This task assesses the ability to present a well-structured argument, backing it with examples and evidence in clear, correct language.

Test takers are presented with a topic and asked to subject it to a “discursive consideration.” In other words, they need to justify their opinion by discussing arguments, providing examples, proposing possible solutions, and supporting their position.

Check out: 11 Steps to Achieving a High IELTS Score

Introduction

So, what goes into a good introduction for a Task 2 Essay? There are two basic parts that you always need to have in a good introduction. First, you need to introduce the topic of the essay to your reader. It has to be very clear what the essay is going to be about and after that you have to write a thesis statement where you give your perspective on that topic. This is difficult to do and many students have trouble doing it.

One reason is that there is a lot of pressure on your task 2 essay. It is worth 2/3 of the points for your writing score on the IELTS. Time is also limited. You only have 40 minutes to write your essay, so you don’t have much time to brainstorm. It’s very important to get really good at writing these introductions to get started on your essay, to do so quickly in order for you to devote enough time to write your main paragraphs and hit your word minimum.

Paraphrasing

The skill you need to work on in order to do this successfully is paraphrasing. This means to translate the language from the prompt into your own words within the introduction.

Check out: How to Paraphrase IELTS Writing Task 1 (Video)

Next, Eliot is giving an example IELTS Task 2 Essay question. You can make use of the question from the video to practise paraphrasing your introduction and improve your English writing and IELTS skills.