Brainstorming is such an important skill that can really help your Task 2 IELTS Writing and Part 3 IELTS Speaking.
If you can brainstorm well, you’ll amaze your friends, bosses, and co-workers as if you were a magician pulling amazing ideas out of your hat.
But the key to brainstorming isn’t pulling out an amazing idea every time – it is pulling out hundreds of bad ideas, not feeling bad about that and then finding a good one every once in a while.
Imagine that you are someone else considering the problem.
For example, ‘Should we ban hunting for sport/fun?’
What would different people say about this and why?
A hunter might say ‘No, because it is a traditional activity handed down for generations that has many benefits related to family bonding and personal enjoyment.’
A cop might say ‘Yes, because it allows people to buy powerful guns that can then be used in violent crimes.’
A doctor might say ‘Yes, because there are countless hunting injuries each year, and these often involve people who were not even hunting.’
A liberal-wuss might say ‘Yes, because we share the earth with animals – we do not own them.’
Even try some strange ones like from the point of view of a famous (or imaginary) person or a different gender, age group, time period or location:
Superman might say with a smirk ‘I don’t really have an opinion about this but if there’s an asteroid coming towards the Earth I WILL stop it and save all the humans AND animals.’
A child might say ‘It is simply wrong to hurt animals because they are cute and friendly.’
A person from the past might say ‘Animals should only be killed to be eaten.’
A person in a poor country might say ‘There isn’t enough time or money to spend hunting for fun.’
I would say ‘[fill in your opinion here]’
See how easy that was to think of tons of great ideas? Try it out on your next Task 2 Writing Essay!
Activity #2 Use Humour to Release your Ideas
The best video lecture on creativity was given by John Cleese, the famous comedy writer and actor of Monty Python. You can find it here.
One of his many insights is that humour is a fast way of getting to a creative place and thinking of good ideas.
Tell a joke, everyone laughs and that lowers their defences and helps them think more freely and confidently.
So what can you do on the IELTS exam? Think of a joke from a comedian or a friend or a TV show or movie that you like.
Enjoy the joke for a second. That will relax you. Then write down your ideas after that.
Activity #3 Question Words
Who? Where? Why? When? How? How much/many? What? Which?
Use these question words to generate ideas.
For example, the IELTS question is ‘Should we ban hunting for sport/fun?’
Ask yourself:
“Who wants to ban hunting? Who doesn’t?”
“Where is hunting common?”
“Why do people hunt? Why do people want to band hunting?”
“How do most people hunt? Is it dangerous?”
“Howmuch does hunting cost? Howmany animals are killed every year?”
“What would happen if hunting was banned? What if it becomes more popular?”
“Which countries hunt the most? Does this have an effect?”
This makes it a lot easier to come up with some really good ideas!
Activity #4 Wishful Thinking
Think about the ideal or perfect solution.
If you were doing a Task 2 Writing about Space Tourism – the advantages and disadvantages – what is the best possible outcome?
“We discover new technology and new planets and learn more about the universe. We come in contact with friendly aliens.”
If it was a Part 3 Speaking question – ‘Will people in the future continue to live in the city rather than the countryside?’
“The ideal future would be most people living in cities for work but still large populations outside the cities so that they are not too crowded. Maybe people will live outside cities if there are more opportunities for work there.”
Alternatively, you can think of the worst possible outcome and that will help you to think of ideas as well.
Activity #5 Word Links/Associations
This is a classic brainstorming method.
Write down the main word related to the topic. For example, ‘pollution.’
Now write down all the words that you usually associate with this word – climate change, governments, corporations, taxes, fossil fuels, etc.
Use these words as the basis of your main ideas and support in your paragraphs.
You can also try out this website which is really helpful for starting to think of ideas if you are doing a practice essay at home or practicing your part 3 speaking: WordStorm.com
Activity #6 Doodling and Mind Maps
Drawing pictures is a great way to come up with ideas because it allows your mind to drift and naturally think of a large number of related ideas.
So if you find yourself stuck in your Task 2 Writing, and you like to draw, try doodling a little bit on the test to start thinking again.
You don’t want to spend the full hour drawing pictures because the examiner probably won’t give you a good band score no matter how amazing your pictures are.
But taking a minute to draw what you are talking about will get you thinking again.
Activity #7 A Mathematical Equation
The last idea is for people who think artistically and this one is for people who are more logical and mathematical.
If this was a Task 2 Writing Question, for example, ‘What are the disadvantages of too many people living in cities?’ you could rewrite it like an equation:
Too many people + _________________ = Bad for cities
Then write down a few possibilities for the blank space: traffic jams, pollution, cleanliness, expensive, crime, etc.
Then choose the best 1 or 2 ideas and write about those in your essay.
Activity #8 Reverse Thinking
This means to think backwards from the solution.
Here’s a problem solution Task 2 Writing Question: Children today are becoming less healthy. Why is this a problem and what possible solutions are there?
Start with a solution: getting more exercise.
Now work backwards – how did you get children to exercise more?
Long gym classes at school, more sports facilities open to the public, public service announcements to encourage parents to go out with their kids more often, more parks in cities, etc.
That’s your whole Task 2 solutions paragraph – done!
You can also use the is for Part 3 of the Speaking test: ‘How could governments encourage people to go to museums more often?’
‘By building better, more interesting museums. To do this they could include more interactive exhibitions, update the items in museums more often, make sure museums are free on certain days of the week and advertise the museums better.’
Activity #9 The 6 Thinking Hats
Edward de Bono is one of the most famous writers on the subject of creativity.
One of his most famous books is about the 6 thinking hats.
This is very similar to activity #1 except instead of pretending to be another person, you just pretend to have a different perspective (i.e. ‘wear a different hat’).
Blue hat: manages the brainstorming by look at the overall picture or question. What are you trying to decide overall?
White hat: Uses data and information. Think about statistics, evidence and facts with this hat.
Yellow hat: Always looks for positive answers, always optimistic and hopeful. Think of ideal solutions and perfect situations here.
Green hat: Creative hat. Think about all the different possible alternatives here. This is the brainstorming hat.
Red hat: the instinctive hat. What is the first thing that comes into your head? How do you feel? Answer those questions for this hat.
Black hat: The judging hat. This hat judges the ideas you have thought of. Be careful not to use this hat too early or too much.
Activity #10 Rapid Writing
Just write – don’t stop writing.
This is the fastest method, I think.
Write down as many ideas as you can as quickly as you can. Take maybe 5 minutes.
Then go back and cross off some, circle some and improve some.
Simple but powerful!
Finally! Here’s a video helping you to think about main ideas for Task 2 Writing from our YouTube Channel!
Now it’s Your Turn! Brainstorm ideas for the question below:
What are the best ways to reduce crime in your country?
This is the main mission for your conclusion. If you only accomplish one objective, it should be this one.
The reason for it is in the band descriptors:
The key here is ‘presents a relevant position’. A position is the same thing as an opinion.
If you don’t say your opinion it is impossible to get a band 6 or above. Mission not accomplished.
Put in your conclusion and you can get at least a 6. So – just do it!
For example, ‘In my opinion, smoking should be banned in public places’ or ‘I believe that all children should be required to take computer lessons in school.’
Here is some vocabulary that will make your position crystal clear:
Be careful – only use the ones in blue and red for writing. The pink ones are only for the speaking test.
(By the way, if you want more tips like this you can check out our Facebook group)
2. Give your Main Reason for this Opinion
This one is pretty simple – just say why you have that opinion!
Don’t make up a new reason – use one that you already talked about in your writing.
For example: ‘In my opinion, smoking should be banned in public places because it has harmful side effects for people who are not smoking‘ or ‘I believe that all children should be required to take computer lessons in school because it will have a positive impact on their ability to get a good job later in life.’
3. An Extra Detail
This one is a little controversial.
Normally, examiners mark everyone’s writing exactly the same.
It doesn’t matter if you are in Bangladesh or France or Japan or Antarctica – you get the same marks because every examiner follows the band descriptors, like a perfectly objective robot.
But there are a few small areas where examiners do mark things a little differently. This is related to how long they have been marking, some unclear areas in the band descriptors, the person who trained them and even just human nature.
In these areas of difference you should always choose the safe option.
The safe option here is to include an extra detail to finish off your essay because some examiners will require you to have this for Band 7+.
What is an extra detail?
It could be a solution, more support for your opinion, a prediction – anything really!
Here are a few examples of extra details:
Prediction: If we ban smoking, people will lead longer, more productive lives and less money will be wasted on healthcare.
Further support: Health is more important than anything else and any effort to improve people’s health, including banning smoking, is a positive step forward.
Solution: The best way for nations to begin to institute these bans is to first raise taxes which will result in fewer smokers overall before completely banning smoking sometime in the next 20 years.
You do not need all 3 of those. 1 or 2 sentences with extra detail is enough to make sure you don’t get bumped down to band 6 because of a malfunctioning robot!
‘In my opinion, smoking should be banned in public places because it has harmful side effects for people who are not smoking. Health is more important than anything else and any effort to improve people’s health, including banning smoking, is a positive step forward.’
Opinion + Main Reason Why + Extra Detail = Mission Accomplished!
Now it’s Your Turn! Comment below!
Write only the conclusion for the following topic in the comments below:
Some people believe that we should have complete free speech and be allowed to say anything we want. Others think that there should be some limits on free speech. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
As part of the 60 minute writing test, you should spend around 20 minutes to write a 150 word letter. This letter might be informal e.g. to a friend, or it might be formal e.g. to a manager of a company.
Here is an example question:
Task 1
A friend has agreed to look after your house and child while you go out drinking.
Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:
Give contact details for when you are away.
Give instructions for how to take care of your child.
Describe other household duties.
Write at least 150 words.
You do not NEED to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear………………,
But people don’t write letters anymore!
Yes, this is true but in the world of the IELTS exam, letters are alive and well, so we just have to pretend people still use them and imagine you are the writer. The more you put yourself into the task, the easier it will be to come up with ideas for your letter.
Cover all three points!
It’s very important that your letter clearly cover the three points in the question, and expand on each one with extra detail. If you don’t write about all three points your Task Achievement score will fall to a 5. Also, It’s a letter so you should write in full sentences – don’t use bullet points.
Use a logical structure and paragraphs!
You should start by writing the purpose of your letter, and finish with a clear sign off. And your paragraphing should also be logical, so only one or two main ideas for each paragraph.
Formal and Informal Letters
The main skill you have to master for IELTS Writing Task 1 General Training is writing different kinds of letters.
You can see from the table below that how formal the letter is depends on the situation and your relationship with the reader. A request letter written to a friend or to a stranger will be very different.
What kind of letter?
Formal, Semi-formal or Informal?
Notes
You write to an important client to invite them to a product launch
formal / semi-formal
depends on how well you know the client
You write a letter to your boss asking them for dinner
semi-formal
They’re the boss but you’re inviting them to dinner so semi-formal is more appropriate.
You write to a close friend to invite them to dinner.
Informal / very informal
depends on how close you are
You write to the lost and found department of a train company to ask if they have found a lost bag which you left on the train.
formal
Can be very formal if you prefer because it’s to a company
You write to a friend to ask if they have found a lost watch from the last time you visited.
informal
Could be very informal if they are a close friend
You leave a letter for the babysitter to look after your child and home for the evening
Semi-informal
Could be informal if you’ve know them a long time
Openings: A Clear Purpose
Let’s look again at our example question:
A friend has agreed to look after your house and child while you go out drinking.
The first sentence of your letter should clearly set out the purpose of your letter, but it should use the correct tone – it should be formal or informal depending on the situation.
This is a good example of an informal opening:
Dear Dave,
How’s it going? Thanks so much for agreeing to take care of Sally for me on Saturday. I really appreciate it mate, as this means I can make it to the work party. And as you remember from last year, our end of year parties are legendary! hahaha.
They are a close friend, so the reader already knows a lot of about the writer, and their life and the writer feels very comfortable with the reader.
Therefore it will much friendlier, the language is much more informal, and the information is much less obvious and refers more to things they both know about.
This is a bad example of an informal opening:
Dear Dave,
I hope that this letter finds you well and your family are healthy too. I am deeply grateful to you, my most trusted friend, for agreeing to supervise my small child this Saturday. I am honoured that you are willing to sacrifice your time so I can attend our annual company celebrations. They are always such a thrilling experience.
Although friendly, the tone and language is much too formal for a letter to a close friend. Also there is too much obvious information and less reference to things the reader and writer know about.
Closings
The same is the case with closing a letter. The style must be suitable.
This is a good example:
So thanks again Dave. You’re a lifesaver!
See you on Saturday.
All the best
Nick
This is a bad example:
Finally, I must thank you again Dave. You are a most honourable man!
I hope to see you at 7pm sharp!
Yours sincerely
Nick Kemp
Vocab and Grammar
There are big differences in the language we use with friends and strangers. As you can see from the examples in the table below, informal writing has simpler structures, uses more contracted forms, and uses more natural vocabulary.
Formal
Informal
How are you?
How’s it going?
I am deeply grateful
thanks so much
supervise my small child
take care of Sally for me
my most trusted friend
mate
I am honoured
I really appreciate it
attend
make it to
our annual company celebrations
the work party
you are an honourable man
you’re a lifesaver
such a thrilling experience
legendary
How to plan your letter
1. Read the question carefully and answer the following:
2. What type of letter is it?
3. What are the three points that you need to cover?
4. Is it a formal or informal letter? (How well do you know the reader?)
5. Brainstorm information to expand the three points.
6. Think about vocab and functional phrases (formal or informal?)
7. Think about your opening and closing sentences (formal or informal?)
IELTS means ‘The International English Language Testing System’. It’s the world’s most popular English language test and it covers all four skills – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.
Why do people take an IELTS test?
It’s a requirement for study, work and migration with more than two million tests taken a year. It’s recognised by more than 10,000 organisations, including universities, employers, and governments, in 135 countries around the world.
You can take the Academic or General Training exam depending on the organisation you are applying to and your plans for the future.
How can I book an IELTS test?
There are over 1000 IELTS test centres in over 140 countries. For more info about booking a test you should visit the official IELTS website.
What is the difference between British Council and IDP?
IELTS is owned by Cambridge English Language Assessment, British Council and IDP. Cambridge writes the test and British Council and IDP deliver the test. All three organisations work together as one company to make sure the test is the same in all countries in both British Council and IDP.
For writing and speaking the examiners have been given exactly the same training, they ask the same questions, they use the same marking criteria and they will be monitored regularly using the same system to make sure they are following the same standards. For the reading and listening exams, local staff mark the same tests following the same answer keys from Cambridge. So, again this is the same for BC and IDP.
So if anyone tells you that taking your test with IDP or BC is better because you’re get a higher score then they are telling you a porkie. But if you have any real evidence that supports this then please message us.
How is IELTS scored?
IELTS covers all four skills (reading, listening, speaking and writing) and you get a ‘band score’ for each from 9 (expert) to 1 (non-user).
Reading and Listening: For each test you answer 40 questions. Each questions counts equally. Your marks are converted into a band score. e.g. 18/40 in the reading or listening test will result in a 5.5 score in that skill.
Speaking: You get an overall score based on an average of your fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation.
Writing: You get an overall score based on on the average of your task achievement (answering the question), coherence and cohesion (organisation), vocabulary and grammar. There are two tasks and task 2 counts twice as much as task 1.
Where can I find a copy of the IELTS band score descriptors?
Here are links to the public versions of the IELTS band descriptors, which are very similar to what real examiners use to mark your speaking and writing. If there is anything you don’t understand, please let us know.
Do I take all the parts of the test on the same day?
Listening, reading and writing are all carried out together in one 2 hour 40 minute session, and we’re really sorry but you don’t even get a break between sections, so make sure you get a good night sleep and breakfast and or lunch before your test! The speaking test is separate, although it can be on the same day or different day and may take place at a different location to the other three skills.
How are the Academic and General Training exams different?
– For writing, general candidates have to write a letter and an essay, whereas academic candidates have to describe a chart or diagram and an essay. Even though both general and academic candidates have to write an essay in task 2, the question is not the same. In fact the general task 2 is usually less academic and therefore easier than the academic task 2.
– For reading both general and academic candidates have to answer 40 questions, but in the academic exam these are based on three long articles, whereas in the general exam, most of the readings are shorter with only one long passage so it is not as difficult.
– For speaking and listening, academic and general candidates take exactly the same exam.
What happens in the Speaking test?
The IELTS speaking exam is a 11-14 minute face to face interview with an IELTS examiner which is made up of three parts:
– Part 1 (4-5 mins) – You are asked short questions on three personal, familiar topics e.g. your job, studies, hobbies, music, your childhood etc. You do not see the questions.
– Part 2 – ‘The long turn’ (3-4 mins) – You are asked to talk about a personal topic e.g. ‘Talk about a movie you recently saw’ for 1-2 minutes and you have 1 minute to prepare. You are given a copy of the topic as well as a pencil and paper for making notes.
– Part 3 – You are asked short questions on two academic topics related to the topic in part 2. So for the topic above you might be asked about movie watching habits and the film industry in your country.
What happens in the Writing test?
The IELTS writing exam is 60 minutes and is made up of two parts. It is recommended that you spend around 20 minutes on Task 1 and you must write a minimum of 150 words. Task 2 should take around 40 minutes and the minimum requirement is 250 words. Task 2 is worth twice the marks of Task 1. The tasks themselves are different depending on whether you are taking the Academic or General IELTS exam.
– Task 1 (General): write a letter e.g. a thank you letter or a complaint letter. This might be to a friend, colleague or a stranger.
– Task 1 (Academic): write a report to describe the main trends and key details of a chart, table, process or diagram. There are a range of different task type that should be familiar with.
– Task 2: write an essay. Although the task is the same for both, the topic will be different and often the General Training topic is less academic than the Academic topic.
What happens in the Listening test?
You will listen only once to a series of recordings over four sections. You will have short breaks of around 30 seconds before and after each sections and also in the middle of sections 1-3 to study the questions and prepare to listen. At the end you have 10 minutes to carefully transfer your answers to an answer sheet.
– Section 1: A general English conversation between two people e.g. someone calling to book tickets.
– Section 2: A general English talk by one person e.g. someone talking about the facilities of the local museum.
– Section 3: An academic conversation between two or more people e.g. between two students, or between a student and a teacher discussing a project or a lesson.
– Section 4: An academic presentation e.g. a university lecture.
What happens in the Reading test?
You will have 60 minutes to complete three sections and answer 40 questions. There is no transfer time (unlike in the listening test) so you should write your answers directly onto the question paper.
For the Academic Reading test exam, each section contains one long reading passage of between 700-900 words. These are real articles taken from academic journals, magazines or newspapers and are on academic topics that are of interest to the general public. They might be describe facts or discuss opinions. They may include diagrams, charts or photos.
For the General Training Reading test, the reading texts are taken from adverts and public notices or company training handbooks, books, magazines and newspapers.
– Section 1: contains a number of short reading texts relating to everyday life.
– Section 2: contains two short reading texts relating to the workplace.
– Section 3: contains one longer reading text on general interest topic.
When do I get my result?
You will receive your IELTS scores 13 days after your test. The results are recorded on a test report form but if you can’t wait for the paper copy you can check your results online and some centres even send you your result by text message. There is only one original of the test report form produced so keep it safe as a copy cannot be issued. However your local IELTS office will send a copy to your chosen university free of charge.
Can I use American or Australian English in the speaking and writing test?
Yes you can. It is an international test, so any commonly used accent or vocabulary is acceptable. However due to spelling and pronunciation differences for students aiming for a high band score it is advisable to focus on learning English from one particular country. Also, you should be careful if you use slang which is only used in one particular country. Try to use vocabulary which is used in all the main English speaking countries.
How can I get a high IELTS score?
There are 2 important factors: how high and when. It’s important to know what score you need compared to what you want. IELTS is a test of your English so in order to get a high band score you need very good English. A lot of students think there are shortcuts and tricks to getting a high score, but in fact it takes a long time and a lot of hard work. Once you know what score you need, how long you have, and what your current level is, then send us a message and we can help you to make a study plan that will help you achieve your goals.
How can I improve my IELTS scores?
Start by checking out some of our blog posts – we add new content weekly.
We also suggest that you sign up for our free PDFhere.
Am I allowed to bring any personal possessions into the IELTS test?
No, you can’t bring your bag, phone or even a watch with you. You will be scanned thoroughly before entering the rooms to make sure.
Can I write everything in capital letters in the IELTS exam?
In the listening and reading exams, you can write all your answers in capital letters if you want. One benefit of doing this is often the handwriting is clearer so you won’t make mistakes when you copy your answers during the 10 minutes transfer time and it’s easier for the person marking to understand.
In the writing exam, you will not lose marks if you write everything in capital letters. But it’s not a very good idea to do this if you don’t normally write in this way, because it may take longer.
How do IELTS scores compare with CEFR levels?
There is not a direct equivalent between IELTS scores and the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) but here is a rough guide:
– C2: between 8.0 and 8.5
– C1: between 6.5 and 7.0
– B2: between 5.0 and 5.5
– B1: around 4.0
How can I improve my IELTS scores?
Start by checking out some of our blog posts – we add new content weekly.
We also suggest that you sign up for our free PDF here.
What is HowtodoIELTS?
HowtodoIELTS was founded by two very experienced IELTS teachers Dave and Nick. They decided to create the site because a lot of students find it difficult to achieve the scores they need. This is because they don’t fully understand what the examiner is looking for and how to give it to them. We know lots of examiners so we know exactly what they want. Our purpose is twofold: teach you how to do the test and, if your English is not good enough, improve your English to get you a higher score.
How can HowtodoIELTS help?
We will give you the best, clearest advice available anywhere. We will provide study tips, speaking and writing model answers, and practice exercises. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube. We are working on lots of new content all the time, so if you can’t find what you need, please let us know and we’ll be happy to help.
Can I study with HowtodoIELTS?
Sorry, we can’t teach you at the moment. We currently have a Facebook Group and we will have more online courses available in the future. In the meantime, check out our blog posts and free PDFs – there is a lot of good stuff in those. If you can’t find what you need, please let us know and we’ll be happy to help.
Where is HowtodoIELTS located?
Dave is from the USA and Nick comes from the UK. We are both currently located in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, but we are helping students everywhere through howtodoielts.com and via our Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube pages.
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