IELTS Writing Test Task 2 – How you can plan an answer

Taking time to plan your answer in IELTS writing can seem like a waste of time. You only have 40 minutes to write your Task 2 essay, so it can feel like there is not enough time to plan. However, not only is taking some time for planning a good idea, it could be vital and seriously improve your final essay.

I will show you how I would plan my IELTS Writing Task 2 essay to make sure that I am well prepared when I start the writing stage.

Task 2  Question

Some people believe that teaching children at home is best for a child’s development while others think that it is important for children to go to school. 

Discuss the advantages of both methods and give your own opinion. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. 

Write at least 250 words. 

How would I plan this answer?

Stage 1 – Analyze the question.
Stage 2 – Paraphrase the question
Stage 3 – Plan the structure
Stage 4 – Write the essay

Stage 1 – Analyze the question.

What parts of the question needs to be covered?

Some people believe that teaching children at home is best for a child’s development while others think that it is important for children to go to school. 

Discuss the advantages of both methods and give your own opinion. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. 

(Originally this looks like an advantages and disadvantages question but it isn’t. It is only asking about advantages of both and opinion.)

How many things need to be addressed?

3 things:
Advantages of home-schooling
Advantages of kids going to school
My opinion

Stage 2 – Paraphrase the question

Some people believe that teaching children at home is best for a child’s development while others think that it is important for children to go to school.

Many people think that home-schooling is the best method of educating children, while others think they are better off in conventional schools.

Discuss the advantages of both methods and give your own opinion. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

This essay will explore the advantages of both systems of learning, as well as my personal opinion, which is that kids learn best at school. Topics like social interactions, teacher specialization and social development will be discussed.

Stage 3 – Plan the structure

Paragraph 1 – Introduction Done	Paragraph 2 – Advantages of learning at home Fewer distractions More times with the teacher No need to look after kids in the day No peer pressure or bullying problems
Paragraph 3 – The upsides of learning in school Social interaction – social skills Expert teachers particularly at high school Can make friends and have fun. Learn some independence Gain self-esteem	Paragraph 4 – Conclusion Summarize the main points give an opinion with reasons why.

Many times my students have lots of ideas, and they try to include them all but end up with an essay that is not very coherent. For this reason, try covering 2 ideas per paragraph. But develop the topic with reasons and examples.

Stage 4 – Write the essay

Paragraph 1
Many people think that Home-schooling is the best method of educating children, while others think they are better off in conventional schools. This essay will explore the advantages of both systems of learning as well as my personal opinion, which is that kids learn best at school. Topics like social interactions, teacher specialization and social development will be discussed.

Paragraph 2
Home-schooling is an ever so popular and very convenient and effective way of educating youngsters. Due to the nature of this learning, it is usually one on one or in small groups, so the student has a lot of time with the teacher. This can help them to focus and concentrate better because they are less likely to be distracted by their peers. On a similar note, peer pressure and bullying, which can be a problem in some schools, will not be prevalent. The larger the number of students the more likely that some of them will pick on the weaker ones. However, this should not be problematic for kids learning at home.

Paragraph 3
Many people believe that traditional schools are the best place for children to be educated. Schools allow students to have a large number of social interactions with the other students and also the faculty members. This degree of socialization can help kids to build confidence, develop social skills and build friendships. Furthermore, the teachers in high schools and colleges are experts in their field. This makes them better able to instil their knowledge into the class than a home teacher may be. If the teacher has a PHD in biology, surely they will be better equipped to teach A-level biology than the parent who is teaching her offspring herself.

Paragraph 4
In conclusion, I feel that schools are a much better learning environment for most children. Not only are the academic staff well-trained experts in their field, but it’s also much better for the kids to be able to develop social skills and friendships.

335 words

This is how I would plan my answer, but don’t forget to leave some time to check your essay when you have finished. Many students lose marks needlessly for small grammar and spelling errors, which could have been avoided.