7.1 Mastering IELTS Writing - Task 2 (PDFeBook).pdf

Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
You are on page 1of 208

The IELTS Teacher

presents…

Lecture 1

Mastering IELTS
Writing: Task 1
Welcome to the course!

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


An introduction to the course
Who this course is for: If you re aiming to achieve a
Band 7 or above in IELTS Writing, this course is for you.

How the course is structured: 7 sections designed to


ease you into writing and help you master the Task 2 essay.

Why this course works: This course works because it


covers everything. Every paragraph, every sentence, every
tip, every technique, every band descriptor. Everything!

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2


How the course is structured

Introduction Approach Structure / Coherence Answer

Course Question Types Intro / Conclusion Finding Ideas


IELTS Structure Model Answer Body Paragraphs Developing Ideas

Band Descriptors Planning & Timing Cohesive Generalisations


Devices

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3


How the course is structured

Lexical Gramma Conclusion


Resource r
• opic ocabulary • Simple Sentences • Demonstration IESL
• Collocations • Complex • How to Study Writing
• Word Formation
& •
Relative Clauses &
Sentences •
Getting Correction
Paraphrasing Conditionals
Guidance s

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4


How to approach this course
Recommendation: Complete within 4 weeks. However, if you have responsibilities, take your time.

To make the most of this course, you should:

Bring a hard-working attitude to every lecture

Apply what you have learnt to self-study


practice

Read at least 2 articles/book chapters in English every day

Find an IELTS Writing tutor to check your work

Install Freedom: bit.ly/2gyuICl

Try to enjoy the writing process!

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 5


Contact:
Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or
suggestions. I read everything you send!

You can contact me via:

• Udemy. Just use the comment function at the side of the


page.

• Email: [email protected]

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/theieltsteacher

• Skype: the.ielts.teacher

• My website: www.theieltsteacher.com

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 6


Section 1: General Overview

Lecture 2

An Introduction to
IELTS
Walking you through the
exam.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


What is IELTS?
IELTS is the International English Language Testing System. IELTS.

It is the most world s most popular English language pro ciency

test. Over 2 million tests taken per year.

Assesses all skills - Listening, Reading, Writing & Speaking.

Accepted by schools, universities, employers, and immigration


authorities.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2


How IELTS is structured: Walkthrough
Academic 2 modules General Training
Universities / Academic Visa Applications / Non-academic Careers
Careers

Academic Reading Sections/ Important


General Reading
Skill Time
Points
Each section = 1 long text Section 1+2 = 2-3 short texts
questions
Books, journals, magazines 30 mins (+10 4 sections x 10
Pencil only. Audio Section 3 = 1 long text
Listening for transferring questions = 40
played once only.
Non-specialist - academic answers) questions Notices, magazines, newspapers,
1 hour (save 10 books, of cial/company
mins for 3 sections / docs
Reading transferring 40
Pencil only.
Academic Writing answers) questions
1 hour (20 mins
2 Tasks, 2
Task 1 word min = General Writing
Task 1: Graph / Diagram Writing Task 1 / 40
150
Task 2 word min =
mins Task 2)
250 Task 1: Letter
Task 2: Essay questions
3 parts - no Part 1 = interview Task 2: Essay
Speaking 11-14 minutes set number of Part 2 = talk
questions Part 3 =
discussion

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3


How IELTS is scored
IELTS Band Score CEFR Score Ability Level
There is no pass or fail in IELTS
9 C2 Expert user
8 C1/C2 Very good user
You are graded in each component,
and the average gives you your score 7 C1 Good user
6 B2 Competent User

L = 6 / R = 7 / W = 6 / S = 7: 5 B1/B2 Modest User


Overall score = 6.5 4 B1 Limited User
3 A2/B1 Extremely Limited User

IELTS scores are valid for 2 years 2 A2 Intermittent User


after certi cation 1 A1 Non-user

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4


IELTS score requirements
5.5 - 6.0 = Entry to a university Foundation course

6.0 - 6.5 = Entry to a Bachelor s degree course

6.5 - 7.0 = Entry to a Master s degree course

7.0+ = Typically required to work in English-speaking countries in


professions such as medicine, law, accounting and academic research

7.0+ = Visa for Australia

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 5


Section 1: General Overview

Lecture 3

Understanding
Writing Task
2An in-depth look at the
IELTS Writing Task 2 test.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


Task 2: Key points
250 words minimum

40 minutes

Worth 2x as many points as Task 1

4 different question types

Pen or pencil

General Training can be less


formal in style than Academic
The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2
A few Task 2 examples
1.Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a
foreign language at primary school rather than secondary school.

Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

2.Some people believe that unpaid community service should be a


compulsory part of high school programmes (for example, working for a
charity, improving the neighbourhood, or teaching sports to younger children).

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3


A few more Task 2 examples
3.Some people say that the best way to improve public health is by
increasing the number of sports facilities. Others, however, say that this
would have little effect on public health and other measures are required.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

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.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion. *


* Note that this nal question is from the General Training module, so the question types are not very different at all!

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4


Section 1: General Overview

Lecture 4

What Do You
Want From Me?
How to impress the IELTS
examiner.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


How IELTS Writing is assessed
IELTS examiners assess your Writing Task 2 essay by looking at 4 things

Coherence and Grammatical Range


Task Response Lexical Resource
and
Cohesion Accuracy

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2


Task Response
According to the of cial IELTS Writing In other words:
band descriptors, to achieve band 7
and above you must: write about everything in the question

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

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3


Coherence and Cohesion
According to the of cial IELTS Writing
In other words:
band descriptors, to achieve band 7
and above you must: your essay should be in logical order
e.g. intro -> pro -> con ->
logically organise information and
conclusion; also applies to sentences
ideas clear progression
within paras
throughout
link sentences and paragraphs
use a range of cohesive
with words like however,
devices appropriately
therefore, furthermore etc.
present a clear central topic within
one topic per paragraph; stay
each paragraph
focused

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4


Lexical Resource
According to the of cial IELTS Writing In other words:
band descriptors, to achieve band 7 and
above you must: show a wide/ exible range of
vocabulary (synonyms/paraphrase)
use a suf cient range of and be precise (no words like
vocabulary to allow some nice!)
exibility and precision
use less common words and phrases,
use less common lexical items with and show that you know how these
some awareness of style and words t together (collocation)
collocation
you can make a few mistakes
may produce occasional errors in with vocabulary, but try your best
word choice, spelling, word to be accurate!
formation
The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
According to the of cial IELTS Writing In other words:
band descriptors, to achieve band 7
and above you must: use a range of sentence types and
word orders (but use some
use a variety of complex structures simple sentences too!)

produce frequent error-free avoid making mistakes in the


sentences majority of your sentences (more
than 50%)
have good control of grammar
and punctuation (but may make a use commas and colons
few errors) appropriately; demonstrate that you
are comfortable with grammar

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 6


Band descriptors: A summary
Coherence and Grammatical Range
Task Response Lexical Resource
Cohesion and
Accuracy
Address all parts Order your essay Show a wide Show a range of
of the task logically range of vocab grammar,
simple and
Show your Link sentences Be precise with complex
opinion clearly and language
paragraphs Don t make
Develop your together with Use less common too many
ideas; explain cohesive words/phrases; grammatical
and support them devices show mistakes
collocations
Use examples to Write about one Use punctuation
help the reader topic only in each Aim for accurate accurately
understand body paragraph spelling and word
formation +50% sentence
Stay focused accuracy

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 7


Section 2: Approaching the essay

Lecture 5

?
The 4 Different
Question
Types
In IELTS Writing Task 2.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


The 4 different question types
OPINION/
OPINION DISCUSSION SITUATION
DISCUSSION

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Discuss both views and give your own


opinion.
What are the problems? What solutions can you suggest? ll
What are the bene ts and

drawbacks? Is this a positive or negative PAUS


Which factors development?
contribute to this? Is it realistic to expect these factors? E
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages. NOW!
Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2


The 4 different question types
OPINION/
OPINION DISCUSSION SITUATION
DISCUSSION

To what extent do Discuss both views What are the


What are the bene problems? What
you agree or and give your own
ts and solutions can you
disagree? opinion.
drawbacks? suggest?

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?

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3


A formula for each question type
OPINION/
OPINION DISCUSSION SITUATION
DISCUSSION

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4


A formula for each question type
OPINION/
OPINION DISCUSSION SITUATION
DISCUSSION

Introduction: Rephrase the Introduction: Rephrase Introduction: Rephrase Introduction: Rephrase


question. Tell the reader the question. Tell the the question. Tell the the question. Tell the
your opinion and plan. reader your plan. reader your opinion and reader your plan.
plan.
BODY BODY BODY
Para 2: Support your Para 2: Discuss BODY Para 2: One problem and
opinion with argument and advantages or one side of Para 2: Discuss the side solution / factor and cause
examples the argument you disagree with etc.
Para 3: Support your Para 3: Discuss Para 3: Discuss the side Para 3: Another problem
opinion further with another disadvantages or the other you agree with, making it and solution / factor
argument and examples side of the argument clear that you agree and cause etc.

Conclusion: Summarize Conclusion: Summarize Conclusion: Summarize Conclusion: Summarize


key points and restate your key points. You do not key points and restate key points and state who
opinion. need to give the reader your opinion. should solve problems /
your opinion. consider solutions.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 5


OPINION/
OPINION DISCUSSION SITUATION
DISCUSSION

Introduction: Rephrase Introduction: Rephrase Introduction: Rephrase Introduction: Rephrase


the question. Tell the the question. Tell the the question. Tell the the question. Tell the
reader your opinion and reader your plan. reader your opinion and reader your plan.
plan. plan.
BODY BODY
BODY Para 2: Discuss BODY Para 2: One problem and
Para 2: Support your advantages or one side of Para 2: Discuss the side solution / factor and
opinion with argument the argument you disagree with cause etc.
and examples Para 3: Discuss Para 3: Discuss the side Para 3: Another problem
Para 3: Support your disadvantages or the you agree with, making it and solution / factor and
opinion further with other side of the clear that you agree cause etc.
another argument and argument
examples Conclusion: Summarize Conclusion: Summarize
Conclusion: Summarize key points and restate key points and state who
Conclusion: Summarize key points. You do not your opinion. should solve problems /
key points and restate need to give the reader consider solutions.
your opinion. your opinion.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 6


The IELTS Teacher Task 2 - Model Answer Mastering IELTS Writing

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.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

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

PLEASE SEE LECTURE 6 IN UDEMY COURSE FOR AN ANALYSIS OF THIS MODEL


ANSWER.
Section 2: Approaching the essay

?
Lecture 7

Planning Your
Essay
A Blueprint for Success.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2


Why is planning so important?
There are many bene ts to planning.

Reduce anxiety Stay focused Save time

Topic-related vocabulary Organize thoughts

Improve coherence Boost cohesion Find errors

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2


Part 1: Identify the question
Some experts believe it is better for children to start learning a foreign
language at primary school rather than secondary school.

Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

What type of question is this?

Discussion/Opinion

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3


Part 2: Underline key words
Some experts believe it is better for children to start learning a foreign
language at primary school rather than secondary school.

Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

better start learning a foreign Task


language
Achievement:
primary school rather than secondary school
Addresses all parts
advantages outweigh the disadvantages? of the task

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4


Part 3: Plan the essay (Method
1)
Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

Some experts believe it is better for children to start learning a foreign language at primary school rather than secondary school.

Introduction: Rephrase question. Opinion: yes. State plan.

Paragraph 2: Dis - still learning own language - too much pressure - other
subjects more important - maths, science, sport - explain

Paragraph 3: Adv - critical learning period - child brain forming connections -


earlier start, more vocabulary - uent faster - successful future

Conclusion: Summarize key points, restate opinion

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 5


Part 3: Plan the essay (Method
2)
Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

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

Para 2: T: critical learning period


advantages
S: neural connections in child s brain
S 2 : earlier start, more chance of success
E2: more vocab, grammar etc.
R: 4 years more than secondary school
pupils
The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 6
Section 2: Approaching the essay

?
Lecture 8

Time Constraints
and Word
Counts
Managing the limits.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


Time Constraints
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

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

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2


Word Counts
Write at least 250 words.

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 both with and without time constraints

Practice regularly

Practice with and without a clock by your side

Do not worry about perfection

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4


Section 2: Approaching the essay

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.

Writing more than 300 words is a waste of time.


You do not need to write that many words to score
a Band 7, Band 8, or even Band 9. You can score
a Band 9 with just 250 words.

Once you reach 250 words, quality is much more important than quantity .

Aim for 250-280 words. Time left over? Check your work.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2


Myth #2 : Always include your
opinion
Although you are often required to give your opinion in Task 2, there are some
essays in which you should not give your opinion.

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?

Nowhere! Therefore, do not include an opinion. If you do include an opinion,


only put it in the conclusion, or you will lose marks for Task Response.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2


Myth #3 : The introduction is the
most important paragraph
First impressions are crucial. Strong start = impressed examiner.

But the introduction is not the most important paragraph, and you must not
waste time trying to create the perfect introduction.

As soon as you nish your plan, start on your


introduction. In Lecture 10, we will learn how to write
incredibly fast introductions. (Fast does not mean sloppy or
inaccurate!)

We learn this because the body of the essay - the place


where you develop your ideas - is far more important.
The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4
Section 3: Structuring the essay

Lecture 10

Incredibly Fast
Introductions
Formula for a good
rst impression.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


An example Task 2 question

Some people think that climate change is happening because of the


way humans live their lives. Others think that these changes are
natural, and that human activity does not have an in uence.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2


An example introduction
Read this introduction to the Task 2 Writing question and match each
sentence (1-3) to its purpose (a-c).

1There is no doubt that the Earth s climate is changing. 2While some


people believe that these changes are due to human activity, others argue that
they are the result of natural processes. 3 In 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)
b) Give a general statement about the topic (What is undeniably true?)
c) Paraphrase the statement in the question

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3


3-step formula for introductions
1There is no doubt that the Earth s climate is changing.
b) Give a general statement about the topic (what is undeniably true?)

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)

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4


Introductions, now shorter!
The plan sentence is optional. It can be nice to include it if you feel
con dent about time, but it is not strictly necessary.

1There is no doubt that the Earth s climate is changing. 2 While some


people believe that these changes are due to human activity, others argue that
they are the result of natural processes. 3 In this essay, I will

discuss both sides of the argument and explain my support for the latter view.

51 words

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 5


Introductions, now shorter!
The general statement sentence is optional. It can be nice to
include it if you feel con dent about time, but it is not strictly
necessary.

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 6


Introductions, now shorter!
The general statement sentence is optional. It can be nice to
include it if you feel con dent about time, but it is not strictly
necessary.

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

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 7


Useful expressions for introductions
General statement sentence

There is no doubt that / It is clear that


Nowadays, / These days, (+ present simple or
continuous) In recent years, / Over the last few years,
(+ present perfect)
It is important to consider (+ question word e.g. how /
whether / why)

Paraphrase the question sentence

While some people believe , . others argue


that . There are many
people who think
While there are many bene ts to , there are
Ialso
completely agree/disagree
some drawbacks to consider.with this statement
I tend to agree/disagree with the former/latter argument
Opinion, and inplan
and this essay I will support my view with examples
sentence
In this essay, I will discuss both sides of the
argument/topic and propose/suggest some solutions.
In this essay, I will explore/discuss some of the problems
associated with
The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 8
Section 3: Structuring the essay

Lecture 11

Building Body
Paragraphs
The bulk of the essay.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


The most important paragraphs
The body of the essay is where you demonstrate your ability to:

engage with a task appropriately

construct an argument or develop a discussion

use a range of vocabulary related to a speci c topic 10 minutes


on each
use a range of grammar for speci c purposes body
paragraph
link ideas, explanations and examples cohesively

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2


Building body paragraphs
T = topic sentence (idea) One problem in big cities is the lack of green spaces.

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3


Building body paragraphs
T = topic sentence (idea) One problem in big cities is the lack of green spaces.

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4


Building body paragraphs
T = topic sentence (idea) One problem in big cities is the lack of green spaces.

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 5


Building body paragraphs
T = topic sentence (idea) One problem in big cities is the lack of green spaces.

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 6


Building body paragraphs
T = topic sentence (idea) One problem in big cities is the lack of green spaces.

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 7


Building body paragraphs
T = topic sentence (idea) One problem in big cities is the lack of green spaces.

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 8


Building body paragraphs
T = topic sentence (idea) One problem in big cities is the lack of green spaces.

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 9


Effective Formulas: #2
Now you know have seen one e ective way of combining these body
paragraph ingredients, here is another. Variety is essential!

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!

T: However, air travel does have a drawback in air pollution. S: The


T power required for a plane to take off and y to its destination causes
a huge amount of fuel to be burnt. E: It is believed that 13 million
S ights are taken each year, and this creates
E a huge strain on the environment. T 2:
T2 Furthermore, aeroplanes require airports, and airports
often cause a lot of stress for locals. E 2 : For
E2 example,the sound pollution airports leak can prevent local
families from sleeping properly.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 11


Some tips for body paragraphs
Begin all body paragraphs with a topic sentence

Topic sentences should be relevant to both the task itself and the para idea

Keep paragraphs 4 - 5 sentences long

In D&O essays, begin body with the side you disagree with

For P&S essays, use the same formula twice (problem then solution)

Keep paragraphs based on one central topic (advantages or disadvantages)

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 12


Section 3: Structuring the essay

Lecture 12

Quick
Conclusions
Finishing in style.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


An example conclusion
Read this conclusion to a Task 2 Writing question and match each sentence
(1-2) to its purpose (a-b).

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.

a) Summarize the key points 1


b) Give your own opinion 2

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2


Useful words and phrases for conclusions

Introducing a conclusion Expressing opinion Linking devices

In conclusion, In my opinion, Although

To sum up, Personally, While / Whereas

Having looked at both sides, In my view, Despite

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3


More example conclusions
To sum up , while there are disadvantages to handwriting, such as compromised
readability and a greater time commitment, these must be weighed against the
cultural and practical bene ts that handwriting offers. Personally, I feel that these
bene ts outweigh the drawbacks.

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4


Problem and Solution essay
conclusions
Problem and Solution essays (most Situation essays) are slightly different in that
you are not being asked for a speci c opinion. You should state who you think
the responsibility for solving this problem lies with.

In conclusion , although modern cities face a variety of problems, such as crime


and air pollution, these problems are not insurmountable. In my view, it is the
government s responsibility to tackle these issues, and they should begin by
considering some of the solutions proposed above.

1. Summarize the key points


2. State who the responsibility lies with
insurmountable = impossible to overcome

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 5


Out of time?
If you re running out of time, you can just write one sentence (instead of two)
for your conclusion. It s important that you have a few minutes left to go back
and check your essay.

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.

broadening one s horizons = expanding one s range of knowledge/interests/experiences etc.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 6


To sum up,
Do not simply state that the topic has bene ts and drawbacks , or
each viewpoint has pros and cons that
. This
the main ideas, but only rephrases your does nothing to summarise
introduction.

Try to paraphrase the content of your essay. If you write


affordabilit
greater as an advantage in your body, try something like less
y expensive in your conclusion.

Do not add any unnecessary information in your conclusion. This is a


waste of time, and you should try to save as much time as possible
to check for errors in your work.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 7


Section 4: Answering the question

Lecture 14

Finding Ideas
The content of the essay.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


A common anxiety
One of the most common worries my students have is that they struggle
to think of ideas.

However, there are two important things to remember when it comes to


thinking of ideas:

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 solution? Form an opinion on everything.


Imagine you re waiting for a train. Think:

- What could be done to make my experience


more enjoyable? What could the transport
company or government do to improve the
quality of public transport? What are the pros
and cons of taking the underground?

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3


Ask yourself questions
Ask yourself questions throughout your day so that you can form ideas
and opinions on a variety of topics.

You re reading the news


over your morning coffee Are you using the
internet, newspapers or television? Why? What are the pros and
cons of each? What will happen to the news in the future? How
important is the media in creating public opinion? What could
be done to prevent media bias?

You re checking your phone


during your lunch break What did you use to do
during your lunch break? How have phones become so
addictive? How has phone use changed over the last few
decades? What could be done to prevent phone addiction? Why
are some people so concerned about having the latest model?
The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4
Newspapers
Read a variety of different materials and explore a number of different topics. Newspapers are a
great way to learn about the opinions of others on lots of different topics, and the arguments
they have for those opinions. They are therefore very useful at helping you to think of ideas.

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


Quality over quantity
Again, we must return to the maxim: quality is more important than quantity.

It is much more important to develop one idea fully than to write about lots of
ideas without developing any of them.

Doing so enables us to address key criteria for Task Achievement:

Band 7: Presents, extends and supports main ideas

Band 8: Presents a well-developed response to the question with relevant,


extended and supported ideas
maxim = a short statement which expresses a
general truth or rule

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2


How to develop your ideas
The lesson on Building Body Paragraphs offers a good template for
how to develop a single idea. But how do you come up with each
sentence?

Just like with nding ideas, the solution is to ask yourself


three questions. But these questions are more speci c:

Why? support

What kind? example

What if? alternative situation

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3


The three questions in practice
Idea : The function of a university should be to prepare students for work.

Why? This is because many professions need employees who are equipped with
comprehensive theoretical and practical knowledge, which universities can
provide.

What kind of professions? For example, medical students must be given


rigorous
which lessons
save peopleon sanatomy
lives. before they become doctors, so that they can make
decisions 94
What if this weren t the function of universities? If universities were words
more for its own sake, rather than giving students the
concerned with education
necessary training to become competent professionals, there would be a
serious shortage of doctors, lawyers and other essential professionals in
society.
The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4
Try it yourself
Idea: Sending all criminals to prison would be a terrible
idea. Why?

What kind of criminals shouldn t go to prison?

What would happen if all criminals went to prison?

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 5


Try it yourself
Idea: Sending all criminals to prison would be a terrible
idea. Why?
This is because the purpose of prison is to deter and incarcerate criminals, but some types
of crime can be deterred with less expensive and more productive measures.
What kind of criminals shouldn t go to prison?

What would happen if all criminals went to prison?

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 6


Try it yourself
Idea: Sending all criminals to prison would be a terrible
idea. Why?
This is because the purpose of prison is to deter and incarcerate criminals, but some types
of crime can be deterred with less expensive and more productive measures.
What kind of criminals shouldn t go to prison?
For example, those who commit petty crimes like pickpocketing, shoplifting and speeding
would contribute much more to society by undergoing community service or paying a
ne.
What would happen if all criminals went to prison?

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 7


Try it yourself
Idea: Sending all criminals to prison would be a terrible
idea. Why?
This is because the purpose of prison is to deter and incarcerate criminals, but some types
of crime can be deterred with less expensive and more productive measures.
What kind of criminals shouldn t go to prison?
For example, those who commit petty crimes like pickpocketing, shoplifting and speeding
would contribute much more to society by undergoing community service or paying a
ne.
What would happen if all criminals went to prison?
If, in contrast, every crime was sentenced with prison time, prisons would be full to
bursting, law-abiding citizens would be faced with a huge tax burden, and the criminals
themselves would learn nothing about their crimes.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 8


Develop these ideas
Use the same technique of why? , what kind? , and what to develop
if? the ideas below.

Con ict between parents and their children is necessary because it helps
the latter to develop.

Dropping foreign languages from school curriculums would be


unnecessary and shortsighted.

One of the main advantages of moving abroad is that it enables people to


broaden their horizons.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 9


Section 4: Answering the question

Lecture 16

Creating and
Maintaining a
Position
When and how to express
yourself.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


Band descriptors
Stating and maintaining a position is one of the most important factors in
achieving a high Task Response band score.

Band 7: Presents a clear position throughout the response

With some tasks, this requirement is fairly simple to meet. With others, it
can cause some dif culty.

However, remember that we do not need to give an opinion if the task


does not ask us to give one. This is the case with Discussion essays and
most Situation essays.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2


Approaching the task
Consider the following question:

Government investment in the arts, such as music and theatre, is a


waste of money. Governments must invest this money in public
services instead.

To what extent do you agree with this statement?

What are the key words here?

What is your opinion on the statements?

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3


Deciding on your opinion
Let s break down the task:

Government investment in the arts, such as music and theatre, is a waste


of money.

Do you agree or disagree? Let s say: disagree.

Governments must invest this money in public services

instead. Do you agree or disagree? Let s say: partly agree.

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 .

In the lecture Incredibly Quick Introductions, we took a brief look at how we


might introduce our opinion to the reader. Here s the introduction formula:

1. General statement. 2. Paraphrase the task language. 3. Opinion (+ plan).

It is important to consider how government should spend its money. Some


believe investing this money in the arts is wasteful, and that all these
funds should be diverted to public services. While I disagree that the arts
are a waste of money, I do feel that some of this funding should go to
public services.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 5


A closer look
It is important to consider how government should spend its money. Some
believe investing this money in the arts is wasteful, and that all these
funds should be diverted to public services. While I disagree that the arts
are a waste of money, I do feel that some of this funding should go to
public services.

Three things are very clear from this introduction

1. We understand, in full, what the task opinion is.

2. We are stating a clear view (disagree & agree with different parts).

3. Our view is 100% relevant to every part of the task opinion.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 6


Opinion in the body
In Opinion / Discussion and Opinion essays, your opinion must be clear within the body
of the essay, and it must be consistent with the opinion in the introduction.

Discussion / Opinion essays

Those who believe education should be free argue that

However, I would argue that tuition should be self-funded as

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,

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 7


Qualifying your opinion
Sometimes, you will not fully agree/disagree with a statement.
Sometimes, you will only partly agree/disagree, or be split for and against.

In these cases, do not just side with one view because it s


easier(except in extreme circumstances). You need to be developing
your English for genuine purposes, not just IELTS!

In these cases, you can qualify your opinion with speci c phrases.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 8


Qualifying your opinion
In these cases, you can qualify your opinion with speci c phrases.

it depends on / it is dependent on

make an exception for / an exception should be made for

(only) to an extent / (only) up to a point

(only) in some cases

should take into account / should be taken into account

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 9


Qualifying your opinion
Can you put the expressions from the previous slide into the correct gaps on this slide?

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,

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 10


Qualifying your opinion
Can you put the expressions from the previous slide into the correct gaps on this slide?

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,

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 11


Opinion in the conclusion
How to write a conclusion is covered in the lecture Quick Conclusions , but here are some important points:

Discussion/Opinion essays

Make sure you cover the alternate viewpoint and its arguments, as well as your own.

In conclusion, although as , I believe


because .

Opinion essays

Summarise your viewpoint/s and supporting arguments, and make sure your opinion is as clear as possible

In conclusion, due to and , I believe that


.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 12


Opinion in the conclusion
How to write a conclusion is covered in the lecture Quick Conclusions , but here are some important points:

Discussion/Opinion essays

Make sure you cover the alternate viewpoint and its arguments, as well as your own.

In conclusion, although building accommodation is important as it combats homelessness , I believe we


should invest more in green spaces because doing so provides a better quality of life for citizens .

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 .

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 13


Strong opinion language
I wholeheartedly believe

I am strongly for/against

Under no circumstances should / On no account

should I am a vehement/ardent/staunch supporter of

There are no viable/credible alternatives

It can hardly be denied that

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 14


Section 4: Answering the question

Lecture 17

How To Stop
Overgeneralising
Language to avoid making
generalisations.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


What are generalisations?
A generalisation is a statement about all members of a particular group which may be
true in some or many situations, but not all.

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.

Generalisations can also be made about situations, as well as people.

Example: When employees feel a strong sense of job satisfaction, company pro ts rise.

Can we know that this is always the case? No.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2


Why avoiding generalisations is important
Let s return to the band descriptors.

Task Achievement

Band 7: but there may be a tendency to overgeneralise and/or


supporting ideas may lack focus.

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.

Modal verbs (may, might, could, can)


Frequency language (often, tend to, usually, occasionally)
Non-speci c ers (many, some, a number of, a lot of)
quanti can all be used to soften the broadness of our statements.
These

Try to use the language above to soften the following sentence.

Politicians are in uenced by the media, which is a problem because this has a
negative effect on social equality in the country.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4


How to avoid overgeneralising
To avoid overgeneralising, we must soften our statements with appropriate
language. Think of these as generalising softeners.

Modal verbs (may, might, could, can)


Frequency language (often, tend to, usually, occasionally)
Non-speci c ers (many, some, a number of, a lot of)
quanti
These can all be used to soften the broadness of our statements.

Try to use the language above to soften the following sentence.

Many politicians are in uenced by the media, which is often a problem


because this can have a negative effect on social equality in the country.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 5


Section 5: Writing the essay

Lecture 18

What s Your
Topic?
The need for topic-related
vocabulary.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


Museums and Schools
Museums and Schools are two topics (among many others) which might
appear in your Task 2 essay.

The obvious: these topics are very different, but have similarities.

The not-so-obvious: these topics each have a set of vocabulary which


relates to them individually. E.g. curators for museums, teachers for schools.

Your task: Demonstrate to the examiner your knowledge of these sets of


vocabulary . Limit the use of general language, or language which could be
used for more than one topic (e.g. staff).

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2


The importance of topic-related vocabulary
Read this pair of sentences and decide which sentence in the pair is
better:

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3


The importance of topic-related vocabulary
Read this pair of sentences and decide which sentence in the pair is
better:

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4


The importance of topic-related vocabulary
Read this pair of sentences and decide which sentence in the pair is
better:

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 5


The importance of topic-related vocabulary
Read this pair of sentences and decide which sentence in the pair is
better:

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 6


Make vocabulary tables for topics
To improve your topic-related vocabulary, make tables for the topics, and
remember to include the form/s of the words/expressions you nd.
Museums Schools Public Health
curator (n) curate (v) teacher / student (n) obese (adj) obesity (n)
artefact (n) teacher-student ratio (n.p) health-related issues (n.p)
well-preserved (adj) class / classroom (n) sports facilities (n.p)
exhibition (n) exhibit (v and n) head teacher (n) healthcare system (n.p)
*
gallery (n) star pupil (n.p) spread of viruses (coll)
collect (v) collection (n) attend (v) attendance (n) threats to health (coll)
archive (v and n) cram for an exam (exp) healthy choice (n.p)

* 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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 7


Be selective, use common sense
While it is important to use topic-related vocabulary, don t get carried away.
Make sure you also use some general vocabulary so that the essay can
breathe . Consider these two sentences:

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 8


Be selective, use common sense
While it is important to use topic-related vocabulary, don t get carried away.
Make sure you also use some general vocabulary so that the essay can
breathe . Consider these two sentences:

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 9


Section 5: Writing the essay

Lecture 19

The Importance of
Collocations
Fluency via vocabulary.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


What is a collocation?
Let s return to the band descriptors for a moment, and look at Band 7 for
Lexical Resource:

uses less common lexical items with some awareness of style and
collocation.

What does this mean?

A collocation is a set of 2 or more words which are commonly used


together.

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:

1. They make language uent, precise, expressive, and natural. Compare


He s making a tattoo and He s getting a tattoo. The wrong
version will instantly expose you as having weak English.
(Note: getting is correct.)

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.

3. When grouped together, collocations demonstrate your language


Thecommand.
IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3
Collocations in use
When grouped together, collocations demonstrate your language command.
Which of these paragraphs shows a strong command, and which shows a 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.

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4


Collocations in use
When grouped together, collocations demonstrate your language command.
Which of these paragraphs shows a strong command, and which shows a weak command?

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 5


Spotlight: Weak collocation command
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.

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 6


How to improve collocation skill
The number one way to improve your collocation ability is to immerse yourself
in English.

- 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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 7


Section 5: Writing the essay

Lecture 20

Focus on Word
Formation
Success - Successful -
Successfully - Succeed.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


Word Classes
Success. Successful. Successfully. Succeed.

These four words all have something in common - their root (success) - but
they vary in their form.

Success = Noun In order to be successful


in IELTS, you need to
Successful = Adjective succeed in using word
formation. Only then will you
Successfully = Adverb nsduccess
!
Succeed = Verb Can you successfully
modify these words?
The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2
Word Formation: Prefixes
Word formation is the modi cation of base words by way of pre xes, xes, and compounds .
su

Pre xes

Pre xes are added before the base (or stem ) of the

word: Un successful (un- = remove, reverse, not)


Under perform (under- = less than, beneath)

Over estimate (over- = too much)

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

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3


Word Formation: Suffixes
Su xes

Suf xes are added after the base of a word, usually to change the class of word. Remember success?

Success ful. Forget ful. (-ful can form an adjective ).

Successful ly. Crucially. (ly can form an adverb ).

Widen . Length en . Simplify. Clarify (en- and -ify can form

verbs ). Terrorism . Sex ism . (-ism can be used to form

nouns ).

Research su xes and use these to boost your score in Lexical


Resource:

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

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 5


Section 5: Writing the essay

Lecture 21

Paraphrasing and
Synonyms
How to demonstrate a wide
range of vocabulary.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


A reminder of the band descriptors
To achieve a Band 7 in Lexical Resource, you must:

use a su cient range of vocabulary to allow some


exibility and precision.

To achieve a Band 8 in Lexical Resource, you must:

use a wide range of vocabulary uently exibly to convey precise


and meanings.

The greater your range, the higher your score.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2


Paraphrasing Tip #1: Synonyms
It s important to remember: there are many ways that we can paraphrase
language.

Synonyms (similar words) are very useful, and this is why a


thesaurus can be helpful when you are practicing.

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!

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3


Paraphrasing with synonyms
Introductions require us to paraphrase the language given to us in the task. Synonyms
can be useful here:

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.

CAREFUL! The above introduction is okay, but is clearly dependent on a thesaurus.


This can easily make language sound unnatural. Check out Joey from Friends letter
(link in the resources) to get an idea of how thesauruses can be misused!

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4


Paraphrasing Tip #2: Word Order
The best way to paraphrase is to mix different paraphrasing skills together.
Don t overuse synonyms, but mix them with other techniques, like
changing word order.

Some people believe that visitors to other countries should


follow local customs and behaviour .

Some people think that local customs and characteristics should be


followed by tourists when they go to other countries.

What we have here is a mix of synonyms (think, characteristics, tourists) and


di erent word order (moving part of the sentence into the passive voice).

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 5


Paraphrasing Tip #3: Word Formation
Another way we can nd greater vocabulary range is to modify word formation.
As discussed in a previous lecture, there are often a number of different word
formations for a single word.

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.

This paraphrased sentence combines synonyms (dispute, variety), a change in


word order (passive voice), AND a change in word formation (cultural (adj)
> culture (noun)).

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 6


Paraphrasing Tip #4: Antonyms
Can t think of a synonym, or struggling to change word order/formation?
Consider the opposite of the word you re trying to
change. This is called an antonym .

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.

This paraphrased sentence combines synonyms (dispute, variety) as well as an


antonym (reject) preceded by a negation (not). However, this is not quite as precise
as using a synonym or changing word order/formation.
The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 7
Paraphrasing Tip #5: Think Outside the Box
Synonyms, sentence reconstruction and changes in word formation are all
excellent ways of paraphrasing, but sometimes it is useful to just completely
change the way an idea is communicated, while not changing the meaning.

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).

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 8


Advice on paraphrasing
Although paraphrasing is an important part of achieving Band 7+, it is just
one important part. Do not spend too long thinking about paraphrasing.

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 9


Section 6: Tuning the essay

Lecture 22

Simple Sentences
& Common Errors
Achieving accuracy and
avoiding typical mistakes.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


Constructing Simple Sentences
If you re taking this course, you should know how to construct a simple sentence in
English.

A simple sentence is made up the most basic sentence elements: Subject + Verb (+
Completed thought / Object ).

The police catch criminals.

Teachers in some countries are not paid very well.

The government should invest in the promotion of health education.

As you can see, other word types, like modal verbs, prepositions and articles, can all be
part of a simple sentence.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2


Common Error #1: Subject-verb agreement
So, simple sentences easy, right? Not so fast. Despite the simple nature of
these sentences, I often see mistakes in their construction.

Subject-verb agreement

What is wrong with these sentences?

Teachers and parents has to work together to nd a solution.

Everyone know education is of vital importance.

The number of people who live abroad are rising all the
time.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3


Common Error #1: Subject-verb agreement
So, simple sentences easy, right? Not so fast. Despite the simple nature of
these sentences, I often see mistakes in their construction.

Subject-verb agreement

What is wrong with these sentences?

Teachers and parents ha ve to work together to nd a solution.

Everyone know s education is of vital importance.

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

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4


Common Error #2: Article usage
There are a number of rules behind articles, more than can be covered quickly here. However, here are the most
common mistakes I see, and the most relevant for essay writing:

De nite article ( the )

We use this article when we believe the reader knows exactly to whom or what we are referring.

with superlative adjectives: The biggest problem in big cities is pollution.

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 5


Common Error #2: Article usage
Inde nite article ( a/an )

We use this article with singular countable nouns

when the reader does not know exactly to whom or what we are referring:

When showing someone/something is part of a group: There is a reason why crime


rates are continuing to rise (one reason out of several).

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

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 6


Common Error #2: Article usage
Can you nd the article errors in these sentences?

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.

As the studies show, a rate of obesity is rising all the time.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 7


Common Error #2: Article usage
Can you nd the article errors in these sentences?

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 8


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.

Can you spot the mistakes in these sentences?

The best way to improve the economy will be to lower

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.

Can you spot the mistakes in these sentences?

The best way to improve the economy is to lower taxes.

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 10


Section 6: Tuning the essay

Lecture 23

Complex
Sentences
How to use the type of sentences
which will improve your score.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


A Variety of Complex Structures
The above title is an extract from the IELTS Task 2 Writing band
descriptors under the criteria for Grammatical Range and Accuracy:

Band 6: Uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms

Band 7: Uses a variety of complex structures

Band 8: Uses a wide range of structures

The greater your variety of grammatical complexity, the higher your score
in the exam. As long as your accuracy is high!

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2


Dependent Clauses
One of the best ways to improve your complexity of grammar is to use dependent
clauses with independent clauses. This creates a complex sentence . What are these?

I have a dog = one independent clause. The idea is complete.

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3


Subordinating Conjunctions
To create a complex sentence (a sentence with at least one dependent clause), you need to use
subordinating conjunctions. There are many more of these conjunctions than you can see here.

When: when teachers gave more discipline.

In order to: In order to keep children from eating unhealthy food

Although: Although people who live abroad face some dif culties

Unless: unless the government imposes a congestion charge.

Even if: Even if the government invested in tourism

Before: before moving abroad.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4


Subordinating Conjunctions
To create a complex sentence (a sentence with at least one dependent clause), you need to use
subordinating conjunctions. There are many more of these conjunctions than you can see here.

When: Grades improved when teachers gave more discipline.

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 5


Subordinating Conjunctions
To create a complex sentence (a sentence with at least one dependent clause), you need to use
subordinating conjunctions. There are many more of these conjunctions than you can see here.

When: Grades improved when teachers gave more discipline.

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 6


Combining Conjunctions
To increase the complexity of your sentences even more, you can combine subordinating and
coordinating conjunctions.

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


Why is punctuation important?
Punctuation can help the reader to understand how a particular sentence
should be read. It also helps to clarify meaning.

With incorrect or missing punctuation, problems can arise

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2


Using commas
Commas in English are notoriously dif cult to use. However, there are some rules which make
comma usage simpler. For essay writing, the following four are the most relevant.

1. Use a comma after a dependent clause that starts a sentence.


To avoid overpopulation in cities, the countryside must be developed.

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.

3. Use commas to separate items in a list.


Teachers have to prepare classes, mark homework, and attend many meetings. *

4. Use a comma after introductory cohesive devices.


For example, To begin with, Finally, As a consequence, (NOT There is no doubt / This is
because )
* nal comma here is called an oxford comma . It is an optional addition, but it can help to avoid confusion at times.
The

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3


Using apostrophes
There are two instances where apostrophes are commonly used: possessives (Mary s pen) and contractions
(Mary s here). However, we must not use contractions in essay writing, so we will only focus on the former
usage.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4


Using apostrophes
There are two instances where apostrophes are commonly used: possessives (Mary s pen) and contractions
(Mary s here.)However, we must not use contractions in
essay writing, so we will only focus on the former
usage.

For a singular noun, add an apostrophe + s to form the possessive.


It is the government s responsibility.

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

Do not use an apostrophe to pluralise a regular noun.


The world contains many different culture s. The world contains many different cultures.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2


Using capital letters
Capital letters are always used at the beginning of a sentence and when
referring to proper nouns (e.g. geographical places, names, institutions etc.)

The latter of these usages tends to cause the most dif culty. Where would you
place capital letters in these sentences?

welcome to oxford university.

many people go to oxford to see the university

there. it is the government s responsibility.

it is the responsibility of the uk government.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 6


Using capital letters
Capital letters are always used at the beginning of a sentence and when
referring to proper nouns (e.g. geographical places, names, institutions etc.)

The latter of these usages tends to cause the most dif culty. Where would you
place capital letters in these sentences?

Welcome to Oxford University.

Many people go to Oxford to see the university

there. It is the government s responsibility.

It is the responsibility of the UK Government.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 7


Find the errors ll

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 8


Find the errors
The following paragraph contains eleven punctuation errors. Can you
nd them?

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 9


Find the errors
The following paragraph contains eleven punctuation errors. Can you
nd them?

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 10


Section 6: Grammar

Lecture 26

Improving Range:
Relative Clauses
Boosting your range of
grammar.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


What are relative clauses?
We use relative clauses to clarify who or what we are talking about ( de ning
or to give more information about something without writing another sentence ),
(non-de ning).

De ningrelative clauses do not need a comma before the relative pronoun .

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2


Matching exercise
Can you match these sentences with their non-de ning relative clauses?
1. School holidays in the UK are 6 weeks long, a. which must be worn in most British schools

b. which gives students are chance to relax


2. Sports coaching, , needs more government funding.

c. which are becoming bigger and bigger


3. Skype language lessons are becoming more common,

d. which has been proven to reduce obesity


4. School uniforms, , can improve behaviour.

e.which will make it harder for job searchers to


5. The government is cutting employment bene ts,
make ends meet

6. Mobile phone screens, , are a big drain on battery life. f. which may be due to their affordability

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3


Matching exercise
Can you match these sentences with their non-de ning relative clauses?
1. School holidays in the UK are 6 weeks long, which gives students a chance to relax. (b)

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)

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4


How to use relative clauses in IELTS
Relative clauses are especially useful in supporting sentences in body paragraphs.
They can be used to give more information about an example or to further justify
a supporting point.

Arguing for the subsidisation of sports facilities

For example, swimming pools, which are available at most sports


centres, give people the opportunity to work on their cardiovascular health.

Arguing against single-sex schools

This is because mixed schools offer realistic environments, which means that
their students will nd it easier to integrate into adult life.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 5


Section 6: Grammar

Lecture 25

Conditional
Sentences
Essential grammar to use in
your IELTS Writing essay.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


Why you should use conditionals
Conditionals are used to talk about certain situations and their effects.

There are two main reasons why you should use conditional sentences in
your essay.

1. Conditional sentences will improve the range of your grammar, thus


boosting your score in Grammatical Range and Accuracy.

2. Conditional sentences are an impressive way to develop and support


your arguments in your body paragraphs, thus boosting your score in
Task Achievement.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2


The four conditionals
In English, we have the zero conditional, rsctonditional, the second
the conditional, and the third conditional *.

The zero conditional expresses what always happens when a particular action
or event takes place.

If water reaches 100 degrees celsius, it boils. (present simple + present

simple) The rsctonditional expresses what is likely to happen as a result of an

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)

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3


The four conditionals
The second conditional is used to talk about the results of
impossible, imaginary or unlikely events in the present or future.

If Iwon the lottery, I would be rich. (past simple + would (not) + inf.)

The third conditional is used to talk about an imaginary result of


a situation in the past which did not happen.

If Ihadn t eaten, I would have starved . (past perfect + would (not)


+ have + past participle)

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4


When to use conditional sentences
One of the best times to use conditional sentences is towards the end of a
body paragraph, in the alternative situation sentence.

One of the main reasons education should receive more government


funding is that it results in a stronger economy. This is because quality
education produces a capable workforce, which is an essential
component of a functional and successful society. For example, medical
schools have given us competent doctors and nurses, helping us to
recover from illness and return to work. (A.S) If the government had not
invested in these educational institutes, people would not have recovered
so quickly, leading to a fall in productivity and thus fewer tax contributions.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 5


Two more examples
Arguing for pay rises for teachers

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.

Arguing against investment in the arts


If the government refused to invest any money in the arts, there would
be much more money left over for public service funding, leading to
improvements in education, healthcare and welfare.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 6


Two more examples
Arguing for pay rises for teachers

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.

Arguing against investment in the arts


If the government refused to invest any money in the arts, there would
be much more money left over for public service funding, leading to
improvements in education, healthcare and welfare.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 7


Section 6: Tuning the essay

Lecture 27

Checking the
Essay
The fastest way to improve
your score in Writing Task 2.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


The importance of review time
Back in the second section of the course, we discussed timing.

How much time for checking? 5 minutes.

The difference between a Band 6 and a Band 7?

However, each job have different characteristics and the factors which
people make feel content are also different.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2


The importance of review time
Back in the second section of the course, we discussed timing.

How much time for checking? 5 minutes.

The difference between a Band 6 and a Band 7?

However, each job have different characteristics and the factors which
people make feel content are also different.

However, each job ha s different characteristics , and the factors


which make people feel content are also different.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3


What not to check when checking
Natural English

Synonyms and paraphrasing (unless underlined)

The structure of your response

How strong your arguments are

Tenses (mostly future)

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.

Spend this time checking small, easily xable grammar/punctuation errors.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4


What to check when checking
Article usage (a/an / the / zero article)

Singular/plural / countable/uncountable forms

Prepositions

Punctuation (apostrophes, missing/unnecessary commas, capital

letters) Subject-verb agreements

Spelling mistakes

Word class / word formation issues

Word order / missing word issues

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 5


Checking exercise
Read the following body paragraph and see if you can nd all the mistakes
(every mistake is of the type listed on the previous slide).

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 6


Checking exercise
Read the following body paragraph and see if you can nd all the mistakes
(every mistake is of the type listed on the previous slide).

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.

Firstly, notice what is not being checked

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 7


Checking exercise
Read the following body paragraph and see if you can nd all the mistakes
(every mistake is of the type listed on the previous slide).

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!

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 8


Checking exercise
Read the following body paragraph and see if you can nd all the mistakes
(every mistake is of the type listed on the previous slide).

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!

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 9


The IELTS Teacher Guided Answer Mastering IELTS Writing

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.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

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

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


Secret #1: Finish the essay (in style)
One of the worst things you can do is not
nish the essay.

If 35 minutes have passed and you have still not


reached the conclusion, nish that sentence
and move to the conclusion.

It may not be complete, but at least it will be


completed.

Even if your body paragraph is not the


strongest, Quick Conclusions will show you
how you leave the examiner with a strong
impression.
The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2
Secret #2: Underline things
Underlining can help you to both save time
and respond with accuracy in the essay.

Underline key words in the task

Underline repeated words

Underline uncertain grammar

Underline uncertain spelling

Underline lightly in pencil and return if you


have time.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2


Secret #3: Remember conditionals
In Section 6, we looked at how to use conditionals.

If used accurately, these grammatical structures are like


superpowers for your essay. Why?

They expand your range of complex grammatical


constructions

They extend the development of your ideas


appropriately

They improve the coherence and cohesion of your


ideas

They give you an easy way to support and strengthen


your ideas without much original thought

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2


Secret #4: Plan effectively
A good plan is imperative in Writing Task
2. Not only will it organise your
thoughts coherently (C&C), but it will
also help save you time (TA).

Check out the lecture in Section 2 on


planning and the lecture in Section 3 on
Building Body Paragraphs.

Practice this planning method


repeatedly until you can consistently
write plans in 5 minutes or less.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2


Section 7: Conclusion

Lecture 30

How to Practice
Effectively
How to make the most of
your study time.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


Do not:
Study with distractions

Be too self-critical

Wait for miracles to happen

Only study alone (if possible)

Forget timing

Ignore your health/sleep

Overwork yourself

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2


Do:
Shut down distractions (Freedom)

Practice in different ways

Study alone and with a friend

Reward yourself

Take breaks

Read, read, read

Get guidance

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2


Do:
Shut down distractions (Freedom)

Practice in different ways

Study alone and with a friend

Reward yourself

Take breaks

Read, read, read

Get guidance

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2


Section 7: Conclusion

Lecture 31

Getting
Guidance
How to make sure you re
heading in the right direction.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


Guidance Options
There are a number of options for those who wish to get guidance in their
exam preparation.

Language exchange sites

Exam forums

Exam preparation sites

Native speakers

Professional IELTS Tutors

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2


Professional IELTS Tutors
For those who wish to have the best preparation possible, it is my rm belief
that a professional tutor is the way to go.

There are a number of IELTS teachers online at sites like


www.italki.com, www.cafetalk.com, www.testedteachers.com and more.

However, there are not many sites which only offer IELTS lessons. Not
General English, not Business English, not TOEFL. Just IELTS.

www.theieltsteacher.com is one such site. Everything you have learnt about


in this course has come from my experience exclusively teaching IELTS
over the last few years.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 3


The IELTS Teacher - Lessons
Teachers at the The IELTS Teacher are happy to prepare you for each
component of the exam, whether Listening, Reading, Writing or Speaking.

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.

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 4


The IELTS Teacher - Writing Corrections
The IELTS Teacher also offers a Writing Correction service.

Unlike many corrections online, corrections with The IELTS Teacher are focused on IELTS,
easy to understand, and extremely comprehensive.

Here are a just a couple of the many comments we have received:

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
Discounts for Udemy Students!
As a thank you for your attention during this course, I would like to
offer each and every one of you a discount on Writing Corrections, so
that you can put all of the advice here into practice.

For 10% off Writing Corrections (any package), please enter:

UDEMYIELTS10

into the Coupon code box at the checkout.

I look forward to reading all of your submissions!

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 6


Resources
www.theieltsteacher.com

www.theieltsteacher.com/choose-your-teacher

www.theieltsteacher.com/writing-corrections

www.theieltsteacher.com/video-demonstrations

www.theieltsteacher.com/testimonials

www.facebook.com/theieltsteacher

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 7


Section 7: Conclusion

Lecture 32

Good Luck!
What to do once you have
nished Mastering IELTS Writing:
Task 2

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 1


Before your exam
It s very important that you feel fresh and focused during the exam. Therefore, be
careful with your routine leading up to the exam date.

Watch what you eat

Get plenty of rest

Cold shower therapy (CST)

Exercise

Read, read, read

Have fun!

The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2 2


Nerves
Nervousness is a big factor to consider for many candidates. If you
are someone who gets very nervous before and during exams, these
tips might help a little.

Meditation

Deep breaths

Focus on one thing at a time

Remember, there s always next

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.

I would like to take this nal moment to say a


big GOOD LUCK to each and every one of you.

Did you nd this course helpful? Leave a


review!

Do you have any constructive feedback? Please


email me to let me know!

I d love to hear about your exam


experiences/scores, so please don t hesitate to
get in touch with the results of your exam.
The IELTS Teacher - Mastering IELTS Writing: Task 2

You might also like