To achieve a band 8 in IELTS Writing Task 2, you will need to produce an essay that contains all the positive features contained in the band 8 writing assessment criteria. Let's take a look at these in the table below.
Task response |
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Coherence and cohesion |
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Lexical resource |
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Grammatical range and accuracy |
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Using the band descriptors as a guide we are going to go through the 8 steps to get you on your way to a band 8 in Writing Task 2.
We will start with the task response before moving through all the criteria to show you what an examiner will be looking for in your response.
Step 1: Answer is relevant to the question
Answer what you have been asked in the question. Don’t produce an essay that is close to a topic you have previously prepared. Make sure your examples and ideas are relevant. If you generalise too much and are not specific enough this will affect how your ideas are presented to the examiner.
Do
Make sure your ideas are directly related to the question
Use ideas and examples that you are familiar with, and that relate directly to the topic
Extend your answer to include a number of ideas that will support the question.
Don't:
Include irrelevant information
Over-generalise
Produce a memorised essay
Present ‘recent’ research or statistics related to the topic “At least 41% of all men…”
Step 2: Answer all parts of the question
You must read the question carefully and decide how many parts are in it. You must answer all parts of the question to reach a band 6 or higher.
Let’s look at some example IELTS question prompts and see how many parts are in each, if you need to present your opinion. Remember, it is very important to present a clear position when answering the statement to show that you understand the question being asked and to keep that position clear throughout the essay.
Question type | How many parts? | Opinion required? |
---|---|---|
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? | 1-part question | Yes, agree or disagree, or decide why you agree/disagree equally. |
Discuss both views and give your own opinion. | 3-part question - discuss both views as stated | Yes, present your opinion, it may be one of the views or a combination of both. |
Why is this so? Give reasons for this and solutions? | 3-part question | A position is presented on why this is so, the reasons for this issue and solutions to solve the issue. |
Do the disadvantages of international tourism outweigh the advantages? | 2-part question | Yes, you must clearly say if there are more advantages or more disadvantages. |
Why is this so? What effect does it have on the individual and society? | 3-part question | Yes, you must give reasons for the statement and then present the effect it has on 1) the individual and 2) society. |
Do:
Read the question carefully and decide how many parts are in it
Present your opinion and support it throughout the whole essay
If asked to present both views, make sure each view is presented equally (similar paragraph length)
Watch for plurals. If you are asked to give ‘advantages’, you must present a minimum of 2
Watch for ‘and’. You may need to comment on more than one element
Write more than 250 words.
Don’t:
Ignore parts of the question
Assume that your opinion is clear, use the first person to ensure the examiner knows it’s your opinion ‘I think’
Tell the examiner what you are going to say and what you have said
Produce a short essay.
Step 3: Organise your essay logically, with clear progression using linking phrases
Ideas must be expressed and ordered clearly - starting with an introduction and moving through to a conclusion.
If you are asked to present both views and your opinion, state your opinion at the beginning of the essay and then move on to present both views. You can then come back to your own opinion and then conclude the essay. This is a logical way to present these ideas.
Do:
Use a range of linking words and phrases, but don’t overuse them
Use adverbial phrases, rather than single basic linkers
Use referencing and substitution to avoid repetition (this/them/the issue/the problem)
Use punctuation to make your writing coherent
Make sure your ideas are sequenced correctly
Make sure your ideas are logical and easy to follow
Use a separate paragraph for the introduction and the conclusion
Use one paragraph for each idea or topic area.
Don't:
Overuse basic linking words like firstly (instead, try using ‘The first reason for/ The primary reason for this’)
Start every sentence with a linker (Try to put it in the middle of a sentence. E.g. “Some people believe, however, that individuals must also take responsibility for the environment” or “I believe, on the other hand, that individuals do have a responsibility to…”)
Use numbers, symbols or abbreviations (1, 2, etc, &, +)
Use headings or subheadings
Underline words or phrases
Use one-sentence paragraphs
Start every sentence with a linking device.
Step 4: Organise your essays into paragraphs
Use paragraphs to organise your essay into clear parts. Make sure each paragraph contains a clear and developed topic with a minimum of two sentences.
You can use the acronym “PEEL” when writing your essay:
Point – introduce your topic or topic sentence
Example – an example that supports your point
Explain – why this evidence supports your point
Link – transition to the next topic or paragraph
You must use enough paragraphs to clearly show a structured response. This will show that you can organise and present your thoughts and ideas logically.
Here are some ideas on how many paragraphs you could include in an essay:
Question type | How many paragraphs? | Paragraphs |
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To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? | 4/5 |
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Discuss both views and give your own opinion. | 5 |
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Why is this so? Give reasons for this and solutions? | 5 |
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Do the disadvantages of international tourism outweigh the advantages? | 4 |
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Why is this so? What effect does it have on the individual and the society? | 5 |
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Do:
Use paragraphs
Use linkers between and within your paragraphs
Leave a space between each paragraph (a line)
Use a paragraph for each topic
Use an introduction and a conclusion.
Don't
Use single-sentence paragraphs
Use very long paragraphs that cover a whole page (IELTS on paper)