ielts essay writing checklist

IELTS Writing Task 2: The Complete Guide

For Task 2 of IELTS Writing , you’ll be asked to give your opinion on a social issue. Want to know how this section works? Read on for our complete guide to IELTS Writing Task 2, with tips and tricks, sample essays, and more!

(Note: This guide is a handy supplemental resource for those who use our IELTS study schedules . In fact, we specifically recommend consulting this guide on Day 4 of our one week IELTS study plan !)

Table of Contents

• IELTS Writing Task 2 Basics

IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay Organization and Example

Task 2 ielts sample essays, improving your score in the second ielts writing task, task 2 ielts tips and tricks, ielts writing task 2 practice resources.

IELTS Writing Task 2: Basic Information

When you give your opinion on a social issue for IELTS Writing Task 2, you’ll work under the following basic rules and standards:

• This task will either be handwritten or completed on computer, depending on what format of the IELTS you take. Your recommended time limit for this task is 40 minutes, and the task takes up 2/3 (66%) of your score. For a full introduction to formatting, timing, and scoring, check out “ The Basic Facts of IELTS Writing Task 2 .”
• You need to write a 250 word minimum for your response. If your word count is below the minimum, it will hurt your score. For more information on how this works, see the IELTS Writing word count penalty for IELTS Task 1 and IELTS Task 2 .
• The good news is that keeping the right word count is one of the simplest ways to aim for a top Task 2 IELTS Writing score! For more guidance on how to do this, check out our post on how many words to write in your IELTS essays.
• Your Task 2 IELTS Writing essay should be formal , reflecting the same tone you’d take in an introductory university academic writing class. For this skill, Magoosh has you covered! See our tutorial on formal writing in IELTS Writing Task 2 for guidance.

IELTS General Task 2 vs. Academic Writing Task 2

This is an IELTS Task 2 basics question I often get: what is the difference between IELTS General Task 2 and IELTS Academic Writing Task 2? The answer is that there is no significant difference. Writing Task 2 Academic usually looks exactly the second IELTS Task 2 on the General Training version of the IELTS.

There is one very small difference: the wording of IELTS General Task 2 prompts is sometimes slightly shorter and simpler . But even then, the same things are being asked. And your essay will need to meet the same scoring standards no matter which version of the test you take.

A well-organized essay is your passport to a top score. Take a few minutes to plan and outline your essay from the beginning, following a good template. If you can do that, you’ll have a strong introduction, body, and conclusion that will really impress the scorers for the Task 2 IELTS essays.

How to Organize Your IELTS Essay

Below are a few resources to help you organize Task 2 IELTS essay in an efficient, impactful way:

• Brainstorming Essay Topics for Task 2 IELTS Writing
• The Best IELTS Writing Task 2 Template
• IELTS Writing Task 2 Body Paragraph Structure

Example Essay Template

The Task 2 IELTS Writing template contains a full model Task 9 essay. However, each section of the sample IELTS Task 2 essay is in a different part of that article, with instructions and explanations between the paragraphs. It may be helpful to also view that sample essay as it would look on a real exam. To see our model essay all in one piece, check out this PDF .

But wait, there’s more! Magoosh has one model essay for each of the five most common question types for Task 2 IELTS Writing prompts ! Click the links below for each sample IELTS Task 2 essay, with scorer commentary:

• IELTS Writing Task 2 Discussion Sample Essay
• Model Essay for a Two-Part Question in Writing Task 2 IELTS
• Task 2 IELTS Writing: Causes and Solutions Sample Essay
• Task 2 IELTS Writing: Agree/Disagree Sample Response
• Model Advantage Disadvantage Response for Task 2 IELTS Writing

Now that we’ve shown you several model Band 9 essays, you may ask yourself: how can I get a top score on my own IELTS Task 2 essay? To be sure, looking closely at those model essays can help. But it also helps to take a closer look at the four categories in the official rubric for IELTS Writing Task 2 .

In brief, the four IELTS Task 2 rubric categories you’ll be scored on (and their share of the score) are:

• Task Response (25%)
• Coherence and Cohesion (25%)
• Lexical Resource (25%)
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy (25%)

These categories actually apply to both IELTS Task 2 and Task 1. For a detailed description on how to get high marks in all four categories across the whole writing section, check out:

• The IELTS Task 2 and IELTS Task 1 Writing band descriptors
• How to get a band 8-9 in your Task 2 IELTS Writing

Last but certainly not least, we have tips and tricks for success in each of the four rubric categories:

• IELTS Writing Task 2: Task Response
• Coherence and Cohesion in IELTS Task 2 Writing
• IELTS Task 2 Writing: Lexical Resource
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy in IELTS Writing Task 2

Beyond the advice I’ve given you so far, Magoosh offers many other free tutorials for boosting your IELTS Writing Task score, and writing powerful essays within the time limits of the test. Here’s a roundup of our best Task 2 IELTS Writing resources to guide you on the road to test day:

Tips and Tricks From the IELTS Blog

• Magoosh’s Complete Guide to IELTS Writing
• Useful Sentence Patterns in IELTS Writing
• Linking Words for IELTS Task 1 and IELTS Task 2
• Using Conjunctions on the IELTS
• Paraphrase Exercise for IELTS Writing
• Do You Lose Points for Bad Handwriting in IELTS Writing?
• How to Use Commas Correctly in IELTS Writing
• 5 Common Grammar Mistakes in IELTS Writing: IELTS Task 1 and IELTS Task 1
• How to Effectively Check Your IELTS Writing
• How to Write More Quickly in the IELTS Task 2 Essay
• How to Write an Effective Conclusion in IELTS Writing Task 2

YouTube Videos

• Top Tips to Prepare for IELTS Academic Writing Task 2 (Video)
• IELTS Writing Task 2: Top Mistakes! (Video)
• IELTS Vocabulary: Writing Task 2 (Video)
• More Words to Know for IELTS Writing Task 2 (Video)
• 6 Useful Sentence Patterns to Improve Your IELTS Writing (Video)
• How to Get a Great IELTS Writing Band Score (Video)
• Paraphrasing Tips to Boost Your IELTS Writing Score (Video)
• IELTS Writing: How to Score a Band 8+ (Video)
• How to Prepare for IELTS Academic Writing Task 2
• How can I improve my IELTS Writing Band score?
• 6 Useful Sentence Patterns to Improve Your IELTS Writing

In addition to Task 2 IELTS Writing tips and tricks, Magoosh also offers you some great resources for practicing IELTS questions! Earlier in the post, I already showed you the practice set for the five most common types of Task 2 IELTS essay questions . But wait, there’s more….

Task 2 Practice Material

• The Best Writing Resources for IELTS Task 1 and IELTS Task 2
• How to Access the Practice Questions on the Four Official IELTS Websites

Youtube Videos

• IELTS Writing Practice Test (Video)
• IELTS Task 2 Essay: Agree/Disagree Sample Questions (Video)
• The Advantages/Disadvantages Essay for Task 2 IELTS (Video)
• Agree/Disagree Questions

Prepare For IELTS Writing Task 2 with Magoosh!

If you like what you see here, there is still even more. With a subscription to Magoosh IELTS you’ll get well over 100 video lessons, more than 600 practice questions, and email tutoring help from our teachers at no extra charge. We also offer a subscription to an IELTS essay scoring service that will assign a band score to your IELTS essays. You can also try a free one week trial of either service ! 🙂

Eliot Friesen-Meyers is the Senior Curriculum Manager for Magoosh IELTS and TOEFL. He attended Goshen College (B.A.), New York University (M.A.), and Harvard University (M.T.S.), gaining experience and skills in curriculum development, ESOL instruction, online teaching and learning, and IELTS and TOEFL test prep education. Eliot’s teaching career started with Literacy Americorps in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and later, taught ESL programs at Northeastern University, University of California-Irvine, and Harold Washington College. Eliot was also a speaker at the 2019 TESOL International Conference . With over 10 years of experience, he understands the challenges students face and loves helping them overcome those challenges. Come join Eliot on Youtube , Facebook , and Instagram . Recent blog posts Complete Guide to IELTS Writing Task 1 Complete Guide to IELTS Writing Task 2

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112 responses to “IELTS Writing Task 2: The Complete Guide”

Thanks a lot for creating this pretty much useful guiding blog.

You’re welcome, Nanda! I’m glad you’re finding it so useful. Good luck with your studies!

is paraphrasing is common in all types of essays

Paraphrasing is definitely common in pretty much every type and topic for IELTS Writing Task 2, for the reasons outlined in this post: you need to paraphrase the question, and the conclusion will paraphrase ideas from the introduction and body of the essay. And IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 is pretty much 100% paraphrasing– your job there is to take information form a chart, table, or other graphic, and rewrite the info in your own words.

But even IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 has elements of paraphrasing, since you are given a situation that you will address by writing a letter, and you need to write about the situation in your own words.

And of course, paraphrasing is important in non IELTS essays, such as the ones you might be assigned in a university course. The skill of paraphrasing is something you’ll use in a variety of ways throughout your university career, really.

marvellous tips thanks for this

I’m so glad you found them helpful, Nanda!

Very organized and exhaustive article. The writer gave us a meticulous insight into task 2. Found it very useful. Thank you!!

Thank you for your feedback, Kaif! I’m glad you found the guide so helpful!

Although I have always thought of possible ways to bring about positive changes to me home town, it has become even more convincing to me because I have so many ideas already concurred to carry this out

Thank you a lot!

You’re welcome! Happy studying!

Dear Eliot, if the question is: “Do you think the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?” do I need to answer in the introduction or I can answer after discussing advantages and disadvantages? Thank you in advance

Hi Mari! Great question! As a general rule, you should always present your basic idea at the beginning of the essay. Some IELTS essay questions only ask you to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of something (not your opinion). Therefore, in your introduction, you simply need to summarize the advantages and disadvantages that you will discuss in detail in the body paragraphs. However, when a Task 2 IELTS question asks for your opinion, it’s very important to state your viewpoint in your introduction as well.

Perfect! Thank you very much! And thank you for the article, is very useful!

You’re welcome, Mari! I’m glad you find the article helpful. Happy studying!

Sorry I can’t find the 5th one of your question types.

Hi Sazzad! Thanks for your question. You can find the 5th Task 2 question type on the table with the title “Thematic Questions.” Thematic Questions are a Task 2 question type that involve answering a set of questions that relate to a theme.

Thanks a lot. This was very useful.

I’m glad you found the post useful, Joel! Good luck with your IELTS studies.

Thanks for this great article. I would like to ask something. What one should do if someone doesn’t have enough information/points as per word requirements on that particular topic, how one should complete the task?

Thanks for your question, Shanawaz! It’s a good one because many IELTS-takers struggle with this same problem. Here’s a tip that has worked for many of my students: add more details and examples to your body paragraphs. If you go back and look at the sample essay in this blog post (about giving kids freedom to choose their careers), you’ll see that each body paragraph has main point, but there are many details (in this case, reasons) included to explain the main points further. Depending on the topic, you can use examples from your life and experience, people you know, or simply from what you have learned somehow. Just make sure that every detail in each paragraph relates to the main idea of the paragraph directly.

I hope this helps! Happy studying.–Eliot

Hi Eliot, thanks for such an informative blog post. As you have mentioned that one can mention about personal experiences in the task 2. However, I have seen that people have recommended not to use personal experiences while citing the instances. They suggest to use examples on general basis. Is it true?

I can take this one for you, Eliot! 🙂

Actually Sukhmani, you can use personal experiences in IELTS Task 2, as long as a personal example is the best suitable example to explain your point. (Eliot mentions this in the comments under this article, and I concur. 🙂 )

It’s a phenomenal thing we learn a lot with the help of this Thx a lot sir

I’m glad you found it helpful, Kamaljeet! Good luck with your IELTS preparation.

Eliot, thank you very much for your post, it was really useful! I would like to ask you a question. When writing body paragraphs, one paragraph represents its own idea. Do we need to do give several arguments (clearly dividing them by “first”, “second” and “finally”, for example) and then supporting ideas to each argument for the idea in the paragraph? Or can we simply state the idea and then explain it with examples? I’m wondering how strict the structure should be.

Hi Angelina! Thank you for your question. It’s a good one!

The answer is that you have some flexibility. You do not need to follow the same pattern in each essay. If you have a list of something (for example, two or three supporting reasons in one paragraph), it is a very good idea to clearly state the organization of your ideas with a list. The pattern you used in your example is a good one (first, second, third), but you can also say things like, “The first reason I like this idea is…” and then discuss this reason for a sentence or two. Then you can transition, “Another reason to support this idea is…” and then do the same as before–provide an example or explain your reason in more detail in a sentence or two.

Now, back to your question. Can you provide a few examples instead of presenting reasons or arguments in your paragraphs? Yes! If you want to explain your main idea with examples instead of reasons, you can use the same strategy as above. Introduce your examples so the reader has a clear idea how you are organizing your ideas. You can do it this way:

One example is….[and write a sentence or two to describe your example]. Another example is….[and write a sentence or two to describe your example].

However, I would add one important note here: If you write a body paragraph that uses only examples to support the main idea, you should always make sure to say, very clearly, how your examples relate to the main idea of your paragraph. After you provide an example, you can write things like this:

This example shows that… This situation means.. I believe this example shows…

I hope this helps with your question! Good luck with your IELTS studies!

Ooops …wish I found it little earlier because tomorrow is my test. However, I do have a query that could help for next test takers. In the answer sheet of booklet of some Cambridge book, I have found sample answer by the examiner which include introduction in the first paragraph followed by explaining the both argument and then giving ones opinion. I found is little bit contradictory as I referred here. How far is it considerable in giving ones opinion just prior to concluding paragraph and on what type of questions? Anyway, really a great job…!!!

Hi Kalash! Thank you for your comment. I think I understand your question and I will do my best to answer it. However, if I have missed your point, please let me know and I will follow-up!

Yes, it is fine to offer your opinion in the final paragraph, especially in Task 2 questions where the question says something like “discuss both sides and give your opinion.” Actually, there are many ways to organize a clear response to questions like these. The suggestions in this blog post (or any other place you find information about Task 2 essays!) are there to help you think of ways to present your ideas clearly.

In this case, you could discuss Side 1 in the first body paragraph, Side 2 in the second body paragraph, and then you could write a full third paragraph providing your opinion. However, you could also present Side 1 and offer your opinion about it in one body paragraph, and then present Side 2 and offer your opinion about it in a second body paragraph.

One thing you MUST do in both cases is present your opinion in your thesis statement (the last sentence of the introduction). No matter how you decide to organize your body paragraphs, this element is essential.

I hope this helps!

Good luck on your test tomorrow!!

–Eliot

I have a question. I took the exam a couple of days ago. i was able to finish both task 1 and task 2. However, I used 2 papers for my task 2, which I forgot to put a page number on top. Will that affect my grade? Im kinda freaking out hehe

I doubt anything significant will happen to you or your score. We can’t say for sure (it will depend on the rater) but this type of thing happens frequently. Good luck! 🙂

Sir, Is there any difference between essay structure asking Do you agree or disagree and to what extent do you agree or disagree??

Hi Gurpreet,

Great question! No, there is no difference between these questions and you can approach them the same way. In other words, you may argue for just one side, or you can make a balanced argument that focuses on the strengths and/or weaknesses of both sides. If you make a balanced argument, keep in mind that you should NOT argue that both sides are equally good or equally bad. You must take a position and choose the side you think is best. Make this argument clear in your thesis statement in the introduction.

Happy studying!

Yes, there is a difference. If the word extent is written, it is necessary to write either totally or completely agree/ disagree or partly agree.

Hi Rajneesh,

Eliot’s point here is that there isn’t a major difference between the two essays instructions. In the GRE, for example, you must take one side and make a strong argument for it. In the IELTS, your primary job is to show that you are able to express yourself clearly in written English. As long as you show that you understood the prompt and respond to it, these nuances are not as important as showing your ability to write clearly in English!

Hi Eliot, thanks for this very helpful article.

My question is, can I make statements like, “In my country, we have the practice of…” Will there be an identity-revealing issue or is this an acceptable approach?

Hi Anu! I don’t think this statement would cause you a problem. You are free to use examples from your life and experience on Task 2, so long as the examples you choose fit the question prompt.

However, it’s possible I don’t fully understand your concern about revealing identity. If so, please say more about what you have in mind.

I sent this link to my students that I’m currently tutoring. Saves me a lot of time! The explanations are clear and thorough. Thank you so much.

Hi Eliot , your blog really helped me a lot. I have a question. When we are asked to discuss both sides and give our opinion, can I write my opinion in the conclusion paragraph instead of writing separate paragraph before conclusion. Thanks in advance

Hi Yeshaswini,

It is not ideal to end an essay with new information (in this case, your opinion) which is why we recommend the opinion coming before the conclusion. But if you are in a situation where you truly feel this is better, you can definitely pull it off.

it is very helpfullthank you so much

In your “Writing IELTS Part 2 Question Types” “Discuss both sides and give your opinion”, you say that there should be 3 paragraphs, but at the free iELTS preparation course, they say, that “your opinion” goes into the conclusion. What is right? Thanks Vera

If you look at the example essay we provided here, you’ll see that there is a short introduction paragraph and a short conclusion paragraph that both express the author’s opinion. The two body paragraphs allow you to write about both sides of the issue and show your thought process. We should note here that there is no secret ‘formula’ on the IELTS–there are guidelines to help you craft your essay. It sounds like our advice matches pretty closely with what you heard from the free IELTS preparation course, but the most important thing is to show that you can write well in English 🙂

Thanks for the tips! I do have a few questions. When the topic question is about, “to what extent do you agree or disagree?”, do you have to pick a side? If you feel like the topic has both pros and cons, can you write the pro’s in para 1 and cons in para 2?

Also, when you are writing different examples to support a claim you make, can the different examples be in the same paragraph?

Thanks for your help!

Hi Samitha,

There is no one correct answer here–the purpose of Task 2 is to show that you can write well in English. The content doesn’t matter that much (you don’t need to convince anyone of anything) but you do need to show that you understand the prompt and can construct a response to it. Yes–you can use one paragraph to show how you agree (pros) and another paragraph to show how you might not agree (cons). In the brainstorm example we gave in this blog post, the person mostly agreed with the prompt, but also provided some reasons against the prompt. As long as you write a strong and logical essay, you’ll be fine 🙂

Each body paragraph should be a different major idea or claim. If you have time, you can write several examples in one paragraph as long as they all relate to the same claim. If you follow the structure above, you can have several examples for the ‘pro’ paragraph and several for the ‘con’ paragraph–just keep an eye on the time to make sure you can write the entire essay in time 🙂

hi, you have written wonderful article . I have a question for you if you could reply me i would be thankful.My question is that may i learn some essay by heart like 40 or 50 essay ?so it could help to get idea on time and might be possible i get exact same one of them in writing task 2

Thanks for reaching out! It’s not a good idea to think of trying to memorize essays in order to succeed on the writing test. They could ask you about anything at all in Task 2, and there’s no list of questions that you can draw from. Instead of spending your time trying to memorize essays, you should use your time to improve your general writing ability, understand the strategy associated with how to write an essay, and practice as much as possible. This is what is really going to help you improve! The templates that we provide you with here are useful because they will help you to organize your essay. Good luck!

I am very much confused about example that is asked to give in task II. How example can be mentioned? Another question is supposed there is statement related to agree or disagree, can we partial for it? If yes/no then how?

The purpose of task 2 is to show that you can express your ideas clearly in written English. In the second task, you should try to find examples that support your point. You can think of things logically or from your personal life that you can use to make your argument.

It’s ok to partially agree with the prompt and partially disagree, as long as you clearly state both sides. In the example essay, the author agrees in the first paragraph but disagrees in the second paragraph. In the conclusion, the author discusses both sides and makes his point clearly.

The best way to get used to this is just to write as much as possible! The more you practice, the easier it will be to think of examples and write your opinions down 🙂

Thanks for your enormous support. Really helped!

I’m so glad this was helpful! Happy studying 🙂

Hi sir, i would like you to give me a feedback on this introduction of mine which is answer to your example in the video. “Home town is the place that many people, including me love so much. In order to develop it, i would come up with some suggestions in altering it. I believe that these points will benefit to enhance my home land.” Thanks in advance sir!

Hi Lakhana,

I’m glad that you found this video and blog post useful! Unfortunately, we are a small team with a lot of projects, and we are not able to provide personalized feedback on writing. I’m sorry about that! There are many different forums and other places where you can find people willing to edit your essays. Best of luck!

I have written the IELTS academic test twice and even though I receive good marks for speaking, listening and reading, I have received 6.5 for writing both times. The first time I couldn’t finish my conclusion, which would make sense that I only got 6.5. But the second time I completed it all with the right amount of words and paragraphs. I’m not sure how to go abouts studying for this as I don’t know where my faults are – I wish they could return your test results to help you prepare better.

Any advise would be lovely.

It is definitely frustrating not to get any feedback on your writing for the IELTS! However, there are still plenty of ways that you can improve on this score! First, I recommend that you look over any practice essays that you wrote, especially timed ones that you wrote right before the exam. It’s likely that any mistakes you made on the actual exam are pretty similar to the mistakes you made on these practice essays. Take some time to analyze these essays according to the Band Descriptors released by IELTS ( https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/IELTS_task_1_Writing_band_descriptors.pdf and https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/IELTS_task_2_Writing_band_descriptors.pdf ). You can also post some of your essays on message boards such as the one on the IELTS Australia page ( https://ielts.com.au/forums/ ). If possible, have a friend or tutor with a high English level look over your essays and provide some feedback. You should also definitely continue to write as many practice essays as possible and analyze each one. This should give you a good sense of what you need to improve and how you can do it. The more you practice and analyze your essays, the more you will improve! Good luck 🙂

I’d like to share my IELTS experience, I recently took IELTS and I scored less than what I am expecting. I finished both writing tasks on time. After reading your blog, I noticed that each question type should have a specific number of body paragraphs? All I know is, you should have 4 paragraphs in your writing. (introduction, argument 1(pros/cons), argument 2 (pros/cons) and lastly conclusion. I followed these during my actual exam. Answering question about “Many people today claimed that they have a better quality of life than those who live few centuries ago, how do you agree or disagree in this statement?” First, I made a short introduction and I stated that in the next few paragraphs I will discuss my answer. On my second paragraph, I stretched all the advantages to people living these days in terms of modernisation and globalisation and the negative effect it brings as well. On my third paragraph, I wrote about the claims of older people that life before were simpler and and stress free however there are disadvantages too. Finally, on my concluding part, I wrote about my side, that living nowadays offers a better quality of life due to improvised technology and new discoveries. Do you think I made a complicated writing? I am planning to take my IELTS for second time, although I am still feeling a bit frustrated. I also wish we could take our writing results with comments and corrections from the examiner who checked my paper so that I can diligently improve the parts that I missed.

Thanks for sharing your experience! I know it’s frustrating not to get any feedback or other information about your exam–it can make it hard to improve! It’s really hard to tell what happened without reading your essay, but there are a few things you can consider. In some cases, simple is better for the writing section of the IELTS. You need to show that you can write well in English, but if you try to do too much you might end up with handwriting that is hard to read, sentences that are long or convoluted, or arguments that don’t quite make sense. I’ve seen students who try to use advanced vocabulary and grammar even though they are not entirely comfortable with them; the result is difficult to read and make sense of for a native speaker. I’m not sure exactly what happened here. Based on your description, you set up your essay in a good way, but you may want to analyze some of your practice essays (and ask others to analyze them, perhaps some teachers in your school) in order to get some feedback about what you wrote. I recommend that you keep practicing the essays and keep analyzing your results so that you can continue to improve! Good luck!

please is it wrong to use biro(pen) to write the easy .You mentioned the use of pencil.

According to this information from the British Council , you can use either a pen or a pencil. You should confirm the test-day requirements with your testing center. Keep in mind that a pen might be difficult because you won’t be able to erase your work, and the page can get messy if you make mistakes and have to correct them. Remember that handwriting and read-ability affect your score, so make sure that you are completely comfortable using a pen if you decide to bring one!

Greatly simplified article. I want to ask something. Should I write more than one points in a body paragraph? For example, in one body paragraph, point 1, its supporting reason/ example, point 2, its supporting reason/ example. Same in paragraph 2.

Hi Chintan! Thanks for your question. Yes, you may include more than one point in a paragraph in the way you described. However, it’s important to make sure that both points relate to or support the same main idea in the paragraph. If you move to a new idea, you’ll need to begin a new paragraph.

Please find the introduction for the essay question you have given in the video. Please do examine this and give the corrections or improvements.

Given an opportunity, I would bring certain changes to my hometown, thereby adding glory to the glorious city.

Thanks for stepping up to the challenge in the IELTS Writing Task 2 video in this post, Buvana. 🙂

So, let me give yo my critique. 🙂

First, you want to make sure that you really are paraphrasing the original question. So let’s revisit that question from the video:

If you could change your home town to make it a better place, what changes would you make?

How would these changes improve your home town?

You’ve done a good job at paraphrasing the “If you could change your home town” portion of the original sentence. “Given the opportunity” is a good paraphrase of “If I could.” “Bring certain changes to my hometown” is a good paraphrase of “change my home town,” too. But you could paraphrase this even more thoroughly and elegantly by eliminating the root word change, and saying something like “I would make some things in my home town different.” Finally, we get to “adding glory to the glorious city.” Here, your paraphrase “make it a better place” is a little awkward. The use of both “glory” and “glorious” is a bit repetitive. How can you express the idea of making your home town a better place with less repetitive language?

Now that we’ve looked at the structure of your paraphrasing, let’s look at overall introduction content. Remember, your introduction should actually be two sentences. You want an initial sentence that paraphrases the question, and you have written that. But then you what a thesis statement that previews and summarizes the specific answers you have to the question. So you should add a second, follow-up sentence that briefly explains how and why you would change your hometown in order to improve it.

Feel free to revise the first sentence and add a second sentence as I mentioned above. If you put your new, revised introduction in the comments section, my colleagues and I will give you further feedback on it. 🙂

I have tried with an introduction.

“Hometown is the place where you are born and have many good memories with that place. this essay discusses the problems and solutions to them on how to make our hometown a better place to live in. in my opinion, the joint efforts of everyone can make it a better place.”

Another commenter rises to our video challenge! 🙂

This is a pretty good introduction. But remember, the question is asking you what you’d do to improve your hometown, and how your proposed course of action would improve things. So be sure to include a “what” and “how” in your introduction. The “what” statement could begin something like this: “through our joint efforts, we would all (DESCRIBE WHAT YOU’D DO). Then for the “how,” say something like “this plan would improve my hometown because….” And of course, as you revise, make sure to double check for spelling and grammar errors. 😀

Here is my introduction: There are some crucial things that I would like to alter of my home town to ameliorate the living and environment condition. I would suggest to reduce or eliminate the enormous traffic jam from the street and I believe if the excessive traffic jam is reduced, our precious time to reach destination would be saved as well as environment pollution would be lessen.

Hi Tabassum,

In terms of content, this is an excellent introduction. It references the original question; it’s clear what has been asked and what kind of answer you are giving. It also puts forth your main idea and supporting details: you’ll reduce traffic congestion so that people can save time and pollution can be reduced.

In terms of wording, however, there are a few problems you should fix. The vocabulary you’re using seems overly wordy, and a little too advanced. Words like “ameliorate” aren’t really used in regular, more conversational writing, and “our precious time to reach destination would be saved” is overly wordy and a little hard to follow. It would probably be better to say something more straightforward there, such as “commuters could save time.” The IELTS essay really should have a more plain, conversational tone.

In addition, many of the bigger words you’re using are in the wrong form or grammar. For example, “environment condition” should actually be “environmental condition,” and “would be lessen” should be “would lessen.”

It strikes me that you’re overextending your vocabulary a little, using advanced, highly formal academic words that you understand, but have trouble using yourself in writing. You can actually get a better score if you make your writing simpler, working with the words you’re most comfortable with.

Many thanks for such excellent guidance.

I would like to ask about the preferable word limit in IELTS writing Task GT essay? Is it fine if word limit exceeds 300 words or should it be kept below 300?

Also, I am not sure about which examples can be quoted… should it be related to real life experiences or mentioning of any anonymous survey can suffice the purpose.

Good questions. When you write, “Task GT,” I believe you are talking about General Training Task 1, for which you write a letter. Please let me know if you had something else in mind. For Task 1 (Academic and General Training), you should not write a lot more than the requirement. Writing too much will use valuable time you can spend editing your composition. It also steals time you could use to work on your Task 2 response, which counts more towards your overall writing score. I suggest shooting for 180 – 200 words for Task 1. You should be able to cover the required information very easily if you hit that mark.

Regarding examples, I believe you are asking about Task 2 here. You can include examples from your life, the lives of people you know, things that occurred in your city/country, etc. You may also use data even if you don’t remember the precise details. For example, you could write, “A recent study revealed that roughly 60% of the residents in my city…” It’s fine to use anything that supports your point well. However, here is the important point about examples: they must be appropriate to the topic. Some IELTS topics have a more personal angle, such as discussing the qualities of a good friend or a good teacher. Other topics are much less personal, such as discussing the environment or social changes over time. Use examples that fit the essay topic and support your main points well.

I hope this helps. Happy studying!

Modifying our own native place to make it the most liveable place is always accepted by people. Though difficult, few changes can lead to boost the place to be more liveable for instance, good infrastructure, establishment of better educational institutions, emphasising in house production which can prompt to escalate the overall growth of the home town.

Your paraphrasing of the original question is a bit weak. “Native place” for example, is not really a phrase that’s used in English, and it doesn’t mean “home town.” Also, “a more livable place” would probably work better than “the most livable place,” since we’re talking about improving the town, not perfecting it. There are a number of other problems here: “few changes” mean “almost no changes,” so “a few changes” (some changes) might be better. And “emphasizing in house production” also sounds strange. Less awkward wording could be “focusing on home construction.”

Those are just a few examples of odd wording that could hurt your IELTS writing score. With that said, the basic structure of your introduction is good. You start by paraphrasing the question and giving your opinion, and then you go on to give specific examples. Keep that excellent structure as you revise your wording.

The sample essay is pretty good, but to address the child possessive pronoun should be fixed (his or her), in the essay it keeps on changing.

This is actually a very common convention in English writing, since there is no gender nonspecific pronoun. Some people will write “his or her” every time, but that is cumbersome and difficult to read. It’s also becoming more widely accepted to use “they” as a singular pronoun , but we don’t recommend that you do so in academic writing. Instead, it’s common to switch between gender pronouns in different examples. In this sample essay, you’ll notice that the author uses “she/her” for an entire paragraph, and then switches to “he/him”–that is completely acceptable in English writing! Remember that we aren’t talking about a specific person or child here, so there’s no issue with switching the pronoun. In fact, it shows even more clearly that the example is general and applies to an entire group!

Is there any online writing evaluation? I need someone to score my writing to check my level

We don’t provide essay grading services here at Magoosh. Sorry about that! We are a small team with thousands of students, and in order to keep our prices affordable we decided not to provide essay grading.You can share your IELTS Speaking and Writing for online feedback at various IELTS Internet message boards, including the official IELTS Australia forums . It is also useful to get feedback from a tutor, or a friend, classmate or teacher who has good English. You can use our resources in this guide to help you grade your essay accurately 🙂

In body 1 & 2, if I write only main points with explanation using complex sentence and don’t give an example, so what happened? I got good score or not?

On the IELTS, you are graded on the quality of your writing. You can certainly score well without specific examples, as long as you answer the question presented by the task and develop your ideas in each paragraph. Examples help you to do this, but you can also do this logically.

Every place could became a better place thanks to some improvements. If I could I rebuild the city where I live adding more parks and green area, but I also would establish some more stringent parking and traffic rules to discipline residentds.

Your ideas and basic structure are very good here. Remember, though, a good introduction also gives a few reasons for the claims you’re making. I advise adding a sentence or two explaining why you feel that more parks, more green areas, and more stringent parking/traffic rules would make your town a better place to live in. Also remember that if you use the phrase “If I could,” you should follow it with “I would.” As in “If I could rebuild the city… I would add more parks….”

“To what extent do you agree or disagree” Do we have to discuss on both points?

No, if you get a question that says “to what extent do you agree or disagree?” you need to assess the strength of your stance as well as what that stance is. You might be strongly on one side or maybe weakly. I hope this helps!

Here is my intro please feddback this.

Changes always are good makes life better and comfortable. While I agree it is unwise to leave a place imperfect, however we have many things that should be changed in my hometown.

We currently don’t offer speech or writing feedback. We are a small team with a lot of students, and unfortunately can’t offer this sort of personalized support. I recommend that you check out the official IELTS Australia forums. . A lot of students give and receive feedback there!

Changes do matter in the present upgraded world. If am allowed to take some measures in the place where i live or in the place where i have stayed before, could be a thought to have discussion.

Hi – I am responding to the task 2 introduction as per the video. It was related to the changes I would like to bring about in my hometown.

Introduction only –

With the growth of commercialization, I certainly believe it’s time to stop and think about the improvements and modifications we can bring about in our local communities, societies, cities and towns to build an eco-friendly atmosphere. I belong to a small town of Nanital, in the state of Uttrakhand, India. One of the major changes that we need to focus on is for the famous ‘Nani’ Lake to resolve the issue of depleting lake water.

Thanks, Looking forward to hearing back from your soon.

Hi Abhilasha,

Let’s take a closer look at this introduction. I like the good range of vocabulary you have here. The grammar is perfect too! With all that said, there are also a few improvements you could make.

Remember that the question is about “hometown” and not local society in a broader sense. Your reference to “local communities, societies, cities and towns” is a little too broad. You want to keep the focus on the idea of a hometown. And you can actually use the exact term “hometown” from the prompt. While paraphrasing the prompt is important, the most important specific terms from the original question should be repeated as-is.

So I would make the opening sentence simpler, just referencing hometowns. I also recommend adding some information to the second sentence. What specific change would you make in relation to the lake? You obviously don’t want to go into too much extra detial, but getting more specific, summing up the change in perhaps 5-10 words, would help make your introduction meaningful and impactful.

Hello, i wanna thank you for this amazing article, that I found very handy indeed. i have one question in mind and I hope you will provide with me with sufficient feedback. Is it okay!! to write in task 2 such phrases as: this essay will discuss, this essay agrees ….. best regards

The phrase “this essay will discuss” should be fine as an introduction/overview, though it’s not really necessary. If you clearly state your thesis statement, then this sentence may just be repetitive.

The phrase “this essay agrees,” on the other hand, just sounds strange! An essay can’t agree or disagree with anything–you, the writer, are agreeing or disagreeing. I would recommend that instead of using a sentence like that, you just clearly state your thesis.

helloo!! dear i have a query if you could answer it please. i took my ielts GT recently and was asked to discuss both sides and give your opinion. i gave intro and then discussed both views and gave my opinion in conclusion. b8ut here you have suggested to write a seperate parah for opinion before conclusion. m little worried that will i loose bands for not doing it this way ?

if so, then how this will effect my score? i require 7 bands in it.

That’s a great question, Swati. If you didn’t express any opinion at all until the very end of the essay, that could definitely affect your score. The instructions say you should state the extent to which you agree or disagree with a position or positions. So that should be the main focus of your essay, and some expression of agreement or disagreement should be happening throughout the essay.

However, if you expressed parts of your opinion in the body paragraphs, and then summarized your opinion in full int he final paragraph, you still might be able to get a good score. Ideally, your opinion should be mentioned in some way in every paragraph. But if your introduction was very brief and you expressed at least parts of your opinion in each body paragraph, you might still get a good score.

My home town is a small city with bustling streets.There are lot of improvements has to be made to uplift the city and bring to the standard of rest of the cities.

Hi Elliot,’

Here is the introduction to the above-mentioned question. Kindly give it a read and let me know your feedback.

Making alterations to their hometown in order to make it a wonderful place is like a dream for a majority of people nowadays. Given an opportunity, I would like to make advancements in my town. This will include the use of metros which will solve the traffic issues to a great extent. In the below paragraphs, I intend to delve into some other improvements that I want to do and the impact these will have on my city.

I have my exam in the next two days. Kindly let me know your valuable feedback

Hi Prakhar! Let’s take a closer look at your introduction!

I like the way you start with broader statement that introduces the topic (your first sentence). You also did a good job of including one specific point that will be in your essay (“use of metros”). And you gave a specific way in which that change would improve your town (“solve the traffic issues”). This is excellent as well.

With that in mind, let’s also talk about things you could do to make this introduction even stronger. 🙂

Be careful of your word choices. “Alterations,” for instance, is a kind of awkward word choice here. “Alterations” usually refers to changes made to clothing or other product designs. This word does not fit well when you are talking about changes to an entire city. Similarly “advancements” usually refers specifically to modernization and the use of new inventions and technology, which doesn’t clearly match your intended meaning. And “metros” can mean meany different things (a “metro” can refer to a city area that includes suburbs, or can refer to a local bus, a local train, or a number of other local services). So it would be better to use a more specific example than that.

It also might be good to briefly describe specific traffic issues that need to be solved. And you should be more specific about the “other improvements.” If you’re going to write about other improvements besides traffic in your essay, you should also briefly mention those other improvements in your introduction.

I hop all of this helps, but let me know if you have any questions about the feedback I’ve given you here. 🙂

I often envisage of making my City modern with less pollution and eco friendly. This can be achieved by reducing the cars on the roads and creating alternative modes of transport like building underground tubes, railways and using electric cars.

Nice introduction. Remember, thought– paraphrase the prompt fully and clearly in your introduction. An added phrase such as “if there is one way I would improve my home community….” could be a helpful extra paraphrase. Be sure to also explain in your intro why alternative modes of transport would be helpful, something like “these changes would reduce pollution and be more eco-friendly because….” Also, here, the word should be “envision,” not “envisage.” Again though, great ideas and setup for an intro to this essay. 🙂

Everyone would like his country to be the most perfect place in the world, and so do I. This essay will explain my point of view of how would using renewable energy and internet influence my home town to develop.

Hi Asmaa! Nice intro 🙂 Are you looking for feedback? This is good, though I might suggest that you make an even clearer connection between your opening sentence and your thesis. I do like how clear your thesis is!

Here is an introduction to the prompt in the video.

I have been staying away from my hometown for quite a few years, and when I look back, I really want to bring in some changes to my native to make it a better place to live. Given an opportunity, I would introduce multiple institutes to learn martial arts and/or self defense. The dynamics of safety will be highly impacted by this change in a positive way, offering a higher sense of security among parents, kids, women in general, and older people as well.

I would request you to take a look and let me know of your valuable feedback and suggestions, if any.

Hi Moumita,

Thanks for responding to this prompt! I’m afraid that we don’t provide feedback for IELTS speaking tasks–we are a small team with a lot of students, so it would be difficult to provide this service for everyone! There may be other readers who can give you feedback 🙂

Introduction: The topic of the essay is the possible amendments that might be made to beautify my home town and to develop its living conditions.The modifications will add up to the betterment of my town in numerous ways. Replacement of old, out of ordered transformers with new ones would the first step to be taken.Secondly,I will try to provide enough amount of water supply to every house in town.Trash dumping system and improvisation of poor conditions of roads would be third in my target list.Like any well-established area my home town would also turn into a place with all fundamental facilities.

The structure of your introduction is good. You open up with a good overview,a nd then you outline each idea that will appear int he body of your esay. Nice work!

To make this introduction even stronger, carefully double-check your word choices. To give just two examples, “amendment’ usually means a written change to a document rather than an infrastructure change to a town, and “improvisation” refers to an unrehearsed stage performance, not an improvement.

My introduction

I’ve frequently imagined how beautiful,healthy, happy and peaceful my community would appear if I was able to make some radical changes to benefit every member of the community and the community itself.This essay will elaborate on three major changes that if made would in my opinion significantly improve the quality and standard of living in the community. The three major changes are, Road repairs, Removal of stagnant water and garbage collection and disposal.

Body #1: Road repairs(Explanation, reasons, benefits) Body #2: Removal of stagnant water(Explanation, reasons, benefits) Body #3: Garbage collection and disposal(Explanation, reasons, benefits)

Really look forward to a feedback.

Thanks Ranjan

Great structure and a really good introduction, Ranjan. There is one change I’d suggest, though. At times, your writing is a bit too wordy. Having four adjectives to describe your community int he first sentence is a little more complex than ideal. Similarly, “on three major changes that if made would in my opinion significantly improve…” is also quite wordy. Consider eliminating at lease one or two inessential words. “In my opinion” could be omitted, and/or you could get rid of adjectives such as “significantly.”

Hey David !

I really appreciate the feedback. I agree that I had used a lot of objectives in the first sentence and that the introduction is pretty wordy.

I guess concise choice of words and phrases are the way to go eh ?

I think that your article helped me a bit although I’m still a somewhat stumped. Thanks anyway!

The essay enquires about the possible modifications you’d consider making in order to improve your hometown. There are numerous changes that I would consider implementing, but the most important ones will be as following: constructing playgrounds in each neighbourhood, defining proper traffic lanes and an improved transport facility. I believe these are the most essential and rudimentary necessities for everyone and such changes improvements can make lives easier.

is it mandatory to write ielts task 2 in three paragraphs?

Hi Anshuman,

No, there is no required organization to the IELTS Task 2 essay. Some people might write 3, 4 or even 5 paragraphs. It is important to organize your essay well, however, and ensure that your use of paragraphs makes sense for the content of the essay.

Very useful guide. Many thanks

Hello, i wanna thank you for this amazing article, that I found very handy indeed. i have one question in mind and I hope you will provide with me with sufficient feedback. Is it okay!! to write in task 2 such phrases as: this essay will discuss, this essay agrees ….. best regards

Hi Anil, You’re so welcome, we’re so glad you found it helpful!

In regards to your question, since for Task 2 you’re asked to give your opinion on a social issue, it’s better to say “I will discuss” or “I agree…” That will help make your writing more clear. I’d advise you to look as several Task 2 example essays to get a good idea of how they’re written and the types of phrases they use. We have several linked towards the bottom of this article, and that should really help to make it clear in your mind!

Happy studying! 😀

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IELTS writing task 2 - To Do Checklist

• IELTS Writing Task 2

Here in this article, we will get to know about IELTS Writing Task 2. 

In the previous article, we got to know about Writing Task 2. So if you haven’t read my previous blog then first go through IELTS Writing Task 2. This will make you understand this blog better.

But before starting let’s have a quick review about Writing Task 2.

IELTS Writing task 2 is the second task of the writing test. In this task, you will be presented with some point of view, an argument, or with any type of problem, justifying an opinion, discussing the topic, summarizing details, identifying possible solutions, and supporting what you write with reasons. The format of writing the essay should be formal and it should at least have a word count of 250 words in length and you have to cover your task in 40 minutes. This part has more weight in scoring than in task 1. The IELTS writing task 2 is based on using the right technique.

Now let’s move further with the topic and see a short checklist to prepare for IELTS Exam Writing Task 2. 

1: Approach The steps you need to follow during the different stages of the task. 2: Before you write  What are the major steps to take care of before you start writing? How to analyze your question before starting to write. 3: As you write  While you write your essay, how to brainstorm your ideas, which words to highlight and what language you should use.  4: When you have finished When you finish your writing then what are the things you need to check and have a good revision in a short span of time.

IELTS recommend you not to spend more than 40 minutes on writing task 2.  But the time is in your hand and you can manage it on your own. Task 2 is longer than task 1 and has more weightage in marks as compared to task 1.

IELTS writing task 2 is worth 66% of your total writing marks so try more to focus on your management skills. 

In this task, you are required to write at least 250 words and there is no word count limit but as per my suggestion, you must write between 260-280 words to fully optimize your writing skills. 

Before you Write

Before you start writing focus on the task carefully and then decide how many parts it has and what your position is in the given question. In this way, it will be easy for you to understand what the examiner exactly wants. Try to analyze your question carefully and you will understand what the question wants from you. 

Make a quick plan of your writing ideas either mentally or on a paper. 

Then try to identify the keywords on the question and instructed words. 

If you miss addressing all the parts of the question relevantly it could cause danger to your scores. And don’t misinterpret the question.

As you Write   

As soon as you start writing try to introduce your answers in your own words and make your opinions clear. Try to present your ideas clearly and then support your ideas with explanations and examples. Your introduction should be as clear to tell the examiner about what the rest of the essay is all about an answer to the question directly. Through this way, it will help you write your main body paragraphs and this will let the examiner know that you are doing straight away. The examiner will not count the copied words as part of your total word count. If you are clear in your words, your ideas are well supported and flow of idea follow a logical structure then you will have a good chance of getting more marks.

While writing the conclusion be consistent because the examiner expects a logical conclusion from you.

Task 2 Essay Writing Format Introduction  Background statement  Paraphrasing the question Thesis statement (in my opinion….) Body Paragraph 1 Start with the 1st topic sentence/the main point. Explain the main point Give an example Give Closing Statement  Body Paragraph 2 Start with the 2nd topic sentence/the main point. Explain the main point  Give an example  Closing statement. Conclusion To conclude or to sum up. (paraphrase the essay) In my opinion/ As the essay discussed. (if your opinion is asked)

How you Write

While writing your essay always keep in mind using your own words wherever possible and try to show a proper range of vocabulary and grammatical structures. Try dividing your answers into paragraphs and following a logical structure. Using a perfect range of vocabulary and grammatical structure will boost your score. 

Always focus on improving your writing skills and try to support your paragraphs using certain examples. Using specific examples illustrate your main point you want to highlight and always focus on answering the question, not the topic.

Spend some time reading the questions carefully and think about exactly what the question is asking you to write. 

When you Write

After finish writing, try to count your words and make sure that you have written enough. By doing this it will allow you to check your grammatical errors, either if you had made any punctuational errors or any spelling mistakes. If you think you need to add any important keyword you can easily do that and can gather new ideas. 

Writing the short answers will let you lower your scores but keep in mind there are no extra marks for long answers. Mistakes in spelling, grammar, and punctuations can lower your score too. 

So try to be a smart worker and score decent marks in IELTS. 

Always remember there is nothing tough that you can’t tackle.  Happy Learning.

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How to Write an IELTS Essay [Task 2]

Posted by David S. Wills | Mar 30, 2019 | IELTS Tips , Writing | 0

In this article, I’m going to show you how to write an IELTS task 2 essay . I will try to make it as simple as possible, yet totally comprehensive. It is my hope that by the time you finish reading this (and watching the attached video) you will be able to write a really good answer to an IELTS task 2 question.

I make no promises like “GET A BAND 7!!!” because it is impossible to make such claims. The IELTS exam will test your English ability, and there are many factors that will contribute to your score. However, if you follow this guide completely, you give yourself the best chance of scoring highly.

Know the Basic Requirements

The first thing you need to know before you even begin writing an IELTS essay are the basic requirements of the exam. In IELTS writing, you have one hour to write two pieces of writing. It is recommended that you spend about 20 minutes on task 1 – which for academic IELTS is a report on a graph or map, and for general IELTS is a letter – and the other 40 minutes should be spent on task 2.

For task 2, you will be given a question. It will usually provide a statement of sorts, followed by a specific task like giving your opinion, discussing advantages and disadvantages, or explaining problems and solutions. You need to write at least 250 words, following the instructions very carefully.

You will ultimately be assigned a grade based upon the IELTS marking rubric. Your grade will be from 0-9, and should accurately reflect your writing ability. However, some problems like stress or sickness may cause you to perform worse than usual, in which case you would be unlucky to receive a grade that does not accurately reflect your level.

I would recommend reading the marking rubric in order to understand what the examiner will look for in your essay, and so that you can understand why you were given the grade you received. It is very common for students to score highly in reading and listening, and then get a comparatively low score for writing . Knowing the rubric will help you to understand.

Each part of the test is marked differently. For IELTS writing, your overall score will be the average of four components:

• Task Response
• Coherence and Cohesion
• Lexical Resource
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy

If the rubric is hard for you to follow, you can see a simpler explanation in this video:

Preparing for the Exam

I will just spend a short time letting you know how to prepare for IELTS writing because actually there are lots of materials on this website to help you do that. The first and most important thing is to make sure that you have a good grasp of grammar and vocabulary. Together, these make up 50% of your writing score, and they are the prime reason why so many students get low scores. These can take years to learn, whereas the other components can be mastered more easily.

You should look at lots of previous questions from the exam, and also read some sample essays to get an understanding of what is expected. Don’t try to memorise the questions or answers, as this won’t help you. However, pay attention to the structure that the writer uses, as well as the tone with which he writes.

You should try to have a teacher or another expert grade your essays and give you feedback on your structure, grammar, and so on. This is the best way to let you know what you should work on in your own time. If you like, I offer a writing correction service that can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, and therefore give you a good chance of IELTS success.

Going into the Exam

When you go into the exam room, you will probably feel quite nervous. This feeling is a big problem for students in all sorts of exams, so you need to be prepared to deal with it. Stress is difficult to cope with, but you can employ some breathing techniques or mental strategies to help you.

Perhaps most importantly, you should be prepared for the exam. As I mentioned briefly in the section above, there are many ways to prepare for IELTS. In general, the more prepared you are, the better your chances of success. This sort of preparation can help you overcome most of your nervousness.

I recommend doing lots of practice tests prior to the real exam so that you are not surprised by anything. When you see the question and begin writing, you should feel that this is something you have done before. If you are surprised and feel that it is a very new experience, your nervousness will become worse.

In the exam room, sit down and steady your nerves. Breathe deeply and think confident thoughts. Try to practice mindfulness , which involves pushing away negative images without worrying too much about them.

After this, you will be ready to start.

Reading the Question

Now we come to the actual question. If you have done lots of practice for IELTS writing task 2, you won’t be very surprised by what you read. Although the questions are always different, they are very similar to one another. There are only a limited number of question types, and a predictable range of topics.

The question types you may encounter are:

• Opinion ( Agree or Disagree )
• Advantages and Disadvantages
• Problem and Solution
• Discussion (Discuss both views)
• Two-part Question

As for topics, these are generally the same as other IELTS topics you would encounter in the speaking, reading, and listening tests. Some of the common ones include:

• Environment
• Society (such as crime/punishment )

These topics come up a lot, but sometimes they are mixed together. For example, the topic of society is often mixed with environment or education. You should make sure that you are familiar with these topics and learn some useful vocabulary to adequately discuss them. This should help you for both speaking and writing.

Analysing the Question

It is tempting for experienced IELTS students to sit down and start writing quickly. This happens because you read the question and it seems familiar. Knowing that you have just 40 minutes to write an answer, you launch into your introduction immediately.

However, this can be a big problem. I have worked with some really talented students who have made some incredible mistakes. They see the question and recognise some words, so they jump to conclusions. As a result, they score very poorly for Task Response – which is worth 25% of their total score!

Instead, you should take two minutes to carefully read the question. Highlight the keywords and microkeywords that tell you exactly what to do. Only when you are completely sure of your answer should you begin planning and writing your essay.

Let’s take an example:

Today, the high sales of popular consumer goods reflect the power of advertising and not the real needs of the society in which they are sold. To what extent do you agree or disagree ?

Looking at this question, we can immediately see that it is an opinion question. We can also see the topic (society) and the main focus of the question (consumer goods/ advertising).

It would be easy to misinterpret this question, so you need to think about it carefully. You can’t just begin writing about advertising and society, or about why some consumer goods are popular. Instead, you need to find the relationship between these parts of the question.

Try rephrasing the question in your head:

Do you agree that advertising is the reason why luxury items sell more than essential items?

For me, I see the words “popular consumer goods” and I think of iPhones and Nike trainers. When I see “real needs of the society” I think of food, medicine, and schoolbooks. Why do iPhones sell so well compared to the sandwiches at my local shop? Is it due to advertising?

That is my analysis of this question. You see, it is perhaps more complicated than a quick reading would suggest.

You need to practise analysing questions like this so that you can do it quickly. It could be a huge mistake to rush into writing and not analyse the question, but it is also a problem if you spend too long doing it. Try to do this in about two minutes.

Generating Ideas

Once you understand the question, you need to figure out some ideas to actually write down. Keep in mind that the IELTS exam is primarily a test of your English ability, so you don’t need to be an expert on any one topic. However, you do need to be able to demonstrate some capability in terms of logical thinking for Task Achievement and Coherence and Cohesion.

You should be able to at least think of some sensible answers to the question, and to justify them with explanations and examples. It is ok to think of lots of ideas, but before you begin writing, you should definitely choose the best ones to focus on, and get rid of the rest. If you have too many ideas, your structure will quickly fall apart, and you may even run out of time.

Generating ideas for IELTS writing task 2 is something that troubles many students, especially under genuine exam conditions. You should practice doing this at home, logically ordering your ideas in terms of relevance and how well you could develop them. Failing to do this often results in a person beginning to write and then running out of things to say, or going off-topic. Both of these could be disastrous.

I have a whole article about generating ideas that you can study when you have some free time.

Planning the Essay Structure

I mentioned earlier that it can take years to get competent at English grammar and to build up a good enough vocabulary to write a decent essay. Thankfully, it takes hardly any time to learn how to structure an essay! As grammar and vocabulary are worth 25% of your writing grade each, it makes sense to devote a few days to studying essay structures in order to ace this crucial part, which is also worth 25%. If you performed poorly in grammar, for example, you might be able to redeem yourself with a great structure, thus balancing out your score.

I have lots of articles on this website devoted to structuring essays, and even a few videos. You can read or watch them here:

• PLANNING IELTS WRITING TASK 2 STRUCTURE
• TASK 2 ESSAY STRUCTURES
• HOW TO STRUCTURE A PARAGRAPH
• IELTS WRITING: SHOULD I WRITE 4 OR 5 PARAGRAPHS?
• SELECTING IDEAS AND STRUCTURING AN ESSAY [IELTS WRITING TASK 2]
• STRUCTURING AN IELTS TASK 2 ESSAY
• Paragraph Structure for IELTS Writing [with example answers]
• How to Structure an IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay

In short, for the purpose of this guide, I will say that a four-paragraph essay is almost always the best approach for IELTS writing task 2. You should make it look like this:

This PPT shows more detail on the above ideas, and tailors the structure slightly for each type of question:

When planning your essay, you should note down this sort of structure to ensure that you remember what you want to write about, develop each point intelligently, and do not stray off-topic. If you do this, you will greatly increase your chances of a high score for Task Response and Coherence and Cohesion (a combined 50% of your total writing score).

Paragraph Structure

Your essay plan should give an overview of what your essay will look like, but you also need to consider the mechanics of each paragraph. Remember that each paragraph should contain one idea, and that idea should be supported by each sentence in the paragraph. Your typical body paragraph might look like this:

• Topic sentence (a broad statement)
• Narrow the focus
• Give example
• Explain example
• Conclude the paragraph

Let’s take the example question from above (about consumer goods and advertising) and show how the first body paragraph could be developed:

• It should be abundantly clear that many of the popular consumer goods that dominate markets around the world are not items of objective importance, but rather ones of purely superficial appeal.
• People need things like food and clothing, as well as some items that enable them to work or travel, but certain products are just luxury items.
• Take, for example, the iPhone. There are countless other devices on the market that can fulfill the main functions of an iPhone without the jaw-dropping price tag.
• However, in almost every country, people want to own one of these status symbols.
• The reason is simply that it has been marketed well, and owning one makes a person look successful and wealthy.

It is possible to do this differently, of course, according to the question type or your writing style. However, each sentence should follow on logically from the previous one, building up a coherent argument or point of view, and centered around the main idea of the paragraph.

Writing an IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay

Once you have planned your structure and you are confident about building up paragraphs logically, you can begin to write. You should write slowly and carefully, but try to leave time to actually finish. If you don’t finish your essay, you will have points deducted from your score. Additionally, you also want to leave yourself time to edit your own essay after you are done writing.

Here is how I would answer the above question. As you are reading this, please pay attention to how I have followed the guidelines set out above. If you want to understand better, watch the video below, in which I record myself writing the essay and explain each thing that I write. I made this video so that it would be easier to understand… although it might be a little boring. 😉

Sample Answer

As globalization sweeps the world in the twenty-first century, people appear to have become more materialistic. Expensive consumer goods produced by companies like Apple and Nike are sold in all corners of the globe, and for many people they are must-have items. Some people believe that this is all down to advertising rather than actual necessity. This essay will argue in support of that position.

It should be abundantly clear that many of the popular consumer goods that dominate markets around the world are not items of objective importance, but rather ones of purely superficial appeal. People need things like food and clothing, as well as some items that enable them to work or travel, but certain products are just luxury items. Take, for example, the iPhone. There are countless other devices on the market that can fulfill the main functions of an iPhone without the jaw-dropping price tag. However, in almost every country, people want to own one of these status symbols. The reason is simply that it has been marketed well, and owning one makes a person look successful and wealthy.

If the real needs of society were reflected in sales, rather than the popularity of certain luxury items, our economies would look very different. Fashionable brands would not be as wealthy as ones making affordable, simple products. Yet it is those items that are carefully advertised on TV, on the internet, and at sports events, which captivate people and cause them to make unwise purchases or form irrational brand loyalties. Look at how Apple overtook Microsoft, or how Nike easily outsells any humble, local shoemaker.

In conclusion, it is clear that sales are dictated not by a product’s necessity, but rather by its appeal to consumers, and this appeal is created through slick advertising campaigns.

This is a video of me writing the above essay. I talk for quite a while about the question. If you have already read this whole article, you may find it unnecessary, in which case you should probably skip ahead to me actually writing the essay.

Editing Your Essay

When you are finished, leave a few minutes to look over your work to find mistakes. Editing one’s own work is extremely difficult, even for professional writers! However, you should have a checklist of things to find. Look for commonly misspelled words and grammatical errors that you often make. You can learn these things by getting expert feedback on your writing.

Pay attention to your tenses, punctuation, and to subject-verb disagreement. Remember to review your articles (a/an/the) and prepositions . These are all mistakes that are easily fixed. At this stage, it is too late to make any structural changes, so it is worth spending that extra time at the beginning of the test to get that right.

As for word count, a properly planned essay will almost certainly reach 250 words, and if you have done lots of practice, you will know what that looks like. Don’t waste time by counting in the exam, as it can take a long time. Get a feel for the length of your essay during your practice tests, and in the real exam you will just know – as the examiner does – that it is either more than or less than 250 words.  

Some Final Words of Advice

In IELTS writing task 2, it may be tempting to use high-level vocabulary and sophisticated grammar. Of course, when used correctly these may help you attain a high band score. However, you should consider the following piece of advice:

The most important thing is to use language correctly.

In other words, you might attempt to write a long sentence filled with difficult words and completely fail. The examiners might not understand you at all. You think that it’s impressive, but he or she thinks it shows you do not speak English very well. It is, therefore, better to use only what you are 100% confident you can use correctly.

If possible, try to vary your sentence length. Native speakers do this intuitively, and you can pick up this sort of rhythm by reading often. If all your sentences are the same type and length, it would sound quite boring.

Finally, remember to stay calm and confident. IELTS might seem like the most important thing in the world, but it is just an exam. Unless you are extremely unlucky, you will get the grade that you deserve. There is no shortcut or cheat to getting a high score, and you should not waste your time or energy even thinking that way. Just practice often, keep an open mind, and do your best.

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

On this page you can find all the information about IELTS Writing , see IELTS Writing topics , try useful IELTS Writing lessons and tips and see IELTS Writing samples .

Information about IELTS Writing

IELTS Writing test is made to assess your writing skills and techniques. There are two IELTS Writing modules: Academic and General. If you plan to study abroad, then you should take IELTS Academic module. And if you wish to work abroad, then you should take IELTS General module.

IELTS Writing test lasts 1 hour and consists of 2 parts : task 1 and task 2. Writing task 1 is different for Academic and General IELTS, but Writing task 2 is the same for both modules.

In Academic Writing task 1 you're asked to describe a graph, chart or diagram. And in General Writing task 1 you have to write a letter to someone. In Writing task 2 you have to write an essay on a given topic.

IELTS Academic Writing

IELTS Academic Writing module lasts 60 minutes and has 2 tasks, which must both be completed. Although it is recommended to spend approximately 20 minutes on task 1 and about 40 minutes on task 2, you can divide your time between two sections the way you prefer.

See which skills are tested in IELTS Writing Academic.

Academic IELTS Writing Task 1

In this task you need to describe or summarize visualised data, such as graph, chart, table, diagram, process or scheme. You should write at least 150 words in this task.

IELTS Writing Task 1 sample (Academic) :

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The graph below shows tourism statistics among Venezuelian students from 2011 to 2014. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

• IELTS Writing task 1 samples
• IELTS Writing exercises
• IELTS task 1 vocabulary

IELTS Writing Task 2

This task is the same for Academic and General modules.

This is more challenging task. You should write an essay on a given topic, presenting your point of view and supporting it with relevant arguments. You should write at least 250 words in this task.

IELTS Writing Task 2 sample :

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Does Internet need to be controlled by the government?

Justify your answer.

Write at least 250 words.

• IELTS Writing task 2 topics
• IELTS Writing task 2 samples
• IELTS task 2 vocabulary

See IELTS Writing Marking Scheme

IELTS General Writing

IELTS General Writing module lasts 60 minutes and has 2 tasks, which must both be completed. Although it is recommended to spend approximately 20 minutes on task 1 and about 40 minutes on task 2, you can divide your time between two sections the way you prefer.

See which skills are tested in IELTS Writing General.

IELTS General Writing Task 1

In this task you are asked to write 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. The letter may be personal, semi-formal or formal.

• write personal correspondence
• provide general factual information
• express your opinions: views, needs, wants, likes and dislikes etc.

IELTS General Writing Task 1 sample :

Your friend is celebrating her Birthday soon and has invited you to a party. But you are unable to come because you are going to attend an important meeting that day.

• thank her for the invitation;
• explain why you cannot come;
• propose to meet on other day;

You do NOT need to write your own address. Begin your letter as follows:

• IELTS General Writing task 1 samples
• IELTS General task 1 vocabulary

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• IELTS Academic

IELTS Academic assesses how well you can use English in an academic environment.

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Students applying to high schools or vocational training programs in English-speaking countries might need to take this test.

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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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Check & Shine: Your Quick IELTS Writing Checklist

• Did you answer the questions given in the topic directly?
• Does the answer have a proper structure: Introduction-Body Paragraphs-Conclusion?
• Do the paragraphs have clearly defined ideas?
• Have you included a variety of sentence structure in your answer?

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• Are transition words used correctly?
• Does the answer have a logical flow?
• Did you support your ideas with relevant examples?
• Finally, check the word count.

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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Checklist

Ielts academic writing task 1.

This article will introduce you to IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 and give you a checklist of everything you need to score a Band 7+ on your Task 1 report. If you’re taking the General Training IELTS exam , click on the link.

In the IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 exam, you will be required to write a report about at least one of the following:

• A bar chart
• A pie chart
• A line graph
• Multiple graphs

This report needs to be at least 150 words and is worth 1/3 of your overall score for IELTS Writing.

That means that this short report could potentially make the difference between a Band 6 and a Band 7 in the writing exam.

Many of our IELTS students used to spend around 80% of their writing preparation on Task 2 before they joined our VIP Course. When asked for the reason why, most replied that it was because “Task 2 is worth more marks”.

Although this is true, I don’t think anyone that registers for the IELTS exam should feel unprepared when they go into the test centre. Choosing to perfect your ability to write a Task 1 report will both boost your confidence and increase your chances of getting the score you need. 

In my opinion, the key to scoring well in Task 1 is knowing exactly how your report will be marked. You can then use this information to give the examiner what they need to award you a Band 7 or above.

The slideshow below has arranged each part of the Task 1 marking criteria into a checklist. By following this checklist, you will give the examiner everything you need to score a Band 7+ in your report.

If you don’t have an IELTS tutor, this is a great alternative to getting your reports corrected. 

Feel free to print it out and tick ✓ it off as you assess your essays.

Let me know what you think of it in the comments below.

Further Writing Task 1 Resources 

• Writing Academic Task 1 in 5 Easy Steps 

Task 1 can seem really difficult if you haven’t seen it before. This lesson breaks the question types down into 5 easy steps.

• Charts Lesson

Charts are probably the most common Task 1 question type. This article will show you which data you should choose and how to describe it.

• Maps Lesson

Maps are not very common, but they are generally seen as the easiest. If you don’t learn how to do them, you will really regret it if one appears on your paper.

• Multiple Charts/Graphs Lesson 

What should you do if you get two different charts or graphs? This lesson will answer this question for you.

• Process Lesson

Sometimes you will be shown a process such as a life cycle or how something is manufactured. This requires a very specific approach and we cover everything here.

Writing Task Video Lesson 

Do you need our team of experts to correct your essays and a plan for improvement? Check out our essay correction service  or join the  Waiting List for our VIP Course. 

About Christopher Pell

My name is Christopher Pell and I'm the Managing Director of IELTS Advantage.

I started IELTS Advantage as a simple blog to help 16 students in my class. Several years later, I am very humbled that my VIP Course has been able to help thousands of people around the world to score a Band 7+ in their IELTS tests.

If you need my help with your IELTS preparation, you can send me an email using the contact us page.

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

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100 IELTS Essay Questions

Below are practice IELTS essay questions and topics for writing task 2. The 100 essay questions have been used many times over the years. The questions are organised under common topics and essay types. IELTS often use the similar topics for their essays but change the wording of the essay question.

In order to prepare well for writing task 2, you should prepare ideas for common topics and then practise applying them to the tasks given (to the essay questions). Also see model essays and tips  for writing task 2.

Below you will find:

• Essay Questions By Topic
• Essay Questions by Essay Type

Please also note that my new Grammar E-book is now available in my store along with my Ideas for Essay Topics E-book and Advanced Writing Lessons. To visit store, click here: Liz’s Store

1) Common IELTS Essay Questions

IELTS practice essay questions divided by topic. These topics have been reported by IELTS students in their tests. Essay questions have been recreated as accurately as possible.

• Art   (5 essay questions)
• Business & Money   (17 essay questions)
• Communication & Personality   (20 essay questions)
• Crime & Punishment   (12 essay questions)
• Education   (17 essay questions)
• Environment   (12 essay questions)
• Family & Children   (8 essay questions)
• Food & Diet (13 essay questions)
• Government (6 essay questions)
• Health   (9 essay questions)
• Housing, Buildings & Urban Planning (8 essay questions)
• Language (6 essay questions)
• Leisure (1 essay question)
• Media & Advertising   (12 essay questions)
• Reading  (5 essay questions)
• Society   (10 essay questions)
• Space Exploration (3 questions)
• Sport & Exercise   (6 essay questions)
• Technology  (6 essay questions)
• Tourism and Travel   (11 essay questions)
• Transport  (7 essay questions)
• Work (17 essay questions)

2) IELTS Essay Questions by Essay Type 

There are 5 main types of essay questions in IELTS writing task 2 (opinion essays, discussion essay, advantage/disadvantage essays, solution essay and direct question essays). Click on the links below to see some sample essay questions for each type.

• Opinion Essay Questions
• Discussion Essay Questions
• Solution Essay Questions
• Direct Questions Essay Titles 
• Advantage / Disadvantage Essay Questions

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Get Your IELTS Essay Checked For Free!

Everything you need to know about how it works, why you need it – and how it helped our student sunny to improve her writing score..

Our free IELTS essay checker will give you some personalized writing help you need to improve your writing score.

Don’t waste time with fake ‘VIP’ courses or expensive ‘experts’. The IELTS Writing test is tough, and you want to make sure you do everything you can to improve your score.

Our free IELTS essay checker will help you identify the areas where you need improvement for task 1 and task 2 so that you can score higher on your next exam.

Click here to check out our free IELTS Essay checker

What is an ielts writing checker.

An IELTS writing checker is a tool or service that assesses and evaluates the quality of an IELTS writing task.

Why should you use an IELTS writing checker?

Sunny had previously tried to use a well-known online grammar checker which had helped her writing sound better – but she needed an IELTS-specific tool.

An IELTS writing checker can be a helpful tool for anyone who is preparing to take the IELTS exam. Here are a few reasons why you might want to use an IELTS writing checker:

How to use the IELTS writing checker effectively?

What are some common mistakes made in ielts writing, how can the ielts writing checker help you improve your score.

spelling ‘because’, ‘in conclusion’ and ‘instead’. Now, she is much more aware of these mistakes.

Use our free IELTS essay checker to improve your writing score

Boost your scores: try our online ielts essay checker today.

Writing good essays is a big part of the IELTS test. To get a good score, your essay must be strong. But how can you know? That’s where our tool can help. It’s named the online IELTS essay checker , and you can try it here .

Many students spend a lot of money on classes or buying books. But our tool is less costly. And it helps you right away. After you learn from our free essay checks on this page, use our online IELTS essay checker . It can help you know how to make your writing stronger.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How does an ielts essay check work.

Once you upload an essay to the essay checker, the grammar checker scans your text and highlights IELTS essay issues within your document so you can see it in context.

Is an essay checker worth it?

Related articles.

Join us at My IELTS Classroom today for our video courses, marking service, 1-2-1 lessons and so much more…

IELTS Band 7 Essay Checklist

Today, Nick and I want to give everybody self-studying for the exam a head-start by sharing our IELTS Band 7 essay checklist. When you are learning to write IELTS essays, it’s really important that you constantly check that your writing satisfies the IELTS Band Descriptors.  

If you can tick every box on the  checklist then you will be very close to achieving a 7.0 for Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. In short, if you can complete my IELTS Band 7 essay checklist, you have a high chance of acing the exam and moving forward to the next stage of your life in 2021 🚀

You can download a copy of the IELTS Band 7 essay checklist here 

Below, you can find a summary of the episode, which includes all of the links to useful materials and the times of each part of the discussion (so you can go directly to the part you want to listen to)   🚀

00:00 – 06:14  Introduction

Welcome to 2021. Find out what Shelly’s New Year’s resolutions are and why Nick doesn’t have any. Plus, we will announce the winner of our Christmas Quiz.

06:15 – END Our IELTS Band 7.0 Checklist  

Listen as Nick and I go through the points in my essay checklist one by one to explain in more detail what we expect in each area. Our advice would be to print out a list and keep it next to your desk. When you have finished writing an essay, go through the list to be sure that you can tick all of the points. If you can’t, then you will struggle to score higher than a 6.0 in your test.

• Have I analysed the prompt to ensure I’ve addressed all parts of the tas k ? ✅
• Have I brainstormed for relevant  ideas and planned my essay? ✅
• Have I logically organised the paragraphs in my essay? ✅
• Have I written an introduction that introduces the general topic and directly addresses the prompt? ✅
• Have I clearly given my opinion and/or other people’s opinions in such a way that my position is clear ? ✅
• Have I written clear topic sentences  and does each paragraph have ONE main idea)? ✅
• Have I extended all of my ideas with at least one extra sentence or support? ✅
• Have I avoided over-generalising by hedging? ✅
• Have I included at least one example to support my arguments? ✅
• Have I used transition signals (but not always at the beginning of sentences)? ✅
• Have I used referencing and synonyms to avoid repetition? ✅
• Have I used topic-specific vocabulary ? ✅
• Have I included one or two less common lexical items ? ✅
• Have I used a range of complex sentences ? ✅
• Have I written a conclusion that SUMMARISES the main points of my essay AND restates my position OR leaves a concluding comment? ✅
• Have I written more than 250 words ? ✅
• Have I checked my essay for small grammatical errors like articles and subject/verb agreement ? ✅

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So, this is our IELTS Band 7 Essay checklist. The next time you write any essay, open this blog post and double-check that you have ticked all the boxes. If you use the list every time you practice, you will find that by exam day, doing these things will be second nature (i.e. you will do them automatically). That means you will be less likely to make a mistake and more likely to satisfy the band descriptors!  🚀

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IELTS Writing Task 2: Three things you should write on your Question Paper

by Dave | Structuring your essay | 20 Comments

So many students lose a lot of marks because they don’t know or forget to do the basic things that examiners want to see in your writing for a band 7 or even 6.

In this article, i’m going to share with you a tip that can help you remember easily, and therefore save you a whole band score., you can see how it works out in all my sample answers here ., be sure to avoid the mistakes that most students make on writing by signing up for my exclusive ielts ebooks here on patreon., the basics for a band 7 , according to examiners i know, so many students lose marks for their task achievement and coherence and cohesion because they don’t do the basic things that are needed for a band 6 or 7. this includes things like:.

clear introduction clear conclusion clear overall opinion main ideas supported well one main idea per body paragraph.

Don’t know how? Let us help

If you’re not sure how to write a band 7+  introduction  or  conclusion , please check out the other blog posts in our task 2 writing section., once you know clearly what you need to do to make the examiner super happy, then of course the next step is to spend weeks, even months practising so you can do it for any topic or question type., don’t forget in your exam, but then, there is one last challenge – remembering to do it in the exam., i’m not exaggerating when i say that based on the examiners i talk to, more than half of ielts students fail to do these basic things in the exam., so why do many students fall at this hurdle is it a lack of practice or could it be nerves, whatever the reason, all of that study and practice will go to waste if you don’t remember to do it in the exam., write a mini checklist, the solution is to write a quick checklist to remind you of all this basic stuff. so as soon as you open your question paper, quickly write down the following notes:.

POS 2-2 OWE

And this is code for…

Your introduction –   pos : , paraphrase the question, give your opinion , and then  signpost to the examiner what you will do in the essay., your  body paragraphs –   2-2 : , 2 main ideas for 2 body paragraphs – one main idea per body paragraph, supported with relevant explanation and examples., your conclusion – owe :, restate your opinion , say why reasons, then finish with a related  extra thought or idea., customise it, you could add to it or even come up with your own version., whatever you do, just make sure you find a way of remembering to do the basic things that will help you to get a band 7 for your task achievement and coherence and cohesion., recommended for you.

Latest IELTS Writing Task 1 2024 (Graphs, Charts, Maps, Processes)

by Dave | Sample Answers | 147 Comments

These are the most recent/latest IELTS Writing Task 1 Task topics and questions starting in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and continuing into 2024. ...

Recent IELTS Writing Topics and Questions 2024

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Read here all the newest IELTS questions and topics from 2024 and previous years with sample answers/essays. Be sure to check out my ...

Find my Newest IELTS Post Here – Updated Daily!

by Dave | IELTS FAQ | 18 Comments

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer: Foreign Languages (Cambridge 13)

by Dave | Cambridge 13 | 47 Comments

  This IELTS Writing Task 2 sample answer is from a past paper and was published in Cambridge 13. The topic is foreign languages and it ...

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer: History (Cambridge IELTS 13)

by Dave | Cambridge 13 | 16 Comments

This is another IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer from IELTS Cambridge 13 and I am a former British Council examiner - what else do you ...

IELTS Writing Task 1 Sample Answer: Percentages of Sodium, Saturated Fats, Sugars in Meals (IELTS Cambridge 14)

by Dave | Sample Answers | 32 Comments

This is an IELTS Writing Task 1 Sample Answer from IELTS Cambridge 14 showing pie charts of what makes up breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in ...

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20 Comments

What do you think about omit personal pronouns when it comes to giving our opinion in the introduction. Do you as ex-examiner suggest or discourage the use of: This essay will discuss both point of views and will come up with a reasonable conclusion; this essay believes that…; this essay will …., ?

Please, enlighten us with your wisdom..

Personal pronouns for your opinion are 100% fine. You shouldn’t use them throughout your writing but a couple of times is no problem – I often do it in my sample answers. There’s no difference in terms of marking ‘This essay will discuss both point of views and will come up with a reasonable conclusion; this essay believes that…; this essay will’ and ‘I will/I believe.’ Those phrases have some better vocabulary but they are memorised phrases so they won’t have a massive impact anyway. Is that clear?

Yes, Sir. I was confused as I’ve spent some time reading band 9 essays, and many of them answer the questions stating: this essay believes that… and the like.

Yes, that is a very formal way to start an essay, it is not necessary. You can also say ‘In my opinion’ or ‘I believe.’ You shouldn’t use ‘I’ throughout but a couple times is normal. I tend to use ‘I’ instead of ‘This essay…’ because I think the latter is too formal and pretentious- neither will hurt your score!

Does that answer your question?

Sir, how to join and pay? on how much essays per month you give your feedback by evaluating. My writing is very poor. i need 7 band.

For $14.99 a month you study video lessons, workbooks, review and supplemental materials. I evaluate 1 writing or speaking a month but if you want more corrections I can do those as well: course.howtodoielts.com/online-course

What do you mean by 4 in body paragraph code?

It just means 2 for 2 – as in two main ideas for two paragraphs. Would it be easier to remember if I changed it to 2 for 2?

I think is better to put just 2-2

Thanks for the feedback!

Hi Sir, for an opinion essay if I write: ” In my opinion, I believe that …… and in this essay, I will support my view with valid arguments and examples” will this statement negatively affect my score?

I really impressed. I was just tried for looking a good guideline. I prepared myself at home for ielts but don’t get a goof guide line. But now got this one. Thanks to moderator to created this one. Love & respect from me . Once again THAKNS for this

Thank you Shanto and really appreciate your kind words!

Hello sir, I need ffedback on my essay writing from you as I need 7 in WRITING but struck at 6.5 bands. How could I avail your service?

Hi Manpreet – the easiest way is to sign up for Patreon.com/howtodoielts and choose the tier that allows you to have your writing marked.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Great post indeed, perfectly summarized about the IELTS writing task test. We can use idioms efficiently to improve writing quality.

Actually, you shouldn’t use idioms in the writing task because they are too informal, not academic enough.

Hope that’s clear, Srijiah!

I really suck at linking ideas to main idea . This leads me somewhat to contradiction.how to improve it?

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is this score out of 6 bands ?

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GRE Books 2024: Best GRE Preparation Books

Updated on Jun 19, 2024, 12:11

Preparing for the GRE exam? Having the right books can make a big difference. These books help you understand the test better and improve your scores. The GRE is important for students aiming to study abroad.

You can buy these books online or at stores. On this page, we'll talk about the best GRE prep books for the 2024 exam. These books cover all GRE sections and can help you reach your target score.  

They're packed with practice questions and tips for each part of the exam: writing, reading, and math. By using these books, you can improve at the GRE and boost your chances of getting into your dream university.

Getting the right GRE prep books is brilliant if you're serious about doing well. 

Let's check out which books can help you ace the GRE!

On This Page

1. Best Books to Prepare For GRE 2024

Looking for the best GRE books to boost your exam preparation? 

2. Best Books for GRE Preparation 2024: Section-wise List

Looking for the best books to help you prepare for the GRE in 2024?

3. How to choose the Best GRE Preparation Books for you?

Choosing the best GRE preparation books for you can be daunting, given the many options available. 

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Best Books to Prepare For GRE 2024

Looking for the best GRE books to boost your exam preparation?   

Here's a quick rundown of some top picks to help you ace the test:  

1. The Official Guide to the GRE General Test by ETS - "The Official Guide to the GRE General Test" by ETS is a must-have resource if you are preparing for the GRE exam. It covers all the important aspects of the exam such as question types, format, and strategies for success. The guide also provides ample practice questions, test-taking tips, and authentic GRE test material to help you prepare effectively. With this guide, you can be confident in achieving your best score on the GRE.  

2. GRE Prep by Magoosh - It sounds like "GRE Prep by Magoosh" is a great resource for those preparing for the GRE exam. This comprehensive study guide offers expert strategies, practice questions, and detailed explanations to help students excel in all sections of the test. Whether you're tackling the verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, or analytical writing sections, the book provides proven methods to help boost your scores and achieve your academic goals.  

3. Barron's GRE by Sharon Weiner Green and Ira K. Wolf - "Barron's GRE" by Sharon Weiner Green and Ira K. Wolf is a great resource for those preparing for the GRE exam. It's a comprehensive guide that covers all the important aspects of the exam such as question types, format, and strategies for success. The book offers extensive review materials for the verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing sections of the exam. With practice questions, strategies, and tips, it aims to equip test-takers with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in the GRE.  

4. Kaplan's GRE Prep Plus 2024 -  Kaplan's GRE Prep Plus 2024 is a comprehensive guide designed to help students excel in the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Packed with strategies, practice questions, and full-length tests, this updated edition equips test-takers with the tools needed to master the GRE and achieve their desired scores. Whether aiming for grad school or further education, this book offers valuable resources to maximize preparation and performance on test day.

5. Manhattan Prep's 5 lb. Book of GRE Practice Problems - "Manhattan Prep's 5 lb. Book of GRE Practice Problems" is a great resource for students aiming to prepare for the GRE exam. With over 1,800 practice questions covering all sections of the GRE, including verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing, this book offers ample opportunity for skill-building and test-taking strategy development. It's an essential tool for anyone aiming to excel in the GRE and gain admission to graduate programs.  

These books offer a range of resources, from practice questions to study plans, to help you succeed.

Best Books for GRE Preparation 2024: Section-wise List

Looking for the best books to help you prepare for the GRE in 2024?  

The proper study materials are critical in preparing for the GRE exam 2024. Let's explore some of the top books that can guide you through the preparation process and boost your chances of success!  

GRE Prep Book for Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) section 

The Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) section of the GRE is where you must demonstrate your writing skills. You need a book with the necessary tools to write clear and concise essays to excel in this section.  

One of the best books for AWA preparation is " GRE Analytical Writing: Solutions to the Real Essay Topics " by Vibrant Publishers. This book features 60 real AWA essay questions and sample essays that scored 6.0 on the GRE scale.  

The book also includes strategies for brainstorming and organising your thoughts and tips for improving your grammar and vocabulary. It teaches you how to write high-scoring essays and significantly improve your AWA skills.  

Other popular AWA prep books include " Cracking the GRE Premium Edition with 6 Practice Tests, 2024 " by The Princeton Review and " GRE Analytical Writing: Solutions to the Real Essay Topics - Book 2 " by Vibrant Publishers.

GRE Prep Book for Quantitative Reasoning section 

The Quantitative Reasoning section of the GRE exam is one of the most important and challenging sections, and it requires the right kind of preparation to do well. A book that covers all the topics tested on the GRE and provides ample practice questions is essential to succeed in this section.  

One of the best resources available to prepare for the Quantitative Reasoning section is the "5 lb. Book of GRE Practice Problems" by Manhattan Prep. With over 2,000 practice problems covering all GRE Quantitative topics, this book is an excellent guide to help you prepare for the exam. It also includes detailed explanations and strategies to help you solve each problem quickly and accurately.

Another excellent resource for Quantitative Reasoning is the "GRE Math Workbook" by Kaplan. This book features hundreds of practice questions and quizzes, detailed explanations and strategies for solving each type of problem. It also includes a diagnostic test to help you identify your strengths and weaknesses and focus your study efforts.  

Whether you choose the " 5 lb. Book of GRE Practice Problems " or the " GRE Math Workbook ," the right book and practice can help you improve your Quantitative Reasoning skills and achieve your target score on the GRE. 

GRE Prep Book for Verbal Reasoning section 

The Verbal Reasoning section of the GRE tests your ability to understand and analyse written material and recognise relationships among words and concepts. To succeed in this section, you need a book that covers all the topics tested on the GRE and provides ample practice questions to help you improve your skills.

One of the best books for Verbal Reasoning preparation is " The Official Guide to the GRE General Test " by ETS. This book includes hundreds of practice questions, explanations, and tips and strategies for improving your performance in the Verbal Reasoning section.  

Another popular book on Verbal Reasoning is GRE Prep by Magoosh. This book comprehensively reviews all Verbal Reasoning topics tested on the GRE, practice questions and detailed explanations. It also includes tips and strategies for improving your vocabulary and reading comprehension skills.

If you're looking for more practice questions, you might want to consider " Barron's GRE " by Sharon Weiner Green and Ira K. Wolf. This book includes hundreds of practice questions and quizzes, detailed explanations and strategies for solving each type of Verbal Reasoning problem.

Whether you choose " The Official Guide to the GRE General Test ," " GRE Prep by Magoosh ," or " Barron's GRE ," the right book and practice can help you improve your Verbal Reasoning skills and achieve your target score on the GRE.

How to choose the Best GRE Preparation Books for you?

Choosing the best GRE preparation books for you can be daunting, given the many options available.   

Here are some factors to consider when selecting the right GRE prep book for your needs:

1. Content: Look for books that cover all the sections of the GRE, including Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning. Ensure that the book provides comprehensive coverage of the topics tested on the exam.  

2. Practice Questions: The number of practice questions in the book is also crucial. Look for books that offer a large number of practice questions, along with explanations and answers.  

3. Difficulty Level: The difficulty level of the practice questions should match your skill level. Ensure the book provides accessible and challenging questions to help you gauge your progress.  

4. Study Plans: Some books offer study plans that can help you structure your preparation and keep you on track. Look for books with study plans to help you plan your preparation effectively.  

5. Reviews: Read reviews and ratings of the books you're considering to understand their usefulness. Look for books with high ratings and positive reviews from other test takers.

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IELTS Listening Practice Test

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GRE Important Information

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Q. How do I prepare for the GRE?

Ans.  To prepare for the GRE, you should familiarise yourself with the test format and content, create a study plan, get reliable study materials, practice consistently, seek help when needed, and stay motivated.

Q. How do I register for the GRE?

Ans.  To register for the GRE, create an ETS account, select the test date and location, choose your test type, pay the test fee, complete your registration, and receive confirmation. Register early and review the test day checklist.

Q. What is the syllabus for the GRE?

Ans.  The GRE syllabus consists of three sections: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing. The Verbal Reasoning section measures your ability to understand written material, while the Quantitative Reasoning section tests your math skills. The Analytical Writing section tests your ability to articulate complex ideas.

Q. What is the best practice for the GRE?

Ans.  The best practices for GRE preparation include familiarising yourself with the test format and content, creating a study plan, using reliable study materials, practicing consistently, seeking help when needed, staying motivated, and taking care of yourself.

Q. Which part of the GRE is most important?

Ans.  All sections of the GRE are important, but the relative importance of each section depends on your academic goals and the requirements of the programs you're applying to. It's crucial to research the admissions requirements to determine the weight given to each section.

Q. Is there an age limit for preparing for the GRE?

Ans.  There is no age limit for preparing for the GRE. Anyone who is interested in pursuing further education can take the GRE, regardless of age. The GRE is commonly taken by college students and recent graduates, but it can also be taken by working professionals and individuals seeking to change careers or pursue further education later in life.

Q. When and where is the GRE held?

Ans.  The GRE is held year-round at various testing centres worldwide. You can take the GRE personally at a testing centre or online from home. To register, check the availability of the online test in your region or find a testing centre and available test dates on the ETS website.

Q. What is the structure of the test?

Ans.  The GRE consists of Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing. There is also an unscored research section. Verbal Reasoning measures your ability to understand written material, Quantitative Reasoning tests your math skills, and Analytical Writing tests your ability to articulate complex ideas.

Q. Can I retake the GRE?

Ans.  Yes, you can retake the GRE. There is no limit to the number of times you can take the test, but you can only take it once every 21 days, up to five times within any continuous rolling 12-month period. You can send only your best scores to the schools you're applying to.

Q. How much does the GRE cost?

Ans.  The cost of the GRE varies depending on the location and type of test. The computer-delivered GRE General Test costs INR 17k worldwide, the paper-delivered test costs INR 12k worldwide, and the GRE Subject Test costs INR 12k worldwide. Additional fees may apply for late registration, rescheduling, and changing test centres.

Q. What does the GRE measure?

Ans.  The GRE measures your verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing skills to assess your readiness for graduate-level study. It provides a standardised way for graduate schools to evaluate your potential for success in graduate-level coursework.