IELTS - Understanding the Question

This sounds very easy, but many students make a big mistake here. In IELTS, if you start writing about the wrong topic, you do not have enough time to change your direction - 40 minutes is very short! 


Task Two questions usually ask you to:

• understand two or more sides of an issue (e.g. advantages and disadvantages)
• develop one side of an issue well.
• discuss a problem and suggest solutions

Exam Tip

When you start practicing for Task Two, take as long as you like.  Don't forget to plan your answer. After a few weeks, begin limiting your time to 40 minutes and put your pen down when the time is finished.  If you practice like this, you will improve your timing.

Here are examples of each type of question:Smoking is a habit which claims many lives and is a great drain on health services. One way to combat smoking would be to make it illegal. What are the pros and cons of such a government policy? What alternative strategies can you suggest to combat smoking? (Understand two or more sides of an issue)

"The best way to help developing countries is to give them financial aid." Write an essay either agreeing or disagreeing with this statement. Suggest alternatives to this policy. (Develop one side of an issue well)

Exam Tip

When you see a statement in Task Two, try to change the statement into a question. This will help you begin to form your answer. You can change the statement in the example to: "Should parents be held responsible when their children commit crimes?"

The crime rate among teenagers has increased dramatically in many countries. Discuss some possible reasons for this increase and suggest solutions to this problem. (Discuss a problem and suggest solutions)

Very often, the question is not as clear as this.  Try to decide what type of question this is:
"When teenagers under the age of 18 commit crimes, their parents should be held responsible." Write an essay discussing this statement and suggest ways to combat teenage crime.