What is the difference between a ‘balanced opinion’ essay and a ‘discussion’ essay? If you’re not sure, this lesson should help.
Writing Task 2: Can you see the problem?
Many students make the mistake of writing their ‘agree or disagree’ essays in this way. Can you see what’s wrong?
IELTS Writing Task 2: Improving a student’s coherence
Compare the two paragraphs. What simple changes did I make to improve coherence?
IELTS Writing Task 2: A ‘strongly disagree’ essay
Here’s a good example of a “completely disagree” essay at band 9 level.
Advice: More ideas for the side you agree with?
In “discussion + opinion” essays, should we include more ideas for the side of the discussion that we agree with?
IELTS Writing Task 2: Idea development problems
Many IELTS candidates write paragraphs that are too general or superficial, and the main idea doesn’t seem to go anywhere.
IELTS Writing Task 2: The BIG mistake
What is the biggest overall mistake that examiners see in candidates’ writing task 2 essays? It could be this one.
IELTS Writing Task 2: Ignore the word ‘academic’
IELTS essays are not the same as university ‘academic’ writing assignments, and you don’t need to use ‘academic’ words.
IELTS Writing Task 2: ‘Old people’s health’ essay
You can now read my model answer for the ‘old people’s health’ task. Have a look at the useful vocabulary list too.
Writing Task 2: Proper examples
A proper example should not explain, it should illustrate.
Writing Task 2: ‘Old people’s health’ paragraph
Can you finish my paragraph about the benefits of sport for older people?
Writing Task 2: ‘Old people’s health’ brainstorm
In this lesson we will apply yesterday’s brainstorming advice to the “old people’s health” writing task.
Writing Task 2: ‘Old people’s health’ essay skeleton
Do you know what I mean when I use the term ‘essay skeleton’? See if you can finish the example in this lesson.
Writing Task 2: ‘Old people’s health’ topic
Let’s start writing an essay about a new topic. First, see if you can finish my introduction.
IELTS Writing Task 2: Paragraph analysis
In this lesson we will analyse a main body paragraph in terms of its length, coherence, cohesion and the writing method used.
IELTS Writing Task 2: ‘Choices’ essay
Some people believe that nowadays we have too many choices. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Writing Task 2: Structure is not the secret!
IELTS students often get this wrong…
IELTS Writing Task 2: Focus on ‘real content’
Whenever people ask me for one good tip for writing task 2, I tell them to focus on ‘real content’ rather than grammar, linking or structure.
IELTS Writing Task 2: ‘New products’ essay
Read my band 9 essay about the advertising of new products, and see if you can list the ‘less common’ vocabulary that it contains.
Writing Task 2: ‘New products’ paragraph
Read my band 9 paragraph and complete the quick vocabulary exercise below it.
Writing Task 2: ‘Advertising products’ conclusion
Can you write a conclusion to finish my ‘essay skeleton’?
Writing Task 2: ‘Advertising products’ topic
In this lesson we’ll write the introduction for a new essay task, which comes from Cambridge IELTS book 16.
Academic Writing Task 2: How to use the 40 minutes
You have 40 minutes for task 2, so try organising your time in the following way.
IELTS Writing Task 2: Balanced opinion essay (cultural differences)
Should we adapt to the cultures of other countries that we visit? Here’s my band 9 answer and a quick homework task.
Writing Task 2: Accepting cultural differences
Read and complete my paragraph about accepting cultural differences.
Writing Task 2: Two-idea paragraph
Can you finish my paragraph with a personal example?
Writing Task 2: Balanced opinion ‘skeleton’
Let’s write a balanced opinion essay skeleton for the task about tourists and cultural differences.
Writing Task 2: Agree or disagree, balanced opinion
Let’s start work on a new essay topic, and try to present a viewpoint that is in the middle between ‘agree’ and ‘disagree’.
IELTS Writing Task 2: ‘Professionals’ vocabulary exercise
Here’s a quick exercise that highlights some of the good vocabulary that I used in last week’s ‘professionals’ essay.
IELTS Writing Task 2: Discussion essay (professionals)
Here’s my band 9 essay on the topic of whether professionals should be allowed to work abroad. There’s also a quick homework task.