IELTS Writing Task 2: short, fast conclusions

It's nice to finish your essay with a conclusion, but I'd say that the conclusion is the least important part of your essay. Don't worry too much if you don't have time to write one; your main body paragraphs are much more important.

I advise people to write short, fast conclusions. Just paraphrase the overall answer that you gave in your introduction. For example:

My introduction from last week's lesson:
Businesses have always sought to make a profit, but it is becoming increasingly common to hear people talk about the social obligations that companies have. I completely agree with the idea that businesses should do more for society than simply make money.

My short, fast conclusion:
In conclusion, I believe that companies should place as much importance on their social responsibilities as they do on their financial objectives.

Note:
Can you find examples of paraphrasing in the introduction and conclusion above?

Comments

[Fatih]

Anyone can give some examples that are written on one website. Moreover, I want to see and check some 'ESSAY' examples.

[Leon]

I just did my speaking test. I wonder why I just spoke in 11 minutes and the examiner finished my speaking. I thought I will get a low score because I didn't know how to speak about book article (I said Sherlock Holmes novels). In part 3, he asked me a question that I didn't how to continue talking.
Do you know any different kinds of detective novel like SH novel?

I would like to ask you that I gave a answer in a question. DID I LOSE MUCH SCORES BECAUSE OF THAT? I didn't hear clearly but I didn't ask again because at the previous question. He talked too quiet.
Can you help with that, please?

[pachu]

social obligations= social responsibilities
make a profit= make money = financial objectives
increasingly = much importance

[Thom Dang]

Do more for society = place as much importance on social responsibility
Make money = financial objectives
Thanks Simon, I have learnt a lot from you. Your approach makes me feel easy to write a quick conclusion.

[emmanuel]

I completle agree- I believe
Social obligations- social responsiblities
Make profit- financial objectives

[Jack]

Hi, Simon. Thank you for your kind sharing.
Now I am confused about one thing:
Some of the questions might ask "Do advantages outweigh the disadvantages", while some are asking "Are the advantages more than the disadvantages."
Are there any differences between those two questions? Like, for the latter one i have to write more points about advantages than disadvantages(3 ad vs 2 dis)?
Or I can just write the same number of the advantages and disadvantages?
Thanks.

[MJ]

Hi, Simon.
I've had a question about your conclusion format. My IELTS teacher (Australian) told me it is inappropriate to have one-sentence conclusion when I showed her my writing whcih followed your instruction. She explained one-sentence cannot be regarded as a paragraph. That's why she said to put more than two sentences in each paragraph. I am not sure about the idea. What do you think about it?

[tracie]

make a profit/make money=financial objectives
social obligations= social responsibilities
I completely agree=I believe

[Akramshakh]

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[jo marie]

hi Simon!
i find your website very useful,so thank you very much for the tips.
i will be taking my ielts on june and i am wondering, in the speaking test, would they ask questions regarding current issues like politics? since i just moved in the US and i'm not very familiar with the news here.
please answer my query. thank you very much!

[auau]

businesses = companies
make a profit = make money = do on their financial objectives
social obligations = doing more for society = social responsibilities
I completely agree = I believe

[TUCHIBA]

Completely agree = believe
Business = companies
Do more = place more important
Make money = financial objective

[good]

As well as =to hear people talk about ?
Dear simon ,above it is paraphrased

[Goonigh]

Hi Simon,

Can you provide me with the list of essay types (academic writing task 2)?
for example: - agree or disagree;
- advantage & disadvantage;

I want to see all types as a whole.

Thanks in advance.

[James Z.]

Here are today's writing task 2 questions in different regions:

China:
An increase in the production of consumer goods results in damage to the natural environment.

Why is this the case?

What can be done to solve this problem?

Asia:
Nowadays more and more older people who find employment have to compete with younger people for the same job.

What problems can this cause?

What are the solutions to this?

Please note that they are collected from the Internet but I tried to make it as close to the original versions as possible.

[lana]

Thanks a lot James Z, I have question for you please, what is the importance of knowing the latest questions in all four parts? Are there repetitions? Another question, where do I find them?
By the way, I don't use latest question category here because I found them difficult to read through.Do you think categories of latest question on this website are useful?how and why?
Thanks in advance
Best wishes

[James Z.]

Hi lana,

Personally, I suppose the main advantage of real exam questions is they can give us the opportunity to practice as they are the most reliable source of information compared to those posted over the Internet. But that said, I don't think it's worth the effort to collect and analyse them. Instead, we should spend more time on studying.

Thanks

[sun]

making money = simply make money
to make a profit = financial objectives.
social responsibilities = the social obligations = do more for society

I completely agree with = I believe
becoming increasingly common = much importance
to hear people talk about = should place as

[sun]

or becoming increasingly common =to hear people talk about ??

[sun]

much importance= place as importance

[Sylvia]

Hi Simon,

I have problem in task respond. And I am confused with how to answer a question with two opinions. For example I find it very difficult to answer the following quations.
"Counnties are becoming more and more similar becasue people are able to buy the same products anywhere in the world. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?"

Should I answer that counnties are becoming more and more similar a positive or negative development, or people are able to buy the same products anywhere in the world a positive or negative development?

And is it ok for me to answer that it is a development of both positive and negative sides? If it is ok, how can I write a related conclusion?

Thanks a lot!

[SA]

I completely agree = I believe
Businesses = companies
Should do more = should place as much importance
Society = social responsibilities
Make = do
Money = financial

[Goonigh]

Hi everyone,

Can anyone provide me with the list of essay types (academic writing task 2)?
for example:
- agree or disagree;
- advantage & disadvantage;

I want to see all types as a whole.

Thanks in advance. Please help.

[James Z.]

Hi Goonigh,

Have a look at the following links in which Simon's given straightforward explanations to each type of questions.

http://ielts-simon.com/ielts-help-and-english-pr/2012/04/ielts-writing-task-2-question-types.html
http://ielts-simon.com/ielts-help-and-english-pr/2013/05/ielts-writing-task-2-when-to-give-your-opinion.html

Cheers

[Mehul Brahmbhatt]

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I am going to take ielts on 30th April, if anyone is interested in Speaking with me for practice my whatsapp no is +917874193157 and Skype id: mehulbrahmbhatt81

Thanks
Mehul Brahmbhatt

[Prem]

News media influence people,s lives nowadays . some says its negitive development . to what extent do you agree ?

i did my exam on 16 with this statement .can anybody & sir tell me how ti write this eassy . i am coufused bit i might be did wrong .

[Johnson]

Hi simon,
DO u remember this topic:"Some people think that strict punishments for driving offences are the key to reducing traffic accidents.Others ,however ,believe that other measures would be more effective in improving road safety.Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
I want to know that why it uses the word reducing instead of reduce and if I mention pedestrian should also obey traffic rules in the third paragraph which supports the second opinion,do I go-off topic?
Thanks! I wish that all the friends here could help me with this problem.

[Simon]

Hi Johnson,

Have a look at this lesson:

http://ielts-simon.com/ielts-help-and-english-pr/2015/05/ielts-grammar-to-with-ing.html

[Kamaljeet Kaur]

I want to ask that is it essential to use wide range of vocabulary in writing tasks to score good bands.

[jo marie]

intro:
It doesn't take a lot of common sense to know that the main aim of business is making more money. But I believe that with this interest, comes also the duty to look after the community.

conclusion:
Earning money is of great importance to financial institutions, but their social responsibilities are also of equal significance.

[Shafin Zaman]

Hi Simon,
Hope that u r doing g8. Well my problem is that, I don't understand how could I start writing? I have confuse doing paraphrasing n at ten same time, my sentence structure is not uptodate for high score. Plz help me to achieve my goal. For example, some ppl believe that international trade and communication with other countries is a positive trend while others think it is harmful to nations and they might lose their identities. To what extent do u agree or disagree give ur opinion n example.
My paraphrase: many people argue that international trade and communication between two countries is beneficial as a whole. On the other hand, it is detrimental for a soveireignty to mislay their discrepancy, argued by other people.

[Di Truong]

Hi Simon,

It seems to me that this topic is a discussion essay and my question for any kind of discussion essay is should I keep my own opinion till the concluding paragraph or should I state it in the introducing paragraph?

Will my band be lowered if I withdraw my opinion at the end in the conclusion?

Thanks and regards,
Di Truong

[Erin]

Hi Simon,

My instructor is an AU examiner. He told me that the conclusion could be general and preparing one conclusion can be used on any essay. Is that the case? The example he gave me is:

"At the end of the day, there are pros and cons coming to every aspect of our lives and every decision we made. This matter is no exception to any other in that regard."

Something like this...

Thanks and Regards,
Erin

[Simon]

Hi Erin,

I'm really surprised that an IELTS examiner would recommend a conclusion like that. It even contains several mistakes!

[Erin]

Hi Simon,

Could you please point out what mistakes they are?
I take that you don't reckon such method?
Thank you very much.

Erin