You sit down to practice and write an “Agree / Disagree” IELTS essay. And your first step is…
If you’re like many, you try to think of some ideas for your essay.
STOP right there.
Why? It’s a very common mistake many people make in their IELTS writing. They start brainstorming BEFORE they have taken the time to decide their position.
You need to decide whether you AGREE or DISAGREE, and only then come up with ideas for your essay.
Your position has to come first, because if you AGREE you need to think of some strong ideas why you agree, and if you DISAGREE, your ideas have to be on why you disagree. If you partially agree, you need ideas for both sides. Without knowing your position, you can’t generate relevant ideas!
Follow These 5 Steps Instead
1. Understand the Topic: Read it carefully. Make sure you understand what is being asked.
2. Decide Your Position: Agree? Disagree? Partially agree? Your position shapes your argument.
3. Idea Generation: Now, brainstorm. If you agree, think of strong supporting ideas. Disagree? Focus on reasons to disagree. Partially agree? You’ll need points for both sides. Remember, without a clear position, your ideas may lack relevance.
4. Begin Writing: Start your paragraph with a topic sentence, then explain your idea and support it with an example.
5. Proofread: Never skip this step. Find your mistakes before the examiner will!
Remember: For a well-structured essay, two strong ideas are typically sufficient for your two body paragraphs.
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