A topic sentence is the most important sentence in a paragraph.

Sometimes referred to as a focus sentence, the topic sentence

helps organize the paragraph by summarizing the information in
the paragraph. In formal writing, the topic sentence is usually the
first sentence in a paragraph (although it doesn't always have to
be).
Purpose of the Topic Sentence
A topic sentence essentially tells what the rest of the
paragraph is about. All sentences after it have to give more
information about the sentence, prove it by offering facts about it,
or describe it. For example, if the topic sentence concerns the
types of endangered species that live in the ocean, then every
sentence after that needs to expound on that subject.
Topic sentences also need to relate back to the thesis of the
essay. The thesis statement is like a road map that will tell the
reader or listener where you are going with this information or
how you are treating it.
Topic Sentences and Controlling Ideas
Every topic sentence will have a topic and a controlling idea. The
controlling idea shows the direction the paragraph will take.
Here are some examples:
 Topic Sentence: There are many reasons why pollution in ABC Town is the
worst in the world.
 The topic is “pollution in ABC Town is the worst in the world” and the
controlling idea is “many reasons.”

 Topic Sentence: To be an effective CEO requires certain characteristics.

 The topic is “To be an effective CEO” and the controlling idea is certain
characteristics.

 Topic Sentence: There are many possible contributing factors to global

warming.
 The topic is "contributing factors to global warming" and the controlling
factor is "many reasons."

 Topic Sentence: Fortune hunters encounter many difficulties when

exploring a shipwreck.
 The topic is “exploring a shipwreck” and the controlling idea is “many
difficulties.”

 Topic Sentence: Dogs make wonderful pets because they help you to live
longer.
 The topic is "dogs make wonderful pets" and the controlling idea is
"because they help you to live longer."

 Topic Sentence: Crime in poverty-stricken areas occurs as a result of a

systemic discrimination.
 The topic is "crime in poverty stricken areas" and the controlling idea is
"systemic discrimination."

 Topic Sentence: Teen pregnancy may be prevented by improved

education.
 The topic is "teen pregnancy may be prevented" and the controlling idea is
"improving education."

 Topic Sentence: Cooking requires a number of different skills.

 The topic is "cooking" and the controlling idea is "many different skills."

 Topic Sentence: It is important to be ready before buying a house.

 The topic is "before buying a house" and the controlling idea is the
importance of being ready.

 Topic Sentence: Graduating from high school is important for many

different reasons.
 The topic is "graduating from high school" and the controlling idea is "many
different reasons."
 Topic Sentence: Having a first child is difficult because of the significant
adjustments in your life.
 The topic is "having a first child" and the controlling idea is "significant
adjustments in your life."

 Topic Sentence: Remodeling a kitchen successfully requires research and

a good eye.
 The topic is "remodeling a kitchen" and the controlling idea is "requires
research and a good eye."
As you can see, the topic sentence provides a focus for the reader or
listener. It tells what the paragraph is about. The controlling idea helps the
audience understand what you are saying.
Topic sentences can be about almost anything, as long as they set the tone
for the paragraph and relate back to the thesis or the main idea of the
paper.

Some people have no problem sitting down and writing a number of ideas
on a sheet of paper at any given time on a particular subject. However,
after they have jotted down these thoughts, they review their work and
realize that the subject matter is completely unorganized, and that there is
no flow between the sentences.
These situations are where paragraph development, a system for
putting together unified and cohesive sentences, comes into play.
Methods to Develop Good Paragraphs
Several methods exist for developing paragraphs. Some writers may find
that simply using an outline helps them to better enhance their skills, while
others may discover that they need to combine all of these techniques to
put together stronger writing.
Here are some methods of developing paragraphs:
 Creating an outline
 Topic sentence development
 Supporting details
 Using quotations and evidence
 Analyzing quotations and evidence
 Providing strong, relevant information
 Using concise language
 Using colorful and clear words
 Crafting a strong conclusion statement
 Utilizing appropriate transition words
 Following proper grammar rules
By using any of the methods in this list, writers, students and others can
create stronger, more developed paragraphs.

How to Implement These Methods

It is important to understand each of the methods available to develop
paragraphs. One of the best ways to gain that understanding is by
reviewing examples of how to tackle each of them.
Outlining and Topic Sentences
Before beginning any type of writing, creating an outline is key.
 Write down the main points that you wish to discuss in the paragraph first.
Aim for two or three main points.
 Underneath each main point, add a piece of supporting evidence from a
journal, novel, poem, etc.
 After the evidence, offer a brief explanation.
Once you have put all of this information together, return to the topic
sentence. The topic sentence should serve as a mini guide to the rest of
your paragraph.
Support, Evidence and Analysis
The heart of the paragraph is the evidence used to prove the point. For
example, a piece of support in an essay about drug usage could read,
"Drug usage is becoming an increasing problem in the United States." After
that, introduce a statistic showing the rise of drug usage over the last
decade. Once you have cited the statistic, include a piece of analysis that
explains why and how this rise is detrimental to the country and to the
future.
Paragraph Strength and Language
To craft a strong paragraph, important facts, textual analysis and all of the
information must be relevant. In an essay on the importance of gun control,
going off on a tangent about other types of weapons could be detrimentally
off topic. Stay focused.
 The language that you use will also affect the development of the
paragraph. Words such as "good," "nice" and "bad" are extremely vague
and should not be used in professional writing. Find clearer words -
"respectful," "giving" and "selfish," for example, with which to replace these
vague words.
Furthermore, do not using confusing words or words of which you do not
know the meaning, because your lack of understanding will translate to the
reader.
Clear Transitions
Crafting a strong concluding statement helps to transition into the next
paragraph. At the end of one paragraph, suggest that there is another idea
that piggybacks on top of the one that you have discussed, or state that
there are some disagreeing ideas in the field. Then, go on to write about
them in the next paragraph.

Following Grammar Rules

Even if you have the most organized paragraph in the world, it will not be considered well-
developed if there are grammar mistakes everywhere. Consult a guide, such as
the collection of helpful articles here on YourDictionary in the English Grammar Rules &
Usage section to ensure that your paper is free of grammar errors.


HOW TO PARAPHRASE IN THE IELTS TEST

By Christopher Pell Updated on Mar 31, 2015 8,619 10

Paraphrasing is an essential IELTS skill. This post will show you how to
paraphrase effectively.
Save
Paraphrasing is simply re-writing a phrase or sentence so that it has the same
meaning, but with different words. Paraphrasing is one of the most important skills
to learn before doing your IELTS test. It is most important for writing and
speaking, but will also help you in the reading and listening tests. In other words, if
you know how to paraphrase you are more likely to get the score you need.

The mental processes required to paraphrase will also help you to fully understand
the question and this is one of the reasons I tell my students to begin all of their
answers in the writing test by paraphrasing the question.

Let’s look at an example.

Example: Paraphrasing is one of the most important skills to learn before

doing your IELTS test.

Paraphrased: Prior to taking the IELTS test, mastering paraphrasing is one of

the most crucial things to do.

As you can see, the second sentence (paraphrased sentence) uses synonyms to
change some vocabulary (e.g., ‘important’ for ‘crucial’ and ‘’prior’’ to ‘before’
and changes the grammar (e.g., Paraphrasing is one of the most important skills”
for “mastering paraphrasing”). You can also change the word order.

These are the three main methods you should use in the IELTS test to paraphrase
sentences. Ideally, you should try to use all three but sometimes two will only be
possible.

We will now look at each method in detail and also have a look at the passive.

Method Number 1: Using Synonyms

Synonyms are different words that have the same meaning. For example, ‘humans’
is a synonym of ‘people’ and ‘attractive’ is a synonym of ‘beautiful’. This method
simply replaces words with the same meaning in order to produce a new sentence.

For example:

My car needs petrol.

My vehicle requires fuel.

As you can see, I have replaced 3 out of four words with synonyms to produce a
new sentence, with the same meaning as the first one. You will notice that I didn’t
replace all of the words, but you should try to replace most of them.

This is the most common method that students use and it can be used effectively,
but you should be careful. The biggest mistake students make is trying to
paraphrase and the word having a similar meaning, but not the same meaning.
Similar meanings are not good enough and will lose you marks. Let’s look at some
examples of poor paraphrasing because of using similar instead of the same
meanings.

Violent crime is on the rise among teenagers.

Violent offences are rising among young people.

This student has changed the word ‘teenagers’ for ‘young people’. They are similar
words and teenagers are of course young people; however children and young
adults, aged between 18-30, could also be described as young people. A more term
would be ‘adolescents’ or ‘young people between the ages of 13-19.’ A better way
to paraphrase this sentence would therefore be:
Violent offences are rising among adolescents.

You should therefore only use words you are 100% sure about. Don’t change a
word unless you are 100% sure that it is a direct synonym, otherwise you are likely
to make mistakes and this will bring down your score.

Let’s look at another good example:

Global warming is mostly caused by emissions from internal combustion

engines.

Climate change is mainly caused by the release of fumes from motor vehicles.

Method Number 2: Change the Word Order

Changing the word order also allows us to effectively paraphrase a sentence, but
again, we have to be careful. Don’t change the word order without thinking about
how this affects the grammar of the sentence. By changing the word order you may
have to add a word, subtract a word or change the form of the word.

The 100% rule applies again; don’t change it if you are not 100% sure it is
grammatically correct. Remember that you are being judged on your ability to
produce error free sentences in the IELTS test as well as use a range of grammar
structures.

Fortunately, there are two straightforward ways we can change the word order in
most IELTS questions.

1. You can easily change the order of the clauses, if the original sentence has
more than one clause.

Question: As languages such as Spanish, Chinese and English become more

widely used, there is a fear that that many minority languages may die out.

Paraphrased by changing word order: There is a fear that many minority

languages may die out, as languages such as Spanish, Chinese and English
become more widely used.

We could also add some synonyms to paraphrase it even more:

Paraphrased with changing word order AND synonyms: There is dismay that
many lesser used languages may pass away, as languages such as Chinese,
English and Spanish become more broadly spoken.

2. You can also change the word order if there is an adjective or noun in the
question. You do this by simply changing the adjective into a relative clause.

Question: Learning to manage money is one of the key aspects to adult life.

Paraphrased using a relative clause: Learning to manage money is one of the

aspects to adult life that is key.

Method Number 3: Change the Form of the Word

There are many different forms of words including nouns, verbs,
adjectives and adverbs. Changing the form of a word allows us to
paraphrase effectively. Again, don’t just change the form of the word;
you also need to check that your changes make grammatical sense. You
might need to change the words around it to make the sentence error
free.
Question: Longer life spans and improvements in the health of older
people suggest that people over the age of sixty-five can continue to
live full and active lives.
Paraphrased by changing word form Longer life spans and
improvements in the health of older people are suggesting that
people over the age of sixty-five can continue living full and active
lives.
Method Number 4: Change from Active to Passive
The passive voice is often used in academic writing and can therefore be used in
the IELTS academic writing test. Only verbs with an object can be turned into the
passive.

Example active sentence: The property developers invested $20 million in the
development of the shopping centre.
Example passive sentence: $20 million was invested in the development of
shopping centres.

We often use the passive voice in academic writing when we don’t want to say it is
our opinion.

Example active: People say that global warming is caused by the burning of
fossil fuels.

Example passive: Global warming is said to be caused by the burning of fossil

fuels.

How many of these methods should I use?

The four methods can be used independently or together. I advise my students to

try and change the grammar (word order and/or word form) and use synonyms.
Remember only use the methods you feel 100% comfortable using and that you are
sure your work is error free.

Next Steps

These paraphrasing methods will only help you in the IELTS exam if you practice
using them. Find some example writing questions and try paraphrasing them using
these methods. You can use the methods individually and then combine them. Try
all of them to see what works for you. If you practice enough you will begin to see
patterns in the questions and common words and phrases will become easy for you
to change.

If you want to see examples of paraphrasing simply use Google. If you Google
certain keywords, lots of articles will come up on the same topic. By comparing
these you will be able to see how different writers have expressed the same ideas.

The best way to keep up to date with posts like this is to like us on Facebook.

Do you need me to correct your essays and give you feedback on them? Check
out our essay correction service.
Click here to return to the homepage, or click one of the links below to check out more great IELTS stuff.

Writing Task 1

Writing Task 2

Speaking
Vocabulary

Reading

Listening

Tips

Writing Task 2
The second part of the Academic IELTS Writing exam, Task 2, is
to write an essay of at least 250 words.

Questions start with a statement giving an opinion, a problem or

an argument. After that, the question tells you what you have to
do.

The purpose is to see if you can evaluate and challenge different

ideas, evidence and arguments.

You may need to ...

present a solution to a problem or suggest its causes.
compare and contrast evidence or opinions.
give the advantages or disadvantages of something.

It is important to take time to read the question and understand

what the examiner wants you to do. You have 40 minutes. You
should spend at least 5-10 minutes reading the question and
making a plan.

The MOST important thing to remember in Task 2 is to answer

the question. Many students lose a quarter of the marks because
they are off topic or misunderstand the question.

If you need Band Score 7, 8 or 9, you must learn how to analyse

the questions so you can answer correctly.
Practise
Always write in paragraphs.
250 words sounds like a lot in 30 minutes (writing time), but you only need
about 13 sentences. This is not a rule, but it makes the task much easier
if you think about just a few sentences.

Introduction - 1 or 2 sentences
Give your answer to the question or your opinion.
Writing examiners have to mark your paper very quickly. First
impressions count, so a good introduction is vital.

Body paragraphs - around 10 sentences in one, two or three

paragraphs.
This is not a rule - you can write more, but most essays can
probably be answered in 10 good sentences. Each paragraph
should have one main idea (contained in the topic sentence), and
provide supporting details and examples. One mistake students
often make is making statements without providing evidence or
examples. (This is common in the speaking section, too.) When
you practise writing, start a sentence with ‘For instance’ or ‘For
example’ and try to finish it. Remember that the examiner does
not care whether what you write is true: only how well you write.

Conclusion - 1 or 2 sentences
This should re-state your position and paraphrase the
introduction.
The conclusion is the last thing the examiner reads, so a strong
conclusion will get higher marks.

To get good marks for Task 2 answers, you need to ...

1. Analyse the question
2. Brainstorm
3. Organise
4. Write
5. Check

Follow the links above to see how.

If you need more help with your writing, check out Academic
IELTS available on the Resources page, or consider booking a
writing course. If you have a teacher, try to have your writing
assessed so you know where you need to improve. You can also
post essays on the Exchange.
Writing Task 2 - Analysing the question
There are many ways to look at the question types for IELTS Task 2. For
each essay question, there are a number of approaches. The most
important thing to remember is to answer the question.

We can look at essays in terms of style—such as narrative or discursive—

or in terms of task—such as agree/disagree, or advantages/disadvantages.
However, many IELTS essay questions can be answered in more than
one way. Learning a “formula” for Task 2 is dangerous. It is far better to
learn how to brainstorm and organise ANY essay.

The point is that the examiners want your ideas. You are the person being
asked on the exam paper. Rather than putting the essays into categories it
is often easier to look at them in terms of planning. Remember that there
is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer – just answer the question.

3-paragraph essays
Some essays fit ONE body paragraph, with an introduction and conclusion,
making them 3-paragraph essays.

Example:
Our personalities are influenced more by characteristics were born
with than by our experiences as our personalities develop. What do
you consider to be the major influence?
This looks like a nature/nurture debate question, but read carefully,
and the first sentence simply gives background. The question is
what you think is the main influence on personality. That makes it a
‘list’ question with one body paragraph listing all the reasons why
nature (genes) has most influence on personality, supported by plenty
of examples, or why nurture (how we grow up) has most influence. Of
course, because this is IELTS, and it is your opinion, you may decide
that both have equal importance, which would make it a two body-
 paragraph essay with nature arguments and examples in one
paragraph and nurture arguments and examples in the other.

Example:
Because of globalisation, people all over the world can now
experience similar lifestyles. What factors have contributed to this?
This is clearly asking for a list of things you believe contribute to
globalisation, such as the Internet, international trade, transport,
education and so on. You would need one body paragraph with 4-5
supporting details and examples.

4-paragraph essays
Some essays fit a TWO body-paragraphs format because there are two
parts to the question or two arguments to discuss. With an introduction and
conclusion, they form 4-paragraph essays.

Example:
Sports personalities and celebrities often earn far more than
professionals such as doctors and lawyers. Some people believe this
is justified, while others do not. Discuss both views and give your
opinion.
This looks like a three part question because you are asked to discuss
both views and give an opinion. However, your opinion (your position,
such as thinking it is justified or thinking it is not) should be stated in
the introduction, so it is a two-part essay. One paragraph will have
reasons why it is justifiable for celebrities and sports personalities to
earn more than professionals like doctors and lawyers and the other
will have reasons why the higher pay is unwarranted (not justified).

Example:
Most adults spend the majority of their time at work, making job
satisfaction paramount. What factors contribute to job
satisfaction? How realistic is it that everyone will be satisfied in the job
they do?
This is another two part question, because you must answer two
questions. What makes for job satisfaction? Is it realistic to think
everyone can achieve it? Again, you would give your opinion in the
introduction.

5-paragraph essays
Some essays may even need THREE body paragraphs because they have
three parts, such as explaining three features, or discussing the causes
and effects of something and some possible solutions. With the
introduction and conclusion they become 5-paragraph essays.

Example
Editors decide what news goes on television and what is printed in
newspapers. What factors do you think influence their decisions? Are
we too used to bad news? Would it be better to report more good
news?
This is a three part question. One paragraph should suggest how
editors choose what goes in the news. One should discuss whether
we have ‘news fatigue’ and are inured (indifferent or too used) to bad
news. The third should discuss whether more positive or happy news
should be reported. You give your opinion in the introduction.

Example
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of three of the following
in communicating information and state which you believe is the most
effective.
Newspapers
Radio
Books
Television
The Internet
SMS messages
This is a three part question. While both advantages and
disadvantages need to be discussed, the best plan is to choose one
form of media for each paragraph and look at the pros and cons
together. The one you feel is most effective should be mentioned in
your introduction.
Writing Task 2 - Organising
Most of the organisation is done if you brainstorm well, but you need to decide what order to write
the information in, and that is determined by the introduction.

The introduction
Introductions only need one or two sentences. In many academic writing books you learn about
'thesis statements'. They are like topic sentences and act like a signpost in the same way, but
instead of pointing out what is in a paragraph, they point out what is in the essay. Your thesis
statement should be contained in the sentence that states your position or answer to the question.
Never, Never, NEVER write In this essay I will write about ... (Or something of the sort.) It
is a weak start to an essay, it doesn't tell the examiner what your position is, and it won't get you a
good mark.

a) The first sentence should refer to the question.

Remember to paraphrase. If you can’t think of any other way to write the
information, then you can use the question wording, but you will get no
marks for it, and the words will be deducted from the word count. If you
only write 260 words and 15 are copied from the question, you cannot get
full marks.

You can use expressions like these (or variations) ...

A common opinion is that ...
A popular belief is that ...
Some people believe that ...
There are those who say that ...
It is often said that ...
It is commonly understood that ...
Many experts have the view that ...
It has been suggested that ...
One theory is that ...
It can be argued that ...
It is frequently accepted that ...

For a more sophisticated introduction, you could start

with while or although and combine your first sentence with the thesis
statement giving your position.

Question: Our personalities are influenced more by characteristics we

are born with than by our experiences as our personalities
develop. What do you consider to be the major influence?
Paraphrase: It has been suggested that personality is determined
mainly by genetics, rather than our experiences as we grow up.

Question: Because of globalisation, people all over the world can now
experience similar lifestyles. What factors have contributed to this?
Paraphrase: People from as far apart as Britain and Bangladesh,
Brunei and Barbados are able to experience a similar kind of
lifestyle because of the impact of globalistaion.
 Question: Some people believe wealthy nations have a duty to help
poor ones by providing things like food and education, while others
suggest that the governments of poor nations have a duty to take care
of their own citizens. What is your opinion?
It can be argued that rich countries have a moral obligation to
help poor ones in terms of food, technology, education or
expertise.

b) The second sentence should state your position.

This is what YOU think about the topic. If you look at the marking criteria
for Task Response it constantly refers to ‘position’. On the public version
it is mentioned seven times, and the examiners' version is even more
detailed. That means you must explain what you think (your position or
point of view) at the start. Even when the question does not specifically
ask for your opinion, ask what you think, what your view is, or ask how far
you agree or disagree, it is your question paper and the question is asking
what you think, so state your position at the outset.

You can use phrases such as

My personal view is that ...
It seems to me that ...
I think that ...
I believe that ...
I am of the opinion that ...
I would argue that ...
In my experience ...

If you disagree with the idea or argument stated, you can preface those
with
That said,
However,

Question: Our personalities are influenced more by characteristics

were born with than by our experiences as our personalities
develop. What do you consider to be the major influence?
Introduction: It has been suggested that personality is determined
mainly by genetics, rather than our experiences as we grow
 up. However, my personal view is that personality is shaped by our
environment, including the support of parents, our early education,
and any strongly positive or negative experiences we have while
growing up.

Question: Because of globalisation, people all over the world can now
experience similar lifestyles. What factors have contributed to this?
Introduction: People from as far apart as Britain and Bangladesh,
Brunei and Barbados are able to experience a similar kind of
lifestyle because of the impact of globalistaion. I think there are
a number of factors involved including global trade, foreign
workers, international travel and education, and the Internet.

Question: Some people believe wealthy nations have a duty to help

poor ones by providing things like food and education, while others
suggest that the governments of poor nations have a duty to take care
of their own citizens. What is your opinion?
While it can be argued that rich countries have a moral obligation
to help poor ones in terms of food, technology, education of
expertise, I believe that such aid should be short-term and
directed towards enabling the governments of poorer countries to
look after their own people in the long-term.

In all of those introductions, we know what the writer's position is and we

have a good idea what will be in the essay. The first writer will have three
paragraphs about environmental influences - one about parental support,
one about early education and one about the effect of good and bad
experiences as a child. In the second essay, we will have one body
paragraph which mentions trade, foreign workers, travel, education and the
Internet. The third example will have one paragraph about aid (food,
technology, education and expertise) and one about helping governments
to stop depending on short-term aid by helping their own nationals to
become self-sufficient.

Body paragraphs
Organising body paragraphs is easy if you have made a plan. For
example, a table with two columns will fit a two-paragraph essay. A table
with a spider chart will fit a one paragraph essay. A table with two columns
and a row at the bottom will fit a three paragraph essay.

Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence. The topic sentence
really summarizes what the paragraph will be about and acts as a signpost
to the supporting details.

For example, in an essay about the benefits of technology, one paragraph

may be about the Internet being a good idea. Supporting details may
include the fact that it is a mine of instant, free information, a valuable
educational tool and a source of entertainment. A topic sentence may look
like this:
The Internet is a good idea because it is a mine of instant,
free, information, is a valuable educational tool and is a great
source of entertainment.

The rest of the paragraph would give examples to support the details.
Instant, free information - e.g. Can look up a word
at http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/
A valuable educational tool - e.g. Can learn
English at http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/
A source of entertainment - e.g. Can watch Al
Jazeera http://www.aljazeera.com/watch_now/

The paragraph may look like this:

The Internet is a good idea because it is a mine of instant,

free, information, is a valuable educational tool and is a great
source of entertainment. For example, you can look up new
words in the online dictionary from Oxforddictionaries.com,
find out what they mean, see them in a sentence and even
hear the word being spoken. Sites like bbc.co.uk have a free
place for learning English, so the Internet is also a valuable
educational tool. It is also a source of news and
 entertainment with sites like aljazeera.com streaming live
news and videos in English.

That is one topic sentence with three supporting details. Each has an
example. With four sentences, the student has written a sound paragraph
of ninety-seven words.

You can use expressions like these:

For example,
For instance,
One illustration of this is ...
Evidence for this is ...

Examples are very important in academic IELTS exams. Some questions

even say "include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or
experience", but even if your IELTS exam doesn't say that, you still need
examples. Imagine the examiner is a judge in court and you have to
provide evidence.

The Conclusion
Your conclusion should sum up your essay, so it should be a restatement
(paraphrase) of your introduction. One sentence is usually enough, but you
can write two.

You may start with a typical introductory word or phrase like these:
To summarise,
To sum up,
In short,
In conclusion,
On balance,
Overall,
Generally speaking,
However, this isn't essential. You can do a very nice conclusion without
using any of them.

Here are the three introductions we looked at earlier and the conclusions
that go with them.
It has been suggested that personality is determined mainly by
genetics, rather than our experiences as we grow up. However, my
personal view is that personality is shaped by our environment,
including the support of parents, our early education, and any strongly
positive or negative experiences we have while growing up.
In short, our personality is largely influenced by our childhood
experiences, both good and bad, the nature and style of our first steps
in education and, most of all, by the impact our parents have on us from
the day we are born.

It is frequently accepted that people all over the world are able to
experience a similar kind of lifestyle because of the impact of
globalistaion. I think there are a number of factors involved including
global trade, foreign workers, international travel and education, and
the Internet.
All in all, globalisation is making the world and the lifestyles we choose
more homogenous as trade brings the same goods to every part of the
world, people bring similar ideas and skills as they travel, work in
foreign countries or study abroad, and Utube videos make people as far
apart as Russia and Rwanda dance to the same music.

While it can be argued that rich countries have a moral obligation to

help poor ones in terms of food, technology, education of expertise, I
believe that such aid should be short-term and directed towards
enabling the governments of poorer countries to look after their own
people in the long-term.
Supporting countries in poverty in order to educate people,
manufacture technology, and grow food by providing the necessary
expertise short-term, allows poor nations to develop and become
independent of aid so that they can take care of their own citizens in
the future.
The table below summarises the three different types of essays you will likely
encounter in the IELTS exam. In order to understand each one more fully you
 should go to the page for each type of essay which are: Opinion [argument]
Essay, Both Sides + Opinion Essay, Two Question Essay
Opinion (Argument) Essay:

Opinion [argument] Essay Both sides + opinion Two Questions

What is your opinion? Discuss the advantages and

disadvantages
Do you agree or disagree?
Discuss the advantages and
To what extent do you agree or disadvantages and give your
Problem and solution
disagree? own opinion
Cause and solution
question Do the advantages outweigh the Discuss both points of view
words disadvantages? and give your opinion Opinion and solution

Computers are being used

more and more in education.
Some people say that this is a
Computers are being used more positive trend, while others
and more in education and so argue that it is leading to
there will soon be no role for the negative consequences. Alcohol abuse is becoming more and more common in
teacher in education. many countries.
example Discuss both sides of this
question To what extent do you agree or argument and then give your What are some of the problems associated with alcohol
words disagree? own opinion. abuse, and what are some of the possible solutions?

Rephrase question
Rephrase question This essay
Position Rephrase question
discusses [both sides +
Intro (how much agree/disagree) opinion] This essay discusses [problem and solution]

Side 1. advantages
reason 1. Problems
Side 2. advantages
Body reason 2. Solutions
Note: keep your own self “I
 reason 3/concession think” and opinion out of the
body. It is only about what
people in general may think.

Opinion State that both are

important/has merits
Summary
Final State which one is more Summary of problems and solutions
paragraph Opinion/recommendation important/better (rephrased)Opinion/recommendation

Many people believe that alcohol causes many problems and there have been
frequent calls for the government to ban it. To what extent do you agree or
disagree?
model answer 1 totally agree
model answer 2 somewhat agree
Both Sides and Opinion Essay
Some people believe that there should be fixed punishments for each type of
crime. Others, however, argue that the circumstances of an individual crime,
and the motivation for committing it, should always be taken into account
when deciding on the punishment.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
model answer
student answer
Two Question Essay
The use of illegal drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, are becoming more and
more common in many countries.
What are some of the problems associated with drug abuse, and what are some
of the possible solutions?
model answer
IELTS Writing Task 1 - Sample Question & Model Answer

IELTS Writing Task 1 Sample Question:

IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer:

The line graph shows the changes in the use of pieces of technology, the internet,
the home computer, the mobile phone and the CD player, in the UK from 1996 to
2003. Overall, there was an upward trend in the access to all four home
appliances and the CD player was the most used piece of technology.
In 1996/1997 nearly 60% of UK households used a CD player and this percentage
increased to just over 80% in 2002/2003. In contrast, it is noticeable that there
was no internet access in 1996/1997. In the following year 10% of UK homes had
internet access and this increased steadily to about 45% in 2002/2003.

Access to home computers and mobile phones stood at 28% and 18% respectively
at the beginning of the period. Home computer access saw a steady, even rise
over the seven year period and reached a peak of just over 50% in 2002/2003.
There was some fluctuations in access to mobile phones but the overall trend
rose quite quickly. 70% of UK households had access to mobile phones in
2002/2003.