7.1 Mastering IELTS Writing - Task 2 (PDFeBook).pdf
7.1 Mastering IELTS Writing - Task 2 (PDFeBook).pdf
7.1 Mastering IELTS Writing - Task 2 (PDFeBook).pdf
presents…
Lecture 1
Mastering IELTS
Writing: Task 1
Welcome to the course!
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Lecture 2
An Introduction to
IELTS
Walking you through the
exam.
Lecture 3
Understanding
Writing Task
2An in-depth look at the
IELTS Writing Task 2 test.
40 minutes
Pen or pencil
4.Some people think that the teenage years are the happiest times of most
people s lives. Others think that adult life brings more happiness, in spite of
greater responsibilities.
Lecture 4
What Do You
Want From Me?
How to impress the IELTS
examiner.
address all parts of the task make it clear what your opinion
is, even if you are not sure
present a clear position throughout
the response develop your ideas and arguments;
explain your point, say why it matters,
present, extend, and support main and give an example to help the
ideas reader understand
Lecture 5
?
The 4 Different
Question
Types
In IELTS Writing Task 2.
Which factors
Is this a positive or Discuss the Do the advantages
contribute to this? Is
negative advantages and outweigh the
it realistic to expect
development? disadvantages. disadvantages?
these factors?
Introduction: Rephrase
Introduction: Rephrase the
the question.
the question.
question. Tell
Tell Tell the
the reader
reader your
readeropinion
your opinion
your plan. and
and plan.
plan.
BODY
BODY
Para One problem
2: Support
Discuss your
Para solution
and 2: Discuss
opinion
advantages theside
/ one
factor
withorargument sideand
of
you
and disagree
the cause
examples etc.
argument with
Para 3:
Para 3: Support
Discuss your
Another
Discuss the side
problem
you
andagree
opinion with,orwith
solution
disadvantages
further making
factorit
/the
clear
and that
othercause
anotherside you agree
etc.the and
argument
of
examples
argument
Conclusion: Summarize
Conclusion: Summarize
keypoints
key pointsand
Conclusion: and restate
state
Summarizewho
your
key opinion.
should solve
keypoints
points.and problems
Yourestate /
do notyour
consider
need
opinion. solutions.
to give the reader
your opinion.
Some people believe that there should be xed punishments for each crime. Others,
however, argue that the circumstances of an individual crime, and the motivation for
committing it , should always be taken into account when deciding on the punishment.
Although there is no doubt that crime must be punished, it is important to consider which type of
penal system is most appropriate. While some believe that a system of xed sentences should be
adopted, I support the view that punishments should be based on motives and circumstances.
Those who advocate implementing a judicial process of set punishments may argue that this would
make criminal trials more ef cient. For example, once a jury has decided a particular defendant is
guilty of murder, the judge need only refer to the punishment for murder to sentence that person
to life imprisonment. The bene t of this is that a huge amount of time would be saved in court, thus
leading to signi cant nancial savings. As a result, more money could be spent on healthcare,
education and welfare.
However, I would argue that the above system is too rigid, and a process of exible
punishments is much fairer. The latter punishment system, which many countries use, leaves more
room for compassion toward offenders who have been blackmailed or manipulated. For instance,
under this system, if a thief is able to prove that he had been bullied into committing his crime, he
should be sentenced to less prison time than a thief who had been motivated by greed. If, instead,
xed punishments
In conclusion, while a legal system of xed punishments might be
were implemented, this sense of fairness and morality would be lost. more cost-effective and ef a cient,
procedure of assessing crimes based on circumstances and motives is more just, and justice, in
my view, is paramount.
264 words
?
Lecture 7
Planning Your
Essay
A Blueprint for Success.
Discussion/Opinion
Some experts believe it is better for children to start learning a foreign language at primary school rather than secondary school.
Paragraph 2: Dis - still learning own language - too much pressure - other
subjects more important - maths, science, sport - explain
Some experts believe it is better for children to start learning a foreign language at primary school rather than secondary school.
Body
Para 1: T: too much pressure
disadvantages
S: learning a lot already
E: own language, plus maths, science etc.
S 2 : other subjects more important
E2: maths essential for everyone
?
Lecture 8
Time Constraints
and Word
Counts
Managing the limits.
Planning (5 minutes)
Introduction (5 minutes)
Body Paragraph 1 (10 minutes)
Body Paragraph 2 (10 minutes)
Conclusion (5 minutes)
5 + 5 + 10 + 10 + 5 + 5 =
Checking (5 minutes)
40 minutes
Introduction - 40 words
Quality
Body Paragraph 1 - 90 words over
Body Paragraph 2 - 90 words
Quantity
Conclusion - 30 words
You can score a band 9 with just 250 Leave yourself time at the end for checking
words. your work. Instant quality improvement.
Improve the quality of the writing, not
theThe
quantity.
IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2
Handling Anxiety
Many IELTS candidates are very anxious about the time constraints and
word counts of the IELTS Writing test. Here s a few tips for
overcoming this anxiety:
Practice regularly
Lecture 9
Some Common
Misconceptions
3 harmful myths about how
to approach the Task 2 essay.
?
The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1
Myth #1 : You must write at least 300
words to score Band 7-9
TIME is your most crucial resource in the IELTS Writing test. If you waste it,
you will not get the score you need.
Once you reach 250 words, quality is much more important than quantity .
Aim for 250-280 words. Time left over? Check your work.
These days, more and more people are going to other countries for signi cant periods of time, either to nd a
job or to study. There are clearly many bene ts to doing this, but people who live abroad can also face some
dif culties.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of living and working in a foreign country.
In the question above, where are you asked to give your opinion?
But the introduction is not the most important paragraph, and you must not
waste time trying to create the perfect introduction.
Lecture 10
Incredibly Fast
Introductions
Formula for a good
rst impression.
discuss both sides of the argument and explain my support for the latter view.
a) Tell the reader your plan (and give the reader your opinion)
b) Give a general statement about the topic (What is undeniably true?)
c) Paraphrase the statement in the question
2While some people believe that these changes are due to human activity,
others argue that they are the result of natural processes.
c) Paraphrase the statement in the question
3In this essay, I will discuss both sides of the argument and explain my support
for the latter view.
a) Tell the reader your plan (and give the reader your opinion)
discuss both sides of the argument and explain my support for the latter view.
51 words
1There is no doubt that the Earth s climate is changing. 2 While some people
believe that these changes are due to human activity, I would argue that they
are the result of natural processes.
1There is no doubt that the Earth s climate is changing. 2 While some people
believe that these changes are due to human activity, I would argue that they
are the result of natural processes.
33 words
Lecture 11
Building Body
Paragraphs
The bulk of the essay.
S = support/explain For example, in the city where I live, we only have one
small park, which is itself surrounded by concrete buildings.
E = example This is an issue because city citizens need green areas in order
to relax, and the plants and trees also help to lter the air.
A = alternative
To solve this problem, city authorities must invest more in
building parks and gardens.
So = solution
As a result, the people who live in cities will suffer from
R = result less stress and breathe cleaner and safer air.
S = support/explain For example, in the city where I live, we only have one
small park, which is itself surrounded by concrete buildings.
E = example This is an issue because city citizens need green areas in order
to relax, and the plants and trees also help to lter the air.
A = alternative
To solve this problem, city authorities must invest more in
building parks and gardens.
So = solution
As a result, the people who live in cities will suffer from
R = result less stress and breathe cleaner and safer air.
S = support/explain For example, in the city where I live, we only have one
small park, which is itself surrounded by concrete buildings.
E = example This is an issue because city citizens need green areas in order
to relax, and the plants and trees also help to lter the air.
A = alternative
To solve this problem, city authorities must invest more in
building parks and gardens.
So = solution
As a result, the people who live in cities will suffer from
R = result less stress and breathe cleaner and safer air.
S = support/explain For example, in the city where I live, we only have one
small park, which is itself surrounded by concrete buildings.
E = example This is an issue because city citizens need green areas in order
to relax, and the plants and trees also help to lter the air.
A = alternative
To solve this problem, city authorities must invest more in
building parks and gardens.
So = solution
As a result, the people who live in cities will suffer from
R = result less stress and breathe cleaner and safer air.
S = support/explain For example, in the city where I live, we only have one
small park, which is itself surrounded by concrete buildings.
E = example This is an issue because city citizens need green areas in order
to relax, and the plants and trees also help to lter the air.
A = alternative
To solve this problem, city authorities must invest more in
building parks and gardens.
So = solution
As a result, the people who live in cities will suffer from
R = result less stress and breathe cleaner and safer air.
S = support/explain For example, in the city where I live, we only have one
small park, which is itself surrounded by concrete buildings.
E = example This is an issue because city citizens need green areas in order
to relax, and the plants and trees also help to lter the air.
A = alternative
To solve this problem, city authorities must invest more in
building parks and gardens.
So = solution
As a result, the people who live in cities will suffer from
R = result less stress and breathe cleaner and safer air.
S = support/explain For example, in the city where I live, we only have one
small park, which is itself surrounded by concrete buildings.
E = example This is an issue because city citizens need green areas in order
to relax, and the plants and trees also help to lter the air.
A = alternative
To solve this problem, city authorities must invest more in
building parks and gardens.
So = solution
As a result, the people who live in cities will suffer from
R = result less stress and breathe cleaner and safer air.
T: One of the most signi cant bene ts of air travel is speed. S: Most
T aircraft nowadays are able to travel faster than any other mode of
transport, and they do not have to deal with the same obstacles as on
S land. E: To illustrate this speed, a journey from London to New York by
air takes just 10 hours. A: In contrast, travelling across the Atlantic by
E sea takes several days. S: Evidently, travelling by plane is far more
convenient than travelling by any other means.
A
E
/ IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2
The 10
S
Effective Formulas: #3
And one more Try experimenting with other combinations, but always put
the topic sentence rst!
Topic sentences should be relevant to both the task itself and the para idea
In D&O essays, begin body with the side you disagree with
For P&S essays, use the same formula twice (problem then solution)
Lecture 12
Quick
Conclusions
Finishing in style.
1In conclusion, although renting can be useful for people who need a home on a
short-term basis, this convenience comes at a high cost. 2 In my opinion,
the bene ts of renting are outweighed by the drawbacks, and I would prefer to
buy a property rather than to rent one.
In conclusion , despite the convenience and lower cost home schooling offers, we
must take into consideration the dangers of fewer social opportunities and real-
world experience. In my view, these drawbacks outweigh the advantages, and I
would not want to homeschool my children.
In these cases, simply combine a summary of the key points and your
opinion in the same sentence. For example:
In conclusion, despite the culture shock and potential high cost of moving
abroad, I believe that the prospect of broadening one s horizons is a positive
which outweighs any and all negatives.
Lecture 14
Finding Ideas
The content of the essay.
1. The quality of ideas is much more important than the quantity. If you
are developing your ideas suf ciently, you should not need many ideas.
2. Each essay only needs 2-3 ideas each. That s not many! Once
you have found your idea, you can then develop it, which is much
easier.
The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2
How to come up with ideas
IELTS is an essay which aims to challenge you on a variety of topics. As a
result, it s impossible to know which topic you will have to write about.
The website www.newsinlevels.com presents news articles in language which meets three
different ability levels: beginner (Level 1), intermediate (Level 2), and advanced (Level
3).
Once you are comfortable at Level 3 on News In Levels, you may want to try moving to
real newspapers. Here are some newspapers which focus on various different topics:
The Guardian
The Independent
The Times
The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 5
Section 4: Answering the question
Lecture 15
Developing Ideas,
Using Examples
Building your answer
appropriately.
It is much more important to develop one idea fully than to write about lots of
ideas without developing any of them.
Why? support
Why? This is because many professions need employees who are equipped with
comprehensive theoretical and practical knowledge, which universities can
provide.
Con ict between parents and their children is necessary because it helps
the latter to develop.
Lecture 16
Creating and
Maintaining a
Position
When and how to express
yourself.
With some tasks, this requirement is fairly simple to meet. With others, it
can cause some dif culty.
Notice that you can both agree and disagree and still have a coherent opinion.
This is even easier to do in a 2-statement question, like the one we are looking
at.
The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4
Opinion in the introduction
Stating our opinion in the introduction is important, as we need present a clear
to position throughout the response .
2. We are stating a clear view (disagree & agree with different parts).
Opinion essays
Unless you explicitly state otherwise,
To begin with, the body of an Opinion essay will be
deemed to be your own view.
Furthermore,
In these cases, you can qualify your opinion with speci c phrases.
it depends on / it is dependent on
However, I believe the arts should only be funded , because there needs to be
enough money to support public services.
While it is important for university students to receive nancial assistance, I believe their family
background . This is because
Although I am mostly against taxing unhealthy foods, I believe foods which contain
harmful chemicals. The reason for this is
I believe the government should offer nancial incentives to the public for recycling, but
what is being recycled. For example,
The argument for requiring all criminals to undergo community service is one I am in favour of, but
. To clarify,
However, I believe the arts should only be funded up to a point / to an extent, because there needs
to be enough money to support public services.
While it is important for university students to receive nancial assistance, I believe their family
background should be taken into account. This is because
Although I am mostly against taxing unhealthy foods, I believe an exception should be made for
foods which contain arti cial preservatives. The reason for this is
I believe the government should offer nancial incentives to the public for recycling, but it depends on
what is being recycled. For example,
The argument for requiring all criminals to undergo community service is one I am in favour of, but
only in some cases. To clarify,
Discussion/Opinion essays
Make sure you cover the alternate viewpoint and its arguments, as well as your own.
Opinion essays
Summarise your viewpoint/s and supporting arguments, and make sure your opinion is as clear as possible
Discussion/Opinion essays
Make sure you cover the alternate viewpoint and its arguments, as well as your own.
Opinion essays
Summarise your viewpoint/s and supporting arguments, and make sure your opinion is as clear as possible
In conclusion, due to the importance of individual cultures and the danger of war , I believe that under no
circumstances should minority languages be allowed to perish .
I am strongly for/against
Lecture 17
How To Stop
Overgeneralising
Language to avoid making
generalisations.
Example: One reason why teenagers and their parents have poor relationships with one
another is that
Is this true for all parents and teenagers? No. Besides, this would be impossible to verify.
Example: When employees feel a strong sense of job satisfaction, company pro ts rise.
Task Achievement
You can score a Band 7, even with generalisations. But why not avoid the
generalisations and shoot for an 8?
This gives you more room for error in the other band descriptor
categories.
The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3
How to avoid overgeneralising
To avoid overgeneralising, we must soften our statements with appropriate
language. Think of these as generalising softeners.
Politicians are in uenced by the media, which is a problem because this has a
negative effect on social equality in the country.
Lecture 18
What s Your
Topic?
The need for topic-related
vocabulary.
The obvious: these topics are very different, but have similarities.
Museums, most people would agree, are great places of education thanks to
the knowledge of their curators, their well-preserved artefacts from previous
time eras, and their enlightening exhibitions and galleries.
Museums, most people would agree, are great places of education thanks to
the knowledge of their staff, their well cared-for things, and their rooms full of
interesting items and pictures.
Museums, most people would agree, are great places of education thanks to
the knowledge of their curators, their well-preserved artefacts from previous
time eras, and their enlightening exhibitions and galleries.
Museums, most people would agree, are great places of education thanks to
the knowledge of their staff, their well cared-for things, and their rooms full of
interesting items and pictures.
Museums, most people would agree, are great places of education thanks to
the knowledge of their curators, their well-preserved artefacts from previous
time eras, and their enlightening exhibitions and galleries.
Schools, most people would agree, are great places of education thanks to
the knowledge of their staff, their well cared-for things, and their rooms full of
interesting items and pictures.
Museums, most people would agree, are great places of education thanks to
the knowledge of their curators, their well-preserved artefacts from previous
time eras, and their enlightening exhibitions and galleries.
Schools, most people would agree, are great places of education thanks to
the knowledge of their staff, their well cared-for things, and their rooms full of
interesting items and pictures.
* an exhibit (noun) is like a smaller version of an exhibition . An exhibit would take up one room in a museum, while an exhibition may take up an entire wing.
Curators of museums and art galleries archive every artefact and painting
discovered so they may later exhibit these works of art and historical relics to
museum-enthusiasts and historians in exhibition halls.
Museum curators often store the artefacts they nd in an archive, so that they
can later be presented to the public in exhibitions.
Curators of museums and art galleries archive every artefact and painting
discovered so they may later exhibit these works of art and historical relics to
museum-enthusiasts and historians in exhibition halls.
Museum curators often store the artefacts they nd in an archive, so that they
can later be presented to the public in exhibitions.
Never use words you aren t dent using! Find a tutor to experiment with new words and check your
con understanding.
Lecture 19
The Importance of
Collocations
Fluency via vocabulary.
uses less common lexical items with some awareness of style and
collocation.
For example, the phrase make an effort is a collocation because these words
are often seen together and they express a particular meaning.
The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2
Why are collocations important?
Collocations are important for a number of reasons:
2. They allow you to express lengthy ideas with just a few words, saving you
precious time during the test. Compare He has decided what he is going
to do with He has made up his mind. The latter example - a collocation - is
both more natural and more concise.
One of the heavy problems about transport in public places is the expensive prices of tickets
which people pay. This might happen due to the absence of competition between bus and train
companies, which means that solitary companies can control the transport choices in an entire
area, and can therefore put their fees to be as expensive as they want.
One of the most pressing problems with public transport is the extortionate ticket prices which
customers are required to pay. This might happen due to the lack of competition within the public
transport industry, allowing one company to have a monopoly over transport options and
charges in a particular town or city.
Weak command
One of the heavy problems about transport in public places is the expensive prices of tickets
which people pay. This might happen due to the absence of competition between bus and train
companies, which means that solitary companies can control the transport choices in an entire
area, and can therefore put their fees to be as expensive as they want.
Strong command
One of the most pressing problems with public transport is the extortionate ticket prices which
customers are required to pay. This might happen due to the lack of competition within the public
transport industry, allowing one company to have a monopoly over transport options and
charges in a particular town or city.
Good:
Less common/advanced vocabulary shown (absence, solitary, fees)
Plenty of topic-related vocabulary (tickets, bus and train, fees, public places)
Bad:
The above good vocabulary is almost completely compromised due to
the fact that it is not used correctly with collocation.
- Read books. Young Adult novels are particularly useful because they feature
lots of natural dialogue and not too much dif cult vocabulary.
- Listen to audiobooks. Audiobooks are far better than music for studying.
Justin Bieber won t help you in IELTS!
- Have conversations with native speakers. There are websites online which offer
you the possibility to speak to natives for free. By speaking to natives, you can
learn new expressions, ask what they mean, and practice them yourself.
Lecture 20
Focus on Word
Formation
Success - Successful -
Successfully - Succeed.
These four words all have something in common - their root (success) - but
they vary in their form.
Pre xes
Pre xes are added before the base (or stem ) of the
Research pre xes and use these to boost your score in Lexical Resource:
Teenagers who do not agree with their parents > Teenagers who dis agree with their parents
Suf xes are added after the base of a word, usually to change the class of word. Remember success?
nouns ).
One advantage of exercise is that it makes your body stronger -> One advantage of exercise is that it
The IELTS
strength ens Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2
your body. 4
Word Formation: Compounds
Compounds
Compounding is the linking of two or more base words to create a new word e.g.
heart breaking . Often, the rst word identi es a key feature of the second word.
Compounds are found in all word classes, but are most common in nouns.
Nouns : air conditioning, blackboard, full moon Note! Sadly, there are no
Adjectives: full-fat, spine-chilling, seasick speci c rules regarding when to
use hyphens in words. When in
Verbs : baby-sit, colour-code, proofread doubt, consult a good learner s
dictionary.
Adverbs : nevertheless, thereby, good-naturedly
Lecture 21
Paraphrasing and
Synonyms
How to demonstrate a wide
range of vocabulary.
If you don t own a thesaurus, you can use an online one. Try it now. Look
up the word: range. What do you nd?
array, assortment, collection, diversity, mixture, and variety are just a few
of the words that appear under range *.
* make sure you are researching the appropriate context of the word!
Some people believe that visitors to other countries should follow local customs and
behaviour. Others disagree and think that the host country should welcome
cultural di erences.
Some people think that tourists to other countries should abide by local rules and
behaviour. Others dispute this and think that the host country should embrace cultural
diversity.
Others disagree and think that the host country should welcome
cultural di erences.
Others dispute this and think that a variety of cultures should be welcomed
by host countries.
Others disagree and think that the host country should welcome
cultural di erences.
Others dispute this and think that the host nation should not reject cultural
variety.
These days, more and more people are going to other countries
for signicant periods of time, either to nd a job or to study.
In recent years, the number of people choosing to move abroad, either for work
or education, has increased substantially.
Here, we have synonyms (work, education, abroad), a change in word order, a tense switch
(present continuous > present perfect) and a complete change in the communication of
an idea (more and more > the number of has increased).
If you cannot think of a way to paraphrase within 10-20 seconds, just use the
original wording, underline the expression, then come back to it later if you
have time.
Read, read, read in English. Paraphrasing is not as easy as simply change a few
words around . Reading English articles and books will allow you to see how
natural paraphrasing works. Don t be like Joey!
Finally, be selective with paraphrase. There are only so many ways to say parents
, for instance. Trying to paraphrase this word will lead to unnatural language.
Lecture 22
Simple Sentences
& Common Errors
Achieving accuracy and
avoiding typical mistakes.
A simple sentence is made up the most basic sentence elements: Subject + Verb (+
Completed thought / Object ).
As you can see, other word types, like modal verbs, prepositions and articles, can all be
part of a simple sentence.
Subject-verb agreement
The number of people who live abroad are rising all the
time.
Subject-verb agreement
The number of people who live abroad is rising all the time.
Always check what your subject is, and make sure that your agrees with the subject.
verb
We use this article when we believe the reader knows exactly to whom or what we are referring.
when mentioning something again. People s buying habits can be in uenced by a particular celebrity.
The celebrity has such an effect because
when saying something about all things referred to by a noun: The laptop was a major breakthrough.
when talking about groups of people: the elderly, the poor, the rich, the unemployed
when the gure is the important part of the noun phrase: the number of people who smoke is
worryingly high.
when the reader does not know exactly to whom or what we are referring:
When we want to say something about all things of that kind: A student cannot be
expected to be well-behaved all the time (not a speci c student).
We do not use articles when referring to plurals or uncountable nouns: There are many
reasons why / Information on the internet can sometimes be unreliable
Some people argue that the teenagers spend too much time on an
internet.
This is the problem because if they do not get enough exercise, they can
end up suffering from an obesity.
As the result, these children often struggle with the health issues, and
these issues can affect them throughout a life.
Some people argue that the teenagers spend too much time on
the internet.
This is a problem because if they do not get enough exercise, they can end
up suffering from an obesity.
As a result, these children often struggle with the health issues, and these
issues can affect them throughout a life.
As the studies show, the rate of obesity is rising all the time.
taxes.
Three years ago the government has decided to invest in healthcare. This leads to a huge
improvement in public health.
Sports facilities would be important because they would offer people an opportunity to
exercise,
To solve this problem, the government should give teachers a pay-rise. As a result, the levels of job
satisfaction
The rise and -work
IELTS Teacher performance
Mastering IELTSimproves.
Writing: Task 2 9
Common Error #3: Tenses
The majority of your essay will need to be written in the present simple, as this tense is often used
to give opinions (I think investment is good) and facts/beliefs (Education leads to a competent
workforce). However, you need to be careful to realise when other tenses are necessary.
Three years ago the government has decided to invest in healthcare. This led to a huge
improvement in public health.
Sports facilities are important because they would offer people an opportunity to exercise,
To solve this problem, the government should give teachers a pay-rise. As a result, the levels of
job satisfaction would rise and work performance would improve s.
Lecture 23
Complex
Sentences
How to use the type of sentences
which will improve your score.
The greater your variety of grammatical complexity, the higher your score
in the exam. As long as your accuracy is high!
I have a dog and you have a cat = two independent clauses linked by a coordinating
conjunction (and). Each idea would make sense alone.
Although I have a dog = one dependent clause. This idea is incomplete. It requires the
addition of another clause for it to be complete:
Although I have a dog, you have a cat = one dependent clause linked with an
independent clause by use of a subordinating conjunction (although). Now the idea is
complete.
Although: Although people who live abroad face some dif culties
In order to: In order to keep children from eating unhealthy food, advertising should be more strongly
regulated.
Although: Although people who live abroad face some dif culties, they can also bene t from a broader
perspective and improved job prospects
Unless: Traf c problems in big cities will continue unless the government imposes a congestion charge.
Even if: Even if the government invested in tourism, the essential problems would remain.
Before: People should think long and hard about the consequences before moving abroad.
In order to: In order to keep children from eating unhealthy food , advertising should be more strongly
regulated.
Although: Although people who live abroad face some dif culties , they can also bene t from a broader
perspective and improved job prospects
Unless: Traf c problems in big cities will continue unless the government imposes a congestion charge.
Even if: Even if the government invested in tourism , the essential problems would remain.
Before: People should think long and hard about the consequences before moving abroad.
In order to reduce crime rates, the government should provide greater funding for the police and
punishments should be made stricter. Lecture
26!
Unless emergency services are given more nancia
to rise, even if other measures are adopted. l
supp
Fatty and sugary foods need to be taxed or regulated
ort, so that children are not tempted by these
unhealthy options. the
num
So as to protect children, who may be in uenced
ber by the powers of peer pressure, the
government must educate children about the danger
of of drugs and clamp down on drug abuse
by minors. fatal
ities
will
The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing:cont
Task 2 7
inue
Section 6: Tuning the essay
Lecture 24
Using Punctuation
Correctly
A neglected but crucial
component of accurate writing.
2. Use a comma before any co-ordinating conjunction that links two independent clauses.
The government must give doctors a higher salary, and they must also provide quality facilities.
For singular and plural nouns which ends in s, only use an apostrophe, not another s.
Employee happiness is the boss responsibility.
The behaviour of children is their parents responsibility.
For irregular plural nouns, add an apostrophe + s at the end of the plural noun to form a possessive.
Children s backgrounds determine their success. NOT Childrens backgrounds
The latter of these usages tends to cause the most dif culty. Where would you
place capital letters in these sentences?
The latter of these usages tends to cause the most dif culty. Where would you
place capital letters in these sentences?
PAUS
The following paragraph contains eleven punctuation errors. Can you E
nd them? NOW!
One of the main causes of the problem, is that cities are often
overpopulated which can result in a lower quality of life. Many people
move from the countryside to city s because of their abundance of
Universities and job prospect s. As a consequence the level of pollution
rises due to the higher frequency of cars on the road. to tackle this
problem the Government should aim to stimulate the economy outside of
cities. The result of this, would be a huge improvement in peoples
quality of life.
One of the main causes of the problem, is that cities are often
overpopulated which can result in a lower quality of life. Many people
move from the countryside to city s because of their abundance of
Universities and job prospect s. As a consequence the level of pollution
rises due to the higher frequency of cars on the road. to tackle this
problem the Government should aim to stimulate the economy outside of
cities. The result of this, would be a huge improvement in peoples
quality of life.
One of the main causes of the problem is that cities are often
overpopulated, which can result in a lower quality of life. Many people
move from the countryside to cities because of their abundance of
universities and job prospects. As a consequence, the level of pollution
rises due to the higher frequency of cars on the road. To tackle this
problem, the government should aim to stimulate the economy outside of
cities. The result of this would be a huge improvement in people s
quality of life.
Lecture 26
Improving Range:
Relative Clauses
Boosting your range of
grammar.
The students who work hard are more likely to do well in their exams.
Non-de ning relative clauses do need a comma before the relative pronoun .
The government will cut the price of train tickets, which will make transport
more affordable for the public.
6. Mobile phone screens, , are a big drain on battery life. f. which may be due to their affordability
2. Sports coaching, which has been proven to reduce obesity, needs more government funding. (d)
3. Skype language lessons are becoming more common, which may be due to their a ordability. (f)
4. School uniforms, which must be worn in most British schools, can improve behaviour. (a)
5. The government is cutting employment bene ts, which will make it harder for job searchers to make ends meet. (e)
6. Mobile phone screens, which are becoming bigger and bigger, are a big drain on battery life. (c)
This is because mixed schools offer realistic environments, which means that
their students will nd it easier to integrate into adult life.
Lecture 25
Conditional
Sentences
Essential grammar to use in
your IELTS Writing essay.
There are two main reasons why you should use conditional sentences in
your essay.
The zero conditional expresses what always happens when a particular action
or event takes place.
event.
* We also have mixed conditionals, but due to their complexity we will not look into these
If itrains tomorrow, we won t gocamping. (present
today. simple + will (not) + inf)
If Iwon the lottery, I would be rich. (past simple + would (not) + inf.)
If the government does not raise the salary for teachers, this
willmake them feel undervalued and thus diminish their sense of job
satisfaction.
This, in turn, will have a negative effect on teachersstudents.
If the government does not raise the salary for teachers, this
is likely to make them feel undervalued and thus decrease their
sense of job satisfaction.
This, in turn, may have a negative effect on teachersstudents.
Lecture 27
Checking the
Essay
The fastest way to improve
your score in Writing Task 2.
However, each job have different characteristics and the factors which
people make feel content are also different.
However, each job have different characteristics and the factors which
people make feel content are also different.
The above elements usually take too long to nd and x. If you think you can x them
instantly, go ahead, but otherwise accept them as they are.
Prepositions
Spelling mistakes
The above elements can usually be very quickly xed, meaning you can x many things in a short amount
of time. This is much more likely to boost your score than dwelling on long mistakes.
On the one hand those who believe teenage con ict is damaging would argue
that it can break the relationship between parents and children. This happen
because during con icts, hurtful words can be
thrown about, which can cause tention, animosity and distrust. For example, if
adolescents want get tattoos, most parents
would not agree in this, and inevitable con ict might lead teenage to get the
tattoos made their behind parents backs. In contrast, this lies might be avoided if
parents is willing to have discussions with their childrens. As a result, family members
will feel satis ed and a trust will be built.
On the one hand those who believe teenage con ict is damaging would argue that
it can break the relationship between parents and children. This happen because
during con icts, hurtful words can be thrown about, which can cause tention,
animosity and distrust. For example, if adolescents want get tattoos, most parents
would not agree in this, and inevitable con ict might lead teenage to get the
tattoos made their behind parents backs. In contrast, this lies might be avoided if
parents is willing to have discussions with their childrens. As a result, family
members will feel satis ed and a trust will be built.
On the one hand those who believe teenage con ict is damaging would argue that
it can break the relationship between parents and children. This happen because
during con icts, hurtful words can be thrown about, which can cause tention,
animosity and distrust. For example, if adolescents want get tattoos, most parents
would not agree in this, and inevitable con ict might lead teenage to get the
tattoos made their behind parents backs. In contrast, this lies might be avoided if
parents is willing to have discussions with their childrens. As a result, family
members will feel satis ed and a trust will be built.
Now notice what is being checked and see if you have the same!
On the one hand , those who believe teenage con ict is damaging would argue that
it can break the relationship between parents and children. This happen s because
during con icst, hurtful words can be thrown about, which can cause s ion,
ten
animosity and distrust. For example, if adolescents want to get tattoos, most
parents would not agree with this, and the inevitable ict might lead teenagers
con to get the tattoos made behind their parents
backs. In contrast, th ese lies might
be avoided if parents are willing to have discussions with their children s. As
a result, family members will feel satis ed anda trust will be built.
Now notice what is being checked and see if you have the same!
Some people view teenage con ict with their parents as a necessary part of growing
up, whilst others see it as something negative which should be avoided.
There is no doubt that adolescence can be a dif cult period for both youngsters and their
parents. Although some people believe that con ict at this time does more harm than
good, I would argue that it is an essential stage of teenagers development.
On the one hand, those who believe teenage con ict is harmful might argue that it can
damage relationships between parents and their children. This is because such disputes
can create tension in the family. For example, it is quite common for young people to
begin
smoking at their age to impress their peers, but the resulting confrontations with parents
can lead to dif culties with communication afterwards. In contrast, if there is no con
ict between parents and teenagers, there will be a much greater sense of happiness among
family members.
On the other hand, my view is that this con ict is important because it can help teenagers
to mature. The reason for this is that by having disagreements adolescents can form and
develop their own opinions. For instance, a child may grow up in a family of meat-eaters
but feel very strongly about not eating meat. If this child does not voice their opinion, they
will be going against their principles. However, if they are willing to engage in con ict
with
their parents, their conscience will be much clearer despite the agony of the argument.
In conclusion, despite the danger of damaging relationships which teenage con ict can
create, it is my rm belief that this time of friction is a vital step on the path to teenagers
becoming mature and independently-minded adults.
266 words
Section 7: Conclusion
Lecture 29
Answering from
Start to Finish
A full demonstration of a
model Task 2 answer
Lecture 30
How to Practice
Effectively
How to make the most of
your study time.
Be too self-critical
Forget timing
Overwork yourself
Reward yourself
Take breaks
Get guidance
Reward yourself
Take breaks
Get guidance
Lecture 31
Getting
Guidance
How to make sure you re
heading in the right direction.
Exam forums
Native speakers
However, there are not many sites which only offer IELTS lessons. Not
General English, not Business English, not TOEFL. Just IELTS.
Each teacher uses a different method, but all have a wealth of experience
both teaching and developing materials for IELTS preparation courses.
My Writing lessons are split into two types: Theory and Guided Practice.
Theory lessons are designed to teach you how to write for IELTS.
Guided Practice lessons give you the opportunity to put the theory
lessons into practice, in real-time, using a programme called Screenhero.
Unlike many corrections online, corrections with The IELTS Teacher are focused on IELTS,
easy to understand, and extremely comprehensive.
Hi Matt, I wanted to thank you for helping me improve my writing skills: I gave the test
and got an overall mark of 8.0, with 7.5 in Writing! That is more that I needed for
applying for the masters degree I want, so I am super happy about it! - Francisca,
Chile
Thank you for the correction Matt. I m still being surprised by the thoroughness of your
work every time I open a newly received correction. It s hard to imagine something
more useful than that! - Nikolay, Russia
The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 5
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offer each and every one of you a discount on Writing Corrections, so
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Lecture 32
Good Luck!
What to do once you have
nished Mastering IELTS Writing:
Task 2
Exercise
Have fun!
Meditation
Deep breaths
time!
The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3
Good Luck
Congratulations! You have completed Mastering
IELTS Writing: Task 2. Thank you for your
commitment and dedication to the course.