Let's go IELTS. What?
Welcome to the Advanced English Writing Guide
Originally developed as a resource for IELTS Academic candidates, this guide has grown into a comprehensive collection of grammar explanations, writing techniques, vocabulary, collocations, and stylistic advice for advanced learners of English.
Whether you are preparing for IELTS, Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), C2 Proficiency (CPE), TOEFL, or simply looking to improve your academic or professional writing, you’ll find practical explanations and examples to help you write with greater accuracy, clarity, and confidence.
The focus throughout is not only on grammatical correctness but also on the features that distinguish high-level writing: precise vocabulary, natural collocations, coherent organization, formal register, and stylistic variety. Many of the principles presented here apply equally well to university essays, business communication, and other forms of professional writing.
What is IELTS Writing Task 2?
In IELTS Writing Task 2, you are asked to write a formal academic essay in response to a question or statement. You should present clear ideas, support them with relevant examples, and organise your essay logically.
Task 2 carries twice as many marks as Task 1, so it plays a major role in determining your overall Writing score.
Key facts
- Time: about 40 minutes
- Length: at least 250 words
- Style: formal and academic
- Structure: introduction, 2–3 body paragraphs, conclusion
- Main goal: present a well-organised argument supported by relevant explanations and examples
Assessment criteria
Your essay is marked in four equally weighted areas:
- Task Response – Answer the question fully and develop your ideas.
- Coherence and Cohesion – Organise your essay logically and use linking devices effectively.
- Lexical Resource – Demonstrate a wide range of vocabulary accurately.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy – Use a variety of sentence structures with a high degree of accuracy.
Question Types
Although the wording varies, almost every Task 2 essay falls into one of the following categories.
1. Opinion Essay (Agree or Disagree)
You must clearly state whether you agree or disagree with the statement and support your opinion throughout the essay.
Example
Some people believe that university education should be free for everyone, regardless of their financial situation. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
2. Discussion Essay (Discuss Both Views)
Discuss both sides of the argument before giving your own opinion (if requested).
Example
Some people believe that children should start learning a foreign language at primary school, while others think it is better to begin later. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
3. Advantages and Disadvantages Essay
Evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of a particular situation or development.
Example
More people are working from home than ever before. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend?
4. Problem and Solution Essay
Explain the causes or problems and suggest practical solutions.
Example
Traffic congestion has become a serious problem in many large cities. What problems does this cause, and what measures could be taken to solve them?
5. Two-Part Question (Direct Questions)
Answer two separate but related questions in one essay.
Example
Many people spend less time with their families than they did in the past. Why is this happening? What effects is this having on family relationships?
6. Positive or Negative Development Essay
Decide whether a recent change or trend is generally beneficial or harmful.
Example
Many companies now allow employees to work remotely. Is this a positive or negative development?
7. Cause and Effect Essay
Explain the reasons for a particular issue and discuss its consequences.
Example
The number of people suffering from stress-related illnesses is increasing. What are the main causes of this problem, and what effects does it have on individuals and society?
| Essay type | Your opinion required? |
|---|---|
| Opinion (Agree/Disagree) | ✅ Yes |
| Discuss Both Views | ✅ Usually yes (“…and give your own opinion”) |
| Advantages & Disadvantages | ❌ Not necessarily (unless the question asks) |
| Problem & Solution | ❌ No |
| Two-Part Question | Depends on the questions |
| Positive or Negative Development | ✅ Yes |
| Cause & Effect | ❌ No |
| Mixed Essay | Usually yes |
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Grammar Range & Style
The Impersonal Passive
In formal and academic writing, who says or believes something is often less important than the information itself. Instead of focusing on people, we focus on facts, ideas or findings. Therefore, your writing becomes objective, formal and suitable for essays/reports/academic writing.
Compare:
❌ People believe that social media has changed communication.
✅ It is believed that social media has changed communication.
✅ Social media is believed to have changed communication.
Structure A
It + be + past participle + that-clause
We often use this structure with the following reporting verbs: believe/think/say/consider/know/expect/report/suggest/assume/claim/estimate etc.
Scientists expect that temperatures will continue to rise.
→ It is expected that temperatures will continue to rise.
People say that online learning is becoming more popular.
→ It is said that online learning is becoming more popular.
Structure B
Subject + be + past participle + infinitive
Experts consider that climate change will affect agriculture.
→ Climate change is considered to affect agriculture.
People say that online learning is becoming more popular.
→ Online learning is said to be becoming more popular.
People think that the scientist made an important discovery.
→ The scientists are thought to have made an important discovery.
People expect that the project will be completed next year.
→ The project is expected to be completed next year.
People think that the building was constructed in the 18th century.
→ The building is thought to have been constructed in the 18th century.
When should you use each structure?
Use Structure A (It is + V3 + that-clause)
✅ for general, abstract, or background information
✅ when the subject is long or complicated
✅ when the orginal sentence contains ‘Will’
Examples:
People believe that working from home can improve employees’ work-life balance.
→ It is believed that working from home can improve employees’ work-life balance.
→ It is widely thought that patience is a virtue. (general belief)
→ It is expected that stricter regulations will be announced. (will clause)
→ It has been suggested that a change is needed. (you don’t want to mention the subject)
Use Structure B (Subject + passive + infinitive)
keeping the focus on who or what the information is about when the subject is known or important when you want a more concise, formal sentence
→ The company is believed to have been ignored the safety regulations. (focus on the company)
→ The results are reported to be groundbreaking.
→ The course is considered to be effective. (more concise than ‘It is believed…)
Inversion
Inversion in the English language refers to the reversal of the usual word order in sentences, typically placing the verb or the helping verb before the subject. This structure is commonly used in questions (e.g., ‘Are you coming?’ or ‘Have you seen anything like this before?’) and after certain negative adverbs or adverbial phrases for emphasis or stylistic effect, (‘Never have I seen such a thing’ or ‘Only now can I fully understand the importance of English grammar.’
Inversion normally appears in literary, formal contexts or in political speeches to add emphasis or create a more poetic or dramatic tone. Additionally, it is used in conditional sentences to sound more formal (e.g., ‘Should you need any further assistance, let us know immediately! or ‘Had I known this before we would certainly have taken it into consideration’).
As you can guess, inversion can also be used in the writing part of the IELTS to broaden your grammar range. Have a look at the chart below:
no sooner…than
No sooner had the company launched their new product than it became a best-seller.
little
Little did we know about the consequences of our actions.
under no circumstances
Under no circumstances are you allowed to enter this room.
hardly…when
Hardly had the team finished the project when they realized they made a huge mistake.
on no account
On no account should you do anything without asking me first.
not for a moment
Not for a moment did I think it would be a good proposal.
In certain expressions, the inversion comes in the second part of the sentence. Study the examples below:
only by
Only by working hard was she able to make reasonable progress.
not until
Not until I touched it with bare hands did I believe it was real.
We can drop ‘IF’ and use ‘SHOULD/WERE/HAD at the beginning of a conditional sentence.
II. conditional
Were it not for his help, we couldn’t make progress.
III. conditional
Had we had fewer obstacles during the process, we could have finished it much earlier.
Inversion after ‘SO + adjective … + THAT’/ ‘SUCH … +THAT’
So advanced was the presentation that very few people could understand it.
So strong was Barb’s influence on the team that everybody accepted her rules.
Such was the pressure on her that she gave up and left the company.
Parallel Structures
Parallel structure means using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance. I.e. If there are two or more pieces of information in a sentence, grammatical form of the first information must be followed to express the remaining ideas. In a parallel structure, multiple information is usually connected by coordinating conjunctions.
To put it very simply, when writing parallel structures a verb should be listed with a verb, a noun with a noun, a phrase with a pharase and so on and so forth.
At the word level:
Incorrect: I was told to do the research quickly, thorougly and in a careful manner.
Correct: I was told to do the research quickly, thorougly and carefully.
Incorrect: In her view, money means three things: power, happiness and feeling secure.
Correct: In her view, money means three things: power, happiness, and security.
At the phrase level:
Incorrect: In the lesson students are not allowed to eat snacks, playing with their phones and they can’t talk to other student either.
Correct: In the lesson, students are not allowed to eat snacks, to play with their phones or to talk to other students.
Incorrect: The management argued not only about the finacial isssues but they also argued about laying off staff.
Correct: The management argued not only about the financial issues but also about laying off staff.
Incorrect: They couldn’t decide whether to wait for some miracle to happen or should they take some evasive action.
Correct: They couldn’t decide whether to wait for some miracle or to take some evasive action.
Incorrect: To earn a lot of money, some people are prepared to risk everything: their property, their health and would even risk their life.
Correct: To earn a lot of money, some people are prepared to risk everything: their health, their property and even their life.
Incorrect: This position requires relevant knowledge, skills to lead a large organisation and experience working around the globe.
Correct: This position requries relevant knowledge, managerial skills and global experience.
At the clause level:
Almost correct: When talking about environmental issues, we should collect waste selectively and the CO2 should be reduced.
(This sentence is gramatically correct, however changing the second clause to an active one makes it better structured and easier to read.)
Correct: When talking about environmental issues, we should collect waste selectively and reduce our CO2 emission.
Absolute Phrases
At advanced level, successful candidates are expected to demonstrate a wide range of grammatical structures. Absolute phrases help you vary your sentence structure and express ideas more concisely, making your writing sound more formal and sophisticated. They are particularly useful in essays, reports and academic writing, where a varied grammatical range is rewarded.
Key features of an absolute phrase:
adds extra information about the whole sentence often replaces a subordinate clause creates a more formal, academic style makes writing more varied and fluent
From a grammar point of view, it has:
→ no finite verb
→ no conjunction
→ their own distinctive subject
An absolute phrase usually consists of:
noun + participle (present/past)
noun + adjective / prepositional phrase
and often expresses:
→ reason (because, since)
→ descriptive background (with)
→ condition (if)
→ time (after, before, once)
Examples:
- The weather being fine, we decided to go for a walk.
- His hands in his pockets, he waited outside.
- The report completed, she sent it to the client.
- Her eyes fixed on the screen, she barely noticed the time.
Regular sentences
After the meeting had finished, everyone went home.
Because the contract had been signed, work could begin immediately.
As his phone was in silent mode, he missed the call.
As the budget had already been approved, construction could begin immediately.
Absolute Phrase
The meeting having finished, everyone went home.
The contract signed, work could begin immediately.
His phone in silent mode, he missed the call.
The budget already approved, construction could begin immediately.
Fixed Expressions/Idioms
All things considered, this has been a successful year. (if we consider everything)
God willing, we’ll finish this by tomorrow morning. (if God wills it)
Weather permitting, we’ll have the party in the backyard. (if the weather is good enough)
The room was dark and sparsely furnished. That said, we had a great time. (despite what has been mentioned earlier)
Syntax & Sentence Types
Syntax
Syntax in English refers to the set of rules that govern the structure of sentences. It dictates the correct arrangement of words to convey meaning and ensure grammatical correctness. Syntax involves the proper placement of subjects, verbs, and objects, as well as the use of phrases and clauses. Mastery of syntax allows for clear and effective communication, ensuring that sentences are both coherent and meaningful. Understanding syntax is fundamental to both written and spoken English. Sentence TypesA. Simple Sentences
Simple sentences consist of one clause (usually a subject, a verb and/or an object or prepositional phrase). They express a complete thought and are important to make a clear point. Be careful though, using only simple sentences in your writing might cause your essay sound boring and the reader could lose interest. The cat fell asleep on the couch. The Brown’s ran into serious debts. The headmaster introduced the new school policy. A team of young engineers suggested an unconventional approach.B. Complex Sentences
Complex sentences consist of a main and a subordinate clause. A subordinate clause gives extra information but doesn’t make complete sense on its own. In the first sentence ‘After having eaten two large burgers’ gives more information to the main clause. After having eaten two large burgers, the cat fell asleep on the cauch. Being irresponsible and real shopaholics, the Brown’s ran into serious debts. Following the intructions provided by the Ministry of Education, the headmaster introduced the new policy. A team of young engineers suggested an unconventional approach, which totally shocked their senior colleagues.C. Compound Sentences
Compound sentences consist of two or more independent clauses joined by a conjunction. With this type of sentences you can easily connect/contrast/compare events or ideas. Even though Jack warned his cat mutiple times not to sleep on the couch, the furry beast wouldn’ listen to its owner. Whenever the holiday season comes, the Brown’s run into serious debts. While the headmaster was indroducing the new policy, two technicians tried to fix his microphone and the loudspeakers. A team of young engineers kept working hard to come up with a new idea, whereas their older colleagues were sitting on their laurels.D. Compound-Complex Sentences
As you might guess, if you come this far, compound-complex sentences consist of two or more independent clauses and at least one subordinate clause. Even though Jack loved his cat, he couldn’t stand Mimy lying on the sofa, so in the end he put her sleep in a box in the back yard. Since Mr. Brown couldn’t control his shopping addiction, his wife turned to a clinical psychologist and she was eventually able to get him back on the right track.E. Cleft Sentences
Cleft sentences are structures we use to emphasize a particular part of a sentence — usually to highlight who, what, where, or when something happened.The word “cleft” means split, because we “split” one simple sentence into two parts to make one element stand out.
Why We Use Them
We use cleft sentences to: a) add focus or contrast (“It wasn’t me, it was her!”), b) make writing or speech sound more formal or persuasive, c) clarify or correct information.
When to Use Them
✅ In formal writing or speaking (essays, presentations, interviews)
✅ When you want to contrast information or clarify misunderstandings
✅ To make sentences more expressive and varied
It-cleft sentences
Structure: It + be + emphasized part + (that/who) + rest of the clause
Wh-cleft (pseudo-cleft) sentences
👉 Structure: What + clause + be + emphasized partWhat she said yesterday at the annual meeting was complete nonsense. What governments should focus on is sustainable development rather than short-term economic gain. What the findings suggest is that social media can both connect and divide individuals What researchers have failed to consider is the long-term impact of these policies on rural communities.
Reversed pseudo-clefts (academic emphasis at the end)
👉 Structure: Emphasized part + is what + clauseGreater investment in research is what universities need most urgently. Ethical responsibility is what underpins all successful leadership. Critical thinking is what modern education systems should prioritise above all. A long-term perspective is what policymakers often lack.
Advanced Vocabulary
to foster – to encourage the growth or development of smt
1) To foster environmental awareness, the school initiated a recycling program and held workshops on sustainability practices
FOSTER → democracy/ideas/innovation/creativity/growth/collaboration
to deploy – to use in smt/sb in an effective way
1) It is crucial how schools deploy its staff.
to stem from – to start or develop as the result of something
1) Many of the challenges in the project stem from a lack of clear communication between team members.
to incorporate – to include
1) Teachers are encouraged to incorporate interactive teaching methods into their lessons to keep students engaged.
to tackle – to deal with a problem
1) Ultimately, the government started to tackle the problem of unemployment.
to undermine – to gradually weaken or make something less effective
Ex. Constant interruptions can undermine students’ ability to concentrate during lessons.
to outweigh – to be more important or significant than something else
Ex. The long-term benefits of renewable energy outweigh the initial costs of installation.
to advocate – to publicly support or recommend something
Ex. Many environmental organisations advocate stricter regulations on plastic waste.
to allocate – to distribute or assign resources for a particular purpose
Ex. The government should allocate more funding to public healthcare.
to exacerbate – to make a problem or situation worse
Ex. Rising temperatures are expected to exacerbate water shortages in many regions.
to yield – to produce or provide a result
Ex. The new teaching method has yielded encouraging results in secondary schools.
to contaminate – to make something less pure or make it poisonous
1) If cities keep contaminating the river with sewage, it will completely ruin its eco-system.
follow suit – to do the same thing as someone else
1) As the new policy gained popularity, other departments began to follow suit, adopting similar changes to improve efficiency.
economic/financial woes – big problems or trouble
1) Despite his financial woes, he remained optimistic and continued to look for new job opportunities.
on the verge of smt – very near to doing or experiencing something
1) Scientists were on the verge of a groundbreaking discovery that could revolutionize the field of medicine.
a cornerstone of – the most important part or foundation of something
Ex. Mutual trust is the cornerstone of every successful business partnership.
a driving force behind – the main reason something happens
Ex. Technological innovation has been the driving force behind economic growth in recent decades.
to strike a balance (between A and B) – to find a satisfactory compromise between two things
Ex. Governments must strike a balance between economic development and environmental protection.
What is IELTS Writing Task 2?
In IELTS Writing Task 2, you are asked to write a formal academic essay in response to a question or statement. You should present clear ideas, support them with relevant examples, and organise your essay logically.
Task 2 carries twice as many marks as Task 1, so it plays a major role in determining your overall Writing score.
Key facts
- Time: about 40 minutes
- Length: at least 250 words
- Style: formal and academic
- Structure: introduction, 2–3 body paragraphs, conclusion
- Main goal: present a well-organised argument supported by relevant explanations and examples
Assessment criteria
Your essay is marked in four equally weighted areas:
- Task Response – Answer the question fully and develop your ideas.
- Coherence and Cohesion – Organise your essay logically and use linking devices effectively.
- Lexical Resource – Demonstrate a wide range of vocabulary accurately.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy – Use a variety of sentence structures with a high degree of accuracy.
Question Types
Although the wording varies, almost every Task 2 essay falls into one of the following categories.
1. Opinion Essay (Agree or Disagree)
You must clearly state whether you agree or disagree with the statement and support your opinion throughout the essay.
Example
Some people believe that university education should be free for everyone, regardless of their financial situation. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
2. Discussion Essay (Discuss Both Views)
Discuss both sides of the argument before giving your own opinion (if requested).
Example
Some people believe that children should start learning a foreign language at primary school, while others think it is better to begin later. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
3. Advantages and Disadvantages Essay
Evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of a particular situation or development.
Example
More people are working from home than ever before. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend?
4. Problem and Solution Essay
Explain the causes or problems and suggest practical solutions.
Example
Traffic congestion has become a serious problem in many large cities. What problems does this cause, and what measures could be taken to solve them?
5. Two-Part Question (Direct Questions)
Answer two separate but related questions in one essay.
Example
Many people spend less time with their families than they did in the past. Why is this happening? What effects is this having on family relationships?
6. Positive or Negative Development Essay
Decide whether a recent change or trend is generally beneficial or harmful.
Example
Many companies now allow employees to work remotely. Is this a positive or negative development?
7. Cause and Effect Essay
Explain the reasons for a particular issue and discuss its consequences.
Example
The number of people suffering from stress-related illnesses is increasing. What are the main causes of this problem, and what effects does it have on individuals and society?
| Essay type | Your opinion required? |
|---|---|
| Opinion (Agree/Disagree) | ✅ Yes |
| Discuss Both Views | ✅ Usually yes (“…and give your own opinion”) |
| Advantages & Disadvantages | ❌ Not necessarily (unless the question asks) |
| Problem & Solution | ❌ No |
| Two-Part Question | Depends on the questions |
| Positive or Negative Development | ✅ Yes |
| Cause & Effect | ❌ No |
| Mixed Essay | Usually yes |
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