10 Simple IELTS Academic Writing Task 2 Tips That Can Get You A High Band Score

IELTS academic writing task 2 is popular as one of the toughest sections in IELTS academic. This reputation is because you have to write 250 words in less than 40 minutes as an answer. You can randomly get a question from any of the 5 categories of questions. That is why having a single formula doesn’t help in this case.

The general and academic sections for this particular task differ only in their level of difficulty. The word count, the idea behind the test and the scoring pattern remain the same.

Following are some examples.

GT Essay Writing

What are the advantages and disadvantages of promoting tourism in a country?

Academic Essay Writing

Space exploration is a waste of money. To what extent do you agree?

The above examples elucidate the difference between IELTS general writing task 2 and academic sections in the IELTS test. Please note that it is possible for the general test question to be in the academic section.

Tips for Scoring a High Band in The IELTS Writing Task 2 Topics

1. Understand the Scoring System

Understanding how the scoring is done in this subjective task is an important part. In the writing tasks, the examiner isn’t looking at how good or noble your thoughts are. He will score on the following parameters:

a. Task Achievement (25%)

This is linked to your word count, presenting accurate information and an overview of the topic.

b. Coherence and Cohesion (25%)

This is linked to the flow of your thoughts. The way you organize paragraphs and the way you link them.

c. Lexical Resource (25%)

Here the marking is the basis of your use of words, the errors you make and the appropriateness of the language you use.

d. Grammar Range and Accuracy

Your knowledge of tenses, sentence construction and accuracy will all be under the scanner here.

2. Time Management

It is important to use the 40 minutes given to complete the task.

Since IELTS academic writing task 2 carries twice as many points as writing task 1, it makes sense to allocate twice as much time. We suggest dedicating 40 minutes to this task. Here’s how you can divide your 40 minutes.

Also Read : 5 Amazing Tips to Get High IELTS Listening Band Score on Section 3

a. Reading

Give 2 minutes to read the question well. Understand the category of the question being asked. You have to completely understand what is being asked of you. Whether to agree, disagree, give your opinion or discuss from a neutral standpoint. Once you have understood the question well, make a flow.

b. Planning

Plan the flow of the essay in one of the many structures that you can find. Finding an appropriate place in your article for the main idea with a supporting example or for discussing advantages and disadvantages with examples. Making a miniature flowchart before you begin can become a point of reference for you when you feel lost. Dedicate 5 minutes to this task because it will help you streamline your thoughts before you start.

Writing and Revising

Once you put pen to paper, clear your mind of clutter and keep referring to the flow you have created in the rough. Make sure you leave time for a quick revision of what you have written. Both the activities combined should take you less than 25 minutes. Practice with a stopwatch to keep track.

3. Understanding the IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay Topic

There are 5 categories from which you can expect a question.

Opinion based- agree or disagree
Advantages and disadvantages
Discussion of both point of view argument
Two-part questions
A solution to a view argument or problem