IELTS Lesson - Writing Task 2

7/25/2019 IELTS Lesson - Writing Task 2

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IELTS LESSON – THE ACADEMIC WRITING TEST – TASK 2

Task 2 in the IELTS Academic Writing Test is more important than task 1. You have to write more, its a

more di!"cu#t task and it is worth more to $our "na# %and !or writing as more weight is given to Task 2

than to Task 1. &ractice on IELTS practice tests is important !or %oth tasks.

The IELTS Academic Writing Test

The IELTS Academic Writing Test #asts !or 1 hour and inc#udes 2 tasks. Task 1 is a #etter and $ou must

write at #east 1'( words. You shou#d spend a%out 2( minutes out o! the hour !or Task 1. Task 2 is an

essa$ and $ou must write at #east 2'( words. You shou#d spend a%out )( minutes !or Task 2.

The Tas !"r the IELTS Academic Tas 2 Writing

The IELTS Academic Writing Task 2 asks $ou to write a short essa$ o! a minimum o! 2'( words. The

essa$ is usua##$ a discussion o! a su%*ect o! genera# interest. You ma$ have to present and *usti!$ $our

opinion a%out something, give the so#ution to a pro%#em or compare di!!ering ideas or viewpoints. It is

important that $ou consider "nding IELTS practice tests, so that $ou can practice this part o! the IELTS in

order to achieve $our true potentia#.

Maring !"r the IELTS Academic Tas 2 Writing

Your task wi## %e marked in !our areas. You wi## get a mark !rom 1 to + on Task response, oherence and

ohesion, Le-ica# esource and /rammatica# ange and Accurac$. Your "na# %and !or Task 2 wi## %e

e!!ective#$ an average o! the !our marks awarded in these areas. Task 2 writing is more important than

Task 1 and to ca#cu#ate the "na# writing mark, more weight is assigned to the Task 2 mark than to Task 1s

mark. To get a good overa## mark though, %oth tasks have to %e we## answered so dont ho#d %ack on Task

1 or give $ourse#! too #itt#e time to answer it proper#$.

Task Response

This mark grades $ou on the content o! $our essa$. It marks whether $ou have !u##$ addressed a## parts o!

task. The e-aminer wants $ou in $our essa$ to have a !u##$ deve#oped answer to the 0uestion given with

re#event and e-tended ideas and support. The support is the !acts that $ou use to %ack up $our ideas.

Support is ver$ important in Task 2. You need to %ring in !acts !rom $our own e-perience in order to

support $our ideas.

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Coherence and Cohesion

These two are interre#ated which is wh$ the$ are done together. ohesion is how $our writing "ts

together. oes $our writing with its ideas and content ow #ogica##$3 oherence is how $ou are making$ourse#! understood and whether the reader o! $our writing understands what $ou are sa$ing. An

e-amp#e o! %ad coherence and cohesion wou#d %e as !o##ows4

1 We went to the beach because it was raining.

&ro%a%#$ the writer o! this sentence does not mean 5%ecause6 as peop#e dont usua##$ go to the %each

when it is raining. The writer shou#d have written4

2 We went to the beach although it was raining.

Sentence 1 has made a cohesion and coherence error 7as we## as a voca%u#ar$ one8. 59ecause6 does not

*oin the ideas o! the sentence together correct#$ and, as a resu#t, the reader does not understand what

the writer wants to sa$. This is an e-aggerated e-amp#e %ut it shows what I mean. /ood cohesion and

coherence is not noticea%#e as it a##ows the writing to %e read easi#$. /ood cohesion and coherence a#so

inc#udes good and appropriate paragraph usage.

Lexical Resource

This area #ooks at the $our choice o! words. The marker wi## #ook at whether the right words are used

and whether the$ are used at the right time in the right p#ace and in the right wa$. To get a good mark

here, the word choice shou#d not on#$ %e accurate %ut wide ranging, natura# and sophisticated.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

:ere the e-aminer wi## mark $our appropriate, e-i%#e and accurate use o! grammatica# structures.

;an$ peop#e are worried a%out their grammar %ut, as $ou can see, grammar is on#$ one section o! !our

used to grade $our writing. IELTS is much more interested in communication rather than grammatica#

accurac$. It is, o! course, sti## part o! the marking scheme and important as such.



#aragra$hing !"r the IELTS Academic Tas 2 Writing

This is a ver$ eas$ thing to do %ut it can have an enormous e!!ect on the c#arit$ o! $our writing and it

direct#$ a!!ects $our mark in the section on oherence and ohesion. I have said this !or Task 1 %ut !or

Task 2 its is even more important. In Task 2 $ou wi## %e writing more and it is there!ore more important

to divide $our writing up into divisions to make it easier to read.

<er$ o!ten peop#e use no paragraphing and the e-aminer is !aced with a 5sea6 o! writing with no %reaks

!rom start to "nish. =or me, the %est writings are those where there are paragraphs separated %$ an

empt$ #ine and a#so indented. In this wa$ $our ideas are separated c#ear#$. It shows and gives

organi>ation to $our writing and makes it more reada%#e.

=or Task 2, have a paragraph break after your introduction, and then !or ever$ di!!ering section o! $our

separate ideas with the supporting evidence. Then have a "na# paragraph !or $our conc#usion. You

shou#d aim to have ? or ) paragraphs p#us the introduction and conc#usion.

Look at this section on paragraphing. It is divided into ' separate paragraphs dividing the ' di!!erent

areas that I want to present to $ou, the reader. The ' areas are4

• &aragraph 1 Wh$ paragraphing is important !or Task 2.

• &aragraph 2 :ow to divide $our paragraphing.

• &aragraph ? Where $our paragraph divisions shou#d occur.

• &aragraph ) The division o! paragraphs in this section.

• &aragraph ' E-p#aining the comparison with this section and the one %e#ow to show how

paragraphing can work.

9e#ow I wi## repeat paragraphs 1 @ ) o! this section on paragraphing %ut I am going to remove a## the

paragraphs and #ine %reaks and make it a 5sea o! writing6 as I said can happen a%ove. I hope $ou !ee# that

this section is easier to understand than the one %e#ow 79$ the wa$, I havent used #ine %reaks through

this entire tutoria# as there wou#d %e too man$ and it wou#d %e too con!using8.



#aragra$hing %&ad e'am$(e secti"n)

This is a ver$ eas$ thing to do %ut it can have an enormous e!!ect on the c#arit$ o! $our writing. I have

said this !or Task 1 %ut !or Task 2 its is even more important. In Task 2 $ou wi## %e writing more and it is

there!ore more important to divide $our writing up into divisions to make it easier to read. <er$ o!ten

peop#e use no paragraphing and the e-aminer is !aced with a 5sea6 o! writing with no %reaks !rom start to

"nish. =or me, the %est writings are those where there are paragraphs separated %$ an empt$ #ine and

a#so indented. In this wa$ $our ideas are separated c#ear#$. It shows and gives organi>ation to $our

writing and makes it more reada%#e. =or Task 2, have a paragraph %reak a!ter $our introduction, and then

!or ever$ di!!ering section o! $our separate ideas with the evidence. Then have a "na# paragraph !or $our

conc#usion. You shou#d aim to have ? or ) paragraphs p#us the introduction and conc#usion. Look at this

section on paragraphing. It is divided into ) separate paragraphs dividing the ) di!!erent areas that I

want to present to $ou the reader. The ) areas are4 &aragraph 14 Wh$ paragraphing is important !or task

24 &aragraph 24 :ow to divide $our paragraphing. &aragraph ?4 Where $our paragraph divisions shou#d

occur. &aragraph )4 An e-amp#e to show $ou how paragraphing works.

Ideas t" Thin A&"*t !"r the IELTS Academic Tas 2 Writing

+ Timing

The e-am paper recommends that $ou spend a%out )( minutes on this 0uestion and this is a%out right.

emem%er that Task 2 gives more to $our "na# writing %and and so $ou shou#d make sure that $ou have

enough time a!ter Task 1 to proper#$ answer Task 2. Some students do Task 2 "rst in order to make sure

that Task 2 is answered we## %e!ore the$ get onto Task 1. There is no pro%#em with this %ut make sure

$ou write the 1'( words to give a good answer !or Task 1 as we##.

So, whatever $ou decide to do a%out $our approach to Task 1 and Task 2 in the writing paper, make sure

that $ou spend appro-imate#$ 2( minutes on Task 1 and )( minutes on Task 2. This shou#d give $ou the

right amount o! time to provide good answers to %oth tasks.

&ractice !rom IELTS practice tests on writing %oth tasks in under an hour is an important part o! $our

preparation !or the IELTS e-am.

2 Ans,ering the -*esti"n

A#though this sounds ver$ straight!orward, peop#e dont o!ten proper#$ answer the 0uestion set and

there!ore dont get the %and that the$ shou#d even i! the writing is ver$ good.







=irst o! a## read the 0uestion ver$ care!u##$ in order to see e-act#$ what it asks $ou. <er$ o!ten there wi##

%e more than 1 part to the 0uestionB sometimes even ? or ) parts. When $ou produce $our answer $ou

must answer a## the di!!erent parts o! the 0uestion. :ow much $ou produce on each part depends on

how important $ou think it is.

You have to write a !orma# academic Eng#ish essa$ o! the t$pe that wou#d %e re0uired !or teachers or

tertiar$ education courses. =ormu#ate and deve#op an argument and show a persona# response. /ive

$our opinions and %ack them up with evidence and e-amp#es. Your answer shou#d persuade, %e

consistent and deve#op #ogica##$ towards a conc#usion, which answers a## parts o! the 0uestion.

Another important %asic is to write at #east 2'( words. Writing #ess does not answer the 0uestion, which

te##s $ou to write at #east 2'( words. I! $ou write #ess than 2'( words, the e-aminer marking $our paper

wi## give $ou a ma-imum o! ' !or Arguments, Ideas and Evidence or even #ess. It is no pro%#em to write

more than the 2'( wordsB there is no upward word #imit on the essa$. Time is $our on#$ constraint.

Writing more than the minimum under the time #imit re0uires practice on proper 0uestions !rom IELTS

practice tests.

The 0uestion wants $ou to produce an essa$. There!ore dont give a #ist o! num%ered notes 7$our

paragraphs shou#d not %e num%ered8. /ive the e-aminer a proper essa$ with an introduction, a main

%od$ with $our ideas and evidence and a conc#usion, a## divided o! course with the paragraphing

techni0ues discussed a%ove.

. #(anning

;an$ students that I have taught have regarded writing an essa$ p#an as a waste o! time. The on#$

answer I can give is that it depends on the individua#. I! $ou are a good essa$ writer who can

automatica##$ organi>e $our ideas and structure in $our head so we## that $ou can produce a good

structured essa$ without p#anning, then I sa$ thats its "ne not to write an essa$ p#an.

A#so i! $oure rea##$ short o! time and $ou need to get writing on page, then $ou dont want to waste time

on p#anning. :owever, i! none o! these conditions app#$, then 1 or 2 minutes thinking a%out $our ideas

and how $ou are going to present them wi## not %e wasted. Im not sa$ing that $ou shou#d spend 1(

minutes on this. Cust take a scrap o! paper and *ot down some ideas that $ou are going to use in $our

essa$.









Then $ou can divide the ideas into ? or ) paragraphs in a #ogica# order. This shou#dnt take $ou #ong and

the structure that this wi## give $our essa$ wi## %e we## worth the time that $ou spend doing it.

The a%ove ski##s do not come easi#$ and it is important that $ou practice p#anning with proper IELTSwriting 0uestions !rom IELTS practice tests.

Writing The Essa/ in the IELTS Academic Tas 2 Writing

+ The Intr"d*cti"n

=irst o! a##, dont repeat an$ part o! the 0uestion in $our introduction. This is not $our own work and

there!ore wi## %e disregarded %$ the e-aminer and deducted !rom the word count. You can use individua#

words %ut %e care!u# o! using 5chunks6 o! the 0uestion te-t.

Your introduction shou#d "rst sa$ what $ou understand %$ the 0uestion. Then give the main issue or

issues that $ou intend to %ring into $our answer. ont go into an$ detai#B $ou can save that !or the #ater

paragraphs.

=ina##$, the 0uestion o!ten asks $ou to take up a position over an issue. There is no right answer !or

putting $our views at the start and then e-p#aining this through the essa$, or deve#oping $our opinion

though $our essa$ and stating $our "na# stance at the end. I persona##$ #ike the opinion at the start o! the

essa$. Duick#$ and c#ear#$ answer the 0uestion, making $our attitude p#ain. ont give an$ reasons.

Again, thats what the %od$ o! $our essa$ is !or. You dont have to do it this wa$ though. You can wait unti#

$our conc#usion to give $our position as regards the 0uestion.

2 The 0"d/ "! 1"*r Essa/

You shou#d aim to have ? or ) paragraphs in $our answer. This is not e-act. You can write more or !ewer

paragraphs, as $our answer re0uires. emem%er $ouve on#$ got a%out )( minutes to cover a## the

0uestion areas so dont %e too am%itious and tr$ to write too much.

In the %od$ o! $our essa$ $ou shou#d do severa# things. You need to e-amine a## parts o! the 0uestion.

emem%er there is o!ten more than 1 0uestion contained in the essa$ 0uestion te-t. You need to #ook at

a## that is asked and #ook at %oth sides o! ever$ issue. IELTS essa$ 0uestions usua##$ ask $ou something

which has two or more points o! view, and $ou need to consider %oth sides o! ever$ argument no matter

what $our opinion is.






Look %e#ow at the e-amp#e. The 0uestion asks whether or not $ou %e#ieve whether societies shou#d use

capita# punishment. There are, o! course, two points o! view4

718 capita# punishment shou#d %e used and

728 capita# punishment shou#dnt %e used.

Lets sa$ !or e-amp#e that $ou dont %e#ieve that capita# punishment shou#d %e used %$ societies. o

matter what point o! view $ou have, $ou shou#d #ook at %oth sides, though natura##$ $our writing wi##

!avour the position that $ou have taken. /ive the reasons wh$ $ou dont %e#ieve in capita# punishment

%ut then #ook at the opposing view and sa$ wh$ $ou dont accept it. In this wa$ $ou wi## show the reader

$our powers o! ana#$sis when #ooking at such an issue.

ont !orget that when $ou have "nished #ooking at this issue there is a second part o! the 0uestion to %e

ana#$sed too.

As we said ear#ier, $our ideas need to %e supported %$ e-amp#es and it is in the %od$ o! $our essa$ that

the$ shou#d appear. =or ever$ idea that $ou present tr$ and give an e-amp#e !rom $our own e-perience

that shows that $our idea is right.

An e-amp#e !rom $our own e-perience means something that $ou know !rom $our #i!e, !rom $our

countr$s news or histor$ or an$thing that $ou have read an$where. You can actua##$ invent e-amp#es i!

$ou need as #ong as the$ seem rea#istic and %e#ieva%#e. The e-aminer is pro%a%#$ not going to research

an$thing $ou write a%out.

The e-amp#e %e#ow shou#d i##ustrate what we have %een discussing here.

. The C"nc(*si"n

This doesnt need to %e a #ong paragraph. You need to sum up $our points providing a "na# perspective on

$our topic. A## the conc#usion needs is three or !our strong sentences, which do not need to !o##ow an$

set !ormu#a. Simp#$ review the main points 7%eing care!u# not to restate them e-act#$ or repeat a## $our

e-amp#es8 and %rie$ descri%e $our !ee#ings a%out the topicB this provides an answer to a## parts o! the

0uestion. An anecdote can a#so end $our essa$ in a use!u# wa$.



An E'am$(e "! the IELTS Academic Tas 2 Writing

Its ver$ di!"cu#t to visua#i>e and understand a## the things that I have said a%ove. You need to practice

with good 0ua#it$ 0uestions !rom IELTS practice tests. :ere I wi## tr$ and provide $ou with an e-amp#e

0uestion and then go through the stages o! thought to show $ou how to approach an IELTS Task 2 essa$.

:ere is a possi%#e 0uestion that wou#d %e t$pica# !or a Task 2 essa$ 0uestion.

“Do you believe that societies ought to enforce capital punishment or Are there alternative forms of

punishment that would be better used?”

=irst o! a## $ou need to consider the 0uestion. What does it ask3 Straight awa$, $ou can see that it asks 2

things.

It wants to know i! $ou %e#ieve that societ$ shou#d use capita# punishment 7cp8 and it a#so wants to know

i! $ou can o!!er an$ a#ternatives to capita# punishment. Your answer shou#d give a %a#anced view o! %oth

parts o! this 0uestion. What is important to rea#i>e is that there is no correct answer here. You can

present an$ point o! view as #ong as $ou can support it.

So, in $our p#anning stage $ou shou#d have a roadmap !or the introduction, each paragraph and theconc#usion. :ere is m$ %rie! p#an !or the essa$.

Intr"

• What cp is. Where its used. 7not m$ countr$8. i!!ering opinions.

• I dont %e#ieve in cp.

• There are a#ternative punishments.

0"d/

1. Inhumane @ we shou#dnt sink to the #eve# o! crimina#s.

2. We can get convictions wrongB prisoners can %e re#eased i! theres an error. ;enta##$ i##.

E-amp#es.

?. A#ternative punishments4 #i!e means #i!eB hospita#s !or crimina##$ insane. osts more %ut societ$

has a dut$ to care.






). ;an$ countries !avour it and the$ sa$ it works. &risons too !u##. Fi##ers deserve nothing #ess.

Some crimes deserve it. ot m$ mora#s though.

C"nc(*si"n

I dont agree. We can do other things. Avoid mistakes and make modern societ$ a humane one.

The a%ove is a %asic p#an o! how I want to write m$ essa$. Its not rigid. I can change m$ ideas and !ormat

as I write i! I !ee# I can do %etter.

I can a#so add things that Ive !orgotten as the essa$ goes on. Its norma# o! course !or $ou to have new,

good ideas as $ou write and the ski## is to get them into $our essa$ without upsetting the %a#ance o! the

essa$. :ow do $ou do this3 Its practice again. You wont get good at writing essa$s and adapting $our

writing we## without practice with re#evant 0uestions !rom 0ua#it$ IELTS practice tests.

So, %e#ow is an e-amp#e essa$ using the p#an a%ove as a %asis.

E'am$(e Essa/ !"r the IELTS Academic Tas 2 Writing

apita# punishment is the ki##ing o! a crimina# !or a crime that he has committed. &revious#$ most

countries emp#o$ed this method o! punishment %ut nowada$s it is much #ess wide#$ used. I persona##$ do

not %e#ieve that societies toda$ shou#d use capita# punishment and I a#so %e#ieve that there are

a#ternative punishments that can %e used.

;$ main argument against capita# punishment is that I %e#ieve we do not have the right to ki## another

human %eing regard#ess o! the crime. I dont %e#ieve in the o#d re#igious ma-im o! 5an e$e !or an e$e.6

;odern societies shou#dnt turn to such %ar%aric punishments.

Another argument against capita# punishment is that peop#e can %e wrong#$ convicted and e-ecuted. I! a

man is in prison, he can %e re#eased i! #ater proved not gui#t$. I! he is dead, there is nothing that can %e

done. In the GF, a group o! supposed terrorists were convicted o! murder in 9irmingham in the 1+H(s.

The$ were proved innocent a%out 1' $ears #ater and re#eased. I! the$ had %een e-ecuted, innocent

peop#e wou#d have died.

There are a#ternative punishments avai#a%#e. =or %ad crimes prison #i!e sentences can %e given with

crimina#s imprisoned !or the rest o! their #ives. A#so a #ot o! horri"c crimes are committed %$ peop#e who






are menta##$ sick. These peop#e are not responsi%#e !or their actions and can %e kept sa!e#$ and

permanent#$ in secure hospita#s. Yes, this costs a #ot more %ut I %e#ieve it is the dut$ o! societ$ to do this.

There are arguments !or capita# punishment. ;an$ peop#e !ee# its threat stops serious crime and thatcrimina#s deserve nothing #ess. Its cheaper and keeps the prisons managea%#e. I can understand this

point o! view %ut I cannot agree with it.

So, in conc#usion, I dont %e#ieve in capita# punishment, as there are #ess %ar%aric a#ternatives avai#a%#e.

We can avoid horri"c mistakes and make modern societ$ a humane one.

ina( C"mment !"r the IELTS Academic Tas 2 Writing

I hope that this essa$ shows how to approach the Task 2 0uestion and i##ustrates the ideas that I have

written a%ove.

=ina##$ I wi## #eave $ou with the message that I a#wa$s do. To rea##$ improve $our ski##s at writing essa$s,

$ou need to practice. /et some essa$ tit#es !rom good 0ua#it$ IELTS practice tests, sit down when $ou get

the chance, give $ourse#! )( minutes and write some essa$s. Tr$ and do it as I have directed with a coup#e

o! minutes !or p#anning, as this wi## train $ou to make a %etterconstructed essa$ in the #ong run.

You can get essa$ tit#es pro%a%#$ !rom sur"ng the internet or $ou can use the IELTS practice tests at

ie#tshe#pnow.com which are avai#a%#e to down#oad on this site at a !raction o! the cost o! %ooks in the

shops. In addition to e-amp#e 0uestions in our IELTS practice tests, we provide $ou with e-amp#e essa$s

on a## our 0uestions, !or %oth Tasks 1 and 2. /ood #uck with the IELTS Academic Writing Test 9e#ow are

#inks to the other !ree IELTS Academic tutoria#s. We strong#$ recommend that $ou practice !or the tests

with good IELTS practice tests. J! course, we wou#d #ike $ou to use ours as we %e#ieve ours are e-ce##ent

and the cheapest on the market, %ut an$ good IELTS practice tests wi## do.

















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IELTS Lesson - Writing Task 2