IELTS Writing Task 2 Structures & Idea Generation (2024)
Are you unsure how to write a Task 2 answer?
It’s most likely that you don’t know what ideas to use or how to organise your paragraphs.
This lesson will show you how to quickly generate appropriate ideas and three easy-to-use IELTS Writing Task 2 structures.
In this lesson, you’ll discover;
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IELTS Writing Task 2 Structures
If you can structure your Task 2 essay in the way that IELTS expects, this is the key to a high score in Coherence & Cohesion.
Task 2 questions usually follow the same format, but Cambridge uses questions that are a little bit different on rare occasions.
That’s why my IELTS Writing Task 2 structures can be applied to any Task 2 question, even if you get something new in your test.
The 3 structures are;
- IELTS Writing Task 2 Structures for 2 Main Ideas
- IELTS Writing Task 2 Structures for 3 Main Ideas
- IELTS Writing Task 2 Structures for 4 Main Ideas
Important Note
When writing your essay, you will always write the first sentence first, the second sentence second, the third sentence third, etc.
However, in this part of the lesson, we will not start with the first sentence because we want to focus on the position of each idea.
IELTS Writing Task 2 Structures for 2 Main Ideas
The sample answer below is written in Latin, not English because I want you to visualise where all your ideas belong.
The parts in red represent the three places where your first main idea belongs, and the parts in blue represent your second main idea.
Essay structure for IELTS Writing Task 2 with 2 main ideas
Die autem tertio induta est Esther regalibus vestimentis, et stetit in atrio domus regiae, quod erat interius. Contra basilicam regis: at ille sedebat super solium suum in consistorio palatii contra ostium domus cumque vidisset Esther reginam stantem.
Placuit oculis eius, et extendit contra eam virgam auream, quam tenebat manu. Quae accedens, osculata est summitatem virgae eius. Dixitque ad eam rex: Quid vis Esther regina? quae est petitio tua? etiam si dimidiam partem regni petieris, dabitur tibi. At illa respondit: Si regi placet, obsecro ut venias ad me hodie, et Aman tecum ad convivium, quod paravi. Statimque Rex, Vocate, inquit, cito Aman ut Esther obediat voluntati.
Venerunt itaque rex et Aman ad convivium, quod eis regina paraverat. Dixitque ei rex, postquam vinum biberat abundanter: Quid petis ut detur tibi? et pro qua re postulas? etiam si dimidiam partem regni mei petieris, impetrabis. Cui respondit Esther: Petitio mea, et preces sunt istae. Si inveni in conspectu regis gratiam, et si regi placet ut det mihi quod postulo, et meam impleat petitionem: veniat rex et Aman ad convivium quod paravi eis, et cras aperiam regi voluntatem meam.
Egressus est itaque illo die Aman laetus et alacer. Cumque vidisset Mardochaeum sedentem ante fores palatii, et non solum non assurrexisse sibi, sed nec motum quidem de loco sessionis suae, indignatus est valde et dissimulata ira.
Now, let’s fill in the main ideas for the following Task 2 question;
The majority of people find it difficult to speak in public or give a presentation in front of an audience.
Do you think public speaking is an important skill? Should students be taught public speaking at school?
Here are the ideas I generated for this question;
- Main idea 1 – no, because it’s rarely needed
- Main idea 2 – no, because it’s embarrassing
So I will add my first main idea to the parts in red and my second main idea to the parts in blue. You can see this in the text below.
Essay structure for IELTS Writing Task 2 with 2 main ideas
Die autem tertio induta est Esther regalibus vestimentis, et stetit in atrio domus regiae, quod erat interius. I believe that public speaking is not an important skill as it is rarely needed, and I feel that it should not be taught in schools as that would be embarrassing for the students.
As public speaking is very rarely needed, my understanding is that it is not an important skill. Quae accedens, osculata est summitatem virgae eius. Dixitque ad eam rex: Quid vis Esther regina? quae est petitio tua? etiam si dimidiam partem regni petieris, dabitur tibi. At illa respondit: Si regi placet, obsecro ut venias ad me hodie, et Aman tecum ad convivium, quod paravi. Statimque Rex, Vocate, inquit, cito Aman ut Esther obediat voluntati.
Because of how embarrassing it is for students to speak in front of a large group of their peers, I firmly believe that public speaking should not be a part of the school curriculum. Dixitque ei rex, postquam vinum biberat abundanter: Quid petis ut detur tibi? et pro qua re postulas? etiam si dimidiam partem regni mei petieris, impetrabis. Cui respondit Esther: Petitio mea, et preces sunt istae. Si inveni in conspectu regis gratiam, et si regi placet ut det mihi quod postulo, et meam impleat petitionem: veniat rex et Aman ad convivium quod paravi eis, et cras aperiam regi voluntatem meam.
In conclusion, I think that public speaking isn’t important because of how rarely it’s needed for educational or employment purposes, and I strongly believe that it should not be taught at schools because of how embarrassing this would be for the students.
In the main body paragraphs, I need to develop my main ideas with explanations and/or examples. This development belongs in the parts of the essay shown in green below.
Essay structure for IELTS Writing Task 2 with 2 main ideas
Die autem tertio induta est Esther regalibus vestimentis, et stetit in atrio domus regiae, quod erat interius. I believe that public speaking is not an important skill as it is rarely needed, and I feel that it should not be taught in schools as that would be embarrassing for the students.
As public speaking is very rarely needed, my understanding is that it is not an important skill. Quae accedens, osculata est summitatem virgae eius. Dixitque ad eam rex: Quid vis Esther regina? quae est petitio tua? etiam si dimidiam partem regni petieris, dabitur tibi. At illa respondit: Si regi placet, obsecro ut venias ad me hodie, et Aman tecum ad convivium, quod paravi. Statimque Rex, Vocate, inquit, cito Aman ut Esther obediat voluntati.
Because of how embarrassing it is for students to speak in front of a large group of their peers, I firmly believe that public speaking should not be a part of the school curriculum. Dixitque ei rex, postquam vinum biberat abundanter: Quid petis ut detur tibi? et pro qua re postulas? etiam si dimidiam partem regni mei petieris, impetrabis. Cui respondit Esther: Petitio mea, et preces sunt istae. Si inveni in conspectu regis gratiam, et si regi placet ut det mihi quod postulo, et meam impleat petitionem: veniat rex et Aman ad convivium quod paravi eis, et cras aperiam regi voluntatem meam.
In conclusion, I think that public speaking isn’t important because of how rarely it’s needed for educational or employment purposes, and I strongly believe that it should not be taught at schools because of how embarrassing this would be for the students.
Here is how I intend to develop my ideas;
- Main idea 1 – no, because it’s rarely needed – education and jobs – e.g. job posts
- Main idea 2 – no, because it’s embarrassing – already struggling – videos on social media
Essay structure for IELTS Writing Task 2 with 2 main ideas
Die autem tertio induta est Esther regalibus vestimentis, et stetit in atrio domus regiae, quod erat interius. I believe that public speaking is not an important skill as it is rarely needed, and I feel that it should not be taught in schools as that would be embarrassing for the students.
As public speaking is very rarely needed, my understanding is that it is not an important skill. Almost no test results are based on a student’s ability to speak in public, and there are very few jobs that require this skill either. For example, I often browse employment websites to see what jobs are available, and I have yet to find any company that required its employees to have a strong ability to speak in public.
Because of how embarrassing it is for students to speak in front of a large group of their peers, I firmly believe that public speaking should not be a part of the school curriculum. School students are already under pressure to fit in with the rest of their classmates, and adding an embarrassing requirement like speaking in front of others would only damage their confidence. With modern technology, videos of embarrassing attempts at speaking in public could easily be shared online, potentially making the embarrassment far worse for these students.
In conclusion, I think that public speaking isn’t important because of how rarely it’s needed for educational or employment purposes, and I strongly believe that it should not be taught at schools because of how embarrassing this would be for the students.
So as you can see, the only piece of the structure that’s missing is the first sentence in orange below.
Essay structure for IELTS Writing Task 2 with 2 main ideas
Die autem tertio induta est Esther regalibus vestimentis, et stetit in atrio domus regiae, quod erat interius. I believe that public speaking is not an important skill as it is rarely needed, and I feel that it should not be taught in schools as that would be embarrassing for the students.
As public speaking is very rarely needed, my understanding is that it is not an important skill. Almost no test results are based on a student’s ability to speak in public, and there are very few jobs that require this skill either. For example, I often browse employment websites to see what jobs are available, and I have yet to find any company that required its employees to have a strong ability to speak in public.
Because of how embarrassing it is for students to speak in front of a large group of their peers, I firmly believe that public speaking should not be a part of the school curriculum. School students are already under pressure to fit in with the rest of their classmates, and adding an embarrassing requirement like speaking in front of others would only damage their confidence. With modern technology, videos of embarrassing attempts at speaking in public could easily be shared online, potentially making the embarrassment far worse for these students.
In conclusion, I think that public speaking isn’t important because of how rarely it’s needed for educational or employment purposes, and I strongly believe that it should not be taught at schools because of how embarrassing this would be for the students.
In this sentence, we just want to repeat this part of the question;
The majority of people find it difficult to speak in public or give a presentation in front of an audience.
If possible, use your own words, but it’s okay to use some of the words from the question if you can’t think of any synonyms.
Essay structure for IELTS Writing Task 2 with 2 main ideas
For most people, public speaking and giving presentations is something that they find difficult. I believe that public speaking is not an important skill as it is rarely needed, and I feel that it should not be taught in schools as that would be embarrassing for the students.
As public speaking is very rarely needed, my understanding is that it is not an important skill. Almost no test results are based on a student’s ability to speak in public, and there are very few jobs that require this skill either. For example, I often browse employment websites to see what jobs are available, and I have yet to find any company that required its employees to have a strong ability to speak in public.
Because of how embarrassing it is for students to speak in front of a large group of their peers, I firmly believe that public speaking should not be a part of the school curriculum. School students are already under pressure to fit in with the rest of their classmates, and adding an embarrassing requirement like speaking in front of others would only damage their confidence. With modern technology, videos of embarrassing attempts at speaking in public could easily be shared online, potentially making the embarrassment far worse for these students.
In conclusion, I think that public speaking isn’t important because of how rarely it’s needed for educational or employment purposes, and I strongly believe that it should not be taught at schools because of how embarrassing this would be for the students.
And this is a perfect essay structure for any IELTS Task 2 questions that require 2 main ideas.
Next, we will look at questions that require 3 main ideas.
IELTS Writing Task 2 Structures for 3 Main Ideas
This time, in the text below, you’ll see the location of the first main idea in red, the second main idea in blue and the third main idea in pink.
Essay structure for IELTS Writing Task 2 with 3 main ideas
Die autem tertio induta est Esther regalibus vestimentis, et stetit in atrio domus regiae, quod erat interius. Contra basilicam regis: at ille sedebat super solium suum in consistorio palatii contra ostium domus cumque vidisset Esther reginam stantem.
Placuit oculis eius, et extendit contra eam virgam auream, quam tenebat manu. Quae accedens, osculata est summitatem virgae eius. Dixitque ad eam rex: Quid vis Esther regina? quae est petitio tua? etiam si dimidiam partem regni petieris, dabitur tibi. At illa respondit: Si regi placet, obsecro ut venias ad me hodie, et Aman tecum ad convivium, quod paravi.
Statimque Rex, Vocate, inquit, cito Aman ut Esther obediat voluntati. Venerunt itaque rex et Aman ad convivium, quod eis regina paraverat. Dixitque ei rex, postquam vinum biberat abundanter: Quid petis ut detur tibi? et pro qua re postulas? etiam si dimidiam partem regni mei petieris, impetrabis.
Cui respondit Esther: Petitio mea, et preces sunt istae. Si inveni in conspectu regis gratiam, et si regi placet ut det mihi quod postulo, et meam impleat petitionem: veniat rex et Aman ad convivium quod paravi eis, et cras aperiam regi voluntatem meam.
Egressus est itaque illo die Aman laetus et alacer. Cumque vidisset Mardochaeum sedentem ante fores palatii, et non solum non assurrexisse sibi, sed nec motum quidem de loco sessionis suae, indignatus est valde et dissimulata ira.
Here is a Task 2 question that requires 3 main ideas;
There are many who feel that public transportation is the best way to commute. Others believe that private transportation such as cars is better.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Here are the main ideas I’ve generated for my answer;
- Main idea 1 – public transportation is better for the environment
- Main idea 2 – private transportation saves time
- Main idea 3 – I like public transportation because it’s cheaper
And you’ll see these inserted in the relevant places below;
Essay structure for IELTS Writing Task 2 with 3 main ideas
Die autem tertio induta est Esther regalibus vestimentis, et stetit in atrio domus regiae, quod erat interius. Those who prefer public transport do so because it’s better for the environment, whereas those who think personal vehicles are better like saving time. I’m of the opinion that public transport is better because it is cheaper.
As public transport is better for the environment, some people prefer this method of commuting. Quae accedens, osculata est summitatem virgae eius. Dixitque ad eam rex: Quid vis Esther regina? quae est petitio tua? etiam si dimidiam partem regni petieris, dabitur tibi. At illa respondit: Si regi placet, obsecro ut venias ad me hodie, et Aman tecum ad convivium, quod paravi.
On the other hand, the people who favour private vehicles want to save time. Venerunt itaque rex et Aman ad convivium, quod eis regina paraverat. Dixitque ei rex, postquam vinum biberat abundanter: Quid petis ut detur tibi? et pro qua re postulas? etiam si dimidiam partem regni mei petieris, impetrabis.
I personally prefer travelling by public transportation, particularly by bus, as it is far cheaper. Si inveni in conspectu regis gratiam, et si regi placet ut det mihi quod postulo, et meam impleat petitionem: veniat rex et Aman ad convivium quod paravi eis, et cras aperiam regi voluntatem meam.
In conclusion, those who favour travelling by public transportation like to reduce their carbon footprint, and those who prefer to use private vehicles are trying to reduce their time commuting. Because of the financial savings of using public transportation, I like this option best.
Next, we need to develop each of our main ideas. As we have three main ideas, we need less development for each one.
Here is the development that I will add to each main idea;
- Main idea 1 – public transportation is better for the environment – buses carry more people than cars
- Main idea 2 – private transportation saves time – no walking or waiting
- Main idea 3 – I like public transportation because it’s cheaper – the expenses of having a car
You can see that I’ve added each piece of development to the relevant body paragraphs in green below, and I’ve also included the paraphrase in orange.
Essay structure for IELTS Writing Task 2 with 3 main ideas
Some believe that public transportation is the best way to travel from one place to another, but others like private transportation better. Those who prefer public transport do so because it’s better for the environment, whereas those who think personal vehicles are better like saving time. I’m of the opinion that public transport is better because it is cheaper.
As public transport is better for the environment, some people prefer this method of commuting. As the average car only carries one or two people, each bus on the road can potentially replace 30 cars which means that the more people travel in buses and trains, the lower carbon emissions will.
On the other hand, the people who favour private vehicles want to save time. Using public transport often requires a walk to and from each collection point as well as the time spent waiting at the bus stop or station. In contrast, people who own cars or motorbikes can drive directly from their homes to their destination and save time in doing so.
I personally prefer travelling by public transportation, particularly by bus, as it is far cheaper. For example, car owners need to make the initial purchase and then have ongoing payments for maintenance, petrol, tax and insurance, whereas I have none of these costs.
In conclusion, those who favour travelling by public transportation like to reduce their carbon footprint, and those who prefer to use private vehicles are trying to reduce their time commuting. Because of the financial savings of using public transportation, I like this option best.
So now you know exactly what a Task 2 essay structure for 3 main ideas looks like.
Finally, we will look at how to structure an essay when 4 main ideas are required.
IELTS Writing Task 2 Structures for 4 Main Ideas
You might think that it’s most logical to include four main body paragraphs, but these would be too short, and therefore, two main body paragraphs is a better option.
Again, I have indicated where to place each main idea in the text below. This time the first is in red, the second in blue, the third in pink and the fourth in purple.
Essay structure for IELTS Writing Task 2 with 4 main ideas
Die autem tertio induta est Esther regalibus vestimentis, et stetit in atrio domus regiae, quod erat interius. Contra basilicam regis: at ille sedebat super solium suum in consistorio palatii contra ostium domus cumque vidisset Esther reginam stantem.
Placuit oculis eius, et extendit contra eam virgam auream, quam tenebat manu. Quae accedens, osculata est summitatem virgae eius. Dixitque ad eam rex: Quid vis Esther regina? quae est petitio tua? etiam si dimidiam partem regni petieris, dabitur tibi. At illa respondit: Si regi placet, obsecro ut venias ad me hodie, et Aman tecum ad convivium, quod paravi. Statimque Rex, Vocate, inquit, cito Aman ut Esther obediat voluntati.
Venerunt itaque rex et Aman ad convivium, quod eis regina paraverat. Dixitque ei rex, postquam vinum biberat abundanter: Quid petis ut detur tibi? et pro qua re postulas? etiam si dimidiam partem regni mei petieris, impetrabis. Cui respondit Esther: Petitio mea, et preces sunt istae si inveni in conspectu. Regis gratiam, et si regi placet ut det mihi quod postulo, et meam impleat petitionem: veniat rex et Aman ad convivium quod paravi eis, et cras aperiam regi voluntatem meam.
Egressus est itaque illo die Aman laetus et alacer. Cumque vidisset Mardochaeum sedentem ante fores palatii, et non solum non assurrexisse sibi, sed nec motum quidem de loco sessionis suae, indignatus est valde et dissimulata ira.
Here is a question that requires four main ideas;
Each country has its own traffic laws, such as speed limits, to ensure the safety of its citizens. However, many of these laws are broken every day.
What do you think are the causes of this problem and what measures could be taken to solve them?
And here are the main ideas that I’m going to include in my answer;
- Main idea 1 – save time
- Main idea 2 – complacency
- Main idea 3 – stricter punishments
- Main idea 4 – road safety advertisements
Below you’ll see that I’ve included these in the relevant places.
Essay structure for IELTS Writing Task 2 with 4 main ideas
Die autem tertio induta est Esther regalibus vestimentis, et stetit in atrio domus regiae, quod erat interius. The main reasons for these traffic laws being regularly broken are people trying to save time and complacent drivers, and the most effective solutions are stricter punishments and road safety advertisements.
Many people who break traffic laws do so because they are in a rush. Quae accedens, osculata est summitatem virgae eius. Dixitque ad eam rex: Quid vis Esther regina? quae est petitio tua? etiam si dimidiam partem regni petieris, dabitur tibi. An additional reason is that complacency sets in when people have been driving for a long time. et Aman tecum ad convivium, quod paravi. Statimque Rex, Vocate, inquit, cito Aman ut Esther obediat voluntati.
To help improve road safety, governments can firstly introduce stricter punishments. Dixitque ei rex, postquam vinum biberat abundanter: Quid petis ut detur tibi? et pro qua re postulas? etiam si dimidiam partem regni mei petieris, impetrabis. Cui respondit Esther: Another suitable option that governments have is to invest in road safety advertisements. Regis gratiam, et si regi placet ut det mihi quod postulo, et meam impleat petitionem: veniat rex et Aman ad convivium quod paravi eis, et cras aperiam regi voluntatem meam.
In conclusion, people trying to save time and complacent drivers are the causes of traffic rules being broken frequently, and governments can introduce heavier penalties and road safety advertisements to help increase the number of drivers who follow these laws.
Now that there are four main ideas, we really can’t include much development for each one.
Here is the development that I will include for each main idea;
- Main idea 1 – save time – have a deadline for arrival
- Main idea 2 – complacency – forgot that driving is dangerous
- Main idea 3 – stricter punishments – an extra incentive
- Main idea 4 – road safety advertisements – it worked in Ireland
Below you’ll see the final version of this essay, where I’ve included the development in green and the paraphrase in orange.
Essay structure for IELTS Writing Task 2 with 4 main ideas
Every country has laws to help protect its residents from the dangers of driving. Regardless of these attempts at reducing accidents, these rules are broken every day. The main reasons for these traffic laws being regularly broken are people trying to save time and complacent drivers, and the most effective solutions are stricter punishments and road safety advertisements.
Many people who break traffic laws do so because they are in a rush. These drivers may be late for an appointment and feel that they are more likely to reach their destination on time by breaking speed limits and running red lights. An additional reason is that complacency sets in when people have been driving for a long time. Because they drive regularly and haven’t gotten into any serious accidents, they forget how dangerous the task of driving actually is and believe that they will be safe even when driving in a way that has been deemed unsafe.
To help improve road safety, governments can firstly introduce stricter punishments. As the consequence of being gravely injured isn’t enough for some motorists to follow traffic laws, substantial fines and prison sentences would offer extra incentive to drive carefully. Another suitable option that governments have is to invest in road safety advertisements. For example, the Irish government used shocking TV adverts throughout the 90s and reduced the number of car accidents as a direct result.
In conclusion, people trying to save time and complacent drivers are the causes of traffic rules being broken frequently, and governments can introduce heavier penalties and road safety advertisements to help increase the number of drivers who follow these laws.
And now you know exactly how to answer any IELTS Writing Task 2 question. Well done!
With the above structures, you’re already on your way to a high score for Coherence and Cohesion.
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Idea Generation Strategy
Before we can use our Task 2 structures from above, we must decide what ideas we will use.
After analysing the question, you’ll know how many ideas you need, and now it’s time to generate those ideas.
In IELTS Writing Task 2, planning is an essential step that many students skip, so make sure not to make the same mistake.
If you plan effectively, you’re almost guaranteed a high score for Task Achievement.
Next, you will learn;
The importance of planning
If I can convince you to do IELTS Writing Task 2 planning from now on, you will thank me very much on test day.
Firstly, let’s consider what you need to do. You must;
- generate the main ideas
- decide if each main idea is relevant
- decide if each main idea is specific
- generate explanations and/or examples for each main idea
- decide if each explanation and example is in the context of the question
If you try to do this in your head, you’ll have to generate all your main ideas, explanations and examples, as well as analyse each one to make sure that they’re suitable, all while trying to remember everything and write your essay at the same time.
Cognitively, that’s a massive task.
Compare that to IELTS Writing Task 2 planning, where you write down your ideas, check them one at a time and don’t have to remember anything.
Also, consider that Cambridge English and British Council have made IELTS teacher resources that include the importance of planning.
In short, IELTS Writing Task 2 Planning results in appropriate ideas, and you have more brainpower to focus on vocabulary and grammar while writing your essay.
Common mistakes with idea generation that reduce Task Achievement scores
Before I show you what to do, we need to look at some common techniques that don’t work.
1. Using ideas you don’t fully understand
If you include an idea that doesn’t make sense to you, it won’t make sense to anyone else.
IELTS doesn’t need you to have special ideas; you just need ideas that make sense.
2. Contradicting yourself
If the question asks you to compare renting a home with buying a home, you can’t say that renting is more expensive in one part of your essay and then say that buying a home is more expensive in another part of your essay.
3. Generating ideas from your imagination
You shouldn’t imagine what life is like in the country you’re moving to or create situations you know nothing about.
You should use your own life experience, knowledge of the world and day to day life in your own country.
4. Feeling obliged to tell the truth
There’s no obligation for your opinions or ideas to be true. They just need to make sense.
So if I got this question in the IELTS test;
Homework should be banned from primary schools.
Do you agree or disagree?
I would write in my essay that I agree because I can think of two main ideas that would be easy to develop;
- the children would have more free time
- the children would focus more during lessons
In reality, however, I actually disagree, but because I can only think of one main idea to support my opinion, I’m going to pretend that I agree.
5. Trying to think of better ideas
Your ideas don’t need to be good, interesting or unique.
As long as each main idea is relevant and specific, they’re appropriate for your essay.
6. Generating ideas that the examiner will agree with
Whether the examiner agrees with your ideas or not is inconsequential.
As long as your ideas directly respond to the question, that’s all that matters.
7. Looking at main ideas in sample answers
Looking at someone else’s ideas will not help you to get better at generating your own.
You need to start practising this before you will improve.
Don’t worry about making mistakes or taking a long time. These things are inevitable when you first start.
Idea generation strategy for perfect Task Achievement
This initially seems like a long process, but once you familiarise yourself with the steps, it only takes 2-3 minutes.
These are the steps;
- Step 1 – Write down potential main ideas
- Step 2 – Consider your vocabulary
- Step 3 – Check if the main ideas are relevant
- Step 4 – Check if the main ideas are specific
- Step 5 – Decide which main ideas you’ll use
- Step 6 – Decide on explanations and examples
We will use this Task 2 question to demonstrate the process;
In some countries, owning a home rather than renting one is very important for people.
Why might this be the case?
Do you think this is a positive or negative situation?
Step 1 – Write down potential main ideas
Just write down any ideas that you think are appropriate.
The next steps are designed to ensure that these ideas are definitely suitable for your essay.
However, don’t waste any time by including ideas that you already know are inappropriate.
Fill out this IELTS Writing Task 2 Planning Template with any ideas that will complete the above sentences;
- Main Idea 1 –
- Main Idea 2 –
Here are all the ideas that I could think of;
- Main Idea 1 – social norms, save money, to live near work, security, more comfortable, the home is yours, economic conditions, it’s beneficial for the buyer, there are many reasons for this
- Main Idea 2 – negative because can’t easily move, too expensive, people buy houses that are too expensive OR positive because more freedom
Normally, you will only have three or four main ideas in the IELTS Writing Task 2 Planning Template, but I have included more to help explain the next steps.
Step 2 – Consider your vocabulary
You might have some great ideas but remember that you have to write in English, not your first language.
If any of these ideas require vocabulary that you don’t know, remove them straight away.
Step 3 – Check if the main ideas are relevant
This can be difficult if you just look at the idea.
Instead, take the topic from the question and combine it with one of your ideas to make a full sentence.
If the sentence makes sense, your idea is relevant.
Here are all the sentences we need to consider for my first main idea;
- People prefer to buy instead of rent because of social norms.
- People prefer to buy instead of rent because they want to save money.
- People prefer to buy instead of rent because they want to live near their work.
- People prefer to buy instead of rent because it’s more secure.
- People prefer to buy instead of rent because it’s more comfortable.
- People prefer to buy instead of rent because the home is yours.
- People prefer to buy instead of rent because of economic conditions.
- People prefer to buy instead of rent because it’s beneficial for the buyer.
- People prefer to buy instead of rent because there are many reasons for this.
By the way, there’s no need to write these sentences down.
This step can be done in your head.
While analyzing the 9 sentences above, I found four sentences that don’t make sense which means that those ideas cannot be used in my essay.
Here are the four irrelevant ones;
- Sentence 3 – ‘to live near work’ – By saying this, I’m implying that only people who buy homes can live near their work and those who rent homes have to live far away from where they work. This doesn’t make sense.
- Sentence 4 – ‘security’ – This implies that burglars usually steal from rented accommodation than homes that are lived in by the owner. This doesn’t make sense.
- Sentence 6 – ‘the home is yours’ – This is an explanation of the word ‘purchase’. It’s not a reason for people wanting to own a home.
- Sentence 7 – ‘economic conditions’ – I need to say why people want to own a home, not how they can afford a home. This is not relevant. People might not have enough money to buy a house, but that doesn’t stop them from wanting to buy one.
Now let’s go through the same process with the sentences for my second main idea;
- People wanting to buy instead of rent is negative because they can’t easily move.
- People wanting to buy instead of rent is negative because it’s too expensive.
- People wanting to buy instead of rent is negative because people buy houses that are too expensive for them.
- People wanting to buy instead of rent is positive because there’s more freedom.
From this list, the following ideas are irrelevant;
- Sentence 2 might be irrelevant – ‘negative because too expensive’ – This one could be relevant, but for my first main idea, I already said, “People prefer to buy instead of rent because they want to save money.” That means that I’ve said buying a house is cheaper first, and now I’m saying that buying a house is more expensive. I can use either of these ideas, but I can’t use both of them.
- Sentence 3 is irrelevant – ‘negative because people buy houses that are too expensive’ – This is about people buying homes they can afford. This is not connected to the concept of buying a home being better than renting a home. Therefore, this is irrelevant.
Step 4 – Check if the main ideas are specific
Now you need to discover if any of your ideas are too vague.
To find any main ideas that are vague, you need to consider how you will explain them.
If you have a vague idea and I ask you to explain it, you’ll give me a list of specific ideas instead of an explanation.
Let’s try to explain my remaining ideas for the first question;
- How/Why do social norms result in people wanting to buy their homes?
The people feel pressure to fit in with the other members of society. - How/Why does wanting to save money result in people wanting to buy their homes?
The money they’ve been using for rent will be invested in their own property instead. - How/Why does being more comfortable result in people wanting to buy their homes?
They can decorate the house in whatever way they like. They don’t need to worry about the landlord visiting. - How/Why does being beneficial for the buyer result in people wanting to buy their homes?
They will be investing money in their own home instead of giving the money to a landlord. They won’t need to move whenever the landlord wants the house back. They can provide more stability for their children. - How/Why does there being many reasons result in people wanting to buy their homes?
Social norms, saving money, freedom to decorate, no surprise visits by the landlord, investing money, knowing that you won’t need to move out, and providing stability for children are reasons people want to buy instead of renting their homes.
As you can see, when I tried to explain main ideas 3, 4 and 5, I actually listed specific ideas instead of explaining.
That means that those ideas aren’t suitable for my essay.
The good news here is that all these unsuitable ideas have resulted in new specific ideas that can be used.
Now we need to follow the same process with my remaining main ideas for the second question;
- How/why does not being able to easily move mean that buying a house is negative?
If for some reason you need to move urgently, you need to sell your house first. - How/why does more freedom mean that buying a house is positive?
You don’t need to ask the landlord for permission to have parties. You can decorate the house as you please. You don’t need to share your house with other housemates.
This time, you can see that my explanation for number 2 resulted in a list of specific ideas.
Therefore, that idea can’t be used in my answer, but, again, the new ideas I’ve generated can.
Step 5 – Decide which main ideas you’ll use
Now I have a list of main ideas that are all relevant and specific, so next, I need to choose the ones that I’ll use in my essay.
It doesn’t matter which ones I choose as they’re all appropriate, so I can choose the easiest ones to write about.
Here are the ideas I have left after removing the irrelevant and vague ones;
- Main Idea 1 – social norms, save money, can decorate, no unexpected visits by the landlord, it’s an investment, don’t need to move when the landlord needs the house back, more stability for children,
- Main Idea 2 – negative because can’t easily move OR positive because no permission required for parties, can decorate the house, no housemates
I’m going to select ‘it’s an investment’ and ‘can’t easily move’, which means that my IELTS Writing Task 2 Planning Template now looks like this;
- Main Idea 1 – it’s an investment
- Main Idea 2 – negative because can’t easily move
Step 6 – Decide on explanations and examples
At this point, the fact that you have main ideas that are relevant and specific means that you will get a band 6 for Task Achievement.
To improve your score further, you need to make sure that your explanations and examples are relevant to the context of the question.
Explanations
Where candidates usually go wrong with explanations is they ignore the context of the question.
Let’s take a look at an explanation that’s outside the context of the question;
People prefer to own their home instead of renting one because it’s an investment. Over time, house prices increase and can be sold on the market at a higher price than they were originally bought for.
The above explanation isn’t suitable as I’ve just explained how a profit can be made from buying and selling houses.
What I need to do is explain why buying a house is a better investment than renting one like this;
People prefer to own their home instead of renting one because it’s an investment. Instead of paying money to a landlord and never seeing it again, homeowners have an asset in return for the money they spent.
Ensuring that your explanations are within the context of the question is the most important thing to consider during this step.
For each one, you must refer to the question and ask yourself if it’s actually about the topic or not.
With this in mind, I will add the following explanations to my IELTS Writing Task 2 Planning Template;
- Main Idea 1 – it’s an investment – have assets instead of nothing
- Main Idea 2 – negative because can’t easily move – selling a house takes time
Examples
In the same way, examples also need to be within the context of the question.
However, they also need to sound as though they’ve come from the real world.
A good example sounds like something that has really happened or is really happening.
Compare these two examples;
- For example, if someone rents their accommodation for 20 years, they will have spent the same amount of money as it costs to buy a house.
- For example, in Canada, the money it costs to rent accommodation for 20 years is the same as an average house.
It’s the exact same idea, but the first one sounds like something I just made up, and the second one sounds like it’s based on reality.
The second one is what you should aim for.
So finally, I will add examples to my IELTS Writing Task 2 Planning Template;
- Main Idea 1 – it’s an investment – have assets instead of nothing – the cost of renting over time
- Main Idea 2 – negative because can’t easily move – selling a house takes time – homeowners trying to find work during the Irish recession
And that is a complete essay plan.
As I said previously, this will take some time to get used to, but after four or five attempts, you’ll get faster and more importantly, you’ll have all the ideas you need for a high Task Achievement score.
What now?
You’ll need to start practising the idea generation strategy so that you can easily remember and follow it.
You’ll also need to know the IELTS Writing Task 2 structures by heart before your test. However, just using these from now on will be enough as you’ll remember them from using them regularly.
Here are some sample questions from reliable sources that you can use for this.
Once you’re more comfortable with my idea generation strategy, how to plan IELTS Writing Task 2 essays and the essay structures, you can start writing full answers.