{"id":41604,"date":"2020-02-05T16:45:00","date_gmt":"2020-02-05T15:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/?p=41604"},"modified":"2020-02-05T16:45:00","modified_gmt":"2020-02-05T15:45:00","slug":"ielts-writing-part-2-how-to-write-a-discursive-essay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/ielts-writing-part-2-how-to-write-a-discursive-essay\/","title":{"rendered":"IELTS: Writing Part 2 &#8211; How To Write A Discursive Essay"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">When it comes to exams, preparation is the key to success &#8211; and the IELTS Writing Paper Part 2 is no exception! It is worth twice as much as Part 1 and is the longest part of the writing paper. So it\u2019s important <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>to perfect<\/strong><\/em><\/span> your technique before the big day.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">We\u2019ve put together some tips, examples, and useful language to help you prepare for Part 2 of the Writing Paper.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #2d346f;\"><strong>IELTS exam requirements<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">In both the General and the Academic papers, the IELTS Writing Task 2 requires you to write at least 250 words. You will be presented with a topic and tested on your ability to:<\/p>\n<div class=\"list_styles\"><ul class=''>\n<span style=\"font-size: 15px;\"><li><i class='icon-ok'><\/i>Respond by discussing it<\/span><\/li>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 15px;\"><li><i class='icon-ok'><\/i>Extend the ideas, giving an opinion<\/span><\/li>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 15px;\"><li><i class='icon-ok'><\/i>Support that opinion with reasoned arguments<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div><div class=\"clear\"><\/div>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #2d346f;\"><strong>Three tips to get a great mark in Part 2<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><strong>1. Read the question carefully<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Don\u2019t be tempted to rush this part: identifying the topic correctly is a <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>crucial<\/strong><\/em><\/span> first step.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Remember, you are required to give reasons for your answer and include relevant examples from your own knowledge. That means it\u2019s really important that you make sure you understand the essay question fully.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><strong>2. Brainstorm ideas<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Organising your ideas is an important step in the process. Before you start writing, take some time to make a short plan of what you are going to write. Think about your response to the question:<\/p>\n<div class=\"list_styles\"><ul class=''>\n<span style=\"font-size: 15px;\"><li><i class='icon-ok'><\/i>What are your opinions?<\/span><\/li>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 15px;\"><li><i class='icon-ok'><\/i>Why do you have this opinion?<\/span><\/li>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 15px;\"><li><i class='icon-ok'><\/i>What problems can you <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>foresee<\/strong><\/em><\/span>?<\/li><\/span> <\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 15px;\"><li><i class='icon-ok'><\/i>What solutions can you suggest?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div><div class=\"clear\"><\/div>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><strong>3. Don\u2019t write too much<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">The more you write, the more chances there are that you&#8217;ll make mistakes. So don\u2019t be tempted to write a long essay. In fact, structure and <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>coherence<\/strong><\/em><\/span> are more important than length when it comes to marking. A good length to aim for is around 280 words.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">You get an hour to complete the two tasks in the Writing Paper, but try to dedicate at least 40 minutes to Task 2, as it is worth twice as many points as Part 1 and you need to write a longer response.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #2d346f;\"><strong>Structuring your answer<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">The structure of your essay is important for the development of your ideas. Have a look at how we have answered the sample question, below. As you can see, the answer follows a clear structure. Bear in mind, your essay will need to be at least 250 words long, so try to dedicate at least 40 minutes to this task.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Here\u2019s a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ielts-exam.net\/ielts_writing_samples_task_2\/1033\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">sample essay question<\/a>:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><strong>In some countries, it is thought advisable that children begin formal education at four years old, while in others they do not have to start school until they are seven or eight. How far do you agree with either of these views?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><em>Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #616a6b;\"><strong>Beginning your essay<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">In the <strong>opening paragraphs<\/strong>, the main idea from the question is identified and developed, so the examiner can see that you have <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>fully<\/strong><\/em><\/span> understood the essay question and can give a <strong>detailed summary with examples<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><em>In this essay, the arguments surrounding early education and the best age to start school will be discussed<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><em>One can see that education is different all over the world. In some countries, parents are content for their children to play and explore on their own, without the help of teachers. It\u2019s considered normal for children to learn through play and they might not go to school, formally, until they are 7 or 8 years old.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><em>In other countries, parents focus on academic education at a much earlier age. They put their children in pre-school programmes, try to help them learn songs, write simple things at home, and play educational games with them. This helps prepare them before they start attending their first school.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #616a6b;\"><strong>Writing the essay body<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">The <strong>following paragraph<\/strong> is the main body of the essay. It explains the student\u2019s <strong>personal approach<\/strong> to the question and the way that they are <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>qualifying their opinion<\/strong><\/em><\/span> . It extends their ideas and supports this approach with a <strong>relevant example<\/strong>. Finally, it ends with a concluding sentence which leads into the final paragraph.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><em>In my view, I think a combination of the two approaches is the best answer. Learning through play is beneficial because students have fun and don\u2019t ever find learning to be \u201cboring.\u201d Evidence suggests this method can lead to a life-long love of learning too: many students who start learning in this way go on to university and continue educating themselves for their whole lives. Nevertheless, there are <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>drawbacks<\/strong><\/em><\/span>  to this, such as a lack of direction, which might mean some children are unprepared for school. Having a professional teacher, who makes interesting, personalised lessons and follows a syllabus can solve this issue. In this way, through teacher-directed play, students are given equal opportunities to learn together and no child is put at a significant disadvantage.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #616a6b;\"><strong>Concluding your essay<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">The <strong>last paragraph<\/strong> is the conclusion, which presents an opinion and gives <strong>final supporting arguments<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><em>To sum up, I would argue that students benefit from having a formal education at an earlier age. However, it seems to me that teachers should make play a priority because that is how children naturally learn.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">By following this structure, you\u2019ll produce a coherent and cohesive answer to the essay question, whatever it is.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">You can see another <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ielts-exam.net\/ielts_writing_samples_task_2\/1033\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">sample answer for the question above here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #2d346f;\"><strong>Useful language<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">While it\u2019s not <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>advisable<\/strong><\/em><\/span> to memorise entire sentences, it is good to have a stock of phrases that you can use to join ideas and make your writing flow more naturally. Here are some examples:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><strong>In the introduction:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">This essay will outline _____<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">This essay seeks to ______<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">In this essay, the arguments surrounding _____ will be discussed.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><strong>When giving examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">As can be seen from _____<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Recent studies have shown that _____<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">One solution proposed by____ is _____<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">A good example of this is _______<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Evidence suggests that _______<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><strong>When sharing your opinion:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">It seems to me _____<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">In my opinion _____<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">In my view _____<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">I would argue that _____<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><strong>When giving an alternative perspective:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">However, there are drawbacks to this, such as  _____<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Another approach is _____<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">However, it is important to consider _____<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Having said that, _____<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">In spite of this, _____<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><strong>In the conclusion:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">To sum up, _____<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Overall _____<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">In the end _____<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Can you see any of these phrases being used in our sample answer above?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Can you see any of these phrases being used in our sample answer above?<br \/>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #2d346f;\"><strong>A few final reminders<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;\n<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Take a few moments to plan the structure of your essay before you start writing, it will help your ideas flow.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Avoid contractions: the language of the essay should be academic and formal in tone.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Keep an eye on the clock: it\u2019s always a good idea to leave yourself a few minutes at the end to quickly read over your answer in case of any mistakes.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Are you taking an IELTS exam soon? Feeling nervous about the writing paper? This blogpost has some top tips and useful language to help you with part 1 of the writing paper.<\/p>\n<div class=\"devider element_size_>\"><div style=\"margin-top:20px;margin-bottom:20px; \" class=\"divider3\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"clear\"><\/div>\n<h1><strong>Glossary for Language Learners<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Find the following words in the article and then write down any new ones you didn\u2019t know.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>Perfect (v):<\/strong><\/em><\/span> to make something perfect, to bring to its final form.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>Crucial (adj):<\/strong><\/em><\/span> very important, essential.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>Foresee (v):<\/strong><\/em><\/span> predict, see something before it happens.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>Coherence (n):<\/strong><\/em><\/span> logic, intelligibility.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>Fully (adv):<\/strong><\/em><\/span> completely.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>Qualifying your opinion (exp):<\/strong><\/em><\/span> explaining their position, justifying.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>Drawbacks (n):<\/strong><\/em><\/span> disadvantage.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em><strong>Advisable (adj):<\/strong><\/em><\/span> a good idea, prudent.<\/p>\n<div class=\"devider element_size_>\"><div style=\"margin-top:20px;margin-bottom:20px; \" class=\"divider1\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"clear\"><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><strong>Key<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">v = verb<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">adj = adjective<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">n = noun<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">pv = phrasal verb<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">adv = adverb<\/p>\n<div class=\"devider element_size_>\"><div style=\"margin-top:20px;margin-bottom:20px; \" class=\"divider1\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"clear\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"messagebox alert alert-info\" style=\"align:left; background:#ffffff; color:#2D346F; border:1px solid #ffffff\"><h4>IELTS Course<\/h4><i class=\"icon-info-sign\"><\/i>Interested in taking an IELTS preparation course at Oxford House Barcelona? Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/english-courses\/ielts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">more information about them<\/a>.<\/div><div class=\"clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When it comes to exams, preparation is the key to success &#8211; and the IELTS Writing Paper Part 2 is no exception! It is worth twice as much as Part 1 and is the longest part of the writing paper. So it\u2019s important to perfect your technique before the big day. We\u2019ve put together some [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":41606,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_joinchat":[]},"categories":[268],"tags":[605,986],"yst_prominent_words":[10417,10402,10420,10398,10396,10394,1044,1031,10413,10364,10395,10397,10419,3034,10415,10414,10399,10418,10421],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41604"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41604"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41604\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41612,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41604\/revisions\/41612"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41606"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41604"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41604"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41604"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=41604"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}