must to do thing in IELTS writing task 2
IELTS Writing Task 2: how to use your 40 minutes You have 40 minutes for task 2, so try organising your time in the following way. Please note that these are suggestions, not rules. First 10 minutes Read the question and make sure you understand what it is asking you to do. Write a plan for a 4-paragraph essay (introduction, 2 main paragraphs, conclusion) and spend most of the 10 minutes thinking of ideas for the 2 main paragraphs. 5 minutes Write your introduction: 2 sentences are enough. 20 minutes Spend 10 minutes on each of your main body paragraphs. These are they most important part of your essay, and the key to a high score. Last 5 minutes Write a quick conclusion then check your work. Must To Do Thing in IELTS Writing Task 2: IELTS Package, strongly advice all IELTS test takers to learn the usage of the below mentioned words. If you are thinking to get 7 or 7.5 Bands in writing task, than it is extremely important that you must learn the usage of below mentioned words in your writing by Hook or Crook. In our previous post we have already provided you the IELTS Writing Task 2 Free Samples. Therefore, from those samples you can easily comprehend the utilization of these mentioned words. Showing Furthermore, Moreover, Instead of, Despite of, Conclusively, On the other hand, Likewise, Depicts Depicting Revealing Infer Conclude, In a nutshell, Pertaining Even though, Rather than In comparison with In Comparison of In contrast with Adhere In Addition to, For Example, For Instance, Some Important Things for Writing Task 2: In IELTS writing task 2, the examiner is not just looking for your vocabulary, but also looking for your perfect grammar and punctuation. In IELTS preparation material download provided at this blog, you will notice that right grammar and punctuation is very much necessary. IELTS Package recommends all IELTS test takers that they must have grip on “Present-Perfect Tense”, “Present-Indefinite Tense”, “Present-Perfect- Continuous” & “Future-Indefinite Tense” to write their essays more effectively. Similarly, use of punctuation also plays a vital role in your final grading. For this reason, always use proper punctuation. For instance, always use “Comma” after words like Furthermore, Moreover, Therefore, Instead Of, Conclusively, In a nutshell etc. Also, use “Comma” before word “BUT” and use “Comma” after word “Which,” Task Response Factor 1: In your IELTS writing task 2 you will be provided with a statement on any subject issue, on which you have to write an essay of minimum 250 words. IELTS package has mentioned that the response to the thesis statement is of prime importance. The IELTS examiner wants to see whether or not you have addressed all the questions with support and relevant ideas? Therefore, IELTS Package has mentioned that the support in essay should be very much strong. For this support you can present your own personal experience to validate your own viewpoints. Cohesion & Coherence Factor 2: Cohesion = How effective is your writing + Supporting Ideas & Flow Coherence = How you understand statement + How well reader Interpret your statement Lexical Resource Factor 3: Use good vocabulary and don’t repeat the same words over and over again. Try to use different words, but in the right context. Grammatical Range and Accuracy Factor 4: In your IELTS preparation and practice, make it sure that you are working on your grammar at the same time. In your IELTS writing task 2, the examiner will be looking for accurate, flexible and appropriate grammatical structure within your essay. As per the information provided by the IELTS Package, it is evident that IELTS test is more concerned with your communication rather than your sentence structuring and grammatical skills. 4-paragraph essay for "discuss and give your opinion" questions. Notice that I give my opinion in 3 places (introduction, paragraph 3, conclusion). In a discursive/discussion essay, you talk about other people's opinions, or the advantages and disadvantages - you don't make it personal i.e. YOUR opinion is not important. In an argumentative essay, you give YOUR opinion and try to support it. Agree / disagree Discuss two opinions Advantages & disadvantages Causes (reasons) & solutions Causes (reasons) & effects Problems & solutions Compare & contrast Not every essay will fit one of these patterns, but many do. You may get some of these tasks mixed up. For example, you could be asked to give your opinion on an issue, and then discuss the advantages or disadvantages of it. The golden rule is to ALWAYS read the question very carefully to see exactly what you are being asked to do. IELTS Advice: you need ideas and opinions A problem for many students (for writing task 2 and speaking part 3) is that they don't have opinions. They don't have any idea what to write or say. Look through the following list of common IELTS topics. Do you have opinions about them? Could you discuss them in an essay or in a conversation? 1. Advertising 2. Animal Rights: testing on animals, vegetarianism, zoos 3. Cities: urbanisation, problems of city life 4. Crime: police, punishments/prisons, rehabilitation, capital punishment 5. Education: studying abroad, technology in education, education in developing countries, higher education, home-schooling, bad behaviour, corporal punishment, single sex education, streaming (grouping children according to ability) 6. Environment: global warming, impact of humans on the environment, solutions to environment problems, waste/rubbish, litter, recycling, nuclear power 7. Family: family size, working parents, negative effects on children, divorce, care for old people 8. Gender: gender and education, gender and work, women‟s and men‟s role in the family 9. Genetic Engineering: positives, negatives, genetically modified foods 10. Global Issues: problems in developing countries, how to help developing countries, immigration, multi- cultural societies, globalisation 11. Government and Society: what governments can do, public services, censorship, video cameras in public places 12. Guns and Weapons: gun ownership and possession, police and guns, nuclear weapons, armed forces 13. Health: diet, exercise, state health systems, private healthcare, alternative medicine, stress 14. Housing and Architecture: state housing, old buildings, modern/green buildings 15. International Language: English as an international language 16. Money: money and society, consumerism 17. Personal Development: happiness, success, nature or nurture 18. Sport and Leisure: professional/competitive sport, sport salaries, sport and politics 19. Tourism: positives, negative effects on environment, future of tourism 20. Traditions and Modern Life: losing traditional skills, traditional customs 21. Transport: traffic problems and solutions, public transport, road safety 22. Television, Internet and Mobile Phones: positives and negatives, Internet compared to newspapers and books 23. Water: importance of clean water, water supply, water should be free, bottled water 24. Work: same job for life, self-employment, unemployment, work/life balance, technology and work, child labour This is the topic list that I work with when preparing lessons and it's the basis of my eBook. It's a good idea to print this list and try to work through it. Frases: work out of necessity, extended families, desire to have a career, it comes down to priorities prohibited, verified and oppressive. Examples of good collocation include prejudices a fair trial and tackle the problems We often use the -ING form after "rather than". Sometimes, the best way to think of ideas for an essay is to start with an example. One good example can give you enough ideas for a full paragraph. It should be "play too MANY video/computer games" or "play video games too much/often" or "spend too much time playing video games". The American English spelling is 'globalization' - British „globalisation‟. You can use either spelling in the IELTS test. I'd write: - People aged 30 - (The) 30-year-olds - People who are 30 years old - At age 30 / At the age of 30 (number 4 in your list) - The group of people aged 30 It's difficult to use "age group" with the number. I'd use age group when speaking in general e.g. "The chart shows different age groups" or "people in the first age group " In your list, number 4 is good, but I wouldn't use the others. After a number we DON'T write "s". e.g. 2 million people live in this city. Without a number, we DO write "s". e.g. Millions of people are moving to live in cities. Could you tell me some alternatives for the following sentences? 1.There are several reasons for this problems. 2 may cause several problems. 3.Measures could be taken to tackle this problem. 1. There are multiple reasons behind "drug problem" or "the problem of " or "why " 2. can trigger problem can give rise to problem 3. We should take action to address this problem immediately. SSS 1. This problem may be caused by a variety of factors. 2. There may be several negative consequences of 3. Governments/parents/schools/members of the public (etc.) could take action/steps to address this issue. "Band 7 Vocabulary" When I say "band 7 vocabulary", I'm really talking about vocabulary that could help you to get a band 7 or higher. Examiners are looking for "less common" words and phrases, correct and relevant collocations, and maybe some idiomatic language. I've written the following paragraph using some of the ideas from the lesson below. I've underlined the band 7 (or higher) vocabulary. IELTS Writing Task 2: collocations Collocations are groups of words that are often found together. Native speakers have a large repertoire of these word groups, and can use them without thinking. Language learners need to build their own repertoire of collocations through reading and listening, and by noticing word groups that commonly occur. a rich variety a vital part, a necessary part a range of reasons musical preferences life stories express emotions, arouse emotions a commercial product cultural identity human existence give importance These are just some of the most obvious collocations in the essay. We could also add grammatical collocations like 'a means of' and 'valued over'. Advantages of studying abroad: Many students choose to study abroad because there are greater opportunities in a particular foreign country. Foreign universities may offer better facilities or courses. They may also be more prestigious than universities in the student‟s own country and have teachers who are experts in their fields. Therefore, by studying abroad, students can expand their knowledge and gain qualifications that open the door to better job opportunities. A period of study abroad can also broaden students‟ horizons. In the new country, they will have to live and work with other students of various nationalities. Thus, overseas students are exposed to different cultures, customs and points of view. (106 words) SSS 'Advertising' has been the topic of IELTS writing task 2 several times this year. It's a popular topic, so you need some ideas and opinions about it. Advertising should be _regulated_____. Advertising _aimed at___ children should be controlled or even banned. Unhealthy foods should not be marketed _ in a way that _____ attracts children. Products that can be a risk to health should __display____ warnings. However, advertising is necessary in free _market_____ economies. It creates __demand for___ products. Governments should only __censor____ false information or products that are harmful. Fill the gaps with these words/phrases: market, in a way that, regulated, display, censor, demand for, aimed at Note: 'Advertising' is uncountable (you can't say "an advertising" or "advertisings"). 'Advertising' is the name of the industry, activity or profession (like 'marketing'). 'An advertisement' (or 'advertisements') is what you see on TV, in the street, in newspapers etc. Formal language When writing or speaking, we choose the words which seem most suitable to the purpose and audience. In academic writing we use formal language, avoiding the use of slang and colloquial language. 1. When I look at the situation in emergency wards, with many staff leaving, it's hard not to worry about how many doctors will be available to treat patients in the future. – INFORMAL 2. If we consider the situation in emergency wards, with increasingly low staff retention rates, there are concerns about the capacity of hospitals to maintain adequate doctor to patient ratios. - FORMAL 3. It's so obvious that people were given jobs just because they were male or female. I don't think that is an acceptable approach and is even against the law. – INFORMAL 4. It appears that in a number of instances jobs were assigned on the basis of gender. Given the current anti- discrimination laws, this raises serious concerns. – FORMAL English often has two (or more) choices to express an action or occurrence. The choice is often between, on the one hand, a verb which is part of a phrase (often verb + preposition), and a verb which is one word only. Often in lectures and in everyday spoken English, the verb + preposition is used (eg speak up, give up, write down); however, for written academic style, the preferred choice is a single verb wherever possible. For example Informal: The social worker looked at the client's history to find out which interventions had previously been implemented. Academic: The social worker examined the client's history to establish which interventions had previously been implemented. Investigate – Looking into Researchers have been this problem for 15 years now. Assist – Help out - Systems analysts can managers in many different ways Raise – Brought up Exercise alone will not medical problems related to blood pressure. Discover – Found out Researchers have that this drug has serious side effects. establish – Set up This program was to improve access to medical care increase – Gone up Medical research expenditure has to nearly $350 million. eliminate – Get rid of This issue was during the coroner's inquest. Comparison of sentences from informal writing to academic writing Informal writing When I look at the situation in emergency wards, with many staff leaving, it's hard not to worry about how many doctors will be available to treat patients in the future. It's so obvious that people were given jobs just because they were male or female. I don't think that is an acceptable approach and is even against the law. Academic writing If we consider the situation in emergency wards, with increasingly low staff retention rates, there are concerns about the capacity of hospitals to maintain adequate doctor to patient ratios. It appears that in a number of instances jobs were assigned on the basis of gender. Given the current anti-discrimination laws, this raises serious concerns. You will notice that, in general, in academic writing we: minimize the use of the personal I in the text: avoid writing 'When I look; I don't think this is an acceptable approach' use formal verbs, and fewer verb phrases (verb + preposition), use consider rather than look at use impersonal expressions: there are…, this raises use more nouns than verbs: concerns, rather than to worry avoid emotional expressions, such as it's so obvious ( it appears is preferable); just because ( assigned on the basis of is preferable) aim for concise, often abstract expression, gender, rather than male or female. Objective writing In general, academic writing aims to be objective in its expression of ideas. Therefore specific reference to personal opinions, or to yourself as the performer of actions, is usually avoided. Expressing opinions Personal In my opinion I believe that… In my view… 'Objective' It has been argued that Some writers claim… Clearly,… It is clear that… There is little doubt that… Avoiding too much reference to yourself as agent in your writing Agent or performer I undertook the study… I propose to … In this essay I will examine… No agent or performer The study was undertaken… It is proposed to… This essay examine Here is a question that a lot of students ask: Is it acceptable to use "I" or "my" in IELTS writing? As an ex-examiner, my advice is that you should use phrases like "I believe" or "in my opinion" when the question asks for your opinion e.g To what extent do you agree or disagree? Some teachers tell students not to use "I" in academic essays, but this advice is really for university academic writing, not IELTS. IELTS Writing Task 2: four question types Here are 4 questions that illustrate the different types of task 2 question. Can you name each type? Can you explain the big difference between the first and the second type? 1. Some people think that the only purpose of working hard is to earn money. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? 2. Some people believe that punishment is the only purpose of prisons, while others believe that prisons exist for various reasons. Discuss both views and give your opinion. 3. The number of plants and animals is declining. Explain this problem and suggest some solutions. 4. Many people around the world are choosing to move to live in cities. What problems do people experience in big cities? Should governments encourage people to move to smaller towns? 1. Opinion 2. Discussion + opinion 3. Problem + solution 4. 2-part question Important points to remember: 1. An 'opinion' question asks for your view, not the views of other people, and you don't have to give both sides of the argument. Just make your opinion clear in the introduction, then explain it in the rest of the essay. 2. A 'discussion' question requires you to write about both sides of the argument, and you should write a similar amount for each view. If the question also asks for your opinion, you don't need an extra paragraph. Just make it clear in the introduction and conclusion which of the two views you agree with. 3. Type 3 is easy. Simply write a paragraph explaining the problem(s) and a paragraph explaining the solution(s). Some questions ask about 'causes' or 'effects': these would be part of the 'problem' paragraph. 4. For type 4, just answer the two questions. Write one paragraph about each. IELTS Writing Task 2: examples give you ideas If you can't think of any good ideas for an essay, try thinking about some examples first. Plan your essay around the examples. Take this question: Some people believe that hobbies need to be difficult to be enjoyable. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Use examples to give you ideas: Make a list of some hobbies: either your own hobbies, or some typical hobbies that you can easily write about. Label each hobby 'easy' or 'difficult'. Look at your list. Is there a balance between easy and difficult hobbies, or is your list one-sided? The answer to this question will give you your overall opinion. Finally, write down a few reasons why each hobby is easy or difficult. Is there a connection between the difficulty of the hobby and the enjoyment you get from it? !!!!!!!! SSS For IELTS Writing Task 2, keep your introduction short and simple. Don't waste time writing a long introduction; the main body paragraphs are more important. Try to improve your planning - make notes and restrict yourself to 5 sentences for each main body paragraph. A good IELTS Writing introduction needs only 2 things: 1. A sentence that introduces the topic 2. A sentence that gives a short, general answer to the question Here is an example of an IELTS Task 2 question: As computers are being used more and more in education, there will soon be no role for the teacher in the classroom. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Here is my introduction: It is true that computers have become an essential tool for teachers and students in all areas of education. However, while computers are extremely useful, I do not agree with the idea that they could soon replace teachers completely. 1. In the first sentence I introduce the topic of computers in education. 2. In the second sentence I answer the question and make my opinion clear. Don't wait until the conclusion to give your opinion. Example question: All high school students should be encouraged to take part in community service programmes. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? My introduction: Some people believe that high school students would benefit from doing unpaid work in their local communities. I completely agree that community service programmes for teenagers are a good idea. IELTS Writing Task 2: rules for introductions Many people decide on a career path early in their lives and keep to it. This, they argue, leads to a more satisfying working life. To what extent do you agree with this view? What other things can people do in order to have a satisfying working life? In today's lesson I just want to look at how to write an introduction for this type of question. My simple rules for task 2 introductions are: 1. Write 2 sentences: introduce the topic, then give a general answer. 2. Mention everything that the question mentions. 3. Don't save any surprises for the conclusion; give your opinion in the introduction if the question asks for it. Here's an example introduction: It is true that some people know from an early age what career they want to pursue, and they are happy to spend the rest of their lives in the same profession. While I accept that this may suit many people, I believe that others enjoy changing careers or seeking job satisfaction in different ways. Things to learn from simon's introduction: 1- Never use the same words in the question. early in their lives = at an early age decide on a career = pursue a career keep to it = Spen the rest of their lives in the same profession. We can also replace the word job with the walk of life. I will let Simon approve this. 2- The template used in the introduction and the elegant transition used by Simon in "While I accept. " From the question to your answer. 3- Make the introduction sound like an introduction, so keep it short and general, The conclusion is just a restatement of the introduction. SSS IELTS Writing Task 2: introductions Here are some example introductions for 3 different types of essay. My technique is to write 2 sentences: 1. A sentence to introduce the topic 2. A sentence giving a general response to the question or instruction Problem & Solution Essay: It is true that children's behaviour seems to be getting worse. There are various reasons for this, and both schools and parents need to work together to improve the situation. Discussion (& Opinion) Essay: People have different views about how children should be taught. While there are some good arguments in favour of teaching children to be competitive, I believe that it is better to encourage co-operation. Opinion (Agree / Disagree) Essay: In recent years it has become more common for women to return to work after having a child. However, I do not agree that this has been the cause of problems for young people. My advice: Keep your introduction short. Main body paragraphs are more important. IELTS Writing Task 2: introduction without opinion My normal advice for task 2 introductions is this: write two sentences - one to introduce the essay topic, and one to give a basic answer to the question. But what should you put in the second sentence (basic answer) if the question doesn't ask for your opinion? Here are two example questions: 1. Many people believe that an effective public transport system is a key component of a modern city. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of public transport. 2. Crime rates tend to be higher in cities than in smaller towns. Explain some possible reasons for this problem, and suggest some solutions. Here are two sample introductions: 1. Officials in many cities are keen to develop efficient public transport systems. While public transport has many benefits, there are also some drawbacks which are worth considering. 2. Cities generally experience higher levels of criminality than towns or villages. There are various reasons for this, but measures could be taken to tackle the problem. Hopefully you can see that it's quite easy to write an introduction for these types of question. The approach is the same (topic + basic answer) whether the question asks for your opinion or not. [...]... damaging impacts to individuals and society 287 words IELTS Writing Task 2: before you start writing Before you start writing your task 2 essay, you need to do two things: 1 Plan your overall essay structure (ideally 4 paragraphs) 2 Spend some time thinking of ideas for the main body paragraphs IELTS Writing Task 2: advantages and disadvantages Albert sent me this recent exam question: In many countries nowadays,... them carefully, you will learn a lot IELTS Writing Task 2: how to answer any question SSS Today I want to show you what happens in my brain when I see any IELTS Writing Task 2 question Here are my thinking steps: 1 I read the question very carefully, maybe three times I ask myself "What's the topic? What is the question asking me to write about?" 2 I underline the key things that must be included in the... opinion (some questions may not ask for your opinion, but this one does) View this lesson for more advice on writing IELTS essay introductions 2) Body Paragraphs For an IELTS essay, you should have 2 or 3 body paragraphs - no more, and no less For your body paragraph, each paragraph should contain one controlling idea, and have sentences to support this Lets look at the first paragraph for the essay about... professions Some people think this is fully justified while others think it is unfair Discuss both these views and give your own opinion Here's my 2-sentence introduction: It is true that sports stars often earn huge salaries While there are some good reasons why this is the case, I personally believe that it is wrong for these people to be paid more than other professionals IELTS Writing Task 2: different... competent person for the post IELTS Writing Task 2: plan your main paragraphs Before you start writing your task 2 essay, you need a plan: 1 First, think about how you could write 2 main body paragraphs What would be the main idea/topic of each one? 2 Then make some notes for the first main paragraph Your notes could follow this formula: Idea, Explain, Example 3 Do the same thing for the second main paragraph... positive and negative ways, but overall I believe that it is a positive trait IELTS Writing: 5 sentence paragraphs When writing main body paragraphs for IELTS writing task 2, try to aim for five sentences For example: 1 2 3 4 5 Topic sentence (e.g There are several reasons why I believe ) First reason Example Second reason Third reason Another example: 1 2 3 4 5 Topic sentence (e.g Many people believe... words in "ielts writing task " to achieve more bands the lack of knowledge and guidance , however, sometimes do not provide success even after a hardcore studies " Writing Task 2 - Useful Language Here are some useful headers that you can use in your Writing Task 2 Expressing Views I would argue that I firmly believe that It seems to me that I tend to think that People argue that Some people think/say... single people no longer stay with their parents until they are married, but leave to study or work somewhere else Do you think this trend has more advantages or disadvantages? Here are some tips to help with this kind of question: 1 Notice that the question includes the words "do you think" This tells you that you need to give your own opinion, as well as discussing both the advantages and disadvantages... is: Do you have a clearly defined method? Do you repeatedly practise writing essays in the same way? IELTS Writing Task 2: topic sentences A good way to start a paragraph is with a short, simple sentence that introduces the main idea of the paragraph Teachers often call this a „topic sentence‟ I normally write my topic sentences by thinking about how many points I want to mention in the paragraph: 1... model essay for this question which only addresses the second sub-topic I think that would be a mistake; you should try to answer all parts of the question In this case, the two sub-topics help you because they tell you what you should write about in your two main body paragraphs Always study the question carefully, and make sure you know exactly what it is asking you to do! IELTS Writing Task 2: . are to avoid damaging impacts to individuals and society. 28 7 words IELTS Writing Task 2: before you start writing Before you start writing your task 2 essay, you need to do two things:. Important Things for Writing Task 2: In IELTS writing task 2, the examiner is not just looking for your vocabulary, but also looking for your perfect grammar and punctuation. In IELTS preparation. the key to a high score. Last 5 minutes Write a quick conclusion then check your work. Must To Do Thing in IELTS Writing Task 2: IELTS Package, strongly advice all IELTS test takers to learn