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9 ways to improve your IELTS Writing Task 2 score

To improve your writing score in IELTS Writing Task 2 you need to 

  1. answer all parts of the question 
  2. make your opinion clear throughout
  3. write formal, academic English
  4. think critically
  5. argue your point and give relevant examples to defend your argument
  6. organise your writing logically
  7. develop and extend your ideas 
  8. write a concise introduction
  9. write clearly and accurately

Here are my 9 best tips to improve your IELTS Essay-writing techniques.

1. How to answer the question

There is no correct way to answer an IELTS Writing Task 2 question. You can answer the question in many different ways, and they could all achieve a high score.

But there are some things that you can do to get the highest score possible.

  • Answer the question very closely and specifically.

For example, if the question is about the benefits of mobile phones, make sure that your arguments relate to mobile phones and not just the internet or computers. The argument that they are useful in emergencies is better than the argument that you can chat with your friends.

  • Underline key words and keep looking back at the question to check you’re still answering it as you write.

For every point you make, tell the examiner how it relates to the question, for example by using a ‘so what’ sentence or a PEEL paragraph (Point, Explanation, Example, Link back to the question).

  • Give your own opinion strongly and clearly 

Don’t ‘sit on the fence’. Make your opinion clear in the introduction (e.g. ‘This essay will argue in favour/against…) and summarise it again in the conclusion.

  • It is good to show both sides of the argument, but you must say which side you agree with and why.
  • Answer the question with strong and relevant examples to support your main points.
  • Show the other points of view if you need to, but argue clearly why you think the other point of view is wrong.

This gives you a good opportunity to use linking words of concession and balance (‘Although others might argue that…. I believe that…’)

2. How many words should I write?

IELTS Writing is about quality, not quantity.

The minimum word count guide is 250 words so it is important not to go UNDER this limit.

Don’t be afraid to go over the word limit, especially if you’re a confident writer, aiming for a Band 7 or above.

Even if you’re a strong writer, try not to go over 300-320 otherwise the examiner might not read your final paragraph, and you risk losing focus/going off topic.

Make sure that you leave a full 40 minutes for Task 2, as it is worth more than Task 1.

3. How formal should my language be?

The IELTS exam tests your ability to write Academic English, so it has to be formal. For example, you

  • should NOT use contractions (don’t/ isn’t/ won’t) – always write two words (do not/ is not/ will not)

  • should NOT use ‘spoken’ language like ‘I’m gonna/ I wanna’ – always write  ‘I am going to/ I want to’ or slang words like ‘kids’.

  • should avoid personal stories such as ‘Me and my friend text each other all the time, so mobile phones are really useful’. It’s better to use more general examples: ‘One of the major benefits of having a mobile phone is the ability to get a message to the recipient without having to disturb them with a phone call’.

I have many lessons on how to make your language more formal. Here are some:

I do NOT recommend inventing research articles to make your essay more ‘academic-sounding’.

Here is the best way to refer to research in an IELTS Task 2 essay.

How to make writing more formal in IELTS Writing Task 2

4. IELTS Writing Task 2 ‘templates’

IELTS examiners can recognise templates (where the student has memorised most of the essay but changed key words to suit topic).

Template essays are very unnatural and almost always fail to answer the question directly.

Memorised sentences are often empty and meaningless, as you can see in the example below:

 ‘This controversial topic has become a heated debated recently. In my essay I will firstly discuss the advantages and then I will go on to discuss the disadvantages. Finally I will summarise my opinion and conclude that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages’.

(46 words which say almost nothing!)

The questions are designed to test your ability to analyse and express your ideas about a topic clearly.

This will not be possible if you try to use ‘template’ essays, as these cannot be made to fit each topic.

It is much better to spend time developing your language so that you can tackle ANY question with confidence.

Here are some lessons to help you do that:

5. Task 2 essay structures

There’s a difference between a template (see point 4) and a structure.

An essay structure is a way of organising your ideas so that they are logical and easy for the examiner to follow.

It is very simple to structure an IELTS essay based on the question types, for example:

  • problem – solution
  • advantages – disadvantages
  • agree – disagree
  • for – against
  • cause – effect

Structure your essay into 4 clear paragraphs like this:

INTRODUCTION

General statement related to the topic

Your opinion (what you think, and what you will argue)

Paragraph 1

Problems | Causes | Disadvantages | Arguments AGAINST

Paragraph 2

Solutions | Effects | Advantages | Arguments FOR

CONCLUSION

A summary of your main argument and opinion.

A final thought such as a recommendation or a consequence.

I have many examples on the site that follow this structure. Please see

6. How to write the introduction

Many teachers recommend that you paraphrase the question in the Introduction.

This option is popular because it is an easy option.

It is not difficult to substitute words and follow the structure that the question has already given you.

However, I believe this option is dangerous for two main reasons:

  1. The easy option is unlikely to get you a Band 7, which requires an ability to write independently without relying on the input
  2. Many students just replace words with synonyms that are incorrect, which will lose points.

I recommend that you write a General Statement that reflects on the issue, followed by a VERY clear statement of your opinion.

Get more details on how to write an IELTS Task 2 introduction here.

7. How to organise your writing logically

Writing a quick plan, and structuring your essay into 4 or 5 paragraphs will help the reader follow the logic of your argument.

There are a few more things you can do.

  • Give each paragraph a topic sentence – tell the reader what that paragraph will be about e.g ‘There are several reasons why people argue in favour of [topic]’
  • Use linking words that tell the reader what you’re doing (First of all, On the other hand)
  • Extend each point with an explanation or an example so that the reader sees the relevance of your point.
  • Organise your paragraphs into ‘PEEL’ paragraphs (Point – Example/Explanation – Link back to the question)

Learn more about PEEL paragraphs here.

Learn more about Coherence and Cohesion in IELTS Task 2 here.

8. How can I make my writing more complex?

Examiners would much prefer to read an essay that is clear and easy to understand, than one where the writer is trying to be complex.

So you should not try to use language that is more complex than you are comfortable with.

But there are some simple changes you can make to improve your writing if you tend to use very simple structures. You can

  • link 2 short sentences with ‘and’ or ‘but’ or ‘so’ or ‘because’
  • use simple conditionals with ‘if’
  • use relative clauses, which will make sentences longer
  • make simple contrasts with ‘although’ (‘Although some people argue in favour of this, I disagree’)

Get my full list of how to write more complex sentences here.

9. How to write accurately

According to the Official Band Descriptors, you do NOT need to write perfect English to get a high score.

Having a good teacher and getting regular practice and feedback will obviously help you write accurately, but there are lots of ways you can help yourself too e.g.

  • Buy a good grammar book
  • Use free grammar checkers

Find some of my favourite grammar and spell-checking tools on this page:

How to correct your own mistakes

The Members Academy Courses

The Members Academy has a 28-Day Writing Course for both General Training and Academic Test-Takers.

It includes videos, worksheets, quizzes, ebooks, cribsheets, lists of essential phrases, grammar practice, progress trackers, private Facebook group and personal Writing Feedback every week.

It also includes a 28-Day Course and Challenge for EACH skill – have a quick look at the Writing course here:

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