Category: IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

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IELTS Writing IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

How To Write An IELTS Discussion Essay

Lear to write an IELTS discussion essay

In IELTS writing, a discussion essay can be pretty difficult. Many of my students certainly struggle to get this type of essay correct and if they have trouble, maybe you do too.

I am going to write an IELTS writing task 2 discussion essay. You can follow along with me as I plan my essay and then see how I write the essay.

I want to avoid the 3 most common mistakes in writing a discussion essay:

  • Not giving my opinion
  • Not giving an argument for both sides of the argument
  • Not developing the argument/opinion
Watch the video about writing an IELTS task 2 discussion essay

How to structure a discussion essay

The structure that I will use for my discussion essay is detailed below. There are other ways to structure an answer but I find this one works well.

Introduction

  • Paraphrase the question
  • State up to two supporting reasons for each side
  • Give your opinion

 Main body paragraph 1

  • Topic sentence – outline the view you don’t agree with
  • Explanation – explain why the view is held by some people
  • Example – give an example

 Main body paragraph 2

  • Topic sentence – outline the view you do agree with
  • Explanation – explain why this view is held by some people (and you)
  • Example – give an example

 Conclusion

  • Summarise the key points and state your opinion

In this structure, the second body paragraph will also be my opinion. This will be clearly stated throughout the essay and will mean that my essay only needs 4 paragraphs instead of 5.

Planning an answer

First, I am going to analyse the question. What topics or themes do I need to talk about and how many questions do I need to answer?

It is important to read the question carefully as some questions will ask you to talk about 2 different opinions whereas others ask you to discuss both sides and give an opinion (3 things).

I will answer the following question:

Some people think that getting a degree from a university is the best way to guarantee a good job, others believe that it would be better to go straight into work and get experience instead.

Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

This question asks me to do 3 things, talk about both sides and give my opinion. If I don’t make my opinion clear, I will risk getting a bad score for task response.

The following are my ideas of what I will discuss for both sides of the argument in main body paragraphs 1 and 2. There will be 3 areas to plan for each paragraph. Look back at the structure to check what these will be.

Reason for university (body paragraph 1)

  • Lets students gain knowledge before work
  • The students can pursue academic studies uninterrupted
  • Example – If someone wants to become a lawyer it is vital they understand the law before starting work.

Reason for not going to university (body paragraph 2)

  • Learning on the job – This lets workers gain practical knowledge and experience
  • Meaning they can earn money, support themself while learning
  • Example – Someone wants to become a plumber

Paraphrase the question

Next, I want to paraphrase the question. The keywords that I will paraphrase are underlined with synonyms listed below.

Some people think that getting a degree from a university is the best way to guarantee a good job, others believe that it would be better to go straight into work and get experience instead.

Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

Some people – Many people

Think – Believe

Job – Career

Work – Employment

Better – Beneficial

Opinion – Viewpoint

Now it is time to write my introduction paragraph. If you look at the structure above and read what the question asks, my introduction needs to do 3 things:

  • Paraphrase the question
  • State up to two supporting reasons for each side
  • Give your opinion

My introduction paragraph is now finished and you can read it below:

Many people believe that obtaining a degree and being a university graduate is a great way to secure a good job because it guarantees that you have the appropriate knowledge to start a career. Others are of the opinion that obtaining employment and learning on the job is more beneficial because it lets you learn as you go, picking up practical skills and experience along the way. Although this essay discusses both viewpoints, I feel that learning as you work is a much better option for most individuals.

Look at the last sentence, this clearly shows that I agree with the 2nd opinion. By making this clear at the beginning the examiner can see that I have started to answer all 3 parts of the question.

Writing the essay

Now that I have finished the introduction and planned my 2 main body paragraphs, writing the rest of the essay should be fairly easy. All I need to do is refer to my plan and the structure stated above.

If you look carefully, I state my opinion 3 times in the essay (in the introduction, 2nd body paragraph and the conclusion). Therefore, the examiner is very sure what my opinion is.

My finished discussion essay

Many people believe that obtaining a degree and being a university graduate is a great way to secure a good job because it guarantees that you have the appropriate knowledge to start a career. Others are of the opinion that obtaining employment and learning on the job is more beneficial because it lets you learn as you go, picking up practical skills and experience along the way. Although this essay discusses both viewpoints, I feel that learning as you work is a much better option for most individuals.

It is a traditionally held belief that graduating with a university degree will ensure that someone is ready for the jobs market and will guarantee obtaining a great job. Furthermore, this period of uninterrupted learning allows that student to concentrate on academic studies before having to worry about earning a living. For instance, if a person wants to become a lawyer, it is vital that they understand the law and legal process before they begin to give actual legal advice. For this reason, at least 4 years of higher education are necessary.

On the other hand, I believe that gaining practical knowledge and experience as you work is a much more suitable choice for most people. It will allow them to earn money, to see the practical applications of what they learn, all while learning the ropes. On top of that, they will be able to stimulate both their bank balance and their brain. If someone wanted to learn a practical trade like plumbing, it would be much better for them to gain hands-on experience learning through doing rather than spending years in a classroom studying theory. This is why apprenticeships have always been popular for manual and trade jobs.

In conclusion, many people think that a university graduate is better positioned to secure a good job and will be ready for a career because of their academic studies. Conversely, I’m of the opinion that learning while pursuing a vocation is a more suitable choice for most people because it allows the gradual acquiring of knowledge alongside an income. 

Now that you have read my essay, have I fully answered the questions? Does my address the 3 most common errors that we discussed earlier?

  • Not giving your opinion
  • Not giving an argument for both sides of the argument
  • Not developing the argument/opinion

I hope you have found this useful. Answering discussion essays can be difficult but if you have a good structure and plan the essay well, this will make it much easier to write.

For more details on the other essay types follow this link.

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IELTS Speaking Part 1 Model Answer IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

IELTS Speaking Topic Newspapers

This is a common theme in speaking parts 1 and 3 as well as writing task 2. You often find questions asking about news, newspapers and possibly comparing these to the internet or TV.

This post will discuss some vocabulary and some other ways to talk about news and newspapers. If you don’t want to read any more, the video below covers this topic.

The news (The contents of a newspaper or news broadcast)

There was nothing interesting in the news today.

The paper (short for a newspaper)

The paper was very interesting today.

Tabloid (small newspaper with many pictures and headlines)

Tabloid newspapers don’t always tell the truth.

Broadsheet (a large newspaper that is more serious and less sensational)

Broadsheet newspapers have a lot of information.

The printed media (including newspapers and magazines)

The printed media is being replaced by the internet.

A Headline (large words at the top of the article)

I can’t believe there was a headline about aliens today.

Reporter/journalist (person who writes a news article)

This reporter wrote a very bad article.

Try answering some of these questions using the vocabulary we have discussed:

  • How do you usually get your news?
  • How often do you read the newspaper?
  • What type of news do you prefer to read?
  • Do most people in your country follow the news?
  • How do most people in your country access the news?
  • Do you pay much attention to headlines?

This is my answer to an IELTS speaking part 1 question. See how many of the vocabulary words that we discussed I have used.

  • What type of news do you prefer to read?

I’m not too keen on sensational tabloid-style newspapers, I much prefer sitting down and reading a broadsheet paper when reading the news. I think the news that they deliver is more genuine and trustworthy.

I hope this post was useful for you in preparing for your IELTS test. For more help and tips check out the recent posts here.

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

IELTS Writing – Can You Spot The Mistakes?

It is important to write a good essay in IELTS writing but it’s also very important to be able to check your work for mistakes. This post is about spotting errors in the IELTS writing extracts. Why not try and see which errors you can see and then watch the video to find out which errors I picked up and why.

This is the first extract from the introductory paragraph of an IELTS task 2 essay. What errors do you see?

It is trusted that reading books has more educating benefits than watching TV, especially in encouraging our imaginary world and verbal ability. 

In my viewpoint, I definitely do not have any argument about this belief. In my essay, I will discuss about reasons why reading boosts our imaginantion and language skills more than watching telly.

This is already a good piece of writing but it could be better.

The video below will explain the errors that I found and explain why I have highlighted them and how they could be improved.

How did you get on? Did you spot the other error? Please let me know in the comments below.

To find out how to write the perfect introduction paragraph every time, follow this link.

Good luck with your IELTS test.

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Thesis Statement In IELTS Writing

When writing an introduction to an IELTS Task 2 essay you want to include 3 things:

  • Paraphrase the question
  • Thesis statement
  • Outline statement

This post is for anyone who is unsure of what a thesis statement is or how they should write one. By the end of this post, you will know exactly why a thesis statement is important and how to make sure you are writing them correctly. On top of that, you will be able to write a brilliant introductory paragraph every time.

Let us look at an example question.

This is an opinion essay question:

Some people think that governments must insist on preserving the traditional appearance of old buildings undergoing renovation or redevelopment.

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

I will write the introduction paragraph by doing 3 things; paraphrasing the question, writing a thesis statement and writing an outline statement.

Paraphrasing the question

You paraphrase the question by saying a similar thing but using different words and phrases. This is a good way to start your essay and ensure that you are talking about the correct topic.

It is only the first part of the question that we paraphrase. If I were to paraphrase the above question, I may say something like this.

This is the original question:

Some people think that governments must insist on preserving the traditional appearance of old buildings undergoing renovation or redevelopment.

But I don’t want to use the same words as the questions so I use synonyms instead.

Many people believe that governments should ensure that historic buildings maintain their original aesthetic appearance.

This sentence says the same thing as the first part of the question but it is going to impress the reader (examiner) because it uses different language.

What is a thesis statement?

The thesis statement tells the reader (or IELTS examiner) what the essay will be about and introduce the main ideas. Also, if the question is asking your opinion this is where it should first be included. It is typically just 1 or 2 sentences and is going to act a little like a topic sentence for the whole essay.

If you don’t know about topic sentences, follow this link.

How to write a thesis sentence

The thesis statement introduces what the essay will be about but it may be slightly different depending on the different types of essay questions.

This is a summary of things that you may want to include in the topic sentence for each essay type:

Opinion Essay – Write 1 or 2 reasons for your opinion (you don’t need to explain further at this stage)

Advantages & Disadvantages – Write and advantage and disadvantage

Problem & Solution Essay – Give 1 or 2 problems and a solution

Discussion Essay – Talk about both sides of the argument and give your opinion (if asked).

Double Question Essay – Answer both questions but only briefly.

Let us have a look at an example question, I’ll paraphrase the question and write a thesis statement for it.

My thesis for the question that we talked about may look something like this:

I absolutely agree that preserving historic buildings is a vital part of protecting a country’s historical culture for future generations.

The above is the thesis statement, it tells the reader what I think.

The outline statement

Finally, you must outline the things that you will talk about in the rest of the essay. This gives the reader (examiner) an idea of what will be covered in the essay and helps keep you focused on your writing.

An outline statement for our example question in the introduction paragraph may be something like this:

This essay will explore the reasons why protecting old buildings is so important, the main reason being to safeguard an area’s history.

Now let us see this all together. Firstly, let us look at the question again.

Some people think that governments must insist on preserving the traditional appearance of old buildings undergoing renovation or redevelopment.

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

This is my introduction paragraph including the thesis statement and outline statement.

Many people believe that governments should ensure that historic buildings maintain their original aesthetic appearance. I absolutely agree that preserving historic buildings is a vital part of protecting a country’s historical culture for future generations. This essay will explore the reasons why protecting old buildings is so important, the main reason being to safeguard an area’s history.

The thesis statement is in bold.

Your turn

This is a discussion essay question, write the introduction paragraph by paraphrasing the question and adding the thesis statement.


Some people think that getting a degree from a university is the best way to guarantee a good job, others believe that it would be better to go straight into work and get experience instead.

Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

Tell me your thesis statement in the comments below.

Next time you are writing an IELTS writing task 2 essay (or any essay) make sure to include a thesis statement to help the reader to know exactly what your answer will be about.

To find out how I would plan an IELTS Task 2 essay, follow this link.

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

What is a topic Sentence?

The topic sentence is like an introduction to your paragraph telling the reader what it will be about. In some ways, it gives an overview of what will be explained later in the paragraph.

Why is a topic sentence important?

A topic sentence will tell the reader what to expect and if used correctly it will tell the reader what to expect from the rest of the paragraph. It can help the essay to flow better, and make it coherent and easy to read.

Example topic sentences:

Dogs are extremely common pets in this day and age. 

Cats seem to be the pet of choice in many parts of the world, especially for people living in apartments in major cities.

These are the beginning of the body paragraphs for the 2 topic sentences above. Can you see which ones should go together?

Whenever you visit someone’s house, there is a good chance that they will one a cat as they are incredibly well-loved.

Dogs make great companions and are known as ‘man’s best friend’ after all…

They should go as follows:

Dogs are extremely common pets in this day and age. 

Dogs make great companions and are known as ‘man’s best friend’ after all…

Cats seem to be the pet of choice in many parts of the world, especially for people living in apartments in major cities.

Whenever you visit someone’s house, there is a good chance that they will one a cat as they are incredibly well-loved.

The topic sentence and the body paragraph work together and should be telling the same story to the reader. For this reason, having a topic sentence taking about dogs and a body paragraph talking about cats does not work.

This is my video introducing topic sentences and how to use them.

A more academic example of a topic sentence and body paragraph is given below. Make sure to answer the question at the end to practice making topic sentences.

The system of email has revolutionized the way in which businesses communicate with each other and customers. 

This has made correspondence simple, easy and almost instantaneously. Meaning that workers can get in touch with co-workers in other countries by email at the touch of a button. Which in turn has made for a more efficient and streamlined workplace. 

As you can see the topic sentence and body paragraph work together.

What is a possible reason for traffic congestion in a city?

Write a topic sentence explaining the possible reason for this.

Topic Sentence

Banning cars from city centres will encourage more people to walk by opening up pedestrian zones where cars are not allowed. 

Body paragraph

Pollution will be reduced, which may lead to a reduction in respiratory illnesses such as asthma and chest infections. Leading to a happier and healthier population. On top of that, noise levels will be minimized making the city centre a more peaceful and harmonious place to be. This in turn could lessen the likelihood of stress and anxiety in its residents.

This topic sentence and body paragraph do not work together. One talks about banning cars to make people walk but the other is talking about reducing pollution. They are not telling the same story.

So what do we do? Change the topic sentence or change the body paragraph.

New topic sentence 

Banning cars from city centers could lead to many benefits for its population including health, happiness and phycological well-being advantages. 

New body paragraph

Banning cars from city centers will encourage more people to walk by opening up pedestrian zones where cars are not allowed. 

If cars are prohibited from the inner city, this will result in a lot more people getting around on foot. Walking is fantastic exercise so many people will be achieving more exercise without even realizing it. On top of that, this increased foot traffic may well bring more potential customers for businesses such as retail outlets and cafe’s. 

Choosing a new body paragraph or writing a new topic sentence will fix the problem. So make sure your entire paragraph is telling the same story and talking about the same thing and your essay will be clear and coherent.

Your turn

What is an advantage of wearing a uniform to school or work?

Write the topic sentences and the first line of the rest of your body paragraph.

Write your topic sentence in the comments, I’d love to see what you did.

To learn about another important part of your introduction follow the link to a post about the ‘Thesis Sentence.’

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

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.
I probably can’t cover all of these points, the ones that I want to cover have been highlighted.

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.