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Simon's IELTS - Academic Writing - Task 2
Simon's IELTS - Academic Writing - Task 2
A few people have asked me how to use the ebook. One way is to practise writing paragraphs using the ebook ideas. Some ideas from the ebook about the benefits of mobile phones:
The mobile phone is the most popular gadget in todays world. We can stay in touch with family, friends and colleagues wherever we are. Users can send te t messages, surf the !nternet, take photos and listen to music. "obiles have also become fashion accessories. "obile phones have revolutionised the way we communicate.
By linking these ideas (and adding a few things I !an write a paragraph: The mobile phone has become the most popular gadget in todays world. The reason for this is that it is portable and versatile. "obile phones are now carried at all times by most people, allowing us to stay in touch with family, friends and colleagues wherever we are. #urthermore, they now have many more functions than a standard telephone$ mobile phone users can send te t messages, surf the !nternet, take photos and listen to music, as well as making calls. "obiles have become fashion accessories, and they have revolutionised the way we communicate.
over'farming, land needed for crops and animals cutting down trees destroys natural habitats, animals become e tinct industrial waste in rivers, sea chemicals kill fish and plants, interrupt natural cycles ( food chain
!t seemed that we had ) main ideas, so we wrote a )'idea paragraph& There are two main reasons why plants and animals are disappearing. #irstly, in many parts of the world trees are being cut down to make way for farmland on which to grow crops and keep animals. The result of this is that natural habitats are being destroyed, and in some cases whole species of animals are becoming e tinct. *econdly, human activity is also responsible for the destruction of a+uatic life as domestic and industrial waste is pumped into rivers and seas. This
chemical waste kills plants and fish, interrupting natural cycles and having a devastating effect on food chains. ,-- words.
agree that money is the main reason people work people look at salary first, they rarely take a salary cut need to live, pay bills, food etc. look after our families, save for the future otherwise, most people would probably choose not to work
#ull paragraph using the ideas above& ! agree that the ma1ority of people work in order to earn money. 2efore taking any other factors into account, it is normal to first consider the salary that a particular post offers, and it is rare to hear of a person who happily takes a cut in pay when beginning a new 1ob. We all need money to pay for our basic necessities, such as accommodation, bills and food. "any adults also have families who depend on the wages they earn, and at the same time they are conscious of the need to save for the future. !f we no longer needed money, ! doubt most of us would choose to continue in our 1obs. ,334 words. 555555555555555555555.
;. !f ! need to give my opinion, ! think 7What is the easiest opinion to e plain8 What good vocabulary could ! use87 <. Then ! write down some vocabulary ideas that are related to the topic. 4. ! try to write ) sentences for the introduction& ! introduce the topic, then give a simple answer ,including my opinion if the +uestion asks for it.. =. ! write short %topic sentences% to start each paragraph, then develop my ideas by e plaining and supporting with e amples. >. ! look at the +uestion from time to time in order to check that !%m answering every part of it. -. ! know that ! write about 3? words per line$ ! can +uickly check the appro imate number of words that !%ve written. 3?. !f ! need more words ,to reach )<?., ! e pand one of my e amples in the main body paragraphs. !f necessary, ! draw an arrow to show where ! want to add the e tra words.
#Band $ %o!abulary#
When ! say 7band = vocabulary7, !%m really talking about vocabulary that could help you to get a band = or higher. 6 aminers are looking for 7less common7 words and phrases, correct and relevant collocations, and maybe some idiomatic language. !%ve written the following paragraph using some of the ideas from the lesson below. !%ve underlined the band = ,or higher. vocabulary. Advantages of studying abroad: "any students choose to study abroad because there are greater opportunities in a particular foreign country. #oreign universities may offer better facilities or courses. They may also be more prestigious than universities in the students own country and have teachers who are e perts in their fields. Therefore, by studying abroad, students can e pand their knowledge and gain +ualificationsthat open the door to better 1ob opportunities. A period of study abroad can alsobroaden students hori@ons. !n the new country, they will have to live and work with other students of various nationalities. Thus, overseas students are e posed to different cultures, customs and points of view. ,3?4 words. PS. I'll send some extra paragraphs on this topic to everyone on my email list. .
(irst )' minutes Cead the +uestion and make sure you understand what it is asking you to do. Write a plan for a ;'paragraph essay ,introduction, ) main paragraphs, conclusion. and spend most of the 3? minutes thinking of ideas for the ) main paragraphs. * minutes Write your introduction& ) sentences are enough. 2' minutes *pend 3? minutes on each of your main body paragraphs. These are they most important part of your essay, and the key to a high score. Last * minutes Write a +uick conclusion then check your work.
3. An %opinion% +uestion asks for your view, not the views of other people, and you don%t have to give both sides of the argument. Gust make your opinion clear in the introduction, then e plain it in the rest of the essay. ). A %discussion% +uestion re+uires you to write about both sides of the argument, and you should write a similar amount for each view. !f the +uestion also asks for your opinion, you don%t need an e tra paragraph. Gust make it clear in the introduction and conclusion which of the two views you agree with. 9. Type 9 is easy. *imply write a paragraph e plaining the problem,s. and a paragraph e plaining the solution,s.. *ome +uestions ask about %causes% or %effects%& these would be part of the %problem% paragraph. ;. #or type ;, 1ust answer the two +uestions. Write one paragraph about each.
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straight after school. Discuss both views and give your opinion. 0ere%s my full introduction and conclusion, as well as some ideas for the main body paragraphs& Introdu!tion When they finish school, teenagers face the dilemma of whether to get a 1ob or continue their education. While there are some benefits to getting a 1ob straight after school, ! would argue that it is better to go to college or university. ,aragraph ): benefits of getting a -ob The option to start work straight after school is attractive for several reasons. ,!E6A*& start earning money, become independent, gain e perience, learn skills, get promotions, settle down earlier, afford a house, have a family. ,aragraph 2: benefits of higher edu!ation (my opinion On the other hand, ! believe that it is more beneficial for students to continue their studies. ,!E6A*& some 1obs re+uire academic +ualifications, better 1ob opportunities, higher salaries, the 1ob market is very competitive, gain knowledge, become a useful member of society. .on!lusion #or the reasons mentioned above, it seems to me that students are more likely to be successful in their lives if they continue their studies beyond school level.
start a family. !n terms of their career, young people who decide to find work, rather than continue their studies, may progress more +uickly. They will have the chance to gain real e perience and learn practical skills related to their chosen profession. This may lead to promotions and a successful career. 2.On the other hand, ! believe that it is more beneficial for students to continue their studies. ,!E6A*& some 1obs re+uire academic +ualifications, better 1ob opportunities, higher salaries, the 1ob market is very competitive, gain knowledge, become a useful member of society. On the other hand, ! believe that it is more beneficial for students to continue their studies. #irstly, academic +ualifications are re+uired in many professions. #or e ample, it is impossible to become a doctor, teacher or lawyer without having the relevant degree. As a result, university graduates have access to more and better 1ob opportunities, and they tend to earn higher salaries than those with fewer +ualifications. *econdly, the 1ob market is becoming increasingly competitive, and sometimes there are hundreds of applicants for one position in a company. Aoung people who do not have +ualifications from a university or college will not be able to compete. #or the reasons mentioned above, it seems to me that students are more likely to be successful in their careers if they continue their studies beyond school level. ,)=3 words, band -. .
). Dities generally e perience higher levels of criminality than towns or villages. There are various reasons for this, but measures could be taken to tackle the problem. 0opefully you can see that it%s +uite easy to write an introduction for these types of +uestion. The approach is the same ,topic F basic answer. whether the +uestion asks for your opinion or not. 5555555555555555.
My advice: Ieep your introduction short. "ain body paragraphs are more important.
0ave a look through the essays that youve written in the past, and compare them with some of mine. Eid you begin your main paragraphs with good topic sentences8
Another e ample& 3. ). 9. ;. <. Topic sentence ,e.g. "any people believe that.... 6 plain why 6 plain in more detail 6 ample 6 plain why they disagree with the opposite view
2efore you start writing it%s a good idea to make some notes. Try to organise your notes according to this <'sentence paragraph structure.
!ome people believe that the salaries paid to professional sportspeople are too high" while others argue that sports salaries are fair. Discuss both views and give your opinion. Liew 3& sports salaries are too high
*ports professionals earn too much money. They do not provide a vital service. #ootball players earn enormous salaries by simply kicking a ball. We could all live happily without professional football. We should value professionals such as nurses and teachers more highly.
!t is fair that the best sportspeople earn a lot of money. *port is a multi'million'pound industry. There is a large audience of sports fans who are willing to pay. Televised games or events attract many viewers. 2eing a top sportsperson re+uires hours of practice.
!t is true that successful professional athletes earn more than those in other professions. While it can be argued this is unfair for non'sports people, ! believe it is 1ustifiable for those successful athletes. On the one hand, it is not fair for professionals like engineers and doctors to earn less than athletes for many reasons.#irstly, everybody gets sick and re+uires medical assistance.Beople cannot live without a doctor and care less about people who make money by simply shooting or kicking a ball . Thus, physicians are truly important. *econdly, engineers are also needed in countries that seek improvements in their infrastructures. They can attract more investors to build huge industries. Therefore, there comes an increase revenue. "ore importantly, the lives of people lie in their hands because if a doctor makes a mistake in performing a surgical procedure, it could kill a patient. Also, if an engineer building a bridge provides a weak structural foundation, it might collapse and lead to the loss of human lives. On the other hand, there are reasons why sports superstars receive a considerable amount of salary. One is that it re+uires a lot of practice to become a professional player like those in :ational hockey league. "any people aspire to play in a professional field but only few are chosen. Another is that big companies are willing to pay them to advertise their products.As a result, it provides 1ob opportunities for people who work in the field of sports such as personal assistants, coaches and sports% hosts.
!n conclusion, although other professionals like doctors and engineers are significant in our country, ! still completely agree that it is 1ustifiable for successful and great sports people to make more money than them. ..................................................................................................................................
!%ve underlined the band - vocabulary. Moos have several benefits. The main benefit is that @oos play an important role in wildlife conservation. They help to protect endangered species, such as pandas or rhinos, and allow scientists to study animal behaviour. Another advantage of @oos is that they employ large numbers of people, therefore providing 1ob opportunities and income for the local area. Also, the money that @oos make can be used for conservation pro1ects. #rom a personal point of view, @oos areinteresting, educational and fun. They are entertaining for families, and teach children to appreciate wildlife and nature.
3. #irst, think about how you could write ) main body paragraphs. What would be the main idea(topic of each one8 ). Then make some notes for the first main paragraph. Aour notes could follow this formula& !dea, 6 plain, 6 ample. 9. Eo the same thing for the second main paragraph. 0ere%s an e ample +uestion with a few ideas below& ,eople nowadays work hard to buy more things. This has made our lives generally more comfortable" but many traditional values and customs have been lost and this is a pity. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 3. ! can see two clear ideas in this +uestion& 3. buying things has made our lives more comfortable. ). traditional values and customs have been lost. ! agree with both of these points, so !%ll write one paragraph e plaining why ! agree with the first point, and another paragraph e plaining the second point. 2. !dea& buying things has made life more comfortable. 6 plain(6 amples&we buy appliances like microwave ovens and dishwashers$ we use computers to shop online$ more people own a car. 3. !dea& traditional values and customs have been lost. 6 plain(6 amples&people buy microwave meals rather than cooking traditional dishes$ traditional local shops disappear and are replaced with online shopping$
rewarding to try a variety of professions$ starting out on a completely new career path can be a reinvigorating e perience. *econdly, some people see their 1obs as simply a means of earning money, and they are happy if their salary is high enough to allow them to en1oy life outside work. #inally, 1ob satisfaction is often the result of working conditions, rather than the career itself. #or e ample, a positive working atmosphere, enthusiastic colleagues, and an inspirational boss can make working life much more satisfying, regardless of the profession.
). "ention everything that the +uestion mentions. 9. Eon%t save any surprises for the conclusion$ give your opinion in the introduction if the +uestion asks for it. &ere2s an example introduction: !t is true that some people know from an early age what career they want to pursue, and they are happy to spend the rest of their lives in the same profession. While ! accept that this may suit many people, ! believe that others en1oy changing careers or seeking 1ob satisfaction in different ways.
When you argue, you are trying to persuade the other person to agree with your point of view. Aou might even get angryN When you discuss, you consider different points of view, and nobody gets angry.
The +uestion should make it very clear what it wants you to do. !f it asks you to 7discuss7, you should write about advantages and disadvantages or two different views. !f the +uestion asks whether you 7agree or disagree7, it%s asking for your view. #or this type of +uestion, give your opinion in the introduction and support it in the rest of the essay. Try to persuade the reader to agree with you.
living, health etc. !n fact, governments have wasted a lot of money that could have been spent on public services. 3. Other side& On the other hand, putting a man on the moon was a huge achievement that still inspires and interests people today. !t showed us that we can achieve anything we put our minds to. 4. Donclusion& The fact that man has walked on the moon might not have had a direct effect on our daily lives, but it was an inspiring achievement.
3. !ntroduction& 3 sentence to introduce the topic, 3 sentence to make your opinion clear ,e.g. ! completely disagree.... ). "ain paragraph& support your opinion with a reason 9. "ain paragraph& support your opinion with another reason ;. Donclusion& repeat(summarise your opinion
+oreover, it still depends on the government of each country to have appropriate policies in improving the people,s awareness of wildlife protection. (-. words (total/ 005 words
100% Disagree
INTRODUCTION: It is true that one of the most important issues that many people of today society are very concerned for is the roles of zoos in protecting wildlife. The question whether keeping animals in captivity is cruel or not is a controversial one. In my opinion, I totally disagree with this idea. In the following paragraphs, I would give some reasons to support my argument. (65 words BODY (3 body paragraphs x 5 lines) ( paragraph! idea " #$ exa%ple&explana'ion) One o( 'he s'ronges' arg)%en's in 'his *ase is 'ha' zoos can provide animals with sufficient protection and create an easier life for them. +or exa%ple, people supply them food and give them necessary medical treatment. /oreo.er, they can "e safe in cages without potential threats from hunters and predators. -no'her poin' 'o help 'he *on.in*ing le.el o( 'he s'a'e%en' is 'ha' many zoos are good sources of education, especially for children. /ore spe*i(i*ally, thanks to the zoos, little kids can have more chances watch with their own eyes, touch and learn a"out the animals that they can only see in te%t"ooks or on television. 0e also need 'o 'a1e in'o *onsidera'ion o( 'he (a*' that "reeding programs for endangered species play a very important role in preventing e%tinction. +or ins'an*e, the num"er of pandas in the world has increased significantly with the success of this program in 1hina. ('.2 words CONC2U3ION: In short, there are many ways to look at different sides of a matter and there have also "een opposite opinions on this particular topic. )owever, the idea that zoos should "e maintained in the *'st century is more likely to "e agreed with. +oreover, it still depends on the government of each country to have appropriate policies in improving the people,s awareness of wildlife protection. (65 words (total/ *-2 words
It is true that one of the most important issues that many people of today society are very concerned for is the roles of zoos in protecting wildlife. The uestion !hether keeping animals in captivity is cruel or not is a controversial one" In my opinion# an intermediate position can $e ta%en" In this essay# I !ill give some arguments for and against the maintenance of zoos and present my position" (-' words BODY (5 body paragraphs x 4 lines) ( paragraph! $ ideas " exa%ple&explana'ion (or ea*h idea" ideas) &rom one side# those !ho are in favour of zoos must have some reasons to support their stand. +or one 'hing, these places can provide animals with sufficient protection "y supplying them food and give them necessary medical treatment. In addi'ion, many zoos are good sources of education, especially for children. +or ins'an*e, thanks to the zoos, little kids learn more a"out the animals that they can only see in te%t"ooks or on television. /oreo.er, some "reeding programs have successfully prevented many species from e%tinction. &rom the other side# there are still people !ho do not uite advocate this demonstration a$ove and they are also a$le to come up !ith arguments to support their position. +irs'ly, animals need freedom to en!oy their life and develop as much as humans do. +or exa%ple, when animals are confined in small places, they are more likely to suffer from physical pro"lems. 3e*ondly, many people do not consider zoos as a source of education since they visit zoos merely for a picnic or camping. +inally, not all animals can perform well in captivity, so the "reeding programs do not work out. ('((words CONC2U3ION: In short# there are many !ays to loo% at different sides of a matter and there have also $een opposite opinions on this particular topic. 'o!ever# the idea that zoos should "e maintained in the *'st century is more li%ely to $e agreed !ith" (oreover# it still depends on the government of each country to have appropriate policies in improving the people)s a!areness of !ildlife protection" (65 words (total/ 0*.words
!ome people think that museums should be en#oyable places to entertainpeople" while others believe that the purpose of museums is to educate. Discuss both views and give you own opinion. /et%s forget about the whole +uestion. Gust try to list some words that are related to the 9 main ideas. "useums&
e hibition, e hibit ,verb, like %show%., an e hibit ,noun, %item%., artifact, ob1ect, collection, history, science, art, culture, visitors, members of the public, public viewing...
6ntertain&
entertainment, entertaining, en1oy, en1oyment, en1oyable, have fun, interesting, fascinating, spectacular, impressive, leisure time, free time, a day out, tourist attraction...
6ducate&
education, educational, teach, learn, e plain, understand, know, gain(e pand(pass on(transmit knowledge, skills, e perience, open your mind, broaden your hori@ons...
"aking lists of related words is a good way to generate ideas. Aou might not have time to do this in the e am, but it%s a useful study techni+ue.
Beople have different views about the role and function of museums. !n my opinion, museums can and should be both entertaining and educational. On the one hand, it can be argued that the main role of a museu m is to entertain. "useums are tourist attractions, and their aim is to e hibit a collection of interesting ob1ects that many people will want to see. The average visitor may become bored if he or she has to read or listen to too much educational content, so museums often put more of an emphasis on en1oyment rather than learning. This type of museum is designed to be visually spectacular, and may have interactive activities or even games as part of its e hibitions. On the other hand, some people argue that museums should focus on education. The aim of any e hibition should be to teach visitors something that they did not previously know. Usually this means that the history behind the museums e hibits needs to be e plained, and this can be done in various ways. *ome museums employ professional guides to talk to their visitors, while other museums offer headsets so that visitors can listen to detailed commentary about
the e hibition. !n this way, museums can play an important role in teaching people about history, culture, science and many other aspects of life. !n conclusion, it seems to me that a good museum should be able to offer an interesting, en1oyable and educational e perience so that people can have fun and learn something at the same time. ,)<9 words, band -.
Step 2 learning
The ideas you need for an essay are nearly always found in the #uestion. They are typically so big that you think they are too easy to be a real idea. That)s the trap. /hat do I mean4 Take this e!ample* Human activities have endangered many animal and plant species. Some people think it is too late to save them, while others think humans should still take some action. Discuss both views and express your own opinions.
This is one of the harder #uestions I ha'e seen recently but the ideas you need are simple enough. 5. It is too late to sa'e endangered species +. It is not too late to sa'e species It is that easy. Those two ideas are your two main topic paras. 3ll you need now are some reasons and e!amples.
,lose -e
Much of the argument against taking any action to save these species is that the process is irreversible. Just to take one example, there are now so few Giant Pandas left in the wild, they will in all probability become extinct in the foreseeable future. There are simply too few bamboo forests left in order for them to survive. This is also the case with many other endangered species who have lost, or are losing, their natural habitat.
.otes
The first sentence outlines what the paragraph is about. t is the idea from the !uestion" Some people think it is too late to save them. The rest of paragraph is an explanation of that idea
5. 8iant 9andas arre threatened and will die out 0e!ample2 +. 9roblem with habitat 0e!tended e!ample2 :. 7ther species ha'e same pattern 0e!planation of e!ample2
,lose -e
The opposite view is that it is the responsibilty of mankind to act and try and save these species for posterity. There is a moral aspect to this argument because most of these species are only endangered because of man#s actions and it is our duty to make amends. $nother consideration is that advances in science, especially in the field of genetics, mean that we may be able to recreate some of their lost habitats. t is no longer the case that the only option is to preserve these species for future generations in %oos and botanical gardens.
.otes
&ou should see that this paragraph follows almost the same model. There is one clear and simple idea in the first sentence. t relates back to the !uestion words" while others think humans should still take some action. The rest of the paragraph explains that idea" moral duty because it is our fault 'reason why( science can now help through genetics 'second reason why( %oos are not the only solution 'extended second reason why(
+ey concept you don/t need to include all your reasons and e"amples
;y notes for this essay included all this. They are my notes so you don)t need to understand them all. /hat I want you to see is that I ha'e not included e'erything. In an academic essay I might ha'e. 6ere I ha'e selected the ideas that were easiest to write about. <oos 0e!ample2 breed in capti'ity 0e!ample e!tended2 preser'ation 0how2 giant pandas 0e!ample2 medical benefits 0why2 loss of habitat 0why2 ri'er dolphins 0e!ample2
biodi'ersity 0reason2 logging and rainforests 0e!ample2 dams 0e!ample2 progress of man 0why2 deforestation 0how2 bamboo forest 0where2 science 0why2 cloning 0e!ample2 genetics 0e!ample2 moral responsibility 0why2
,lose -e
;uch of the argument against taking any action to sa'e these species is that the process is irre'ersible. =ust to take one e!ample there are now so few 8iant 9andas left in the wild they will in all probability become e!tinct in the foreseeable future. There are simply too few bamboo forests left in order for them to sur'i'e. This is also the case with many other endangered species who ha'e lost or are losing their natural habitat. The opposite 'iew is that it is the responsibilty of mankind to act and try and sa'e these species for posterity. There is a moral aspect to this argument because most of these species are only endangered because of man)s actions and it is our duty to make amends. 3nother consideration is that ad'ances in science especially in the field of genetics mean that we may be able to recreate some of their lost habitats. It is no longer the case that the only option is to preser'e these species for future generations in <oos and botanical gardens.
Cead more& Blanning !6/T* essays and finding ideas O Eominic Dole%s !6/T* and 2eyond http&((www.dcielts.com(ielts'essays(planning'ielts'essays'and'finding'