How To Write A Band 9 IELTS Essay?

IELTS writing section tests the candidate’s writing proficiency through two tasks. The IELTS Writing section is different for both IELTS Academic and General Training. In IELTS Academic writing task 1, the candidate needs to write a 150-word essay. In IELTS General Writing Task 1, the candidate needs to write a letter. The second task of both Academic and General Training contains an essay task of around 250 words. Candidates get around 40 minutes to finish this task.

Steps to Write A Band 9 IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay 

To aim a band 9 in the IELTS writing task 2, one should know how to articulate one's thoughts coherently while sticking to the topic given. The best way to understand how to express thoughts is to take a sample example and elaborate in detail on every part of the essay to get clarity on what the examiner is looking for.

Sample IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic:
Children today play very violent games. This must be the reason for the increase in violence and crime in most major cities of the world.

What are your opinions on this?

(Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience)

Understanding IELTS Writing Task 2 Question Types 

The first step in knowing to score an IELTS band 9 is knowing all the question types. There are some common types of IELTS writing task 2 question types that candidates need to keep in mind:

Opinion-based Question:

In this type of question, you need to first figure out what is your personal opinion on the topic. You need to stick to that opinion throughout the course of your essay and give reasons stating why you have such an opinion through examples, observations, facts and supporting evidence. You can either agree or disagree, you cannot take a neutral stand.

Advantages and Disadvantages Question.

When asked to specifically state the advantages and the disadvantages then clearly mention the advantages first in a paragraph and then in the next paragraph, discuss the disadvantages. Do not give your opinion or show an inclination towards one side in particular.

Problems and Solutions Questions:

Make sure you understand the topic clearly and state the problems backed with examples and facts. Do not give your personal opinion here, if not asked. And conclude with the possible solutions to the problems stated by you.

Discussion-based Questions:

Some questions ask you to discuss a particular topic. In Discussion type questions, remember to talk about the pros and cons of the topic in hand, mention the views of both sides, in separate paragraphs, and do not mention which side you’re on, if not asked in the question explicitly.

Read the model answer to get an overview of the topic and how to approach it.

(The essay structure will be discussed considering this sample answer)

In major metropolitan cities, we’ve seen a spike in the number of crimes committed in recent times. One important thing which we need to understand about major cities is that they are the ones to experience the technological advancements firsthand and also it is majorly this population group which has the purchasing power and knowledge to get the best digital devices to make their lives easier and smoother. Now, technology is sometimes considered as a necessary evil, which by all means is true, as we see certain negative effects of it, especially in the young population.

To keep up with the fast-paced life, today even school-going children have expensive gadgets at their disposal as it is necessary for their studies, as everything has shifted to the online mode. Such gadgets pique their curiosity and they start exploring & getting hooked to it. And before they know, they are introduced to violent games like PubG, ManHunt, Call of Duty, and others, and soon they get glued to their phones, virtually playing the entire day. Teenagers spend the maximum number of hours playing violent games per day, as per the study. Adolescence is a state of mind which needs to be handled carefully, as during this time every individual goes through a lot of changes emotionally and physically. They often act out and get into a vicious cycle of negative habits which can harm their lives.

When children are exposed to such violent games regularly and they engage in them actively, it makes them aggressive and they start thinking that the solution is to get violent or to thrash the other person or the hurdle in front. This reaction gets so in-built in their system that this becomes a natural reaction to everything that happens around them, which increases violence and crimes in major cities as most youngsters get swayed by these games and compel them to do something criminal in nature. It also messes with their concentration and focus, which makes it difficult for them to do any work. When parents see such behavioral change in their children, they must immediately take action and help them understand the reality of the situation.

It can be difficult for young people to understand why certain things should be restricted, so the adults need to be patient and calmly help them out before it’s too late. This way we can put a check on violence and crime, thus making cities safer places to reside in.

Remember:

• You cannot miss out on any part of the question statement. You’ve to address each part of it.
• You cannot have your ideas scattered, that's why you need a minute to form a mental map of what you’re about to write.
• Make sure that you express your thoughts eloquently and do not repeat words.
• There shouldn’t be any grammatical or spelling errors, or else you will be penalized for the same.
• Remember to keep a count of the number of words you’re writing and follow the instructions given.

1st Paragraph: Introduction

Like every other essay, you need to remember that in the first paragraph you need to address the topic first by giving an outline of the topic in the bigger picture and end the paragraph by stating your opinion in a line.

2nd & 3rd Paragraph: Content Body:

This is the main part of your Essay where you convince the examiner that you’ve got a complete idea about the topic and know how to put your thoughts coherently. In these 2 paragraphs, you’ll talk in detail about the topic- by stating the advantages or disadvantages or the problems and the solution or discuss by giving the views of both sides or elaborate and reason out your opinion- whatever the question has specifically asked you to do. Stick to the question stick and delve deeper into the topic.

In an opinion-based essay, you have to convince the examiner that the opinion to have is valid and is strongly supported by reasons and examples. This should be the body of the Essay. For any topic, this is the place where you write in detail about every part of the question statement. You break down the topic here and then again place it together by using your reasons.

Last Paragraph: Conclusion:

By now, your main work is done. In the concluding paragraph, all you need to do is reiterate the given topic and summarize in brief whatever you’ve written. Remember the structure and practice writing on several topics. You’ll soon get a grasp of the process and thoughts will start coming naturally to you. To be able to write well, one must be well-read.