In IELTS Writing Task 2, you are expected to write an essay on a given prompt. One aspect of the Task Response assessment criteria is for test takers to have a clear position on the topic.
This means you must make it clear to the reader (the examiner) which side you support or what to expect in the upcoming paragraphs. It is also important to expand on your position throughout the essay and to do this clearly to achieve a higher band score in your IELTS test.
Understand IELTS essay questions
Before you start writing your answer to the question, it is a good idea to analyse the task to see what type of answer you need to give. Here are some examples of IELTS Writing Task 2 question types:
Type 1: Opinion Essay
Public transport is often seen as a useful way to reduce traffic problems and pollution in cities. Therefore, public transport should be free for all citizens. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
In this task, you are expected to say whether you think public transport should be free or whether people should pay. Basically, you have two options: either you support the statement or you are against it. You need to clearly say which side you support in your answer.
Type 2: Discussion Essay
Some people say that companies can benefit if their staff work from home, but other people say that it is not useful for a business. Discuss both of these views and give your own opinion.
In this type of question, you have to expand on the two opposing views and add your own opinion as well, so there are three parts to this task in total. It is important that you outline these three different aspects clearly.
Type 3: Multi-part Question
These days, more and more people move to foreign countries to work or study. Why is this the case? How does this impact families?
In multi-part questions, there are two aspects to cover. In this case, the first question looks at the cause of this trend and the second asks about its effect. You need to be clear about what the cause and effect of this trend is in your essay.
Include a clear thesis statement in your introduction
In the introduction to your essay, besides providing some background information and a paraphrase of the question, it is important to add a thesis statement at the end of the paragraph.
A thesis statement can include your position and what the reader can expect to see in the next few paragraphs.
Let’s go back to the Type 1 sample question from earlier (i.e., the opinion essay). A thesis statement that shows your position for that task could be:
‘This essay will explain why commuters should not have free fares for their transport because of funding and fairness reasons.’
Firstly, the writer’s position is mentioned (should not have free fares for their transport) and the sentence also shows what to expect in body paragraph 1 (funding) and body paragraph 2 (fairness).
Looking at the Type 2 sample question (discussion essay), the thesis statement might look a little different. For example, you could say:
‘The following paragraphs will expand on the advantages and drawbacks of working from home for a company and will conclude with why it is more helpful rather than harmful for organisations.’
From this we can see that the writer is going to discuss both sides of the argument before talking about their position (which supports working from home).
Structure your body paragraphs around your position
It is essential to maintain a clear position throughout your answer. To do this, your body paragraphs should have a clear, central argument that supports your thesis statement.
Make sure each body paragraph has a topic sentence and that the subsequent sentences expand on this. Your supporting sentences could explain the topic further, discuss a consequence of the idea or even add an example to round it off.
Let’s use the Type 1 question as an example.
'First of all, free public transport still needs to be funded somehow by the municipal government or transportation provider. Commonly, this is done by raising taxes among the community or even by cutting expenses in other areas of society. A consequence of this would be a greater burden on the general populace as they would have less disposable income, especially if they do not utilise trains and buses or have to spend more money on other services that are no longer provided. For instance, hospital visits that were once free may have to be cut to enable governments to pay for fareless transport.'
Sentence | Function |
|---|---|
First of all, free public transport still needs to be funded somehow by the municipal government or transportation provider. | Topic sentence: introduces the main idea of the paragraph (how to fund free public transport). |
Commonly, this is done by raising taxes among the community or even by cutting expenses in other areas of society. | Supporting sentence: provides further explanation. |
A consequence of this would be a greater burden on the general populace as they would have less disposable income, especially if they do not utilise trains and buses or have to spend more money on other services that are no longer provided. | Supporting sentence: describes a consequence of this action. |
For instance, hospital visits that were once free may have to be cut to enable governments to pay for fareless transport. | Supporting sentence: gives an example. |
Use cohesion to strengthen your position
When moving on to each paragraph, it is necessary to have a logical flow. Firstly, you can use linking devices to help.
Linking devices, also known as connectors or cohesive devices, are words or phrases you can use to connect your ideas clearly and logically. These also make sure that your argument is not contradictory (containing ideas or statements that go against each other).
Let’s look at these two options of starting body paragraph 2:
Option 1:
‘The second reason why commuters should pay for their transport is fairness, especially for those who do not utilise trains or buses to arrive at their workplace or educational institution.’
Option 2:
‘On the other hand, public transport should be free because pollution has a great effect on people’s health.’
Option 1 uses a strong connector (the second reason why) and has a clear topic (fairness, especially for those who do not utilise trains or buses).
Option 2 also has a connector (On the other hand), but it is confusing as it contradicts the argument in the essay. The writer has said so far that public transport should not be free but has taken the essay in a completely different direction by explaining why it should be free.
It is okay to mention the opposing side of the argument, but be careful with having a whole paragraph dedicated to this in an opinion essay because it can cancel out what you are trying to say.
Include the opposing position (if relevant)
Sometimes, it is important to show the opposing side, like in a discussion essay. Looking at the Type 2 question from earlier, you could start your body paragraphs as follows:
'Looking at the advantages of working from home initially, some claim that organisations can benefit by ... '
'As for the opposing case, there are those who believe that working from home has the drawback of ... '
'From a personal perspective, even though there is a lack of interaction between staff when working remotely, the benefit of greater productivity is more useful to a company because ... '
You can see that the task has been clearly separated into three parts (one side according to some, the opposite side according to others and the writer’s personal view).
Reinforce your position in your conclusion
When writing your conclusion, it is a good idea to mention your position on the matter again, plus include the key points from each body paragraph. As these are ideas that have already been mentioned, you just need to summarise them in one sentence
Tip: Try to paraphrase your position in your conclusion. Use different words from your thesis statement to show the examiner you can use a wide range of language flexibly.
You can then end your conclusion with a final thought, idea or suggestion in a second sentence.
Here is a sample conclusion for the IELTS Writing Task 2 sample question:
‘To summarise, free public transport should not be implemented as this causes added financial stress, plus it shows favouritism to certain sectors of the community. Therefore, commuters should continue to pay for their transport as long as governments ensure they remain affordable.’
You will see here that the writer has used a linking device (To summarise), mentioned their position on the matter again (free public transport should not be implemented), the key point from body paragraph 1 (added financial stress) and the key point from body paragraph 2 (showing favouritism) all in one sentence.
Recap: How to include your position in IELTS Writing Task 2
State your position clearly in the introduction of your essay.
Make sure you have one clear point in each of your body paragraphs that supports your position (don’t contradict yourself).
Support your position by providing further explanation, a consequence or even an example.
In the conclusion, review the main points again briefly and ensure you mention your position on the matter again.
By following these steps, you can present a clear and well-supported position in your IELTS essay.
Get more writing tips in the IELTS Prepare Hub.
FAQs: IELTS Writing Task 2
Read answers to frequently asked questions about IELTS essays.