IELTS Writing Task 2 - General
Essay Structure and Planning
Overview of Task 2➧ Writing a 250-word essay on a given topic in 40 minutes.
Types of essays
➧ Opinion, Discussion, Problem-Solution, and Advantages-Disadvantages.
Scoring criteria
➧ Task response, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, grammatical range, and accuracy.
Importance of structure, coherence, and argumentation.
Essay Structure
Introduction➧ Paraphrase the question, present a clear thesis statement, and outline the main points.
Body Paragraphs
Paragraph 1
➧ Topic sentence, supporting points, examples or explanations.
Paragraph 2
➧ Topic sentence, supporting points, examples or explanations.
Optional Paragraph 3
➧ If needed, add a third paragraph following the same structure.
Conclusion
➧ Summarize the main points, restate your opinion or the essay’s key message, and avoid introducing new information.
Planning Your Essay
Step 1➧ Analyze the question to understand what is being asked.
Step 2
➧ Brainstorm ideas and select your main points.
Step 3
➧ Organize your ideas into a logical structure
➧ Introduction, Body, Conclusion.
Step 4
➧ Write a brief outline, noting down key points and examples you will use in each paragraph.
Planning Practice
Sample Task➧ Some people believe that technology has made life more complicated.
➧ Others argue that it has simplified our lives.
➧ Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Planning Activity
➧ Analyze the task and identify the type of essay.
➧ Brainstorm and list points for both sides of the argument.
➧ Create an outline with a clear thesis statement, main points for each body paragraph, and a brief conclusion.
➧ Writing Practice - Task 1 and Task 2