IELTS Writing – Part Two
The IELTS writing test is divided into two parts, each lasting one hour.
Part One:
Describe graphical information, such as statistical data.
Candidates must write at least 150 words for this part, and it’s best not to spend more than 20 minutes.
Part Two:
Complete an essay question.
For this section, candidates must write at least 250 words, and the time spent should preferably not exceed 40 minutes.
Introduction to Part Two of the IELTS Writing Test
According to the IELTS test manual, to complete the second part of the writing test in the Academic category, candidates need to possess the following four abilities:
- Present solutions to the problem
- Present defense opinions
- Compare some opinions and inferences
- Judge and challenge certain ideas, evidence, or arguments
Analyze and understand the problem
Before you start your writing project, you need to truly understand the question the topic is asking you. Different types of questions require different answering methods. Generally, there are two types of essay question types.
| 1. | The first type is discussion-type questions. These questions require you to present both sides of a controversial issue, and then present your own viewpoint. For example, with a question like the following: |
“Physical Education is a waste of time. Children under the age of sixteen should not be allowed to take part in sports at school and should spend all their time in academic study. Discuss”
You don’t need to agree with the statement on this issue. All you need to do is first analyze both sides of the argument: pro (supporting the statement) and con (attacking the argument). In the final conclusion, you can present your own opinion.
| 2. | Another type of question requires you to identify some problems and propose solutions. Below is an example of this type of question: |
“Too many young people in our society are getting sick or even dying because of drug abuse. Why do young people take drugs? How can the problem of drug abuse be solved?”
This question asks you to identify the reasons why young people use drugs and the harmful consequences that drug use may cause. At the same time, it also asks you to propose possible solutions to this problem.
Prepare a writing project
Before you start writing, you should spend at least five minutes completing a writing plan. This allows you to first brainstorm and organize some of your ideas. Sometimes, it’s a good idea to list a few main headings first, then put some of your ideas under each heading. You should write down key points rather than a full sentence—remember, what you’re doing now is simply gathering and organizing your ideas. For example, if you want to explore a controversial viewpoint, you can first write two headings—– Pro, and list the agreeing opinion; Con, and list the opposing opinion below.
The structure of the article
An organized article consists of three parts: introduction, the main body of text, and conclusion.
1. Introduction
The purpose of an introduction is fourfold: 1. It provides an overview of the topic and explains the central idea of the essay. 2. When the question asks candidates for opinions or suggestions, it can explain the author’s position in the article. 3. It provides more background information related to the topic. 4. It indicates what the author plans to state in this article.
2. The main body of text
In this article, the ideas raised in the first paragraph are usually explained in more detail. In this article, you should write in paragraphs. Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence, which is meant to introduce the viewpoint to be expressed in that paragraph. For example, if you want to analyze both sides of the argument, the article should be structured as follows:
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3. Conclusion
In this section, you summarize the views expressed in this article, and then move on to your conclusion or express your personal opinion.
You can try practicing
with the following questions Now have a look at the following question, and try to write an essay answer:
The threat of nuclear weapons maintains world peace. Nuclear power provides cheap and clean energy.
The benefits of nuclear technology far outweigh the disadvantages. Discuss.
Give reasons for your answer.