essay analysis band 9

IELTS Band 9 sample essay

Band 9 Sample answers are useful as study guides for IELTS preparation for the IELTS Writing Task 2 essay – especially for a band 9 IELTS essay. Having access to previously completed work that you can have confidence in will show you what you are missing!

Take a look at these sample task 2 essay questions to help you prepare for your exam.

Use the following IELTS sample essay and its explanations to see how close you are to a band 9 in your IELTS writing essay!

Evaluation Criteria

Get your IELTS essay evaluated online (free)

Examples of Band 9 Essays

IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay Sample Question and Answer(1)

Why is this IELTS Essay a Band 9?

5 Tips for a Band 9 IELTS Essay

Sample IELTS Writing Task 2 Question and Answer(2)

Sample IELTS Writing Task 2 Question and Answer (3)

Useful Definitions of Advanced Vocabulary Used

Video: Band 9 EX-IELTS Examiner Essay Review

Sample 19 IELTS Essays and 240 Task 2 Essay Questions Ebook

Video: Useful IELTS Essay Writing Tip

Audio Resources

Additional IELTS Resources

IELTS essay task 2: evaluation criteria

IELTS writing tests are evaluated across 4 areas when your band score is calculated:

• Task achievement  – To what extent does the examinee address all parts of the task with a fully developed position, inclusive of fully extended and well supported ideas?
• Coherence and cohesion  – Does the candidate logically organise the information and ideas? Is the entire essay cohesive with a logical progression of ideas?
• Lexical resource  – To what extent does the examinee use a wide range of vocabulary with accuracy? Do they demonstrate sophistication regarding the use of lexical items?
• Grammatical range and accuracy  – Does the examinee use a range of grammatical structures accurately? Examples of these can be the use of complex sentences with sophisticated clauses instead of simple sentences with a repetitive structure:

Example : Students cannot use phones. They affect development > students are not allowed to use mobile phones in class due to possible distractions.

The British Council (the administrator of the IELTS) outlines 9 different bands of performance for each of the above dimensions here. Your scores in each of these dimensions are averaged to determine your overall band for your essay.

Let's take a look at an example essay that scored as band 9 and then we'll dig into each of these four areas to see why it received that score. It's very important to understand what the IELTS examiner is looking for.

These four criteria are used in our new online essay checker that gives you an estimated band score (free).

IELTS essay sample question (1)

Doing an enjoyable activity with a child can develop better skills and more creativity than reading. To what extent do you agree? Use reasons and specific examples to explain your answer.

IELTS sample essay answer (1)

Parents throughout the world place spend time reading with their offspring to prepare them for school where their literacy skills are further developed; however, recent research suggests that focusing on reading at an early age can be detrimental, and participating in fun activities would be far more beneficial. I am a strong advocate of this approach, and the benefits of it will be covered in this essay.

A fundamental reason for this is that there is no biological age for reading, and pushing infants to acquire this skill before they are ready could have repercussions. For example, in the UK, many boys are reluctant readers, possibly because of being forced to read, and this turned them off reading. By focusing on other activities and developing other skills such as creativity and imagination, when they are ready to read, they usually acquire this skill rapidly.

In addition, the importance of encouraging creativity and developing a child's imagination must be acknowledged. Through play, youngsters develop social and cognitive skills, for example, they are more likely to learn vocabulary through context rather than learning it from a book.

Furthermore, play allows youngsters to mature emotionally, and gain self-confidence. There is no scientific research which suggests reading at a young age is essential for a child's development, moreover, evidence suggests the reverse is true. In Finland, early years' education focuses on playing.

Reading is only encouraged if a child shows an interest in developing this skill. This self-directed approach certainly does not result in Finnish school leavers falling behind their foreign counterparts. In fact, Finland was ranked the sixth-best in the world in terms of reading.

Despite being a supporter of this non-reading approach, I strongly recommend incorporating bedtime stories into a child's daily routine. However, reading as a regular daytime activity should be swapped for something which allows the child to develop other skills.

Why is this essay a band 9?

Task achievement.

According to the IELTS Writing Band Descriptors, an essay is Band 9 for Task Achievement if it:

• Fully addresses  all parts of the task
• Presents a  fully developed  position in answer to the question with relevant, fully extended and well supported ideas.

In order to score well on Task Achievement, the most important thing is  to make sure you respond to what is being asked of you . Is the prompt asking for an opinion, a discussion of a problem, a solution to a problem, or some combination of these? If you provide an opinion and not a solution when you're being asked for a solution, you're not going to score well in this area. Read the question carefully!

The prompt for this essay asks:  “To what extent do you agree [with the previous statement]? Use reasons and specific examples to explain your answer.”  It wants an opinion – with support!

This essay addresses all parts of this task. The opinion is included in the introduction to make the writer's position clear, and then the following paragraphs support the writer's position with examples and justifications. Overall, the response is full and relevant and each of the points is detailed and connected to the thesis.

Coherence and cohesion

Think of this as “How well does the essay flow? Is it easy to follow and does it all tie together?” The exact characteristics for a Band 9 C&C score are that an essay:

• Uses cohesion in such a way that it attracts no attention
• Skilfully manages paragraphing

Note the specific wording “it attracts no attention.” The goal here is for things to sound natural and not forced. How do you connect your ideas (ensure cohesion) without it sounding forced? I think there are 2 possible ways:

• Explain your ideas in a logical order so that you don't need many linking words . This is probably what you do when writing in your own language.
• Use easy linking words like and, but, also, firstly, secondly, finally, for example. These are so common that they attract almost no attention.

This IELTS Sample essay does a good job of this – you'll notice that each paragraph naturally (logically) follows the one prior, providing additional support for the original opinion, and some simple linking words –  in addition, furthermore  (both paragraph 2) and  moreover  (paragraph 3) – are used throughout. These are all good discourse markers that show what is coming next adds to the argument and are slightly more sophisticated than firstly, secondly, and thirdly but don't come across as being forced.

The other aspect to scoring high in C&C is ensuring an essay is well-structured. What do I mean by that? A well-structured essay has a good introduction, body paragraphs that are easy to follow and connect with one another, and a good conclusion. Each body paragraph should also have its own topic sentence and support and then smoothly transition to the next paragraph.

Our sample IELTS essay has a “simple but good” introduction in which it shows that the examinee has knowledge of the topic and clearly states the writer's position to set up the rest of the essay. The paragraphs all have topic sentences, which are then supported by examples, and are easy to follow. The main body and conclusion relate back to the thesis in the introduction.

A note on conclusions…  there are two schools of thought when it comes to how to conclude an IELTS essay. One is to conclude with one simple sentence so that you spend more time perfecting your main body paragraphs. The other is to wrap up with two sentences, once which includes a small prediction (ie, how you think things might turn out) as a way to show the examiner that you know how to correctly use another tense (which will help boost your GR&A score – more on that in a minute). Either is fine, just don't forget your conclusion!

Taking time to plan out and organise your response  before  you start writing is an extremely important step in scoring well in Coherence and Cohesion for your IELTS essay – make sure you do so to ensure your essay is well structured and reads cohesively when you're done!

Lexical resource

Scoring well in the  Lexical Resource  dimension is all about (correctly) showing off your vocabulary. The description for a Band 9 here is:

• Uses a wide range of vocabulary with very natural and sophisticated control of lexical features, rare minor errors occur only as ‘slips'

Collocations,  topic-specific  vocabulary  and  phrasal  verbs  are the name of the game here. To score well, an examinee needs to show that they have a wide-ranging vocabulary and they know how to use it.

Our sample essay does a solid job of showing off a  range of vocabulary  – you'll notice that while the essay frequently refers to children, the writer employs different vocabulary ( infants, youngsters, offspring, counterparts ) to do so.

Note : it is highly likely that you will need to refer to people/children in your IELTS Writing task 2 , so make sure that you have lots of different words to use to refer to them.

IELTS examiners do not like to see the words  “people,” “children”  over and over again! The same goes for the word “ important ” – make sure you have plenty of alternative phrases ( essential  and  vital  are both used in our sample essay).

Other examples of a  wide-ranging vocabulary  in our essay include using  rapidly  in place of  quickly ,  mature  instead of develop,  repercussions  to indicate a negative result, and  acquire  in place of learn.

Our sample essay also does a good job of using  collocations  – some examples include  “fundamental reason,” “reluctant readers” “social and cognitive skills,” “learn vocabulary through context,”  and  “strongly recommend.”

The correct use of  phrasal  verbs  also demonstrates one's grasp of English – because of the semantics involved, they are sometimes one of the most difficult things for English language learners to master. Our essay writer correctly uses a few of these including “ turned them off”  and  “falling behind .”

One note here: students preparing for the IELTS  often ask if they should use  idioms  (like “you're barking up the wrong tree”) in their essays to further demonstrate their grasp of the language. In my opinion, no, you shouldn't. Idioms are informal by nature and not appropriate for a written essay of this type. Stick with demonstrating your range of vocabulary and your ability to use phrasal  verbs  correctly!

Grammatical range and accuracy

The final scoring dimension is related to grammar and grammatical structures – do you know them and can you correctly use them?

The Band 9 description for grammatical range and accuracy :

• Uses a wide range of structures with full flexibility and accuracy; rare minor errors occur only as slips

Note that there is nothing in the scoring criteria about including specific tenses or sentence constructions. Your main objective should be to reduce the number of mistakes that you make. An essay that contains no mistakes is likely to get a 9 for grammar, regardless of the types of sentence that it may or may not contain.

If there is a nice mix of long and short sentences in your IELTS essays, you'll meet the grammar requirements. Remember, as soon as you write a “long” sentence you are naturally going to use connectives (linking words), which will make the sentence ‘compound' or ‘complex'. So, don't think too much about the grammar – just aim to reduce the number of mistakes that you make, and try to include a few longer sentences.

Some examples from the sample essay that illustrate the writer's grammatical range and help it easily score as a band 9 include:

• appropriate uses of modal verbs in the passive voice:  “are further developed,” “will be covered,” “must be acknowledged,” “should be swapped.”
• “ to focus on ” is correctly followed by an -ing form
• However  is used correctly with a semicolon before it and a comma after
• “ because of ,” “rather than,” and are correctly followed by -ing verbs

5 Tips for an IELTS writing task 2 band 9 essay

1. answer what is being asked.

Make sure you read the prompt carefully and answer the essay questions you’re being asked. I can’t emphasise this enough. In order to score well on Task Achievement, you need to appropriately and fully address the task.

2. Plan your work, work your plan.

Plan out your essay before you start writing. What are your main points? What order are you going to make them in? How do they link together? Having a well organised essay is key scoring high marks for Coherence and Cohesion. Many IELTS test-takers will spend up to 10 minutes planning out their essay before they start writing. A few points to keep in mind:

• Your essay should have 4-5 paragraphs in total and at least 250 words
• Plan your supporting points so that they don’t go off-topic

3. Write, review, re-write

Write your essay, review it and then “rewrite” it. Don’t focus on getting things perfect upfront – you don’t want to waste 15 minutes trying to come up with the perfect synonym for something and then not have enough time to finish your full essay! Write your essay first (an unwritten essay won’t score well at all!) and then go back through it to see how you can improve it. Some essay questions to ask yourself at this stage:

• Are there places where you can swap out stronger words for weaker ones in order to improve your Lexical Resource score?
• Are there places where you can phrase things differently in order to illustrate your Grammatical Range?

4. Where are you falling?

To pass with a Band 9 the reality is you need two sets of skills:

• Exam skills
• Language skills

What are exam skills?

Can you plan an effective essay? Quickly? Ideally between 3-5 minutes.

Can you think of enough ideas and examples to put in the essay plan?

Firstly you need to discover which of these skills you need. To do this you get feedback, either from an online IELTS essay checker or for more detailed feedback you can use our IELTS essay correction service .

The main goal is to find out which part of the essay writing process is costing you the most amount of time, points or stress.

Personally, the easiest and fastest way to get these skills is to do an online course specialised in training students with these skills. Here is a good course for that.

5. Better language skills?

A lot of students fail the  IELTS exam or end up with a band in their IELTS writing test that does not meet their requirements. Also, a significant number of students look to Google to search for “IELTS Writing tips” or “Task two tips”. These tips might be helpful but sometimes the real problem might just be in their general language or writing skills.

Writing error-free perfect sentences is probably much more challenging than students think, especially under exam conditions i.e in 40 minutes with immense pressure to pass. These can result in often mixed outcomes with both positive or negative development occurring at one and the same time.

One of the most important ways to improve language skills is to receive feedback. This can be by asking someone to review written work and will expose the positive or negative development mentioned earlier. This is very common and not something that is a negative issue overall.

Have a look at our essay correction service that will review your essays for you and help you improve and pass the IELTS test.

Here is a checklist of what is needed for reaching Band 9, it includes what the examiner wants to see, and what to do to write at a Band 9 level.

Sample IELTS writing task 2 question (2)

Today, the quality of life in large cities is decreasing. Discuss the causes and solutions.

IELTS writing task 2: essay sample answer (2)

The global phenomenon of urbanisation from the beginning of industrialisation to the present day has brought opportunity and prosperity, albeit at a cost in the quality of life. With an increasing city population, the complexity of the challenges also increases for the globe as well as the local community. Therefore, the causes and effects of these on the current generation, as well as possible solutions are outlined below.

The causes for the decrease in the quality of life are paradoxically the prosperity endowed on such metropolitan centres. Their growth is largely due to the increase of opportunities on offer, which in turn increases their attractiveness, essentially they are trapped in a positive self-reinforcing cycle. While such developments have a positive impact on immediate economic objectives, it perpetuates behaviours that can have a negative impact in the long term.

However, this eventually leads to a decrease in the quality of life as the city can experience overcrowding, exorbitant property prices, and increased vulnerability to terrorist attacks. For example, the density of London makes it a more efficient place to attack, when compared to a smaller city such as Bradford.

Therefore, due to continuous growth and prosperity, urban citizens, especially the less well off, often experience a lower standard of living. Even greater than this, are the relevant examples of natural disasters such as recent fires in Australia, which brought about unprecedented weather patterns resulting in the destruction of wild and rare animals. These effects are far from uniform, as they affect different countries in ways unseen by previous generations.

Considering the solutions, greater investment in public transport would ease traffic congestion, as would bike lanes. In theory, this would reduce air pollution, and possibly improve the well-being of the population if they did adopt a more active lifestyle and cycle to work. While these solutions are local, if adopted globally, would affect individuals and many countries alike. A collective effort is needed to use social networks and other media to highlight the negative effect of urbanisation as well as the negative sides of the wider ramifications on the population.

To conclude, while it could be argued that urbanisation advantages outweigh the disadvantages, a wealthy city attracts a large population inflow, which then causes pressure on existing infrastructure and security. Various solutions exist to mitigate such drawbacks, such as social networks being used to raise awareness of such negative impacts on many countries, nevertheless an indefinite solution has yet to be found.

Sample IELTS writing task 2 question (3)

Social media marketing can influence what consumers buy. Do you agree or disagree? To what extent do you agree?

IELTS writing task 2: essay sample answer (3)

Since the introduction of social media applications in the early 2000's the world has become a much smaller place. Social media applications such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have become information sources for a majority of the global market.

As such, it could be argued that marketing, which happens to be a source of information accessible on these platforms can influence the consumers who use them. This notion is further aided by the rise in online retail stores that conduct the bulk of their transactions online. This makes it easier for the consumer to purchase from anywhere in the world.

As a consumer on social media, you are constantly bombarded with advertisements of various products that are specifically designed to catch your attention. This means that most of the adverts on your news feeds aren't random and will almost always feature something you have previously searched online or something currently popular or trending. Given the fact that most social media users are young consumers who are influenced by current trends and happenings, these adverts will almost always catch their eye.

The habit of sharing, retweeting and liking also ensure that these adverts get around, quite fast. As such, when an advert does reach your news feed you have already probably seen it on your friend's news feed. The truth is, adverts are a form of information and with the age of the internet, information spreads faster than a wildfire.

Therefore, it only makes sense that in the era and age of technology, globalization and the need to be trendy, social media marketing can influence what consumers buy.

Useful definitions of advanced vocabulary used

Paradoxically

Equivalent sentences

“For example, it is said, the CCTV in London has foiled many potential attacks, and therefore greatly increased the security of its citizens.” Could also be said as:

“Statistics show that CCTV used in London has scuppered many a terrorist plot, massively contributing to the security of its citizens.”

More Equivalent sentences Various solutions exist to mitigate such drawbacks, nevertheless an indefinite solution has yet to be found.

Could also be said as:

A myriad of partial fixes exist for these issues, yet a permanent solution is still out of reach.

There are many methods employed to quell this flow of people, but still a reliable solution has not been discovered.

IELTS writing task 2: vocabulary booster

The highlighted sections in the following paragraph represent key phrases or words relating to this topic. Study this paragraph to expand your vocabulary knowledge on this topic:

The modern urban environment varies considerably depending on both the city that produces it and the individual who perceives it; Each experiencing a unique blend of at least some economic success, varying degrees of localised or wider deprivation and periods of growth and decline. Environmental factors permitting, a city will provide well for its citizens as long as it can properly manage the execution of social policy.

Globalisation presents many challenges for those responsible for the policy as large inflows of people are to be expected in a place of success and therefore opportunity; The ensuing mixing of cultures has far-reaching social consequences that can affect how the city is both presented and perceived.

Considerably Con·sid·er·a·ble (kən-sĭd′ər-ə-bəl) adj. 1. Large in amount, extent, or degree: a writer of considerable influence. 2. Worthy of consideration; significant: The economy was a considerable issue in the campaign.

Perceive Per·ceive (pər-sēv′) tr.v. per·ceived, per·ceiv·ing, per·ceives 1a. To become aware of (something) directly through any of the senses, especially sight or hearing: We could perceive three figures in the fog. 1b. To cause or allow the mind to become aware of (a stimulus): The ear perceives sounds. 2. To achieve understanding of; apprehend: Einstein perceived that energy and matter are equivalent . 3. To regard or consider; deem: an old technology that is still perceived as useful; a politician who is perceived to be untrustworthy.

Deprivation Dep·ri·va·tion (dĕp′rə-vā′shən) n. 1. The/an act or an instance of depriving; Loss . 2. The state of being deprived: social deprivation; a cycle of deprivation and violence.

“The town’s generally miserable appearance led her to perceive it as a place of considerable deprivation.”

IELTS writing task 2: further reading

There are many more writing samples for you to explore.

The BBC has great pages on discursive writing and general writing , also, this video is good for learning how to give examples.

You can even read a sample Harvard essay aimed at preparing students for academic writing.

Remember! Select a text that is appropriate for your level. Choosing the wrong text can result in a loss of confidence and feeling bad never helped anyone to learn anything quickly!

Video: Band 9 ex-IELTS examiner essay review

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Optimize Your Writing: Try Our Online IELTS Essay Checker

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The good news is that our tool can help you save money. Some students pay a lot for classes or books to learn how to write better. But our tool is not expensive. And it gives you fast help.

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To sum it up, our online IELTS essay checker is here to help you. It's easy to use and not costly. We want you to do your best in the IELTS without spending too much money. Good luck with your writing!

Additional IELTS writing task 2 resources

• The University of Manchester Academic Phrasebook provides guidelines and examples of how to introduce essay topics, discuss findings and write conclusions
• The University of Birmingham Guide to Academic Writing provides tips on paraphrasing, in addition to how to plan, structure and write an essay
• Use these useful sentences for IELTS Writing Task 2 .
• This page is good for sample essay topics and answers, also for Task Two.

IELTS writing essay task 2 Sample Band 8 The writing part of your IELTS exam is a great place to score some extra points, especially if you are looking to score within band 8. Here is a task 2 writing sample to help you do just that.

Vocabulary for IELTS Vocabulary is probably the most important part of preparing successfully for IELTS. It is used for both the speaking and writing part of the exam. Click here to view some essential vocabulary.

General essay topics The IELTS exam has a number of general essay topics that span a number of disciplines ad subject matters. To have an idea of what to expect check out our list of general essay topics.

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IELTS Band 9 Essays

Do you know the difference between an IELTS Band 6 essay and an IELTS Band 9 essay for Writing Task 2?

Most IELTS students don’t, and this is what prevents them from getting the scores they need.

What does an IELTS Band 9 Essay look like?

An IELTS Band 9 Essay is one that shows the examiner that you are an expert user of English.  The official IELTS scale describes an expert user in the following way:

“The test taker has fully operational command of the language. Their use of English is appropriate, accurate and fluent, and shows complete understanding.”

In writing, this means you need to achieve a band 9 in each of the four IELTS marking criteria:

Task response

• Coherence and cohesion

Lexical resource

Grammatical range and accuracy.

Here is a description of the marking criteria for an IELTS Band 9 Essay for Writing Task 2:

That’s quite complex, so I’ve simplified it for you:

• Answer all parts of the question
• Present relevant ideas
• Fully explain these ideas
• Support ideas with relevant, specific examples

Coherence and Cohesion

• Organise your ideas in logical paragraphs
• Include an introduction and conclusion
• Use cohesive devices (also known as ‘linking words’) accurately
• Don’t use too many or too few cohesive devices
• Vary your cohesive devices by using synonyms
• Try to vary your vocabulary, using accurate synonyms
• Use less common topic-specific words that accurately convey meaning
• Check your work for spelling and word formation mistakes
• Use a variety of complex and simple sentences
• Use a variety of appropriate structures
• Check your writing for errors

If you want to know more about the marking criteria for other bands, you can download the full Writing Task 2 band descriptors here.

Watch my video below for the biggest differences between an IELTS Band 6 Essay and an IELTS Band 9 Essay.

Opinion essay  

Band 9 essay sample  .

To see a lesson on the question above, click here .

Discussion essay  

Band 9 essay sample .

Problems and solutions essay  

Advantages and disadvantages essay  

There are two types of advantages and disadvantages questions:

• Type 1 – Discuss the advantages and disadvantages.
• Type 2 – Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

For more information about these two types of questions, have a look at our page here .

Band 9 Essay Sample (Type 1) 

Band 9 Essay Sample 1 (Type 2) 

To see a lesson on both of the questions above, click here .

Double Question essay  

Band 9 essay sample.

What about Task 1?  What does a Band 9 Task 1 answer look like for IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training?

Just like for Task 2, a Band 9 Task 1 answer needs to show the examiner that the test taker is an expert user of English who can respond fully to all of the marking criteria.  

For more information about how to write a Band 9 Task 1 answer, have a look at our page for Writing Task 1 . 

If you’d like to see the marking criteria for IELTS Task 1, you can download a full description here .

For more about the difference between IELTS Academic and IELTS General, check out our page about IELTS preparation here or this page on the official IELTS website .

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IELTS essay samples for band 9

Find IELTS essay examples, crafted to help you understand the nuances of Task 2 and achieve a Band 9 score. From structure to samples, we've got you covered.

Are you aiming for excellence in your IELTS Writing ? Essays with a band 9 are identified by their excellent consistency, sophisticated language, and perfect grammar. These essays effectively address the task with well-developed arguments and a clear structure, showcasing a deep understanding of the topic.

Whether you're a beginner looking to improve or an experienced test-taker seeking that extra edge, this guide will provide you with IELTS essay samples and examples to help you achieve a band 9 in your IELTS test. So, let's delve into the world of high-scoring essays and discover how to take your writing prowess to new heights!

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Step by step guide for scoring a band 9 in IELTS Essay task

Here’s a step-by-step guide to scoring well on IELTS Essay Task 2:

Understand the task requirements : Read the prompt carefully to understand what’s being asked. Determine whether you need to write an opinion, discussion, or problem-solution essay. Note any specific instructions, word limits, or key points you need to address.

Plan and organize your ideas : Spend a few minutes brainstorming and generating ideas related to the task. Create a clear outline, including an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Organize your ideas logically and choose the main points for each paragraph.

Write an engaging introduction : Start with an interesting opening to capture the reader’s attention. Provide background information on the topic and clearly state your thesis or main argument, which will guide the rest of your essay.

Develop coherent body paragraphs : Begin each body paragraph with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea. Support your points with relevant examples, facts, or evidence. Ensure smooth transitions between paragraphs to maintain coherence and flow.

Showcase language skills and vocabulary : Use a wide range of vocabulary and grammatical structures . Express your ideas clearly and accurately and use cohesive devices like linking words to connect your ideas.

Conclude effectively : Summarize the key points from the body paragraphs in your conclusion. Restate your thesis and provide a clear closing statement. End with a memorable thought or a thought-provoking question.

Revise and edit : Set aside time to review your essay for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, or typos. Check for coherence and clarity and make necessary revisions to enhance the overall quality.

Practice time management : Allocate time wisely for each task (Task 1 and Task 2).

Practice writing essays within the time limit to improve speed and efficiency. Monitor your progress and adjust your writing speed as needed.

Seek feedback and improve : Share your essays with a teacher, tutor, or native English speaker for feedback. Identify areas for improvement and focus on refining those skills. Regularly practice building confidence and improve your technique.

By following these steps and practising consistently, you can enhance your performance in IELTS Writing Task 2 and work towards achieving your desired band score.

IELTS essay samples for achieving a band score of 9

Below are several IELTS essay samples that exemplify the high language proficiency required for a band score of 9. These samples can provide valuable insights into the standards needed for top scores. Please remember that these are for reference purposes only and should not be copied directly.

Latest IELTS essay examples

Ielts essay writing sample: advantages and disadvantages of technology in education.

Introduction : In recent times, technology has significantly impacted the education sector, bringing both advantages and challenges. This essay will explore the benefits and drawbacks of integrating technology into education and will argue that the positive aspects outweigh the negatives.

Body Paragraph 1 (Advantages) : A key benefit of technology in education is the expansion of learning opportunities. Interactive multimedia tools enable students to access a broad range of information and resources, facilitating a deeper understanding of complex topics. Technology also enhances student engagement and supports active learning through personalized and interactive teaching methods.

Body Paragraph 2 (Disadvantages) : Despite these benefits, using technology in education has some drawbacks. For example, excessive dependence on technology may reduce face-to-face interactions and impede the development of important social skills. Additionally, the presence of inaccurate or biased information online can challenge the reliability and accuracy of academic sources.

Body Paragraph 3 (Benefits Outweigh Drawbacks) : Nevertheless, the advantages of technology in education far surpass its drawbacks. Integrating technology helps bridge traditional teaching with the digital era, equipping students with the skills required for careers dependent on technological proficiency. Technology also supports distance learning, reaching students in remote areas or those with limited access to educational resources.

Conclusion : To sum up, technology has revolutionized education by enhancing learning opportunities and fostering student engagement. Although there are some disadvantages, the benefits of integrating technology into education outweighs the drawbacks. Educators should maintain balance between traditional methods with technological tools to optimize the effectiveness of both.

IELTS essay Writing sample: The impact of global warming on the environment

Introduction : Global warming, primarily driven by human activities, is a major issue with extensive environmental consequences. This essay will show its effects on the environment and argue that immediate action is necessary to address its harmful impacts.

Body Paragraph 1 (Temperature Increase) : One major effect of global warming is the global rise in temperatures. This increase contributes to the melting of polar ice caps and glaciers, which leads to rising sea levels and more frequent extreme weather events, such as hurricanes and heat waves. Additionally, higher temperatures disrupt ecosystems, threatening various plant and animal species.

Body Paragraph 2 (Biodiversity Loss) : Global warming also poses a serious threat to biodiversity. As temperatures rise, many species face difficulties adapting or migrating to suitable habitats, leading to their decline or extinction. The resulting loss of biodiversity undermines ecosystem stability, as each species plays an important role in maintaining ecological balance.

Body Paragraph 3 (Environmental Degradation) : Another impact of global warming is environmental degradation. Rising temperatures contribute to ocean acidification, which damages coral reefs and marine ecosystems. Furthermore, increased carbon dioxide levels create oceanic dead zones, harming marine life. Deforestation, driven by the need for resources and agricultural land, worsens global warming by decreasing the Earth’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide.

Concluding Paragraph: To conclude, global warming has significant effects on the environment, including temperature rise, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation. Urgent and collective action is required to combat this issue, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, adopting sustainable practices, and protecting natural habitats. Through concerted efforts, we can mitigate the effects of global warming and safeguard our planet for future generations.

These IELTS essay samples illustrate the structure, vocabulary, and coherence needed to achieve a band 9 score. Practice writing within the time limits of the IELTS test (40 minutes for the writing section) to enhance your skills.

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IELTS Band 9 Essays Sample: Writing Task Answers To Score Band 9

Do you want to get a perfect score on your IELTS essay writing task This article includes two IELTS Band 9 Essays as well as additional information on how to increase your score

8/25/2023 3 min read

Are you gearing up for the IELTS exam and aiming for that elusive Band 9 score? Look no further! In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into IELTS essay samples and provide you with top-notch writing task answers that will help you achieve that coveted Band 9 score. Whether you're a seasoned test-taker or a newbie, these insights and examples will boost your confidence and enhance your IELTS writing skills.

Introduction to IELTS Writing Task

The IELTS Writing Task is a critical component of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam. It assesses your ability to articulate your thoughts clearly and coherently in written English. The writing section comprises two tasks: Task 1 requires candidates to interpret and describe visual information, while Task 2 involves crafting an essay on a given topic. It's Task 2 that holds the key to achieving a Band 9 score, and we're here to unlock that door for you.

Understanding the Band Descriptors

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of IELTS essay writing, it's essential to comprehend the Band Descriptors. These descriptors outline the criteria for each band score (ranging from 0 to 9) and offer valuable insights into what the examiners are looking for. Let's take a closer look:

Task Achievement (H2) : To score in the Band 9 category, you must fully address all parts of the prompt, present a clear position, and offer comprehensive and well-supported ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion (H2) : Your essay should exhibit exceptional organizational skills. Ideas must flow logically, with a seamless connection between sentences and paragraphs.

Lexical Resource (H2) : Band 9 essays flaunt an extensive vocabulary used precisely and appropriately. This demonstrates your ability to convey nuanced meanings effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy (H2) : Expectations are high in this category. Your grammar and sentence structures should be intricate, error-free, and versatile.

Structuring Your IELTS Essay

A well-structured essay lays the foundation for success. Here's how to structure your IELTS essay:

Crafting a Strong Introduction (H2)

Your introduction should be concise yet engaging. Clearly state your position on the topic and provide a roadmap of the points you'll address.

Developing Cohesive Body Paragraphs (H2)

Each body paragraph should focus on a single idea that supports your thesis. Start with a topic sentence, provide evidence and examples, and analyze their significance.

Concluding with Impact (H2)

Your conclusion should summarize your main points and restate your thesis in a fresh way. Avoid introducing new ideas; instead, leave the reader with something to ponder.

IELTS Essay Samples and Analysis

Sample essay 1: education and technology (h3).

In today's digital age, technology has revolutionized education. This essay explores how technology enhances learning experiences, fosters engagement, and prepares students for a tech-driven world.

Sample Essay 2: Environmental Conservation (H3)

Environmental conservation is a global concern. This essay examines the role of individuals, governments, and international cooperation in preserving our planet for future generations.

Sample Essay 3: Globalization and Culture (H3)

Globalization has connected the world like never before. This essay discusses how cultures can coexist harmoniously while retaining their unique identities in the face of globalization.

Tips for Achieving Band 9

Enhancing vocabulary and lexical resource (h2).

Expand your vocabulary by reading extensively. Make a conscious effort to incorporate new words into your writing, but use them appropriately.

Mastering Grammar and Sentence Structure (H2)

Grammar is the backbone of your essay. Brush up on complex sentence structures, tenses, and punctuation to elevate your writing.

Coherence and Cohesion: The Key to Seamless Writing (H2)

Use linking words and transition phrases to connect ideas. A well-organized essay enhances readability and coherence.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Ambiguous thesis statements (h3).

Your thesis should be crystal clear. Ambiguity leaves room for misinterpretation, affecting your overall message.

Overgeneralization in Body Paragraphs (H3)

Support your arguments with specific examples and evidence. Overgeneralization weakens the persuasiveness of your essay.

Repetition and Redundancy (H3)

Repetition can bore your readers. Vary your vocabulary and sentence structures to keep the essay engaging.

Practice Makes Perfect

Selecting your own essay topics (h2).

Practice writing essays on various topics to broaden your perspective and enhance your adaptability.

Setting a Realistic Writing Schedule (H2)

Consistent practice is key. Create a writing schedule that suits your routine and stick to it.

The Art of Time Management

Planning and outlining (h3).

Allocate a few minutes to outline your essay. A well-structured plan prevents aimless writing.

Writing Under Timed Conditions (H3)

Simulate exam conditions by writing within the time limit. Time management is crucial for IELTS success.

Conclusion: Your Path to Band 9 Success

With determination, practice, and the right strategies, achieving a Band 9 score in the IELTS Writing Task is within your reach. Remember, it's not just about impeccable grammar; it's about expressing ideas coherently, substantiating arguments effectively, and engaging the reader. Follow the guidelines, learn from the samples, and embark on your journey to IELTS excellence.

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7 IELTS Essay Samples of Band 9 Students

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Is it even possible to write a Band 9 essay in IELTS?

Well, it is certainly possible. In fact, not only have I scored a band 9 in writing myself, I have also helped several of my students score band 9 in writing too. If you want to learn the art and science behind scoring an IELTS writing Band 9 (or if you just want to improve your score by a few bands), read on.

Every day we receive 100's of IELTS essays for correction from our students. Our experienced IELTS tutors go over every single word of the essay and mark them based on the criteria specified in the IELTS Band Score Descriptors.

Since a lot of IELTS students struggle in the writing section, we thought we would list out the IELTS Band 9 essay samples that we have seen from our IELTS Twenty20 Course students so far. An important thing to note is that the students who wrote these essays went through several feedback rounds with other essay topics where they perfected the art of writing a good IELTS Task 2 essay. So don't get intimidated if you think you cannot write such essays. Everyone struggles with it and it takes time to improve.

But, before we look at the IELTS Band 9 essay samples, let's first understand how to write the perfect IELTS essay.

How to write an IELTS Band 9 essay?

In IELTS Writing Task 2, you are given brief details of an opinion, an argument or a problem, and have to produce an extended piece of discursive writing (an essay) in response.

You need to write at least 250 words and should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Let's look at a step by step process on how to write a great writing task 2 essay every time ... no matter what the topic.

What are the different types of IELTS essays?

Understand the IELTS writing task 2 marking criteria

When IELTS examiners mark your essays they refer to the IELTS writing band descriptors . Here's what the band descriptors mean in plain English.

Identify the main topic of the essay

• If you incorrectly identify the main idea then you  CANNOT  score above Band 4.
• If you present a main idea that is not sufficiently developed and supported by examples then you  CANNOT  score above Band 6.

Identify all parts of the task

• If you address only some parts of the task and not others then you  CANNOT  score above Band 5.
• Even if you identify all parts of the task correctly but fail to cover each of them fully you  WILL NOT   be able to score above Band 6.

Present a position/opinion

• If you do not express a clear position then you  CANNOT  score above Band 5.
• If you do not write a conclusion at the end you  CANNOT  score above Band 5.
• If your conclusion is unclear or repetitive then you  CANNOT  score above Band 6.

In other words, if you want to score Band 7+, you need to consistently, accurately and appropriately demonstrate the use of all 4 points highlighted above.

Did you think that was all ... nope there's more ...

Even if you do all of the above there is still a chance that you may not be able to score above Band 7. In order to really ensure Band 7+ you need to master  the 4 C’s of Essay Writing .

The 4 C's of Essay Writing

Cohesion  - refers to words and phrases that help link ideas together.For example:

• Because of this ....
• It is clear that ...
• It can be seen ... etc.

Conciseness  - Long sentences do not mean more marks. Run-on sentences will often cause you to lose marks in this area. There are three sentence structures you should be using:

• Simple sentence  - Contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. For Example - The teacher returned the homework.
• Complex sentences  -  Has an independent clause (simple sentence) joined by one or more dependent clauses (cannot stand alone as a sentence) For Example - The teacher returned the homework after she noticed the error.
• Compound sentences  - Two simple sentences joined by a coordinator (ex. for, and, or, yet, so). For Example - The teacher returned the homework so everyone got to go home early.

Coherence  - How easy is your essay to understand? In order to improve your coherence, proper grammar is a must. You are not there while the essay is being marked, so your ideas need to be clear and easy to understand. Using the cohesive phrases mentioned earlier, can improve the coherence of your essay.

Composition  - The structure of your essay (introduction paragraph, 2-3 body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph). A good introduction includes a little background on the topic, a thesis statement, and a preview of the 2-3 main points of your essay. Each body paragraph should include a topic sentence illustrating your point, an example of your point and how it ties into your topic sentence, as well as a concluding sentence that ties this point into your thesis.

Conclusions should reiterate your two or three main ideas from your body paragraphs an restate your thesis again using different words than before. To end your conclusion, you should give a prediction or recommendation on the essay topic.

Note: Remember a proper paragraph has at least 3-4 sentences. Each paragraph should revolve around a main idea, and when you start a new idea, you should start a new paragraph.

How to identify the main topic and all parts of the IELTS essay?

This tutorial will teach you the key steps to identify the main topic and all parts of the IELTS Writing Task 2 question.

Follow the 3 steps mentioned in the video and you will never go wrong.

How to brainstorm and organise your ideas for IELTS writing task 2?

Once you have identified the topic and question parts for your writing task, the next step is to brainstorm ideas that should become part of your essay. In order to get a good band score it is not enough to just create a list of ideas - you need to extend and explain each of those ideas in detail. Lets look at our example from before:

This tutorial will teach you how to brainstorm and extend your ideas for IELTS Writing Task 2 question.

Tips for writing an IELTS band 9 essay

Here's a check list for Writing Task 2. Follow this check list and you are guaranteed to score Band 7+ in IELTS Writing.

• First off, read & understand the topic of the essay for Writing Task 2.
• Identify all the key parts of the question.
• Brainstorm and organise your ideas to ensure that each of your ideas is fully explained and well supported with examples.
• If the question asks for your opinion, make sure you state it clearly and you don’t contradict that view throughout the rest of the essay.
• Learn the structure of an essay: Introduction , body paragraphs, conclusion
• Do not copy the question word for word for your introduction or else those words will be deducted from your total word count. Instead always paraphrase the question in your own words.
• You MUST write a conclusion/overview at the end. Don’t add new information in your conclusion. Instead, rephrase your key points, and give a strong ending sentence that ties everything together.
• Always write in a formal tone and use it consistently throughout the essay.
• Do not use bullet points or short notes.
• Use a wide range of grammatical structures and vocabulary.
• Remember to follow the 4 C's of essay writing.
• Practice and learn synonyms so your writing has a range of vocabulary and does not become repetitive.
• Write at least 250 words. Anything less, you will lose marks.Ideally the essay should be about 250-280 words.
• Write neatly, as the person who is marking your essay should be able to easily read and understand what you have written.
• Do Task 2 first, as it is worth twice as much as Task 1, so priority should be placed here.

Practice makes perfect. Write as many practice essays as you can, and have them marked by an English teacher for mistakes.

• Practice timing yourself at home, and stick to the allotted time for each section. During the real test, bring a watch and manage your time carefully.
• Check your writing. If you finish with extra time, look over your essay for any spelling, grammar, or other mistakes you might find.

Popular Topics for Writing Task 2

Topics for IELTS writing task 2 are usually related to some issue or problem that is currently affecting society and you need to discuss it. In recent IELTS exams, topics have mostly dealt with:

• Environment
• Animal rights
• The Internet

Frequently asked questions about IELTS Writing Task 2

Q: Will I lose marks if I write too many words (400-500) in my essay? 

A: There is no penalty for writing more than 250 words for writing task 2. However, there are also no extra marks for writing more. In fact, the more you write, the more you may end up making spelling or grammar mistakes. It is much better to write around 280 words within 35 minutes and spend the last 5 minutes reviewing your work for mistakes.

Q: Will I lose marks if my handwriting is very poor? 

A: In IELTS, handwriting does not affect your scores directly. The scoring rubric does not have any points for handwriting. However, it affects your score indirectly. i.e if your handwriting is illegible, the examiner will think that you have misspelled a word and will mark you lower on lexical resources. The examiner will not give you the benefit of doubt if she is not sure about the words you have written.

Moreover, handwriting also affects the overall impression on the examiner. Remember that IELTS examiners are humans and like all humans they form their first impressions looking at your handwriting. The clearer your work, the better first impression you will make on the examiner.

Click here for recent IELTS exam topics and questions from all over the world

Finally, here are the 7 examples of band 9 essays.

IELTS Writing Sample Essay 1 -Fresh water demand causes and measures

IELTS Writing Sample Essay 2 - Forests are the lungs of the earth

IELTS Writing Sample Essay 3 - Job and money

IELTS Writing Sample Essay 4 - Aim of University Education

IELTS Writing Sample Essay 5 - International Tourism

IELTS Writing Sample Essay 6 - Image is a more powerful way of Communicating

IELTS Writing Sample Essay 7 - Work or travel between finishing high school and starting university

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How to write an IELTS Essay at band 9 level

This comprehensive article guides you through the processes and techniques of writing an essay that would get you a band score of 9. This is an extensive article, so read it carefully and grasp the concept. Use the examples to understand the concepts explained in it.

In IELTS writing task 2, a candidate needs to write an essay of at least 250 words that examine, support, or oppose a statement through the use of discussions, reasons, logic, arguments, explanations and examples . The essay should aim to state an opinion on a given statement, investigate an issue, discuss a given topic or persuade the readers (the examiner in this case) about something.

Now, an effective way to score well in IELTS writing task 2 is to know where one can gain or lose marks. The essay will be evaluated based on the four marking criteria, and each criterion offers 25% of the total score. Hence, let’s have a look at the assessment criteria first.

IELTS Essay has 4 assessment criteria. They are: 1) Task Achievement 2) Coherence and Cohesion 3) Grammatical Range and Accuracy 4) Lexical Resource

1) Task Achievement:

This criterion assesses the extent to which a candidate can meet the requirements of the task. So, the candidate should sufficiently address all the parts of the question. In other words, he or she ought to form a well-organized response to the task with relevant, supported and extended notions. This can be achieved by having a clear understanding of the task. Otherwise, it will lead to an inaccurate answer. The best approach to do this is to interpret the question correctly.

Task Achievement Dos:

• Answer the specific question being asked, not the general topic. [The essay question often includes a general topic or statement at the beginning of the essay which is not a part of the real essay question. You should find out what the essay topic is asking you to write about.]
• Make sure the ideas are directly relevant to the question. [The ideas and arguments you present in your essay should always be relevant and never off-topic.]
• Properly address each part of the question. [If the essay asks you two questions, for example, address them both with proper examples and explanations.]
• State the opinion in the introduction and employ supporting paragraphs to support this opinion. [If the question asks you to give your opinion, simply state your position at the end of the “Introduction” paragraph.]
• Develop key ideas with explanations and examples. [Yes, your essay must have examples and explanations to achieve a higher band score.]
• Reiterate the opinion in conclusion, or write a solution or generally accepted point or statement.

Task Achievement Don’ts:

• Devote lots of time to just one part of the question.
• Provide very general examples.
• State opinion until the last sentence of the “Conclusion” paragraph.
• Repeat the same points again and again.
• Write under 250 words.

Now, let’s look at a bad example first:

Bad example:

Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign language at primary school rather than secondary school.

Do you agree or disagree?

“Learning a foreign language is crucial for people. Firstly, it boosts brainpower. Secondly, it improves performance in other academic areas. Finally, a second language improves memory.”

Now let’s illustrate why it is a bad example:

The writer introduces three main ideas in this paragraph. But, none of them is well-developed. None of them has explanations and examples as well. For instance, the candidate does not explain how a foreign language may boost young learners’ brains. What is more, you also probably have noticed that it talks about “people”. Although the question is about young students, the author writes about general people. He or she does not write an answer to the specific question. So, the writer has not fully developed his/her ideas. Also, the ideas are irrelevant. So, he/she may get only a 5-5.5 band score for this paragraph.

Let’s look at a good example now:

“Learning a foreign language helps young students with their intellectual development. It has been shown that it supports a child’s brain development, and in fact, helps with subjects like physics and mathematics to a great extent. For instance, a recent study, conducted by the University of Cambridge, has revealed that children who learn a foreign language are more likely to be good at physics.

Let’s explain why it is a good example:

This is a good example mainly because the idea is relevant and specific. The idea is also well-developed. So, it has one main idea that is “learning a foreign language helps young learners with intellectual development.” Intellectual development means that young learners become smarter. In addition, it explains that studying a foreign language helps the brain to understand physics and mathematics in a better way making them good at science. It hasn’t stopped here. It develops the main idea even more by giving a specific example that children who study a foreign language are very likely to do well in physics.

Another good example of the same topic is given below:

Furthermore, it is evident that pupils who start learning a foreign language during their childhood, gain mastery of the language in their adulthood. It helps them communicate effectively and showcase their learning and speaking skills on the one hand and enhances their career prospects in the future on the other hand. To illustrate, a recent study by the University of California reveals that learners who start a foreign language like English, French, German or Spanish at a young age do better academically in their colleges and also show better mastery of these languages in their adulthood. And this mastery of these languages helps them get many competitive advantages in their future career.

This is a good example because it includes a relevant and specific idea at the beginning of the paragraph. The idea is then well-developed by the writer with an explanation. It also gives an example.

Interpreting the IELTS writing task 2 (Essay) question:

Interpreting the meaning of an essay question is crucial to writing a good essay in response. When analysing the question, the candidate should first shed light on these three properties: “Topic words” , “Qualifying words” , “Instruction words” .

To demonstrate these three attributes, take the following essay question:

Some people think that it is better to educate boys and girls in separate schools. Others, however, believe that boys and girls benefit more from attending mixed schools.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

The candidate can use the topic words to identify the “subject” of the question. In this essay question, ‘boys’ , ‘girls’ , and ‘the school’ are the three controlling topic words. Topics outside the boundary of boys, girls and school thus have no place in this essay.

Qualifying words tell the candidate how the various notions relate to each other. These words often describe the capacity of the opinion and shape some important thoughts as well. In the above sample question, the phrases “better to educate” and “benefit more” are used. Notice how these phrases clarify what is being said about boys and girls. Likewise, these words separate and mix the qualifying-topic word “school” . Notice how these words mould the question and give it enhanced precision. It’s crucially important for the candidates to understand the degree of this precision to ensure the response is properly aligned with the question.

Instruction words are the words that elicit a response from the candidate. Put simply, these words tell the candidate exactly what to write about and eventually channel the candidate’s essay towards a discussion or argument essay structure. In the above example essay question, the instruction words are – “Discuss both these views and give your own opinion” – a phrase that instructs the candidate to expound both the viewpoints and then venture his/her opinion.

2) Coherence and Cohesion:

“Coherence” in a written piece of work means that the reader can readily understand it. Put simply, coherence is a quality that ensures all the parts of an essay are logically arranged, well-connected and all head to the central focus of the essay. Without coherence, an argument may not make sense or may be difficult for the readers to get the message of the text. It’s a critically important quality of IELTS writing task 2/ IELTS Essay.

Similarly, “cohesion” is how a written piece of work relates its ideas to develop a clear relationship and logical progressions among them. In simple words, it relates to the linking of notions within a sentence, the linking of sentences (links between sentences) within a paragraph, and ultimately the linking between paragraphs.

The coherence and cohesion part of the candidate’s marks is a measure of how logically an essay’s ideas are arranged and connected by the candidate, and how smoothly these ideas flow together. The candidate can achieve coherence by using grammatically correct and short sentences that are concise, and to the point. Cohesion can be maintained by employing phrases or linking words, often called “cohesive devices”, to establish relationships between sentences and paragraphs in the essay.

Below is a list of various cohesive devices and an example of their use. Also, notice the corresponding punctuation:

To maintain sequence:

• Firstly , separate schools are more relaxing for both girls and boys as they do not have social pressures to worry about, such as impressing the opposite gender.
• Secondly , separate schools provide the teachers with an opportunity to tailor the curriculum in a way that students can easily connect with.
• Moreover , separate schools have lesser cliques.
• Finally , separate schools have a more conducive environment for concentrating on studies.

To provide evidence:

• For instance , many studies reveal that students in separate schools feel more relaxed than their counterparts.
• For example , teachers can maintain harmony in the classroom easily.
• A case in point is the top-ranked schools in our country that are mostly single-gender educational institutes.
• Take the example of separate schools in India, which have fewer cliques.
• Many high school students in separate schools, such as those from Asian countries, are good at concentrating on their studies.

To show similarity:

• Similarly , many high school students in Italy experience grade improvements when educated in separate schools.
• Likewise , many girls in Indonesia can concentrate more on their studies when educated in separate schools.
• In tandem with this are the experiences of many boys in Pakistan, whose grades improved when educated in separate schools.
• Many girls in Malaysia also experienced grade improvements when educated in separate schools.
• Coupled with this is the experience of many boys in Latin America, whose grades improved when educated in separate schools.

To demonstrate contrast:

• However , studying in a mixed school impacts positively on the personality of both boys and girls.
• On the other hand , a mixed-gender classroom provides an environment where girls and boys change their behaviour positively.
• Many girls and boys in India change their behaviour positively when studying in mixed-gender schools; however , this is not the case in Australia.
• Many girls and boys in Nepal improved their grades when studying in a mixed-gender classroom, but this is not the case in Germany.
• Conversely , many girls and boys in India promote sexual equality when studying in mixed-school.
• It is argued by many people that boys and girls are taught effectively when studying in single-gender schools, yet others believe that boys and girls gain considerable advantage from studying in a co-education system.
• In contrast , many boys and girls respect each other when studying in the co-education system.

To amplify or extend:

• Moreover , students in mixed schools improve their grades significantly.
• Furthermore , several independent studies show that students who are taught in mixed schools prevent gender discrimination.
• To add to this , a recent body of high-quality research has revealed that students studying in mixed schools perform far better in academics than students studying in single-gender schools.
• In addition to this , students studying in mixed schools can be more candid than their counterparts.

To present a result:

• Consequently , the link between the education system and students’ performance is obvious.
• In mixed schools, girls need to spend most of the day with boys and vice versa. As a result , they learn how to live harmoniously.
• Thus , students studying in mixed schools change their behaviour positively.
• Therefore , boys and girls respect each other.
• Because of this , it can lead to distraction to study.
• It is clear that there is a close link between the education system and students’ performance.

To draw the conclusion:

• To reiterate , the co-education system acts as a clear precursor of gender equality.
• To conclude , the co-education system helps promote gender equality.
• In conclusion , the co-education system advances gender equality.
• All things considered , the co-education system is committed to achieving gender equality.

Let’s look at an example and go through some of the features that make an essay coherent. Although it is an entirely subjective judgement, most readers would agree that this is a reasonably coherent paragraph:

The co-education system confers both advantages and disadvantages. It goes without saying that in the presence of the opposite gender, one’s behaviour changes. A case in point is Indian boys, they change their behaviour in presence of girls. Thus , the co-education system reaps such benefits where boys or girls change their behaviour positively. However , this advantage comes at a high price: distraction. Students in mixed-gender schools may think of having a partner. Such thoughts can cause distraction as girls or boys may get attracted to the opposite gender, and if anything goes wrong, it can result in hampering learning, thereby distracting academic studies.

• Topic sentence: the paragraph begins with a clear, declarative topic sentence that expresses the controlling idea and the rest of the paragraph follows the idea. That is to say that everything in the paragraph deals with the advantages and disadvantages of the co-education system.
• Key terms (marked in blue colour) : the term “co-education system” is repeatedly introduced in this short paragraph. This shows the reader that the paragraph is about the “co-education system”.
• Clear transitions (marked in orange colour) : each sentence flows into the next very easily, and the reader can easily see how logically the ideas are organized and connected.

Coherence and Cohesion Dos:

• Have at least four-paragraph structures. [It means your essay should have at least 4 paragraphs including the “introduction” and “conclusion”.]
• State main ideas and your opinion in the introduction.
• Introduce a clear topic sentence in the supporting paragraphs.
• Use cohesive devices accurately and appropriately.

Coherence and Cohesion Don’ts:

• Introduce background statement in the introduction.
• Produce lots of ideas in one paragraph.
• Use cohesive devices at the beginning of every sentence.

Let’s look at the bad example:

Learning a foreign language is crucial for people. Moreover , it boosts brainpower. Furthermore , it improves performance in other academic areas. Additionally , a second language improves memory. Last but not least , a recent study has revealed that children who learn a foreign language are more likely to be good at physics.

Let’s explain why it is a bad example:

If the candidate uses these words in red called cohesive devices again and again and uses them at the start of every sentence, it demonstrates to the examiner that the candidate doesn’t have good skills in English and he/she is not able to link sentences together without cohesive devices. Besides, “last but not least” is not accurate. Because it is used to give an example. The phrase ‘last but not least’ indicates the last point.

So, let’s look at a good example:

Foreign language helps young learners with their intellectual development. It has been shown that this can help a child’s brain development, and in fact, help with subjects like physics and mathematics. For instance , a recent study has revealed that children who learn a foreign language are more likely to be good at physics.

Let’s clarify why it is a good example:

In this paragraph, the writer employs just two simple cohesive devices. The writer actually gets more marks for using them accurately. This is because a good writer uses simple cohesive devices rather than merely using “moreover”, “furthermore” and so on without context. This paragraph also uses the appropriate cohesive device when giving examples.

3) Grammatical Range and Accuracy:

In the IELTS writing task 2 test, one of the most important areas for a candidate to master is “grammatical range and accuracy”. According to IELTS band descriptors, the test taker has to use a wide range of sentence structures as well as advanced verb forms including modal verbs, conditionals, and passive voice to get a higher band score. Besides, in IELTS writing task 2, punctuation has a profound significance. Put simply, in order to get a high score for grammar, the writing has to be complex, but it also has to be correct. So, devote full attention to those commas, semicolons and other grammar rules.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy Dos:

• Write error-free sentences.
• Use a variety of sentence structures.
• Use complex sentences but use them correctly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy Don’ts:

• Try to force too many different structures.
• Try to dazzle the examiner with complex grammar but make mistakes.
• Write sentences that hinder the meaning being conveyed i.e. stop the examiner from comprehending and guessing the meaning.

Let’s look at an example:

“In the developed world, carbon emission is one of the most debated issues causing global warming and environmental challenges arising from its catastrophic consequences.”

This is a typical sentence from an essay that is trying to be highly complex. The writer has tried to put four simple notions into one sentence and the result is an incoherent and difficult sentence. The writer fails to maintain control of grammar, thus affecting its meaning. If the meaning is affected, the text becomes difficult to understand and that has a negative impact on the band score.

Let’s look at the example again. There are four simple notions that we can write in simple sentences:

• Carbon emission is a much-debated issue in the developed world.
• Carbon emission causes global warming.
• There are environmental challenges associated with global warming.
• Global warming has catastrophic consequences.

But, if we write all the sentences like this we fail to score higher marks in the IELTS exam. Actually, we need to put them together to form complex sentences. For example:

“One of the most debated issues is carbon emission which causes global warming. There are environmental challenges associated with this problem and its effects have catastrophic consequences.”

Here, four ideas have been put together in two complex sentences. It has been done to make them easy to understand. This way maintaining grammatical range and accuracy become easier.

4) Lexical Resource:

The “lexical resource” is another important area that an IELTS candidate has to pay attention to. That is to say that he or she should use a good variety of vocabulary in order to achieve a high band score in the writing test.

Let’s break this down into small points:

• Range of vocabulary – The candidate should use a wide range of vocabulary to convey precise meanings. Synonyms can help here. But keep in mind that every word should be used in proper contexts.
• Correct spelling – Spelling serves a crucial role. So, be sure to use them correctly.
• Appropriate use of collocations – These are the natural combination of words in a sentence. In order to ace the IELTS writing test, the candidates should learn not only the individual words but also focus on what other words they are used in combination in a sentence.

Lexical Resource Dos:

• Be careful with grammar and spelling.
• Use words that are directly relevant to the topic.
• Be aware of collocations. Use appropriate collocations.

Lexical Resource Don’ts:

• Repeat the same words over and over.
• Force complex words into the essay without knowing them accurately.
• Use wrong synonyms.
• Learn lists of academic words out of context.
• Use rare phrases and jargon.

“Research has evidenced that children who have excess screen time are more likely to be myopic .”

This is a common sentence from an essay that has used the medical jargon: myopic. The writer has tried to impress the examiner by inserting the word “ myopic “. This is tricky because jargon includes the words or phrases used in a particular profession, which are difficult for other people to understand. Consequently, the candidate doesn’t get a higher score in the IELTS Writing exam.

It would be far better if the writer uses a simple phrase/word than a very rare phrase or jargon like ‘myopic’. For example:

“Many research has outlined that children who have excess screen time are more likely to have bad eyesight.”

A common phrase ‘bad eyesight’ has been used instead of a less common medical term ‘myopic’. This conveys meaning accurately while making the sentence easy to understand. So, keep it simple and avoid the use of jargon.

Now that you know what criteria are important to reaching a band 9 level IELTS essay, let’s explore some steps to enhance your band score from 5/6 to 8 or 9.

We would now explore a step-by-step guide to understand the process of writing an excellent essay to get a higher band score.

A step-by-step guide to writing a top-notch essay:

Step 1 – analyse the question:.

A candidate has to analyse the question first so as to understand it. In many cases, candidates do not answer the question fully due to their lack of understanding of the question. Consequently, it stops them from achieving a score higher than band 6.

To analyse the question, you have to identify the question type first, then identify topic words, qualifying words and instruction words, one by one. This will help you understand exactly what the question asks you to do. However, the discussion on how to analyse the question has already been explained above.

Step 2 – Plan The Structure:

Candidates who get a higher mark in IELTS writing task 2 always plan their arguments and ideas. A good plan helps them organise their ideas, and then structure their essay before they write it, saving their time and helping them to write a well-structured, coherent essay. The following tasks should be in the planning phase:

A) Creating the structure plan: → Introduction → 1st body paragraph → 2nd body paragraph → Conclusion

B) Generating ideas: Sometimes it proves to be difficult to write a good IELTS essay due to the lack of good ideas. However, there are several ways to overcome this problem. They are: ✓ The common topic familiarization ✓ Mind mapping ✓ Brainstorming ✓ 6 question method ✓ Thinking informal

Anyway, “practice” is the silver bullet for this problem. The more one practices with different topics the more she or he will be able to produce simple and better main ideas in just seconds. In fact, the candidate can be an idea-generating device through practice. So, practice, practice and practice.

Let’s take a look at the example question and create the skeleton plan:

Structure plan: → Introduction: paraphrase the topic and express opinion [i.e. boys and girls reap more benefits from attending mixed schools.] → 1st body paragraph: it is better to educate boys and girls in separate schools. → 2n body paragraph: boys and girls benefit more from attending mixed schools. → Conclusion: re-paraphrase the introduction and opinion. Alternatively, you can suggest something that would be a good solution to the debate or something that would be accepted by most people. [Example: It is expected that schools teach boys and girls together so that they become responsible and sympathetic individuals in the future who do not allow any gender discriminations.]

Step 3 – Write the introduction paragraph:

The introduction paragraph performs as a roadmap for an essay. It brings up the topic, the writer’s position, and the main points that will be used to strengthen and prove this position. Thus, when a reader reads the introduction of an essay, he/she should know exactly what the rest of the essay will look like.

However, many candidates often produce an introduction with a few common mistakes in them. The common mistakes are:

i) Introducing hooks or long general background statements about the topic. In most cases, essays begin with ‘In modern life……’ or ‘Nowadays….’ followed by general information about the topic. It’s a poor start you can probably make. So, it’s worth bearing in mind that you are asked to answer the question not talking generally about the topic.

ii) Not outlining opinion or main ideas. This is a grave mistake. You should combine opinion with main ideas. In fact, it’s the most important part of the essay that will tell the examiner what you’re going to write in the rest of your essay. If you don’t state your opinion clearly, you will lose marks substantially.

iii) Copying the question. If you just copy the question fully, the examiner will delete or discard it, and you will not get marks for this part of the exam. You can copy some words of the question, but don’t copy the whole question.

Bad and good examples:

Some people say that dangerous sports should be banned since they are deadly and life-threatening.

Do you agree or disagree with this viewpoint?

An example of a bad “Introduction”:

Nowadays dangerous sports are undeniably is a very controversial issue and some people say that they should be banned. This essay will discuss it and then come up with an opinion.

As you notice a bad example starts with a very common style of introduction, copies phrases and words from the question and doesn’t state an opinion or outline statement. So, the three essential elements are not included in the introduction.

An example of a good “Introduction”:

It is argued by many that extreme sports should be prohibited because they prove fatal and life-threatening. I agree up to a point, but I also think it is the democratic right of an individual to choose whatever sporting activity he or she wants to take part in.

In this “example introduction”, the writer paraphrases the question statement by using synonyms and outlines the opinion and main points. The is a great “introduction” because it meets the three obligatory criteria.

Skeleton of a Good Introduction:

It is very crucial that your introduction is well-structured. In order to do that, you have to include three essential things: A. Paraphrase B. Opinion (answer to the question) C. Outline of the main ideas

You ought to combine these three elements into just two sentences and your introduction should be around 40-60 words. Your introduction shouldn’t be longer than that. Don’t spend too much time writing the “introduction” of your essay.

A) Paraphrase Question: Paraphrasing means repeating the question statement in order to convey the same meaning, but with different words and styles. We can do this by using synonyms, different forms of the same words, and rearranging the clauses.

A higher salary is much more important than job satisfaction.

Paraphrase:

It is argued by many that it is beneficial to land a high-paying job, even if it does not content you at all.

As you see in the paraphrased sentence, some words and phrases have been changed while retaining the same meaning. Instead of ‘higher salary’ , for example, ‘high-paying job’ has been used. Thus, it demonstrates to the examiner that the writer can use a wide range of vocabulary and rephrase the question statement correctly.

B) Opinion (answer to the question) : This sentence is considered to be the most important part of your essay. It demonstrates to the examiner that you’ve understood the question perfectly and will drive to a clear and coherent essay.

Let’s look at the opinion sentence from the previous example:

Here, we’ve two choices- Choice 1: This essay totally agrees with this statement. Choice 2: This essay completely disagrees with this statement.

Opinion (answer to the question): This essay profoundly disagrees with the notion that higher remuneration is more crucial than career satisfaction.

The above sentence clearly states the position of the writer.

C) Outline of the main ideas: Outlining main ideas is another crucial thing in your IELTS essays. Through this, you tell the examiner what you are going to discuss in the main body paragraphs.

Plan: Why I disagree: Job satisfaction brings a sense of fulfilment. Doing what people like keeps them motivated, thus leading to a successful career. Combining opinion and main points: This essay profoundly disagrees with this statement because job satisfaction brings a sense of fulfilment and leads to a successful career as well.

In the above sentence, we simply use the word ‘because’ to combine them.

Putting it all together: Question:

“It is argued by many that it is far more beneficial to land a high-paying job, even if it does not content us at all. This essay profoundly disagrees with this statement because job satisfaction brings a sense of fulfilment and leads to a successful career as well.”

As you can notice, the above “introduction” follows the skeleton that has been outlined above. The rephrased question statement is given in green . The opinion has been given in purple , and the outline of the main ideas is in blue . Thus, this is a great “introduction” with two very simple sentences.

Now, we will through the introduction writing techniques for each easy type:

1. Opinion (Agree or Disagree) Essay Type 2. Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Type 3. Discussion (Discuss both views) Essay Type 4. Problem/Causes and Solution Essay Type 5. Double Question/ Mixed Essay Type

For each type of essay, the “introduction” would be slightly different. Let’s look at the examples for each of the five types of essay questions:

1. Writing Introduction for Opinion (Agree or Disagree) Essays: Question: Some people believe that children should be taught how to manage money at school.

Paraphrase: It is argued by many that schools ought to teach students financial literacy.

Answer to the Question: a) Plan- agree . b) Why I agree: ✓ Lack of financial literacy leads to disastrous consequences. ✓ Helps reach smart financial decisions. c) Opinion and Outline of main points: This essay entirely agrees with that statement because children can make financial decisions carefully, understand basic money management, and lack of financial literacy leads to disastrous consequences.

The whole introduction:

It is argued by many that schools ought to teach students financial literacy. This essay entirely agrees with that statement because children can make financial decisions carefully, understand basic money management, and the lack of financial literacy leads to disastrous consequences. (41 words)

2. Writing Introduction for Advantage and Disadvantage Essays: Question: It is suggested by many that young children should learn how to grow vegetables and keep animals.

Do you think that the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

Paraphrase: Many people argue that young children ought to acquire basic knowledge of farming such as cultivating vegetables and keeping cattle.

Answer to the Question: a) Plan – Agree that advantages outweigh disadvantages. b) Advantages and Disadvantages Advantages – children can develop good work ethics and soft skills through gaining such farming knowledge. Disadvantages – children get exposed to hazardous pesticides and herbicides and can be distracted from academic studies.

c) Opinion and outline of main points: This essay will argue that despite children getting exposed to hazardous pesticides and herbicides, and being distracted from academic studies, the work ethics and soft skills they develop mean that the benefits outweigh the adverse effects involved in the process.

Many people argue that young children ought to acquire basic knowledge of farming such as cultivating vegetables and keeping cattle. This essay will argue that despite children getting exposed to hazardous pesticides and herbicides, and being distracted from academic studies, the work ethics and soft skills they develop mean that the benefits outweigh the adverse effects involved in the process. (60 words)

The writer here has used ‘despite’ to tell the examiner that many people think so, but he/she believes otherwise.

3. Writing Introduction for Discussion (Discuss both views) Essays: Question: Some people think that zoos are cruel and should be closed down. Others, however, believe that zoos can be useful in protecting wild animals.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Discussion essays introduce two sides of an argument. So, the introduction should be written differently than an opinion essay.

Paraphrase: It is considered by some that zoological gardens help preserve endangered species, yet there are others who regard them as inhumane and opine that zoos ought to be abolished.

You can see two phrases: “it is considered by some” and “yet there are others who regard”. So, there are always two opinions.

Answer to the Question: a) Plan: ✓ Zoos are beneficial because of the breeding programmes for vulnerable species. ✓ Zoos should be abolished because of unnatural environments and cramped cases. b) Opinion and Outline of main points: This will argue that although the breeding programmes contribute significantly to protecting vulnerable species, the writer is of the opinion that zoos should be banned due to inhumane animal conditions.

It is considered by some that zoological gardens help preserve endangered species, yet there are others who regard them as inhumane and opine that zoos ought to be abolished. This will argue that although the breeding program contributes significantly to protecting vulnerable species, I am of the opinion that zoos should be banned due to inhumane animal conditions. (58 words) .

As you can notice that by stating ‘although’, the writer recognizes that some people think that zoos are inhumane and should be abolished, but he/she doesn’t think the same way. However, we’ve introduced both views, answered the question and outlined our key points. So, it meets three essential criteria for a good introduction.

You must bear in mind is that you shouldn’t just write “This essay will discuss both views and then come to a reasoned conclusion” . The reason is that you haven’t expressed your opinion and also haven’t outlined your main ideas. Consequently, you will lose marks.

4. Writing Introduction for Problem/Causes and Solution type essay: Question: In some parts of the world, the rate of divorce has increased dramatically over the past few decades.

Explain some possible reasons for this problem and suggest some solutions.

Paraphrase: Divorce, in many countries, has reached epic proportions over the few decades.

Answer to the Question: a) Plan: b) Problem & Solution: Problem – Domestic violence and gender inequality. Solution – mutual understanding and conjugal appreciation.

c) Opinion and Outline of main points: This essay will expound on how domestic violence and gender inequality are the main reason for increasing separation rates in many parts of the world, followed by a discussion on how mutual understanding and conjugal appreciation are the most effective remedy for this issue.

Divorce, in many countries, has reached epic proportions over the few decades. This essay will expound on how domestic violence and gender inequality are the main reason for increasing separation rates in many parts of the world, followed by a discussion on how mutual understanding and conjugal appreciation are the most effective remedy for this issue. (56 words)

5. Writing Introduction for Double Question/Mixed Essay type: Question: Fossil fuels are essential for producing electricity, powering industry and fueling transportation. However, one day we will reach a point when all the world’s fossil fuels have been depleted.

How can we conserve these resources? What are some alternatives to fossil fuels?

Paraphrase: Energy production is heavily dependent on oil, coal and natural gas but there will come a time in human history when these resources will be exhausted.

Answer to the Question: a) Plan: b) Conservation and Alternatives: Conservation – choosing zero-carbon transportation, and reusing and recycling products. Alternative source – renewable energies: solar, wind and tide power.

c) Opinion and Outline of main points: This essay will argue that we can preserve non-renewable energy sources by choosing zero-carbon transportation, and solar, wind and tide energy are viable alternatives to natural resources.

Energy production is heavily dependent on oil, coal and natural gas but there will come a time in human history when these resources will be exhausted. This essay will argue that we can preserve non-renewable energy sources by choosing zero-carbon transportation, and solar, wind and tide energy are viable alternatives to natural resources. (53 words)

Step 4 – Write The Main Body Paragraphs:

Main body paragraphs/ supporting paragraphs contain the main discussion of your essay. In other words, these paragraphs exist to help prove your position by employing real and factual – or seemingly real and factual- information. Therefore, this is where you can gain or lose most of your marks.

Many candidates, however, make some common mistakes in the exam. Knowing these you can avoid making them further. The common mistakes are:

• Having lots of ideas.
• Having undeveloped ideas.
• Having no/poor explanations or examples.

You need to write around 250-300 words. If you conceive too many ideas, you won’t have enough time to develop the ideas fully. Consequently, you will lose marks. So, don’t make the same mistakes as others do.

Structure of a Good Main Body Paragraph

The structure of a good main body paragraph contains three key elements. They are:

• Topic sentence
• Explanation sentences

Please note that although this is a standard model, the structure can change according to the question types.

Topic sentence: It plays a pivotal role in main body paragraphs. In simple words, the topic sentence introduces the key idea, acting as a signpost pointing to what the examiner is going to read.

Explanation sentence: The idea topic sentence states should be explained clearly. Put simply, you have to clearly explain what your topic sentence means. In fact, you answer the question through explanation sentences. The explanation should be 2-4 sentences.

Useful language for explanation: In other words…… That is to say…….. This is because…… The reason is…….. As a result…………. Therefore……………

Example: examples are also crucial for an essay. You need to support your explanation with good and relevant examples. Examples prove highly useful when they are tangible facts because it causes persuasion and makes the argument tough to refute. Good examples contain references to personal experience, well-known people, cultural traditions, and historical events. Bad examples are overly general references, personal opinions, and assumptions.

Some people believe that criminals should be allowed to get an education and enhance their skills while they serve their sentences in prison.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Read the following “introduction” paragraph, paying close attention to the outline of the main points:

It is argued by many that convicted criminals should have access to education programmes so that they can develop their skills while serving their sentences in prison. This essay totally agrees with that statement because it reduces crime rates and can positively change incarcerated individuals .

The outline of the main points (in blue ) declares the topics we will use in our supporting paragraphs:

1- prison education can reduce the crime rate 2- it also positively changes incarcerated people

Let’s write the first main body paragraph now. The first sentence states the topic sentence for this paragraph, which needs to be the reflection of what was stated in the introduction paragraph’s outline of the first key point:

“Prison education programs considerably decrease recidivism.”

As you can see that this topic sentence clearly declares the point initially introduced in the introduction paragraph’s outline of the first key point, this builds a clear link between the essay’s introduction and supporting paragraph.

The second, third and fourth sentences are the discussion sentences:

Most prisoners are released from prisons with educational levels and job skills that are extremely low, and that is why they can earn only meagre incomes once freed. Face with the desperate need to make money but the grim reality of odd jobs, many turn back to crime to survive. However, prison education can equip convicted persons with transferable skills that pave the way for the positive transition when they are released. Therefore, it would reduce prison recidivism.

As can be seen, these sentences clarify the topic sentence explaining that prison education helps prison with transferable skills that open up a wide range of career possibilities, this, in turn, refrain them from committing crime again.

The fifth sentence is an example sentence. The example makes the supporting point hard to counter, and this reinforces the argument of the essay and its ability to convince the examiner of the thesis. The example sentence is:

For instance, a study by Monash University found that ex-offenders who receive some vocational training courses cut recidivism to approximately 40 percent.

As you can see that the example directly supports the topic sentence by bringing up factual information. The study is by a renowned university which makes it seems real. It also shows that the prisoners who enrol in prison education programmes are less likely to return to jail.

When grouped, the sentences of the main body paragraph logically unite in a highly persuasive manner:

Prison education programmes considerably decrease recidivism. Most prisoners are released from prisons with educational levels and job skills that are extremely low, and that is why they can earn only meagre incomes once freed. Face with the desperate need to make money but the grim reality of odd jobs, many turn back to crime to survive. However, prison education can equip convicted persons with transferable skills that pave the way for the positive transition when they are released. Therefore, it would reduce prison recidivism. For instance, a study by Monash University found that ex-offenders who receive some vocational training courses cut recidivism to approximately 40 percent. (106 words)

As you can notice that the topic sentence extends upon what was stated in the introduction paragraph’s outline statement, an obvious instance of cohesion at the essay level. Likewise, the argument advances through the discussion and use of a tangible example, and this makes it difficult for the examiner to rebut.

Now look at the second body paragraph and notice how it is written:

Another reason why incarcerated individuals should get an education is that it transforms incarcerated people. In simple words, education in prison changes offenders because it revives humanity, boosts confidence and self-esteem, develops literacy levels, equips them with essential skills and transforms criminals into law-abiding and productive citizens on release. A case in point is Carlos Rosato, who was arrested for armed robbery and sent to prison in New York state for 16 years. He enrolled in an education program of the Bard Prison Initiative, and he earned an Associate degree and a Bachelor degree. Today Carlos Rosato is an engineer and makes $90,000 a year. He is a solid member of his community and is, in fact, a taxpayer. (119 words)

Both the main body paragraphs of the essay are now complete. When joined to the introduction, the composition reads:

It is argued by many that convicted criminals should have access to education programmes so that they can develop their skills while serving their sentences in prison. This essay totally agrees with that statement because it reduces crime rates and can change incarcerated individuals.

Prison education programmes considerably decrease recidivism . Most prisoners are released from prisons with educational levels and job skills that are extremely low, and that is why they can earn only meagre incomes once freed. Face with the desperate need to make money but the grim reality of odd jobs, many turn back to crime to survive. However , prison education can equip convicted persons with transferable skills that pave the way for the positive transition when they are released. Therefore , it would reduce prison recidivism. For instance , a study by Monash University found that ex-offenders who receive some vocational training courses cut recidivism to approximately 40 percent.

Another reason why incarcerated individuals should get an education is that it transforms incarcerated people . In simple words , education in prison changes offenders because it revives humanity, boosts confidence and self-esteem, develops literacy levels, equips them with essential skills and transforms criminals into law-abiding and productive citizens on release. A case in point is Carlos Rosato, who was arrested for armed robbery and sent to prison in New York state for 16 years. He enrolled in an education program of the Bard Prison Initiative, and he earned an Associate degree and a Bachelor degree. Today Carlos Rosato is an engineer and makes $90,000 a year. He is a solid member of his community and is, in fact, a taxpayer.

Please notice the way the sentences and paragraphs use linking devices to connect themselves together and how to build the overarching argument of the essay. Cohesion at the sentence level is underlined . Cohesion at the essay level is highlighted in blue .

Step 5 – Write The Conclusion:

The conclusion paragraph reiterates the writer’s main ideas and closes the essay. It’s far easier than the introduction and main body paragraphs because it contains the information that has already been imparted earlier in the response. Alternatively, you can propose a solution to a problem or issue or offer something that would be widely accepted regarding the topic discussed in your essay.

Let’s start with the common mistakes. Many candidates often make some mistakes. So, you should not:

• Introduce new ideas.
• Try to be entertaining.
• Be too general.
• Repeat exactly the same thing as in the rest of your essay.
• Use the wrong cohesive devices.

Many candidates make the mistake of introducing new ideas in their “conclusion”. Bear in mind that this is a big mistake. New ideas shouldn’t be produced in your “conclusion” at all. All you need do is to state the ideas you have already discussed in the previous paragraphs or offer a solution to a problem that would be widely accepted. If you outline any new idea in your conclusion, you’ll get a lower mark because the conclusion is just paraphrasing or summarizing of what you’ve already said, or offering a universally accepted solution – nothing else.

Many candidates also try to finish their essays by being entertaining or interesting. There are no marks for being entertaining or interesting in your conclusion! There are only marks for writing an accurate conclusion! So, don’t try to write an entertaining conclusion.

Being too vague is another error while writing a conclusion. You need to be as specific as possible like the rest of your essay. The more specific you are, the higher the chance you get a higher band score. So, don’t be too general.

Some candidates repeat the same thing as in the rest of the essay. You need to paraphrase; you need to write the same thing but in a different way.

Finally, many people use wrong cohesive devices which ultimately negatively affect their scores. Therefore, don’t use the wrong cohesive devices.

Let’s look at some inappropriate cohesive devices:

All in all – it is a very inappropriate way to begin your conclusion. This is because it’s very informal. You need to be academic as the IELTS essay is academic in nature. You need to be as formal as possible. So, don’t use “all in all”. In sum – it means just summarizing things. In the conclusion paragraph, you are not just summarizing your main ideas but also giving your opinion. So, the phrase ‘in sum/in summation’ is not quite appropriate for that reason.

To sum up – it is the same as ‘in sum’. So, you shouldn’t use it either.

Finally – it’s saying that you’ve got a final point and it would imply that you’ve got a new point. As we said before, you shouldn’t have a new idea in your conclusion. So, don’t use the word ‘finally’.

In a nutshell – like the phrase “all in all”, this is also informal. So, don’t use it.

Now let’s look at the cohesive devices you should use in your conclusion. They are: ✓ To conclusion ✓ In conclusion

These are two simple phrases you can use at the beginning of your “conclusion” paragraph.

Structure of a Good Conclusion Paragraph: The structure of a good conclusion consists of two essential things. They are: a) Summary of main points b) Opinion

Please reread the introduction and main body paragraphs written above prior to preparing for the conclusion paragraph. Once you read it, let’s continue to the techniques and examples of writing the “conclusion” part.

As a recommended structure, the first sentence of the conclusion paragraph should summarize the topics discussed in the main body paragraphs. The topics are:

→ Prison education programs considerably decrease recidivism. → it transforms incarcerated people.

Grouped into a single sentence, these two ideas would read:

In conclusion, education in prison causes considerable recidivism reduction and also changes convicted persons in a positive way.

The second sentence has to rephrase the opinion of the introduction paragraph in a different manner. Here is the original outline sentence:

This essay totally agrees with that statement…

Thus, it is clear that incarcerated men and women should get an education while in prison.

Now the conclusion paragraph is finished. Notice how its sentences connect with one another and with earlier parts of the essay:

In conclusion, education in prison causes considerable recidivism reduction and also changes convicted persons in a positive way. Thus, it is clear that incarcerated men and women should get an education while in prison.

Please note that, if you wish to add one or two lines of suggestion or proposition that is related to the topic and offers something widely accepted, do that at the end of the conclusion.

Example of such a suggestion or proposition –

“It is expected that prison authority would take measures to educate inmates and train them so that they can become responsible members once they complete their prison sentence and get back to normal life.”

Essay Topic:

Essay Answer: I t is argued by many that criminals should have access to education programmes so that they can develop their skills while serving their sentences in prison. This essay totally agrees with that statement because it reduces crime rates and can change incarcerated individuals.

Prison education programmes considerably decrease recidivism. Most prisoners are released from prisons with educational levels and job skills that are extremely low, and that is why they can earn only meagre incomes once freed. Face with the desperate need to make money but the grim reality of odd jobs, many turn back to crime to survive. However, prison education can equip convicted persons with transferable skills that pave the way for the positive transition when they are released. Therefore, it would reduce prison recidivism. For instance, a study by Monash University found that ex-offenders who receive some vocational training courses cut recidivism to approximately 40 percent.

Another reason why incarcerated individuals should get an education is that it transforms incarcerated people. In simple words, education in prison changes offenders because it revives humanity, boosts confidence and self-esteem, develops literacy levels, equips them with essential skills and transforms criminals into law-abiding and productive citizens on release. A case in point is Carlos Rosato, who was arrested for armed robbery and sent to prison in New York state for 16 years. He enrolled in an education program of the Bard Prison Initiative, and he earned an Associate degree and a Bachelor degree. Today Carlos Rosato is an engineer and makes $90,000 a year. He is a solid member of his community and is, in fact, a taxpayer.

(Approximately 300 words)

Learning to write an essay at a band 9 level takes a lot of practice. Use this article to acquire the technique, then do practice as much as possible on all the five types of questions. Best of luck!

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Cambridge IELTS 17: Sample Band 9 Answers

Posted by David S. Wills | Sep 17, 2022 | Model Essays | 1

Cambridge recently released the 17 th instalment in their IELTS series and I wanted to give you my sample answers for four of the essays in this book. I’ll also make some comments on the questions where I think it’s important to discuss the meaning, potential problems, or anything else that might arise. These are all task 2 essays because I don’t want to break any copyright laws by posting images from those books.

Below, you can find my sample band 9 answers to the task 2 questions from Cambridge IELTS 17 .

Test 1: Taking Risks

Here’s the first task 2 question in the book:

It is important for people to take risks, both in their professional lives and their personal lives. Do you think the advantages of taking risks outweigh the disadvantages?

First of all, I’ll say that this really reminds me of several older questions, which is not a surprise because the IELTS test makers like to recycle topics and ideas. It is most similar to this question:

Some people prefer to spend their lives doing the same things and avoiding change. Others, however, think that change is always a good thing. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Although the words and even format of the question are totally different, it is almost the same in terms of its general meaning. Still, you always need to read very carefully and respond directly to the question rather than previous, similar questions.

Sample Band 9 Answer: Tasking Risks

People differ in their attitude towards taking risks, with some people seemingly born to be risky and others rather risk averse. This essay will look into the advantages and disadvantages of an adventurous attitude and conclude that taking some risks is a positive thing.

First of all, it should be noted that taking risks is necessary for success. History is full of such examples in all fields, from science to war and from sport to literature. Those who simply continue tradition and never try anything new are doomed to repeat the past and typically content themselves with mediocrity. However, when people try new things, they may risk failure, but they also bring about the possibility of tremendous success. Looking at literature, for example, we can see great writers like James Joyce and William Burroughs, who completely redefined what a novel could be by breaking all the rules. They could easily have wasted their time and become mired in failure, but their risks paid off and they are today considered giants in their field.

Of course, that is not to suggest that taking a risk always results in success. Naturally, for every great success there are countless failures. To continue the idea of literature, one can only begin to imagine the number of writers who attempted to do something entirely new but failed because they were misunderstood. Taking risks in everyday life can be an even bigger problem because the consequences can be more severe. Young men often hurt themselves in foolish stunts because they took a risk to impress their peers. In such cases, it would clearly have been better not to take that risk at all.

In conclusion, whether it is better to take risks or not depends entirely upon the risk. In some scenarios, it is best to take a chance and see what happens because the potential outcome could be immensely rewarding, but in many cases it is rather pointless. Still, overall it is better to take some risks than avoid them altogether.  

Notes and Language

I started this essay with a nice general statement but without being too random. I’ve tried to avoid clichéd IELTS language like “There is a hot controversy about…” This is neither true nor is it appropriate.

Although I mostly wanted to show that taking risks is a good thing, I split the essay into two body paragraphs and tried to show both sides of the issue. You don’t need to provide a balanced answer in IELTS writing task 2, but in this case I thought it was for the best. The main thing was to make sure that my position was clear throughout. This began with a clear and precise outline sentence . I also gave some interesting and appropriate examples and I stretched one theme (literature) over two paragraphs for continuity.

In terms of language, I used words like “risky and “risk averse,” which are obviously very topic specific. I did, however, have to use more vague terminology like “adventurous attitude” because I didn’t want to repeat “risk” too much. I also used phrases like “break the rules” and “attempt to do something new.” This also helps to avoid repetition.

Test 2: Smartphones

The next question is also similar to some previous ones, but because it’s 2022 it has been specifically written to include smartphones rather than computers or other types of technology :

Some children spend hours every day on their smartphones. Why is this the case? Do you think this is a positive or a negative trend?

This is a two-part question that includes a positive or negative question ! This might seem weird, but actually it’s become fairly common in recent years to include positive/negative questions inside a two-part question, so you should be ready to answer something like this. The key is not to go at length about the positive/negative aspect and instead squeeze it into just one paragraph.

Sample Band 9 Answer: Smartphones

It can be seen nowadays that young people, including small children, spend a lot of time on their phones. This essay will explain why and then argue that it is an overwhelmingly negative development.

To begin with, children use their phones a lot because they are enjoyable to the point of being addictive. Indeed, numerous studies have shown that phones are as addictive for children as sugar or drugs, and this makes it hard for them to moderate their behaviour. The apps on most phones are designed to appeal to people by rewarding them with dopamine and children are particularly susceptible to this. In addition, the bright images, simple games, and immersive experience make phones thoroughly appealing for young users.

This constant usage brings various problems, with perhaps the most alarming being the impact on people’s health. Using a phone is something that the human body has not yet adapted to and there are various risks. The most obvious one is neck damage. Doctors often warn that the postures people use when using their phones lead to neck strain, which can also trigger problems in the back and head. Some people worry about eyestrain, too, though this is unproven. Then, of course, there is the fact that for children almost the entirety of their entertainment comes in the form of these phones and so they no longer go outside to play games in the fresh air, getting necessary exercise and socialising. They are stuck indoors, staring at their phone and becoming overweight, fragile, and unsociable.

In conclusion, the current situation with children using their phones a lot is utterly negative. Even if there were any possible benefits, they would be grossly outweighed by the damage that these devices cause.

Again, my introduction is clear and precise. It starts by explaining the topic and then gives an explicit outline. There is nothing clichéd or confusing here. A reader would be well prepared for the next parts.

The structure is simple. One body paragraph deals with the first sentence and the next deals with the second sentence. It was a challenge to keep this simple because the questions certainly raise a lot of ideas. I could have written a thousand words on why children like smartphones so much! However, keep it short and to the point. Don’t waste time.

Important vocabulary here included “addictive” and “dopamine.” I also needed to talk about health (you can learn about health vocabulary here ), so I mentioned various issues, including “neck strain.”

Test 3: Professionals

Here’s the third writing question from Cambridge IELTS 17 :

Some people believe that professionals, such as doctors and engineers, should be required to work in the country where they did their training. Others believe they should be free to work in another country if they wish. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Interestingly, this question has also been asked in different ways over the years! I have seen it written as a problem and solution question but now it is a “ discuss both views ” one. It is also frequently shared on websites and social media with various mistakes because people saw it in a test and misremembered it. (Read about the dangers of fake questions .)

Anyway, it’s a fascinating topic that hopefully everyone has something thoughts on. I know I did. 😉

Sample Band 9 Answer: Professionals

A small number of people think that highly trained professionals should be required to work in the same country where they did their training, but most people disagree with this. This essay will also disagree, suggesting that they should be free to work where they want.

To begin with, it is understandable that people might argue in favour of professionals working in the country where they trained because in some cases that country has paid for their training. Take, for example, a doctor who received medical training at the government’s expense in a relatively poor country. If they moved to another country, perhaps in order to earn a higher salary, then the government’s investment would have been wasted.

However, there are a few problems with that viewpoint. First of all, professionals of this nature usually pay for their own education, and so if they were required to stay in that country then it would be unfair. A lot of people invest in their education purely to gain the chance of moving to another country for a better life. Then, of course, there is the argument that all people should have some freedom of movement. Particularly in the case of highly trained professionals, who can bring value to different societies, it is beneficial to have them move around the world, sharing their skills and increasing diversity. Perhaps they ought to give something back to the society in which they were trained, but they should not be restricted by any law because that would be a violation of their fundamental rights.

In conclusion, people who have important skills should be free to move to other countries if they wish. They should not have a legal obligation to stay in the nation where they earned their skills, but perhaps for the sake of decency they might consider staying a short while and giving back to that society.

You might be curious about my first line: “A small number of people think…” Why did I say that? Well, the question says “Some people” and honestly I don’t think that many people share this view, so I used my words carefully to reflect that. Remember: Don’t just paraphrase blindly ! Use your own language and ideas to express a clear and intelligent point.

I began my concession paragraph by saying “it is understandable that people might argue…” I want to show the opposing view so that I can do a better job of arguing against it. I went on to argue convincingly in favour of the opposing view.

Note: You don’t need to talk about doctors and engineers! IELTS candidates often read the question, see these examples, and think that they are the main idea. However, they are not. These are purely examples. You don’t need to mention them at all.

My language here is related to the topic of work and migration. I also tried to avoid repetition . I used some great phrases like “at the government’s expense” and “a violation of their fundamental rights.” These are descriptive and specific.

Test 4: Alternative Medicine

Finally, we come to a question about a controversial issue:

Nowadays, a growing number of people with health problems are trying alternative medicines and treatments instead of visiting their usual doctor. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

Here, we have a question about alternative medicines vs conventional ones. This is a difficult subject to talk about and people will have different opinions on the matter, but don’t worry too much. Whether you support or oppose the use of alternative medicines, the examiner should not be prejudiced against you. Just make sure to explain your position clearly and convincingly.

Sample Band 9 Answer: Alternative Medicine

It has been claimed that more people are now using alternative medical practices rather than using proper doctors. This essay will argue that it is a dangerous development.

To begin with, there is simply no good argument for using alternative medicines. Any alternative treatment that works will be incorporated into conventional medicine, so to go outside of the mainstream is to take a pointless risk. The vast majority of alternative medical practices, no matter how they are marketed, are at best useless and at worst highly dangerous.

Using any alternative treatment has two potential outcomes. The first is that nothing will happen because most of them are in fact fake. Take acupuncture, homeopathy, or folk medicine, for example. These are simply archaic or idealistic ideas that mostly rely upon the placebo effect. In most cases, they do nothing and any genuine use that they could pose has or will be incorporated into conventional medicine through the scientific method and peer review. In such cases, a patient with an illness will not recover and will waste time in seeking real treatment. In severe cases, these fraudulent practitioners will actually harm their patients because their treatments are dangerous. These alternative medicines are unregulated and used by people who have no proper training, which means that they will not only fail to help but may even introduce new health problems.

In conclusion, the trend of people seeking alternative forms of medicine is massively problematic and puts people at serious risk of illness and death.

You will notice that there is not much balance to this essay. I have taken a very firm position here and that’s just fine. It actually makes it easier to write an essay when you have a firm belief. That’s why I started paragraph two with a strong statement: “there is simply no good argument for using alternative medicines.”

Of course, if you make a statement like this, you need to be able to back it up with explanation or evidence. I explained my position in the second paragraph and then gave more detail in the third.

Questions relating to medicine can be hard because they might require you to draw upon difficult vocabulary. Here, you can see I have done that, although not all of it is medical in nature: archaic, idealistic, placebo, fraudulent, practitioner , etc. In terms of Lexical Resource , you shouldn’t strive for difficult words, but rather aim for accuracy.

Final Thoughts

I hope that you have found these sample band 9 answers to Cambridge IELTS 17 questions useful. You should not try to copy my words or ideas, but rather view them as inspiration for your own essays. There is no perfect formula for an IELTS task 2 essay, and so you should figure out your own ways of directly addressing the question and developing your answers thoroughly.

If you found this useful, maybe you will enjoy my sample answers for Cambridge IELTS 16 and Cambridge IELTS 18 .

About The Author

David S. Wills

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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Tips for Achieving a 9 Band Score in IELTS Writing

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is a widely recognized test for assessing language proficiency, particularly for individuals aspiring to study or work in English-speaking countries. Among the four main components of the IELTS exam, the Writing test can be particularly challenging for test-takers. Achieving a 9-band score in IELTS Writing requires not only a strong command of the English language but also a strategic approach and focused preparation. In this article, we will explore essential tips and strategies to help you achieve the coveted 9-band score in IELTS Writing.

Understanding IELTS Writing Test

• Task Types and Scoring

The IELTS Writing test consists of two tasks: Task 1 and Task 2.  

Task 1 requires candidates to describe visual information, such as graphs, charts, or diagrams, in a minimum of 150 words.

Task 2 is an essay writing task, and candidates must write at least 250 words on a given topic. Each task is scored on a scale of 0 to 9, with 0.5 band increments.

• Assessment Criteria
• Practice Regularly
• Improve Vocabulary and Grammar
• Time Management

Structuring Your Essays

• Introduction
• Body Paragraphs
• Analyzing the Question
• Staying on Topic
• Using Transition Words
• Maintaining Logical Flow
• Using Synonyms and Idioms
• Avoiding Repetition
• Complex Sentences
• Avoiding Errors
• Proofreading Your Essays
• Avoiding Common Mistakes

Task Achievement and Response

Meeting the Word Count

Ensure that your essays meet the minimum word count requirement for each task.

• Presenting Clear Arguments
• Planning Your Essays
• Allocating Time for Each Task
• Band 9 Criteria
• Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses
• Seeking Professional Guidance
• Self-Assessment and Improvement
• Overuse of Informal Language

• Ignoring Task Requirements
• Read Sample Band 9 Essays
• Focus on Task Response
• Practice Under Exam Conditions
• Seek Feedback from Others
• Expand Your Vocabulary
• Vary Sentence Structures
• Pay Attention to Cohesion
• Practice Using Synonyms
• Study Model Answers
• Stay Calm and Confident

Remember that achieving a band 9 in IELTS Writing requires consistent effort and continuous improvement. Be patient with yourself, learn from your mistakes, and keep refining your writing skills. With perseverance and dedication, you can reach your goal of a 9 band score and open doors to exciting opportunities in education and career.

Scoring a band 9 in IELTS Writing requires dedication, practice, and a strategic approach. By following these tips and strategies, you can enhance your writing skills and confidently approach the IELTS Writing test. Remember to stay focused, manage your time wisely, and showcase your language proficiency effectively. Best of luck on your journey to achieving a 9-band score in IELTS Writing!

A: The number of paragraphs may vary depending on the essay's complexity and the task requirements. Generally, aim for a well-structured essay with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Q: Is it necessary to use formal language in all parts of the essay? 

A: While formal language is generally preferred in academic writing, you may adjust your tone slightly in the introduction and conclusion to engage the reader effectively.

Q: Can I use personal examples and experiences in my essays? 

A: Yes, incorporating personal examples and experiences can add depth and authenticity to your essays, but ensure they are relevant to the topic and support your arguments.

Q: How important is time management in IELTS Writing? 

A: Time management is crucial in IELTS Writing as you need to complete two tasks within a specific timeframe.

Q: How can I achieve a 9 band score in IELTS Writing? 

A: Achieving a band 9 in IELTS Writing requires consistent practice, strong language skills, and adherence to task requirements.

Q: Can I use informal language in my IELTS essays? 

A: It is best to maintain a formal tone and avoid using informal language or contractions in your essays.

Q: How can I improve my vocabulary for IELTS Writing? 

A: Improve your vocabulary by reading extensively and learning new words. Use a variety of vocabulary in your essays to showcase your language proficiency.

Q: Is time management essential in the IELTS Writing test? 

A: Yes, time management is crucial in the IELTS Writing test. Practice writing within the time limit for each task to ensure you can complete your essays on time.

Q: Can I seek professional guidance for my IELTS Writing preparation? 

A: Yes, seeking guidance from qualified instructors or taking writing courses can provide valuable feedback and tips for improvement in your writing skills.

Dr.Roma Dr. Roma offers online IELTS coaching by an expert IELTS Trainer. Perfect choice for Online IELTS Coaching. For more details visit: https://www.romaielts.com/

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Effective IELTS Band 9 Strategies: A Module-by-Module Guide

• May 30, 2024

Table of Contents

Are you aiming to achieve a perfect Band 9 in the IELTS exam? Whether you want to excel in the Listening, Reading, Writing, or Speaking module, mastering effective strategies is key to success. In this comprehensive guide, we will provide you with valuable tips and techniques to help you maximize your potential and unleash your IELTS Band 9 skills.

IELTS Listening Module: Enhance Your Listening Skills

• Practice with Various Accents : Exposure to different English accents prepares you for the diverse range of speakers you might encounter in the exam. Listen to podcasts, news broadcasts, and audio books from different English-speaking regions.
• Note-taking Techniques : Develop efficient note-taking skills during practice sessions. Focus on capturing keywords and main ideas rather than trying to write everything down. This helps you stay attentive and grasp essential information.
• Active Listening : Engage actively with the material by predicting answers while listening. This habit sharpens your focus and improves your ability to comprehend spoken English under timed conditions.

IELTS Reading Module: Master the Art of Comprehension

• Skimming and Scanning : Master these techniques to quickly locate key information. Skim through the passage to grasp the main idea, and scan for specific details needed to answer questions accurately.
• Understanding Question Types : Familiarize yourself with different question types such as True/False/Not Given, matching headings, and multiple choice. Each type requires a specific approach for efficient answering.
• Vocabulary Expansion : Regularly reading diverse materials enhances your vocabulary and improves your ability to understand complex texts. This is crucial for handling academic passages effectively.

IELTS Writing Module: Craft Impressive Essays and Summarize Data

• Task 1 (Academic) : Practice interpreting and summarizing visual data (graphs, charts, diagrams). Focus on describing trends, making comparisons, and highlighting significant points within the given word limit.
• Task 2 (Essay Writing) : Structure your essay coherently with a clear introduction, well-developed body paragraphs, and a concise conclusion. Support your arguments with relevant examples and maintain a balanced perspective.
• Time Management : Allocate your time wisely between Task 1 and Task 2. Task 1 should ideally take around 20 minutes, leaving ample time (approximately 40 minutes) for Task 2, which carries more weight in scoring.

IELTS Speaking Module: Communicate Confidently

• Fluency and Coherence : Practice speaking fluently without unnecessary pauses or hesitations. Work on linking your ideas logically to ensure a smooth flow of conversation.
• Vocabulary and Pronunciation : Expand your vocabulary to express ideas accurately and use correct pronunciation to enhance clarity. Focus on intonation and stress patterns to sound more natural.
• Mock Interviews : Conduct mock interviews with friends, tutors, or language partners to simulate the speaking test environment. This practice boosts confidence and familiarizes you with common topics and question types.

Additional Tips:

• Consistent Practice : Regular practice is essential for all modules. Set aside dedicated time each day to work on listening, reading, writing, and speaking exercises.
• Feedback and Improvement : Seek feedback from teachers or peers on your practice tests and essays. Identify areas for improvement and adjust your study plan accordingly.
• Time Management : During the exam, manage your time effectively. Prioritize questions that you find easier and come back to more challenging ones if time allows.

By integrating these strategies into your IELTS preparation routine, you can enhance your skills across all modules and work towards achieving a Band 9 score. Remember, consistency and targeted practice are key to success in the IELTS exam. Good luck!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i score band 9 in the ielts reading module.

To score Band 9 in the IELTS reading module, apply effective strategies such as skimming, scanning, and understanding different question types. Regularly read diverse English materials to improve your comprehension skills.

How to prepare for IELTS strategies?

To prepare for IELTS strategies, focus on mastering the skills required for each module. Practice regularly and engage with English content to enhance your language abilities.

How to get 7.5 in IELTS?

To achieve a score of 7.5 in IELTS, develop a consistent study schedule, practice with sample tests, seek guidance from experts, and focus on improving your overall English proficiency.

Top 10 Books to Improve IELTS Reading Skills

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Band 9 IELTS Essay # 1:

The environmental problems that today's world is facing are so great that there is little ordinary people can do to improve the situation. so government and large organizations should be responsible for reducing the amount of damage being done to the environment., band 9 ielts essay # 2:, some people believe that it is good to share as much information as possible in scientific research, business and the academic world. others believe that some information is too important or too valuable to be shared freely., band 9 ielts essay # 3:.

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Band 9 Strategy for IELTS Task 2 Essay Planning

You have just seen the IELTS essay question and you're ready to start writing the answer. Well, we know you are under stress of time in the exam, you're on a timer, but what if we told you that pausing for just 10 minutes to plan could actually help you nail that Band 9 score? Yeah, you heard right! It's about making the most out of your 40 minutes. Want to know more? Keep reading.

Imagine this: those 10 minutes you invest in planning could transform the next 30 minutes of writing into a super-productive, error-minimizing session. Instead of scrambling to organize your thoughts on the go, you'll have a roadmap guiding you from intro to conclusion. You could avoid those common pitfalls like going off-topic or running out of time to conclude your essay meaningfully.

So, why rush into typing when you can strategize your way to IELTS success? Trust us, it's about making every single one of those 40 minutes count. Ready to dive deeper into this game-changing approach? Stick with us, and we'll show you how to make it happen!

Oh, and by the way, if you want the ultimate guide, our eBooks and IELTS Essay Correction Service are here to help you hit it out of the park. But let's get back to why planning is your key to acing this exam.

Don't Write Your IELTS Essay Without Planning—Here's Why!

Listen up, future IELTS champions! You might be a whiz at English, but without proper IELTS essay planning, even strong candidates can find themselves stuck in the dreaded Band 6 zone. Ouch, right? 😓 Let's break down why this happens and how you can leap over this common hurdle.

When you hit the ground running without a roadmap, you're likely to find yourself in a loop of writing, erasing, rewriting, and editing. This time-consuming cycle eats away at your precious minutes, leaving you with an essay that may be rich in word count but poor in focus. What's the outcome? An essay that doesn't quite answer the question the way the IELTS examiners expect. And trust us, examiners have a keen eye for those details!

If you've ever found yourself scratching your head, wondering what exactly those examiners are looking for, we have a two-fold solution. First, consider diving into our in-depth eBooks that cover everything from IELTS grammar and vocabulary to tried-and-true essay planning techniques. These eBooks are your comprehensive guide to understanding what makes a Band 9 essay.

Second, our top-notch detailed Essay Feedback Service by Examiner offers a golden opportunity to peek into the examiner's mind. With this service, you'll receive a thorough analysis of your essay, pinpointing the areas where you missed the mark. More than just a list of errors, you'll get actionable feedback, complete with a Band 9 sample response to guide your improvement.

By downloading our detailed eBooks , and taking advantage of our specialized correction services , you're setting yourself up for IELTS Writing success. Think of it as fine-tuning your approach to ensure each word you write carries maximum impact.

How Just 10 Minutes of IELTS Essay Planning Can Skyrocket Your Band Score

Whoa, slow down there, eager beaver! We know the IELTS clock is ticking and the pressure is mounting. But what if we told you that sacrificing just 10 minutes for some thoughtful IELTS essay planning could be your secret weapon to nailing that Band 9 score? 🚀 Let’s dive into the numbers and unravel this enigma.

The 40-Minute Breakdown

You've got 40 minutes on the clock for Task 2. Sounds like a lot, until you're staring down at that blank page and your mind starts playing tricks on you. You feel the urge to churn out sentences like there's no tomorrow. But hold your horses!

Spare a mere 10 minutes upfront for structured IELTS essay planning, and what are you left with? A luxurious 30 minutes to articulate your ideas into approximately 270 words. And let's keep it real—you can effortlessly crank out more than a measly 9 words per minute, especially if you know exactly what you're going to say.

The IELTS Essay Planning Advantage

Think about it. Those 10 minutes you spend planning aren't just about jotting down points; they're about aligning your arguments, organizing your thoughts, and formulating a thesis statement that'll knock the socks off the examiners. And hey, if you're not sure how to make the most of those 10 minutes, our invaluable eBooks and IELTS Essay Correction Service are at your disposal. These resources provide actionable tips to optimize your planning stage and elevate your writing.

When your essay is well-planned, each paragraph flows into the next, ideas connect seamlessly, and your conclusion wraps everything up in a neat little bow. The result? A compelling, coherent essay that not only grabs the examiner's attention but holds it from start to finish. That's the real magic of IELTS essay planning.

Time to Ditch the "Write-Delete-Repeat" Cycle

Gone are the days of writing aimlessly, deleting frantically, and then rewriting. That’s a recipe for a Band 6 disaster. Opt for IELTS essay planning instead, and watch as your essay transforms into a coherent, persuasive masterpiece that's worthy of a Band 9.

Ready to make IELTS essay planning your game-changing strategy? With a well-planned approach and the support of our eBooks and correction services , you're not just taking a test; you're mastering it. 🎯

The 5-Step Quick Plan for Your IELTS Essay: Your Pathway to Band 9 in Just 10 Minutes

You're staring at the Task 2 essay prompt, your heart is racing, and the clock is ticking. Sound familiar? Don't worry—you're far from alone. But what if we told you there's a 10-minute lifesaver that can streamline your writing process and skyrocket your Band Score? Yes, you read that right. Meet our 5-step IELTS essay planning guide:

Analyse the question (3 minutes)

Generate ideas   (3 minutes)

Find relevant examples   (2 minutes)

Select special vocabulary (2 minutes)

Apply in the structure   (Let's go>>😎) 

We know you are wondering "how can I go through all these steps in 10 minutes🤔? If I go through all of the stages stated above, how can I manage time for writing 🙄? "

Trust us, this is not too much work. We're discussing here one by one, that's why it seems too much to you. When you apply it in exam, you will do most of the tasks in your head. You will write only a few keywords. Therefore, it will never take much time.

Let's dig into the steps in greater detail.

1. Analyze the Question: The First 3 Minutes

Why It's Important Okay, take a deep breath. You're sitting there, heart pounding, as you stare at the essay prompt. We know you're tempted to grab that pen and start scribbling away, but pause for a moment. These first 3 minutes are the golden minutes that can elevate your essay from a mediocre Band 6 to an impressive Band 7 or even higher. Why? Because if you invest time in dissecting the question properly, you create a robust framework that guides your entire essay. This framework helps you to focus on precisely what the IELTS examiners are fishing for in your responses, optimizing your chances of scoring high.

How to Do It

Identify the Type of Question: Not all IELTS essay questions are created equal. Some ask for your opinion, while others might want you to discuss a problem and solution. Identifying the type of question gives you a leg up in how you approach your essay.

Pinpoint the Keywords: IELTS questions are usually straightforward but can be crafty with wording. Scour the question for keywords that specify what your essay should be tackling. Missing this step could lead you down a wrong path, wasting precious writing time.

Determine the Scope: Some questions have multiple parts or aspects. Your essay needs to cover all bases to be comprehensive. Dissect the question to make sure you're not missing any components.

By the way, if you're curious about diving deeper into question types and effective strategies to decode them, you'll find nuggets of wisdom in our eBook 's  dedicated chapter on IELTS Question Analysis Strategy. It seamlessly fits into this phase of planning by setting you up for success right at the outset.

2. Generate Ideas: The Next 3 Minutes

Why It's Important You've spent the initial 3 minutes breaking down the question, and you have a sense of direction. But where do you go from here? Think of brainstorming as the fuel for your essay's engine. It powers your arguments, examples, and ensures you provide a comprehensive answer. Remember, three minutes is more than enough to pick quality ideas that will serve as the pillars of your essay.

List Ideas: Your next step is simple but crucial. Take a minute to quickly jot down potential points or arguments that align with the question type you've just identified. These could be based on your own knowledge, current affairs, or general common sense.

Quality Over Quantity: It's a common misconception that more ideas equal a better essay. However, in the realm of IELTS essay planning, quality reigns supreme. Take the next minute to review your list and pick out the most compelling points. These are the ideas that will earn you that coveted Band 9.

Alignment: By now, you've got a minute left, and it's time to align your chosen ideas with the essay question. A quick cross-check ensures you're not veering off into unrelated territories. If an idea doesn't fit, discard it; don't try to force it into the essay. This is crucial for maintaining focus and coherence, two elements the IELTS examiners highly value.

For those of you who find yourselves stuck at this stage, our eBook 's comprehensive chapter on idea generation techniques is a great way to jumpstart your creativity. Packed with useful frameworks, it will help you master the art of brainstorming in no time—making this part of your 10-minute planning routine an absolute breeze.

By dedicating these 3 minutes to brainstorm and refine your ideas, you set the stage for a well-organized and compelling essay. Trust us, the time investment is worth the superior Band Score you're aiming for.

3. Find Relevant Examples: The Next 2 Minutes

Why It's Important So, you've dissected the question and generated some killer points. But what will make your arguments irresistibly persuasive? Examples, and more importantly, the right ones. They act as the proof of your essay's pudding, lending weight and credibility to your arguments. A couple of well-chosen examples can elevate your essay from a Band 6 to a Band 7 or even higher. And the best part? You only need two minutes to make this magic happen.

Contextualize: Start by contextualizing each of your chosen points. Ask yourself: What real-world scenario or hypothetical situation would best illustrate this point? This adds a layer of depth and nuance to your essay that examiners appreciate.

Diversify: Variety is the spice of life, and in your IELTS essay, it makes for a richer read. Try to pick examples from different domains—social, economic, cultural. This gives an impression of well-rounded understanding, which can be a plus in the eyes of the examiners.

Credibility Counts: Even though the IELTS allows fictional examples, they should be plausible. Your example should not strain the reader's willingness to believe you. The more credible your example, the more convincing your argument.

By the way, if you're not confident about creating impactful examples on the fly, our comprehensive guides on IELTS writing are brimming with tips on crafting credible and compelling examples, as part of your IELTS essay planning strategy.

So there you have it. In just two minutes, you can turn your IELTS essay into a compelling narrative, rich with examples that make your points virtually unarguable. The result? A Band score that not only meets but exceeds your expectations.

4. Pick Your Vocabulary: The Final 2 Minutes

Why It's Important Choosing the right vocabulary is like selecting the perfect seasoning for a dish—it can turn something good into something extraordinary. Don't underestimate the power of a couple of minutes devoted to selecting impactful, relevant words and phrases. It's the finer details like these that can shoot your Band score from 'acceptable' to 'exceptional.'

Theme-Oriented Words: Focus on selecting vocabulary that fits the overall theme of your essay. If you're discussing climate change, words like 'sustainability,' 'carbon footprint,' and 'renewable energy' will reinforce your topic and keep the reader engaged.

Balance Is Key: While it’s tempting to show off your language skills, maintain a balance. Your essay should sound natural and fluent, not like you swallowed a dictionary. High-level vocabulary is excellent, but it must be used correctly and appropriately to the context.

Don't Forget Synonyms: Repetition can make your essay dull. Before writing, think of synonyms for common words related to the topic. This adds variety and keeps the examiner interested.

Idioms and Phrases: Consider adding a few idioms or phrases to add flair to your essay. But be careful; they should be relevant and not forced. Misusing idioms can backfire, so use them wisely.

And if you're scratching your head thinking where to find this treasure trove of vocabulary , many of the techniques you need are actually covered in our comprehensive writing guides . They offer actionable tips for enhancing your vocabulary in a way that gels well with effective IELTS essay planning.

There you have it—two minutes to gather the building blocks of language that will construct an essay worth reading and scoring high. Remember, in the world of IELTS essay writing, vocabulary isn't just an add-on; it's a powerful tool that can set your essay apart.

5. Apply in the Structure: Your Blueprint for Success

Why It's Important You've analyzed the question, brainstormed stellar ideas, lined up credible examples, and cherry-picked your vocabulary . What's next? Bringing it all together in a coherent, structured manner is what will elevate your essay from good to outstanding. Our Band 9 Magic Structure isn't just a sequence of paragraphs—it's a roadmap to achieving a Band 9 score, serving as the backbone of your essay and aligning all your points in a logical and persuasive way.

Introduction: Begin with a hook that grabs the reader's attention, followed by a paraphrased version of the essay question. This sets the stage for your arguments.

Body Paragraphs: Typically, you'll need at least two or three. Each should start with a clear topic sentence, followed by supporting sentences and then real-life or hypothetical examples that bolster your argument. Each paragraph should flow naturally into the next, maintaining thematic and logical consistency.

Concluding Remarks: Your conclusion should summarize your main points and provide a final thought or recommendation. It’s your last chance to leave a lasting impression on the examiner.

Revise and Polish: If time allows, go back and polish your essay. Check for any grammar mistakes, ensure that your vocabulary is varied and that you've adequately addressed all parts of the question. A Band 9 essay isn't just well-planned; it's also well-executed.

If you find yourself struggling to adapt to this magic structure, you're not alone. That's precisely why we've included examples and best practices for implementing this structure effectively in our IELTS Essay Correction Service . It gives you a firsthand look at how a well-structured essay should appear, along with detailed feedback to ensure you're on the right track.

There you go—now you have a comprehensive plan for crafting a top-notch IELTS essay in just 10 minutes. When you use this 5-step plan combined with our Band 9 Magic Structure, you're setting yourself up for writing success. Planning may take a few extra minutes, but it's a small investment for a big return—an excellent Band Score.

Wrapping it Up: Your 10-Minute Game-Changer

So, you've got 40 minutes to write your Task 2 essay. But guess what? Spending just 10 minutes planning can make those remaining 30 minutes incredibly effective. Here's the deal:

With a quick but detailed 10-minute plan, you'll know exactly what you want to say and how you want to say it. Your thoughts will flow more naturally, you'll have solid examples to back up your points, and your word choice will be on point.

Still not sure? Our IELTS Essay Correction Service offers in-depth feedback from examiners to help you fine-tune your writing skills. And for those of you who love digging into eBooks , we have all the guides you'll ever need—from grammar rules to expert vocabulary.

So, give it a shot. Take those 10 minutes to plan. It could be the difference between a good score and a great one. Trust us, it's totally worth it.

Don't forget to check the following resources:

Download IELTS High Scoring eBooks

Get Detailed IELTS Essay Feedback from An Examiner

IELTS Writing Samples Band 9

Some people prefer to eat at food stands or restaurants. other people prefer to prepare and eat food at home. which do you prefer, what discovery in the last 100 years has been most beneficial for people in your country, a person should never make an important decision alone. do you agree or disagree with this following statement, some children spend hours every day on their smartphones. why is this the case do you think this is a positive or a negative development, some people think that planting trees in open space cities and towns is more important than building houses. to what extent do you agree or disagree, many manufactured food and drink products contain high levels of sugar, which causes many health problems. sugary products should be made more expensive to encourage people to consume less sugar. do you agree or disagree, in their advertising, businesses nowadays usually emphasize that their products are new in some ways. why is this do you think it is a positive or negative development, in some countries, more people are becoming interested in finding out about the history of the house or building they live in. what are the reasons for this how can people research this question, nowadays, many people choose to be self-employed, rather than to work for a company or oganisation. why might be the case what could be the disadvantages of being self-employed, some people say that music is a good way of bringing people of different cultures and ages together. to what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion, some people say that the main environmental problem of our time is the loss of particular species of plants and animals. others say that there are more important environmental problems. discuss both these views and give your own opinion., many people believe that the current system of both teachers and students in the classroom will no longer exist by the year 2050. to what extent do you agree with this opinion, in spite of the advances made in agriculture, many people around the world still go hungry. why is this the case what can be done about this problem, some people believe that nowadays we have too many choices. topic: information/ business/ choices to what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement, at the present time, the population of some countries includes a relatively large number of young adults, compared with the number of older people. do the advantages of this situation outweigh the disadvantages, some people think that teachers are no longer needed because students can study via the internet. to what extent do you agree or disagree, big salary is much more important than job satisfaction. do you agree or disagree, some people said professionals such as doctors or engineers should be required to work in the country where they did their training while other said they should be free to work in another country, you recently ordered something online; when you opened the packet the product was damaged with which you were disappointed, it is better to save money than to spend it. how far do you agree with this statement is saving more important than spending in today’s world..

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