Thinking of ideas

If you’re ever stuck for ideas with a task 2 question, ask yourself these questions about the topic.
These can help you think of ideas for all types of questions

Topics Questions

Money cheap or too expensive?

make money or waste money?

Time take only a little time or waste time?

Environment good or bad for the environment?

Employment / education create or take away jobs?

Easier or more difficult to get a job
Broadens your mind / narrows your mind?

Mental health relaxing or stressful? Stimulating / boring

make people happy or sad?

Physical health healthy or unhealthy?

make people strong or weak?

Social / relationships strengthen or weaken relationships?

make more friends or valuable contacts? / lose them?

Society & individuals What effect does it have on society, communities and individuals? Does it
benefit one but not the other? How is it different?

● If you really have no ideas for a problem and solution question then you can use this – as a last resort :
Problem = there is a lack of awareness of the issue.
Solution = people can raise awareness of the issue

The key to thinking of ideas and planning your answer quickly is to practice planning answers to
questions regularly.

Challenge : everyday, plan 6 different IELTS questions in a week. Only write the plan, don’t
write the essay.

Taken from Sam’s lessons The IELTS Teacher ©

Below are some notes of ideas for answering task 2 questions.

1. Match the topics from the previous page with the notes below. One has been done for
you.

--
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?

--

Advantages
1. environment : fewer motor vehicles = less use of fossil fuels = less land / water pollution
2. _____________ : reduce congestion / rush hour traffic = will save time going to work / school
3. _____________ : more jobs = e.g. drivers of buses, engineers to maintain more vehicles
4. _____________ :make friends / meet more people in public transport

Disadvantages
5. _____________ : unpopular = cars are convenient, people will still want them
6. _____________ : more stressful = everyone using public transport = more crowded = take more
time
7. _____________ : too expensive = more public transport will require great changes to
infrastructure

Taken from Sam’s lessons The IELTS Teacher ©

2. How many ideas can you note to answer the question below?

--
People now have the freedom to work and live anywhere in the world due to the
development of communication technology and transportation.

Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?

--

Advantages
1. ____________________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________________________

Disadvantages
4. ____________________________________________________________________________
5. ____________________________________________________________________________
6. ____________________________________________________________________________

Taken from Sam’s lessons The IELTS Teacher ©

Researching for ideas and vocabulary
There will be times when you get an unfamiliar topic which you cannot think of any ideas for and
do not have enough topic vocabulary to write about it. On these occasions, you will have to
research it. Some ways to research it could be to search for it online, read articles or listen to
videos. Read the following question about GM foods.

--
With a growing population, many people believe that we should focus on producing more
GM foods.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of doing this?

--

You can find ideas and vocabulary related to this topic by making some searches e.g.
“What are the advantages and disadvantages of GM foods.”
“What are GM foods?”
“Problems with GM foods”

Taken from Sam’s lessons The IELTS Teacher ©

SUGGESTED ANSWERS
Link : https://vittana.org/12-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-genetically-modified-foods

Vocabulary
a crop yields something : the produce from food that is grown.
Well-rounded nutrition : all the nutrition needed for people
Pest resistance : resistant to pests / animals which attack the crops
Cause antibiotic resistance : stop antibiotic medicine working
Crops are at the mercy of the manufacturer’s preferences : dependent on / victim to
--

Taken from Sam’s lessons The IELTS Teacher ©

A. What searches would you make to find out more information about the question below?

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?

--

1. ____________________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________________________

B. What ideas can you think of now to answer this question?

1. ____________________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________________________

C. Give 5 new words or phrases you found that you can use for answering this question.

1. ____________________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________________________
4. ____________________________________________________________________________
5. ____________________________________________________________________________

Taken from Sam’s lessons The IELTS Teacher ©

This exercise was taken from one of Sam’s IELTS Writing lessons. Book a free demo lesson
with Sam or another teacher here.

Taken from Sam’s lessons The IELTS Teacher ©