IELTS Writing Task 2: How to Write Good Body Paragraphs

Body paragraphs are the main section of your essay where you develop and explain your key ideas in IELTS Writing Task 2.  For an essay length of at least 250 words, it is common to include 2 or 3 body paragraphs as a way of covering all parts of the question prompt.   

When looking at the IELTS Writing test marking criteria for Task 2, you will see that being able to extend and support your ideas is a key feature of Task Response, which is worth 25% of your band score.   

As for the Coherence and Cohesion criteria, the upper bands require body paragraphs to have a main, central idea.  Body paragraphs are also a good way to showcase your understanding of linking devices as you would use them to make your answer more logical and connected. 

So, what makes a well-structured body paragraph? Let’s have a look.  

Before writing your essay, consider spending a few minutes brainstorming some ideas to include in your body paragraphs.  You don’t need many – just say between 4 and 6 and you can look at points on both sides of the argument.   

Once you have done this, see if any of the ideas can be combined and support each other (e.g. they are thematically related or one idea is an effect of another idea).   

Brainstorming can also help you decide which direction you want to take with your answer.  It helps you to logically organise your thoughts, which helps with the Coherence and Cohesion criteria. 

Watch this video to learn more about Coherence and Cohesion.

From our video series How your IELTS Writing test is marked.

A topic sentence contains the main idea or theme your paragraph is going to talk about.  It helps the reader (or in this case, the examiner) focus and easily follow your logic. 

Having a clear topic sentence can also keep you focused as the writer.  You need to make sure that the subsequent sentences all relate to this topic sentence. 

Also make sure that you have a key point or theme and avoid generic phrases like ‘The reasons for this are diverse.’ 

Once you have written your topic sentence, pick out a key word or words and try to expand on them by providing more explanation.   

It is much better to continue the same idea throughout the paragraph instead of just making a list of arguments.  If you are able to continue with the same point, you are showing the examiner you can develop and extend your ideas. 

Examples are a great way of extending your main idea of the paragraph.  Make sure they are used more towards the second half of the paragraph as they should be used to support your main argument.   

Don’t leap to an example straight after your topic sentence and make sure it does not dominate your paragraph.   

Try to avoid using examples that include statistics you have invented – it is obvious you have done this as you do not have access to a library or internet in the test.  You want to avoid showing the examiner you are using memorised language.   

It is okay to use your own experience in your examples, but make sure they are written in a non-personal way.  In this way, you are more likely to use a wider range of language.  

A developed body paragraph should contain multiple sentences.  As such, it is necessary to connect them together so there is better flow, which helps the reader follow your logic.   

This is where linking devices can help you, such as when you want to introduce an example, explain a consequence, add a further point, add a contrast, etc.   

Some common linking devices: for example, as a result, furthermore, despite         

You can also use referencing and substitution as a way of avoiding repetition of vocabulary. 

Let’s look at a couple of body paragraphs which can show you what to avoid and what to include in your own answer. 

IELTS Writing Task 2: Sample essay question

Here is a sample essay question for Task 2 in the IELTS Writing test. 

IELTS Writing Task 2: Sample body paragraphs

Let’s look at a couple of sample body paragraphs and compare two different approaches.  Imagine the writer agrees with the statement. 

Here are some questions to think about when reading this sample: 

1. Does the writer have a clear topic sentence? 

2. Does the writer use linking words well? 

3. Does the writer have any repetition of vocabulary? 

4. Does the paragraph have one main idea that is fully developed? 

 The reasons why public transport should be free are diverse.  First of all, it is a great way for people to save money.  Also, by taking public transport, people will walk more and use steps, which is good for people’s health.  Besides, people can feel safer on buses and trains if there are more people on them, especially for people who use transport late at night.  Furthermore, if public transport is free, people would use their cars less, so this would improve the problem of air pollution in many cities.  Therefore, this is why people should not have to pay for public transportation. 

Let’s review the analysis questions: 

1. Does the writer have a clear topic sentence? 

No. The sentence:  ‘The reasons why public transport should be free are diverse.’ does not contain a topic – it is just a generic phrase without a main theme or idea.   

2. Does the writer use linking words well? 

No.  While it is a good idea to use linking devices, this writer has overused them by starting almost every sentence with one (e.g. First of all / Also / Besides / Furthermore / Therefore).

3. Does the writer have any repetition of vocabulary? 

Yes, in particular the word ‘people’.  Some synonyms can be used like: commuters, travellers and passengers.  Also, the writer can use referencing, for example words like ‘they’ or ‘them’ to refer back to the noun that was already mentioned.   

4. Does the paragraph have one main idea that is fully developed? 

No.  This writer has made a list of 4 ideas (save money, health, safety, pollution), but has developed none of them. Overall, this is not a good example of a body paragraph. It does not have a clear and central idea – it is just a list of points which are not developed or extended.  Linking devices are overused and there is repetition of vocabulary. 

Now, let’s look at the same question and consider another approach. This writer also agrees with the statement. 

Here are the same questions to think about when reading this sample: 

1. Does the writer have a clear topic sentence? 

2. Does the writer use linking words well? 

3. Does the writer have any repetition of vocabulary? 

4. Does the paragraph have one main idea that is fully developed? 

The main reason why public transport should be free is that this encouragement away from private options is great for people’s overall health.  From a physical perspective, catching a bus or a train means travellers would be less sedentary given there is walking, climbing steps and carrying bags involved in doing so.  This is quite different to driving a car, where a worker or student goes from door to door, with minimal exertion required. Mental health would also be improved given that the stress of battling peak hour traffic would be removed, leaving people time to read or view videos they enjoy on their electronic devices as a leisure activity.  Taking the city of Brisbane as an example, commuters there are often seen reading or chatting with others after a long day at work or study, avoiding the gridlock that can be seen during the afternoon peak.   

Let's review the analysis questions again.

1. Does the writer have a clear topic sentence? 

Yes.  The whole paragraph relates to people’s health. 

2. Does the writer use linking words well? 

Yes.  There are linking words like ‘From a physical perspective’, ‘also’, ‘Taking the city of Brisbane as an example’. 

3. Does the writer have any repetition of vocabulary? 

Not really.  The word ‘people’ is not overused like in the first example. There are words used to avoid repetition, which is helpful (e.g. it, in doing so, this, they, their, there, others). 

4. Does the paragraph have one main idea that is fully developed? 

Yes.  Even though the writer talks about both physical and mental advantages, they are both related to health. 

Overall, this is a good example of a body paragraph. It has a main idea which is extended and supported.  Linking devices are not overused and repetition is avoided by using referencing and substitution. 

Just as a well-structured body paragraph builds on your ideas, a strong conclusion will remind the examiner of your main points and why they’re important. Read our article on writing good conclusions to learn about the final part of your IELTS essay.   

Read answers to frequently asked questions about IELTS Writing Task 2.