by Dave | Mar 20, 2018 | Sample Answers
This sample answer is based on a real IELTS Writing Task 1 Bar Chart question on March 15th, 2018. I’m a former examiner so you can trust this answer. Keep reading for:
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A quick analysis of the question.
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Line by line analysis of the sample answer.
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Vocabulary highlights and notes.
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Interesting related links about sports!
As well as our Task 1 sample answers, check out our Task 2 sample essays here: IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answers.
You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel for some IELTS Speaking Sample Answers: HowtodoIELTS YouTube.
Here is the question:
Question Analysis
Looking at the bar chart, you can see it is divided into 3 years and 6 sports and it shows change over time.
I recommend making some quick notes on the general trends as well as the overall leaders because these will help to organise your writing later:
Sample Answer
The bar chart details the percentage changes of people in the UK interested in 6 sports between 1995 and 2005. In general, all sports saw gradual increases in interest over the full period with the exception of tennis. Football was by far the most popular throughout the period while tennis, swimming, volleyball and rugby had similar numbers and golf generated the least interest.
Football, the sport most people were interested in, rose from just under 40% in 1995 to around 45% in 2000 before a slight dip in 2005. Golf, the least popular sport, grew at steady intervals from just over 15% in 1995 to almost 20% interested in it by 2005.
The sports in the middle (tennis, swimming, volleyball, and rugby) had similar levels of interest at around 20 – 30% during the period. Rugby was the leader among this group with moderate gains starting at around 33% interested in 2005 and ending up with 35% by 2005. Volleyball and swimming showed nearly identical trends increasing steadily from just over 25% to slightly under 30%. The only sport to lose interest over the period was tennis which fell from over 30% in 1995 to under 30% in 2000 and nearly 25% by 2005.
Quick Analysis
I divided my answer into 3 paragraphs. Paragraph 1 is introducing that chart and the general overview. The general overview is by far the most important sentence of the whole essay because if you don’t have it, or it is not clear, you will get a Band 5 for Task Achievement. 100% – right away. Read more about overviews here.
Paragraphing is really important in Task 1. You can use your paragraphs to group together similar areas (or areas that are different in order to compare them) and it will give your writing structure.
This was a simple task 1, actually. Most of the sports increased and in the same way – gradually. There are some exceptions and a sport that is clearly the most popular and the least popular.
If you took the test this week, you got lucky with this question!
Paragraph 1: Introduction and Overview
1. The bar chart details the percentage changes of people in the UK interested in 6 sports between 1995 and 2005. 2. In general, all sports saw gradual increases in interest over the full period with the exception of tennis. 3. Football was by far the most popular throughout the period while tennis, swimming, volleyball and rugby had similar numbers and golf generated the least interest.
1. The first sentence introduces the chart, by paraphrasing (not copying) the question.
2. The second sentence begins the overview of the bar chart by describing the general trend (upwards for all sports except tennis).
3. The third sentence completes the overview by ranking the interest in each sport from the one people were most interested in to least interested in.
Paragraph 2: Detailed Figures (Football and Golf)
1. Football, the sport most people were interested in, rose from just under 40% in 1995 to around 45% in 2000 before a slight dip in 2005. 2. Golf, the least popular sport, grew at steady intervals from just over 15% in 1995 to almost 20% interested in it by 2005.
1. The first sentence describes the specific data for football, the sport most were interested in. I include all years and accurate data for those years. It’s important to say around/approximately because the exact numbers are not clear.
2. The second sentence describes golf, the least popular sport.
Paragraph 3: Detailed Figures (Other Sports)
1. The sports in the middle (tennis, swimming, volleyball, and rugby) had similar levels of interest at around 20 – 30% during the period. 2. Rugby was the leader among this group with moderate gains starting at around 33% interested in 2005 and ending up with 35% by 2005. 3. Volleyball and swimming showed nearly identical trends increasing steadily from just over 25% to slightly under 30%. 4. The only sport to lose interest over the period was tennis which fell from over 30% in 1995 to under 30% in 2000 and nearly 25% by 2005.
1. The first sentence is a topic sentence that groups together the sports in the middle of the bar chart.
2. The second sentence describes the leader among this group, rugby, with specific data and years.
3. The third sentence describes volleyball and swimming with specific data and years.
4. The fourth sentence describes the final sport, tennis, which was the only one to decrease over the full period.
Useful Vocabulary
Here is some vocabulary that you can use on your own IELTS Writing Task 1. I recommend that you take some good notes or try using this vocabulary in a different sample answer so that you don’t forget it:
The bar chart details the percentage changes of people in the UK interested in 6 sports between 1995 and 2005. In general, all sports saw gradual increases in interest over the full period with the exception of tennis. Football was by far the most popular throughout the period while tennis, swimming, volleyball and rugby had similar numbers and golf generated the least interest.
Football, the sport most people were interested in, rose from just under 40% in 1995 to around 45% in 2000 before a slight dip in 2005. Golf, the least popular sport, grew at steady intervals from just over 15% in 1995 to almost 20% interested in it by 2005.
The sports in the middle (tennis, swimming, volleyball, and rugby) had similar levels of interest at around 20 – 30% during the period. Rugby was the leader among this group with moderate gains starting at around 33% interested in 2005 and ending up with 35% by 2005. Volleyball and swimming showed nearly identical trends increasing steadily from just over 25% to slightly under 30%. The only sport to lose interest over the period was tennis which fell from over 30% in 1995 to under 30% in 2000 and nearly 25% by 2005.
over the full period (prepositional phrase) – from the beginning of time on the graph to the end
with the exception of (prepositional phrase) – not including
by far (adverbial phrase) – by a lot or much more/less than
throughout the period (prepositional phrase) – from the beginning of time on the graph to the end
similar numbers (adj + n) – statistics that are almost the same
the least interest (adj + n) – the lowest level of interest
rose (v) – increased
just under (adverbial phrase) – a little but less than
around (adv) – approximately
grew at steady intervals (verb phrase) – increased steadily
almost (adv) – nearly/close to
similar levels of interest (noun phrase) – almost the same amount of interest
among this group (adverbial phrase) – included in this group
ending up with (verb phrase) – finishing with/having at the end
nearly identical trends (noun phrase) – almost the same pattern
just over (adverbial phrase) – a little bit more than
NOTES!
My gift for the lazy! If you got this far and didn’t take any notes of your own, consider this charity! You can find more notes like it on our Instagram page.
Sports Articles and Videos
Check out these links for fun and interesting videos and articles about bikes!
by Dave | Mar 15, 2018 | Sample Answers
This is an IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer from March 15th 2018 on the topic of whether or not students should mainly read literature from their own country or other countries.
It’s a seemingly simple question but as with all questions it’s a real challenge to think of ideas that are relevant and that you can support well.
I bet you can think of some main ideas. For agree: to learn about the traditions of their country, to learn about its history, to inform their identity, to learn their language better, to become more patriotic. Those are all good – but can you support them?
It’s best to choose one idea and support it fully rather than writing a paragraph full of main ideas. That is the fastest and easiest pathway to a band 5 for Task Achievement – by far the most common score on IELTS Writing Task 2.
Read on for a sample answer from a former examiner, analysis, vocabulary practice and some handwritten notes!
For more, check out our other sample answers here: IELTS Sample Answers.
You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel for some IELTS Speaking Sample Answers: HowtodoIELTS YouTube.
Dave
Sample Answer
Some people say that school children should be mainly taught about the literature (e.g fiction and poetry) of their own country because it is more important than that of other countries.
To what extent do you agree?
Many think that it is more important to learn about the literature from one’s own country, rather than other countries. I am in complete agreement with this viewpoint because of how literature can contribute to both national understanding and individual identity.
The most fundamental reason that children should be exposed to literature from their own country is to deepen their understanding. For example, young students in America study a common curriculum including authors like Dr. Seuss, Shel Silverstein, and Harper Lee. The books from Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein convey principles of individualism, creativity and entrepreneurship that are key to understanding America’s history and present. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a good example of a book focused on a period of racial segregation, that can help students to better understand recent events around the Black Lives Matter movement. Learning about racism from a classic novel set in America is more likely to likely engage, inform and stimulate a relevant response.
Another reason why students need to learn their national literature well is that it will help to shape their personal identity at an impressionable age. Children will form their identity from a variety of sources, including the literature of other countries. This is a positive development. But the main influence should be from their own country so that they are a true representative of their nationality. A Japanese child growing up abroad could return to Japan and feel like an outsider. One method of countering this is to make sure they have a good grasp of poetry and fiction from Japan. From classical poetry they will be influenced by Japan’s singular minimalist tradition. From the novels, they will learn about the relationships between people and the differing levels of formality expected in Japanese society. This will all contribute to making their identity more Japanese.
In conclusion, children will better understand and have their identity firmly shaped by the literature of their home country. This is becoming increasingly important in a globalized world that threatens to blur the distinctions between nationalities into a single mono-culture.
Sample Answer Analysis
1. Many think that it is more important to learn about the literature from one’s own country, rather than other countries. 2. I am in complete agreement with this viewpoint because of how literature can contribute to both national understanding and individual identity.
1. The first sentence simply restates what the general topic is – should kids mainly read literature from their own country.
2. The second sentence is the self-evident opinion that it is more important to learn your country’s literature (I agree).
1. The most fundamental reason that children should be exposed to literature from their own country is to deepen their understanding. 2. For example, young students in America study a common curriculum including authors like Dr. Seuss, Shel Silverstein, and Harper Lee. 3. The books from Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein convey principles of individualism, creativity and entrepreneurship that are key to understanding America’s history and present. 4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a good example of a book focused on a period of racial segregation, that can help students to better understand recent events around the Black Lives Matter movement. 5. Learning about racism from a classic novel set in America is more likely to likely engage, inform and stimulate a relevant response.
1. The first sentence is a topic sentence that includes my main idea for the whole paragraph (literature will deepen a child’s understand of their country).
2. The second sentence jumps right into my example by listing 3 authors common read in America (where I’m from).
3. The third sentence expands on what elements of America they will be able to better understand from 2 of the 3 authors.
4. The fourth sentence expands on what they will be able to better understand from the 3rd author.
5. The fifth sentence develops that idea by saying how important literature is in general to engaging students.
1. Another reason why students need to learn their national literature well is that it will help to shape their personal identity at an impressionable age. 2. Children will form their identity from a variety of sources, including the literature of other countries. 3. This is a positive development. 4. But the main influence should be from their own country so that they are a true representative of their nationality. 5. A Japanese child growing up abroad could return to Japan and feel like an outsider. 6. One method of countering this is to make sure they have a good grasp of poetry and fiction from Japan. 7. From classical poetry they will be influenced by Japan’s singular minimalist tradition. 8. From the novels, they will learn about the relationships between people and the differing levels of formality expected in Japanese society. 9. This will all contribute to making their identity more Japanese.
1. The first sentence is a topic sentence that includes my main idea for the whole paragraph (literature helps shape personal identity).
2. The second sentence explains that identity comes from a variety of sources including other countries’ literature.
3. The third sentence is short and says this is a positive development.
4. The fourth sentence claims that literature from their own country should be the primary influence.
5. The fifth sentence gives an example of a Japanese child growing up in another country feeling out of place in Japan.
6. The sixth sentence argues that this can be fixed by encouraging the child to read Japanese poetry and fiction.
7. The seventh sentence explains how poetry will impact their identity.
8. The eigth sentence explains how the novels will impact their identity.
9. The ninth sentence concludes the paragraph by saying these will all impact their identity.
1. In conclusion, children will better understand and have their identity firmly shaped by the literature of their home country. 2. This is becoming increasingly important in a globalized world that threatens to blur the distinctions between nationalities into a single mono-culture.
1. The first sentence restates my opinion that learning their own country’s literature is more important.
2. The last sentence adds an extra detail that further explains why it is important to have distinct nationalities in a globalized world.
Vocabulary Analysis and Practice
I have highlighted some of the high-level vocabulary from the sample answer.
Before looking at the definition let’s do some practice!
Answer the following questions about everything in bold:
1. What does each one mean?
2. Can you think of another way to say the same thing?
Many think that it is more important to learn about the literature from one’s own country, rather than other countries. I am in complete agreement with this viewpoint because of how literature can contribute to both national understanding and individual identity.
The most fundamental reason that children should be exposed to literature from their own country is to deepen their understanding. For example, young students in America study a common curriculum including authors like Dr. Seuss, Shel Silverstein, and Harper Lee. The books from Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein convey principles of individualism, creativity and entrepreneurship that are key to understanding America’s history and present. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a good example of a book focused on a period of racial segregation, that can help students to better understand recent events around the Black Lives Matter movement. Learning about racism from a classic novel set in America is more likely to likely engage, inform and stimulate a relevant response.
Another reason why students need to learn their national literature well is that it will help to shape their personal identity at an impressionable age. Children will form their identity from a variety of sources, including the literature of other countries. This is a positive development. But the main influence should be from their own country so that they are a true representative of their nationality. A Japanese child growing up abroad could return to Japan and feel like an outsider. One method of countering this is to make sure they have a good grasp of poetry and fiction from Japan. From classical poetry they will be influenced by Japan’s singular minimalist tradition. From the novels, they will learn about the relationships between people and the differing levels of formality expected in Japanese society. This will all contribute to making their identity more Japanese.
In conclusion, children will better understand and have their identity firmly shaped by the literature of their home country. This is becoming increasingly important in a globalized world that threatens to blur the distinctions between nationalities into a single mono-culture.
Vocabulary Definitions
one’s own country (noun phrase): the country you are from
in complete agreement with (prepositional phrase): agree with
viewpoint (n): opinion
individual identity (n): who you are / your personal knowledge of yourself
most fundamental reason (noun phrase): basic reason why
exposed (v): to see or experience something
deepen their understanding (verb phrase): understand something better or more deeply/clearly
common curriculum (n): materials and content all students study
convey principles (v + n): teach or show basic values/ideas
individualism (n): stressing the individual person over the community
creativity (n): the ability to think of new ideas
entrepreneurship (n): starting or doing something on your own
racial segregation (adj + n): separating people based on their race or skin color
recent events (adj + n): situation usually in the news from not a long time ago
engage (v): to be interested in something
inform (v): to know something well / to tell someone information about something
stimulate (v): to feel energized or deeply interested and cause a reaction
relevant response (adj + n): an answer or response that is related
another reason why (adverbial phrase): an additional reason
national literature (adj + n): literature from a country
impressionable age (adj + n): an age when you are easily influenced
a variety of sources (noun phrase): coming from many different places
positive development (adj + n): a good thing/change
main influence (adj + n): primary impact/effect
true representative (adj + n): an honest representation/sample/symbol of something
growing up abroad (verb phrase): to live in a foreign country
countering (v): to fix/combat or try to change
good grasp (adj + n): good understanding of something
classical poetry (adj + n): old, good poetry
Japan’s singular minimalist tradition (noun phrase): the aesthetic from Japan that is unique to them focusing on minimal/simple design
differing levels of formality (verb phrase): different ways of interacting with people based on age and stature
firmly shaped (adv + v): influenced powerfully
increasingly important (adv + adj): becoming more important
globalized world (adj + n): cultures becoming more similar around the world
threatens to blur the distinctions (verb phrase): may begin to break down the differences between
mono-culture (n): a single culture
Example Notes
“Can I use a personal example in an IELTS Writing Task 2 essay?”
I get this question all the time on the HowtodoIELTS Facebook Group.
The answer is simple: yes, but no.
Technically, yes. As long as it is relevant you should not lose points. In the answer above you could talk about what you learned at school and that would be fine.
But I personally know some examiners who will mark you down for it.
My final advice: it’s a risk – so don’t do it unless if you like taking risks with your IELTS score and your future.
by Dave | Mar 14, 2018 | IELTS FAQ
I have noticed a significant increase recently in people on social media and other websites offering fake IELTS certificates (also known as IELTS Test Report Forms). These are scammers:
Beware scammers on Facebook offering fake IELTS certificates!
Dave
Beware Fake Certificates!
Luckily these offers are pretty easy to spot:
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They often guarantee you a high band score (no one can guarantee you that!).
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They claim you will receive a ‘verified IELTS certificate’ without even taking the test (like winning the lottery without buying a ticket!).
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They suggest they have insider contacts within British Council or IDP to help you (this is just bullshit).
What is guaranteed is that they will ask for a large fee and the certificate that you will get will be FAKE and useless, and the immigration department or university you apply to will verify your result online and reject your application.
Worse than that, they may blacklist (ban) you, so you won’t be able to re-apply to that university or country in the future!
We strongly recommend that you just ignore these scammers, and even better report them to [email protected]
Beware Fake Registration Websites!
We are also aware that there are more and more websites pretending to be British Council IELTS registration sites. These websites are trying to carry out identity fraud by stealing your personal information.
Therefore, we recommend that before you enter any personal details, please make sure that you are using the official and secure British Council or IDP sites in your country. You can access them here:
Beware fake registration websites. Only use official British Council or IDP sites.
by Dave | Mar 12, 2018 | IELTS FAQ
How are your band scores calculated for each skill, as well as your Overall Score? The process of marking and scoring your IELTS exam can seem complicated and confusing. In this guide I will explain everything you need to know about the following:
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Overall Band Score
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Listening and Reading Scores
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Speaking Scores
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Writing Scores
If you need some writing feedback from a former examiner about your strengths and weaknesses, as well as your current band scores, check out IELTS Writing Band Score and Correction Service.
An example IELTS Certificate (or IELTS Test Report Form), with band scores for four skills and an Overall Band Score.
Dave
Overall Band Score
Students get a whole or half band score (0-9) for each of the four skills (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking).
The average of these four scores is calculated by adding them together and dividing by 4. This figure is then rounded up or down to the nearest whole or half band score to produce an ‘Overall Band Score’.
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Listening
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Reading
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Writing
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Speaking
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Average (of 4 Skills)
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Overall Band score
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Donald
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6.5
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6.5
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5
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7
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6.25
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6.5
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Kanye
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4.0
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3.5
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4.0
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4.0
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3.875
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4.0
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Taylor
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6.5
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6.5
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5.5
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6.0
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6.125
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6.0
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Listening and Reading Scores
In the IELTS Listening and Reading exams, a member of the British Council or IDP exams team will mark your answers to the 40 questions for each test, using an answer key from Cambridge.
Each correct answer scores one point and the the total (raw) score out of 40 is calculated for both the Reading and Listening tests. These raw scores for each skill are then converted into a whole or half band score (0-9).
Below is a guide to how many points you need to achieve a particular band score, but this will change depending on the difficulty of the test. For example, if you have a difficult listening test, the score needed for band 6 might be 21 or 22. If the listening test is easier, you might need to score 24 or 25 to get the same band score.
As you can see from the table below, a higher raw score may be needed in General Training to get the same band score compared to Academic reading. This is because Academic reading texts often contains more difficult vocabulary or more complex styles of writing.
IELTS Listening
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IELTS Reading (Academic)
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IELTS Reading (General Training)
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Band score
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Raw score out of 40
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Band score
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Raw score out of 40
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Band score
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Raw score out of 40
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5
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16
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5
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15
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4
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15
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6
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23
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6
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23
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5
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23
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7
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30
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7
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30
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6
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30
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8
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35
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8
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35
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7
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34
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Speaking Scores
An IELTS examiner at British Council or IDP will assess your speaking overall for the three parts of the speaking test. Parts 1, 2 and 3 are equally important but they do not give separate scores for each part.
Overall, your speaking will get a whole band score (0-9) for each of the four criteria:
– Fluency and Coherence (F) – Ability to keep going and structure
– Lexical Resource (LR) – Vocabulary
– Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GR) – Grammar
– Pronunciation (P) – Correct sounds, word and sentence stress, intonation and rhythm.
You can find more information about the band descriptors for IELTS Speaking here:
The exams office at BC or IDP will calculate an average score, and this figure will be rounded down to the nearest half or whole band score (see the table below).
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F
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LR
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GR
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P
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Average Score
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Final Result
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Speaking
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5
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7
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7
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6
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6.25
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6*
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*rounded down to the nearest half or whole band score.
Writing Scores
Task 1 and Task 2 writing will be marked separately by two different IELTS examiners.
For each task, your writing will get a whole band score (0-9) for each of the following four criteria:
– Task Achievement (TA) – Opinion and Ideas
– Coherence and Cohesion (CC) – Organisation and Linking
– Lexical Resource (LR) – Vocabulary and Spelling
– Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GR) – Grammar and Punctuation
You can find more information about the band descriptors for IELTS Writing here:
The exams office at BC or IDP will calculate an average score for each Task, and a combined score (Task 2 = 66%, Task 1 = 33%). The final figure is rounded down to the nearest half or whole band score.
It is very important to remember that Task 2 is worth twice as much as Task 1 (Task 2 = 66%, Task 1 = 33%).
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TA
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CC
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LR
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GR
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Average Scores
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Final result
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Writing Task 1
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5
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7
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7
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6
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6.25
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Writing Task 2
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6
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6
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6
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5
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5.75
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Combined Writing Score (Task 1 = 33%, Task 2 = 66%).
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5.91
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5.5*
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*rounded down to the nearest half or whole band score
by Dave | Mar 12, 2018 | IELTS Grammar
Students who want to achieve band 7+ for their IELTS Writing Task 2 need to use a wide range of grammar structures. In this article I show you how to use a range of modals naturally to express opinions, as well as make suggestions and predictions, which will help improve your grammar band score.
For more examples of good grammar in use, check out our Task 2 sample answers here: IELTS Sample Answers.
You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel for some IELTS Speaking Sample Answers: HowtodoIELTS YouTube.
Be sure to avoid the mistakes that most students make on writing by signing up now for my exclusive IELTS Ebooks here on Patreon.
Dave
Grammar Doesn’t have to be Complex
In order to get a high band score for your writing you need to be able to naturally use a wide range of grammar structures. For Task 2 writing, this means correctly using complex structures, but it also means using more basic structures naturally, including modal verbs.
Sample Essay
Below is a sample essay for the following question.
Some people think that all university students should study whatever they like. Others believe that they should only be allowed to study subjects that will be useful in the future, such as those related to science and technology.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Look at the phrases that are in bold. For each one, do you think they are expressing (saying) something more certain or less certain?
One question that has caused a great deal of controversy over the years is which subjects students study at University. I believe that students should have the choice to study whatever they like. However we have to overcome the problem of enough graduates in important subjects. In this essay the arguments surrounding this issue will be discussed.
Many people argue that students should choose their own subjects at university. The principle reason for this is because students will probably be more motivated so they will be more likely to work harder and for longer and therefore achieve more, be more successful and probably more satisfied. A good example is a student who has a passion for art or science. They will be more likely to do extra work to improve their knowledge or develop their skills to a higher level. Another reason is that if students follow their passion it can often lead to more creativity. An example here is Steve Jobs, who followed his passions to become one of the most creative and successful entrepreneurs of modern times.
Other people suggest that students should not be allowed to choose. They argue that if society allowed students to do this, then we might be left with a lack of graduates in some ‘core’ subjects essential for the future. An example here is important subjects such as science or technology, which might not be popular without encouragement. This could result in a less skilled labour force with a negative impact on the economy. However I would suggest that this is not a serious problem as we could deal with this issue by making core subjects more attractive. This could be done through financial policies, for example reduced fees, offering bursaries or guaranteeing jobs for studying the target subjects.
In conclusion, there are clear advantages of allowing students to choose their own subjects both for individuals as well as wider benefits. Nevertheless we must ensure there are enough students who select important subjects. This could be achieved using financial incentives or job guarantees. Regardless, we must always make sure our Universities are flexible enough to meet the challenges that society will face in the future.
Use the Correct Grammar for the Right Situation
Let’s look at the sample answer again. I’ve coloured phrases that are more certain in red and phrases that are less certain in green. It’s now clear to see that in my first body paragraph I am more certain about my opinions, whereas in the second body paragraph I am less certain.
First Body Paragraph:
Many people argue that students should choose their own subjects at university. The principle reason for this is because students will probably be more motivated so they will be more likely to work harder and for longer and therefore achieve more, be more successful and probably more satisfied. A good example is a student who has a passion for art or science. They will be more likely to do extra work to improve their knowledge or develop their skills to a higher level. Another reason is that if students follow their passion it can often lead to more creativity. An example here is Steve Jobs, who followed his passions to become one of the most creative and successful entrepreneurs of modern times.
Second Body Paragraph:
Other people suggest that students should not be allowed to choose. They argue that if society allowed students to do this, then we might be left with a lack of graduates in some ‘core’ subjects essential for the future. An example here is important subjects such as science or technology, which might not be popular without encouragement. This could result in a less skilled labour force with a negative impact on the economy. However I would suggest that this is not a serious problem as we could deal with this issue by making core subjects more attractive. This could be done through financial policies, for example reduced fees, offering bursaries or guaranteeing jobs for studying the target subjects.
Analysis: First Body Paragraph (more certain)
In this paragraph I am confidently explaining my opinion about why students should choose their own subjects, by suggesting they’ll probably be more motivated, work harder and be more successful.
So I use language that matches my confidence. However this is academic writing so I’m still not 100% confident. Look at the table that compares good and bad ways to express certainty.
I didn’t say “Students will be more motived so they will work harder” or “If students follow their passion they will be more creative.”
This is too strong so instead I used “will probably be more motivated” or “can often lead to more creativity“
Good phrases for strong opinions
(Strong – 80%)
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Poor phrases for strong opinions
(Too Strong – 100%)
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Students will probably be more motivated……
…will be more likely to work harder.
If students follow their passion it can often lead to more creativity.
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Students will be more motivated…
…so they will work harder.
If students follow their passion they will be more creative.
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Analysis: Second Body Paragraph (less certain)
In this paragraph I first make predictions about possible negative effects of allowing students to choose (a lack of graduates for important subjects and it’s possible impact on the economy). Then I suggest a possible solution (making important subjects more attractive through financial incentives).
By using less certain language, I show that these are just possible ideas. I didn’t say “We will be left with a lack of graduates.” or “This will result in a less skilled workforce.” or even “This can be done through financial policies.”
Those structures are too strong for academic writing so instead I used “We might be left with a lack of graduates.“, “This could result in a less skilled workforce.” and “This could be done through financial policies.”
Good phrases for predictions and suggestions
(Possible – 50%)
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Poor phrases for predictions and suggestions
(Too Strong – 100%)
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We might be left with a lack of graduates.
This could result in a less skilled workforce.
This could be done through financial policies.
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We will be left with a lack of graduates.
This will result in a less skilled workforce.
This can be done through financial policies.
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Plan your Language
As well as brainstorming and organising ideas, it’s important to think about how certain you want to be about these ideas. Yes, I said want because remember your essay doesn’t have to follow your real opinions, and you should try to use a range of grammar.
When you are planning your body paragraphs, keep in mind what language you will use to express your opinions and suggestion/predictions. For example if you have a discuss both sides question, which requires you to choose a side, then use more certain language for your chosen side but use less certain language for the other side.
Likewise in a problem and solution essay, you could choose to use stronger language to talk about the seriousness of the problem, but weaker language to discuss solutions.
Now it’s your turn! Put your answers in the comments.
Governments should spend money on railways rather than roads.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Brainstorm some main ideas – then write some strong/weak opinions and strong/weak suggestions or predictions using suitable language.
