rules of essay writing in ielts

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How to Write an IELTS Essay

In this introductory lesson you will find some guidance on how you should write an  IELTS essay .

There are then more lessons on the following pages for different types of essay and different questions, with lots of tips and strategies for achieving a high score. 

You can also watch a video of this lesson:

Essay Types

It is important to learn about IELTS essays because there are different essay types, and these will require different ways to answer them.

However, as you will see from the guidance on this page, they can all follow the same basic structure.

These are some of the types of IELTS essays you can get in the test: 

• Agree / disagree
• Discuss two opinions
• Advantages & disadvantages
• Causes (reasons) & solutions
• Causes (reasons) & effects
• Problems & solutions

Not every essay will fit one of these patterns, but many do.

You may get some of these tasks mixed up. For example, you could be asked to give your opinion on an issue, and then discuss the advantages or disadvantages of it.

The golden rule is to  ALWAYS read the question very carefully  to see exactly what you are being asked to do.

The second lesson explains more about analysing essay questions. 

How do I Write an IELTS Essay?

In order to answer this, lets first look at a sample question:

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

In the last 20 years there have been significant developments in the field of information technology (IT), for example the World Wide Web and communication by email. However, these developments in IT are likely to have more negative effects than positive in the future.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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

Write at least 250 words.

An IELTS essay is structured like any other essay; you just need to make it shorter. There are three key elements:

• Introduction
• Body Paragraphs

We will look at each of these in turn, using the essay question above as an example.

1) Introduction

You should keep your introduction for the IELTS essay short. Remember you only have 40 minutes to write the essay, and some of this time needs to be spent planning. Therefore, you need to be able to write your introduction fairly quickly so you can start writing your body paragraphs.

You should do just two things:

• State the topic of the essay, using some basic facts (that you may be able to take from the question)
• Say what you are going to write about

Here is an example introduction for the above essay question about IT:

The last two decades have seen enormous changes in the way people's lives are affected by IT, with many advances in this field. However, while these technological advances have brought many benefits to the world, I strongly believe that these developments in IT will result in more negative impacts than positive.

As you can see, the first sentence makes sure it refers to the topic (IT) and uses facts about IT taken from the question. Note that these are paraphrased - you must not copy from the rubric!

The second part then clearly sets out the what the essay will be about and confirms the writers opinion (some questions may not ask for your opinion, but this one does). The writer clearly agrees as he/she thinks there will be more negative impacts.

View this lesson for more advice on writing IELTS essay introductions.

2) Body Paragraphs

For an IELTS essay, you should have 2 or 3 body paragraphs - no more, and no less.

For your body paragraph, each paragraph should contain one controlling idea, and have sentences to support this.

Lets look at the first paragraph for the essay about IT. The essay is about the benefits and drawbacks of IT, so these will need to be discussed in separate paragraphs.

Here is the first body paragraph:

On the positive side, email has made communication, especially abroad, much simpler and faster. This has resulted in numerous benefits for commerce and business as there is no need to wait weeks for letters or take time sending faxes, which was the case in the past. Furthermore, the World Wide Web means that information on every conceivable subject is now available to us. For example, people can access news, medical advice, online education courses and much more via the internet.  These developments have made life far easier and more convenient for many.

The controlling idea in this first paragraph is the 'benefits of IT', and there are two supporting ideas, which are underlined. No drawbacks are discussed as the paragraph would then lose coherence.

Most of the essay will focus on the negative aspects of IT, as the writer says there are more negative effects in the introduction. So the next two paragraphs are about these.

The topic sentence in the next paragraph therefore tells us we are changing the focus to the negative points:

Nevertheless, the effects of this new technology have not all been beneficial. For example, many people feel that the widespread use of email is destroying traditional forms of communication such as letter writing, telephone and face-to-face conversation. This could result in a decline in people's basic ability to socialize and interact with each other on a day-to-day basis.

The final body paragraph gives the last negative effect:

In addition, the large size of the Web has meant that it is nearly impossible to regulate and control. This has led to many concerns regarding children accessing unsuitable websites and the spread of computer viruses. Unfortunately, this kind of problem might even get worse in the future at least until more regulated systems are set up.

3) Conclusion

The conclusion only needs to be one or two sentences, and you can do the following:

• Re-state what the essay is about (re-write the last sentence of your introduction in different words)
• Give some thoughts about the future

Here is an example:

In conclusion, developments in IT have brought many benefits, yet I believe that these are outweighed by the drawbacks. In the future these will need to be addressed if we are to avoid damaging impacts on individuals and society.

The Full IELTS Essay

The last two decades have seen enormous changes in the way people's lives are affected by IT, with many advances in this field. However, while these technological advances have brought many benefits to the world, I strongly believe that these developments in IT will result in more negative impacts than positive.

Nevertheless, the effects of this new technology have not all been beneficial. For example, many people feel that the widespread use of email is destroying traditional forms of communication such as letter writing, telephone and face-to-face conversation. This could result in a decline in people's basic ability to socialize and interact with each other on a day-to-day basis.

(290 Words)

The IELTS essay introduction talks in general about the increasing use of IT, thus introducing the topic well. The thesis then clearly sets out the writers opinion.

The following paragraph mentions the present benefits of these developments, but the opening sentence in the third paragraph is a qualifying statement (Nevertheless, not all the effects... ), so the writer can now focus on the negative elements.

The fourth paragraph provides two other negative examples (lack of regulation, viruses). Both paragraphs suggest that these problems will continue in the future.

The essay concludes with a clear opinion that agrees with the statement.

Overall, it is a well-balanced text that mentions the present situation ( ...this has made life.. .) but importantly, also refers to the future of IT (. ..likely to increase..., might get worse. ..).

Now you know the basics of writing an IELTS Essay, you can go on and look at further sample essays or if you prefer, check out the next lessons for Writing Task 2.

More Task 2 IELTS Lessons:

Paragraph Writing for IELTS: Building strong arguments

This paragraph writing lesson provides tips on constructing the best paragraphs for your IELTS essay.

IELTS Music Essay: Understanding a Complex Question

An IELTS essay about music is used to show you how to answer a more complex IELTS essay question that does not have a clear 'task' given to you.

Transitional Phrases for Essays

Learn transitional phrases for essays to get a band 7 or higher in your IELTS writing for coherence and cohesion.

Generating ideas for IELTS essays for writing task 2

Generating ideas for IELTS essays for writing task 2 can be difficult but complex ideas are not expected.

How to use brainstorming and planning to generate essay ideas.

Brainstorming and planning is a key step in developing your IELTS essay. This lesson has tips on how to coming up with ideas and organising them.

How to Identify the Task in an IELTS Essay

Learn how to identify the task in an IELTS task 2 essay question. This is one of the most important steps in responding to an essay question.

Using Pronouns to Improve IELTS Essay Coherency

Find out how to use pronouns to improve your coherency for IELTS task 2 essays.

Using Substitution in IELTS to Improve Writing Coherency

You can use substitution in your IELTS essays in order to improve coherency and coherence.

IELTS Task Response - 25% of your essay grade

The IELTS Task Response criteria in the scoring makes up 25% of your band score for your essay.

IELTS Problem Solution Essay Strategies and Tips

In IELTS problem solution essays you have to discuss a particular issue and present ideas to solve that problem.

How to Identify the Topic of an IELTS Essay Question

In IELTS you must identify the topic of your essay as this is a key to making sure your essay is on topic.

Can you use Personal Pronouns in Essays for IELTS?

Learn how to use personal pronouns in essays for IELTS correctly. Can you use "I", "we" and "you"?

Writing an IELTS Essay Introduction

Tips on how to write an introduction for an IELTS essay introduction in a quick and easy way.

The 3 Types of IELTS Opinion Essays in IELTS

IELTS opinion essays in IELTS can be placed into three types. This lesson explains the different types and how to analyse these essay questions.

Requirements for IELTS Band 7 in Writing

Getting to an IELTS Band 7 is a struggle for many candidates. This lesson explains exactly what you have to do to reach this band score.

IELTS Advantage Disadvantage Essay Tips and Strategies

An advantage disadvantage essay is one type of essay that you may get in the test. This lesson shows how to write a pros cons essay.

Improving Writing Coherence for IELTS essays

25% of the writing grade is on how you organise your essay so this lesson shows you how to improve your writing coherence.

Writing an IELTS Essay Conclusion

The IELTS essay conclusion is the final part of your IELTS essay. This lesson guides you on how to write a conclusion quickly but effectively.

Thesis Statement Tips for IELTS Essays

Your thesis statement in an IELTS essay should be written quickly and concisely. Use these tips to do that.

Tips on How to Score IELTS Band 8 in Writing and Speaking

To score IELTS Band 8 you need to understand exactly what is in the IELTS Band Descriptors for an 8 for writing and speaking first.

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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.

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10 steps to writing high-scoring IELTS essays

Date Published

01 February 2023

• This article was first published on IELTS.IDP.com

Whether you take the General Training or Academic IELTS test, the second writing task is writing an essay in response to a problem or argument. Here are 10 easy steps, with lots of tips, to guide you on how to write high-scoring essays.

How is the IELTS essay component marked?

Fairness and accuracy are critically important when marking IELTS writing tasks . Your essay will be marked by at least two experienced IELTS examiners on the following criteria:

• Task response - Whether you answered the question fully and supported your answer well.
• Coherence and cohesion - How well you linked your ideas together.
• Lexical resource - Whether you used a wide range of vocabulary correctly and appropriately.
• Grammatical range and accuracy - How many grammatical structures you used accurately and appropriately.

Each of these criteria is worth 25 percent of your total score for the essay writing task. Both of your writing tasks are used to calculate your overall writing band score.

How to write high-scoring essays in 10 easy steps

Step one: plan your time.

The Writing test (consisting of Writing tasks 1 and 2) takes approximately 60 minutes. Plan to spend around 20 minutes on your first task, and 40 minutes on your essay task. A sample plan for your time might be:

• 5 to 10 minutes reading the essay question and planning your answer
• 15 to 20 minutes writing your first draft
• 10 minutes proofreading and editing your essay

How to write a good introduction

Step two: Read the question

While you may be anxious to jump straight into writing, make sure you take the time to carefully read the essay question. If you misunderstand the question, you risk writing an essay that does not address the issues properly which will lower your score.

Top 10 podcasts to help you improve your English

Step three: Highlight the issues to address

There will be multiple issues that you will need to address in your essay. Addressing each issue individually is key to achieving a high essay score. Highlight each individual issue that you will need to address.

The A to Z of IELTS: E is for Essays

Step four: Outline your response

Create an outline of how you will respond to the issues in your essay. This will serve as your ‘blueprint’ when you write your first draft. As a general rule your essay should have:

• An introduction stating what you will talk about
• Two or three body paragraphs , each addressing one issue or idea
• A conclusion summing up what was discussed in the essay

Make sure you note which idea or issue you will address in each paragraph. Check that the issues you highlighted are all accounted for in your outline.

Step five: Expand on your ideas

Write some notes about any key points or ideas you’d like to include in each paragraph. When you’re writing your first draft, these notes will help to make sure you don’t forget any ideas you want to include.

Mind maps to build your vocabulary resource for IELTS

Step six: Plan how you will connect your ideas

Connecting your ideas clearly and correctly is critical to achieving a high essay score. Try to use a range of linking words to make your essay easy to read. You can use connecting devices and phrases to:

List connected ideas

• ‘Firstly, secondly, thirdly’
• ‘Furthermore’

Provide more information

Compare ideas.

• ‘On the other hand’
• ‘Alternatively’

Don’t fall into the trap of trying to put a linking word in every sentence. Essays will score higher when the writer uses linking words only where necessary and appropriate.

Step seven: Write your first draft

Now that you’ve planned your essay, it’s time to write your first draft. Follow the outline you’ve created and expand on the notes and ideas you included there.

• Avoid informal language unless it is appropriate.
• Avoid spelling and grammatical errors where possible.
• Use a mix of sentence structures such as simple sentences, complex sentences and compound sentences.

How to boost your IELTS Writing score

Step eight: Proofread your essay

When you have completed the first draft of your essay, it’s important to proofread it. Read your essay from start to finish.

You can read it silently, but it may help to read it out loud if you can do so without disturbing others. Make a mental note or mark your paper anywhere that you may need to fix an issue.

How to access FREE official IELTS mock tests

Step nine: Edit your essay

Carefully go through the issues you noted while proofreading. Edit or rewrite these until they look and sound correct. Examples of issues and how to edit them may include:

• The sentence is too long. A sentence is probably too long if you need to take a breath in the middle of reading it. Try splitting this up into smaller sentences.
• A sentence sounds strange when you read it out loud. Try using different words or punctuation until it sounds right. It may need to be connected to another sentence.
• The same word appears many times. Think about any other words you could use instead.

There is more than one main idea in each paragraph. Move any unrelated sentences to the correct paragraph. Each paragraph should address one issue only.

IELTS Writing: How to organise your responses

Step 10: Proofread your essay again

After your edits and before submitting your essay , give it one final proofread. Make sure you have:

• Included all the points you highlighted in step three
• Followed your outline from step four
• Used good connecting words from step six
• Fixed any errors or issues in step nine

IELTS Writing: 8 steps towards a band 8

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Also, the IELTS Familiarisation test is designed to give test takers an idea of what to expect on the actual IELTS test. It includes sample questions from different part of the test, such as Listening, Reading, and Writing. Set yourself up for success and explore our extensive library of preparation materials today.

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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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The Practical Guide to IELTS Writing

If you’re preparing for the IELTS exam and you are particularly worried about the IELTS writing section, you’re not alone. In fact, writing is the section with the lowest average score by a significant margin.

One reason for this is simply that when it comes to IELTS writing, there is a lot you need to know. I put this guide together to include everything you need to know about IELTS writing without any fluff. This guide covers task two, so make sure you also check out our task one guide .

How to use this guide

This is a long guide. As such, I’ve worked hard to make it as easy to navigate as possible. There are four sections on

• Question types
• Frequently asked questions

There are plenty of tables of contents throughout the guide which you can click to access different sections. You can read through this guide section by section to improve your knowledge of the IELTS writing test, but it’s also a fantastic resource when used as a reference. When you are reading this guide, keep an eye out for links to other pages which go into more detail about some topics.

This guide is designed to have all the information you need for IELTS success, but I also have a free course on how to study for the IELTS writing exam . The free course is all about taking the facts from this guide and putting them into practice, so I strongly recommend it alongside this guide.

IELTS GRADING

If you want to succeed at any kind of test, it’s important to know how that test is graded. This is especially true in IELTS writing where the type of English you are rewarded for is quite different to everyday language.

By the end of this section, you’ll have a much clearer idea of how IELTS writing is graded and how you can achieve your IELTS goals.

About IELTS Scores

What ielts score do i need.

When you’re planning to take the IELTS test, it’s important to know what grade you need. If you’re taking the test to apply for a university place, the score required can vary based on the level of the course, what subject you want to study and by which university you’re applying for. If you’re taking the course for a visa, the requirements can vary county by country. Keep in mind that most people don’t need a band eight or nine . While it’s nice to get these scores, you shouldn’t feel like you must get a top score to achieve your goals.

How is the IELTS test graded?

The IELTS writing test is graded in four areas:

• Task response

Coherence and Cohesion

Lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy.

For each of these, the examiner gives you a grade from one to nine. The average of these four grades becomes your final exam score for the exam.

Task Response

Task response is all about giving a detailed answer to the question. Your examiners are looking for three things for your task response score:

• Did you address the whole of the question?
• Did you present a clear position?
• Did you have enough well-developed ideas?

Answering the whole question

This section looks at how well you’ve answered the question. Taking a look at the criteria, we can see that knowing the question types can make a big difference but also that not knowing the question types is an easy way to lose points.

Presenting a position

This part of task response is all about having a clear argument. The key part to remember from the grading criteria is that the examiners are looking for this argument to be there “throughout the response”. This means that it’s not enough to just do this in the conclusion. You should give your position in the thesis statement portion of your introduction. Next, you should back up that position in your body paragraphs. Finally, you should restate your position in the conclusion.

Developing ideas

The final thing to pay attention to get a good score in task response is how well developed your ideas are. The main place where you can demonstrate this is in your body paragraphs. You should pick one specific idea for each of these body paragraphs and then develop it with explanations, arguments and examples.

Coherence and cohesion is about how well you organise your ideas and how well those ideas flow into one another. When grading this section, your examiner will be looking at how your ideas progress, how you use cohesive devices, how well you use referencing and how well you form paragraphs. In this post we’ll take a look at what each of those things means as well and how to improve your score in this area.

Progression

Progression is about being able to follow an argument throughout the whole essay. This can overlap quite significantly with what the examiners are looking for in the task response section. You can show progression by having run through your introduction, body paragraphs and conclusion. In the introduction, use your thesis statement to give a clear argument to the examiners. You can also use the introduction to introduce what your body paragraphs will say. In your body paragraphs, have a clear topic sentence which is linked to your central argument. The supporting sentences in the body paragraph should link to that paragraph’s topic sentence. Finally, use your conclusion to remind the examiner of what your body paragraphs were about and to emphasise your thesis statement.

Cohesive devices

Cohesive devices are short phrases that don’t carry meaning on their own but show the relationship between different parts of your writing. Students often want to study cohesive devices by memorising a long list of them. However, it’s a much better idea to learn a few and be able to use them perfectly.

Referencing

Referencing is about using pronouns and relative pronouns to make your writing less repetitive. It’s best to demonstrate why this is important so here’s an example:

Congestion charges have been opposed by regular commuters. Regular commuters argue that congestion charges make it too expensive for regular commuters to get to work every day.

Congestion charges have been opposed by regular commuters. They argue that these charges make it too expensive for them to get to work.

From this example, we can see that without referencing our writing would get boring quickly. However, we also should not fall into the trap of using pronouns too often. Make sure it’s always clear who you’re referring to.

Paragraphing

The final aspect of coherence and cohesion is paragraphing. We can see that the examiners are looking for a “clear central topic” for each paragraph. What that means practically is that you should pick a quite narrow topic for each of these paragraphs

There are two ways of making paragraphs in English. The first is to indent your paragraphs, the second is to leave a line between your paragraphs. Both of these are acceptable for the IELTS exam but I always recommend students to leave a line because it makes your paragraphs as obvious as possible to the examiner.

Lexical resource is all about the words you use. In many ways, it should be the most simple part of the IELTS grading criteria to understand. However, it’s also the area with the most misconceptions around it. This article will take a look at the grading criteria, unpack what those criteria mean and explore what mistakes people make around lexical resource.

Range of vocabulary

The first thing the examiners are looking for in task lexical resource is a wide range of vocabulary. The band descriptors ask for ‘flexibility and precision’ at higher levels and this means that you should use words that are more specific. An illustrative example of this might be describing a meal. If I say I had a meal that was ‘good’, it doesn’t give you much information about what that meal was actually like. However, if I say a meal was ‘spicy’, ‘earthy’, or ‘refined’, you have a much better idea of what it was like. Another aspect of vocabulary range is making sure you don’t overuse words. Obviously, common words like ‘the’ don’t apply here, but if you find yourself using the same word too frequently, you should look for a synonym (a word with the same meaning).

Next, we need to pay attention to errors in usage. Errors can take the form of spelling errors, word formation errors or word choice errors. A word-formation error means using the wrong form of a word. For example, writing ‘I swim good’ instead of ‘I swim well’. A word choice error is more about using a word that isn’t suitable or typically used, for example, ‘I fired a candle’.

The final thing to pay attention to, especially if your goal is a band 7 or above, is collocation. Collocation describes words that ‘go together in a language. A famous example of this is that in English, we almost always say ‘it rained heavily’ not ‘it rained strongly’. There’s no reason for this except that people say ‘it rained heavily’ so often that other people have learned it by copying them. The best way to learn collocation is to expose yourself to as much English as possible, this might be through books, TV shows, movies, podcasts or real-life conversations. It doesn’t matter where this exposure to English comes from too much; it’s more important that you pick something you enjoy so you can build a good habit.

What are some common lexical resource mistakes?

Grammatical range and accuracy is, just like it sounds, all about using a wide range of grammatical structures accurately. However, there’s more to it than just trying to use as much grammar as possible. In this guide, we will look at what the requirements are and what you can do to meet them.

Accuracy versus range

One thing students don’t realise about grammatical accuracy and range is that having a wide range is more important than having perfect accuracy. You could write perfectly without making any mistakes at all and still only get a band four if those perfect sentences were all simple. On the other hand, an essay with a wide range of grammar and some mistakes can do quite well. Even a band six will let you have ‘some errors’. One piece of advice I often give to students is to ‘be brave’ with their grammar. It’s better to try something more complex and risk not getting it perfect.

Complex versus complicated

The word ‘complex’ gets used a lot when talking about grammar in the IELTS grading. It’s important, however, to know the difference between complex and complicated. Complex means something has a lot of parts while complicated means something is difficult to understand. We might say that for grammar, complex grammar is hard to put together but complicated grammar is hard to read and understand. In the IELTS test we do want our sentences to be complex but we really don’t want them to be complicated. You should try and include more than one idea in your sentences to add complexity, but you don’t need to do more than that and make your writing complicated.

What types of grammar should I use?

The most important thing to remember when you’re thinking of what types of grammar to include is to think about including more than one idea in a sentence. There are three types of complex grammar we always recommend for students who are new to the IELTS. These are easy to include in an essay on any topic. These are:

If you want to find out more about these three types of grammar, you can read about them here or watch this video.

Improving your accuracy

Of course, just because range is more important than accuracy, that doesn’t mean you should ignore range. To become a more accurate writer, you need to practice and you need to get feedback. Practice is important because just reading about grammar isn’t enough. You need to practice using that grammar to remember it. However, if you just practice, you might make mistakes that you don’t notice and fail to correct them. For that reason, it’s important to get frequent feedback on your writing.

For most students, increasing their grammar response isn’t about learning a lot of new grammar. It’s more important to focus on learning a few flexible pieces of grammar and use them well. The best approach is to focus on flexible grammar like the types in this article. Keep practising these and get some feedback on your writing to check that you’re using them correctly.

QUESTION TYPES

Answering the wrong question is one of the easiest ways to lose points in the IELTS writing exam. To make things worse, some of the questions are hard to tell apart. That’s why this section breaks down the five big question types in IELTS writing:

• Both sides and an opinion
• Problem and solution
• Two-part questions
• Describing advantages and disadvantages

By the end of this section, you’ll know how to identify these questions and what your examiner is expecting from you with each one.

Why are IELTS Writing question types important?

Many students feel overwhelmed by the different types of questions in part two of the IELTS writing exam. However, while these questions often look like too much to ever learn, it is possible to break them down into five broad types. Once you know these, you will know how to handle any IELTS writing question that you get in your exam. This article will introduce these question types and how you should go about answering each one.

Before looking at the question types, I want to look at how we’re breaking them down. The easiest way to study IELTS question types is to look at what your thesis statement and topic sentences will be. The thesis statement is a sentence in your introduction that lays out what your whole essay will be about. Topic sentences are the first sentence of each of your body paragraphs which say what those paragraphs will be about. Because these sentences essentially lay out the structure of your essay, they’re a great starting point for understanding question types.

This question type asks you what you think. Usually, this will be a statement followed by ‘Do you agree or disagree?’ or ‘What is your opinion?’.

For example:

Online shopping allows people to buy almost anything and have it shipped to their front door and has become increasingly popular in recent years. However, some people believe this is a negative development. What is your opinion?

For this type of question, it is easiest to have a strong opinion one way or the other. We should then give two specific reasons for our opinion. In response to this example we could write:

• Thesis statement: This essay will argue that internet shopping is, on the whole, beneficial.
• Topic sentence one: First, this type of shopping allows people to have more choice.
• Topic sentence two: Second, shopping online makes it easier for people to get more information about what they are buying through reviews.

This response ticks all the boxes for a good answer. The thesis statement gives a clear point of view while the topic sentences refer to specific points. If the topic sentences were broader, we’d struggle to cover the whole point in a few sentences.

Both Sides and an Opinion

Along with opinion-type essays, both sides and an opinion questions are one of the most common questions in the IELTS writing exam. However, unlike opinion essays, the question is more specific about what you need to cover. It’s common for students to get too nervous during the exam and only give one side of the answer. This is the easiest way to lose marks in your exam, so avoid it by keeping an eye out for this question type. You can spot it easily because it quite explicitly says ‘Compare both sides and give your opinion.’ or ‘Compare both points of view and give your opinion.’ For example:

Question: Online shopping has become increasingly popular in recent years. Some people believe that this has improved people’s lives while others believe it is damaging to both consumers and stores. Compare both sides and give your opinion.

For this question type, it’s important to compare two specific points. It’s common for students who are new to IELTS to write something like ‘First, there are some advantages.’ This is very broad and impossible to give enough detail on. A useful structure for your introduction is: ‘This essay will compare the advantage of _____ with the disadvantage of _____ and conclude that _____.’ For our sample question, this could look like:

• Thesis statement: This essay will compare the advantage of increased customer choice with the disadvantage of the environmental impact of online shopping.
• Topic sentence one: One advantage of online shopping is that it offers a greater amount of choice to customers.
• Topic sentence two: Conversely, online shopping has a negative effect on the environment.

Problem and Solution

A problem and solution, as you might have predicted, will ask you to give some problems and solutions. This essay type can look a few different ways. They may ask you for the causes and solutions for something or for the problems and solutions. One example is:

In recent years, online shopping has grown in popularity and overtaken shopping in-person. What are some problems caused by this and what are some solutions?

To answer this question type you should pick out two problems, one for each body paragraph. In each body paragraph, you should explain what the problem is, give examples and offer a solution. What you don’t want to do is just offer a list of problems and a list of solutions. Remember that your body paragraphs should always be focused on one specific point. One way of structuring an answer to the question above is:

• Thesis statement and outline: This essay will look at two problems this causes and their solutions. First, the environmental damage and second, the damage to local shops.
• Topic sentence one: One problem is that internet shopping involves a lot of packaging and transportation which has an impact on the environment.
• Topic sentence two: Another problem is that internet shopping is causing damage to local high street

The two-part question states something and then asks two questions. These are, in my opinion, the easiest to answer because the exam tells you exactly what you should do. Your first body paragraph should answer the first question and then your second body paragraph should answer the second question. An example of this type of question is:

In recent years, online shopping has overtaken in-person shopping in popularity. How has this affected customers? How has it affected shops?

The thesis statement should contain a brief answer to both questions. Each body paragraph should then answer one of these questions. This might look something like this:

• Thesis statement: This essay will examine how the rise of internet shopping has made shops increase their online offering and has increased customer choice.
• Topic sentence one: The heightened popularity of shopping online has forced local shops to move more of their business online.
• Topic sentence two: In addition, this change has led to consumers having more options when it comes to shopping 

Advantages and Disadvantages

This essay type is a little confusing. Many IELTS guides will include questions that ask you to compare advantages and disadvantages with questions that ask you to describe them. However, these are quite different. Questions that ask you to compare the advantages and disadvantages are essentially opinion essays. You make two points and give your opinion. For an essay that asks you to describe advantages and disadvantages, you are not expected to give your own opinion. An example of this is:

The popularity of online shopping has skyrocketed over recent years. What are some advantages and disadvantages of this?

For this question, we should describe one advantage and one disadvantage in detail. We don’t need to give our opinion on it. You can use examples, explanations and reasons to do this. Our answer might be structured like this:

• Thesis statement: This essay will describe the advantage that this shopping increases choice and the disadvantage that it damages local high streets.
• Topic sentence one: One advantage is that online shopping offers shoppers more choice.
• Topic sentence two: However, a disadvantage is that online shopping has damaged community shops.

In this description of the essay types, you might have noticed that I’ve tried to use similar examples for each question type. You might have also noticed that the content of the answers to these questions can be quite similar. For example, a lot of the essays have points about increasing choice. However, the way you present that content changes depending on the question type. By studying these question types, you can learn how to present your ideas in the right way to get a high score in the IELTS exam.

IELTS ESSAY STRUCTURE

When you’re preparing for the IELTS writing test, one of the crucial things that can make or break your essay is structure. Having good IELTS structure on its own won’t get you a good score, but without good structure, you will struggle. This section covers:

Introductions

• Body paragraphs

Conclusions

By the end of this section, you’ll know exactly what you should be doing in each of these sections.

The introduction is a very important part of your IELTS writing essay because it sets it off in the right direction. It also sets up your ideas for the rest of the essay and should make them clear to yourself and the examiner. A good introduction should:

• Give some background on the topic of the essay.
• Tell the reader what the main idea of your essay is.
• Present what your body paragraphs will be about.

Let’s take a look at an example of an essay that doesn’t do a very good job of that:

The phenomenon of driving to work is more and more common in society. This is causing more negative effects than positive effects. This essay will offer two reasons why.

This introduction isn’t as good as it could be because it doesn’t make it obvious what the essay is about or what it’s going to do. Let’s take a look at a better version:

As people get richer, more and more of them are choosing to drive to work rather than use public transport. This essay will argue that this trend is causing more negative effects than positive effects. First, because commuting causes traffic congestion, and second, because it increases air pollution.

This version is better because it makes it more obvious what the essay is about and tells you what you’re about to read. It is made up of three sentences:

Let’s take a look at how to write those three sentences that make up a perfect introduction.

Background Sentence

The first thing to include in your introduction is some background information. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know anything about the background of the question because the exam question will always give you some background. However, you shouldn’t just copy from the question, it’s important to paraphrase this information. This means you should write the same information using different words. For our sample introduction, the question is:

People are increasingly switching abandoning public transport to travel to work by car instead of public transport. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

To paraphrase that, the introduction starts with:

As people get richer, more and more of them are choosing to drive to work rather than use public transport.

This sentence expresses the same idea without repeating the question.

Thesis Statement

The thesis statement is a sentence that expresses the main idea of the essay as a whole. You can also think of it as the sentence that answers the question. You should keep things simple for this sentence so that your central idea is clear. In the sample introduction I’ve written:

This essay will argue that this trend is causing more negative effects than positive effects.

But if you don’t want to write ‘This essay will…’ you could also use:

In this essay, I will argue that this trend is causing more negative effects than positive effects.

One thing you should avoid is writing something like ‘I think that’. This makes it sound like you’re just giving your personal opinion rather than expressing the central idea of an essay.

The outline isn’t actually an essential part of the introduction. You may see examples of essays online without one of these. That said, they’re very useful because writing an outline lets you check that you have planned the rest of your essay. It also lets your examiner know your essay is going to be well organised and shows coherence between the introduction and body paragraphs. For the example outline, I’ve written:

First, because commuting causes traffic congestion, and second, because it increases air pollution.

Taking another look at our example sentence we can see that it gives some background, expresses its main idea and outlines what the rest of the essay is going to be about. 

Body Paragraphs

Body paragraphs make up the majority of your essay and so it’s important to pay attention to them. This guide will teach you how to put together IELTS-style body paragraphs even if you’re not sure what you want to say in your essay. Each body paragraph you write should have one topic sentence and three-four supporting sentences.

Topic sentence

A topic sentence is, like the name suggests, there to introduce the topic of the paragraph. Your topic sentence should be simple so it’s easy for your reader to know what the paragraph is going to be about. It’s also important to make sure that your topic sentences line up with what you wrote in the outline portion of your introduction

In our sample introduction above, we promised the essay would cover traffic congestion and air pollution. For a paragraph on traffic congestion, a good topic sentence might say:

First, more people driving to work causes increased traffic congestion.

This sentence describes what the paragraph is about well. It’s also nice and simple.

Supporting sentences

Once you’ve completed your topic sentence, it’s time to add three or four supporting sentences. Students sometimes ask why not more than four, especially if you have time. However, it’s more sensible to use any extra time to make your sentences more complex than add more simple sentences. Another issue with supporting sentences is that you need to make sure all of them are related to the topic sentence. It’s easy to drift away from your topic especially towards the end of your paragraph. It’s best to check back on the paragraph topic to make sure you’re not drifting away from it too far.

What to write in your body paragraphs

Students often want to know what they should actually write in their IELTS body paragraphs. There are three main things you should think of:

Explainations

These explain what the key term means. In our example, we’re talking about traffic congestion. In this case we can explain what ‘traffic congestion’ means:

Traffic congestion is when there are too many cars on the road causing traffic jams and delays.

An argument is a reason why we should do something or a reason why something is true. One reason for traffic congestion is old cities, so we could write:

Many cities were designed before people drove cars and as a result, they don’t have enough road capacity for everyone to commute to work by car.

You can also give examples of what you’re talking about. It’s best to introduce these with ‘For example,’ or To give an example,’. For our example paragraph we can add:

For example, cities like London have had to introduce congestion charging because the traffic congestion had gotten so bad there.

Putting it all together

Let’s take a look at our body paragraph all together.

First, more people driving to work causes increased traffic congestion. Traffic congestion is when there are too many cars on the road causing traffic jams and delays. Many cities were designed before people drove cars and as a result, they don’t have enough road capacity for everyone to commute to work by car. For example, cities like London have had to introduce congestion charging because the traffic congestion had gotten so bad there.

We can see that this paragraph goes into a good amount of detail on one specific topic. It has a topic sentence that describes that topic and uses explanation, argument and an example to explore its topic. You can use a similar structure in your IELTS writing part two essays to put together effective body paragraphs.

The conclusion is probably the easiest part of your IELTS writing part two. However, conclusions are still important to get right for several reasons. They play an important structural role in your essay. They’re also important because the final impression is memorable. Finally, if something is easy, you should be trying to do it perfectly! For your IELTS writing part two conclusion, you need three things:

• To let the reader know your essay is coming to an end.
• To restate your main argument.
• To recap the main points from your body paragraphs.

Let your reader know your essay is ending

There is very little to say about this one. You just need to start your conclusion with ‘To conclude,’ or ‘In conclusion,’. Because these are introductory clauses, you need the comma at the end.

Restate your main point

Naturally, it’s important to give a conclusion in your conclusion! Your conclusion should be the same one as the one in your thesis statement in your introduction. However, don’t just copy every word you used in your thesis statement. You should express the same idea in different language. In our introduction above, our thesis statement was that commuting ’causes more negative effects than positive effects’, so for our conclusion, we should use language like ’causes more harm than good’. This gives the same idea without us repeating ourselves.

Recap your body paragraphs

It’s good for coherence and cohesion to have a clear thread running through your essay. To do this you should recap your main points from your body paragraphs. In our article on IELTS body paragraphs, we made two points about congestion causing air pollution and traffic congestion. Therefore, we should use the same points in our conclusion.

How to write the conclusion

Let’s put these three elements together into a conclusion. While the first element, the ‘in conclusion’, is always first. The second two parts can go either way round. If we’re following the order above, we could write something like:

In conclusion, an increase in commuting does more harm than good because of its effects on traffic congestion and air pollution.

However, we could just as easily switch the last two elements around to write:

In conclusion, an increase in commuting has negative effects on traffic congestion and air pollution. Therefore, it does more harm than good.

Neither of these is better than the other and you should pick whichever you prefer.

This last section of this guide covers questions that didn’t fit in well anywhere else. If you have any questions you’d like answered, contact [email protected] or leave a comment below.

In the exam

How long should i spend on each section of the ielts test.

Try and spend 20 minutes on task one and 40 minutes on task two.

Should I start with part one or part two of the IELTS exam?

It’s up to you. That said, I recommend starting with part one to build your confidence for part two.

How much are task one and task two worth in the IELTS exam?

Task one is worth 33% and task two is worth 66% of your final IELTS writing grade.

What is the IELTS writing exam word limit?

For task one, you should use more than 150 words. For task two, you should use more than 250 words.

How are the IELTS academic and general different?

In task two, there is very little difference between IELTS academic and general: it’s an essay in both tests. However, in task one, the general test involves writing a letter. In the academic test, it involves describing a diagram or chart.

Before the exam

What type of vocabulary should i be learning in the writing section of the ielts exam.

Good IELTS writing vocabulary is specific, formal and, most importantly, used in a natural-sounding way.

How should I practice vocabulary?

It’s important to learn vocabulary in context to make sure you know how to use it appropriately. If you just learn from word lists, you will not be able to use the words correctly in the exam. Instead, try and read a lot of high-quality English articles and model essays. 

What study plan should I be using for the IELTS exam?

Your study plan depends on how long you have before your test. If you have a long time, you should try to focus on your general English ability. However, if you don’t have much time, look at your test-specific skills.

• A Beginner’s Guide to IELTS
• Common Grammar Mistakes [for IELTS Writing Candidates]

Writing Correction Service

• Free IELTS Resources
• Practice Speaking Test

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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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IELTS Writing: Structure, Tips, Strategies (Academic & General)

IELTS Writing: Structure, Tips, Strategies

Writing is one of the IELTS sections which assesses your writing skills.

A lot of candidates consider this part of the test the most challenging one.

We asked people on  Quora   about their IELTS results and came to the conclusion that it is actually true as in most cases the band for Writing was lower than for other parts.

In this article, IELTS Game will look at this part of the exam in more details and you will learn how to deal with it in the easiest way.

Table Of Contents

• General Information
• General Writing
• Academic Writing
• Writing assessment
• How to deal with writing section?
• How to Write an essay?
• Types of Writing essay
• How to Improve your score?

General Information about IELTS Writing exam

First of all, it’s necessary to know that Writing is different in two modules of the test.

• In the General Training IELTS you will need to write a letter in Task 1 and an essay in Task 2.
• Academic IELTS requires to write a report on some graph or chart in Task 1 and an essay in Task 2.
• The topics for essays in General and Academic modules can be different, but the strategy to write essays is the same.
• You will have 60 minutes for completing both tasks in the Writing part.

As a rule, the second task of writing, which is essay, requires you to write more and proves to be more challenging than the first one, and it is worth more points.

That is why it’s advisable to spend 20 minutes on Task 1 and 40 minutes on Task 2.

General Training Writing

Writing in this module of the test includes two tasks: a letter and an essay. You will have 60 minutes to complete both tasks.

1. Task one General training

Task 1 is a letter concerning everyday situation that you are likely to encounter while living in an English-speaking environment.

For example , a letter to an accommodation officer, your employer or a friend. It is recommended to spend 20 minutes on it.

You may be asked to write an informal letter to your friend, a semi-formal letter, or an official letter. You will have to write at least 150 words.

Example of Task 1:

You have received a letter from your bank, asking you to acknowledge receipt of a new bank card. However, the card was missing from the envelope.

Write a letter to the bank’s head office. In your letter:

• explain why you are writing;
• express concern about the missing card;
• ask them what they intend to do.

2. Task two General training

Task 2 is an essay on some common topic, such as family, society, TV, school, communication, etc.

You should write at least 250 words and spend about 40 minutes on this task. Look at the example of an essay question:

Some people believe that teaching children at home is best for a child’s development while others think that it is important for children to go to school.

Discuss the advantages of both methods and give your own opinion.

IELTS Academic Writing

1. task 1 academic.

In Task 1 of the Academic module you will be asked to describe any of the 6 types of charts: a bar chart, a line graph, pie chart, a table, a diagram or a map.

However, in some cases you may have a combination of charts: such a table and a pie chart.

You don’t need to write about everything you see in a picture, you should sum up the information, talk about general trends and changes, and make comparisons.

The most important thing here is that you are not supposed to express your personal opinion, so you should avoid using such phrases as I think, In my opinion, etc.

2. Task 2 Academic

Task 2 is an essay on a given topic. Here,  the examiners assess your ability to express your opinion on a topic and support your ideas with arguments and examples and make conclusions.

Essay tasks in the Academic module are more challenging than in the General module.

Look at the example of an essay question:

It is generally believed that the Internet is an excellent means of communication but some people suggest that it may not be the best place to find information.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

How is Writing assessed in IELTS test?

Writing is marked using a 9-band scale. The examiners use 4 assessment criteria to score your writing:

• Task response / Task achievement;
• Coherence and Cohesion;
• Lexical Resource;
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy.

The first criterion (task response or task achievement) looks at the content of your answer to assess whether it is accurate and relevant to the topic in the question.

The next criterion (coherence and cohesion) describes how well you organize your ideas and how logically  they are sequenced.

Lexical resource assesses your ability to use a wide range of vocabulary .

According to the last criterion (grammatical range and accuracy), you should use a variety of sentence structures and grammar forms correctly.

You can look through the assessment criteria in more details on the official IELTS Website:  Task 1  and  Task 2 .

How to deal with the Writing part?

On a test day you will receive a question paper and two answer sheets: the first for Task 1 and the second for Task 2.

You won’t have any draft paper but you will be able to write on the question paper.

It’s really important to track your writing  time. It’s recommended to spend 20 minutes on first task and 40 on the second, as the essay is worth more marks.

So make sure that you allocate reasonable time for both tasks.

You must answer the questions you are asked.  Here is what you are supposed to do in your writing part.

• For Task 1 , select and report the main features, compare, summarize the data, identify trends illustrated in the charts, but don’t give your personal opinion.
• For Task 2 , read the question carefully and then write your answer on the topic, making sure you support your answer.

You should save enough time to proofread and check what you have written.

Don’t forget, you have to write at least 150 words in Task 1 and 250 words in your essay.

If you write shorter, you will lose points. You can write more words than necessary, but don’t expect to gain extra points for it.

How to write an Essay?

The majority of IELTS candidates really struggle with the second task of the Writing paper.

They have a lot of questions concerning types of questions, essay structure and ideas they have to talk about in their essay.

So, let’s take a closer look at this part of the Writing test.

As I have already mentioned above, essay questions can be different in two modules of the test.

But types of essay questions and structure of the answer is the same in both Academic and General Training modules.

You should always start completing Task 2 with making a plan for your answer.

It’s really important to think of the ideas you will write about before writing.

Without a plan you may get confused with different ideas, and your point of view may not be clear to the examiner.

Another point to consider is the paragraph structure.

In your essay you must have 4 or 5 paragraphs: the first paragraph is an introduction , then two or three body paragraphs , and the last paragraph is a conclusion .

Always keep in mind this general structure when you practice writing.

That was the general structure for writing an essay.

But you need to remember that there are several types of essay questions in the IELTS, so the structure of your answer can be a little bit different depending on the question.

So before planning your essay, read the question properly to understand what type of essay you have.

Types of IELTS Writing Essay

In general, there are 5 common types of essays in the IELTS test:

• Advantage/Disadvantage essay
• Opinion essay
• Problem and Solution essay (or Cause and Solution)
• Discussion essay
• Two-part Question (General Questions) essay

1. Advantage/disadvantage essay

In the advantage/disadvantage essay, you are going to have a task to discuss benefits and drawbacks of something or to compare whether advantages of some tendency outweigh disadvantages, or the other way round.

Some countries show their criminal trials on TV for people to watch.

Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

2. Opinion essay

In the opinion essay you will be given some statement and you’ll have to give your opinion on it (What is your opinion?) or agree/disagree with this point of view (To what extent do you agree or disagree?).

Here it’s important to choose only one side of an argument and stick to it throughout your essay.

Or you may not agree with both sides and suggest your point of view, but it should be completely different from what you have in the task.

This approach is called balanced opinion.

Some businesses now say that no one can smoke cigarettes in any of their offices. Some governments have banned smoking in all public places. This is a good idea but it also takes away some of our freedom.

Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons.

3. Problem & Solution Essay

The next type of essay ( problem and solution ) will ask you to find problems and suggest the solution to the problems.

In some cases you may be asked to write about causes of some problem.

Nowadays, more and more older people who need employment compete with the younger people for the same jobs.

What problems does this cause? What are the possible solutions?

4. Discussion Essay

The discussion essay will give you two opposing ideas and you will have to discuss these two points of view.

Here you don’t have to stick to this or that idea if you’re not asked to.

Very often, there will be the following phrase in the task  “… and give your opinion “, in this case you must give your opinion supporting one point of view.

Or you may express your personal opinion on this question ( balanced opinion ).

Some people believe that living in big cities is becoming more difficult. Others believe that it is getting easier.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

5. Two-part question Essay

In  two-part question essay  you will have to answer two questions.

The questions are usually of the same topic, and you will need to present a detailed answer to each question in a separate paragraph.

Cycling is more environmentally friendly than other forms of transport.

Why is it not popular in many places? How to increase its popularity?

How to improve your score for Writing?

To improve your score for writing, you will have to practice a lot and regularly.

While practicing make sure you comply with the following rules:

• Find out all the necessary information about types of questions in Task 1 and essay types in Task 2;
• Be aware of the assessment criteria, it will help you know what the examiners will be looking for;
• Practice describing different types of charts , graphs and diagrams (or writing different types of letters) in Task 1 and write as many essays of different types as possible;
• Track the time every time you practice writing : spend 20 minutes on Task 1 and 40 minutes on Task 2. However, you need to remember that it is highly recommended that you save some time for proofreading;
• Every time you practice writing an essay or a diagram description / a letter, count your words and try to remember what space 150 and 250 words take on Writing Answer Sheet, you can download it from the Internet. You are not likely to have enough time to count words at the exam, so it would be good to be able to visually count the approximate number of words on the answer sheet.
• Remember that at the exam you will have to write your answers with a pencil, so while practicing you’d better use a pencil all the time to get used to it.

Important Links

Writing preparation.

• Basic Principles of IELTS Academic Writing task 1 & 2
• How to Distribute Your Time in IELTS Writing Exam?
• 4 Steps to write a band 9 IELTS essay introduction
• How to Write a Perfect Closing Paragraph for IELTS Essay?
• IELTS Writing Academic: Task 1 analysis with model answer

Grammar for Writing

• Spelling in IELTS exam: Rules | mistakes | British vs American
• Top 5 Grammar rules you should know for IELTS writing task 1 & 2
• Master Punctuation marks in IELTS Writing exam
• Complex Sentences in IELTS Writing Task 2

Vocabulary in IELTS writing

• How to use linking words in IELTS Writing exam? [Examples]
• What is Coherence and Cohesion in IELTS Writing exam?
• Master Lexical resources in IELTS Writing exam
• Download IELTS Advantage Writing Skills pdf book
• Collins Writing For IELTS pdf direct download with answer keys
• Download Get IELTS Band 9 pdf for speaking, Writing task 1 and 2
• Cambridge IELTS test books

Recent Exams

• Recent Academic IELTS Writing task 1 exercises – Bar Charts
• Expected topics for IELTS writing task 2 in January 2020

It is important for people to take risks IELTS writing task 2

Writing tips to score higher grades in assignments, how is a grammar checker important in creative writing.

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Your pocket guide to IELTS Academic Writing: Know it before you ace it

Wondering how to score in your IELTS Academic Writing test? Then this resource is for you! Here’s what you need to know about the Academic Writing test format and an action plan to help you ace it!

Content Tags

The Academic Writing test is a core component of the overall IELTS test that you must take and ace in order to advance your university education abroad.

Unlike the Reading or Speaking test, many students believe Academic Writing to be more difficult than other components and there is some truth to that.

The Writing test is one of the most demanding components that will require you to write a series of essays within a strict time limit.

You will have to summarise charts, diagrams and explain data while also presenting your point of view in the form of an essay.

In this article, we’ll be diving into what you can expect in the IELTS Academic Writing test and how to come out on top on test day!

Four things you need to know about the IELTS Academic Writing test

1. understand the two tasks you need to handle.

The Academic Writing test will involve two distinct tasks you will need to complete within 60 minutes.

For the first task, you will be required to summarise the information from one or more graphs, charts or tables presented to you. Alternatively, you could be given a diagram of a machine, device or business process and be required to explain how it works.

It is recommended that you dedicate 20 minutes to the first task and you have to write at least 150 words minimum for your answer.

The second task involves writing in an academic or formal-neutral style about a given topic. It could be in response to a point of view, argument or problem. The topics here will be interesting and relevant for students looking to enter university education.

You are expected to give a relevant and discursive answer and not just write about the topic in general terms.

For Task 2, you should spend 40 minutes here and write at least 250 words.

2. How you will be marked and assessed

The Academic Writing test will be assessed according to each individual test and will compromise of the following criteria:

Task response:

Have your essay or writing addressed the topic or task at hand and have you written more than the minimum amount of words required for each individual task?

Coherence & cohesion:

Are your thoughts, viewpoints are arguments clearly laid out and easily understood? Can the reader logically follow your flow of thoughts and do they make sense as a whole?

Lexical resource:

Simply put, do you have a wide range and depth of vocabulary? Are you able to use various adjectives and nouns to describe a particular topic or do you catch yourself constantly repeating the same basic vocabulary?

Grammatical range and accuracy:

Apart from just minimising grammatical errors, you will need to correctly use a mixture of simple, compound and complex sentences. However, you’ll need to use them in the correct context and also ensure a good flow of ideas.

3. How to approach the Academic Writing test

While the Writing test might intimidate you, with a proper strategy, you’ll be able to score well without much worry!

Here are three tips to remember:

A. Focus on satisfying the task and don’t try to be interesting

A big mistake students have is to try to embellish their writing with lots of information, ideas and arguments to spice up the narrative or story.

This is not required. You are not judged on how colourful your text is, but based on how coherent your thoughts are.

B. Use a variety of words and vocabulary as comfortably as possible

It is true that the more complex sentences you can string together will give you a higher chance to score better.

However, it needs to be done correctly and in a relevant manner. Do include some complexity in your writing but if you are unsure of its use, defaulting to a simpler sentence might be a better choice.

C. Watch the time carefully and allocate it accordingly

It is important to note that Task 2 will hold twice as many marks compared to Task 1. So it is important to not linger too long on Task 1.

A good way is to consistently practise and get familiar with the format through practice tests!

4. Prepare yourself better with these resources

A great way to ensure you are well-prepared is to start taking sample practice tests that will mimic the real conditions of the Writing test.

You can access our test preparation materials here .

In addition, you can also attend a free IELTS Masterclass presented by IELTS experts who will share tips and tricks, including on the writing section, to help you score better with confidence!

It will be as close as possible to the real deal and you will also get back personalised feedback that will be valuable to help you pinpoint areas that need improvement.

Prepare for the IELTS Writing test with IDP today

Preparing early for your Academic Writing test is essential. It allows you to get familiar with the format with ample practice to help you ace your test for the band score you desire! 

Take the time to go through our resources and prepare yourself better with our wide range of sample tests at your disposal! 

And once you are ready, you can book your IELTS test here !

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IELTS Writing Tips

So you want to score a band 8 on IELTS Writing ?

Many IELTS test-takers spend a lot of time training to write top-notch essays. To achieve a desired score, they stuff their essays with uncommon vocabulary, overuse complicated grammar or write too many words. But are these means really necessary? The answer is NO.

There are a lot of much simpler writings that score 8.0 and higher! This is because you don’t need any special knowledge: the examiner will assess your writing, not your thoughts. Even simple but accurately expressed ideas score better than too complicated ones. To succeed in IELTS Writing , you need to

• be accurate
• write simple things well

Ridiculously, even well trained candidates often lose points on IELTS Writing because of making simple mistakes: from going off topic to writing too many words.

On this page we’ve gathered top 10 IELTS Writing tips that will help you score band 8+ on IELTS Writing:

Read the question

The government should pay to the parents of very young children, so that one of them can stay at home and look after their children.

What do you think are the pros and cons of this policy? Justify your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

• Write pros & cons
• Give examples

Read what you have written

Go back and read the paragraph you have just written before you start the next one. You may think that this is a waste of time. If so, you’d be wrong. It’s important to link your paragraphs together – what easier way to do that than just read what you have written?

The practical advice here is to select your best idea and write about that. That means not writing everything you know – leave some ideas out. Don’t worry if it is not your best explanation, worry about whether it is your clearest explanation.

Write about what you know

You are being tested on the quality of your English, not on the quality of your ideas. So you shouldn’t worry about finding the “right answer”. You need a simple idea that you can clearly describe and justify.

Follow the standard structure

• Introduction : briefly describe what your graph shows.
• Overview : state main trends.
• Specific details : describe specific changes, providing data.

IELTS Writing task 2 answer should have such backbone:

• Introduction : rephrase the topic + give your opinion.
• Body paragraphs : each should have its central idea, which is generally stated in the first sentence.
• Conclusion : just rephrase your opinion from the introduction.

Don’t write too many words

It’s a bad idea to write more than 300 words in task 2 and more than 200 words in task 1. Firstly, it’s difficult for the examiner to read long essays and he/she will check your writing less carefully. Secondly, you are likely to make more mistakes and have less time to check what you wrote.

Choose your writing style

Never use informal language in academic writing or in essay. Only in general module task 1 you may be asked to write an informal letter.

Don't learn model answers by heart

Do not memorize model answers - you will receive less points for such essay. The chance of getting exactly the same essay as you've learnt is very small. And going off topic will result in achieving a low score. So instead, spend some time learning to adopt advanced vocabulary to make it fit into your answer. This way you'll be able to use various words phrases in different writings and show your broad range of vocabulary.

Don't branch off!

Write only according to the theme. Do not include irrelevant information. If you wander from the subject, you'll get a much lower score even for a well-styled answer.

Write clearly and coherently

Do not repeat yourself with different words, avoid being redundant. Also, make sure that each paragraph in Writing task 2 has a central idea. It's very important for IELTS Writing that every paragraph in you essay is clearly separated and has its main thought. This simple thing makes your essay neat and coherent.

• Information about IELTS Writing test
• IELTS Writing task 2 topics list
• IELTS Writing lessons & exercises

IELTS test format explained

Test takers who understand the format of IELTS are at an advantage. Make sure you’re familiar with how IELTS testing works.

There are two IELTS tests available, IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training . Both tests are graded in exactly the same way. 

You’ll take the first three parts of the test on the same day, in the following order: Listening, Reading and Writing (there are no breaks between these tests). Your Speaking test will be held either on the same day or seven days before or after that, depending on local arrangements.

The IELTS Listening test is designed to assess a wide range of listening skills, including how well you:

• understand main ideas and specific factual information
• recognise the opinions, attitudes and purpose of a speaker
• follow the development of an argument.

Take a free listening practice test.

You will need to read quickly and efficiently, and manage your time. You will be asked to read three different passages and respond to related questions in your IELTS Reading test. The content of the Reading test is different for IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training tests.

The IELTS Reading test is designed to assess a wide range of reading skills, including how well you:

• read for the general sense of a passage
• read for the main ideas
• read for detail
• understand inferences and implied meaning
• recognise a writer’s opinions, attitudes and purpose

Academic Reading

 general training reading.

Take a free reading practice test.

The IELTS Writing test is designed to assess a wide range of writing skills, including how well you:

• write a response appropriately
• organise ideas
• use a range of vocabulary and grammar accurately.

Academic Writing

General training writing.

Take a free writing practice test.

You will talk to a certified examiner in the IELTS Speaking test. The test is interactive and as close to a real-life situation as a test can get. A variety of accents may be used, and the test will be recorded.

The content of the IELTS Speaking test is the same for both the IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training tests.

The IELTS Speaking test is designed to assess a wide range of skills.

The examiner will want to see how well you can:

• communicate opinions and information on everyday topics and common experiences; to do this you will need to answer a range of questions
• speak at length on a given topic using appropriate language
• organise your ideas coherently
• express and justify your opinions
• analyse, discuss and speculate about issues.

Make sure that you relax and talk fluently. You will need to speak naturally.

Take a free speaking practice test.

Video call Speaking test

Many IELTS test centres will start delivering the IELTS Speaking test via video calls. This means more flexibility and more availability of IELTS Speaking tests.

You will take the video call Speaking test at an official IELTS test centre with the same high standard of identity verification. The test will be exactly the same as the in-person Speaking test in terms of content, scoring, timing, level of difficulty, question format and security arrangements.  Delivered by an IELTS Speaking Examiner, the video call Speaking test will maintain the face-to-face feature of the in-person Speaking test.

For more information, please contact us .

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

• Test Information FAQ
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IELTS Essays: Five Types of IELTS Essays

There are 5 types of IELTS essays which can appear in IELTS writing task 2. These types of essays are for both GT and Academic writing task 2. Below you will find sample essay questions for each type of essay and links to model answers.  Please note that IELTS teachers sometimes divide essays into different categories based on how they teach.

1) IELTS Opinion Essay

This type of essay is where you are presented with someone else’s opinion and you are asked if you agree or disagree with it. The opinion is often flawed or extreme in its views. Some teachers call this the Argumentative Essay. The instructions can be written in a number of ways. Below are a few examples:

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

No matter how the instructions are written, you can take any position you want: agree, disagree or partial agreement (balanced view). Below is an example essay question:

Opinion Essay Question:  Some people think that only electric cars should be allowed on the road by 2040. Do you agree?

2) IELTS Discussion Essay

This type of essay presents you with a statement and you must present the two sides. This might be two sides of the same issue:

Some people think there should be free health care for all people, but others disagree. Discuss both sides.

Or it might be two separate issues which you need to discuss:

Some people think that urban spaces should be used for parks rather than for housing. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

3) IELTS Advantage Disadvantage Essays

There are two types of questions in this category.

i) Advantage and Disadvantage Essay

This is similar to a discussion essay where you are given a statement must present the positive and negative side of the issue:

Some people think it is good for students to take a gap year before going to university. What are the advantages and disadvantages of doing so?

ii) Outweigh Essay

This is by far the most difficult of the two essay types in this category. It requires you to present an opinion and explain your opinion.

Some people think the world will eventually have only one language. Do you think the advantages of having one global language outweigh the disadvantages?

4) IELTS Solution Essays

There are a number of types of possible questions in this category:

i) Solution Only

Some children have serious weight problems. What are the possible solutions?

ii) Cause Solution

Children in rural areas are being left behind in their academic development. Why is this is the case? What solutions can you suggest?

iii) Problem Solution

More and more people are moving to cities to look for work. What problems does this cause? What are the possible solutions?

5) Direct Questions Essays

Some teachers call these the Two Question Essay. However, these types of essay questions might contain one, two or three questions for you to answer. Below are some examples.

Pollution around the world is becoming a serious problem. Do you think this is a problem that should be solved internationally or on a local level?

In the question above, you are asked one specific question. Your whole essay must tackle this question only.

More and more people are choosing to work from home. Is this a positive or negative development?

This essay question has just one issue and one question. You must explain what type of development you think working from home is.

Some people spend a lot of money on weddings. Why do they do this? Do you think it is good to spend a lot of money on weddings?

Above, you will see you have been presented with two questions to answer: reasons and opinion (evaluating if it is good or not.) 

News editors decide what to print in newspapers and what to broadcast on TV. What factors do you think influence these decisions? Do we become used to bad news? Would it be better if more news was reported?

As you can see there are three questions to answer in this essay question. It is not common to get three questions. If you get three, just tackle them one at a time in a logical order.

Practice Essay Questions for IELTS

You can find over 100 essay questions to practice on this page: 100 IELTS Essay Questions . The questions are divided first into topics and then into essay types. This way you can get lots of practice before your actual test day.

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Response to opinion based essay:

Electric cars are progressively replacing non-electric cars by the end of 2040. While it is possible that electric ones will eventually replace the other cars, it is unlikely that they will end up serving the same purpose. This essay will discuss why only few electric cars will be carried out by people.

Electric cars may eventually replace non-electric cars that are not compatible for the environment. Many people think that only electric powered vehicles should be allowed on the road because they emit far less emissions,and less maintenance is required. In China, for example many non-electric motors have been replaced by plug-in vehicles that are more environment friendly and budgeted. For these reasons, cars that can be replaced by electricity will be replaced.

Conversely, there are multiple factors that only electric cars will not be allowed only. Put simply, these factors include affordability and infrastructure development. A necessary framework including charging stations, grid capacity must be required. Without charging stations, drivers may face anxiety and hesitant to switch to electric cars. Additionally, switching completely to electric ones will increase a demand of charging from the grid stations.

It is increasingly likely that powered vehicles will end most non-powered cars. In most of the countries, traveling will be done entirely by electric cars; however, where the money and development are major issues they will always exist. Ultimately, addition of very few electrical cars is valuable but it is not a complete replacement of other cars.

Please get my advanced lessons to learn the correct way to write an IELTS essay: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/ . Each advanced lesson takes 1 hour for me to explain how to write one type of essay. It isn’t something I can explain in a short message. An IELTS essay has specific requirements which you need to learn about. If I could give you small pointers, I would. But you really need to learn the right way in detail.

dear Liz i am very grateful to u for presenting helpful notes here. they are truly informative. i downloaded your series of grammar book last year and learned quite good topics that i used to find challenging. do you have any grammar notes for IELTS beginners?

Sorry, I don’t have anything for beginners. My Grammar E-book basically covers everything I can thing of. Is there something specific you are interested in? If you let me know, I could plan to create something.

Hlo mam ..I am not able to use proper grammer in task 1 ..and to be honest I don’t know which grammer is to be use in different graphs charts etc could u plz tell me mam..r can u plz tell me the accurate souce where ..would I find ..proper … instructions tht how to or what grammer we should use in task 1..I would be very helpful if u rply…??

I don’t have one page or one lesson which focuses on all aspects of grammar for all types of task 1 writing. I suggest you review all my model answers and make notes on sentence structure, tenses, prepositions, articles, noun phrases, clauses, word order etc etc. Model answers can be used for more than only studying structure or general content. Then review all practice lessons and also pay attention to the grammar being used. There’s a lot of free materials to study: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/

hy liz i want to sample answers of ielts academic writing task 2

Model essays and tips for writing task 2 are found on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Hello Liz, please I want to be receiving updates to enable me prepare for my IELTS exam.

There are over 300 page of practice lessons, tips, model answers and topics on this website which you should be using now for your IELTS preparation. Go to the HOME page to learn how to use this website. I post new lessons and tips once or twice a month because my website already has so many tips and lessons.

Hello mam, thank you for your great note in this important topic. In concern of how to organize the body of the essay writing I think it is hard to follow the arrangement of the question you gave on the note. Can use each paragraph for each opinion and add an introduction and a conculsion for that to develope my essay writing ?

You can find free model essays, tips etc on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ You can find advanced lessons and e-books in my store: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hi Liz, Do I write and underline my headings for example, do I write an introduction underline, and do the same with other headings?

My second question is do I write an introduction, overview, Paragraphs 1&2, then conclusion for task 2, essay writing?

As you can see from my model essays, no titles or headings are required for your essay. The paragraph format you can find tips for on the main writing task 2 page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ You’ll also find model essays on that page.

Hi Liz, Kindly advise which are the two top essay types that frequently appears on the test day. I am expecting to take IELTS test two weeks from now and think I do not have enough time to practice all 5 question types. In addition, I assume that each question types are not equally tested. Thank you for your kindness.

No matter what people tell you, all the types of essays are possible. Focusing on only two is really taking a risk. You have two weeks before your test which is quite a lot of time to review the five types and ideas for topics as well. If I had to pick two types of essays, it would be the Opinion Essay and the Discussion Essay – but it really could be any type. Here is my advice, get my three advanced lessons for writing task 2, together they will cover three types of essays in three hours all together. This is a link to my store: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/ . For the other two types of essays, review my model essays on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ , also review the linking words, how many paragraphs and other tips as well. Good luck!!

Hello Liz, is it okay to use templates for writing task 2 that is available online some say it decrease our band score while others say it will increase our band scores. I am really confused at the moment.

If you are aiming for a low band score, it’s fine. If you are aiming for a higher band score, it won’t help. The examiners are trained to spot the difference between a templated essay with memorised language in it and an essay that shows your own level of English.

I learnt a lot from Your lessons and only because of You I achieved the score I was aiming for. Honestly, thank You very very much. You are doing a wonderful job.

Best wishes from Lithuania!

I’m glad to hear you got the score you needed. Well done 🙂 Greetings to all in Lithuania!

I just want to ask, in the opinion essay, should we always present both sides? For instance, if the question only asks for our opinion on the matter (no mention of discussing both sides) should we still do it? Alternatively, can we just structure the essay to show our opinion and each paragraph elaborates on reasons why that is our opinion? Will doing it this way (not mentioning both sides) adversely affect our band score? Thank you!

I suggest you get my Advanced Lessons to learn properly. I generally don’t teach how to write an Opinion Essay in a short message. It takes me nearly an hour by video to do this. Here’s a link to my store: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Thank you so much Liz. This video has been helpful. I have a question.

In Britain, when someone gets old they often go to live in a home with other old people where there are nurses to look after them. Sometimes the government has to pay for this care. Who do you think should pay for this care, the government or the family? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Is this an opinion essay which will follow exactly the structure you just taught or a discussion essay.

This is a Direct Question essay. Please remember that each teacher gives different names for essay types. I call this the Direct Question Essay because you are being given a direct question to answer. It might be one question, two or even three questions. Your whole essay explains your answer.

Hi Liz Do you think this is a positive or negative development? What type of essay is this please?

I’ve just added it to the page above. Take a look.

Hello Liz: I recently came across this essay. My question is what type of essay is this? Do you have any model essays on this type of essay? The essay is: In your view, what is the most important thing for governments to spend money on: education, health, transportation, or something else? Give reasons for your answers and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge.

You said that you “came across” this essay question. Where did you come across it? Did you find it in one of the IELTS Cambridge test books? Only use authentic test questions. If you don’t use proper sources for your IELTS preparation, you will easily get confused about the test and this won’t help your preparation.

Thanks, Liz! This is now clear to me as I came across the question from a ‘model IELTS Essay topics’. published by a local company.

That sounds like the problem. You ought to use the IELTS Cambridge test books which are real test published by IELTS. I have collected over 100 essay questions over the years and they are also safe to use. You can find them linked to the main writing task 2 section of this site: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Thank you, Liz, for your comments and the link. I wish you good health and happiness!

Hope you are keeping well. I am not able to score more than 6.5 in my writing test. I have scored 8.5 in Listening, Reading & Speaking but writing disappoints every time. Where can I find model answer to evaluate where am I lacking? I have taken 2 computer based tests for far and scheduled 3rd one in 5 days. I need band score 7 in Writing to achieve my target.

You can find some model answers in the main writing task 2 section my website along with other essential tips: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ . I also have paid advanced lessons which might help you understand where you are going wrong. They can be bought in my online store: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/ . Each lesson focuses on one specific essay type and explains paragraph by paragraph what to do.

Liz, thank you so much for your help. Two weeks ago I took the IELTS exam and surprisingly get 9 in Reading section!

Fantastic!! Well done to you 🙂

Hi Liz,I really need help with opinion essays especially for the part that asks to what extent do you agree or disagree?am I supposed to discuss both sides,thank you

I suggest you get my advanced lessons for the opinion essay: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/ . It isn’t something that can be taught in a short message.

Your materials and videos have sincerely been helpful. Thank you very much for such a selfless act. My exam is in a week time, I have only 10days to prepare for my IELTS GT. I would give you an update on how it goes. Cheers

Hi Liz! I am preparing for my IELTS and I have found your website very helpful, very precise information is given and it talk to the point. thank you for providing good content. keep up the great work.

reagrds Neha Shah

You’re welcome 🙂

Thanks a lot Liz . Your materials and tutorials helped me a lot in my preparation for my IELTS . Followed your tips and videos for 3 weeks . Able to score 7.5 overall.

Thank you again for the great help you provide.

Wonderful news! Very well done 🙂 It’s a great overall score!

Thank you so much Liz for the work you do. Your videos, website and materials helped me in my preparations. I just got my results, it was a band 8 overall. Have a splendid 2022.

Wonderful !! A great result! Wishing you all the best for 2022 !! 🙂

Hi Liz I’m from Sri Lanka. Thank you for all your guidance. Today I sat for IELTS academic paper. Task 1 was a bar chart, percentage of young people in higher education in for countries in 3 years. Task 2- news has no connection with people’s life so it’s a waste of time to read best from newspaper and watch news program on tv. To which extent do you agree. I hope these will help you. Waru

Hi Liz, I follow all your videos and they are very helpful. I gave my speaking exam last week. But now I think the cue card question was to describe a leisure activity I enjoy and I talked about a leisure activity I am planning to enjoy. I am really worried if it will affect my band score. But my talk was fluent . Can you give me your insights?

It won’t make any difference to your score. As long as your talk is based on the main topic (leisure activity), it’s ok. Your score won’t be negatively impacted in any way at all.

Hi Liz, Im Janet from kenya. thank you for the good work you are doing. im preparing for my exams in 4 weeks time. your content is very helpful and I like the way you explain things. im a slow learner and i find your pace very good for me. Thank you again. keep up the good job.

Good luck with your preparation and test 🙂

Thank you Liz

Hi Liz, hope you are doing well. Liz I have silly question I know but I’m really stuck in this problem and I was wondering if you can help me with this issue.. The problem is writing a topic sentence, you said in advanced lectures that topic sentence should be written carefully because it is kind of more important .. Please can you tell me that among these 2 topic sentences of BP1, which one is okay and looks relevant?

1] Although we are living in prosperous times, with people in many countries enjoying a higher standard of living than ever before, there are still millions of people in the world who are living in poverty.

2] Instead of wasting lots of money on exploration of space, governments ought to focus on local problems such as poverty eradication. There are millions of……

Essay statement; Space exploration is a luxury that we cannot afford. Instead of spending billions of dollars on space programs, governments should use this money to fight global problems such as poverty, disease and climate change. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion.

Kind regards

The first step is to underline the key words in the essay question: space exploration, spending billions, fighting global problems (examples). Now make sure your topic sentence covers those aspects. Neither of the topic sentences you have listed really works because, while the second one is obviously more carefully connected to the essay question, it doesn’t leave room for any other paragraph as you are tackling all problems in one paragraph. Also it switches from global problems to local problems which is confusing. However, in terms of which of your sentences connects to the essay question properly, it is the second one. This essay is all about funding for space exploration and whether it is relevant in today’s world or not given all our global problems.

I love your lessons and tips. They are really helpful and you are extraordinarily devoting. Here I have a question about the answer you left under Khola’s comment. What do you mean by “no room left for other paragraphs as you tackled all problems in one paragraph”?

Looking forward to your response.

Sincerely, Ella

It means that if you put all your ideas into one paragraph, you won’t have any more ideas for other paragraphs. By choosing one main focal point for one paragraph, you have the ability to use other ideas for other paragraphs. So many people say “I can’t think of how to make my essay long enough”. The answer is to be more careful about how you use your ideas. First, brainstorm ideas. Then select the best ideas. Then decide carefully which ideas can go into which paragraph. Then pay attention as to whether some ideas should go together or some ideas should be separated into different paragraphs. There is a lot to think about in the planning stage. It is crucial to plan carefully and strategically.

Electric cars are currently being developed by many well-known automotive companies. Many people still question whether electric cars are a feasible replacement for petrol and diesel-fuelled vehicles. In this essay, I will explore the opinions for and against the use of electric cars and their replacement of petrol and diesel-fuelled cars.

On one hand, electric cars are environment friendly. They require no non-renewable energy and are clean to run and maintain on the road. To support this opinion, recent studies show that the use of electric cars helps to curb pollution in urban and rural areas. Clearly, electric cars are one way to tackle ecological concerns and support a ‘greener’ environment.

On the other hand, electric cars are inconvenient to maintain and to dispose of. The driver of an electric vehicle must recharge his car approximately every 100 kms. In addition, the plutonium battery of an electric car is toxic to the environment and must be safely disposed of through expensive means. In brief, scientists are still exploring ways to produce these types of vehicles so that they are easier to manufacture, maintain and use safely.

To sum up, it’s evident that there are both pros and cons of electric vehicles. Despite the expense of development and the inconvenience of recharging electric cars, I still believe strongly that it is well worth the investment to continue research and production of these vehicles. To conclude, we should remain open, supportive to the use of electric cars and to their development in the future.

Recently i sat for IELTS exam, and the GT Writting Task 2 was about transport and they asked “ Do you think it has more advantages or more disadvantage?”

For this would it be option question or Adv/Disadv question? How is the structure for that type?

I wrote both sides and gave my opinion in the conclusion… but not sure if its right… i got 6.5 for writing.

Also, if you can advise how they ask the questions to determine what type of essay it would be so it can easy for us to identify.

Thanks and appreciate all your help.

That is an “outweigh” essay – do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

Hi Liz I have my exam this week and searching for model questions for April 2021. I checked on your site but model essay questions were available till March so if you can recommend me to follow something for latest Also, can you please share me the link for model answers of March Model Essay Questions?

I am eagerly waiting to hear from you.

The model essays are to be used for all years of the test. The topics are often recycled and the techniques for essay writing are 100% the same as always. The test format hasn’t changed and neither has the marking. All pages of this site are 100% relevant to the test today.

I have purchased material from you in 2019 but somehow because of my system crash I could not recover anything. Please can you share the link to access the notes that will be very grateful as I want to reattempt IELTS again. Because of Corona, I was not in my town to connect with you regarding this.

I’ve just resent your access link. Check both your inbox and spam folder.

Hi I booked my test in May 2021 I was just wondering which one is latest book i can refer? I have heard Cambridge books are best but I’m not aware about which version i should go for. Your help would be really appreciated

The IELTS Cambridge books are numbered, at present, from 1 to 15. Number 15 is the most recent and was published in 2020. However, all the books provide useful practice. The general format of the test has not changed. I personally would recommend books from 7 to 15. In July 2021, book 16 will be published.

Hello Liz, this is my first message ever. I would like to thank you for your devotion. Can I start a “ solutions” body in the problem solution essay with “ to get around these problems “ as I found this linking device from the “ new scientist” journal whose translation is seemingly appropriate to that, at least to me.

This means a way to avoid the problem rather that solve the problem. So, it wouldn’t be appropriate for an IELTS essay which asks for solutions. It is better to use: The most effective way to tackle this problem is… X is the way to deal with this issue The answer to solving this problem is ….

Hi Liz, In my exam I got the question of “Are there more advantages or more disadvantages” Is it similar to “Do advantages outweigh disadvantages” ?

Yes, it is 100% the same.

Thanks mam these are quite useful essays.

In the public version of the IELTS writing marking criteria, some linkers are called mechanical and it limit your band score. Some teachers say words like firstly,On one hand,on the other hand are example. I notice you use such words or phrases in ur sample essays. Are they really mechanical? Can you enlighten on what the band descriptors calls mechanical linker

The linkers themselves are not mechanical. All the linking words you have written are suitable for IELTS up to band score 9. The problem is how people use them. It is there use that becomes mechanical. If you have three paragraphs and each one starts with a linking words: Firstly, Secondly, Thirdly, it is similar to a machine that always does the same thing each time. So, to avoid this you must be flexible. So, use all suitable linking words, but use them flexibly. The mechanical use of linking words is typical of a band 6 in Coherence and Cohesion. This means that if you are aiming for band 7 and above, you need to use signposting more flexibly.

Your website and materials helped me a lot in my preparations for my ielts test.

I scored a band 8 overall after about 4 weeks of regular practice.

Thank you Liz for the work you do.

Great news! Very well done 🙂

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IELTS® Writing: Grammar Rules

The following rules cover common areas of difficulty in IELTS Task 1 and Task 2 essays (both Academic and General Training). Although Grammar technically counts for only 25% of the overall mark, and you will not be directly tested on or required to use particular constructions, you must be able to demonstrate a solid understanding of the conventions of standard written English to achieve a Band 7 score or higher.

Note that  although  these rules are aligned with the format of the IELTS, they are also generally applicable to TOEFL Writing.

For the full-length ebook, click here . 

1. Standard Spacing with Punctuation

Full stops/periods, commas, and semicolons are placed right after a word, with one space before the following word.

Correct: In reality, money does not always lead to happiness.

Incorrect: In  reality,money does not always lead to happiness.

Incorrect: In reality , money does not always lead to happiness.

Incorrect: In reality ,money does not always lead to happiness.

2. Always capitalize:

• The first word in a sentence
• The word  I
• Names of specific people, places, and things

Correct:  I’ve left a spare key to the house with my brother  R obert .

Correct: He’s worked at Infosys in Bangalore for the last three years.

Do NOT capitalize other nouns, or the first word after a comma/semicolon.

Incorrect: People should make an Effort to eat healthy food.

Incorrect: In fact,  Many people successfully lose weight.

3. Contractions and  Abbreviations

Contracted forms, e.g., don’t , isn’t = informal;  do not use in task 1 at or task 2 essays.

Correct: When people earn a university degree,  they are more likely to obtain a high-paying job.

Incorrect: When people earn a university degree,  they’re  more likely to obtain a high-paying job.

Abbreviations are used only in the context of proper names , e.g.,  Dr. Smith (Am.) or  Dr Smith  (Br.).  Do not write e.g. , i.e. ,  etc.  in Task 2 or Task 1 AT essays.

Never use the ampersand (&) sign instead of writing  and .

Phrasal verbs, especially with get , are associated with informal writing; single-word verbs are associated with formal writing (e.g., get up vs. awaken ).

And absolutely no  text speak (e.g., u, LOL)!  

4. Definite and Indefinite Articles 

A(n) = indefinite, indicates one of many; often used when a noun is first mentioned. 

Correct: Some people argue that living alone or in a small family is better than living in a large family .

Incorrect: Some people argue that living alone or in the  small family is better than living in  t h e  large family .

Incorrect: Some people argue that living alone or in  small family is better than living in  large family .

Note that the plural of  an is no article (“zero article”).  This construction is used to describe a general situation. 

Correct: Some people argue that large families are better than small families .

Incorrect: Some people argue that the large families are better than the small families .

The = definite, indicates the only one

Correct:  The current trend  toward solitary living will likely cause demand for smaller housing units to increase. 

Incorrect: A current trend  toward solitary living will likely cause demand for smaller housing units to increase. 

Incorrect: Current trend  toward solitary living will likely cause demand for smaller housing units to increase. 

The   must also be used with the superlative (“most” or “-est”) form of an adjective,  e.g., the best  way . 

5. Articles with(out) Indefinite Pronouns

Few = almost no (one) A few = several

Correct: Few people believe that children should be allowed unlimited amounts of junk food. = almost no one believes this

Correct: A few researchers have suggested that eating foods low in acid help people lose weight. = several (a small number of) researchers have suggested this

The   majority

Correct:   The  majority   of dieters have difficulty losing weight.

Incorrect: M ajority   of dieters have difficulty losing weight.

A   number of  (=many)

Correct: A n umber   of dieters have difficulty losing weight.

Incorrect:   Number   of dieters have difficulty losing weight.

6. Focus on correct usage rather than obscure or “high-level” words; when paraphrasing, use only synonyms whose meanings you are absolutely certain of

Correct: I believe that governments should direct more funding toward  the arts, as museums, theatres, and concert halls benefit society  in many important ways.

Avoid: The most conspicuous reason which reinforces my perception is  that arts, theatre, and music aid in the extension of society in  a plethora of manners.

7. Linking devices = formulas; do not alter them to sound more original

Correct:   First(ly)/To begin , e-commerce threatens the health of local businesses.

Incorrect:   At the outset , e-commerce threatens the health of local businesses.

8. Two sentences must be separated by period/full stop or a semicolon, NOT a comma

A clause that begins with a conjunctive adverb (e.g., however , therefore , thus , moreover )  is independent. The  adverb follows a period/full stop or semicolon and is followed by a comma 

The two main adverbs to know are however and therefore .

Correct:   Studying in a foreign country has many  advantages . However,   it also has some drawbacks. 

Correct: Studying in a foreign country has many  advantages; h owever,  it also has some drawbacks. 

Incorrect: Studying in a foreign country has many  advantages, h owever,  it also has some drawbacks. 

Incorrect: Studying in a foreign country has many  advantages h owever;  it also has some drawbacks. 

Pronoun as Subject (e.g., it , they ,  I )

A sentence that begins with a pronoun is grammatically identical  to a sentence that begins with a noun:  Cigarettes affect smokers’ health  =  They affect smokers’ health  are grammatically equivalent.

Correct:   Cigarettes affect smokers’ health. They  also affect  the health of bystanders.

Correct:  Cigarettes affect smokers’ health; they  also affect  the health of bystanders.

Incorrect:   Cigarettes affect smokers’ health, they   also affect the health of  bystanders.

9. Two consecutive clauses should not both begin with a coordinating conjunction (e.g., and , but , so ) or a subordinating conjunction (e.g., although , while , as )

Correct: Although e-commerce has many benefits, it also poses a threat  to many small businesses.

Correct: E-commerce has many benefits, but it also poses a threat  to many small businesses.

Incorrect: Although e-commerce has many benefits, but it also poses a threat  to many small businesses.

10. Modal verb (e.g., can , should , might , must ) + bare infinitive

(Exception: ought + full infinitive)

Correct: Technology can help society in many ways.

Incorrect: Technology can helps   society in many ways.

Incorrect: Technology can to help   society in many ways.

Incorrect: Technology can helped   society in many ways.

11. Request , recommend , and suggest + ( that ) + subject + bare infinitive

Correct: The technician suggested (that) my friend  restart the laptop.

Incorrect: The technician suggested my friend to restart the laptop.

Incorrect: The technician suggested my friend restarts the laptop.

12. Present Perfect:

Since + Starting Time 

Correct: Since the early 2000s , the Internet has played an increasingly  prominent role in many people’s lives.

Incorrect: Since the early 2000s , the Internet plays an increasingly  prominent role in many people’s lives.

For/Over  + Duration

Correct: For/Over the past century , antibiotics have played   a crucial role in preventing and curing many common infections.

Incorrect: For/Over the past century , antibiotics play a crucial role  in preventing and curing many common infections.

Incorrect: For/Over the past century , antibiotics played a crucial role  in preventing and curing many common infections.

13. Simple Past vs. Past Perfect

Simple past (single-word past, e.g., went ,  said ,  ate ) = finished action Past perfect ( had + verb , e.g.,  had gone ,  had said ,  had eaten ) = finished action that came  before a second action

Use the simple past with a “limiting” date or time (e.g., yesterday , last year , 2007 ).

Correct: I am unable to attend the meeting because I was in a car  accident this morning .

Incorrect: I am unable to attend the meeting because I have been in a car  accident this morning .

Past Perfect = finished action that came before a second action

Correct: The shop clerk claimed that the coat had been cleaned thoroughly,  but when I arrived home, I saw that it was still dirty.

Incorrect: The shop clerk claimed that the coat had been cleaned thoroughly,  but when I had arrived home, I saw that it was still dirty.

14. Will vs. Would

Will = future Would = hypothetical actions; polite form, used for requests

Correct: I will read the report tomorrow morning .

Incorrect: I would read the report tomorrow morning .

BUT:  

Correct: I would read the report tomorrow morning, BUT I will be in a  meeting until 1pm.

Correct: I would like to request some information regarding scholarships.

Incorrect: I will like to request some information regarding scholarships.

15. When or if + present-tense verb, not future tense

Correct: When I will go to Canada next year, I will visit Toronto and Montreal.

Incorrect: When I go to Canada next year, I will visit Toronto and Montreal.

16. 3rd-person singular verbs end in -s; 3rd-person plural verbs do NOT end in -s

Correct: Genetic engineering is beneficial because it it allows   parents to prevent their children from being born with a serious hereditary disease.

Incorrect: Genetic engineering is beneficial because it   it allow   parents to  prevent their children from being born with a serious hereditary disease.

Errors often occur  when the verb immediately follows  that . The verb must agree with the noun before  that .

Correct: Genetic engineering is a technology  (sing.) that allow s  (sing.)  parents to prevent their children from being born with a serious hereditary disease.

Incorrect: Genetic engineering is a technology  (sing.) that allow (pl.)  parents to prevent their children from being born with a serious hereditary disease.

• Gerunds (-ing forms) = singular , e.g., Reading magazines is one of my hobbies .
• Indefinite pronouns with any , every , and no = singular , e.g., Everyone knows that people must consume fewer calories in order to lose weight .

17. One + singular noun; One of the + plural noun

Correct: One effect of global warming is the disappearance of many plant  and animal species.

Correct: One of the effect s of global warming is the disappearance of many  plant and animal species.

Incorrect: One of the effect of global warming is the disappearance of many  plant and animal species.

18. It and They

Singular noun = it ; Plural noun = they

Correct: The iphone is among the world’s most popular devices: it can be  found virtually everywhere on the planet.

Incorrect: The iphone is among the world’s most popular devices: they can be  found virtually everywhere on the planet.

Correct: Fad diets are very popular, but they can also be quite dangerous.

Incorrect: Fad diets are very popular, but it can also be quite dangerous.

It’s = it is ; Its = possessive form of it

Correct: The laptop worked perfectly for several hours, but then its screen  suddenly went blank.

Incorrect: The laptop worked perfectly for several hours, but then it’s (= it is)   screen suddenly went blank.

19. No comma before or after that

Correct: Some people believe that consumers should make more of an effort  to buy from independent shops.

Incorrect: Some people believe, that consumers should make  more of an effort to buy from independent shops.

Incorrect: Some people believe that, consumers should make  more of an effort to buy from independent shops.

20. Indirect questions:

• “Question” word such as  who ,  what ,  why appears in the middle of the statement
• Uses a period/full stop
• Verb follows subject

Correct: It is unclear why some people are able to eat an unhealthy diet  without gaining weight .

Incorrect: It is unclear why   are some people able to eat an unhealthy diet  without gaining weight ?

21. Nouns acting as adjectives are never made plural

Correct: One of my favo(u)rite dishes is lentil soup .

Incorrect: One of my favo(u)rite dishes is lentils soup .

22. Comparatives and Superlatives:

• 1-syllable adjectives & 2-syllable adjectives ending in -y: -er/-est
• All other adjectives: more / most + adjective

Correct: My new apartment is larger than my old one.

Incorrect: My new apartment is more large than my old one.

Incorrect: My new apartment is more larger than my old one.

23. Advice , furniture , information , infrastructure , research = uncountable

• Not used with a(n)
• Not made plural

Correct: Whenever I have a problem, I ask my best friend for help because  he always gives good advice .

Incorrect: Whenever I have a problem, I ask my best friend for help because  he always gives a good advice .

Correct: In my opinion, governments should devote more money to  improving and developing infrastructure .

Incorrect: In my opinion, governments should devote more money to  improving and developing infrastructures .

24. Fewer , many modify countable nouns; less , much modify uncountable nouns

Correct: Today, many people prefer to do their shopping online.

Incorrect: Today, much people prefer to do their shopping online.

In addition, much cannot modify an adjective; use so or very + adjective.

Correct: I was so happy  to hear that you were coming to visit.

Correct: I was very  happy  to hear that you were coming to visit.

Incorrect: I was so much happy to hear that you were coming to visit.

25. Prepositions/Idioms:

I’m looking forward to + -ing form

Correct: I’m looking forward to r eceiving your response!

Incorrect: I’m looking forward to receive your response!

Note that to functions as an independent preposition rather than part of an infinitive. As a result, the -ing form can be used.

On + day or next + day , NOT on next + day

Correct: I’d love to come to the party next Saturday , but unfortunately I already have plans.

Incorrect: I’d love to come to the party on next Saturday , but unfortunately  I already have plans.

Considered (to be ) + noun

Correct: Pelé is considered (to be) one of the greatest football players  in history.

Incorrect: Pelé is considered as one of the greatest football players  in history.

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10 Common IELTS Writing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

IELTS writing tasks are the second and crucial segment of the examination where you have to convince the examiner that you have a great vocabulary base and grammatical skills. You have to ensure that you can develop a balanced, coherent, and structured writing with your vocabulary base and grammatical skills in a clear way. The IELTS writing segment consists of two different tasks for each testing option i.e. IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. Individually in IELTS writing if you score 6.5 bands, it is considered as a good score. The journey for 6.5 bands in IELTS writing is really easy if you follow some rules, formats, and tips. 

In this article, we are going to discuss the top 11 most common IELTS writing mistakes that you need to avoid to secure a 6.5 band in your IELTS writing segment.

Table of Content

• Understanding The IELTS Writing Segment And Structure

Common IELTS Writing Mistakes and How To Avoid Them

• 11. Not Using Formal Writing Procedures
• 10. Not Using Strategies Consistently
• 9. Not practising Enough
• 8. Including a Personal Opinion or Reason
• 7. Not Following the Structure
• 6. Using a Limited Vocabulary 
• 5. Overusing Cohesive Devices
• 4. Making Too Many Grammatical Mistakes
• 3. Repeating the Question
• 2. Your Essay Does Not Answer the Question
• 1. Word Limit

How to Crack IELTS Exam in First Attempt – Tips for Writing Section

• Final Thoughts – Common IELTS writing mistakes and how to avoid them
• FAQs – Common IELTS writing mistakes and how to avoid them

What words should be avoided in IELTS writing?

How many mistakes to get 7.5 in ielts, does handwriting affect ielts score, how strict is ielts writing, how do examiners check ielts writing, understanding the ielts writing segment and structure.

Before discussing the IELTS Writing Common Mistakes, you need to know about the format and structure of the whole segment efficiently. The problems and the mistakes are deeply rooted in this. Here is the proper structure of the IELTS Writing Segment for both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training as mentioned below. 

Read More: IELTS Exam Syllabus 2024: General & Academic

For both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training, you need to complete two individual tasks. For IELTS Academic task 1 is related to the data representation and in IELTS General Training you need to write a letter on the given situation. For both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training, you need to answer an opinion-based essay question. Here is the breakdown of the IELTS Writing Module as mentioned below. 

Also Read: IELTS Academic vs General Tests – What’s the Difference?

Read More: IELTS Full Form: Check Its Significance

For IELTS writing, the major mistake is not understanding the test format properly. When you are not sure about the format and the allotted time frame, your productivity will decrease for sure. Both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training are graded in the same way but the instructions are different. As we have discussed the IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training writing format earlier, so now we will discuss the most common mistakes related to this particular segment that can bind you to a low band score. Read them carefully and analyze them with your approach to make your responses balanced, coherent, and structured. 

Not Using Formal Writing Procedures

As per the Indian context, it is very common. Most of the Indian students do not apply Formal Writing Procedures in their IELTS writing responses. It happens just because of a lack of proper practice. You can not miss it out from your writing glossary. If you do not use the Formal Writing Procedures you are risking your band scores and violating the international academic guidelines. As the IELTS ensures that you are eligible to cope with the communication process in the academic and employment context in an abroad country, so format is important here. 

You should use the proper format and writing structure to get a high band score in this segment which will help you to secure a great CFBR in your final result. 

Using Strategies Consistently

Not Using the Consistent Strategy for the writing segment may cause a downfall in your IELTS writing band score. You should follow a personalised positive approach through which you can score better in the writing section. Many students pick the pointers from the questions and develop an idea by joining them to structure their answers. Approach and strategy are very important for IELTS writing. Though the constant strategy is a personal affair you should use it properly to get a high band score in this segment which will help you to secure a great CFBR in your final result. 

Not practising Enough

Practice makes a man perfect. We all know about this term. As a candidate, you need to practice more and more. There are so many mock papers and books available to increase your efficiency. Try to attempt the hard practice sets and also do some practice with the simple mock papers which will make you understand the variety of the IELTS writing. How much time you give in the practice your speed will increase. There is no other option to increase your efficiency for IELTS writing. 

Including a Personal Opinion or Reason

You need to be very careful with your statements, Personal Opinions, or Reason you are attaching in your writing. Remember that you are not writing an editorial blog or something. It is the problem with the Indian student that they put Personal Opinion or Reason and this diversifies the content with so many aspects and it is not good.  You need to stay attached to your developed logic and examples, that’s it. Do not put any personal opinion in the essay. If you do not do the same, your score will decrease. 

Not Following the Structure

Not Following the Structure is a bad indication for your IELTS writing. You need to follow the structure to write the content during the test. Make sure you follow the predified structure for writing during the time of answer framing. Do not miss the proper structure and remember the word limit as well. 

Using a Limited Vocabulary 

Using a Limited Vocabulary may decrease your score. The vocabulary plays a major role in defining the quality of the article. If you use the limited term to write an article, it will decrease the quality. Do not use the limited terms in your article. 

Overusing Cohesive Devices

The Cohesive Devices are also known as transitions, transitional phrases, and linkers. They are mainly used to join the different sentenses and situations. IELTS rules mention that you need to focus on these types of words to maintain the overall concept. No need to use these types of words too much in your article.  

Making Too Many Grammatical Mistakes

IELTS is a proficient way to prove your English language skills. Making Too Many Grammatical Mistakes push you toward a low score. It happens just because of a lack of proper practice. You can not miss it out from your writing glossary.

Repeating the Question

Do not repaeat the same question in an article. Writing unnecessary words and lines will decrease your score. As we said before, not Using the Consistent Strategy for the writing segment may cause a downfall of your IELTS writing band score. You should follow a personalise positive approach through which you can score better in the writing section. 

Your Essay Does Not Answer the Question

You need to properly answer your questions. If you fail to develop the idea properly, it will be considered as a scrap. If you are unable to understand the view of the question, read it properly multiple times. You need to analyze them properly and jot down the major facts and points in your words.

For the IELTS writing it is recommened to maintain the word limit. If you do not maintain the word limit, it will decrease your score. Writing more than the word limit will have a bad impact as well as low limit says that you do not have the ability to write. 

Here are some master Tips for Writing Sections as mentioned below. 

• Always use the passive voice with new words. It will give an idea to the examiner that you have well prepared with your vocabulary. 
• There are two writing tasks you need to complete in IELTS in 60 Minutes. The word limit is 150 and 250 for Task 1 and Task 2. You need to stick to the word length but it is recommended to add 10-20 words more during writing. Less word count may cause low band scores. 
• There is no room for grammatical mistakes. You need to fix it up in an early stage of your preparation. Focus on writing the various ranges of tenses with good sentence formation. 
• Preparing with a timer is beneficial for writing tasks. You need to remember that for task one you have to spend only 20 minutes not more than that.
• Follow the proper format for the writing section. As you develop and habituate with the skeleton of the writing task, your writing time will be decreased.
• A good introduction and conclusion always say that you can create balance in your writing. So focus on them.
• You have to develop proper analyzing skills because short and small data are always important for IELTS writing. As much as you incorporate these data, your score will go up. 

The IELTS writing segment consists of two different tasks for each testing option i.e. IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. Individually in IELTS writing if you score 6.5 bands, it is considered as a good score. The journey for 6.5 bands in IELTS writing is really easy if you follow some rules, formats, and tips. The problems and the mistakes are deeply rooted in this. For both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training, you need to complete two individual tasks. For IELTS Academic task 1 is related to the data representation and in IELTS General Training you need to write a letter on the given situation. There is no room for grammatical mistakes. You need to fix it up in an early stage of your preparation. Focus on writing the various ranges of tenses with good sentence formation. Preparing with a timer is beneficial for writing tasks. You need to remember that for task one you have to spend only 20 minutes not more than that. Follow the proper format for the writing section. As you develop and habituate with the skeleton of the writing task, your writing time will be decreased.

Also Check: How to prepare for IELTS? IELTS Exam Pattern 2024: Section-wise IELTS Exam Paper Pattern, Question Types IELTS Exam Fee 2024 How to Apply for IELTS 2024| Step-By-Step Guide

Common IELTS Writing Mistakes- FAQs

Avoid using contractions in your sentences. Example, can’t, don’t, it’s etc. Slang words and colloquialisms should be avoided in the writing tasks. Do not use the same words repeatedly.

Out of the total 40 questions aim at scoring 30 correct answers for IELTS band 7.0, and 32 correct answers for IELTS band 7.5. The spelling of the answers should be correct with all the answers written within the provided word-limit.

It makes no difference to your score. However, if your writing is difficult to read, you might lose points. If the examiner can’t read it, he or she won’t be able to give you a high score. Your writing MUST be clear and easy to read at all times!!

If you are sitting for the IELTS test, you might find the writing component difficult, especially if it’s your first time writing so extensively. With a strict time limit with specific tasks to accomplish, it’s easy to fumble the ball and make mistakes during the writing test.

The assessment criteria used by examiners is the same for both the General Training and Academic tests. Your answers in IELTS Writing Task 1 are assessed against the following criteria: task achievement, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource and grammatical range and accuracy.

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IELTS Essay, topic: Children and rules

• 14 Comments
• IELTS Essays - Band 7

In some countries children have very strict rules of behavior, in other countries they are allowed to do almost anything they like. To what extent should children have to follow rules?

In other words we have to look other aspects as well, if we usually ignore our children’s bad habits, then they good human beings in their future life. Moreover if we never draw attention the children’s main activities then they might end up in a bad company. They the value of respect for their elders importance of relationships. They their cultural values as well.

In a nutshell, I would like to say that children should be the value of their customs, rituals and respect towards their elders for their future life, but most of the additional restriction should . It would good human beings in their future.

This is a good, well-written essay. Some sentences are too short and could be combined together to create a more complex structure. There is also some repetition of words, which should be avoided. Overall, nicely done.

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14 thoughts on “IELTS Essay, topic: Children and rules”

I would like to learn which is the difference of the following words: illness, disorden and diseases. I am not sure if mental diseases is correct.

Mental illness is the correct term

Pingback:  IELTS Essay Samples of Band 7 | IELTS-Blog

Hi, Are the texts in the essays corrections that have been added by the examiner? Thanks

Hi Tina, the corrections are made by IELTS teachers.

Hi I want to know about blue words or lines which draw in essay. These words after correction seem blue or before correction just like mentioned errors? ?

Hi Fariha, when you hold your mouse over the word underlined in blue, a tooltip appears on top of the word showing the correct version.

Is it argument essay???

Yes, it is. The question can be rephrased as follows to make that clearer: “Some say that children should have very strict rules of behavior, however, others think that children should be allowed to do almost anything they like. To what extent do you agree or disagree?”

Hi. I’m currently practicing to take my exam in almost a month! I desperately need to get a 7 score in my academic writing! Do you think this essay is of 7 quality or is a 7? I was thinking making systematic mistakes drops your mark significantly! This sample is my silver lining 🙂

Is this a 7 band essay??

Yes, that is correct.

Hello, can you please check my essay and give feedback like these.

Hi Oydina, yes we can. Please follow this link to learn how our writing correction service works, and submit your tasks to get feedback.

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