negative Development essay in IELTS Writing Task 2. Yet, overlooking this crucial step is a common misstep among test takers. Unfortunately, attempting to write without fully comprehending and evaluating the issue will inevitably lead to incoherent responses and muddled stances.
• When tackling a Positive/Negative Development essay in IELTS Writing Task 2, test takers must comprehensively evaluate both the potential benefits and drawbacks of the given topic, not simply focusing on one aspect while neglecting the other.
• Providing examples can help you add weight and gravitas to your answers. You can add examples that are anecdotal to make your essay more readable and relatable.
• Clarity and conviction are hallmarks of a successful Positive/Negative Development essay in IELTS Writing Task 2. While presenting a balanced analysis of both sides is crucial, your essay hinges on adopting a distinct viewpoint and consistently advocating for it throughout. This unwavering stance demonstrates intellectual confidence and persuasiveness to the examiner.

Refer to the sample essay answers below to learn how to tackle IELTS Positive or Negative Development essays in IELTS writing task 2. 

Question 1:  Some children spend hours every day on smartphones. Why is this the case? Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

Ans: Ans- In recent years, the usage of smartphones among children has increased significantly. Many children spend hours daily on smartphones, engaging in various activities like social media, gaming, and streaming videos. There are several reasons why this trend is gaining momentum, and opinions are divided on whether this development is positive or negative. In this essay, I will discuss the reasons behind the increasing usage of smartphones among children and present my view on how this is a negative development.

One reason for children’s excessive use of smartphones is the increased availability and affordability of these devices. With technological advancement, smartphones have become cheaper and more accessible, and children are more likely to have access to them. Moreover, the popularity of social media platforms among children, such as Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, has contributed to this trend. Children need to stay connected with their friends and peers, which leads them to spend more time on these platforms. Another reason for the growing usage of smartphones among children is the convenience factor. Smartphones provide an easy and quick way to access information, communicate, and entertain oneself. Children find it easier to use a smartphone to research or get information on a topic than to go through books or other sources. Similarly, smartphones provide a quick and convenient way to communicate with friends and family.

In my view, the excessive usage of smartphones among children is a negative development. Spending hours every day on a smartphone can adversely affect children’s physical and mental health. Excessive usage of smartphones can lead to a sedentary lifestyle, increasing the risk of obesity and other health-related issues. Moreover, the blue light emitted by the screens of smartphones can cause eye strain and headaches. Apart from the physical health effects, excessive usage of smartphones can also hurt the mental health of children. Children spending hours on smartphones daily are more likely to experience anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Social media platforms can contribute to this by exposing children to cyberbullying and negative comments.

In conclusion, the increasing usage of smartphones among children is a concerning trend. While smartphones offer many benefits, like easy access to information and communication, excessive usage can adversely affect children’s physical and mental health. It is crucial to limit the usage of smartphones and encourage children to engage in other physical and social activities. Parents and caregivers must be aware of the harmful effects of excessive smartphone usage and take steps to protect their children’s well-being.

Question 2: In some countries today, children are taught from a young age that competition is important and that winning is everything. Is this a positive or a negative development?

Ans: In contemporary societies, children are often instructed that competition is paramount and that winning is the ultimate goal. I firmly believe that this trend is detrimental as it imposes significant pressure on children, fosters unethical behaviour, impedes the development of crucial social skills, and instils a pervasive sense of failure in students.

The persistent emphasis on winning can result in elevated levels of stress and anxiety, significantly affecting a child’s mental health. Children may find themselves overwhelmed by the continual pressure to outperform their peers, leading to burnout and a diminished interest in learning. Furthermore, this emphasis on winning may contribute to a decline in ethical behaviour, as children might resort to dishonest means such as cheating to achieve victory. This not only diminishes the principles of fair play but also poses risks to their future development.

Moreover, this approach can contribute to a deficiency in empathy and understanding among students. They may become so self-centred that they neglect to consider the feelings of others, creating a barrier to the development of their social skills and impeding the cultivation of emotional intelligence. In addition to this, an excessive focus on winning can instil a fear of failure. A child may become so apprehensive about losing that they refrain from taking risks or trying new things, thereby constraining their potential for personal growth and development.

In conclusion, while competition can have some benefits, the current trend of teaching children that winning is everything is a negative development. We must foster a more balanced approach, where children are taught the value of effort, learning, and personal growth rather than focusing solely on victory.

That was a wrap on the topic of IELTS Positive or Negative Development  Essays. Having said that, we hope the blog has covered all your major queries about the topic. If you still have any questions or have any suggestions, drop them in the box below.

Ans. Positive or Negative Development essays are segmented into different components such as the introduction, main body paragraph 1, main body paragraph 2 and conclusion. 

Ans. Individuals must intricately evaluate their topic before attempting such essays. When tackling a Positive/Negative Development essay in IELTS Writing Task 2, test takers must comprehensively evaluate both the potential benefits and drawbacks of the given topic, not simply focusing on one aspect while neglecting the other. Furthermore, one must provide examples to add weight to their argument. 

Ans. The scoring range of IELTS writing is 0-9. 

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Shubham Das

Shubham Das has been working as an educational content writer for the past two years and has a background in filmmaking & screenplay/ teleplay writing. He is fascinated by the human psyche, literature and cinema.

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IELTS Task 2 Question Types: Positive Negative Development

by Dave | Understanding Task 2 Writing | 3 Comments

I have collected here a variety of positive or negative development question task types from the real IELTS test.

Enjoy and consider signing up for my Patreon Ebooks here .

In many countries nowadays, consumers can go to a supermarket and buy food produced all over the world.

Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

Read my essay here.

Nowadays, there is more and more competition for getting into university.

Is this a positive or negative development?

In many societies, there is a growing emphasis on individualism, with people prioritizing their personal goals and desires over collective interests.

Is this is a positive or negative development?

My full EBook (including past EBooks) is available here.

Around the world, rural people are moving to cities and urban areas, so populations in the countryside are decreasing .

Fossil fuels are the main source of energy around the world today. In some countries, the use of alternative sources of energy is replacing fossil fuels. 

Today, many people use the internet and smartphones to transfer money to friends, family, and businesses.

Nowadays, an increasing number of people with health problems are using alternative medicines and treatments instead of visiting their normal doctor.

Many cities are now turning parks and farmland into new housing developments.

Many supermarkets are selling more and more products that are imported from other countries instead of selling food that is locally sourced.

What are the reasons for this?

Many people put their personal information online (address, telephone number, and so on) for purposes such as signing up for social networks or online banking.

Read my sample answer here.

Nowadays some older people choose to live in retirement communities and centers with other people, rather than living with their adult children.

Film stars and celebrities often share their views on public matters that have little to do with their profession.

Some countries import a large amount of food from other parts of the world.

To what extent is this a postive or negative trend?

Many people nowadays tend to marry and have children in their thirties rather than at a younger age.

Some countries invest in specialized sports facilities for top athletes but not for the average people.

The number of people who are interested in and wearing fashionable clothes is increasing.

Many local languages today are dying out due to the rise of languages like English.

Due to television and the internet it is easier today for a large number of people to become famous.

More and more people today are becoming overly dependent on the internet and phones.

Nowadays more tasks at home and work are being performed by robots.

Is this a negative or positive development?

Nowadays because of digital technology it is possible for not only studios but also individuals to produce their own films.

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• IELTS Academic Writing Task 2: Positive or negative development essay – Structure and template

A few years ago a new question was added to IELTS Essay task: - Is this a positive or negative development?

It is very similar to Agree / Disagree Essay.

For example:

Some universities now offer their courses on the Internet so that people can study online. Is this a positive or negative development?

Here is a simple structure for this type of essay

1) IF YOU THINK IT IS A POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT

1§ Introduction (2 SENTENCES): Paraphrase the Task + My Opinion: positive development

2§ Why is it positive? + Explanation + Example

3§ Why is it positive? + Explanation + Example OR result

4§ On the other hand, + Why negative? + Explanation + Example OR result

5§ Conclusion: sum up + My Opinion: positive development (2 SENTENCES)

2) IF YOU THINK IT IS A NEGATIVE DEVELOPMENT

1§ Introduction (2 SENTENCES): Paraphrase the Task + My Opinion: negative development

2§ Why is it negative?+ Explanation + Example

3§ Why is it negative? + Explanation + Example OR result

4§ On the other hand, + Why is it positive?+ Explanation + Example OR result

5§ Conclusion: sum up + My Opinion: negative development (2 SENTENCES)

4§ You can skip the opposite point of view part but your essay will look better if you write about it. This way it comes out as a balanced answer.

Bonus: IELTS Punctuation PDF Guide Everything you want to know to have correct punctuation in your IELTS Writing for 7.0-9.0 Score (31 pages, .PDF)

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Positive or Negative Development Essay: IELTS Writing Task 2

14 August, 2024

Are you ready for Task 2 of the IELTS Writing Exam? Would you like to write a good essay to help you pass the test? Setting the tone and capturing the reviewer's attention in IELTS Writing Task 2 consists of an essay that ideally should be compelling and gripping. On the other hand, a lot of students must comprehend how to write an introduction for IELTS Writing Task 2 to start with. If you fall into such a category, you should read this blog.

We have covered how to write a strong essay in this blog by focusing on a specific topic, “Positive or negative development”, to help you ace the writing section and obtain a good band score.

Positive or Negative Development Essay: sample answer 1

Positive or negative development essay: sample answer 2, tips to score well in ielts writing task 2.

Industrialisation has seen a massive uproar in the past few years. Industrialisation came to India in the 1850s, and it was slow at first, but then, in the later years, industries saw a boom on the Indian lands. Let’s look at industrialisation's positive and negative aspects on Indian land.

The impact of industrialisation in India started during colonial rule. This can further be divided into two parts: during colonial rule and after independence. When industrialisation was introduced in India, the country required it and was very open to changes, but things changed as time progressed. The Indian subcontinent could fulfil all the requirements needed to have industries. Initially, it was a great prospect, but then it started deteriorating.

Even though the government was relieved of a lot of responsibilities due to the privatisation of industries and working became smooth, the worst effect was on the common people and the environment. With the privatisation of industries, the competition in the market increased, and common people had to adhere to it. On the other hand, let us not forget about the environment and how building these industries has caused harm to the environment. As the five requisites to industrialisation, the environment has been damaged the most. With the rise of industries, demand increased, and the demand for raw materials increased. The increase in demand for raw materials had an adverse effect on the environment. Pollution increased along with the increase in the number of buildings, which led to an increase in diseases and more issues.

In a nutshell, although the onset of industries in India was beneficial for the people, it severely deteriorated the environment to the extent that the government now has to take conscious measures to subdue the construction work and instruct the industries to keep the environment in mind while going on with the daily work. Therefore, it is essential to maintain an equilibrium alongside the environment so that both humans and the environment can benefit from each other.

The democratisation of the film business has brought more opportunities and concerns about the medium's direction. In my view, this is mostly a good thing, as it allows a greater range of socioeconomic views to be heard in the media.

The main reason why film purists are against the digital revolution is that it lowers the standard of filmmaking. One significant example of this was the period around 2000 when digital films emerged and started replacing analogue films. The first complaints from viewers were that films made on film seemed more polished and that films made digitally had a cheap, soap opera-like look. The number of amateur films has increased dramatically as digital cinema has expanded beyond studios looking to cut costs. This often leads to movies with shoddy acting, poor writing, and generally low production values.

Notwithstanding the acknowledged disadvantages listed above, digital film has given voice to the less fortunate, who are typically filmmakers of colour and lower socioeconomic levels. There are several examples of students filming videos digitally, uploading them to YouTube, and having them go popular on the internet. A great number of these new perspectives originate from beyond Hollywood's predominantly white, male, heterosexual homogeneity. These short films are increasingly likely to feature LGBT themes and ethnic minorities from all over the world. The most striking evidence is as easy as drawing a comparison between the vast array of films currently accessible and the major motion movies made fifty years ago. These platforms have also allowed the creators to create more content for every genre of people. This helps them cater to needs that people are often afraid to talk about with others.

In summary, new ideas target marginalised populations more than makeup for quality flaws. Studios need to realise this and relinquish part of their control over a field that is always growing.

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Here are some tips that would help you improve your writing skills when attempting the IELTS writing task 2; some of those tips are as follows-

Structure your essay into three parts: the introduction, main body, and conclusion.

The introductory paragraph should be catchy and attract the reader to read further, all while introducing the topic to be discussed further.

The next step is the main body, which again should be clear and precise. The main body is for expressing your thoughts and ideas with utmost clarity. 

Be specific about your point of view on the topic and use a wide range of vocabulary and literary sources. 

Lastly, when concluding your essay, make sure you are giving an overview of your point of view and then presenting the general idea.

To conclude, IELTS writing task 2 is an integral part of the exam's writing section. In this section, make sure you use the correct words and vocabulary and properly frame the paragraphs. Make sure that you read the essay once you have completed it; it eradicates the chances of mistakes and will help you secure a better score overall. 

We hope the above information about IELTS Writing Task 2 helped you understand the task better. However, you can contact Prepare IELTS Exam (PI) expert counsellors for further guidance. Our team of education experts is dedicated to providing you with the best guidance in the IELTS exam . You can get a one-on-one counselling session online via our platform. Contact us at [email protected] or call us at +91 9773398388 .

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How to Answer “Positive or Negative Development” IELTS Essay Questions

Table of Contents

• 1 Introduction: Navigating the Nuances of Development in IELTS Writing Task 2
• 2.1 Common Question Structures:
• 3 Mastering the Approach: A Step-by-Step Guide
• 4 Illustrative Example: The Impact of Social Media
• 5 Tips for Success:
• 6 Conclusion: Achieving Clarity and Confidence

Introduction: Navigating the Nuances of Development in IELTS Writing Task 2

The IELTS exam, particularly the Writing Task 2 essay, evaluates your ability to analyze complex issues and present your arguments coherently. One common question type asks you to assess whether something is a “positive or negative development.” This can be challenging, as it requires a nuanced understanding of the topic and the ability to construct a balanced argument.

This article will provide you with a comprehensive guide on how to effectively answer “positive or negative development” IELTS essay questions, equipping you with the skills and strategies to excel in your exam.

Understanding the Task: Deconstructing the “Positive or Negative Development” Essay

These essays typically present a trend, invention, or societal shift, requiring you to determine whether its overall impact is beneficial or detrimental. Key to success is remembering that there’s rarely a purely “positive” or “negative” development. Your essay must acknowledge both sides of the argument while ultimately leaning towards a well-supported stance.

Common Question Structures:

• “Some people believe that [development] is a positive trend, while others argue that it is negative. Discuss both views and give your opinion.”
• “Do the advantages of [development] outweigh the disadvantages?”
• “Is [development] a positive or negative development for society? Support your answer with relevant examples.”

Mastering the Approach: A Step-by-Step Guide

Analyze the Question: Carefully read the prompt, underlining key words and phrases. Identify the specific development you’re asked to assess.

Brainstorm Ideas: Draw a table with two columns: “Positive” and “Negative.” Jot down potential benefits and drawbacks associated with the development.

Formulate Your Thesis: Based on your brainstorming, decide whether you believe the development is generally positive or negative. Your thesis statement should clearly state your position.

Structure Your Essay: A typical structure includes:

• Introduction: Briefly introduce the topic and state your thesis statement.
• Body Paragraph 1: Present the main arguments for the side you DISAGREE with. Refute these points with counter-arguments.
• Body Paragraph 2: Present the main arguments supporting your position. Provide strong evidence and examples.
• Conclusion: Summarize your main points and restate your opinion in a clear and concise manner.

Illustrative Example: The Impact of Social Media

Question: “Some people argue that social media has had a negative impact on society. Others believe it has been a positive development. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.”

Brainstorming:

Thesis Statement: While social media has undeniably created challenges, its overall impact on society has been largely positive, fostering connectivity, information sharing, and global movements for change.

Tips for Success:

• Provide Evidence: Support your claims with examples, statistics, or historical events to make your arguments more convincing.
• Use Transition Words: Connect your ideas smoothly using transition words like “however,” “furthermore,” “on the other hand,” etc.
• Maintain a Formal Tone: Avoid colloquialisms, contractions, or overly emotional language. Stick to a formal and objective style.
• Proofread Carefully: Grammatical and spelling errors can lower your score. Allocate time to thoroughly proofread your work.

Conclusion: Achieving Clarity and Confidence

Answering “positive or negative development” IELTS essay questions effectively requires a structured approach, critical thinking, and the ability to present a balanced yet persuasive argument. By following the strategies outlined in this guide and practicing regularly, you can approach these questions with confidence and improve your chances of achieving your desired IELTS score.

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Model answers to Negative / Positive Development IELTS essay questions in 2021!

Your IELTS task 2 can require you to answer a "negative/positive development" question.

You will need to discuss whether something is a positive or negative trend and provide reasons to support your answer.

You may also be interested in this tutorial explaining the different IELTS Task 2 essay structures .

In this tutorial we will:

• answer a recent IELTS essay question seen in the exam
• look at how to generate ideas for task 2
• show you how to plan and organize your ideas to build coherent paragraphs that score high for task response AND cohesion and coherence.

Plan – the prewriting stage

Analyze the question – make sure you totally understand what you are supposed to answer. Understand the essay types, whether it is argumentative or descriptive and then decide the approach to it.

Do you want to give an objective one sided opinion?

Or do you want to give a balanced view of opinions?

Plan the structure of the essay - a good IELTS writing essay will ideally have three parts : Introduction, Body Paragraph, Conclusion. The body paragraphs will have at least two arguments. The main drawback of any IELTS writing task is a lack of proper structure. A model essay will always have a defined form.

Jot down some keywords that you will include in the answer.

Nowadays many students are participating in international exchange trips. Is this a positive or a negative development?

Determine your position

The “or” in the IELTS writing question leads some people to think that you MUST choose one side or the other, but it is completely fine to in fact to 100% agree, 100% disagree or partially agree, as long as you are on the topic.

Position:   

Brainstorm for ideas – aim for at least one well-developed idea for each paragraph.

Paragraph 1 central idea

The first paragraph should introduce the topic and your stand on the topic. Keep it clear and concise.

International exchanges are not just travel but educational for students.

Paragraph 2 is the main body of the essay. It highlights the central idea. Argue for or against the statement or give a balanced view. Discuss the reasons that support your standpoints.

International exchanges provide opportunities students might otherwise not have.

Brainstorm for support for your ideas. Support can be an example, further explanation, a definition, or any statement explaining  why  or  how  your main idea is true. A support or an additional comment increases the credibility of your argument.

Support:  Students learn a variety of necessary skills while navigating daily life in a new country. 

Writing 

Introduction

Start by rephrasing the prompt. Make sure that you are writing all the sides of the topic that the prompt addresses. 

State your position. If you partially agree you can use a “while” statement:  While it is true students can learn a good deal about another culture on these trips, I believe that on the whole this is a negative trend as they are little more than extended vacations.

You can also start with an observation, for example, "In recent years, it has been observed that students from many countries are interested in international exchange trips". Your introduction should be 3 or 4 sentences. Do not discuss the details in the introduction – save these for your body paragraphs.

Example introduction:

In our increasingly global world, great attention is being paid to students' ability to interact with other cultures and be interculturally aware. This has brought about a trend in international exchange programs for students where students from one country spend a period in another country studying. I believe that these exchange programs are wonderful growth opportunities for students and should be encouraged fully.

The body paragraphs consist of the main part of the essay where the development of arguments take place.

Start with a topic sentence that introduces the central idea of the paragraph.

The opportunity to study in a foreign country is undoubtedly a rich educational experience.  

Introduce your first main idea.

Despite being away from home, they allow students to continue their course of study. 

Follow this with support.

This lets them enjoy a foreign culture while not falling behind on their coursework.

Develop this with further support or an additional main idea and support.

Students gain more than merely academic education, however. They develop intercultural competences honed through daily interactions with people from a different culture.

Create a summary statement that is essentially a rephrasing of your topic sentence. Begin this with Therefore, thus, or Consequently.

Thus, international exchanges can be mind-expanding experiences for students. 

The body paragraphs must have a detailed discussion on the topic, for instance - negative development or positive development of the trend of international exchange trip.

Task achievement

Essays that score well on task response answer the question directly and develop the topic fully. A Band 9 answer leaves no further questions for the reader. It is a clear answer with optimum usage of vocabulary.

Support is critical to a good Task Achievement score. The better supported your ideas are, the better your TA score will be. A good way to check if you have supported well is to ask the question why and/or how after each idea.

If there is an answer to why/how, then you should try to incorporate that into your answer. Sometimes you may need more than one sentence to build a relevant comment.

Students gain more than merely academic education, however. They develop intercultural competences honed through daily interactions with people from a different culture. (HOW?) Each of these interactions, whether with professors, classmates, shopkeepers, or taxi drivers, must consider different societal norms, beliefs and customs. Learning to successfully navigate these scenarios in a foreign setting teaches young people how to problem solve, respect differences and arms them with skills they can transfer to people from different backgrounds.

Coherence and cohesion

Any high scoring IELTS writing task is filled with a logical flow and precision. Arrange your paragraphs logically. While some some might want to write their strongest points in the first argument, other people might leave it for the last.

When writing task 2, it is best to leave your strongest arguments for last. If you are discussing both sides of an issue, save the side you support more till just before your conclusion.

On the other hand, if you are discussing one side only, leave your stronger point, better arguments for last as well. This gives them weight and lets them stay in the mind of the reader better. 

If you discuss only one side, for instance, the negative effects of foreign exchange trip for students, ensure that you write enough arguments to establish why it is a negative trend. Your focus should be on the negative development essay in that case. Do not give many points highlighting the positive trend and create a confusing impact.

Hence, do not overlap the arguments. Remember, maintaining clarity is key to for an IELTS writing test.

Lexical resource

An IELTS writing task will test you on your use of English words. A model essay will have a wide range of vocabulary. Try to avoid repeating the same vocabulary. For example, instead of 'student' use 'undergraduate' or 'learner' occasionally. In this essay, even 'young person' is appropriate. Instead of exchange trip, use study abroad, education abroad or international exchange. In other words, use synonyms to portray your knowledge of words but avoid using jargons.

While topic vocabulary and key words are appreciated, points are scored for the surrounding language you use, like uncommon lexical items.  

Navigate 

Interculturally aware

Another way to demonstrate a good range of vocabulary to is to use 'linking devices'. Linking devices help to connect or contrast different ideas in a paragraph. Use words like

For instance

Furthermore

In addition to

Linking devices help in structuring the answer, especially if it is a one body paragraph. It gives more compactness and enhances readability.

When you study online, try picking up relevant words and maintain a vocabulary list. Different websites (for example, the British Council website) will have different stock of words.

Grammatical range and accuracy

The writing test requires you to showcase your knowledge of grammar. For example:

Participles

Participles can take on various functions in English. Below are some examples.

Students learn a variety of skills while navigating daily life in a new country. 

Thus, international exchanges can be mind-expanding experiences for students.  

Learning to successfully navigate these scenarios in a foreign setting teaches young people how to problem solve, respect differences and arms them with skills they can transfer to people from different backgrounds.

Familiarize yourself with the different ways these can be used.

Phrasal verbs are a great way to play with grammar and vocabulary and demonstrate your hold over the language. Phrasal verb is the combination of two or more words to form a single meaning - for example: a verb and an adverb or preposition.

Examples of phrasal verbs in a sentence would be as follows:

Students want to check out different options on the college website and test them before finally choosing one

Without proper research, students sometimes end up choosing unnecessary courses and waste their time

Sometimes students around the world chip in to help an underprivileged learner.

Not just students, but more people from different sections of the society need to come forward in the fight to right to education for all.

While the introduction builds the momentum of the essay question, the conclusion needs to be powerful to create an impact. Unlike the body paragraph, it is necessary to keep make the concluding paragraph extremely brief – two sentences should be enough.

Start by restating your position. Leave your reader with a general, thought-provoking statement.

Example:  

Education abroad in the form of student exchanges provides endless opportunities for students to learn not only academics and culture but also about themselves and the world they interact with. In our ever-increasing global world, such knowledge is invaluable.  

The conclusion paragraph is also a great space to include some good variations of words. You can use phrases like "In my opinion" or "People prefer" or "Recent comments and observations about the topic is evidence of..." You can build your own opinion and state it or write an universal comment. While many students prefer to write their own opinion, on the other hand, it might sound like you are starting another new argument. So be careful when you state your opinion, keep it simple and reinstate the point that that your were trying to make instead of writing a new point altogether.

The essay question carries a high percentage of marks so it is crucial for the test candidates to score well. Write daily! Practice daily! Do not be nervous! Remember - Perseverance is the key to success! Good luck with IELTS writing task 2 !

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Examples of such essays:

In some cities, the government has tried to reduce traffic. For instance, they imposed a congestion tax during rush hours. Do you think this development is positive or negative?

Fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) are the main sources in many countries, but in some countries the use of alternative sources of energy (wind energy and solar energy) are encouraged. To what extent do you think it is a positive or negative development?

Nowadays young people are admiring media and sports stars, even though they do not set a good example. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

Positive Negative Development – is one of the opinion essays like Agree/Disagree Like Agree/Disagree – the student has 2 options.

Let’s take the one of the examples we discussed earlier and discuss how to attempt these essays.

Completely One-Sided Essay

Writing the introduction – 2 sentences.

Sentence1: Paraphrase the topic It is commonly observed that the youth of today admire and follow celebrities like media and sports stars despite them not acting as good role models. Sentence 2: Write your opinion. First, think of your points. How Negative

• When youth see celebrities involved in bad habits alcohol or drugs either in real life or on the big screen/TV, they also feel like trying it.
• Impossible standards of beauty like zero figure. It lowers the confidence of youth and many of them go through eating disorders
• Overspending, as they feel like buying expensive products like the latest fashions, clothes promoted by celebrities. Might also lead to crime as youth sometimes commit small crimes like thefts and stealing to obtain such products.

No positive points, all negative – one-sided Opinion : I strongly believe that this is a negative development. Complete Introduction: It is commonly observed that the youth of today admire and follow celebrities like media and sports stars despite them not acting as good role models. I strongly believe that this is a negative development.

Writing the Body Paragraphs

Step 1: Write 3 body paragraphs with each paragraph representing different points. Para 1: Point 1 Para 2: Point 2 Para 3: Point 3 and 4 Step 2: Begin Para 1 with a sentence telling the examiner that you are discussing the negatives. Step 3: Use connectors between each point. For example, in this case For point 1: Firstly, For point 2: The second negative is that For point 3: Finally,

Body Paragraph 1: Media and sports stars have a lot of negative effects on youth. Firstly, celebrities are often portrayed drinking or smoking in advertisements, TV shows and movies. Some stars post pictures of themselves partying and drinking on social media platforms. This normalizes and glamorizes behavior like smoking, binge drinking and illicit drug use, making youth feel that it’s appropriate to do the same. Experimenting with drugs and alcohol affects their health, behavior and grades. Body Paragraph 2: Secondly, some celebrities create impossible standards of beauty, as a result of which more and more young adults feel less confident and more dissatisfied with their looks. Teenagers are at a phase of their life where they undergo massive changes physically, mentally, and emotionally. As celebrities are becoming thinner and thinner, the self-confidence of their fans is lost, and they suffer from body displeasure. This causes young fans to strive to be unhealthily thin and stop eating altogether, which may prove fatal at times. Body Paragraph 3: Finally, sometimes celebrities ignore the public interest while endorsing the latest fashions and products. Thus, in a way, they promote trends that might be harmful to youth and society. For example, many celebrities promote sugary drinks or fast foods, even though they themselves don’t consume them. Sometimes, they promote costly fashions and gadgets and teenagers force their parents to buy these products. Some teens or youth also resort to petty crimes like stealing just to acquire these products and consequently destroy their whole life.

Step 1: Repeat your opinion, using different words. In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that the increasing influence of celebrities on youth has several adverse consequences for them as well as the society.

Having negatives but overall positive (Partial Essay)

Sentence 1: Paraphrase the topic It is irrefutable that most of the countries depend on fossil fuels for energy generation, but it is also true that many countries are shifting towards renewable sources like wind, solar and tidal energy. Sentence 2: Write your opinion. First, think of your points.

How Positive

• Renewable last forever, fossils overuse.
• Non-polluting
• Decrease imports as can be produced locally
• Less maintenance or operation costs.

How Negative

• High upfront cost
• Not as reliable- For example- Solar not at night

Opinion : Although there are few drawbacks of renewable energy, I believe the lowering dependence on fossil fuels is a positive development. Complete Introduction: It is irrefutable that most of the countries depend on fossil fuels for energy generation, but it is also true that many countries are shifting towards renewable sources like wind, solar and tidal energy. Although there are few drawbacks of renewable energy, I believe the lowering dependence on fossil fuels is a positive development.

Step 1: Write 3 body paragraphs with each paragraph representing different points. 2 Paragraphs: Main side – Positive 1 Paragraph: Opposite side – Negative The order doesn’t matter. Para 1: Point 1 & 2 (Positive) Para 2: Point 3 & 4 (Negative) Para 3: Point 1 & 2 (Negative) Step 2: Begin Para 1 with a sentence telling the examiner that you are discussing the positives. Begin Para 3 with a sentence telling the examiner that you are discussing the negatives. Step 3: Use connectors between each point. For example, in this case For point 1: Firstly, For point 2: The second positive is that For point 3: In addition For point 4: Finally, Step 4: Use connector – like However, On the other hand when the tone changes from Positive to Negative – So beginning of Para 3 Step 5: Use connectors to connect negative points For point 1: The main drawback For point 2: Another drawback

Body Paragraph 1: Firstly, alternate sources are renewable, while conventional sources like coal and oil are non-renewable. Fossils take millions of years to make and countries are using them at an alarming rate. This means that if people continue using them at the same rate, there will be nothing left for our future generations. The second advantage is that these non-conventional sources do not pollute the environment. It is well known that fossil fuels are a major contributor to greenhouse gases and consequently global warming. Body Paragraph 2: In addition, renewable energy sources reduce dependence on foreign energy imports as they can be produced locally. Thus, these sources can not only increase energy independence but also save valuable foreign exchange. Finally, these sources require less maintenance because they have fewer movable parts as compared to conventional energy sources. Body Paragraph 3: On the other hand, there are also a few drawbacks of renewable energy. The main drawback is the high upfront cost, which is considerably higher than conventional energy sources. Another major issue with them is that they are not as reliable as fossil fuel-based energy generation as they depend upon wind speed and hours of sunshine, which varies from day to day and season to season.

Step 1: Repeat your opinion, using different words. Summing up, despite the problems associated with renewable energy, I consider the shift towards it to be beneficial on the whole.

More examples of discuss essays can be found here

Makkar ielts academic essay book can be purchase here, 6 thoughts on “positive negative development essay”.

Honestly saying this is a good format and easy to understand 😃👍

can we write all positive ideas in two paragraphs?ie.,(pos idea 1+pos idea 2)–paragraph 1 pos idea 3+pos idea 4)–paragraph 3 conclusion

Thank you so much for all the efforts that you have putted in this essay.and also you made it very easy to understand . i would say it was incredible overall.

Nice teaching

I feel that they are very much helpful…watched the essay writing process of few more other educators but your method is the best & easy.It is helping me to write an essay with ease rather than frightening as I would earlier.Now I’m interested in writing more &more essays.Thank you very much mam…

Absolutely helpful. The structure to write different essays is clearly outlined with techniques and tips. Thanks, Makkar mam!!

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TASK TWO MODEL ESSAY: POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE

This type of essay question describes a change and asks the test-taker to write about whether the change (development) is good or bad.

In this model essay, a strong position in favour of the development is expressed. Usually, it is easier (for this question type) to choose a more definite position.

Remember, the golden rule of high IELTS grades is ‘develop every idea’. In this essay, only two main ideas are expressed (body paragraph 1 and 2) because it is better to use a few ideas but develop them fully than to list ideas and quickly move on to the next one.

Remember, all the model essays shown on this website follow structures that can be learned and practised by taking the writing courses available. There is no better way to learn how to write high-scoring IELTS essays.

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Countries are becoming more and more similar because people are able to buy the same products anywhere in the world

Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

Give reasons for your answers and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words

Model essay

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IELTS Writing Task 2: Positive or Negative Development

• IELTS Writing Task 2

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Positive or Negative Development IELTS Model Essay

by CANAM Group

• By: CANAM Group
• Updated On: May 29,2023 04:47 PM IST

The blog here lists out the positive or negative development type IELTS essay titles. It further moves on to present a positive or negative type of essay question with its model answer. Finally, the blog gives a paragraph-wise analysis of the model answer.

Table of Contents

• • Positive or Negative Development IELTS Model Essay Question
• • Positive or Negative Development IELTS Model Essay Answer
• • Analysis of the Model Answer

From the actual IELTS test, we have gathered a range of positive and negative development question task types below.

• Many cities are now turning parks and farmland into new housing developments. Is this a positive or negative development?
• Today, many people use the internet and smartphones to transfer money to friends, family, and businesses. Is this a positive or negative development?
• Nowadays, an increasing number of people with health problems are using alternative medicines and treatments instead of visiting their normal doctor. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?
• Many supermarkets are selling more and more products that are imported from other countries instead of selling food that is locally sourced. What are the reasons for this? Is this a positive or negative development?
• Nowadays some older people choose to live in retirement communities and centers with other people, rather than living with their adult children. Is this a positive or negative development?
• Many people put their personal information online (address, telephone number, and so on) for purposes such as signing up for social networks or online banking. Is this a positive or negative development?
• Some countries import a large amount of food from other parts of the world. To what extent is this a positive or negative trend?
• Film stars and celebrities often share their views on public matters that have little to do with their profession. Is this a positive or negative development?
• Some countries invest in specialized sports facilities for top athletes but not for the average people. Is this a positive or negative development?
• Many people nowadays tend to marry and have children in their thirties rather than at a younger age. Is this a positive or negative development?
• Many local languages today are dying out due to the rise of languages like English. Is this a positive or negative development?
• The number of people who are interested in and wearing fashionable clothes is increasing. Is this a positive or negative development?
• More and more people today are becoming overly dependent on the internet and phones. Is this a positive or negative development?
• Due to television and the internet, it is easier today for a large number of people to become famous. Is this a positive or negative development?
• Nowadays more tasks at home and work are being performed by robots. Is this a negative or positive development?

Also read : IELTS Exam Fee

Positive or Negative Development IELTS Model Essay Question

Nowadays because of digital technology, it is possible for not only studios but also individuals to produce their films.

Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

Positive or Negative Development IELTS Model Essay Answer

Greater opportunities as well as concerns about the future of filmmaking have resulted from the democratization of the film industry. This, in my perspective, is a mainly positive development because it allows for a wider variety of socioeconomic voices to be heard in the medium.

Film purists oppose the digital revolution mostly because it degrades the caliber of movies. A notable illustration of this was the time around the turn of the century when digital films first appeared and began to displace other films. The first objections from spectators were that movies shot on film appear more professional and that movies shot digitally have a shoddy style akin to a soap opera. Amateur films have multiplied enormously in number as digital cinema has spread beyond studios wanting to minimize expenses. This inevitably results in films with subpar acting, awkwardly written language, and subpar production standards in general.

Despite the acknowledged drawbacks mentioned above, digital film has offered a voice to the less well-off, usually those of a different class and race filmmakers. Numerous instances exist of pupils who digitally record their video, upload it to YouTube, and get viral online. Many of these fresh viewpoints come from places other than Hollywood's largely white, male, heterosexual homogeneity. Ethnic minorities from all over the world and LGBT themes are becoming more and more likely to appear in these short films. The most eye-catching proof is as simple as contrasting the main motion pictures produced 50 years ago with the wide variety of films available now.

In conclusion, despite some quality issues, they are offset by fresh concepts that focus on underserved demographics. Studios must take note and let go of some of their control over a constantly expanding sector.

Also read: IELTS Registration

Analysis of the Model Answer

Introduction.

• Your opening line merely paraphrases the subject. If you feel confident, you can write it simply or try to brag a little.
• Give your viewpoint; never take a moderate position.

Main Body Paragraph 1

• Your topic line in the opening paragraph should express your core idea, which for me is the caliber of the films.
• Don't wait to start your example; get to it right away!
• Try to be as precise and thorough as you can. The better, the more specific.
• Don't change to a new major idea; instead, keep developing the previous one.
• Summarise the outcome.

Also read : IELTS Exam pattern

Main Body Paragraph 2

• Similar to the last paragraph, this one has a distinct topic sentence.
• Once more, get your example started fast before expanding on it in the following sentences.
• You can use incredibly powerful words.
• The more specific and in-depth you can be, the higher your score.
• The final sentence can provide some more development. Please don't introduce a new main idea here!
• Summarize your viewpoint and the major justification for it in your opening line.
• Finish with a final idea or further detail.

Also read: IELTS Syllabus

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IELTS Training with Jonathan

Helping Busy People Succeed in IELTS.

Advanced Task 2 IELTS Essay Practice – Positive or Negative development essay

By ielts-jonathan.com on 28 July 2021 0

What are good methods for Writing an IELTS Essay

Good teachers will not only ask IELTS students to write essays, they will also try to check whether the level and knowledge of vocabulary and grammar awareness is adequate to produce an IELTS Band 6, 7 or 8 essay.

Using tests to check IELTS vocabulary and grammar.

A very good way that teachers can check how much a candidate can produce is by construction awareness tests like the following examples.

This test looks at producing a positive or negative development IELTS essay.

A further advantage is students can gain a good understanding of organisation, sentence structure and language choices suitable for IELTS academic writing as well as an enhanced awareness of topic ideas.

This is far better than the passive activity of reading and reviewing essays themselves , a technique often suggested by teachers of IELTS.

Instructions

Writing is a creative process and there is no one way to write an essay but you can use these Band 9 IELTS essays to help you develop good writing.

• Read and complete the essay.
• Once you have completed, check the answers .
• Reset the essay to the beginning and see how much and how quickly you can now complete the modal writing.

Writing an IELTS positive or negative development essay

⇒ Link to next essay  

Reference Link

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IELTS Writing Task 2: Positive or Negative Question with Sample Answer

• Post author By IELTSAcademic
• Post date November 26, 2015

IELTS Writing Task 2: Question

Positive or negative questions are becoming more common in IELTS Writing Task 2, Try this question about the rising elderly population. A sample answer is provided below.

In many developed countries, life expectancy is rising while birthrates are falling. As a result, the elderly will make up a much larger proportion of the population in future. Is this a positive or negative development?

IELTS Writing Task 2: Model Answer

How long do you expect to live? Until the age of 80? 100? If you had asked your parents the same question, they would surely have felt that a life expectancy of 70 was around average. Your grandparents, meanwhile, might have felt fortunate to live for 60 years. It is clear that people are living longer than ever before, but is this a positive or negative development?

On the one hand, increased life expectancy brings many opportunities later in life to try things that you could not do in your youth. Going on a world cruise, taking up a new hobby, even going back to university to get a degree: all of these opportunities are available to retired people nowadays. What is more, while many parents find raising children to be a stressful experience, spending time with grandchildren brings far more pleasure. Therefore, a more elderly population generally means a happier population with more time to enjoy life.

On the other hand, since elderly people often rely on the government or their children to support them, there are real concerns about the financial consequences of an aging society. Countries such as Japan are already being forced to raise both taxes and the age of retirement in order to offset the problem. Without a doubt, many other countries will need to take similar actions in the coming decades.

Overall, I would say that the benefits to individuals of living longer far outweigh the cost to society of supporting an elderly population. Of course, various countries need to take steps to ensure that the process is carefully managed.

(266 words, IELTS 8.5)

Why Does This Task 2 Answer Get an IELTS Band 8 score?

Task response: The sample answer is at least 250 words in length and describes both a positive and negative development. In some places the tone is informal and not entirely suited to an academic essay.

Coherence and cohesion: The sample answer is logically paragraphed, with each body paragraph detailing a positive or negative trend. The paragraphs and sentences are logically connected by phrases such as ‘On the one/other hand’.

Lexical resource: The sample answer includes many examples of good collocation such as ‘stressful experience’ and ‘financial consequences’. There is little repetition of vocabulary and no spelling errors.

Grammatical range and accuracy: The sample answer includes a range of simple and complex sentences. An incomplete sentence ‘Until the age of 80?’ is used, which might be penalised in an academic essay.

Teacher’s Note

Essays List: Positive or Negative development

1 .Nowadays in many countries, young people leave rural areas to study or work in cities. Is it a positive or negative development?

2. Fossil fuels are the main source of energy around the world. However, people are being encouraged to use alternative energy sources such as wind energy, solar energy, and so on. Do you think this is a positive or negative development? Why?

3.More and more people are finding it increasingly important to wear fashionable clothes. Is this attitude to wearing clothes a positive or negative development?

4.Nowadays, many people buy household goods( like television, rice cookers etc). Do you think this is a positive or negative development?’

5.Companies spend millions each year on advertising online, in magazines and on billboards. These adverts can encourage people to buy goods that they do not really need. Is it a positive or negative development?

6. Some car manufacturing companies have stated that there is a possibility that we will see flying cars in the future. Will it be a positive or negative development?

7.Young people prefer listening to music rather than listening to the news on the radio. Is this a positive or a negative trend? Provide reasons and examples for your opinion.

8. In the past, people wore clothes more closely related to their culture but today people are more likely to wear clothes from all over the world. Is this a positive or negative development?

9. Many university students do part-time work while studying at university. Is this a positive or negative development?

10. In recent years, many small local shops have closed because customers travel to large shopping centers or malls to do their shopping. Is this a positive or negative development?

11. A few educational institutions now provide their courses on the Internet so that people can get educated online. Is this a positive or negative development?

12.Earlier, people wore clothes which were related to their culture but now people wear the same type of clothes all over the world. Is this a positive or negative development?

13.In the modern world, it is possible to shop, work and communicate with people via the Internet and live without any face-to-face contact with others. Is it a positive or negative development?

IELTS Model Essay Example - Double Question Essay

In some countries, the number of people choosing to live alone is increasing rapidly. Why do you think this trend is happening? Do you think it is a positive or negative development?

This is a double question or two-part question type of IELTS Writing Task 2 question. This means that it includes two separate questions in one prompt that you need to address in your essay.

The first question is "Why do you think this trend is happening?", which asks you to explain the reasons for the increase in the number of people choosing to live alone.

The second question is "Do you think it is a positive or negative development?", which asks you to express your opinion on whether this trend is beneficial or harmful.

To answer both parts of the question, you should address each question in a separate paragraph or clearly indicate your answer for each question within the same paragraph. It's important to avoid combining your answers to both questions into one paragraph or answer, as this can lead to a lack of clarity and organization in your essay.

How do I plan my answer?

Here's how you can plan your response:

Introduction: Start by paraphrasing the question and briefly mention the reasons why people choose to live alone.

Body Paragraph 1: Discuss the reasons why people choose to live alone, such as the desire for independence, privacy, or to pursue individual goals and interests.

Body Paragraph 2: Discuss the potential negative consequences of this trend, such as social isolation, loneliness, and the breakdown of traditional family structures.

Body Paragraph 3: Present your opinion and justify it with arguments and examples. Do you think this trend is positive or negative? Why? What are the possible solutions to mitigate the negative consequences?

Conclusion: Summarize your main points and restate your opinion.

Remember to use appropriate vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure, and to connect your ideas logically and coherently. You can use examples and statistics to support your arguments and illustrate your points. Additionally, make sure to manage your time well and allocate enough time for each paragraph. Good luck!

Show answer

Why is this a good answer?

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• Published: 03 September 2024

The disruption of NEAT1-miR-125b-5p-SLC1A5 cascade defines the oncogenicity and differential immune profile in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

• Ying-Chieh Liu 1 ,
• So-Yu Liu 1 ,
• Yu-Cheng Lin 1 , 2 ,
• Chung-Ji Liu 2 , 3 ,
• Kuo-Wei Chang 1 , 2 , 4 &
• Shu-Chun Lin   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8295-696X 1 , 2 , 4  

Cell Death Discovery volume  10 , Article number:  392 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

Metrics details

• Cancer microenvironment
• Head and neck cancer

Metabolic reprogramming sustains malignant head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) to overcome stressful microenvironments, and increased glutamine uptake is a common metabolic hallmark in cancers. Since metabolic reprogramming has been recognized as a new therapeutic target for tumor cells, understanding the regulatory axis of glutamine uptake in HNSCC and its potential downstream effects in its pathogenesis of HNSCC would be incredibly beneficial. Bioinformatic analysis of the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-HNSCC dataset and RNAseq analysis performed on HNSCC indicated that SLC1A5 was the most dysregulated transporter among the seven homologous glutamate or neutral amino acid transporters in the SLC1A family. To further clarify the role of SLC1A5 in HNSCC, we knocked down SLC1A5 expression. This knockdown decelerated cell growth, induced G0/G1 arrest, diminished tumorigenicity, and increased cleavage caspase3, LC3B, and intracellular Fe 2+ . Inhibitors against apoptosis, autophagy, or ferroptosis rescued the cell viability repressed by SLC1A5 knockdown. SLC1A5 knockdown also suppressed glutamine uptake, enhanced oxidative stress, and increased sensitivity to cisplatin. CRISPR/dCas9-mediated SLC1A5 induction conferred cisplatin resistance and reduced apoptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis. Reporter assays and western blot data demonstrated that miR-125b-5p targets and attenuates SLC1A5, while the si-NEAT1 increases miR-125b-5p expression. Analysis of the TCGA-HNSCC databases showed concordant upregulation of NEAT1 and downregulation of miR-125b-5p, along with SLC1A5 upregulation in tumors. Analysis of transcriptomic data revealed that tumors harboring higher SLC1A5 expression had significantly lower immune scores in CD8 + , monocytes, and dendritic cells, and higher scores in M0 and M1 macrophages. Disruptions in immune modulation, metabolism, and oxidative stress components were associated with SLC1A5 aberrations in HNSCC. This study concludes that the NEAT1/miR-125b-5p/SLC1A5 cascade modulates diverse activities in oncogenicity, treatment efficacy, and immune cell profiles in head and neck/oral carcinoma.

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Integrative single-cell and bulk transcriptomes analyses reveals heterogeneity of serine-glycine-one-carbon metabolism with distinct prognoses and therapeutic vulnerabilities in HNSCC

ASCT2 (SLC1A5)-dependent glutamine uptake is involved in the progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

NSD1 supports cell growth and regulates autophagy in HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Introduction.

To overcome the harsh tumor microenvironment (TME), such as oxidative stress, hypoxia, and hypo-nutrition, tumor cells reprogram metabolism to gain abilities for tumor progression, metastasis, drug resistance, and redundancy in therapeutic responses. Tumors usually modulate intrinsic factors by altering the preference of metabolic pathways or increasing specific nutrient uptake. Glutamine belongs to non-essential amino acids (NEAA) and is the most abundant residue in plasma. Glutamine participates in NEAA function, nucleotide, lipid biosynthesis pathways, and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle to produce energy and to form glutathione as an antioxidant. Since these metabolic pathways are essential for sustaining cell survival, many cancers maintain their survival by regulating glutamine uptake or biosynthesis. Glutamine can be transported into cells by multiple solute carrier transporters. Solute carrier family 1 member 5 (SLC1A5), which belongs to Alanine/Serine/Cysteine transporters, transports glutamate into cells [ 1 ]. High SLC1A5 expression levels could facilitate tumor proliferation and antioxidant capacity and are associated with poor prognosis and the ability to resist dasatinib, sunitinib, sorafenib, and imatinib treatment in several malignancies [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]. SLC1A5 expression progressively increased during the pathogenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), and it regulates glutamine metabolism or antioxidant function to mediate tumor progression [ 6 ]. Knockdown of SLC1A5 expression inhibits glutamine-addicted OSCC cell proliferation, and the SLC1A5 protein expression is an unfavorable prognostic factor in a cohort of 89 OSCC [ 7 ]. SLC1A5 inhibits apoptosis and autophagy in HNSCC. Besides, combining the treatment of glutamine uptake inhibitors with cetuximab could be a promising strategy to improve the survival of HNSCC patients [ 8 ]. However, the anti-oxidative activity of SLC1A5 in preventing ferroptotic HNSCC cell death and whether SLC1A5 expression is a prognostic factor in HNSCC remain elusive.

The expression level of SLC1A5 is correlated with the expression of immune checkpoint-related genes such as Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTLA4), programmed death-1 (PD-1), programmed cell death 1 ligand 2 (PD-L2), and T-cell immunoreceptor with immunoglobulin and immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motif domain (TIGIT) [ 9 ]. The high SLC1A5 expression in tumor cells may modulate tumor-infiltrating immune cells, as the knockdown of SLC1A5 expression recruits M2 macrophage infiltration to increase immunotherapy efficiency in pancreatic adenocarcinoma [ 5 ]. In the glutamine-signature-high group of clear renal cell carcinoma, hypoxia-inducible factor 1 α (HIF-1α) expression and interleukin-23 (IL-23) secretion in macrophages are observed, followed by immune suppression. Tumor growth in vivo can be inhibited by neutralizing IL-23A with antibodies or by knocking down SLC1A5 gene expression [ 10 ]. A previous study showed that the higher the expression of SLC1A5 in HNSCC tumor cells, the lower the infiltration of CD8 + T cells, even though SLC1A5 expression is irrelevant to patient survival [ 11 ]. Therefore, SLC1A5 is an intrinsic factor regulating tumor growth and an extrinsic factor modulating the immune profile in TME. However, the influences of SLC1A5 on the immune TME in HNSCC require extensive stratification.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) Nuclear Enriched Abundant Transcript 1 (NEAT1) are essential for the paraspeckle formation, which is critical for gene regulation via interactions with DNA, RNA, or protein to maintain normal cellular function. NEAT1 is frequently upregulated in tumor cells. It may function as a miRNA sponge to inhibit suppressor miRNAs, which subsequently induces targeted oncogenic gene expression, such as the miR-204-5p/SEMA4B axis or the miR-377/FGFR1 axis [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ]. It is worth noting that miR-125b-5p is a vital suppressor miRNA that can target peroxiredoxins like 2 A (PRXL2A), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2), and others to induce tumor cell death or increase drug sensitivity [ 17 , 18 , 19 ]. A previous study found that NEAT1 could inhibit miR-125b-5p expression to modulate glucose-associated disease pathogenesis [ 20 ].

This study identifies NEAT1 upregulation and miR-125b-5p downregulation in TCGA-HNSCC data and in our cohort. The miR-125b-5p expression increases following si-NEAT treatment in HNSCC cells. The reporter assay and bioassays reveal that SLC1A5 is a target gene of miR-125b-5p. The NEAT1/miR-125b-5p interplay modulates SLC1A5 expression in HNSCC. The knockdown of SLC1A5 in OSCC cell lines promotes cell death, induces oxidative stress, and enhances sensitivity to cisplatin treatment. Tumors with SLC1A5 dysregulation exhibit a unique immune infiltration profile in the TME. IL6/Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (IL6/Jak/Stat3) and IL2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (IL2/Stat5) axes correlate with the SLC1A5 expression. SLC1A5 modulates tumor phenotypes and immune profile, and it exhibits tremendous potential to become a therapeutic target in future HNSCC/OSCC treatment.

SLC1A5 was upregulated in tumors and was associated with worse tumor differentiation

To understand which members of the SLC1A receptor family might have played an essential role in HNSCC pathogenesis due to aberrant expression, we analyzed the RNA sequencing data of the SLC1A family in adjacent normal control and OSCC tumors. SLC1A5 was shown to be the most conspicuously upregulated among the SLC1A receptor members. SLC1A1 and SLC1A2 were downregulated in tumor samples (Fig. 1A–G ). The upregulation of SLC1A5 and SLC1A4 and the downregulation of SLC1A1 were also conspicuous in TCGA-HNSCC tumors (Fig. S 1A–G ). Due to the vital role of SLC1A5 in glutamine transport, we examined other SLC transporters that were also involved in glutamine uptake. Among the SLC family, SLC38A1 and SLC38A2 are also known for glutamine transportation [ 21 ]. Analysis of paired samples showed their drastic upregulation in tumors (Fig. 1H, I ) and a positive correlation with SLC1A5 expression (Fig. 1J, K ). Analysis of the TCGA-HNSCC dataset also indicated the copious upregulation of SLC38A1 and SLC38A2 (Fig. S 1H, I ). However, only SLC38A1 expression was positively correlated with SLC1A5 expression (Fig. S 1J and K , Table S 1 ). Although the dysregulation of other potential glutamine transporters, such as SLC7A5, was also present in HNSCC (Table S 2 ), none of their expressions positively correlated with SLC1A5 expression. Therefore, SLC1A5 and SLC38A1 could have been highly concurred in modulating glutamine transport in HNSCC/OSCC.

A – I The TPM of the SLC1A family, SLC38A1, and SLC38A2 in 30 paired adjacent normal tissues and OSCC tumor tissue. J , K The correlation between SLC1A5 and SLC38A1 or SLC38A2, respectively. L The correlation between SLC1A5 and tumor differentiation (well-differentiated, n  = 40; moderately/poorly-differentiated, n  = 15). Paired t- test, Mann-Whitney test, or correlation analysis. r , correlation coefficient. *, **, and ****, P  < 0.05, P  < 0.01, and P  < 0.0001, respectively.

SLC1A5 expression was higher in moderately/poorly differentiated OSCC or TCGA-HNSCC tumors than well-differentiated counterparts (Figs. 1L and S 1L , respectively), suggesting that glutamine uptake might have been more demanded in tumors exhibiting less squamous differentiation. SLC1A5 expression level was not related to clinical stage, lymph node metastasis, or overall survival rate of tumors (Fig. S 2 ).

Knockdown of SLC1A5 expression inhibited the growth and increased the cisplatin sensitivity in HNSCC cells

To address the functional roles of SLC1A5, SLC1A5 knockdown FaDu and OECM1 cell subclones were established by sh-SLC1A5 viral infection (Fig. 2A ). As inhibition of SLC1A5 expression alone rendered a significant reduction of cell growth in cell subclones relative to control, the crucial roles of SLC1A5 in cell growth are certified (Fig. 2B ). Both LC3B and cleaved caspase-3 increased in SLC1A5 knockdown cell subclones (Fig. 2C ). Since the reduction in cell numbers might have resulted from the impediment of cell proliferation or the increase in cell death, we further explored the cell cycle changes and the biomarkers of cell death. In SLC1A5 knockdown cell subclones, the cell cycle was arrested in the G0/G1 phase. The cell proportion in the S phase was decreased (Fig. 2D, E ). Cisplatin is a standard regimen for HNSCC chemotherapy. Half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) analysis indicated that the SLC1A5 knockdown cell subclones were more sensitive to cisplatin treatment (Fig. 2F, G ). The IC 50 of OECM1-sh-TCR1 was 11.3 µM, while the IC 50 of OECM1-sh-SLC1A5 was 6.9 µM (Fig. 2F ). The IC 50 of FaDu-sh-TCR1 was 22.3 µM, while the IC 50 of FaDu-sh-SLC1A5 was 15.7 µM (Fig. 2G ). In addition, the growth of FaDu xenografts with the knockdown of SLC1A5 was slower than control xenografts (Fig. 2H ). The knockdown of SLC1A5 expression significantly inhibited the growth and the resistance to cisplatin in HNSCC cells.

sh-TCR1, control; sh-SLC1A5, knockdown of SLC1A5. A Western blot analysis to reveal the knockdown of SLC1A5 expression in OECM1 and FaDu cell subclones. B Growth curve to designate the robust decrease of cell proliferation in SLC1A5 knockdown cell subclones. C Western blot analysis to reveal the increase of apoptosis (cleaved caspase-3) and autophagy (LC3B) biomarkers following the knockdown of SLC1A5. D , E Cell cycle analysis of OECM1 and FaDu cell subclones, respectively. Upper, flow cytometry diagrams, Lower, quantitation of phases. F , G Lt, OECM1 and FaDu cell subclones’ survival curves after cisplatin treatment disclosed by MTT assay. Rt, Quantitation of IC 50 . Knockdown of SLC1A5 sensitizes cells to cisplatin toxicity. H The in vivo tumorigenicity of FaDu cell subclones in nude mice. Lt, growth curves. Rt, the gross tumor pictures. It is composed of individual pictures with equivalent magnification. Numbers in the western blot are the normalized expression value. Mann-Whitney test or Anova analysis. *, **, and ***, P  < 0.05, P  < 0.01, and P  < 0.001, respectively.

Association between SLC1A5 level and the ROS in cells

Further examination showed the decreased level of glutamine (Figs. 3A and S 3A ) and GSH/GSSG ratio (Figs. 3B and S 3B ) in SLC1A5 knockdown HNSCC cell subclones compared to the sh-TCR1 group. Besides, ROS increased in the SLC1A5 knockdown group, as shown by staining with the ROS indicator dye (Figs. 3C and S 3C ). To confirm the effects of SLC1A5 silencing, HNSCC cells were treated with si-SLC1A5 to knock down the expression. The si-SLC1A5 treatment decreased the GSH/GSSH ratio (Fig. 3D and S 3D ). In cells treated with cisplatin, the si-SLC1A5 administration also decreased the GSH/GSSH ratio. Furthermore, the staining intensity of the oxidized form of polyunsaturated fatty acids also increased by si-SLC1A5 treatment compared to controls (Fig. 3E and S 3E ). The OECM1 dCas9-SAM cells transfected with the sgRNA vector targeting the SLC1A5 promoter successfully induced endogenous SLC1A5 expression (Fig. 3F ). Upregulating endogenous SLC1A5 expression led to an increased GSH/GSSG ratio, indicating a reduction in ROS stress (Fig. 3G ). In the OECM1-dCas9-SAM cells treated with cisplatin, the group overexpressing SLC1A5 exhibited lower ROS stress. Confocal microscopic images also illustrated that SLC1A5-overexpressed OECM1-dCas9-SAM cells had lower staining intensity of the oxidized form of polyunsaturated fatty acids than the control (Fig. 3H ). The findings indicate that the SLC1A5 level is associated with ROS in cells.

A – C The glutamine, GSH/GSSG ratio, and ROS detected by CellROX Deep Red Reagent staining in cell subclones, respectively. D , E Cells transfected with si-Scramble or si-SLC1A5. D The GSH/GSSG ratio. Cells treated without or with 6.9 µM cisplatin for 24 hour (let panels) or 48 hours (right panels). E Confocal microscopy to illustrate the C11-BODIPY-581/591 labeled polyunsaturated fatty acids in cells after 24 hours si-RNA transfection. F Illustration of SLC1A5 promoter region, the sgRNA targeting site, and western blot analysis. The transfection of SLC1A5-MS2-vector in OECM1-dCas9-SAM cell subclone upregulates SLC1A5 expression. Numbers designate the normalized expression value. G The GSH/GSSG ratio in cells transfected with VA or SLC1A5 plasmids, without (upper) or with (lower) the 6.9 µM cisplatin treatment. H Confocal microscopy to detect the staining of C11-BODIPY-581/591. In ( E ) and ( H ), Lt panels, reduced form [ 42 ]; Middle panels, oxidized form (green); Rt panels, merged images. VA, vector alone. Mann-Whitney test. ** and ****, P  < 0.01 and P  < 0.0001, respectively.

SLC1A5 knockdown decreased cell survival, and inhibitors rescued the cell survival

Glutamine is an essential nutrient for cells and a substrate for glutathione synthesis. As our assays showed a decrease in glutamine, GSH/GSSH ratio, and an increase in oxidative stress, we would like to investigate whether this also underlies cell death. An increased apoptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis were found in the OECM1 cell subclones (Fig. 4A–C ). Additionally, apoptosis and autophagy increased, but no remarkable change in ferroptosis was noted in the FaDu subclone (Fig. S 4A–C ). Knockdown of SLC1A5 also increased apoptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis in cells following cisplatin treatment (Figs. 4D–F and S 4D–F ). The 1 mM NAC pretreatment decreased the apoptosis and autophagy in knockdown cell subclones (Figs. 4G, H Lt and S 4G, H Lt), and the ferroptosis in OECM1 subclone (Fig. 4I Lt), but not in FaDu subclone (Fig. S 4I Lt). The 3-MA treatment decreased the apoptosis and autophagy in knockdown cell subclones (Figs. 4G, H Rt and S 4G, H Rt), and the ferroptosis in OECM1 subclone (Fig. 4I Rt), but not in FaDu subclone (Fig. S 4I Rt). However, 20 mM NAC pretreatment decreased cisplatin-induced ferroptosis in the SLC1A5 knockdown FaDu subclones (Fig. S 4J ).

A – C and D – F Flow cytometry analysis of cell subclones without ( A – C ) or with the treatment of 15.7 µM cisplatin for 48 hours ( D–F ), respectively. A , D PI stain as an indicator of apoptosis. B , E DAPGreen is the dye of autophagosome (LC3B). C , F FerroOrange is a fluorescent probe for ferroptosis (intracellular Fe 2+ ). Lt, histograms, Rt, quantitation of the positive cells. G – I The quantitation of PI staining, DAPGreen staining, and FerroOrange staining in cell subclones following NAC or 3-MA. J – M Rescue assay of cell viability. Treatment with 5 µM Z-VAD-FMK ( J ), 3-MA ( K ), Ferrostatin-1 ( L ), or 60 nM si-Scramble, si-ATG5, and si-p62 ( M ) is performed in cell subclones for 48 hours, respectively. These inhibitors or siRNAs reverse the decreased cell viability associated with the knockdown of SLC1A5. Mann-Whitney test. *, ** and ***, P  < 0.05, P  < 0.01 and P  < 0.001, respectively.

To examine if various types of programmed cell death might have underlain the decrease of cell viability, we treated cells with the apoptosis inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK (Figs. 4J and S 4K ), autophagy inhibitor 3-MA, (Figs. 4K and S 4L ) or ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1 (Figs. 4L and S 4M ); and silenced ATG-5 or p62 expression using siRNA delivery (Figs. 4M and S 4N ). The decreased cell survival secondary to the knockdown of SLC1A5 was also rescued with the treatments of these inhibitors and siRNAs.

The upstream NEAT1/miR-125b-5p axis modulated SLC1A5 expression

Our previous study showed that miR-125b-5p is a suppressor miRNA downregulated in OSCC [ 17 ]. Reporter assay was used to validate the targeting relationship. The evident decrement of SLC1A5 3’UTR wild-type reporter following miR-125b-5p mimic transfection compared to Scr transfection was observed. Meanwhile, the transfection of miR-125b-5p mimic could not suppress the luciferase activity of the SLC1A5 3’UTR mutant reporter (Fig. 5A, B ). Furthermore, the transfection of miR-125b-5p mimic elevated the miR-125b-5p expression levels. It decreased SLC1A5 protein expression in OECM1 and FaDu cells (Fig. 5C ). In contrast, the treatment with miR-125b-5p inhibitor to downregulate miR-125b-5p expression increased SLC1A5 protein expression in the OECM1 and FaDu cells (Fig. 5D ). The results substantiate the targeting of miR-125b-5p on SLC1A5 in HNSCC cells.

A Illustration of miR-125b-5p targeting site in SLC1A5 3’UTR. The complementarity between miR-125b-5p and SLC1A5 in wild-type reporter (WT) is abolished in the mutated reporter (MUT). B reporter assay by co-transfecting VA, SLC1A5 WT, and SLC1A5 MUT vector with or without miR-125b-5p mimic. C , D Lt panels, upregulation or downregulation of miR-125b-5p by transfecting mimic or inhibitor reagents. Rt panels, western blot analysis to show the decrease or increase of SLC1A5 protein expression following the treatment with mimic or inhibitor, respectively. Numbers designate the normalized expression value. Mann-Whitney test. * and **, P  < 0.05 and P  < 0.01, respectively.

A previous study reports that NEAT1 enacts a sponge of miR-125b-5p to abrogate its activity [ 20 ]. Analysis of the database revealed the upregulation of NEAT1 in TCGA-HNSCC (Fig. S 5A ). To confirm the existence of the NEAT1/miR-125b-5p/SLC1A5 regulatory pathway in OSCC cells (Fig. 6A ), we treated the cells with si-NEAT1 and identified the consequential increase in miR-125b-5p expression. The knockdown of NEAT1 expression using si-NEAT1 led to an elevated expression of miR-125-5p in HNSCC cells (Fig. 6B, C ). The protein expression of SLC1A5 decreased with si-NEAT1 treatment (Fig. 6D ). However, in the presence of si-NEAT, the SLC1A5 expression was rescued by miR-125b-5p inhibitor (Fig. 6E ). Knocking down NEAT1 resulted in decrease of GSH/GSSG ratio in cells following cisplatin treatment (Fig. 6F ). Despite the upregulation of NEAT1 and SLC1A5 RNA expression and the downregulation of miR-125b-5p expression in the TCGA-HNSCC database (Fig. S 5A–D ), no correlation in the RNA expression among these genes was found (Fig. S 5E, F ). However, the reporter assay, expression, inhibition and knockdown analysis substantiated the NEAT1/miR-125b/SLC1A5 interplay in vitro.

A Illustration of NEAT1/miR-125b-5p/SLC1A5 regulatory axis. B Knockdown of NEAT1 expression by si-NEAT1. C The miR-125b-5p expression fold changes after 100 nM si-NEAT1 treatment. D The SLC1A5 protein expression following 100 nM si-NEAT1 or 100 nM si-SLC1A5 treatment. Lt, Western blot analysis. Rt, qPCR analysis to detect NEAT1 expression. E The SLC1A5 protein expression following 100 nM si-NEAT1 treatment with or without the treatment with 100 nM miR-125b-5p inhibitor. Numbers designate the normalized expression value. Prolonged image exposure is done in this diagram. F The GSH/GSSG ratio. After the treatment with 6.9 µM or 15.7 µM cisplatin in OECM1 or FaDu cells, respectively, for 24 hours, cells are treated with si-NEAT1, and the GSH/GSSG ratios are assayed. Mann-Whitney test. *, **, *** and ****, P  < 0.05, P  < 0.01, P  < 0.001 and P  < 0.0001, respectively.

Association between NEAT1/SLC1A5 expression and migratory phenotypes

To examine the influence of SLC1A5 on migration and invasion, we seeded the SLC1A5 knockdown cell subclones and si-SLC1A5-treated cells in transwells. The migration and invasion abilities were decreased in the SLC1A5 knockdown cell subclones or cells treated with si-SLC1A5 relative to controls (Figs. 7A–D and S 6A–D ). Besides, the migration and invasion ability increased in OECM1 cells exhibiting the increased endogenous SLC1A5 expression (Fig. 7E, F ). Additionally, the knockdown of NEAT1 also decreased the migration and invasion of HNSCC cells (Figs. 7G, H and S 6E, F ).

A , B OECM1 cell subclones. C , D and G , H knockdown of SLC1A5 and NEAT1 using 60 nM and 100 nM siRNA, respectively. E , F OECM1-dCas9-SAM cells transfected with VA and SLC1A5 plasmids. A , C , E, G Migration assay. B , D , F, H invasion assay. Mann-Whitney test. *** and ****, P  < 0.001 and P  < 0.0001, respectively.

Potential modulation of SLC1A5 on the tumor microenvironment and immune profile

To gain insight into the influences of SLC1A5 on the tumor microenvironment and immune profile, we analyzed RNA sequencing data of 30 normal tissues, 55 OSCC tissues, and TCGA-HNSCC datasets using the Cibersortx algorithm. In both cohorts, the scores of CD8 + T cells, monocytes, and dendritic cells decreased as the expression of SLC1A5 increased. On the other hand, the scores of resting NK cells, M0 macrophage, and M1 macrophage increased following the increase in SLC1A5 expression (Fig. 8A ). The decrease of T follicular helper cells in OSCC tumors, and the decreased plasma cells and CD8+ memory resting T cell, and increased M2 macrophage in TCGA-HNSCC tumors were also eminent. The negative correlation between SLC1A5 expression and the scores of CD8 + T cells, monocytes, and dendritic cells in TCGA-HNSCC tumors was confirmed by analysis using XCELL algorithm (Table S 3 ). This algorithm also highlighted the negative correlation between SLC1A5 expression and immune score, and additional immune cell population. In GSEA analysis, the OSCC subset highly expressing SLC1A5 was positively correlated with immune regulation-associated gene sets, cell survival gene sets, and the ROS metabolic pathway. As for immune regulation, the most eminent disrupted pathways were related to the interferon response, inflammatory response, and the enrichment of immune suppression signals, particularly the IL6-Jak-Stat3 axis and IL2-Stat5 axes (Fig. 8B ). We compared the gene expression of FaDu-sh-SLC1A5 with RNA sequencing data of our OSCC cohort. In our cohort data, the heatmap illustrated high expression of SLC1A5, together with increased expression of multiple genes such as SLC7A5, laminin subunit gamma 2 (LAMC2), laminin subunit beta 3 (LAMB3), metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), and others. In concert with this finding, the sequencing of FaDu cell subclones revealed a synchronous decrease in the expression of these genes following the knockdown of SLC1A5 (Fig. 8C ). The volcano plot demonstrated the significant up- or downregulated genes in the SLC1A5-high group, and SLC1A5 was the most significantly upregulated gene in both RNA sequencing data (Fig. 8D ). Among these genes, the expression of LAMC2, TNF receptor superfamily member 6B (TNRSF6B; also named Decoy receptor 3, Dcr3), LAMB3, MMP9, and SLC7A5 had a positive correlation with SLC1A5 in OSCC (Fig. 8E ). Except for TNFRSF6B, whose TPM data were not available in TCGA-HNSCC dataset, the expression of LAMC2, LAMB3, MMP9 and SLC7A5 was upregulated in TCGA-HNSCC tumors comparing to normal. In addition, the expression of LAMB3 was positively correlated with SLC1A5 expression in TCGA-HNSCC (not shown).

A Immune score of tumors analyzed by Cibersortx algorithms. Upper, OSCC tumors. Normal (N, n  = 30), SLC1A5-Low (L, n  = 27) and SLC1A5-High (H, n  = 28). The medium TPM value of SLC1A5 separates tumors into L and H subsets. Lower, TCGA-HNSCC tumors. Normal (N, n  = 43), SLC1A5-Low (L, n  = 313) and SLC1A5-High (H, n  = 208). The mean TPM value of SLC1A5 separates tumors into L and H subsets. Blue, decreases significantly; Red, increases significantly; Black, no statistically significant difference. B Comparison across SLC1A5-Low and SLC1A5-High patient groups in GSEA of cancer hallmark gene set, respectively. They highlight the conspicuous dysregulation in the immune, metabolism, oncogenicity, and cell survival according to SLC1A5 expression. C The fold change in the hallmark gene expression set in FaDu-sh-SLC1A5 cell subclone and our OSCC cohort. D Volcano plot. It deciphers genes drastically affected by SLC1A5 in OSCC tumors. The top 15 most eminently upregulated and four downregulated genes are shown in the diagram. E The correlation between SLC1A5 and our dataset’s top 18 upregulated genes. Herein, only five genes exhibiting significant correlation are shown. r , correlation coefficient. Unpaired t -test and correlation analysis. *, **, ***, and **** represent P  < 0.05, P  < 0.01, P  < 0.001 and P  < 0.0001, respectively.

We identified 8 out of 11 potential glutamine transporters upregulated in OSCC or HNSCC. However, the knockdown of SLC1A5 would result in glutamine deficiency and oncogenic attenuation, highlighting the pivotal roles of SLC1A5 in glutamine uptake. Although SLC38A1 or SLC38A2 glutamine transporters are also upregulated in tumors, which may functionally compensate the SLC1A5 deficiency, the solitary knockdown of SLC1A5 resulted in cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase and the blockage of S phase entry, which is consistent with previous findings in esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, and ovarian cancer [ 3 , 22 , 23 ].

In addition to cell cycle retardation, the present study also identifies a decrease in cell viability following the knockdown of SLC1A5. Ferroptosis results from iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, and glutamine is one of the three amino acids that make up glutathione, which functions to reduce oxidative stress [ 24 ]. Metabolic reprogramming can promote tumor chemo or radiation resistance by increasing antioxidation [ 25 , 26 ]. We notify that knockdown SLC1A5 in HNSCC cells increases cleaved caspase 3 and LC3B protein expression, apoptosis and autophagy. Treatments with inhibitors a and the silencing of ATG-5 or p62 expression eliminate cell death following the knockdown of SLC1A5. Since complicated cross-talk of death programs exist in cells [ 27 , 28 ], this study also identifies the concordant appearance of apoptosis, autophagy and ferroptosis, which may underlie the decreased viability in tumor cells following the SLC1A5 knockdown or cisplatin treatment. As NAC rescues program cell death associated with SLC1A5 silencing in OECM1 cells, the triggering of ROS is considered a key causative factor for cell death. Since 3-MA diminishes the apoptosis and ferroptosis associated with SLC1A5 silencing in OECM1 cells, the autophagic induction by ROS may predispose the induction of other types of programmed death. The SLC1A5 silencing renders conspicuous growth inhibition in FaDu both in vitro and in vivo, its effects on ferroptosis induction is less eminent than apoptosis or autophagy. As inhibiting SLC1A5 expression would reduce the survival and sensitize HNSCC cells to cisplatin treatment, SLC1A5 gene-silencing strategy or a chemical inhibitor may facilitate HNSCC/OSCC therapy [ 22 ].

It is the first time that SLC1A5 has been identified as the target gene of miR-125b-5p. This study discovered increased NEAT1 levels in TCGA-HNSCC tumors, with NEAT1 knockdown leading to a reversal of miR-125b-5p expression. The upregulation of SLC1A5 by promoter activation has been reported in a previous study [ 29 ]. The dCas9-SAM experiments in this study confirm the promoter activation in driving SLC1A5 upregulation. Besides, the sponging of miR-125b-5p by NEAT1 transcript may result in the epigenetic upregulation of the SLC1A5 protein in HNSCC/OSCC. The findings suggest that SLC1A5 blockage via its upstream regulators could also be a crucial strategy for HNSCC/OSCC interception [ 30 ].

The expression of SLC1A5 confers advantages in glutamine uptake in triple-negative breast cancer cells, accompanied by the attenuation of CD8 + and CD4 + T cell function [ 31 ]. This study identified decreased CD8 + T cells and follicular helper T cells, likely due to the lack of monocytes in presenting tumoral antigens in HNSCC tumors with high SLC1A5 expression. In the hallmark GSEA analysis, we also found that E2F targets, MYC target V1, MYC target V2, G2M checkpoint, and MTORC1 signaling pathway were significantly upregulated, with a normalized enrichment score of over 1.5 in the highly expressed SLC1A5 group. To determine which genes are more important in the SLC1A5-high group, we further analyzed the gene expression changes in these hallmark gene sets in the FaDu-sh-SLC1A5 group and our cohort. In the cohort group, ECM-related genes such as LAMC2, LAMB3, MMP9, and others were upregulated, along with increased expression of SLC1A5 and SLC7A5. Previous studies have indicated that LAMC2 regulates the TGF-β signaling pathway and the integrin β1- and ZEB1-dependent pathways to promote cancer progression [ 32 , 33 ]. However, LAMB3 activates the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway to support cancer cell survival, invasion, and metastasis [ 34 ]. In the downregulated gene part, immune-regulated genes such as GZMB, DIO2, and CD8A were decreased, which is consistent with our algorithmic analysis. As a large different immune cell population seems to decrease in tumors exhibiting high SLC1A5 expression, the roles of SLC1A5 in modulating microenvironmental or immune profiles deserve comprehensive investigation [ 4 ]. TNFRSF6B is involved in the apoptosis pathway, but it can activate NF-κB to support tumor cell survival [ 35 ]. Conversely, the expression levels of these genes were completely reversed in the FaDu-sh-SLC1A5 group. It is worth noting that the CDKN1A gene, which encodes the protein p21 and plays critical roles in DNA damage repair, cell cycle inhibition, and tumor suppression, was significantly upregulated in the FaDu-sh-SLC1A5 group. CDKN1A-high patients usually have a better overall survival rate. In our cohort, the volcano plot results depict a similar pattern, with increased expression of LAMC2, LAMB3, TNFRSF6B, and MMP9, which positively correlated with SLC1A5 expression. Therefore, SLC1A5-high tumor cells undergo substantial changes in cell proliferation and cell cycle-associated genes to promote HNSCC progression.

Previous studies specified the modulation of SLC1A5 on the oncogenesis, glutamine metabolism, ROS induction, apoptosis, autophagy, and CD8 + T infiltration in HNSCC/OSCC cells or tumors [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 12 ]. This study elaborates NEAT1/miR-125b-5p as SLC1A5 upstream regulators and identifies potential downstream effectors of SLC1A5 for the neoplastic or immune modulation in HNSCC/OSCC. This study also specifies the association between SLC1A5 downregulation and the induction of oxidative stress and ferroptosis in HNSCC/OSCC, which may infer therapeutic implications. Although the analysis of transcriptional states of SLC1A5 does not yield prognostic implications, the unequivocal discoveries on the influences of SLC1A5 on the infiltration of multiple immune cell components in the TME of HNSCC/OSCC may substantiate the potential indication of immune therapy.

Materials and methods

A total of 55 OSCC patients’ tumor tissue and 30 paired adjacent normal tissue samples were analyzed in this study (Table S 4 ). The sampling of patients and data collection was approved by the institutional review board in Taipei Mackay Hospital (IRB approval no.: 18MMHIS187e and 20MMHIS441e). Informed consent was obtained from patients before sampling.

Cell culture

Human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines FaDu (HTB-43 TM , ATCC, Manassas, VA, USA) and OECM1 [ 36 ], Lenti-X™ 293 T Cell Line (293 T, 632180, Clonetech, Mountain View, CA, USA), and RetroPack TM PT67 cell (PT67, 631510, Clonetech) were used. The FaDu cells were maintained in DMEM/F-12 (12500-062, Gibco, Carlsbad, CA, USA); OECM1 cells in RPMI 1640 (31800-022, Gibco), and 293 T as well as PT67 cells in DMEM (12100-046, Gibco). All media contained a supplement of 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS, 10437-028, Gibco), 2 mM glutamine (Gibco) and antibiotics (BII03-033-1B, Sartorius, Göttingen, Germany).

Generation of constructs

For the reporter assay, the SLC1A5 3’ untranslated region (UTR) was obtained by amplification of sequences using primers listed in Table S 5 . Then, the mutated sequence was acquired using a site-directed mutagenesis strategy [ 37 ]. The wild-type and mutated SLC1A5 3’ UTR cDNA were cloned into pMIR-REPORT™ miRNA Expression Reporter Vector (AM5795, Invitrogen, Waltham, MA, USA). For endogenous SLC1A5 overexpression, the SLC1A5 activated sequence “SLC1A5-dCas9-SAM-S and SLC1A5-dCas9-SAM-AS” and the scramble sequence “NC-dCas9-SAM-S and NC-dCas9-SAM-AS” were mixed and annealed, then cloned into the sgRNA (MS2) vector (# 61424, Addgene, Watertown, MA, USA) to generate SLC1A5 promoter target gRNA (SLC1A5-gRNA) and scramble gRNA (scr-gRNA) expression vector [ 38 ]. The guide RNA sequences are listed in Table S 6 .

Establishment of HNSCC cell subclones

The pCMVΔR8.91, pMD.G., sh-SLC1A5, and sh-TCR1 vectors were obtained from the National Core Facility for Biopharmaceuticals for lentivirus packing. The sh-SLC1A5 or sh-TCR1 expressed lentivirus was used to infect HNSCC to establish stable clones, respectively [ 39 ]. The HNSCC subclones were used within 20 passages. The lentiSAM v2 (# 92062, Addgene) and lentiMPH v2 (# 89308, Addgene) were separately transfected into PT67 cells to pack retrovirus. OECM1 cells were first infected with lentiSAMv2 virus to express dCas9-VP64 fusion protein, followed by selection with 8 μL/mL blasticidin (15205, Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA) for one week. The selected cells were re-infected with lentiMPH v2 virus and selected with 100 µg/mL hygromycin b (10843555001, Roche, Basel) for a week to establish OECM1-dCas9-SAM cells. All transfection processes followed the manual of Lipofectamine™ 3000 Transfection Reagent.

The mimic, inhibitor, si-RNA, and their scramble treatment

The doses of miR-125b-5p mimic and inhibitor were validated in our previous study [ 39 ]. For the miR-125b-5p/SLC1A5 axis verification, cells were treated with mirVana™ miRNA Mimic Negative Control #1 (Scr mimic, 4464059, Invitrogen), miR-125b-5p mimic (MC10148, Invitrogen), and SLC1A5 wild-type 3’UTR reporter vector, SLC1A5 mutant 3’UTR reporter vector, or reporter vector alone to perform reporter assay. For the verification of the relevance between miR-125b-5p and SLC1A5, mirVana™ miRNA Inhibitor Negative Control #1 (4464076, Invitrogen) or hsa-miR-125b-5p inhibitor (MH10148, Invitrogen) was used for treatment for 24 hours. In rescue experiments, cells were treated with 60 nM si-p62 (si-sequestosome 1, sc-29679, Santa Cruz Biotech, Santa Cruz, CA, USA), si-ATG5 (sc-29679, Santa Cruz Biotech), and Control siRNA-A (si-scramble, sc-37007, Santa Cruz Biotech). To verify the correlation between NEAT1 and miR-125b-5p, cells were treated with 100 nM si-NEAT1 (n272461, Invitrogen), si-SLC1A5 (s12916, Invitrogen), or Silencer™ Select Negative Control No. 1 siRNA (4390843, Invitrogen). To rescue the SLC1A5 expression being affected by NEAT1-miR-125b-5p, cells were treated with 100 nM si-NEAT1 with or without 100 nM mirVana™ miRNA Inhibitor Negative Control #1 or hsa-miR-125b-5p inhibitor. Transfection was used for OECM1 cells, while FaDu cells underwent electroporation according to the protocol outlined in the Cell Line Nucleofector™ Kit V (VCA-1003, Lonza, Basel, Switzerland) and utilizing the Nucleofector TM 2b Device (AAB-1001, Lonza).

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)

Total RNA was extracted using TriPure™ Isolation Reagent (11667165001, Roche) and reverse transcribed using MMLV High-Performance Reverse Transcriptase (RT80125K, LGC Biosearch Tech, London, UK) or MicroRNA Reverse Transcription Kit (4366596, Applied Biosystems, Waltham, MA, USA) to yield cDNA. qPCR reactions were performed in duplicate. RNU6B and GAPDH served as the internal controls [ 36 ].

Western blot

An amount of 30 µg protein was used for western blot analysis. The primary antibodies and secondary antibodies are listed in Table S 7 . The signals of tested proteins were normalized to GAPDH to yield the expression values. The detailed procedures followed our previous protocol [ 39 ].

Phenotypic and biochemical assays

The trypan blue exclusion assay was used to measure cell viability every 24 hours to generate the growth curve of cells. The cell viability of cells following treatment with cisplatin (232120, Sigma-Aldrich) was analyzed by MTT assay to acquire a drug resistance index [ 40 ]. Cell cycle analysis was performed on HNSCC subclones with SLC1A5 knockdown [ 40 ]. Cell migration and invasion assays followed the previous protocol [ 36 ]. The glutamine or GSH/GSSG ratio measurement followed the Glutamine-Glo kit (J7021, Promega, Madison, WI, USA) and GSH/GSSG-Glo kit (V6611, Promega) protocols provided by the supplier. For the tumorigenesis assay, 10 6 FaDu-sh-TCR1 or FaDu-sh-SLC1A5 cells were injected subcutaneously into the flanks of randomly grouped 6–8 weeks nude mice (National Laboratory Animal Center, Taipei, Taiwan). Three nude mice were used in each group. Tumor volume calculation uses the formula 1/2 × longest diameter × (shortest diameter) 2 . The animal study was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) of National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (approval no. 1100422). In rescue assay, the knockdown SLC1A5 HNSCC subclones were treated with 5 µM Z-VAD-FMK (V116, Sigma-Aldrich), 5 µM 3-Methyladenine (3-MA, 189490, Sigma-Aldrich), 5 µM Ferrostatin-1 (SML0583, Sigma-Aldrich), or Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO, C6164, Merck, Darmstadt, Germany) for 48 hours, and cell numbers were then counted by trypan blue exclusion assay. To detect reactive oxidative species (ROS), cells were stained with 5 µM CellROX Deep Red Reagent (C10422, Invitrogen) and analyzed with flow cytometry. To detect lipid peroxidation, cells were seeded onto an x-well Lumox slide (94.6150.401, SARSTEDT, Nümbrecht, Germany). The next day, they were treated with 100 nM si-SLC1A5 for 24 hours. The cisplatin treatment was administered at the third day for another 24 hours. Before detection, the culture medium was replaced with 1 µM BODIPY 581/591 C11 (D3861, Invitrogen), and the cells were incubated for 1 hour. Fluorescent images were captured using a confocal microscope (LSM880, Zeiss, Oberkochen, Germany). The OECM1-sh-TCR1 or FaDu-sh-TCR1 cells treated with DMSO were used as a reference to calculate cell viability as a percentage.

Reporter assay

The reporter assay was performed using the Dual-Luciferase ® Reporter Assay System (E1910, Promega) according to the protocol. Renilla luciferase activity was used as the transfection efficiency control normalized with firefly luciferase activity [ 36 ].

Apoptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis detection by flow cytometry

OECM1 subclones were treated with cisplatin for 24 hours, while FaDu subclones were treated for 48 hours at their respective IC 50 dosages. Subsequently, cells were harvested along with the supernatant. Propidium iodide solution (P4864, Sigma Aldrich) was used to stain the cells to assess apoptosis. The cell-permeable fluorescent molecule “DAPGreen” (D676, DOJINDO Lab., Kumamoto) has a high affinity with LC3B and could be incorporated into autophagosomes. The fluorescent probe FerroOrange (F374, DOJINDO Lab.) indicates ferroptosis and interacts with intracellular Fe 2+ . All of the fluorescent molecule staining processes were followed according to the manual. To inhibit ROS, cells were treated with 1 mM or 20 mM N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC, A7250, Sigma-Aldrich) dissolved in ddH 2 O for 1 hour prior to experiments [ 41 ].

RNA sequencing and bioinformatic processing

Qualified RNA-Seq libraries of tissues and cells being constructed were subjected to RNA sequencing using the NovaSeq 6000 system (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA) or the NextSeq 550 system (SY-415-1002, Illumina). The clean reads of transcripts were transformed to transcripts per million (TPM). The TPM values of the HNSCC dataset were downloaded from TCGA ( http://cancergenome.nih.gov/ , project ID - TCGA-HNSC). The medium TPM value of SLC1A5 in OSCC tumors, and the medium or mean TPM values of SLC1A5 in TCGA-HNSCC are used as cutoffs to designate high (H) or low (L) expression in SLC1A5. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was conducted using GSEA software (version 4.2.3) and ggplot2 (version 3.4.0) for plotting. ImmuneScore was determined by accessing the Cibersortx portal ( https://cibersortx.stanford.edu ) and XCELL portal ( https://xcell.ucsf.edu ). Potential miRNA-SLC1A5 targeting was predicted by accessing database portals, including TargetScan, TarBase, miRGator, miRDB, miRanda, and mirDIP.

Statistical analysis

All the data were shown in mean ± standard error (SE). Mann-Whitney test, t -test, ANOVA test, and correlation analysis were used to analyze correlations across variants. The analyses were performed using GraphPad Prism v7.0 software (GraphPad) and CytExpert Software (version 2.4). P  < 0.05 indicates a statistically significant difference.

Data availability

All the data can be found either in the main text or the supplementary materials.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the Genomics Center for Clinical and Biotechnological Applications of National Core Facility for Biopharmaceuticals, Taiwan (NSTC 112-2740-B-A49-001) for sequencing. This work is supported by grants V110C-061 from Taipei Veterans General Hospital and 110-2314-B-A49A-521-MY3 and 110-2314-B-A49A-515-MY3 from the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC). We acknowledge the bioinformatic analysis support and consultation from the Bioinformatics Core Facility for Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals and project number 111-2740-B400-002 from NSTC, Taiwan.

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Ying-Chieh Liu, So-Yu Liu, Yu-Cheng Lin, Kuo-Wei Chang & Shu-Chun Lin

Department of Dentistry, College of Dentistry, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan

Yu-Cheng Lin, Chung-Ji Liu, Kuo-Wei Chang & Shu-Chun Lin

Department of Stomatology, Taipei Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

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Department of Stomatology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

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Assay design: YC Liu, SY Liu, KW Chang. Assay perform: YC Liu, SY Liu. Data analysis: YC Liu, SY Liu, SC Lin, KW Chang. RNA sequencing database perform: CJ Liu. Bioinformation analysis: YC Liu, YC Lin. Manuscript writing: YC Liu, KW Chang, SC Lin.

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Correspondence to Shu-Chun Lin .

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The study adhered to the guidelines set forth by the Declaration of Helsinki and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of Taipei MacKay Memorial Hospital, with the approval numbers 18MMHIS187e and 20MMHIS441e. Additionally, the animal study was authorized by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) of National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University under approval number 1100422.

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Liu, YC., Liu, SY., Lin, YC. et al. The disruption of NEAT1-miR-125b-5p-SLC1A5 cascade defines the oncogenicity and differential immune profile in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Cell Death Discov. 10 , 392 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41420-024-02158-1

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Received : 03 September 2023

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/s41420-024-02158-1

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