Planning 1: Planning your answer

Before you start writing, it’s important to have a plan. Ask yourself: 

• What exactly is the question asking? 

• Does the question ask for my opinion (probably)? 

• Do I need to discuss both sides (maybe)?

• What are relevant main ideas for my essay? 

Once you have a plan, you can begin writing an effective IELTS Writing Task 2 essay.

i. What exactly is the question asking?

It’s really important to understand the question clearly, especially when you’re under exam pressure. You will lose marks if you miss a part of the question. 

Look carefully at the key words in the question. Make sure that your ideas include all of the things in the question.

For example look at the following question:

Writing only about the benefits of learning a foreign language is not enough. You must talk about the benefits or drawbacks of learning a foreign language for young children.

It's natural to want to start writing immediately, but please be careful and really make sure you know exactly what the question is asking.

Exercise 1: What should you write about?

Choose A, B, C, or D. More than one option may be appropriate.

You should…

A. write about the advantages of outdoor activities in general

B. write about the history of some outdoor activities like football or running

C. write about the increasing popularity of computer games over the last 30 years

D. write about the positive effects of outdoor activities on children

You should…

A. write about why people's lives are more busy now than in the past

B. write about changes in the restaurant industry over the last 20 years

C. write about why you prefer restaurant food compared to homemade food

D. write about why you prefer homemade food compared to restaurant food

You should…

A. write about how the pace of life used to be slower

B. write about why family relationships are less close now than in the past

C. write about how families members could maintain closer relationships

D. write about how family structures are different in other countries

ii. Do you need to give your opinion?

Most IELTS Writing Task 2 questions require your opinion, but not always. This is really important to pay attention to this because if you don’t give your opinion, and it’s needed, you will lose marks.

Sometimes it's very obvious, for example:

• What is your opinion?

• Do you agree or disagree?

• What do you think?

Sometimes it's implicit, and not so obvious, for example:

• Is this a positive or negative development?

• To what extent do the benefits outweigh the problems?

• What factors are most important in…?

We will discuss this more in the next unit - you can go directly here.

iii. Do you need to discuss both sides?

Some IELTS Writing Task 2 questions require that you look at both sides of the question while for others it is not necessary. If the question requires discussing both sides, you must do so, or you will lose marks for Task Response*.

Tasks that ask for you to discuss both side will directly ask for it:

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages.

Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of...?

*Even if the question does not require looking at both sides, you still can, and in fact, very high scoring IELTS answers usually do.

Exercise 2: Decide if you must discuss both sides

Look at the following IELTS Writing Task 2 questions and decide if you must look at both sides of the question. Answer Yes or No.

iv. What main ideas can support your answer?

Once you are sure that you understand what the question is asking and what it requires, it’s time to think about your main ideas.

You need two main ideas, one for each body paragraph.

Your main ideas will be quite general. You can then develop and extend these main idea by going into more detail with sub-ideas that are more specific.

At this point don't panic if nothing comes to mind immediately. Just ask yourself questions like:

• What are the consequences? 

• Who will be affected?

• Is it a good thing or a bad thing?

• What are the advantages? 

• What are the disadvantages? 

• Who wins? 

• Who loses?

Practising this is essential, as the more you practise IELTS Writing Task 2 the easier it will be to think of ideas for your answers. After you’ve written 50 answers, you’ll have no problem ;)

Don’t stress about this. Remember that the ideas do not have to be interesting, original or special. They must only be relevant.

Exercise 3: Choosing relevant main ideas

Look at the following IELTS Writing Task 2 question:

Now look at these ideas that candidates used as the main ideas for their essay body paragraphs. Some of the ideas are not relevant and should not be used. Decide which two are the best main ideas for this essay

1. The growth in international tourism over the past 20 years.

2. How people in Asia are travelling more than ever before.

3. Why exciting activities make holidays more enjoyable.

4. The advantages of domestic tourism over foreign holidays.

5. Some of the advantages of beach holidays.

6. The dangers involved in sports like snowboarding or mountaineering.

v. Sub-ideas that can extend & develop your main idea

Your main ideas for your 2 body paragraphs will be quite general. But you will need to develop and extend these main ideas by going into more detail with sub-ideas that are more specific.

For example, let’s look at a body paragraph that answers the following question:

Firstly, the main ideas for the body paragraphs are quite general:

1. Outdoor activities are better for children’s development because they improve physical and mental health more than indoor activities.

2. Outdoor activities provide more opportunities for children to develop important interpersonal skills.

Then sub-ideas look at specific areas of these main ideas. For the 1st body paragraph they could look like this:

Main Idea 1: Outdoor activities are better for children’s development because they improve physical and mental health more than indoor activities.

• Sub-idea A: Outdoor activities improve physical health more than indoor activities.

• Sub-idea B:

  Outdoor activities are better for children’s mental health.

Now, we need to add sub-ideas for our body paragraph 2 and we have a full plan for the essay:

Main Idea 2: Outdoor activities provide more opportunities for children to develop important interpersonal skills.

• Sub-idea A: Outdoor activities involve more communication & interaction, teamwork etc.

• Sub-idea B: Computer gaming usually only involves one or two players; they are a more solitary activity.

The main ideas are relevant and answer the question while the sub-ideas go into more detailed and extend and develop the main ideas.

Activity:

Create an essay plan with 2 main ideas and 2 sub-ideas each, and give your opinion (where required) for the following Writing Task 2 questions about Outdoor Activities. Remember, make sure your ideas are relevant!

Example Essay Plan:

Opinion: Agree

Main Idea 1: Outdoor activities are better for children’s development because they improve physical and mental health more than indoor activities.

• Sub-idea A: Outdoor activities improve physical health more than indoor activities.

• Sub-idea B:

  Outdoor activities are better for children’s mental health..

Main Idea 2: Outdoor activities provide more opportunities for children to develop important interpersonal skills.

• Sub-idea A: Outdoor activities involve more communication & interaction, teamwork etc.

• Sub-idea B: Computer gaming usually only involves one or two players; they are a more solitary activity.