IELTS Writing Task 2: are you stuck?

Students often tell me that they are stuck on the same writing score. For example, they keep getting 6.5 in every test they take. If you are stuck in a rut like this, perhaps the most effective way to get out of it is to give more importance to your essay plan.

I tell my students to spend around 3 minutes making notes for each main body paragraph. So, for the housing topic we've been looking at recently, we would spend 3 minutes thinking about why we shouldn't build more houses in cities, and 3 more minutes thinking about the benefits of developing new towns.

The act of planning helps you to separate the task of idea generation from the task of writing. It's extremely difficult to do both of these things at the same time.

Comments

[Saneesh.V]

As all we know the noumber of population is increasing and the growing noumber of people require more houses. So it is better to build more houses at rural areas rather than building new houses at already developed areas.

[Rukhsar patel]

Hi Simon
My full essay for housing topic
It is true that in many countries population is increasing and the number of houses are decreasing.I think that it would be better to develop new towns rather than to extend houses in existing cities.

There are various reasons why I believe that we should not build more houses in cities.Firstly,if more houses are built the population will increase and the problem of over crowding will occur.Secondly,more people will migrate and due to this travelling will increase on roads and pollution would be the problem that would arise.This increasing population and pollution will create problem for inhabitants to live in.Finally congestion will increase and even competition will also show its high increase.

On the other hand,to develop new cities will avoid these problems.Developing new cities and towns in rural areas would create more space to live for people.There would be less noise and traffic problems.If new towns will be created there would be enermous facilities and the provision of industrial sector will also grow and over-crowded will also be prevented.

In conclusion,building more houses in existing cities have many disadvantages so I argue that it would be best to create new new towns and cities.

if you can please try to comment on my essay
thanking you.

[sabeeka]

The escalating population rate has created many socio-economic issues for many of the developing countries.There is rapid increase in the demand for hygenic food,healthy environment,quality education,job oppurtunities,medical facilities,tax incentives, old age benefits etc.Nowadays it is becoming challenging for all of the governments to provide all the basic facilities to their citizens.Hygenic shelter and healthy environment is the basic requirement of all human beings.With increasingly population,there is tremendous need to develop new town and cities in rural areas.This will reduce the over crowding in main cities.The government must introduce new housing schemes n projects to their citizens.The new societies must fully equipped with all the basic necessities of life including hospitals,schools,public transport,developed roads,play grounds,parks, shopping malls,gas and electricity.Positive development with right direction is a key factor in the prosperity of any nation.Development in rural areas increases the value of land,there will be the healthy environment for peoples,there will be less chances of transmitted infections and road accidents.The level of crimes also decreases and there will be more trade which causes country's development and economic growth.There will be more job oppurtunities which enable the peoples to improve their quality of lives.
In conclusion,there is need in the provision of new housing rather than developing the exsisting towns and cities because when we improve our infra srtucture there will be more urbanization and globilization which will ultimately leads to economic growth.

DEAR SIMON I M CLINICAL PHARMACIST N GOING TO APPEAR IN GENERAL ILETS TEST I FOUND YRS SITE VERY VERY INFORMATIVE AS I WAS A SCIENCE STUDENT THERREFORE, MY LITRATURE IS NOT AS GOOD BUT I TRY YRS ASSIGNMENT

[crazy4ielts]

Hi Simon,

I'm a fan of your blog site and appreciate your great work. I'm also stuck in a rut in my writing score. I found that I usually make grammar mistakes in my writings mainly subject verb agreements, preposition and articles.

If possible could you please give us some advice on how to reduce grammar mistakes in writing or some websites where we can practice to improve our grammar?

[mehran]

Hi simon
Is it necessary in task 2 we rephrase the topic in introduction?

[hiba]

Hi sabeeka I'm also a pharmacist .nice to see you on this blog. Have you done the exam before.

[sabeeka]

NO HIBA I M GOING TO APLLY FOR CANADIAN IMMIGRATION THIS YEAR IN THE CATAGORY OF PHARMACIST THEREFORE I M PREPARING FOR GENERAL ILETS NICE TO SEE U TOO.BE CONNECTED

[sabeeka]

HIBA U SURELY ADD ME FROM FACEBOOK ILET SIMOM.COM BY THE NAME OF SABEEKA IMRAN

[vicky]

sir how can i improve my speaking

[Lisa]

Hi, Simon, I'v been reading your ebook. It has the whole amazing ideas.
I am working on the Advertising one, but have a problem about extending it to a right sentence.
1. People are also encouraged to associate certain brands with a higher status, some of which have the prices that are way beyond the level they can afford.
(the first part is from your ebook, and I want to add sth for the sencond part, but I was struggling about say this sentence in a grammatically right way.) Am i on the right track?
2. Advertising is also a form of arts. Some product can be demostrated and presented in an extremely eye-catching way. It is a combination of product itself and ...
(I cannot find a right phrase to finish the last sentence) could you plz help me ?

thanks a lot.

[Srish]

Hi Simon,
So far i did ielts 7 times and my writing is constant at 6.5.Now i have started to work out my grammar as well as vocabulary.Your idea regarding spending more in planning is very important.Thanks

[HIBA]

ok Sabeeka i will do.

[dinesh]

Srish did 7 times.This Saturday is my 14th time.

[jo-an]

I will be having my test too this saturday Srish! Goodluck to us

[Srish]

Dinesh and Jo-an ,wish you all the best.

[VU]

Anybody can give me advice about practicing Ielts. I would like to know which documents or books are the most similar to the real test, I mean the level of difficulty. I haven't taken the real test before.
Thank you !

[Jo-an]

Thanks Srish... I overlooked the comment, I thought it was you who will take the test.

Hi Dinesh, good luck to us.

[Jo-an]

Hi Simon,

Regarding some topic, what if I don't know a certain thing about it? Like maybe no clues or ideas how to answer it and presenting some reasons.

[TheIELTSSolution.com]

Hi,

IELTS examinees should focus more on task 2 because it weighs more than task 1. Your idea regarding spending more in planning and analyzing is very important and should be taken seriously.

Thank you.

[christy]

Dear Rukhsar patel

Thanks for bringing some ideas to this topic.
But I think your essay is too short with 195 words only. Your structure is good, please try to add more supporting sentence, especially the 3rd paragraph.

Hi, Simon, really love your side, it's quite easy to follow.

[Ngoc]

Dear teacher, i am wondering about the topic of hobbies. You make a list of hobbies and some of them are easy, some others are difficult, but you like both sides, then you said that you partly agreed with the statement. But in the essay in the introduction, you said that you disagreed with the opinion. Then how can I understand the essay?
I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours
Ngoc

[Simon]

Hi Ngoc,

The question said that hobbies need to be difficult to be enjoyable (in other words, ONLY difficult hobbies are enjoyable). I disagree because I think that all types of hobbies can be enjoyable.

Hope this makes it clearer.

[Shams]

Hello Hiba, I am also a pharmacist and stuck with 6.5 in writing
if we can get in touch to study together may be
that would be great!

[Hibba]

hello shams i just saw your comment while i was revising task 2 writing . i would love to ? im from birmingham ,where are you from?

[Abdalla]

Writing Task 2

dears, can you check this essay for me?anyone whose his English is advanced.

Many thanks in advance.
Abdalla

--------------------------------------------
In countries where there is high rate of unemployment, most pupils should be offered only primary education. However, others believe that higher education helps people find jobs. Discuss both sides and give your opinions.
--------------------------------------------
There are two debating groups, about whether students should limit their study only on primary education, or they can complete their study to higher education, especially if they live in a country where the number of jobless people is high. This essay will examine some of opinions , cons and for, for each debating group .
Those who are the supporters of the point of view that pupils should be offered only primary education, convinced that children in primary schools get convenient knowledge allowing them to read well and count correctly .add to this ,that pupils at the end of their primary education had enough time to be sociable and the higher education is a wastage of time and parents and governmental money .they also say that some parents who rich are able to afford for their children a study in a university in private universities and some of the government higher institutions should be just for the most intelligent student.
On the other hand, the opponents for the above mentioned opinion, believe that it is absolutely fair for students to have to compete on the best subjects on colleges and universities , the thing which is highly suspected that most of the higher education graduates could have better chances in terms of jobs and salaries,. They gave an example that there are will be always a certain demand on some professions and specialists such as Doctors and Economists who will are fighting against diseases and poverty and they try to increase the health and economy for their countries.
To sum up, I personally think that parents on behalf of their children should decide whether primary education is sophisticated for their children or they wish encourage and motive their children to succeed not only in schools but also in universities so they will achieve their economical stability . I also think if most of pupils will stop to go to the higher educational institution, then most tutors and teachers probably could become jobless as well as many other workers. And this is not good for any country.

[KASHIF HAFEEZ]

Hi Simon,

I have the same issue, already appeared in six times in the IELTS-GT test and got 6.5 each time except first time when I got 7. I am looking forward to get help from your site and if it is necessary to buy the e-book than I will buy it in few days time. Regards

[almuhaned]

Hi Simon
I did the test for five time, all my score 5,5 and need 6 .I am looking forward to get help from you .could you help me

[almuhaned]

Hi Simon
I have done the test for five time, all my score 5,5 and need 6 .I am looking forward to get help from you .could you help me