ielts essay introduction examples

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Writing an IELTS Essay Introduction

In the writing for task 2, you must write an IELTS essay introduction , but you only have 40 minutes.

In this time you need to analyze the question, brainstorm ideas to write about, formulate an essay plan, and then write your response. Even for a native writer of English, this is a lot to do in 40 minutes!

So you need to use your time carefully . You need a good IELTS essay introduction, but one thing you do not want to do is spend too long writing it so that you end up rushing your paragraphs. Your paragraphs are the most important thing as they contain all your supporting arguments and demonstrate how good you are at organizing your ideas.

The Two Elements of an IELTS Essay Introduction

You therefore need a method to write your IELTS essay introduction fairly quickly. When you write an introduction, you should make sure you do two things:

• Write a sentence (or two) introducing the topic and giving some background facts about it 
• Tell the reader what you are going to be writing about (thesis statement)

How you do this will vary depending on the question, but here is an example:

Blood sports  have become a hot topic for debate in recent years. As society develops it is increasingly seen as an uncivilized activity and cruel to the helpless animals that are killed. Blood sports should be banned.

To what extent to you agree or disagree?

Sample IELTS essay introduction:

Despite the fact that killing animals for sport is popular in modern society, it remains a contentious issue. I believe that blood sports are cruel and uncivilized and so should be banned as soon as possible.

This does the following things:

• First sentence: consists of the topic plus some background facts on the topic which have been taken from the rubric.
• Second sentence: gives the writers opinion and tells us that in the essay the writer will be arguing the reasons why it is cruel.

The topic does not have to be in the first sentence, but it should be made clear somewhere in the introduction. You must always have a thesis.

Paraphrasing

Another important point - don't copy from the question! You must paraphrase (put it in your own words). To do this you can use synonyms and move the order of the sentence around.

Using some of the same words is acceptable, but don't copy whole phrases .

You can see how the question above has been paraphrased. All the information is from the question, but it has been written in a different way and has not been copied.

You can also check out a short video on this lesson:

Further IELTS Introduction Examples

Science and technology have helped the world make many advances. The Arts, such as painting, theatre and dance, to name just three examples, however, are also valuable.

What things do the Arts provide to the world that Science and Technology do not?

Societies have developed rapidly over time due to the many advances in science and technology. However, the arts are also very important and provide our world with many things that science and technology cannot.

According to a recent study, the more time people use the Internet, the less time they spend with real human beings. Some people say that instead of seeing the Internet as a way of opening up new communication possibilities world wide, we should be concerned about the effect this is having on social interaction.

How far do you agree with this opinion?

A recent study has shown that as people use the Internet more, they are spending less time with human beings. I believe that although this has increased the communication around the world in positive ways, it has also led to negative effects on the day-to-day social interaction of human beings.

Unemployment has become an increasing problem in the recent past.

What factors contribute to an increase in unemployment and what steps can be taken to solve the problem?

Over recent years, the level of unemployment has been increasing at an alarming rate in many countries around the world. This essay will discuss the reasons for this increase and consider what practical solutions are available.

Some people think children in secondary school should study international news as part of the curriculum. Others think that this would be a waste of time as there are already too many subjects for children to concentrate on.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

While some people are of the opinion that it would be useful to include international news as a subject in the school curriculum, others believe that this is a waste of students time because they are already overloaded with subjects to study. This essay will examine both sides of the issue.

More Task 2 IELTS Lessons:

The 3 Types of IELTS Opinion Essays in IELTS

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

How to Identify the Topic of an IELTS Essay Question

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

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

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

Using Substitution in IELTS to Improve Writing Coherency

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

IELTS Music Essay: Understanding a Complex Question

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

Paragraph Writing for IELTS: Building strong arguments

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

IELTS Problem Solution Essay Strategies and Tips

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

How to Identify the Task in an IELTS Essay

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

Generating ideas for IELTS essays for writing task 2

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

Requirements for IELTS Band 7 in Writing

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

Thesis Statement Tips for IELTS Essays

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

Transitional Phrases for Essays

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

IELTS Task Response - 25% of your essay grade

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

How to use brainstorming and planning to generate essay ideas.

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

Improving Writing Coherence for IELTS essays

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

Using Pronouns to Improve IELTS Essay Coherency

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

Can you use Personal Pronouns in Essays for IELTS?

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

How to Write an IELTS Essay: The key steps

Learn key steps on how to write an IELTS Essay. This guides you on how to write a great essay plus other lessons to improve your writing skills.

Writing an IELTS Essay Conclusion

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

IELTS Advantage Disadvantage Essay Tips and Strategies

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

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IELTS Writing Task 2: How to write a good introduction

Introductions are an important part of a Writing Task 2 essay. They let your examiner know what to expect from your essay. That’s why we have put together a quick list of tips you can use to write an effective introduction for Writing Task 2.

On this page

Tip 1: stop to read and analyse the question, tip 2: begin with a general statement and then focus in on the details of the question, tip 3: use your own words, tip 4: state your position, tip 5: explain how you plan to develop your essay, review your introduction, sample question, sample introduction.

An introduction is important to the essay because it creates an initial impression in terms of the quality of your writing. A clear, well-organised and relevant introduction will most certainly create a positive first impression on the examiner. So, what makes up an effective introduction? Let’s take a look.  

In Writing Task 2, you need to address all the parts of the question or task in a relevant way. Because your introduction is the first step towards achieving this goal, you need to introduce your answer to all the different parts of the question. This is why it is important to take some time to read and analyse the task before you start writing, so you know exactly what you are being asked to write about. 

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Writing Task 2 questions usually begin with a general statement before focusing in on more specific points or questions about the topic. Using a similar model in your own introduction is a great way to start your essay, but make sure that your general statement is clearly related to your topic and is not too broad. 

While it is perfectly acceptable for you to use the task as a guide for your introduction, make sure you do not copy material from the task.  

Copying the task word-for-word shows the examiner that you have a limited range of language, which can affect your band score. Instead, change the order of the information, use synonyms, and explain more complex ideas in your own words.  

It is also important not to use a memorised introduction where you insert words related to the question topic. Examiners read thousands of responses so can recognise memorised scripts.

In Writing Task 2, you will need to develop a position while exploring the different parts of the task. It is then important that you clearly state your position in your introduction. 

Even though this strategy can be considered as optional, briefly explaining how you plan to develop the topic can help you better organise your writing. It is also a good way to let the examiner know what you’ll be covering in the essay. 

Don’t forget to re-read your introduction once you’ve finished writing your essay. It is common for test takers to begin their essays thinking about a specific argument, or a specific way to organise their writing but change their minds as they develop the topic. So, after completing your Writing Task 2, make sure that your final draft still matches your introduction. 

Now that we have gone over some important strategies for writing a good introduction for Writing Task 2, it’s time to look at a sample introduction. Start by reading and analysing the prompt, as mentioned in tip 1. Then, carefully read the sample introduction and notice the different strategies used, which have been highlighted for you.

The threat of nuclear weapons maintains world peace. Nuclear power provides cheap and clean energy. 

The benefits of nuclear technology far outweigh the disadvantages. 

To what extent do you agree or disagree?  

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

Write at least 250 words.

General Statement: 

Nuclear technology has been around for many years.  

Details: 

Whether this technology is used for weapons of mass destruction or as a source of energy, many are of the belief that the use of nuclear energy has more advantages than disadvantages. 

Position: 

In my opinion, nuclear technology can indeed be a very efficient energy source. However, nuclear weapons possess such enormous destructive power that any benefits that this technology may offer to humankind are not enough to counter its potential devastating effects. 

Plan: 

This essay will address why the drawbacks of nuclear technology outweigh the benefits and will include relevant examples to support this position.

Just as an effective introduction will let the examiner know what they can expect from your essay, a good conclusion will remind them of the main points presented and will summarise what you want your examiner to remember from your writing. Check our blog for our post on strategies for writing a good conclusion! 

IELTS for native English speakers – some tips to get a top score

Should i take ielts on computer or paper, ielts writing task 1 and 2 - how to organise your response.

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IELTS Writing Task 2: How to write an introduction

• The content of an IELTS introduction
• How to write the background statement
• How to write the thesis statement
• How to paraphrase effectively
• How long your introduction should be

What does the Introduction Paragraph Contain?

How to write the introduction of an ielts essay.

• How to paragraph correctly for the background statement.
• How to write a clear thesis statement.
• What information you do not need based on the IELTS marking criteria and band score requirements.

Summary: The Introduction Paragraph

1. analysing the essay question, 3. background statements, 4. thesis statements, 5. length of introduction.

• Band Score 9 Model Opinion Essay
• Opinion Essay Introduction Practice

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Dear Liz thank you so much for your videos and all the materials that you’ve provided for us. I’d like to ask a question in this video you said that the length of the introduction should be 35-50 but here you’ve written 45-60, I ‘d like to know has it changed which one would be better? Thank you

The advice is general advice, not fixed rules. As your introduction will be most usually 2 sentences, it will probably work out at around 40-50 words. But it might be slightly below or slightly above. The key thing to get right is the content of the introduction, and to remember that the main points for your writing task 2 are in the body paragraphs so a long introduction isn’t necessary. See the model essays on this page to see the variation in introductions: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Hi dear Liz. could you please give me some suggestions about my introduction ? the question is: Out of a country’s health budget, a large proportion should be diverted from treatment to spending on health education and preventive measures. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

One of the major parts of any country’s income are invested on health issue expenditures. In recent years, much attention is paid to awareness of the society about the impressive role of preventive activities. I believe that the society is becoming aware, therefore, it’s valuable to spend more money on preventions rather than treatments.

I suggest you watch the video on the page above again so that you produce two statements: a background statement which is a direct paraphrase of the essay statement and a thesis statement which produces an answer. Don’t be indirect. Don’t have a hook.

Hi mam, this is Surya and I have trouble with the introduction part. please have a look at this introduction part and give me your feedback. question:- Some government are motivating industries and business to move from cities to regional areas. Do you think the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages. Answer:- with the pollution and population increasing in cities due to industries and people crowded for employment, I think the government persuading the industries and business to shift from cities to rural areas is a great benefit to the people,environment and economy as well though it has certain negligible demerits.

As explained in the video on the page above, first you paraphrase the question directly and accurately. Then you present your position in the thesis. Two separate statements in one paragraph.

Hi, Liz how are you. I wanted to ask that can we induce certain conclusion after observing the trends of a pie chart or any graph in writing task 1. For example, in one Cambridge test, the pie chart shows the usage of water across different areas of world for agriculture, industry and household. In America industry uses most water, while in asia agriculture uses most. Can I write in the explanation paragraphs that america is more industrialized so they spend most water in industry and vice versa. Or I should just present the data available on pie chart in my own words without deducing any conclusions from the trends. Thankyou

Your task is to report what is shown on the graph or chart etc – it is a factual report. It is not to give opinions, predictions or evaluations.

Thankyou so much Liz

Hello Liz , I want to ask something. I recently sat for academic ielts and I did a mistake on writing task 2 . My introduction disagreed but I went on to agree throughout the essay up to the conclusion , will this affect me adversely if other band descriptors are good.

Unfortunately, it will affect your score for task response because you did not maintain a clear position throughout the whole essay. But it won’t affect your score for the other criteria.

Thank you so much .

All type of writing task 2 questions would have “Thesis Statement” or only certain types of questions.

All introduction paragraphs for all Writing Task 2 essays should have a background statement and a thesis statement.

Do we need to mentioned like: “This essay will discuss this and that and later on that” in introduction ?

No. That statement is not required. It doesn’t harm your score, but it is not at all necessary and not part of the band score requirements in IELTS Writing Task 2.

Please tell me the best way to going partially with any statement,can I use structure “even though” if yes that how?

I suggest you get my advanced lessons and learn properly: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hello Liz, I just paused my video to commend your teaching methodology. It is simple and precise. Thanks.

Hello Liz. Thanks for all your lessons and video. I wish I had discovered it when I took my first ilets exams , any ways I’m going for a second attempt and I know I,ll do better with your tutelage. You’re the best and God bless.

How can we write down an essay if we do not know something well?we have to collect information to put in our essay?Am I correct?

As you prepare for IELTS, you should be preparing ideas for topics as well. I also have an e-book called “Ideas for IELTS Essay Topics” which you can purchase in my store: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Thank you for all that you do. Much love and appreciation. My test is tomorrow and Please I would like to know if I can type in Capital letters for my Computer based IELTS writing test.

Do you mean “Can I write using all capital letters in my writing test?” The answer to that question is “Don’t do it”. It isn’t a fixed rule, but IELTS is testing your grammar which includes the correct use of capital letters – using capital letters at the start of a sentence or for proper nouns etc. So, please write as normal and use capital letters when it is grammatically correct to do so for the Writing Test. Good luck tomorrow!

Hi Liz, Would I penalized if I were to introduce my ideas in summary in the introduction paragraph, as part of the thesis statement? Or is it best to leave it for the topic sentences in each body paragraph solely?

For instance, Nowadays more people move away from from their friends and families for work. Does this have more advantages or disadvantages? After paraphrasing the background statement… “…In this essay I will argue why In spite of one having benefits like making new friends and gaining a great employment opportunity that come with moving abroad, the huge disadvantage of separation anxiety from one’s family members outweighs them all.”

It’s a long thesis statement. Take out so much detail: In my opinion, in spite of benefits such as making friends and employment opportunities, the issue of separation anxiety outweighs them all.

That is a clear thesis statement which introduces main points without giving detail. The detail will come in the body paragraphs. Learn to write each sentences in a punchy, focused manner without extra padding. However, your main ideas are not particularly strong. If someone is making new friends, separation anxiety is often lessened. This negates your argument that the disadvantages outweigh. Remember, your ideas must make sense. Therefore, it would be better to have the benefits as – becoming more independent and better work opportunities (such as higher salary or promotion). The disadvantages ought to be lack of support (particularly when sick or if children are involved) and separation anxiety (leading to mental health issues such as depression). You can now argue the case that the disadvantages are more serious.

Also try to avoid “like” instead of “such as”. The word “like” as a linking word is informal and not suitable for Writing Task 2. Hope you found this useful 🙂

Can you please check the below sample essay written by me and advise whether it is sufficient to serve the purpose or if there is any improvement points you can suggest.

The best way to improve health is to do regular exercise. To what extent you agree or disagree?

Consistent physical training is one of the ideal methods to boost fitness. This essay strongly agrees with this statement because it not only stimulates metabolism but also helps in improving mental health. In today’s modern lifestyle where we spent major portion of our life sitting long hours at office and in home, exercising daily is the necessity to activate our metabolism to prevent variety of lifestyle diseases such as Blood Pressure/Sugar et al. It is considered to be the most effective way to deal obesity which is considered to be mother of all disease. A recently concluded study in UK concluded that by 2025 there will be 48% of the population in UK suffering from obesity which can be prevented by daily physical exercise. In addition to the physical fitness one of the major challenges of the new era is to balance mental health. To achieve maximum output at work as well as to get succeed in life we have to deal with varied amount of physiological pressure. Exercising is the finest way to divert all the negative energy and channelizing them into concentrated productive outcome. A clear example of this is the recent advisory issued by WHO to all the institutions dealing with desk jobs to mandatorily have the gym/fitness centre at the work place to develop the healthy lifestyle and to reduce the risk of various diseases. In conclusion, daily exercise is one of the finest ways to keep health in the best shape because it helps in building the stamina to prevent the deadly disease at bay and balance mental well being to deal with varied life problems. Total Word Count = 271

Dear Mr.Pell I saw the videos of two Australian teachers stating that when the question says ” what are advantages and disadvantages’ (because they have “s” at the end which means plural) we have to write two double idea paragraphs. I am confused with it. When each body paragraph needs to include one idea and when two ideas? Could you please share a lesson or video that clarifies this point?

Best wishes Dr.Reza

The band score requirements for paragraphs don’t actually say “one idea per paragraph”. They state that each paragraph should have a “central theme”. This means all advantages in one paragraph – logical organisation. However, for opinion essays, each idea is a separate idea and should be written in individual paragraphs. This means your paragraphing should be logical and will depend on the type of essay you get.

Dear liz, I recently gave my IELTS ACADEMIC test. I do not remember the exact phrasing of the question, but it was along the lines saying “in many parts of the world, children and teenagers are involved in many crimes.” what are the reasons and how they should be punished? I was in hurry and i might have missed “in many parts of the world” to paraphrase (I am not sure if i mentioned it or not) but my rest of the essay is relevant. So basically, my thesis might have missed a part. I wrote ” nowadays, it is seen that many young children and teens are getting involved in crimes” and i added next statement but nowhere it involves the “manu parts of the world” would this affect my score significantly? I am confident about my lexical resources and grammar. But i fear this one mistake might lead to low score. please let me know. 🙂

All fine. That isn’t a vital piece of information for the introduction given that topic. Good luck with your results 🙂

Hi Liz, I have purchased your advanced lesson of opinion essay and was wondering it is necessary to write a balanced approach essay for a higher band score or we can get a good score with a one-sided approach as well.

The position you take isn’t marked – one sided or balanced view are both good. However, make sure you cover all issues in the question, keep the same stance throughout and have relevant points. I teach both approaches because some essay questions are more suited to one approach than the other. So, don’t decide which approach you will take until you read the question.

Question:–Many people like to go on holiday abroad, while others believe it is better to visit places within their own country. Discuss both the views and give your opinion. Intro:—A lot of individuals want to go out of country for vacation. However, others argue that it is good to visit their home nation. This essay agrees that go out for holiday is give idea about new culture and learn new language. Can i write in this way in opinion essay type question and also plz tell me 1. Is it is necessary to use background Statment? 2. How to write thesis statement and outline statement.

The instructions ask for your own opinion. This essay agrees” cannot be used. An essay is not a person and it is not you. Give your opinion clearly and directly. For your background statement, try to write it as one sentence, rather than two as you have done.

Hi Liz, You clearly say that there is no need to add more than the background sentence/s and the thesis statement in the introduction. But, I have found others who suggest to write ‘outline statements’ to make it better. What do you think?

It does not at all affect your score. You won’t get a higher score to have more than a background and thesis statement. The main points in an IELTS essay are in the body paragraphs. While the conclusion and introduction are essential, they serve only a functional purpose.

Hey liz 🙂 I have a question if you dont mind For the 3rd paragraph of advantage/disadvantage question..I want to check if this sentence is formal or not

However, every coin has two sides and despite all the advantages mentioned above, there are some disadvantages too.

It looks like a memorised sentence and that isn’t going to help your score. Each sentence should be uniquely created by yourself and connect to the specific topic given. That is a general statement which doesn’t connect to any topic. Be specific and don’t memorise whole sentences.

you said this is a band 9 essay. i am confused as you did not use a gerund in the introduction or even anywhere in it. also, your transition words look quite mechanical. please kindly respond.

I don’t understand your comment. There is no essay on this page. There is a video lesson which explains the techniques and content for an introduction. You do NOT need to write a gerund in the introduction at all – this is not an IELTS rule. Linking words are mainly used in the body paragraphs, not the introduction.

Thesis statement While it is true that regular physical exercise is key to health, I disagree that this method is the most effective since rational nutrition and avoiding bad habits are equally important.

Is it compulsory to write the general line in the starting of introduction.

If you watch the video lesson above, you will see the two statements which are required in an IELTS essay for task 2. Nothing else is required.

Hi Liz, I have just started following you for preparing ILETS and have tried my first writing task 2. I have tried to write an introduction according to your tips. Question: Some people think that the government is wasting money on the arts and that this money could be better spent elsewhere. To what extent do you agree with this view. My Essay While there are people who believe that the government has been venturing most of the monetary funds in developing arts in the country and such act may not prove to be beneficial. Moreover, they think that instead of squandering excess of money on arts and literature, this could be utilized in better ways. In my opinion, I agree that Government should invest money in community services first rather in arts. However, I believe improving arts may also add to a country’s economy and restoring heritage. Primarily, a government functions for the welfare of the citizens of the country. In the view of this, for development of a country, effective strategies must be formulated in the benefit of the countrymen. It is advisable that government should spend on services centering the society’s welfare. Government should use the national funds in improving civic amenities such as building schools, advanced and fully equipped hospitals, community centres and parks. In doing so, the citizen of the country feels proud of their governance and return back with paying taxes further strengthening the economy. However, completely neglecting art and literature may not be desirable. Since, developing arts in the form of music, theatre and artistic infrastructure may invite tourism internationally as well as nationally. Large scale music concerts and plays may attract millions of art lovers from different corners of the world. Moreover, construction of art specific museums and exhibition centres can impress the crowd. This may further boost a country’s economy and allows amalgamation of varied cultures. To conclude, I would agree that taking care of the basic needs of the society and working primarily for their welfare is the need of the hour. However, developing fields like arts may also be essential for strengthening the economy.

Hi, Can we say/ write ‘to developing’ or shall we say for developing/ to develop? Regards, Amit

– I look forward to seeing you. – I hope to see you. – Only one person is responsible for developing this vaccine. – We are close to developing a vaccine. As you can see, it depends on the structure of the sentence and the way words are used.

I have been following your page for three months and I have improved a lot. I really Want to ask that can I use word ‘ought to’ in the introduction part of writing task 2 as my instructor here in Baroda has instructed me not to use it instead of should. I am really confuse.

Thanks Anurag patel

Of course you can use “ought to” as a paraphrase the “should”.

Hi Liz, Can I start with this… In the salad days of millennium, many people believe that doing daily exercise is the most significant method to become healthy is convincing. I think in a reverse manner and strongly agree to the given statement. My inclination is justified in the ensuring paragraphs. And after that BP1, BP2 and conclusion.

Try writing more naturally without filling your writing with inappropriate, descriptive language. Just write normally.

I think ur giving the best way which can helps all the students thanks for it, i really like ur lesson 🙏😎🥳😍

Very well done! Thank you for this lesson.

Would this one be better? Advertising, which is considered to have a strong impact on people’s lives, is virtually everywhere these days. In my opinion, this profusion of commercials has more negative effects than positive ones because it promotes consumerism and causes frustration.

Now you are going in the right direction. This is what IELTS is all about. The introduction serves only two purposes – to paraphrase the essay question because your whole essay will address it and secondly to present your answer.

Hello Liz! Could you have a look at my introduction, please. Thanks The question: People are surrounded by advertising which has an increasing effect on our lives. Do you think the positive effects of this outweigh the negative effects. Introduction: Advertising seems to have occupied our world completely. It is in streets, public transports, at our homes, in our gadgets – virtually everywhere, so it is needless to say that this constant presence affects our lives in one way or the other. But is this impact a positive one or are its drawbacks more significant? This essay aims to a dress this question and reach a concluding view.

Your background statement includes unnecessary information and is not a direct paraphrase of the question. Your thesis statement fails to answer the question. I highly recommend you learn the right way to write an IELTS essay. This isn’t something you can guess at or collect a few tips about. You need to learn what IELTS want. See my Advanced Lessons: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Apologies Liz,thanks for all your good works. Please kindly grade this essay of mine. An assessor graded it 6.5,i dont know what else to do differently. Thank you NEWS ABOUT PROBLEMS AND EMERGENCIES IS HARMFUL TO INDIVIDUALS AND SOCIETY. DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE?

Many people believe that reporting issues-arising and latest unpalatable events cause unrest and panic to all and sundry. In my opinion, I disagree with this because breaking news keeps us abreast of need-to -know information about our environment and also enable us to avoid falling victims to threats. The main purpose of reporting news is to render information to the public about recent events. Information on the news comes in two forms; good and bad, and the reason why these reports are put out is to educate people about these occurrences so that the society becomes aware of them. We only know what we have heard about. A good example is the recent outbreak of Coronavirus, which was firstly reported in Wuhan, China in November 2019, and by December the whole world had been notified about the outbreak. Without news reporting, we would have been left unaware of and exposed to this deadly disease. Reporting latest events prevents us from falling victims to these problems. People tend to steer clear of harmful situations that pose fatal risks of physical injuries, incapacitations or even death. Take the terrorist groups invasion of certain parts of Nigeria for example, news updates on happenings in these areas enable people to keep away from these locations to avoid being kidnapped or killed. Another example is the recent messages on the news globally on how handwashing and the use of face-masks can help to control infections. Majority of people have adopted these personal hygiene practices because it has been repeated severally on news outlets. To conclude, even though breaking news on outlets like the television, radio and Facebook has had its fair share of creating panicky situations among the public, it is the best way to learn about new events so as to protect us from being victims of these mishaps. However, government should legislate about dissemination of information and individuals of groups should be severely punished if found to have shared false news.

Unfortunately, I don’t offer marking of feedback. But I will say this essay does not conform to the requirements of IELTS based on the marking criteria. For example, you can’t have only one body paragraph in an IELTS essay without it having a negative impact on your score for Coherence and Cohesion. Your conclusion shouldn’t be longer than your introduction – it’s a waste of words and doesn’t help your score. The reason you are struggling to understand what you are doing wrong is because you haven’t learned about IELTS essays. You clearly have great English, but this is all about what IELTS want. See my Advanced Lessons to learn the right techniques based on the official band score requirements. https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/ One final tip: don’t use informal language in your essay (all and sundry) – use that language in your speaking test instead.

Thank you for you response Liz, still on the above essay,it has 2 clear body paragraphs not 1.. Please which of your online course will I benefit from the most?Thanks once again

Sorry, I didn’t see that. Leave an empty line between paragraphs to make them clear. If the examiner can’t easily see them , you’ll get a lower mark. Also pay attention to your topic sentences (the first sentence of each body paragraph) – they need to be written more fully and in a more connected way. Don’t use referencing in the topic sentences. My Advanced Lessons each cover one type of essay. You posted an Opinion Essay – start with that one and see what you learn 🙂

Thanks a lot..

hey liz , thanks for providing us these valuable guidance , however; is the type question like : to what extant do you agree .? is not the same of : to what extant do you agree or disagree ! because i have seen your example and you provide the another reason to get healthy which is diet and if you added to our essay i guess thats mean we do not totally agree! i heard some teachers telling that you have take one position agree or disagree and write you controlling ideas with specific details ,, i really got confused about the question that ask and thanks in advance

Teachers teach that you can only agree with one side because it is a safe approach, particularly with low level English users. However, having a partial agreement is possible with any essay that asks for your opinion, regardless of how the instructions are written. See my Advanced Lessons for different approaches if you want more in-depth training: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hey Liz, Thanks a bunch for such a helpful content, really appreciated! 😊 Before watching this video,i had written my own version of introductory paragraph’s statements, could you please confirm if it will be okay too? “There is no doubt that exercise,when done regularly, is a method that has excellent effects on health improvement. Perhaps, in my opinion, if combined with a diet that ia full of nutritious elements, it produces the best results.”

It’s fine, but don’t use the word “perhaps”. Either you believe in your own opinion or you don’t.

Dear Liz, task 2 question on 14-3-20 was: It is argued that parents of children who break laws should also be punished as they are some way responsible. To what extent do you agree or disagree. First two line of my introduction was “In recent years the number of children committing unlawful activities have increased unprecedentedly. Hence, many people opine that parents of children who do not abide by laws ……” But now I feel the first line including the linking word in the second sentence were irrelevant and unnecessary… I don’t know why I wrote…will I get very poor mark for this?

You have made up information that is not part of the question in your first line. This essay is not about the increase in crime at all. So, it will affect your score for Task Response which is 25% of your marks. There are no rules for marking as to how much it will affect your score. As with all errors, they affect the score, but in no particular amount. At least, you know your error and won’t make the same mistake again. You don’t need a hook to start your introduction in IELTS. Just paraphrase the essay question exactly as it is.

Your website is very much helpful and like the way you teach every minute details about all the aspects in IELTS. I actually have a doubt regarding the use of pen or pencil in the exam? Can we use a pencil or we have to use pen for all the 3 modules?

See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-help-faq/

Hi! I wanted to know if it’s possible to completely agree with the statement or even completely disagree with it. For example, I saw a topic that said the Government should take measures to restrict ownership of mobile phones and asked to what extent do I agree or disagree with it. Personally, I completely disagree with that idea, but I’m wondering if I can actually write my essay in that view.

You can choose to agree, disagree or partial agree/disagree. The choice of opinion is yours and is not marked. What is marked is your ability to present the position and explain it.

So, if I write my entire essay from the perspective of disagreeing without any point of agreeing to the idea, it’s still ok? They wouldn’t state that there’s no balance?

Your whole essay explains your view covering the single issue or two issues raised in the question. If you disagree, how can you write suddenly that you agree? If you disagree, you disagree. It is not a discussion essay. However, not all questions are suited to a one sided view. You should decide your stance after you read the question and think about ideas.

Hello For the thesis statement can I use “This essay will discuss……” or “In this essay…. will be discussed.”

If the instructions ask for YOUR opinion, those words do not directly give YOUR opinion. So, if you use them as a way to express your own personal opinion, it will mean you failed to give your opinion and that would be a problem for Task Response which is 25% of your marks. So, be careful how you use such a phrase in IELTS.

Hi Liz, some teachers say that you should also include an outline in your introduction saying what you are planning to do in the essay, for example writing something like: “in this essay, first I will discuss the advantages, and then I will analyze the disadvantages”. I don’t think this is a good idea, but wanted to have your opinion about this? Thanks!

Firstly, it is a learned phrase – a memorised sentence. IELTS do not accept memorised language as an example of your own level of English. Secondly, the examiner has the instructions which are “discuss the advantages and disadvantages” – it is not important for you to repeat that. Lastly, it is actually a sentence that isn’t required in any IELTS essay – it won’t influence your score for the better or for the worse – it has no impact. So, don’t waste your time. Two statements for the introduction and then straight into the body paragraphs which is where the high scores are.

QQ: Is it ok to write questioning statements in writing task 2 of general module?

Ex:- Topic :- Some people believe that retirement age should not be fixed to 65 years. Do you agree?

Essay:- after writing intro and somewhere in 2nd para , if I want to write “If the age for starting work is not fixed and neither is the work tenure, then why should retirement age be?” Is this ok ?

You should be aiming to write statements that support your main point, not opening up questions.

Thanks for all the lessons in this blog. I have a doubt in paraphrasing the below question. Could you please take a look and help me out?

Food travels a thousands of miles from farmers to consumers. Some people think that it would be better to our environment and local businesses if we only purchase locally produced products. Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

The question has a general statement and background statement. Do I have to paraphrase everything in the question for my introduction?

Thanks, Suganya

“Due to the distance food travels, it is commonly thought that people should only buy local products from local businesses to protect the environment.” As you see, you can just merge information to create one background statement.

Hello ma’am can i use “heated debate” in my introduction about any global problem? Thanks in advance

Those are some of the most overused words in IELTS writing task 2 – they won’t impress the examiner.

Hi Liz, I am writing 100 words of body paragraphs. I am including general idea in the beginning. After this, I write two sub-ideas with one supporting example (for any one idea). At last, I conclude my idea. But by using this approach, my essay becomes too lengthy. Sometimes it’s about of 300 words and sometimes it’s about of 330 words. I am seriously confused. Is it correct way to BP? I need your help.

You are trying to fix a formula for the content of your body paragraphs – don’t do that. You need to show flexibility when it comes to body paragraphs. For example, you do not actually need to conclude a body paragraph. That is not a requirement of IELTS so there is no point fixing that as part of your body paragraph. Just state your main idea and then explain it – you decide how to explain it depending on the idea and the topic – you do not plan this before hand. Start being more flexible in your approach. See my Advanced Writing Task 2 Lessons if you need more help: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hello liz I have a confusion in which essay should i give opinion starting from intro please guide .

Go to the Writing Section of this site for your answer. Use the RED MENU BAR at the top of the site.

Mam please let me know which one method is correct to use in thesis for giving opinion 1. (This essay will or it is agreed) or 2. ( In my opinion , i believe , i completely agree ). I m really confused about that part. Pls help me.

See the writing section of this website – click on the RED MENU BAR at the top of the website.

Hello mam. Your lessons are extremely helpful for the students like me to get a good band score. Please answer my doubt regarding introduction paragraph in WT2. I have read a lot of band score 9 and 8.5 essays and almost most of them have included a hook in their introduction but you stated that hook is not necessary. Please solve the dilemma going on in my head as I believe that you will give me correct advice.

I do not know what else to say. A hook does not help your score at all. It is a sentence that does not relate to the band score requirements. If you put it, it is just padding. It doesn’t cause your score to go down, but it is a waste of time. You have a limited amount of time and each sentence should be 100% focused and essential to the essay. A hook is to “hook the reader” – it’s about interest – that isn’t a band score requirement for IELTS. This is explained in the video on the page above.

Thanks a lot mam for replying and giving a helpful advice

is your GT writing task 2 or 1 available for purchase?

Thanks Anjali

I have Advanced lessons for writing task 2 which are for both GT and Academic writing. I also have an e-book of ideas for topics which is also suitable for both tests. See this page: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

just get to know about your health. Please take care and get well soon :). May God Bless you.

Regards Anjali

If the topic is not a question like ”The importance of video games for the children”. Should we discuss or give our opinion about that?

If there is no direct question, there will be instructions such as “Discuss both views and give your opinion”. You will always get instructions or a clear question. Use the IELTS Cambridge Test papers to prepare – or my essay questions.

Hie Liz i would like to be enrolled in your paid up courses,in the four catergories how much is it?

Hello Liz, You are doing great works for us. Congratulations on your initiatives. Then I have a doubt regarding writing task 2, that is can I use this word “their ” to explain something about a group of people. Is it will reduce my score.

Of course it is fine. I don’t understand your worry about it.

Respected Mam,

I have a question that is there any word limit in IELTS writing task 1 / 2, as it is written in cambridge books for task 2 (250 words) and for task 1 (150 words).

Thanks a lot.

The instructions tell you to write AT LEAST 250 words for task 2 and AT LEAST 150 words for task 1. The words “at least” mean “not less than”.

Hie Liz How many body paragraphs can one write

You should have either two or three body paragraphs. See this page for model essays: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Hi Elizabeth,I took the subscription for the essays. I just have one doubt,I read somewhere that there are 5 types of essay formats but I can see only three types in your subscription; Adv. & Disadv. , Discussion and Opinion. Can you tell me if there are any other formats?

I haven’t made the other lessons yet. You can use my free lessons and tips for the other two types of essays. Click on the RED BAR at the top of the website and select “writing task 2”.

Wish you the best!

Hi, can we use : This essay will … ?

You can use any sentence you want. The question is not “can I use it”. The question is “Will it help my band score?” or “Is it a requirement of IELTS?” or “Can I use this instead of writing my opinion?” – answer to all = No.

I just love your answers!

Thank you Liz, You are very kind to share your knowledge with so many of us .

As regards the Essay, how do go about the body… does an Essay just end in 50-60 words?

I suppose we have to discuss in details about what exercises entails and also dieting as have introduced it in your thesis.

I have never sat for the exams and I am just studying in preparation to enrolling

There are over 300 pages of lessons and tips on this site for IELTS preparation – all free. Go to the RED BAR and click “Writing Task 2” to see full essays, lessons, more videos, tips etc.

I would like to ask about the essay question I have taken before. It is about people eating fast food and healthy foods. In my conclusion, I have not chosen any of these options rather, I have opted to mention that moderation is the key.

The score I received for the essay is quite low and I needed to receive a higher mark. So I would like to check if I would have to agree to one of the statement in order to receive a good score?

Your score is based on a lot more than deciding your opinion. I also cannot judge the opinion you chose without seeing how you presented it, how you explained it, how you linked it to the question, whether you covered all issue in the question and what other issues you covered in your essay. All those points connect to the score for Task Response.

Hi mam You said in video that this is for Academic essay. So can’t we follow this in general essay?? Reply pls Thanks

All my writing task 2 lessons are for GT and Academic essays – there is no difference between them in how you write your essays.

Hi Liz, your blog is of immense help in preparation. Small confusion, I learned from you that, you don’t need to discuss both the sides in essay. In the IDP official website the sample task for CBT is this In Britain,when someone gets old they often go to live in a home with other old people where there are nurses to look after them, Who do you think should pay for it, the government or the family? Now in my essay I think that the government should pay for it ,so I dont need to write about the consequences where family pays for it, right? https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/images/ielts-general-writing-task-2.pdf They recommended arguments for both the solution in body paragraph. So now I am little confused.

Your opinion MUST address all issues. You need to look at the essay question and see how many issues it has. If it has one issue (compulsory parent courses), then you choose one side only and write about one side only (if you choose that opinion). You would not write about pros and cons of compulsory parent courses – you don’t have two equal sides to one coin. But if it has two issues (government or family), you can’t ignore 50% of the essay question. If you agree with one side, then your view is “I agree with the government and I do not agree with the family”. Then your essay explains your opinion. This means you are given two coins and your opinion addressed both. So look at the question and address what you are presented with. When you prepare for IELTS avoiding thinking in black and white rules. If you want a high score, adapt your skills and be flexible.

Woow thank you for this Liz. I have been thinking bout the same concern.

Physical activities on a daily basis is a necessary step for the betterment of health.

Writing task 2 essay topic ” companies should provide sports and social facilities for local community to what extent do you agree or disagree??

My background statement companies need to make available for use physical recreation and public amenities for neighbourhood populace. in my opinion I agree with the above statement but they shouldn’t stop at that they should build schools colleges and institution for higher education too.

Did I get it right?

Hi, I am not sure if this is the right place to ask but I am using a book to improve my writing and one of the advices is to add in the introduction paragraph a sentence explaining your intention such as : ” In this essay, I will discuss some of the reasons why moving abroad is so popular and some of the challenges to overcome” but I have read in some sites that these type of sentences are not really necessary… any comment on this?

Those sentences are common in academic writing, but not needed in I£LTS. The examiner has the instructions – you don’t need to repeat them.

Thanks a lot, it is very clear

thanks alot for the for our great efforts

im in a dilemma i have gone through many ielts essays sample book one thing i have figured out from those is they start their introduction with a nice HOOK or BACKGROUND idea and then paraphrasing and thesis statement also my teacher suggested the same though, i prefer your way of writing the introduction but now im worried whivh is the correct way maam please help me out

thank you!!!!!

IELTS is a short essay which is all about focus and relevancy. A hook is used to capture the readers attention -this is 100% irrelevant for IELTS. You are being marked on 1) how relevant (not interesting) your ideas are 2) focus 3) expanding ideas (in the body). The introduction only contains the essay question paraphrased and your answer (the main points you will cover in brief). It has no other purpose in IELTS. You must then get to the body paragraphs where the real points are scored. Having a longer intro will not boost your score. You will not be marked down for a hook, but it is a waste of time and will not help you. I am stating this as someone who has completed the IELTS examiner training – not just as a teacher.

One quick question.

Is it grammatically correct to write “In my opinion, I agree (or I believe)”? I personally feel that it is a repetitive statement, as, we make an opinion because we agree with the statement, and vice versa.

Please correct me if I am wrong. Thank you.

Best, Shailesh

It is optional. You certainly don’t need to use them both.

Hi Liz, Thanks for being humble and helping the test takers with your teaching.

I have a question regarding the opinion essay. When the question is “To what extent do you agree?” we can either completely or partly agree/disagree. But when the question is “Do you agree/disagree?”, can we Partly agree/disagree? Thanks

There is no difference between the instructions. Your view can be any view you want. Your position is what you choose it to be.

Hi First of all, thank you so much for such a platform, its really helful I would like to know that can we use carbon pencil to perform writing task 1,2 in ILETS test ? thanks

Hi I watch your video today and i think there is a mistake as my teacher told me that “To what extent”? the answer is I totally agree or disagree with the statement. Not just only that I agree or disagree with the statement. please inform me if there is a difference?

There is no such rule in IELTS writing task 2. Your teacher is offering you advice. It is not a rule.

Human activity has had a negative impact on plants and animals around the world. Some people think that this cannot be changed, while others believe actions can be taken to bring about a change.

People’s deeds have had a deteriorating effect on the ecosystem of this planet, while a segment of the population thinks this damage is permanent the others trust that there are various ways to improve the situation. However, in my opinion, with a positive mind set towards sustainable development this damage caused can be reversed.

Please let me know if this introduction para correct. Thank you

Please l need your assistant on writing task 2.

Sorry, I do not offer that service.

Hello Liz, I will like to purchase you advance writing task 2 but i dont have a paypal account. I will like to know if there is any other way that i can have it purchased. Thanks

It is also possible to ask a friend to buy the lessons for you.

Although, it is sometimes thought that big international companies ought to nuture the economy of these developing countries through the establishment of offices and factories, other people believe that countries should keep large forieign countries away.

Somebody said 50 words are essential for introduction and now u said only 2 statements .. I am confused because according to me format is 1)general line 2)rephrasing the given statement 3) thesis And plz tell me if this line is correct This essay attempts to elaborate both the views in subsequent fragments.

There is NO rule in IELTS about the length of the introduction. IELTS examiner certainly do NOT count the number of words for each paragraph and mark accordingly. They count the full essay word length and check that it is 250 plus words – that’s all. The higher band scores are mainly based on well developed main ideas which means your focus should be in the body paragraphs. It is your choice if you follow the advice I have given you in this video lessons or not.

Hi Liz, Thanks for sharing the useful videos. I will be writing the IELTS for the General training module and not the Academic one. So, I wanted to know whether the Introduction part for General training is different from the Academic one? The way in which you described the Introduction part, will it differ ?

All my writing task 2 lessons are for the GT and Academic essays.

can you guide me with my writing?

See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ and also consider purchasing my Advanced Writing Task 2 lessons: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hello liz I would like to ask you about the idea of adding another idea in the thesis statement which was not given in the statement of the questions. In this lesson you have added applying a diet. Do not you think that we should stick on the essay’s question and we should explain all what is related to exercise and not a diet which is a system of choosing the right food on the right time

This is an Opinion Essay based on a solution to the problem. You can give your opinion of the solution they offer and then offer your preferred solution.

Hello everybody.

I am writing to ask if for introduction we should avoid phrases like: It is undeniable that ____________ is one of the most challenging issues these days. Or: This increasing _________has been a significant feature of modern life in developed countries. Or: One of the most significant advances in civilization is the development of…. There are a number of reasons for believing that… Some people have predicted….

Some of them sound to me useful for introducing some types of essays, but I am afraid that could be pre-prepared for the examiner in some way, especially if they include things like: “modern life, civilization…

Thanks in advance!

IELTS is an English language test. It is a test to check your level of English – not your memory. Each sentence you use should be uniquely created by yourself in the test room. You can learn linking words, but not phrases or sentences. Memorising chunks of language is NOT accepted by IELTS.

Hi Liz, Can I write (In my opinion,I partially agree and partially disagree with the statement….)

Wonderful job done 🙂 for this blog and all videos. I have seen the one with explanation on how to write an introduction and i was shocked to learn new things 😛 I got 7 in academic writing module, back in Nov 2017. However, I need a lot of improvement cause i am scared about my general attempt that is going to happen very soon. I am so happy to have your support freely available, which is terrific !

I need help specifically in longer complex sentence structures. Is there any way to have a piece of advice on just ONE essay, please ?

Thank you !

Sorry, I don’t offer that service. I am working on an e-book which is a list of sentence structures and grammar tenses for writing task 2. Would you be interested in that when it’s ready?

Hi Liz, Hope you are doing well. I am a bit confused with the structure of introduction, I read on the internet, wherein it is that for a good introduction you “must” include the following: 1 Paraphrase the question 2 Thesis Statement 3 Outline Statement (e.g. The essay will first look at how voluntary work can help students develop soft skills and then discuss how these extracurricular activities are valued by universities and employers) Whereas in your video you don’t talk about an outline statement. could you please clarify the importance of outline statement and really we need to add in the essay or not. I am stuck at 6.5 in writing, consecutively 2 times got 6.5. For the second time, I bought your advanced video also but unfortunately again got 6.5. Please let me know, is this because I have not included an outline statement in my introduction to the essay. Thanks in advance for your reply.

IELTS do not require an outline statement at all for an introduction. Your score is not based only on technique, it is also your English language. To hit band 7, you must produce complex English with few errors – it is probable that your English contains too many errors for band 7. Errors also include unsuitable word choice, paraphrasing at the wrong time, spelling, punctuation. You must also showcase a range of sentence structures which are accurate. Making sure all sentences are 100% relevant and fully connected is also essential. All issues in the essay question must also be fully addressed. Also review your task 1 techniques, this accounts for 33% of your marks in writing. So, there are a numerous reasons for not hitting band 7. You must review your writing and try your best to improve.

I am interested in your e-book… when do you think it will be ready?

I really have no idea. I hoped to get it done this summer, but my health took a downward turn again. As soon as I have a reasonable prediction on the date, I will post a notice on this website 🙂

Get well soon Liz!

I am from India. I have tried purchasing your advanced writing lesson using both master card and visa,however, the site says not able to add the card. Something is not right.

This will be a local problem with Paypal. You can try again OR set up a paypal account OR ask a friend to buy the lessons for you.

Hi Liz, may I allow to use question in my essay to make it more attractive? e.g. what is the best way to flee?

Why do you want to make it attractive? Do you think it will gain you higher marks? Whether your essay is interesting or not, has NO impact on your score – absolutely zero impact. It is not a marking criteria for IELTS.

Hi Mrs.Liz . thank you for this wonderful lesson my British teacher have said that to me: I should write what i will write in the full essay in the introduction after background. For example, the most effective etc,,,, This essay will discuss this issue then will set out my personal conclusion. is that true and beneficial ??

This is not an academic essay – it an academic essay for IELTS which is a language test. IELTS do not accept memorised sentences or language. That sentence is a fixed sentences which is memorised and used by many many students – it does not contain examples of your own English and won’t help your score.

Hlo ma’am , you are doing a great job and deserve to be applauded . My question is , how many typical Vocabulary words should I use in My Writing Task 2 . I have penchant for using vocab . But one thing I’m afraid of is tgat the examiner might not get the exact meaning of yhe message I want to convey or what is my frame of mind . In place of put forward my ideas I write Propound my viwpoint . Similarly , for motive I use Incentive . For harmless I use Innocuous . And so on , there is profusion of words I use to put a better impression on the examiner . And same is in the case of speaking as well . Should I continue doing so or decrease it to some extent .

Your aim should not be to impress. It should be accuracy and clear meaning at all times. Poorly chosen words or even little mistakes all count and will lower your score.

Hi can u give ssuggestions for my introduction. Question is Children should not be educated at home by their parents.do u agree or not? My intro … Young generations must be restricted to home tuition given by their fathers and mothers.In my opinion ,mentors play vital role for students in gaining good academic scores in latter life however neglegence of parents is considered to be worse towards their kid’s future. Waiting for response

Sorry I don’t actually understand your opinion. What do you mean by “mentors”? Are you referring to teachers? Because a mentor and a teacher are not the same at all. Why are you talking about negligence? Your whole opinion is very confusing. This is about home-schooling or school education. This is a typical example of poor vocabulary choices. Just write your opinion so that it is 100% easy to understand. Your thesis is vital to be fully understood.

Yeah exactly thank you so much ..now is it correct? Young learners should not be taught by their fathers and mothers . In my opinion , I believe that School educations or educational institutions are better for children and home schooling is not ideal for kids to develop abilitis in facing different chalenges.

Yeah exactly thank you so much ..now is it correct? Young learners should not be taught by their fathers and mothers . In my opinion , I believe that School educations or educational institutions are better for children and home schooling is not ideal for kids in developing abilities to face different chalenges. .. I’m really appreciated for giving ur precious time .

Now your opinion is easy to understand, but your vocabulary is still a problem. “fathers and mothers” – do you think it is a great paraphrase – does it improve the sentence? No. Parents are parents – you do not paraphrase that word. Your choice shows a lack of awareness of paraphrasing. Paraphrasing is about which words to change and also which words to keep the same. Also “kids” is informal and unsuitable for essay writing. And “developing abilities to face” – what does this mean? It actually has no meaning and no relation to education and school subjects etc. So, your problems are: a) learning more about the right techniques b) making better choices with your vocabulary. I don’t usually comment so much for students, but this is a lesson that all students can benefit from when they read it.

Thank u so much for ur explanations. The reason for writing this sentence I thought when children get school education they interact with different students so that they face different challenges which make them easy to achieve goals.

Now I can understand you perfectly – you should write this way in your essay. Be clear, be direct, write normally. But this is only one main point, not all your main points. You should plan all your main points before you start writing your introduction. Plan the whole essay first. So, you believe home schooling is bad because: a) children lack interaction with others b) they lack the range of subjects offered by schools c) they lack equipment and facilities offered by schools Get all your main points planned, then write your introduction. So, your thesis statement will say that you think school education is better than home school due to student interaction, subject range and facilities. – now you have a clear introduction!!

Thank u so much liz now I understand . Have a good day

Again school education is not about facing challenges. This is about the range of subjects offered, social interaction, extra curricular activities, professional teaching etc. Also, as I already said, “fathers and mothers” is not a good paraphrase. Parents are parents – don’t change the word. Sorry I won’t be able to offer you further help.

Thank you liz

Hi Liz, Your video is so helpful and I’m able for doing lots of practices after watching it. Thanks.

Hii Liz.. Thanks for your valuable support to all.. My exam is on 1st feb. Just want your quick opinion on following introduction.

Topic: Children in some parts of the world have less responsibility compared to children in the past. Some people think this as a positive change, however others think of it as as negative change. What do you think?

Introduction: Children in a few regions of the world don’t have much responsibilities in comparison to little ones in earlier times. It is argued by some to be a positive development while other consider it detrimental for society. In my opinion, it certainly has a negative impact on the world because children with decreased responsibility tend to become more reckless regarding their future.

Hello Liz! Could you answer my question, please?

The essay question is “Universities should accept equal numbers male and female students in every subject. To what extent do you agree or disagree?”

Do I HAVE TO use the words Agree or Disagree in my thesis?

For example, would the following thesis be wrong or confusing? “In my view, gender should play no role in the decision-making process when university places are allocated and entry to higher education ought to be granted purely on merit.”

Is this thesis statement appropriate when the essay question is worded like that? I would greatly appreciate your response!

Of course, it’s fine 🙂 You do NOT need to use the words “agree” or “disagree”. You need to express your opinion and you did that clearly. Well done 🙂

Thank you very much Liz!

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How to Write an Introduction for IELTS Writing Task 2

Posted by David S. Wills | Jul 8, 2021 | IELTS Tips , Writing | 0

The following is an excerpt from my 2019 book, How to Write the Perfect Essay for IELTS . It is all about how to write an introduction to an essay and I felt it was important enough that I would include it here for everyone to read. If you want to see the rest of the book, you can find it on sale here .

Writing an Introduction

An essay’s introduction is incredibly important because it is the first thing that an examiner will read. In this short paragraph, you will attempt to address the topic and give a basic overview of your essay. If this is clear and relatively error-free, the examiner will be impressed and they may view the rest of your essay more favourably. Note that this is not a conscious decision and an examiner will always try to be fair. However, human nature is such that first impressions are important.

In our examples and rules above, I have explained the basics of writing an introduction. However, you might be wondering a few things:

• Do I always have to follow the same rules for writing an introduction?
• Will every essay require the same sort of introduction?
• Do I need to outline my essay in the introduction?
• Does each part of the introduction really require just one sentence?
• Is there an ideal number of words to write in an introduction?

The answer to all these is: NO. There are many possible ways to write a good introduction, and different teachers will tell you different things. What I have done so far is give you some helpful advice about writing essays. My advice is intended to give all IELTS students the best chance of scoring band 7.0 or higher by offering simple, practice advice, but there are different ways of writing a great essay.

Essentially, what you do need to do is:

• Introduce the topic.
• Assert a position and/or explain the purpose of your essay.

To do this, I think that the best way to write an introduction is to paraphrase the question and then write a thesis statement. Let’s look at these in detail.

Introducing the Topic

You should write one or two sentences at the very beginning of your essay that explain the topic. If you begin with a very general topic, you might need to write two sentences as the second one will focus on the key issue. Some teachers will tell you that you need to paraphrase the question, but while this can be helpful, it is not the best approach .

In Section II of this book, we talked about analysing the question. If you have fully analysed the question, then writing the first sentence of your essay should be pretty easy. You just need to find what the main idea is, and explain it. Let’s look at an example:

Some people say that now we can see films on our phones or tablets there is no need to go to the cinema. Others say that to be fully enjoyed, films need to be seen in a cinema. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

My introduction to this essay would be:

In recent years, mobile technology has improved to the point that people can now watch movies in HD almost anywhere by using a phone or tablet. This development has caused some people to speculate that cinemas will soon be obsolete. However, this essay will argue against that viewpoint.

In analysing the question, I noted that it contained two contradictory statements:

• It is better to watch movies on a phone or tablet.
• It is better to watch movies in the cinema.

There is a more focused point hidden within the question:

There is no point in going to the cinema anymore.

My first sentence is extremely broad. I have started with a phrase (“in recent years”) that sets this topic within a time context then stated the main idea: the improvement of mobile technology has changed the way we view movies. Rather than make one very long, complicated sentence, I have added a shorter one that expands upon and qualifies my first. The second sentence focuses my essay by introducing item #3 from above. It states that because of these technological developments, there is no reason to go to the cinema. Essentially, my first two sentences say the same thing as the question. However, I have not exactly paraphrased it. I did not attempt to copy the question with new words. Instead, I let the idea of the question develop in my head, and then wrote down the general idea of it. I think that this is the best way to handle writing an introductory sentence.

Here’s a video about how to write a great first sentence:

Asserting a Position and/or Explaining the Purpose of the Essay

What do I mean by “asserting a position”? In Section II of this book, I talked about maintaining a clear position throughout the essay. This is important for scoring highly in Task Achievement . There are different perspectives on what this requires, with some people claiming that you only need to make your position clear in the conclusion. Others, however, say that it should be stated in the introduction. The safest and most sensible option is to state your position in the introduction, support it in the body paragraphs, and then reaffirm it in the conclusion.

Of course, not all questions require a position. Some of them just ask to explain something, like a problem and a solution. In this case, you would not need to give an opinion in the introduction. You should instead write one or two sentences announcing what you will do in the essay. In the guide to structures, I referred to these as “thesis statement” and “essay outline”. You don’t always need to give both, but they are good ways of scoring highly for Coherence and Cohesion because they help clarify the structure of your essay.

In my previous example, I only wrote “…this essay will argue against that viewpoint.” This is a sort of thesis statement. I could have expanded it to say, “The first paragraph will look at reasons why it appears that cinemas will become obsolete, while the second will explore the continued relevance of cinemas in the digital era.” This is an example of an essay outline . However, there is a slight problem with this sort of sentence. While it undoubtedly adds value to an essay, it also adds to the word count, and to the length of time taken to write an essay. It is important to finish your essay within 40 minutes and also to spend time checking for errors. As such, writing an extra sentence or two could cost additional time that could be spent elsewhere. If you struggle with finishing in time, you should probably write a shorter introduction and ensure that you finish the whole essay. Advanced students, who can easily finish in time and wish to improve their score to a band 8.0 or 9.0, would do well to consider incorporating essay outlines for an improved structure. 

Another reason why we may choose to include a thesis statement or essay outline is that it improves the register of an essay. In other words, it makes it more formal . Whilst a question may ask for your opinion on an issue, writing “I think…” is less formal than writing “This essay will argue that…” By getting into the habit of writing this sort of sentence, you can reduce the number of personal pronouns and increase the formality of your essay, thereby improving its tone.

Here is an example from a problem and solution essay, which would not require a thesis statement, but would require an essay outline:

Despite the growing number of gyms and fitness centres, more and more people are leading a sedentary lifestyle in the modern society. What problems are associated with this? What solutions can you suggest?

In the twenty-first century, an unprecedented number of people are living sedentary lifestyles due to changes in our work and social habits. [DW1]   This is a seriously dangerous phenomenon and greatly threatens our health and happiness. [DW2]   This essay will look at the problems and solutions. [DW3]  

I could have expanded it slightly:

In the twenty-first century, an unprecedented number of people are living sedentary lifestyles due to changes in our work and social habits. This is a seriously dangerous phenomenon and greatly threatens our health and happiness. This essay will first look at the problems and then explore some solutions.

By adding these small extra details, I am giving a slightly more advanced guide to the essay. However, the difference is pretty minimal. This is something to consider for people aiming to make improvements and score band 7.0 or higher.

  [DW1] I have written a single sentence to introduce the topic, which essentially paraphrases the question.

  [DW2] This sentence develops the idea further.

  [DW3] Here, I outline in the most basic terms the function of the essay.

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: How To Write an Effective Introduction

Ielts writing task 2 introduction.

Did you know that a strong introduction can make the difference between a Band 6 and a Band 8 in IELTS Writing Task 2?

In the video above, I’ll show you how to write a Band 8 introduction and avoid the 7 biggest mistakes most people make when they introduce their essays.

This post will help you write better introductions in your Task 2 IELTS essays and show the specific sentences I advise all of my students to use when writing IELTS Writing Task 2 introductions.

The introduction is the first part of the essay the examiner will read, and it will give them a good first impression of what to expect in the rest of the essay.

Just like in person, first impressions last.

I often tell my students that a bad introduction in IELTS writing part 2 is the same as going in to the speaking exam and being rude to the examiner- no matter how good you are in the rest of it, the examiner won’t be happy, and unhappy examiners are more likely to give you a lower mark.

Despite this warning, many good students go on to produce introductions with a few common problems in them.

Common Problems

• Talking too generally about the topic.

Most of these essays start off with ‘Nowadays……’ or ‘In modern life….’ followed by general information about the topic. In my opinion, this is the worst start you can possibly make. Remember that you are supposed to answer the question, not write generally about the topic.

• Not giving your opinion

This is the most important sentence in the essay. Not including this will lose you marks in several different ways.

• Not supporting your opinion with main ideas

If you don’t do this, the examiner doesn’t really know what you think about the question. This will also lose you marks. I’ll show you how to write an outline sentence below.

• Trying to write a ‘hook’ or be entertaining

Remember, this is an IELTS exam, not a university essay. There are no extra points for being interesting; in fact, being boring will probably help you. This will help you avoid ‘flowery’ language.

• Using an informal style

Know your audience. You are expected to write in an academic style.

Good and Bad Examples

Question: There is a good deal of evidence that increasing car use is contributing to global warming and having other undesirable effects on people’s health and well-being.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Good Introduction

Rising global temperatures and human health and fitness issues are often viewed as being caused by the expanding use of automobiles. This essay agrees that the increasing use of motor vehicles contributes to rising global temperatures because of the production of greenhouse gases by vehicles and certain health issues are caused by the release of toxic chemicals by internal combustion engines.

Bad Introduction

Nowadays, cars are a very popular way of getting around. Day by day many more people drive cars around but others feel that they cause global warming. Global warming is one of the most serious issues in modern life. They also affect people’s health and well-being which is also a serious issue.

As you can see, the bad example generally talks about the topic, copies words and phrases from the question, and doesn’t include a thesis statement or outline statement.

If your introductions look something like this, don’t worry. Most of my students write introductions a lot like this when they first start in my class and the structure below always helps them fix any problems and write very effective introductions.

Structure of a Good Introduction

If you use this structure, you will not only score higher marks but also save time in the exam. If you practice enough, introductions will become easy, and you will do them in just a few minutes. This will leave you lots of time to focus on the main body paragraphs, where you can pick up lots of marks.

An IELTS writing task 2 opinion essay should have three elements, and these should be:

• Paraphrase  question
• Give opinion
• Support opinion with 2 ideas

That’s it. Simple!

Do you need me to correct your essays and give you feedback on them? Check out our essay correction service or email me at [email protected]. 

About Christopher Pell

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

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

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

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IELTS Essay Samples of Band 8

• 69 Comments
• IELTS Essays - Band 8 , IELTS Writing Samples

Here you can find IELTS Essay samples of Band 8 on many topics, written by students and graded by an IELTS teacher. Click on one of the topics below to jump to essays on that topic.

Celebrities Crime and Punishment Culture Education Environment Family and Children Food and Diet Global Issues Government and Laws Health Housing and Town Planning Media and Advertising Money Reading Society and Social Matters Sport and Exercise Technology Tourism Work Young People

Note: the task prompt of each essay appears when you hold the mouse over the link. Every essay is checked, marked, has comments and suggestions. Hold the mouse over to see suggested corrections. The teacher’s summary is at the bottom of each essay.

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Celebrities

Celebrities earn more money than politicians (reasons and solutions) – Sample essay 1

Celebrities can be poor role models for teenagers (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 2

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Crime and Punishment

Why criminals commit another offence after punishment – Sample essay 1

Crime rates are likely to decline due to the advancements in technology – Sample essay 2

If a child commits a crime, should the child or the parents be punished? – Sample essay 3

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Culture

In the past people wore their traditional clothes – Sample essay 1

Museums and art galleries should present only the national art (agree/disagree)- Sample essay 2

People should follow the customs and traditions of their new country (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 3

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Education

Computers instead of teachers – Sample essay 1

Will computers replace teachers? – Sample essay 2

Financial education at school – Sample essay 3

Schools should select students by their academic abilities (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 4

Unpaid community work should be mandatory in high school (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 5

Teachers are more responsible for social and intellectual development of students than parents (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 6

Education in financial management should be a mandatory component of the school program, agree/disagree (from Target Band 7 book) – Sample essay 7

What are the difficulties of learning a foreign language, and how to overcome them? – Sample essay 8

Many university students nowadays live away from home and their parents (advantages/disadvantages) – Sample essay 9

Part time courses are on the rise (advantages/disadvantages) – Sample essay 10

The purpose of education is to make individuals useful to society (discuss + opinion) – Sample essay 11

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Environment

Some people believe that preserving natural environment is crucial but make no effort to do so (reasons and solutions) – Sample essay 1

Who should be responsible for protecting the environment, individuals or the government? – Sample essay 2

The best way to solve environmental problems is to increase the price of fuel (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 3

In many countries, the number of animals and plants is declining (reasons and solutions) – Sample essay 4

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Family and Children

Children and rules – Sample essay 1

Children should be engaged in paid work (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 2

Children these days are suffering from obesity (reasons and solutions) – Sample essay 3

Should children grow up in the city or countryside (advantages/disadvantages)? – Sample essay 4

Nowadays families move to different countries for work and some think it has a negative effect on children (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 5

Childcare training courses should be mandatory for all parents (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 6

Some think that children should leave their family home early – Sample essay 7

Children today are spending more time watching TV than in the past, is it a positive or a negative change? – Sample essay 8

Excessive use of modern technologies is negatively affecting the reading and writing skills of children (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 9

Who should discipline the children, parents or the government? (discuss + opinion) – Sample essay 10

The role of parents in the future success of a person is more important than school (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 11

New parents should attend parenting classes to learn how to bring up their children well (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 12

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Food and Diet

Dieting can change a person’s life for better or worse (from Target Band 7 book) – Sample essay 1

Nowadays people waste a lot of food (reasons and solutions) – Sample essay 2

Nowadays many people choose ready made food instead of cooking (advantages/disadvantages) – Sample essay 3

In many countries a lot of food is wasted (reasons and solutions) – Sample essay 4

Many people today are drinking sugar-based drinks (reasons and solutions) – Sample essay 5

Many people do not exercise enough and eat an unhealthy diet – Sample essay 6

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Global Issues

The good and bad of globalization – Sample essay 1

Rich countries should help the poor – Sample essay 2

The positive and negative sides of globalization – Sample essay 3

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Government and Laws

Some argue that governments should create nutrition and food choice laws to improve public health (discuss + opinion) – Sample essay 1

Many people believe that reducing speed limits is the best option for road safety improvement (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 2

Changing drivers age limits is the best way to reduce traffic accidents (from Target Band 7 book) – Sample essay 3

The education system is the only critical factor in the development of a country, agree/disagree (from Target Band 7 book) – Sample essay 4

Some people say that arts subjects are as essential as academic ones and should be part of school syllabus (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 5

Some believe the government should take care of retirees, while others think everyone should save for their own retirement (opinion) – Sample essay 6

Some people think that public health in a country can be improved by government making laws regarding nutritious food (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 7

Some people believe that countries should produce all the food necessary to feed their populations and import as little food as possible (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 8

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Health

Obesity is becoming common among children, give reasons and solutions (from Target Band 7 book) – Sample essay 1

Some people use the Internet to search for solutions to their medical problems, is this a positive or negative development? – Sample essay 2

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Housing and Town Planning

When new towns are planned, it is important to build more public parks or sports facilities than shopping centers (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 1

High-rise vs. low-rise buildings, which solution is better for a growing population? – Sample essay 2

Some say that new homes should be constructed in existing cities while others argue that new towns should be built (advantages/disadvantages) – Sample essay 3

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Media and Advertising

Advertising affects what people think is important and has a negative effect on their lives (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 1

Some people say that all popular TV entertainment programmes should aim to educate viewers about important social issues (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 2

Newspapers have a significant influence on people’s ideas and opinions (reasons and solutions) – Sample essay 3

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Money

Should people spend a lot on weddings and birthday parties? – Sample essay 1

Some people think it is better to make more money rather than have free time (discuss + opinion) – Sample essay 2

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Reading

People who read for pleasure develop their imagination more and acquire better language skills compared to people who prefer watching television (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 1

Public libraries should only provide books, not videos or DVD (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 2

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Society and Social Matters

Events bringing people together – Sample essay 1

Some people claim that it is acceptable to use animals in medical research (discuss) – Sample essay 2

Many museums charge for admission while others are free (advantages/disadvantages) – Sample essay 3

The proportion of older people is increasing (problems and solutions) – Sample essay 4

People should not work beyond the age of retirement (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 5

Nowadays more and more people want to live by themselves (reasons and solutions) – Sample essay 6

Nowadays that many women have full time jobs, it is logical to share the housework evenly between men and women (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 7

Many people support animal testing while others believe it isn’t appropriate (discuss) – Sample essay 8

Some people believe that women should be treated as equal to men when applying for a job with the police or the military (opinion) – Sample essay 9

In the modern world it is possible to shop, work and communicate via internet without face-to-face contact – Sample essay 10

Some think that hosting an international sporting event is beneficial for a country while others disagree (advantages/disadvantages) – Sample essay 11

Some people tend to buy products or get services instantly (reasons and effects) – Sample essay 12

Social media helps people to keep in touch with friends (advantages/disadvantages) – Sample essay 13

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Sport and Exercise

Some people think that it is fine for professional athletes to misbehave on or off the field (opinion) – Sample essay 1

Despite the benefits of walking, very few people walk nowadays (reasons and solutions) – Sample essay 2

More and more people participate in extreme sports (reasons and solutions) – Sample essay 3

Some people argue that sports are essential (discuss) – Sample essay 4

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Technology

The development of technology causes traditional skills to die out (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 1

Some believe that modern technology is increasing the gap between the rich and poor (discuss) – Sample essay 2

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Tourism

Many believe international tourism is bad for their country (reasons and solutions) – Sample essay 1

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Work

Senior managers should have higher salaries than other employees (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 1

Should employers pay more attention to personal qualities rather than qualifications? – Sample essay 2

In many workplaces online communication has overtaken face to face meetings (advantages/disadvantages) – Sample essay 3

Many people try to achieve a work-life balance but fail (reasons and solutions) – Sample essay 4

People in senior positions should be compensated with significantly higher salaries (agree/disagree) – Sample essay 5

IELTS Model Essays on the Topic of Young People

Some parents encourage young people to leave home while others think they should stay with the family – Sample essay 1

In many countries young people start living on their own after high school – Sample essay 2

Some think that young people should be free to choose any career they like – Sample essay 3

Young people are finding it harder to find permanent jobs (reasons and solutions) – Sample essay 4

Today’s young generation is facing many problems at school and at home (reasons and solutions) – Sample essay 5

Young people aren’t spending their weekends doing outdoor activities such as hiking or mountaineering (reasons and solutions) – Sample essay 6

Young people don’t communicate with older people as much as they used to (reasons and solutions) – Sample essay 7

Note: the essays were checked by an IELTS teacher, not an IELTS examiner or examiner trainer. All the band scores are approximate.

How To Write an IELTS Band 8 Essay

Essay samples are useful to get an idea what a Band 8 essay looks like, but how can YOU write a Band 8 essay? As you know, an IELTS essay is scored using 4 criteria:

1. Task Response 2. Coherence and Cohesion 3. Lexical Resource 4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy

Many test takers are unsure what is wrong with their essay, why they keep scoring Band 6.5 and how to take their writing to Band 8 level. Is that how you feel, too? Keep reading then, because we are just about to analyse a Band 6.5 essay and show you what to change in it, to get a Band 8 score in IELTS.

Colours show elements relating to each criterion that affect the Band Score of this sample IELTS essay. Hold mouse over highlighted words (or tap on mobile) to see the comments, suggestions and corrections.

IELTS Essay Analysed and Rewritten from Band 6.5 to Band 8

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

IELTS Sample Essay – Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion and Lexical Resource Analysis

1. Task Response Analysis: This essay follows the task requirements quite well. Both points of view are discussed (in paragraphs 2 and 3) and the writer’s personal opinion is offered (in the introduction, paragraph 4 and the conclusion). The opinion is clear. The paragraph on money is not very well developed and not entirely clear. Approximate score for Task Response: Band 7.

2. Coherence and Cohesion Analysis: Most linking expressions are appropriate but two are not (see asterisk *). Coherence is concerned with the effectiveness of what the essay is trying to communicate. The essay is well structured – each paragraph announces its topic clearly [TS] and the introduction announces the opinion of the writer. Sometimes the ideas are not entirely clear inside the paragraphs (see NC). Also the writer has a tendency to be repetitive. Approximate score for Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.

3. Lexical Resource Analysis : The use of vocabulary seems quite reasonable but attempts to use a wider range are not always successful (see corrections above). Probably not quite good enough for a 7. Approximate score for Lexical Resource: Band 6 or 6.5.

The same IELTS Sample Essay – Grammatical Range and Accuracy Analysis

Certainly, money is an important part in our lives. It is hard for any persons to accept a partner which does not have money or at least a job to take care of future family . Hence, said “marry for money” (#5) also has its right in some extent .

However, love should be the root of any marriages . Firstly, it is because love is such a glue to connect two persons which have their own lives, become one. So, they can share each other’s the sadness , happiness to overcome any difficulties in daily lives . Moreover, love makes people growing up because they do not only have responsibility to themselves, but also to their partners as well. That is why marrying with love is always encouraged.

In my opinion, I think that both love and money is both necessary. Marriage relying on money would be rapidly disintegrated when unfortunately the money is run out . In contrary , marriage relying on love would sometimes come to end when they could not earn money to carry out family , such as paying bills, buying food, etc . Therefore, love and money should stand together in marriage even though their contribution could be unbalanced.

As we have seen, marriage without either money or love would come to an unhappy ending. So I believe that they both have their own contribution to a merry family.

4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy Analysis : Although the essay is quite easy to follow, it has too many grammatical errors in too many sentences to merit a 7 score (see corrections highlighted above). The range of grammatical constructions used seems quite good. Approximate score for Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6 or 6.5.

Improving the Sample Essay to Achieve an IELTS Band 7

The same essay now at around a Band 7 level might look something like this. Read it carefully and compare it with the original:

Certainly, money plays an important part in our lives. It is hard for any persons to accept a partner who does not have money or at least a job to take care of their future family. Hence, it is said, “marry for money” is right in some extent.

However, love should be the root of any marriage. Firstly, it is because love is such a strong bond between two persons who have their own lives, and become one. So, they can share each other’s sadness, happiness to overcome any difficulties in their daily lives. Moreover, love makes people grow up because they do not only have responsibility to themselves, but also to their partners as well. That is why marrying for love is always encouraged.

In my opinion, I think that love and money are both necessary. A marriage relying on money would rapidly disintegrate when unfortunately the money ran out. In contrary, a marriage relying on love would sometimes come to end when they could not earn money to carry out family duties such as paying bills, buying food, etc. Therefore, love and money should stand together in marriage even though their contribution could be unbalanced.

As we have seen, marriage without either money or love would come to an unhappy end. So I believe that they both make their own contribution to a merry family.

Improving the Sample Essay to Achieve an IELTS Band 8

To turn the Band 7 sample essay into a Band 8 one would require further improvement in range and accuracy of grammar, greater clarity and better connection of ideas, and a wider range of appropriate, higher level vocabulary.

So the same sample essay now at around a Band 8 level might look something like this. Once again, read it carefully and compare it with the original:

Clearly, love should be the foundation of any marriage. This is because firstly, love is such a strong bond between two persons, who have their own lives, yet become one. They can share each other’s sadness or happiness in order to overcome any difficulties in daily lives. Moreover, love fosters maturity because each member of a couple no longer has responsibility only for themselves, but also for their partner. These are just two, key reasons why marrying for love should always be encouraged.

In my opinion, love and money are equally necessary. A marriage relying solely on money might rapidly disintegrate in the unfortunate event of the money running out. Similarly, a marriage relying on love alone might sometimes come to an end if the couple could not earn enough money to manage their family’s obligations such as paying bills, or buying food. Therefore, love and money should stand together in marriage, even though their contribution might often be somewhat unequal.

To summarise, marriage without either money or love could come to an unfortunate end. For that reason, I would claim that they both make their own, vital contribution to the creation of a happy family.

If after reading these sample essays you are still missing something and can’t write at Band 8 level, don’t panic. We have a book that can help to improve your grammar and sentence formation, teach you how to connect your ideas better and give you a wide range of appropriate, higher level vocabulary. Go here to discover the “IELTS Success Formula” book .

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69 thoughts on “IELTS Essay Samples of Band 8”

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That is very easy! All you need to do is visit the Writing Correction page and purchase a package. We will email you instructions how to send your tasks (via email) and our teachers will also be returning your checked work via email.

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Thank you! I’m glad it helps.

There’s no doubt that these essay samples of band 8 are very well written, students will remember it during exams.

Great to hear, thanks Benard!

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Thank you so much for your feedback, Areeb. You’re going through some stressful time, and it’s really great to hear that our resources are helping. Please feel free to contact me anytime if you have any questions about anything IELTS-related.

Hello how are you

Hi Asilbek, welcome to IELTS-Blog.com! How can I help? Did you have a question about your IELTS preparation?

Here in the final version of the essay, the paragraph in favor of money and introductory paragraph have been combined in one paragraph, why?

Which essay are you asking about, can you please copy-paste the link to it?

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IELTS Band 9 sample essay

Band 9 Sample answers are useful as study guides for IELTS preparation for the IELTS Writing Task 2 essay – especially for a band 9 IELTS essay. Having access to previously completed work that you can have confidence in will show you what you are missing!

Take a look at these sample task 2 essay questions to help you prepare for your exam.

Use the following IELTS sample essay and its explanations to see how close you are to a band 9 in your IELTS writing essay!

Evaluation Criteria

Get your IELTS essay evaluated online (free)

Examples of Band 9 Essays

IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay Sample Question and Answer(1)

Why is this IELTS Essay a Band 9?

5 Tips for a Band 9 IELTS Essay

Sample IELTS Writing Task 2 Question and Answer(2)

Sample IELTS Writing Task 2 Question and Answer (3)

Useful Definitions of Advanced Vocabulary Used

Video: Band 9 EX-IELTS Examiner Essay Review

Sample 19 IELTS Essays and 240 Task 2 Essay Questions Ebook

Video: Useful IELTS Essay Writing Tip

Audio Resources

Additional IELTS Resources

IELTS essay task 2: evaluation criteria

IELTS writing tests are evaluated across 4 areas when your band score is calculated:

• Task achievement  – To what extent does the examinee address all parts of the task with a fully developed position, inclusive of fully extended and well supported ideas?
• Coherence and cohesion  – Does the candidate logically organise the information and ideas? Is the entire essay cohesive with a logical progression of ideas?
• Lexical resource  – To what extent does the examinee use a wide range of vocabulary with accuracy? Do they demonstrate sophistication regarding the use of lexical items?
• Grammatical range and accuracy  – Does the examinee use a range of grammatical structures accurately? Examples of these can be the use of complex sentences with sophisticated clauses instead of simple sentences with a repetitive structure:

Example : Students cannot use phones. They affect development > students are not allowed to use mobile phones in class due to possible distractions.

The British Council (the administrator of the IELTS) outlines 9 different bands of performance for each of the above dimensions here. Your scores in each of these dimensions are averaged to determine your overall band for your essay.

Let's take a look at an example essay that scored as band 9 and then we'll dig into each of these four areas to see why it received that score. It's very important to understand what the IELTS examiner is looking for.

These four criteria are used in our new online essay checker that gives you an estimated band score (free).

IELTS essay sample question (1)

Doing an enjoyable activity with a child can develop better skills and more creativity than reading. To what extent do you agree? Use reasons and specific examples to explain your answer.

IELTS sample essay answer (1)

Parents throughout the world place spend time reading with their offspring to prepare them for school where their literacy skills are further developed; however, recent research suggests that focusing on reading at an early age can be detrimental, and participating in fun activities would be far more beneficial. I am a strong advocate of this approach, and the benefits of it will be covered in this essay.

A fundamental reason for this is that there is no biological age for reading, and pushing infants to acquire this skill before they are ready could have repercussions. For example, in the UK, many boys are reluctant readers, possibly because of being forced to read, and this turned them off reading. By focusing on other activities and developing other skills such as creativity and imagination, when they are ready to read, they usually acquire this skill rapidly.

In addition, the importance of encouraging creativity and developing a child's imagination must be acknowledged. Through play, youngsters develop social and cognitive skills, for example, they are more likely to learn vocabulary through context rather than learning it from a book.

Furthermore, play allows youngsters to mature emotionally, and gain self-confidence. There is no scientific research which suggests reading at a young age is essential for a child's development, moreover, evidence suggests the reverse is true. In Finland, early years' education focuses on playing.

Reading is only encouraged if a child shows an interest in developing this skill. This self-directed approach certainly does not result in Finnish school leavers falling behind their foreign counterparts. In fact, Finland was ranked the sixth-best in the world in terms of reading.

Despite being a supporter of this non-reading approach, I strongly recommend incorporating bedtime stories into a child's daily routine. However, reading as a regular daytime activity should be swapped for something which allows the child to develop other skills.

Why is this essay a band 9?

Task achievement.

According to the IELTS Writing Band Descriptors, an essay is Band 9 for Task Achievement if it:

• Fully addresses  all parts of the task
• Presents a  fully developed  position in answer to the question with relevant, fully extended and well supported ideas.

In order to score well on Task Achievement, the most important thing is  to make sure you respond to what is being asked of you . Is the prompt asking for an opinion, a discussion of a problem, a solution to a problem, or some combination of these? If you provide an opinion and not a solution when you're being asked for a solution, you're not going to score well in this area. Read the question carefully!

The prompt for this essay asks:  “To what extent do you agree [with the previous statement]? Use reasons and specific examples to explain your answer.”  It wants an opinion – with support!

This essay addresses all parts of this task. The opinion is included in the introduction to make the writer's position clear, and then the following paragraphs support the writer's position with examples and justifications. Overall, the response is full and relevant and each of the points is detailed and connected to the thesis.

Coherence and cohesion

Think of this as “How well does the essay flow? Is it easy to follow and does it all tie together?” The exact characteristics for a Band 9 C&C score are that an essay:

• Uses cohesion in such a way that it attracts no attention
• Skilfully manages paragraphing

Note the specific wording “it attracts no attention.” The goal here is for things to sound natural and not forced. How do you connect your ideas (ensure cohesion) without it sounding forced? I think there are 2 possible ways:

• Explain your ideas in a logical order so that you don't need many linking words . This is probably what you do when writing in your own language.
• Use easy linking words like and, but, also, firstly, secondly, finally, for example. These are so common that they attract almost no attention.

This IELTS Sample essay does a good job of this – you'll notice that each paragraph naturally (logically) follows the one prior, providing additional support for the original opinion, and some simple linking words –  in addition, furthermore  (both paragraph 2) and  moreover  (paragraph 3) – are used throughout. These are all good discourse markers that show what is coming next adds to the argument and are slightly more sophisticated than firstly, secondly, and thirdly but don't come across as being forced.

The other aspect to scoring high in C&C is ensuring an essay is well-structured. What do I mean by that? A well-structured essay has a good introduction, body paragraphs that are easy to follow and connect with one another, and a good conclusion. Each body paragraph should also have its own topic sentence and support and then smoothly transition to the next paragraph.

Our sample IELTS essay has a “simple but good” introduction in which it shows that the examinee has knowledge of the topic and clearly states the writer's position to set up the rest of the essay. The paragraphs all have topic sentences, which are then supported by examples, and are easy to follow. The main body and conclusion relate back to the thesis in the introduction.

A note on conclusions…  there are two schools of thought when it comes to how to conclude an IELTS essay. One is to conclude with one simple sentence so that you spend more time perfecting your main body paragraphs. The other is to wrap up with two sentences, once which includes a small prediction (ie, how you think things might turn out) as a way to show the examiner that you know how to correctly use another tense (which will help boost your GR&A score – more on that in a minute). Either is fine, just don't forget your conclusion!

Taking time to plan out and organise your response  before  you start writing is an extremely important step in scoring well in Coherence and Cohesion for your IELTS essay – make sure you do so to ensure your essay is well structured and reads cohesively when you're done!

Lexical resource

Scoring well in the  Lexical Resource  dimension is all about (correctly) showing off your vocabulary. The description for a Band 9 here is:

• Uses a wide range of vocabulary with very natural and sophisticated control of lexical features, rare minor errors occur only as ‘slips'

Collocations,  topic-specific  vocabulary  and  phrasal  verbs  are the name of the game here. To score well, an examinee needs to show that they have a wide-ranging vocabulary and they know how to use it.

Our sample essay does a solid job of showing off a  range of vocabulary  – you'll notice that while the essay frequently refers to children, the writer employs different vocabulary ( infants, youngsters, offspring, counterparts ) to do so.

Note : it is highly likely that you will need to refer to people/children in your IELTS Writing task 2 , so make sure that you have lots of different words to use to refer to them.

IELTS examiners do not like to see the words  “people,” “children”  over and over again! The same goes for the word “ important ” – make sure you have plenty of alternative phrases ( essential  and  vital  are both used in our sample essay).

Other examples of a  wide-ranging vocabulary  in our essay include using  rapidly  in place of  quickly ,  mature  instead of develop,  repercussions  to indicate a negative result, and  acquire  in place of learn.

Our sample essay also does a good job of using  collocations  – some examples include  “fundamental reason,” “reluctant readers” “social and cognitive skills,” “learn vocabulary through context,”  and  “strongly recommend.”

The correct use of  phrasal  verbs  also demonstrates one's grasp of English – because of the semantics involved, they are sometimes one of the most difficult things for English language learners to master. Our essay writer correctly uses a few of these including “ turned them off”  and  “falling behind .”

One note here: students preparing for the IELTS  often ask if they should use  idioms  (like “you're barking up the wrong tree”) in their essays to further demonstrate their grasp of the language. In my opinion, no, you shouldn't. Idioms are informal by nature and not appropriate for a written essay of this type. Stick with demonstrating your range of vocabulary and your ability to use phrasal  verbs  correctly!

Grammatical range and accuracy

The final scoring dimension is related to grammar and grammatical structures – do you know them and can you correctly use them?

The Band 9 description for grammatical range and accuracy :

• Uses a wide range of structures with full flexibility and accuracy; rare minor errors occur only as slips

Note that there is nothing in the scoring criteria about including specific tenses or sentence constructions. Your main objective should be to reduce the number of mistakes that you make. An essay that contains no mistakes is likely to get a 9 for grammar, regardless of the types of sentence that it may or may not contain.

If there is a nice mix of long and short sentences in your IELTS essays, you'll meet the grammar requirements. Remember, as soon as you write a “long” sentence you are naturally going to use connectives (linking words), which will make the sentence ‘compound' or ‘complex'. So, don't think too much about the grammar – just aim to reduce the number of mistakes that you make, and try to include a few longer sentences.

Some examples from the sample essay that illustrate the writer's grammatical range and help it easily score as a band 9 include:

• appropriate uses of modal verbs in the passive voice:  “are further developed,” “will be covered,” “must be acknowledged,” “should be swapped.”
• “ to focus on ” is correctly followed by an -ing form
• However  is used correctly with a semicolon before it and a comma after
• “ because of ,” “rather than,” and are correctly followed by -ing verbs

5 Tips for an IELTS writing task 2 band 9 essay

1. answer what is being asked.

Make sure you read the prompt carefully and answer the essay questions you’re being asked. I can’t emphasise this enough. In order to score well on Task Achievement, you need to appropriately and fully address the task.

2. Plan your work, work your plan.

Plan out your essay before you start writing. What are your main points? What order are you going to make them in? How do they link together? Having a well organised essay is key scoring high marks for Coherence and Cohesion. Many IELTS test-takers will spend up to 10 minutes planning out their essay before they start writing. A few points to keep in mind:

• Your essay should have 4-5 paragraphs in total and at least 250 words
• Plan your supporting points so that they don’t go off-topic

3. Write, review, re-write

Write your essay, review it and then “rewrite” it. Don’t focus on getting things perfect upfront – you don’t want to waste 15 minutes trying to come up with the perfect synonym for something and then not have enough time to finish your full essay! Write your essay first (an unwritten essay won’t score well at all!) and then go back through it to see how you can improve it. Some essay questions to ask yourself at this stage:

• Are there places where you can swap out stronger words for weaker ones in order to improve your Lexical Resource score?
• Are there places where you can phrase things differently in order to illustrate your Grammatical Range?

4. Where are you falling?

To pass with a Band 9 the reality is you need two sets of skills:

• Exam skills
• Language skills

What are exam skills?

Can you plan an effective essay? Quickly? Ideally between 3-5 minutes.

Can you think of enough ideas and examples to put in the essay plan?

Firstly you need to discover which of these skills you need. To do this you get feedback, either from an online IELTS essay checker or for more detailed feedback you can use our IELTS essay correction service .

The main goal is to find out which part of the essay writing process is costing you the most amount of time, points or stress.

Personally, the easiest and fastest way to get these skills is to do an online course specialised in training students with these skills. Here is a good course for that.

5. Better language skills?

A lot of students fail the  IELTS exam or end up with a band in their IELTS writing test that does not meet their requirements. Also, a significant number of students look to Google to search for “IELTS Writing tips” or “Task two tips”. These tips might be helpful but sometimes the real problem might just be in their general language or writing skills.

Writing error-free perfect sentences is probably much more challenging than students think, especially under exam conditions i.e in 40 minutes with immense pressure to pass. These can result in often mixed outcomes with both positive or negative development occurring at one and the same time.

One of the most important ways to improve language skills is to receive feedback. This can be by asking someone to review written work and will expose the positive or negative development mentioned earlier. This is very common and not something that is a negative issue overall.

Have a look at our essay correction service that will review your essays for you and help you improve and pass the IELTS test.

Here is a checklist of what is needed for reaching Band 9, it includes what the examiner wants to see, and what to do to write at a Band 9 level.

Sample IELTS writing task 2 question (2)

Today, the quality of life in large cities is decreasing. Discuss the causes and solutions.

IELTS writing task 2: essay sample answer (2)

The global phenomenon of urbanisation from the beginning of industrialisation to the present day has brought opportunity and prosperity, albeit at a cost in the quality of life. With an increasing city population, the complexity of the challenges also increases for the globe as well as the local community. Therefore, the causes and effects of these on the current generation, as well as possible solutions are outlined below.

The causes for the decrease in the quality of life are paradoxically the prosperity endowed on such metropolitan centres. Their growth is largely due to the increase of opportunities on offer, which in turn increases their attractiveness, essentially they are trapped in a positive self-reinforcing cycle. While such developments have a positive impact on immediate economic objectives, it perpetuates behaviours that can have a negative impact in the long term.

However, this eventually leads to a decrease in the quality of life as the city can experience overcrowding, exorbitant property prices, and increased vulnerability to terrorist attacks. For example, the density of London makes it a more efficient place to attack, when compared to a smaller city such as Bradford.

Therefore, due to continuous growth and prosperity, urban citizens, especially the less well off, often experience a lower standard of living. Even greater than this, are the relevant examples of natural disasters such as recent fires in Australia, which brought about unprecedented weather patterns resulting in the destruction of wild and rare animals. These effects are far from uniform, as they affect different countries in ways unseen by previous generations.

Considering the solutions, greater investment in public transport would ease traffic congestion, as would bike lanes. In theory, this would reduce air pollution, and possibly improve the well-being of the population if they did adopt a more active lifestyle and cycle to work. While these solutions are local, if adopted globally, would affect individuals and many countries alike. A collective effort is needed to use social networks and other media to highlight the negative effect of urbanisation as well as the negative sides of the wider ramifications on the population.

To conclude, while it could be argued that urbanisation advantages outweigh the disadvantages, a wealthy city attracts a large population inflow, which then causes pressure on existing infrastructure and security. Various solutions exist to mitigate such drawbacks, such as social networks being used to raise awareness of such negative impacts on many countries, nevertheless an indefinite solution has yet to be found.

Sample IELTS writing task 2 question (3)

Social media marketing can influence what consumers buy. Do you agree or disagree? To what extent do you agree?

IELTS writing task 2: essay sample answer (3)

Since the introduction of social media applications in the early 2000's the world has become a much smaller place. Social media applications such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have become information sources for a majority of the global market.

As such, it could be argued that marketing, which happens to be a source of information accessible on these platforms can influence the consumers who use them. This notion is further aided by the rise in online retail stores that conduct the bulk of their transactions online. This makes it easier for the consumer to purchase from anywhere in the world.

As a consumer on social media, you are constantly bombarded with advertisements of various products that are specifically designed to catch your attention. This means that most of the adverts on your news feeds aren't random and will almost always feature something you have previously searched online or something currently popular or trending. Given the fact that most social media users are young consumers who are influenced by current trends and happenings, these adverts will almost always catch their eye.

The habit of sharing, retweeting and liking also ensure that these adverts get around, quite fast. As such, when an advert does reach your news feed you have already probably seen it on your friend's news feed. The truth is, adverts are a form of information and with the age of the internet, information spreads faster than a wildfire.

Therefore, it only makes sense that in the era and age of technology, globalization and the need to be trendy, social media marketing can influence what consumers buy.

Useful definitions of advanced vocabulary used

Paradoxically

Equivalent sentences

“For example, it is said, the CCTV in London has foiled many potential attacks, and therefore greatly increased the security of its citizens.” Could also be said as:

“Statistics show that CCTV used in London has scuppered many a terrorist plot, massively contributing to the security of its citizens.”

More Equivalent sentences Various solutions exist to mitigate such drawbacks, nevertheless an indefinite solution has yet to be found.

Could also be said as:

A myriad of partial fixes exist for these issues, yet a permanent solution is still out of reach.

There are many methods employed to quell this flow of people, but still a reliable solution has not been discovered.

IELTS writing task 2: vocabulary booster

The highlighted sections in the following paragraph represent key phrases or words relating to this topic. Study this paragraph to expand your vocabulary knowledge on this topic:

The modern urban environment varies considerably depending on both the city that produces it and the individual who perceives it; Each experiencing a unique blend of at least some economic success, varying degrees of localised or wider deprivation and periods of growth and decline. Environmental factors permitting, a city will provide well for its citizens as long as it can properly manage the execution of social policy.

Globalisation presents many challenges for those responsible for the policy as large inflows of people are to be expected in a place of success and therefore opportunity; The ensuing mixing of cultures has far-reaching social consequences that can affect how the city is both presented and perceived.

Considerably Con·sid·er·a·ble (kən-sĭd′ər-ə-bəl) adj. 1. Large in amount, extent, or degree: a writer of considerable influence. 2. Worthy of consideration; significant: The economy was a considerable issue in the campaign.

Perceive Per·ceive (pər-sēv′) tr.v. per·ceived, per·ceiv·ing, per·ceives 1a. To become aware of (something) directly through any of the senses, especially sight or hearing: We could perceive three figures in the fog. 1b. To cause or allow the mind to become aware of (a stimulus): The ear perceives sounds. 2. To achieve understanding of; apprehend: Einstein perceived that energy and matter are equivalent . 3. To regard or consider; deem: an old technology that is still perceived as useful; a politician who is perceived to be untrustworthy.

Deprivation Dep·ri·va·tion (dĕp′rə-vā′shən) n. 1. The/an act or an instance of depriving; Loss . 2. The state of being deprived: social deprivation; a cycle of deprivation and violence.

“The town’s generally miserable appearance led her to perceive it as a place of considerable deprivation.”

IELTS writing task 2: further reading

There are many more writing samples for you to explore.

The BBC has great pages on discursive writing and general writing , also, this video is good for learning how to give examples.

You can even read a sample Harvard essay aimed at preparing students for academic writing.

Remember! Select a text that is appropriate for your level. Choosing the wrong text can result in a loss of confidence and feeling bad never helped anyone to learn anything quickly!

Video: Band 9 ex-IELTS examiner essay review

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Sign up for the sample 19 IELTS essays and 240 task 2 essay questions ebook

Video: ielts writing task 2-extremely useful sentences.

Optimize Your Writing: Try Our Online IELTS Essay Checker

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To sum it up, our online IELTS essay checker is here to help you. It's easy to use and not costly. We want you to do your best in the IELTS without spending too much money. Good luck with your writing!

Additional IELTS writing task 2 resources

• The University of Manchester Academic Phrasebook provides guidelines and examples of how to introduce essay topics, discuss findings and write conclusions
• The University of Birmingham Guide to Academic Writing provides tips on paraphrasing, in addition to how to plan, structure and write an essay
• Use these useful sentences for IELTS Writing Task 2 .
• This page is good for sample essay topics and answers, also for Task Two.

IELTS writing essay task 2 Sample Band 8 The writing part of your IELTS exam is a great place to score some extra points, especially if you are looking to score within band 8. Here is a task 2 writing sample to help you do just that.

Vocabulary for IELTS Vocabulary is probably the most important part of preparing successfully for IELTS. It is used for both the speaking and writing part of the exam. Click here to view some essential vocabulary.

General essay topics The IELTS exam has a number of general essay topics that span a number of disciplines ad subject matters. To have an idea of what to expect check out our list of general essay topics.

• Free Essay Band Score Evaluation
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• IELTS Writing Evaluation
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• Sample Topic Answers
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• 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
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