WRITING TASK 2 ------ Writing Plan

In some parts of the world it is becoming popular to research the history of one's own family. Why might people want to do this? Is it a positive or negative development?

Here's the plan I wrote for the first main body paragraph:

• Paragraph 2: Why might people want to research family history?
• various different reasons
• to know more about themselves and their roots, where they come from, whether their ancestors had similar personality traits
• because the Internet makes it easier to do this research, we hear about others who have done it, there are advertisements to encourage us
• out of curiosity e.g. we might secretly hope that we have a famous or wealthy ancestor

Here's a full paragraph using the ideas above:

There are various reasons why people might decide to trace their family histories. One explanation may be that they would like to know more about themselves, in terms of their roots, where they come from, or whether their ancestors had similar personality traits. Another factor could be that it has become so much easier to carry out genealogical research using the Internet. We hear about people who have studied their family trees, and there are even advertisements to encourage us to use genealogy websites. Finally, it may be that people are simply curious to find out whether they have any famous or wealthy ancestors.

SAMPLE IELTS TASK 2

Happiness is considered very important in life.
Why is it difficult to define?
What factors are important in achieving happiness?

It is no doubt true that the majority of people would like to be happy in their lives. While the personal nature of happiness makes it difficult to describe, there do seem to be some common needs that we all share with regard to experiencing or achieving happiness.

Happiness is difficult to define because it means something different to each individual person. Nobody can fully understand or experience another person’s feelings, and we all have our own particular passions from which we take pleasure. Some people, for example, derive a sense of satisfaction from earning money or achieving success, whereas for others, health and family are much more important. At the same time, a range of other feelings, from excitement to peacefulness, may be associated with the idea of happiness, and the same person may therefore feel happy in a variety of different ways.

Although it seems almost impossible to give a precise definition of happiness, most people would agree that there are some basic preconditions to achieving it. Firstly, it is hard for a person to be happy if he or she does not have a safe place to live and enough food to eat. Our basic survival needs must surely be met before we can lead a pleasant life. Secondly, the greatest joy in life is usually found in shared experiences with family and friends, and it is rare to find a person who is content to live in complete isolation. Other key factors could be individual freedom and a sense of purpose in life.

In conclusion, happiness is difficult to define because it is particular to each individual, but I believe that our basic needs for shelter, food and company need to be fulfilled before we can experience it.

IELTS Writing Task 2: agree, disagree or partly agree?

IELTS Writing Task 2: agree, disagree or partly agree?

Here's some advice for people who are still confused about "agree or disagree" questions:

If you completely agree or completely disagree:

• Make your opinion clear in the introduction and conclusion.
• Explain one reason for your opinion in paragraph 2 and another in paragraph 3. Imagine that you are persuading the examiner that your opinion is right.
• Don't write a paragraph about what 'other people' think. If you do that, you are in danger of writing a "discuss both views" essay. If you mention the opposite argument, make sure that you refute it (explain why you think it's wrong), 

If you partly agree:

• Make it clear in the introduction and conclusion that you have a balanced view i.e. that you accept both sides of the argument to some extent
• Write one paragraph about each side of the argument. But do this fromyour point of view e.g. On the one hand, I accept that... / On the other hand, I also believe that...
• Don't write a discussion essay e.g. some people believe / other people argue...