Writing

Self-study
Programme
Task 2

takeielts.org
Academic Writing
week: Task 2
The aims of the Writing Self-study Programme are that you . . .
• Understand the format and task types
• Understand how your writing is assessed
• Develop your ability to analyse your own writing
• Develop appropriate vocabulary
• Become aware of appropriate grammatical structures

Day 1

a. Make sure you know exactly what the Writing Test (Tasks 1 and 2) is like. Go to ielts.
org/about-the-test/test-format and read the information carefully.
b. Go to takeielts.britishcouncil.org/take-ielts/prepare/free-ielts-practice-tests/
writing/academic/task-2 and read this information carefully too. Then do the practice
task. Type your answer to this question on your computer. Put the English spellchecker
on and make a note of those words you have spelt wrongly. Download the sample answer
and compare it with your own. Answer these questions about the sample answer:
• How many paragraphs are there?
• D
 oes the writer put their position in the
introductory paragraph?
• What is the main topic of the first body paragraph?
• What is the main topic of the second body paragraph?
• What is the purpose of the final paragraph?
• What phrase is used to introduce the final paragraph?
• (Answers at the end of this document)
 Day 2

Writing Task 2 consists of writing an essay. You may be asked to give your opinion on a
topic, to discuss an issue from both sides, or to describe the causes of a problem and the
solutions. It is recommended that you spend 40 minutes on this task, and you should write
a minimum of 250 words in order to do this task satisfactorily. Write a clear introduction
that rephrases what the topic of the essay is, and say what your position is. It is very
important that you write a clear position in your introduction.
a. Go to takeielts.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/ielts_task_2_writing_band_
descriptors.pdf
and download the public descriptors for task 2. These give you a good idea of what the
examiner is looking for at each Band level for Task Response (how well you answer
the question), Coherence and Cohesion (how well you organise your essay and how
well you link your ideas), Lexical Resource (your vocabulary), and Grammatical Range
and Accuracy (how well you can use grammar to communicate clearly). Look at the
descriptors for the band level you need.
b. It is important for Coherence and Cohesion that you
link your ideas and arguments well.

To practise using conjunctions, go to the IELTS Prep App takeielts.britishcouncil.

org/take-ielts/prepare/free-apps, click on <Writing> and then <More prep>. Select
<Grammar> then <Conjunctions>. Do the exercise.

To practise using words like ‘despite’ and ‘although’, go to learnenglish.britishcouncil.

org/grammar/intermediate-to-upper-intermediate/in-spite-of-despite-although-
even-though-and-though
c. It is important for Lexical Resource that you use some less common, more academic
vocabulary. A good source of vocabulary for this is the Academic Word List.
To practise, go to englishvocabularyexercises.com/academic-word-list/index.html
and do the exercises on Sublist 1.
 Day 3

To improve your Grammar Range and Accuracy you should try and use a range of
sentence structures.
a. To practise using relative clauses, go to the IELTS Prep App takeielts.britishcouncil.
org/take-ielts/prepare/free-apps, click on <Writing> and then <More prep>. Select
<Grammar> then <relative clauses>.
Do the exercise.
b. For further practice of relative clauses, go to
learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/intermediate-to-upper-intermediate/
relative-clauses-defining-relative-clauses and
learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/intermediate-to-upper-intermediate/
relative-clauses-non-defining-relative-clauses
Do the exercises.
c. To practise using conditional sentences, go to
learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/intermediate-to-upper-intermediate/
conditionals-1 and learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/intermediate-to-
upper-intermediate/conditionals-2 Do the exercises.
d. Practise another Task 2 essay. Go to
content.clarityenglish.com/rti/media/pdf/RTI_AC_WS_C04U04S01E01_01_
FZWC.pdf?contentRoot=https%3A%2F%2Fsummer-heart-0930.chufeiyun1688.workers.dev%3A443%2Fhttps%2Fcontent.clarityenglish.com&id=72.-
1&lang=en_gb&seed=5e7c7b7d59f34

Remember to write an introduction that includes your position or opinion. Write at least
2 body paragraphs
and a concluding paragraph. Try to use some of the grammar and vocabulary you have
been practising.
Write at least 250 words. Download the answers and compare your essay with the
model answer given. Put the English spellchecker on and make a note of those words
you have spelt wrongly.
 Day 4

Word formation is assessed as part of the descriptors

for Lexical Resource.
a. Practise changing the form and function of words, for example, from a noun to a verb.
Go to random-idea-english.blogspot.com/2013/05/word-families.html and do
exercises 1 and 2.
b. Download the Academic Word List Sublist 1 which contains the most-used words wgtn.
ac.nz/lals/resources/academicwordlist/publications/AWLmostfreqsublists.pdf Use
a dictionary to find
the noun, verb, adjective and adverb forms (where
they exist) of the words on this list.
Referencing is assessed in Coherence and Cohesion. This means using pronouns
rather than repeating nouns or noun phrases to link your ideas. For example, Too many
people use single-use plastics and then throw them away. This causes enormous
problems.
c. To practise using pronouns go to the IELTS Prep App takeielts.britishcouncil.org/
take-ielts/prepare/free-apps, click on <Writing> and then <More prep>. Select
<Grammar> then <pronouns>. Do the exercise.
How the essay is organised is assessed in Coherence and Cohesion. Brainstorming
and planning can help you improve the organisation of your essay. Look at these Task 2
questions. Spend 5 minutes on each title
to think of ideas/arguments. Use the grid at the end
of this document to note these down.
1. Tourism hugely benefits the places that people visit.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
2. Motorised vehicles are the primary cause of air pollution in cities and should be banned.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
3. Many young people spend much of their time looking at screens on digital devices
rather than socialising face to face. What are the problems of too much screen time and
how can young people be persuaded to take part
in other activities?
 Day 5

Now do a practice test.

a. Go to britishcouncil.it/en/exam/ielts/courses-resources/free-online-english-
preparation-material and register for the material. Registration and material are free.
Download the material and go to page 47. Write this Task 2 essay in 40 minutes.
b. Complete the following checklist:
• Did you write the essay in 40 minutes?
• Did you write at least 250 words?
• Did you write an introduction, (at least) 2 body paragraphs, and a conclusion?
• D
 id you rephrase the essay title and clearly state
your opinion/position in the introduction?
• D
 id you introduce your conclusion with a concluding phrase (e.g. To conclude, In
conclusion)?

Did you use: conditional sentences?

relative clauses?
linking words and phrases?
pronouns to refer to nouns
or noun phrases?
c. Use the English spellchecker and make a note of the correct spelling of any words you
misspelt.
d. Compare your essay with the model answer on page 49.
Answers from Day 1: What is the main topic of the second body
paragraph?
How many paragraphs are there? 4 arguments for other values being symbols
of worth
Does the writer put their position in the
introductory paragraph? What is the purpose of the final paragraph?
Yes “I do not think this is true”. To conclude the essay, to round up
What is the main topic of the first body What phrase is used to introduce the
paragraph? final paragraph?
arguments about material wealth as In conclusion
a symbol of worth

Brainstorming ideas for essays

1.
Tourism hugely benefits the places that people visit

Examples of the benefits of tourism: Examples of the disadvantages of tourism:

2.
Motorised vehicles are the primary cause of air pollution in cities and should be banned.

Benefits of Drawbacks to
banning banning
vehicles vehicles

3.
Many young people spend much of their time Why do they spend so much time?
looking at screens on digital devices rather than
What are they looking at?
socialising face to face. What are the problems
with spending too much time on devices Who are they communicating with?
and how can young people be persuaded to
When ……
socialise more directly?
How ……
Write as many questions as you can. Use the
answers to solve the problem. How often ……
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