Parts of an Essay:

IELTS Essay Introduction

This lesson explains how you should approach writing an
introduction for an IELTS Task 2 essay.
 Write Synonyms
 Paraphrase the topic using the synonyms. ( as discussed in the class)

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.
How do I write a thesis statement?
In order to make it effective, you must have first identified the task of the essay. If you
are unsure about this, check out this lesson on identifying the task.

The task is what you have to do, and is usually at the end of the rubric. For example,
look at this IELTS essay question:

As global trade increases, many goods including those we use on a daily basis
are produced in other countries and transported long distances.

Do the benefits of this trend *outweigh the drawbacks?

What you have to do (the task) is explain whether you think, overall, an increase in the
production of goods in other countries and their subsequent transportation over long
distances is more advantageousor disadvantageous.

So your essay is obviously going to be discussing the advantages and

disadvantages of this issue, and this is what needs to be made clear in your thesis
statement.

It is also an opinion essay as it is asking you to make a decision on whether you think
there are more advantages or disadvantages. So you need to make this clear as well.

Here is an example introduction, with the thesis in bold:

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Due to the increase in global trade, many of the goods that we consume every day are
made in a different country and then transported over a long distance in order to reach
us. In my opinion, this trend has more disadvantages than advantages.

You would then go on to write about the advantages and disadvantages of global trade
(focusing more on the disadvantagesas you think there are more of these).

*Just a quick note on the word 'outweigh'. This word often confuses students and they
end up writing a thesis statement opinion that contradicts what they write in the essay.

The simple answer - don't use the word! It is just asking you if there are more
advantages than disadvantages. So just state what you think in the thesis without using
the word, as in the example.

How does the thesis statement change with different types

of question?
We will now look at how thesis statements can vary with different question types.
However, you should not try to learn set phrases or sentences to fit certain essays.

There are some broad types of essay question that are common to see, but they can all
vary slightly.

The golden rule is to always read the question very carefully (never rush this as you
may not fully answer the question) and work out what you have to do.

Your thesis statement will then follow on from this, depending on what you have
decided you need to write about in order to answer the question.

So below are some suggestions of what you could do for certain common kinds of
essay question, but this is not to say these are right and other ways are wrong. There
are numerous ways to write good thesis statements and these are just possibilities.

1) Writing about Two Opinions

Some questions ask you specifically to discuss two opinions and to give your
opinion.

Some people think that young children should be allowed to do paid work, while
others think that this should be illegal.

Discuss both opinions and give your opinion.

There are various ways you could choose to write an introduction and thesis for this.

Example 1

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You could begin by paraphrasing the two opinions, then stating in the thesis what you
will do:

Some people believe that it is acceptable for young children to undertake jobs that they
are paid for, whereas others believe that this is wrong and should be illegal. This essay
will discuss both sides of the issue.

This is quite simplistic but it makes it very clear what you are going to do.

You will obviously need to give your opinion as well in the essay, but stating this in the
thesis ("This essay will discuss both sides of the issue and then give my opinion")
sounds awkward so it is better without it.

Example 2

Another possible way to do it is by having a sentence to introduce the topic first, and
then paraphrasing the two opinions to make them your thesis:

At present, more and more young children are becoming involved in paid work. Whilst
some people are of the opinion that this is an entirely acceptable practice, others
believe that this is completely wrong and should be made illegal.

This is fine as your thesis will match with your essay - you go on to discuss the first
opinion and then the second one.

Example 3

Or of course you could modify this slightly to include your opinion:

At present, more and more young children are becoming involved in paid work. Whilst
some people are of the opinion that this is an entirely acceptable practice, I
believe that this is completely wrong and should be made illegal.

As long as you go on to discuss both sides of the argument, this is fine.

2) Agreeing or Disagreeing

Another type of question is when you are asked to agree or disagreewith one opinion.

Currently there is a trend towards the use of alternative forms of medicine.

However, at best these methods are ineffective, and at worst they may be
dangerous.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

For this type of question, you need to state what your opinion is in the thesis statement.

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Although you could feasibly do this in the conclusion, I think it is better to do it first so it
is clear to someone reading the essay what your opinion is upfront. It is not wrong
though to put it in the conclusion - this is your choice.

Your thesis statement here will depend on whether you agree, disagree, or partly agree.
Here are some examples of each:

A thesis statement that agrees with the opinion:

Alternative medicine is not new. It is accepted that it pre-dates conventional medicine

and it is still used by many people all over the world. However, I strongly believe that
this form of medicine does not work and is possibly a danger to those using it.

A thesis statement that disagrees with the opinion:

Alternative medicine is not new. It is accepted that it pre-dates conventional medicine

and it is still used by many people all over the world. I am unconvinced that it is
dangerous, and feel that both alternative and conventional medicine can be
useful.

A thesis statement that partly agrees with the opinion:

Alternative medicine is not new. It is accepted that it pre-dates conventional medicine

and it is still used by many people all over the world. I agree that for certain
conditions this type of medicine is ineffective and could even be dangerous, but
for some illnesses it is a good alternative choice.

These examples illustrate why it is important to ananlyze the question carefully and
brainstorm your ideas first so you have a clear idea of what you will be writing and what
your opinion is.

3) Other Essays

Some other essays may not ask you for your opinion specifically, but may ask you to
discuss, for example, problems and solutions, causes and effects, advantages and
disadvantages.

If you are asked to do this, then you should just clearly state that you will be discussing
these two things in your essay. Here are some examples:

Problems and solutions:

Overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous problems.

Identify one or two serious ones and suggest ways that governments and
individuals can tackle these problems.

Sample thesis in bold:

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Many countries of the world are currently experiencing problems caused by rapidly
growing populations in urban areas. Both governments and individuals have a duty
to find ways to overcome these problems.

Causes and Effects:

The percentage of overweight children in western society has increased by

almost 20% in the last ten years.

Discuss the causes and effects of this disturbing trend.

Sample thesis in bold:

Over the last ten years, Western societies have seen close to a 20% rise in the number
of children who are overweight. This essay will discuss some reasons why this has
occurred and examine the consequences of this worrying trend.

Advantages and Disadvantages:

In order to solve traffic problems, governments should tax private car owners
heavily and use the money to improve public transportation.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of such a solution?

Sample thesis in bold:

Traffic congestion in many cities around the world is severe. One possible solution to
this problem is to impose heavy taxes on car drivers and use this money to make public
transport better. This essay will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of such a
measure.

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.

Studying Abroad
Studying abroad has two main benefits. Firstly, people who study abroad can get a
better job when they return to their home country. This is because their qualifications
and experience mean that they tend to get jobs that are higher paid, and they can also
gain promotion quickly. Another advantage of studying abroad is the independence

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students can gain. For example, students have to cope with the challenges of living
alone and meeting new people from different cultures. As a consequence, they will
become more confident in their life and in their relationships with others. All in all, it is
clear that studying abroad is a beneficial experience.

The Three Parts to Good Paragraph Writing

The 'text book' structure for a paragraph is as follows:

 Topic sentence
 Supporting sentences
 Concluding sentence
1. Topic Sentence

The topic sentence states what the paragraph will be about. It gives the topic of the
paragraph, and it also restricts the topic to one or two main ideas which can be
explained fully in the space of one paragraph. The controlling idea is the specific area
that the topic is limited to:

topic controlling idea

Studying abroad has two main benefits

2. Supporting Sentences

Supporting sentences explain and develop the topic sentence. Specifically, they
discuss the topic sentence by explaining the main ideas and discussing those more fully
using reasons, examples, facts, results, statistics, or anything else that proves your
ideas are true.

The supporting sentences that explain the benefits of studying abroad are:

People get a better job when they return home (1st supporting idea)
 Better qualifications & experience mean better pay and promotion (reason)
 Now has a high standard of living (result)
Students gain independence (2nd supporting idea)
 Students have to cope with the challenges of living alone and meeting new people from
different cultures.(example)

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 Students will become more confident in their life and relationships (result)
3. Concluding Sentence (Optional)

A concluding sentence can be used to signal the end of the paragraph. It tells the
reader the important points to remember. It is often a paraphrase of the topic sentence.

All in all, it is clear that studying abroad is a beneficial experience.

Concluding sentences are optional and paragraphs often do not have them. You won't
get marked down if you do not have a concluding sentence in IELTS, but it is a good
way to add coherence to your paragraph.

Unity and Coherence

For good paragraph writing, there must also be unity and coherence. The examiner
will assess your IELTS paragraphs on their unity and coherence, which is clearly shown
in the IELTS public band descriptors under "Coherence and Cohesion" for what is
required for a band 7:

 logically organises information and ideas; there is clear progression throughout

 uses a range of cohesive devices appropriately
 presents a clear central topic within each paragraph
1. Unity

Unity means that you discuss only one main (central) topic area in a paragraph. The
area that you are going to cover is usually introduced in the topic sentence, and your
supporting sentences should only be used to develop that.

For the topic sentence above, you could discuss only two benefits of studying abroad.
You could not discuss three benefits, or start discussing the disadvantages of studying
abroad. If you did, your paragraph would not have unity.

Even if there is no specific topic sentence (more advanced writers do not always have
an obvious topic sentence), the paragraph should still have one central topic area so it
retains unity.

2. Coherence

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 Another element of good paragraph writing is coherency. This means your paragraph is
easy to understand and read because

(a) The supporting sentences are arranged in a logical order and

(b) The ideas are joined by appropriate transition signals.
(a) Logical Order

For example, in the paragraph about studying abroad, there are two main ideas: People
who study abroad can get a better job, and they will become more independent. Each
of these ideas is discussed, one after the other, with examples, reasons and results to
support them. This is logical order.

(b) Transition Signals

Furthermore, the relationship between the ideas is clearly shown by using appropriate
transition words and phrases such as first of all, for instance, the result of this, another
advantage, as a consequence, all in all. Using such words and phrases will guide the
reader through your paragraph, making it coherent and, therefore, easy to understand.

Some important Tips for writing the Body of IELTS Task 2

Academic/Formal Writing

The IELTS expects you to use an academic/formal writing style. This means you should use
the same kind of language that you would when writing a report for work or an essay for
school. Obviously, you would avoid using “slang” words. You would also write in complete
sentences and use proper punctuation. Here are some additional features of
academic/formal writing to keep in mind for Task 2:

 Organize ideas into separate paragraphs: You will lose points if you do not divide your
essay into paragraphs. In the next section of this post, I’ve included an IELTS Writing Task
2 response template. The template includes the essential paragraphs you should include in
your Task 2 response. Generally speaking, your essay must have an introduction paragraph,
2 – 3 body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

 Write in complete sentences: Make sure each sentence you write has an independent
clause with a subject and verb. When you write complex or compound sentences, use
“connectors” like coordinating conjunctions (and, but, so, etc) or subordinating conjunctions
(when, although, because, etc).

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 Avoid repetition of words and ideas: Your ideas should move from one to the next
logically, and you should show off your vocabulary by avoiding redundancy (don’t repeat the
same words over and over).

 Avoid “slang:” The English you hear in the movies or read on social media is often
inappropriate for formal writing. It is a big problem to use words like “dude” or spellings like
“U” (for “you”) on the IELTS.

 Thoughtful and Neutral Tone: Academic/formal writing has a very careful and thoughtful
tone. It rarely sounds angry, excited, or overly certain about an idea. It is also best to avoid
broad generalizations in formal/academic compositions. Here are some examples to
demonstrate:

NOT ACADEMIC: I hate this idea! (Too excited/angry)

ACADEMIC: This idea has some problems to consider.

NOT ACADEMIC: Everyone is distracted by cell phones these days.(Too broad)

ACADEMIC: Many people are distracted by cell phones these days.

NOT ACADEMIC: I have the best solution to the problem. (Too certain)
ACADEMIC: I would suggest this solution to the problem.

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Task 2 Templates as per the question types:

ELTS Writing Question Types: To what extent do you agree…

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IELTS Writing Question Types: Advantages and Disadvantages

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IELTS
S Writing Question Types: Causes and Solutions to a Problem

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IELTS Writing Question Types: Discuss both sides (and give your opinion)

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IELTS Writing Question Types: Thematic

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

IELTS Essay Conclusion

For an IELTS essay conclusion, many students write too much.It is only a short essay,
so the conclusion does not need to be too long.

You should also have a formula for writing the conclusion quickly so you can focus your
time on developing your ideas and supporting them in your body paragraphs.

You should do three things in your conclusion:

1. Use a concluding phrase

2. Restate the thesis statement in different words
3. Give some personal opinions, hopes, fears, or recommendations about the future
Take a look at this essay question and introduction. The thesis statement is in red:

Question:

Blood sports have become a hot topic for debate in recent years. As society
develops it is increasingly seen as an uncivilized activity and cruel to the helpless
animals that are killed. Blood sports should be banned.

To what extent to you agree or disagree?

Sample IELTS essay introduction:

Despite the fact that killing animals for sport is popular in modern society, it remains a
contentious issue. (thesis) I believe that blood sports are cruel and uncivilized
and so should be banned as soon as possible.
Sample IELTS essay conclusion:

In order to write the first sentence of the IELTS essay conclusion, you can paraphrase
your thesis statement - remember to use a phrase to make it clear it is a conclusion.

To conclude, it is clear that blood sports must be prohibited as no civilized

society should allow the pain and suffering of animals simply for fun.

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For your final sentence, you can give some personal opinions, hopes, fears, or
recommendations about the future.

I hope that governments around the world discuss this issue with haste and
forbid this inhumane type of sport as soon as possible.
This then, is the full IELTS essay conclusion:

To conclude, it is clear that blood sports must be prohibited as no civilized

society should allow the pain and suffering of animals simply for fun. I hope that
governments around the world discuss this issue with haste and forbid this
inhumane type of sport as soon as possible.

Further IELTS Essay Conclusion Examples

Question:

Currently there is a trend towards the use of alternative forms of medicine.

However, at best these methods are ineffective, and at worst they may be
dangerous.

To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Introduction:

Alternative medicine is not new. It is accepted that it pre-dates conventional medicine

and it is still used by many people all over the world. I am unconvinced that it is
dangerous, and feel that both alternative and conventional medicine can be useful.
Conclusion:

To sum up, I strongly believe that conventional medicine and alternative therapies can
and should coexist. They have different strengths, and can both be used effectively to
target particular medical problems. The best situation would be for alternative
therapies to be used to support and complement conventional medicine.

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Question:

Some people believe the aim of university education is to help graduates get
better jobs. Others believe there are much wider benefits of university education
for both individuals and society.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Introduction:

These days, more and more people are making the choice to go to university. While
some people are of the opinion that the only purpose of a university education is to
improve job prospects, others think that society and the individual benefit in much
broader ways.
Conclusion:

All in all, I believe that although a main aim of university education is to get the best
job, there are clearly further benefits. If we continue to promote and encourage
university attendance, it will lead to a better future for individuals and society.

Question:

Global warming is one of the most serious issues that the world is facing today.

What are the causes of global warming and what measures can governments and
individuals take to tackle the issue?

Introduction:

Probably the most worrying threat to our planet at the present time is global
warming. This essay will examine the reasons why global warming is occurring and
discuss some possible solutions.
Conclusion:

To conclude, although global warming is a serious issue, there are steps that
governments and individuals can take to reduce its effects. If we are to save our
planet, it is important that this is treated as a priority for all concerned.

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