Part 3 The IELTS Academic and General Training SES OA atin etyBasie IELTS Writing The IELTS Academic and General Training Task 2 Writing Task 2 in both the Academic Module and the General Training Module is the same. Can- didates are asked to write a short essay of a minimum of 250 words in about 40 minutes. The essay is usually a discussion of a subject of general interest. Candidates have to present and justify their opinion about something, offer a solution to a problem, express an opinion, or speculate about a future trend. Even if the question is related to a specific area of knowledge (e.g. science), candidates do not need specialist scientific knowledge to write about it. Task 2 is more important than Task 1 in that there is more ‘weighting’ towards Task 2. If your performance in Task 1 is not as good as it is in Task 2, you can still receive a good writing score. 1, Marking criteria of Task 2 The second writing task assesses whether a candidate meets the more formal require- ments of a higher education establishment. The IELTS Writing test measures your ability to write in clear and formal English, as is generally demanded in an academic context. You are assessed according to the following criteria: 1. Task Response - how accurately the task is addressed. 2. Coherence and Cohesion - how organised your writing is. 3. Lexical Resouree ~ how much the range of your vocabulary is. 4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy - how varied and accurate your grammar is. Task response/task achievement Task response means doing exactly what is required by the task or question. To get a good rating for this criterion, it is extremely important that you understand the task fully and do everything you are asked. Remember to consider the person you are writing to because this will affect the tone of your writing. As often seen in the Academic Module, you are asked to write an essay for a university lecturer. Therefore, your tone should be very formal since that is the way reports are written at university. Coherence and cohesion Coherence and cohesion means the way the whole text is organised, and for this criterion, the examiners look at the way your text is structured, such as whether it is easy to follow, whether the arguments are clear, whether the order of information is logical, or whether you use appropriate connectors, etc. 92 www.nhantriviet.com‘The IELTS Academic and General Training Task 2 Writing Lexical resource Examiners check the range of vocabulary, and whether you use it appropriately to write your essay. Grammatical range and accuracy The last criterion refers to all aspects of grammar and how well they are applied in your writing. You should use a wide range of structures with full flexibility and accuracy. The basic rule for accuracy is that you need to be more accurate with simple grammar than com- plex grammar. 2. Steps to take when doing Task 2 In this task, you need to write an academic-style essay on the single title given. You have no choices here ~ you must write only about the one title - so prepare yourself with strat- egies to write a well-organised essay on a variety of subject areas. It is advisable that you take the following steps: 1. Reading the essay title carefully 2. Planning your essay 3. Writing your well-organised essay with three parts: i, Introduction ii, Body iii, Conelusion 4. Checking and editing 1. Reading the essay title The first step in writing any essay is to read and interpret the essay title correctly. It is essential that you have a complete understanding of the title. In the Academic Task 2 Writ- ing, candidates may be required to present an argument for or against a proposition, justify an opinion, or evaluate evidence. Examine the essay titles below: ee Ne nS Ce aoe ore tag School should be responsible for juvenile delinquency Which one do you agree with? Give reasons for your answer. RR eee OR Ce A ESB LLae ed you think of this suggestion? SS OSCR See ce en eS CRC eee eRe iy CEM eR aC Cen CSC Ce CMCC men Caine its EM ech me eRe tC www.nhantriviet.com LE}Basic IELTS Writing Some essay titles may require candidates to present their viewpoints or suggestions like the titles below: short report with suggestions for the solution of drug abuse. Include sugges- tions about education, law and international cooperation. Aram CERO CCRC resem ROR aa CORES Pere ae ents nai Re ose ee eeu ny cee eect Ce cmt ee en UO uc menue Penk ce ose kre ce is When reading the task instruction, you should be able to identify the words or phrases which are particularly important in both giving the direction of the essay and helping you to know how to organise it. For example: Family should be responsible for juvenile delinquency. School should be responsible for juvenile delinquency. Which one do you agree with? Give reasons for your answer. ‘The general subject of this essay is juvenile delinquency, and your essay must focus on presenting your viewpoint on who (family or school) should be responsible for this problem, and then supporting it with logical reasons. Examine the title below: Race Rae CLC Se eae ol eg SSR DCR Cel OLE DRO m CLC asl ie Analysing this essay title, you can point out the following key words: steps, take, prepar- ing, IELTS, benefits. You must, therefore, concentrate on presenting the steps a candidate should take in preparing for the IELTS test, not the TOEFL test or any other tests. You must also include the benefits of such steps in your answer. 2. Planning your essay After having analysed the title, you must plan your essay. Planning means you begin with a detailed outline which helps you to organise your thoughts, ideas or opinions before writ- ing to make sure that everything stays on track. 94 www.nhantriviet.com,‘The IELTS Academic and General Training Task 2 Writing The following points should be brought into your consideration when outlining your essay: i, Make sure your essay has an introduction, a body with supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion to sum up the main points. ii, Write a thesis statement that identifies the main idea of the essay. iii, Make sure that all your paragraphs follow the proper paragraph format. iv. Utilise your lexical resource that is most expected by the examiner. y. Use a wide range of sentence structures, not only simple sentences. Accurate com- pound and complex sentences can reveal your academic writing skill. ‘There are no absolute rules regarding what an outline should be. It does not need to be lengthy — it is simply an organised list of ideas for your essay. Example 1 i While studying abroad, some people purchase a house and others rent. Ifyou are a student in the UK, which do you think might be better for you? CRs ttt Introduction: Renting is better. Body: 1. I don’t worry about maintenance (leakage, etc.). 2. It is cheaper 3. Lam not tied down to it. (may transfer to another school return to own country after school) Conelusion: Renting is better. Example 2 wut _— Dea ar eee eta te Bs Ronit Introduction: Agree Body: 1. More efficient and economical 2. Less land for parking 3. Fewer accidents Conelusion: A better choice www.nhantriviet.com 95Basie IELTS Writing Example 3 Mt ee ee onc Coe Race neon sieg PSS CR uaa Introduction: Staying single is better. Body: 1. Financial freedom (one can spend one’s money in the way one prefers) 2. Freedom of mental burden (raising children, relations with wife/husband/children) 3. Freedom of activities (go where one wants to go, do what one wants to do) Conclusion: If one wants to enjoy life, stay single. Example 4 wei Write a short essay with suggestions for the solution of drug abuse. Include sugges- OCU TOC ecoc ec coe Pee CK a st Introduction: Drug abuse is a serious problem (figures). Body: 1. Education from primary school and never stops 2. Stricter law against drug smuggling, trafficking and taking 3. Crack down drug production organisations with the help of all governments Conclusion: With the application of the actions, drug abuse can be reduiced, if not extinguished. Exercise 9 Write an outline for each of the essay titles below. 1. Some people suggest that we should all retire at the age of 50. State your reasons for your agreement or disagreement with the suggestion. 2. Traffic jams are a common phenomenon in big cities in Vietnam. Write a report to the municipal government providing suggestions as to how to solve the problem. Your report should include the government and the citizens. 3. Nowadays universities and colleges are recruiting more and more students. What do you think of this idea? 96 www.nhantriviet.comThe IELTS Academic and General ‘Tkaining Task 2 Writing 3. Writing your essay 3.1 Writing the introduction An introduction is the most important part of an essay as it sets the standard and attracts the reader’s attention, and gives him/her an idea of the essay focus. These are the main parts of a good introduction: — Getting the reader’s attention — Providing background information ~— Stating the central idea with a thesis statement (The thesis statement should be written in one (or at most two) sentence(s) what your overall point or argument is, and what your main body paragraphs will be about.) Below are some possible introductions: Example 1 wii While studying abroad, some people purchase a house and others rent. Ifyou are a student in the UK, which do you think might be better for you? PCR veer esc 1. More and more people are pursuing their education abroad. 2. Housing is always a hot topic for them while living abroad. Without a nice house to live in, one would find it difficult to study well. 3. Many find it advantageous to purchase a home, but I would think it is better to rent a house for the following reasons. Example 2 Mata P = POE Se ee regs ce Psy ong Cy 1. The problem of traffic jams in big cities in Vietnam has always been a headache. As to how to solve this problem, people maintain different opinions. 2. Some suggest that we give priority to the development of private cars, others argue that mass transit systems should be put in the first place. 3. [ am for the latter solution. www.nhantriviet.com 97Basic IELTS Writing Example 3 Beta ee ec Er Roc BO hate o cr ats MT Cs Recs) ese era 1. The world is entering an “aged society”. According to the UN statistics, in 2050, the percentage of the aged will reach 23 percent. 2. Obviously, whether the old people can live a decent life or not concerns not only humanism, but also social stability and family happiness. 3. Therefore, the society as a whole, not this section or that section, should be responsible for their life. Example 4 wit Family should be responsible for juvenile delinquency. School should be responsible for juvenile delinquency. Which one do you agree with? Give reasons for your answer. Possible introduction 1. With more and more juvenile delinquency, people have paid more and more atten- tion to who should be responsible for it: the family or the school? 2, It seems to me that the family exerts more influence on teenagers, and therefore, it is the family that should | be responsible | Example 5 rr EOL SC eR ante Uses Beck tr prod Ceara) 1. In the article on the use of the “oil weapon” in the 1970s, the writer suggests that the main reason for the rapid increase in oil price was the cost of the Arab-Israel war. 2, But was that really the main reason behind the enormous price increase at that time? 3. There were, in my opinion, other far more important reasons behind the price increase. 98 www.nhantriviet.comS Academic and General ‘Training Task 2 Writing Example 6 Tae The fight against Y2K bug is necessary, 1, Right after the New Year’s Eve of 2000, even before dawn, the Y2K critics were sharpening their knives. 2. To them, the lack of havoc was proof that the Y2K bug was just an illusion, Some even say the “bug” has been “magnified to an elephant”. Therefore, they contend that the money spent on it was unnecessary. 3. But their argument does not hold up for examination. Exercise 10 Write an introduction for each of the following essay titles. 1. It is said that superstitions are but nonsense. Do you agree? 2. Meat provides us with protein, fat and other necessary nutrition we need, and there- fore meat-eating is a symbol of human development. What do you think of this matter? 3. Nowadays universities and colleges are enrolling more and more students. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this action? How to prevent the disadvantages? 4. From time to time, the issue of whether pure science is more important than practical science is discussed. Present your opinion on this issue. 3.2 Writing the body The basic aim of the body paragraphs is to explain the thesis statement of the essay and therefore to reveal its subject. This is the part where all the arguments are presented very clearly to the reader, and are proved by substantial evidence. ‘The body paragraphs are the core of each essay, and therefore demand special attention and profound knowledge on the matter from the side of the writer. Every body paragraph must be written according to one general structure: © A topic sentence: Each body paragraph starts with a topic sentence. The main idea/argu- ment must accurately be written to appeal to the reader. © Supporting sentences: Different established facts or points support the main idea of the essay. The supporting points should not be positioned one after another, but a general discussion of the point should be included in between. * A concluding sentence: Each body paragraph should have a concluding sentence in order to make connection to the next paragraph. This link is a must-have element as this is what makes the essay logically structured. www.nhantriviet.com 99Basic IELTS Writing @ The topic sentence and supporting sentences A well-organised paragraph supports or develops a single controlling idea, which is ex- pressed in a sentence called the topic sentence. A good topic sentence has the following features: + It controls or guides the whole paragraph. When you read the topic sentence, you know what to expect in the paragraph. * A good topic sentence is specific. * A good topic sentence has controlling ideas ~ words or phrases that help guide the flow of ideas in the coming paragraphs Although topic sentences may appear anywhere in paragraphs, in academic essays they often appear at the beginning. Topic-sentence Analysis (The sentences in bold are the topic sentences.) Example 1 People who own their cars have many expenses to pay in order to keep their cars. One of the expenses that car owners have is insurance. People who own cars also have to be content with rising gasoline prices. In addition, every time a car breaks down, there are bills for new parts and services. This is a good topic sentence because it puts forward an argument: People owning a car have many expenses to pay. Then, what follows this topic sentence are a number of supporting sentences that develop the main idea with specific details, such as insurance, rising gasoline prices, and bills for new parts and services. Example 2 ‘The age at which a person may drink liquor legally varies from state to state. In New York, a person may drink liquor legally when he is eighteen. In New Jersey, the age at which one can drink liquor legally is seventeen. In Montana, ... The topic sentence in this paragraph is supported with some examples of specific ages of people allowed to drink liquor in different states. Example 3 Man is the most intelligent of the animals. Only man can talk. Only man has developed the power to destroy himself. Although in many ways man is not superior to animals, he has the wit to make other animals work for him. 100 www.nhantriviet.com‘The IELTS Academic and General Training Task 2 Writing The topic sentence in this paragraph is supported with some specific ideas: 1. Only man can talk. 2. Only man has developed the power to destroy himself. 3. Although in many ways man is not superior to animals, he has the wit to make other animals work for him, Example 4 Charles is very interested in cars. He knows all the details about every new model. He spends a lot of time working on his old Ford, and he visits all the car shows. The topic sentence in this paragraph is supported with some specific details: Charles knows all the details about every new model, spends a lot of time working on his old Ford, and visits all the car shows. From the examples given above, you can see that a topic sentence is the one which re- veals the main idea of a paragraph, and supporting sentences are the ones that provide the topic sentence with details. ®Coherence Coherence is an important element of the essay writing process. Coherence refers to a certain characteristic or aspect of writing. Literally, the word means “sticking together”. Coherence in writing means that all the ideas in a paragraph flow smoothly from one sentence to the next sentence. With coherence, the reader has an easy time understanding the ideas that the writer wishes to express. You can, thus, employ cohe- sive devices, which are also known as connectors, transition words, or connecting words to preserve the logical flow between the various parts of an essay as well as between sentences and paragraphs. For paragraphs, a transition signal, ie. a connector, can be found at the beginning of each paragraph, Example wee A comprehensive method is needed in solving the issue of the “aged socie Introduction: ‘The world is entering an “aged society”. According to the UN statistics, in 2050, the percent- age of the aged will reach 23 percent. Obviously, whether the old people can live a decent life or not concerns not only humanism, but also social stability and family happiness. Therefore, the society as a whole, not this section or that section, should be responsible for their life. www.nhantriviet.com 101Basie IELTS Writing Following this introduction, the body may consist of four paragraphs with the transition signals in bold: Paragraph I: To begin with, the government should work out a series of policy to protect the old. Paragraph 2: Furthermore, all the work units should provide their members with a special | fund in their salary as pension after retirement. Paragraph 3: In addition, nobody is supposed to depend on the government and the work ‘unit entirely. Paragraph 4: Finally, we should not forget the responsibility of the family. Each of the body paragraphs with such a topic sentence clearly states what the paragraph will be about: Paragraph 1: What the government should do Paragraph 2: What the work units should do Paragraph 3: What the person himself should do Paragraph 4: What the family should do Supporting sentences must be added to each body paragraph by using facts, evidence or examples, as follows: Paragraph 1: To begin with, the government should work out a series of policy to protect the old. The policy should include life insurance, health insurance, basic poverty line, and so forth so that the aged can enjoy a comparatively decent life which is assured and protected by law. Paragraph 2: Furthermore, all the work units should provide their members with a special fund in their salary as pension after retirement. The fund should be put into the bank and not to be used for any other purposes. This sum of money is to follow the person when he changes his work unit. Paragraph 3: In addition, nobody is supposed to depend on the government and the work unit en- tirely. He should be responsible for himself, too. Buying insurance for life of retirement is his unshirkable responsibility. In doing so, he can reduce the financial burden of both the society and his family. Paragraph 4: Finally, we should not forget the responsibility of the family. The Vietnamese people have a glorious tradition; that is to say, to respect the old. The family members should sup- port their old financially, They should also know that life of the aged is not only money. ‘They need love from their kin, which is, afterall, the core of their happiness. 102 www.nhantriviet.comThe IELTS Academic and General ‘Training Task 2 Writing The body of the above-mentioned essay is made up of these four paragraphs. To begin with, the government should work out a series of policy to protect the old. The policy should include life insurance, health insurance, basic poverty line, and so forth so that the aged can enjoy a comparatively decent life which is assured and protected by law. Furthermore, all the work units should provide their members with a special fund in their salary as pension after retirement. The fund should be put into the bank and not to be used for any other purposes. This sum of money is to follow the person when he changes his work unit. In addition, nobody is supposed to depend on the government and the work unit en- tirely. He should be responsible for himself, too. Buying insurance for life of retirement is his unshirkable responsibility. In doing so, he can reduce the financial burden of both the society and his family, Finally, we should not forget the responsibility of the family. The Vietnamese people have a glorious tradition; that is to say, to respect the old, The family members should sup- port their old financially. They should also know that life of the aged is not only money. ‘They need love from their kin, which is, afterall, the core of their happiness. Exercise 11 1. Write a body paragraph for each of the following topic sentences. 1. Charles is very interested in cars. 2. Well-established mass transit systems are far more efficient and economical than pri- vate cars. 3. We cannot do without animals now. 4. Of course, we have to admit that travelling alone has its merits. 5. There are many energy sources besides petrol. 2. Complete the following paragraph with appropriate connectors. It is now widely accepted that excessive consumption of refined sugar is not good for our health. i refined sugar lacks nutrients and is, 2. snot really a food. 3. , refined sugar tends to be retained by the body in the form of fat. 4 , although sugar initially gives us more energy, it can also contribute to the condition known as hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar levels, leading to loss of energy. 5. ; of course, refined sugar is a major contributor to tooth décay. 6. , refined sugar is not good for our health. www.nhantriviet.com, 103Basic IELTS Writing @ Body-paragraph analysis, Example 1 wyCy PO Cnn cue gece Body paragraphs Firstly, well-established mass transit systems are far more efficient and economical than private cars. Take bus for example. One car holds at most five people but one bus can hold 40 to 50, eight to ten times as many as a car, To move the same number of people from one place to another, we need a lot more vehicles if we use private cars. Secondly, parking occupies roads. Parking places for private cars occupy much more land than buses do. In order to provide enough parking lots for private cars, municipal governments have to cut the budget for roads. It is obvious that with fewer private cars, we can certainly have more money and land to build better and wider roads to reduce traffic jams. Finally, many traffic jams are caused by traffic accidents. With more vehicles in big cities, the probability for accidents to happen is higher, and hence more traffic jams. Mass transit systems reduce private cars, and hence there are fewer vehicles. The result is obvious: | fewer vehicles, fever traffic accents, Fewer trafic jams Analysing 1. This a three-paragraph body based on the outline planned before. 2. Each paragraph elaborates on or develops a point: «Paragraph 1 states that: Well-established mass transit systems are far more efficient and economical than private cars. This topic sentence is supported with a specific example: Take bus for example. One car holds at most five people but one bus can hold 40 to 50, cight to ten times as many as a car. To move the same number of people from one place to another, we need a lot more vehicles if we use private cars. * Paragraph 2 mentions that: Parking occupies roads. This topic sentence is supported with evidence: Parking places for private cars occupy much more land than buses do. In order to provide enough parking lots for private cars, municipal governments have to cut the budget for roads. It is obvious that with fewer private cars, we can certainly have more money and land to build better and wider roads to reduce traffic jams. 104The IELTS Academic and General ‘Training Task 2 Writing * Paragraph 3 points out that: Many traffic jams are caused by traffic accidents. This topic sentence is supported with some logical arguments: With more vehicles in big cities, the probability for accidents to happen is higher,and hence more traffic jams. Mass transit systems reduce private cars, and hence there are fewer vehicles, ‘The result is obvious: fewer vehicles, fewer traffic accidents, fewer traffic jams. 3. These body paragraphs are linked together by connectors showing order /sequence: Firstly, Secondly, Finally. 4, Each of these paragraphs is of equal length. They are neither too long nor too short. 5. Each of these paragraphs has a topic sentence which is simple, clear and understandable. * The topic sentence of the first paragraph is: ‘Well-established mass transit systems are far more efficient and economical than private cars. * The topic sentence of the second paragraph is: Parking occupies roads. * The topic sentence of the third paragraph is: Many traffic jams are caused by traffic accidents. 6. The three body paragraphs here have unity; namely, the topic, supporting, and con- cluding sentences are all telling the reader about one main subject. Example 2 wii Pere Cael e sects De gece eed To begin with, Y2K has always been a question mark. The possibility that it would cause disasters to the world was remote, but even a slim chance for failure required contin- gency plans. Nobody would consider the risk that missiles shoot off their silos as fireworks in the sky. So, every penny spent on it is worthwhile. Furthermore, even now, only a few Y2K managers are willing at this early date to pro- nounce the Y2K operation a success. It is too soon to signal an all-clear result. Since the bug did cause in Europe some auto-banks to stop working, we can say every effort of ours on it is necessary. We can never be too cautious on the issue. In addition, we avoided chaos because programmers and managers around the world did their best to solve this potential problem before it became a reality. OF course, some projec- tions were inaccurate, falling on both the low and high sides of reality, But Y2K bug is an issue man has never encountered before. We were actually on something brand new to us. www.nhantrivietcom 105Basie IELTS Writing Analysing 1. Each paragraph elaborates on or develops a point: «Paragraph 1 states that: Y2K has always been a question mark. This topic sentence is supported with justification of common sense: The possibility that it would cause disasters to the world was remote, but even a slim chance for failure required contingency plans. Nobody would consider the risk that missiles shoot off their silos as fireworks in the sky. So, every penny spent on it is worthwhile. * Paragraph 2 mentions that: Even now, only a few Y2K managers are willing at this early date to pronounce the Y2K operation a success. This topic sentence is supported with facts: Itis too soon to signal an all-clear result. Since the bug did cause in Europe some auto-banks to stop working, we can say every effort of ours on it is necessary, We can never be too cautious on the issue. * Paragraph 3 points out that: We avoided chaos because programmers and managers around the world did their best to solve this potential problem before it became a reality. This topic sentence is supported with some logical arguments: Of course, some projections were inaccurate, falling on both the low and high sides of reality, But Y2K bug is an issue man has never encountered before. We were actually on something brand new to us. 2. These body paragraphs are linked together by connectors showing addition: To begin with, Furthermore, In addition. 3. Each of these paragraphs is of equal length. They are neither too long nor too short. 4, Each of these paragraphs has a topic sentence. * The topic sentence of the first paragraph is: Y2K has always been a question mark. * The topic sentence of the second paragraph is: Even now, only a few Y2K managers are willing at this early date to pronounce the Y2K ‘operation a success. * The topic sentence of the third paragraph We avoided chaos because programmers and managers around the world did their best to solve this potential problem before it became a reality. 5. All of these three body paragraphs have unity. In other words, the topic, supporting, and concluding sentences are all telling the reader about one main subject. 106 www.nhantriviet.com,‘The IELTS Academic and Gen “Training Task 2 Writing 3.3 Writing the conclusion The conclusion is the last paragraph of the essay. The conclusion serves to signal the end of the essay by summarising the main points, or restating the thesis, or leaving the reader with the writer’s thought on the subject; however, it should not bring up a new one. Below are some common connectors starting a conclusion paragraph: In conclusion, ... Altogether, ... Insum, ... Inall,.. To sum up, .. On the whole, ... All this suggests that ... It can be concluded from the text that . In conclusion, it can be said that ... Example 1 ori SCRE en eG cece waa a CE PRR TN a na aes car Introduction: More and more people are pursuing their education abroad. Housing is always a hot topic for them while living abroad. Without a nice house to live in, one would find it difficult to study well. Many find it advantageous to purchase a home, but I would think it is better to rent a house for the following reasons. The conclusion which corresponds to this introduction may be written as follows: “Therefore, we can see that for a student studying in the UK, renting a house is better than buying one. Example 2 Mein PR CR ce OU Ci Rian cue ese Introduction: The problem of traffic jams in big cities in Vietnam has always been a headache. As to how to solve this problem, people maintain different opinions. Some suggest that we give priority to the development of private cars, others argue that mass transit systems should be put in the first place. 1 am for the latter solution. www.nhantriviet.com 107Basic IELTS Writing ‘The conclusion which corresponds to this introduction may be written as follows: All this suggests that to solve the problem of traffic jams in big cities in Vietnam, mass transit systems are a better choice. Example 3 wen 7 ee Neo E ue Rocce B in i anes cea ae Introduetio ‘The world is entering an “aged society”. According to the UN statistics, in 2050, the per- centage of the aged will reach 23 percent. Obviously, whether the old people can live a decent life or not concerns not only humanism, but also social stability and family happiness. There- fore, the society as a whole, not this section or that section, should be responsible for their life The conclusion which corresponds to this introduction may be written as follows: Ina word, to solve the problem, we need the efforts from all the sections of the society. Example 4 welt eT On y SO eg ete ot ea SOO eas oc eos RC SRO One e eCOsTn Introduction: With more and more juvenile delinquency, people have paid more and more attention to who should be responsible for it: the family ot the school? It seems to me that the family exerts more influence on teenagers, and therefore, itis the family that should be responsible ‘The conclusion which corresponds to this introduction may be written as follows: | In conclusion, while both the school and the family have influence on teenagers, that of the family is obviously much stronger than that of the school. Example 5 whit SOLED D ce RCE UC ge ec Rog es ocd 108 www.nhantriviet.comThe IELTS Academic and General Training Task 2 Writing Introduction: In the article on the use of the “oil weapon” in the 1970s, the writer suggests that the main reason for the rapid increase in oil price was the cost of the Arab-Israel war. But was that really the main reason behind the enormous price increase at that time? There were, in my opinion, other far more important reasons behind the price increase. ‘The conclusion which corresponds to this introduction may be written as follows: In conclusion, it can be said that the Arab-Israel war did have effect on the rise of world oil price, but, as we have discussed above, there were some other more important causes that must not be neglected. Example 6 rn The fight against Y2K bug is necessary. Introduction: Right after the New Year's Eve of 2000, even before dawn, the Y2K critics were sharpen- ing their knives. To them, the lack of havoc was proof that the Y2K bug was just an illusion Some even say the “bug” has been “magnified to an elephant”. Therefore, they contend that the money spent on it was unnecessary. But their argument does not hold up for examination The conclusion which corresponds to this introduction may be written as follows: inst the Y2K To sum up, in order to ensure a peacefull and secure world, the fight ag; bug is absolutely necessary. Exercise 12 ‘Write a conclusion for each of the following essays whose introduction and body paragraphs are provided. 1 Write to a newspaper to state your idea about this decisio ‘The decision of the Civil Aviation Bureau about a total ban on smoking on board of a plane is absolutely right. All passengers, I think, welcome this decision. ‘The following points may explain my opinion. www.nhantriviet.com 109Basic IELTS Writing First, not all passengers on the airplane enjoy smoking. In the past, we did set up smok- ing areas. Nevertheless, even when certain areas were reserved for nonsmokers, the smell of smoke could not be restricted to the smoking areas because of air-conditioning. Medical f- Second, smoking causes higher price of plane tickets. If the airlines did not have to pay for personnel to clean ash and cigarette butts from ashtrays, floors and seats, and if they research has proved that passive smoking is even worse than direct smo! did not have to replace floor coverings and seat covers because of cigarette burns, perhaps air travel would be a litte less expensive. Third, smoking destroys the nice atmosphere. Without smoking, without those cigarette ash and butts and things, the environment on the airplane would be better. The result would be that more people would like to travel by airplane. Last, there is always danger of fire aboard an airplane, especially in the event of a crash. Smoking increases that danger because any leakage of at ion gasoline would be like a napalm, According to the government report, last year in the world, one fifth of the fires in air crashes were caused by smoking. (236 words) TC tke ck et ee Omi a ters List at least three disadvantages of owning a car and provide examples to illus- Pern ag Cease I cannot agree more that to own a car has many advantages. But today, | am to say something about the disadvantages of owning a car so that before you buy a car, you can see both sides of the coin. Firstly, people who own-their cars have many expenses to pay in order to keep their cars. One of the expenses that car owners have is insurance. People who own cats also have to be content with rising gasoline prices, and it seems that the price is always going up. In addition, every time a car breaks down, there are bills for new parts and services. Secondly, to drive a car on a road free of traffic congestion is certainly a pleasant thing. But when you are jammed half way to where you are heading, it will not be that pleasant any more. If you are going fishing, it will be unimportant because the cost of the jam is only one or two fish. But if you are going to have a business talk, things will be different. Thirdly, your car is always the prey of car thieves, How many cars are stolen every year in the world? Millions. Even if you have some money to buy another one after losing it, the chance for it to be stolen again remains the same, What is more, losing a car is not the end of the matter, but the beginning, Troubles never come singly. How much does your time and energy cost? (252 words) 110 wwwanhantriviet.com4, Checking and editing ‘The IELTS Academic and General Training ‘Task 2 Writing While planning your essay, remember to spare some minutes for checking and editing your answer. Before handing in your work, read it through to check for errors; otherwise, you are throwing marks away. Corrections at this stage mostly focus on lexical and grammatical accuracy. * Vocabulary editing includes word choice errors, spelling errors, and capitalisation. * As far as grammar is concerned, make sure that your essay is correctly punctuated, and each sentence has a subject and a main verb. Also, check the subject-verb agreement and the verb tenses. Commonly-used connectors in an opinion essay at present currently first firstly first of all Pe eae ction also besides furthermore in the same way likewise similarly Reed above all accordingly as a consequence asa result at last by and large consequently eventually 1. Used at the beginning of a sentence or a post-paragraph generally speaking in the beginning in the first place it goes without saying lately in addition in addition to .. Sen at the same time but/yet conversely however meanwhile finally hence in a word in brief in conclusion in short in sum in summary now presently recently to begin with moreover what is more nevertheless on the contrary on the other hand otherwise whereas/while on the whole therefore thus to speak frankly to summarise to sum up www.nhantriviet.com WLWriting Exercise 13 Practise writing opinion essays on the following titles. 1 You should spend about 40 minutes on this tas! eR er aE One ecco oe gal Ree Osta oa RCo ek naa What is your opinion about this matter? ‘You should write at least 250 words. You should spend about 40 minutes on this task As part of a class assignment, you have to write about the following topic: Ug Cen eC Sconce coat Oo Reo have less leisure time. What do you think of their complaint? ‘ou should write at least 250 words. You should spend about 40 minutes on this task FORTS SRT S CRORES AE Scolar PCTS RRR Cae cece Se RL) travel alone while others like to travel with a group of people. San RU RS re ats Asse ccd SCTE CR sel ees Res You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. eee er Ue eee ne nea People have different tastes in listening to music (including songs). Some like classical SUS RCE cer Tee Which kind of music do you prefer? Please give specific reasons for your answer. Roe 12 www.nhantriviet.com