Academic Writing Task 2

Evaluation
To do well in the IELTS writing test it is vital for you to understand what the examiner
is looking for.

When you understand the criteria, you can use them as a foundation for your
practice. Getting a higher score in IELTS Writing is not just about working hard, it is
also about working smartly.

There are four testing criteria in the assessment:

*Topic Response - responding to all parts of the question.

*Coherence & Cohesion - paragraphing and the connection of ideas at the idea
level, and at the sentence level.

*Lexical Resource - wide range of vocabulary with very natural and sophisticated
control of lexical features.

*Grammatical Range and Accuracy - a wide range of structures with full flexibility
and accuracy.

Each of these makes up 25% of the overall marks in the IELTS Writing test.

You can lose points if:

● Going off-topic (not answering the question of the essay)

● Memorised (if your essay seems as learnt by heart )
● Illegible (applies only for paper based exam, if it’s hard to understand your
handwriting)

*NB Task Achievement and Coherence & Cohesion are fundamental criteria and
they significantly influence your Band. It isn’t possible to achieve Band 6+ if these
principal criteria are ignored.
How to level up your band in each criterion.

Topic Response depends on whether you have properly responded to all of the
questions asked.

To increase score for TR (Writing Task 2):

● Present the information accurately

● Answer all parts of the task
● Provide a clear overview
● Give a clear position, have a definite opinion

Below is a typical question:

Researching one’s family tree is becoming a popular trend. Why do you think that
this is so? Is this a positive or a negative trend?

There are two parts to this question. You must address both questions. You should
not make a list of thoughts and ideas using commas, adding one thought after
another. You must explain your concepts, develop your reasoning and advance your
thoughts by using examples.

How you present your ideas and justify your stance is the key to how well you score
in this criterion.
Coherence and Cohesion

Coherence is the logical sequencing of thoughts and ideas. The reader must be
able to logically follow your ideas.

To increase score for CC:

● You must properly structure the answer and make logical use of paragraphs
make sure that each paragraph has a central idea
● Your essay should start with an introduction that explains what it is all about
● You should end with a conclusion

The structure of the essay helps the reader to follow the ideas of the writer. The
ideas offered in the paragraphs should have a logical sequence. You should not
present ideas abruptly but rather lead into them, starting with a topic sentence and
then developing the idea.

Cohesion is all about connecting the ideas and paragraphs in your essay. This is
done by using linkers as shown in the list below:

● However, whereas, on the contrary, while – are all used to contrast ideas.
● This is to say, which means – are used to explain a concept.
● To illustrate, for instance, for example – are used to illustrate an idea.
● Furthermore, additionally – are words used to add similar ideas.

Cohesion and Coherence will be marked according to your ability to logically

organise sentences and paragraphs. You should use linking devices to form
connections between the parts of the sentences and between paragraphs so that the
ideas flow one into the other.

The linking words used must be both appropriate and relevant. You should not use
them unnecessarily or in the wrong context.
Lexical resource

For a high score, you should demonstrate to the examiner that you have a rich
vocabulary. To do this you must use more formal and uncommon words rather than
informal commonly used words.

For example, you could use the word deter instead of stop.

Use accurate collocations. Collocations refer to the way that words are arranged in a
sentence. For example, we make mistakes. We don’t do mistakes. Collocations are
words that generally go together. English speaking people use these word groups
naturally, fluently and effortlessly.

Use a wide range of vocabulary and try not to repeat words. Rather use synonyms or
rephrase sentences that have such repetitions. Make sure that you use the words in
the correct context.

Use the appropriate tone of voice. You should use formal vocabulary in all of the
tasks unless you are asked to write an informal letter. In which case the informal
vocabulary should flow throughout the task. For example, a word such as anyway is
informal. The more formal word nevertheless is a better choice.

To increase score for LR:

● use a wide range of vocabulary

● use less common lexical items
● avoid errors in spelling and word formation
Grammatical Range & Accuracy

To score this criterion, things taken into consideration include sentence structures,
proper use of tenses, putting right punctuations, use of simple as well as complex
statements with clear ideas.

It is also important to combine complex and simple sentences. You are not marked
on the number of mistakes that you make but rather on how effectively you convey
your ideas to the reader.

To increase score for GRA:

● use a wide range of grammatical structures and tenses

● manage punctuation
● avoid errors in sentences
Timing

Suggested time management strategy

5 minutes
Planning

5 minutes
Writing an introduction

20 minutes
Writing a body of an essay (10 minutes for each paragraph)

5 minutes
Writing a conclusion

5 minutes
Proofreading

Please mind that the body is the most important part of your Writing Task and the
key to a high score.

*NB Most students who take computer-based IELTS find it more time efficient to
write an introduction, a topic sentence for each body paragraph and a conclusion
first. And then, spend the rest of their time to complete two body paragraphs.
Structuring

If you are looking to score Band 6.5 or less, 250 words would be enough. Follow the
structure below.

Introduction: 2 sentences
First main body paragraph: 5 sentences
Second main body paragraph: 5 sentences
Conclusion: 1-2 sentences

If you’re aiming for Band 7+, we suggest writing around 280 words. You only need 16
sentences* to write this number of words for IELTS Writing Task 2. Let’s take a look
at a suggested organisation structure.

Introduction: 2 sentences
First main body paragraph: 6 sentences
Second main body paragraph: 6 sentences
Conclusion: 2 sentence

*A sentence should be around 15-20 words long. Topic sentence (first sentence in a
body paragraph) is an exception and could be shorter.

The following structure for Writing Task 2 is only a suggestion and shows the
minimum requirements. It is not considered to be a rule or the only possible way of
planning your essay. However, following this plan may help you to stay within the
given time limits and not to go off-topic, which is a major struggle for 76% of students
from our experience.

That is to say, the advised structure should be used as a skeleton for your essay
when you only start practicing and could be gradually modified and become more
complex as you get expertise and a sense of the language.

The following approach has illustrated solid results among more than 150 examinees
aiming for Band 7+.
Essay Content

Introduction & Conclusion

Introduction:

An introduction paragraph for an IELTS Writing Task 2 requires only two statements.
A Background Statement - this is a paragraph of the essay question. A Thesis
Statement - a direct answer to the essay question and task.

Following are the steps to writing an Introduction:

● Paraphrase the statement

● Answer the question

Example:

Homeschooling belongs to the past and is unacceptable in modern society. Do you

agree or disagree with this statement?

Nowadays society views homeschooling as outdated and considers it unsuitable for

the new generation. I disagree with this statement and will give my reasons below.
(6.5 - 7.0) OR I disagree with this statement as I personally see multiple benefits in
teaching children at home versus attending public schools. (7+)
Conclusion

The conclusion is the easiest paragraph to write because you are just using the
ideas you have already mentioned in your introduction and main body paragraphs.
However, this is the last thing the examiner will read and it is, therefore, crucial that
you finish strongly.

There are two elements to a good conclusion:

● Summarise the main points of your essay. In other words, paraphrase the
introduction but be more specific.
● Vary your vocabulary by paraphrasing.

Example:

In conclusion, even though homeschooling is an old way of educating children and

not as popular as it used to be, I am convinced that it is still relevant and beneficial
for the younger generation. This is because it permits to adjust a program of studies
according to learners’ abilities.

Never write any new ideas in your conclusion. A conclusion should always simply
restate the ideas you have in the rest of the essay. New ideas should be in the main
body and not in the conclusion.

Make sure you answer the question in the conclusion. The conclusion should state
what you think about the question and make it clear how you feel about the issue.
Vary your language. Just because you are restating the ideas you have in the rest of
your essay, doesn’t mean you use the same language. Instead, you show the
examiner you have a wide vocabulary by paraphrasing.

Don’t try to include everything. You are not required to go into detail, you have
already done that in your main body paragraphs. Instead, you will just summarise
your main points.

Always write one. It is very difficult to get a good score in task 2 if you haven’t
finished your essay with a conclusion. Even if you are running out of time, make sure
you write one.
You will probably not have much time remaining when you are writing your
conclusion so it is very important that you practice them and learn how to write them
quickly.
Body Paragraphs

There are two most common ways to structure body paragraphs

#1 Body Paragraph

1 State the point of view/issue

2&3 Support it with the arguments (preferably not more than two)
4&5 Example
6 Summarise your ideas

It’s very important to state your opinion if you are asked to do so in a topic.
Your opinion could be outlined anywhere in a paragraph.

Example:

Homeschooling belongs to the past and is unacceptable in modern society. To what

extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

First and foremost, homeschooling allows children to learn at their own pace suitable
for their learning style. In other words, it caters for the special needs of a child and
development of individual aptitudes. According to the popular theory of Gardner,
there are seven learning types and each one responds best to a different method of
teaching. For example, the kinesthetic learners always need to be moving and
having their hands dirty exploring the physical world around them. Unfortunately,
public schools cannot meet each individual’s needs due to huge class sizes and
limited resources.
#2 Body Paragraph

This structure Is mostly used when you are asked to discuss more than one
advantage/opinion/problem/solution etc.

1 Intro to the topic

2 Firstly,
3 Secondly,
4 Finally,
5 Example*

*Give an example and state your opinion (if you are asked to do so in a topic)
anywhere in a paragraph while giving argumentation.

Example:

Childhood obesity is becoming a serious problem in many countries. Explain the

main causes and effects of this problem, and suggest some possible solutions.

Little do people realize that several measures can be done by governments and
parents to prevent this worrying problem. Firstly, high tax policies on non natural
unhealthy products with added sugar and artificial substances should be imposed.
For example, in 2017 in Victoria State, Australia it was reported that parents tended
to buy less sugary soft drinks after taxes on added sugar had been implemented.
Secondly, this problem could be tackled by forbidding placing all candies at eye level
for little children in all groceries. Finally, this issue can be resolved by limiting screen
time and encouraging children to do physical exercises.

*NB Both approaches could be combined in one essay.

Planning

Planning is an essential part of your Writing. If you plan properly, it increases your
chances to receive a higher score for Task Achievement and Coherence &
Cohesion.

Before you start writing your introduction, you need to think how you are going to
structure your ideas and what side of the argument it will be easier to support. It
shouldn’t be necessarily the one you would support in real life.

As soon as you have it all done, you can start planning your body paragraphs. I
recommend following three simple steps:

State the topic idea/thesis

State the argument/-s

Support your arguments with an example

State the side of the arguments you support in the second body paragraph. it will be
easier to develop the idea and to draw a conclusion following such a structure.
Example:

Homeschooling belongs to the past and is unacceptable in modern society. Do you

agree or disagree with this statement?

Introduction:

I disagree with this statement.

Body 1

WHAT? At home children can study on their own way

WHY? Beneficial = Every child has special needs
EXAMPLE? Kinesthetic learners = Different study approach

Body 2

Follow the same steps as for Body 1

Example:

WHAT? Homeschooling allows going beyond school curriculum

WHY? Efficient = It helps to discover talents/special skills
EXAMPLE? Sewing could be taught as one of the subjects

Conclusion

Should not be worked on at the stage of planning

Essay Question Types

All essay question types demonstrated below will be planned based on

4-paragraph 'essay structure'

Agree or Disagree
Homeschooling belongs to the past and is unacceptable in modern society. Do
you agree or disagree with this statement?
IELTS opinion essays, also known as ‘agree or disagree’ essays, come up frequently
in the writing exam. First, you should think whether you agree or disagree with the
statement. Our advice is to choose the side of the argument which will be easier for
you to support and not necessarily the one you really share.

If you fail to give your opinion when it is asked for, it means you failed to complete
the task. This will reduce your score significantly for Task Response which is 25% of
your task 2 marks.

Essay structure

Introduction:

Introduce the topic by paraphrasing the statement, then give a clear opinion about
whether you agree or disagree.

Body paragraph 1:

The 1st reason you agree/disagree. Explain the reason. Support with an example.

Body paragraph 2:

The 2nd reason you agree/disagree. Explain the reason. Support with an example.

Conclusion:

Summarize your opinion and give reasons for it.

“To what extent do you agree or disagree?” is another variation of an “opinion

question”. In this case you don’t need to agree or disagree, you need to think how
much you agree (e.g. completely, entirely, totally, fully).
Example

Homeschooling belongs to the past and is unacceptable in modern society. Do

you agree or disagree with this statement?

Nowadays society views homeschooling as out-dated and considers it unsuitable for

the new generation. I disagree with this statement, as I personally see multiple
benefits in teaching children at home versus attending public schools.

First and foremost, homeschooling allows children to learn at their own pace suitable
for their learning style. In other words, it caters to the special needs of a child and
development of individual aptitudes. According to the popular theory of Gardner,
there are seven learning types and each one responds best to a different method of
teaching. For example, the kinesthetic learners always need to be moving and
having their hands dirty exploring the physical world around them. Unfortunately,
public schools cannot meet each individual’s needs due to huge class sizes and
limited resources.

Another benefit of being educated at home is the possibility to learn beyond a fixed
school curriculum. In other words, standardized programs in many countries make all
children learn the same subjects. As a result, children can lose their natural
enthusiasm and individuality due to set standards and tests. On no account should
the importance of customized and flexible syllabus be ignored. Homeschooling
eliminates limits and boundaries in terms of what to master and when. If, for
instance, a schoolgirl is good at sewing, she could perfect her skills as one of the
subjects and devote as much time to it as she wishes.

In conclusion, even though homeschooling is an old way of educating children and

not as popular as it used to be, I believe that it is still relevant and beneficial for the
younger generation. This is because it permits to adjust a program of studies
according to learners’ abilities.
Advantages/Benefits outweigh Disadvantages/Drawbacks

Being a celebrity - such as a famous film star or sports personality - brings

problems as well as benefits. Do you think that advantages outweigh
disadvantages?

Essay structure

Introduction:

Introduce the topic by paraphrasing the statement, then give a clear opinion about
whether there are more advantages or disadvantages and how sufficient they are.

Depending on the side you support, it should be discussed in the second body
paragraph. So, if you believe that disadvantages outweigh advantages, it’s better to
talk about it in the second body paragraph as it will be easier to make a conclusion. It
doesn’t mean that the body paragraph with the position that overweights should be
bigger in size. Both body paragraphs should be equal with a clear overall
progression.

Body paragraph 1:

Topic sentence - state one advantage. Explain - give detail explaining the
advantage. Example - give an example.

Body paragraph 2:

Disadvantages - state one disadvantage. Explain - give detail explaining the

advantage. Example - give an example.

Conclusion:

Summarize the key points and state your opinion if required

Example

Being a celebrity - such as a famous film star or sports personality - brings

problems as well as benefits. Do you think that advantages outweigh
disadvantages?

Being a public figure can be appealing at first glance because of the special
treatment and opportunities that accompany the status. However, such a life comes
with its own challenges, including public scrutiny over personal life. This lack of
privacy, in my opinion, outweighs any benefits gained by being in the public eye.

Since most people aspire to have a life of a popular person, such a personality is
generally treated well by most people. Additionally, more earning opportunities are
offered to that person, which otherwise would not be available to them, were it not for
their celebrity status. Further, a projection of success, a tool utilized by most
celebrities, increases their popularity, resulting in a compounding effect as even
more avenues open up for work. For example, a successful and popular
businessman may be offered more business deals as compared to someone with an
unfamiliar face.

Nevertheless, the celebrity status is a double-edged sword. With popularity, personal

lives and every action of most public figures is scrutinized on a daily basis. This can
very often lead to problems in family life. For instance, it has been well documented
that children of known personalities, who are exposed to the public eye at a young
age are prone to mental health issues and developmental challenges. Therefore, the
price tag that comes attached to the life of a famous person is bigger than most
people realize.

In conclusion, living life as a celebrity may be desirable to most because of the

advantages for growth that it offers, however, sacrificing privacy and family life is a
cost too high in comparison.
Discuss two views and give your opinion

Some people think that zoos are cruel and should be closed down. Others,
however, believe that zoos can be useful in protecting wild animals. Discuss
both views and give your opinion.

Essay structure:

Introduction:

Introduce the topic by paraphrasing the statement, then give a clear opinion.
Depending on the side you support, it should be discussed in the second body
paragraph.

Body paragraph 1:

Topic sentence - outline the view you do not agree with. Explanation - explain why
this view is held by some people. Example - give an example.

Body paragraph 2:

Topic sentence - outline the view you do agree with. Explanation - explain why this
view is held by some people. Example - give an example.

Conclusion:

briefly summarise what you have written and restate your opinion
Example

Some people think that zoos are cruel and should be closed down. Others,
however, believe that zoos can be useful in protecting wild animals. Discuss
both views and give your opinion.

Some people argue that zoos help to preserve wild creatures, while others say that
they are inhumane and should be abolished. Although the development of breeding
programmes contributes to the preservation of endangered species, I believe that
the poor conditions that many animals held in captivity are kept in make the
existence of zoos unacceptable.

On the one hand, there are many projects in existence in zoological parks around
the world where species facing extinction have been successfully bred in captivity
and their numbers increased substantially. This is important for ensuring the survival
of animals under threat from poaching and the destruction of their natural
environment. A good example of this is the golden lion tamarin from Brazil which
nearly died out because of logging and mining activities which are destroying its
habitat. Today, a third of wild golden lion tamarins were raised in captivity.

On the other hand, a significant percentage of zoos house their animals in cramped
cages with very little space to move around or behave naturally. This can lead to
them becoming distressed and depressed as well as suffering physically through
lack of exercise. A friend of mine recently visited a wildlife park while on holiday
abroad and was very upset to see the lions pacing up and down in a narrow, bare
pen and eagles in enclosures so small that they were unable to fly.

In conclusion, although zoos do help to safeguard dwindling populations of particular

species, the suffering experienced by many captive creatures due to unsuitable living
conditions amounts to cruelty and I am convinced they should not be allowed to
exist.
Cause/Problem Solution

Childhood obesity is becoming a serious problem in many countries. Explain

the main causes and effects of this problem, and suggest some possible
solutions.

For ‘problem and solution’ simply write a paragraph explaining the problem(s) and a
paragraph explaining the solution(s). Some questions ask about 'causes' or 'effects':
these would be part of the 'problem' paragraph.
Topic sentence - State the problem or cause and the effect if required. Explanation -
dive detail explaining the problem or cause. Example - give an example.

Essay structure

Introduction:
Introduce the topic by paraphrasing the statement, then introduce the main
problem(s)/solution(s) that will be discussed in the main body paragraphs.
Body Paragraph 1: Topic sentence - State the problem or cause and the effect if
required. Explanation - dive detail explaining the problem or cause. Example - give
an example.

Body Paragraph 2: Topic sentence - State the solution(s). Explanation - dive detail
explaining the solution. Example - give an example.

Conclusion: Summarise the main points of the essay.

Common mistakes:
● The most common mistake for problem solution essays is not expanding on
your ideas and instead simply listing lots of problems and solutions. The
examiner does not want a list of all the problems and solutions you can think
of and please don’t do this in the exam. The examiner wants you to pick one
or two problems and solutions and then expand on them with explanations
and examples. More on how to do this below.
● Another common mistake is writing about problems and solutions that are not
directly linked to the question. You should be like a sniper when answering the
question and only give very specific ideas, rather than ideas that generally talk
 about the overall issue. This has a lot to do with how you identify keywords
and micro-keywords in the questions which we will look at below.
● Lots of people think of good ideas for problems and then fail to link their
solutions to these problems. Each problem should have a solution that is
directly linked to it, or in other words, should solve the actual problem.
● Finally, some candidates think of really good problems and solutions that
answer the question properly and then expand their answers with
explanations and examples, but they talk too generally. Instead, you should
be thinking of specific examples and explanations. We will look at how to
avoid this below.
Example

Childhood obesity is becoming a serious problem in many countries. Explain

the main causes and effects of this problem, and suggest some possible
solutions.

Nowadays, overweight among children is an increasing world-wide health issue. One

of the reasons for this problem is unhealthy food habits which result in the
appearance of adult diseases in children such as diabetes and heart disease. Taxes
policy on unhealthy products can be offered as an effective measure to improve the
situation.

Rarely do people understand that obesity is less likely caused by genetic

predisposition. The most critical concern is that the majority of products are carefully
engineered to make children get addicted to unhealthy food which is overloaded with
added sugars and trans fats. As a result, children cannot resist consuming sugary
drinks, sweets with artificial sugar and various junk burgers which contain different
taste modifiers. The consequences of unhealthy eating habits cannot be emphasized
too much. For example, having conducted research among schoolchildren in the
USA this current year, it has been revealed that one out of four American teenagers
is pre-diabetic or diabetic.

One of the solutions to this worrying problem could be to impose high tax policies on
non natural unhealthy products with added sugar and artificial substances. In other
words, it is high time the governments took proper steps towards this issue. For
example, in 2017 in Victoria State, Australia it was reported that parents tended to
buy less sugary soft drinks after taxes on added sugar had been implemented.

In conclusion, one of the main problems with obesity among the young generation is
unhealthy diet and this can be solved through taxation policy introduced by the
authorities.
Two-part questions

Fossil fuels are essential for producing electricity, powering industry and
fueling transportation. However, one day we will reach a point when all the
world’s fossil fuels have been depleted. How can we conserve these
resources? What are some alternatives to fossil fuels?

For the ‘2-part’ question, just answer the two questions. Write one paragraph about
each. Sometimes they ask your opinion in one of the questions.

Since you will have two questions to address, this is the best way to map out your
ideas for the Two Part Essay:

Essay structure

Introduction: Introduce the topic by paraphrasing the statement, then give a

generalised answer to the two questions

Body paragraph 1 - Answer question 1: Topic sentence -state your answer.

Explanation - explain why you think this. Example - give an example.

Body paragraph 2 - Answer question 2: Topic sentence - state your answer.

Explanation - explain why you think this. Example - give an example.

Conclusion: Summarise the main points of the essay. In other words, paraphrase
the introduction but be more specific.

Common mistakes:
● Not answering both questions fully
● Not outlining both answers in the introduction
● Mistaking it for one of the other essay types
Example

Fossil fuels are essential for producing electricity, powering industry and fueling
transportation. However, one day we will reach a point when all the world’s fossil fuels
have been depleted. How can we conserve these resources? What are some
alternatives to fossil fuels?

The world is currently reliant on oil, coal and natural gas for the majority of its energy
requirements but there will come a time when these run out. This essay will discuss
how we can help prevent our non-renewable resources from becoming depleted by
using our cars less frequently and it will name some natural forces that can be
harnessed to generate power.

Conserving energy is a responsibility of every individual and an important way in

which we can all do our bit is to use more energy-efficient means of transport. The
easiest way to do this is to leave the car at home and walk or cycle to our destination
if it is not too far away, or take public transport for longer journeys. Another way to
reduce our fuel consumption is ti car share. Whenever my friends and I get together
for coffee, we agree to meet up at a cafe that we can each get to without having to
drive our cars there. We usually go on foot or ride our bikes. If everyone made small
decisions like this, it would make a real difference.

The most sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels are the generation of power from
natural forces such as the sun, wind and oceans. Solar and wind power are already
widely used across the world but it is wave power and tidal energy that have the
greatest untapped potential to provide for our energy needs in the future. A report
recently commissioned in the United Kingdom estimates that tidal energy could meet
as much as 20% of the UK’s current electricity demands once the technology being
developed is operational. Wave energy converters are expected to prove equally
successful in the long-term.

In conclusion, our earth’s reserves of fossil fuels will not last forever and will need to
be continually developing new technologies to enable us to produce energy from
renewable sources such as the sun, wind and water. In the meantime, we can help
to slow the rate of depletion by leaving the car at home and using more
energy-efficient forms of transport whenever possible.