For Ex: The best way to improve health is to do regular exercise.

To what
extent do you agree?

This question is asking your opinion (To what extent do you agree)
Background statement – Paraphrase the question (same meaning but different
words)

The most effective method in developing and improving health is considered to

be daily exercise.

Best – The most

Way to - effective method in developing

Improve – Improving

Is to – Is considered to be

Regular - daily

Thesis Statement – Introduction to your ideas.

In my opinion, I agree that exercise is the key to health. However, I also believe
that diet is important.

Note: If you write whole essay on “exercise” (250) words it’s too boring. So, if
you write something about “diet” it will be different because, you are giving a
new solution.

The most effective method in developing and improving health is considered

to be daily exercise. In my opinion, I agree that exercise is the key to health.
However, I also believe that diet is important.

How to write the conclusion?

Practical skills such as money management should be taught in high school.

Do you agree or disagree? Give your opinion and real life examples.

Introduction:

It is argued that students should be taught real life skills, like how to look
after money. This essay agrees that they should be part of curriculum. The
essay will first discuss how everyday competencies benefit people later and
then talk about the dangers of not being taught how to manage money at an
early age.

 Paraphrase the question

 State your opinion

 Outline what you will talk about in the rest of the essay or in other
words, the main points that you are using to support your opinion.
Conclusion:

In conclusion, this essay supports the idea that teenagers ought to be taught
functional subjects like financial planning because it helps them in adulthood
and lack of education related to these topics can have serious consequences.

This essay supports – This essay agrees

Should – ought to

Students – teenagers

Functional subjects – real life skills

Look after money – financial planning

Later in life – adulthood

Dangers – serious consequences

When to give your opinion?

 Examples

1)

2)

3)

4)
5)

6)

7)

How to start opinions?

To my mind (X) In my opinion (Right)
I reckon [guess] (X) I think/I believe (Right)
I suppose (X) As far as I am concerned (X)
In my belief (X) From my perspective (X)
In my view (Right) If you ask me, I think (X)

I agree or I disagree (Right)

Tips for outweigh questions

Be careful

Phrases to avoid
 This essay will discuss both sides and give an opinion at the end.
 I shall put forth my arguments to support my views in the following paragraphs.

 In the modern era,..... / Since the dawn of time.....

 This is a highly controversial issue (99% of IELTS essays will not be controversial.

 The crux – bottom line/gist/essence/keynote/point of the discussion is.... (Instead

use – “One of the key issues is....” or “The most important aspect ....”

 There are good grounds to argue in favour of..../It cannot be denied that.....

 In a nutshell,

 In my judgement

 Every coin has two sides

 As I said before

 By and large

 There has been heated debate (about something)

 The point I am trying to make is

 Owing to the fact that

Word penalty

Usage of quotes/idioms/proverbs
 Idioms
 Linking words

Cohesion refers to words and phrases that help ideas link together.
Cohesive phrases include wordings like…
Because of this, …
As this shows, …
As can clearly be seen from this example, …
It is clear that…
Thus, the idea that…
To illustrate this, …
After analyzing both points of view, …
To provide a summary, …
Without a doubt, this causes…