WRITING TASK 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic:

Some people believe that television programmes are of no real value for children. How far do you agree or
disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

The Task
Task 2 involves writing an essay on the given topic. You have to
• answer the question(s) clearly and completely;
• give reasons for your answer;
• include relevant example
▪ from your knowledge
▪ from your experience
• spend about 40 minutes on the task
• write at least 250 words → 260-265 words

Note: Finish task 2 first before addressing task 1. Task 2 has twice as many marks as task 1 and is less flexible,
so if you do not get around to finishing it, you may lose more marks than when you leave task 1 unfinished.

The Answer Sheet

The last two pages of the IELTS writing answer sheet are dedicated to task two and together have over 40 lines.
Although you may ask for extra sheets to write your answer in, this is not likely to become necessary since the
space you are already provided with is way more than sufficient. You must not write in the blank space at the
bottom of the first page or in the scoring section at the bottom of page two.

Focus on Academic Register

• Use longer sentences (about 20-30 words)
• Use subordinate clauses
• Use academic words (see “The Academic Words List” at www.tahasoni.com/resources)
• Avoid contractions like doesn’t, can’t or they’ll
• Avoid “get” phrases where possible
• Avoid a personal tone except when giving personal opinions or talking of personal experiences
• Avoid phrasal verbs where possible
• Avoid over-generalisation by avoiding absolute statements and Introducing probability/possibility
 Assessment Criteria
Every essay is assessed by a trained examiner according to four assessment criteria:
 Task Response (TR)
 Coherence and Cohesion (CC)
 Lexical Resource (LR)
 Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA)

Task Response (TR)

This criterion focuses on the degree to which the task has been answered properly.
The examiner has the following questions in mind when assessing this aspect of your essay:

1. Is there a clear and relevant position throughout the response?

2. Are there relevant and well-developed (presented, extended and supported) main ideas? Are any
of the points underdeveloped or unclear?
3. Is there a tendency to overgeneralise?
4. Do any supporting ideas (e.g. examples) lack focus?
5. How have the different parts of the task been addressed:
a. addresses some parts only
b. unevenly addresses all parts
c. addresses all parts
d. sufficiently addresses all parts
e. fully addresses all parts

Coherence and Cohesion (CC)

This criterion is concerned with the overall clarity and fluency of the message: how the response organises and
links information, ideas and language. Coherence refers to the linking of ideas through logical sequencing.
Cohesion refers to the varied and appropriate use of cohesive devices (for example, logical connectors, pronouns
and conjunctions) to assist in making the conceptual and referential relationships between and within sentences
clear.
The examiner has the following questions in mind when assessing this aspect of your essay:

6. Have you organised your information logically?

7. Is there an overall flow or progression in your essay?
8. Have you used linkers correctly, properly and sufficiently without over- or under-using them?
9. Have pronouns been used correctly and do they have clear references?
10. Have you organised the text in paragraphs logically and sufficiently?
Lexical Resource (LR)
This criterion refers to the range of vocabulary the candidate has used and the accuracy and appropriacy of that
use in terms of the specific task.
The examiner takes the following points into account when assessing this aspect of your essay:

1. Words
a. Range and flexibility
b. Level
c. Precision
d. Style
e. Collocation
2. Vocabulary mistakes
a. Spelling
b. Word choice
c. Word formation

Note: when evaluating vocabulary errors, the effect each has on the reader and the intelligibility of your essay is
taken into account.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA)

This criterion refers to the range and accurate use of the candidate’s grammatical resource as
manifested in the candidate’s writing at the sentence level.
The examiner has the following questions in mind when assessing this aspect of your essay:

1. Have you used a wide variety of sentence structures naturally and appropriately?
2. How often have you used complex structures?
3. Errors
a. Grammar
b. Punctuation

Note: when evaluating grammatical errors, the effect each has on the reader and the intelligibility of your essay is
taken into account.
TYPES of QUESTIONS

1. Presenting and Justifying Opinion

Ex:
 Advances in science and technology and other areas of society in the last 100 years have
transformed the way we live as well as postponed the day we die. There is no better time to
be alive than now. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
 Modern technology now allows rapid and uncontrolled access to and exchange information.
Far from being beneficial, this is a danger to our societies. Do you agree?
2. Discussing views and giving own’s opinion
 Some people think that men and women have different natural abilities for different
types of work. Others, however, believe that both men and women can be equally
suited to do any type of work. Discuss both this views and give your opinion.
 When people move to another country, some of them decide to follow the customs of
the new country. Others prefer to keep their own customs. Compare these two choices.
Which one do you prefer?
3. Discussing aspects of problems
 In many countries there is a shortage of suitable people for essential jobs. What do you
think are the causes of this problem and what measures could be taken to solve it?
 What are the key problems facing the world’s cities in the 21st century and what can be
done about them?
4. Discussing advantages and disadvantages
 The amount of sport shown on television every week has increased significantly and this
is having a impact on live sport events. Do you think the benefits of having more
televised sport are greater than the disadvantages?
5. Direct/ Free questions/ Mixed questions
 In almost every country there are laws regulating the content of films, videos, books and
newspapers. Should the media be controlled in this way? What are the benefits and
risks of censorship?
 What discovery in the last 100 years has been most beneficial for people in your
country?
 There are many different types of music in the world today. Why do we need music? Is
the traditional music of a country more important than the international music that is
heard everywhere nowadays?
Analyse question before writing!
 APPROACHES

1. THESIS-Led Approach

I. Introductory Paragraph
st
1 sentence: General Statement/ Paraphrasing fact => Background
“There has been considerable discussion about the importance of health in the world”
Other alternatives to start your general statement:
• One very complex issue in today’s world is …
• One problematic issue in the modern world is …
• Undoubtedly, one of the most significant innovations in recent years has been …
• One issue that creates intense debate nowadays in many countries is …
• It is unarguable that …

2nd sentence: paraphrasing opinion => detailed background

3rd sentence: Thesis Statement => statement of decision agree /disagree/ partly agree
“I totally agree/disagree with the opinion for some reasons.”
 I strongly support the idea of ....
 I completely believe that ...
 I generally think that this idea is acceptable due to some considerations.
 I would disagree with this view for the following reasons.

II. Body Paragraph 1

1st Main Idea: 1st Reason why Agree/disagree

“Firstly,…” “The first reason is that…”
Supporting Ideas:
- Explanation
- Example/ fact

III. Body Paragraph 2

2nd Main Idea: 2nd Reason why Agree/disagree

“Next,..” “In addition,..” “Furthermore,..”
Supporting Ideas:
- Explanation
- Example/ fact

IV. Conclusion

- Restating/ Paraphrasing Thesis Statement

“In conclusion,…”
“In brief,..”
“All in all,…”

- Main Ideas in Simpler Sentences

- Giving Suggestions if any
Sample question:
Food can be produced much more cheaply today because of improved fertilizers and better
machinery. However, some of the methods used to do this may be dangerous to human health and
may have negative effects on local communities. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Sample Response:

Nowadays, fertilizers and machinized farming are making it easier to produce food cheaply, as less
manual labor workforce are required. However, some people have doubts about this so-called
technological farming, as they claimed some of the processes involved to produce these foods are
harmful to human health. I strongly support this idea as tech-farming’s processes can induce harm to
human and cut the nutrition inside it.

To begin with, the use of fertilizers will cause the crops to grow at a faster rate by means of chemical
reaction or the addition of nutrients in the soil. The former, called chemical fertilizer , has been proven
to infuse chemical substances into the crops. Some of these substances can be harmful to human as a
research done by the Agricultural Institute of Bogor, Indonesia has stated that chemical fertilizers
contain carcinogens that can seep into the fibres of the plant and render it unsafe to be consumed as it
tends to stimulate cancerous growth once inside the body.

In addition to harmful effect caused by fertilizers, the use of machinaries to proceed food and make it
consumer-ready would definitely lessen the nutritional value of the food compared to that which is
naturally grown. That is due to the fact that some of the processes such as the repetitive drying and re-
moisturizing of food items may cause food to lose some of of its precious nutrients. A study in regard to
this has been conducted by the nutritional health department of State University of Singapore.

All things considered, machined processed food that has been artificially grown with fertilizers has less
quality than the organic ones and tends to be harmful to human body system. In my personal opinion, it
is better to consume organic foods with no fertilizers and machined process in order to produce.
 2. Argument-led Approach

I. Introductory Paragraph
1st sentence: General Statement/ Paraphrasing fact
“There has been considerable discussion about the importance of health in the world”
Other alternatives to start your general statement:
• One very complex issue in today’s world is …
• One problematic issue in the modern world is …
• Undoubtedly, one of the most significant innovations in recent years has been …
• One issue that creates intense debate nowadays in many countries is …
• It is unarguable that …

2nd sentence: paraphrasing opinion

3rd sentence: Balancing Statement
 However, it is difficult to simply agree or disagree with the opinion before discussing both sides.
 It is important to look closely at both views.

II. Body Paragraph 1

1st Main Idea: statement of the first View/side

Supporting Ideas:
- Reason 1, explanation/strong example
- Reason 2, explanation/strong example
- Reason 3, explanation/ strong example

III. Body Paragraph 2

2nd Main Idea: statement of the 2nd View/side

Supporting Ideas:
- Reason 1, explanation/strong example
- Reason 2, explanation/strong example
- Reason 3, explanation/ strong example

IV. Conclusion

- Thesis Statement
“In conclusion,…”
“In brief,..”
“All in all,…”

- Giving own’s views and Suggestions if any

Sample question:

Prison is not a cure for crime. To reduce crime in the long-term, courts should significantly reduce
prison sentences and focus on education and community work to help criminals not to re-offend.
To what extend do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
To reduce crime: - prison sentences, + education, + community work

A
R1: in prison, learn crime
Leave prison->commit more crimes
R2: education gives skills
Get job-> no reoffend
R3: part time in community
Step back to society, feel useful

D
R1: punishment fits crime
Heavy crime->heavy punishment
Ex: robbery -> long prison sentence
R2: reducing prison->reducing fear
Education and comm work->like university not punishment
Building cohesion (connection sentence to sentence/ clause to clause):
1. Conjunction
2. Reference
3. Explaining keywords (use different words to explain)

Building coherence (connection of the whole text; paragraph to paragraph structure/progression)

 Transitional signals (conjunctions)

Transitions/ coordinating conjunctions

To connect two ideas in two sentences.

Contrastive
Over 90% of exports were fruits. However/Nevertheless/By contrast, industrial exports contributed
none.

Almost all female students were interested in art activities. In contrast, the figure for male
students was a mere 15%.

Most of the farmland in Europe was damaged by overgrazing. On the other hand, the most significant
cause of damage in Asia was wind erosion.

Additive

In addition,

Furthermore,

The first reason is that punishment should fit the crime. Furthermore, reducing prison sentences will
reduce people’s fear of prison.

Moreover

Subordinating Conjunctions

To connection two ideas in one sentence.

Contrastive

Over 90% of exports were fruits, whereas / while industrial exports contributed none.

Whereas / While over 90% of exports were fruits, industrial exports contributed none.

Although/Even though almost all girls were interested in art activities, only 15% of boys took

part in them.
Additive

and, also, too

Punishment should fit the crime and reducing prison sentences will reduce people’s fear of prison.