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IELTS WRITING TASK -2

IELTS WRITING TASK -2
  
Download Tips for Writing Task 2 in pdf format

In Writing Task 2 you receive a topic and you have to write an essay of 250 words.
This task has more weight than Writing 1. It also takes longer – 40 minutes, when Writing 1 takes only 20 minutes.

The topic of essay can be one of 3 possible types: description of opinion, argument or social problem.
Any essay you write on any topic must have structure – you receive (or lose)points for it. Structure means at least 4 paragraphs (5 is better). First paragraph is introductory, the next two or three is the actual essay – its body, and the last one for conclusion.
The first thing to do is to understand what kind of topic is before you.

Next:

• For argument – you need to explain both sides and agree with one of them
• For opinion – you need to present another point of view and say which one you agree with and why
• For problem – you need to explain it, discuss and offer solution and discuss it too.

 No matter what type of essay you are writing, you must provide some facts, evidence and information. When you explain the problem – evaluate it; say when/where/who for it is especially difficult. If you present an idea of solution – discuss it; say what its good and bad sides are. Add examples from your own experience to support what you're saying.
In any essay logical sequence of information is very important. Jumping from one idea to another it is very bad for you score, all ideas must be connected logically. Another important thing is “smart” words – try to use them as much as you can, it is also affects your score. Punctuation is important too.

IELTS Writing: telling the difference between formal and informal
Many of you have asked me about the difference between formal and informal writing in IELTS and this tells me that it's a common problem. So here is what you need to know about the styles of writing in IELTS.

 If you are preparing for the Academic IELTS module, both Task 1 and Task 2 in the Writing test are formal. For General Training candidates, Task 2 in Writing is always formal, and Task 1 can be formal or informal.

As you know, Task 1 for GT module is a letter, and if the topic asks you to write to someone you know, that is an informal letter – as opposed to writing to someone you don't know; which is formal.
The difference between formal and informal styles is mainly in the vocabulary. Informal words are the ones used in everyday conversations and formal are used in books, contracts, business letters and essays. If the task requires formal writing – avoid using informal vocabulary. If the task requires informal writing, such as a letter to a friend, avoid using formal ‘heavy' words.

Apart from the vocabulary in formal writing it is best to avoid words like “I”, “you”, “we”, unless you are expressing an opinion. For example in an essay instead of writing “You would find it difficult to get a job without proper qualifications”, write something like “One would find it difficult to find a job without proper qualifications”, or you could write “Finding a job without proper qualifications would be rather difficult”.

 For those of you who don't live in an English speaking country and don't speak English on daily basis it will be difficult to tell the difference between formal and informal vocabulary, which is why I compiled this short list of words. You could memorize it and use in your writing while practicing – this way the chances you will use the correct word in the exam increase.
Formal                Informal
Inform me              Let me know
Cancel                    Drop
Contact                 Get in touch
Obtain                     Get
Apologise                sorry
Postpone                 Delay
Request                   Ask for
Compensate           Make up
Establish                  Set up
Discover                 Find out
Handle                  Deal with
Investigate            Check up on
Tolerate                 Put up
Increase                 Go up
Children                 Kids
Many / Much          A lot of
Many / Much        Heaps of

 IELTS Essay Plan –

Traffic congestion and possible solutionsA student asked me about the following topic, whether I think it is a situation essay or an argument one.

“The first car appeared on Britain's road in 1888. By the year 2000 there may be as many as 29 million vehicles on British roads. Alternative forms of transport should be encouraged and international laws introduced to control car ownership and use. What are your views?”I think this is a situation essay because it is talking about a problem and is looking at a possible solution.
Essay plan
Introduction paragraph
Here you should explain what is the problem, what is it's reason and it's consequences. The problem is traffic congestion and a higher number of traffic accidents, the roads are jammed and the environment suffers from increasing amounts of pollution.
First body paragraph – an explanation of the reasons for this situation
The reason is people are accustomed to using their own cars and that population growth combined with higher living standards means that more and more people own cars.
Second body paragraph – a possible solution (alternative transport)
      Explain what forms of public transport should be developed more and why the state they are now is not sufficient to convince people use the public transport. How exactly can government develop the public transport and how can it encourage people use it.
Third body paragraph – another possible solution (laws to control cars ownership)
Write about what kind of laws can be introduced world wide to limit the number of cars per family / per company. Write whether or not you think it will work and why.
Conclusion paragraph:
Summarize what was said before, do not add new information.

IELTS Essay plan: Good and bad of multicultural society
This is a suggested plan for an essay on the following topic:
“Today a lot of different cultures and ethnic groups live together in one country. Why is this so and do you think this is a positive or negative development?”
Essay plan

Introduction paragraph
In the introduction paragraph you should first explain about the situation, mention its reason and consequences:
Example: Due to the highly developed technology, advanced communication channels and massive amounts of information delivered by media about various countries, people get more motivated to leave their home country and move somewhere else in the world. In turn, this creates a situation where well-developed and thus desired countries are getting filled of a mixture of cultures, all brought by immigrants. As beneficial as this development is to the well-being of a country, it's drawbacks shouldn't be forgotten.
First body paragraph – 1 point against multicultural society
•  People stick to their own ethnic group and don't interact with other groups, thus creating the opposite of united society.
Make that point, explain why this is so and why this is bad for the country. Then mention the good sides of cultural mix to smoothly move on to the 2nd paragraph.
  
Second body paragraph – 1 point for multicultural society
•  People from various cultures contribute in multiple different ways to development because they bring with them different sets of skills, characteristic from their home country.
Make that point; explain why this is happening and why this is to the benefit of the any country.
Third body paragraph – 1 point for multicultural society
•  People broaden each other's horizons by exposing a larger audience to the traditions of their own country.
Make that point, explain how this is happening and what are the benefits for the new country.
Conclusion
Summarize what was already said without adding new information, express your own opinion.
IELTS Essay plan: Women ruling the world would reduce violenceI've received a letter from a student who ran out of ideas to write about in his IELTS essay. Nick (not his real name) was asking me if I could send him a plan for his essay and I thought that more people could find it useful, so here it is:
Essay topic: Some people think that if women were to rule the world, there would be less violence in it. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? 

Essay plan

Introduction paragraph
In the introduction you can first state that there are people who think that women have a less violent nature than men and for this reason suggest that women would make the world a less violent place if they were in power. Then you could mention that putting the women in charge won't necessarily have that effect, because there are arguments for and against.

First body paragraph 
 
� 3 points against women in power
•  Ruling the world takes some cruelty that women might not have
•  Having more submissive nature than men, women can create even more violence
•  Women are not decisive enough to enforce order and thus reduce violence
Second body paragraph 
 
� 3 points in favor of women in power
•  Women have less violent nature
•  Women have less tolerance for violence  
•  Women are very concerned with making the world a safer place for the sake of the kids

Conclusion
State your personal opinion (let's assume that you're in favor of women in power), then summarize what was said in the second paragraph.

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