IELTS Preparation

Masterclass

Gopilal Acharya
EduPro
IELTS WRITING
IELTS Writing Task 2 (Overview)
• You will be presented with an idea or premise
about a subject and you will be asked
to respond in some way to it.
• Topics can include a wide range of commonly
discussed subjects such as the environment,
immigration, technology, or culture.
• You should spend about 40 minutes on this
task.
IELTS Writing Task 2 (Overview)
Your response to the prompt will be in one of
various ways. You might be asked to answer by:
– agreeing or disagreeing
– discussing two given opposing views
– writing about whether the advantages of a
given development outweigh the
disadvantages
– explaining a given problem or the cause of
the problem and offering solutions
IELTS Writing Tips Task 2
Tip 1: Orgnization
 You are required to organize your response into
an essay. Essays are composed of several
paragraphs.
 Introduction
 Body
 Conclusion
IELTS Writing Tips Task 2
Introduction
The first paragraph should introduce the topic, your
main idea (thesis) and generally outline how you
propose to present your argument or discussion.
Body
The body or middle paragraphs are divided into
separate points with explanations and examples to
support them.
Conclusion
The essay closes with a conclusion that summarizes your
points and brings your arguments or discussion to a
reasoned closing.
IELTS Writing Tips Task 2
• Aim to write 4 – 6 paragraphs including an
introduction and conclusion.
• Remember that you have only 40 minutes to
write the essay because you also need to
complete the Task 1 report in the 60 minutes
you are given for this section of the test.
IELTS Writing Tips Task 2
Tip 2: Addressing the Academic essay completely
 It’s very important that you read and respond
to the prompt carefully.
 If you complete only part of the task, you will
lower your score.
 Here are some examples of some of the
different essay types and a breakdown of
what needs to be addressed in each.
IELTS Writing Task 2: Types & Approach
A. Agree/ Disagree
Some people believe that it is wrong for professional
athletes to compete in the Olympics because their
strong financial backing and training give them an
unfair advantage over the other athletes.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Look carefully and you will see that there are
two premises that you will need to address if
you want your response to be complete. It’s
easier to see them if you look at them as
questions:
IELTS Writing Task 2: Types & Approach
• Do professional athletes have an unfair
advantage over other Olympic athletes because
of their financial support and training?
• Is it wrong for the professionals to compete in
the Olympics for this reason?

NOTE: It is possible for you to agree with one and

disagree with the other. For example, you could
say that you agree that they have an advantage but
that it isn’t wrong for them to compete in certain
circumstances.
IELTS Writing Task 2: Types & Approach
B. Discussion
Successful sports professionals can earn a great
deal more money than people in other important
professions. Some people think this is fully
justified while others think it is unfair.

Discuss both these views and give your opinion.

IELTS Writing Task 2: Types & Approach
There are three parts that you need to address in
this prompt:
 Why do some believe it is justifiable that sports
professionals earn a great deal more money
than others?
 Why do others think it isn’t justifiable that they
make these earnings?
 What is your opinion in this matter?
IELTS Writing Task 2: Types & Approach
C. Problem/ Solution
• Here are two different variations of essays about
problems that often appear. The questions related to
these prompts are usually given to you so it’s easy to
see that there are two parts that need
to be addressed.
• However, take care to notice the plurals (reasons,
problems, solutions). Be sure to pay attention to
these instructions and provide more than one
reason, problem or solution if you are aiming for a
high score.
IELTS Writing Task 2: Types & Approach
 More and more wild animals are on the verge of
extinction and others are on the endangered list.
What are the reasons for this? (Part 1) What
can be done to solve this problem? (Part 2)
 An increasing number of professionals, such as
doctors and teachers, are leaving their own
poorer countries to work in developed countries.
What problems does this cause? What solutions
can you suggest to deal with this situation?
IELTS Writing Task 2: Types & Approach
D. Advantages/ Disadvantages
Here are two different possible question formats
you could see about advantages and
disadvantages.
Today more and more people are working from
home.
a) Does this trend have more advantages or more
disadvantages?
b) Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
IELTS Writing Task 2: Types & Approach
• Whether you are given question (a) or (b) above,
to respond completely, you need to consider
both the advantages and disadvantages.
• You can write more about one side than the
other, especially if you have a strong opinion
going one way.
• However, a one-sided argument in these types of
questions is not complete and you will lower
your score if you forget to consider both
advantages and disadvantages.
IELTS Writing Task 2 (Example 1)
Write about the following topic:
Learning English at school is often seen as more important
than learning local languages. If these are not taught, many
are at risk of dying out.

In your opinion, is it important for everyone to learn English?

Should we try to ensure the survival of local languages and, if
so, how?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant

examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

IELTS Writing Task 2 (Example 1)
Introduction
Introduce the topic, your main idea (thesis) and
generally outline
IELTS Writing Task 2 (Example 1)
Body
Divide paragraphs into separate points with
explanations and examples
IELTS Writing Task 2 (Example 1)
Body
Divide paragraphs into separate points with
explanations and examples
IELTS Writing Task 2 (Example 1)
Body
Divide paragraphs into separate points with
explanations and examples
IELTS Writing Task 2 (Example 1)
Conclusion
Summarize your points, bring your arguments or
discussion to a reasoned closing.
IELTS Writing Task 2 (Practice Task 1)
Write about the following topic:
Solar energy is becoming more and more popular as a source
of household energy in many countries around the world.

Why is this?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of solar energy?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant

examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

IELTS Writing Task 2 (Practice Task 1)
Introduction
Introduce the topic, your main idea (thesis) and
generally outline
IELTS Writing Task 2 (Practice Task 1)
Body
Divide paragraphs into separate points with
explanations and examples
IELTS Writing Task 2 (Practice Task 1)
Body
Divide paragraphs into separate points with
explanations and examples
IELTS Writing Task 2 (Practice Task 1)
Body
Divide paragraphs into separate points with
explanations and examples
IELTS Writing Task 2 (Practice Task 1)
Conclusion
Summarize your points, bring your arguments or
discussion to a reasoned closing.