Understanding and Analyzing IELTS Writing Task 2 Questions

This article will help you understand IELTS writing questions and answer these questions more effectively.

One of the main reasons students fail to get the score they deserve in writing task 2 is not analysing the question effectively. I had one student recently who had great grammar and vocabulary but always failed to read and analyse the question properly and therefore didn’t understand the question. He was so confident in his ability that he went straight into writing without really thinking about what the examiner wanted him to write. He should have gotten at least a 7 or 8 but ended up with a 6 instead.

Some students think that analysing the question will take up too much time, but they normally don’t do as well as they should. I know teachers repeatedly say, ‘read the question,’ but what does this actually mean?

The examiner is actually looking to see if you have understood the question properly, and a failure to take the time to do so could result in you dropping down a few band scores.

So why do some students not do so well? There are four main reasons:

  1. Failure to take the time to actually read the question;
  2. Writing about the topic generally and not answering the specific question;
  3. Failing to recognise the kind of question being asked and
  4. Misunderstanding the question.

Luckily, there are simple steps you can take in the exam that will save you time and help you understand and analyse the question effectively, boosting your band score.

These 3 easy steps are simply identifying three easy things:

    1. The topic words;
    2. The micro-topic words and
    3. The instruction words.

I will explain how you can do this below.

What do questions normally look like?

It is a good idea to at least have a look at the different types of questions that normally come up in this part of the exam. You will be much more confident in the exam, and there will be no surprises.

The question will always start with one or two statements. It will then give a set of instructions that will differ from question to question. For a summary of question types, click here.

Now we know the format, we can get into analysing the question.

Identify the Topic Words
Each essay will be about a general topic, and we must identify this first.

Let’s look at an example question:

The internet allows us to stay connected with each other no matter where we are. On the other hand, it also isolates us and encourages people not to socialise.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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

The topic word here is obviously ‘The internet’. If it is obvious, why am I telling you about it? Because too many students will write generally about the topic and this is how you lose marks. It is fine to write about the topic, but it must be linked to the rest of the question. This is where ‘micro-topic’ words come in.

Identify Micro-Topic Words
These words define the question and tell you which particular part of the main topic the question would like you to discuss and what the examiner is looking for. They often give an opinion or qualify the statement in some way.

Let’s look at our example question again:

The internet allows us to stay connected with each other no matter where we are. On the other hand, it also isolates us and encourages people not to socialise.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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

So as you can see, we should only include things in our essay that are relevant to the abovementioned words. If we discuss anything else, such as how the internet helps us study, how it is dangerous for children, the history of the internet or how the internet is used for entertainment, then you are not being relevant.

Let’s look at another question:

Many children these days have an unhealthy lifestyle. Both schools and parents are responsible for solving this problem.

To what extent do you agree with this statement?

The main topic is children’s unhealthy lifestyles. This is a very wide topic; we can’t write about it in general. Instead, we have to look at the second sentence for the micro-topic words. Here we have to look at both schools and parents and how they are responsible for solving this problem.

Remember; write about the micro-topic words, not the topic in general.

Identify Instruction Words

The next stage is looking to see what the examiner wants us to do. They could ask us to give an opinion, evaluate the advantages and disadvantages, or present problems and solutions. For a guide on the different question types, click here.

Let’s look at our example question again:

The internet allows us to stay connected with each other no matter where we are. On the other hand, it also isolates us and encourages people not to socialise.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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

We can clearly see that this is an agree or disagree question; therefore, we must follow this format, or we will lose marks. We should also give reasons and include some relevant examples.

That’s it! You’re now ready to present relevant arguments backed up by supporting information.

This will also keep you focused throughout the essay, and you should refer back to it from time to time to ensure you stay within what the question asks.

Let’s practice

Have a look at this example question below and identify:

  1. The topic words;
  2. The micro-topic words and
  3. The instruction words.

Women and men are commonly seen as having different strengths and weaknesses. Is it right to exclude males or females from certain professions because of their gender?

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

Do you think the examiner wants you to discuss men’s and women’s strengths and weaknesses or something else? Comment below with your answers.

If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below. Any questions, no matter how big or small, are always welcome. We are always happy to help.