Useful vocabulary to use in IELTS Task 1

essays
Posted on May 21, 2013 by Pearl 11 Comments

Popular Cameraphones 30/11/07 by nedrichards via Flickr (Creative Commons)

Part of your score is based on vocabulary. Here are useful words and phrases to use that describe
movement in a graph or chart:
Similar words meaning to become greater in number; to go up:
to rise (v)

Prices rose from $10 to $15 within 3 months. Prices rose by 50%.
Note: Dont confuse the verbs rise (to become more) with raise (to make something
rise). Ex. School fees are set to rise. Our school has raised their fees by 5%.

As a noun: There was a rise of %5 in school fees.

to increase (v)

Birth rates in New Zealand stood at 20,000 at the start of this period and increased to a
peak of 66,000 in 1961.
You can use increase from (a number) to (a number); increase by ( number/percentage),
increase in value/price.

Note: Dont use increase to refer to the level or standard of something.

As a noun: There was an increase in house prices for the first 5 years.

to grow (v)

The population of internet users grew the fastest in Canada during this period.
As a noun: Canada experienced the fastest growth in Internet usage.

to soar (v) to fly upward, like a bird; rise to great heights

While sales of Product B remained steady, sales of Product A soared during the fourth
quarter.

to rocket/to skyrocket (v) similar to soar to fly upward to great heights

By 2030 the elderly Japanese population is predicted to skyrocket 150% within one or
two years. OR By 2030 the proportion of elderly Japanese is predicted to skyrocket
to 25%of the population within one or two years.

to spike (v) to increase quickly then fall down again

On the other hand, house prices spiked in the first two months after the recession.
As a noun: There was a spike in house prices in the first two months after the recession.

to jump (v)

New gym memberships jumped 10% immediately after the Christmas holiday period.
As a noun: There was a 10% jump in new gym memberships immediately after the
Christmas holiday period.

to hit/reach a peak (v) a peak is the highest point/level

From there, the audience level continues to rise sharply, reaching a peak of 45% of the
population between 6 and 10 pm, also aptly known as prime time.

to reach a high (v) similar to reach a peak

Conversely, audience levels for radio reaches a high in the morning by 9 am.

an upward trend (n)

The graph shows an upward trend in household access to modern technology in the UK
from 1996 to 2003.

to double (v) increase 2 times

to triple (v) increase 3 times

House prices nearly doubled in that time period.

Similar words meaning to lessen, diminish, go down:

to decrease (v)

From that point, marriages decreased steadily until 1970 hitting a low of about 250,000.
As a noun: From that point, there was a steady decease in marriages until 1970 when it
hit a low of about 250,000.

to decline (v)

Although Australian exports increased slightly in the first year to its peak in 1986, it
gradually declined to about 11 million tonnes in 1990, remaining the smallest of the three
exporters.
As a noun: Although there was an increase in Australian exports in the first year with a
peak in 1986, there was a gradual decline by 1990 and remained the smallest of the three
exporters.

to drop (v)

From 10 pm, audience levels drop dramatically to nearly 1% by 2 am.

As a noun: From 10 pm there is a dramatic drop in audience levels to nearly 1% by 2
am.

to dip/ to take a dip (v) to decrease but goes up again

Between the 2nd and 3rd quarter, sales of Product D took a dip of 10%, but later
regained growth by the 4th quarter.
As a noun: There was a 10% dip in Product D sales between the 2nd and 3rd quarter
followed by growth by the 4th quarter.

to fall (v)

From 10pm, audience levels fall sharply to nearly 1% by 2 am.

As a noun: From 10 pm there is a sharp fall in audience levels to nearly 1% by 2 am.

to plunge (v); to plummet (v) to fall quickly

to hit bottom (v); to reach a low (an all-time low) (v)
a downward trend (n)

Overall, we can see a downward trend in marriages between 1951 and 2003.

Similar words/expressions that mean to stay the same:

to stabilize (v) - to hold at a steady level

After a 10-year period of fluctuations, the total value stabilized at roughly 30% until
2005.

to remain/hold steady (v) ; to remain stable (v); to remain/stay constant (v) ; to remain/stay
the same (v)

By contrast, the figures for Japan remained steady just under 5% until the early 2000s.

Remarriages, on the other hand enjoyed a slight increase from 1971, but
overall remained stable throughout the century, reaching around 100,000 by 2003.

to remain flat (v) - show no growth or little change

to level off (v) after a period of change or shift, there is little movement and stays level
to plateau/to reach a plateau (v) to reach a stable level
to bottom out (v) to descend to the lowest point possible, after which only a rise can occur

Exports continued to grow until it plateaued in 2002 for 5 years, after which it fell and
then bottomed out by 2009.

Other useful vocabulary:

to fluctuate (v) to change continually shifting up and down

Student enrollment fluctuated wildly, but the trend was clearly upward.
As a noun: There were wild fluctuations in student enrollment, but the trend was clearly
upward.

to surpass (v) to pass another and go beyond in amount, level or degree

Although mobile phones started with the lowest accessibility in 1996, it surpassed the
usage of home computers at the beginning of 1999.

to exceed (v) to go beyond in quantity, amount or degree

In terms of following their budgets, Project X came in under their budget by 5K, whereas
Project Y exceeded their budget by 25K.

Tips for writing the introduction of the

IELTS task 2 essay

Posted on October 7, 2014 by Pearl No Comments

Heres a sample question and a real students introduction to his essay.
Some people think that a sense of competition in children should be encouraged. Others believe
that children who are taught to cooperate rather than compete become more useful adults.
Discuss both these views and give your opinion.
Provide reasons for your answer. Include relevant examples from your own knowledge or
experience. Write at least 250 words.
Heres the students introduction:
Some people think a sense of competition should be encouraged, while others believe
cooperativeness is as much as important as competitiveness. Both points of views will be
analyzed in this essay and then I am going to give my own opinion.

What do you think? This person was aiming for a 7.

[See my post on How to write the introduction for Task 2 on how to approach the introduction.]
Here are my comments. (Click to enlarge)

As you can see, there are three points to make here.

1. Word choice. This has to do with whether the word you use is the most appropriate one
to use. Cooperativeness is not used very often and cooperation or being cooperative
would be better to use.
2. as much as important we dont write. If we want to emphasize an equal comparison
we would write as important as. Also the question is stating that some people feel
teaching children how to be cooperative is more important than being competitive. So
its important you understand the claim in the task.
3. This essay is a short 250 word essay. You do not need to write a declaration in your
introduction such as In this essay I am going to give my opinion on this topic. This type
of thesis statement is only used in long research type writings, not in short essays. You

should make the most of your words, so make sure you just answer the question the
task is asking.
So heres a better rewrite of this introduction (including the students opinion he added in the
conclusion):
Some people think that a sense of competition should be encouraged in children, while others
believe that cooperation is more important to emphasize. While both views have their merits, I
believe that encouraging children to cooperate is more important and essential in raising
productive members of society.

IELTS Writing Task 1 approach graphs

and charts
Posted on July 22, 2012 by Pearl 9 Comments

Juhan Sonin via

Compfight

It can certainly be daunting (intimidating) looking at a graph youve never seen before, interpret
the data, then write a clear overview and explanation of the data at an academic level all
within 20 minutes.
You dont need to feel intimidated though not when youve got a solid plan of attack and lots
of practice.
Heres your approach to the task:
1. Look at the graph carefully and take note of the title, all the labels, and any details
given. Make sure you clearly understand what youre looking at.
2. Identify the main patterns or trends find 2 important ones you will focus on in your
essay. You are often comparing data with each other. Look for similarities or

differences, peaks/jumps, lows/drops, or shifts/cross-overs. Is there a significant

increase in one area whereas another area drops sharply?
Once you have interpreted the data by identifying an OVERVIEW of trends/patterns, you can
start to write your essay. Your essay will have 4 pagaraphs.
Paragraph 1: Introduction This is really one or two sentences that paraphrases the title of the
chart, graph or map. (See post on How to Write the Introduction Quickly)
Paragraph 2: Overview/Summary This should be 2 4 sentences that clearly identify overall
trends or patterns. This shows the examiner that you have taken raw data and interpreted it into
some meaningful information. (See post on How to Write the Overview/Summary Paragraph)
Paragraph 3: Details for first trend/pattern. Describe the trend using descriptive and accurate
details. (See post on How to describe and compare data in a detail paragraph)
Paragraph 4: Details for second trend/pattern. Describe the trend using descriptive and accurate
details.
**To look through full sample model essays for both Task 1 and 2, click here. (These are
posts tagged with sample essay)**

Writing introductions quickly for IELTS

Task 1
Posted on July 22, 2012 by Pearl No Comments

Once youve practiced this, it should come easy to you by the time youre sitting for your test.
You should be able to write this quickly so that you can spend more time on the overview
paragraph and detail paragraphs.
Your first paragraph (which can be one sentence) is a paraphrase of the title of the
graph/chart/table/diagram/map. Points to remember:

Do not copy the title word for word. This will cost you points if you do.
Ensure youve got the information correct!

Make it simple and clear dont be too wordy

For example:

My introduction:
This graph compares the annual wheat exports of three major wheat producing countries
from 1985 to 1990.
Notes:

I used the verb compare

I added annual

instead of just saying countries or listing the three countries, I used major
wheat producing countries

Another example:
The graph below shows in percentage terms the changing patterns of domestic access to modern
technology in homes in UK
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons
where relevant.

My introduction:
The graph shows the upward trend of personal use of CD players, mobile phones, home
computers and internet access in UK households from 1996 to 2003.
Note:

I used personal use instead of domestic access

I listed out the devices instead of modern technology

I used UK households instead of homes in UK

Another example:
The diagram below shows the water cycle, which is the continuous movement of water on, above
and below the surface of the Earth.

My introduction:
The diagram illustrates the natural process of water transfer between sea, air and land, which
is also known as the water cycle.
Note:

I used water transfer instead of continuous movement

I specified sea, air, and land as on, above and below the surface of Earth

Another example:
The diagram shows how salt is removed from sea water to make it drinkable.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons
where relevant.

My introduction:
The diagram illustrates how drinking water in our water supply system is processed from
sea water through the removal of salt and impurities.
or
The diagram illustrates how drinking water in our water supply system is processed from sea
water through desalination.
Note:

I used removal instead of removed

I used desalination instead of salt removed

Instead of making water drinkable, I wrote how drinking water.. is

processed

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IELTS Writing Task 1 How to write the

overview/summary paragraph
Posted on August 12, 2012 by Pearl 2 Comments
To recap (briefly summarize) the paragraph structure for your Task 1 essay:
1. Introduction
2. Overview/Summary of main trends/features
3. Detail
4. Detail
Im going to talk about paragraph #2.
The second paragraph of your essay, the overview/summary paragraph is very important
because it shows the examiner that you can pull important, meaningful information from data in
graphs and charts and clearly identify overall main trends from that data. This will give you a
higher score if you nail this part (do this part right!).
This paragraph should have 2 sentences. Each sentence should be about a major trend or feature
that stands out about the data in the chart. For example, major trends could be an overall
increase/decrease in certain areas, similarities/differences in patterns, peaks/lows, or crossovers/shifts.
Heres an example:

Heres my approach:

Identify an overall trend: Right away I notice the graph divided into 2 halves the first
50 years and second 50 years. I see that early on the Agricultural and Manufacturing
sectors were strong/dominant for the first half then declined rapidly by the end of the
century.
Another overall trend: I see the growth of the business and financial sector in the
second half and is stronger than the other 2 sectors by the end of the period.
Simply put, I see a big decline in Agricultural & Manufacturing and an increase in
Business and Finance. They actually cross-over.

Heres my overview paragraph:

It is clear that the Agricultural and Manufacturing sectors were the main contributors of the first
half of the century. However, their contributions dropped dramatically in the second half, while
the Business and Financial sector rose rapidly to become a major contributor.
Notes:
My first sentence refers to Agricultural and Manufacturing sectors together. Vocabulary used:
main contributors. To sum up the time-frame I use first half of the century.

I do two things in my second sentence.

1. I use the transitional word however to introduce a contradictory event their
contributions declined (dropped dramatically) in the second half of the century (from
1950 onwards/ from 1950 to 2000).
2. I use while to start the clause that states the second main trend/feature the Business
& Financial sector grew rapidly.
Ill post more examples later with other types of charts/graphs/tables and diagrams/maps. If you
have any questions please ask!!
(See another example with a full sample essay for Task 1)

IELTS Writing Task 1: Describing and

comparing data in the detail paragraphs
Posted on August 29, 2012 by Pearl 4 Comments

I first wrote about the general approach to the Task 1

question and the 4-paragraph structure that you should stick to. To review:
1. Introduction paragraph (paraphrase the title of the graph/chart)
2. Overview/Summary paragraph this states the overall trends or features of the graph that are
important. It clearly summarizes what the data shows.
3. Detail paragraph of first important feature/trend
4. Detail paragraph of second important feature/trend

Here, Im going to talk about the detail paragraph.

Now, its important to know that you are not just describing the data. You cannot just describe
what the line of a chart is doing (increasing, decreasing, etc.). You need to compare the data to
other data in the graph to show some meaning to the reader.
Heres an example:

You need to first choose two trends/features to discuss in detail. You can see in this chart that you
can divide your information into two parts in a couple different ways: Birth Rates & Death
Rates; or Historical rates (1900s) & Projected rates (from 2000 on). These trends should be
clearly stated in your overview/summary paragraph (which is the 2nd paragraph in your
essay).
For example:
Overall there was a significant rise in birth and death rates throughout the 20th century with a
widening gap between high birth rates and a much lower death rate. However, by 2021 this gap
will close with death rates expected to surpass birth rates in the future.
Lets work on one detail paragraph and work on the feature from the Overview/Summary
paragraph: Overall there was a significant rise in birth and death rates throughout the 20th
century with a widening gap between high birth rates and a much lower death rate. In our
detail paragraph we describe the birth rates and the death rates, mentioning peaks or major trends
and in relation to each other.
From 1901 to the 1960s, birth rates rose dramatically from just over 20,000 to a peak of around
65,000 in 1961. From there, births slightly declined but remained significantly high, fluctuating
above 50,000 until the end of the century. On the other hand, death rates, which was half of
birth rates in 1901, maintained a very gradual and steady growth to about 27,000 by the end
of the century.
Notes on what I wrote in this detail paragraph:

I use the past tense since this is historical data (in the past)
I dont mention every rise and fall, just the overall general trend noting the highest
point (peak).

I use descriptive adverbs such as dramatically and significantly, and adjectives such as
gradual and steady

I use around65,000 just over 20,000 for approximation since I do not have the actual
numbers.

I use the linking phrase on the other hand that indicates a contrast in the birth and death
rate trends.

I relate the death rates to the birth rates by stating it was half of birth rates in 1901 and
that its growth wasnt dramatic like birth rates, but rather, it was gradual and steady.

I use clauses and phrases to add more information:

- relative clause to describe death rates: which was half of birth rates in 1901
participial phrase to describe births: fluctuating above 50,000 until the end of the century
Remember to stick to your overview paragraph as your guide so that you dont start to write
about a different feature. As you only have 20 minutes to write the whole essay, dont get stuck
in writing about too many small details.
Ill write about the second detail paragraph (4th paragraph of this essay) for this graph in a later
post. Check back and stay tuned! Or subscribe to my blog to get updates on new lessons & tips.

IELTS Task 1 Line graph and sample essay

domestic access to modern technology
Posted on July 29, 2012 by Pearl No Comments
Heres a sample line graph essay for Task 1.
The graph below shows in percentage terms the changing patterns of domestic access to modern
technology in homes in the U.K.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons
where relevant.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task and write at least 150 words.

My approach:
1) Read the title and labels carefully.
2) Look for 2 main features or trends that stand out. Straight away you can see access for all 4
technologies increase. I also noticed that the growth for CD players and home computers were
very similar steady with similar gains. And the growth for mobile phones & internet use was
faster (steeper rise in shorter time). So I decide to focus on those trends and to organize my essay
around that.
3) Structure :
1st paragraph: Paraphrase title of chart
2nd paragraph: Overview/summary paragraph where you clearly state the main trends you
identified.
3rd paragraph: Details about first trend CD player & computer
4th paragraph: Details about second trend mobile phones & internet use

No need for a conclusion since you are just relating data. No need for any subjective
interpretations or opinions on the content.
My full essay (165 words):
The graph shows the upward trend of household access to CD players, mobile phones,
home computers and the internet in the UK from 1996 to 2003.
We can see that while overall domestic usage for all personal technology steadily
increased, there was a more dramatic rise in mobile phone usage and internet access,
which had only started to be recorded from 1998.
In 1996, CD players were by far the most accessible at 60 % of UK households,
increasing steadily to just over 80% by 2003. Similarly, home computer accessibility
also steadily gained about 20% from roughly 30% to 50% domestic usage.
On the other hand, while mobile phones started with the lowest accessibility in 1996 at
about 18% usage, it climbed dramatically, surpassing home computers at the
beginning of 1999 to about 70% usage by 2003. Similarly, internet access, which
roughly only 10% of all households had in 1998, quickly climbed significantly to being
used by almost half of all UK households by 2003.

IELTS Task 1 Sample Essay birth and

death rates line graph
Posted on October 15, 2012 by Pearl 2 Comments
I wrote about how to write the detail paragraph for the IELTS Task 1 essay in this post here. I
explained how to describe and compare data in this paragraph. In this post Ill give my full
sample essay.
Here is the Task question:
The graph below gives information about changes in the birth and death rates in New Zealand
between 1901 2101. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown
below. Write at least 150 words.

For the outline/plan of paragraphs for this graph, I wrote:

1. Introduction paragraph (paraphrase the title of the graph/chart)
2. Overview/Summary paragraph this states the overall trends or features of the graph that are
important. It clearly summarizes what the data shows.
3. Detail paragraph of first important feature/trend
4. Detail paragraph of second important feature/trend
Here is my full sample essay:
The graph shows changes in the birth and death rates in New Zealand from 1901 with projections
through to 2101.
Overall there was a rise in birth and death rates from 1901 with a large gap between high birth
rates and much lower death rates. However, by the 21st century this wide gap starts to close with
death rates expected to surpass birth rates in the future.
From 1901 birth rates rose dramatically from just over 20,000 to a peak of around 65,000 in
1961. After a slight decline, it remained significantly high, fluctuating above 50,000 until the end
of the century. On the other hand, death rates, which was half of birth rates in 1901, maintained a
very gradual and steady growth to about 27,000 by the end of the century.
It is projected that birth rates will hover around the 50,000 mark but will start to decline by
2101. Conversely, death rates will experience a dramatic rise after 2021, exceeding the birth rate
by 2041 and continuing to rise to a steady rate of about 10,000 above birth rates by 2101.
(180 words)

Writing Task 1 How to write the Process or

Diagram Essay
Posted on August 15, 2012 by Pearl No Comments
You may have read my approach to the Task 1 essay for graphs and charts. The process/diagram
essay should also have 4 consistent paragraphs.
Once youve practiced this approach, you should feel much more confident in how to tackle a
diagram. You can use this strategy every time.
Here we go:
1. Look at the diagram carefully. Make sure you understand the process and all the labels.
2. Identify the different main stages of the process. If there are lots of steps, can you
group them into stages from the beginning to end?
Once youre clear on the stages and steps (mark them out on the paper so you can easily see it),
plan on writing 4 paragraphs:
1. Introduction. This is actually one sentence which paraphrases the explanation of the
process in the task question.
2. Overview of the process by stating the main stages from the beginning to the end.
Dont mention the individual steps (save those for paragraphs 3 & 4). You can state what
happens at the very beginning and the end result.
3. (Divide the stages in two). Start describing the first steps in the first stages.
4. Describe the steps in the later stages, ending with the final result.
Heres a recent example from ielts.orgs sample Task 1.
The diagram below shows the process by which bricks are manufactured for the building
industry.

Heres the essay organization:

1. Introduction. Paraphrase the task question The diagram illustrates how bricks are
made in the construction industry.
2. Describe the overview of the process. Its divided into 4 stages: digging for clay &
filtering it; making mixture & forming bricks; drying/baking/cooling; packaging &
delivery. I divided it this way so its easy to divide into 2 paragraphs.
3. First 2 stages: digging for clay & filtering it; making mixture & forming bricks.
4. Last 2 stages: drying/baking/cooling; packaging & delivery.
Remember, no conclusion is needed for Task 1. You are only describing a process.

Sample IELTS Task 1 diagram essay

Posted on September 27, 2012 by Pearl No Comments
I previously wrote about how to organize and write your diagram/process essay for Task
1. Below Ive written a full essay following that 4-paragraph plan.

Here is my sample essay for the above diagram on how bricks are manufactured:

The diagram illustrates how bricks are made in the construction industry.
There are four stages in this process, starting with digging for raw materials, mixing
and shaping the bricks, then baking and cooling the bricks before they are ready for
shipment in the final stage.
The process begins with digging for clay, a type of sticky soil often used for making
pots as well. It is then sifted with a metal grid to remove any rocks or debris onto a
roller, then mixed with sand and water. From there, the bricks are either formed and
shaped by wire cutters or a mould.
Once shaped, the bricks are left to dry in a drying oven for 24 to 48 hours before
being fully baked twice. They are first baked in a moderate kiln at 200 to 980 C, then
baked again at a higher temperature of 870 to 1300 C. From there, they are left to cool
in a special chamber for 48 to 72 hours. After they have completely cooled, the bricks
are packaged for delivery to various construction sites.
(180 words)

*Note, the information I add about the clay is actually stated on the diagram at the bottom,
however it didnt come out in my picture unfortunately.

IELTS Task 2 How to analyze the essay

question

Question Mark by Horia Varlan via Flickr (creative commons)

The most important thing you must do first when you approach the essay for Task 2 is to read
the question carefully and to understand what the question is asking you to write about.
Yes, thats obvious, but Ive seen countless essays where the students have worked so hard on
brainstorming, organizing and supporting their ideas only to later realize that they didnt answer
the question AT ALL.
So, get it right from the beginning. Make sure you:
1. Read the question carefully. Reread it if you have to.
2. Underline key words. These words will be about the topic and issue the focus of your
essay.
3. Identify what the call-to-action part of the question is. Usually, the Task consists of 2
parts: the first is a claim about an issue and the second is the call-to-action question
asking you to do something specific in your essay. Call-to-action questions include:
agree/disagree; cause/effect; problem/solution; advantages/disadvantages; discussion; etc.
Lets look at an example.

Task Question:
It is inevitable that as technology develops traditional cultures must be lost. Technology and
tradition are incompatible you cannot have both together.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
Your steps:
1) Read carefully, then reread if you have to.
2) Underline key topic words:
Technology, traditional cultures, incompatible, lost
What does the statement say? That technology and traditional cutures cannot coexist at all. The
more technologically advanced our society becomes, our traditions will disappear.
3) What are you supposed to write about in your essay? This is what the call-to-action
question tells you: To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Do you agree or disagree with the notion that technology and traditional cultures cant
coexist? How far? Completely? Somewhat?
Your essay will be structured on what your answer is here. Once youve decided on your
answer (which you should do quickly), you should then begin to organize your ideas.
(More on this later!)

Practice:
Analyse the following Task 2 questions. Identify the claim (underline key words) and the call-toaction parts.
1. The number of elderly people in the world is increasing. What do you think are the
positive and negative effects of this trend
2. Differences between countries become less evident each year. Nowadays, all over the
world people share the same fashions, advertising, brands, eating habits and TV channels.
Do the disadvantages of this trend outweigh the advantages?
3. People naturally resist making changes in their lives. What kind of problems can this
cause? What solutions can you suggest?
4. Advances in science and technology and other areas of society in the last 100 years have
transformed the way we live as well as postponing the day we die. There is no better
time to be alive than now. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

5. In most countries disabled people are not catered for adequately, e.g. buildings are often
inappropriately designed. Governments rely too heavily on charities and voluntary
organisations to provide assistance and funding. What further measures could be taken to
assist disabled people? Discuss.

How to write introductions quickly for

IELTS Task 2 essay

You only have 40 minutes to plan and write a fully

developed 250-word essay. The meat (most important/substantial part) of your essay is in your
main body paragraphs, so you dont want to spend too much time thinking of a creative way to
introduce your topic and opinion. Remember, you want to get straight to the issue and be as
clear as possible. Here is your strategy in writing a good introduction to any Task 2 question:
1. Read the question very carefully a few times if you have to, to make sure you
completely understand the question.
2. Underline key words that you will use and paraphrase in your introduction. See How to
Analyze the Essay Questions.
3. Highlight the specific question(s) you must answer.
4. Think of your answer (personal opinion) to the question.
5. Now write your introduction:

1st sentence: Write about the general topic paraphrase the sentence that
introduces the question of the Task. You should write 1 2 sentences only.

Next sentence: Answer the question(s) asked in the Task. Try to write it in 1
sentence. This is your opinion and heart of your essay. A great way to write this is
to follow this format:

Although [insert claim made in task question], I think

While [insert claim made in task question] , I believe/ agree/ disagree/ feel

Here are some examples:

Some people feel that competitive sports, both team and individual, have no place in the school
curriculum. How far do you agree or disagree?
My introduction:
Competitive sports, such as basketball, soccer and track have become a regular part of
daily life for school children. While some people feel that it should not be included in the
school curriculum, I strongly feel that competitive team and individual sports should
definitely be a part of the school curriculum.
Note:
1. First sentence introduced competitive sports in school I referred to team (basketball,
soccer) & individual (track) sports
2. I used the While, I think construction. I clearly state my position and answer the
question How far do you agree or disagree?

The number of elderly people in the world is increasing. What do you think are the positive and
negative effects of this trend?
My introduction: (Note, I actually read a news article about our population a few weeks before
writing this! So, bonus lesson learned here keep reading!)
This year we are going to reach a total global population of 7 billion people. In about 14
years the population will increase to 8 billion. This growth, especially of elderly people, is
becoming more of a concern as there will undoubtedly not only be positive effects but
negative effects as well.
Note:
1. I wrote 2 sentences to introduce the topic of growing population.
2. I specified elderly people and referred to both positive and negative effects, which is
answering the question. It is only a discussion question of examining both sides.

Now you try:

In some countries, governments are encouraging industries and businesses to move to regional
areas outside the big cities.
Do the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages?

Write your 1st sentence about the topic.

Your second sentence answering the question.

4 Paragraph Structure for the IELTS

Writing Task 2 Essay

To keep things simple and easy to organize

always plan on writing a 4 paragraph essay. By following this same formula, you will be able to
plan your essay quickly and easily for any question.
Here is the simple 4 paragraph structure:
1. Introduction. This will be a short paragraph of only 2 3 sentences. It should clearly
introduce the topic and claim made in the Task question. And it should clearly state your
opinion and general answer to the call-to-action part of the Task question. See How to
Analyze the Essay Question and How to write introductions quickly for IELTS Task 2.
2. First Main Idea. Here you provide your first main reason of support for your opinion.
Add supporting details and examples.
3. Second Main Idea. Here you provide your second main reason of support for your
opinion. Add supporting details and examples.
4. Conclusion. Simply restate your opinion.
Lets look at an example of an Agree/Disagree question:
Some people think that all teenagers should be required to do unpaid work in their free time to
help the local community. They believe this would benefit both the individual teenager and
society as a whole.

Do you agree or disagree?

Heres how I would structure my essay:
1. Introduction. I paraphrase the first sentence about requiring teenagers to volunteer in the
community. I state my opinion that I agree because it benefits both the teenager and the
community.
2. First main reason why I agree it benefits the individual teenager. Explain how it
benefits them and give examples opens their eyes to the problems of others, instills
discipline and commitment, helps their communication skills as they have to work with
others, etc.
3. Second main reason why I agree it benefits society as a whole. Explain how it
benefits society and give examples helps create stronger bonds within communities if
teenagers are involved, communities always need helping hands in various projects
clean ups, setting up free events, providing services for elderly, sick or poor, etc.
4. Conclusion restate that I believe that community volunteering is important to both
teenagers as individuals and to society as a whole.
Ill be writing more examples of other question types, so check back!

How to write the Agree or Disagree Essay for

IELTS Task 2
Posted on August 23, 2012 by Pearl 23 Comments

I previously wrote about sticking to the

same formula of a 4 paragraph structure. Once you practice this approach, it will be very easy to
plan and organize your essay when youve only got 40 minutes.
For the agree/disagree essay, I think its probably easiest to just completely agree or completely
disagree because you just need to have 2 reasons to support why.

Remember, the examiner is marking you on how you express, organize and support your ideas.
They arent judging you on your opinion. As long as its logical and cohesive (your argument is
supported and your ideas stick together) and written clearly, you will get a higher mark.
You can follow this 4-paragraph structure:
1. Introduction- introduce topic and give your clear answer to the task question (I fully
agree or disagree with the claim)
2. Main Reason #1 why you agree or disagree give examples and supporting details
3. Main Reason #2 why you agree or disagree give examples and supporting details
4. Conclusion restate your opinion (this is a very short paragraph probably 1 to 2
sentences)
Heres an example:
Many children these days have an unhealthy lifestyle. Both schools and parents are equally
responsible for solving this problem.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
My outline of ideas for my essay (not fully written out):
1. Introduction Write a sentence about the topic, paraphrase the claim and give my opinion I
completely disagree. I think only parents are fully responsible for solving this problem.
2. Main Reason #1
I believe parents are fully responsible for solving this problem.

main caregiver and spend the most time with their kids
should be the primary role model of living a healthy lifestyle

most effective because parents provide childs food/meals and guidelines for childs free
time and activities

3. Main Reason #2
Schools should not be responsible for solving this problem.

Schools should focus on academics reading/writing/maths and science

Teachers have a relatively small amount of time with each child they have to worry
about a classroom full of 30+ children

least effective because they dont provide for the childs regular diet

4. Conclusion restate my opinion that I completely disagree and believe that only parents,
rather than parents and schools equally, are responsible for changing childrens unhealthy
lifestyles.
See my full sample essay for this question here.
Want to get your essay writing checked? Heres how: Essay Correction & Feedback

4 Paragraph Structure for Problem/Solution

Essay
Posted on August 8, 2012 by Pearl 2 Comments

I previously wrote about sticking to the same

formula of a 4 paragraph structure. Once you practice this approach, it will be very easy to plan
and organize your essay when youve only got 40 minutes.
For the problem/solution essay, you can follow this paragraph structure:
1. Introduction- introduce topic and give your clear answer to the task question
2. Problems give examples and supporting details
3. Solutions give examples and supporting details
4. Conclusion restate your answer to the question
or
1. Introduction introduce topic and give your clear answer to the task question
2. Main problem #1 & possible solutions give examples
3. Main problem #2 & possible solutions give examples
4. Conclusion restate your answer to the question
Heres an example for a problem/solution essay or a reasons for problems/solutions essay.

People naturally resist change in their lives. What kind of problems can this cause? What
solutions can you suggest?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or
experience.
Heres my 4-paragraph approach:
1. Introduction. First sentence paraphrases the topic of the question people avoid making
changes in their lives. Second/Third sentence answer both questions.
2. Problems caused by this resistance give examples not challenging oneself in
pursuing career or academic goals, staying unhealthy and unfit, staying in a bad
relationship, etc.
3. Possible solutions finding support groups, encouragement from family & friends, etc.
4. Conclusion restate answer and overall possible solutions.
Heres another example:
The widespread use of the Internet has brought many problems. What do you think are the main
problems associated with the use of the web? What solutions can you suggest?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or
experience.
Heres my paragraph structure:
1. Introduction paraphrase the topic, answer the questions
2. Main problems (I put both problems together) Privacy security and vulnerability of

children by online predators

3. Suggested solutions (applies to both problems) stronger regulations and parental

supervision
4. Conclusion restate suggested solutions to address main problems

Sample model essay for Task 2 discuss and

give opinion
Posted on November 22, 2012 by Pearl 3 Comments

Mike via Compfight

In my last post I wrote about how to organize an answer for this Task 2 question:
Successful sports professionals can earn a great deal more money than people in other important
professions. Some people think this is fully justified while others think it is unfair. Discuss both
these views and give your own opinion.
Following the 4-paragraph plan I wrote, here is my sample model essay:
Star athletes like LeBron James, Tiger Woods, and Manny Pacquiao receive multi-million
dollar contracts which are exponentially more than what other important professionals are
paid. This has led to controversy over whether this is justified and fair. Although I can
understand why some people feel this is unfair, I feel professional athletes are justified in
receiving this pay.
No one can deny that there are many people who provide much more meaningful services that
directly help or impact individuals and communities. People such as teachers, caregivers and
healthcare workers affect so many people by making their lives better and comfortable.
Despite their hard work and valuable service, they unfortunately arent paid the same
exorbitant wages as sport professionals, which seems unfair.
On the other hand, salary unfortunately does not always reflect the importance, need or value
of a job. In fact, salary more often reflects how much money the employer or the business can
pay. Professional athletes are part of the billion-dollar sports and entertainment industry that
plays a large part in the economy. A lot of consumers choose to pay money for pro sports and
related products, so the team owners have the money to pay these players huge sums.
Therefore, its justified that these players get their share of the profits. To put this in

perspective, elderly adults who need caregivers do not have a lot of money to pay their
caregivers, and so caregivers earn little.
In short, the large sums of money that sports professionals receive is justified because they are
earning that money from their employers by doing their jobs of entertaining and raising
profits for their employers.
(273 words)
Vocabulary/expressions to take note of:

to put this in perspective

no one can deny

others words used for a lot of money: huge sums, exorbitant wages, large sums of
money, multi-million dollar contracts, profits

Task 2 Sample model essay Reducing

unemployment with mobile phones
Posted on November 28, 2012 by Pearl 1 Comment
In a previous post I wrote about how to answer this agree or disagree question:
Some people argue that the government should give every unemployed person a mobile phone
and should make sure they have access to the Internet. They believe this is the best way of using
public money to reduce the problem of unemployment. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Following the 4-paragraph outline I prepared in that post, here is my sample essay written out:
Reducing unemployment has become a significant problem and is now a top priority for
many politicians to address. In fact, some people argue that the government should provide
mobile phones and Internet access to every unemployed person. While this may appear
beneficial on the surface, I disagree that this is the best use of public funds for helping the
unemployed.
To a small degree, I agree that mobile phones and internet access can be very helpful for
people actively seeking employment. They are able to easily search for job opportunities,
apply and arrange for interviews. However, this alone wont guarantee a job. The person
needs to have the education, skills and experience to land a job, which cant be helped with
simply internet access and a phone.
The main cause of unemployment is often a lack of education and skills that meet the
demands of the job market. Employers hire people based on their knowledge, skills and

experience. To really tackle the problem of unemployment, public money should be used to
assist the unemployed in furthering their education, upgrading their skills, or retraining in
a new field. By investing in educational and training programs for the unemployed, more
people will have a better chance of finding long-term meaningful employment, which will
ultimately reduce unemployment overall.
In short, I feel that while mobile phones and internet access is very useful for active job
searching, public funds are better spent on education and training to really tackle the
problem of unemployment.
(261 words)
Vocabulary & Expressions to take notice of:

a top priority to address

appear . (beneficial) . on the surface

to a small degree/ to a large degree

to meet the demands of the job market (what kind of people employers want to hire)

to tackle a problem

unemployed people/ the unemployed

to further (your/their/his/her/my) education; to upgrade your skills; to retrain

to have a better chance of (verb)-ing

long-term, meaningful employment (opposite would be a short-term job or lots of shortterm jobs, rather than a career)

to be best/better spent on (noun/gerund)

Sample IELTS Task 2 Essay Suggesting

Measures
Posted on October 2, 2012 by Pearl 3 Comments

Neil Kremer via Compfight

I previously wrote about approaching and organizing this essay question:

More and more city workers are deciding to live in the country and travel into work everyday.
The result is increased traffic congestion and damage to the environment. What measures do you
suggest that would encourage people not to travel such long distances to work?
See my post on how I planned it. Here is my full sample essay:

Nowadays, more people are moving away from cities for more affordable
and comfortable lifestyles in the countryside, resulting in long distance
commuting to their work in the cities. Unfortunately, this leads to more
traffic congestion and pollution to the environment. I believe measures
such as promoting telecommuting and establishing remote offices will
reduce the number of long distance commuters and therefore their
impact on the environment.
The first measure would incentivize city-based companies to promote
and mandate telecommuting within their workforce. By providing
subsidies or tax breaks to companies that have a certain percentage of
their employees work from home via internet and phone connection,
more companies would actively facilitate telecommuting. For example,
there could be a rotating schedule so that every day the numbers
commuting to the office stay at a specified low number.
Another similar measure would be to build small government-funded
remote office hubs or telecommuting centers in suburbs outside major
cities. By leasing these out to corporations based in the nearby city, the

government can facilitate and further promote telecommuting. Whats

more, employees in even further rural areas can commute to the
outlying remote office centers, thereby reducing their commute
significantly. By having the option of leasing remote work space, which
could also save on expensive city office space, private companies would
be more likely to promote telecommuting.
In short, I believe that measures such as providing monetary incentives
and building affordable remote office space available to city-based
companies will make telecommuting more viable. This is key to reducing
traffic and its impact on the environment.
(260 words)

Sample IELTS Task 2 essay for agree or

disagree
Posted on May 22, 2013 by Pearl 8 Comments

Nino Eugene La Pia via Compfight

I had written out an outline for this Task 2 question:

Many children these days have an unhealthy lifestyle. Both schools and parents are equally
responsible for solving this problem.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
See my outline of ideas here
Here is my sample essay based on that outline.
In the media we often hear or read about the rising trend of children leading unhealthy lifestyles.
While many believe both schools and parents share equal responsibility for solving this problem,
I disagree and feel that parents are fully responsible for changing the unhealthy lifestyles of their
children.

As the main caregiver and educator, parents spend the most time with their children and therefore
are the biggest influence on the way their child eats and acts. The best way to solve this is to be a
role model for their child, by making healthy choices on what to eat and how much activity or
sports they take part in. If a child sees their parent eating vegetables or goes for a walk with them
after dinner, their habits will change for the better. Besides, with parents in control of providing
the childs day-to-day food and organizing their childs free time activities, they are the most
effective ones to tackle this problem.
Because the primary purpose of school is to focus on academics and learning development,
schools should not be responsible for solving the problem of childrens unhealthy lifestyles.
Moreover, with 20 students or more in a classroom, teachers already have a relatively small
amount of time with each child to actually influence their decisions on what to eat and what to
do. In short, schools would be the least effective because they have no control or means over
what each child eats or how they spend their free time.
To sum up, I believe that only parents, rather than parents and schools equally, are responsible
for changing childrens unhealthy lifestyles. As primary caregivers and role-models, parents,
rather than schools, are closest and most influential to each child.
( 287 words)

7 Types of Task 2 questions for IELTS

Posted on May 29, 2013 by Pearl No Comments

Question Mark by Horia Varlan via Flickr (creative commons)

There are several different types of Task 2 questions that can all be answered using the 4paragraph structure.
Here are the different kinds of questions:
1. Agree or Disagree
Ex. Some people think that scientists experimenting with animals in a laboratory is the only way
we can guarantee new products will be safe for human use. To what extent do you agree or
disagree with this opinion?
(See example); (See another example)
2. Advantages/Benefits outweigh Disadvantages/Drawbacks
Ex. In some countries, governments are encouraging industries and businesses to move to
regional areas outside the big cities. Do the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages?
3. Discuss two views plus your opinion
Ex. Some people say children no longer need to develop handwriting skills. Others believe that
handwriting is still important. Discuss both these views and give your opinion.
(See an example); (See another example)
4. Discuss two views only (no opinion)
Ex. Many people believe that an effective public transport system is a key component of a
modern city. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of public transport.
(See related post)
5. Causes/Problem and Solution
Ex. Crime rates tend to be higher in cities than in smaller towns. Explain some possible reasons
for this problem and suggest some solutions.
(See related post)
6. Two questions/ two-part questions
Ex. To some people studying the past has little value in the modern world. Why do you think it
is important to do so? What will be the effect if children are not taught history?
7. Opinion

Ex. Research indicates that the characteristics we are born with have much more influence on our
personality and development than other experiences we may have in life. Which do you consider
to be the major influence?
Regardless of what they are asking you to write about, they can all be answered with two main
body paragraphs (plus introduction and conclusion paragraphs). Go through each question and
brainstorm you ideas and see how you would divide and organize your answer.
Ill write more about each type of question and more on the sample questions later.

Do you want to find specific information

about different IELTS lessons?

Question Mark by Horia Varlan via Flickr (creative commons)

Ive had a lot of emailed questions and comments from students who want to find out more
about a specific lesson that they have read. If you want to find out more about a specific topic,
please use Search by Tags . You can do this 2 ways:
1. At the bottom of each post, there is a section that says Posted in: followed by a list of
tags (topics) that you can click on. This will bring you to all the posts that have been
tagged for that topic. For example, if you want to know more about how to write
introductions, click on the introductions tag.
2. On the right side of the page of each post, youll see a box that says Search by
Tags under a box that says Check my essay. This Search by Tags box is filled with
tags (topics) of different sizes the bigger the size of the word, the more posts there are
under this tag. Click on a tag to see all the posts related to that topic.

If there are topics not covered, feel free to email me or comment and Ill try my best to write a
post on it.
Good luck everyone!
(If you see at the bottom of this post, Ive tagged everything.)
July 2, 2014 Leave a reply

How to get a 7 or over on the Task 1 Essay

Zitona via Compfight

I have a student who has taken the IELTS test several times because she needs a 7 in all modules
in order to get her RN (Registered Nurse) license accepted in New Zealand. Although she has
gotten 7 and over on the Listening and Speaking modules, she now needs to focus on turning her
steady results of 6.5 on the writing to a 7 or over. How to get that 7?
Heres the main thing for Task 1:
You need to write a clear overview of the main features or trends of the graph/chart. In your
overview paragraph (the 2nd paragraph see my post on the 4-paragraph structure), identify 2
main patterns, features or trends that stand out. Do not simply describe what you see on the
graph. That will not get you a 7.
Compare the following overview paragraphs for an essay about a survey at a new shopping mall:

Here is version A:
The top table shows four different categories of very satisfied, satisfied, dissatisfied and no
comment about peoples opinion on shops and was divided between male and female shoppers.
The second table shows the same four categories divided by males and females about the
restaurants in the new mall. The pie chart also shows the same categories for both male and
female shoppers with the design of the mall.
Here is version B:
Overall, the majority of shoppers were satisfied or very satisfied with the shops, restaurants and
design of the new mall. In general, men and women felt similarly about the shops and design,
while more males were satisfied with the restaurants compared to women.
Which one is better and why? Version B is better because:
1. Although Version A has grammatically correct sentences and is accurate in its meaning,
it only describes what the tables and pie chart show. It doesnt give any meaningful
information about the actual data. As an overview paragraph, it doesnt identify any
important trends or patterns.
2. Version B, on the other hand, identifies the overall feature that the majority of shoppers
(which implies both men and women) were satisfied/very satisfied in all 3 graphs
regarding shops, restaurants and design. It also shows another important feature and

that is men and women had similar opinions about the shops, but there was a difference
about how they felt with the restaurants more men were satisfied compared to women.
This is meaningful information that the reader can easily understand and gain a clear
understanding of the data.
3. Version A consists of 3 long sentences in this paragraph, without adding any new insight.
Version B is shorter only 2 sentences but gives a lot of insight and useful ideas.
4. The 2 paragraphs that follow this overview paragraph should give the details supporting
these 2 main trends of how males and females had similar opinions and when they had
differing opinions.
When organized this way:
1. introduction paragraph
2. overview paragraph
3. detail paragraph
4. detail paragraph,
it makes it very easy for the reader to understand the graphs and charts.
Please note, these are not the only features that you can focus on, but these are the ones that I
chose straight away because they stood out to me. Part of your strategy is to choose two features
that stand out to you straight away that you can identify and explain to your reader. You should
only spend 20 minutes on this full essay.
So remember, dont just describe what you see on the table or graph. Make the data meaningful
for your reader and easy to understand.
Here is my full sample essay for this Task.
December 12, 2012 4 Replies

Common Errors Answers for Agreement

I previously wrote about a common error that

many students make in writing, especially when rushing to finish an IELTS essay in time. This is
agreement between different parts of speech. See the post here.
Here are the answers for the sample sentences I gave (changes in bold). How did you do?
Make any corrections if necessary:
1) I think both strict governmental regulations and parental supervision needs to be in place.
Subject is plural (BOTH a and b), therefore + plural verb
2) Furthermore, upon retiring, they will have no new income, so their care and costs of living
will be shouldered by public funds. correct
3) The other three nations spent nearly the same amount in this regard.

number + noun (if there is more than one, the noun must be plural)

4) If students dont want to do this kind of jobs in the future, there arent many options.

after phrases such as kind of (+ singular)

5) One of the problems with this measure is that it is hard to enforce.

one of (+ plural noun + singular verb)

6) The number of applications for this particular job has dropped in recent years.

the/a number of ( + plural noun + singular verb)

7) There are many things that should be considered when suggesting solutions.

after many ( + plural )

8) Each of the subcommittees have a specific goal to achieve.

after every and each ( + singular )

9) Every conceivable type of problem arises in the first few weeks.

after every and each ( + singular , so verb must agree)

10) Does Do the client and project manager agree to the terms of the contract?

The subject is plural (client AND project manager), so question verb (auxiliary verb) is
plural

11) Three hundred dollars isnt too much to pay. correct

number + noun (if there is more than one, the noun must be plural) BUT
phrases of time, money and weight when regarded as one unit (+ singular verb)

August 25, 2012 1 Reply

Common Errors in Grammar Agreement

Even if youre upper-intermediate to advanced, when

youre writing fast in a timed situation, you sometimes forget to check basic grammar elements,
such as agreement (singular/plural) between different parts of speech.
When you practice your writing, check your agreement with:

subject + verb (check both are singular or plural)

pronoun + noun (check both are singular or plural)

number + noun (if there is more than one, the noun must be plural)

after phrases such as kind of (+ singular), one of (+ plural noun + singular verb),
the/a number of ( + plural noun + singular verb), etc.

after many ( + plural )

after every and each ( + singular )

phrases of time, money and weight when regarded as one unit (+ singular verb)

Make any corrections if necessary:

1) I think both strict governmental regulations and parental supervision needs to be in place.
2) Furthermore, upon retiring, they will have no new income, so their care and costs of living
will be shouldered by public funds.
3) The other three nation spent nearly the same amount in this regard.
4) If students dont want to do this kind of jobs in the future, there arent many options.
5) One of the problem with this measure is that it is hard to enforce.
6) The number of application for this particular job has dropped in recent years.
7) There are many thing that should considered when suggesting solutions.
8) Each of the subcommittees have a specific goal to achieve.
9) Every conceivable type of problem arise in the first few weeks.
10) Does the client and project manager agree to the terms of the contract?
11) Three hundred dollars isnt too much to pay.

Ill give the answers shortly in the comments below. In the meantime, give it a go!
**Answer posted here **

August 16, 2012 2 Replies

Common errors When do you use most or

most of?
Ive seen this error often even in intermediate to advance students writing. Heres the difference
between most x and most of x

Most, as in:
Most university students prefer classes that start after 10 a.m.
Here, the noun university students is plural and is used as a general group. No determiner
(such as the) is used after most.
Most of, as in:
Most of the students in our dormitory have their first class after 10 a.m.
Here, the noun the students is a specific group those in our dormitory. So its a large portion
within a specific group of students. You need to use a determiner (the/my/his/her/your/our/their/)
followed by the noun if you use most of. For example, Most of my students have studied
English since primary school.
More examples (you can see the slight difference in meaning):

According to a nation-wide survey, most employees feel they shouldnt have to work
more than 40 hours per week.
Most of the employees (at my company) feel they shouldnt have to work more than 40
hours per week.

How to write the balanced/neutral Task 2

essay To what extent do you agree or
disagree?
Posted on March 14, 2014 by Pearl 1 Comment

Finding balance
Kristina Alexanderson via Compfight

I wrote a full sample essay to this type of question see this post: Sample IELTS Task 2 essay
for agree disagree.
A good question came up from a reader:
The question type to what extent do you agree or disagree seems rather confusing to me. On
the Road To IELTS website, they always present both points of views but is it just as good only
to agree or disagree as you have done here?
Heres my answer to that:
Depending on the question and topic, I think its best to go with what you feel comfortable with
and find the easiest to write. If you can come up with two main points to support a complete
agree or complete disagree, then do that.
If you feel that you have more of a balanced/neutral view where you can quickly think of one
strong main support for agree and one strong main support for disagree and therefore want to
present both views, then do that. Just make sure that you state in the introduction that you have a
balanced or neutral view.
Heres a quick outline:
1st paragraph: Introduction see my post on How to write introductions quickly . Again,
remember to state that you have a balanced view here.

2nd paragraph: Main point for supporting/agreeing with detailed examples/support On one
hand, I feel that
3rd paragraph: Main point for disagreeing with detailed examples/support On the other hand,
it is apparent that.
4th paragraph: Short conclusion

IELTS Task 2 essay Discussion only essay

Posted on July 25, 2013 by Pearl 1 Comment

Sheila via Compfight

To prepare for writing the IELTS Task 2 essay, make sure you know the different types of
questions and understand how to answer and organize your essay.
Here is one type of question that asks you to only discuss two issues (positive/negative effects or
advantages/disadvantages) of a claim.
Example:
The number of elderly people in the world is increasing. What do you think are the positive
and negative effects of this trend?
As you can see, the question is not asking whether you think there are more positive or negative
effects. It is only asking you to discuss BOTH effects of the trend. Therefore, you do not need to
add your personal opinion about it.
Heres another example:

In some countries, some young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between
finishing high school and starting university studies. Discuss the advantages and
disadvantages for young people who decide to do this.
Make sure that you remain neutral and not include your opinion.
Heres the organization of your essay:
1. Introduction paraphrase the topic/claim and state the 2 views
2. Body Paragraph #1 View 1 (positive effect/advantage) with supporting details
3. Body Paragraph #2 View 2 (negative effect/disadvantage) with supporting details
4. Conclusion restate the two views
*Check back here and Ill show a full sample essay for these questions in the next post!

How to write quick conclusions for your

IELTS Task 2 essay
Posted on July 10, 2013 by Pearl 2 Comments

Charlie Barker via Compfight

In an essay, the introduction and conclusion act like bookends theyre strong and hold up the
books (your argument and ideas) inside them. The conclusion also wraps up your essay neatly
and completes your argument for the reader. It summarises the key ideas you wrote about,
resulting in your final decision or statement about the topic.
While its a very important part of an essay, you dont need to spend too much time on it on the
IELTS task because most of your effort should go into your main paragraphs.
So, heres how to write your conclusion quickly:

Restate your opinion that you wrote in your introduction and include the main reasons you wrote
in your main paragraphs. This should be one to two sentences.
Expressions to start your conclusion with:

In short,
To sum up,

In summary,

To summarize,

In conclusion,

To conclude,

Overall,

Ultimately,

In the final analysis,

Thus,

As you can see,

Examples that show a variety of ways to conclude:

In short, as we become more dependent on the Internet, governments need to enforce strict
regulations and parents must follow due diligence when it comes to protecting our privacy and
children from possible dangers on the web.
In conclusion, its necessary to consider both the positive and negative effects of the aging
population to prepare ourselves for a changing society.
As you can see, although advancements in food technology have certainly provided us with a
wide range and abundance of food that we couldnt have before, we must be aware that these
benefits also come with consequences to our health and environment.
To see sample essays, click here: Sample Essays

How to write the introduction for an essay on

IELTS Task 2
Posted on June 19, 2013 by Pearl 8 Comments

The introduction should be clear and concise. It

doesnt need to be very long and grand since this is a short 250-word essay. Heres what it should
include:

a paraphrase (use of different words but same meaning) of the topic and issue presented
in the task question
your opinion (if it is asked, please see the different types of Task 2 questions)

It should be 2 -3 sentences. Here are examples of the Task question and my introduction:
Task 2 question: More and more city workers are deciding to live in the country and travel into
work everyday. The result is increased traffic congestion and damage to the environment. What
measures do you suggest that would encourage people not to travel such long distances to work?
(see this suggest measures essay)
My introduction:
Nowadays, more people are moving away from cities for more affordable and comfortable
lifestyles in the countryside, resulting in long distance commuting to their work in the cities.
Unfortunately, this leads to more traffic congestion and pollution to the environment. I believe
measures such as promoting telecommuting and establishing remote offices will reduce the
number of long distance commuters and therefore their impact on the environment.
Note:

1st & 2nd sentences paraphrase topic in task question. I dont repeat words directly as it
will affect score.
3rd sentence answers the task question I suggest measures.

Task 2 question: Many children these days have an unhealthy lifestyle. Both schools and
parents are equally responsible for solving this problem. To what extent do you agree or disagree
with this statement? (see this agree/disagree essay)
My introduction:

In the media we often hear or read about the rising trend of children leading unhealthy lifestyles.
While many believe both schools and parents share equal responsibility for solving this problem,
I disagree and feel that parents are fully responsible for changing the unhealthy lifestyles of their
children.
Note:

1st sentence paraphrases the topic given in the task.

2nd sentence states the claim made by some AND states my answer to the task question
whether I agree or disagree with this claim.

Task 2 question: Successful sports professionals can earn a great deal more money than people
in other important professions. Some people think this is fully justified while others think it is
unfair. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion. (see this discuss and give your
opinion sample essay)
My introduction:
Star athletes like LeBron James, Tiger Woods, and Manny Pacquiao receive multi-million dollar
contracts which are exponentially more than what other important professionals are paid. This
has led to controversy over whether this is justified and fair. Although I can understand why
some people feel this is unfair, I feel professional athletes are justified in receiving this pay.
Note:

1st sentence paraphrases the topic given in the task question. Ive added a bit more details
w/ the names only because I know these star athletes and it introduces this specific topic
quite well. If you dont know of any big pro stars, you dont need to put any in. I dont
use the exact same words in the task Ive added multi-million dollar contracts and
exponentially more to show a range of vocabulary.
2nd sentence just states what the debate is

3rd sentence states both views of the debate and my own opinion all in one sentence.

Task 2 question:
Early technological developments helped ordinary people and changed their lives more than
recent developments. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
My introduction:
Our lives have greatly benefited from technological developments throughout history. While
some people feel that early inventions helped ordinary people more than recent technological
developments, I feel both early and recent advances have had an equally significant impact on
ordinary people.

Note:

1st sentence paraphrases the topic in general.

2nd sentence states the claim (debate) from the task question AND it states my answer to
the question that I dont agree or disagree but that I feel both are important.

Task 2 question:
In some countries, governments are encouraging industries and businesses to move to regional
areas outside the big cities. Do the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages?
My introduction:
As business growth becomes a priority worldwide, industries and businesses in some countries
are being encouraged to relocate away from the big cities to regional areas. While this may have
some disadvantages, I feel there are more advantages to benefit everyone.
Note:

1st sentence quickly introduces topic and paraphrases the task claim. I do not copy wordfor-word the task question and I use synonyms, such as relocate away from for move
to.
2nd sentence states my answer to the task question that advantages outweigh the
disadvantages.

If you practice just writing introductions quickly to sample task questions, it will become much
easier on test day!
uestions

More examples on how to answer

true/false/not given and yes/no/not given
IELTS questions
Posted on June 12, 2013 by Pearl 2 Comments

See my previous post on strategies for

answering True/False/Not Given and Yes/No/Not Given questions on the IELTS Reading
section. The basic strategy is:
1. SKIM for main idea and organization of passage
2. SCAN for key words youve highlighted in the question
3. READ INTENSELY (CAREFULLY) around the sentences where you found the key
words
Heres an example showing how to do this with a sample passage & questions taken
from Academic Reading Sample from ielts.org (The Risks of Cigarette Smoke full passage).
This is the Yes/No/Not Given question:

Look at the key words I circled in yellow. These are the words Im going to SCAN for in the
passage. Numbers are especially quick and easy to scan for. Here is the paragraph I found the
words I scanned for.

Straight away I see 30 per cent. Notice the yellow underlines the key words is responsible
indicates causes and weve got 30 per cent. However, the text underlined in pink shows that
this percentage is for all deaths from cancer, not deaths in the United States as written in
question #4. By reading this part carefully, you would see that this statement does not match the
writers view and therefore you choose the correct answer of NO.
Heres the next question:

Scanning through the passage I come across the 4th paragraph and see married couple and
one partner. Here is the paragraph:

Reading carefully, the part underlined in pink doesnt mention anything about the other partner
likely to take up smoking. I continue to read to the end of that paragraph and still, there is
nothing about the non-smoker partner taking up smoking. After scanning the rest of the passage
for marriage or partner, I dont find anything else. Therefore, I would choose NOT
GIVEN.
Now to the next question:

Key word to scan for is teenagers. I cant find the exact word teenager but I do find a word
associated with teen years, which is adolescence. Heres what I find:

Reading carefully here, Ive underlined that 17 % of people with lung cancer got it from secondhand smoke (from their smoker parent) when they were teenagers. Therefore, I will correctly
choose YES.
Now, heres the last question:

Im going to scan for UCSF study first because its an acronym and probably easiest to spot.
Then Ill look for opponent or finance or similar words. Ive found the paragraph with
UCSF:

I dont see anything with opponent or finance so I continue to the next paragraph:

Ive found opponent, but it says nothing here about financing the study or anything similar
to that, ie. paid for the research. It only states that it was published in the Journal, which isnt
the same. Therefore, I can correctly choose NOT GIVEN.
Practice using this strategy of SKIM, SCAN, READ INTENSELY around the key words
youve located. Be careful of pitfalls (hidden danger or trap!). Ill write about these mistakes to
avoid in another post.

How to get a 7 on your IELTS essay use

sentence variety
Posted on June 5, 2013 by Pearl 4 Comments

If you look at the band descriptors for both Task 1

and Task 2, you will find that under Grammatical Range and Accuracy, you should use a
variety of complex structures to get a 7+. You want your writing to be interesting and varied
for your reader.
Heres a checklist for creating sentence variety:

1. Vary the sentence structures and clause connections.

Simple sentences one independent clause

ex. Students need to learn about money.

Compound sentences 2 or more independent clauses connected with coordinating

conjunctions (and, but, or, nor, so, for, yet), with a semicolon ( ; ) or a semicolon and
a conjunctive adverb or transitional expression.

ex. Students need to learn about money, but it isnt taught in school.
{independent clause}, but {independent clause}.
ex. Schools do not teach financial education to our children; as a result, many young graduates
today are in a lot of credit card and school loan debt.
{independent clause}; as a result, {independent clause}.

Complex sentences 1 independent clause with 1 or more dependent clauses (dependent

clauses begin with subordinating conjunctions, e.g. although, even though, whereas,
while,if, unless, because, as, since, so/such that, now that, once ,etc.)

ex. If we want our children to become independent, they need to learn about budgeting and
saving money.
{dependent clause}, {independent clause}.

Compound-complex sentences 2 or more independent clauses and at least 1 dependent

clause.

ex. Because I feel nervous, I dont know what to write when I look at the question, so I just start
to write without planning my essay.
{dependent clause}, {independent clause + dependent clause}, so {independent clause}.
2. Vary the length of your sentences. Mix short and long sentences. Sometimes a short sentence
that follows some long sentences can have a dramatic impact on the meaning you intend. Too
many long sentences make it difficult for the reader to follow. And too many short sentences
make it too choppy and therefore unpleasant to read.
3. Use different ways to begin a sentence:

Begin with a dependent clause:

Although some people feel parents should teach their children about money, I believe financial
education should be taught in school.

Begin with a participle or an adjective. The participle/adjective phrase must refer to the
subject of the independent clause:

Hoping to pass their final exam, the students studied all night. (Hoping to pass their final
exam is an -ing participle phrase that refers to the students)
Driven with determination, the students studied hard all night. (Driven with determination is a
past-participle phrase that refers to the students)
Optimistic about the exam, the students were able to have a good nights rest the night before.
(Optimistic about the exam is an adjective phrase that refers to the students)

Begin with a prepositional phrase:

With the help of government subsidies, many first-time small business owners can grow
successful businesses.

Begin with an infinitive:

To become truly independent, people must have some financial knowledge.

As you practice your writing, why not revise an old essay and do a check list of sentence variety?

How to write an Opinion Essay for Task 2 in

IELTS
Posted on June 4, 2013 by Pearl 1 Comment

Wendell via Compfight

Using the steps Ive written about before: Analyzing the Task Question and the 4-Paragraph
Structure, here is how you can approach the Opinion essay.
Example:
With the recent developments in technology like e-books, some people feel that printed media
like books, newspapers, and magazines will soon be a thing of the past. Others feel that these
forms of media will never disappear. What is your opinion?
Here, we are asked our opinion on what will happen to printed media in the future. Choose
which view you support and brainstorm for 2 major reasons.
My outline:

Introduction (paraphrase topic/views and state my opinion): I believe that printed

media will soon be a thing of the past, like vinyl records and film cameras.
Body Paragraph Reason #1 : Ebooks and online news are much more affordable and
accessible. Costs of digital publishing compared to physically publishing and distributing
books are far less and people will always prefer buying things based on cost. Books in
New Zealand are expensive, so I buy ebooks for my Kindle that are much cheaper.
Body Paragraph Reason #2: Ebooks are convenient. I can download any book I want
and its easier to hold lighter and smaller than holding a big heavy book.

Conclusion (restate my opinion): Technology in ebooks has made access to media and
literature so convenient and affordable that I believe printed media will soon be phased
out.

Here is my full sample essay:

With the rising popularity of personal devices such as iPads, Kindles and e-Readers, people are
debating over whether printed media will survive or disappear in the near future. While some
hopeful people feel printed media will never disappear, I believe that it will soon be a thing of
the past, like vinyl records and film cameras.
The first reason is that digital books and media are so much more affordable than paper-bound
books and actual newspapers. The costs of physically publishing and distributing books,
magazines and newspapers are much higher than digitally publishing e-books and online news.
Because people tend to buy on price, e-books and free news online will become even more
popular. And as the demand for printed media declines, their prices will go even higher.
Personally, I hardly ever buy the newspaper because I can read all my news online. Moreover,
books tend to be very expensive here in New Zealand, so I get kindle e-books that are a fraction
of the cost.
Another reason is that e-Readers are now so convenient and easy to use. People are naturally
drawn to convenience and comfort and will always choose to pursue what is easiest. Reading
from a light, thin mobile device where you can read hundreds of different books or an online
newspaper is incredibly convenient and appealing. Personally, I find it easier holding and reading
my Kindle than a thick heavy book as well as downloading instantaneously any book that I want.
In short, technology in e-books has made access to media and literature so convenient and
affordable that I believe printed books, magazines and newspapers will soon be phased out.
(274 words)
Note:
Cohesive devices/linking phrases: The first reason/ Moreover,/Another reason/In short,

Vocabulary:
other terms to use for/with e-books: digital books, online news, digitally publishing,
downloading instantaneously, iPads, (Amazon) Kindle, e-Readers, mobile device
other terms for printed media: paper-bound books, actual newspapers, physically publishing
to be phased out (no longer be sold or available)

Sample model essay for Task 1 3 charts

I previously wrote about how to get a 7 or over on a Task 1 essay. My main point was about the
overview/summary paragraph which should identify 2 main trends, patterns or features of the
graph(s), rather than just describing the labels of the graph(s).
I had written a comparison between 2 versions of the overview paragraph. Here is my full
sample model essay for that same question.
The tables and pie chart show in percentage terms the results of a survey of a new shopping
complex in London.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons
where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

Here is my essay:
The tables and pie chart show the findings of a customer satisfaction survey conducted at a new
shopping mall in London.

Overall, the majority of shoppers were satisfied or very satisfied with the shops, restaurants and
design of the new mall. In general, both men and women felt similarly about the shops, while
more males were satisfied with the restaurants compared to women.
When asked about the design of the complex, 62% of both sexes were satisfied and 17% were
very satisfied, leaving only 11% and 10% for those who were dissatisfied or had no comment.
When asked about the shops, both sexes gave their approval with 62% of males and 71% of
females either satisfied or very satisfied. Interestingly enough, exactly 20% of both males and
females were dissatisfied.
Views differed most when asked about restaurants. Males were more positive, with 80% satisfied
or very satisfied and just 5% dissatisfied. Females, on the other hand, were less positive with
59% approval ratings and a much more noticeable 21% disapproval rate.
(171 words)
Useful words and expressions used:

findings results of a survey or research

approval/disapproval ratings, approval/disapproval rate -

shopping mall shopping complex

Take note of the organization and how I followed my two important features that I identified in
my overview paragraph:
1. Paragraph 1 introduction rephrased the question & title of the graphs
2. Paragraph 2 overview paragraph 1) Majority of both sexes were satisfied or very
satisfied in all 3 charts. 2) Men & women had similar opinions on the shops but differed
with the restaurants more men were happy with the restaurants
3. Paragraph 3 Details on majority being satisfied or very satisfied with the design & with
the shops
4. Paragraph 4 Details on the difference in opinion on the restaurants.

How to write the Discuss and Give Your

Opinion essay for Task 2 in IELTS
Posted on May 31, 2013 by Pearl 4 Comments

One type of Task 2 question is one that gives you

two views about an issue and then asks you to discuss those two views and to give your opinion
as well. How do you approach and organize this kind of essay?
Heres a sample question:
Some people fear that technology is gradually taking over control of our lives, while others
think that it has led to many positive developments in all aspects of their lives. Discuss both
these views and give your own opinion.
Brainstorm examples of the two views and decide on your opinion. Heres my brainstorm:

Gradually taking over: people rely more and more on personal gadgets to manage
things for them and we end up not being able to function without them, for example: use
smartphone apps to organize their schedules, work projects, etc.; mobile devices can
easily distract us and we waste a lot of time on them playing games or just chatting or
tweeting with people we dont know well on social media
Led to positive aspects: mobile communication allows us to keep in touch/share photos
& videos with distant friends and relatives, keeps us up to date in our knowledge &
enables us to learn faster and more since we can have instant access to news and articles;
allows us to work from home so that we dont have to commute to work and improve
work-life balance
My opinion (after I brainstormed both views): While I believe both views hold true, I
feel its up to each individual to decide how and when they use technology and that they
can make it lead to more positive aspects in their life.

Structure:
1.

Introduction topic, rephrase claim, write your clear opinion

2. Body Paragraph Discuss one view gradually taking over our lives explain +
examples
3. Body Paragraph Discuss second view it has led to many positive aspects explain +
examples
4. Conclusion restate your opinion
I will post a sample essay in a later post. Check back later!