Ielts essay how to write introduction

IELTS Writing Task 2: How To Write an Effective Introduction

IELTS Writing Task 2 Introduction

Did you know that a strong introduction can make the difference between a Band 6 and a Band 8 in IELTS Writing Task 2?

In the video above, I’ll show you how to write a Band 8 introduction and avoid the 7 biggest mistakes most people make when they introduce their essays.

This post will help you write better introductions in your Task 2 IELTS essays and show the specific sentences I advise all of my students to use when writing IELTS Writing Task 2 introductions.

The introduction is the first part of the essay the examiner will read and it will give them a good first impression of what to expect in the rest of the essay.

Just like in person, first impressions last.

I often tell my students that a bad introduction in IELTS writing part 2 is the same as going in to the speaking exam and being rude to the examiner- no matter how good you are in the rest of it, the examiner won’t be happy and unhappy examiners are more likely to give you a lower mark.

Despite this warning, many good students go on to produce introductions with a few common problems in them.

Common Problems

Most of these essays start off with ‘Nowadays……’ or ‘In modern life….’ followed by general information about the topic. In my opinion, this is the worst start you can possibly make. Remember that you are supposed to answer the question not write generally about the topic.

This is the most important sentence in the essay. Not including one will lose you marks in several different ways. I will tell you more about this below.

If you don’t include a sentence outlining what your essay will say, the examiner doesn’t really know what you are going to write about in the rest of your essay. This will also lose you marks. I’ll show you how to write an outline sentence below.

Remember this is an IELTS exam, not a university essay. There are no extra points for being interesting, in fact being boring will probably help you. This will help you avoid ‘flowery’ language.

Know your audience. You are expected to write in an academic style.

Good and Bad Examples

Question: There is a good deal of evidence that increasing car use is contributing to global warming and having other undesirable effects on people’s health and well-being.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Good Introduction

Rising global temperatures and human health and fitness issues are often viewed as being caused by the expanding use of automobiles. This essay agrees that increasing use of motor vehicles is contributing to rising global temperatures and certain health issues. Firstly, this essay will discuss the production of greenhouse gases by vehicles and secondly, it will discuss other toxic chemicals released by internal combustion engines.

Bad Introduction

Nowadays, cars are a very popular way of getting around. Day by day many more people drive cars around but others feel that they cause global warming. Global warming is one of the most serious issues in modern life. They also affect people’s health and well-being which is also a serious issue.

As you can see the bad example talks about the topic very generally, copies words and phrases from the question and doesn’t include a thesis statement or outline statement.

If your introductions look something like this, don’t worry. Most of my students write introductions a lot like this when they first start in my class and the structure below always helps them fix any problems and write very effective introductions.

Structure of a Good Introduction

If you use this structure you will not only score higher marks but you will also save time in the exam. If you practice enough, introductions will become easy and you will do them in just a few minutes. This will leave you lots of time to focus on the main body paragraphs where you can pick up lots of mark.

An IELTS writing task 2 opinion essay should have three sentences and these three sentences should be:

That’s it. Simple! Let’s look at each sentence in more detail.

Paraphrase Question

Paraphrasing means stating the question again, but with different words so that it has the same meaning. We do this by using synonyms and flipping the order of the sentences around.

Question: There is a good deal of evidence that increasing car use is contributing to global warming and having other undesirable effects on people’s health and well-being.

Paraphrase: Rising global temperatures and human health and fitness issues are often viewed as being caused by the expanding use of automobiles.

The synonyms I’ve used are:

Car use- use of automobiles

Global warming- rising global temperatures

People’s health and well-being- human health and fitness

As you can see, I then switched the order of the sentence around.

I have therefore demonstrated to the examiner that I can paraphrase and have a wide range of vocabulary. These are two of the things that the examiner is specifically looking for and you will gain marks for including them.

You should practice this with past paper questions.

Thesis Statement

This is the most important sentence in your essay. This is your main idea and I often describe it to students as how you feel about the whole issue in one sentence. It tells the examiner that you have understood the question and will lead to a clear and coherent essay.

Let’s look at the thesis sentence from the previous example:

Thesis statement: This essay agrees that increasing use of motor vehicles is contributing to rising global temperatures and certain health issues.

It is always just one sentence long so you will have to practice summing up your opinion in one sentence. It should also address the micro-keywords and not the topic in general.

You should start your thesis statement with:

This essay agrees that….. or this essay disagrees that….. (Opinion essays)

The main cause(s) of this issue is….. (Causes and solutions)

The principal advantage(s) is (xxxxx) and the main disadvantage is (xxxxxx). (Advantage and disadvantages).

For a discussion (of two points of view) essay you should state both points of view clearly.

Let’s look at another example:

Some aspects of celebrity culture have a bad influence on young people.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

To keep things simple, we have two options-

My essay will argue that celebrity culture does have a bad influence and my thesis statement will there be:

This essay agrees that the some famous people’s lifestyles have a detrimental effect on the youth of today.

I have stated my opinion in one sentence and used synonyms to make sure I don’t just repeat the question.

Thesis statements are very important but only in question that ask you for your opinion. Some IELTS questions do not ask you for your opinion and in these cases you can leave it out.

Outline Statement

Now that you have paraphrased the question and told the examiner what you think in your thesis sentence, you are now going to tell the examiner what you will discuss in the main body paragraphs. In other words, you will outline what the examiner will read in the rest of the essay. This should be one sentence only.

Question: There is a good deal of evidence that increasing car use is contributing to global warming and having other undesirable effects on people’s health and well-being.

Outline statement: Firstly, this essay will discuss the production of greenhouse gases by vehicles and secondly, it will discuss other toxic chemicals released by internal combustion engines.

So what I have done is just look at my main body paragraphs and wrote about what they contain. You should have only one main idea per paragraph. In this essay, I have only two main body paragraphs, so I only need to say two things in the outline statement.

Main body paragraph 1- production of greenhouse gases by cars.

Main body paragraph 2- toxic chemical produced by car engines.

Again, your main body paragraphs should have only one main idea so it should be easy to spot these and then write a sentence about them.

Final Example

Question: Learning to manage money is one of the key aspects to adult life. How in your view can individuals best learn to manage their money?

Good answer: One of the keys to adulthood is appreciating how to budget your finances. It is clear that the best way someone can learn this is by managing money during childhood. Firstly, the essay will discuss the importance of parental involvement during childhood and secondly, the essay will look at the importance of having a part-time job during childhood.

As you can see, the above introduction follows the structure I laid out above.

Next Steps

Do you need me to correct your essays and give you feedback on them? Check out our essay correction service or email me at [email protected]

Ielts essay how to write introduction

In the writing for task 2, you must write an IELTS essay introduction, but you only have 40 minutes.

In this time you need to analyze the question, brainstorm ideas to write about, formulate an essay plan, and then write your response.

Even for a native writer of English, this is a lot to do in 40 minutes!

So you need to use your time carefully. You need a good IELTS essay introduction, but one thing you do not want to do is spend too long writing it so that you end up rushing your paragraphs.

Your paragraphs are the most important thing as they contain all your supporting arguments and demonstrate how good you are at organizing your ideas.

You therefore need a method to write your IELTS essay introduction fairly quickly. When you write an introduction, you should make sure you do two things:

How you do this will vary depending on the question, but here is an example:

Example 1:

Blood sportsВ have become a hot topic for debate in recent years. As society develops it is increasingly seen as an uncivilized activity and cruel to the helpless animals that are killed.В Blood sports should be banned.

To what extent to you agree or disagree?

Sample IELTS essay introduction:

Despite the fact that killing animals for sport is popular in modern society, it remains a contentious issue. I believe that blood sports are cruel and uncivilized and so should be banned as soon as possible.

As you can see, the first sentence consists of the topic plus some background facts on the topic which have been taken from the rubric.

The second sentence then gives the writers opinion and tells us that in the essay the writer will be arguing the reasons why it is cruel.

The topic does not have to be in the first sentence, but it should be made clear somewhere in the introduction. You must always have a thesis.

Paraphrasing

Using some of the same words is acceptable, but don’t copy whole phrases.

You can see how the question above has been paraphrased. All the information is from the question, but it has been written in a different way and has not been copied.

You can also check out a short video on this lesson:

Further Examples

Example 2:

Science and technology have helped the world make many advances. The Arts, such as painting, theatre and dance, to name just three examples, however, are also valuable.

What things do the Arts provide to the world that Science and Technology do not?

Sample IELTS essay introduction:

Societies have developed rapidly over time due to the many advances in science and technology. However, the arts are also very important and provide our world with many things that science and technology cannot.

Example 3:

According to a recent study, the more time people use the Internet, the less time they spend with real human beings. Some people say that instead of seeing the Internet as a way of opening up new communication possibilities world wide, we should be concerned about the effect this is having on social interaction.

How far do you agree with this opinion?

Sample IELTS essay introduction:

A recent study has shown that as people use the Internet more, they are spending less time with human beings. I believe that although this has increased the communication around the world in positive ways, it has also led to negative effects on the day-to-day social interaction of human beings.

Example 4:

Unemployment has become an increasing problem in the recent past.

What factors contribute to an increase in unemployment and what steps can be taken to solve the problem?

Sample IELTS essay introduction:

Over recent years, the level of unemployment has been increasing at an alarming rate in many countries around the world. This essay will discuss the reasons for this increase and consider what practical solutions are available.

Example 5:

Some people think children in secondary school should study international news as part of the curriculum. Others think that this would be a waste of time as there are already too many subjects for children to concentrate on.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Sample IELTS essay introduction:

While some people are of the opinion that it would be useful to include international news as a subject in the school curriculum, others believe that this is a waste of students time because they are already overloaded with subjects to study. This essay will examine both sides of the issue.

Ielts essay how to write introduction

In this introductory lesson you will find some guidance on how you should write anВ IELTS essay.

There are then more lessons on the following pages for different types of essay and different questions, with lots of tips and strategies for achieving a high score.В

You can also watch a video of this lesson:

It is important to learn about IELTS essays because there are different essay types, and these will require different ways to answer them.

However, as you will see from the guidance on this page, they can all follow the same basic structure.

These are some of the types of IELTS essays you can get in the test:В

Not every essay will fit one of these patterns, but many do.

You may get some of these tasks mixed up. For example, you could be asked to give your opinion on an issue, and then discuss the advantages or disadvantages of it.

The golden rule is toВ ALWAYS read the question very carefullyВ to see exactly what you are being asked to do.

The second lesson explains more about analysing essay questions.В

How do I Write an IELTS Essay?

In order to answer this, lets first look at a sample question:

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

In the last 20 years there have been significant developments in the field of information technology (IT), for example the World Wide Web and communication by email. However, these developments in IT are likely to have more negative effects than positive in the future.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge.

Write at least 250 words.

An IELTS essay is structured like any other essay; you just need to make it shorter. There are three key elements:

We will look at each of these in turn, using the essay question above as an example.

1) Introduction

You should keep your introduction for the IELTS essay short. Remember you only have 40 minutes to write the essay, and some of this time needs to be spent planning. Therefore, you need to be able to write your introduction fairly quickly so you can start writing your body paragraphs.

You should do just two things:

Here is an example introduction for the above essay question about IT:

The last two decades have seen enormous changes in the way people’s lives are affected by IT, with many advances in this field. However, while these technological advances have brought many benefits to the world, I strongly believe that these developments in IT will result in more negative impacts than positive.

The second part then clearly sets out the what the essay will be about and confirms the writers opinion (some questions may not ask for your opinion, but this one does). The writer clearly agrees as he/she thinks there will be more negative impacts.

View this lesson for more advice on writing IELTS essay introductions.

2) Body Paragraphs

For your body paragraph, each paragraph should contain one controlling idea, and have sentences to support this.

Lets look at the first paragraph for the essay about IT. The essay is about the benefits and drawbacks of IT, so these will need to be discussed in separate paragraphs.

Here is the first body paragraph:

OnВ the В positive side, email has made communication, especially abroad, much simpler and faster. This has resulted in numerous benefits for commerce and business as there is no need to wait weeks for letters or take time sending faxes, which was the case in the past. Furthermore, the World Wide Web means that information on every conceivable subject is now available to us. For example, people can access news, medical advice, online education courses and much more via the internet.В These developments have made life far easier and more convenient for many.

The controlling idea in this first paragraph is the ‘benefits of IT‘, and there are two supporting ideas, which are underlined. No drawbacks are discussed as the paragraph would then lose coherence.

Most of the essay will focus on the negative aspects of IT, as the writer says there are more negative effects in the introduction. So the next two paragraphs are about these.

The topic sentence in the next paragraph therefore tells us we are changing the focus to the negative points:

Nevertheless, the effects of this new technology have not all been beneficial. For example, many people feel that the widespread use of email is destroying traditional forms of communication such as letter writing, telephone and face-to-face conversation. This could result in a decline in people’s basic ability to socialize and interact with each other on a day-to-day basis.

The final body paragraph gives the last negative effect:

In addition, the large size of the Web has meant that it is nearly impossible to regulate and control. This has led to many concerns regarding children accessing unsuitable websites and the spread of computer viruses. Unfortunately, this kind of problem might even get worse in the future at least until more regulated systems are set up.

3) Conclusion

The conclusion only needs to be one or two sentences, and you can do the following:

Here is an example:

In conclusion, developments in IT have brought many benefits, yet I believe that these are outweighed by the drawbacks. In the future these will need to be addressed if we are to avoid damaging impacts on individuals and society.

The full IELTS Essay:

The last two decades have seen enormous changes in the way people’s lives are affected byВ IT , with many advances in this field. However, while these technological advances have brought many benefits to the world, I strongly believe that В these developments in IT will result in more negative impacts than positive.

OnВ the В positive side, email has made communication, especially abroad, much simpler and faster. This has resulted in numerous benefits for commerce and business as there is no need to wait weeks for letters or take time sending faxes, which was the case in the past. Furthermore, the World Wide Web means that information on every conceivable subject is now available to us. For example, people can access news, medical advice, online education courses and much more via the internet.В These developments have made life far easier and more convenient for many.

Nevertheless, the effects of this new technology have not all been beneficial.В For example, many people feel that the widespread use of email is destroying traditional forms of communication such as letter writing, telephone and face-to-face conversation. This could result in a decline in people’s basic ability to socialize and interact with each other on a day-to-day basis.

In addition, the large size of the Web has meant that it is nearly impossible to regulate and control. This has led to many concerns regarding children accessing unsuitable websites and the spread of computer viruses. Unfortunately, this kind of problem might even get worse in the future at least until more regulated systems are set up.

In conclusion, developments in IT have brought many benefits, yet I believe that these are outweighed by the drawbacks. In the future these will need to be addressed if we are to avoid damaging impacts on individuals and society.

(290 Words)

Comments

The IELTS essay introduction talks in general about the increasing use of IT, thus introducing the topic well. The thesis then clearly sets out the writers opinion.

The following paragraph mentions the present benefits of these developments, but the opening sentence in the third paragraph is a qualifying statement (Nevertheless, not all the effects...), so the writer can now focus on the negative elements.

The fourth paragraph provides two other negative examples (lack of regulation, viruses). Both paragraphs suggest that these problems will continue in the future.

The essay concludes with a clear opinion that agrees with the statement.

Overall, it is a well-balanced text that mentions the present situation (. this has made life. ) but importantly, also refers to the future of IT (. likely to increase.. might get worse. ).

Have you found this page useful?

Now you know the basics of writing an IELTS Essay, you can go on and look at further sample essays or if you prefer, check out the next lessons for Writing Task 2.

Band 7+ eBooks

«I thinkВ these eBooks are FANTASTIC. В I know that’s not academic language, but it’s the truth!»

IELTS Writing Task 2: How to write an introduction

Learn how to write an introduction for IELTS writing task 2 essays. This page explains the content and technique for writing an high score introduction without wasting precious time in the test. The video tutorial takes you through each statement in your introduction paragraph. This lesson is for academic and GT IELTS essays.

This lesson will teach you:

The same technique is used for a band score 6 as for a band score 9. So, this lesson is for students of all band scores. The only difference will be that a band score 9 student will use richer and more complex English language.

What does the Introduction Paragraph Contain?

An introduction paragraph for an IELTS writing task 2 essay requires only two statements. A Background Statement – This is a paraphrase of the essay question. All essays must have this statement. A Thesis Statement – A direct answer to the essay question and task. An IELTS introduction paragraph does not require anything more to fulfil the requirements of the marking criteria for writing task 2.

How to Write the Introduction of an IELTS Essay

This video lesson will take you through both statements to create a time efficient introduction paragraph. It will show you:

Summary: The Introduction Paragraph

1. Analysing the Essay Question

Now this is the essay title we’re going to look at. “The best way to improve health is to do regular exercise. To what extent do you agree?” Well let’s first look at the statement. IELTS have given us the best way – it’s a method, it’s a solution and it’s a solution to improving health. So our essay is all about improving health and possible solutions. IELTS suggest that exercise is the best solution – you might agree, not agree or partially agree.

What does this mean “to what extent“? Well that means how much do you agree. You don’t need to agree or disagree. You need to think about it and think do you agree with all the sentence, is there something that you don’t agree with? Do you agree with most of it? So that’s how you analyse it.

2. Hooks

Let’s have a look at what information we need to put in our introduction. Now for many academic essays there are three parts to the introduction: the hook, a background statement and a thesis statement. We use the hook in many essays but …. do we use the hook for IELTS essays? The answer is no. We don’t need it. A hook is there to create interest, but that is not part of the marking criteria for IELTS. Interest is NOT marked and does not improve your score.

3. Background Statements

The next thing is the background statement. What is the background statement? The function of this statement is to present the issues in the essay question. You do this by paraphrasing the question. This means you rewrite the essay question your way. We do this because these are the issues your whole essay will be addressing. It is the only way that your essay (your answer) will make sense. You can see various ways of paraphrasing a background statement on this page: Introduction Background Statement Practice

4. Thesis Statements

The second and final statement is the thesis statement. This is your answer / your opinion. It provides the reader with a clear answer to the task. Your body paragraphs will then explain your answer by presenting ideas which are developed and supported.You need to learn all the different ways to write this statement depending on the type of essay you will get in your IELTS test.

5. Length of Introduction

Most introductions will be between 45 and 60 words in length. They certainly do not need to be longer. The introduction is a functional paragraph and when you have completed its function, move quickly on to the body paragraphs. The main proportion of your marks come from your body paragraphs.

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Comments

Unfortunately, it will affect your score for task response because you did not maintain a clear position throughout the whole essay. But it won’t affect your score for the other criteria.

All type of writing task 2 questions would have “Thesis Statement” or only certain types of questions.

All introduction paragraphs for all Writing Task 2 essays should have a background statement and a thesis statement.

No. That statement is not required. It doesn’t harm your score, but it is not at all necessary and not part of the band score requirements in IELTS Writing Task 2.

Hello Liz,
I just paused my video to commend your teaching methodology. It is simple and precise.
Thanks.

How can we write down an essay if we do not know something well?we have to collect information to put in our essay?Am I correct?

As you prepare for IELTS, you should be preparing ideas for topics as well. I also have an e-book called “Ideas for IELTS Essay Topics” which you can purchase in my store: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Thank you for all that you do. Much love and appreciation. My test is tomorrow and Please I would like to know if I can type in Capital letters for my Computer based IELTS writing test.

Do you mean “Can I write using all capital letters in my writing test?” The answer to that question is “Don’t do it”. It isn’t a fixed rule, but IELTS is testing your grammar which includes the correct use of capital letters – using capital letters at the start of a sentence or for proper nouns etc. So, please write as normal and use capital letters when it is grammatically correct to do so for the Writing Test. Good luck tomorrow!

Hi Liz,
Would I penalized if I were to introduce my ideas in summary in the introduction paragraph, as part of the thesis statement? Or is it best to leave it for the topic sentences in each body paragraph solely?

For instance, Nowadays more people move away from from their friends and families for work. Does this have more advantages or disadvantages?
After paraphrasing the background statement…
“…In this essay I will argue why In spite of one having benefits like making new friends and gaining a great employment opportunity that come with moving abroad, the huge disadvantage of separation anxiety from one’s family members outweighs them all.”

It’s a long thesis statement. Take out so much detail:
In my opinion, in spite of benefits such as making friends and employment opportunities, the issue of separation anxiety outweighs them all.

That is a clear thesis statement which introduces main points without giving detail. The detail will come in the body paragraphs. Learn to write each sentences in a punchy, focused manner without extra padding. However, your main ideas are not particularly strong. If someone is making new friends, separation anxiety is often lessened. This negates your argument that the disadvantages outweigh. Remember, your ideas must make sense. Therefore, it would be better to have the benefits as – becoming more independent and better work opportunities (such as higher salary or promotion). The disadvantages ought to be lack of support (particularly when sick or if children are involved) and separation anxiety (leading to mental health issues such as depression). You can now argue the case that the disadvantages are more serious.

Also try to avoid “like” instead of “such as”. The word “like” as a linking word is informal and not suitable for Writing Task 2.
Hope you found this useful 🙂

Can you please check the below sample essay written by me and advise whether it is sufficient to serve the purpose or if there is any improvement points you can suggest.

The best way to improve health is to do regular exercise.
To what extent you agree or disagree?

Consistent physical training is one of the ideal methods to boost fitness. This essay strongly agrees with this statement because it not only stimulates metabolism but also helps in improving mental health.
In today’s modern lifestyle where we spent major portion of our life sitting long hours at office and in home, exercising daily is the necessity to activate our metabolism to prevent variety of lifestyle diseases such as Blood Pressure/Sugar et al. It is considered to be the most effective way to deal obesity which is considered to be mother of all disease. A recently concluded study in UK concluded that by 2025 there will be 48% of the population in UK suffering from obesity which can be prevented by daily physical exercise.
In addition to the physical fitness one of the major challenges of the new era is to balance mental health. To achieve maximum output at work as well as to get succeed in life we have to deal with varied amount of physiological pressure. Exercising is the finest way to divert all the negative energy and channelizing them into concentrated productive outcome. A clear example of this is the recent advisory issued by WHO to all the institutions dealing with desk jobs to mandatorily have the gym/fitness centre at the work place to develop the healthy lifestyle and to reduce the risk of various diseases.
In conclusion, daily exercise is one of the finest ways to keep health in the best shape because it helps in building the stamina to prevent the deadly disease at bay and balance mental well being to deal with varied life problems.
Total Word Count = 271

Dear Mr.Pell
I saw the videos of two Australian teachers stating that when the question says ” what are advantages and disadvantages’ (because they have “s” at the end which means plural) we have to write two double idea paragraphs.
I am confused with it. When each body paragraph needs to include one idea and when two ideas? Could you please share a lesson or video that clarifies this point?

Best wishes
Dr.Reza

The band score requirements for paragraphs don’t actually say “one idea per paragraph”. They state that each paragraph should have a “central theme”. This means all advantages in one paragraph – logical organisation. However, for opinion essays, each idea is a separate idea and should be written in individual paragraphs. This means your paragraphing should be logical and will depend on the type of essay you get.

Dear liz,
I recently gave my IELTS ACADEMIC test. I do not remember the exact phrasing of the question, but it was along the lines saying “in many parts of the world, children and teenagers are involved in many crimes.” what are the reasons and how they should be punished?
I was in hurry and i might have missed “in many parts of the world” to paraphrase (I am not sure if i mentioned it or not) but my rest of the essay is relevant. So basically, my thesis might have missed a part.
I wrote ” nowadays, it is seen that many young children and teens are getting involved in crimes” and i added next statement but nowhere it involves the “manu parts of the world” would this affect my score significantly? I am confident about my lexical resources and grammar. But i fear this one mistake might lead to low score. please let me know. 🙂

All fine. That isn’t a vital piece of information for the introduction given that topic. Good luck with your results 🙂

Hi Liz,
I have purchased your advanced lesson of opinion essay and was wondering it is necessary to write a balanced approach essay for a higher band score or we can get a good score with a one-sided approach as well.

The position you take isn’t marked – one sided or balanced view are both good. However, make sure you cover all issues in the question, keep the same stance throughout and have relevant points. I teach both approaches because some essay questions are more suited to one approach than the other. So, don’t decide which approach you will take until you read the question.

Question:–Many people like to go on holiday abroad, while others believe it is better to visit places within their own country. Discuss both the views and give your opinion.
Intro:—A lot of individuals want to go out of country for vacation. However, others argue that it is good to visit their home nation. This essay agrees that go out for holiday is give idea about new culture and learn new language.
Can i write in this way in opinion essay type question and also plz tell me 1. Is it is necessary to use background Statment? 2. How to write thesis statement and outline statement.

The instructions ask for your own opinion. This essay agrees” cannot be used. An essay is not a person and it is not you. Give your opinion clearly and directly. For your background statement, try to write it as one sentence, rather than two as you have done.

Hi Liz,
You clearly say that there is no need to add more than the background sentence/s and the thesis statement in the introduction. But, I have found others who suggest to write ‘outline statements’ to make it better. What do you think?

It does not at all affect your score. You won’t get a higher score to have more than a background and thesis statement. The main points in an IELTS essay are in the body paragraphs. While the conclusion and introduction are essential, they serve only a functional purpose.

Hey liz 🙂
I have a question if you dont mind
For the 3rd paragraph of advantage/disadvantage question..I want to check if this sentence is formal or not

However, every coin has two sides and despite all the advantages mentioned above, there are some disadvantages too.

It looks like a memorised sentence and that isn’t going to help your score. Each sentence should be uniquely created by yourself and connect to the specific topic given. That is a general statement which doesn’t connect to any topic. Be specific and don’t memorise whole sentences.

you said this is a band 9 essay. i am confused as you did not use a gerund in the introduction or even anywhere in it. also, your transition words look quite mechanical. please kindly respond.

I don’t understand your comment. There is no essay on this page. There is a video lesson which explains the techniques and content for an introduction. You do NOT need to write a gerund in the introduction at all – this is not an IELTS rule. Linking words are mainly used in the body paragraphs, not the introduction.

Thesis statement
While it is true that regular physical exercise is key to health, I disagree that this method is the most effective since rational nutrition and avoiding bad habits are equally important.

Is it compulsory to write the general line in the starting of introduction.

If you watch the video lesson above, you will see the two statements which are required in an IELTS essay for task 2. Nothing else is required.

Hi Liz,
I have just started following you for preparing ILETS and have tried my first writing task 2. I have tried to write an introduction according to your tips.
Question: Some people think that the government is wasting money on the arts and that this money could be better spent elsewhere.
To what extent do you agree with this view.
My Essay
While there are people who believe that the government has been venturing most of the monetary funds in developing arts in the country and such act may not prove to be beneficial. Moreover, they think that instead of squandering excess of money on arts and literature, this could be utilized in better ways. In my opinion, I agree that Government should invest money in community services first rather in arts. However, I believe improving arts may also add to a country’s economy and restoring heritage.
Primarily, a government functions for the welfare of the citizens of the country. In the view of this, for development of a country, effective strategies must be formulated in the benefit of the countrymen. It is advisable that government should spend on services centering the society’s welfare. Government should use the national funds in improving civic amenities such as building schools, advanced and fully equipped hospitals, community centres and parks. In doing so, the citizen of the country feels proud of their governance and return back with paying taxes further strengthening the economy.
However, completely neglecting art and literature may not be desirable. Since, developing arts in the form of music, theatre and artistic infrastructure may invite tourism internationally as well as nationally. Large scale music concerts and plays may attract millions of art lovers from different corners of the world. Moreover, construction of art specific museums and exhibition centres can impress the crowd. This may further boost a country’s economy and allows amalgamation of varied cultures.
To conclude, I would agree that taking care of the basic needs of the society and working primarily for their welfare is the need of the hour. However, developing fields like arts may also be essential for strengthening the economy.

Hi,
Can we say/ write ‘to developing’ or shall we say for developing/ to develop?
Regards,
Amit

– I look forward to seeing you.
– I hope to see you.
– Only one person is responsible for developing this vaccine.
– We are close to developing a vaccine.
As you can see, it depends on the structure of the sentence and the way words are used.

I have been following your page for three months and I have improved a lot. I really Want to ask that can I use word ‘ought to’ in the introduction part of writing task 2 as my instructor here in Baroda has instructed me not to use it instead of should. I am really confuse.

Thanks
Anurag patel

Of course you can use “ought to” as a paraphrase the “should”.

Hi Liz,
Can I start with this…
In the salad days of millennium, many people believe that doing daily exercise is the most significant method to become healthy is convincing. I think in a reverse manner and strongly agree to the given statement. My inclination is justified in the ensuring paragraphs.
And after that BP1, BP2 and conclusion.

Try writing more naturally without filling your writing with inappropriate, descriptive language. Just write normally.

I think ur giving the best way which can helps all the students thanks for it, i really like ur lesson 🙏😎🥳😍

Very well done! Thank you for this lesson.

Very well done! Thank you for this lesson.

Would this one be better?
Advertising, which is considered to have a strong impact on people’s lives, is virtually everywhere these days. In my opinion, this profusion of commercials has more negative effects than positive ones because it promotes consumerism and causes frustration.

Now you are going in the right direction. This is what IELTS is all about. The introduction serves only two purposes – to paraphrase the essay question because your whole essay will address it and secondly to present your answer.

Hello Liz! Could you have a look at my introduction, please. Thanks
The question: People are surrounded by advertising which has an increasing effect on our lives. Do you think the positive effects of this outweigh the negative effects.
Introduction: Advertising seems to have occupied our world completely. It is in streets, public transports, at our homes, in our gadgets – virtually everywhere, so it is needless to say that this constant presence affects our lives in one way or the other. But is this impact a positive one or are its drawbacks more significant? This essay aims to a dress this question and reach a concluding view.

Your background statement includes unnecessary information and is not a direct paraphrase of the question. Your thesis statement fails to answer the question. I highly recommend you learn the right way to write an IELTS essay. This isn’t something you can guess at or collect a few tips about. You need to learn what IELTS want. See my Advanced Lessons: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Apologies Liz,thanks for all your good works. Please kindly grade this essay of mine. An assessor graded it 6.5,i dont know what else to do differently. Thank you
NEWS ABOUT PROBLEMS AND EMERGENCIES IS HARMFUL TO INDIVIDUALS AND SOCIETY. DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE?

Unfortunately, I don’t offer marking of feedback. But I will say this essay does not conform to the requirements of IELTS based on the marking criteria. For example, you can’t have only one body paragraph in an IELTS essay without it having a negative impact on your score for Coherence and Cohesion. Your conclusion shouldn’t be longer than your introduction – it’s a waste of words and doesn’t help your score.
The reason you are struggling to understand what you are doing wrong is because you haven’t learned about IELTS essays. You clearly have great English, but this is all about what IELTS want. See my Advanced Lessons to learn the right techniques based on the official band score requirements. https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/
One final tip: don’t use informal language in your essay (all and sundry) – use that language in your speaking test instead.

Thank you for you response Liz, still on the above essay,it has 2 clear body paragraphs not 1.. Please which of your online course will I benefit from the most?Thanks once again

Teachers teach that you can only agree with one side because it is a safe approach, particularly with low level English users. However, having a partial agreement is possible with any essay that asks for your opinion, regardless of how the instructions are written. See my Advanced Lessons for different approaches if you want more in-depth training: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hey Liz,
Thanks a bunch for such a helpful content, really appreciated! 😊
Before watching this video,i had written my own version of introductory paragraph’s statements, could you please confirm if it will be okay too?
“There is no doubt that exercise,when done regularly, is a method that has excellent effects on health improvement.
Perhaps, in my opinion, if combined with a diet that ia full of nutritious elements, it produces the best results.”

It’s fine, but don’t use the word “perhaps”. Either you believe in your own opinion or you don’t.

Dear Liz, task 2 question on 14-3-20 was:
It is argued that parents of children who break laws should also be punished as they are some way responsible. To what extent do you agree or disagree.
First two line of my introduction was
“In recent years the number of children committing unlawful activities have increased unprecedentedly. Hence, many people opine that parents of
children who do not abide by laws ……”
But now I feel the first line including the linking word in the second sentence were irrelevant and unnecessary… I don’t know why I wrote…will I get very poor mark for this?

You have made up information that is not part of the question in your first line. This essay is not about the increase in crime at all. So, it will affect your score for Task Response which is 25% of your marks. There are no rules for marking as to how much it will affect your score. As with all errors, they affect the score, but in no particular amount. At least, you know your error and won’t make the same mistake again. You don’t need a hook to start your introduction in IELTS. Just paraphrase the essay question exactly as it is.

Your website is very much helpful and like the way you teach every minute details about all the aspects in IELTS.
I actually have a doubt regarding the use of pen or pencil in the exam?
Can we use a pencil or we have to use pen for all the 3 modules?

A 3-step process for Powerful IELTS Essay Introduction Paragraph

Although judging a book by its cover may be a mistake, still people are prone to do so. Same goes with the IELTS Essay Introduction paragraph where examiners presume the quality of the entire essay from the first paragraph.

In IELTS Writing Task 2 questions, the first paragraph should set the stage for the discourse rather than delving into the nitty-gritty of the arguments. Hence, a short introductory paragraph needs to be the part of the format of the essay question in IELTS.

First impression is the last impression: How to write an essay introduction?

The following are the most essential elements of IELTS Essay Introduction paragraph:

IELTS Essay Introduction Step 1: Paraphrase the statements in the question

The essay question in IELTS Writing Task 2 always begins with one or two sentences which form as the background for the actual question.

Look at a sample question below:

WRITING TASK 2

You should spend around 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience.

Write at least 250 words.

There are two sentences in the question which mention about the debate and set the scene for the essay. The prompt asks us to discuss both the views. Restating these views in our own words is how the Introduction paragraph should ideally begin.

Here is a sample rewrite of the two sentences:

As you can see, I have tried to restate the two sentences given in the question with my own two sentences. Although the words are different, the meaning remains the same. Thus, I have cemented the plot of the question in the IELTS Essay Introduction paragraph.

Click here » to learn in detail about the process of paraphrase.

Examples of Paraphrase in IELTS Essay Introduction paragraph

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Sample paraphrase:

Culprits who abuse animals deserve the same sentencing as those who abuse human beings.

Sample paraphrase:

The internet has become the primary source of news and facts for most individuals.

Sample paraphrase:

A large number of individuals from underprivileged nations emigrate to affluent countries with the hope of securing good futures.

Sample paraphrase:

There is a debate as to whether the health status of people is the concern of the government.

Sample paraphrase:

Social media is rife with fake news.

Sample paraphrase:

Currently, universities cost an arm and a leg forcing people to burrow money in order to pursue an education.

IELTS Essay Introduction Step 2: State your perspective

After paraphrasing the topic, the IELTS Essay Introduction paragraph should include a clear position which you take on the issue.

Don’t keep the examiner guessing your personal opinion on the matter. It is always better to state your point of view clearly.

Here is an example:

WRITING TASK 2

You should spend around 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience.

Write at least 250 words.

The question clearly asks us to choose a side, so we should deal with this in the IELTS Essay Introduction paragraph. A short sentence is enough.

Just writing this in our first paragraph makes our essay more comprehensible.

Look at the following examples. In the IELTS Essay Introduction paragraph, stating a clear position should come after paraphrasing the topic.

Examples

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Sample paraphrase and opinion:

It is often argued that culprits who abuse animals deserve the same sentencing as those who abuse human beings. But, I oppose this sentiment.

Sample paraphrase and opinion:

A large number of individuals from underprivileged nations emigrate to affluent countries with the hope of securing good futures. In my opinion, there are more positive effects of this trend compared to the negatives.

Sample paraphrase:

There is a debate as to whether the health status of people is the concern of the government. From my point of view, keeping ourselves healthy is entirely our own duty.

IELTS Essay Introduction Step 3: Briefly outline your arguments

When you take a side in the essay in IELTS Writing Task 2, you should back your ideas with factual or logical claims. Even though the claims will be explained in the body paragraphs, it is appropriate to briefly shine a light on them in the IELTS Essay Introduction paragraph.

Consider the example question below:

WRITING TASK 2

You should spend around 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience.

Write at least 250 words.

For this question, we can think of several arguments.

But for our essay, we only need a couple of them. So, after brainstorming for ideas, select the ones which you can best develop. It is best to touch upon these ideas in the IELTS Essay Introduction paragraph since this would help the reader to prepare for what is to come.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Introduction Paragraph Examples

What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend?

Sample introduction paragraph:

The internet has become the primary source of news and facts for most individuals. The obvious reward of this tendency is quick and free access to limitless knowledge over the world wide web. On the other hand, there could be issues related to reliability of such information.

Sample introduction paragraph:

Social media is rife with fake news. This is due to the ease of uploading any content on the internet without verification, leading unwary people to being manipulated or even defrauded. As far as I am concerned, adopting caution while reading and acting upon such news is the only solution.

Sample introduction paragraph:

Currently, universities cost an arm and a leg forcing people to burrow money in order to pursue an education. Increasing government funding to universities in order to subsidize tuition fees or to provide scholarships can help more individuals to realize their dream of a college education. However, I do not believe that everyone should attend university to become prosperous.