GET IELTS BAND 9 IN WRITING TASK 2 Book 2 PDF

'
G~11YJEFilDSE
JELT'S C0J'J5UL1~J.J.i15
GET IELTS BAND 9
l11 Acade111ic Writi11g
Book2
Essay Pla1111i11g
Fifteen NEW Essays

Sho,ving Ho,,v to Ma."Ximise
Your IELTS Task 2 Writing
By Creating Po,,verful Essay Plans
P11blis l1ed b y Cai11bridg e IELTS Co11s 11ltai1ts

Cai11bridg e , U11ite d Ki11g do111
Copyright© Ca111bridge IELTS Consultants

Jessica Alperne, Peter Swires 2015
All 1~ghts are reserved, including resale 1~ghts.

This e-book is sold subject to the condition that it will not be copied,
duplicated, stored or distributed for any purpose or in any form.
No part of this book n1ay be reproduced or transn1itted in any form or by
any means, electronic or meclianical, or by any infonn ation storage and
retrieval systen1 without written pennission fron1 the authors.
Co11te11ts
Introduction fron1 the authors
Frequently Asked Questions about IELTS essay plannini;";
Exan1ple Tasks. essay plans. Band 9 n1odel essays and exa111iner's notes
Exa111ple Task 1
Exa111ple Task 2
Exa111ple Task 3
Exa111ple Task 4
Exa111ple Task S
Exa111ple Task 6
Exa111ple Task 7
Exan1ple Task 8
Exa111ple Task 9
Example Task 10
Exa111ple Task 11
Exa111ple Task 12
Exa111ple Task 13
Exa111ple Task 14
Exa111ple Task 15
Overvie,,v: The IELTS Acaden1ic Task 2 essay types
The n1ost co111111011111istakes in IELTS acade111ic vv1itini;";
More fro111 Ca111b1idge IELTS Consultants
Introduction from the authors
One of the rnost frequent criticisrns ,vhich IELTS exarniners rnake about
Acadernic Task 2 essays is, 'This essay does11't seeni to have a pla11!'
This book will help you to avoid that problern.
The fact is that IELTS Acaden1ic Writing Task 2 can be challenging even
for native speakers of English, and everyone ,,vill benefit frorn rnaking a plan
before starting to ,vrite. In this book, ,ve show you fifteen ne,v essays, all ,-vritten
to Band 9 standard, together ,<Vith the essay plan ,vhich the candidate created
first. There are also exaruiner's notes ,-vhich show you ho,-v the exaruiner ,-vill
judge your essay in terms of its structure, content, style and language.
Rerueruber, your essay plan is purely for you to use; at the end of the test,
any plans or notes that you n1ake are collected and shredded by the exarniners.
But the plan ,<Vill help you ,Vlite the best essay possible, and the exan1iner ,,vill
ahvays notice that you have planned carefully.
If you have read our other books on Task 2 , you will kr10,-v about the
different types of Task and ho,-v to structure your essay for each one. If you're
not familiar ,-vith these types, please read our 'Overvie,-v' section fro111 the table
of contents, because it is absolutely vital to understand this concept before
taking the exaru.
If you need a dictionary ,-vhile reading this book, ,ve reconuuend the free
Ca1nbridge Dictionaries 011li11e froru Can1bridge University Press.
Don't just trust to luck in your IELTS exan1 - it's too iruportant.
The key is expert advice!
Jessica Alperne & Peter S,vires

Ca111bridge IELTS Consultants
car11b1idgeielts@outlook.co111
Frequently Asked Questions about
IELTS essay planning
,-vI1y do I 11eed to 111ake a plai1 before v.1riti11g i11 Task 2?
It's essential in Task 2 to sho,v the exa1niner that you have analysed the
Task, understood the type of essay needed, and that your ideas are clear and
logical. Making an essay plan ,,vill help you to do this, and also to organise your
ideas, exa1nples and evidence for the main body.
Ho"v 1011g sl1ottld I sp e11d 111aki11g tl1is pla11?
Five 1ninutes 1naximu1n is the best use of tin1e. Reme1nber the ideal ti1ne
1nanagen1ent in Task 2:
5 1ninutes (111axin1u1n) planning
30 n1inutes \Vliting
5 1ninutes (111ini1nun1) checking for any 1nistakes
Ho"v do I 111ake tl1e plai1?
You will have spare paper on your exain desk. Using your pen, circle the
key words on the Task and 1nake a note of the type of task this is, re1nen1bering
our overview of the different types.
Ask yourself: is this an Ideas or an Opinion type task? vVhich type of
Ideas or Opinion task is it? Do I understand the topic and the instruction itself?
When this is clear, 1nake so1ne sho1t notes under the follo,ving headings:
key ,vords on the Task and 1nake a note of the type of task this is, re1nen1bering
our overvie,v of the different types.
Ask yourself: is this an Ideas or an Opinion type task? v\Thich type of
Ideas or Opinion task is it? Do I understand the topic and the inst ruction itself?
When this is clear, 1nake some sho1t notes under the following headings:
Task Type
l11tro
Mai11Body
( + Concession if this is an Opinion> Personal vie,vpoint Task ONLY)
Co11cl11sio11 (for Opinion tasks) or S11111111ary (for Ideas tasks)
Under 'l11tro' note any background infor1nation you can use in the
introduction; 1nake a note to sho,v the exan1iner tha t you understand the task
type. For an Opinion> Personal vie,vpoint task ONLY, this n1eans giving your
opinion in the introduction.
Under 'Mai11 Body' note hvo or three ideas for each aspect of the
argu1nent, ,vith any exainples or evidence you can think of. For exan1ple, in an
Opinion> Discussion task, note hvo or three ideas on each side of the d iscussion;
in an Ideas>proble1ns/ solutions Task, note hvo or three proble1ns, then t,vo or
th ree solutions. You don't need to use 1nore than th ree ideas for each aspect, but
you 111ust have at least h vo!
Make a ve1y sho1t note of any exa1nples or other evidence you can use to
explain the ideas. Re1ne1nber that your evidence should be taken fro1n things
you kno,v or have read about in society generally, not stories about your life or
people you kno,v.
Under 'Co11cl11sio11,' note your opinion (in Opinion Tasks) or quickly

su1n up your n1ain body ideas (in Ideas Tasks.) It is essential to decide your
opinion for an 'Opin ion' essay before you sta1t ,vriting! If you don't, your essay
,,vill probably see111 illogical.
Of course, this essay plan ,,vill 11ot be seen by anyone except you, so it
doesn't need to be ,,vritten neatly or in co1nplete sentences. An exainple is:
Tas k
So1ne co111111entators feel that grandparents should live together ,,vith

their children and grandchildren, ,,vhile others say that older people should be
encouraged to live independently.
Consider the possible argu1nents on both sides of this debate, and reach
your o,vn conclusion.
Sh1de11t's Pla11
Essay type: Opinion>Discussion
Intro: traditional vs affordable debate
For living ,.vith fan1ily:
1 Traditional:
More e1notional support, eg in bereavement
2 More security (against c1in1e and accidents)
3 Cheaper, 1nay increase quality of life
For living independently:
1 Increases self-reliance and independence, self-estee111

2 Fan1ily rnay not have space or tin1e
3 Allo,vs grandparents to have fa1nilies visiting the111, enjoyinent
Conclusion: Better to live alone, provided that health/ finances allo,v this
This is a classic Task 2 plan, helping the candidate to think of ideas and
organise evidence and exa1nples. The con1plete essay is sho,vn in our 'Exainple
Task 1' in this book. You ,vill see that the plan is ,vritten in si1nple English, in
incomplete sentences, for 1naxitnu1n speed.
Ho"v do I 11se tl1e plru1 ,vl1ile 1'111 " 'riti11g?
You should look quickly at the plan before you sta1t each paragraph, to
re1nind you of the points for each section. It ,vould be ahnost itnpossible to
re1ne1nber all your ideas and exa1nples unless you check the plan. As you ,vrite
the essay, you ,vill need to change the si1nple ,vords in your plan for 1nore
advanced words (eg cheaper>less costly or better>stronger arginnent.)
To ensure that you are on track, re111e1nber to count the nu1nber of ,vords
you have ,vritten after you finish each paragraph, and also check the ti1ne
frequently.
In this book, ,ve have noted the nu1nber of ,vords after each essay so that
you can see the ,vord count, but in the real exa1n you don't need to do this.
Please also re1ne1nber that in Acade1nic Task 2, you should never use
contractions (eg don't, 1von't etc) or exclamation (!) 1narks. Our book 'Write The
Acade1nic Way' gives lots of advice on ,vriting in an Acade111ic English style.
Sl1011ld I also do a pla11 for Task 1?
We reconunend not doing a plan for task 1, because there is so little titne.
As ,ve explain in our book 'Get IELTS Band 9 In Writing Task 1,' it is better to
dra,v graphic notes vvith a red pen on the test paper itself, especially if it is a data
task with charts, graphs and tables. Re1ne111ber, you 1nust finish Task 1 in 20
1n inutes 111axin11un.
Example Tasks, essay plans, Band 9
model essays and examiner's notes
Example Task 1
Son1e commentators feel that grandparents should live together ,.vith
their children and grandchildren, ,vhile others say that elderly people should be
Consider the possible argu111ents on both sides of this debate, and reach
Exvlanation of the Task
This is an Opinion> Discussion type Task, requiling you to discuss both

sides of a topic and then give your view. You should introduce the topic, 111ake it
clear that this ,\rill be a Discussion essay, and then give n,vo or three ideas to
suppo1t each side in the debate. You should give your o,,vi1 opinion in the
conclusion.
Re111e111ber that the instruction 'Consider the possible arginnents on both
sides of this debate, and reach your oiun conclusion' 111ay be expressed in 111any
different ,vays in the IELTS test, but the principle for this Task type ,vill be the
saine.
Student's Plan
So1ne conunentators feel that grandparents should live together ,vith
their children and grandchildren, ,vhile others say that elderly people should be
Consider the possible argu1nents on both sides of this debate, and reach
EXl)lanation of the Task
This is an Opinion> Discussion type Task, requiling you to discuss both

sides of a topic and then give your view. You should introduce the topic, 1nake it
clear that th is ,vill be a Discussion essay, and then give n,vo or three ideas to
suppo1t each side in the debate. You should give your own opinion in the
conclusion.
Re1ne1nber that the instruction 'Consider the possible argunients on both
sides of this debate, and reach your oivn conclusion' 111ay be expressed in 1nany
different ,vays in the IELTS test, but the principle for this Task type will be the
same.
Student's Plan
Essay type: OpiI1io11> Dis c11ssio11
l11tro: traditio11al vs affordable debate
For livi11g "vitl1 fa111ily:
1 Traditio11al: More e111otio11al s 11pport, e g i11 b ereav e111e11t

2 More s ec11rity (ag ai11s t cri111e a11d a c cide11ts)
3 Cl1eaper, 111ay i11crease qt1ality of life
For livi11g i11depe11de11tly:
1 I11creases self-relia11ce a11d i11depe11de11ce, self-estee111

2 Fa111ily 111ay 11ot l1ave s pace or ti111e
3 Allo,\ 7S gra11dpare11ts to l1ave fa111ilies visiti11g tl1e111,
e11joy111e11t
Co11cl11sio11: Better to live alo11e, provided tl1at l1ealtl1/ fi11a11ces

allowtl1is
Band 9 Model Essav

'
The issue of ,vhether grandparents should live ,<\Tith their extended

fa1nilies is partly a question of the t raditions in different cultures or
nationalities. Ho,vever, the question of affordability also plays an increasing
part, and so this debate is rather co1nplex, as ,ve sh all see.
On the one hand, those ,vho suppo1t the idea of grandparents living \<\Tith
their children point to the higher level of emotional support ,vhich all fa1nily
n1e1nbers 1nay receive in such situations, for exa1nple in tilnes of c1isis such as
bereave1nent. Furthern1ore, it is also true that personal secu1ity 1nay be
increased, offering protection against such proble1ns as accidents or even
robbe1y. Finally, it seems that extended fa1nily life will also be considerably less
costly, for instance ,vitl1 lo,ver food and utility bills, 1neaning that enjoyn1ent of
life 1nay be higher.
By cont rast, suppo1ters of grandparents living independently often state
that elderly people should be encouraged to be as self-reliant as possible, as this
boosts their self-estee111 and 1nay guard against 1nental decline in old age. They
also say, with so1ne 1nerit, that 1nany younger fa1nilies these days do not have the
housing space, or indeed the spare tilne, which is necessary to care properly for
older 1ne1nbers. As a last point, it is also true that 1nany grandparents prefer to
see their grandchildren on a less frequent basis (as opposed to eve1y day),
1naking these visits 1nore special and che1ished for all concerned.
Overall, it appears t o 1ne that the stronger argu1nent is in favour of
grandparents living independently, ,\11th all the advantages of self-reliance and
separate space. This is provided that their health and finances allo,v tl1e111 to
continue living separately, ,vithout risk or the fear of isolation.
(282 \.YOrds)
Exa1niner's notes
This is a clearly structured and logical Opinion> Discussion essay, \-vhich

\.Yould certainly achieve Band 9. The candidate clarifies at the sta1t that the essay
\-vill 'debate' the discussion, and the main body e1nphasises the h vo opposing
vie\-vs ,\11th helpful linking phrases ('On the one hand . .. By cont rast . . .') The
1nain body has th ree clear ideas on each side, and the \.Ytiter uses a variety of
phrases to report the n-vo aspects ('Supporters point to ... state ... say, \-vith
so1ne 1nerit . . .') The use of conjunctions to sho,v the tr ansition fro111 one idea to
the next inside each paragraph is excellent ('Ftuther111ore ... Finally ... They
also say . .. As a last point . . .')
The candidate avoids e1notion or excessive personalisation by using 'It
seen1s ... It appears that .. .' ,vhich is a str ong feature of acade1nic ,v1iting. The
conclusion is clearly introduced ('Overall ... ') and recaps briefly on the debate,
adding a 'proviso' \-Vith 'This is provided that .. .' ,vhich 1nakes the opinion
balanced and 1nore co1nplex.
The language used is fon nal/ acade1n ic but also n1odern (I noted in
particular 'bereave1nent, utility, boost, 1nerit, self-reliance.')
I have the ilnpression of a \.Yell-organised candidate, ,vho can use the key
ele1nents of acade1nic writing to discuss an issue logically and ve1y clearly.
Example Task 2
'For all children, the ability to play a rnusical instrurnent is just as

irnportant as the abilih.J to read and 1urite.'
Ho,v far do you agree ,'\Tith th is suggestion? Ho,v i1nportant is it for a child
to learn to play a 1uusical inst1un1ent, in your vie,v?
This is an Opinion> Personal Vie,vpoint type task. It does not ask you to
debate both sides of a topic, but to say how 111uch you agree ,\11th an idea. You
should int roduce the topic and give your opinion in the introduction. The 1nain
body sh ould explain your reasons for your vie,v, ,\11th two or three supporting
ideas. You should 1nention the opp osing vie,v b tiefly, and then r eject it (th is is
called the 'concession.') The conclusion should state your opinion again, and
sununarise so1ue of the 111ain supp orting ideas.
Student's Plan
Essay type: Opi11io11> Perso11al Viewpoi11t
l11tro: I do11't agree for all cl1ildre11
Mai11 Bodv:
1 Not all cl1ildre11 are 11111sically tale11ted

2 Literacy is a g11ara11tee of ed11catio11 a11d rogress; 11111s ic is
debate both sides of a topic, but to say ho,v n1uch you agree \\rith an idea. You
should introduce the topic and give your opinion in the int ro duction. The 1nain
body should explain your reasons for your vie,v, v\rith nvo or th ree supporting
ideas. You should 1nention the opposing vie,v btiefly, and th en reject it (this is
called the 'concession.') The conclusion should state your opinion again, and
sununarise so1ne of th e n1ain supporting ideas.
Student's Plan
Ess ay type: Opi1lio11> Perso11al Vie'\ovpoi11t
l 11h·o: I do11't agree for all cl1ildre11
l\1ai11 Bo dv :
1 Not all cl1ildre11 are 11111sically tale11ted

2 Literacy is a g11ara11tee of e d11catio11 a11d progress; 11111sic is
11ot ( eg fe,\' professio11al 11111sicia11S)
3 M11s ic sl1011ld be 011e of a ra11ge of optio11al activities (eg ,vitl1
sport, l1obbies, readi11g)
Co11cessio11: For so111e (a fe,\') cl1ildre1111111sic is esse11tial, b11t

11ot all
Co11cl11sio11: Literacy 111ore i111porta11t tl1a11 playi11g 11111sic.

l\111Sic a seco11dary, optio11al activity, cru1 be i11val11able for so111e.
Band 9 lvlodel Essav

•
The question of ,.vhich skills to p rio1itise for a child 's early education is
ilnportant for all parents and educators, and 1nusic can ce1tainly clailn to be a
key possibility when deciding ,vhich abilities to teach. Ho,vever, I feel that
playing 1nusic is actually less ilnportant than basic literacy, and I vvill explain the
reasons here.
Firstly, it seen1s sin1plistic to say that music is para1nount 'for all
children.' Ce1tainly, there are so1ne children who are highly talented or have
great interest in 111usic, and ,vhen ,ve th ink of childhood p rodigies such as
Beethoven or Yehudi Menuhin ,ve see ho,v this talent can be brought out.
Ho,vever, such talents are rare, and even the enjoyinent and cultural values to be
gained fro111 learning 1nusic cannot genuinely be co111pared to the benefits of
becoming literate. Secondly, it is a fact that literacy is a guarantee of acade1n ic
progress and the absorption of infor1nation, ,vhile playing 1nusic does not offer
th is security. For exa1nple, it ,vould be unin1aginable to t rans111it scientific or
1nathen1atical inforn1ation to children via the 111ediun1 of 1nusic. Finally, it is
surely ,viser to regard music as one of a ,vide range of secondary skills, ranking
belo,v literacy and sitting alongside spo1t s, hobbies, foreign languages and other
ilnportant but less essential activities.
Of course, those who say that highly talented children n1ust be allo,ved to
develop their talents are quite correct; it is equally t rue, though, that fe,v
children seen1 t o possess n1usical ability to the extent that it should be
prio1itised so highly for all pupils.
In conclusion, I would not wish to underesti111ate the potential benefits of
learning to play n1usic for a minority of children, a nd it should ce1t ainly be
available as an option. However, if ,ve think of all children in a given
con1n1unity, literacy appears to be a far stronger patlnvay to p rogress and
independence.
(309 ,vords)
Exa1n iner's notes

This candidate has produced a Band 9 essay ,vith a clear structure, logical
ideas and a strong co1n1nand of Acaden1ic English. The in troduction introduces
son1e general background about the topic, and 1nakes it clear that the essay ,,vill
be the appropriate Opinion>Personal vie,vpoint type.
The 1nain body is largely given to an explanation of the candidate's
reasons for thinking this, ,vhich are sequenced ,vell ,vith
'Firstly/ secondly/ finally.' In this section, the w1iter avoids using 'I' and uses
iln personal st ructures instead ('it see1ns .. . ,vhen ,ve think of .. . it is a fact that .
. . it is surely') ,vhich ,ve ,vould expect in Acaden1ic writing in English. There is a
sho1t 'concession' paragraph that 1nentions the opposing vie,v and then counters
it ,vith a logical objection.
The language throughout is acade1nic in style but is never too for1nal or
co1nplicated. For instance, the part ,vhich reads ...
'Secondly, it is a fact that literacy is a guarantee ofacaden1ic progress

and the absorption of inforrnation, ivhile playing rnusic does not offer this
security. For exan1ple, it ivould be unirnaginable to transrnit scientific or
rnathernatical inforn1ation to children via the rnediurn of nzusic.'
. .. is an excellent de1nonstration of co1nplex sentences (ie sentences with

several ideas) ,v1itten in a clear ,vay ,vhich is si1nilar to acade1nic writing or
advancedjournalis1n ,vhich one 1night read in the 1nedia.
The n vo n1usical geniuses given as exa1nples are sufficiently well-kno,vi1
to be relevant (this is so1nething ,vhich can cause p roble1ns ,vhen candidates
reference people ,vho111 they kno,v about but ,vho are not ,videly kno,vn to the
public.)
The conclusion is effective in su1111narising the n1ain ideas and recapping
on the ,v1ite1' s opinion.
As an exaininer, I sta1t reading an IELTS essay by ,vanting to give the
highest possible n1ark, and nothing here ,vould stop n1e fro1n giving a Band 9!
Example Task 3
In n1any countries, truancy* is a ,vorrying problen1 for both parents and

educators. What are the causes of truancy, and ,vhat 111ay be the effects on the
child and the ,vider co1n1nunity?
(* truancy = the situation 1vhen a child pretends to go to school but in
fact goes son1e1vhere else,for exan1ple to play unsupervised. The verb is 'to
play truantfron1 school.')
Ewlanation of the Task
This is an Ideas>Causes/ Effects type Task. It does not ask you to say if
truancy is a good or bad thing, but it asks you to think of ideas about ,vhy
t1uancy happens and the i1npact on children and the co1n1nunity. You should
introduce the topic briefly, then suggest two or three causes, plus nvo or three
effects, and then sununarise in the conclusion, 1vithout expressing a personal
judge1nent.
Someti1nes, a Task ,<\Till give you a definition of a word or phrase; 1nake
sure you read this carefully and use the ,vords accurately in the essay, because
the 1neaning n1ight be different fro1n what you initially think.
Student's Plan
Type: ideas >ca11ses/ effects (effects 011 cl1ild & co1111111111itv)
l11tro: tl1is is ca11se/ effect essay
Possible ca11ses:
In 1nany countries, truancy * is a ,vorrying proble1n for both parents and
educators. What are the causes of truancy, and what n1ay be the effects on the
child and the ,,vider co1n1nunity?
(* truancy = the situation iuhen a child pretends to go to school but in
fact goes sonieiuhere else,for exaniple to play unsupervised. The verb is 'to
play truantfro111 school.')
This is an Ideas>Causes/ Effects type Task. It does not ask you to say if
truancy is a good or bad thing, but it asks you to think of ideas about ,vhy
truancy happens and the i1npact on children and the co1n1nunity. You should
introduce the topic briefly, then suggest hvo or three causes, plus hvo or three
effects, and then sununarise in the conclusion, iuithout expressing a personal
judge1nent.
So1uetimes, a Task ,,vill give you a definition of a ,vord or phrase; make
sure you read this carefully and use the ,vords accurately in the essay, because
the 1neaning n1ight be different fro1n ,vhat you initially think.
Student's Plan
Type: ideas >ca11ses/ effects (effects 011 cl1ild & co1111111111itv)
l11tro: tl1is is ca11se/ effect essay
Possible ca11ses:
1 Boredo111 \\ritl1 scl1ool, dull lesso11s
2 Peer press11re, otl1er cl1ildre11 do it
Possible effects:
1 Lack of progress, & career proble111s ( cl1ild)
2 Te111pted iI1to cri111e (clrild)
3 Petty c11.111e eg va11dalis111, litter, a11ti-social bel1avio11r
( co 111111llllity)
S1u11111ary: Ca11ses ca11 be acade111ic & fro111 peers; effects are to

do ,vitl1 cri111e & bel1avio11r
Band 9 l\1odel Essav

'
Truancy is an activity ,vhich son1e children regard as a111using or even

exciting, but ,vhich can have serious ilupacts on their future and on society as a
,vhole. I can identify t,vo 111ain causes, and three broad effects, ,,vhich ,,ve ,vill
describe 110,v.
Perhaps the n1ain cause is a sense ofboredo111 or frustration ,vith school
itself, for instance ,,rith the content, pace or organisation of the lessons. This can
be seen in the vvay that pupils often avoid ce1tain lessons but not others,
suggesting that specific subjects or teachers are the personal grievance, Another
factor n1ay frequently be peer pressure, 1neaning that pupils feel obliged to play
truant because son1e of their peers or friends are doing this. Vve can see that the
child's desire to be popular a1nong a peer group 1nay be higher than the
n1otivation to study and progress,
Turning to possible effects, tl1e tendency to underpe1for111 acade111ically is
probably the n1ost serious i111pact on a pupil's life, leading to poor exrun results
and vveak career progression in later life. Another effect 1nay be the te111ptation
to pa1ticipate in petty c1in1e or antisocial behaviour vvhile the child is
unsupervised, potentially opening a path,vay into 1nore se1ious c1i111es later on,
For exan1ple, a child ,vho conunits vandalis111 1nay progress to theft and robbery,
a trend ,ve see in so111e n1ajor South Alnelican cities such as Rio or Buenos Aires.
This issue of crilne is probably the third 1najor effect, and one that i1npacts on
the con1111unity as a ,-vhole. For instance, children playing truant 111ay cause
da1nage, drop litter, intilnidate elderly people and con11nit other acts ,-vhich
spread a sense of instability and anxiety, even though the financial i1npact is lo,v.
To sun1 up, the causes of truancy generally relate to lack of challenge or
peer pressures, ,-vhile the effects are seen in individual under-achieve1nent and
in 111inor c1i1ne against the conununity as a ,vhole.
(315 ,vords)
Exa1n iner's notes
This candidate has produced a logical and clear to read essay ,-vhich
ans,-vers the Cause>Effect Task to a Band 9 standard . The introduction tells 111e
that she has identified the essay type, and advises 111e to expect to read about t,,vo
causes and three effects.
The 1nain body uses tentative language effectively ('Perhaps the 1nain
cause .. . Another factor 1nay frequently be . . . 1nav be higher than . . .' etc)
,vhich adds a sense of objectivity. The second paragraph is introduced clearly
('Turning to . . .') and the ideas are separated helpfully ('Another effect .. . the
third 1najor effect .. .') sho,,ving that the 'three effects' described in the
introduction are being explained. The exrunples given are rather si1nple, but they
certainly illustrate the 1nain ideas in a concise ,vay.
The vocabula1y sho,-vs a good conunand of advanced 1naterial (eg 'sense
ofboredo1n ' 'tendency to underperfonn' 'participate in' 'conunit acts') and the
i1npression is that the candidate has read a lot of general conunentary in the
press or 1nedia to help develop this.
The conclusion sun11na1ises the 111ain ideas, and expresses the1n ,vithout
repeating directly fro111 the 1nain body (eg 'boredo1n>lack of challenge'
'underpe1fo11n>under-achieve1nent' 'petty crilne>1ninor c1in1e') ,-vhich sho,-vs a
,vide range of active vocabulary.
Example Task 4
Many people today are ,vo1-ried about the large quantities of ,vaste
produced by ordina1y households. v\That problen1s are caused by household
,vaste, and what solutions rnay be possible in both the short and the long ter1n?
This is an Ideas> Problerns/ solutions type Task. It is not asking for your
opinion, but for you to propose sorne ideas on this topic. You should introduce
the topic and essay, and describe t,vo or three problerns, then n,vo or three
solutions, and then sununarise. Note that the task asks for 'both the short and
the long ter1n' solutions, so you 1nust rnention both of these. Also, the topic is
only about household ( = dornestic) ,¥aste, not industrial ,vaste; re1ne1nber to
check these srnaller points in the inst ructions, because in the exam it can be easy
to rniss thern!
Student's Plan
Type: Ideas>proble111s / sol11tio11s
l11tro: Backgrot111d: a11 i11creasi11g proble111 (do111estic waste)
Proble111s
1 Proc essi11g & disposal, eg la11dfill, recycli11g
2 Cost ofrecycli11g/ safe disposal i s l1igl1 (taxes etc)
Sol11tio11s
produced by ordinary households. v\That proble1ns are caused by household
\.Yaste, and \-vhat solutions 1uay be possible in both the sho1t and the long tern1?
EX1,?lanation of the Task
This is an Ideas> Problen1s/ solutions type Task. It is not asking for your
opinion, but for you to propose so1ne ideas on this topic. You should introduce
the topic and essay, and describe t\.YOor three proble1ns, then t\.vo or three
solutions, and then sun11na1ise. Note that the task asks for 'both the short and
the long ter1n' solutions, so you 1nust mention both of these. Also, the topic is
only about household ( = do1nestic) waste, not industrial \-Vaste; ren1en1ber to
check these sn1aller points in the instructions, because in the exan1 it can be easy
to 111iss the1n!
Student's Plan
Type: Ideas>proble111s/ s ol11tio11s
l11h·o: Backgro1111d: a11 i11creas i11g proble111 ( do111estic , vaste)
Proble111s
1 Processi11g & dis pos al, eg la11dfill, recycli11g
2 Cost ofrecycli11g/safe dis posal is l1igl1 (taxes etc)
Sol11tio11s
1 Sl1ort-tern1: More fi111ds for recycli11g, i11crease 11se of recy cled
111aterial
2 Lo11g-ter111: More ed11catio11/ i11ce11tives/pe11alties to cl1ru1ge
bel1aviot1r
S11111111arv:
Proble111s = e11viro11111e11tal & cost; sol11tio11S = sl1ort & 1011g ter111
Band 9 Model Essav•
It is inevitable that 1nodern households ,vill produce son1e waste, but the
increasing volumes of refuse over recent years present a challenge for us all.
There see1n to be two 111ain proble111s ste1n1ning fro1n this situation, and also two
steps we could take to address it fully.
Possible the 111ajor proble1n is the huge question of ho,v to collect, process
and dispose of this 1naterial. Household waste cornprises ele1nents ranging frorn
foodstuffs to 1netal, paper and plastics, and local autho1ities son1etimes struggle
to handle such a diverse 111ix of 111aterial. The historical solution has been
incineration or landfill, but the problen1s of pollution and long-tenn ground
containination ,vhich arise have led to widespread efforts to recycle at least so1ne
of the waste. This leads us to the second concern, ,vhich is the high cost of
disposing of refuse in an ecologically sound 1nanner. We ,vould all ,,rish as n1uch
as possible of our rubbish to be recycled (for exa1nple by paper pulping or
reusing plastics) but the expense involved 111ust be 1net by higher taxes and
charges for households.
Regarding possible solutions, probably the 111ost inunediate sho1t-ter111
solution ,vould be to divert far 111ore govenunent funds into ,vaste processing
and recycling facilities at a local level. This ,vould reduce the environ1nental
ilnpact of the ,vaste by reducing pollution, and also lo,ver our de1nand for raw
1naterials, as 111ore recycled products ,vould consequently be produced. A
fu1ther, longer-ter111 solution 111ight be to raise the level of public understanding
for the need to consun1e less 111aterial in households, especially in tenns of
packaging and ,vasted food. A ca111paign of education along these lines would
gradually lessen the volurne of ,vaste, especially if reinforced by incentives for
consu1ning less and penalties for excessive ,vaste, as ,ve see being trialled in the
UK at present.
Overall, the rnain proble1ns are both environrnental and financial. The
possible solutions involve rnore inunediate investrnent in facilities, and also
encouraging long-terrn changes in household behaviour.
(326 ,vords)
Exa1niner's notes
This is a logical and ,veil-organised Band 9 essay, with strong acadernic

style and very effective advanced vocabulary. The introduction tells 1ne clearly
that the candidate has considered both the topic and the task, and has prepared
a problern/ solution 1nain body.
The 'proble1ns' paragraph gives exarnples in an effective ,vay ('ranging
fro111 . .. to') and uses cornplex sentences ,vhich present a variety of ideas (in
particular the sentence 'The historical solution .. . so1ne of the ,vaste' ,vhich
contains three stages of ideas in a logical sequence.) Signposting is excellent (eg
'This leads us to . .. Regarding possible .. .')
The 'solutions' paragraph offers practical ideas ,vithout excessive
technical detail, and uses tentative language ('\vould ... might be') to sho,v that
the candidate is discussing possible re1nedies rather than presenting a complete
solution. The candidate ernphasises that she is presenting short and long terrn
solutions. The level of vocabulary is excellent, both in terrns of acadernic English
(eg 'stenuning frorn .. . cornprises .. . divert funds .. . reinforced by incentives')
and topic-specific language (eg 'incineration ... ecologically sound . .. paper
pulping ... environrnental irnpact.') We don't expect candidates to kno,v
scientific or ve1y specialised words, but this vocabulary is used ,videly on this
topic in the general 1nedia.
The sununary is rather brief, but it covers the 1nain ideas ,-veil, and at 326
,vords I ,vould not ,vant the essay to be rnuch longer.
Example Task 5
'People 1vho do not use social 1nedia net1vorks 1vill ahvaysfall behind in
career develop1nent opportunities.'
To \vhat extent do you feel that this is an accurate and in1po1tant
prediction?
(Social 111edia net,vorks = 1nessaging and infor111ation exchange syste111s

such as Facebook and Twitter.)
This is an Opinion>personal viewpoint type task (like Exa111ple Task

nu1nber 2 in this book.) Re1ne1nber that this type is different fro111 the
Opinion> Discussion type; here, give you opinion in the introduction, and use
the 1nain body to explain your reasons. Have a short 'concession' paragraph, and
then sununarise your opinion and reasons ve1y briefly in the conclusion.
Re111e111ber not to use excessive detail in your evidence and examples!
You probably have a lot of infonnation about a topic such as social 111edia, but
your evidence needs to be accessible to a general reader.
Student's Plan
Essay type: Opi11io11> Perso11al vie,\rpoi11t
l11trod11ctio11: Backgro1111d; I do11't agree \\ritl1 'al,vays' i11 tl1e

state111e11t
To ,vhat extent do you feel that th is is an accurate and i1npo1tant
prediction?
(Social 1nedia net,vorks = 1nessaging and infor111ation exchange syste111s

such as Facebook and T,vitter.)
This is an Opinion>personal vie,vpoint type task (like Exa1nple Task

nu1nber 2 in th is book.) Ren1e1nber that this type is different fron1 the
Opinion> Discussion type; here, give you opinion in the introduction, and use
the 1nain body to explain your reasons. Have a short 'concession' paragraph, and
then sunnnarise your opinion and reasons ve1y briefly in the conclusion.
Re1ne1nber not to use excessive detail in your evidence and exainples!
You probably have a lot of infonnation about a topic such as social n1edia, but
your evidence needs to be accessible to a general reader.
Student's Plan
Essay type: OpiI1io11> Pers o11al vie,\rpoi11t
l11trod11ctio11: Backgro1111d ; I do11't agree \\ritl1 'al\ovays' i11 tl1e

s tate111e11t
Mai11 bodv r easo11s;

1 Q11alificatio11s etc are 111ore i111porta11t (eg doctors)
2 l11te rperso 11al s kills are 111ore powerfttl, ( eg 11eg otiatio11)
3 Social 111e dia l1as risks (eg pics/co111111e11ts), so111e people
111i11i111ise SM becat1se oftl1is
Co11cessio11: Tr11e tl1at social 111e dia is good for 11etworki11g; b11t
tl1is i s after s 11ccess, 11ot before
Co11cl11sio11: Recap 011 q11alificatio11s/pers o11al s kills, a11d tl1e

.
co11cess1011
Band 9 Model Essav

'
Social n1edia plays an increasingly pivotal role in our lives, and an ability
to use these syste1ns is certainly an advantage both socially and professionally.
Ho,vever, it seen1s rather excessive to say that ignorance of these 111atters ,¥ill
'ahvays' rest1ict people's careers, and I ,vill explain ,vh y.
Firstly, career progression relies on a ,vhole range of factors, not only on
the use of social n1edia. For exa1nple, a professional person ,,vill have a range of
qualifications, ranging from acade111ic exa111s to vocational certificates and
n1e1nbership of professional bodies. Vve see this in the ,vay that successful
doctors take increasingly specialised qualifications and join specific institutes to
develop their skills. Here, social 111edia 1nay be a con1n1unication tool, but is
surely not the diiving force behind success. Secondly, career develop1nent relies
greatly on interpersonal skills such as presentation 1nethods, persuasiveness and
negotiation, all of ,vhich are used in face-to-face situations rather than re111otely.
Finally, ,ve should ren1e1nber the dangers of social 111edia and the 1isk of actually
hinde1ing one's career, for instance by accidentally distributing a,vk,vard photos
or conunents ,vhich can be an e1nbarrass1nent personally and professionally.
Indeed, 1nany professionals in fact 1nini1nise their use of these 111edia because of
th is risk.
Ad111ittedly, it is true that social 1nedia presents great opportunities for
1naking contacts and nehvorking, for exa111ple by building a follo,ving or
exchanging updates on a particular topic. Ho,vever, this tends t o happen ,vhen a
person is already qualified and respected in their field, rather than being a cause
of success.
In conclusion, it appears that skilful use of these 1nedia can play a useful
role in career progression, despite the possible 1isks. Neve1theless, the
funda1nental qualifications and personal skills which drive a career ,,vill ensure
that those ,vho are not enthusiastic users ,vill still progress as they ,vish.
(302 \.YOrds)
Exa1n iner's notes
This is an ilnpressive Band 9 essay: clear for n1e to read, ,vith suitable
ideas and evidence.
The intro helps 111e to anticipate ,vhat ,vill be in the 1nain body ('I ,\'ill
explain why') and, by fo cussing on the key ,,vord 'ah,vays,' it sho,,vs that the
candidate has analysed the task carefully. This is a strong start.
The 1uain body has strong linking between ideas ('Firstly . .. Secondly ...
Finally') and the evidence is presented ,vith a range of structures ('For exa1nple .
. . such as .. . for instance ... ranging fro1n/ to ... ,,ve see this in the way . . .')
,,vhich add variety. The concession is clearly introduced ('Adin ittedly') and the
opposing vie,,v is rejected in a logical ,vay. The conclusion is balanced
('Nevertheless') and is an effective recap of the n1ain ideas.
The acade1n ic style is ve1y effective, ,<\Tith a nu1nber of co1nplex sentences
(sentences ,vith h vo or n1ore ideas) especially in n1ain body and conclusion.
S01ne of the vocab is quite silnple (eg 'face-to-face') but this fits the argu1uent
,,vell; else,vhere, the vocabula1y sho,,vs a ve1y advanced grasp, especially ,,vords
such as 'pivotal, vocational, to hinder, fundaiuental.'
One point I ,,vould like to e1n phasise is the nature of the ideas in this
essay. The candidate's reasons for his opinion are based on quite siluple reasons,
,,vhich h e explains ,<\Tith clear exainples. As an exa1n iner, I like to see such silnple,
clearly-explained reasons ,vhich allo,v the candidate to de1uonstrate his skills of
organisation and Acade1n ic English style.
Example Task 6
'Knoiuing hoiu to 1nake a group presentation is the 1nost i111portant skill

for anyone in the world of 1uork today.'
Ho,v ilnportant are p resentation and public speaking skills, co1npared to
various other ,-vork skills? Which skill is the 111ost itnportant ability for 1nost
people these days?
El{l)lanation of the Task
This is an Ideas> Evaluate type essay, ,vhich is the least co1111non type in
the IELTS wiiting test. The Task is not asking for your opinion about
presentation skills in isolation, but is asking you to co1npare the irnportance of
th is skill to va1ious other skills, and to decide ,vhich is the 1nost itnpo1tant.
You should introduce the topic and give an outline of your decision in the
introduction, then use the 111ain body to sho\>v your 'ranking' of ,vhat is
i111portant. You can sin1ply do this by saying 'The most i1npo1tant is .. . the
second 111ost i1npo1tant is . . .' and so on. Th ree ideas are enough for the 1nain
body (ie a 'ranking' of three skills, in this exainple) ,<Vith your reasons/ evidence
for deciding on this ranking.
The sununa1y should briefly recap on the ranking and your reasons.
Student's Plan
Essay Type: Ideas> Eval11ate

El{l)lanation of the Task
This is an Ideas> Evaluate type essay, ,vhich is the least co1111non type in
the IELTS wiiting test. The Task is not asking for your opinion about
presentation skills in isolation, but is asking you to co1npare the iniportance of
this skill to va1ious other skills, and to decide ,vhich is the n1ost ilnpo1tant.
You should introduce the topic and give an outline of your decision in the
introduction, then use the 1nain body to sho\>v your 'ranking' of ,vhat is
i1nportant. You can sin1ply do this by saying 'The most i1npo1tant is .. . the
second 1nost i1npo1tant is . . .' and so on. Th ree ideas are enough for the 1nain
body (ie a 'ranking' of three skills, in this exainple) ,<Vith your reasons/ evidence
for deciding on this ranking.
The sununa1y should briefly recap on the ranking and your reasons.
Student's Plan
Essay Type: Ide as> Ev al11ate
I11trod11ctio11: A ra11ge of s kills 11eeded; 2 otl1ers 111ore

i111porta11t tl1a11 pres e11tatio11al
M ai11 Bodv:
1 (Mos t i111porta11t) Ti111e 111ru1age111e11t/ prioritis i11g, eg for

111edici11e, co11fe re11ces less i111porta11t
2 (2 nd i111portru1t) Tea111111a11age111e11t, p11blic & private s ector,
s ocial 111edia r eplac es pt1blic speaki11g
3 Pres e11tatio11 skills ru·e 3 rd 111ost i111porta11t today, w ork is
Co11cl11sio11: D 011't 11eglect speaki11g skills, b11t tl1is is 1111111ber 3
i11 ,,,orkplace 11o"v
Band 9 Model Essav

'
Success at ,vork these days requires a ,vide range of skills, of ,.vhich

presentational ability is ce1tainly an1ong the n1ost ilnpo1tant. Ho,.vever, there are
n vo other skills ,vhich appear to be 1nore useful, ,vhich ,ve ,vill evaluate no,v.
Possibly the key skill in professional life today is in fact the ability to
handle a high ,.vorkload, including the n1ethods of prioritising tasks and
1nanaging one's tilne in an effective ,.vay. In 1nost professions, this skill has
gro,vn in in1po1tance hugely over recent years, ,vhile the need for public
speaking has probably ren1ained static. For exa111ple, in the n1edical field,
doctors attend increasingly fe,.ver conferences and se1ninars, because these
events are perceived as ti111e-consu111ing and less productive than they used to be
due to the ease of exchanging infor111ation re1notely.
The second 111ost in1portant skill is probably the capacity to 1nanage
tea1ns of people, including the techniques of setting and 1nonito1ing tea111
objectives. This ability is fundainental to 1nodern organisations in both business
and the public sector, and success in this area virtually guarantees a person
professional advancen1ent, even if their public speaking skills are less developed.
We see this in the ,.vay in ,.vhich finance or consu1ner goods co1npanies pro1note
effective teain 1nanagers, but rarely require then1 to address large groups of
people. The san1e trend can be seen in the civil ad1n inistration and public
services, ,.vhere public speaking has to so1ne extent been replaced by use of social
1nedia.
For these reasons, I ,.vould evaluate presentation skills as a tertiary skill,
,.vhich is ilnpo1tant but increasingly less useful than in the past, due to the
radical changes in the ,vay ,ve ,vork together and conununicate ,vith each other
professionally.
Overall, it is true that professional people should not neglect or
underesti111ate the usefulness of speaking skills. Ho,vever, the skills of ,vorkload
111anagen1ent and tean1 direction appear to b e n1ore relevant and decisive in
today's rapidly evolving ,vorh.'Place.
Exa111iner's notes
'Evaluate' type essays can be difficult to ,,vrite effectively, because the

candidate son1eti1nes tries to \\'lite about ho,v 'good or bad' son1ething is, rather
than ',vhere in the ranking' it is. This essay cla1ifies in its introduction that the
,vriter is going to evaluate and present a ranking of in1portance, leading us
neatly into the n1ain body.
The reasons given for placing the 'tilne n1anage1nent' and 'tean1
n1anagen1ent' skills above 'presentation' skills are explained ,vith relevant
exrunples ,vhich are persuasive ,vithout requiting specialised kno,vledge. Each of
these skills is co1npared to 'presentation' skills, and logical reasons are given
,vith evidence for deciding that they are 111ore in1po1tant. The candidate uses a
ve1y effective 111ix of tentative language (eg 'Possiblv the key skill . . . probably
re111ained static .. . The second n1ost ilnportant skill is probably . . .') and also
persuasive descriptions (eg 'events are perceived' 'fundan1ental' 'vi1tually
guarantees' 'Vve see this in the ,vay . . .') This con1bination of tentative,
i1npersonal phrases and 1nore persuasive phrases is so1nething I re,vard ,vith a
high band score.
The language sho\vs a strong level of advanced, Acade111ic English,
although it is noticeable that all the language is today ,videly used in the press
and n1edia. For instance, 'static' 'perceived as' 'fundan1ental' '1nonitor objectives'
'tertiary' 'radical changes' 'rapidly evolving.' These are all con1111on ,vords ,vhen
topics are discussed in a professional \vay.
Example Task 7
Son1e people feel that the exploration of space justifies a large a111ount of
govern111ent and private inveshnent. Other people think that this field is of
increasingly lo,v relevance, and should not be a p1iority.
Debate both sides of this discussion, and explain your o,,vn vie,,v. Ho,v
ilnportant is it for us to explore space at the 1110111ent?
This is another Opinion>Discussion type Task. The introduction should

111ake it clear that you understand the Task type, by saying 'There are argu111ents
on both sides . .. as ,,ve ,,vill see' or si111ilar. Explain n,vo or three ideas on each
side of the debate, and give your opinion in the conclusion.
Re111e111ber to decide your opinion ,,vhen you are 111aking your plan. The
second 111ain body paragraph should connect ,\rith the opinion in the conclusion,
as you see in this 111odel essay.
Student's Plan
Essay Type: Opi11io11>Disct1ssio11
l11tro: Backgrot111d; disc11ssio11 essay i11tro
For exploratio11:
1 Tecl111ical progress (eg plastics)
2 H elps solve isst1es, eg biology ( eg ISS ge11etics researcl1)
So1ne people feel that the exploration of space justifies a large a1nount of
govern1nent and private inveshnent. Other people think that this field is of
increasingly lo,v relevance, and should not be a p1iority.
Debate both sides of this discussion, and explain your o,vi1 vie\¥. Ho\,v
ilnportant is it for us to explore space at the n1on1ent?
This is another Opinion>Discussion type Task. The introduction sh ould

1nake it clear that you understand the Task type, by saying 'There are argu1nents
on both sides . .. as \.Ye ,vill see' or sin1ilar. Explain n,vo or three ideas on each
side of the debate, and give your opinion in the conclusion.
Re111e1nber to decide your opinion \¥hen you are 1naking your plan. The
second 1nain body paragraph should connect ,\11th the opinion in the conclusion,
as you see in this 111odel essay.
Student's Plan
Essay Type: Opi11io11> Disct1ss io11
l11tro: Backgrot111d; disc11ssio11 essay i11tro
For exploratio11:
1 Tecl111ical progress (eg plas tics)
2 H elps solve isst1es , eg biology ( eg ISS ge11etics res earcl1)
Agai11s t exploratio11
1 Higl1 cost; does11't b e11efit ever yo11e; 111ost adva11ces are 11ot
dt1e to space
2 Acade111ic p11rs11it; fi111di11g t oday does11't allo"v it; ,ve cru1
s olve proble111s witl1011t it ( eg wildlife etc)
Co11cl11s io11: 1'111 agai11s t s pace res earcl1; too cos tly 110\.v; s pace
"vill alw ays b e tl1ere
Band 9 Model Essav

'
Space exploration is a subject ,vhich provokes great e1notions as ,vell as

scientific interest, and at tilnes the t,vo beco1ne so1ne,vhat blurred. There are
strong argu1nents on both sides of the debate about ,vhether to continue space
t ravel, ,vhich ,ve ,vill discuss here.
On the one hand, those \vho urge the continued exploration of space say
that this field has given us substantial technical advances over the past fifty
years, ranging fro111 better plastics and alloys to a greater understanding of flight
and gravity. F1uther1nore, they clailn that fu1ther investigations ,vill help to
solve son1e of mankind's 111ost pressing issues, such as lack of food and
enviro111nental da1nage, because the study of (for exa1nple) biology and
che1nishy can be carried out 1nore radically in space. Recent experi1nents on the
International Space Station in the field of genetics ce1tainly seen1 to suppo1t this
Vle\.Y.
Conversely, ho,vever, people who oppose more funding for space research
point to the extre1nely high costs involved, co1npared to the practical benefits
,vhich are gained for ahnost all 1nembers of the hu1nan race. For exa1nple, these
opponents state that all the 1najor develop1nents in ter1ns of 111edicine, genetics,
111aterials and 1nechanics have actually been as a result of terrestrial science and
experin1ents, rather than ste1n1ning fro1n space exploration. Moreover, they feel
that space investigation is largely an acade1nic pursuit, fascinating though it is,
and that at a ti1ne of austerity our funding should be directed to 111ore practical
progra1n1nes to help people. It is indeed true that addressing son1e 111ajor hun1an
challenges such as pollution control, protection of ,vildlife and greater political
stability ,vould not require any involve1nent at all by space scientists.
Overall, I feel that the opponents of high funding for space have the
stronger argu1nent at present. It see111s that the enor1nous sums involved could
be used 1nore practically to deal with so1ne of our 111ost inunediate proble111s.
After all, space will ah-vays be there to explore, when funding and other proble111s
1nake its research 1nore affordable for us as a species.
Exa1n iner's notes
This candidate has achieved Band 9 by repo1ting the ideas on both sides
of the discussion in an objective, acade1n ic ,vay, ,-vith strong use of exa1nples.
The intro has an interesting background co1111nent, and confir1us that this is a
'Discussion' type essay.
In the 111ain body, the candidate uses 'repo1ting' language very effectively
(eg 'those ,vho urge .. . they clailn . . .those who oppose . .. these opponents . . .')
and also adds so1ne approval of the evidence used in the argu1nent by saying,
'Recent experilnents ... certainly see111 to suppo1t this view ... It is indeed true
that .. .' This co1nbination of i1npersonal style and validating the evidence 1nakes
the essay see111 autho1itative.
The language has so1ne strong exa111ples of acade1nic collocations ( =
,-vords ,-vhich are traditionally used together):
'So1ne,-vhat blurred ... practical benefits ... greater understanding .. .

acade111ic pursuit .. . the enorn1ous sun1s involved.'
The conclusion is quite long, but it is balanced and provides a logical

suppo1t for the ,v1iter's opinion. I a1n glad that the essay stopped at that point,
because 338 ,-vords is close to the 1naxilnu111 that I ,vould wish to read. The best
essays that I see tend to be around 300 to 320 ,-vords.
Example Task 8
So1ne en1ployers are 1.villing to give their ,vorkers a ce1tain a1uount of

unpaid sabbatical* titue, believing th is benefits the individual and the
organisation. Other e1nployers see no 1uerit in this arrange1nent and discourage
it.
Consider the possible argu1uents for and against unpaid sabbatical leave,
and reach a vie,vpoint of your o,vn.
( * unpaid sabbatical ti1ne or leave = extended, 11npaid ti111e off tuork, in

tuhich an e111ployee canfollotu personal interests or st11dies, and then return to
tJJOl'k)
This is another Opinion > Discussion task, the 1nost conuuon type in the
,vriting test.
Note the ke)'\vords ' unpaid leave' and 'e1nployers,' ,vhich are inviting you
to consider the cost aspect to a business in your ans,ver, and also 'the individual
and the orga nisation' ,vhich is telling you to think about both these perspectives.
Student's Plan
Essay type: Opi11io11> Disc11ssio11
l 11h·o: Backgro1111d; fasl1io11abl e idea; disc11ssio11 i11h·o
For 1111paid l eave:

Sotne etn ployers are ,villing to give their ,vorkers a cettain atuount of
unpaid sab batical* titue, believing this benefits the individual and the
organisation. Other etuployers see no tnerit in this arrangetnent and discourage
it.
Consider the possible argutuents for and against unpaid sabbatical leave,
and reach a vie,¥point of your o,¥n.
( * unpaid sabbatical tinte or leave = extended, unpaid tirne off 1vork, in

1vhich an entployee canfollo1v personal interests or studies, and then return to
1uork)
EXJ?lanation of the Task
This is a nother Opinion> Discussion task, the tnost conu uon type in the
,vriting test.
Note the keY'¥ords 'unpaid leave' and 'etu ployers,' ,vhich are inviting you
to consider th e cost aspect to a b usiness in your ans,,ver, and also 'the individual
and the orga nisation' ,¥hich is telling you to think about both these perspectives.
Student's Plan
Essay type: Opi1lio11> Disc11ssio11
l 11tro: Backgr o1111d; fasl1io11able idea; d isc11ssio11 i11tro
For 1111paid leave:

1 Motivati11g; \\1orke rs are re fresl1ed
2 Lo,v cost; ca11 l1elp ,vitl1 restr11ct11res etc
Agai11st it
1 Disr11ptio11; people 11eed to be replaced
2 \-Yorkers lose i11terest/ go to co111petitors
3 More s11ited to acade111ic work, researcl1 etc
Co11cl11s io11: Probl e111s 011hveigl1 advai1tages; ok for i11div id11als,

b11t difficttlt for co111pa11y a11d colleag11es
Band 9 Model Essav

'
The idea of offering e1nployees sabbatical tilne has beco1ne quite

fashionable recently, with son1e 1najor con1panies believing it has great benefits.
Ho,vever, there is also substantial opposition to the concept, and ,ve ,vill discuss
the h,vo vie,vs no,v.
Those e1nployers ,vho support unpaid sabbaticals often highlight the
1notivating effect ,vhich such leave can have on an e1nployee. They feel that, at a
tin1e ,vhen people are under pressure, a ce1tain ainount of extended leave can
allo,,v son1eone to return to ,vork feeling refreshed and n1ore connnitted to the
co1npany. A second point in favour is that such leave does not cost the con1pany
anything, as the e1nployee stops dra,.ving a sala1y . Indeed, it see1ns that such
breaks 1night actually save n1011ey, as depa1t1nents can be downsized ,,vithout the
need for redundancies or co1npensation.
On the other hand, 1nany other e1nployers feel that this practice has a
disruptive effect ,vhich ounveighs its possible benefit to the individual. For
exainple, if e111ployees have a certain skill or responsibility, they 1nust be
replaced by so1neone ,.vho is silnilarly qualified, probably involving a cost in
training or hiring a ne,,v ,vorker. Co111panies are also reluctant to allow skilled
e1nployees to drift a,.vay fro111 their business, fearing, ,vith son1e justification,
that the person 1n ight lose interest or even go to ,vork for a co1npetitor. Finally,
son1e e1nployers feel that the ,vhole idea of sabbaticals is 1nore suited to an
acade111ic context such as universities or research institutes, where the e1uployee
,vill be ,vorking on personal interests ,vhich coincide \>Vith their field of study,
,vhich is rarely the case a1nong corporate e111ployees.
To stun up, it see111s true that the proble1ns caused by unpaid sabbaticals
do indeed ounveigh the potential advantages. Although the individual e1nployee
111ay be refreshed, the disruption and costs caused by this absence are
unreasonable for the co111pany and for the colleagues left behind at ,vork.
(312 ,vords)
Exa1niner's notes
This is a topic ,vhere candidates so111eti1nes struggle to find suitable ideas,

but this candidate has obviously planned her ideas carefully; this is ve1y
noticeable.
The si111ple introduction guides the reader into the ' Discussion' 111ain
body. The ideas are explained helpfully, ,,vith strong use of exa1nples ,vhich use
so111e good topic-specific vocabulary ('do,vnsize, redundancies, co1npetitor,
corporate.') Signposting is ve1y effective, \\rith each ne,,v idea being introduced
,vith a conjunction, and the reporting of the views on each side is done in an
ilnpersonal ,vay that does not conunit the ,vriter to a conclusion until the final
paragraph. This is i111portant in a task ,vhich asks us to 'consider argu1nents ...
and reach a vie,vpoint.'
The conclusion itself returns to the task inst111ction of 'the individual and
the organisation' by ,veighing the hvo perspectives against each other. This
sho,vs 111e that the candidate has planned the conclusion and has been building
to,vards it.
Example Task 9
Light pollution ( excessive light during night t i1ne) is a forn1 of pollution

that d istresses n1any people, especially in 1nodern cities. vVhat are the causes of
light pollution, and ,vhat solutions can you suggest for governn1ents and
businesses to take?
This is an Ideas>Mixed>Causes/ solutions type Task.

The n1ost con1111on 'Ideas' types are Cause/ effect and Proble1n / solution,
but sometilnes the Task n1ay 1nix the ele1nents to give Causes/ solutions or
Proble1ns/ effects. You need to check the instructions carefully to n1ake sure if
th is is the case in your test. If this happens, you need t o 1nake clear in the
introduction that you have understood this, and then describe h vo or th ree ideas
for each paragraph in the 111ain body. The summa1y should briefly recap on the
n1ain ideas.
Re1ne1nber that in 'Ideas' type tasks, you should not give a personal
judge1nent. You should report on the situation as it exists in the \.vider society as
a \'\Thole.
Ilnportant keJ'¥Ords in this Task are 'cities' and 'governn1ents and
businesses'; see in our exan1ple ho,¥ the candidate has planned to address these
points.
Student's Plan
Essay type: Ideas>Mixed>Cat1ses/sol11tio11s (govts & b11si11ess)

This is an Ideas>Mixed>Causes/ solutions type Task.
The 111ost co1111non 'Ideas' types are Cause/ effect and Proble111/ solution,
but sometin1es the Task 1nay 1nix the elen1ents to give Causes/ solutions or
Proble1ns/ effects. You need to check the instructions carefully to 1nake sure if
this is the case in your test. If this happens, you need to 1nake clear in the
introduction that you have understood this, and then describe h vo or three ideas
for each paragraph in the 111ai11 body. The sum111a1y should briefly recap on the
111ain ideas.
Re1ne111ber that in 'Ideas' type tasks, you should not give a personal
judge111ent. You should report on the situation as it exists in the 'A'lder society as
a ,,vhole.
I111portant ke)"-vords in this Task are 'cities' and 'gover111nents and
businesses'; see in our exa111ple ho,-v the candidate has planned to address these
points.
Student's Plan
Essay type: Ideas>Mixed >Cat1ses/ sol11tio11s (govts & b11si11ess)
I11tro: Backgrot111d (topical i11 cities); 3 ca11ses a11d 2 sol11tio11s
Ca11ses (i11 cities):

1 Advertisi11g s ig11s eg Moscow, Tokyo
2 Street la111ps/sec11rity ligl1ts (agai11st accide11ts/ cri111e)
3 Vel1icle ligl1ts
Sol11tio11s:
1 Bru111i11g ligl1ts w o11ldi1't ,-vork ; better to l1ave ligl1t i1is11latio11
for l10111es (by gover11111e11ts)
2 Vol1111tru-y 'dark day' eacl1 \oveek to red11ce advertisi11g ligl1ti11g
(by bt1si11esses)
S1u11111arv: Ca11ses are advertisi11g & p11blic ligl1ti11g; sol11tio11s

are i11st1latio11 & vol1111tary red11ctio11s
Band 9 Model Essav

'
As 1nore of us live in cities, the question of light pollution is beco1ning

increasingly topical and i1nportant to address. There see111 to be th ree 1nain
causes, and also h vo key solutions ,vhich ,ve could t ake to lessen the proble111.
The 111ain cause is ahnost ce1tainly the use of lighting for adve1tising in
public spaces. For exa1nple, if ,ve look at cities such as Tokyo or Mosco,v, ahnost
all available su1faces are fitted \\11th son1e fonn of light, often for a nnounce1nents
or conunercial use. Th is huge expansion in illtuuinated adve1tising is partly a
result of con1petitive p ressures, and also due to the po,ver of such adve1tising,
,vith flashing lights, video and pictures. A seconda1y cause is the large nu1nber
or street la1nps and security lights used in cities, ,vhich are intended to reduce
accidents and cli1ne by re1noving shado,v areas at night. Finally, h igh levels of
night-t i1ne traffic also p roduce light pollution, as drivers use headlainps ,vh ich
shine into ,\11ndo,vs and gardens after dark.
Turning to possible re1nedies, it 1n igh t be te1npting for govenunents to
ban or regulate electlic adve1tising billboards, but in 1nany cases (for exa1nple in
New York or London) these signs are no,v a local syinbol. It ,vould also be
difficult t o reduce security and traffic ligh ts, because these are needed to keep
residents and t ravellers safe. I ,vould rather see a govern1nent-backed
progra1n1ne of light protection for private ho1nes, involving better insulation
against outside light after dark. This ,vould allo,v residents t o rest in their ho1nes
,vithout being disturbed by the ligh ts in the streets outside. Additionally, a
volunta1y 'dark day' once per ,veek, suppo1ted by business adve1tisers, in ,vh ich
all con1111ercial lighting is reduced, would allo,v residents to expe1ience a 1nore
natural level of darkness ,<Vithoutjeopardizing their safety.
In su1n1na1y, advertising and public lighting are the 111ain factors behind
this proble111. Better light insulation, and occasional volunta1y reductions in
co1n111ercial lighting, ,vould greatly help the residents to live 111ore in peace with
a b1ightly illu111inated enviro1unent.
(332 ,vords)
Exa1n iner's notes
A 'Mixed' essay type requires the candidate to be flexible and pay great
attention to the instructions to ensure that the Task is ans,vered. This candidate
has planned carefully, and achieves a Band 9 by organising clear ideas and
explaining the1n effectively.
The introduction gives so1ne background to the topic and infor1ns 1ne that
there ,¥ill be three causes and nvo solutions in the 111ain body. The first cause is
explained on t\vo levels (advertising>co1111nercial pressures) ;vhich suggests tl1at
the ,vriter has planned the argu1nent well. Signposting is ve1y clear ('A
seconda1y cause ... Finally . .. Turning to possible re111edies etc.') The
'solutions' paragraph is quite sophisticated because it rejects one possible
solution in favour of another one ('I ,vould rather see a .. .') ,<Vith a logical
rationale for this.
The benefits of the proposed solutions are explained ('This would allo;v . .
.') ,vhich is so1nething that candidates often 0111it to do. The sumn1a1y recaps on
the main ideas of the 1nain body ,vith out repeating exactly the sa1ne language.
The English used is ve1y natural, ,\iith so1ne effective collocations
('co1npetitive pressures' 'business advertisers' 'jeopardize safety') and advanced
language for discussing solutions ('ban or regulate' 'govenunent-backed
progra1n1ne' 'volunta1y reductions.')
Example Task 10
The practice of illegally hunting ,\rild anin1als continues to cause concern

in 111any countries, pa1ticularly developing countries.
What are the causes of such hunting? What are the effects on the anin1als,
and on the ,,\rider htunan society in these countries and b eyond?
This is a n Ideas>Causes/ effects type Task, You should introduce the

topic, describe t,vo or th ree causes, then t~vo or th ree effects, and then
sununarise b1iefly in the final paragraph. 'Anin1als' and \ \rid er h un1an society'
are in1po1t ant key •.vords in the 'effects' part here,
Ren1en1ber to avoid e1notion or dran1atic language, even if the topic is
son1ething you care ab out a lot.
Student's Plan
Essay Type: Ideas>Cat1ses/ effects ( 011 a11i111als & s o ciety)
l 11tro: l11trodt1ce topic & cat1ses/ effects
Cat1ses:
1_Profit eg ivory, 111edical ct1res
2 Food; i11stability, , var
2 Food; i11stability, "var
Effects:
1 Exti11ctio11, disr11ptio11 to food cl1ai11
2 Loss ofl1eritage, eg Siberiai1 tigers
S1u11111ary: S11111 11p tl1e 4 111ai11 body ideas
Band 9 Model Essav

'
Poaching is a pheno1nenon ,\rith a variety of causes, both conunercial and

cultural. The effects can be extre111ely serious for ani111als and the conuuunity, as
,.ve ,\rill discuss now.
Possibly the 111ost conunon cause of people turning to poaching is the
profit ,.vhich can be 1nade fron1 anilual 111aterials. We see this in the high prices
attached to illegal ivo1y, furs and hides, ,.vhich are highly sought after by a s111all
but ,.vealthy group of unscrupulous global collectors. In turn, these prices 111ay be
the result of novelty or rarity value, or connected to ilnagina1y 111edicinal
properties, for exan1ple in the illegal trade for bear and gorilla body pa1ts. A
seconda1y cause is the n1ore basic pressure of hunting for food, ,.vhich forces
son1e local people to kill ani111als purely for 111eat. The roots of this tend to be in
localised fa111ine or drought, or in political instability ,.vhich disrupts the food
supply, as we see in central Aftica currently.
Turning to the effects of poaching, the 111ost serious is the threat of
extinction posed to species ,vhich are already rare or endangered because of
habitat loss or other environ111ental factors. The resulting consequences of
extinction 111ay include da111age to the food chain and the ecosphere, in addition,
of course, to the loss of a precious for111 of life. A further effect is the further
erosion of a count1y's natural heritage, which co111p1ises its ani111als, landscape
and natural resources, all of \Vhich 1nay be under pressure already. Fe~v could
doubt, for exa1npl e, that Sibe1ia ,vould be vastly poorer ,vithout its fe,v
re1naining Sibelian tigers.
Overall, the factors behind poaching tend to be conunercial or connected
to regional instability. The effects may include final extinction, \\11th the da1nage
to ecosysten1s and loss of heritage that tl1is involves.
(296 words)
Exa1n iner's notes
This Band 9 essay shows a clear argu1nent and very strong language for
describing cause and effect. The intro ale1ts n1e to the 'co1111nercial and cultural'
aspect of the causes, and these are explained in the first main body paragraph.
The candidate sho,vs that she can explain tl1e underlying causes of a situation
('In turn, these prices 1nay be the result of ... 'The roots of this tend to be .. .')
,vith relevant evidence about ivo1y/ gorillas/ central Af1ica.
The 'effects' paragraph is careful to ans,ver tlie hvo ele1nents in the task
instruction (anilnals and society) suggesting to 1ne that the essay is ,vell-
planned. The su1nma1y paragraph is slightly repetitive of the 1nain body in its
vocabula1y, but as a recap it is ve1y effective.
The language used displays an excellent range of vocabula1y on the
specific topic ('poaching, unscrupulous, fa1nine, drought, food chain, natural
heritage') and also in general language ('high prices attached to' 'The roots of
this' 'The resulting consequences' 'the fu1ther erosion' 'Fe\v could doubt, for
exainple, that' in particular.) The IELTS exa1niners \vill al,vays be impressed by
this co1nbination of advanced/ acade1n ic phrasing and a ce1t ain an1ount of topic-
specific vocabulary.
Example Task 11
The use of softivare nzakes it unnecessary for· people to knoiv hoiv to

spell ivords correctly these days.'
Is this a staten1ent that you agree \\rith? To ,,vhat extent do you agree or
disagree?
This is another Opinion> Personal vievvpoint task. You should give your
opinion in the in troduction, and use the n1ain body to justify this ,vith t\,vo or
th ree reasons. The 'concession' paragraph should be one or h vo sentences, and
the conclusion should state your opinion again .
Ren1en1ber that you ,¥ill in1prove your score by giving a balanced
response (ie not sa)ring 'I totally agree/ disagree' b ut saying 'I pa1tly
agree/ disagree, because ... ')
Student's Plan
Essay Type: Opi11i o11> P e rso11al v ie,\7Poi 11t
l 11trodl1cti o 11: Spell cl1e ck i s lts efi1l, hl1t s pelli11g ca11't be igi1ored
l\1ai11 Bodv:
1 S till 11eed to '"'1-it e 111a11l1ally, eg i11 exa111s & 11otes
2 S p elli11g is part o f l a11gl1ag e
This is another Opinion >Personal vie,vpoint task. You should give your
opinion in the introduction, and use the 111ain body to justify this ,vith hvo or
th ree reasons. The 'concession' paragraph should be one or hvo sentences, and
the conclusion should state your opinion again.
Re111e111ber that you ,\Till itnprove your score by giving a balanced
response (ie not saying ' I totally agree/ disagree' but saying 'I pa1tly
agree/ disagree, because .. .')
Student's Plan
Essay Type: Opi11io11> Pers o11al vie,'\'Poi11t
l11trod11ctio11: Spellcl1eck is 11seft1l, b11t spelli11g ca11't be igi1ored
Mai11 Bodv:
1 Still 11eed to ,'\1rite 111a1111ally, eg i11 exa111s & 11otes
2 Spelli11g is part of la11gi1age
3 Lear11i11g spelliI1g l1elps 111e11tal develop111e11t (tl1011gl1t, sigl1t,
,vriti11g etc)
Co11cessio11: Software is 11Sef11l, b11t a s11pporti11g tool
Co11cl11sio11: Spelli11g is esse11tial, for practical & 111e11tal

reaso11s
Band 9 Model Essav

•
Ahnost eve1yone uses soft,vare to create texts these days, and ,ve all find
the 'spellcheck' type features useful. Ho,vever, it ,vould be un,vise for people to
co111pletely ignore learning ho,,v to spell properly by the1nselves, for reasons
,vhich I ,,rill explain here.
Firstly, although ,ve 1nostly use typing devices, there ,vill al,vays be
occasions ,vhen ,ve need to ½'lite 111anually or ,,rithout the suppo1t of soft,vare.
This 111ay be in exa1ninations, ,vhich are still 111ostly hand,vritten, or ,vhen
,vriting letters or notes on paper, or filling in for1ns. It is essential, for exa1nple,
that police records or n1edical notes, ,vhich are often quickly co1npleted by hand,
are accurately and clearly co111posed. Secondly, understanding spelling is an
integral part of learning a language and the va1ious ,vays that it can be used.
l\1ost educators ,vould agree, for exan1ple, that it is in1possible to divorce
spelling fro111 granunar and syntax as pa1t of a ligorous approach to literacy.
Finally, and perhaps 1nost i111po1tantly, the ,vhole process of learning and
distinguishing different sounds and spellings is a vital part of a child's 111ental
develop1nent, involving the con1plex relationship bet,veen hea1ing, sight,
thought and the ,vriting process itself. To say that this relationship is
'unnecessary' is to neglect so1ne of the 1nost fundan1ental stages in hun1an
develop1nent ,vhich have d1iven our progress for the past five thousand years,
since the era of hieroglyphics and p1i1nitive inscliptions.
It is true that the use of soft,vare is an invaluable tool, and 1nay ,vell have
a role in the process of teaching children to use co1nputers and ilnproving their
,vork accordingly. Ho,vever, this n1eans that is a supporting facility, not a
replacen1ent for hu111an thought.
In conclusion, I feel that a kno,vledge of spelling is essential, both for
practical reasons and to suppo1t the developn1ent of a person's n1ind as they
learn to read and ,vrite, ,vith all the n1ental benefits ,vhich stein fron1 that. It
seen1s that sofuvare is highly unlikely to replace the hun1an n1ind in this ve1y
in1portant respect.
(334 \.YOrds)
Exa1niner's notes
This essay would achieve Band 9 due to its ve1y \,veil-organised argu1nent,
acade111ic style and range of vocabula1y.
In ter111s of the argu1nent, the candidate gives his vie,v in the intro and
then explains his reasons, \,vith clear signposting ('Firstly, secondly, finally.')
Si111ple conjunctions like this are effective as long as the paragraph content is
fairly advanced. The concession sho\,vs that the \-\'liter can consider opposing
vie\,vs and accept that they have son1e validity, \-vhile putting his 0\¥11 judge1nent
on it ('invaluable . .. but a supporting facility.') The conclusion su1n1natises \.Yell
in ne1u language ('practical reasons' '111ind.')
In ter111s of style, the \,vriter is ve1y persuasive in using outside opinions as
evidence ('111ost educators ,vould agree . . .') and in rejecting the Task state1nent
('To say that this relationship is 'unnecessa1y' is to neglect .. .') also showing
that he has analysed the Task \>vell.
The vocabula1y includes so1ne ve1y natural and effective collocations
\,vhich are typical of discussions in the quality 1nedia, such as:
an integral part of
i111possible to divorce spelling from granunar
a 1igorous approach
the co1nplex relationship behveen .. .
since the era of .. .
all the 111ental benefits \>vhich stein fro1n that.
in this ve1y ilnpo1tant respect.
Natural, advanced phrases like this encourage the exa111iner to a\,vard a

ve1y high Band score, especially if the structure is also strong.
Example Task 12
The use of phones, tablets and other devices \vhen people are \valking in
public is causing concern a1nong 1nany conunentators. VVhat dangers 1nay a1ise
\.Yhen people focus on such devices \.Yhen \valking in the street? How could these
proble1ns be reduced?
This is an Ideas>Problem/ solution type Task. The instructions 1nay

so1netilnes include synonyins for 'proble1ns' such as 'dangers, risks, drawbacks'
and syi1onyins for 'solutions' including 'ans\,vers, re1nedies, \vays to
solve/ reduce.'
Student's Plan
Essay t ype: Ideas > Proble111s/ sol11tio11s

I11tro: D evices are 1111iv ersal; 2 proble 111s, 2 sol11tio11s
Proble111s:
1 Accide11ts, eg people, cars, traffic
2 Al1ti-social & r11de
Sol11tio11s:
1 Ed11catio11 abo11t da11gers, eg i11 colleges, adv ertisi11g
2 p11t war11i11g syste111s 011 pl1011es, like 011 cars
The use of phones, tablets and other devices \vhen people are \valking in
public is causing concern a1nong 1nany co1n1nentators. \!\That dangers 1nay a1ise
\¥hen people focus on such devices \¥hen ,valking in the street? Ho,v could these
proble111s be reduced?
This is an Ideas>Proble1u/ solution type Task. The instructions 1nay

son1etilnes include synonyn1s for 'proble1us' such as 'dangers, risks, dra,vbacks'
and synonyn1s for 'solutions' including 'ans\,vers, ren1edies, ,vays to
solve/ reduce.'
Student's Plan
Essay type: Ideas> Proble111s / sol11tio11s

I11tro: Devices are 1111iversal; 2 proble111s, 2 s ol11tio11s
Proble111s:
1 Accide11ts, eg people, ca rs, t raffic
2 A11ti-s ocial & r11de
Sol11tio11s:
1 Ed11catio11 abo11t da11ge rs, eg i11 colleges, adve r tis i11g
2 p11t w ar11i11g syste111s 011 pl1011es, like 011 cars
S1u11111arv: Pl1ysical & s ocial da11gers; edt1catio11 & w ar11i11g for

s ol11tio11s
As hand-held devices beco1ne ahnost universal in our society, the nu1nber

of accidents related to their use is increasing accordingly, in addition to va1ious
social dangers. I will outline hvo such risks, and also hvo possible counter-
1neasures \Ve could take.
Firstly, the greatest danger is surely the possibility of people failing to pay
attention to their surroundings \vhen they use such ite1ns ,vhile ,valking along
pave111ents, public areas and streets. By diverting all their attention (both visual
and in most cases 111ental) onto their device, the users 111ay bu111p into other
people, fall over uneven surfaces or even step into traffic lanes, \Vith potentially
fatal results. A nun1ber of deaths ainong teenagers in the UK, for exan1ple, is
attJibutable to this cause each year. A second proble1111nust be the rather anti-
social nature of people focussing all their thoughts on a device, to the exclusion
of others around them, \vho 111ay need help or guidance as 111uch as basic
cou1tesy. The increasingly i111polite atn1osphere in 111any public spaces 111ay \vell
be connected to this phenomenon.
Turning to possible solutions, it \Vould be helpful to see a joint initiative
behveen the authorities and 111obile phone producers to raise public a,vareness
of these risks. Such a progra111111e could take 111any fonns, ranging fro111
advertising to dedicated classes in schools and colleges, and could be ailned at
both the proble111 of accidents and the unsociable nature of excessive device
usage, ,vhich ,votild make it ve1y cost-effective. A ftuther solution 111ay be to
install \,varning 111echanis111s on these devices, ,vhich detect \vhen traffic or
obstacles are nearby, so that the user does not walk blindly into danger. Such
syste111s already exist in cars to ale1t drivers to i111pending trouble or the need to
change direction.
Overall, the dangers in this situation are both physical and social.
Potential re111edies 111ay involve better education, and also enhanced danger
detection along the lines already used successfully in 111otor vehicles.
(321 ,vords)
Exa1niner's notes
This candidate has ans,vered the Task in an in1aginative ,vay, with

organisation ,vhich 1nakes the essay clear and persuasive and achieving Band 9.
The intro in1pressed 1ne itnn1ediately, with its clear outline of the essay and use
of 'counter-n1easures' as a synony1n for 'solutions.'
The 'proble1ns' section proposes physical and social dangers, and both are
suppo1ted by relevant evidence (although I would have liked to see so1nething a
bit 1nore definite as evidence for the 'anti-social' idea.) The candidate uses tl1e
'By + -ing . .. the (subject) may + verb' st ructure ('By diverting all their attention
onto their device, the users 1nay bump into ...) to explain the physical proble1n ;
this is a si1nple device ,vhich ,vorks ,vell here.
The 'solutions' section is quite creative ('joint initiative' and ',.varning
syste1n' ideas) and the ,vays of itnple1nenting the 'initiative' are clearly explained
('could take 1nany forms, ranging fro1n advertising to dedicated classes .. .')
using \ vould' and 'could' to sho,v that this is an idea, not a reality. It ,vould be
a,vk,vard to use ',vill' or '1nust' in these situations. The ,vriter links benveen tl1e
sentences ,vell using 'such' (eg ' ... these risks. Such a progra1mne' ' . .. blindly
into danger. Such syste1ns .. .'
The sununa1y uses fresh vocabula1y to sun1 up, ,vhich i1npressed n1e
.
again.
The language throughout is advanced, and sho,vs a strong grasp of
collocations (eg 'Potentially fatal, anti-social, increasingly itnpolite, joint
initiative, ,valk blindly, itnpending trouble.') Phrases such as 'Turning to
possible solutions' and 'along the lines already used' add to the ve1y natural tone
of the essay.
Example Task 13
So1ne govern1nents today seek to 111onitor the general public's electronic

co1111nunications (in the for111 of phone calls, tell.is and e1nails) saying that this
reduces crilne. Many people oppose this, ho,vever, saying that it erodes
individual freedon1s.
Discuss the aspects of this debate, and give your o,vn conclusion to the
discussion.
This is another Opinion>Discussion type Task. There is quite a lot of

infor1nation in the instruction; you are not expected to discuss the differences
benveen 'phone calls, tell.is and e1nails' but focus on the principle of '1nonito1ing'
and 'reducing crilne' versus 'individual freedo1ns.'
Notice ho,v the candidate's plan connects the 'against 111onitoling'
paragraph to the 'against 111011ito1ing' conclusion.
Student's Plan
l11tro: backgro1111d; co11fir111 'disc11ssio11' type essay
Mai11 Bodv:
discussion.
This is another Opinion>Discussion type Task. There is quite a lot of

info11nation in the instruction; you are not expected to discuss the differences
benveen 'phone calls, tell.1:s and e1nails' but focus on the principle of '1nonitoring'
and ' reducing cri1ne' versus 'individual freedon1s .'
Notice ho,v the candidate's plan connects the 'against monitoring'
paragraph to the 'against 1nonito1ing' conclusion.
Student's Plan
l 11tro: backgro1111d; co11fir111 'disc11ssio11' type essay
Mai11 Bodv:
S11pporti11g 111011itori11g:
1 KI10'\oVIl to red11ce cri111e (eg i11 USA)
2 'Notl1i11g to l1ide, 11otl1i11g to fear' idea
Agai11st 111011itori11g:
1 Breacl1 of liberties (eg w o11ld v.1e allo,,1 police to searcl1 011r
l10111es?)
2 Very low co11victio11 rate; better to act 011 specific i11for111atio11
Co11cl11sio11: 111011itori11g does 11ot j11stify loss of freedo111; p olice

11eed to be 111ore f oc11ssed
It is ad1nirable that govern1nents seek to reduce crilninality, and are

prepared to use n1odern 1nethods to achieve this. Ho,vever, the argu1nents on
both sides of this particular discussion (about n1onitoring private electronic
correspondence) are by no 1neans straightfo1,-vard, as ,.ve shall see 110,.v.
On the one hand, those ,vho favour the interception of private digital
1nessages and calls say that only by doing so can crilninal 1nessages be tracked
and the culprits detained. Indeed, there are n1any exa1nples of violent and sexual
crilninals (especially in the USA) ,.vho have been caught by these 1nethods. A
ftuther argu111ent is that people ,\Tith nothing to hide should have nothing to fear
fro111 being 1nonitored, and that 111onitoring is an exercise in public safety, rather
like CCTV or having police officers ,vatch a large cro,.vd for potential trouble-
1nakers. Such argu111ents are persuasive and are often used by 111edia suppo1ters
of interception and 111onitoring.
By contrast, though, other people point to the ft1nda111ental breach of civil
libe1ties which this policing activity involves. After all, they say, ,.ve ,.vould not
allow the police to search our ho111es entirely at randon1, or open our paper
correspondence ,vith out reason, purely on the chance of finding so111ething
incri111inating. Another counter-argun1ent is the extre111ely s111all n1unber of
convictions that actually stein fro1n these 111ethods, co111pared to the overall
population. It appears to be true that the secu1ity services are 111ost effective
,.vhen responding to specific infor111ation or obse1vations, rather than 'tra,vling'
the entire population's n1essages in the hope of detecting tiny nun1bers of
criminals.
Overall, I feel that the n1onito1ing of the general population in this ,vay is
unjustified, in terms of personal freedo111s and the evident lack of effectiveness
of such 111ethods. We should urge our police to focus on gaining infor111ation
through infor1nants and leads fron1 concerned citizens, ,vhich ,-vould have a
higher benefit in tenns of conviction rates and consequent public safety.
(317 ,vords)
Exa1niner's notes
This essay ,-vould definitely receive a Band 9 for its clear structure and the
,vay that the ,vriter reports the opposing vie,vs before reaching a conclusion.
The intro gives so1ne brief background, and confinns that this ,vill be a
'Discussion' essay. The first 111ain body paragraph repo1ts on the 'supporters' of
1nonito1ing effectively by using i1npersonal or third person structures: 'those
,vho favour' 'A further argun1ent is that.'
The 'opponents' paragraph uses similar structures ,vell: 'By contrast,
though, other people point to' 'After all, they say' 'Another counter-argun1ent is'
'It appears to be true that.' These phrases give the essay a ve1y objective and
acaden1ic tone, ,vhich is made even st ronger by the well-chosen topic-specific
vocabula1y such as:
to detain culp1its
potential trouble-makers
fundan1ental breach of civil libe1ties
convictions/ conviction rates
info11nants and leads
It is not essential for a strong IELTS Task 2 essay to have this level of
topic-specific language, but it certainly helps to raise the essay above 1nany
others and to justify a Band 9 score.
The conclusion feels logical because it su1n1narises and paraphrases the
preceding 'opponents' paragraph ,vhich the reader has just digested.
Example Task 14
~ country's 1nuse111ns should alivays be free for people to visit, ivhatever

the visitor's age, inco111e or nationality.'
To vvhat level do you agree with this idea? Should 1uuseums ah.vays be
free for all visitors?
This is an Opinion> Personal vie,,vpoint type Task. Re1ne1uber the

i1nportance of having a balanced conclusion (an opinion ,.vith 'as long as . .. or
'provided that .. .' or siluilar) after the sn1all concession paragraph. The
instructions are inviting you to think about the 1uatter of 'ahvavs free' and 'all
visitors'; note ho,v this candidate covers this aspect in his conclusion.
Student's Plan
Essay Type: Opi11io11> P e rs o11al vie½'Poi11t
l11trod11ctio11: l\'l11se11111s ' i111porta11ce; free e11h-y is 111111ecessa1-y
Mai11 Bodv:
1 Most visitors able to pay ( eg Lo11do11)
2 Fees cru1 be 11sed to l1elp 11111s e11111s (11ew displays etc)
3 Ma11y 11111s e11111s are private a11Y'vay, st1bsidies wo1tld be
i111possible
'A country's 1nuseu111s should ahvays be free for people to visit, 1vhatever
the visitor's age, i11co111e or· 11atio11alihJ.'
To \vhat level do you agree \vith th is idea? Should museu1ns ah.vays be
free for all visitors?
This is an Opinion>Personal vie,,vpoint type Task. Re1nen1ber the

ilnportance of having a balanced conclusion (an opinion ,vith 'as long as . .. or
'provided that .. .' or sitnilar) after the s1nall concession paragraph. The
instructions are inviting you to think about the 1natter of 'ahvavs free' and 'all
visitors'; not e h ow this candidate covers this aspect in his conclusion.
Stu dent's Plan
Essay Type: Opi11io11>Pers o11al vie\\'Poi11t
l11trod11ctio11: M11se11111s' i111porta11ce; free e11h-y is 111111ecessary
Mai11 Bodv:
1 Most visitors able to pay ( eg Lo11do11)
2 Fees ca11 be 11sed to l1elp 11111s e11111s (11ew displays etc)
3 Ma11y 11111se11111s are private a11)"vay, st1bsidies wo1tld be
i111possible
Co11cessio11: Free 11111s e11111s are a 11atio11al s y 111bol; b11t fees

,vo11ld l1elp tl1e111, tl1011gl1 11ot for cl1ildre11 etc
Co11cl11sio11: Cl1arges are j11stifiable, provided tl1ere are

exe111ptio11s
Band 9 Model Essav

•
Museu1ns are a vital part of any nation's cultu ral life, and high visitor
nun1bers are a desir able indicator of their health and popularity. Ho,vever, it
see1ns to 1ne that 1naking 1nuseun1s universally free is unnecessa1y, and even
counter-productive, in our effo1t s to 1nake then1 n1ore attractive.
For one thing, ,,ve should re1nen1ber that 111any potential visitors to
111useun1s are able to pay an ad1n ission charge and ,vould not object to this. For
exrunple, in London ,,ve see 111any thousands of ,,veal thy tourists ,vho have paid
large sun1s to t ravel, and for ,vho1n a 1nodest entry charge ,,vould be no
inconvenience. Indeed, applying a sn1all fee ,vould enable n1useun1s to collect
revenue ,,vhich could be used to conserve the exhibits, extend the collections and
put on further displays a nd so on. This ,vould in tur n 1nake t he institution n1ore
attractive, so that n1ore visitors arrive. The Guggenheiln 1nuseu1ns in the USA
and Europe are an interesting exa1nple of 1nuseruns ,,vhich constantly refresh
their contents in this ,vay. Finally, ,ve should re1ne1nber that not all n1useun1s
are publicly o,,vned, and indeed there a re nu1nerous sn1aller, private institutions
(for exrunple in Russia or the Middle East) ,vhich rely on ent1y fees to survive.
Ab olishing such fees ,,votild be vastly expensive in ter1ns of state subsidies, and
,vould surely have little i1npact on visitor nu1nbers.
Ad1nitt edly, I agree ,,vith those ,vho say that universally free 1nuseu1ns are
a syinbol of an equal and advanced society, showcasing national he1itage and
learning for eve1yone. Ho,,vever, the use of affordable ent1y fees (ce1tainly \\rith
exe1nptions for children, the une1nployed, students and others) 1nay ,,veil add to
the n1usetuns' effectiveness as such sho,vcases.
Overall, I feel that 1nod est charges are justifiable, and indeed useful, in
our efforts to b roaden access and i1nprove our 1nuseu1ns, provided that nobody
is exclud ed on the gr ounds of cost.
(304 ,vords)
Exa1n iner's notes
This candidate has evidently planned his essay carefully, because he h as

quite a co111plex opinion (fees are justifiable, and even helpful, but ivith
exe1nptions) ,vhich he expresses ,vith a persuasive series of ideas.
The only real ,.veakness in this essay for 1ne is the quality of the exa111ples
(London, Guggenhei111, Russia, Middle East) ,vhich don't add 1nuch concrete
evidence; on the other hand, this can be a difficult topic to think of
evidence/ exainples, and so I ,votlld not reduce the Band score because of this. In
fact, I ,.vould award a Band 9 because of the clear structure and ,vell developed
argu1nent.
The introduction gives the opinion effectively, and ale1ts 111e to the
'universally free' part of the argu1nent.
The 1uain body is extren1ely ,-vell staged, ,.vith signposting to show the
develop1nent:
'For one thing . .. For exa111ple .. . Indeed ... This ,.vould in turn .. .
Finally .. .'
The use of 'Ad111ittedly . .. Ho,.vever' in the concession is a classic ,.vay to
organise this i1npo1tant section.
The ,.vriter uses "vve' ('we should re1ne1nber' etc) to avoid personalisation;
,.vhere he uses 'I' ('I agree, I feel') this is part of giving opinion in the concession
and conclusion, and so see111s natural in this context. The conclusion has a
balanced vie,v ,.vhich co111es logically out of the 111ain body and the concession,
,.vith the point about 'exe1n ptions.'
Example Task 15
It is so1netilnes said that govenunents should dedicate a fixed proportion

of their count1y's incon1e to foreign aid each year, and this fixed proportion
should ahvays be donated to other count ries. Opponents of this idea, ho\,vever,
say that aid should have no fixed propo1tion, and help should only be sent to
other countries at ti1nes \¥hen it is really needed.
What are the argu111ents on both sides of this debate? What is your o,vn
vie\,v on the 1natter?
This is an Opinion> Discussion type Task. It is not asking you to discuss

foreign aid by itself, but the ,vay it should be given (either.fixed aniounts or as
necessary.)
Student's Plan
Essay t ype: Opi11io11> Disc11ssio11
l11tro: l11ter11atio11al cooperatio11 is i111porta11t; clarify

'disc11ssio11' type str11ct11re
For q11otas:
1 Moral d11ty, especially ex-e111pire co1111tries (UK etc)
vie,,v on the 1natter?
This is an Opinion> Discussion type Task. It is not asking you to discuss

foreign aid by itself, but the ,vay it should be given (either.fixed aniounts or as
necessary.)
Student's Plan
Essay type: OpiI1io11> Disc11ssio11
l11tro: l11ter11atio11al cooperatio11 is i111porta11t; clarify

'disc11ssio11' type str11ct11re
For q11otas:
1 Moral d11ty, especially ex-e111pire co1111tries (UK etc)
2 easier for recipie11t co1111h·ies to b11dget
Agai11st q11otas:
1 B11dget beco111es i11efficie11t, corr11pt (eg developi11g co1111h·ies)
2 More 111011ey "\>Vo11ld be available for e111erge11cies (floods etc)
Co11cl11sio11: Better 11ot to l1ave q11otas; better to se11d f1111ds as

11eeded

The issue of foreign aid goes to the hea1t of how nations should cooperate
together, and whether this should be on a 'quota' syste111 or 1nore 'as needed.' In
this often heated debate, the opposing arguments can perhaps be sununa1ised as
follo,vs.
Proponents of the quota syste111 clai111 that vvealthier nations have a 111oral
duty to sacrifice so1ne of their inco1ne to help poorer countries, and that this
duty does not rise or fall depending on circu1nstances. This argu1nent is often
used to justify the quota arrange1nent for for1ner i1nperial states such as
Holland, France or Britain. Moreover, the argu1nents goes, the fixed proportion
syste111 allo,vs the receiving countries to plan and budget reliably, building the
foreign aid into their econo1nic calculations.
Ho\vever, opponents of the fixed donation syste111 respond that this
budgeta1y aspect is in fact the 1nost da1naging aspect of the idea. They point out
that, if aid n1oney is provided regardless of ,.vhether it is actually needed, the
funds beco1ne pa1t of the recipient count1y 's ad!ninistrative syste111, ,.vith all the
dangers of in efficiency and corruption that this involves. It 1n ust be said that
fixed aid to so1ne developing countli es falls into this trap, as even the local
chalities the1nselves vvill agree. What is 1nore, if aid funds could be held back
until tilnes of emergency, such as floods, fa1nine or civil war, the 111oney
available ,.vould then be far high er and thus \Vould help more people in distress.
To conclude, it appears to 111e that opponents of the quota syste111 have
the 1nore robust argu1nent, ,.vith their concerns over unnecessa1y donations
,.vhich reduce emergency funding in future. We all recognise a 1noral duty to help
those in need, but surely these resources should be targeted 111ore st1ictly
to,.vards sufferers, rather than sent pennanently to govenunent depa1t n1ents to
become pa1t of the local eco1101ny.
(305 words)
Exa1n iner's notes
The language in this essay shows a good conuuand of both general

argu1nentative ter1n s and topic-specific vocabulary. The introduction provides
background to the debate and then outlines the content ('opposing argu111ents . .
. as follo,-vs.')
The 1uain body uses noun persons effectively to introduce the contrasting
vie,-v ('proponents/ opponents') and uses third person reporting to avoid
confusing these vie,-vs ,vith the ,-vriter's vie,vs:
'This argu1nent is often used to'

'Moreover, the argu111ents goes'
'They point out that'
In the conclusion paragraph, the candidate refers back to this itupersonal

approach:
'opponents of the quota syste111 have tl1e 1uore robust argu111ent'
This is a useful ,vay to unify the conclusion and the preceding paragraph
in a 'Discussion' type essay. General English phrases such as 'goes to the hea1t
of \ ,vith all the dangers of and 'It 111ust be said that' also help to build a cohesive
acade111ic-style argu111ent ,-vi th out using especially fo1111al language.
The topic-specific vocabula1y is quite itnpressive here, ,-vith eg 'for1ner
itnperial states' 'a 1uoral duty to sactifice so111e of their inco1ne' 'inefficiency and
corruption' 'floods, fa1nine or civil war' and 'targeted 111ore strictly' all giving a
sense that the ,-vriter has read about tlie topic so111ewhere in the 111edia.
I ,vould want to recognise this ve1y cohesive structure and effective
language ,-vith a Band 9 score.
Overview: The IELTS Academic Task 2
essay types
There are h,vo possible types of IELTS Acade111ic Task 2 ,vriting Tasks:
OPINION Tasks and IDEAS Tasks. Let's explain the difference, because this is
ve1y ilnportant.
Firstly, there are OPINION Tasks, ,vhich ask for your opinion on a topic,
such as ,vhether you think so111ething is good or bad. These OPINION Tasks take
hvo for111s.
So111e of these are OPINION > DISCUSSION Tasks, ,vhich typically say
'Sarne people think that Xis a good thing, ivhile other people disagree. Discuss
both sides and give your oivn uieiv.' Re111e1nber that the exact ,vords used could
be different (for exa1nple, it 111ight say 'consider both aspects' or silnilar) but the
concept ,vill be the sa1ne. In these OPINION > DISCUSSION Tasks, you should
\¥rite about each side of the discussion, and finally give your opinion at the end
of your essay.
The other type of OPINION Task is the OPINION > PERSONAL

VIEWPOINT Task. These Tasks typically say Xis a good thing. To ivhat extent
do you agree ivith this staternent?' Again, the exact \,vords \,vill often va1y (for
exainple, it 111ight say 'Many people support the suggestion ofX. Hoiv far do
you support this proposal?') but the concept ,'\Till be the sa1ne. In these
OPINION > PERSONAL VIEWPOINT Tasks, you should state your personal
vie,vpoint at the beginning of the essay, and then explain \,vhy you have this
opuuon.
do you agree tvith this statentent?' Again, the exact ,vords ,vill often va1y (for
exrunple, it 1night say ~Many people support the suggestion ofX . Hotv far do
you support this proposal?') but the concept ,\rill be the san1e. In these
OPINION > PERSONAL VIEvVPOINT Tasks, you should state your personal
vie,vpoint at the beginning of the essay, and then explain ,vhy you have this
opuuon.
The second type of Task are IDEAS Tasks, ½1hich ask you to think of son1e
ideas on a topic (such as the reasons for a problen1 or so111e ways to solve it) or to
evaluate a situation. In these IDEAS Tasks, you . vill get high n1arks for thinking
of a nun1ber of ideas on the topic, but you ,vill lose 1narks if you give a strong
personal opinion.
The con1n1on IDEAS Tasks are IDEAS > PROBLEivI/ SOLUTION, IDEAS>
CAUSE/ EFFECT and IDEAS > EVALUATE.
So1neti1nes, an IDEAS type Task ,vill 1nix different elen1ents, for exan1ple by
asking you about Proble1ns and Effects or about Causes and Solutions.
This book has exan1ples and explanations of all these types.
In the exa111, you should analyze the Task carefully before you start ,vriting,
to n1ake sure you understand ,vhich type you need to ,vrite. Ask yourself: is this
an OPINION or an IDEAS Task? Is it asking 1ne to give 1n y personal vie,,v, or is it
asking 111e to think of son1e ideas on a topic? Which type of OPINION or IDEAS
Task is it? Then you should spend a fe,v 1ninutes planning your essay ,vith so111e
sin1ple notes.
Don't try to ,vlite anything very different in structure fro1n the n1odels in
this book. These 111odel essays are exactly ,vhat the exruniners ,vant to see fro1n
you, Read our 111odel essays, and then practice ,vliting your o,vn essays in a
silnilar ,vay.
The most common mistakes in IELTS
academic writing
Usi11g co11h·actio11s (for exa1nple 'I don't think' or 'We can't say')
i11s tead o ftl1e ft1ll for111 ('I do not think' or '1ve cannot say.') Never
use contractions in acade1nic ,vriting.
, -vriti11g too few '\>Vords. If you ,vrite 1nuch less than the required
,vord count, the examiner has to reduce your score, even if your essay is
good quality. You should count the nun1ber of,vords in your essay after
each paragraph and keep a continuous total; this ,vay, you can be sure
of reaching at least 250 ,vords in 40 n1inutes.
, -vriti11g too 111a11y w ords. The exan1iner is paid to n1ark on an 'essay

per hour basis,' and so ,vill not read the end of an essay if it exceeds the
1ninin1un1 ,vord count by 1nore than about 100 ,vords. This n1eans he or
she ,vill not see the end of your argu1nent, and your score ,vill reduce
considerably. Ren1en1ber: 250 ,vords 1ninin1un1, and about 350 ,vords
1naxilnun1 in Acade1nic Task 2 ,v1iting.
Havi11g l1a11d~11·iti11g tl1at is diffic1tlt to read. IELTS is still a

handwritten exan1, and the exan1iners ,vill not spend ti1ne tlying to
understand your ,vriting. You n1ust make sure that your hand,vriting
can be read quickly. You should focus on ,v1iting clearly ;vhen you do
your practice essays. Ask friends or other students to give you an
honest opinion about whether your ,vriting is easy to read.
Usi11g i11for111al w ords (for exan1ple 'a nice idea' or 'a silly thing to
use contractions in acade1nic ,vriting.
, -vriti11g too f e,v , vords. If you ,vrite n1uch less than the required
,vord count, the exan1iner has to reduce your score, even if your essay is
good quality. You should count the nu1nber of,vords in your essay after
each paragraph and keep a continuous total; this ,vay, you can be sure
of reaching at least 250 ,vords in 40 1ninutes.
, -vriti11g too 111a11y words. The exan1iner is paid to 1nark on an 'essay

per hour basis,' and so ,vill not read the end of an essay if it exceeds the
1ninilnu1n ,vord count by 1nore than about 100 ,vords. This 1neans he or
she ,vill not see the end of your argun1ent, and your score ,vill reduce
considerably. Re1ne1nber: 250 ,vords 1nini1nu1n, and about 350 ,vords
1naxilnun1 in Acade1nic Task 2 ,v1iting.
H avi11g l1a11d\\'l·iti11g tl1at is difficttlt to r ead . IELTS is still a

hand,vritten exa1n, and the exa1niners ,vill not spend tirne tlying to
understand your ,v1iting. You 111ust n1ake sure that your hand,v1iting
can be read quickly. You should focus on ,v1iting clearly when you do
your practice essays. Ask friends or other students to give you an
honest opinion about ,vhether your writing is easy to read.
Usi11g i11for111al words (for exa1nple 'a nice idea' or 'a silly thing to
do') i11s tead of a cade111ic , vords (for example 'a positive idea' or 'a
regrettable thing to do.') Re111e1nber that acade1n ic vocabula1y is
different fro1n the language you ,vould use in English when talking to
friends .
Givi11g perso11al opi11io11 i11 ru1 IDEAS type Task. Check if the
Task is asking for your opinion or not. The first question you should
ask yourself is 'Is this an OPINION or an IDEAS Task?'
Telli11g s tories abol1t y ol1r p e rso11al l1is tory, frie11ds or fa111ily.
The Task tells you to use 'exa,nples ft·o1n your oivn exp erience,' but
th is does 11ot 1nean describing sto1ies fro111 your life or people you
know ! It 1neans desc1ibing exan1ples of things in the ,vorld that you
kno,,v about, have studied or have lear ned about in the 1nedia.
Givi11g evide11ce w l1icl1 is too detaile d or s pecific to a Sl1bject .

You n1ay be an expe1t in a particular social or scientific field, but the
exa1n iner probably has a different specialty. You need to 1nake your
ideas and exainples accessible to a general reader. For exa1nple, if the
Task topic is about 111011ey and you are an accountant, do not use
specialized accounting ter1ns.
Bei11g e111otio11al or too dra111atic ,.vl1e11 givi11g y ol1r opi11io11 i11

a11 OPINION Task. You 1nay feel strongly about issues such as
ani1nals or cli1ne, but acaden1ic ,.vriting 1nust be une1notional. So avoid
phrases such as 'a disgusting idea' or 'J detest this concept.' It is n1uch
better to say 'an unacceptable idea' or 'J disapprove of this concept,'
,.vh ich is n1ore i1upersonal and acade1uic; sin1ilar to the type of ,.vriting
that people use in business repo1ts or university essays.
N ot follow i11g tl1e basic s h ·l1ctl1res prese11ted i11 tl1is book. The
exaininers ,.vant to see a clear, ,.vell-structured essay that is easy to read.
They are accusto1ned to seeing the st ructures ,.ve have presented in this
book, and they ,vill feel 1nore positive about your essay if they can
recognize these st ructures in ,vhat you ,.vrite.
Give the exaiuiners ,.vhat they ,.vant, and they will re,vard you ,vith a
high score, even if there are so1ne gran1n1atical n1istakes in your
English.

GET IELTS BAND 9 IN WRITING TASK 2 Book 2 PDF

Загружено:

Сведения о документе

Оригинальное название

Авторское право

Доступные форматы

Поделиться этим документом

Поделиться или встроить документ

Параметры публикации

Этот документ был вам полезен?

Это неприемлемый материал?

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

GET IELTS BAND 9 IN WRITING TASK 2 Book 2 PDF

Загружено:

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

'

Fifteen NEW Essays

P11blis l1ed b y Cai11bridg e IELTS Co11s 11ltai1ts

Copyright© Ca111bridge IELTS Consultants

All 1~ghts are reserved, including resale 1~ghts.

Jessica Alperne & Peter S,vires

,-vI1y do I 11eed to 111ake a plai1 before v.1riti11g i11 Task 2?

Ho"v 1011g sl1ottld I sp e11d 111aki11g tl1is pla11?

Ho"v do I 111ake tl1e plai1?

Under 'Co11cl11sio11,' note your opinion (in Opinion Tasks) or quickly

So1ne co111111entators feel that grandparents should live together ,,vith

Essay type: Opinion>Discussion

Intro: traditional vs affordable debate

For living ,.vith fan1ily:

For living independently:

1 Increases self-reliance and independence, self-estee111

Ho"v do I 11se tl1e plru1 ,vl1ile 1'111 " 'riti11g?

Sl1011ld I also do a pla11 for Task 1?

Exvlanation of the Task

This is an Opinion> Discussion type Task, requiling you to discuss both

EXl)lanation of the Task

This is an Opinion> Discussion type Task, requiling you to discuss both

Essay type: OpiI1io11> Dis c11ssio11

l11tro: traditio11al vs affordable debate

For livi11g "vitl1 fa111ily:

1 Traditio11al: More e111otio11al s 11pport, e g i11 b ereav e111e11t

For livi11g i11depe11de11tly:

1 I11creases self-relia11ce a11d i11depe11de11ce, self-estee111

Co11cl11sio11: Better to live alo11e, provided tl1at l1ealtl1/ fi11a11ces

Band 9 Model Essav

The issue of ,vhether grandparents should live ,<\Tith their extended

This is a clearly structured and logical Opinion> Discussion essay, \-vhich

'For all children, the ability to play a rnusical instrurnent is just as

EXl)lanation of the Task

Essay type: Opi11io11> Perso11al Viewpoi11t

l11tro: I do11't agree for all cl1ildre11

1 Not all cl1ildre11 are 11111sically tale11ted

Ess ay type: Opi1lio11> Perso11al Vie'\ovpoi11t

l 11h·o: I do11't agree for all cl1ildre11

1 Not all cl1ildre11 are 11111sically tale11ted

Co11cessio11: For so111e (a fe,\') cl1ildre1111111sic is esse11tial, b11t

Co11cl11sio11: Literacy 111ore i111porta11t tl1a11 playi11g 11111sic.

Band 9 lvlodel Essav

Exa1n iner's notes

'Secondly, it is a fact that literacy is a guarantee ofacaden1ic progress

. .. is an excellent de1nonstration of co1nplex sentences (ie sentences with

In n1any countries, truancy* is a ,vorrying problen1 for both parents and

Ewlanation of the Task

Type: ideas >ca11ses/ effects (effects 011 cl1ild & co1111111111itv)

l11tro: tl1is is ca11se/ effect essay

Exvlanation of the Task

Type: ideas >ca11ses/ effects (effects 011 cl1ild & co1111111111itv)

l11tro: tl1is is ca11se/ effect essay

S1u11111ary: Ca11ses ca11 be acade111ic & fro111 peers; effects are to

Band 9 l\1odel Essav

Truancy is an activity ,vhich son1e children regard as a111using or even

Exa1n iner's notes

EXl)lanation of the Task

Type: Ideas>proble111s / sol11tio11s

l11tro: Backgrot111d: a11 i11creasi11g proble111 (do111estic waste)

EX1,?lanation of the Task

Type: Ideas>proble111s/ s ol11tio11s

l11h·o: Backgro1111d: a11 i11creas i11g proble111 ( do111estic , vaste)