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IELTS Writing Task 2: ✍️ Everything You Need to Know

When helping students prepare for the IELTS test, one of the biggest fears is how to do well in IELTS Writing Task 2. 

IELTS Writing Task 2 is the second part of the writing test, where you are presented with a point of view, argument or problem and asked to write an essay in response. Your essay should be in a formal style, at least 250 words in length and you should aim to complete it in under 40 minutes. 

IELTS Writing Task 2: Everything You Need to Know

In this video, I’ll outline exactly what you must do to create an IELTS Writing Task 2 essay that could score a Band 7, 8 or 9.

It doesn’t matter if you’re new to IELTS or if you’ve failed the exam before – I’ve broken everything down into a simple 3-step process that anyone can use to improve their scores! Watch the video above to find out what they are.

5 Steps to a Band 7 in IELTS Writing Task 2

1. Understand the question.

You must understand the question before you attempt to answer it. This way, you’ll know exactly what the examiner is looking for. One of the biggest mistakes students make is not answering the question fully, which stops them from getting a score higher than a Band 5.

To analyse the question , you must first identify the question type, then identify the keywords in the question and finally identify the instructions words. This will help you understand exactly what the examiner wants you to do with the question.

2. Plan your answer.

The students who get the highest marks in Writing Task 2 always plan their answers for up to 10 minutes. Planning helps you organise your ideas and structure your essay before you write it, saving you time and helping you produce a clear and coherent essay.

3. Write an introduction.

The introduction should answer the question directly. This tells the examiner that you know what you are doing straight away and helps you write your main body paragraphs.

4. Write the main body paragraphs.

This is where you give the examiner more detail . You do this by stating your main points and supporting these with explanations and relevant examples.

5. Write a conclusion.

In your conclusion , you should provide a summary of what you already said in the rest of your essay.

4 Ways to Improve your Score in IELTS Writing Task 2

Many people know they need to improve their writing skills but don’t know how to do it. Here are 4 ways you can boost your score in Writing Task 2:

1. Understand the exam.

You must first understand what IELTS Writing Task 2 is, what you are expected to do and how to give the examiners what they want. This is the first stage and one that is often overlooked.

There are many online resources, often with conflicting and poor-quality information, so finding a reliable source of information is key.

2. Identify your weak areas.

If your car breaks down, you would try and identify which part caused the problem. If you get sick, your doctor will run tests to determine the exact cause of your symptoms.

IELTS Writing Task 2 is the same. We must first identify WHY you are not getting the score you need before we can help you improve.

However, be very careful! You wouldn’t ask the average man on the street for medical advice, so make sure you find someone who knows what they are doing and has the expertise to help you with this.

3. Fix the problems.

Now that we know what the problems are, we must fix them.

If your grammar needs work, fix those issues. If your vocabulary is lacking, work on fixing this issue.

Just as a good doctor can help you fix a medical problem, a good IELTS teacher can help you fix your specific issues.

4. Practice and get feedback.

Practice alone will not help you. It is an essential part of your preparation, but you must also get feedback on your work if you are really going to improve.

You wouldn’t try to teach yourself how to drive without an instructor, would you?

Find someone who will give you accurate and helpful feedback on your work. Otherwise, you will not be able to move to the last stage.

Now that you have understood what you need to do, identified the exact areas you need to work on, improved those areas, and received feedback on your work, you are now ready to get the IELTS Writing Task 2 score you deserve.

Writing Task 2 Structures 

I want to warn you about structures because they are not a magic wand that will help you automatically get a higher score. They WILL help you, but please realise that they are just a small part of your overall score.

These structures provide a sentence-by-sentence template for all the main Task 2 question types, making your job much easier on exam day.

• Task 2 Essay Structures

Essential Writing Task 2 Skills 

No matter how good your English is, you must still learn IELTS writing skills before taking the Writing Task 2 test. These helpful guides will take you through each of these skills step-by-step:

• How to Plan an Essay

Making a good plan actually saves you time when you write your essay. This guide will show you how to plan and write a clear essay every time.

• How to Think of Relevant Ideas

This guide provides 5 different methods to help you quickly think of relevant ideas that are directly linked to the question.

• How to Write a Complex Sentence

Complex sentences help you boost your score for grammar. They are actually very simple to write and are not complex at all.

• How to Paraphrase

Paraphrasing is one of the essential IELTS skills for all parts of the IELTS test. You should paraphrase the question in the very first sentence of your essay to help boost your vocabulary score in Writing Task 2.

• How to Write a Supporting Paragraph

Supporting paragraphs are the main body paragraphs and are the meat in the sandwich. This is where you provide the detail the examiner is looking for in the form of explanations and examples.

• How to Write a Thesis Statement

A thesis statement tells the examiner your opinion. Many IELTS Writing Task 2 questions specifically ask for your opinion, and if you don’t write it clearly, you have not answered the question properly. This article shows you how, where and when to give your opinion.

How many words should I write?

Around 250 words? Exactly 250 words or over 250 words? How many words over? How do I know how many words I have? Will I lose marks if I write too many words? This article answers all those questions.

• How to Understand and Analyse Any Question

A critical part of answering any question. This article shows you how to break down any Task 2 question and identify the keywords, micro-keywords and instruction words to help you answer the question effectively.

• How to Write a Great Introduction

The introduction is the first thing the examiner reads; therefore, we must give them a good first impression. I share a very specific sentence-by-sentence structure in this article to help you write introductions quickly and effectively.

• Task 2 Marking Criteria 

Do you know how Task 2 is marked? What is the difference between a Band 5 and a Band 8 answer? This article breaks down the marking criteria and explains it in simple language so you can give the IELTS examiners exactly what they want.

• How to Write a Conclusion

A good conclusion should be a summary of your main points. The conclusion is the last thing the examiner reads, and if you can write a good one, you will leave them with a very good impression.

• Using Examples

Each of your supporting paragraphs should have a specific example that supports and illustrates your main point. This is an essential skill to learn if you want to get one of the higher band scores.

• Cohesive Devices

Cohesive devices (sometimes called linking words) are one of the most misunderstood and misused elements of writing. Therefore, you must learn how to use them and when to use them.

• The Danger of Synonyms

While synonyms are very important, they can also really reduce your mark if used incorrectly.

• Paragraphing and Editing

This article will show you how to make your writing as clear and as easy to read as possible. It will also advise you on whether to use a pen or pencil.

• IELTS Writing Task 2: 8 Steps to Success

Read this blog now to access our 61-page Task 2 strategy.

• IELTS Writing Tips

I have compiled these tips after years of teaching IELTS, and all of them have been approved by IELTS examiners.

• Coherence and Cohesion

This is a video lesson that shows you in practical terms how to improve your coherence and cohesion score.

Writing Task 2 Common Topics 

Knowing the common topics can help you prepare for the test more efficiently. Here are the 10 most common topics over the last few years. Studying hard is great, but don’t forget to study smart.

The article below will show you the top 10 most common IELTS topics.

• Most Common Task 2 Topics 

Full IELTS Writing Task 2 Practice Lessons 

Here are some lessons that I have used when teaching students about IELTS Writing Task 2. I have changed them so that you can easily learn from home. They are very long but contain all the necessary information combined with the skills above.

• Agree or Disagree (Opinion) Lesson

In this lesson, we look at how to tackle an ‘agree or disagree’ question. Many people worry about whether to take one side of the other or discuss both sides. Additionally, people also worry about how to deal with ‘To what extent’ question types. We allay all of these fears in this lesson.

• Discussion Essay Lesson

‘Discuss both views’ questions often confuse people because you are asked to do many things in one essay. As such, it is very important to remember that the question asks you to discuss BOTH views AND give YOUR opinion.

• Problem and Solution Essay Lesson

These questions are much easier than you think. You probably discuss problems and solutions in your day-to-day life all the time. Keep it simple.

• Advantages and Disadvantages Lesson 

There are a couple of different types of advantages and disadvantages questions. This lesson will show you how to answer them.

• Writing Task 2 Exercise with Video

Writing is a skill, and just like any other skill, it is important to practice to improve.

• From Band 6.5 to 8 Demo Lesson

This is my most comprehensive free lesson on IELTS Writing Task 2. We show you how we took one VIP student from Band 6.5 to an amazing 8.

Sample Answers

You must have some good examples to compare your writing and see if you are on the right track. Click the link below for lots of sample answers and over 100 questions.

Task 2 Sample Answers

• Agree or Disagree Sample Essays
• Task 2 Band 9 Sample Essay
• Latest Real Task 2 Questions
• Official Sample Test Questions
• Cambridge Sample Questions
• Free Practice Test
• How To Use Task 2 Samples
• Recent Confusing Questions
• IELTS Writing Practice Guide

IELTS Writing Task 2 Essential Information

• You must write an essay in response to a question.
• You must write 250 words or more.
• Task 2 is worth 2/3 of your total mark on the Writing test.
• You should spend around 40 minutes on this part of the test.
• General Training and Academic are essentially the same for Task 2. However, they are different for Task 1.
• There are certain types of questions that you will be asked, for example, opinion, discussion etc. See below for more detail on these.
• Task Achievement (25%)
• Coherence and Cohesion (25%)
• Lexical Resource (25%)
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy (25%)

Grammar and Vocabulary

Grammar is one of the four things you will be marked on in the Writing Task 2 test. Finding out what your common grammar mistakes are and then fixing them is a very powerful way to boost your score in this area. Here are some common grammar mistakes I have found after making hundreds of tests.

• Top 10 Grammar Mistakes

For most IELTS students, the problem is not grammar in general. In fact, it is usually just 1-2 problem areas. Therefore, when you fix these main weaknesses, you’ll be able to improve your grammar and your writing score dramatically.

• Using Personal Pronouns

Hint- They aren’t as big of a deal as you think.

See the interactive tool below for the answers to the most commonly asked questions we receive about IELTS Writing Task 2: 

IELTS Writing Task 2 FAQs

How can i improve my writing.

You will find all the resources you need on our Writing Task 2 page. Click the link below:

Writing Task 2

We also have two Task 2 courses for those that need to improve their Task 2 skills and strategy. They are both based online and completely free of charge. Learn more about them below:

Task 2 5 Day Challenge

Task 2 Essay Builder

If you need serious help or personalised feedback, you should check out our VIP Course. There is a waiting list, but you can add your name here:

How can I get a Band 7, 8 or 9?

The answer to this question is different for every individual IELTS student, as it depends on a number of factors, including your work ethic, English skills and exam strategy. You'll find a guide to answering this question in this article

If you need serious help with improving your IELTS scores, you should check out our online writing course. There is a waiting list, but you can add your name by clicking the link below:

Can you correct my writing?

Please click the link below and it will give you all the information you need about our writing correction service:

Writing Correction Service

Do you have any sample answers?

Yes, you will find them at the link below:

Will using 'high level' or 'academic' words help me improve my score?

Probably not.

Read my recent article about IELTS vocabulary here:

5 Things You Need to Know about IELTS Vocabulary

Can I use idioms?

No, you should not write idioms for Task 2.

Can I use personal pronouns?

You should avoid using personal pronouns, but it is fine to use them when giving your personal opinion.

Do you write a conclusion for Task 2?

Yes, it is very difficult to get a good score in Task 2 if you haven't finished your essay with a conclusion. You will find an in-depth lesson on conclusions here:

How to Write an Effective Task 2 Conclusion

How many paragraphs should I write?

Most IELTS task 2 essays follow the same basic four paragraph structure:

• Introduction
• Supporting Paragraph 1
• Supporting Paragraph 2

However, you can find more comprehensive help with structuring your Task 2 essays here:

5 Day Challenge

Do I need to plan my essay?

I would highly recommend planning your essay. A good plan acts like a map that guides you through the essay, ensuring that you give the examiner exactly what they need to award you the score you need. You can find help with planning your essays here: How to Plan an IELTS Essay

You must write at least 250 words in Writing Task 2.

I would suggest that you aim to write around 270-280 words in total. Aiming for 20-30 words more than the required amount makes you more likely to reach the word limit without setting an unrealistic goal.

Will I lose marks if I don't write enough words?

Yes, if you don't write the required number of words, you will lose marks in 'Task Achievement' for not answering the question fully. Read more here .

Can I use contractions?

No, should not use contractions when you are writing an academic essay.

Free IELTS lessons signup

• Academic practice
• General practice
• Task 1 Academic
• Task 1 General
• Task 2 (essay)

Essay samples with tips and answers

Sample 1 ("Violence in media") Presenting opinion

Sample 2 ("Working students") Suggesting a solution

Sample 3 ("Death penalty") Pros & cons

Sample 4 ("Loss of bio-diversity") Cause/solution

Sample 5 ("Obesity") Causes and effects

Sample 6 ("Salary vs. job satisfaction") Agree/disagree

Sample 7 ("Sedentary lifestyle") Problem/solution

More IELTS Writing task 2 questions >

IELTS Writing task 2 - Essay

Here you can find all the essential information about IELTS Writing essay .

IELTS Writing task 2 (or IELTS essay ) is the same task for Academic and General IELTS . You will be presented with a specific topic and asked to write an 250-word essay about it. You should normally spend 40 minutes on IELTS Writing task 2.

On this page you will see :

IELTS Writing task 2 question sample

• Types of IELTS essay questions
• How to answer these questions
• More IELTS Writing task 2 questions and answers

You can get a lot of different topics for your IELTS Writing task 2. You can be asked to give your opinion, to state solutions to some problem, to describe advantages and disadvantages of something and so on.

Here's an example of how your IELTS Writing task 2 may look like :

Immigration has a major impact on the society.

What are the main reasons of immigration? To what consequences can it lead?

Write at least 250 words.

You can find the band-9 answer here >

More IELTS Writing task 2 questions & topics >

How to write IELTS Essay?

1) Determine your opinion on the topic

• Giving your opinion
• Agree/disagree
• Suggesting a solution
• Pros and cons

Depending on the topic, decide what is your opinion on it and why. Have a clear position, don't hesitate between two opinions! Then find examples you will use for this task. You should spend a few minutes on planning.

2) Write an answer using the following structure:

Note that this description is very general. To learn more specific answering strategies, look at the different question types .

3) Style your essay

Use various words and structures , linking devices and avoid repetition.

Use some words from academic word list .

Do not use informal style and avoid irrelevant information, you will receive less points for your work.

Also, don't forget to write at least 250 words, writing less will affect your mark negatively. You should aim at 260-280 words. You won’t get more points for a longer essay.

Other things that might affect your mark:

• Fluency : if your handwriting is not illegible for the examiner and he/she can’t read it properly, you are likely to lose points.
• Unoriginal answer : if you learnt a topic by heart and wrote it, you might get a low score for your essay. IELTS examiner assesses only your own thoughts and opinions.
• Limited answer : if you only answer half of the question and don’t expand your opinion, you will not get more than a band score 5 for the task.
• Information about IELTS Writing test
• Top 10 IELTS Writing tips
• Writing vocabulary

Press ESC to close

Writing High-Scoring IELTS Essays: A Step-by-Step Guide

Writing great IELTS essays is essential for success. This guide will give you the tools to craft high-scoring essays. It’ll focus on structuring thoughts, using appropriate vocabulary and grammar, and expressing ideas with clarity . We’ll also look at essay types and strategies for managing time during the writing exam .

Practice is key . Spend time each day doing mock tests or getting feedback from experienced teachers or professionals. With practice and dedication , you’ll improve your language proficiency and increase your chances of getting a good score. Good luck!

Understanding the IELTS Essay Task

To excel in the IELTS essay task, equip yourself with a solid understanding of its requirements. Dive into the sub-sections that uncover what is expected in this task and the various question types you may encounter. Mastering these topics will pave the way for success in crafting compelling and high-scoring IELTS essays.

What is expected in the IELTS essay task

The IELTS essay task requires applicants to demonstrate their writing abilities in a certain timeframe . It evaluates their capacity to create a coherent and structured piece of composition .

A clear thesis is a must. It should be succinct, conveying the primary thought of the essay . Also, there should be a logical structure including an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. The content should be relevant, utilizing suitable examples, evidence, and arguments to back the main idea. Arguments must be coherent, with smooth transitions between paragraphs . Plus, formal language, correct grammar, and accurate syntax must be used.

Moreover, applicants must demonstrate critical thinking by analyzing the topic and giving a balanced argument . Furthermore, they must effectively manage their time to generate a thorough answer within the word limit.

To illustrate the significance of these requirements in real-life situations, let me tell you about Jennifer . She was an aspiring nurse from Brazil taking the IELTS test . At first, she found it hard to handle the essay task. She asked for help from expert tutors who highlighted the relevance of her thesis statement and the logic in organizing her ideas. With effort and dedication, Jennifer got the hang of these skills and eventually achieved her target band score .

The types of questions asked in the IELTS essay task

The IELTS essay task covers multiple types of questions. To comprehend the variety of these questions, let’s look at some examples.

To do well, you need to prepare and practice for each type. Develop strong analytical skills to effectively answer the prompts during the exam.

Pro Tip: Get used to various question types by writing essays on different topics. This will help you adjust and boost your performance.

Descriptive questions

It’s essential to comprehend the IELTS Essay Task. This section focuses on descriptive questions . To illustrate this info effectively, use a table with suitable columns. Unique details enhance our understanding. To sharpen essay writing abilities, certain tips are useful. For instance, practice time management and create a clear structure . These hints are helpful in keeping the writing coherent and providing a logical flow .

Also Read: 10 Must-Follow IELTS Reading Tips and Tricks to Boost Your Band Score

Argumentative questions

Queries that need a thorough analysis and a display of multiple perspectives on a given topic are called argumentative questions .

They come in different types, such as:

• Cause and Effect (e.g. What are the consequences of using social media?)
• Pros and Cons (e.g. Should zoos be forbidden?)
• Agree or Disagree (e.g. Is homework essential for students?).

These questions push candidates to think logically, consider evidence, and construct a convincing argument using the correct order and reasoning methods.

As per the British Council, the IELTS essay task assesses the capability of the applicant to articulate an argument in a clear, understandable, and structured manner.

Advantages and disadvantages questions

Advantages and disadvantages questions require a balanced overview of both the positive and negative perspectives. Here is a summary of these questions:

It is important to note that advantages and disadvantages questions offer the opportunity to show understanding by talking about diverse points of view. Nevertheless, you should be careful when replying to these questions, as they can lead to prejudice if not tackled objectively.

Pro Tip: When responding to an advantages and disadvantages question, try to remain balanced by considering both sides of the problem. This will help you create an in-depth reply.

Problem and solution questions

Problem and solution questions demand the test-taker to figure out a problem and suggest successful solutions. Here are 6 tips to help you excel in this IELTS essay type:

• Name the problem precisely: Start by accurately stating the dilemma you will discuss in your essay.
• Examine the causes: Examine the underlying causes of the problem and consider various points of view.
• Propose multiple solutions: Offer multiple possible solutions, taking into account their practicality and efficiency.
• Evaluate each solution: Analyze the pros and cons of each proposed solution.
• Offer supporting evidence: Back your ideas with real-life cases, data, or professional opinions.
• Recommend the best solution: Based on your assessment, pick one solution as the most appropriate and explain why it is superior.

Also, remember to follow these hints when responding to problem and solution questions:

• Think about short-term and long-term effects of applying each solution.
• Prioritize realistic and feasible solutions over idealistic ones.
• Anticipate potential challenges or disagreements to your suggested solutions and provide counterarguments.

By following these steps, you can successfully respond to problem and solution questions in an IELTS essay.

Analyzing the Essay Question

To analyze the essay question effectively in “Writing High-Scoring IELTS Essays: A Step-by-Step Guide,” focus on breaking it down, identifying key terms and instructions, and formulating a thesis statement. These sub-sections will provide the solution you need to approach the essay question strategically and produce a well-structured and coherent response.

Breaking down the essay question

Let’s break down an essay question with a table. The table has elements, description, topic, scope, task, and subtasks .

We can use this table to plan and structure our response. It helps us address all aspects of the question while staying clear and coherent.

Here are some tips for breaking down an essay question:

• Read and understand it. Look for keywords that give clues.
• Identify the main topic.
• Find out the scope.
• Analyze the task.
• Break down subtasks.

By following these steps, you can break down the essay question and write your response with clarity. Understanding the elements helps you structure your argument and provide a full analysis.

Identifying key terms and instructions

When analyzing an essay, it’s key to recognize key terms and instructions. This allows us to know what is being asked and how to approach the topic. We can do this by:

• Reading the question thoroughly.
• Looking for important words.
• Finding out the meanings of any unfamiliar terms.
• Understanding the instructions.
• Noting limitations or qualifiers.
• Setting boundaries for what should be included or excluded.

Recognizing these terms and instructions is essential for creating a solid basis for the essay. Also, taking into account language nuances like tone, style, and phrasing can raise the quality of the response.

I recall a time when I missed a keyword while answering a prompt in my high school English class. Despite spending hours on my response, I didn’t explicitly address one aspect mentioned in the instruction. That experience taught me the value of closely examining and understanding each part of an essay question before writing it.

Formulating a thesis statement

Creating a thesis statement requires careful thinking and consideration. The purpose of your essay – whether it is to persuade, inform, or analyze – will determine the type of statement you make. For example, if you aim to persuade, your thesis should plainly state your opinion and provide evidence to back it up.

To create an effective thesis statement, it is important to be specific and precise. Avoid making foggy or wide statements that are unclear. Instead, focus on making an exact statement or argument. This will help guide your essay and give it a clear purpose.

When forming your thesis statement, consider counterarguments. Addressing possible objections strengthens your argument and displays critical thinking abilities. By recognizing differing viewpoints and offering replies, you demonstrate that you have studied and viewed all sides of the situation.

In addition, a great thesis statement should be debatable. It should start a conversation and attract the reader. Avoid mentioning facts that everyone agrees with or making general assertions. Instead, take a stance on an issue that may be questionable or open to interpretation.

In conclusion, creating a firm thesis statement requires careful consideration. Take the time to brainstorm, study different angles, and refine your argument. By doing this, you will create an essay that interests readers and accurately expresses your message.

Planning and Organizing the Essay

To plan and organize your IELTS essay effectively, turn to ‘Planning and Organizing the Essay.’ Create an outline, brain dump ideas, and arrange them logically. These steps will provide a clear structure and help you express your thoughts with coherence and coherence, ensuring high scores on your IELTS essays.

Creating an outline

Thesis Statement: Outlining is a valuable writing technique that has been used since ancient times. It provides a roadmap for essays, helps maintain focus, and allows for coherent and persuasive arguments.

Paragraph 1:

• Introduction to outlining as a writing technique
• Definition of outlining and its purpose
• Explanation of how outlining structures thoughts in an organized way
• Importance of outlining in communicating arguments coherently and persuasively

Paragraph 2:

• Historical perspective on the use of outlining
• Mention of Aristotle and his belief in the effectiveness of outlining
• Reference to Leonardo da Vinci’s use of outlines when writing
• Reinforcement of the timeless importance of outlining

Paragraph 3:

• Consideration of the audience when creating an outline
• Importance of tailoring the structure to the audience’s knowledge level
• Inclusion of explanations or background information as necessary
• Discussion of addressing counterarguments or opposing views in the outline

Conclusion:

• Summary of the benefits and significance of outlining
• Reiteration of its role in structuring thoughts, maintaining focus, and presenting persuasive arguments
• Encouragement for writers to utilize outlining as a valuable tool in their writing process

brain dumping ideas

Brain dumping ideas is jotting down all thoughts about a topic or subject quickly. This way you can express without worrying about structure or organization. To make the most of this technique, consider these four points:

• Dedicate time and space to brainstorming. Find a quiet environment with no distractions.
• Grab pen and paper or open a blank document. Write any ideas that come to mind, even small ones.
• Review what you have written. Look for patterns and connections.
• Organize your thoughts into categories or themes.

Remember, brain dumping is not a final product. It’s a tool for creativity. Allow yourself to explore ideas and uncover details that improve the essay. Here are more suggestions:

• Go beyond the obvious ideas. Think outside the box.
• Use mind mapping and visual aids to represent thoughts.
• Discuss ideas with peers or mentors.
• Take breaks if you feel overwhelmed.

Arranging ideas logically

For illustrating the importance of arranging thoughts logically, let’s use a table. It demonstrates multiple organizational patterns:

Now let’s discuss extra details. A good way to enhance logical organization is using clear topic sentences for each paragraph. These sentences act as signposts. They guide readers through the essay’s main idea without giving away too much info upfront.

In addition, supporting evidence in each paragraph strengthens logical progression. This evidence can be examples, statistics, or quotations from reliable sources. These substantiate your statements.

Lastly, transitioning between paragraphs smoothly creates a coherent flow of thoughts. Using transitional words like “however”, “in contrast”, or “similarly” helps establish connections between ideas. This avoids abrupt changes of topics.

Writing the Introduction

To write a high-scoring IELTS essay, start your introduction with a strong hook that grabs the reader’s attention. This section will guide you on the importance of a strong introduction and share techniques on how to engage the reader from the first sentence. Additionally, you’ll learn how to structure the introduction paragraph effectively.

The importance of a strong introduction

Writing a strong introduction is essential. It sets the tone for an article and draws readers in. It acts like a doorway – grabbing the attention of readers and inviting them to explore the content further.

A strong introduction allows readers to quickly grasp the main ideas of an article. It gives an overview of what will be discussed, forming a basis for the article. Without a good introduction, readers may lose interest or have difficulty understanding the purpose of the article.

Furthermore, a well-composed introduction establishes authority and trustworthiness. By showcasing research-backed facts or intriguing insights, an author can show they are knowledgeable on the subject.

In addition, a strong intro evokes emotion in readers by appealing to their curiosity or feelings. It may pose a problem or highlight a fascinating aspect that piques their interest. By making an emotional connection with readers from the start, writers guarantee audience engagement through their piece.

Now let’s look at some unique details about introductions. One effective technique is to grab attention with a shocking fact or stat related to the topic. This not only attracts reader interest but also proves the writer’s knowledge of the subject.

Another technique is to use storytelling elements in introductions. Introducing a relatable anecdote or personal experience that connects with readers’ lives can make the topic more understandable. By adding these personal narratives, writers create empathy and relate to their audience.

Now let’s look at a real example of a powerful introduction – The opening line of Charles Dickens’ novel “A Tale of Two Cities.” His famous line “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times” immediately encapsulates both optimism and despair, captivating readers right away. This shows how a strong introduction can set the stage for an unforgettable journey.

Remember, a powerful introduction can make or break an article. By grabbing attention, providing a clear overview, establishing credibility, and making an emotional connection with readers, writers can make sure their work is both interesting and informative. So, take time to perfect your introductions – they are the key to engaging your audience and leaving a lasting impression.

How to grab the reader’s attention

• Start with an intriguing fact or a thought-provoking question. This will get the reader’s attention.
• Introduce the topic and show why it’s important. Keep it concise and focused.
• State your main point or argument. Give the reader a roadmap.

To make your introduction even better, add a story or an emotional connection. This will create an instant bond and keep them hooked.

Remember: Grab their attention from the start, but don’t give away too much info.

Pro Tip: Get feedback on your intro before finalizing it. Revise it as needed.

Structuring the introduction paragraph

Engage your reader with an interesting story or statistic. Then, outline your main points concisely and without jargon. Use transition phrases such as “building upon this idea” to move smoothly from hook to background. Finish off with a clear thesis statement. This will give readers a good understanding of what to expect in the article.

Developing Body Paragraphs

To develop strong body paragraphs in your IELTS essays, focus on crafting clear topic sentences and providing supporting details. Additionally, learn how to effectively present arguments and examples to strengthen your arguments. Finally, understand how to utilize cohesive devices to seamlessly connect ideas and enhance the overall coherence of your writing.

Topic sentences and supporting details

Topic Sentences and Supporting Details

Topic sentences provide the main idea of a paragraph. To explain them, it’s important to include relevant details.

To illustrate this concept, let’s look at a table. It shows how topic sentences and supporting details work together.

This shows that each topic sentence is followed by supporting details which strengthen the message.

Now let’s delve into the details about topic sentences and supporting details. They should be presented in a logical order. The details should also be relevant and specific to the main idea. By following these principles, writers can effectively convey their points while maintaining coherence.

To improve writing further, consider transitional phrases between supporting details. Also, acknowledge counterarguments within the paragraphs. This helps make it more persuasive without compromising its informative nature.

Providing arguments and examples

Let’s explore how to give strong arguments and examples. Imagine a neat table with data that supports our view. There should be columns of factual numbers to back up the argument. This visual aid is a great way to convince readers.

We also need to include details that haven’t been discussed before. These details add more to our writing, so it looks professional. By looking into lesser-known aspects, we can make our arguments better.

So why wait? Using evidence in your writing will make readers emotional. It will also make them feel like they have to join your perspective. Don’t be scared to use persuasive body paragraphs. Use evidence to make your writing stand out – make it specific to your audience’s needs and interests.

Using cohesive devices to link ideas

Cohesive devices like transitional phrases and linking words can make ideas seamlessly flow. This gives the reader a better understanding of the writer’s thoughts.

A unique way of using them is to introduce examples and supporting evidence in a paragraph. This helps arguments by giving more information that reinforces the main point. “For example” or “specifically” are great phrases for linking ideas and bringing clarity.

Pro Tip: Pick the right word or phrase for the intended meaning. Think about the context of the sentence and choose a cohesive device to accurately express your message.

Crafting the Conclusion

To craft a compelling conclusion in your IELTS essays, summarize the main points, restate the thesis statement, and leave a lasting impression. Summarizing the main points helps reinforce your arguments, restating the thesis statement recaps your stance, and leaving a lasting impression ensures your essay lingers in the reader’s mind.

Summarizing the main points

Crafting a powerful conclusion is essential to leave an impression on readers. Here’s how:

• Highlight each point’s importance & impact.
• Show their connection to form a cohesive narrative.
• Explain how they contribute to the overall message.
• End with a call to action or thought-provoking final remark.

When summarizing main points in an article’s conclusion, aim for clarity and brevity while making sure your words stay with the reader even after they finish reading. Remember that readers’ perception of the article is heavily influenced by the conclusion.

Restating the thesis statement

Have you ever wanted to live a crazier life ? Let’s give it a try! Dance ’till you drop, sing at the top of your lungs, and laugh like there’s no tomorrow . Let loose and have some fun! It’ll be an adventure you won’t soon forget.

Have you ever dreamed of living a wilder life ? Let’s do it! Dance ’til you can’t move, belt out your favorite songs, and laugh with joy . Go for it and have a blast! This will be an adventure you won’t forget anytime soon.

Leaving a lasting impression

It is key to craft a lasting impression. Get to the point, use strong words and visuals. End with a call-to-action.

Customize your message to cater to the needs of your audience. Speak with the right tone and style for engagement.

Winston Churchill is a prime example of leaving a lasting impression. His speeches during World War II inspired nations. Even after his death, his words still have an impact.

To leave a lasting impression, be concise. Employ impactful words. Use visual aids. And make a call-to-action. Understand your audience. Draw inspiration from those who have come before. You can make your mark in communication.

Proofreading and Editing

To ensure high-scoring IELTS essays in the section on proofreading and editing, focus on checking for grammar and spelling errors, improving sentence structure and clarity, and ensuring coherence and cohesion. This process will help refine your writing and make it more polished and effective.

Checking for grammar and spelling errors

Proofreading and editing are essential. Checking for grammar and spelling errors boosts professionalism and increases reader comprehension.

Pay attention to sentence structure, subject-verb agreement, punctuation, and verb tenses to identify potential grammar mistakes. Check for run-on sentences and fragments.

For spelling errors, read the document through and use spell-check tools. But, they may not detect homophones or typos.

A great technique is to read the text aloud. It can help spot awkward phrasing and spelling mistakes. It’s a good idea to get another set of eyes to review the work too.

By following these tips, and being careful, writers can deliver accurate and high-quality work. Proofreading ensures clear communication and boosts professional credibility.

Improving sentence structure and clarity

To better your sentence structure & clarity, follow these 6 steps!

• Start with a topic sentence – clearly state the main idea.
• Use active voice instead of passive for concise writing.
• Keep sentences short & simple.
• Use transitions to connect ideas.
• Cut out wordiness.
• Revise & proofread.

Plus, vary sentence length, check subject-verb agreement, adjust tone according to context, & read aloud . Practicing these tips will help you improve your sentences.

In 1928, Virginia Woolf wrote “Orlando,” a modernist masterpiece. She disregarded traditional sentence structures & embraced a fluid style. Her success proved breaking free from conventional sentences could lead to creative & captivating writing.

Ensuring coherence and cohesion

Key aspects for ensuring coherence and cohesion:

• Transition words – help make a smooth transition between ideas and paragraphs.
• Pronouns – like ‘it’, ‘he’, ‘she’ refer back to nouns, creating continuity.
• Repetition – of words or phrases reinforces main ideas.
• Synonyms – introduce different words to avoid repetition and stay clear.
• Logical order – so readers can follow thoughts easily.

To further improve your writing:

• Read out loud – awkward sentences and gaps in flow become clear.
• Use sentence variety – simple, compound and complex sentences.
• Take breaks – get fresh perspectives on improvement areas.
• Get feedback – let peers or professionals help with coherence and cohesion.

These suggestions help readers follow ideas without confusion. They create clear connections and a seamless experience.

Practice and Tips for Success

To improve your performance in IELTS essays, utilize the ‘Practice and Tips for Success’ section. Discover effective strategies to ace the exam by engaging in exercises such as practicing with sample essay questions, managing time effectively, and seeking feedback for continuous improvement.

Practicing with sample essay questions

Analyze the prompt. Read it carefully and identify the key words or phrases that define the topic. Grasping the prompt helps form a focused thesis statement.

Research and gather info. Do thorough research to gather pertinent facts from reliable sources. Make notes and organize them based on arguments or counterarguments.

Plan your essay. Put together an outline or structure before you start writing. This ensures coherence and logical progression of ideas.

Write a draft. Use the notes and outline as a guide and begin writing your essay. Focus on presenting arguments, proving them, and demonstrating analytical skills.

Review and revise. After completing your draft, review it for clarity, coherence, grammar, and punctuation errors. Make the needed changes to strengthen your essay’s content and flow.

Time management is essential when attempting practice essays to prepare for real exams. Practice with sample essay questions to sharpen your writing, build confidence, and improve future performance.

Notable figures like authors, scholars, and professionals have honed their writing skills by regularly engaging in practice with sample essay questions. This has not only boosted their ability to effectively express thoughts, but also has helped them comprehend different perspectives on multiple topics.

Managing time effectively

Don’t let missed opportunities haunt you! Take control of your time and reap the rewards. To maximize your potential for success, start implementing these techniques now:

• Prioritize tasks. Identify most important ones first . This ensures time is spent on activities that have the greatest impact.
• Set goals. Establish clear goals for each day or week . This provides you with a sense of direction and purpose.
• Create a schedule. Develop a daily or weekly outline that blocks off time for different activities. This helps you allocate time efficiently and prevents procrastination.
• Avoid multitasking. Studies show this decreases productivity. Focus on one task at a time to ensure quality work.

Productivity tools such as task management apps or timers can help. Also, practice self-discipline, and eliminate distractions such as notifications or find a quiet workspace. This enhances focus and concentration. Commit to these strategies consistently and experience benefits like more tasks accomplished within deadlines, and reduced stress levels.

Seeking feedback and improvement

Actively search for feedback from mentors, colleagues, and supervisors . Accept criticism as a chance for progress, not personally. Ask for feedback on a project or performance, to get helpful feedback. Take the time to think about feedback and pick out what you can do to improve. Even with positive feedback, keep searching for ways to develop.

Remember, requesting feedback needs openness and humility . Showing you want to learn is a sign of growth.

Pro Tip: Listen closely to feedback, rather than defending yourself. This will help you understand the point of view and make improvements.

We have reached the end of our step-by-step guide for writing high-scoring IELTS essays . Reflecting on the key points covered, we explored strategies and techniques to improve your essay writing. Understanding the marking criteria, managing time, building strong arguments, structuring essays – these are all necessary tools for success. To craft a strong essay, use relevant examples from academic journals, news outlets, and official reports. Demonstrate critical thinking by analyzing perspectives on a topic. Also, ensure that your ideas flow logically, using transition words and phrases. Diverse vocabulary and sentence structures will show off your language proficiency and engage the reader.

It is important to note that practice is key to success in the IELTS exam . Practice planning, drafting, and editing essays within timed conditions to improve your writing. Dedication, practice, and understanding of the strategies discussed in this article will help you to achieve higher scores . According to The British Council (2020) , candidates who implement these techniques are more likely to succeed.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ 1: What is the key to writing high-scoring IELTS essays? The key to writing high-scoring IELTS essays is to clearly understand the essay question, plan your response, and structure your essay effectively. Additionally, make sure to use a wide range of vocabulary, demonstrate strong grammar skills, and provide evidence and examples to support your ideas.

FAQ 2: How can I improve my vocabulary for IELTS essays? You can improve your vocabulary for IELTS essays by reading extensively, especially from reputable sources such as newspapers, books, and academic articles. Make a note of unfamiliar words and their meanings, and try to use them in your own writing. Additionally, using vocabulary learning resources such as flashcards or vocabulary apps can be helpful.

FAQ 3: Are there any specific essay structures I should follow? Yes, there are several essay structures you can follow, depending on the type of essay question. The most common structures include the Introduction-Body-Conclusion structure and the Pros and Cons structure. It is important to choose a structure that suits the essay question and helps you present your ideas logically.

FAQ 4: How can I improve my grammar skills for IELTS essays? To improve your grammar skills for IELTS essays, practice writing regularly and seek feedback from native English speakers or qualified English language teachers. You can also use grammar reference books or online resources to learn about specific grammar rules and common errors. Take note of your frequent errors and work on them systematically.

FAQ 5: How long should an IELTS essay be? An IELTS essay should be between 250 and 300 words long. Writing within this word limit ensures that you have enough time to develop your ideas and demonstrate your English language proficiency. It is important to manage your time effectively during the exam to allocate enough time for planning, writing, and reviewing your essay.

FAQ 6: How can I practice for writing high-scoring IELTS essays? You can practice for writing high-scoring IELTS essays by practicing timed writing tasks using past IELTS essay questions. Familiarize yourself with the assessment criteria, and self-evaluate your essays. Additionally, seek feedback from experienced IELTS instructors or professional essay evaluators to identify areas for improvement and learn effective strategies.

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IELTS essay plan for writing task 2 (7 steps)

Home  »  IELTS academic task 2 » IELTS essay plan for writing task 2

Before starting your essay you need a solid essay plan.

Avoid jumping straight into the introduction, first organise your ideas.

Ametuer tutors will often over simplify this stage, however, it is incredibly important we plan effectively and extensively before starting to write.

A proper plan will prevent you having to rewrite the paragraph if you find yourself off topic later.

Here is a very brief overview of what we teach in our online ielts course.

1. First classify the question. 2. Brainstorm ideas around the idea and clarify your position for each paragraph. 3. Check the ideas correspond to the question (important for task response). 4. Develop the ideas further. Ask yourself WHY? 5. Develop examples that prove your point. 6. Organise your ideas and plan the paragraph. 7. Write your introduction, paragraphs and conclusion.

1. Classify the question

Here you can find the 5 types of IELTS task 2 questions you are likely to see in the exam.

Opinion (Agree or Disagree) Discuss (Both views + Opinion) Problem + Solution Two Part Question Advantages / Disadvantages

Classifying the question correctly will help you later determine what response you will write.

2. Brainstorm ideas and clarify your position for each paragraph.

At this stage we brainstorm possible ideas, from these ideas we can build out our paragraph.

It is important we get a clear plan established.

Our plan needs to reflect the positions we are taking in each of the paragraphs.

Do we agree or disagree? What are the problems? What are the solutions?

If you struggle for ideas this tutorial will help.

Below is a sample question with sample ideas and positions. In this tutorial we have hundreds of essay questions and sample ideas / answers .

Some people think that it is important to use leisure time for activities that improve the mind, such as reading and doing word puzzles. Other people feel that it is important to rest the mind during leisure time. Discuss both views and give your opinion. 

Paragraph 1:

YES USE LEISURE TIME FOR IMPROVING THE MIND Improve the mind through stimulus, make use of idle time, possibly even learn or improve a language with new apps

Paragraph 2:

NO, REST THE MIND .... because work can be stressful, rest can result in better performance at work ....

3. Check your ideas correspond to the question

Double check that your ideas are answering the question.

It is easy to get an idea and develop it extensively, only to find we are not really answering the essay question.

This will negatively affect your Task Response score which is 25% of the band score criteria in the writing section.

It is easier to catch the problem now - before writing the paragraph.

4. Develop the ideas further. Ask yourself why?

This is a fundamental skill for IELTS essay writing and essential for the criteria: Cohesion and Coherence.

We have a detailed tutorial about cause and effect here .

From the earlier question we had this idea:

Now to develop it further we ask ourselves, why?

...possibly even learn or improve a language with new apps

Because this can bring lots of benefits

Because learning a language improves mental agility.

5. Develop examples that prove your point.

Developing examples is an extremely valuable skill to boost your score.

You can think of studies that prove your point or even give hypothetical examples (and pick up points for grammatical range and accuracy).

In this tutorial we explore at length how to give examples that score high for lexical resource.

6. Organise your ideas and plan the paragraph.

Now we have our: - ideas - position - examples

Now we can organise the paragraph, here is a possible structure to follow:

- introduction / topic sentence - our position - explanation (WHY) - example - paragraph close

At IELTSPodcast our online students have the C2 Template , which is a high scoring template of the structure above. It includes sophisticated sentences and naturally links all your ideas together.

Here is a useful video on this topic.

7. Write your introduction, paragraphs and conclusion.

We only start writing after we have completed the plan we just mentioned.

At first formulating plans will take time but the process gets easier the more times you do it.

Ideally it should become an automatic procedure.

Writing the essay is also a challenge and can take a long time to perfect.

A lot of students get stuck at 6.5 because although they can write excellent paragraphs following a basic structure like the one above, it still is not enough to get Band 7.

You can write essays in perfect normal English following the structure above and still get stuck at Band 6.5.

You see, you need a combination of excellent language skills and excellent exam skills.

We offer a trial essay correction for just $5, we can help you improve faster through feedback. This way you can identify the mistakes being made and avoid making them again.

To get the trial essay correction for $5 just sign up to our mailing list here .

Alternatively, if you need to pass fast then have a look at the Jump to Band 7 or it's Free online IELTS course .

For help improving your IELTS writing , take a look at our essay correction service to help you get a high band score!

Audio tutorial

| Direct Download Here | Stitcher | iTunes | Spotify | Soundcloud |

Tutorials and Tips to Prepare for Task 2

• How to Get Ideas for Task 2
• Band 9 Sample Essay
• Extremely Useful Sentences for Task 2
• Five Powerful Sentence Structures to use in your IELTS Writing test
• How to use comparisons in Task 2
• Concession Paragraphs for “do I agree/disagree essays”
• How to write an IELTS Essay Conclusion
• IELTS Cohesion and Coherence
• 3 ways to paraphrase for your Task 2 introduction
• Marking Criteria for IELTS Writing
• Topics Sentences for Your Essays
• 7 Ways to Improve your Sentences in Your IELTS Essays
• Grammar for IELTS Writing
• Academic Collocations for Task 2
• Free Essay Band Score Evaluation
• Sign up to claim your free IELTS materials
• Jump to Band 7 or it’s Free
• IELTS Writing Evaluation
• IELTS Band Score Calculator
• Book Your Online IELTS Test
• Sample Topic Answers
• Useful Sentences
• Sample Task 2 Questions 2022
• Introduction to Paraphrasing
• Model Band 9 Essay
• Five Band 9 Words
• Model Band 7 Essay
• Differences Band 9 vs Band 7 Essay
• Band 6.5 Essay
• Academic Collocations
• Topic Sentences
• Discuss Both Views
• Tutorial: To What Extent Essays
• Paraphrasing Introductions
• Essay Structures
• Essay Plans
• Describe a Pie Chart
• Using Percentages
• Map Vocabulary
• Describe Flow Charts
• Describe a Bar Chart
• How to get Band 9
• AT 1 Sample Questions 2022
• Describe a Graphic
• GT Task 1 Questions 2022
• IELTS Vocabulary
• Google Play / Podcasts
• Apple Podcast
• Android App
• Task 2 Sample Questions
• AT 1 Questions

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IELTS Preparation with Liz: Free IELTS Tips and Lessons, 2024

• Test Information FAQ
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• Computer IELTS: Pros & Cons
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• Useful Links & Resources
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IELTS Writing Task 2: Essay Planning Tips

IELTS essay planning tips. Learn how to plan your IELTS essay successfully. Learn how to use your time to plan ideas and paragraphs as well as other essential aspects of your IELTS essay.

Should I spend time planning my essay?

Yes, you should. 50% of your marks as based on your ability to answer the essay question directly, present relevant ideas, have clear supporting points to extend the main ideas, to organise your ideas and have logical paragraphing. So, spending time planning is essential for any student aiming for band score 6, 7, 8 or 9.

When you get to writing task 2, you will be tired. You will already have done the listening test, reading test and writing task 1. This means your concentration and energy levels will be low. It is easy to make a mistake with the essay question, lose focus in your writing and present disorganised ideas. This is another reason why planning is so important. It helps you focus and create a clear strategy with clear ideas. This will make writing your essay easier and help you write a strong essay.

How much time should I spend planning?

Some teachers will tell you to plan for at least 10 minutes. This is good advice but I know what most students are too nervous to spend so much time planning. Other teachers advise students to spend about 3 minutes. This is enough to plan main ideas but not to plan supporting points and to organise ideas.

I advise you to spend at least 5 minutes planning. You must practice planning your essay and calculate how long it really takes you to create a strong plan for your essay. Whatever you decide, know that planning is critical. Lack of planning is the common downfall of most students.

What should I plan before I start writing?

You should have a clear outline of the following before you start your essay:

• identifying the issues in the essay question
• brainstorming main points
• choosing the best main points
• planning supporting points
• organising paragraphs

Should I practice planning my essays at home before my test?

Yes, definitely. There is a skill to good logical essay planning which you need to practice. On this blog, I have over 100 essay questions for IELTS writing task 2. While it might be difficult to practice writing over 100, you should certainly spend time planning a lot of them even if you don’t have time to write the full essay. The better you are at planning, the better your essay will be. See the link below for essay questions.

Where can I write my plan?

You can write your plan on the question paper. There is plenty of room to write on the question paper and the examiner will not see it. The examiner only sees the answer sheet. So, use the question paper to plan your essay.

I have seen many high level students with very good English fail to get band score 7, not because of their English, but because of their poor essay planning. Don’t let that happen to you! Plan your essay thoroughly before you start writing your essay.

Recommended

• Band Scores 5 to 8 Explained for Writing Task 2
• Over 100 Essay Questions for IELTS
• Essay Ideas for Writing Task 2
• All Writing Task 2 Lessons & Tips

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Thank you Liz for all you do for us. Please I wrote an essay on this topic; Some people think that the government is wasting money on the arts and that this money could be better spent elsewhere. To what extent do you agree with this. Most people believe that the government spends a lot of money on the arts and that the money could be invested in something better. In my opinion,I agree that the government spends a lot of money on arts than investing in health. Firstly,health is an aspect of an individual’s life that deals with a state of well being either physically, emotionally, socially and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Health encompasses the state of being free from sickness but the government does not invest well on this aspect as can be seen in the areas where there are no rehabilitation centres or programmes to help persons in the society who may be recovering from mental stress or sickness,to help them adapt well into the society,neither are there good hospitals and facilities to improve people’s health and well being. Some hospitals lack essential equipments that is necessary to carry out investigations and sometimes the hospitals make use of worn-out instruments which gives false readings and hence leading to judgement of a wrong diagnosis. On the one hand, the government maps out huge amount of money to be used on arts,artworks, exhibitions and displays . She also redecorates the museum always and forgets some important aspect of of every individual’s life. Yes,it is true that the museum should be in good shape and function so that the crafts and old artifacts in it will be preserved but if the people that would utilize it are not with good health, of what essence is it? In conclusion, I would recommend that less money should be spent by the government on arts and more invested in science , technology and health so as to create a balance and improve the lives of the people.

Please help to rate it let me know how much I need to practice. Thank you.

Children brought up in families with less money are better prepared for life than those from whealthy families? To what extend do you agree or disagree?

Ans- childhood is a age when children learn useful skills and with its help make their future better . Some people think that pupils from middle class familiea are provident for their future comparing to those belong from prosperous families . However, in my point of view ,family financial status alone cannot impact much on children future prepration

On the one hand ,children from poor families know the conditions of their family life and they donot waste money . Poor family students often seen doing best in school ans universities . However ,some children from middle class families donot get proper financial support from their family and will not able to take admission in finer school and college . children from poor families work somewhere to fulfil their needs that donot provide them much time for studies.

On the other hand, pupils from rich families often seen in parties ,pubs and clubs .They donot care for money because their families have enough money to give them facilities to join superior university and can hire personal tutor. Needless to say, that not every child belong form wealty family is week in studies and donot care for their future.

In conclusion, it is often seen that children from middle class families are much aware comparing to those belong from high class families .But i personally believe that, family conditions alone cannot allow pupils to take decision for future .Family environment ,parents behaviour and student own thinking ability also play a crucial role to be prepared for future

Please tell me that how many band this essay can get i will be happy if you reply😊

Hi liz Thank you so much for your website I have a question and hope you could help me asap. I’m close to my exam but confused. You know far better than me one criterion for band 7 8 is that “each paragraph focuses on one central topic” . I saw an IELTS learning video says do not put two three points in one paragraph base on law above. It will lower your score. That says just tell one, then explain it and finally give an example. So, is it true? In your videos you are putting some numbers of reasons in a paragraph (showing them with firstly, secondly, one problem, another issue). Although you extended every points, it is not against rule of “one central topic on one paragraph”?! Is not several topic?

I will be grateful if you answer. I used to your method as more answers give the chance to write more to reach 250 word limit and in my level, extending just one topic could not be that easy. What do you think? Thanks.

I can understand your confusion. The band score descriptors do say “each paragraph focused on one central topic”. For example, all advantages in one paragraph is a central topic – it is a collection of advantages. This is 100% normal for IELTS and does come under the category of central topic. Paragraphing in IELTS is very largely about logic. I hope this helps.

I have two more days for my IELTS and I`ve realized that I`m nowhere close to scoring more than 6 due to lack of my preparation.I’m relying on your videos and whatever I score, I owe it to you. I found your videos and you are my savior. Thank you Liz.

Use your two days carefully. Make sure you review this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-help-faq/ and also read this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-exam-tips-on-the-day/ . Make a short list of other things to check. Good luck!

Thank you for this amazing IELTS source. I have struggle with generating ideas for writing task-2. My mind always goes to writing fancy ideas but it ends with not organizing my thoughts properly. Could you please tell me how to organize ideas?How to simple simple and find relevant ideas?

Organising ideas is about technique. Gaining ideas is about learning ideas. For technique, see my Advanced Lessons. For ideas see my Ideas E-book: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hi dear Liz I used to think it is incorrect to mention ” I will discuss ” in an academic essay until two weeks ago that I was told by my Ielts tutor that I “must” use the pronoun “I” in my IELTS writing task 2. I was wondering what is the correct answer?

That is 100% untrue. If the instructions ask for your opinion, you must give it. The only way to write your personal opinion in English is to write: I think or I believe or In my opinion or I agree etc. So, you must use “I” if the instructions call for it. If the instructions do not call for it, you don’t use it. Just follow the instructions. See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Hello Liz I’m Alphonse Taju from Cameroon. I appreciate ur wonderful work here. Infact it’s really helping me through my preparation. I’m so privileged to have come to know this blog.

Pls is there a link which explains other forms of task 2 essay questions apart from opinion essay?? Thanks in advance for ur reply

Click on “Writing task 2” on the RED BAR at the top of the website.

Hello Liz, Do we get higher band score for better ideas ? If I maintain the structure and give supporting points along with examples, will it still not boost the band score? Please advise mam

All your answers are found on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Hi Liz, I am Nitin Singh from India. I read your blog posts & article about tips to get high score in IELTS exam. Your viewpoints are really worth to follow and your suggestions are really good. I was doing practice for IELTS general writing task 2 by writing essays. When I saw few examples, I found a line “This essay will first discuss about advantages of and then outline about disadvantages” (for an essay about advantages or disadvantages) . This line “This essay will first discuss……and then…..” was written in all different type of essays (Opinion/Advantages or disadvantages/Discussion etc). My question- is it OK to write this line in all types of messages? Will it make structure of my essay better to get more score? Kindly guide me.

This is an English test. You are marked on your ability to create your own sentences.

Would mind showing us an example how do you plan an essay? Maybe you could use an essay from the suggested 100.

My full writing task 2 lessons are my advanced lessons: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

I want to purchase your all videos but I live in Turkey ,Paypal is forbidden here . I need to buy ıf there is another method , for example I have credıt card. You have mentioned about your site but ı could not find this method to buy it.

Please help me.

Using either an account or card is fine, but paypal will process the transaction. Try asking a friend elsewhere to buy the lessons for you.

The last link in this article is linked to a 404 (not found) page.

Thanks for letting me know – I fixed it.

Thank you so much for all your tutorials. I found them very beneficial. I am currently practicing Writing Task 2 GT and I would like to see sample answers to some of the common essay questions. Is there a link for that?

Thanks again Nadine

You can find essay questions here: https://ieltsliz.com/100-ielts-essay-questions/ . you can find all tips, lessons and model essays here: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Hello Liz mam I revently had a discussion with a ielts trainer near my house.He said you can get a high band score only if u write factual information.For example write international examples, write dates of events related to information of your topic. He said start reading newspaper for this..google search etc. What should i do? I AM TOTALLY CONFUSED

The examiner does not check dates or facts. Do you really think the examiner reads your task 2 essay and then researches your data? Of course not. The examiner will mark you on the following band requirements: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2-band-scores-5-to-8/ . Accuracy of data is not part of the writing task 2 marking criteria. Also see my model essays on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Hello Liz Mam I use very long sentences during my ielts writing practise. Please give me some tios for better writing and a good score.

I am currently writing a grammar list e-book for writing task 2 – I hope to have it ready to purchase in a couple of months. Long sentences are not always good. You should be limiting the length and selecting different types of sentence structures.

Hello Liz, I am interested with the book. Could you notify me, when it is ready to purchase. You can send me the email.

I’ll post a notice on this site when it’s ready. I’m hoping to have it ready by March or April. Sorry it can’t be sooner.

Can I write task 2 essay entirely based on personal experience?

It is a formal essay so keep a formal content.

Hello Liz my question is that it is very difficult to me to analyze many questions in writing task 2 . I don’t know how to write introduction paragraph in a good way . Similarly, planning brainstorm ideas, and how to describe it with example, mentioning topic sentence is more difficult for me. Please Liz help me about this issue I am very weak in ielts task 2. I am unable to get good marks in writing. How can I get at least 6.5 in ielts writing thank you ..

It sounds like you need to learn step by step. I suggest you get one of my advanced writing task 2 lessons. They are not cheap but they will answer your questions and help you see more clearly and write an essay more easily: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hi Liz I want to know how much panulty made on grammatical mistakes both inWT-1 and 2

Grammar counts for 25% of your marks in writing. Your grammar is assessed by range and accuracy.

Hey Liz , I have my exam within 3 days . I would like to know, do they reduced the score if cancel out or strike out your mistake and rewrite in above it . It looks shabby atimes . Could please answer my question .

If the examiner can easily read your writing, it’s fine. If the examiner can’t easily read your writing, it will impact your score.

1.So the strike words or crossed words will be ignore and not affect the score right as long as it can be read ? 2.Also can I put a small arrow “^” to indicate the word have replaced is it wrong or right ? 3. Neat and non strike essay increase your band score .

Thank for the reply Could please answer these questions too.

I don’t know what you mean by non-strike essay. This is not an English term. You can alter mistakes, insert new words and as long as it is clear, it won’t affect your score.

This tip will really help me to manage my time in writing . All your lessons were also great help to me to prepare for the exam . Thank you so much 🙂

First of all thank you for such useful tips. My question is, Does poor hand writing affect getting a good band? My hand writing is not very clear no matter how hard I try, it never looks pretty on paper. Please advise.

Many thanks Sajid

If the examiner can’t read it, you will get a low score.

Liz I was wondering if I could write some samples for the writing tasks both 1 and 2 and send you for comments and suggestions. Would that be all right? How would I mail them to you? I missed out on my required band score just by 0.5 getting a 6.5 instead of 7 so I really need to improve it! Thanks.

I’m so sorry but I don’t offer that service.

I wish to confirm few things from you regarding TASK-2 in GT. 1) If in the Question, it’s not mentioned to give relevant examples and we quotes them, will we be marked negatively on that? 2) In my previous exams, I wrote approx 390-400 words and I got 6.5…was I marked negatively if I exceed the limit ?

1) it’s fine to use examples when you want 2) a long essay will produce more errors and be less focused – so it will not help your score. You should aim for between 270 and 290 words for task 2 with no errors (this means spending time proof reading).

Hi Liz. Wanted to know regarding the writing task 1 do we give any opinion or suggestion or possible explanation for the graph/pie figures or only describe the data?

You NEVER give an opinion. Task 1 is a factual report based on the information given – not your views. See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/

Hi Liz, Thank you for your help. I normally come up with good answers ( main points ) and examples ; however, I found out that my weak point is to develop supporting points. can you talk more about this part please?

Thanks Abdu

People think supporting points are special and different ideas. Your body paragraph should contain a topic sentence which is your main point. All sentences after that explain your main point in more detail – that’s all. Supporting sentences are just more details.

Dear Liz, Just now I bought your Advanced lessons to improve my writing skill. I took IELTS GT last month and got 6.5 in writing. I want to get 7. Hope I would get 7 in next sitting after studying your advanced lesson. If you have any special advice for students those who are struck on 6.5, please do share with us

Here are some pointers: 1. Avoid errors in grammar or vocab. This means – don’t make your sentences too long, keep them accurate, don’t use words you are not 100% sure about. Aim for accuracy and don’t try to impress. 2. This is a language test. That means each sentence is unique to you and your essay. Don’t use learned expressions or phrases, such as “this essay will discuss the …” 3. Address all issues in the question and follow the instructions. Never add anything that isn’t asked for. 4. Learn from my advanced lessons. I’m sure you will have your eyes opened.

Hi Liz, I found out your blog while searching for IELTS tips on the internet. Thank you very much for this resourceful and very helpful blog. This is just what I was looking for. Since I’m preparing by myself, I was afraid of the process of studying. Your blog is a guide for me from now on. Thank you very much!!

I’m glad you found my website. Remember , the more you understand about the test, the less confused you will feel and the more your confidence will grow 🙂 Good luck!

Hi Mam, Good day to you. could you please give your opinion that, which book is right choice to buy? Is it Cambridge IELTS 11 or 12 Academic?

They are both fine. Book 12 is more recent.

Thank you so much . You are the best !

Hi Mam, Is it advisable to use pencil for the task 2 in the academic?

It’s your choice entirely in the writing test. What do you feel most comfortable using?

I think that using pencil will make me to write without any mistakes I mean in case if i need to correct it can easily handle . Do I need to make sure that my entire writing is neat? Is that more important?

It needs to be easy for the examiner to read.

I think I understand how to write an essay before I write it.

Hi Liz, Have you covered your lessons, tips and lectures in a book? If so, how and where can I find it. A book would be really helpful. Thanks

I don’t have a book but I do have advanced writing task 2 lessons: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hi Liz, I recently took my IELTS exam and I got a 6.5 on my Writing and I was aiming for at least a 7.0. As I was taking my Writing exam, I had trouble with time. I wrote an introduction, 2 body paragraphs and a conclusion but the words weren’t enough. Also, due to the topic, which I was not familiar with (Space Tourism) and the time constraint, I wasn’t able to organize my thoughts completely. Before I took the test, I was chatting with some of the other test takers and one of them said that she planned to do the Task 2 first and never mind if she doesn’t answer the Task 1 well or AT ALL. I was wondering if this is a good exam strategy. Should I answer the Task 2 first then get to my Task 1 after IF I have more time? What if I don’t get to finish my Task 1 because I spent too much time trying to pass my Task 2? Since in the Writing Test, Task 2 has a bigger point percentage than Task 1.

You can decide which one to do first. But to decide that task 1 isn’t worth much is wrong. It is worth 33% of your marks – that’s quite a lot. You should be training yourself to do task 2 in 40 mins and task 1 in 20 mins. You should be practising this at home. The topic of space tourism is well known in IELTS and it is listed on my essay questions page: https://ieltsliz.com/100-ielts-essay-questions/ . This means you didn’t prepare all the topics sufficiently. Start preparing ideas for common topics and recent topics: http://www.ieltsliz.com/recent-ielts-questions-and-topics and also practise timing.

Hi liz thank you very much for the very nice level of the information you are giving to us. i have one point which is really confusing me always in task 2 writing . for example, the video that you posted in you tube about single sex schools VS mixed schools or the essays which have the same way of presentation. should i mention advantages and disadvantages of the single sex schools and then go to the mixed schools paragraph and again mention advantages and disadvantages. or i should plan my essay by writing FIRSTLY the advantages of the single sex schools and then mixed schools and SECONDLY the disadvantages of the single sex schools and mixed schools. or i should mention only the advantages of both kind of schools in 2 paragraphs. thank you

I posted a video about ideas for co-ed schools or single sex schools – only the ideas. You must use those ideas appropriately for the essay question. I suggest you start looking at model essays and other tips: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Dear Lize, First, i am extremely appreciating what you did for us as IELTS success seekers. I had so mush of your tips and lessons through the last few months. I did my IELTS test on 13th May 2017. I thing my performance in Reading, Writing and Speaking was OK (thanks to your videos and tips), however, i don’t think my grade in Listing will be as i was wishing. For the Writing test: Task 1: write a letter responding to Airline company survey about your last trip with them. how you heard about them, what did you like and what is your recommendations. Task 2: some people thing that employees at the age of 60 or 65 should be retired, but others think they shouldn’t be released until they choose to. what is your opinion? for the Speaking test: after the casual introduction. where you live and what you like about it, do you wish to stay living there and why? speak about a situation when you tried new foreign food, when and where, what did like and dislike. Do you like shoes? do you think that people expend so much on shoes, do people choose based on where it made? and why? choosing based on where it made, is it discrimination? why and why not? My results will be after 13 days. Please wish me luck.

Thanks for sharing 🙂 Good luck!!

Hi Liz, i have been following your webpage from a week and very thankful for your prompt replies and valuable suggestions. Im currently using this blog for my GT prepration. Below i have made an attempt to task1 above assuming it to be formal, i may be wrong but appreciate your quick comments and suggestions. If you were an examiner, what band do you give. Sorry but im curious here. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear Sir, My name is Jagan. I have come across your advertisement and considered your airliner for one of my recent trip to London. I am writing this letter in response to your survey request to prvide my feedback followed by some recommendations.

I have booked my travel ticket using your webpage. It is very intutive and well organised. I personally liked the way you have communicated the flight departure information with all germane details.

I also liked and enjoyed the inside ambience of your aircraft that was clean and hygenic. Arrangements like magazines, music CDs and ear phones are much appreciated. The onboard crew’s response and politeness is impressive. The food was delicious and served with care.

Having enjoyed my travel, I would like to recommend availabilty of general physician onboard who could help the passengers with high altitude numbness and vomiting sensations. It would be great to increase the limit of water bottles to two from one.

I hope my recommendations will help you to serve better.

Yours Faithfully, Jagan Mudinendla ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks in advance….

Thanks Liz… your tips and lectures were amazing…. i jut prepared for two days from your blog and did very well in today’s exams… but not sure about speaking..

I’m glad to hear it went well for you. I’ll keep my fingers crossed you get a good score in speaking 🙂

hello mam, while writing in task 1 and task 2 should I underline with pencil the main points???????

Not in your writing, no. The examiner will know the main points because of the way you organise your essay. Purchase my advanced lessons if you need training: http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore

Good afternoon liz

When we get an opinion type of essay, after brainstorming ideas and the selection of relevant ideas how can we for the explanation ? Do you have any method to explain our ponits / arguments?

Each body paragraph states one reason why you have your opinion. Each body paragraph presents one main point with explanation and detail to support or explain your view.

Hi Liz!! Can we use citations of authorities, of the news, science or just “most psycologist state that children…” as supporting points in Essay 2? I´m afraid about my arguments..

You are not marked on evidence or facts. You are marked on your language and your explanations which support your ideas. Just explain it in your own words.

great articles indeed

Hopefully next month 🙂

FIRST OF ALL I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE AND THANK YOU FOR THE WONDERFUL WORK ON THIS SITE. THIS IS GREAT HELP FOR THE CANDIDATES.

IF YOU COULD POSSIBLY ANSWER ONE QUESTION I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT CAN I USE UNCOMMON VOCABULARY WHILE ATTEMPTING TASK 2 FOR EXAMPLE WORDS LIKE “ACQUIESCE ” IN STEAD OF AGREE ? AND IS THE PASSIVE VOICE MORE ACCEPTABLE FOR TASK 2?

Uncommon vocabulary is fine to use when it is appropriate but it will not give you a higher score when you use is inappropriately. In normal essay writing for IELTS, we do not write “acquiesce”, however we do use “agree”. Be appropriate at all times – any use of inappropriate vocabulary will lower your score. The passive voice is used when it is appropriate, for example “it is thought that” instead of “people think that”.

Thanks for your reply

I have an ambition to score 9 bands. Is it possible? If yes please give some tips.

Band 9 is possible if you have excellent English and understand IELTS thoroughly.

Hello Thanks for your useful website in Writing task2,what should we do if we would not know the meaning of the keyword.for example,if the topic asks us to explain our opinion about Anorixia(one of my friend`s topic) would you please guide me?

This is a difficult situation. In writing task 2, you are being marked on your ability to address all the issues in the essay question. If you don’t understand the words, you won’t get a high score. There is nothing you can do except try to guess the meaning and write your essay as closely to the topic as you can. Each exam is a gamble in some way as you can’t predict the topics which is why some students take more than one test.

Hi mam My ielts exam date 4 August 2016 Please send me some information writing task 2 questions

https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Hello liz.. I want to know about the singular and plural answers in listening.. if I could just catch the word and not the tense.. for example waiter and waiters.. what should I do. Can I write the answer using a slash for example.. waiter/waiters or a bracket like waiter(s)… to be on a safer side….

You write one answer.

Hi mam, I have an advise for everyone, please read the question at least three time .Then only you will understand the question clearly.

Good advice. Not only read it three times but underline key words in the question to ensure your essay addresses all parts of the task.

Hi mam can u please give me an example about how actually u prepare ur plan brainstorming for eassy give me some example so that i can practise a bit please?

See my advanced lessons which explain how to analyse the essay question and organise ideas: http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore

Dear Liz Is it right if I have my topic sentence in the middle or at the end of a paragraph? I mean “starting the paragraph with explanation or supporting ideas, then putting the topic sentence if it is possible to logically and grammatically add it”. Will it increase my overall band score? I’m looking forward to hearing you at your earliest convenience. Thanks in advance

https://ieltsliz.com/liz-notice-2015-2016/

Mam can I write an idiom in the conclusion.. like for example.. in conclusion, I am of the opinion that children should be given formal education at school as it is the ‘need of the hour’.

Mam I also wish to know.. recently I appeared for an ielts exam. General category.. my essay question was Newspaper and music I available for free on internet. Is it a positive or negative trend? I should write both the advantages and disadvantages if I am not wrong.. (the question is not completely the same but near it for sure)

Just answer the question: do you think it is a positive trend or do you think it is a negative trend?

https://ieltsliz.com/using-quotes-or-idioms-in-your-ielts-essay/

hi😊 good day., i am practicing myself on the writing area where i only got a 5.5 score on my first ielts exam., i will retake ielts on saturday ( jan. 23) please help me do better to get a band score of at least 6 here is a writing on what i have done in a full 40 mins… >>there seems to be an increasing number of serious crimes committed each year. while some think the best way is to use the death penalty as a deterrant , many people believe that other measures will be needed. discuss both sides. it seems taht there is a growing number of serius crimes committed each year cycle. a number of people believe that the most effective method as a deterrent is to use the death penalty, on the other hand , people think that there are other measures that will be needed. death penalty have been implemented in some countries like china, uae and malaysia. by this punishment, people in their country are afraid to commit a crime. they are afraid to be caught and be put into death. though, there are still some who have committed crimes. before the day of their scheduled death penalty, their family members were the ones who were trying to convince the government to give them another chance and forgive the culprit. but having mercy with the relatives will not hinder the official to push through the punishment & abide to their law. another were the tourists. they have commited a crime because they are unaware of the law and their practices that such death penalty is being used in their country. though they are unaware, they are still unexcused to acquire the said penalty. as tonwhat the law states ” ignorance of the law excuses no one ” . many have witnessed death penalty is really implemented and no one is exempted because they are just following the law. thus, many people believe that death penalyty is the best method to reduce the number of crimes annually. however , other believe that other measures will be needed to control the increasing number of crimes. such measures are putting the culprit into jail,and also having the person person pay the damages he has done. this punishment will give the suspect a little chance to put right what he has done wrong. by this methods, the person will realize that it is not easy to be in prisonned and to pay a big amount of money. he is internalizing that he will not commit a crime agaiin because he is now suffering inside the cell and in paying a big amount of money, it is a big lost for the person. by this methods, folks will be aware that if you will commit a crime there is a certain punishment that would be given to you. this will be a factor to decrease the crimes that is happening in a year. 😊please have time to read it and please give comments on my weaknesses . thank you 😄

Mam I am confused about writing the main paragraphs of the essay , please help me on that

I have two questions

1. Even though I use a pencil, I keep missing words or phrases in the middle of sentences, which I notice later. What I always do is use the following arrow sign to add the info – ” ^ ” on top. But is it forbidden to use this technique in the IELTS exam?

2. Does neatness matter?

I am looking forward to your reply. And I really wanted to thank you for helping all of us prepare for this exam.

I bought 3 of your videos and I watched discussion essay video today. I have a query writing one sided discussion essays. As per video tutorial, in BP1, you have given your opinion along with others’ view and in BP2, opinions of people for other side . But is it not required to mention why we are not choosing the second opinion?

I am practising sample discussion essay questions now. Your video helped me a lot.

Thanks and Regards, Pallavi

If the question was “To what extent do you agree” you should certainly explain why you don’t agree with the other side because your whole essay is about giving your opinion in lots of detail. However, this is a discussion essay with an opinion. That means the opinion takes up only 30% of the whole essay. You don’t have enough words to explain why you support one side and also why you don’t support the other side. For this reason, the structures I have suggested work best. All the best Liz

I got your point now. Thanks for the detailed explanation.

Regards, Pallavi

My question is , is there any word limit for writing example in writing task 2. How many examples we can write in writing task 2.

Don’t write more than one for each main points. It is unnecessary to write more. Liz

Thanks for the wonderful information. I have a question, what tense shall I choose in writings task 2? Can I choose more than one tense? What about passive and active voices? And what shall I use?

See my model essays for writing task 2 can count the number of tenses I use. All the best Liz

Dear Liz Thanks for the reply in which you recommended me your video lesson on task conclusion /overview. But my problem is that I can’t open any of your video lessons. Don’t know how to get it open. If u could kindly help or if I can find these lessons in written form Thanks and regards

All my videos are hosted with youtube. The information is only contained on the videos. Sorry Liz

Dear Liz Do we have to write conclusion in task 1????? Waiting for your valuable reply

Please see this lesson: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-tips-conclusion-or-overview-for-writing-task-1/ Liz

Hello, I found in some Ielts task 2 questions of writing this sort of sentence : “Do you have any reservations?” or similar. Can you please explain me what this means Thanks

There is no IELTS writing task 2 question like that. You should only be using IELTS Cambridge test papers to practice writing. All the best Liz

Dear teacher, Should we use these terms: 1. However, we should not turn a blind eye to the unexpected outcomes, one of which is the… 2. This is not to say that… / Those who harbor the view that…would argue that…

Certainly don’t use the first one. You can’t memorise a whole sentence or 17 words together and pretend that they are your own. The examiner will know that you have memorised that language and will not count it. For the other examples, they are shorter and more flexible so are fine. All the best Liz

Thanks a lot for your advice 🙂 I also find this kind of question confusing: ‘Do you think this is a positive or negative development?’ do I discuss both sides along with giving my opinion? or should I focus on my chosen view?

I don’t know how to explain it more clearly. It does not ask for both, it does not say “and”. It says “or” which means you choose. Your opinion is your choice and is the only task given to you. The whole essay is your answer. You chose one and explain it. All the best Liz

Thank you so much for your fantastic website. For the essays that ask for the reasons of a specific problem as well as the solutions, can we include the solution at the end of each paragraph that starts with the topic of the reasons of the problem? If not, how can we arrange the paragraphs if we want to offer more than one solution? What I usually do is: introduction, 1st reason or main point in the 1st paragraph, 2nd reason in the other paragraph, and one solution that is included in conclusion. Is that okay? Also, I usually, write my thesis as: “This essay will explore the reasons of this issue as well as the solutions.” In this way, I try to attract the reader’s attention to follow the essay for my reasons and solutions, Is that okay or do I need to mention the specific reasons and solutions in my thesis? I’m a bit confused, would you please advise?

Thank you in advance

Always keep your paragraphing clear and logical. One body paragraph – reason(s) and one body paragraph for the solution(s). All the best Liz

Dear mam, I have just found your website and it’s very important every ielts test takers as I. So I first thank for you. I had five times ielts general module exam and unfortunately, every time I have received 5.5 for reading and listening how can I improve my score up to 7 for both .

Try this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-reading-tips-how-can-i-improve-my-score/ Liz

Respected Madame, Greetings to you.I got my UKVI IELTS Academic results just today.Unfortunate enough,I scored only 6.5 in writing module where I was requiring and expecting band 7.Additionally,I scored 7 in speaking and 8 in both reading and listening.I need to achieve band 7 in each module and overall for my NMC registration in U.K.. Albeit,I am contemplating on re-evaluation but am dithering about it for the fact that it takes 7 weeks for the outcome.Therefore,I request your valuable opinion regarding re-evaluation and the chances of getting band 7 from 6.5 when evaluated by a senior British examiner. In anticipation. Your faithfully, Bobby. P.S.: kindly oblige me by evaluating my leter.

You could consider a remark for writing if you can answer “yes” to the following questions: Task 1 1. did you write a clear overview in task 1? Did your overview contain ALL key features? 2. Did you avoid the conclusion? It isn’t needed. 3. Did you support your body paragraph with facts, dates and numbers, if you had a chart, table or graph? 4. Did you write over 150 words? If you didn’t don’t bother with a remark. Task 2 5. Did you write a clear answer to the essay question in your introduction? If you were asked for an opinion, did you put it in the introduction? 6. Did you write over 250 words? If you didn’t, don’t bother with a remark. 7. Did each body paragraph have a clear central topic? 8. Did you use a range of linking devices? If you use a reasonable range, it’s ok. 9. Did you finish your essay? Did you write a conclusion? If you didn’t don’t bother with a remark. 10. Did you over paraphrase? Did you try to change words too much which produces too many errors?

Hopefully that will help you make the right decision. It is possible to get an increase of 0.5 in one skill. But it does depend on your performance relating to the above points. All the best Liz

I need your suggestion as I’m unable to figure out where I am losing the score.

S-6.5, R-7.5, L-7.5, W-7.0 (1st attempt, 13 Jun) S-8.0, R-8.0, L-8.0, W-6.0 (2nd attempt, 27 Jun)

As I needed at least a 7 in each section, I knew it after 1st attempt that I’d messed it up in Speaking and immediately booked the next available date.

However, in next one as you can see, my score has dropped by an entire band (7.0 to 6.0) in Writing, though, the score went up in all the other sections.

As far as Writing goes, I think I’ve lost marks in task achievement section.

It was a double essay question and I did follow your paraphrasing techniques in the introduction as well as conclusion.

Also, made sure that I’ve directly answered both the questions.

But was not confident after exam in task achievement criteria.

Moreover, I’ve booked next exam in 2 weeks and need your suggestion on the things that I should concentrate on to get at least a 7 in Writing.

The problem with writing could lie in either task 1, task 2 or both. You mention Task Achievement but this is for task 1 not task 2. Task Response is for task 2. You need to learn more about how your writing is assessed and what the examiner is looking for. See my band score pages in the writing sections.

Also ask yourself these questions: Task 1 1. Did you write an overview? 2. Did the overview contain ALL key features? 3. Did you avoid the conclusion? 4. Did you use the right grammar, the right vocabulary and the right linking devices for the type of task? 5. Did you have two body paragraphs? 6. Did you avoiding giving too much detail? 7. Did you write over the word count?

If you answer “yes” to all the above questions, the problem might be writing task 2. You will need to review all lessons. It is a shame to book your next test in only two weeks when you don’t know where your problem lies. However, hopefully you will be successful and work on your weaknesses. All the best Liz

After you’ve pointed out, it indeed sounds silly that I’ve booked anothe exam before understanding my weaknesses.

Thanks for sharing this valuable advice.

Don’t worry. If you spend time trying to sort out your weak points, you can still do well 🙂

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10 TIPS FOR WRITING PERFECT IELTS ESSAYS

22nd August 2019 By Alex Markham 9 Comments

Students often feel that writing near perfect IELTS essays are the most difficult part of the exam.

However, there are several strategies and techniques you can use to help you to to write a great Academic IELTS Task 1 and Task 2 essay.

HOW TO WRITE A PERFECT IELTS ESSAYS

Task 1 requires you to distill and report the information from a graph or table and for Task 2, you are expected to develop and support an opinion based on a question or point of view. And all this in your 2nd or 3rd language.

However, once you understand how to respond to the questions and what the IELTS examiners are looking for, then things become a little more straightforward.

Follow these 10 tips below and you’ll be on your way to a better mark. Maybe even the perfect IELTS essay .

TIP 1: REMEMBER HOW THE IELTS WRITING IS ASSESSED

Each of the two IELTS writing tasks are marked using 4 criteria. Each one of the criteria is worth 25% of the total mark for that task. Only two of the criteria cover grammar and vocabulary so you need to also focus on how you answer and structure your essays.

These are the criteria that the examiner will use with a brief explanation of what you need to do:

Task Response: You need to address every part of the question. You need to demonstrate a clear opinion. Your points need to be developed and supported.

Coherence and Cohesion: Your essay is structured logically. You have used appropriate paraphrasing and synonyms. You have used linking and connecting words and phrases correctly.

Lexical Resource: Wide range of vocabulary and phrases. Good use of less-common vocabulary. No or few spelling mistakes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Uses a wide range of advanced grammar structures. Sentences contain no or few errors.

TIP 2: DON’T START WRITING IMMEDIATELY. THINK AND PLAN

You will have one hour to write two IELTS essays. You should allocate 20 minutes for Task 1 and 40 minutes for Task 2. Use the question paper to make some notes before you start to write the report/essay.

• Allocate 2 to 3 of your 20 minutes of task 1 for planning. Finish after 20 minutes. Do not eat into your Task 2 time.
• Allocate around 4 or 5 minutes of your 40 minutes for Task 2 to planning.
• Allow a minute or 2  at the end of each of the tasks to check for errors.

TIP 3: MAKE SURE YOU ANSWER EXACTLY WHAT THE QUESTION ASKED FOR

Read the question carefully and underline all the information you need to include . Plan your response and only then begin to answer the question  exactly as it asks for.  

For example, if the Task 2 question asks for your opinion on university education, stick to university education. Do not stray into other types of education as the examiner will probably ignore it.

25% of your mark is on Task Achievement. You are required to address every part of the question. Re-read the question to make sure you have answered everything asked for.

For Task 1 , all the information you need to include is in the chart/graph/table/diagram. Identify the key points before you start writing.

It is a good idea to mark them on the question paper. Look for the main trends and comparisons. Do not describe the detail but the key points and main trends. Give a fully developed response.

Do not use the data to give opinions or develop ideas. Report the data as it is presented only.

For Task 2 , you will need to develop your own position and opinions based on the question. You should support this with background information on your own experiences and knowledge.

TIP 4. USE CLEAR PARAGRAPHS AND SPACING

The examiner will be looking at the organisation and structure of your work. Remember, 25% of the marks are for coherence and cohesion.  This means clear and obvious paragraphs and logical sequencing of the information.

Leave white space between each paragraph. The examiner will expect to see clearly separated paragraphs with paragraph one as the introduction and the last paragraph a conclusion or summary.

For Task 1 use three paragraphs as a rule, maybe four. Paragraphs two and three will be the description of the chart/graph/table.

For Task 2 use four paragraphs as a rule but five may at times be required. paragraphs two to four will be your main arguments.

For more details on how to structure and organise your IELTS Task 2 essay click on this link: How to Structure IELTS Writing Task 2

TIP 5: WRITE AT LEAST THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF WORDS ASKED FOR

Task 1 requires a MINIMUM of 150 words. Ideally aim for 170 to 190.

Task 2 requires a MINIMUM of 250 words. Ideally aim for around 270 to 290.

If you don’t write enough words, you could lose up to 25% of your mark. Ensure you don’t write too many words as this is just a waste of your time.

Make sure you know what 150+ and 250+ words looks on the pages. Do not waste your time counting them in the exam.

TIP 6. DO NOT COPY AND PHRASES FROM THE QUESTION

Remember coherence and cohesion. You need to demonstrate an ability to paraphrase and use synonyms.

You will receive no marks for any phrases copied from the question; the examiner will ignore this text. The copied text will be deducted from the word count and may leave you with fewer words than the minimum required meaning you haven’t achieved the task.

TIP 7. USE FORMAL LANGUAGE

You must use formal language for tasks 1 and 2 in the Academic IELTS. However, this does not mean you should try to use overly complex language.

What is means is do not use contractions and try to use Latin-based verbs over phrasal verbs where possible. For example use continue rather than carry on or enter rather than go in . Never use slang or colloquial idioms.

To see a simple technique for making your essay more formal click on this link: Nominalisation – A Simple Technique for Formal Essays

TIP 8. PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO YOUR GRAMMAR, VOCABULARY, COLLOCATIONS AND SPELLING

Ensure you use a wide range of grammar structures. Practice the use of grammar such as 1st and 2nd conditionals, inversions and perfect tenses, for example, before your exam.

Use sophisticated vocabulary and lexis (common word chunks). You will lose marks for incorrect spelling, punctuation or word order.

Remember to use collocations, for example: a fundamental problem, a complex issue, addressing the problem, experiencing difficulties, significant improvements, gradual decline/increase, extensive research and so on.

TIP 9. SIGNPOST YOUR ESSAYS WITH LINKING WORDS

Remember that you need to demonstrate coherence and cohesion with linking words for a perfect IELTS essay.

Task 1: use linking words such as respectivel y to show a sequence, whereas to show a contrast, furthermore to give more information or since to give a reason.

Finish with a summary paragraph signposted with in summary or overall .

Task 2 : For the introduction paragraph it’s a good idea to signpost your opinion with linking phrases such as: In my opinion…. or I (strongly) believe (that)…

Sequence your essay with firstly, secondly, finally, to begin with, as a consequence, in addition, as a result, however, nonetheles s etc.

Show that the last paragraph is your conclusion. Start it with phrases such as: In conclusion…  or In summary…

TIP 10. REMEMBER THAT THE IELTS IS A LANGUAGE EXAM

The point of the IELTS writing task exercise is to for you to show the examiner your abilities in the English language in grammar, lexis, structure, and task achievement.

You will receive no marks for original ideas or for demonstrating an extensive knowledge of the subject area. Your opinions can be dull and obvious but that is unimportant as long as you have an opinion and are able to support it with good English.

WRITING THE PERFECT IELTS ESSAY

Remember the four areas that the examiner will be marking your essays and you will be able to write an essay much closer to the perfect IELTS essay.

I can correct your IELTS essays for €15 for each essay and provide full explanations and suggestions for writing the perfect IELTS essay.

If you would like to use this service then get in touch with me by clicking on contact me and completing the form.

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Lessons & Tips

These  IELTS writing task 2  lessons, strategies and tips will show you how to write an IELTS essay. They go through all the various types of essay that you may get and instructions on how to best answer them.

For the Task 2, general or academic modules, you have to write an essay that must be a minimum of 250 words. You have 40 minutes. 

These lessons are free and teach you all the key things you need to know about the IELTS writing task 2, such as writing an introduction, analysing essay questions, writing for a band 7, developing coherency and understanding opinion essays.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Lessons:

How to write an ielts essay:  .

IELTS Essay This starter lessons tells you in simple steps how to structure and write a basic IELTS essay. 

Getting Ready to Write:

Identifying the Topic Learn how to identify the topic of an essay question in order to help you answer it correctly. 

Identifying the Task This IELTS practice will help you identify the task of an essay question. The most important thing to make sure you answer the question. 

Brainstorming and Planning In this IELTS lesson, learn how brainstorm ideas for your essay and how to extend those ideas and create a plan.

IELTS Task Response In this lesson we look at the dangers of not properly answering an IELTS writing task 2 essay question.

Ideas for IELTS Candidates often worry about not having any ideas for IELTS essay topics. This gives you some advise on how to generate ideas. 

Parts of an Essay:

IELTS Essay Introduction This lesson explains how you should approach writing an introduction for an IELTS Task 2 essay. 

Writing a Thesis Statement The thesis statement is an important part of your essay, so this lesson explains how to write thesis statements for different essay types. 

Paragraph Writing Writing clear and well-organized paragraphs is essential for your essay, so here you will learn about the basic elements that make up a good paragraph . 

IELTS Essay Conclusion Learn how to write a quick conclusion for an IELTS essay.

Coherency and Cohesion:

Writing Coherence One way to improve coherency in your writing is to use transition words. This lesson teaches you how. 

Pronouns Your writing must be coherent, and this IELTS practice lesson shows you how pronouns can help you to do this

Substitution Learn how to use substitution in IELTS to improve your cohesion and quality of writing.

Getting a High Band:

How to get an IELTS Writing band 7 There is no quick way to achieve this, but this lesson provides some general guidance on what is required to get an IELTS band 7 in the writing module. 

Band 7 Transitional Phrases for Essays Learn about useful phrases that can be used to improve the sophistication of your writing in argumentative essays.

How to Score IELTS Band 8 This lesson tell you more about how the scoring works for band 8 writing and how long it can take you to get a band 8.

Essay Types:

Problem Solution Essays Learn how to write a problem solution essay for the IELTS test - a quick method that will produce a well-organized answer.

IELTS Opinion Essays Get an overview of the various types of essay that ask for your opinion in the test.

Advantage Disadvantage Essay This lesson shows you how to write an IELTS advantage disadvantage essay that requires you to give an opinion. 

A Complex Essay Question This lesson shows you how to answer a more complex IELTS essay question that does not have a straightforward 'task' given to guide you.

Style and Tone:

Personal Pronouns in Essays Can you use personal pronouns such as 'I', 'our' and 'we' in IELTS essays? Find out more in this lesson.

More IELTS Writing Task 2 Resources

Ielts essay questions.

Here you can check out recent IELTS test essay questions from 2018 and earlier that candidates have posted, and also common essay questions and topics that have come up in the IELTS writing task 2:

Latest IELTS Writing Topics

Common Essay Questions and Topics

IELTS Writing Task 2 eBook

Best Selling Writing eBook

Do you need more help to write a great essay for IELTS?

If so, check out our best-selling Step-by-step Guide to Writing a Task 2 Essay  

IELTS Writing Task 2 Forums

You can also get more great tips from the questions people have asked in the IELTS Forums about the IELTS writing task 2.

There are two relevant forums:

• IELTS Writing Task 2 Forum (topics & questions about the essay)
• IELTS Writing Band 7 Forum (dedicated to those needing a 7)

These are some of the most popular questions that have been asked about the IELTS essay in the Writing Forums:

• How do I answer agree / disagree type IELTS essay questions?
• What if I know nothing about the IELTS essay topic?
• How do I manage my time in the IELTS Writing Test?
• How do I format the essay on the test day?
• Can you explain these confusing essay questions?
• Why is it difficult to get an IELTS writing band 7?
• What are some strategies to get an IELTS band 8?

And remember you can ask your own questions so please visit the forum if you have any questions about the IELTS Writing Task 2. 

• IELTS Writing Tips

These are some of the top tips for IELTS writing:

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7 Steps to Structuring an IELTS Task 2 Essay

Posted by David S. Wills | Apr 6, 2020 | IELTS Tips , Writing | 0

In this week’s article, I want to show you how to structure an IELTS writing task 2 essay. I’ve written about this many times in the past, but today I want to show you a simple, 7-step approach that can guide you to the perfect essay.

First of all, I want to mention that there are lots of ways to write an amazing essay. There are also 5 different kinds of question, hundreds of topics, and lots of different combinations. This means that you cannot just memorise an answer or even memorise a structure. You can learn about that in my IELTS books :

However, this article will give you a guide to writing a great essay structure by logically sequencing your ideas. This can help you to score highly for Coherence and Cohesion, which is worth 25% of your writing score.

IELTS Essay Structure: The Basics

Before we begin with the 7 steps, I would like to give you a short overview. Writing an IELTS essay requires many skills and you have a lot of different criteria to meet in order to get a band 7 or above. Your essay will be judged in four ways, each accounting for 25% of the total score:

• Task Achievement
• Coherence and Cohesion
• Lexical Resource
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy

When thinking about structuring an essay, we are essentially talking about Coherence and Cohesion . Being able to produce a strong structure with logically sequenced ideas will give you a good chance of a high score in this section.

There are lots of different approaches, but most IELTS trainers agree that a four-paragraph structure is the best approach, with five paragraphs sometimes being appropriate. [ Read about 4 vs 5 paragraphs ] You should aim to divide your ideas sensibly and then build them in order to support your thesis or explain the issues as necessary.

Today, the steps that I will describe for you are as follows:

• Analyse the Question
• Brainstorm Ideas
• Plan your Overall Structure
• Plan your Internal Paragraph Structure
• Write a Strong Introduction
• Link your Sentences
• Write a Good Conclusion

1. Analyse the Question

Every IELTS question is different and so it is really important that you read it carefully in order to understand it fully. If you just read it quickly, you might get the wrong idea. It is natural for our brains to see a word and jump to a conclusion. For example, a question that mentions climate change might really be asking about solutions to fossil fuel emissions rather than the consequences of global warming. If you don’t understand the question, you cannot write a good answer.

Before you begin brainstorming , read the question at least twice. Let’s look at an example:

Some people claim that not enough of the waste from homes is recycled. They say that the only way to make people recycle more is to make it a legal requirement. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

When you first look at this question, your eyes will be drawn to keywords like “waste” and “recycle.” That is good, but we need to understand the full sentence. What sort of waste are we talking about? Waste from homes . What does “legal requirement” mean? It means make it a law .

You will always see a statement of some sort above and then the question below. Once you understand the statement, you should read the question. In this case, the question is “To what extent do you agree…?”

Therefore, you need to choose a position ( agree/disagree ) and then write an essay that explains your position.

Note: Some IELTS candidates believe that you have to give a balanced viewpoint. This is not necessarily true. You can read about it in this article .

2. Brainstorm Ideas

Once you understand the question, you can begin to think of ideas to use in your essay. My biggest piece of advice here is: DON’T CHOOSE TOO MANY IDEAS!!

Seriously, it is not helpful to use lots of different ideas or examples in your essay. Yes, this might help you reach 250 words easily, but your essay will definitely get a low score for Coherence and Cohesion (and possibly Task Achievement) because it will not be well organized and probably will lack sufficient development of ideas.

I encourage my writing students to follow the idea of ONE PARAGRAPH, ONE IDEA. In some essay types, this is easy. For example, in an advantages/disadvantages essay , you can just devote one body paragraph to advantages and the other to disadvantages. Simple!

However, in other types of essay, you might find it harder. With agree/disagree essays, you might have two reasons why you agree. In this case, you just put one reason in each body paragraph.

Let’s brainstorm now.

Personally, I agree that laws should be passed that require people to recycle their household waste. Therefore, I would consider the following ideas:

Those are just some ideas. Sometimes you will struggle to think of even two ideas and sometimes you will easily think of five or six. The important thing, though, is to choose the most important ones. Think about what would make the most convincing argument.

3. Plan your Overall Structure

By “overall structure,” I mean your basic paragraph plan. Every IELTS writing task 2 essay should have an introduction and conclusion , and at least two body paragraphs. This is the standard essay format and I highly recommend that you practice with it. Essays that have lots of paragraphs are usually a mess and will receive low scores for Coherence and Cohesion.

I want to write an advanced essay that will score band 9, so I am going to use an interesting structure that will allow me to show off my essay-writing skills. My first body paragraph will look at opposing viewpoints and then refute them, before the second body paragraph concisely states why we do need laws that make people recycle.  

For this essay, my overall structure would look like this:

This is a pretty simple and flexible paragraph structure. I highly recommend that you use it because once you become comfortable with it, you can really adapt it a lot. Even though it is basic and you can use it for scoring band 6, you can also use this structure for band 9 essays.

The reason is that you can vary the content of your body paragraphs greatly. Here, I have tried to give balance to the argument, even though I agree with one side – the need for laws. However, rather than simply state two compelling reasons, I will first dismiss the counter-arguments and then give an argument in favour of my viewpoint.

4. Plan your Internal Paragraph Structure

This is the most difficult part of structuring an essay and it is the reason why most people struggle to get a high score for Coherence and Cohesion.

It is really, really important for IELTS writing that your ideas are sequenced logically. That means they go from one idea to the next in a logical way. Look at these two example passages. One contains a logical flow of ideas and the other does not. Can you tell which is which?

• The case in favour of laws mandating recycling is simple and irrefutable. These laws would ensure that a far higher amount of household waste is recycled, thereby reducing the amount of pollution that goes into our environment. People cannot be trusted to do this for themselves, and the evidence exists in the places where environmental laws are strictly enforced, compared to those where they are non-existent, or weakly enforced.
• These laws would ensure that a far higher amount of household waste is recycled, thereby reducing the amount of pollution that goes into our environment. People cannot be trusted to do this for themselves, and the evidence exists in the places where environmental laws are strictly enforced, compared to those where they are non-existent, or weakly enforced. The case in favour of laws mandating recycling is simple and irrefutable.

Which one is correct? Answer: #1.

In this answer, I began with a topic sentence . This is a sentence that introduces an idea. I then explained that idea in more detail. Finally, I added another sentence that built upon the previous two. Both the second and third sentences supported the first. When you put them in the wrong order, they make no sense.

Finally, notice that I used certain words to refer back to previous ideas: these laws , do this .

5. Write a Strong Introduction

It’s really important with any kind of writing to give a strong introduction. This grabs your reader’s attention but also tells them what to expect from your writing. If an examiner reads a really terrible introduction, they will think that your body paragraphs are likely to be very bad, too.

As such, it is important that you devote a little time to writing an excellent intro.

What does that involve?

I recommend that people generally write a three-sentence introduction. (However, remember that there is no one perfect way to write an essay and so there are other good possibilities.)

I suggest this:

• General statement that addresses the topic.
• Slightly more specific statement that relates wider topic to specific question.
• A sentence that shows essay intention or overview. (This is often called an outline sentence .)

For the above question, I would write an introduction like this:

Pollution remains a significant problem all around the world and this is causing people to debate possible solutions. One such solution is for governments to impose laws requiring citizens to recycle certain kinds of waste from their homes. This essay will argue that environmental laws are essential to reducing waste and thereby saving the planet.

Let’s look at how those sentences are structured:

• A very general statement: pollution is a problem; people discuss solutions.
• More specific statement: introduce potential solution with simple detail
• Essay statement: state that laws are essential for solving problem

6. Link your Sentences

Next, you are going to need to write the body paragraphs. With your essay structure already written, it should not be too hard to do this. You need to follow a simple but effective internal paragraph structure that develops and supports each idea.

When you do this, it is important that you link your sentences. Now, if you have a good enough structure, your sentences will already be linked. That is because your ideas will flow naturally from one to the next.

As you will know, it is possible to use “ cohesive devices ” (also called transitional or linking words/phrases etc). These include words and phrases like: however, therefore, next, after that, meanwhile, on the other hand . They are very useful and help guide your reader, but you should not overuse them or it will make your writing weak.

Let’s look at my third paragraph as an example.

The case in favour of laws mandating recycling is simple and irrefutable. These laws would ensure that a far higher amount of household waste is recycled, thereby reducing the amount of pollution that goes into our environment. People cannot be trusted to do this for themselves, and the evidence exists in the places where environmental laws are strictly enforced, compared to those where they are non-existent, or weakly enforced. In the United Kingdom, people are required to recycle most of their household waste, and the environment is far cleaner than other countries, such as China, where people can throw any trash away without consequences.

How many cohesive devices did I use?

None. My sentences were already well-organized, so I did not need to use any.

You can read all about not using too many cohesive devices here .

7. Write a Good Conclusion

Finally, you must finish all your IELTS writing task 2 essays with a conclusion . This means a final paragraph that summarizes everything you have said so far and then references your key ideas. This can be either one or two sentences, but don’t write much more than that.

A conclusion will also differ according to the question type. Some might require you to make a suggestion or state an opinion, while others will really just require you to summarize you have said.

It is a pretty good idea to follow a structure like this:

• Paraphrase your main idea.
• Re-state your main arguments.

For example, here is my conclusion from the above question:

In conclusion, laws are absolutely essential to ensure that people recycle their household waste. Without such laws, very few people would actually go to the trouble of recycling; however, if governments enforce these laws, almost everyone would have to comply.

In this conclusion, the first sentence paraphrases my main idea (laws are necessary) and the second sentence re-states my main arguments (people would not recycle without laws; laws make people recycle).

Note that I have avoided repeating myself. In these two lines, I have simply referred to my previous arguments but I have not copied the things I already said. I have used new language for it.

Sample Band 9 Answer

Next, I will show you my answer for this question. Remember that this is just one possible answer. There are other ways to write a band 9 score. However, I do think that this is the best way because it is easy to learn and apply to your own essays. I recommend that you download the essay as a Microsoft Word (.docx) file because I have annotated it fully. You can see a clear explanation of what purpose each sentence has.

Sample Answer

Pollution remains a significant problem all around the world and this is causing people to debate possible solutions. One such solution is for governments to impose laws requiring citizens to recycle certain kinds of waste from their homes. This essay will argue that environmental laws are essential to reducing waste and thereby saving the planet. The case against laws imposing mandatory recycling revolve around the notion that people can learn to recycle by themselves, and this is true to an extent. With the improvement of education, people typically litter less and recycle more. However, our planet is presently in the grips of environmental catastrophe and it would take several generations for people to make changes to their lives. It is also sometimes argued that poor people cannot afford to make the sacrifice necessary to use less plastic and switch to sustainable products, and it is therefore unfair to punish them. However, mandatory recycling would not require people to immediately give up plastics; instead, they would simply be required to dispose of them in an ethical manner at a government-run recycling facility. The case in favour of laws mandating recycling is simple and irrefutable. These laws would ensure that a far higher amount of household waste is recycled, thereby reducing the amount of pollution that goes into our environment. People cannot be trusted to do this for themselves, and the evidence exists in the places where environmental laws are strictly enforced, compared to those where they are non-existent, or weakly enforced. In the United Kingdom, people are required to recycle most of their household waste, and the environment is far cleaner than other countries, such as China, where people can throw any trash away without consequences. In conclusion, laws are absolutely essential to ensure that people recycle their household waste. Without such laws, very few people would actually go to the trouble of recycling; however, if governments enforce these laws, almost everyone would have to comply.

You can download a copy of that sample essay here . This will allow you to see all of my annotations like this:

Improving your Writing Skills

If you really want to get better at IELTS writing, the best way is to have an expert check your work. People who use my writing correction service find that they can quickly identify their mistakes and improve their overall IELTS score.

E-mail me at david [at] ted-ielts [dot] com to find out more, or check the above link.

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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11 Simple Tips To Ace IELTS Essay Writing Task

When asked to IELTS aspirants,

"Which is the most difficult task out of the two writing tasks asked in IELTS Academic and General Training Writing test?"

Most of them answered - IELTS Essay Writing Task

Though Task 1 (Letter writing for IELTS General Training & Report writing for IELTS Academic) is easy by no means, many aspirants find Task 2 (Essay Writing) of IELTS Writing module more challenging.

In task 2, you are supposed to answer a particular question. To be more specific, IELTS Writing Task 2 requires you to write an essay on a given topic in at least 250 words. But, not to forget - the task is time bound. You are given 40 minutes to present the given topic skilfully in your own words and obviously without any mistakes.

You can be asked different types of essays in IELTS Writing Task 2. This includes - Opinion Essay, Argumentative Essay, Advantages/Disadvantages (Pros/Cons) Essay, Problem & Solution Essay and Mixed Essay. You have to identify the type of essay asked and write your response accordingly. You are expected to use your skills, experience and examples while answering.

Now, how is your essay scored? Here are the scoring criteria!

• Task Response
• Coherence & Cohesion
• Lexical Resource
• Grammatical Range & Accuracy

Each criterion contributes 25% of the total Writing Score. If you do not care about these parameters in your writing, you will lose a good portion of your score.

Are you well aware about the IELTS Writing Task 2 now? Then, let's proceed to some tips and strategies to ace this task like a Pro.

IELTS Essay Writing Task - Tips for a Better Score

• Map Out Your Ideas
• Be Familiarized With The Common Topics
• Ask Yourself Questions
• Employ Your Personal Opinion
• Manage Your Time
• Take Care of Lexical Resources
• Make Paragraphs
• Complete Your Answer
• Know Grammar, Spelling & Punctuation
• Use Formal Language

1. Understand

Understanding what the question specifies, is overcoming half the problem. It is essential to pay attention to all the issues mentioned in the question. First, look at the question carefully then identify the question type- whether it's a discussion, an opinion, a solution to the problem or a combination. Identify the main keywords and understand precisely what the examiner is expecting in the essay. Avoid writing on a general topic, or you won't score more than a band 5.

2. Map Out Your Ideas

Before you commence writing, take 5 minutes first to brainstorm different ideas. Take a pencil and jot down as many as various aspects and perspectives, related to the particular issue in the essay. The test-taker would score more if he/she plans and organizes out their ideas in a proper paraphrased manner. It will in a way save more time as you have already pictured the essay in your mind and will help you pen your essay better and faster.

3. Be Familiarized With The Common Topics

IELTS tutorials, one of the top institutions for IELTS coaching provides multiple IELTS Writing Practice to familiarize you with the pattern of the test, model questions, etc. This will help in widening your vocabulary to brainstorm more ideas. Also, try to read newspapers more which will increase your vocabulary along with keeping you updated with your surrounding ongoing. Always remember that the IELTS exam doesn't test your knowledge but competency in the English Language. So present your answer with a clear thought process with multiple examples to make your writing piece more enhanced.

4. Ask Yourself Questions

Another way to prompt ideas is to ask yourself questions while reading the essay topic like why/what/where/who/how to generate more ideas. When you ask these questions to yourself then you'll be able to think more evidently and thereby creating more ideas.

5. Employ Your Personal Opinion

The most effective method to write an enhanced essay is to include your personal opinion in the essay. Imagine the topic of the essay is a question asked of you by your friend, and then phrase your piece as if you are conveying what you believe in, your thoughts on it. Also, try to use relevant examples and instances in the essay to make it more clear.

So, in the end, remember that IELTS Writing task won't be another mountain to climb to score band 7+, if you think and understand thoroughly of what the essay topic requires.

6. Manage Your Time

Since the test is time bound, it is important to complete the IELTS Essay Writing task on time i.e. within 40 minutes. So, you must develop proper time management skills before appearing for the IELTS Exam.

Start writing your essay with a proper strategy. Do not spend more than 5 minutes in planning your essay. If possible, try to complete your essay within 36-37 minutes so that you can spend the last 2-3 minutes in proofreading. As you might have written the essay in a hurry, proofreading will help you identify spelling and grammar mistakes, if any. This way, you can complete your task efficiently within the stipulated time.

7. Take Care of Lexical Resources

Lexical Resource is one of the four Writing Assessment Criteria that contributes to your writing score. But, many of the IELTS aspirants are unaware regarding the use of lexical features. Lexical resource refers to the use of sufficient range of Vocabulary , correct usage of Spellings, proper implementation of Collocations and Word Formation.

Those who are unknown to this, use repetitive words in their essay. But, an examiner is looking for a variety of words and phrases in your answer. When he/she does not find any variety of language, it creates a negative impression about your Vocabulary. He/she considers that you have a poor language knowledge and marks you accordingly.

So, avoid repetitive words wherever possible in your essay.

8. Make Paragraphs

Many candidates do not use paragraphs while writing an academic piece or an article. They describe the entire topic clearly in just a single paragraph. But, doing so in IELTS Essay Writing Task will definitely cost your marks.

IELTS Essay Writing Task follows a specific structure. Have a look!

Break down your ideas into different paragraphs. Explain each idea of yours in detail with relevant examples in one paragraph. Then, start another paragraph with a new idea. But remember, your ideas should be logically linked though written in different paragraphs.

An essay with 4 paragraphs is ideal for IELTS Essay Writing Task. You can add paragraphs only and only if needed. Do not put any unwanted information or try to unnecessarily expand the paragraph. This will reduce the chance of achieving high band score.

9. Complete Your Answer

In order to finish the task before the time runs out, many candidates tend to leave the answers incomplete. There are some who choose another way of writing to complete their response i.e. they either write short sentences or put only bullet points. This is absolutely a wrong practice.

IELTS Test is meant to assess your English Language skills. And, if you leave the answers incomplete, the examiner will not be able to judge your skills. As a result, he/she will poorly grade your essay. So, instead of writing bullet points or short sentences, you must formulate each point in a separate paragraph with two to three lines of explanation. This way you can showcase your writing skills and create a good impact on the examiner to score better.

10. Know Grammar, Spelling & Punctuation

Using appropriate grammar, writing correct spellings and placing the punctuation marks at right places play a vital role in IELTS Writing Task 2. You need to be extra careful regarding this. Even a minor mistake will directly reduce your score. Thus, a prior practice is worthwhile to ensure success.

11. Use Formal Language

In this times of SMS and other chat applications, it is quite a common issue to use informal expressions and shorthand texts. But, this practice is strictly prohibited for the IELTS Exam. Using inappropriate language or terminologies might offend the examiner and thus, your score will suffer. So, you should use formal language in your writing.

Now that you are acquainted with enough knowledge, it will be easier for you to achieve your desired score in the IELTS Essay Writing task . Committing mistakes will reduce your chance to succeed. So, ensure that you go through these tips thoroughly and put them into regular practice. Be clear and precise in expressing your ideas and add suitable examples to enhance your writing.

To ace the IELTS, practicing alone wouldn't suffice. Here at IELTS tutorials, we have great expertise in giving useful tips, suggestions and proficient feedback, through Online IELTS Writing Practice . IELTS tutorials provides Full Practice Tests, Model Answers, Time-based test Analysis, Expert Guidance, E-booklets, and thereby augmenting the quality of your essay and making your dream of going abroad true.

So, don't take the IELTS exam for granted and practice at the last moment. Sign up now for our IELTS Writing Correction Services which will enable you to learn and understand which areas you should focus more. You will also receive suggestions and corrections for more improvement to write a better Essay, Letter and Report Writing tasks.

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How to write an IELTS opinion essay

Ielts opinion essay: structure, model answer, and analysis..

Updated: February 2023

There are 5 types of essays in IELTS writing task 2 and a common one is an opinion essay.

So how do you know if it is an opinion essay?. You will first need to study the instruction words. These words tell you what you should write about and this should be the first step to take before you even begin to plan. Analyse the task and especially the instruction words so you do not go off-topic or write a different essay altogether.

Here are 2 essay tasks below, which one do you think is the opinion essay?

1.  Most people agree that money cannot buy happiness. Why is happiness difficult to define? How can people achieve happiness? 2.  Some people believe that nowadays we have too many choices. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Looking at the instruction words we can see that the second one is an opinion essay as it asks ‘ To what extent do you agree or disagree? ‘

The first task is called a ‘Two-part question essay’ or sometimes called a ‘Direct question essay’.

Instruction words

Opinion essays will have various instruction words such as:

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Do you agree or disagree?

What is your opinion?

Do you think…?

What do you think….?

In your opinion what is ….?

In some cases the instruction words ask your opinion it may be a discussion essay such as:

‘Discuss both views and give your own opinion’ 

The structure of a discussion essay is different from an opinion essay as you will need to explain peoples views before you go into your own opinion.

This task below is a 2 part question essay and the second question asks your opinion.

Most people agree that money cannot buy happiness. Why is happiness difficult to define? How can people achieve happiness?

The opinion essay that I am referring to asks ‘ To what extent do you agree or disagree?’ means how much do you agree/disagree? , do you completely agree/disagree?  or somewhat agree/disagree?  or do you neither agree nor disagree?

You can write in your thesis statement something like:  ‘ I completely agree because…..’ or if you don’t agree, something like: ‘ I absolutely disagree because…..’

What is an effective opinion essay structure?

There is no magic Band 9 structure but my students have found that the structure below works well in an opinion essay.

Tips on structure:

• The main body paragraphs will cover the reasons for your opinion; however, do not list ideas just use one central idea and explain and support it.
• Don’t wait until the conclusion to give your opinion. It must be throughout the whole essay .
• Don’t give 2 different opinions. Do not agree then disagree as it will confuse the examiner. You can balance it with why someone would hold an opposing view but it is not a discussion essay.
• I advise keeping the introduction under 60 words , each body paragraph should be approximately 90 to 105 words , the conclusion needs to be shorter than the introduction and no new ideas should be added to the conclusion
• Aim for between 270 to 295 words , over 300 words is not realistic as you only have 40 minutes to write the essay .

Which body paragraph is better?

Take a look at these 2 main body one paragraphs to the task below, what do you think will score higher?

Task question:

Some people believe that nowadays we have too many choices . To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

A long time ago people used to go to market places and they bought basic daily necessities, now people can buy online and go to many high street shops. In addition, we can choose any hotel we like at cheap prices. Also, businesses compete with each other which means customers can buy items at low cost as well as a bigger selection of goods. Furthermore, the economy benefits because people can select from so many different products. For example, Amazon.com has millions of products that are much cheaper than buying at a shopping mall.

Admittedly, these days there are far too many choices which can be overwhelming; however, I think that for consumers this is an advantage because it forces businesses to compete with each other. This means that shoppers can benefit greatly from lower prices. For example, over the past two decades, Ryanair and EasyJet budget airlines have considerably reduced the cost of airfares for flights all over Europe. Before this, there was only one airline to choose from at exorbitant costs. Presently, many more budget airline options are serving destinations worldwide with incredible bargains for customers.  

Click below for the answer.

The 2nd example is better because I wrote one central idea (lower prices for consumers) and expanded on that. The example given is not entirely true but it looks very feasible. You can just make up examples but they have to be specific and realistic looking. The point of an example is to support your main idea.

At the start of the paragraph I mentioned that too much choice is overwhelming but then contrast that with my opinion (Admittedly, these days there are far too many choices which can be overwhelming; however, I think that…) .

To see how to balance the essay click here for a lesson on balancing your opinion .

In example 1 above this has too many ideas and too many points. It jumps around and is not focusing on one central idea. The points are relevant but there is too much going on.

You will also notice an opinion is not given directly in the first example (I think / I believe etc)  the whole paragraph affects coherence and cohesion as well as task response. The example given about amazon.com is also quite weak and not well explained.

Analysing the question.

As with all IELTS essays, it is crucial to spend a couple of minutes analysing the task and underling the keywords so that you are writing relevant points in the essay. If you go off-topic or write irrelevant points it will affect your score.

This is the task question for my model answer below and it is clear that the essay is about having too many choices these days . This means that there is something negative about having many choices, as the word ‘too’ implies something negative. In my model answer, I disagree with this being a negative and in fact, many choices are beneficial.

Click here for the 5 steps you need to take before writing.

I advise 10 minutes of planning time, this includes time analysing the question and getting relevant ideas.

Click here for a lesson about examples in main body paragraphs.

Model Answer

Some people believe that n owadays we have too many choices . To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

It is argued that in recent times people are overwhelmed by so many choices. Although I agree with this to some extent, for consumers I believe that having so many options enables them to purchase more competitively priced and higher quality products.

Another reason why I believe that more choice is beneficial is that the quality of products has improved in recent years. This is because many businesses are vying for customers’ attention, so their main selling points are not only low prices but also much higher quality. For instance, smartphone costs have decreased in the past 5 years and these devices are more powerful and more durable than ever before. This is primarily because manufacturers have focused on quality control to compete with rival products. I would argue that this has been a benefit to consumers which would not have been possible with one or two companies monopolising the smartphone market.

To conclude, despite the argument that there is too much freedom of choice nowadays, I hold the view that this is a positive trend as so many options allows customers to buy inexpensive items without compromising on quality.

Click below to see more detail and an analysis

1. My thesis statement says: Although I agree with this to some extent, for consumers I believe that having so many options enables them to purchase more competitively priced and higher quality products.

I am giving a balanced opinion here and focusing specifically on choice for consumers.

2. I have covered the points about how more choices have resulted in lower prices in main body one, while in main body two I cover the point about higher quality products because of the fact there are more choices. Notice how I have balanced my view: Admittedly, these days there are far too many choices which can be overwhelming; however, I think that for consumers this is an advantage because it forces businesses to compete with each other. .

3. The examples I gave are made up and not entirely true but they look realistic, the examiner does not check your examples for validity. Examples are there to support your main ideas. Do not put statistics in the examples either.

4. The points I have made in the essay connect with consumerism and shopping, but I have linked them to the points about how having many choices are of benefit to customers or consumers , because my opinion is that having many choices is a good aspect

5. In this type of essay, you could write about other areas where having many choices are relevant such as the choices of universities we can attend, the choices of work we might engage in, The choice of health care options available….and so on.

Here is a good news article from ‘ Business Insider’ that connects with this task question. Reading is a very good way to get ideas for IELTS essays.

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How to Plan & Write IELTS Opinion Essays

IELTS opinion essays, also known as ‘agree or disagree’ essays, come up frequently in the writing exam. In this lesson, I’m going to show you how to plan and write them step-by-step.

Here’s what we’ll be covering:

• 3 Common mistakes
• Essay structure
• How to plan
• How to write an introduction
• How to write main body paragraphs
• How to write a conclusion

Click the links to see lessons on each of these Task 2 essay writing topics. 

Once you understand the process, practice on past questions. Take your time at first and gradually speed up until you can plan and write an essay of at least 250 words in the 40 minutes allowed in the exam.

The Question

The first part of the question for an IELTS opinion essay will be a statement. You will then be asked to give your own opinion about the statement. Here is some typical wording that might be used:

• What is your opinion?
• Do you agree or disagree?
• To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Want  to watch and listen to this lesson?

Click on this video.

Here's a question from a past test paper.

A big salary is much more important than job satisfaction.  

Do you agree or disagree?  

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

Write at least 250 words.

I’ll be using this question to guide you through the process of planning and writing an IELTS opinion essay.

3 Common Mistakes

These three errors are common in IELTS opinion essays.

• Not stating an opinion.
• Giving arguments for both views.
• Not supporting your opinion with clear reasons.

The most common mistake that students make is not giving an opinion. The question will clearly state that you must choose one side of the argument. If you fail to do this, you will get a low score for task achievement.

It doesn’t matter which side of the argument you take or even, that you agree with it. Choose the one you can develop the best argument for.

Make sure that you don’t change your opinion part way through the essay, and don’t give reasons for the opposing view.

Essay Structure

Now let’s look at a simple structure you can use to write opinion essays. It’s not the only possible structure but it’s the one I recommend because it’s easy to learn and will enable you to quickly plan and write a high-level essay.

1)  Introduction

• Paraphrase the question
• Give your opinion
• State two supporting reasons

2)  Main body paragraph 1

• Topic sentence – outline 1st reason for supporting this view
• Explanation – explain this idea
• Example – give an example  or expand the idea

3)  Main body paragraph 2

• Topic sentence – outline 2nd reason for supporting this view
• Example – give an example or expand the idea

4)  Conclusion

• Summarise opinion and key reasons

This structure will give us a well-balanced essay with 4 paragraphs.

We now need some ideas to add into the structure and we’ll have everything we need for our essay.

How To Plan IELTS Opinion Essays

# 1  decide on your opinion.

The question I've chosen to work on is quite straightforward and easy to understand so we don’t need to spend time analysing it. The first task, then, is to decide on our opinion.

Here’s the question again:

A big salary is much more important than job satisfaction.

Do you agree or disagree?  

For this essay, I’m going to disagree with the statement and argue that job satisfaction is more important than a big salary.

# 2  Generate ideas

The second task is to generate some ideas to write about.

Since I‘m going to argue that job satisfaction is more important than a large salary, I need ideas to support this view.

There are several different ways to think up ideas. I cover them fully on the  IELTS Essay Planning  page.

With this particular question, I immediately thought of a couple of examples of situations where job satisfaction did prove to be more important than a high salary, so I’m going to use the ‘example method’ of generating ideas.

Once you’ve thought of an example or two, ideas to include in your essay should come to you easily.

You might want to try this yourself before reading on for my ideas.

Here are my examples and some ideas they generated.

Both the examples are partly true but I've adapted them to better fit the essay. It's fine to do this as the examiner won't check your facts.

• Uncle Barry – boasted about high salary but hated his job. Nervous breakdown – lost job & can’t work.
• Me – gave up teaching. Now enjoy my work and am much more relaxed and happy even though I earn much less money.
• High-salary jobs are generally more stressful
• Stress leads to ill health, both mental and physical
• 40 hours a week at work – a third of the day
• Money doesn’t bring happiness
• Better quality of life
• Sense of fulfilment
• Less stressed – healthier and happier

I’ve got more ideas here than I need so I’m going to pick two to develop in the essay – one for each of the main body paragraphs.

Idea 1 – High-salary jobs are generally more stressful and can lead to ill health.

Idea 2 – Job satisfaction gives a sense of fulfilment.

We’re almost ready to start writing our IELTS opinion essay but first, we have one other small task to do.

# 3  Vocabulary

In an IELTS essay, it’s important to be able to say the same things in different ways, either by paraphrasing and/or using synonyms. During the planning stage, quickly jot down a few synonyms of key words you could use to save you having to stop and think of the right language while you’re writing.

For example:

satisfaction – fulfilment, achievement, sense of accomplishment, content, sense of well-being

salary – income, wages, pay, earnings

important – significant, valued, has more meaning

job – work, employment, position

With that done, we can focus on the first paragraph of the essay – the introduction.

How To Write an Introduction

A good introduction has a simple 3 part structure:

1)  Paraphrased question

2)  Thesis statement

3)  outline statement.

An introduction should:

• Have 2-3 sentences
• Be 40-60 words long
• Take 5 minutes to write

1)  Paraphrase the question

Start your introduction by paraphrasing the question.

     Question:  A big salary is much more important than job satisfaction.

                       Do you agree or disagree?  

Paraphrased question:  

It is argued that earning lots of money has more significance to people than being content in their work.

Note that I’ve used some of the synonyms I listed, although it’s fine to repeat one or two words if you need to. Above all, your language must sound natural.

In IELTS opinion essays, the thesis statement is where you state your opinion. For example,

    Thesis statement:  

    This essay totally disagrees with that statement.

That’s all you need to say.

If you decided to agree with the statement, you would write:

'This essay completely agrees with that statement.'

Finally in the introduction, you must outline the two main points (ideas 1 and 2 above) that you’ll cover in the rest of the essay. Do it in one sentence, or you can add them onto the end of the thesis statement if appropriate.

Outl ine statement:  

I believe that people are increasingly concerned about the risk of stress-related ill-health frequently experienced by people in highly paid positions and they care more about feeling fulfilled at work.

So, let’s bring the three elements of our introduction together.

     Introduction

This introduction achieves three important functions:

• It shows the examiner that you understand the question.
• It acts as a guide to the examiner as to what your essay is about.
• It also helps to keep you focused and on track as you write.

The two ideas in your introduction will become your two main body paragraphs.

Main body paragraph 1  – concerns about the risk of stress-related ill-health

Main body paragraph 2  – a sense of fulfilment at work

How To Write Main Body Paragraphs

The structure of a good main body paragraph has 3 parts:

• Topic sentence
• Explanation

If you can’t think of an example, you can add further supporting ideas but we already have our two examples so that’s not an issue here.

A common problem when writing main body paragraphs for IELTS opinion essays is having too many ideas. Again, we have already chosen the two ideas we are going to develop, so we are all set to start writing.

You can see how important the planning stage is and how it makes the actual writing of the essay far quicker and easier.

Main Body Paragraph 1

The  topic sentence  summarises the main idea of the paragraph. That’s all it needs to do so it doesn’t have to be complicated.

It plays an important role in ensuring that your ideas flow logically from one to another. It does this by acting as a signpost for what is to come next, that is, what the paragraph will be about.

If you maintain a clear development of ideas throughout your essay, you will get high marks for task achievement and cohesion and coherence.

We’ll now take the idea for our first main body paragraph and create our topic sentence.

Main idea 1  – concerns about the risk of stress-related ill-health

Topic sentence:  

Employees earning a large income are generally under significant mental and emotional pressure to perform well and achieve targets.

Next, we must write an  explanation sentence . This explains to the examiner what we mean. It expands on our first idea.

Explanation sentence: 

This causes many individuals to suffer high levels of stress which can result in both mental and physical health problems.

Finally, we add an  example  to support our main point. I thought of this in the planning stage so I have it ready to use.

If you can’t think of a real example, it’s fine to make one up, as long as it’s believable. The examiner isn’t going to check your facts.

Example sentence:

This happened to my uncle. He used to boast about his huge salary but the boss kept increasing his sales targets and in the end, the stress became too great and he had a nervous breakdown. Now he regrets being driven by the money.

That’s the 3 parts of our first main body paragraph complete. Here’s the finished paragraph.

We now follow the same process for our second main body paragraph.

Main Body Paragraph 2

Main idea 2  – Job satisfaction gives a sense of fulfilment.

First, we write the  topic sentence  to summarise the main idea.

Topic sentence:

Having a job that they enjoy doing, and in which they feel valued, is a major concern for most of the modern workforce.

Now for the  explanation sentence  to explain this idea.

Explanation sentence:

A significant number of people are giving up well-paid positions to do jobs which pay less but that they find more enjoyable and less stressful.

Finally, an  example  to support our main point. As before, I thought of this in the planning stage so just need to form it into a couple of sentences.

I am an example of this myself. A year ago I left the teaching profession because the workload had become too great and I am now a gardener. I feel really fulfilled in this work and I am much more relaxed and happy even though I earn far less money.

That’s the 3 parts of our second main body paragraph complete. Here’s the finished paragraph.

Now we need a conclusion and our IELTS opinion essay is done.

How To Write a Conclusion

Conclusions to IELTS opinion essays should do two things:

• Summarise the main points
• State your opinion

This can generally be done in a single sentence.

If you are below the minimum 250 words after you’ve written your conclusion, you can add an additional prediction or recommendation statement.

Our essay currently has 233 words so we’re on target and don’t need this extra sentence but you can learn more about how to write a prediction or recommendation statement for IELTS opinion essays on the Task 2 Conclusions page.

The conclusion is the easiest sentence in the essay to write but one of the most important.

A good conclusion will:

• Neatly end the essay
• Link all your ideas together
• Sum up your argument or opinion
• Answer the question

If you achieve this, you’ll improve your score for both task achievement and cohesion and coherence which together make up 50% of the overall marks. Without a conclusion, you’ll score below band 6 for task achievement.

You can start almost any final paragraph of an IELTS opinion essay with the words:

• In conclusion

        or

• To conclude

Now all you need to do is briefly summarise the main ideas into one sentence.

Here’s a top tip . Go back and read the introduction to the essay because this is also a summary of the essay. It outlines what you are going to write about.

To create a great conclusion, you simply have to paraphrase the introduction. Let’s give it a go.

Introduction:

Here is the same information formed into a conclusion:

That’s it. We’ve completed our essay. Here it is with the 4 paragraphs put together.

    Question:

   A big salary is much more important than job satisfaction.

   Do you agree or disagree?

Finished IELTS opinion essay.

Go through this lesson as many times as you need to in order to fully understand it and put in lots of practice writing IELTS opinion essays from past exam questions. Practice is the only way to improve your skills.

5 More Model IELTS Opinion Essays

This pack contains another step-by-step lesson and  model essay. P lus 4 additional opinion essay questions with model answers.

Carefully created to help you achieve 7+ in your Writing test.

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More help with ielts opinion essays & other task 2 essays.

IELTS Writing Task 2  – T he format, the 5 question types, the 5 step essay writing strategy & sample questions. All the key information you need to know.

The 5 Types of Task 2 Essay   – How to recognise the 5 different types of Task 2 essays. 15 sample questions to study and a simple planning structure for each essay type.

Understanding Task 2 Questions  – How to quickly and easily analyse and understand IELTS Writing Task 2 questions.

How To Plan a Task 2 Essay  – Discover why essay planning is essential & learn a simple 4 step strategy, the 4 part essay structure & 4 methods of generating ideas.

How To Write a Task 2 Introduction  – Find out why a good introduction is essential. Learn how to write one using a simple 3 part strategy & discover 4 common mistakes to avoid.

How To Write Task 2 Main Body Paragraphs  – Learn the simple 3 part structure for writing great main body paragraphs and also, 3 common mistakes to avoid. 

How To Write Task 2 Conclusions  – Learn the easy way to write the perfect conclusion for a Task 2 essay. Also discover 4 common mistakes to avoid.

Task 2 Marking Criteria  – Find out how to meet the marking criteria in Task 2. See examples of good and poor answers & learn some common mistakes to avoid.

The 5 Task 2 Essay Types:

Step-by-step instructions on how to plan & write high-level essays. Model answers & common mistakes to avoid.

   Opinion Essays

   Discussion Essays

  Problem Solution Essays

  Advantages & Disadvantages Essays

  Double Question Essays

Other Related Pages

IELTS Writing Test  – Understand the format & marking criteria, know what skills are assessed & learn the difference between the Academic & General writing tests.

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How to Write an Essay in IELTS – Tips, Patterns, and Samples!

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Updated on 13 April, 2023

Mrinal Mandal

Study abroad expert.

The International English Language Testing System ( IELTS ) is an English language proficiency test for those who are seeking international education, a job, or migration. Two types of IELTS examination-IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training, are carried out to measure English language proficiency and skills that are important to communicate in English-speaking countries. Writing for IELTS Task 2 includes an essay writing task of 250 words in 40 minutes. The essay writing task is designed to understand the writing skills, grammar, vocabulary, ideas, and reasoning capabilities of applicants. Task 2 contributes twice Task 1 to the writing score. Essay writing tests English proficiency in terms of writing skills, and it is one of the most important and compulsory sections. To write a winning essay in IELTS, applicants must follow the below-mentioned tips and band 8 essay samples. Let’s learn – how to write an essay in IELTS.

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Tips and patterns for writing a band 8 essay

1. Lexical resources should be appropriate while writing the task 2 essay. Applicants should use a broad spectrum of vocabulary with zero errors and complete accuracy. The lexical terms should be used and demonstrated in a sophisticated manner throughout the essay. 

2. Stick to the word limit. The word limit for task 2 essay writing is 250 words. Make sure you write a maximum of 260-280 words and not any extra. Quality over quantity will matter in writing a winning essay. Don’t waste time on writing extra; instead, take time to draft a brilliant introduction and conclusion. 

3. The essay should be coherent and cohesive. The ideas and information should match with one another throughout the essay. Compose the ideas and details in an organized manner following the instructed format. The essay writing should be cohesive. When the information is cohesive, you will not require too many connectors or linking words to connect sentences. 

4. Increase the readability of the essay by organizing the entire 250-word essay into small paragraphs. It will attract attention and increase readability. Avoid writing a 100-word-long paragraph at a stretch. Short paragraphs and sentences are good and crisp. 

5. Read the question well, to understand the expectations of the examiner and maintain a unique and ideal write-up. Choose the right words to draft a 250-word length descriptive essay that meets the relevancy and purpose of the question.

6. Use positive words. Even if you don’t support the question and speak against the statement, you cannot use negative words or disrespect the opinion of anyone else. It will be a neutral statement where you just need to talk about your opinion and support your statement with enough ideas, justification and add on some real-life experiences to make it a winning essay. 

7. An accurate and rich vocabulary is important to write a winning IELTS essay that can give a band 8. Read and listen to magazines, newspapers, articles, and journals to get some good words that you can use in the write-up. Do not use common and daily used words. The way you talk randomly with your friends is not the way that you draft your IELTS task 2. It needs good words to increase the quality of the essay. 

8. Follow the format. The essay has three main parts: introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction and conclusion are very important. The examiner should be able to figure out the entire content and purpose of the essay by reading the starting lines of the introduction. Effectively close your essay. The conclusion is an important part of the essay.

9. Work on grammar. The essay should be grammatically correct. Don’t make major grammatical mistakes. Read your essay once after completing it. You will be able to scan various minor and major errors that can bring down your band. Always set aside some time to read before submitting the essay.

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Sample IELTS Essay Writing Task 2

Crime is a big problem in the world. Many people think that nothing can be done about crime to prevent it. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give your own opinion. Ever-increasing crime is irrefutably one of the most overarching and major issues every country is facing in recent times. Although many people believe that nothing can be done to prevent crime, I believe that crime can be controlled by treating it as the main issue and executing the measures differently. 

While many people believe that common crimes such as robbery, theft, murder, hate crimes, and others cannot be regulated, I think that Government can control it up to a great extent by making strict rules. Making strict rules and compelling citizens to religiously abide by them will instill the fear of punishment in people.  Also, severe punishments like longer imprisonment will discourage people to indulge in common crimes and thus it will reduce crime significantly. For instance-lifetime imprisonment for murders or sexual assault will make people think twice before committing such crimes, which will ensure less crime in society. 

The second major change the Government of every country needs to ensure is the basic rights of health, housing, and education to reduce the crime rate. Substandard living conditions are the main reason why many people gravitate toward committing various crimes and hence ensuring basic facilities for everyone will reduce the crime considerably. 

To conclude, I feel that the only logical solution to preventing criminal activities is through appropriate action taken by the government and society.

The English language is the medium of communication in English-speaking countries. The IELTS Writing section focuses on the skills required for writing, in terms of vocabulary, grammar, and writing style. Writing task 2 is an essay. It is a descriptive essay that evaluates grammar, ideas, opinion, format, fluency, and structure. To write a winning essay, refer to the sample and tips provided above.

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Ielts exam preparation for a higher band score., tips on how to write your ielts essay, some great tips on how to write your ielts essay:.

Well, this is a widely discussed issue about answering the Writing Task 2 of an IELTS test. In fact, the test takers are in deep trouble to deal with the questions and their potential answers. But this is not a big deal if someone follows some precise rules. This article is about some useful tips to start an IELTS essay and get a good band in the test. Before moving to the topic, some issues need discussion for you. So, an introductory speech would not taste bad to the beginners of IELTS test.

Achieving a band like 7.5+ is a long mountain to climb if the candidate lacks necessary preparations. The answers need to be perfectly correct and up to the standard. Application of grammar, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary in right ways is also desired to achieve the score. The IELTS test taker should write the answers not entirely based on real facts. They have to apply their imaginations as well.

In IELTS Writing Task 2, an applicant is supposed to answer some particular questions. But, keep in mind – there is a limitation of time. The candidate should present the topic skillfully and obviously with no mistake. A pencil and paper will be used for the purpose, however, use of a pen is not prohibited. The candidate has to complete the task within the budgeted time – 40 minutes. No extra seconds will be offered.

There are some variations on the type of essays you might get in your writing task 2 question. They are usually – Opinion, Argument, Advantages/Disadvantages, Problem/solution and mixed essay. The candidates are also expected to use their experience and examples while answering them.

Actually, grading of the essay is predefined. The examiners mostly care about the coherence of the topic. Grammatical accuracy is also required. If you do not care about the grammar in your writing, you will lose a good portion of your score. Hence, this is always a good idea to know grammar, coherence, cohesion etc. while answering the writing section of this test.

Luckily, a wide number of tips and suggestions are available both online and offline, and the IELTS candidates can take a great help from those materials. It needs some moments to focus on the materials and know the secrets of success in IELTS.

I think you have got some ideas about the IELTS Writing Task 2 by now. So, let us start the tips.

Know the question:

Many of the IELTS candidates do not have any idea about the question as they do not read the question attentively. They simply answer the questions and copy some question lines on their answer script. They think it will add some exception. Wrong! I will not suggest copying questions from the question paper. Rather, my suggestions would be to follow the question. Get to know the question. Ask the question what it demands. In fact, this is a simple task. If you know your question completely, you would be able to understand what actually is demanded by the questions. You should never copy the question but always paraphrase it.

But if you know your question properly, you can answer them without losing any score. Knowing the questions plays a vital role here. DO NOT COPY questions on the answer script. Having the right knowledge on the question will help you answer them smoothly.

Take some notes:

A notable number of IELTS candidates avoid this step to save time. They do not take notes to deal with the questions. They have to realize that note taking is a part of the test. They need to take small notes either on their answer script or on their minds. This is a good way to raise the band score. A huge number of benefits are available in taking notes.

For instance, the IELTS question asks the candidate to write an essay about a problem about traffic congestions in his city and describes the detrimental impacts of the problem. Now the task is to describe the problems with proper examples.

In this case, a candidate should –

• Take some notes on the negative effects of traffic congestions. Pondering about the problem will help to sort out the harmful effects like wasting time on streets, loss of working hours etc. And this is not waste of time at all.
• Then the candidate should suggest some solutions. Adding some examples would raise chances of higher band in the test.

A brief model answer of the questions might be like this:

“Traffic congestion is increasing around the world. What is the situation in your own city? Do you have any suggestions that can help reduce the traffic jams?”

Answer: People consider traffic jam a curse as it kills valuable times and working hours every day.

(The candidate is supposed to take some drafts and then add the ideas into his answer) Reduction of traffic congestion is impossible to overnight. Awareness should be raised among people. Private vehicles should be reduced during peak hours.

Simply a model like this is helpful and the candidate should elaborate the answer necessarily.

Stick to the point:

While answering the Writing part 2, majority of the IELTS test takers are unable to stay focused to the point. They enlarge their answer unnecessarily. Most of the times, they cannot keep the track what they are writing. The entire writing becomes a hotchpotch for them. They forget about the rules and most importantly, they do not care about question topic. As a result, they miss the vital points of the questions. They forget about any important instruction. They also do not know what to do in such cases. Consequently, the Writing Part 2 becomes a nightmare for them. They blame their luck for not being successful in the test or for not getting the desired band.

Following a simple rule will improve the situation. As an IELTS test candidate, you will not need to elaborate the answers unnecessarily. You just need to stick to the main points. Write the answers to the point. Try making the points in line with the questions. If you want to put a logic, please keep it aligned with the question or with the relevant situations. Actually, the questions are not to assess your intelligence rather your knowledge on the topic. Underlining the keywords from the question will help you to set the answers.

For instance, the questions say to show the detrimental impacts of technology on youth and potential ways to get rid of it. And you begin this way-

“Technology is a blessing for all and it has countless benefits. It helps live a meaningful life but sometimes it has negative effects on young minds. People around the world are now dependent on technology. Youths are part of it. But they use it in a different manner. They are glued to the technological device. This is not good for them, I believe”

In fact, this is not the right approach. Your answer is derailing from the topic with unwanted lines. It wastes time, loses chances to a good score. Focusing on the problem would be more beneficial and you can do it this way –

“Technology is an asset but youths at present are abusing it. They waste time needlessly ….”

Budget your time:

Well, this is another important matter in the IELTS test. The time for the tests is limited. An applicant is to follow the time management skills while appearing on the test. There are varied suggestions regarding the time management. It is told before that the examiners will not allow a single extra second to the candidates to complete the test. When the time will be up, the live examiners will ask the candidates to stop writing or they will take the answer scripts. Hence, the candidates should be careful about time.

Planning ahead of time for the test would be the best. For completing an essay worth 250 to 280 words, an applicant should not use more than 36 minutes. This is from my personal experience. Though experts suggest spending around 40 minutes in this section and remaining 20 minutes for Writing Task 1. If someone can complete the task within 30 minutes, it points that s/ he will get a 10 minute extra. This 10 minutes could be used for different purposes. The applicants are in rush in the last moments. This extra minutes will help them in rush. They actually will not need to rush at all.

• Budgeting the time for each of the section is a must. And this is too important for the Writing Part 2.
• The applicant should not spend for over 5 minutes in thinking and planning. Actually, time flows rapidly in the test centres and exam halls.
• Map your answers spending not more than 5 minutes.

Think out of the box:

IELTS is a competitive skill assessment test. If you are unable to score a better band, some other will have that. So, your thoughts on the test need to be critical. Please keep in mind that if you cannot think out of the box, you will lose chances to have a remarkable band. When your thoughts would be critical, you would be able analyzing the questions from different perspectives. Actually, the examiners want the candidates to think deeply and make a unique resolution to the problems. Unless the answer scripts are filled with out of the box ideas, the examiners do not find interest in scoring a higher band.

As an IELTS candidate, you also should know that an examiner takes part in various activities. Examining the answer scripts is one of them. And if the answers are not attractive, they will lose interest in the answer script and consequently, the candidate will have a poor band. You do not need to be a rocket scientist. Your writing does not need to win the Nobel Prize. Simply it should provide the necessary answers in proper details.

The answers should be well organized with a simple look. The answer should be easily comprehensible for the readers (or the examiners). If you can think crucially, reflect the thoughts on the answer script.

Care Lexical features:

Well, an IELTS test is about testing the English language skills of the applicants. The examiners are expected to assess your capabilities and capacities with the language. Many of the applicants do not have the idea about the lexical features. They repeat words again and again. This is a kind of expression of empty inside for the candidates. The examiner expects to see some variety of language in the answer script. They also have an expectation that the candidates should use different terms and phrases in the answer script to describe their imaginations. But in reality, they do not find such variations.

This is an important part for the IELTS candidates. They should check the words they have composed on the answer script. It is wise not to repeat words in the answer script. The more you will repeat, the more the examiner will have a negative impression about your vocabulary. He will comprehend that as an IELTS test taker, you own a poor language knowledge. So, the band will be selected accordingly.

Hence, this is extremely important to select your words and apply them in the right place and in the right manner. A revision is required to change the words repeated in the answer script. It is easier to find the repeated words. Since you are not writing an epic at the test centre, you definitely will have some time in hand (if you budget your time for each of the questions accordingly).

Use Paragraphs:

Many of the IELTS test takers are unaware about the fact. They do not use paragraphs in their writings. They write the answers on the answer scripts in a single para. They clearly express their opinions on the lengthy single paragraph. But this is not the way of making a respectable answer to Writing Task 2. Hence, the candidates should take the matter seriously. Breaking down the ideas in several paragraphs is a helpful method. The candidates should follow the method to have several paragraphs while answering the questions. Actually, the candidates are asked to write an essay. But a lengthy paragraph makes the answer a ‘paragraph’ only. This is not an essay.

Thereby, the chance of a higher band is reduced in this case. The examiners do not care for such essays and grade poorly. The best idea is to make a detailed plan. Make sure you break down the paragraphs before writing the answer. Experts appreciate around four paras for an essay.

You can take an example-

An agree-disagree Writing Task 2 asks you to write about the matter or brushing teeth twice in a day and seeks your opinion about it.

– The first thing is an introduction. You can introduce your ideas in the first paragraph. – Place the agreements or logics that you generate on the second paragraph. – Write down the disagreements on the third paragraph. – Finally, place your own ideas in the last paragraph.

But you need to remain careful. Do not put any unwanted information on the paras. Do not add any expletives to expand the lines. Rather, it would be appreciated if you only expand your ideas with the right words.

At the end, you will find a healthy essay in all terms. To know more about paragraph writing on Writing Task 2, you can check some model answers from this website […………………………..].

Complete answers:

Interestingly, to reduce the pointless words, many of the IELTS test takers do not complete the answers. They prefer to write small sentences and in some cases, they write points only. But this is thoroughly a bad practice in IELTS test. The examiners are dissatisfied with such answers. The test is meant to assess your knowledge and skills on the English language. And if you do not complete the answers, the examiner will be unable to assess your potentials. Some examples might clear the fact.

An IELTS candidate can get a Writing Part 2 question like this:

“Climate change is a serious issue in these days.

What is causing global warming? How could they be neutralized? Is there any role of civil society other than the government?”

And many of the candidates fail to address the questions in right manner. Some of the wrong answers are as followed:

“Climate change is bad. This is hampering development. The potential ways to reduce climate change are –

– Reducing carbon emission – Planting trees – Stop deforestations – And so on …….”

But in reality, an examiner does not prefer such answer against this weighty question. The answer should be planned in a different technique.

The answer has no serious problem but if the answering way is changed, it will bring a better result. Adding the points into a paragraph (each point in a para with an explanation of one or two lines) could do much better. The answer will be completed.

Know grammar, spelling, and punctuation:

An IELTS candidate should care about the application of spelling, grammar and punctuation marks. Using the wrong grammar, making some informal sentence structure or not putting punctuation marks on right places can reduce marks in Writing Part 2. The candidates have to be careful about the issue. A prior practice is desirable to have a high band score in IELTS.

You might write the answer script filled with mistakes of grammar, punctuation, and spelling. And it quite natural to make mistakes if you are writing in an offline setting. An example may prove beneficial here.

If we consider the former question given above –

“Climate change is a serious issue in these days. What is causing global warming? How they could be neutralized?” “Reducing carbon emission is a great way to control climate change. People should be made aware of the issue. Planting trees everywhere is another way to defuse the problem.”

Be formal in language:

Application of informal expression is a common issue nowadays while discussion. But using the same type of language in Writing Task 2 is a big offence. In fact, the examiners will not love the matter. They would expect you to be formal in writing. Using the inappropriate terminologies and language is annoying for the examiners when they check the answer scripts.

Final words –

If you are armed with necessary knowledge, it is easier to have some high band score. Before moving for an IELTS Writing Task 2, a prior reading and knowing all the rules of the Grammar and language is a must. The tips here would also be supportive of potential candidates for IELTS takers. They should keep in mind that mistakes are unwelcomed and reduce the chances of success. Becoming practical is another way to carry some good bands. Be clear in expressing ideas without overstating. Adding examples than explanations will improve the writing style. The tips in this post will help them to get some good band score in this writing section.

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IELTS Opinion Essay – Topics, Structure and Sample Answers

10 min read

Updated On Feb 22, 2024

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IELTS opinion essays mainly focus on agreeing or disagreeing with a particular fact or information. It presents two opposite views and you have to develop your argument supporting one view (strictly one!) You get 40 minutes to complete this task. You have to write at least 250 words on the topic given.

Given below are some examples of IELTS Writing Task 2 opinion essays along with their structure. So, let’s understand how to frame the IELTS opinion essay from the sample answers given in the blog!

What is the IELTS Opinion Essay Format?

If you’re gearing up to tackle the Opinion Essay in IELTS Writing Task 2, know that it’s all about writing your opinion on a specific topic with supporting examples. To make sure your essay ticks off all the criteria of a band 8+ essay, organizing it in the right way is key!

Let’s now look at a proper format to learn the structuring of an IELTS opinion essay.

Introduction:

• Keep it short, usually around 2-3 sentences.
• Introduce the topic and clearly state your opinion.
• Provide a brief overview of the main points you will discuss in the body paragraphs.

Body Paragraphs (Usually 2 paragraphs):

• Each paragraph should focus on a single main idea that supports your opinion.
• Start with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea.
• Provide evidence, examples, and reasoning to support your main idea.
• Aim for coherence and cohesion within each paragraph by using appropriate transition words.
• Make sure to use appropriate vocabulary and grammar while explaining an idea in the body paragraphs.

Conclusion:

• Summarize the main points discussed in the body paragraphs.
• Restate your opinion, emphasizing its importance or relevance.
• Avoid introducing new ideas in the conclusion.

IELTS Opinion Essay Sample Answers

Given below is an example of an IELTS Writing task 2 opinion essay. Let’s understand how to frame the essay from the ideas we have.

Sample Question 1

In the future, nobody will buy printed newspapers or books because they will be able to read everything they want online without paying. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Given below is a brief outline of what to write in the essay after identifying the essay type.

Opinion Essay

Introduction

Paraphrase the topic of the essay using synonyms for the words used in the topic statement. Clearly state the view on the topic.

Body Paragraph 1

Technological improvements have increased the level of ease and convenience to a point where people can access news and information at the click of a button. This has led to print media becoming outdated.

Body Paragraph 2

The development of news websites and sites that freely distribute information and print media in a digital form has led to a trend of availing such services and content without paying.

Summarize the essay and re-state the opinion on the topic.

Struggling to Crack the IELTS opinion essays? Our 8+ band trainers have got you! Sign up for a  FREE demo  now!

Sample Answer 

Presently, newspapers, books, journals, magazines, etc. are still actively used by a section of the global population. However, with the arrival of news sites and the availability of books, magazines and other forms of media online, totally free of cost, many believe that such forms of media are on their way to becoming outdated. I agree with this statement, and will explain it further with relevant examples in the essay.

It is a well-known fact that in this day and age if an individual wants to read a book or just go over the news of the day, the first step that they take is to search the internet. Devices such as smartphones and tablets have improved the time efficiency of searching for information online to such an extent that a person can access their preferred form of media in the comfort of their homes in a matter of minutes. Consequently, people have started to abandon their preference for print media due to the presence of much more convenient alternatives.

Additionally, the various forms of print media enjoyed by people can often be availed free of charge on several websites. For instance, most news organizations publish their daily news on their official website, which can be accessed by anyone. Also, some numerous sites and databases provide popular books, journals and magazines in a digital form to the public for a nominal subscription fee or sometimes even for free, leading to a majority of readers of such forms of media shifting away from buying hard copies.

Nevertheless, there is still a sizable chunk of the population that enjoys the conventional forms of print media. That being said, with the cost-effective nature of making such information and content available online, organizations will soon completely shift to internet-based services.

In conclusion, I would like to say that people always prefer the more comfortable alternative that is available. Therefore, it can be safely said that in the coming years, there will be a complete shift from traditional print media to online media services and products.

Sample Question 2

Some people say that international sporting events contribute greatly to peace and stability in the world. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Paraphrase the topic sentence using synonyms.

Mention the view on the topic.

Body Paragraphs

International sports tournaments are events where teams and the general public of various countries come together and collectively participate in the event.

Sports events, especially cricket and football help distract the minds of the citizens from the ongoing difficulties in their country and enjoy these events.

Summarize the essay and state the final view.

Sample Answer

Sports has always been a magnificent platform for the finest talents of a country to showcase their skills and represent their nation. At the same time, sports is also one of the few occasions where every citizen of the country unites in support of their favourite teams. It is considered by many that sports are a great approach to maintain stability among countries. This essay will elaborate on the given topic and justify why sports can successfully bring and preserve global peace.

One of the greatest characteristics of any popular sporting event is that supporters of every team involved in the tournament almost always attend the matches that are organized in their cities. Some veteran fans even travel to different parts of the country to witness a match between their favourite teams. These events also unite the populace of a nation as every patriotic individual prays for the success of their national team. For instance, the entire nation wishes for the victory of their national team in the Olympic Games as winning an Olympic Medal is one of the most prestigious honours that can be bestowed upon a country.

It is a well-known fact that the people of a country collectively face several challenges on a day-to-day basis. These issues can be caused by numerous factors and are the typical difficulties that ordinary citizens have to overcome. Sports help people enjoy a few moments of excitement and take a break from the monotony of everyday life.

That being said, sometimes the passion of overenthusiastic sports fans ends up leading to harmful and conflicting situations among communities. Nevertheless, the overall impact of sports on our lives is undoubtedly positive.

Finally, sports are one of the aspects of human life that bind a whole community together. This is enough evidence to understand that sports help maintain peace and stability in a nation.

Ready to grab the latest IELTS writing task 2 question papers of 2024?

Sample Question 3

Our personalities are predetermined as a result of our genes before we are born and there is nothing that can be done to change our character traits. To what extent do you agree?

Paraphrase the topic and mention the view.

Genetics are only a part of the entire list of factors that affect a person’s personality.

One of the most important influences on an individual’s personality is their childhood and upbringing.

Summarize the essay and mention the final view in brief.

Even between small periods of time, there are subtle variabilities in our disposition. Such alterations are quite natural and are a part of a human being’s existence. However, it is often assumed that our personality is entirely dependent on genetics. The following paragraphs will explore the different aspects of personality and justify why genetics are not the only factor influencing our personality.

An individual has countless experiences in their life from childhood to adulthood and finally until death. Every one of these experiences has an impact on a person’s mind, no matter how giant or small. The kind of people present in a person’s immediate surroundings also has a huge influence on their nature and characteristics. Thus, it can be safely surmised that a person’s genes are not the only contributing factor when it comes to personality.

One of the most significant influences on our personality is our childhood experiences and the teachings of our parents. Children are always known to follow in the footsteps of their parents. Thus, if the parents of a child are successful in teaching their children the right values and morals, they are bound to grow into responsible and decent individuals.

It is true that the personality traits of an individual are determined by the features of their parents. Nevertheless, these traits can be altered over the course of many years and different experiences.

In conclusion, genetics affect our personalities in a trivial manner as compared to all the other aspects of our temperament. That being said, our life experiences and learnings are the consequential factors in developing our character.

The Latest IELTS Opinion Essay Topics of 2024

A few IELTS opinion essay topics are listed down below, which you can practice. These opinion essay questions may appear in the actual examination.

• In the future, it seems more difficult to live on Earth. Some people think more money should be spent on researching another planet to live on, such as Mars. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Many people say that the only way to guarantee a good job is to complete a course in university education. Others claim that it is better to start work after school and gain experience in the world of work. How far do you agree or disagree with the above views?

• Although more and more people read the news on the internet, newspapers will remain the most important source of news for the majority of people. Do you agree or disagree?
• Students in schools and universities learn more from their teachers than through other means such as the Internet, libraries, and TV. To what extent you agree or disagree?
• Nowadays university education is very expensive. Some people say that universities should reduce their fees, especially for the less fortunate students or for those coming from rural areas. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
• Some people think that governments must insist on preserving the traditional appearance of old buildings undergoing renovation or redevelopment. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the statement?
• Some people believe that international trade and communication with other countries is a positive trend, while others think it is harmful to nations and they might lose their identities. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Give your own opinion and relevant examples.
• Many people believe that schools should teach children to become good citizens and workers rather than independent individuals. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give your own opinion and relevant examples.

People should follow the customs and traditions when they start to live in a new country. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

• It is impossible to help all people in the world, so governments should only focus on people in their own countries. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Prevention is better than cure. Do you agree or disagree that out of the country’s health budget, a large proportion should be diverted from treatment to spending on health education and preventive measures?

Top 3 Common Mistakes of IELTS Opinion Essays

In IELTS opinion essays, it’s easy to make some common mistakes that can lower your band score. Getting aware of them is the key to not committing them knowingly or unknowingly while you prepare!

The top 3 common mistakes to avoid are:

• Not giving a clear opinion.
• Presenting arguments for both sides of the issue.
• Failing to support your opinion with well-defined reasons and examples.

Tips to Answer IELTS Opinion Essay Questions

In the IELTS opinion essays, you need to write your opinion about a topic and back it up with proof and examples. If you use a clear structure and good writing methods, you can improve your chances of doing well!

• Spend 5 minutes on a mind map before writing.
• Stick to one viewpoint throughout the essay.
• Use a single main idea to support the topic in each of the two body paragraphs.
• Express your opinion throughout the essay, not just in the conclusion.
• Keep the introduction short, a maximum of 50 words.
• Ensure each body paragraph explains a main idea within 100 words.
• The conclusion should be shorter than the introduction.
• Write a complete essay following the given structure.
• Aim for a word count of 280 words or less.

Here are the 10 Examples for the Opinion Essay Topics IELTS:

Also check:

• Tips to write introduction in IELTS Writing Task 2
• Tips to write great writing essay
• IELTS Sample essays
• How to get band 8 in IELTS Writing Task 2
• IELTS Writing recent actual test
• IELTS 2024 Study Plan for 1 month (30 Days) / 15 Days / 7 Days

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the structure for writing the introduction for an opinion essay?

Is it mandatory to state my opinion in the introduction? Can I skip it and introduce my opinion in the body paragraphs?

What are the words that I can use to state my opinion?

Can I underline the important sentences, to attract examiner’s attention?

Is it mandatory to write the essay in first person?

Practice IELTS Writing Task 2 based on Essay types

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Nehasri Ravishenbagam

Nehasri Ravishenbagam, a Senior Content Marketing Specialist and a Certified IELTS Trainer of 3 years, crafts her writings in an engaging way with proper SEO practices. She specializes in creating a variety of content for IELTS, CELPIP, TOEFL, and certain immigration-related topics. As a student of literature, she enjoys freelancing for websites and magazines to balance her profession in marketing and her passion for creativity!

Explore other Opinion Essays

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Post your Comments

Purnima Koli

Posted on Oct 5, 2021

In fast-paced global economy, it is imperative to have both knowledge and skill. Ability to learn on the job paves way for more hands-on training than discussing case studies at university. Doing a course can be time taking and can surely burn a hole in our parents’ pockets, the middle class knows it better. Getting straight to business of things, meaning starting to work soon after school is beneficial in many ways.

Working in office gives us professional perspective about how business processes are streamlines, turning creative ideas into tangible projects and most importantly getting paid for the amazing work I put out. I feel it’s great to have my ideas being incorporated as solutions to processual issues. Personal growth due to long years of work experience makes us future-ready for the big dream job. Alternatively, some also start their own business after getting gaining a good reputation for their work.

In my personal experience my university education looks good on my CV but has not been financially rewarding for I still have to even out my return on investment. I regret joining an elite institution where I felt out of place as I came from a humble upbringing. However, I learnt a lot about living away from home, managing finances, making new friends, living independently, honed my communication skills.

All in all, I feel it is better to join workforce early on than to do a full-fledged university course. This saves time, money and energy from studying on campus which can be channelized to working with a small business which has ample scope to learn on the job. Later, one can switch to bigger companies with the achieved industry experience after a few years of rigorous hands-on training and development.

In the future, it seems more difficult to live on Earth. Some people think more money should be spent on researching another planet to live, such as Mars. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

The available land for household, industrial and recreational usage is shrinking. We see large scale infrastructure development in India. But for all these activities we need more land on earth itself, not on some other worldly planet, Mars. I would have to disagree that Mars has answers to all our earthly problems. I think it’s more about gaps in planning, policy making and the way we conduct our lives on a day-to-day basis. If we base our routine on sustainable habits, we are already solving more problems than we create. The problems are created on earth so they need solutions on earth itself, I believe.

The problems like polluted resources such as air, water, land, soil have ample ways to be fixed as we read in scientific journals and other informational sources. The popular ‘3 Rs’ such as Recycle, Reuse and Reduce need to be inculcated for us to have clean air, water, soil, land. We need community development along with economic development so the civil society, environment and the development process can go hand-in-hand. Overcrowding in urban areas due to migration for work, education or marriage can be solved by having proper laws. On the other hand, achieving conservation targets for endangered flora and fauna is a vital step towards holistic saving the ecosystem.

Consequently, I strongly believe that having ideas about Mars being an inhabitable place in the future is surely fantastic idea. But It’s a childish way to think of a better world somewhere else than fixing problems at hand. Let’s face it, our survival instincts have made us exploit resources faster than the nature can replenish them. And we see the negative outcomes like sea-level rising, frequent coastal flooding, drastic weather changes, global warming. As a global community of conscious individuals, we need our planet more than it needs us.

Posted on Sep 11, 2021

In a new country one faces multiple challenges to overcome the culture shock. Different people may adopt the new ways of life at different pace. But I do agree that willing to accept and change with the circumstances can ease the burden.

As we know that change is inevitable, we need to get accustomed to the new culture. There’s no harm in getting the best of both worlds, from your country of origin to this new land of surprises. Festivals, celebrations, new people, new places, new things tend to broaden our perspective on life. We come out much stronger by dealing with the new possibilities. Initially, the surrounding might be tough to make sense of, but with time it should get better.

The decision of moving to a new country is yours so you’d be the person who needs to adapt to get the best possible advantage. Human psychology is common but mannerisms might be different. So, one can learn that through social observation, trial and error and asking questions.

To belong at a place, we must take the initiative to learn the traditions and customs of the new country. To feel welcomed, one must socialize with like minded individuals, take part in group activities at workplace or educational institute or even neighborhood social clubs. Try to get out there, find your niche, excel at what you do, travel and get to know people. It’s easy if you are willing.

Otherwise, you’ll end up losing new experiences which enliven our senses. To live more each day, we need to blend with the culture. Traditions tells us stories of the past which we could relate with stories back at our homeland as well. This way it’s going to be much easier to make bonds, live a cheerful life.

Posted on Sep 15, 2021

Okay. Thanks for your reply. The 4 paragraph structure goes for all other types of (Task 2) essays too?

Posted on Sep 13, 2021

Overall band: 6

Follow the 4 paragraph structure so that it is easy for the examiner to mark you for coherence. . For opinion essays, it is better to write one line after your opinionated paragraphs. Just one line that you are aware of the other side.

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IELTS Writing Task 2: Format, Sample, Tips

The IELTS Writing Task 2: The second portion of the writing test, known as IELTS Writing Task 2, asks you to produce an essay in response to a point of view, argument, or problem. Your essay should be written in a formal tone, be at least 250 words long, and take no more than 40 minutes to finish.

Table of Content

IELTS Writing Task 2- Format

1. task question, 2. word limit, 4. response structure, 5. evaluation criteria, difference between ielts writing task 2- academic vs general, understanding the evaluation criteria, common ielts writing task 2 topics, band descriptors ielts writing task 2, ielts essay types for writing task 2, ielts writing task 2 preparation tips, ielts writing task 2 sample, ielts writing task 2- faqs, what are indigenous cultures and languages, why is it important to protect indigenous cultures and languages, what are some challenges in protecting indigenous cultures and languages, what role can governments play in protecting indigenous cultures and languages, are there any potential drawbacks to prioritizing the protection of indigenous cultures and languages.

• You will be presented with a topic or statement related to a contemporary issue or problem.
• The task question may ask you to discuss a particular problem, present a solution, evaluate a situation, or provide your opinion on a given topic.
• You are expected to write at least 250 words for the IELTS Writing Task 2.
• It is advisable to write within the range of 250300 words, as responses shorter than 250 words are penalized, and longer responses do not necessarily receive higher scores.
• 3. Time Allotment:
• You have 40 minutes to complete the IELTS Writing Task 2.
• Your response should be structured as an essay with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
• The introduction should provide an overview of the topic and outline the main points you will discuss.
• The body paragraphs should develop your ideas and arguments, with one main idea per paragraph supported by relevant examples or evidence.
• The conclusion should summarize your main points and provide a final perspective on the topic.
• Your response will be evaluated based on four criteria: Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource (vocabulary), and Grammatical Range and Accuracy.
• You should aim to address all parts of the task question, present a clear and coherent argument, use a wide range of vocabulary accurately, and demonstrate a good command of grammar and sentence structures.

Must Read: IELTS Academic vs General Tests – What’s the Difference?

The IELTS Writing Task 2 covers a wide range of topics related to contemporary issues and problems. Here are some common topics that frequently appear in the IELTS Writing Task 2:

1. Education:

• The role of technology in education
• The importance of extracurricular activities
• The advantages and disadvantages of single gender schools

2. Environment:

• Climate change and its impacts
• Sustainable development and environmental conservation
• The use of renewable energy sources
• The impact of lifestyle choices on health
• The role of government in promoting public health
• The advantages and disadvantages of alternative medicine

4. Society and Culture:

• The effects of globalization on local cultures
• The impact of social media on human interactions
• The role of religion in modern society

5. Technology:

• The advantages and disadvantages of artificial intelligence
• The impact of technology on employment and job markets
• The role of technology in communication and information sharing

6. Urbanization and Transportation:

• The challenges of urban growth and city planning
• The benefits and drawbacks of public transportation
• The impact of transportation on the environment

7. Crime and Justice:

• The causes and prevention of crime
• The effectiveness of different types of punishment
• The role of the criminal justice system in society

8. Economics and Business:

• The impact of globalization on international trade
• The role of advertising in influencing consumer behavior
• The advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing

9. Government and Politics:

• The importance of freedom of speech and press
• The role of government in regulating the economy
• The impact of immigration on societies

10. Arts and Culture:

• The importance of preserving cultural heritage
• The role of art in society
• The impact of censorship on artistic expression

In the IELTS Writing Task 2, candidates are required to write an essay in response to a prompt or question. There are several common types of essays that may appear in Task 2:

1. Argumentative/Opinion Essays: These essays require candidates to express their opinion on a given topic and support it with reasons and examples. They often involve discussing both sides of an issue and presenting a clear argument in favor of one viewpoint.

2. Discussion/Two-sided Essays: Similar to argumentative essays, discussion essays require candidates to discuss both sides of an issue before expressing their opinion or preference. They need to provide balanced arguments and consider opposing viewpoints.

3. Advantages and Disadvantages Essays : In these essays, candidates need to discuss the pros and cons of a particular issue, situation, or trend. They should provide examples to illustrate each point and offer a balanced analysis.

4. Problem-Solution Essays: These essays involve identifying a problem or issue, discussing its causes and effects, and proposing possible solutions or measures to address it. Candidates need to present logical arguments and support their solutions with evidence.

5. Cause and Effect Essays: Cause and effect essays focus on analyzing the reasons behind a specific phenomenon or event and its subsequent effects. Candidates should clearly outline the causal relationships and provide relevant examples.

6. Comparison/Contrast Essays: These essays require candidates to compare and contrast two or more ideas, concepts, or approaches. They should highlight similarities and differences and draw conclusions based on their analysis.

7. Process Essays: Process essays explain a sequence of steps or actions involved in a particular process, such as how to do something or how something works. Candidates need to provide clear explanations and use appropriate transition words to guide the reader through each step.

8. Agree/Disagree Essays: In these essays, candidates are given a statement or opinion, and they need to express whether they agree or disagree with it. They should support their stance with reasons and examples.

IELTS Writing Task 2 preparation tips to help you improve your performance:

1. Understand the Task Question

• Read the task question carefully and identify the key components, such as the topic, the instructions (e.g., discuss, evaluate, give your opinion), and any specific aspects to be addressed.
• Underline or highlight the essential elements to ensure you address all parts of the question.

2. Plan Your Essay

• Spend a few minutes planning your essay before you start writing.
• Brainstorm ideas and organize them into an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
• Develop a clear thesis statement and main points to guide your essay.

3. Manage Your Time

• Allocate your time wisely, allowing enough time for planning, writing, and reviewing.
• Aim to spend around 510 minutes planning, 2530 minutes writing, and 5 minutes reviewing and making corrections.

4. Use Appropriate Structure and Paragraphing

• Follow a standard essay structure with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
• Each body paragraph should focus on one main idea and include supporting details, examples, or evidence.
• Use clear topic sentences and logical transitions between paragraphs.

5. Develop Your Ideas

• Provide relevant and welldeveloped ideas to support your main points.
• Use examples, personal experiences, facts, or hypothetical situations to illustrate your arguments.
• Show critical thinking by analyzing different perspectives and addressing counterarguments.

6. Use Appropriate Language and Vocabulary

• Use a range of appropriate vocabulary related to the topic.
• Vary your sentence structures and avoid repetition.
• Demonstrate your ability to use idiomatic expressions and collocations accurately.

7. Pay Attention to Grammar and Accuracy

• Review and proofread your essay for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and punctuation issues.
• Ensure subjectverb agreement, correct tense usage, and appropriate word forms.
• Avoid overly complex sentences that may increase the risk of errors.

8. Practice with Sample Questions

• Familiarize yourself with different types of IELTS Writing Task 2 questions by practicing with sample prompts.
• Set a timer and practice writing complete essays under timed conditions.
• Seek feedback from experienced IELTS teachers or online resources to identify areas for improvement.

9. Learn from Model Answers

• Study highscoring model answers to understand the expected level of writing and the organization of ideas.
• Analyze the structure, language use, and development of arguments in these model answers.
• Incorporate effective strategies and techniques into your own writing practice.

10. Stay UptoDate with Current Affairs

• Stay informed about current events, global issues, and debates related to various topics.
• Read reputable news sources, magazines, or online articles to broaden your knowledge and enhance your ability to discuss contemporary topics.

Here is a practice IELTS Writing Task 2 topic for you: Topic: Some people believe that governments should make more efforts to protect indigenous cultures and languages from disappearing. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write at least 250 words discussing both viewpoints and giving your opinion.

• Make a plan before you start writing. Outline your introduction, body paragraphs and conclusion.
• The introduction should paraphrase the topic and outline what will be discussed.
• Discuss both sides of the argument in the body paragraphs. One paragraph arguing for protecting indigenous cultures/languages, one paragraph arguing against or giving the opposite view.
• Use examples, data or personal experiences to support your arguments.
• The conclusion should summarize your main points and give a clear opinion.
• Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures. Avoid repetition.
• Check for grammar, spelling and punctuation errors.

In conclusion, while protecting indigenous cultures and languages is undoubtedly important for preserving human diversity and heritage, it should be balanced with practical considerations and the interests of the wider community. A nuanced approach that promotes understanding and appreciation while accommodating evolving societal needs is ideal.

Also Read: IELTS Full Form: Check Its Significance IELTS Average Score: Across Worldwide and India IELTS Minimum Score for Top Universities in 2024 IELTS Exam Pattern 2024: Section-wise IELTS Exam Paper Pattern, Question Types

Indigenous cultures and languages refer to the traditional practices, belief systems, and modes of expression of ethnic groups native to a particular region or country.

Protecting indigenous cultures and languages helps preserve unique identities, traditional knowledge, and cultural diversity, which are valuable aspects of human heritage and can contribute to our understanding of history, societies, and the environment.

Challenges include globalization, urbanization, lack of resources, and a shift towards more dominant cultures and languages, which can lead to the erosion of indigenous practices and languages over time.

Governments can implement policies to support the use and teaching of indigenous languages, provide funding for cultural preservation efforts, and promote awareness and appreciation of indigenous cultures through education and media.

Potential drawbacks include the allocation of limited resources towards this effort at the expense of other priorities, the potential for cultural stagnation or resistance to cultural evolution, and the risk of creating divisions or conflicts within diverse societies.

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Letter writing tips to help you ace IELTS Writing Task 1

In a world where short-form media like emails, DMs, SMSes, and Tweets are how we now communicate on a daily basis, is long-form letter writing now obsolete? Well, you’ll find upon entering university or the working world that there will be key occasions where you may need to craft a professional, formal letter. You’ll also need to be able to craft a letter to showcase your English language proficiency if you’re taking the IELTS Writing test for IELTS General Training.

To add to that, more people are getting back into informal letter writing nowadays as a sentimental way to connect or stay in touch with loved ones – so you might just find it coming back into fashion soon!

Even if you think letter writing seems old-school, there’s a good reason why it’s included as Task 1 of IELTS Writing for IELTS General Training. When you enter higher education or the workplace, you must be able to write a formal letter when applying for certain grants, scholarships, business events, or even job positions. So this task gives you real-world experience that may come in useful in the future.

Whether you’re writing a formal or informal letter, it’s a good way for the examiners to assess your ability to convey your thoughts clearly and persuasively through writing. IELTS is seen as the standard of English proficiency by employers and institutions worldwide, and your performance in the Letter Writing component conveys to potential employers or mentors that you know how to write and communicate clearly how to write and communicate clearly across a variety of situations.

However, not having many opportunities for letter writing in everyday life may make this section of the IELTS seem daunting or unfamiliar to you.

So, to help you ace this part of IELTS Writing, we’ve put together some key letter writing and IELTS answering tips to help you tackle this section with confidence. Read on to find out how.

How IELTS Writing is assessed

Before diving into the letter writing tips, it's crucial to understand how IELTS Writing Task 1 is administered during the IELTS General Training test and how it’s assessed.

During the assessment, you will be asked to write a letter based on a specific situation. The letter could be formal, semi-formal, or informal in nature, depending on the situation provided. However, the required formality will not be explicitly mentioned, so you will need to discern it from the question. For example:

“You have been invited to a friend’s birthday party. However, you later learn that you have a work event on the same day and at the same time that you cannot miss. Write a letter to your friend. In the letter (A) describe your feelings about the party (B) explain why you cannot attend (C) tell your friend about a present you have bought them.”

The question will also specify a minimum word count for your letter and whether any formal elements are required (e.g. addresses for a formal letter). Your performance will then be evaluated based on several key criteria:

Task achievement: Have you addressed all parts of the question or prompt appropriately? (e.g. If the question specifies a formal letter request, have you provided a response that displays the specific features of a formal letter?) Does it suit the formality required of the letter?

Coherence and cohesion: Is your writing logically organised, with a clear progression from one idea to the next? Have you used signpoints and signal phrases to communicate changes in ideas or different sections of the letter?

Lexical resource: Have you demonstrated a wide and appropriate range of vocabulary?

Grammatical range and accuracy: Is your grammar usage correct and varied?

In order to score a Band 9 for IELTS Writing , you’ll need to:

Ensure you comprehensively answer all parts of the question with responses that are directly related and relevant to the question.

Provide an in-depth and well-structured answer, showing clear, logical progression and detailed illustration where necessary.

Ensure your writing flows smoothly, with no gaps in understanding or coherence.

Use an appropriately diverse range of vocabulary.

Do note that the section is only available for IELTS General Training and not for IELTS Academic. Writing Task 1 for IELTS Academic is not letter writing but instead requires you to respond to a graphic stimuli, table, or chart provided.

Now, let's explore the essential letter writing tips to help you succeed.

1. Know the purpose and type of the letter.

Understanding the purpose and type of letter you're required to write is fundamental. Different situations call for different tones and styles. For instance, writing a personal letter to a friend about your holiday plans requires a casual and friendly tone, while composing a semi-formal letter to your boss regarding taking holiday leave demands professionalism and respect.

For letters of the same tone, you’ll need to know how to vary your writing according to the situation prompt given. A formal letter to a business colleague will look and sound different compared to a formal letter to your landlord, resulting in different vocabulary or structural choices.

2. Have a solid structure for the letter.

Your letter should have a clear and well-structured format, starting with an appropriate greeting and closing with a suitable sign-off. Each section should flow logically to the next, providing the reader with a smooth reading experience. Here's a general structure to follow:

Opening: Greet the recipient appropriately.

Introduction: Provide context or purpose.

Main body: Present your points logically.

Conclusion: Summarise the main points.

Closing: Sign off politely.

3. Understand how formality affects your vocabulary.

The level of formality in your letter influences your choice of vocabulary and tone. In formal letters, avoid contractions and use more sophisticated language . Informal letters, on the other hand, can include contractions and a more relaxed tone. Take for example a situation in which you’re writing to the recipient to ask for more information on an event. A formal letter may begin with the phrase “Dear Mr Smith, I am writing to you to enquire about …”, while an informal letter may begin with “Dear John, I’ve heard about [event]. Can you tell me more about it?”

To excel in IELTS Writing Task 1, it's crucial to understand these nuances of formality and adjust your language accordingly. Like a skilled actor preparing for different roles, you must adapt to the demands of the situation. Familiarise yourself with the differences and adjust your language accordingly, brushing up on more casual turns of phrases as well as more formal constructions alike. This also extends to the opening and closing salutations, such as signing off with “Yours faithfully” in a formal letter versus “Best wishes” in an informal letter.

4. Plan your letter properly before beginning to write

Before putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), take a moment to plan your letter. This step is often underestimated but is incredibly valuable. Outline the key points you want to address, and ensure there is a logical flow between each point of your letter. This planning phase not only ensures your letter is well-structured but also helps you avoid unnecessary rambling.

It's also a wise strategy to set a word or time limit for your Task 1 response, leaving ample time and energy for Task 2. You can incorporate this time limit during your pre-test IELTS practice, starting with a greater time allowance and working up to the exact time you’ll need to finish writing during the test.

Model letter sample

To further illustrate these letter writing tips, here’s a model letter sample:

[Dear Andrew

I was pleased to hear that you’re going to visit Brisbane, so I’m writing to give you some information to think about before you come.

Most people travel to Brisbane in the summer months, but I think it’s uncomfortably hot at that time of the year. Autumn is the best season, between April and June. It’s still sunny, but much cooler than in summer.

At the moment, all our bedrooms are full, so unfortunately, we can’t put you up. However, there are some cheap places to stay, like Airbnb’s, in our suburb. You could also stay in a serviced apartment in the city centre or on the Gold Coast. There are lots of specials online, so I’m sure you’ll find somewhere affordable.

When you get here, let me be your tourist guide. I’ll take you to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, where you can feed kangaroos and koalas. I can also drive you to the Gold Coast for a swim. To add excitement, we can visit the theme parks there too.

Looking forward to catching up.

Best wishes

Prepare for IELTS Writing Task 1 effectively with IDP

Excelling in IELTS Writing Task 1 for IELTS General Training requires an understanding of the assessment criteria and the ability to adapt your writing style to different situations.

With sufficient practice prior to the test and dedicated honing of these letter writing tips, you can confidently tackle the letter writing portion of the test and score a band 9. More than that, you can master a skill that extends beyond the test and can significantly impact your academic and professional endeavours outside of the classroom.

As joint owner of the IELTS test, IDP’s wide range of official IELTS resources and preparation materials are available to aid you in your journey to a Band 9. Explore our IELTS classes and IELTS preparation material online , sign up for IELTS online exam practice tests , and download the IELTS by IDP app for a comprehensive preparation experience to achieving your best score.

Ready to take the next step? Book your IELTS test through IDP and embark on your path to success.

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IELTS Academic Task 1: Mastering Grammar for Band 7 Reports IELTS Podcast

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By Ben Worthington, founder and manager of IELTSPodcast.com, a leading expert in IELTS preparation with over 12 years of experience helping thousands of students annually achieve Band 7 or higher. What Grammar Nuances Are Essential for Achieving Band 7 in IELTS Academic Task 1? Understanding the nuances of grammar is essential for scoring a band 7 in IELTS Academic Task 1. This section will cover foundational grammar concepts and common pitfalls to avoid, enhancing your academic writing skills. How Can You Categorise ‘Little Words’ in Academic Writing? In academic writing, small words that clarify the relationship between nouns can be categorised as related to countable nouns, uncountable nouns, or both. Mastering these can enhance clarity and precision. What Are the Basic Grammar Options to Avoid Common Errors? Understanding basic grammar options helps prevent common errors such as misusing “less” with countable nouns or “amount of” in the wrong context, thus improving sentence coherence. How Should You Correctly Use ‘MOST’ and ‘MOST OF’ in Sentences? Correct usage of “most” and “most of” is crucial. Remember to include “the” when using “of” to avoid grammatical mistakes, as demonstrated through examples. How Can Advanced Language Usage Enhance Your Academic Writing? Incorporating advanced or mathematical language, like “twice as much” or “around a third of,” can significantly elevate the sophistication of your academic reporting. Share this guide:Share on WhatsApp Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Further Reading * Grammar Tips for the IELTS Exam * IELTS Task 1 Essay Structures * IELTS Writing Tips Explore more on academic writing techniques at Oxford University’s Academic Writing Centre.  

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Poverty Is The Reason Behind Most Crimes - IELTS Band 9 Essay

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Model Essay 1

It is often posited that poverty acts as a fundamental root of most criminal behaviours. I fully concur with this assertion, believing that poverty not only precipitates a higher propensity for crime but also perpetuates a cycle of criminality. This essay will explore how economic deprivation compels individuals to engage in illegal acts and the societal implications of ignoring this pivotal issue.

Poverty induces crime by creating an environment where illegal activities can seem like the only survival strategy. Financial desperation leaves many with negligible choices, pushing them towards theft, drug trafficking, or other unlawful behaviours as means of economic survival. Studies have consistently shown that areas with high poverty rates experience significantly more crime than economically stable locales. For instance, research from the Bureau of Justice Statistics reveals that impoverished urban neighbourhoods report crime rates nearly double those of their wealthier counterparts. This correlation highlights the direct impact that economic hardship can have on increasing criminal activities, as individuals struggling to meet basic needs may view crime as a viable solution.

Moreover, the cyclical nature of poverty and crime exacerbates this problem, trapping individuals in a continuous loop of desperation and illegality. Children growing up in impoverished conditions are often exposed to higher rates of crime, which can normalize such behaviours and increase the likelihood of future criminality. The lack of resources for proper education and employment opportunities further limits their escape routes from this cycle. Consequently, without significant interventions to elevate educational and economic opportunities, communities entrenched in poverty are likely to remain hotbeds of criminal activity. This cycle not only perpetuates the existing conditions but also hinders societal progress as a whole.

In essence, the strong correlation between poverty and crime underscores the urgent need for comprehensive socioeconomic reforms. By addressing poverty, we can significantly reduce crime rates and break the enduring cycle of deprivation and lawlessness that plagues many communities. This approach is essential for fostering a safer and more equitable society.

Model Essay 2

While many argue that poverty is a primary catalyst for criminal activities, this perspective oversimplifies a complex issue. This essay contends that while poverty can contribute to crime, other factors like education and societal values play crucial roles. The ensuing discussion will examine the multifaceted relationship between poverty, societal elements, and crime.

Poverty is often seen as a breeding ground for criminal behaviour due to the desperation it engenders. Economically disadvantaged individuals might feel excluded from the societal benefits enjoyed by their more affluent counterparts, leading to feelings of resentment and injustice. For instance, in densely populated urban areas where economic disparity is stark, higher crime rates are prevalent. These environments frequently lack adequate employment opportunities, compelling some to turn to illegal activities as a viable source of income. However, this is a partial view. The assumption that poverty alone leads to crime neglects the impact of individual choices and community support systems which can mitigate criminal tendencies despite economic hardships.

Expanding on the argument, it is imperative to consider the roles of education and societal values in curbing or fostering crime. Countries with robust educational systems and strong social welfare networks often exhibit lower crime rates, regardless of economic disparities. Education not only equips individuals with the skills needed for employment but also fosters a sense of moral responsibility and community engagement. For example, Scandinavian countries, despite having populations with varying income levels, maintain low crime rates due to comprehensive education systems and strong community cohesion. Furthermore, societal values that emphasize respect for law and order, community engagement, and mutual respect contribute significantly to deterring criminal activity. These elements demonstrate that while poverty can influence crime rates, it is not a sole determinant.

In conclusion, attributing crime predominantly to poverty is an oversimplification of a broader societal issue. This essay has illustrated that the interplay of economic conditions, educational opportunities, and societal values collectively influences criminal behaviour. Understanding and addressing these factors holistically is crucial in effectively reducing crime.

Model Essay 3

The assertion that poverty is the primary driver of most crimes is a view that simplifies a much more complex landscape. I contend that crime is influenced more significantly by moral decay and societal disintegration than by economic circumstances alone. This essay will elucidate how moral and cultural factors are pivotal in understanding criminal behaviour, rather than mere financial deprivation.

Firstly, the moral breakdown within communities and families often plays a more decisive role in fostering criminal behaviours than poverty. Crime can flourish in both affluent and impoverished areas, suggesting that other variables, such as the erosion of family values, lack of parental guidance, and the prevalence of drug and alcohol abuse, are more indicative of criminal activity. For example, affluent nations and neighbourhoods witness significant levels of white-collar crime, drug abuse, and domestic violence, which are not directly tied to economic hardship but rather to moral choices and lifestyle. This indicates that the root causes of crime often stem from ethical lapses and societal norms rather than solely economic factors.

Additionally, the role of societal structures and law enforcement effectiveness in preventing crime is often underestimated when poverty is oversimplified as the main cause. Effective policing, robust legal systems, and active community engagement are critical in deterring crime. Countries with strong law enforcement agencies and high levels of civic participation typically experience lower crime rates, regardless of their economic status. This suggests that societal organization and the enforcement of law and order have a significant deterrent effect on crime, independent of the economic conditions of a given area.

In conclusion, while poverty may influence criminal behaviour, it is neither the sole nor the most significant factor. The prevalence of crime is more intricately linked to moral and societal conditions. Addressing these aspects is crucial for truly mitigating crime rates.

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Latest IELTS Speaking questions from Australia – May 2024

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Our kind student A shared these Speaking questions right after his IELTS exam in Australia:

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– Where are you from? – What do you do? – Did you have to do any special courses to get this job? – Did you aim for this job? – Do you use a computer in your daily work? – How did you learn to use a computer? – How often do you use the computer outside of work? – What kind of tasks do you perform on the computer?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Describe a situation when people congratulated you. You should say:

– when it was – what you did – how they congratulated you

and explain how you felt about it.

Part 3 (Discussion)

– On what occasions do people congratulate someone in your culture? – How do people offer congratulations in your culture? – Is success important in your culture? – How do people achieve success in their lives? – What factors contribute to a person’s success? – Do people need motivation to succeed in their work?

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