IELTS WRITING TASK-2: ANATOMY OF AN

EXCELLENT ESSAY
TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2016

Do you know that many candidates follow a tradition to answer IELTS writing task-2
(academic)?
The Tradition: First, they think about too many points to answer the question...then write those
ideas/points one after another....and make it a jungle of words that become difficult to read.
Incredible tradition. You should try it.

There is exactly 0% chance to archive a good enough band score if you try it.
= Mission Accomplished.
That`s why I like traditionsbut not that brings me any good.
So, THINK TWICE if you like to keep that tradition alive!
At this point, you need some practical strategies that you can use to answer IELTS writing task2.
Thats exactly what this article is.
Its a simple checklist that will help you to nicely structure IELTS writing task 2 essays and
brings you good enough band score.

What you will learn

How to develop paragraphs that make sense

How to skillfully use cohesive device

How can you provide sufficient points

How to present clear arguments

How to organize paragraphs efficiently

Fast forward!
Let`s get started.
Bonus: Download a free checklist that will show you how to quickly leverage
these strategies. Includes bonus tips not found in this post.

Lesson 1: Develop Focused Paragraph with Coherence

Alright, before we get into all the details, lets get a glimpse of a very common question I usually
get from my subscribers:

So here is the fact.

It takes too long to finish.
Do you know why?
It happens when you try to present too many ideas in your writing.
But, you don`t have time for this (40 minutes allowed for Task-2)
That make sense, why should not gather too many points.
It`s simply = waste of energy + waste of time.
You can write 3 or more body paragraphs after the introduction.

But, limit the focus to one distinct idea.

You should:

Put only one main idea per paragraph

Add 3/5 more sentences per paragraph.

Start each body paragraphs with one focus or major point of discussion and then put other
sentences to create a logical bridge.
In this way, the entire paragraph will concern itself with a single focus.
If you write like this- it will be easily understandable to the examiner.
You are not getting it clear?
If I`m right..
Let me give you a simple formula: Pie Method.
PIE method:
P - Point
I - Illustrate
E Explain
Point: Make a strong point as expressed in the topic sentence or claim statement;
Illustrate: Give some practical evidences;
Explain: Show how the/these evidence supports the point.
How to write Point/Topic Sentence?

Your topic sentence is the most important sentence of the paragraph.

It should contain: a single idea or topic + your opinion (about that idea).
For example:
Online education has become more popular form of distance education in recent years.
In this case, the topic is: online education & your opinion is: it has become more popular in
recent years.
Remember that, a good topic sentence should not be too general or too specific.
Too general: Online education has become very popular.
Too specific: Online education has become very popular form of distance education in Japan,
China, USA and Canada where almost 25 % of the enrolled students in any institution prefer
online.
Now, you have to illustrate the idea expressed in the topic sentence.
How to Illustrate the Topic?
For illustration, you need to provide some examples that support the topic sentence. These
examples will help you to elaborate topic sentence.
For instance, look at previous point:
Online education has become more popular form of distance education in recent years.
You need to come up with some reasons why online education becomes popular.
Like:

Students have freedom to take lessons from home, they don`t have to be present themselves
physically in the lecture room. The experience of virtual learning environment via the internet
whenever needed makes it time independent. For many learners, it provides the ability to
maintain personal busy schedules and take classes at the same day.
How to Explain?
Now, you have illustrated the topic with reasons.
It`s the time to elaborate how the examples connect to your point.
Otherwise, the examiner may become overwhelmed with too many examples you have provides
may think your examples does match the point you`ve mentioned at the beginning of the
paragraph.
That`s why you need to make it clear in one sentence, like below:
These flexibility of online learning make it a very powerful and popular medium of education.
It is interesting to notice how the entire paragraph is focused on a single topic- the popularity of
online learning.
That`s the key point- write each paragraph on just one single topic.
Dont include a new topic/idea in this paragraph.
Write a separate paragraph for a new topic.
Remember, each new point should have its own paragraph.
Let` take an example of IELTS (Academic) writing question taken fromofficial IELTS page.

Let`s agree with the point that the benefit of nuclear technology far outweighs the
disadvantageand write a paragraph about it...as below:
1st body paragraph:
Nuclear power is very environment friendly source of energy with almost no carbon footprint.
(Point).For example, Air pollution from coal, oil and gas power plants is very high and
contributes to significant environmental and health hazard. But, nuclear plants have zero
emission and do not cause air pollution. Although, it produces some radioactive waste but it can
be manageable by isolation without any environmental damage. (Illustration)This flexibility of
nuclear power make it a very potential source of clean energy. (Explanation)
Now you want to write about another advantage of nuclear energy; like: low fuel cost.
"Nuclear power is very environment-friendly and cheap source of energy with almost no carbon
footprint.
You should not write about low fuel cost in the 1st paragraph:
Rather, you should add this point (low fuel cost/cheap) in a separate paragraph:

2nd body paragraph:

Nuclear technology is also very cheap source of energy that brings the cost down (Point). The
cost of uranium which is used as a fuel in generating electricity is quite low. A little amount of
uranium can produce much energy compare to thousands of tons of coal or petroleum needed to
produce the same energy. (Illustration)These technological advantages make it more economic
option than others. (Explanation)

Lesson 2: Strategically Use Cohesive Devices in the

Literature
Good English users do two things very well when writing IELTS essay:
First, they identify what is being asked in the question.
Second, they put 100% effort to answer this in the best possible way.
But, they`re probably wondering:
"Why I do not get a well enough band score though I write it very well"
You might be wondering:
"What is missing when they write is so well?"
Well, today Im going to make it easy for you.
All you need to do is a little twist by adding some elements of transition and signpost in your
task-2 essay.
What is Signposting?

You may see traffic signs around the streets of a city.

These signs help you to find your way.
The IELTS examiner is also kind of walking through your essay and looking for such signs.
You need to use phrases and words as a sign to guide the examiner to remind where you plan to
go next
You can use single words such as However, Furthermore and Finally, and phrases such as
By contrast and In conclusion
Thats easy.
And what happened?
People KNOW about the intention of your next sentencepresent your essay as clearly as
possible.
Your IELTS examiner will get impressed.
The reality is this: you will get a hike in writing band score for satisfying the cohesion marker.
What is Transition?
Transitions are usually longer phrases or whole sentences to indicate "the shift" of focus from
one idea to the next.
Most often you will write about cause and effect, problem and solution or comparison and
contrast in IELTS writing task-2.
Now if you really want to satisfy the examiner and ensure that he/she SCORE you better
you should deliver transitional phrases.

Heres how:
#Cause & Effect
Due to /Because of/As a consequence of burning more and more fossil fuels, the concentration of
greenhouse gas is increasing in the atmosphere.
#Problem-solution
One suggestion to help solve the problem is.An alternative solution could be
#Comparison and contrast
In spite of apparent global warming, few strategies have been taken to minimize the adverse
effect.
On the other hand/on the contrary, people are opting for more usage of fossil fuels in the long
run.
And thats it.
You see. It GETS BETTER

Lesson 3: Provide Sufficient Points

As I said: You dont need to think about TOO MUCH points to write in your IELTS writing task2 essay.
It`s necessary because-often you can come out with a list of points concerning the essay.
Instead of put down these long list of points in your essay-make it short.

Otherwise, you`ll never find time to write them all.

Often it`s a good practice to write down 3 or 4 good ideas down the essay.
Then just start to flow around these ideas in 3 to 4 body paragraphs following PIE Method.
But wait.
Heres where things get sticky
Sometimes our mind is blankyou can't think of anything... you are looking at task-2 question
again and again but can`t come up with any idea to start.
Cynical, yes, but still true.
It`s called writer block. It happens in IELTS writing test
What is the solution?
The solution is: Mind Mapping.
The Power of Mind Mapping in IELTS
When you try to answer to the question, you need to generate spontaneous ideas.
Mind mapping helps you to generate those ideas.
When you write down one idea, it opens the door of your mind by exposing what lies beneath.
I`ll explain.
Let`s take a typical example of our previous question:

They can use the blank paper and divide it into three horizontal areas.
Write each of the key words in the essay: nuclear weapon, world peace and threat` one after
another.
Why 3 WORDS?
Our brain is hardwired to catch three items at a time, which is why this technique works so well.

After lay out these keywords visually, find the main ideas presented in the question, which is:

The threat of Nuclear weapon maintains the world peace.

Nuclear energy provides cheap and clean energy.

Let your mind start to flow around and over these main ideas.
Create some supporting (or contrasting) ideas yourself.
Ask WH Questions like below:

How/why nuclear weapon maintains the world peacesince when

How/where nuclear energy provides cheap and clean energy

You eventually come up with points like:

Nuclear weapon maintains peace (when)

Since the Hiroshima Bombing of 2nd World War..

Nuclear weapon maintains peace (why)

People/Country fear of complete annihilation

Avoid war among countries having nuclear weapon

Maintain global peaceby the balance of power.

You see.
The RULE OF THREE is working.You`ll be flooding with points and ideas
You may be wondering that you may come up with a short list.
But, it is not true.
In fact, when you write down just one idea, the list will follow automatically by opening layer
after layer like an onion.
You can then convert those small hints of an idea into a fully grown sentence.
So this process will help you to access things you already know; and it will help you to think
about where to get evidence to back up what you know.
Its a bit like a cooking recipe.
You look at the recipe to see what ingredients are needed to write your IELTS essay.
What to do with your mind-map afterward...
And that leads me to my next point

Lesson 4: Present Clear Arguments

I speak English. Therefore, I am English.
(Heck, even if you SPEAK English, you are not English because maybe you are not born in
England)

Generally, when we talk, it`s not based on logic or evidence.

But, in the academic context, you need argument.
Argument means to persuade someone of something with reasoning.
Original argument:
I was born in England
I speak English.
Therefore, I am English.
(Heck, even if you`ve BORN in England & SPEAK in English, you are not English because
maybe your parents and grandparents are not born in England or you may be brought up in the
USA)
Here, I need to back up the claimI am English with more evidence & logic.
That`s exactly what you need to do in your IELTS Writing Task-2.
Present strong and clear argument.
The examiner will look forward how well your answer is argued.

How to write strong and clear Argument?

More than 2,000 years ago the Greek philosopher Aristotle explained 3 basic ways to make an
argument: ethos, logos, and pathos.
Greek farmers used this strategy for appealing their cases to Greek courts.
This classical argument model has stood as a model for writers over thousands of years.
You can visit this link if you are curious about it.
But first, let me tell you how you can initially break through and succeeded with this method.
This is the holy grail of making an effective argumentFor each point you raise in your essay, you must either refute or concede.
The rules are simple:
You need to acknowledge and disprove that are counter to the thesis of your essay.
What is Concession?

This means you need to acknowledge the other side/differing points of view on the IELTS essay
topic. Making concessions proves that you understand both sides of the issue.
What is Refutation?

A refutation is where you prove the counter-arguments wrong and explain why you do not agree
with it with supportive evidence.

Here is what youll need to do to imply these:

1. Write the opposing viewpoint (counterargument) at the beginning of the body paragraph.
2. Refute it with your own argument. Use transitional phrases so that the examiner can
identify when you are changing from your opponents argument to your own.
3. Explain your point of view with reasoning.

Let me help you more to break the ice in this process.

You can use these sentence structures to present the opposing viewpoint:

There are people who believe____ and they may think that _____,

Some people may feel that ___

Supporters of [this issue] claim that ____

Opponents of [this issue] insist that ____

And to state your own viewpoint:

However, I think that it is more important to consider ____ because ____

In spite of/Despite these arguments, I still think ____ because ____

It is true that____; however, ____

Some people may feel that ____ , but I disagree because _____

Here I give you an example where you can see concession and refutation in action.
Some people believe that smoking should not be banned in public places while other thinks that
it is not the right thing to do.
To what extend you agree or disagree with this point of view.

Lesson 5: Persuade Examiner with Efficient Organization

of Paragraphs
Right now. You have finish mind-mapping and come up with list of ideas or point.
Dont wait for a complete list. Dont wait for things to look perfect.
Start writing your essay right away when you can list three or four broad ideas.
If you fail to write your ideas in clear, organized massages, you are at risk for:
not achieving task response
and not getting a high band score.

Off course, you can`t write your ideas randomlyyou need to organize them in paragraphs.
Writing and organizing good paragraphs is one of the most important aspects of creating a wellorganized and developed essay.
A classic format for writing is the five-paragraph essay.

As a matter of fact, it is not the only format that exists; there are others like four or six paragraph
essay model.
But, I think five-paragraph is more useful in writing IELTS writing task-2 essay. You ask?
Let`s see why.
Take a look at this image closely, and then Ill walk you through it.

In this agree or disagree essay, let`s agree with the point of view presented in the question.
You can organize your paragraphs as below:

Paragraph 1 > Introduction

Paragraph 2 > Describe how nuclear weapon maintains word peace

Paragraph 3 > Describe how nuclear power provides cheap and clean energy

Paragraph 4 > Show how these benefits far outweigh the odds.

Paragraph 5 > Conclusion

That makes it clear why 5 paragraph structures are useful in IELTS.

Question is
How Can You Actually Write all these 5 Paragraphs?
For that, lets dive deeper

How do I write an effective introduction?

An excellent IELTS essay has a solid introduction.
In introduction you clarify the question and state how you are going to explore it.
In a way, it serves as a 'road map' of the essay.
You can follow this basic pattern (recipe) for writing introduction paragraphs:
(a) An introductory statement (What the question is about)

This sentence should broadly state the topic of the question.

You can simply do it by just zooming in to a specific idea from the broad concept presented in
the question.
However, you should not include:too many details
copy the same words of the question
Have a look at this example:
Question:
If countries are serious about solving traffic problems, they should tax private cars very heavily
and use the money to provide free or very cheap rail travel.
To what extend do you agree or disagree with the above?
Introductory statement:

Many nations are facing massive (specific-how serious) traffic congestion in their cities
(specific).
(b) Identify your main idea

Here you write how you feel about the whole issue of the question.
Picture this:
The congestion makes travel difficult and causes environmental damage. In order to solve this
problem, it is necessary to establish alternative solutions.
(c) Outline statement (How you are going to answer it)

Until now, you write about the general topic and the facts surrounding the topic.
Now, you need to state what you will be arguingwhat you are going to cover in your essay.
How about this:
"In my opinion, the best way to finance the development of public transport is to tax car drivers."
That`s it.
Thing #1: You have cleared the topic of the essay
Thing #2: You have said specific concern relates to the topic
Thing #3: You have clearly state what you are going to explore in this essay.
How to write body paragraphs?
You have stated what you are going to discuss generally in the last sentence of your introduction.
Now, you should explain, discuss or prove this.

You should move from general to specific information.

You can do this in several body paragraphs.
The body paragraphs are the heart of your essay. It is essential for writing an excellent essay.

How to write it?

I`ve already discussed it earlier in PIE Method.
But the question remains: should you just write 3 paragraphs using Pie formula.
No.

There is more you should concern.

That is.
You may include 3 body paragraphs in your IELTS essaybut all these 3 must have some
coherence and unity.
That said..
You should maintain a flow of transition.
Get it?
I`m taking about using transition signals between paragraphs.
I`ve already discussed it in Lesson 2: Strategically Use Cohesive Devices.
But, that was about using transitional words within the individual sentences of a paragraph.
Here, I will discuss how to use it from one paragraph to the next.
If you write 3 or 4 body paragraphs, you need to show the relationship between your first, second
paragraphs, between second and third paragraphs, and so on.
Two paragraphs are linked by adding a transition signal to the topic sentence of the second
paragraph.
This transition signal may be a word, a phrase, or a dependent clause that repeats or summarizes
the main idea of the first paragraph.
This acts as a hand-off from one idea to the next.

So, Instead of treating paragraphs as separate ideas, transitions can help readers understand how
paragraphs work together, reference one another, and build to a larger point.
Many times, it only takes a few words to draw these connections.
Let`s apply this in the example I`ve mentioned while describing PIE method.
>> Last line of first body paragraph:
"These flexibility of nuclear power make it a very potential source of clean energy."
>> First line of second body paragraph:
"Another important thing to note about the flexibility of nuclear technology is it`s cheapness."
(Instead of.......Nuclear technology is also very cheap source of energy that brings the cost down)
How to write Conclusion?
A lot of IELTS candidate write the essay so well but finish it with a half-baked conclusion.
An excellent IELTS essay has strong finishes, where the conclusion is one of the most powerful
components of the essay.
If your conclusions arent powerful, then they'll weaken your whole essay.
Luckily, it's not too complicated Jut write what you`ve already write.
You can even follow a sort of formula.
You can write your IELTS essay conclusion by following 3 parts:
(a) Restate the General Idea

You can start by restating the general idea made in the introduction. It reminds the examiner the
very basic idea behind writing your essay.
(b) Summary of discussed points

Provide 1 or 2 strong sentences that draw together all the point. It will build a relationship
between the general idea and the evidence provided in the essay.
It also reminds the examiner the ideas that have been argued in all previous body paragraphs.
(c) Provide some insights

Here is the golden rule.

Don't try to bring in new points at the end of your conclusion or try to solve any problem.
Just put some suggestion for future research in a clear, convincing message.
Here you provide some insights or overview future possible research that a reader can be aware
of after reading your whole essay.

One last thing

If you are reading this and come to this end, please don`t get confused.
Don`t be baffled with long list of to do things I present here for your IELTS task -2 wrting.
I made a free, easy to follow and eye catching checklist for you that will help you put these
strategies into action for your IELTS essay.
It outlines step-by-step exactly how to use the techniques that I talked about in this post
including a bonus tip that I didnt include here.

Heres where you can download the checklist: