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7 Steps to Structuring an IELTS Task 2 Essay

Posted by David S. Wills | Apr 6, 2020 | IELTS Tips , Writing | 0

In this week’s article, I want to show you how to structure an IELTS writing task 2 essay. I’ve written about this many times in the past, but today I want to show you a simple, 7-step approach that can guide you to the perfect essay.

First of all, I want to mention that there are lots of ways to write an amazing essay. There are also 5 different kinds of question, hundreds of topics, and lots of different combinations. This means that you cannot just memorise an answer or even memorise a structure. You can learn about that in my IELTS books :

However, this article will give you a guide to writing a great essay structure by logically sequencing your ideas. This can help you to score highly for Coherence and Cohesion, which is worth 25% of your writing score.

IELTS Essay Structure: The Basics

Before we begin with the 7 steps, I would like to give you a short overview. Writing an IELTS essay requires many skills and you have a lot of different criteria to meet in order to get a band 7 or above. Your essay will be judged in four ways, each accounting for 25% of the total score:

• Task Achievement
• Coherence and Cohesion
• Lexical Resource
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy

When thinking about structuring an essay, we are essentially talking about Coherence and Cohesion . Being able to produce a strong structure with logically sequenced ideas will give you a good chance of a high score in this section.

There are lots of different approaches, but most IELTS trainers agree that a four-paragraph structure is the best approach, with five paragraphs sometimes being appropriate. [ Read about 4 vs 5 paragraphs ] You should aim to divide your ideas sensibly and then build them in order to support your thesis or explain the issues as necessary.

Today, the steps that I will describe for you are as follows:

• Analyse the Question
• Brainstorm Ideas
• Plan your Overall Structure
• Plan your Internal Paragraph Structure
• Write a Strong Introduction
• Link your Sentences
• Write a Good Conclusion

1. Analyse the Question

Every IELTS question is different and so it is really important that you read it carefully in order to understand it fully. If you just read it quickly, you might get the wrong idea. It is natural for our brains to see a word and jump to a conclusion. For example, a question that mentions climate change might really be asking about solutions to fossil fuel emissions rather than the consequences of global warming. If you don’t understand the question, you cannot write a good answer.

Before you begin brainstorming , read the question at least twice. Let’s look at an example:

Some people claim that not enough of the waste from homes is recycled. They say that the only way to make people recycle more is to make it a legal requirement. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

When you first look at this question, your eyes will be drawn to keywords like “waste” and “recycle.” That is good, but we need to understand the full sentence. What sort of waste are we talking about? Waste from homes . What does “legal requirement” mean? It means make it a law .

You will always see a statement of some sort above and then the question below. Once you understand the statement, you should read the question. In this case, the question is “To what extent do you agree…?”

Therefore, you need to choose a position ( agree/disagree ) and then write an essay that explains your position.

Note: Some IELTS candidates believe that you have to give a balanced viewpoint. This is not necessarily true. You can read about it in this article .

2. Brainstorm Ideas

Once you understand the question, you can begin to think of ideas to use in your essay. My biggest piece of advice here is: DON’T CHOOSE TOO MANY IDEAS!!

Seriously, it is not helpful to use lots of different ideas or examples in your essay. Yes, this might help you reach 250 words easily, but your essay will definitely get a low score for Coherence and Cohesion (and possibly Task Achievement) because it will not be well organized and probably will lack sufficient development of ideas.

I encourage my writing students to follow the idea of ONE PARAGRAPH, ONE IDEA. In some essay types, this is easy. For example, in an advantages/disadvantages essay , you can just devote one body paragraph to advantages and the other to disadvantages. Simple!

However, in other types of essay, you might find it harder. With agree/disagree essays, you might have two reasons why you agree. In this case, you just put one reason in each body paragraph.

Let’s brainstorm now.

Personally, I agree that laws should be passed that require people to recycle their household waste. Therefore, I would consider the following ideas:

Those are just some ideas. Sometimes you will struggle to think of even two ideas and sometimes you will easily think of five or six. The important thing, though, is to choose the most important ones. Think about what would make the most convincing argument.

3. Plan your Overall Structure

By “overall structure,” I mean your basic paragraph plan. Every IELTS writing task 2 essay should have an introduction and conclusion , and at least two body paragraphs. This is the standard essay format and I highly recommend that you practice with it. Essays that have lots of paragraphs are usually a mess and will receive low scores for Coherence and Cohesion.

I want to write an advanced essay that will score band 9, so I am going to use an interesting structure that will allow me to show off my essay-writing skills. My first body paragraph will look at opposing viewpoints and then refute them, before the second body paragraph concisely states why we do need laws that make people recycle.  

For this essay, my overall structure would look like this:

This is a pretty simple and flexible paragraph structure. I highly recommend that you use it because once you become comfortable with it, you can really adapt it a lot. Even though it is basic and you can use it for scoring band 6, you can also use this structure for band 9 essays.

The reason is that you can vary the content of your body paragraphs greatly. Here, I have tried to give balance to the argument, even though I agree with one side – the need for laws. However, rather than simply state two compelling reasons, I will first dismiss the counter-arguments and then give an argument in favour of my viewpoint.

4. Plan your Internal Paragraph Structure

This is the most difficult part of structuring an essay and it is the reason why most people struggle to get a high score for Coherence and Cohesion.

It is really, really important for IELTS writing that your ideas are sequenced logically. That means they go from one idea to the next in a logical way. Look at these two example passages. One contains a logical flow of ideas and the other does not. Can you tell which is which?

• The case in favour of laws mandating recycling is simple and irrefutable. These laws would ensure that a far higher amount of household waste is recycled, thereby reducing the amount of pollution that goes into our environment. People cannot be trusted to do this for themselves, and the evidence exists in the places where environmental laws are strictly enforced, compared to those where they are non-existent, or weakly enforced.
• These laws would ensure that a far higher amount of household waste is recycled, thereby reducing the amount of pollution that goes into our environment. People cannot be trusted to do this for themselves, and the evidence exists in the places where environmental laws are strictly enforced, compared to those where they are non-existent, or weakly enforced. The case in favour of laws mandating recycling is simple and irrefutable.

Which one is correct? Answer: #1.

In this answer, I began with a topic sentence . This is a sentence that introduces an idea. I then explained that idea in more detail. Finally, I added another sentence that built upon the previous two. Both the second and third sentences supported the first. When you put them in the wrong order, they make no sense.

Finally, notice that I used certain words to refer back to previous ideas: these laws , do this .

5. Write a Strong Introduction

It’s really important with any kind of writing to give a strong introduction. This grabs your reader’s attention but also tells them what to expect from your writing. If an examiner reads a really terrible introduction, they will think that your body paragraphs are likely to be very bad, too.

As such, it is important that you devote a little time to writing an excellent intro.

What does that involve?

I recommend that people generally write a three-sentence introduction. (However, remember that there is no one perfect way to write an essay and so there are other good possibilities.)

I suggest this:

• General statement that addresses the topic.
• Slightly more specific statement that relates wider topic to specific question.
• A sentence that shows essay intention or overview. (This is often called an outline sentence .)

For the above question, I would write an introduction like this:

Pollution remains a significant problem all around the world and this is causing people to debate possible solutions. One such solution is for governments to impose laws requiring citizens to recycle certain kinds of waste from their homes. This essay will argue that environmental laws are essential to reducing waste and thereby saving the planet.

Let’s look at how those sentences are structured:

• A very general statement: pollution is a problem; people discuss solutions.
• More specific statement: introduce potential solution with simple detail
• Essay statement: state that laws are essential for solving problem

6. Link your Sentences

Next, you are going to need to write the body paragraphs. With your essay structure already written, it should not be too hard to do this. You need to follow a simple but effective internal paragraph structure that develops and supports each idea.

When you do this, it is important that you link your sentences. Now, if you have a good enough structure, your sentences will already be linked. That is because your ideas will flow naturally from one to the next.

As you will know, it is possible to use “ cohesive devices ” (also called transitional or linking words/phrases etc). These include words and phrases like: however, therefore, next, after that, meanwhile, on the other hand . They are very useful and help guide your reader, but you should not overuse them or it will make your writing weak.

Let’s look at my third paragraph as an example.

The case in favour of laws mandating recycling is simple and irrefutable. These laws would ensure that a far higher amount of household waste is recycled, thereby reducing the amount of pollution that goes into our environment. People cannot be trusted to do this for themselves, and the evidence exists in the places where environmental laws are strictly enforced, compared to those where they are non-existent, or weakly enforced. In the United Kingdom, people are required to recycle most of their household waste, and the environment is far cleaner than other countries, such as China, where people can throw any trash away without consequences.

How many cohesive devices did I use?

None. My sentences were already well-organized, so I did not need to use any.

You can read all about not using too many cohesive devices here .

7. Write a Good Conclusion

Finally, you must finish all your IELTS writing task 2 essays with a conclusion . This means a final paragraph that summarizes everything you have said so far and then references your key ideas. This can be either one or two sentences, but don’t write much more than that.

A conclusion will also differ according to the question type. Some might require you to make a suggestion or state an opinion, while others will really just require you to summarize you have said.

It is a pretty good idea to follow a structure like this:

• Paraphrase your main idea.
• Re-state your main arguments.

For example, here is my conclusion from the above question:

In conclusion, laws are absolutely essential to ensure that people recycle their household waste. Without such laws, very few people would actually go to the trouble of recycling; however, if governments enforce these laws, almost everyone would have to comply.

In this conclusion, the first sentence paraphrases my main idea (laws are necessary) and the second sentence re-states my main arguments (people would not recycle without laws; laws make people recycle).

Note that I have avoided repeating myself. In these two lines, I have simply referred to my previous arguments but I have not copied the things I already said. I have used new language for it.

Sample Band 9 Answer

Next, I will show you my answer for this question. Remember that this is just one possible answer. There are other ways to write a band 9 score. However, I do think that this is the best way because it is easy to learn and apply to your own essays. I recommend that you download the essay as a Microsoft Word (.docx) file because I have annotated it fully. You can see a clear explanation of what purpose each sentence has.

Sample Answer

Pollution remains a significant problem all around the world and this is causing people to debate possible solutions. One such solution is for governments to impose laws requiring citizens to recycle certain kinds of waste from their homes. This essay will argue that environmental laws are essential to reducing waste and thereby saving the planet. The case against laws imposing mandatory recycling revolve around the notion that people can learn to recycle by themselves, and this is true to an extent. With the improvement of education, people typically litter less and recycle more. However, our planet is presently in the grips of environmental catastrophe and it would take several generations for people to make changes to their lives. It is also sometimes argued that poor people cannot afford to make the sacrifice necessary to use less plastic and switch to sustainable products, and it is therefore unfair to punish them. However, mandatory recycling would not require people to immediately give up plastics; instead, they would simply be required to dispose of them in an ethical manner at a government-run recycling facility. The case in favour of laws mandating recycling is simple and irrefutable. These laws would ensure that a far higher amount of household waste is recycled, thereby reducing the amount of pollution that goes into our environment. People cannot be trusted to do this for themselves, and the evidence exists in the places where environmental laws are strictly enforced, compared to those where they are non-existent, or weakly enforced. In the United Kingdom, people are required to recycle most of their household waste, and the environment is far cleaner than other countries, such as China, where people can throw any trash away without consequences. In conclusion, laws are absolutely essential to ensure that people recycle their household waste. Without such laws, very few people would actually go to the trouble of recycling; however, if governments enforce these laws, almost everyone would have to comply.

You can download a copy of that sample essay here . This will allow you to see all of my annotations like this:

Improving your Writing Skills

If you really want to get better at IELTS writing, the best way is to have an expert check your work. People who use my writing correction service find that they can quickly identify their mistakes and improve their overall IELTS score.

E-mail me at david [at] ted-ielts [dot] com to find out more, or check the above link.

About The Author

David S. Wills

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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IELTS Band 6 Essays (with Corrections and Comments – Task 2)

by Dave | Understanding Task 2 Writing | 0 Comment

Here are some band 6 IELTS essays for writing task 2 that I have marked and corrected for past students.

*I update this post all the time so check back to see new band 6 corrections!

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Sorry about the formatting on the post – it was a little tricky, you can always download the samples too!

IELTS Band 6 Essays

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IELTS Sample Essays

Here you will find IELTS Sample Essays for a variety of common topics that appear in the writing exam.

The model answers all have tips and strategies for how you may approach the question and comments on the sample answer.

You can also view sample essays with band scores on this page. 

Looking at IELTS essay topics with answers is a great way to help you to prepare for the test. 

These IELTS sample essays have been categorised in a way that makes it easy for you to see how certain essay question types require you to provide certain responses to ensure the question is fully answered. 

Specifically these are:

• Agree / Disagree
• Discuss Two Opinions
• Problems and Solutions
• Advantages and Disadvantages
• Other Types

Agree / Disagree Type Questions

In these types of question you are given one opinion and you then have to state the extent to which you agree or disagree with that opinion:

• Advertising
• Alternative Medicine
• Spending on the Arts
• Human Cloning
• Social Interaction & the Internet
• Airline Tax
• Free University Education
• Scientific Research
• Banning Smoking
• Employing Older People
• Vegetarianism
• Paying Taxes  
• Examinations or Formal Assessment 
• Multinational Organisations and Culture
• Internet vs Newspapers
• Technology Development  
• Dying of Languages
• Animal Extinction
• Truth in Relationships
• Role of Schools
• Return of Historical Artefacts

Discuss Two Opinions Type Questions

In this essay question type you are given two opinions, and you have to discuss both of these and then give your own view:

• University Education
• Reducing Crime
• Animal Rights
• Child Development
• Diet & Health
• Donating Money to Charity
• Closing Zoos   
• Becoming Independent  
• Formal and Informal Education  
• Influence of Scientists and Politicians
• Sources for Stories
• Searching for Extraterrestrial Life

Cause Type Questions

There are a variety of 'cause type' essay questions. In these you first have to give the reasons why something has happened, in other words the causes, but then discuss a different aspect of it, such as the effects, solutions or the extent to whether it is a positive or negative development:

Causes & Effects:

• Child Obesity
• Skin Whitening Creams
• Family Size
• Having Children Later in Life
• Time Away from Family

Causes and Solutions:

• Youth Crime
• Global Warming
• Paying Attention in Class
• International Travel & Prejudice 
• Museums & Historical Places
• Disappearance of Traditions
• Communication Between Generations

Causes, Pros & Cons:

• Family Closeness
• Living Alone
• Rural to Urban Migration

Problems & Solutions Type Questions

In these type of questions, instead of discussing the causes of a problem, you need to discuss the problems related to a particular issue in society, and then suggest what can be to solve these problems:

• Overpopulation
• Competing for Jobs  
• Professionals Immigrating

Advantage & Disadvantages Type Questions

In these type of questions you are asked to discuss the positive and negative sides of a particular topic. You will usually be asked this in the context of giving an opinion ( e.g. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? Is it a positive or negative development? ): 

• Traffic Problems
• Food Additives
• Computer Games
• Age Discrimination at Work  
• Children using Tablets and Computers  
• Cell Phones, Internet, & Communication  
• Working from Home 
• Eating Locally grown  Produce  
• Oil and Gas Essay  
• Peer Pressure on Young People
• Online Fraud
• Decreasing House Sizes

'Hybrid' Types of Essay Question

There are sometimes questions that don't fit easily into a particular category as above. I've called these 'hybrid', as they are of mixed character, are composed of different elements from other types of essay, or are perhaps just worded differently. 

• Protecting Old Buildings
• Animal Testing
• Fear of Crime
• Communication Technology
• Influence of Children's Friends  

Sample Essays with Band Scores

You can also view some sample essays that have been written by candidates practising for the test and have band scores and comments by an experienced ex-IELTS Examiner based on the IELTS marking criteria. 

• IELTS Band 8 Essay Samples
• IELTS Band 7 Essay Samples
• IELTS Band 6 Essay Samples
• IELTS Band 5 Essay Samples
• IELTS Band 4 Essay Samples

Student Sample Essays

For more IELTS essay topics with answers you can also view essays that have been written by students. Some have feedback from other students or IELTS teachers:

• Student Model Essays  (with comments by other students)
• Student Model Essays (with comments by IELTS buddy)

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IELTS Writing Samples Band 6.5

Many countries aim to improve their living standard by economic development, but some important social values are lost as a result. do you think the advantages of economic development outweigh the disadvantages, some people argue that it is more important to have an enjoyable job than to earn a lot of money. others disagree and think that a good salary leads to a better life. discuss both these views and give your own opinion., some people believe that the increasing use of technology in education is having a negative impact on students' learning abilities. others argue that technology is a valuable tool that enhances learning. discuss both these views and give your own opinion., in some countries, online shopping is gradually replacing in-store shopping. some people say that this is a positive trend, while others argue that it is leading to negative impacts. discuss both views and give your own opinion., all parents want the best opportunity for their children. there are some people who think that schools should teach children skills but others think having a range of subjects is better for children’s future. discuss both of the views and give your opinion., many young people are leaving the countryside to live in cities leaving behind an elderly population. what are the problems associated with this what can be done about it, the movement of people from villages to cities for work can cause serious problems in both places. what are the serious problems associated with this what measures can be taken to solve these problems, in today’s society, both western medicine and traditional complementary forms of medicines’ are now widely known and used. the effectiveness of these kinds of treatment is determined by the patient’s mental attitude towards it., some people think that government should not spend money on sports stadium and building theatres. instead it should spend more money on education. do you gree or disgree, people nowadays sleep less than they used to in the past. what do you think is the reason for this what are the effects of this habit, fast food advertisements can be found on tv and through social media which tempts people to eat unhealthy food. should fast food ads be banned, some people think that adverts control what we purchase, while others think they are useful sources of information on products. discuss both sides and give opinion, some people think children have the freedom to make mistakes, while other people believe that adults should prevent children from making mistakes. discuss both sides and give your opinion., some university students want to learn about other subjects in addition to their main subjects. others believe it is more important to give all their time and attention to studying for a qualification. discuss both these views and give your own opinion., today children are surrounded by electronic devices such as personal computers, tablet computers, and smart phones, and they learn to use them at a very early age. what are advantages and disadvantages of this situation, some people believe that traveling to other places is not essential to learn about different cultures as one can gain knowledge from books, movies, and the internet. to what extent do you agree or disagree, some people believe that it is important to give gifts and presents to friends and family to show that we care about them. others believe that there are better ways to show that we care about them. *discuss both these views and give your own opinion., according to raise population, government have to find alterantive food resource like insects product in order to strike balance betwenn supply and demand while group of people have notion that consuming its is not appropriate for human health and having hazardous effect on environment., some people say that supermarkets and manufacturers have a responsibility to reduce the amount of packaging on products they sell. others believe that it is the consumer’s responsibility to avoid buying products which have a lot of packaging. discuss both views and give your opinions.

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Band 6 Student Answer with Examiner’s Report

Lots of students only require a Band 6 or 6.5 in their IELTS test and I get lots of questions every week about what a Band 6 essay looks like and what is required to get a 6. I recently marked a Band 6 essay for one of our essay correction service students and you can read it below.

I have included the picture of the original essay below so you can see the original corrections and I have included the examiner’s report and sample answer. This student was able to get the Band 7 they required after following the advice below.

Task Response- Band 6

You address all parts of the task and cover both arguments. However, the question asked you to discuss both views and you spend much more time saying why children were happy and not adults.

You presented a clear position throughout the response. It was very good to see that you gave a clear thesis statement in your introduction and then used the rest of the essay to support this view. ƒ

You present, extend and support main ideas, but there was a tendency to over-generalise at times.

Suggestions –

For discussion (discuss both views) it is important that you give equal time to both views. Even if you disagree with one view, you should write one paragraph saying why you disagree. If you did this, you would have got a higher band.

One thing that you could do better is provide specific examples. The more specific you can be with your examples, the more authority your points have. You can make your examples more specific by adding dates, statistics, peoples’ names or place names. See my article below.

Be careful not to have too many ideas. Your ideas are relevant, but it is better to have fewer ideas and support these with explanations and examples, than simply list lots of ideas that are not fully developed. Examiners are looking for fully developed ideas, not lists of ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion- Band 7

You logically organise information and ideas; there is clear progression throughout. The structure that you have used really helps in this area and makes everything easy to follow and flows very nicely. However, it can be improved even more.

You use a range of cohesive devices (linking words) appropriately although there is some over-use. All linking words are used accurately and effectively, but there tends to be a reliance on them through overuse. This is not a huge problem, but the higher band scores use cohesive devices much less than you currently do.

Each paragraph presents a clear central topic and this is really helped by a topic sentence at the beginning of each paragraph.

Try using this paragraph structure for discussion questions:

Introduction • Paraphrase Question • Thesis Statement • Outline Statement (outline what you will discuss in the rest of the essay)

Discussion of first side • Main point • Explanation of main point (linked to your opinion) • Example

Discussion of second side • Main point • Explanation of main point (linked to your opinion) • Example

Conclusion • Summary of main ideas and opinion

Your use of cohesive devices is very good, but you do have a tendency to overuse them. You don’t get more marks for every cohesive device you use and in fact, you will be penalised for overusing them. Only use them when necessary. If you look at my example essays I might only use them once or twice per paragraph.

Vocabulary- Band 6

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the task such as ‘financial responsibilities’, ‘academic environment’ and ‘scientific competitions’. You attempt to use less common vocabulary but with some inaccuracy and you make some errors in word formation, but they do not impede communication. Please see corrections above for examples of this.

You do try to use advanced vocabulary but this often leads to small mistakes. Follow the 100% rule- don’t try to use any words you are not 100% sure about. It is better to use simple words and make no mistakes than use advanced words, but in error. By 100% I mean that you should be sure about spelling, grammar, collocations, synonyms, antonyms etc.

In the long term you should think about starting a vocabulary book. This is a place where you record new vocabulary with spelling, grammar, collocations, synonyms, antonyms and example sentences to make sure you know it 100%. You can then review these new words regularly so that they become a natural part of your vocabulary.

You should also give yourself a few minutes at the end to evaluate your vocabulary and make sure you have not made any mistakes.

Finally, synonyms are important and you should try to use them, but only use them if you know that they mean exactly the same as the word you are replacing. They should also be grammatically correct. If you are not sure, just repeat the word.

Grammar- Band 5

You attempt complex sentences but these tend to be less accurate than simple sentences.

You make frequent grammatical errors and some errors can cause some difficulty for the reader.

Please see above for grammatical errors.

Suggestions-

Establish your common grammar errors and then review this grammar. There are lots of online activities you can do to practice and perfect each area you are weak in.

Also, follow the 100% rule for grammar. You should only write sentences that you know are 100% correct. If there is any doubt then you need to think about how you can express your point in a simpler way, that has no mistakes.

It is better to write in a simple way and make no mistakes, than use complex grammar and structures with frequent errors.

Overall- Band 6

Overall this was a good essay but there are some things you can do to improve in the future.

The main things you can do is to answer the question by doing what it asks you to do. In this question you have been asked to ‘Discuss both views and give your own opinion.’ You have really only discussed one of the views. You need to make it really clear to the examiner that you have discussed both views by having a separate paragraph for each.

Your coherence will also improve if you use the structure I suggested above and you should also check out the structures for the other types of essay. I have included a link for this below.

Your cohesion is very good, but remember that you don’t need to start every sentence with a linking word, one or two per paragraph is enough.

Your vocabulary and grammar are your two biggest challenges. The quick way to fixing these is to follow the 100% rule I suggest above and if you want to fix these long term I would suggest the following:

1. Read books/blogs/magazines about the common IELTS Task 2 topics, such as Education, Health and Technology. Note down any new words in a vocabulary notebook as I suggested above and then review this regularly. It will take you a little while, but soon your vocabulary will really expand.

2. Find out what your common grammar mistakes are. Most people make the same grammar mistakes over and over again. When you know what these are, you can review the grammar rules, practice online and fix them.

If you can improve the things above, I am confident that you can increase your band score.

Suggested Resources

Paraphrases in IELTS/ Writing a Supporting Paragraph in IELTS/ How to Analyze IELTS Writing Task 2 IELTS Writing Conclusions IELTS Task 2 Essay Structures Common IELTS Task 2 Topics IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay Discussion

Do you need help with IELTS Writing? Try our IELTS Correction Service .

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Ielts writing band scores and latest scoring criteria in 2025.

We all know that the IELTS Writing test is the section that often makes candidates anxious about their scores and the scoring criteria. In order to develop an effective study strategy and improve weaknesses, PREP advises you to follow the article below on the IELTS Writing Band Scores, how the IELTS Writing score is calculated, and the evaluation criteria in the Writing test to achieve the desired proficiency level.

1. Criterion for IELTS Writing Band Scores - Task Response

2. criterion for ielts writing band scores - coherence and cohesion, 3. criterion for ielts writing band scores - lexical resource, 4. criterion for ielts writing band scores - grammatical range and accuracy, 1. task response, 2. coherence and cohesion, 3. lexical resource, 4. grammatical range and accuracy, iv. conclusion, i. criteria for identifying ielts writing band scores.

The IELTS Writing Band Scores is assessed by examiners using a scale of 1 to 9, mirroring the scoring system for other skills within the test. This score reflects the combined evaluation of both Writing Task 1 and Task 2. To enhance your preparation for the IELTS exam, it's crucial to familiarize yourself with the specific criteria used for scoring in the Writing section. By referring to these scoring criteria, you can effectively study and prepare for the Writing tasks at home, thereby improving your chances of achieving a desirable score in the IELTS test .

Task Response is a criterion that helps examiners determine how you address the requirements of the task. It accounts for 25% of the total score. This criterion determines whether you answer the task prompt correctly or if you go off-topic. Candidates need to address all parts of the question stated in the task prompt. The response should be relevant to the task requirements. Additionally, to convince the examiner, you should provide evidence to support your arguments.

This criterion assesses the readability, coherence, and cohesion of the candidate's writing, accounting for 25% of the total score. Therefore, you should organize your ideas into separate paragraphs. At the same time, use linking words to enhance the coherence and cohesion of your writing. Coherence refers to the organization of information, while cohesion refers to the connection and flow of ideas in the essay. To achieve the expected score in IELTS Writing, you should arrange your ideas logically, coherently, and interconnect them.

This criterion is divided into specific sub-criteria for easy scoring of the candidate's writing and accounts for 25% of the total score. The specific sub-criteria for the IELTS Writing score are:

• Range of vocabulary: Demonstrates diversity in vocabulary usage. Use relevant vocabulary related to the topic as required by the task prompt. Additionally, know how to use synonyms and antonyms. This will help you paraphrase the task prompt easily. It shows the examiner your ability to use a wide range of vocabulary in your IELTS Writing.
• Spelling: Spelling is the most basic issue related to spelling errors. Each candidate should carefully review their work to avoid spelling mistakes. Even a minor mistake can affect your score.

Grammatical Range is a criterion used to evaluate the ability to use a variety of grammatical structures, accounting for 25% of the total score. In addition to assessing the diversity of grammatical structures, examiners pay attention to more complex structures such as complex sentences and inverted sentences in the test. Grammatical Accuracy measures the level of grammatical correctness. In this criterion, examiners consider the number of errors and the severity of the mistakes made to evaluate the score.

II. Specific criteria for IELTS Writing Band Scores

The IELTS Writing Band Scores is based on your ability to meet the scoring criteria listed above by PREP. Therefore, you need to carefully read the task prompt to analyze it accurately. Additionally, you should fulfill the requirements of the task in order to achieve the target band score.

To fulfill the scoring criteria in IELTS Writing and achieve a high band score on the IELTS Writing scale, you should be aware of the following criteria:

Carefully read all the issues/perspectives required in the task prompt. Try to answer the issues specifically. Additionally, provide answers using closely related arguments. Remember to outline the reasoning and evidence to avoid being lacking in persuasiveness while writing. Pay attention to the length of the essay, which should be 250 words or more.

You need to organize paragraphs appropriately for the task prompt, with the essay consisting of 4-5 paragraphs. Each paragraph should highlight a single main point. Arrange the ideas as logically and coherently as possible. Use a variety of linking words and phrases to achieve a high score.

Use the most accurate collocations. Be cautious when paraphrasing the task prompt and avoid lexical errors. Additionally, enhance your vocabulary range and ensure it is diverse and relevant to the topic of the task prompt. As this is an academic essay, avoid using less academic language.

Combine grammatical structures and tenses most diversely and appropriately. Arrange words in sentences accurately to avoid basic mistakes. Pay attention to using a variety of sentence structures. An important note is to avoid grammar errors.

If you want to achieve the criteria set out in each band score of the IELTS Writing test, you need to practice writing a lot. Over time, you will gradually develop coherent and cohesive writing. Additionally, make use of linking phrases, and connective words, and organize ideas logically, coherently, and comprehensibly.

Furthermore, refer to the opinions of experts to promptly address any errors. This will help you easily meet the criteria required for each band score. Review and grasp the IELTS Writing Band Scores firmly in your hands. PREP wishes you the best of luck in achieving your desired results!

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Comparing IELTS Speaking band scores: Band 6 vs Band 7

Understand the difference between a Band 6 and Band 7 performance in the IELTS Speaking test.

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The IELTS Speaking test assesses your ability to communicate in English. Your examiner will use the four assessment criteria to assess your speaking performance:

Pronunciation

Lexical resource

Fluency and coherence

Grammatical range and accuracy

Remember that each of these criteria is worth 25% of your overall Speaking score. The assessment criteria used by IELTS examiners are the same for both the General Training and Academic tests.

In this article, you will see different videos comparing the difference between Band 6 and Band 7 performances in all the speaking band descriptors.

Pronunciation criteria assesses how easy it is to understand what you say, and you are assessed on the range of pronunciation features you can use, including stress, intonation and rhythm.

This measures how well you are understood and how clearly (and correctly) you pronounce words.

Lexical Resource

Lexical Resource means your ability to choose the right words and phrases to express yourself clearly.

The examiner looks at the kinds of words you use, whether they help make your ideas clear, and whether the words are understandable, appropriate and relevant to the topic.

The use of idiomatic language and less common words are important at higher levels (band 7 and up). This doesn’t mean that you need to use very uncommon words, or phrases and clichés that you have memorised. It takes time and practice to use idiomatic language naturally when discussing a variety of topics.

The examiner also assesses your ability to paraphrase, saying what you mean using different words when you can’t think of the right word or phrase.

Fluency and Coherence

Fluency and Coherence assesses your ability to keep speaking and if you need to hesitate, self-correct and repeat yourself to keep going.

Your examiner will look at how coherent you sound - how your words, ideas and thoughts flow together, using a range of words and phrases to connect and organise your ideas, help you move on to another point.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

Grammatical Range and Accuracy assesses your ability to produce speech that is grammatically correct using both simple and complex sentence structures.

It is also important to try and limit the number of grammatical errors you make. Become aware of the errors you usually make (e.g. articles, prepositions, subject/verb agreement) so you can make sure that your sentences are accurate.

Band 6 Speaking score: What it means

Band 7 Speaking score: What it means

Learn more about the assessment criteria IELTS examiners use and how the Speaking test is scored. You can also download the IELTS Speaking test assessment criteria as a PDF.

If you want to increase your Speaking band score from a Band 6 to a Band 7, or improve your Speaking scores in general, you can access our wide range of IELTS Preparation Materials and Practice Tests.

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Published on September 02, 2024

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35 Sample Band 9 IELTS Essays

Take a look at these 35 sample Band 9 IELTS essays for writing task 2 of the IELTS exam . Task 2 can cover a wide range of essay topics for the IELTS writing task section of the test, so preparation is key. Use the following samples when preparing your IELTS essays to see how close you are to a band 9!

These IELTS band 9 essay samples will help you highlight your mistakes and improve your writing band 9 level.

See the below IELTS essay writing sample questions and answers to practice for your IELTS writing task 2 .

You will find the IELTS essay questions and answers categorised by the following essay types.

• Do you agree/disagree
• Discuss both views and give your opinion
• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages
• Discuss the problems and possible solutions
• Is this a positive or a negative development

For a FREE ebook of our top 10 IELTS Band 9 essay samples in PDF, click here!

1. agree or disagree .

• Some people believe that technology has made man more social. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
• Some people think that a person improves their intellectual skills more when doing group activities. To what extent do you agree? Use specific details and examples to explain your view.
• In some countries, the number of shootings increase because many people have guns at home. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Some people believe that international sporting events are the ideal opportunity to show the world the qualities of the hosting nation. Others believe that these events are mainly a large unjustifiable expense. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Crime is a big problem in the world; many believe that nothing can be done to prevent it. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give your own opinion.
• Doing an enjoyable activity with a child can develop better skills and more creativity than reading. To what extent do you agree? Use reasons and specific examples to explain your answer.
• Improvements in health, education and trade are essential for the development of poorer nations. However, the governments of richer nations should take more responsibility for helping the poorer nations in such areas. To what extent do you agree?
• Advances in health and biology and other areas of society in the last 100 years have transformed the way we live as well as postponing the day we die. There is no better time to be alive than now. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
• The world is consuming natural resources faster than they can be renewed. Therefore, it is important that products are made to last. Governments should discourage people from constantly buying more up-to-date or fashionable products. To what extent do you agree with this statement?
• Some people believe that children’s leisure activities must be educational, otherwise, they are a complete waste of time. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your experience.
• Many governments in the world spend large amounts of money on art, which helps to improve the quality of people’s lives. However, governments should spend money on other things rather than art. Do you agree or disagree? Give your opinion.

2. Discuss both views and give your point of view?

• NEW SEPTEMBER 2022: Some people believe that professionals such as doctors and engineers should be required to work in the country where they did their training. Others believe they should be free to work in another country if they wish. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
• Nowadays most green energy is becoming evermore prevalent in both developed and developing countries. Some argue they greatly reduce costs and are better for the environment, others believe they are a serious threat to energy security. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
• Some people are of the opinion that children should be rewarded for good behaviour. Others think they should be punished for bad behaviour. Discuss both views and give your personal opinion and reasons.
• Some people think that keeping pets is good for children while others think it is dangerous and unhealthy. Which opinion do you agree with? Discuss both options and give examples .
• Some people think that secondary school children should study international news as one of the school subjects. Other people think that it is a waste of valuable school time. What do you think? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
• Some products can be made quickly by a machine. Other items take a long time to be made by hand. As a buyer, which do you prefer and why? Give specific details and examples in your answer.
• Some people think women should be given equal chances to work and excel in their careers. Others believe that a woman’s role should be limited to taking care of the house and children. Which opinion do you agree with and why? Include specific details and examples to support your choice.
• Most schools are planning to replace sports and exercise classes with more academic sessions. How will this change affect children’s lives in your view?
• Some people think that schools have to be more entertaining, while others think that their sole purpose is to educate. Which do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
• Some people think that it is acceptable to use animals in medical research for the benefit of human beings, while other people argue that it is wrong.
• Should humans adapt to technology or should technology be adapted to us? Is technology making us intellectually weaker or more intelligent?
• Do copyright laws limit creativity or reward it? Would society function better without such rules and regulations?
• Should education and healthcare be free of charge and funded by the government, or should it be the responsibility of the people to pay for these services? Discuss the above and give your opinion using examples.

3. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages

• Is it good for children to start using computers from an early age and spend long hours on them? Discuss the advantages and disadvantages.
• Some people think high school graduates should travel or work for a period of time instead of going directly to study at university. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

4. Two questions, for example: Why is this happening? Is this a positive or negative development?

• These days some people spend a lot of money on tickets to go to sporting or events. Do you think this is a positive or negative development ?
• Some people like to travel outside their country. Others would rather travel to tourist spots in their own country first, before travelling abroad. Which do you prefer to do and why? Include specific details and examples to support your choice.
• Women can do everything that men can and they even do it better. They also can do many things that men cannot. But it is a fact that their work is not appreciated as much as men’s, although they have to sacrifice a lot for their family and career… It is said: “A woman’s place is in the home.” What do you think?

5. Discuss the problems and possible solutions OR discuss the causes and what problems it causes?

• People are using a lot of online language translation apps. Do the benefits of this outweigh the disadvantages?
• Obesity is a serious problem in many countries, especially in rich countries. Discuss ways to solve the problem. Provide specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
• Today, the quality of life in large cities is decreasing.  Discuss the causes and solutions.
• Research shows that global warming is caused by human activity. What are the possible effects of climate change and what can governments and individuals do to reduce these?
• In many countries, recently young single people have been living far from their parents, from the time they began studies or work and until they married. Do you think there are more advantages or disadvantages to this trend?
• Traditional schooling is out of date, boring and stifles a child’s natural talents, various professionals have pushed for an education revolution. Are there alternatives in the education system? Is traditional education doing more harm than good?

Take a look at some of our writing tasks to help you prepare for your IELTS exam , and if you need more help, we have a course that is guaranteed to help you pass IELTS. Practicing IELTS writing task 2 essays is very important for your exam preparation.

Video: IELTS Band 9 Writing Sample – Body Paragraphs

Click here for a FREE ebook of our top 10 IELTS Band 9 samples for writing task 2 in PDF,

For more preparation, take a look at our latest tutorials:.

• Band 9 Model Essay and Vocabulary-Cryptocurrency
• Sample task 2 questions
• Sample Band 9 Essay: Children and Education
• Sample Answers: discuss the advantages and disadvantages
• How to get ideas for task 2
• Full guide to academic collocations
• How to write a agree/disagree essay
• IELTS Writing Task 2: advantages and disadvantages questions

For a FREE ebook of our top 10 sample essays, click here!

Enhance Your Essays with Our Efficient Online IELTS Essay Checker

Practicing for IELTS Writing Task 2? You’re in the right place. But after you practice, how can you know if your essay is good? We have a tool to help! It’s called the online IELTS essay checker .

You can find it here . This tool is very easy to use. You write your essay, and our tool checks it. It tells you what mistakes you made and how to fix them. This means you can learn and get better faster. The best part? You save money.

Many students pay a lot for IELTS classes or teachers to check their essays. But our online IELTS essay checker is cheaper and works fast. You don’t have to wait! So, after you read the sample essays on this page, use our online IELTS essay checker .

It can help you see where you can do better. And it’s a good way to get ready for the IELTS exam without spending a lot of money. So, if you want to write better essays and save money, try our online IELTS essay checker .

We made it for students like you. We hope it helps you get the score you want.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How to score band 9 in ielts writing.

You can score band 9 in IELTS writing by following these steps:

• Make sure you understand the question and answer what is being asked.
• Plan out your essay before you start writing
• Write your essay, review it and then “rewrite” it .
• Get feedback on your essays and find out where you may be losing points.
• Improve your language skills.

Read this post for more tips.

How do you write a 9 band essay?

Practice each essay type and be clear about the criteria for a perfect score. Basically, you need clear formal paragraphing, an essay that ‘flows’ logically and stays focused on the question, which is answered fully with high-level vocabulary and near-perfect grammar.

How can I get 9 in IELTS writing?

Look at model answers and memorize phrases that work for most essays – ‘In the modern world’ is a great way to start. A focus on global issues and international examples rounds out your answer and practice timed essays before the test.

Can you get 10 in IELTS?

No, the top band score is a 9. Be realistic though, some of the best universities in the world require a band 7 or 7.5 for their most challenging courses so a perfect score isn’t necessary in most situations.