ielts writing task 2 9 band essay

IELTS Band 9 Writing Samples: Task 2 Essays

June 19, 2021

One of the best ways of learning how to write better is to simply read sample IELTS band 9 essay answers, and that is exactly what we have here: 10, Band 9 sample IELTS essays. Each essay is followed by a teaching point to show you why it is a band 9 IELTS essay.

Finally, all of the essays on this page have been written using the system I teach on this page IELTS writing task 2 and in my full IELTS course here that has helped thousands get the score they need.

You can also download these sample answers as a pdf file here if you prefer: IELTS Essay Samples Band 9 pdf or, simply read them below:

Sample Essay #1 – Two Part Question

In some countries, the number of people visiting art galleries is reducing. What do you think the reasons for this are? How can we solve this problem?

In certain locations around the world, the number of people visiting art galleries is declining. This essay shall outline some of the reasons for this trend and then go on to suggest ways in which this issue could be resolved.

Firstly, visitor numbers are on the decline due in part to the ever-increasing convenience and ability of new technology. If someone has access to the internet from a device then there is virtually no need to visit an art gallery as all the finest works can be viewed online for as long as you want and at a minimal cost. For example, there is virtually no reason to go to the effort of leaving your house and traveling across a city and then paying and queuing with other people just to see works of art that you could just as easily view from the comfort of your own home.

However, there are some effective ways in which we might reverse the trend of declining visitor numbers to art galleries. One such way would be to ensure that all the artwork at a gallery is not available to view online, or at the most, just a small sample of an art galleries work is available for viewing. This would then create a sense of curiosity in the viewers mind and make them more likely to visit the art gallery. Furthermore, you could create a discussion zone at the art gallery where like-minded individuals could meet face to face and discuss the particular pieces of art that interest them. This would make visiting the gallery a more unique experience and be more likely to catch people’s interest.

Overall, visitor numbers are declining but there are a number of ways to tackle this problem. It is up to the art galleries themselves to come up with solutions and then deliver these to the public if they wish to survive in the future. 319 words

Teaching Point: Notice how both of these topic sentences directly answer one of the questions asked in the question. This is key to making sure that you do not go off topic and do in fact answer the question. This ensures you will not lose marks for Task Achievement.

Sample Essay #2 – Discussion And Opinion

In many countries, men and women work full-time. It is therefore logical for men and women to share household work. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Nowadays, many people believe that men and women should share household chores equally as both genders are just as likely to have full-time jobs. Personally, I agree with this viewpoint and the following paragraphs shall outline my reasons for this belief.

First and foremost, traditional gender roles have been severely diminished in many cultures in recent years. This means that less pressure is now placed on women to complete the tasks that were commonly associated as being a women’s job to complete. These days it is just as acceptable for a man to do the housework as it is for the women, and they won’t be looked down upon by their male friends as they might have been in the past.

Secondly, it has become much more commonplace for women to be the main breadwinners of a household and therefore by default have less time available for domestic duties This means that it often makes more sense for men to stay at home and not work, which in turn means that they have more time available to complete household chores than might have been the case in the past. Imagine, if a woman worked full time and then had to come home and complete all of the household chores as well, regardless of whether the partner was working or not, the relationship would be put under a great deal of pressure and might eventually end if they were left to do the chores alone.

In summary, I agree that the changing trends of society mean that couples are often led to divide household chores more equally these days. Despite resistance by certain groups, this trend is likely to continue into the future.

Teaching Point: Notice how I have repeated my opinion twice, in both the introduction and conclusion but have done so using different words. This shows off a range of vocabulary but also ensures that I have answered the original question that was asked.

Sample Essay #3 – Discussion And Opinion

Libraries are a waste of money, therefore, computers should be used to replace them. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Some people are of the opinion that libraries funding should be cut and the money invested in making computers available to the public instead. I mostly agree with this line of thought and the following paragraphs shall explain why this is the case.

Firstly, libraries should not receive any more funding because they contain such a limited and often outdated amount of information. As soon as a book is published it goes out of date and cannot be updated without an entirely new copy being printed which is both costly and time-consuming. On the other hand, a computer connected to the internet overcomes both of these limitations with ease, for example, any web-site, pdf, or online journal can be continuously updated by the authors and there is no time wasted in printing of the book.

On the other hand, though, libraries do still offer a quiet place for members of the public to go and read. In today’s fastpaced society there are few places to be found where people can simply go and relax without fear of being hassled by salesman or traffic which may have damaging consequences for the public. For instance, a report in the ‘Journal of Good Health’ recently reported that spending as little as 5 minutes per day sat quietly on your own can reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke by 50%, so, losing the quiet space of a library could harm a nation’s overall health.

To sum up, the public need for up to date information and also for restful places for people to relax needs to be considered carefully. Governments need to decide what their priority is and act accordingly. 279 words

Teaching Point: Notice how in the first line of the introduction I have simply paraphrased the question statement using my own words. I have also changed the order of the information in the sentence. This shows the examiner that I have good grammatical control and also a range of vocabulary.

Sample Essay #4 – Discussion And Opinion

Some people think that money is the best gift to give a teenager, others disagree. Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.

Certain groups of people are of the opinion that giving teenagers cash is the most appropriate present to present them with, however, some people disagree with this approach. Personally, I believe that this is not the case and this essay shall outline arguments for either side.

Firstly, teenagers are often very impulsive by nature and are likely to make decisions that may not be in their best overall interest. As a consequence, if you hand over money to a teenager they may well simply go and waste the money on consumable goods and sometimes harmful items such as drugs, alcohol, or other such substances. Therefore, it is probably in the teenagers best interest if you buy them constructive presents that they can get greater value and education out of. For example, buying a teenager book tokens to further their knowledge is far more productive than giving them cash to blow on alcoholic beverages.

On the other hand, however, some people would say that allowing the teenager the freedom to choose what they want to spend their money on is an important lesson for them to learn. Not only does it allow them to see that you trust them but it also means that they are likely to buy something that they will actually value. Furthermore, if a teenager senses that you do not trust them then they are likely to hold this against you and use it against you at some point in the future, whereas, they may well act more responsibly if you hand over cash for them to spend.

In conclusion, teenagers are at a very sensitive stage of their development, however, I remain of the opinion that they do need some guidance in the way that they spend their money. Parents should take care to manage this situation appropriately. 302 words

Teaching Point: Notice how the conclusion starts by summarizing the two topic sentences using different vocabulary, Once again this proves to the examiner that you have a good range of vocabulary.

Sample Essay #5 – Opinion Essay

Some people believe that people who do physical work should be paid the same as people who have a high-level degree. Do you agree or disagree?

Certain groups of people are of the opinion that people who engage in manual labour should receive the same level salary as someone who is highly educated. I disagree with this point entirely and shall outline the reasons for this in the following paragraphs.

One of the main reasons why highly educated people should receive a greater salary than lower-skilled workers is that they create more value for a business in the long term. This is because a lower skilled worker will simply do as they are told and perform their role in the organisation whereas a highly skilled worker is more likely to suggest solutions to problems or invent more productive ways of doing something. Over the course of a number of years, these incremental improvements could lead to large increases in profit for the company.

Allied to this, graduates have often invested a great deal of time and money into their education and so surely, therefore, deserve to be paid more to cover this. For example, a recent survey from ‘Time’ magazine revealed that the average medical student seeking to become a doctor graduates with more than $150,000 of debt before they have even earned a penny.

Furthermore, countries need educated populations in order to develop, organise themselves and grow. Therefore governments need to make sure students are encouraged to study for higher qualifications and paying higher salaries to these individuals when they finally graduate is one way of ensuring this.

In conclusion, more highly educated employees are worth more to a company and a country. These are the main reasons why I continue to believe they should be paid more. 273 words

Teaching Point: It is helpful to develop your paragraphs by using examples. However, this is difficult to do as you do not know what question you will be asked. This is why you should just make up realistic sounding examples. It really is not important if the example is true or not, the examiners do not care. All they want to do is assess your English. So, go ahead and simply make up realistic sounding examples to develop your answers just as I have done here!

Sample Essay #6 – Opinion Essay

In some countries, children under sixteen are not allowed to leave school by law and get full-time work. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

In certain areas of the world, children under the age of 16 are prevented from gaining full-time employment by law. I believe this is a good thing and this essay shall outline the reasons for this standpoint.

Firstly, anyone under the age of 16 should be pursuing education rather than a salary. This is because they have the rest of their working lives to get a full-time job but only a few limited years during their youth which they can dedicate entirely to education. Education is the key to a positive future and so it is right that laws should prevent someone from damaging their own education. If we let young people simply do what they want with no thought for the future then we would not be guiding and protecting them as a society surely should.

In addition to the above, many countries around the world have high unemployment levels. If youth under the age of 16 were also added to the working population then this would likely only lead to further increases in unemployment. For example, in Greece the ‘Greek Echo’ recently reported that unemployment had increased to a record level of 38% of the population. Furthermore, having unemployed youngsters on the streets often leads to increased crime rates, especially those relating to anti-social behaviour whereas if the youngsters had to remain in school or college they may well stay out of trouble.

Overall, beginning employment early has more negative impacts than positive. Governments should consider carefully when and how they allow people to finish their education if they wish their nations to be prosperous in the future. 269 words

Teaching Point: Notice how I have used two conditional sentences here to discuss future changes. This demonstrates a wider range of grammar to the examiner and therefore helps to improve your band score. Make sure you brush up on the second conditional in particular, as it is often useful in IELTS essays.

Sample Essay # 7 – Two Part Question

Nowadays, some parents pressure their children to be successful. What are the reasons for this? Is this a positive or negative development?

In recent years, some children have been put under pressure by their parents to be successful in life. This essay shall discuss both the reasons why this is so and whether this is a positive or negative development.

It appears that some of the youth of today are placed under pressure by their parents to be successful because the world has become a very materialistic place and in order to show how successful you are you need to have money to buy nice things. This usually means that a good education is needed so a well-paying job can be secured. Unfortunately, as a consequence of students studying to gain a high paying job, which their parents may wish for them, they may actually be doing something which is not what they want to do deep down in their soul. As a result, a student may begin to lack motivation in their studies, lack of passion for what they are doing or even become depressed as a result.

Furthermore, the pressure placed on young people to succeed at school may well mean that they do not take part in other valuable opportunities. For example, rather than taking part in an International Award programme they may well opt to do extra homework because of the time required to gain the award. However, participating in the award would have provided them with so many opportunities to learn new and different life skills, such as: social skills, trip planning, map reading, fund raising, teamwork and so on, skills which you simply cannot ever learn from a book.

To sum up, anything that could cause depression or reduce a young person’s opportunities has to be a negative. Parents need to think carefully about what type of life they want their child to actually have and not just on future financial prospects. 308 words

Teaching Point : Notice that I have used a range of sentence starters and connectives to help the essay flow. I have not simply repeated the same linking words like ‘and also’, ‘then’, or ‘next’ that are often overused in IELTS essays. Using a range like this means that the essay sounds more natural and native like and of course helps improve a band score.

Sample Essay #8 – Problem And Solution

In many countries, people have health problems because they choose to live an unhealthy lifestyle. What do you think the reasons for this are and how can it be solved? Give relevant examples from your experience?

In many places around the world, people are choosing to live an unhealthy lifestyle and are suffering significant health issues as a result. The following paragraphs shall discuss the possible cause of this and offer a number of solutions.

Firstly, one of the main causes of these health issues is the influence of advertising from big businesses trying to make a profit. These businesses have no morals and are only interested in making money, this means that they will target anyone they can even though they know that their products are bad for people’s health. For example, MacDonald’s are certainly aware that their food is bad for children but they still target them through the use of associating clowns and Disney characters with their ‘happy meals’.

Allied to the above, people are ill disciplined even when it comes to the importance of their own health. These days, everyone knows the risks of eating ‘junk’ food on a regular basis but many continue to do so. The reason for this is that it is just too convenient and they are just too lazy to make some real nutritious food for themselves. For instance, anyone who goes out on a weekend will have witnessed the large queues of young people in fast food restaurants even when there are much more healthy options nearby including various supermarkets which all sell healthy ingredients from which to make food from.

In summary, the power of big business and the weak will of humans is damaging the health of many. Governments, schools and parents should consider carefully how they are going to tackle these issues in the coming years. 273 words

Teaching Point: Usually the second or third sentence of a paragraph will be explaining the reasons for what has been stated in the topic sentence of the paragraph.

Sample Essay #9 – Discussion And Opinion

Nowadays, many families move to different countries. Some people think that children gain many benefits from this while others consider it to be hard for a child to move to a foreign country. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

These days it is not uncommon for whole families to migrate to other parts of the world. Some people are of the opinion that this has a negative impact on the children involved whereas others believe it has a positive impact. Personally, I think the positives outweigh the negatives and this essay shall outline both sides of the debate.

First and foremost, generally people only move to other countries if they believe there is going to be a significant improvement to their children’s lives. Often this takes the form of improved education opportunities. For example, when the UK entered the European Union there was an immediate influx of people and part of the reason for this is that the UK offers a free and a quality education to any youngsters living there. Many migrants believe that the key to future success is education and that moving to the UK will enhance their children’s future.

On the other hand, removing a child from the culture they have grown up in may severely disrupt their behaviour especially if they did not want to move in the first place. Teenagers and even younger children are very sensitive to change and a major change such as moving to another country could cause a lack of confidence. For example, suddenly a child has to east food they are not used to and may not like, suddenly they may also have to get used to weather they may not have even experienced before. All of these things could cause a child to experience mental health issues.

Overall, children often gain more opportunities by migrating abroad although they will face new challenges. Parents should carefully consider the potential impact a sudden move may have on a child before they make the final decision. 296 words

Teaching Point : 4 main paragraphs is usually enough for most IELTS essays. An introduction of about 50 words, two body paragraphs of about 90 words each, and a conclusion of about 30 words.

Sample Essay #10 – Discussion

Earlier technological developments brought more benefits and changed the lives of ordinary people more than recent technological developments. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Improvements in technology that occurred in the distant past produced more positive effects than the developments that have occurred in the last few years. I completely agree with this statement and the following paragraphs shall outline the reasons for this belief.

The first telephone completely revolutionized the way business was done and benefited humanity greatly. For the first time people could send messages long distances with ease and the pace of business increased dramatically making more people richer and creating more job opportunities. However, these days when the latest iPhone update comes out the only real changes are to do with fashion rather than providing any real new benefits. For example, now you can upload items to a ‘cloud’, or play more advanced games, but neither of these improvements in anyway compares to the first time phones were released to the public.

Similarly to the above, the first computers also transformed the way companies ran their businesses. Previously there were filing cabinets full of paperwork and accessing that information could take hours to locate the piece of information that you wanted. In contrast though, computers have been around for so long now that they have almost reached their limit in terms of how useful they could possibly be. For example, the only real changes that happen now are new releases of the Windows operating system and the so called improvements are actually just considered annoying changes to many rather than actual improvements.

In summary, the most profound long lasting impacts that technology has brought us occurred many years ago. These days’ beneficial changes now come in very small increments and I believe that will continue to be the case in the future. 282 words

Teaching Point: Always start with an introduction which rephrases the question. You should try to use different words i.e. synonyms and paraphrases of the original words in the question so that you can show to the examiner your range and level of vocabulary.

Sample Essay #11 – Discussion

Nowadays, people of all ages from certain parts of the world spend most of the time at home rather than going outdoors. Discuss the reasons for this and say whether it is a positive or negative development.

In this day and age it is far more common for individuals to spend the majority of their time inside rather than outside. I believe this is a negative development for society and the following paragraphs shall offer possible reasons why this could be the case.

Firstly, spending more time indoors naturally indicates decreased activity levels. This automatically leads to reduced health of populations due to problems such as obesity, stroke, heart attack and so on which are all linked with decreased levels of exercise. Clearly this is a major negative for everyone concerned. Governments have higher health costs, people die younger and families of course are deprived of a family member needlessly.

Secondly, the fact that people are indoors more often than not indicates that less time is spent socialising with others face to face. This can lead to mental health problems but also to a decline in the development of ‘real world’ social skills which help to make people employable. Afterall, in most places of work there is a definite need to communicate face to face with colleagues of customers and if an individual is not capable of doing this it does not matter how ‘book smart’ they are they will not be able to function adequately in the workplace.

Overall, it is clear to me that there are far more negatives to positives of people spending more time indoors than outside. Governments, education authorities and parents around the world should carefully consider the consequences of such a trend. 251 words

Teaching Point: Your main body paragraphs, which are the two paragraphs in the middle of your essay, should begin with a topic sentence. This topic sentence should say what the main point of your paragraph is and does not have to be too long or complex. The reader should be able to guess what the rest of the paragraph is going to be about just from reading your topic sentence.

IELTS Essay Samples Band 9 PDF

For convenience you can also download these sample band 9 answers as a pdf file here:

IELTS Essay Samples Band 9 pdf

What To Do Next?

If you want to see the exact process I use to write essays like the above band 9 answers then there are two options. You can read my main guide to writing IELTS essays here , or you can go straight to my IELTS course page which thousands of people have used to master each part of the IELTS test.

Recommended IELTS Study Tools

Thank you for reading this article. I always get lots of questions about how else to get a better band score quickly. So, this is what I recommend:

Complete IELTS Course : Of course, my full course ‘ INCREASE YOUR IELTS ‘ covers everything you need to need to know to pass IELTS, including practice questions, model answers, grammar work, strategies for every possible reading, writing and listening question type, as well as a complete speaking course too, check it out here .

IELTS Essay and Speaking Feedback : To complete full mock tests and get feedback from IELTS examiners on your IELTS essays or speaking tasks then visit: IELTS Feedback and Mock Tests, here.

Improve your grammar fast by using the Grammarly suggestions to improve your writing. Every IELTS students should have this free grammar improving tool.

Improve all-round English skill with EnglishClass101.com . If you have failed IELTS more than once then you probably need to improve your general level of English. Use the free online lessons and vocabulary building tools here and start improving today! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Hi there, I’m Tim James a former IELTS examiner and IELTS teacher of over a decade. This site is where I share my exam strategies to help people get the score they need. I hope it helps you!

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IELTS Writing Task 2: ✍️ Everything You Need to Know

When helping students prepare for the IELTS test, one of the biggest fears is how to do well in IELTS Writing Task 2. 

IELTS Writing Task 2 is the second part of the writing test, where you are presented with a point of view, argument or problem and asked to write an essay in response. Your essay should be in a formal style, at least 250 words in length and you should aim to complete it in under 40 minutes. 

IELTS Writing Task 2: Everything You Need to Know

In this video, I’ll outline exactly what you must do to create an IELTS Writing Task 2 essay that could score a Band 7, 8 or 9.

It doesn’t matter if you’re new to IELTS or if you’ve failed the exam before – I’ve broken everything down into a simple 3-step process that anyone can use to improve their scores! Watch the video above to find out what they are.

5 Steps to a Band 7 in IELTS Writing Task 2

1. Understand the question.

You must understand the question before you attempt to answer it. This way, you’ll know exactly what the examiner is looking for. One of the biggest mistakes students make is not answering the question fully, which stops them from getting a score higher than a Band 5.

To analyse the question , you must first identify the question type, then identify the keywords in the question and finally identify the instructions words. This will help you understand exactly what the examiner wants you to do with the question.

2. Plan your answer.

The students who get the highest marks in Writing Task 2 always plan their answers for up to 10 minutes. Planning helps you organise your ideas and structure your essay before you write it, saving you time and helping you produce a clear and coherent essay.

3. Write an introduction.

The introduction should answer the question directly. This tells the examiner that you know what you are doing straight away and helps you write your main body paragraphs.

4. Write the main body paragraphs.

This is where you give the examiner more detail . You do this by stating your main points and supporting these with explanations and relevant examples.

5. Write a conclusion.

In your conclusion , you should provide a summary of what you already said in the rest of your essay.

4 Ways to Improve your Score in IELTS Writing Task 2

Many people know they need to improve their writing skills but don’t know how to do it. Here are 4 ways you can boost your score in Writing Task 2:

1. Understand the exam.

You must first understand what IELTS Writing Task 2 is, what you are expected to do and how to give the examiners what they want. This is the first stage and one that is often overlooked.

There are many online resources, often with conflicting and poor-quality information, so finding a reliable source of information is key.

2. Identify your weak areas.

If your car breaks down, you would try and identify which part caused the problem. If you get sick, your doctor will run tests to determine the exact cause of your symptoms.

IELTS Writing Task 2 is the same. We must first identify WHY you are not getting the score you need before we can help you improve.

However, be very careful! You wouldn’t ask the average man on the street for medical advice, so make sure you find someone who knows what they are doing and has the expertise to help you with this.

3. Fix the problems.

Now that we know what the problems are, we must fix them.

If your grammar needs work, fix those issues. If your vocabulary is lacking, work on fixing this issue.

Just as a good doctor can help you fix a medical problem, a good IELTS teacher can help you fix your specific issues.

4. Practice and get feedback.

Practice alone will not help you. It is an essential part of your preparation, but you must also get feedback on your work if you are really going to improve.

You wouldn’t try to teach yourself how to drive without an instructor, would you?

Find someone who will give you accurate and helpful feedback on your work. Otherwise, you will not be able to move to the last stage.

Now that you have understood what you need to do, identified the exact areas you need to work on, improved those areas, and received feedback on your work, you are now ready to get the IELTS Writing Task 2 score you deserve.

Writing Task 2 Structures 

I want to warn you about structures because they are not a magic wand that will help you automatically get a higher score. They WILL help you, but please realise that they are just a small part of your overall score.

These structures provide a sentence-by-sentence template for all the main Task 2 question types, making your job much easier on exam day.

• Task 2 Essay Structures

Essential Writing Task 2 Skills 

No matter how good your English is, you must still learn IELTS writing skills before taking the Writing Task 2 test. These helpful guides will take you through each of these skills step-by-step:

• How to Plan an Essay

Making a good plan actually saves you time when you write your essay. This guide will show you how to plan and write a clear essay every time.

• How to Think of Relevant Ideas

This guide provides 5 different methods to help you quickly think of relevant ideas that are directly linked to the question.

• How to Write a Complex Sentence

Complex sentences help you boost your score for grammar. They are actually very simple to write and are not complex at all.

• How to Paraphrase

Paraphrasing is one of the essential IELTS skills for all parts of the IELTS test. You should paraphrase the question in the very first sentence of your essay to help boost your vocabulary score in Writing Task 2.

• How to Write a Supporting Paragraph

Supporting paragraphs are the main body paragraphs and are the meat in the sandwich. This is where you provide the detail the examiner is looking for in the form of explanations and examples.

• How to Write a Thesis Statement

A thesis statement tells the examiner your opinion. Many IELTS Writing Task 2 questions specifically ask for your opinion, and if you don’t write it clearly, you have not answered the question properly. This article shows you how, where and when to give your opinion.

How many words should I write?

Around 250 words? Exactly 250 words or over 250 words? How many words over? How do I know how many words I have? Will I lose marks if I write too many words? This article answers all those questions.

• How to Understand and Analyse Any Question

A critical part of answering any question. This article shows you how to break down any Task 2 question and identify the keywords, micro-keywords and instruction words to help you answer the question effectively.

• How to Write a Great Introduction

The introduction is the first thing the examiner reads; therefore, we must give them a good first impression. I share a very specific sentence-by-sentence structure in this article to help you write introductions quickly and effectively.

• Task 2 Marking Criteria 

Do you know how Task 2 is marked? What is the difference between a Band 5 and a Band 8 answer? This article breaks down the marking criteria and explains it in simple language so you can give the IELTS examiners exactly what they want.

• How to Write a Conclusion

A good conclusion should be a summary of your main points. The conclusion is the last thing the examiner reads, and if you can write a good one, you will leave them with a very good impression.

• Using Examples

Each of your supporting paragraphs should have a specific example that supports and illustrates your main point. This is an essential skill to learn if you want to get one of the higher band scores.

• Cohesive Devices

Cohesive devices (sometimes called linking words) are one of the most misunderstood and misused elements of writing. Therefore, you must learn how to use them and when to use them.

• The Danger of Synonyms

While synonyms are very important, they can also really reduce your mark if used incorrectly.

• Paragraphing and Editing

This article will show you how to make your writing as clear and as easy to read as possible. It will also advise you on whether to use a pen or pencil.

• IELTS Writing Task 2: 8 Steps to Success

Read this blog now to access our 61-page Task 2 strategy.

• IELTS Writing Tips

I have compiled these tips after years of teaching IELTS, and all of them have been approved by IELTS examiners.

• Coherence and Cohesion

This is a video lesson that shows you in practical terms how to improve your coherence and cohesion score.

Writing Task 2 Common Topics 

Knowing the common topics can help you prepare for the test more efficiently. Here are the 10 most common topics over the last few years. Studying hard is great, but don’t forget to study smart.

The article below will show you the top 10 most common IELTS topics.

• Most Common Task 2 Topics 

Full IELTS Writing Task 2 Practice Lessons 

Here are some lessons that I have used when teaching students about IELTS Writing Task 2. I have changed them so that you can easily learn from home. They are very long but contain all the necessary information combined with the skills above.

• Agree or Disagree (Opinion) Lesson

In this lesson, we look at how to tackle an ‘agree or disagree’ question. Many people worry about whether to take one side of the other or discuss both sides. Additionally, people also worry about how to deal with ‘To what extent’ question types. We allay all of these fears in this lesson.

• Discussion Essay Lesson

‘Discuss both views’ questions often confuse people because you are asked to do many things in one essay. As such, it is very important to remember that the question asks you to discuss BOTH views AND give YOUR opinion.

• Problem and Solution Essay Lesson

These questions are much easier than you think. You probably discuss problems and solutions in your day-to-day life all the time. Keep it simple.

• Advantages and Disadvantages Lesson 

There are a couple of different types of advantages and disadvantages questions. This lesson will show you how to answer them.

• Writing Task 2 Exercise with Video

Writing is a skill, and just like any other skill, it is important to practice to improve.

• From Band 6.5 to 8 Demo Lesson

This is my most comprehensive free lesson on IELTS Writing Task 2. We show you how we took one VIP student from Band 6.5 to an amazing 8.

Sample Answers

You must have some good examples to compare your writing and see if you are on the right track. Click the link below for lots of sample answers and over 100 questions.

Task 2 Sample Answers

• Agree or Disagree Sample Essays
• Task 2 Band 9 Sample Essay
• Latest Real Task 2 Questions
• Official Sample Test Questions
• Cambridge Sample Questions
• Free Practice Test
• How To Use Task 2 Samples
• Recent Confusing Questions
• IELTS Writing Practice Guide

IELTS Writing Task 2 Essential Information

• You must write an essay in response to a question.
• You must write 250 words or more.
• Task 2 is worth 2/3 of your total mark on the Writing test.
• You should spend around 40 minutes on this part of the test.
• General Training and Academic are essentially the same for Task 2. However, they are different for Task 1.
• There are certain types of questions that you will be asked, for example, opinion, discussion etc. See below for more detail on these.
• Task Achievement (25%)
• Coherence and Cohesion (25%)
• Lexical Resource (25%)
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy (25%)

Grammar and Vocabulary

Grammar is one of the four things you will be marked on in the Writing Task 2 test. Finding out what your common grammar mistakes are and then fixing them is a very powerful way to boost your score in this area. Here are some common grammar mistakes I have found after making hundreds of tests.

• Top 10 Grammar Mistakes

For most IELTS students, the problem is not grammar in general. In fact, it is usually just 1-2 problem areas. Therefore, when you fix these main weaknesses, you’ll be able to improve your grammar and your writing score dramatically.

• Using Personal Pronouns

Hint- They aren’t as big of a deal as you think.

See the interactive tool below for the answers to the most commonly asked questions we receive about IELTS Writing Task 2: 

IELTS Writing Task 2 FAQs

How can i improve my writing.

You will find all the resources you need on our Writing Task 2 page. Click the link below:

Writing Task 2

We also have two Task 2 courses for those that need to improve their Task 2 skills and strategy. They are both based online and completely free of charge. Learn more about them below:

Task 2 5 Day Challenge

Task 2 Essay Builder

If you need serious help or personalised feedback, you should check out our VIP Course. There is a waiting list, but you can add your name here:

How can I get a Band 7, 8 or 9?

The answer to this question is different for every individual IELTS student, as it depends on a number of factors, including your work ethic, English skills and exam strategy. You'll find a guide to answering this question in this article

If you need serious help with improving your IELTS scores, you should check out our online writing course. There is a waiting list, but you can add your name by clicking the link below:

Can you correct my writing?

Please click the link below and it will give you all the information you need about our writing correction service:

Writing Correction Service

Do you have any sample answers?

Yes, you will find them at the link below:

Will using 'high level' or 'academic' words help me improve my score?

Probably not.

Read my recent article about IELTS vocabulary here:

5 Things You Need to Know about IELTS Vocabulary

Can I use idioms?

No, you should not write idioms for Task 2.

Can I use personal pronouns?

You should avoid using personal pronouns, but it is fine to use them when giving your personal opinion.

Do you write a conclusion for Task 2?

Yes, it is very difficult to get a good score in Task 2 if you haven't finished your essay with a conclusion. You will find an in-depth lesson on conclusions here:

How to Write an Effective Task 2 Conclusion

How many paragraphs should I write?

Most IELTS task 2 essays follow the same basic four paragraph structure:

• Introduction
• Supporting Paragraph 1
• Supporting Paragraph 2

However, you can find more comprehensive help with structuring your Task 2 essays here:

5 Day Challenge

Do I need to plan my essay?

I would highly recommend planning your essay. A good plan acts like a map that guides you through the essay, ensuring that you give the examiner exactly what they need to award you the score you need. You can find help with planning your essays here: How to Plan an IELTS Essay

You must write at least 250 words in Writing Task 2.

I would suggest that you aim to write around 270-280 words in total. Aiming for 20-30 words more than the required amount makes you more likely to reach the word limit without setting an unrealistic goal.

Will I lose marks if I don't write enough words?

Yes, if you don't write the required number of words, you will lose marks in 'Task Achievement' for not answering the question fully. Read more here .

Can I use contractions?

No, should not use contractions when you are writing an academic essay.

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

Writing Correction Service

• Free IELTS Resources
• Practice Speaking Test

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Analysing a Band 9 Sample Answer for IELTS Writing Task 2

Posted by David S. Wills | Jul 16, 2021 | IELTS Tips , Writing | 0

Today, I want to analyse a sample band 9 answer to an IELTS writing task 2 question in order to show you what exactly makes an essay successful. Now, there are many things that could make a great essay, but today I just want to show you a few things you might not have thought about before in order to to show you what contributes to an essay getting the highest possible score.

I will start by talking about whether or not sample IELTS essays are actually worthwhile or not, then I’ll group the things I want to talk about into the 4 criteria by which all IELTS essays are judged – that’s Task Achievement, Coherence and Cohesion , Lexical Resource , and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. If you have a special interest in one of these areas, you can skip ahead to that, but I think it’s better to read the whole article.

If you prefer to watch this video, which contains many annotated examples, you can watch it instead of reading this whole article.

Are Band 9 Sample Answers Worthwhile?

Before we begin this lesson properly, I feel I should give a sort of disclaimer. Band 9 sample answers are probably not as useful or important as you might think and there are a few things that you must consider before you use them. Firstly, not all essays that are labelled as “band 9 sample answers” are really good enough to get band 9 in a real IELTS test. As I’ve said many times before here and elsewhere, most IELTS materials are made by people who can’t actually speak English very well and do not understand the exam. These people tend to write essays that are crammed full of words they found in the dictionary but which are incorrectly used. These are absolutely not helpful.

But let’s put them aside for the moment. Let’s say you find a sample answer that really is good enough to get band 9. What can you learn from these? Well, if you use them properly, you can learn quite a lot, but many English learners seem to think of these essays as something they need to reproduce. They tend to view them as the correct way of writing an essay, when in fact it is just one possible example of how an essay could be written.

As such, please note that whether you are using my sample answers or anyone else’s, you should not view them as something you need to copy in any way. Use them instead for inspiration. Maybe you can find some words or phrases there that are helpful, or perhaps the structure is different than in your own essay. You might also find that the writer puts forth their ideas in a very clear way, or there may be some interesting ideas you had not thought of before.

All this is to say, of course, that sample band 9 answers CAN be useful, but that you should not be overly reliant upon them. Considering that, let’s look at our question and answer for today.

A Sample Band 9 Answer

Let’s start by look at the question because all great IELTS essays must start from there. Here is the question we will be analysing:

In many countries today, many highly qualified graduates struggle to find employment. What factors may have caused this situation? What can be done about it?

First of all, let’s think what this question means and what our answer should include. It seems pretty straightforward to me. The fundamental issue is that graduates with good qualifications are finding it difficult to get jobs. We need to talk about why that has happened and what could be done to fix the situation. As you can see, it is a cause and solution question.

To this question, I would give a four-paragraph answer. First of all, my introduction would briefly explain the situation, then I would give an essay outline that said what would come next. My first body paragraph would look at the factors that caused it and the second would pose some suggestions for fixing the problem. Finally, there would be a short conclusion.

Sample Band 9 Answer

Here’s my answer to the above question:

As an increasing number of people go to university, it is now common that graduates cannot find employment. This is a worrying situation, but there are some solutions to it. The current problem of graduate unemployment is largely caused by there being too many graduates. In the past fifty years, going to university has evolved from being an extremely rare occurrence for the smartest students who wished to learn specialist knowledge into something that millions of young people do. The result is a surplus of over-qualified candidates chasing the same jobs. In many countries, the economy is contracting and these graduates have to fight over very few available positions. The ones who do not get a job are left unemployed because they feel too qualified to take a lower-level position and work their way up, especially after having spent four years gaining advanced qualifications. Thankfully, there are some possible solutions. The first thing to do is to recognise that higher education has become too common, and so perhaps it is time that alternative routes are sought. Rather than going from high school to university, students can instead be encouraged to find a vocational training program and enter the workforce soon after leaving school. This would allow them to learn some practical skills rather than the theoretical knowledge they would get from university, and then build up real work experience over a long period of time. In addition, universities could set up better facilities for students to get such practical experience, so that when they look for employment after graduation, they will not be at such a disadvantage. In conclusion, many graduates are unable to find employment nowadays, and there are various reasons for this. The solutions are not easy to apply, but there are some possibilities to reduce the severity of this situation.

Task Achievement

What makes this essay successful in terms of Task Achievement? This part of the test may seem subjective and frustrating because we all have different ideas about issues – particularly ones such as employment and education, which are naturally going to vary from culture to culture. Please note that there are no right and wrong answers in an IELTS exam and even a strange answer could be successful if it was presented intelligently.

The important thing to note from the band descriptors is that your essay must “fully address all parts of” the question and that it is “fully developed” with “relevant, fully extended, and well developed ideas.” One of the biggest problems people face here is cramming too many ideas into their essay. It is impossible to develop your essay sufficiently if you make it into a vast list of supporting arguments. Instead, pick one or two ideas and then develop them.

Let’s look at the second paragraph of my essay. I have picked an idea, which is that there are simply too many graduates nowadays. You might agree with me or disagree with me, but that is not important. Maybe there is a better idea… but again it does not matter because the important thing is that my topic sentence is very clear and each of the sentences that follow it directly support it. The first sentence states my idea in simple terms. The second explains the issue from an education standpoint, with the third making the result very clear – there are too many graduates. The final two sentences tie this to employment and show precisely why having so many graduates causes high unemployment rates.

An examiner might read this and think, “Well, I had a better idea…” but they could not fault me for how mine was explained, and that is key to understanding Task Achievement. It is not about the right idea or the wrong idea; it is about explaining and developing your ideas logically.

Coherence and Cohesion

When it comes to Coherence and Cohesion , there is a lot to consider, but fundamentally it is all about presenting your ideas in a way that guides the reader logically from one point to the next. This means you need a good structure that groups your ideas sensibly and also that you need your ideas to be connected from one clause or sentence to the next.

I showed you my structure earlier and that is where all good essays should begin. My essay has four paragraphs, which is really all you need for a cause and solution essay – or pretty much any other IELTS essay, for that matter. I devoted one paragraph to the causes and one to the solutions, so that fulfils the requirements for organisation. But structure is easy. You could learn it in a few hours. What is harder is having progression and linking your sentences.

In terms of progression, I explained in the previous section about how each of the supporting sentences in body paragraph developed the topic sentence. This is a good start, but it does not guarantee good progression. I like to think of paragraph structure in terms of making a big statement, then making it more and more specific until you get into the fine details, using examples or hypothetical statements to link the minute details back to the bigger picture.

Doing this isn’t easy. First, you need to think logically and plan your essay, and then you need to use clear language to guide the reader. In my third paragraph, I started with a transitional statement that joined the ideas from the end of paragraph two to the main idea of paragraph three. The main idea started with “The first thing to do…” which is incredibly clear and easy to understand. The reader could not possibly be confused by what I’m saying. Again, my topic sentence presents a broad idea and is followed by another sentence that defines it more clearly. This is followed by a sentence that uses referencing effectively to convey a hypothetical scenario to make my suggestion clear to the reader. I say “This would allow them…” Many people forget that the use of words like “this” and “them” is essential for a good Coherence and Cohesion score.  

Finally, I would ask you to look at my essay and tell me how many cohesive devices I’ve used. How many sentences begin with those classic IELTS phrases “On the one hand… on the other hand… for example…” and so on? I would argue that “Thankfully,” “In addition,” and “In conclusion” are the only ones I’ve used. That’s because an essay that intuitively guides its reader by using subtle and intelligent cues will not need many cohesive devices . In fact, it clearly says in the band descriptors that over-using them would cause your score for this section to be around 6 or at most 7.

If you want to understand Coherence and Cohesion fully, then check out the video I made a few weeks ago. It goes into a lot of detail and will help you to understand what is probably the most difficult part of the band descriptors.

Lexical Resource

Whilst Coherence and Cohesion is probably the most difficult part of the band descriptors, Lexical Resource is surely the most misunderstood. That’s because IELTS teachers all around the world are busy telling their students to “use advanced vocabulary.” It is, quite frankly, an idiotic approach and these people are responsible for countless disappointing exam results.

What you need to think of when it comes to IELTS writing is using language in an accurate way and using vocabulary that is topic-specific. Sticking a so-called “advanced” word into your essay should not even cross your mind.

I think most of the people reading this article could look at my essay and understand all of the words I have used. That is because there are no words here that I’ve plucked at random from the middle of a dictionary. However, all of my words are used correctly and that is by far the most important thing. There are also some words that are specific to the topics of education and employment, which is also helpful.

If we look at paragraph three again, we can see some examples of this. The phrase “higher education” is used rather than repeating “university” over and over. “Alternative routes” is used to suggest a different way of going into employment. Importantly, this is a natural phrase that a native speaker would know rather than an awkward expression that has been cobbled together from words we would not intuitively use. The phrase “vocational training program” is excellent because this is a really topic-specific phrase. It falls into the category of “uncommon vocabulary” but you will note that it is not some insanely obscure phrase. This is the sort of language that you should aim for: accurate and relevant. Beyond that we have “workforce” and “theoretical knowledge.”

Importantly, my words are collocated correctly. That means they go together in natural ways. When I say “look for employment after graduation,” it might seem easy to you… You might be surprised this is in a band 9 essay… but a lot of IELTS candidates would write “seek for employment” or misuse the noun “job-seeker” by forcing it into a verb form.

I cannot stress enough the importance of accuracy here. If you want to learn more about Lexical Resource (and I think everyone should), then check out my video on it. This is a deep dive into a profoundly misunderstood subject.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

Whilst the first three marking criteria have mildly confusing names, Grammatical Range and Accuracy is really very obvious. It is about both range and accuracy.

This means that your essay should use grammar in a correct way (that’s accuracy) but also use different structures (that’s range). You don’t have to go completely over the top and use every single verb tense, clause, and sentence type that your English teacher ever taught you, but it’s best not to sound repetitive.

Going back to paragraph two, we saw a breakdown of the sentences that I used to explain the causes of graduate unemployment. What do you notice about these 5 sentences? It is not obvious when they are written properly in an essay, but when formatted like this, we can see that they vary in length. This is something that good writers do without even thinking about it. Whilst it is not the most important part of an essay, it does affect the reader’s appreciation of it and can impact meaning. Note that the shortest sentence here functions to present a simple point after a very long sentence filled with detail. This is almost like a mid-paragraph conclusion that forces the reader to pay attention.

If we look at the first three sentences, we can see a compound sentence (with the dependent clause first), then a complex sentence, and then a simple sentence. There is a compound-complex sentence at the end of paragraph two, meaning that all 4 sentence types have been included. This is not strictly necessary but it does help in terms of range. I have used relative clauses and switched between active and passive voice where necessary. I have used modals intelligently and all my subjects and verbs are in the correct form. Even my punctuation is right.

This might seem like a very difficult thing to achieve and indeed grammar is the hardest part of the writing test in my opinion. However, it is worth noting that the band descriptors explicitly state that you can make “rare minor errors” and still get band 9, so you can take some encouragement from that.

I really hope that this article has been useful for you. As I stated earlier, sample answers are not always particularly helpful and can sometimes even cause further problems for the people who try to use them. On my website, I have many sample answers that I have written and each of them comes with some description that explains why I have written the essay in that way. I think this is really important because otherwise there is not much you can really learn from them.

The important thing to take away from today’s lesson though is that, whilst getting a high score for IELTS is certainly not easy, there really is no secret to it. For Task Achievement, you just have to provide a fully developed answer. For Coherence and Cohesion, you have to organise and link your ideas logically. For Lexical Resource and Grammatical Range and Accuracy, you have to make sure that your words are used correctly and that you don’t repeat yourself too much. That’s pretty much the core of it, and anyone who’s teaching tricks and tips is just misleading you.

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 Task 2 Environment Band 9 Essay: Samples & Tips

• Updated On December 14, 2023
• Published In IELTS Preparation 💻

Non-native speakers looking to work, migrate or study in an English-speaking country need to appear for IELTS to establish their English proficiency. This exam is accepted by more than 11,000 institutions worldwide. 

Table of Contents

One of the most common queries that aspirants have is- How to score a band 9 in IELTS writing task 2? Apart from this, several candidates are confused about its level of difficulty. The following sections will attempt to answer this question. It is a detailed overview of all sections of the environment essay IELTS band 9 and how to tackle it expertly. In addition, we have added a section on vocabulary for writing task 2. 

What is IELTS Writing Task 2? 

Most students find scoring in IELTS writing task 2 to be challenging due to the time constraint. In this task, students are expected to write an essay of 250 words in 40 minutes. They must present a clear response to a statement given and address all parts of the task. However, candidates must also present different points of view and justify their opinion.  They must summarise all the necessary details and identify solutions to the problem to attain a high band score. Moreover, students must prepare very well for this section as it accounts for 66% of one’s score.  Furthermore, they will be marked on four criteria: 

• Lexical Resource – This assesses one’s ability to use a wide range of vocabulary and paraphrase the information. Here, the candidate is expected not to use repetitive words or phrases. 
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy – This assesses the range of grammar one uses. These include the usage of compound and simple sentences and punctuation. 
• Coherence and Cohesion – This criterion tests the students’ ability to present their ideas logically. Transition, usage of cohesive devices, formation of paragraphs all are taken into consideration. 
• Task Response – This assesses one’s ability to answer the question correctly. Here, candidates must present hisher opinions and substantiate them with examples. 

How to Approach Writing Task 2? 

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There are primarily five types of essay in IELTS writing task 2: 

• Opinion 
• Advantage and Disadvantage 
• Problem, Cause and Solution 
• Discussion 
• Double Question 

The key to nailing IELTS writing task 2 band environment 9 is following a systematic process. First and foremost, students’ need to understand the type of question asked and if it is from the list mentioned above. After that, they need to identify the keywords in the question and follow the instructions diligently.  Secondly, students can write in bullet points and elaborate these in the answer sheet. This is a part of structuring the answer and can help in time management.  Thirdly, they must structure the essay into paragraphs. One must begin with an introduction that states the opinion, followed by a topic and supporting sentences in two or three paragraphs. Lastly, they must summarise the points stated in the body paragraphs.  Remember that the introduction and title must be linked as it shows the flow of ideas. This is a part of the task achievement criteria. Furthermore, students can also make use of linking devices to connect the introduction and title. For example, they can begin with ‘The main cause of this’ or ‘The main factor is’.  Last but not the least, one must utilise a wide range of clauses. Some of them are underlined below: 

• In contrast 
• Additional information 
• Consequence 
• Cause 
• Effect 
• Purpose 

Students must also keep questioning themselves like,

• ‘What points should I include in the topic sentences?’
• ‘What examples go with the fact that I already mentioned?’ 
• ‘What do I mean by this statement?

Vocabulary for Writing Task 2 

Candidates must use a wide range of vocabulary as this accounts for 25% of the overall band score. Usage of cohesive devices is equally important. However, they must not be overused as that can hamper the overall band score.  One can begin by stating their point of view in the introduction to respond to the question in IELTS writing task 2 band environment 9. They can start by: 

• It may seem that 
• The essay will show that 
• The essay will argue that 
• To examine this problem, the essay will highlight both this and that 
• First, this essay will state this and secondly, it will talk about that 
• It appears that 

One can use these transition words while writing the topic sentence: 

• For example 
• For instance 
• However 
• Conversely 
• In addition 

In the primary paragraph for IELTS writing task 2 environment vocabulary, candidates can use: 

• I strongly opine that 
• I strongly disagree with the given topic 
• I think 
• My opinion is 
• In my view 

For the second paragraph in writing task 2 essay, one can focus on phrases such as: 

• Some people think that 
• According to many 
• Some people believe that 
• On that one hand 
• Many are of the view that 

For the third and fourth paragraph, sticking to the below-mentioned phrases are beneficial: 

• Moreover 
• Furthermore 
• Consequently 
• Apart from that 
• Most people believe that 
• Last but not the least 
• What’s more 

However, just using these phrases is not all. Candidates must also make use of collocations. These are generally two or three words that are placed in a sentence together. For example, ‘To make the bed’, ‘To catch a cold’, To do homework, ‘To come on time’ sounds natural.  However, one cannot write ‘To do the bed’ as this sounds grammatically incorrect.  One can pair: 

• Adverb + Adjective 
• Adjective + Noun 
• Noun + Noun 
• Noun + Verb 
• Verb + Noun 

Moreover, to learn collocations, candidates can refer to ‘English Collocations in Use’.  It is instrumental and can help in widening the vocabulary.  Remember, redundancy must be avoided and hence can resort to using synonyms of the given words such as: 

• Advantages- benefits
• Disadvantages- drawbacks 
• Many- plenty, numerous, a large number of 
• Some people- several 
• Some people think that- some people argue that hold the view of the opinion believe 
• Children- Youngsters 
• Teenagers- Adolescents 
• Interesting- engaging entertaining 
• Increased- dramatically, surge, rise 
• Go to work- commute 

Sample Questions with Answers for Environment Topic 

The environment essay IELTS band 9 is one of the most common topics that come in IELTS . However, many students do not feel the need to prepare this as they find it as one of the most straightforward topics. Consequently, this approach results in losing marks. That is why we have underlined below samples and answers that students can refer to and practice before their exam. 

The best way to solve the world’s environmental problem is to increase the price of fuel.  To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words. 

Today, the Earth is facing a massive threat in the form of a climate crisis and it is believed by many that the most efficient way to tackle the world’s environmental issue is by augmenting fuel prices. Conservationists would deem this method to be effective and I agree with this notion; however, up to an extent, as it heavily impacts the livelihood of the poor people. On the one hand, it is a potent solution to increase the rate of crude commodities like oil since that would force people to try alternative methods of transportation and in turn reduce their carbon emissions. Fostering the habit of cycling and carpooling for instance could be the go-to method. The Netherlands is one such country to have adopted the systemic approach by inflating the fuel prices thereafter urging the nation to take up cycling and subsequently becoming a greener nation. Additionally, it would also discourage people from purchasing automobiles that run on petrol or diesel and encourage them to switch to electric vehicles.  On the other hand, the obvious reason why a hike in fuel rates would not be a better solution for humanity is that it could worsen poverty. People with meagre incomes and daily wage earners would have a hard time saving their salary for their basic needs if their travelling expenses increase. Besides, the fuel price determines the market prices of other essential commodities, and increasing the price can affect poor and middle class families. If this practice were to take place in India, for instance, there would be a spike in the number of families struggling to afford food and household essentials.  In conclusion, increasing the price of petrol can certainly help reduce environmental pollution to some degree ; however, I feel that educating people about the ill effects of the overuse of natural resources and encouraging them to use alternative methods would be a better solution in handling this issue as it will not further deteriorate the life of the poor.

Tips to Write Writing Task 2 

Discussed below are some tips to help improve your IELTS scores: 

Analyse the question carefully 

First and foremost, students must understand the question that is being asked. One must differentiate between the different types of essays. 

Practice brainstorming 

The examiner will be grading based on vocabulary and the ability to organise their ideas. To do this, one must brainstorm and develop ideas in a short time. Therefore, it is always best to write down the keywords associated with the concept and explain those with examples. 

Style the essay 

It is important to follow the academic word list and implement them in the essay. In addition, candidates must use linking devices as mentioned above. 

Prepare a study plan 

Students must strategise an effective study plan that caters to their requirements and needs. Following this plan will help them crack the IELTS exam.  

Practice 

The key to success in IELTS is practice, practice and practice. Candidates can download sources from the internet and look at sample questions. This will polish their English language skills. 

The writing task is one of the most challenging areas of the IELTS exam. However, this comprehensive guide on IELTS writing task 2 band environment 9 will allow candidates to prepare for the said question easily and more efficiently. Students aspiring to pursue a foreign degree abroad can now finance their dreams with ease due to Leap Scholar. It provides financial assistance in the form of education loans with simple and flexible terms to help students fulfil their dream of studying abroad. 

1. Is 7.5 a good score in IELTS?

Ans: Yes, 7.5 is a desirable score in IELTS. It indicates that the candidate has a good command over the English language.

2. By when can I get my result? 

Ans: It depends on the type of IELTS taken. If it is computer-based, you will get the result in 3 to 5 days. If you have opted for pen and paper mode, the result will be available after 13 days from taking the exam. 

3. Who owns IELTS? 

Ans: The British Council, Cambridge Assessment English and IDP: IELTS  Australia  jointly own the test.

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IELTS Task 2 Essay Structure: How to Write a Band 9 IELTS Essay

Struggling with the IELTS essay section? Can't figure out how to lay down your thoughts into an organized masterpiece? Trust us, you're not alone, and you've just clicked your way to a solution! Today, we're not just skimming the surface; we're diving deep, real deep, into the step-by-step blueprint for crafting that elusive Band 9 IELTS essay. 🌟

You're probably thinking, "Another guide? Really?" But hold on—what sets this post apart is its practical, hands-on approach. No fluff, just actionable insights that you can apply right away. And guess what? These insights are fortified by the treasure trove of tips found in our comprehensive eBooks . If you haven't got your hands on them yet, it's about time! These eBooks are like your IELTS Swiss Army knife, covering everything from crafting compelling introductions to summing up your arguments with finesse. Trust us; you won't want to walk into the exam room without this knowledge arsenal at your disposal.

So, fasten your seatbelts and keep your notebooks ready, because we're about to take your IELTS writing skills from "Meh" to "Wow!" Shall we get started? 🚀

Key Elements of an IELTS Essay

Navigating the complex structure of an IELTS essay can feel like a daunting task. But fret not, as we're here to demystify each critical element that contributes to crafting a compelling essay that even impresses seasoned IELTS examiners. So, let’s roll up our sleeves and get down to business.

The Thesis Statement: Your Guiding Light

Picture the thesis statement as your GPS coordinates for a successful essay—it tells the reader exactly where you're headed. Nestled within the closing lines of your introduction, a robust thesis statement can help keep your essay focused. For example, if you've ever wondered how to distill your entire argument into one or two sentences, you'll find actionable strategies in our in-depth eBooks to help you craft a spot-on thesis.

Topic Sentences: Steering Your Paragraphs

Imagine going on a road trip without a map; you're bound to get lost. Similarly, topic sentences serve as navigational guides for each paragraph. They set the stage for what you're about to discuss, helping your reader—and, more importantly, the examiner—follow your logic with ease. If you find that your topic sentences often lack clarity or focus, the feedback you receive from our IELTS Essay Correction Service can be an eye-opener. Our experienced examiners guide you on how to refine your topic sentences for maximum coherence and impact.

Supporting Ideas: The Muscle Behind Your Argument

Topic sentences alone won't win the day; you need solid supporting ideas to back them up. Whether you're citing statistical data, recounting personal experiences, or offering logical explanations, varied and robust support strengthens your essay considerably. If you've used our Essay Correction Service , you'll notice that examiners often highlight the strength or weakness of your supporting details, giving you a crystal-clear idea of what to retain and what to improve upon.

Crafting a Smart Conclusion

Finishing strong is as vital as starting strong. A well-crafted conclusion does more than just recap your essay; it offers a fresh perspective on your thesis statement. It serves as the final imprint you'll leave on the examiner, so make it count. If you're struggling with this, our eBooks   delve deep into techniques for formulating conclusions that resonate.

By understanding and applying these key elements, you not only improve your essay but also significantly boost your chances of achieving that elusive Band 9. So, the next time you find yourself staring at a blank screen, remember these guidelines and the valuable insights you can gain from our eBooks   and Essay Correction Service .

IELTS Task 2 Essay Structure: A Step-by-Step Guide

Embarking on your IELTS essay journey can sometimes feel like navigating a labyrinth. But fret not, for we’re here to break down the process into simple, actionable steps. We'll also employ a sample question from a past IELTS exam to give you an illustrative roadmap for your own essays.

Step 1: Analyse the Question

The first step in writing a compelling IELTS essay is understanding the question like the back of your hand.

Why is this so important?

A misinterpretation could lead you down a path that results in a poorly focused essay. The sample question in our example asks,

"Do governments spend too much money on projects to protect wildlife? Is it a waste of resources?"

This question requires you to evaluate governmental spending on wildlife projects and decide if it constitutes a waste of resources. This isn't just a yes-or-no question; it calls for a nuanced discussion that covers multiple angles of government spending and wildlife conservation.

Our eBooks   delve into the complexities of question analysis, offering strategic insights on identifying keywords and understanding the context—essential skills that can elevate the quality of your essay.

Step 2: Create a Perfect Outline

After decoding the question, you'll need to draft a solid outline, which acts as the skeleton of your essay.

How detailed should the outline be?

Your outline should specify what each paragraph will discuss and list the points you plan to cover. Having an outline ensures that your essay remains focused and coherent, preventing you from wandering off-topic. And if outlining is a challenge for you, don't worry. Our eBooks   and Essay Correction Service provide tailored guidance to help you organize your thoughts effectively, pinpointing areas where you can improve your structuring skills.

Step 3: Write an Effective Introduction

The introduction is your first opportunity to make a strong impression. Think of it as rolling out the red carpet for your reader or, in this case, the IELTS examiner. A well-crafted introduction sets the tone for the entire essay, so it's crucial to get it right.

Paraphrase the Question

The first thing you should do is paraphrase the original question. This serves a dual purpose: it demonstrates your language proficiency and ensures that you are focused on the topic at hand. A well-paraphrased question shows that you comprehend the nuances and intricacies of the subject.

For example, the original question might be: "Do governments spend too much money on projects to protect wildlife? Is it a waste of resources?"

A paraphrased version could be: "Is the financial investment by governments in wildlife conservation initiatives justified, or does it squander valuable resources?"

State Your Stance - Give a Preview

After paraphrasing, you'll need to assert your stance on the topic. This not only establishes the direction of your essay but also piques the examiner's interest. It's a sneak preview of the argument you're about to unfold. In our ongoing example, you could clearly indicate your position by saying, "Far from being a waste, investing in wildlife preservation projects is an essential and responsible use of governmental resources."

When you craft your introduction this way, you’re not only laying out a roadmap for your essay but also giving the examiner a glimpse into your analytical and language skills. And remember, if constructing an impactful introduction feels overwhelming, our Essay Correction Service can provide tailored feedback to help you improve this crucial segment. We offer detailed commentary on how effectively you've introduced your topic and stated your stance, complete with actionable tips for enhancement.

This approach ensures that you're well-prepared for the subsequent body paragraphs and conclusion, supported by insights you can gain from our eBooks   .

Step 4: Construct the Convincing Body Paragraphs

The body of the essay is where you bring your arguments to life. It's not just about stating facts; it’s about weaving a compelling narrative backed by evidence.

Why is the body so vital?

Well, imagine the body as the engine room of your essay. If it doesn't function well, the entire essay suffers. You should aim for at least two to three body paragraphs, each guided by a topic sentence that supports your thesis statement.

Say, for example, you want to argue that spending money on wildlife preservation isn’t a waste of resources. You might want to include real-life instances where governmental investment has made a significant impact on wildlife conservation. By consistently using the same example, you not only make your essay more cohesive but also offer tangible proof to back your argument.

Here, our Essay Correction Service becomes indispensable. It can provide real-time, personalized insights into your strengths and weaknesses, ensuring your body paragraphs are as strong as they can be. You'll receive feedback about your logical flow, use of examples, and even your grammatical structures.

Step 5: Wrap It Up with a Strong Conclusion

The conclusion is not merely a summary; it's your final chance to impress the reader.

What should a strong conclusion contain?

Begin by reiterating your thesis statement, but don’t just copy and paste—show that you've come a full circle in your argument. Next, summarize the key points you’ve discussed in the body paragraphs. Finally, if possible, include a thought-provoking statement or a call to action to leave a lasting impression on the examiner.

For example, you could conclude by saying, "In light of the successful wildlife preservation initiatives funded by governments, it’s evident that such investments are not just a necessary expenditure but a long-term investment for a sustainable future."

Through our Essay Correction Service , you can get targeted feedback on your conclusion, making sure it’s the cherry on top of a compelling essay. The service emphasizes the elements that can turn a good conclusion into a great one, helping you to maximize your IELTS essay score.

So there you have it! A comprehensive, step-by-step guide to constructing a Band 9 IELTS essay. Armed with this knowledge and the resources from our invaluable eBooks   and Essay Correction Service , you're more than ready to tackle any IELTS essay question that comes your way.

Practical Tips and Strategies: Elevate Your IELTS Writing Skills

When it comes to mastering the art of IELTS essay writing, it's not just about what you write; it's also about how you write it. Let's delve into some crucial strategies and tips, supported by unique resources like our IELTS Essay Correction Service and eBooks   , that can elevate your IELTS essay to Band 9 quality.

Get a Band 7 and above in IELTS Writing

Writing a top-notch IELTS essay is a challenging endeavor that requires attention to detail, a sound understanding of the English language, and the ability to construct compelling arguments. This is where our Essay Correction Service comes in handy. Unlike generic feedback you might find online, this service is tailored to your unique needs. Real examiners will review your essay and provide comprehensive feedback. They'll point out your errors, explain why they are mistakes, and offer corrective measures. Plus, you'll receive a Band 9 sample response for direct comparison. Knowing exactly where you stand can significantly improve your confidence and performance.

Download the Exclusive eBooks Written by Examiners

You've heard it before, "practice makes perfect," but informed practice can make you exceptional! Our eBooks   provide you with actionable tips, comprehensive strategies, and in-depth analyses to help you nail every section of the IELTS exam. Whether you're struggling with introductions, conclusions, or anything in-between, our eBooks   serve as your handy guide through the labyrinthine world of IELTS essay writing.

A Band 9 IELTS Essay Structure: Summary

To further elucidate these strategies, let's consider how they would come together in an example of a Band 9 IELTS essay:

Introduction: Make sure to paraphrase the question and clearly state your viewpoint. As our eBooks   often emphasize, the introduction sets the stage for your entire essay.

Body Paragraphs: Utilize topic sentences to indicate what each paragraph is about. Support these with evidence or examples, ideally from credible sources. In our eBooks   , you can find detailed suggestions on structuring these paragraphs effectively.

Conclusion: Sum up your arguments and restate your thesis. The eBooks   often stress that your conclusion should not be a mere repetition, but a recapitulation in a new light.

Don't Just Dream About That Band 9 Score, Make It Happen!

With these tips and strategies, paired with resources like our Essay Correction Service and eBooks   , you're not just preparing for the IELTS exam; you're practically ensuring your success. So, why are you waiting? Start practicing now and secure that coveted Band 9 score!

Feel free to share this article with anyone who might find it useful, and if you have questions or need further clarification, don't hesitate to drop us a comment. Wishing you all the best in your IELTS preparation and beyond. Happy studying!

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IELTS Band 9 essay, topic: Many people nowadays travel abroad for their university education (discuss)

• IELTS Essays - Band 9

This is a model response to a Writing Task 2 topic from High Scorer’s Choice IELTS Practice Tests book series (reprinted with permission). This answer is likely to score IELTS Band 9.

Set 1 General Training book, Practice Test 5

Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Many people nowadays travel abroad for their university education.

Why do people do this? Would you consider doing this yourself and why?

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

You should write at least 250 words.

In recent years it has become normal for high school graduates to travel abroad for their university education. There are numerous positive aspects to studying in a foreign country, such as the discovery of new cultures, the possibility of learning more about oneself and the chance of learning a new language.

By travelling to a foreign country, it is certain that one will be confronted with foreign customs and traditions. Experiencing and understanding these customs and their origins provides students with an interesting chance to develop a more open-minded attitude towards others. Additionally, it is also extremely stimulating to learn more about the reasons behind certain traditions and practices.

A prime reason for students studying abroad is the prospect of finding oneself and growing as an individual. When living in a foreign country, students have to become increasingly independent and they are confronted with their strengths and weaknesses. Typically students develop increased self-esteem and also acquire or improve upon their skills of housekeeping and cooking, which are important for living independently later on in life.

When living in a foreign country students are exposed to a new language and in most cases attempt to learn it. If they already possess some knowledge about the language, they have the possibility of advancing and improving upon these skills with the native population. The ability to speak multiple languages offers students a higher chance of being successful on the international job market, which makes studying abroad an attractive choice.

Personally, I would like to study abroad in either Scotland or France, because I would like to experience the life and customs in these countries. Additionally, I would like to become more fluent in French, as I believe this will be beneficial for me later in life.

In conclusion, studying abroad offers the possibility for students to grow and develop as individuals and to acquire valuable skills that will be useful in adult life.

Go here for more IELTS Band 9 Essays

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Band 9 Guide: IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay Types and Structures + Sample Essays

In the IELTS Writing Task 2, you are required to craft a compelling essay on a given topic. The approach and structure will largely depend on the question type presented. This guide offers a detailed look into the various question types, their structures, and strategies to tackle them effectively.

Here are the essay types that we will cover:

• Opinion Questions (Agree or Disagree)
• Advantages and Disadvantages Questions
• Discussion (Discuss Both Views) Questions
• Problem and Solution Questions
• Two-Part Questions
• Mixed Type (Advantages and Disadvantages + Opinion)
• Double Question
• Causes (Reasons) and Effects

At the end, we will provide you with some supplementary tips that you can use to improve your writing band score in the IELTS exam.

1. Opinion Questions (Agree or Disagree)

This question type asks you to express your viewpoints on a given topic or statement.

Question Example:

Is digital technology in schools beneficial for students learning?

Essay Structure:

• Introduction : Paraphrase the Question and state your opinion, outlining the main ideas.
• Main Body Paragraph 1 : Begin with a topic sentence, explain this topic sentence, and provide an example.
• Main Body Paragraph 2 : Follow the same format as the previous paragraph.
• Conclusion : Recap the main points and reiterate your opinion.

Sample Essay:

Introduction: Digital technology has become an integral part of modern education, transforming the way students learn and interact with the world. In this essay, I will outline why I believe that incorporating digital technology in schools is highly beneficial for students learning.

Main Body Paragraph 1: First and foremost, digital technology enhances engagement and active participation in the learning process. Interactive learning platforms, virtual simulations, and multimedia resources make lessons more captivating and encourage students to explore concepts in depth. For instance, online platforms like Khan Academy offer interactive math lessons that adapt to individual learning paces, ensuring a personalized and effective learning experience. This level of engagement fosters a deeper understanding of subjects.

Main Body Paragraph 2: Furthermore, digital technology equips students with practical skills relevant to the digital age. In today’s interconnected world, proficiency in using digital tools and navigating online resources is essential for success. Integrating technology into education not only prepares students for the future job market but also empowers them to be critical thinkers and problem solvers. For instance, coding workshops in schools enable students to develop computational thinking, a skill applicable in a wide range of disciplines.

Conclusion: In conclusion, the integration of digital technology into schools brings numerous advantages to students’ learning experiences. It enhances engagement, promotes practical skills, and cultivates a mindset of adaptability and innovation. While some may argue that excessive screen time can be detrimental, judicious use of technology can mitigate these concerns. By embracing digital technology, schools can provide a holistic and dynamic education that prepares students for the challenges of the modern world.

Advanced Tips:

• Be clear in your stance and acknowledge counterarguments if necessary.
• Employ persuasive tools like strong adjectives, rhetorical questions, and emphatic structures to bolster your arguments.

2. Advantages and Disadvantages Questions

You need to evaluate both the benefits and drawbacks of a particular topic or situation.

What are the pros and cons of remote work for professionals?

• Introduction : Paraphrase the Question and outline the main points.
• Main Body Paragraph 1 : Discuss two advantages, expand on each, and provide an example.
• Main Body Paragraph 2 : Detail two disadvantages, delve deeper into each, and give an example.
• Conclusion : Summarize the main pros and cons discussed.

Introduction: The advent of technology has revolutionized the way professionals work, giving rise to the concept of remote work. In this essay, I will discuss both the advantages and disadvantages of remote work for professionals.

Main Body Paragraph 1: Remote work offers several compelling advantages for professionals. Firstly, it provides a flexible work environment that allows individuals to balance their personal and professional lives effectively. This flexibility can lead to increased job satisfaction and improved overall well-being. Moreover, remote work eliminates the need for daily commutes, saving valuable time and reducing stress. According to a study conducted by Global Workplace Analytics, remote workers report higher levels of productivity due to reduced distractions commonly found in traditional office settings.

Main Body Paragraph 2: However, remote work also presents certain challenges. One notable disadvantage is the potential for isolation and reduced collaboration. In a traditional office environment, spontaneous interactions and face-to-face discussions foster creativity and teamwork. Remote work can lead to feelings of loneliness and hinder effective communication, which is crucial for innovative solutions to complex problems. Additionally, remote work requires a high level of self-discipline, as the absence of direct supervision may lead to procrastination and decreased accountability.

Conclusion: In conclusion, remote work offers professionals a range of benefits such as flexibility and time savings. However, it is not without its drawbacks, including potential isolation and reduced collaboration. To maximize the advantages of remote work while mitigating its disadvantages, professionals must cultivate effective communication skills, establish a dedicated workspace, and maintain a disciplined work routine. Ultimately, the success of remote work hinges on the ability to strike a balance between the convenience it offers and the challenges it poses.

• Use transitional phrases to ensure smooth transitions between points.
• Avoid mere antonyms when presenting pros and cons.

3. Discussion (Discuss Both Views) Questions

These questions require you to explore multiple perspectives on a topic.

Should governments prioritize economic growth over environmental conservation?

• Introduction : Paraphrase the Question and provide a thesis statement.
• Main Body Paragraph 1 : Detail one viewpoint, give reasons for/against it and provide an example.
• Main Body Paragraph 2 : State the opposing viewpoint, discuss it, and again offer an example.
• Conclusion : Sum up the discussion and state your preferred perspective.

Introduction: The delicate balance between economic growth and environmental conservation has become a critical concern in contemporary societies. In this essay, I will delve into both perspectives on whether governments should prioritize economic growth or environmental conservation.

Main Body Paragraph 1: From an economic standpoint, prioritizing growth can lead to numerous benefits. Economic expansion creates job opportunities, boosts national income, and improves living standards for citizens. For instance, countries like China and India have experienced significant economic growth that has lifted millions out of poverty. This growth can fund essential services such as healthcare and education, contributing to overall societal development.

Main Body Paragraph 2: On the other hand, environmental conservation holds paramount importance for the future well-being of our planet. Ecological degradation and resource depletion have dire consequences for ecosystems and humanity alike. Focusing on environmental conservation ensures the preservation of biodiversity, clean air, and freshwater sources. For instance, countries like Sweden have successfully implemented green policies, resulting in cleaner air and sustainable use of natural resources.

Conclusion: In conclusion, the debate over whether governments should prioritize economic growth or environmental conservation is complex and multifaceted. While economic growth brings prosperity and improved living standards, neglecting environmental concerns could lead to irreversible damage to our planet. Striking a balance between these two perspectives is crucial. Governments can implement policies that promote sustainable economic growth while also ensuring responsible resource management and environmental protection. Only through careful consideration and informed decision-making can societies navigate the intricate interplay between economic progress and environmental stewardship.

• Ensure you give equal weight to both viewpoints.
• Your conclusion should reflect a balanced understanding of the topic.

Read Also : Cohesive Devices for Band 9 in IELTS Writing: The ultimate guide

4. Problem and Solution Questions

This question type asks you to identify problems related to a situation and suggest solutions.

What challenges does urbanization present and how can cities adapt?

• Introduction : Paraphrase the Question and outline the main ideas.
• Main Body Paragraph 1 : Identify the problems, discuss them, and offer examples.
• Main Body Paragraph 2 : Suggest possible solutions, discuss their feasibility, and provide examples.
• Conclusion : Recap the highlighted problems and proposed solutions.

Introduction: The rapid pace of urbanization has transformed the world’s landscape, bringing with it a host of challenges that demand urgent attention. In this essay, I will explore the problems posed by urbanization and propose viable solutions to address these challenges.

Main Body Paragraph 1: Urbanization has given rise to a range of pressing issues. One significant challenge is the strain on urban infrastructure, including transportation and housing. As rural populations migrate to cities, the demand for housing outpaces supply, leading to slums and inadequate living conditions. Additionally, traffic congestion and limited public transport options undermine efficient mobility. Pollution is another critical concern as increased industrial activity and vehicular emissions degrade air quality, endangering residents’ health.

Main Body Paragraph 2: To counter these challenges, cities can adopt proactive measures. Firstly, urban planning should prioritize affordable housing initiatives and sustainable infrastructure development. By building smart cities that utilize technology to manage resources efficiently, governments can alleviate congestion and enhance the quality of life. Moreover, investing in efficient public transportation systems, such as metro networks and buses, can reduce traffic congestion and pollution. For instance, the Bus Rapid Transit system in Curitiba, Brazil, has improved transportation efficiency and reduced congestion.

Conclusion: In conclusion, the challenges posed by urbanization require multifaceted solutions that span urban planning, infrastructure development, and sustainable policies. By addressing housing shortages, improving transportation, and promoting environmentally conscious practices, cities can harness the potential of urbanization while mitigating its negative consequences. This approach will not only enhance the quality of life for urban residents but also contribute to the overall well-being of society in the face of an increasingly urbanized world.

• Be specific in identifying problems and avoid vagueness.
• Solutions should be practical and actionable.

5. Two-Part Questions

You are presented with a statement followed by two distinct queries that must be addressed.

How has digital technology impacted workplaces and what future advancements can be anticipated?

• Introduction : Paraphrase the statement and outline both questions.
• Main Body Paragraph 1 : Address the first question with explanations and examples.
• Main Body Paragraph 2 : Respond to the second question, again with explanations and examples.
• Conclusion : Summarize the responses to both questions.

Introduction: The integration of digital technology into workplaces has reshaped the dynamics of modern work environments, bringing forth both immediate changes and future possibilities. In this essay, I will delve into the ways digital technology has already transformed workplaces and discuss potential advancements that can be anticipated.

Main Body Paragraph 1: The impact of digital technology on workplaces has been profound. Firstly, it has streamlined communication and collaboration, allowing teams to collaborate across geographical boundaries in real-time. Tools like video conferencing and cloud-based document sharing have revolutionized how projects are managed. Moreover, automation powered by artificial intelligence (AI) has improved efficiency by handling routine tasks, freeing up employees to focus on more complex, creative endeavors. This has been particularly evident in industries like manufacturing, where robots have taken over repetitive and dangerous tasks.

Main Body Paragraph 2: Looking ahead, digital technology is poised to bring even more transformative changes. The rise of remote work is likely to continue, with augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies offering immersive virtual workspaces that replicate physical office environments. Furthermore, AI-driven analytics will enable data-driven decision-making, enhancing business strategies and customer interactions. The concept of a “smart office” will likely emerge, with interconnected devices and IoT (Internet of Things) technology optimizing resource utilization and energy efficiency.

Conclusion: In conclusion, the impact of digital technology on workplaces has been substantial, revolutionizing communication, automating tasks, and increasing efficiency. As we move forward, advancements such as AR, VR, AI, and IoT hold the promise of further reshaping work environments. To stay competitive, companies must embrace these innovations while also addressing potential challenges like data security and workforce adaptation. By doing so, they can position themselves to thrive in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

• Maintain a clear division between your answers to both questions.
• Use predictive techniques when addressing future-related queries.

6. Mixed Type (Advantages and Disadvantages + Opinion)

Here, you should discuss the pros and cons of a topic, followed by expressing a personal opinion.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of online shopping and give your own opinion.

• Introduction : Introduce the topic.
• Advantages : 1-2 paragraphs detailing the benefits.
• Disadvantages : 1-2 paragraphs detailing the drawbacks.
• Opinion : State your viewpoint and provide supporting reasons.
• Conclusion : Summarize the main points.

Introduction: The proliferation of online shopping has transformed the way consumers engage in commerce, offering convenience and accessibility like never before. This essay will explore the benefits and drawbacks of online shopping, followed by my personal opinion on its overall impact.

Advantages: Online shopping presents several advantages. Firstly, it offers unparalleled convenience, allowing customers to browse and purchase products from the comfort of their homes. This eliminates the need to travel to physical stores, saving time and energy. Moreover, the variety of options available online ensures a wider selection of products, often at competitive prices. Online platforms also offer detailed product information, reviews, and comparison tools, empowering consumers to make informed decisions.

Disadvantages: However, online shopping is not without its disadvantages. One major concern is the inability to physically inspect products before purchase. This can lead to dissatisfaction if the received item doesn’t match expectations. Additionally, online transactions may pose risks to personal data security and privacy. Cases of identity theft and online scams are not uncommon, raising concerns about the safety of online purchases. Furthermore, the lack of face-to-face interaction eliminates the personal touch of traditional shopping experiences.

Opinion: In my opinion, the advantages of online shopping outweigh its drawbacks. The convenience, vast selection, and competitive prices make it a viable option for today’s busy consumers. The potential risks associated with online transactions can be mitigated by adopting secure payment methods and practicing caution when sharing personal information. As technology continues to advance, addressing security concerns will likely become more effective.

Conclusion: In conclusion, online shopping offers undeniable benefits in terms of convenience, variety, and accessibility. While challenges such as product inspection and security issues persist, they can be managed with prudent shopping practices. Embracing online shopping while remaining vigilant about its potential pitfalls can lead to a rewarding and efficient shopping experience.

• Balance your essay by giving equal importance to advantages, disadvantages, and your opinion.
• Use rhetorical questions to highlight the significance of your viewpoint.

Read Also : Common grammar mistakes to avoid in the IELTS writing section

7. Double Question

Two distinct questions are presented that must be answered within the essay.

Why do people attend colleges or universities? What are the benefits of higher education?

• Answer to Question 1 : Provide reasons and examples.
• Answer to Question 2 : Offer explanations and illustrations.
• Conclusion : Recap the main points made.

Introduction: The decision to pursue higher education is driven by a multitude of factors, each intertwined with the potential benefits that education beyond high school can offer. This essay will delve into the reasons individuals choose to attend colleges or universities and the advantages that higher education brings.

Answer to Question 1: People seek higher education for various reasons. Firstly, acquiring specialized knowledge and skills is a primary motivation. Colleges and universities offer structured curricula that equip students with expertise in their chosen fields. Furthermore, higher education provides opportunities for personal growth and self-discovery. The university environment encourages critical thinking, independent research, and exposure to diverse perspectives, fostering well-rounded individuals who are prepared for the challenges of the modern world.

Answer to Question 2: The benefits of higher education are manifold. Firstly, it significantly enhances career prospects. Graduates with degrees are often more competitive in the job market, commanding higher salaries and better employment opportunities. Additionally, higher education fosters networking and social connections that can open doors to professional opportunities. Moreover, education beyond high school cultivates critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which are invaluable assets in various aspects of life. For instance, an educated citizenry contributes to informed decision-making in society and drives innovation.

Conclusion: In conclusion, the decision to attend colleges or universities is driven by a desire for specialized knowledge, personal growth, and expanded opportunities. The benefits of higher education are far-reaching, including improved career prospects, enhanced critical thinking abilities, and societal contributions. As higher education continues to evolve and adapt to changing demands, its role in shaping individuals and society remains indispensable.

• Use connectors like “Firstly” and “Secondly” to distinguish between the two answers.
• Provide real-life examples to make your answers more credible.

8. Evaluation

You should assess the significance, relevance, or implications of a topic or statement.

How significant is the role of technology in education today?

• Significance/Relevance : Describe why the topic is essential.
• Counterarguments : Discuss opposing viewpoints or potential drawbacks.
• Conclusion : Summarize your evaluation.

Introduction: Technology’s pervasive presence in modern education has sparked debates about its significance and impact on learning. This essay will evaluate the role of technology in education today, examining its importance and potential drawbacks.

Significance/Relevance: The role of technology in education is undeniably significant. It has transformed traditional classrooms into dynamic learning environments, offering interactive tools and resources that engage students. Technology facilitates personalized learning experiences, catering to diverse learning styles and paces. For instance, adaptive learning platforms tailor content to individual students’ progress, optimizing comprehension and retention. Moreover, technology has transcended geographical barriers, enabling distance learning and online courses that make education accessible to a global audience.

Counterarguments: However, there are counterarguments to the unqualified significance of technology in education. Overreliance on technology may lead to reduced face-to-face interactions and diminished social skills. Additionally, some educators argue that technology can be a distraction, diverting students’ attention from essential learning objectives. Moreover, the digital divide, where not all students have equal access to technology, can exacerbate educational inequalities.

Conclusion: In conclusion, the role of technology in education is undoubtedly significant, enhancing engagement, personalization, and accessibility. However, it’s crucial to acknowledge potential drawbacks such as social skill erosion and disparities in access. Technology’s effectiveness in education depends on its thoughtful integration and its alignment with pedagogical goals. Striking a balance between harnessing technology’s benefits and mitigating its downsides is essential to maximize its positive impact on modern education.

• Maintain objectivity; avoid extreme positions unless strongly backed by evidence.
• Use qualifiers like “largely”, “often”, or “generally” to avoid making absolute statements.

9. Causes (Reasons) and Effects

This type demands an understanding of the root causes of a situation and its resultant effects.

What are the reasons for increasing obesity rates in children, and what are its consequences?

• Causes/Reasons : Elaborate on the underlying factors.
• Effects/Consequences : Detail the outcomes or repercussions.
• Conclusion : Recap the main causes and effects.

Introduction: The rising prevalence of childhood obesity has emerged as a critical public health concern in many societies. This essay will delve into the underlying causes of increasing obesity rates in children and explore the far-reaching consequences of this alarming trend.

Causes/Reasons: Several factors contribute to the growing obesity rates among children. Firstly, changes in dietary habits have led to increased consumption of processed foods high in sugars and unhealthy fats. Busy lifestyles and convenience-driven choices have shifted diets towards calorie-dense but nutritionally poor options. Sedentary behaviors, fueled by excessive screen time and a decline in physical activity, also play a pivotal role. Reduced outdoor play and an increasing reliance on electronic devices have led to a decline in daily physical activity levels. Furthermore, socioeconomic disparities can impact access to healthy food options and safe play spaces, exacerbating the issue.

Effects/Consequences: The consequences of childhood obesity are multifaceted and far-reaching. In the short term, overweight children often face social and psychological challenges, including low self-esteem and bullying. Moreover, childhood obesity sets the stage for lifelong health problems. Obese children are at a higher risk of developing chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and musculoskeletal issues. The economic burden on healthcare systems is substantial, as treating obesity-related illnesses places a strain on resources.

Conclusion: In conclusion, the rising prevalence of childhood obesity can be attributed to a complex interplay of factors, including dietary changes, sedentary lifestyles, and socioeconomic disparities. The consequences of childhood obesity extend beyond physical health, impacting mental well-being and straining healthcare systems. Addressing this issue requires a comprehensive approach involving education, policy changes, and community initiatives that promote healthy diets and active lifestyles from an early age.

• Use cause-effect connectors like “due to”, “because of”, “as a result”, and “hence”.
• Illustrate causes and effects with recent studies or statistical data where possible.

Read Also : How to use Complex Sentences in IELTS writing?

Supplementary Skills and Tips

Advanced Writing Techniques :

• Use cohesive devices like ‘however’, ‘moreover’, and ‘therefore’ to ensure fluidity.
• Vary sentence lengths for rhythm and engagement.
• Incorporate credible statistics where appropriate.

Pitfalls to Avoid :

• Stay away from broad generalizations and sweeping statements.
• Use varied vocabulary to prevent monotony.
• Always revise your essay before submission.

Enhancing Vocabulary :

• Improve your vocabulary to make your essay more engaging. For instance, instead of “good”, use words like “beneficial” or “advantageous”.

The Importance of Practice and Feedback :

• Regular practice, coupled with feedback, is key. Take online IELTS mock tests with detailed feedback from certified examiners to improve your writing skills.

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Which essays can you trust?

You will see many model essays online.

Some claim to be band 8 or band 9 but are not.

These may not be written by native speakers.

They are likely not written by IELTS experts.

For these higher-quality essays, students usually need to pay a fee.

Some essays can be harmful

You must also watch out for essays written by native speakers.

These won’t always be reasonable for what you can write on test day.

They can cause students to become discouraged.

When we share model essays, we are using the strategies and templates we teach in 3 Keys IELTS .

This makes these model essays a good example of what you could write on your exam.

Strategies Created By a Former Examiner

100% Score Increase Guarantee with our Insider Method Are you ready to move past IELTS and move forward with your life vision? Find out why our strategies are the most powerful in the IELTS world. When you use our Insider Method you avoid the BIGGEST MISTAKES that most students make on IELTS.

Task 2 essay question

Today’s example is for a question in the Cambridge 7 book, Test 1 for Writing Task 2.

It is generally believed that some people are born with certain talents, for instance for sport or music, and others are not. However, it is sometimes claimed that any child can be taught to become a good sports person or musician. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Task 2 strategies

In our online IELTS course you learn many strategies for tackling a topic like this.

There are many different types of Task 2 essays .

You need to be able to read a topic and immediately know which type of essay to write .

Because this essay requires you to ‘discuss both views,’ you must write what we call an Argument essay.

Argument essay structure

The structure of an Argument essay is as follows:

• An introduction
• A body paragraph sharing the side of the issue you disagree with
• A body paragraph sharing the side you agree with
• A conclusion

For different questions, the body paragraphs will be different.

Model Task 2 essay

The  issue of nature versus nurture has hounded humanity for eons. Some are of the opinion that musical and athletic talents are in the genes, while others hold the view that any child can learn these abilities, regardless of their bloodlines. In this essay, I will explore both sides  as well as offer my own opinion .

As to those who feel that any child can become a star sportsman or famous musician through training, there is one main justification. The idiom  practice makes perfect  exists for a reason. Take the Taiwanese sensation Jolin Tsai, for example. At the beginning of her career, she was utterly unable to sing or dance at any level that could be seen as exemplary. However, after years of  training every day with voice coaches and choreographers, she become one of the hottest pop stars not only in Taiwan, but throughout the whole continent of Asia.

Nevertheless, I believe that it is nigh impossible to excel in sports or music without natural ability. The reason for my view being that nearly every  gold medal Olympian  and best-selling artist exhibited raw talent  from an early age. Granted, they could not have reached their levels of success without practice and training; however, it cannot be denied that talent existed first. As evidence, every student of human anatomy knows about fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscles. Without being born with a significant amount of the former, winning any 100 meter dash races would be literally impossible.

In sum, I believe  in the value of hard work, but I also am realistic about the fact that not just anybody can make millions as a musician or sportsman. I hope that, in the future, every child is allowed to nurture their own natural talents, whatever those may be.

One of the best ways to grow your writing skills is by reading  high-scoring IELTS model essays.

Today’s model essay shows you the structure of an Argument essay.

In the podcast episode, Jessica and Aubrey go over each paragraph.

They provide detailed insight into what makes this essay band 9.

For model essays for every type of essay and all the templates you need, sign up for 3 Keys IELTS .

You’ll learn every strategy you need to get your score on test day.

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IELTS Energy 1114: Do IELTS Sample Essays Help Your Score?

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Advanced Vocabulary for IELTS Writing Task 2: Achieve a Band 9

These words and phrases work for both the Academic and General Training IELTS exams!

IELTS Writing Task 2 Vocabulary: Band 9 Factors

Before we dive into vocabulary, let’s take a quick look at what, exactly, IETLS Writing Task 2 is evaluating. As the IELTS rubric shows, you’re evaluated on four different areas:

• Task response (25%)
• Coherence and cohesion (25%)
• Lexical resource (25%)
• Grammatical range and accuracy (25%)

Lexical resource measures your ability to use a wide range of vocabulary without errors and in proper context in your written responses. In other words, vocabulary alone isn’t enough to get you a band 9 score. However, using a variety of words that are appropriate for band 9 can add to your lexical resource score, raising it overall.

That, however, comes with a few caveats. First of all, you must use the terms correctly . There’s zero benefits to using complex terms incorrectly—you won’t get extra credit for including them.

Second of all, you need to use a variety of words and phrases . If you can (correctly) use the term “Conversely,” that’s awesome—unless you use it five times in a single essay. In that case, it’s likely to hurt your score more than it helps.

Keeping that in mind, let’s dive into some advanced vocabulary for IELTS Writing Task 2!

Advanced Vocabulary for IELTS Writing Task 2: From Band 5 to Band 9

Again, keep in mind that the IELTS Writing Task 2 vocabulary band 9 terms I’m using here aren’t a guarantee of scoring in band 9. They are, however, advanced phrases that you can use to present more complex ideas. For each one, take a look at the example using it to see what it looks like in practice!

Ready? Here are some examples of advanced vocabulary for IELTS Writing Task 2 in different categories.

Examples of Introductions and Openings Vocabulary

Examples of stating an opinion vocabulary, examples of transition vocabulary, examples of “giving an example” vocabulary, examples of concluding vocabulary and phrases, more ielts writing task 2 advanced vocabulary resources.

Remember, the best way to get an IELTS Writing Task 2 band 9 is to work on improving all aspects of your writing. So what are your next steps in learning to incorporate advanced vocabulary for IELTS Writing Task 2? Check out the following resources to boost your score!

• Vocabulary for IELTS Writing Task 2
• IELTS Writing Rubric
• The Best IELTS Task 2 Writing Template
• Top Tips to Score 8+ in IELTS Writing Task 2

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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The difference between a band 7 and a band 9 essay

Home  »  IELTS academic task 2 » The difference between a band 7 and a band 9 essay

This article will clarify the differences between an essay scoring at band 7 and an essay scoring at band 9 . The explanation of these differences will help you to reach a higher score for task 2 of the academic writing category of the IELTS exam .

Firstly, it’s vital to understand the expectations of the examiner who will score your IELTS writing. There are clear differences in criteria that determine a Band 9 from a Band 7 essay. You can get an ex-IELTS examiner to review your essay here . Another option is the free IELTS writing evaluation software we recently launched. 

A band 9 essay answers the essay question in full and offers a well-developed response. The essay is perfectly cohesive and paragraphed, uses a range of language, expression and accurate structure.

A band 7 essay aims to respond to the question although the answer could be more fully developed. It attempts a cohesive structure and logical flow but there may be some omissions of connectors.

A band 7 essay shows a sufficient scope of language with occasional redundancy, errors in word selection or minor grammatical mistakes.

Let’s take a look at two examples of the first paragraph of essays that respond to the same question of task 2 of the academic writing component of the IELTS exam . The first one scored in band 7:

Should wealthy people be obliged to share their financial success with poor people by supporting health services and education, or is this the responsibility of the poor to improve their own standard of living?

I believe that wealthy people should be obliged to share their wealth with poorer people. But they should not have to support health services and education only, but other areas if they prefer.

First of all, we cannot avoid people which are poor. As an example, we see homeless in the train station, at the bus stops and asking us for money . Rich people have extra money and therefore, they should give some help to people with no housing and money .

Secondly, many people now are not finding jobs or although they are working, they are not having enough money to pay for his houses or flats especially in city-living which has a high cost of living now. For example, people living in London are working at low income salaries but the cost of living is so higher in contrast. Therefore, it is difficult for these people to have extra money for extra things.

In the introduction, the writer addresses the first part of the question but doesn’t respond to the second part regarding the poor taking responsibility for its own standard of living.

There is a punctuation error and some redundancy using the word but . In the second paragraph, the candidate provides a topic sentence and example. The example is quite vague – there is no reference to a specific train station or how rich people could give money to the poor. Instead of using a synonym, the writer uses the word money three times.

The second paragraph is slightly better as the example provided is specific. It refers to London and illustrates the contrast between the cost of living and purchasing power.

However, the errors in tense, wrong possessive adjective ( his instead of their ) and basic, repetitive language will keep the scoring of this essay to a 7.

Let’s turn now to an example of an essay that would have most likely scored a band 9:

Income and equality is an issue that has plagued civilisation since the beginning of time . Whereas , some societies strongly disagree with “every man for himself” others believe in helping their neighbour . The following essay will cover European approaches using real world examples to support arguments.

plagued civilisation - collocation. Whereas , - more advanced grammar structure. “every man for himself” - correct use of idiomatic expression. helping their neighbour - not exactly an idiomatic expression, but a stylistic way of referring to helping out others. The following essay … - Signals to the examiner the direction we will take the essay.

Wealth distribution for social ends such as healthcare and education is seen as a basic societal right in Denmark . There are also tremendous benefits for levelling the playing field . For example, a recent study by the University of Copenhagen showed that when the rich were forced into sharing their income amongst the economically challenged , over 70% of the wealthy reported feeling a higher sense of wellbeing afterwards. Therefore, although it is undoubtedly contentious, there are tremendous benefits for rich and poor alike to participate in wealth sharing endeavours.

Wealth distribution - collocation. social ends - eloquent manner of expression and also less common than other expressions. economically challenged - variation of language - not consistently using “the poor”. “levelling the playing field” - appropriate use of a specific idiomatic expression. rich and poor alike - more sophisticated way to express “both”.

Secondly, evidence from history shows that laying the responsibility with the poor to improve their lot is clearly an erroneous policy . In most humanitarian governmental bodies , scientific reports have proved countless times that the initiative must start with external assistance. For instance, a pilot study showed that when poverty stricken individuals where motivated by more than just themselves i.e external mentors, they had a success rate three times higher than self motivated candidates . Thus, experts generally agree that the most effective humanitarian assistance involves helping one to help themselves, which underscores the common expression “no man is an island” .

laying the responsibility with - sophisticated grammatical structure. “improve their lot” - very appropriate idiomatic expression because it’s strongly related to wealth. erroneous policy - more sophisticated than saying “wrong policy”. humanitarian governmental bodies - topic specific vocabulary. …. success rate three times higher than self motivated candidates - comparison grammar structure. “no man is an island” - yet another idiomatic expression from a famous English poem.

To conclude, it is clear that when the rich share their wealth -albeit under duress- they stand to benefit. Furthermore, when the poor gain direct support the help given has a multiplier effect , therefore both actions should be strongly encouraged

-albeit under duress - a very sophisticated way of saying forced. multiplier effect - collocation.

Each paragraph starts with a topic sentence that clearly defines the writer’s opinion and main ideas.

Complex adverb clauses – starting with Whereas and While – are well-structured.

Instead of repeating the word obliged , the writer uses synonyms such as required and have a duty to offer a variety of language. The examples in the first and second paragraphs are very specific and clearly develop the main idea.

To conclude, manage your time so you can plan a clear outline, your main ideas and use a variety of language and accurate structures to put together a succinct argument that fully answers the question.

If you want to improve your vocabulary, and start learning more topic specific vocabulary, using Ted Talks and gap fill exercises, then download this massive jumbo PDF of IELTS materials.

Tutorials and Tips to Prepare for Task 2

• How to Get Ideas for Task 2
• Band 9 Sample Essay
• Extremely Useful Sentences for Task 2
• Five Powerful Sentence Structures to use in your IELTS Writing test
• How to use comparisons in Task 2
• Concession Paragraphs for “do I agree/disagree essays”
• How to write an IELTS Essay Conclusion
• IELTS Cohesion and Coherence
• 3 ways to paraphrase for your Task 2 introduction
• Marking Criteria for IELTS Writing
• Topics Sentences for Your Essays
• 7 Ways to Improve your Sentences in Your IELTS Essays
• Grammar for IELTS Writing
• Academic Collocations for Task 2
• Free Essay Band Score Evaluation
• Sign up to claim your free IELTS materials
• Jump to Band 7 or it’s Free
• IELTS Writing Evaluation
• IELTS Band Score Calculator
• Book Your Online IELTS Test
• Sample Topic Answers
• Useful Sentences
• Sample Task 2 Questions 2022
• Introduction to Paraphrasing
• Model Band 9 Essay
• Five Band 9 Words
• Model Band 7 Essay
• Differences Band 9 vs Band 7 Essay
• Band 6.5 Essay
• Academic Collocations
• Topic Sentences
• Discuss Both Views
• Tutorial: To What Extent Essays
• Paraphrasing Introductions
• Essay Structures
• Essay Plans
• Describe a Pie Chart
• Using Percentages
• Map Vocabulary
• Describe Flow Charts
• Describe a Bar Chart
• How to get Band 9
• AT 1 Sample Questions 2022
• Describe a Graphic
• GT Task 1 Questions 2022
• IELTS Vocabulary
• Google Play / Podcasts
• Apple Podcast
• Android App
• Task 2 Sample Questions
• AT 1 Questions

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

• Test Information FAQ
• Band Scores
• IELTS Candidate Success Tips
• Computer IELTS: Pros & Cons
• How to Prepare
• Useful Links & Resources
• Recommended Books
• Writing Task 1
• Writing Task 2
• Speaking Part 1 Topics
• Speaking Part 2 Topics
• Speaking Part 3 Topics
• 100 Essay Questions
• On The Day Tips
• Top Results
• Advanced IELTS

IELTS Model Essay -Two Questions Essay Type

The IELTS Writing Task 2 Two Questions Essay: Causes & Positive/Negative Trends .

There are a number of different types of IELTS essay questions. There are Opinion Essays, Discussion Essays, Advantage/Disadvantage Essays, Solution (including Cause/ Solution) Essays and there are Direct Question Essays (such as the Two Question Essay). However, please note that different teachers use different names for essay types.

The model essay below looks at the Direct Question Essay which contains Two Questions. 

IELTS Essay Question  – Computer Games

More and more adults are playing computer games. Why is this happening? Is it a positive or negative trend?

The main topic in the essay question is Technology and the specific topic is Computer Games. It is a current essay question because it is about a current trend in the world today. I’ve provided a list of tips to help you tackle this type of essay question.

Points to Consider

• There is only one issue to tackle : computer games. This is lucky. It is an easy essay question. Some essay questions are more complex and have two separate issues to tackle.
• There are two questions to answer . I call this type of question a “Direct Question Essay”. The first question is about causes of the trend. The second question is about evaluating whether it is good or bad. Whenever you are asked to choose, it means you must give your opinion.
• Pay attention to the wording of the essay topic . This is about adults, not children. It is about computer games which some people consider are for children. Always pay attention to all keywords in the essay question when you brainstorm or you will go off topic. Ask yourself questions to stimulate ideas. Why are adults playing games on a computer? We know that children like to do this, but why are adults doing this? And is this good? Is it good that adults are playing computer games? If it is bad, why? 
• Next think about the concept of “computer games”. Spend time analysing the issue given . We often consider computer games to be silly entertainment fore children. But is that correct? Are all computer games actually silly? If we think about this carefully, we will realise that actually some computer games are complex and strategic. Some games require skill and intelligence to play. This means that the issue of computer games is not a simple one. Computer games are varied. Does this essay question apply to childish computer games or complex games? The answer is – it applies to both. So, now we know we can tackle this issue at a level of more depth. Getting to the depth of the issue is essential for a high score.  So, while we can see there is only one issue (computer games) that single issue is complex and can be divided into different aspects.
• After you brainstorm, choose the ideas that are the most relevant and the easiest to explain well. You don’t get a high score because you have lots of ideas. You get a higher score for presenting specific ideas which are well developed and highly relevant.
• If you have two questions to cover. It is logical to have two body paragraphs . Being logical in your choice of paragraphing is important. 
• Provide a clear position in your introduction as to whether you think this is a positive or negative point. Being clear in the introduction helps the examiner follow your body paragraphs more easily and this will increase your score. If you think it is positive – make it clear. If you think it is negative – say so. If you think “it depends” – make sure you word it clearly and explain it clearly in the body paragraphs. The easiest approach is a positive or negative one (a one-sided approach). The “it depends” approach is harder and requires stronger language skills. 

Model Essay: Computer Games (2024)

It seems that the current trend is for an increasing number of adults to enjoy playing computer games in their free time. With the development of game technology, it is hardly surprising that adults are playing games, but whether it is positive or negative depends on the games played and the time spent on them.

In terms of why so many adults are choosing to spend time playing computer games, it is mainly because the technology behind the games is becoming more sophisticated. Initially, when games first came out, they were very simplistic and appealed mainly to children. However, things have moved on since then and games have become visually appealing, very absorbing, require great dexterity and some also have a strategic challenge to them which adults particularly like. Such games can attract professional adults looking to hone tactics and skills to other adults wishing just to relax and switch off.

However, whether this trend in adults towards computer games is beneficial or not can be challenged. Some adults use complex, challenging games as a form of escapism which keeps their mind sharp and helps them relax at the same time. As long as the time spent on such games is balanced with other healthier pursuits, it can be constructive. Unfortunately, adults who ignore their physical health and spend too much time on mindless, repetitive games develop a sedentary lifestyle which can be detrimental to their wellbeing. 

In conclusion, computer games have become more fascinating and tempting to adults. While games that help develop tactics and knowledge might be advantageous, no game, particularly senseless games, should be played to excess and certainly should not replace healthier leisure activities.

Word count = 276 

IELTS Writing Task 2  Model Essays & Tips

Click here to see all model essays, tips etc for writing task 2: IELTS Writing Task 2 Main Page

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I received my IELTS result today and I scored 7.5 overall band score. I can’t thank you enough for your valuable help and guidance.

More than IELTS, I’m more confident than ever and look forward to continuing this learning further.

Thanks again and take care.

Best Regards, Kamlesh

I’m so pleased for you, Kamlesh! Very well done to you!! I do hope you continue learning. One day I plan to start an English Liz Youtube channel so that people can keep learning beyond their IELTS test 🙂

That would be perfect <3

Thank you so much, Liz. I really appreciate your fantastic work.

You’re welcome 🙂

Good evening Liz. I’m grateful for your guidance and tutelage as I scored 7.5 in my writing, 7.5 in speaking, 7.0 in listening and 6.0 in reading after just a short time with you. I’m optimistic in my next attempt I should get the desired scores. You’re a great teacher ma’am.

I wish you lots of luck in your next test 🙂

Rituparna Saha says April 5, 2024 Thank you Liz for all your support and guidance on Writing Task 2. I greatly appreciate your efforts.

I took my IELTS test a few days ago. The results are out and I got a band 7 in writing with an overall band 7.5 in just a week. For writing I only watched your videos and took notes of all the points you taught. I did not even practice writing much, just referred to your videos and read all the materials on the website. Your content is pure gold and you are an amazing teacher. Ilysm

Very well done with your results!! Many people struggle to hit band 7 in writing. Congrats!

this is Soo nice Liz I have been following you and your materials are helpful kindly would like to know where I can download the Cambridge book or if you can share any regards Hellen

The IELTS Cambridge Test Books are copyrighted so I can’t share them. However, you can find new as well as second hand copies on Amazon or possibly in a local educational store.

I don’t feel the introduction is clear, and there is no clear opinion.

“it depends” indicates the opinion. It shows that the writer intends to be specific about when it is positive and when it is negative because their opinion covers both. This can often be the case with IELTS essays that require an opinion. You do not have to choose positive or negative and be 100% on one side. It is 100% acceptable in IELTS but it is a more difficult opinion to create if one’s English language isn’t strong.

Hello Liz, is it okay to write a contrast (one point) before the conclusion paragraph in agree or disagree essay? Thank you.

This is not an agree/disagree essay. The Opinion Essay is an agree disagree essay which requires you to agree, disagree or have a partial agreement with an opinion given by IELTS. That essay is not an Opinion Essay because you aren’t being asked to respond to an opinion given by IELTS. This essay is a Direct Questions Essay which may or may not require an opinion depending on the questions you are given. In an Opinion Essay, you introduce your opinion in the introduction and the whole essay explains your opinion. You can’t suddenly put a different opinion further down the essay. Your opinion must be consistent throughout the whole essay. I recommend you get my advanced lessons because they explain in detail how to tackle an Opinion Essay. You can find them in my online store: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Thanks a lot liz.

Hi dear Liz. Hope you are fast recuperating. I have written the following intro. ” There is a growing propensity among the youth to play computer games. This is due to indulgence of parents and can have possible detrimental effects.” I know you don’t comment on write ups, but this is with a hope, in case…

I’ll just make one comment. I made a list of points to consider. Point 3 was important. This isn’t about youths. It’s about adults, which means people in their early 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s etc. And because it is about adults, it cannot be related to “indulgence from parents”. If you make this mistake, most of your essay will be off topic. That is the reason I wrote point 3. Take a look again because it’s an important lesson to learn.

This writing test sample answer makes a whole lots of sense to me. Well appreciated 👍👍👍.

I’m glad it made sense. IELTS isn’t difficult once you understand more about the test and the aims you should have.

Hi, Due to the financial crisis, I lacked many things like IELTS practice/preparation classes and missed many classes from a good teacher like you.

therefore, if you have any better offer like a full free studentship & give me the opportunity. Thank you in advance for your kind coope

This website has hundreds of page of free practice lessons, tips, topics, videos, advice, information, model answers etc. Use them well. Learn from each page and take your time. Then use the IELTS Cambridge test books for full test practice at home.

Thank you so much Liz for your valuable tips and techniques 🙏❤️

I’m glad it was helpful 🙂

Thank you for this it’s very helpful Liz. I greatly appreciate your efforts

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IELTS Writing: How to Use Academic Hedging in Task 2 Essays IELTS Podcast

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Unlock the secrets to enhancing your IELTS Writing Task 2 scores through academic hedging. Why Is Academic Hedging a Key to Higher IELTS Band Scores?   Mastering academic hedging can significantly impact your IELTS Writing Task 2 scores. This technique not only polishes your language but also embodies an academic tone, essential for achieving Band 7 and beyond. How Can Academic Hedging Propel Your Essay From Band 6.5 to Band 7? Academic hedging, by introducing nuanced language to express degrees of certainty, adds depth to your arguments, making a smooth transition from Band 6.5 to Band 7 achievable. What Role Does Grammatical Range and Accuracy Play? Subtle language adjustments in academic hedging not only convey complex ideas more effectively but also enhance grammatical range and accuracy, crucial for a higher score. Understanding the Importance of Distancing in Academic Writing Distancing from absolute statements without empirical evidence showcases your ability to approach topics with intellectual humility, reflecting critical thinking and Band 7 proficiency. Transforming Your Essays with Academic Hedging: Practical Examples See how academic hedging can transform statements, making your arguments more nuanced and academically rigorous: * Original: “Climate change is undoubtedly caused by human activities.” Hedged: “There is substantial evidence to suggest that human activities may significantly contribute to climate change.” * Original: “Technology always improves the quality of life.” Hedged: “In many instances, technological advancements have been observed to enhance the quality of life.” * Original: “Education is the only solution to societal problems.” Hedged: “Education is widely regarded as a potential catalyst for addressing various societal challenges.” Concluding Thoughts on Mastering Academic Hedging Integrating academic hedging into your essays not only boosts grammatical accuracy and coherence but also adds sophistication, leading to an improved band score. You can download or listen to the audio version here: | Direct Download Here | Stitcher | iTunes | Spotify | Transcript available by clicking here. Related Articles * IELTS Writing Task 2 Strategies * Top IELTS Speaking Tips * Effective IELTS Reading Tips Explore More Discover more about academic writing at Harvard University’s Writing Center. Share this article: Link to Article About the Author: Ben Worthington, founder of IELTSPodcast, has dedicated his career to helping students achie...

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Some people think that strict punishments for driving offences are the key to reducing traffic accidents. Others, however, believe that other measures would be more effective in improving road safety. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

In many countries around the world, life expectancy is increasing. discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this situation and give your own opinion., in some cultures, children are often told that they can achieve anything if they try hard enough. what are the advantages and disadvantages of giving children this message, you want to rent out a small apartment to a family, and you have decided to advertise it. write a letter to the editor of a local newspaper asking to advertise your ad on the front page of the newspaper. in your letter, give details of the ad that you want to publish mention that you want the ad to be published on the front page say how you would like to pay for the advertisement begin your letter as follows: dear sir or madam,, some people believe that children's leisure activities must be educational, otherwise they are a complete waste of time. do you agree or disagree.