DEVELOP YOUR IDEAS

Look at the following phrases from the Task Response band descriptors for IELTS
Writing Task 2:
Band 7
Presents, extends and supports main ideas
Band 8
Presents a well-developed response with relevant, extended and supported ideas
Band 9
Presents a fully developed position with relevant, fully extended and supported ideas
Here are the four key words that we should focus on:
• Present

• Develop

• Extend
• Support
If you’re aiming for band 7 to 9, you need to present ideas and then explain them in
detail. So, a paragraph that contains just one key idea and lots of detailed
‘development’ is likely to get a higher score than a paragraph that contains three ideas
that are not explained in much detail.

HOW TO DEVELOP AN IDEA

First, here is what you should NOT do:

• Don’t move on to a different idea.

• Don’t repeat yourself e.g. by saying the same thing in a different way.

• Don’t write something general.

Here’s what you SHOULD do:

• Explain the same idea in more detail.

• Say something new about the same idea – something that adds to the idea.

• Write something more specific.

Here are some common ways to develop an idea: give a reason, give an example,
give a result or consequence, add your opinion.

Study task

TASK 1
Read the ‘presenting’ sentence below, then look at the list
of ‘developing’ sentences. Which one develops the idea best, and what is wrong with
the others?
Present the idea:
People who live alone spend more time on the Internet and playing video games.

Develop / extend the idea:

• They also tend to eat more takeaway food and pre-cooked meals.

• These individuals rely on distractions like computer games and the Internet

because they have nobody to talk to.

• This is because they are lonely and bored.

• These distractions cannot replace real human contact, and may even cause

people to feel alienated from others.

TASK 2
Read the following essay question and write a plan for this essay.

Some people argue that because the Internet makes it so easy for children to access
facts, schools should not focus on teaching facts. Instead, they should focus on
developing children’s skills and potential, and their relationships with other people.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
Essay plan
Introduction: Paraphrase the question then answer – completely agree

Main paragraph 1
• Topic: two reasons why schools do not need to teach facts

• First reason: Information is ubiquitous on the Internet

• Example: Educational channels like Ted Ed on Youtube provide high-quality

lessons on a wide variety of subjects.

• Second reason: Youngsters are adept at using search engines

• Consequence: Being able to deal with

Main paragraph 2
• Topic: teach practical and social skills instead

• Examples of practical skills: Cooking skills, paying taxes, doing research

• Explain why: Prepare students for adulthood.

• Examples of teaching social skills: Public speaking, negotiation, teamwork

 • Explain why: Cooperate with others in order to become a helpful part of a society.

Conclusion: Repeat / summarise my overall answer

KEY
Introduction: Paraphrase the question then answer – completely agree
Main paragraph 1
• Topic: two reasons why schools do not need to teach facts

• First reason: multimedia lessons can be found on the Internet

• Example: YouTube has lessons on all subjects by good teachers

• Second reason: children know how to do fact-finding online

• Therefore, researching facts can be done as homework
Main paragraph 2
• Topic: teach practical and social skills instead

• Examples of practical skills: reseach, presentations, website design

• Explain why: these skills are in high demand in companies

• Examples of teaching social skills: group projects, teamwork, negotiation

• Explain why: develop students’ emotional intelligence, leadership, potential

Conclusion: Repeat / summarise my overall answer

MODEL ANSWER:
As information is now so accessible online, it can be argued that schools should move
away from fact-based teaching and towards work on skills and relationship building. I
completely agree with this idea.
There are two main reasons why I believe that school teachers should no longer focus
on presenting factual information to their students. Firstly, there is simply no need for
teachers to create lessons that are already available in multimedia format on the
Internet. YouTube, for example, contains videos that cover the full range of school
subjects and lesson topics. Secondly, young people are so adept at using websites and
search engines that they can be trusted to do their own online fact-finding. In my
opinion, this research could be done as homework, which would remove the need for
the teaching of facts in the classroom.
A shift away from the traditional style of teaching would allow schools to build their
students’ practical and social skills. Useful practical skills might include online research,
presentations, website design, and even computer programming. Competence in these
areas is in high demand in today’s job market. With regard to social or relationship
skills, a modern approach to education would put more emphasis on group projects that
require teamwork, negotiation and the delegation of tasks. This way of teaching could
develop students’ emotional intelligence and leadership qualities, and help all children,
regardless of academic ability, to reach their potential.
In conclusion, I believe that classroom teaching should prioritise skills and interpersonal
relationships, while factual knowledge can be studied at home via the Internet.

Vocabulary review
Here’s a list of the ‘less common’ collocations and phrases in the essay above:
• accessible online

• move away from x and towards y

• fact-based teaching

• should no longer focus on

• presenting factual information

• available in multimedia format

• cover the full range of

• adept at

• online fact-finding

• would remove the need for

• a shift away from

• competence in these areas

• in high demand

• in today’s job market

• a modern approach to education

• put more emphasis on

• teamwork, negotiation, delegation

• emotional intelligence

• leadership qualities

• regardless of academic ability

• reach their potential

• prioritise skills and interpersonal relationships

• factual knowledge

• via the Internet