Understanding IELTS: Writing

STEP 2.11

Suggested Answer: Topic sentence

In this task you were asked to suggest a topic sentence for the second paragraph, using
the first one as a model. As discussed on the step, all that is required is a simple, clear
statement that follows on from the previous paragraph and introduces the points that
follow. For example:

Another area of concern is the pressure to succeed.

… I believe there are three main areas of concern.

The first is the pressure to conform. In other words, children are under
pressure to be like each other and to be like the role models that they see in
the media. The result is that children feel like outcasts among their peers from
a very young age unless they can follow the latest trends. Not being able to
conform with the group can lead to conflict with parents and even depression.

________________________. What I mean by this is that children are being

tested on their learning more frequently and at a younger age. Constant
testing makes children anxious about school and children who are not suited
to academic study feel inadequate when they take exams and then fail.
Instead of helping children’s minds grow, the education system has become
the cause of many mental health problems in the young today.

There are of course many, many possible variations of that suggested answer, but
the important things they should all contain are (1) a link to the introductory sentence
and the topic sentence of the preceding paragraph and (2) a single expression that
describes the negative effect of more and more testing at a younger age.

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