Writing Task 2: How to Get a Band 7+ for Task Reponse
Updated: Feb 23
To achieve the grade you want in IELTS, it is important to understand how the examiners evaluate your English.
In this post, we will focus specifically on how your Writing Task 2 essay is evaluated in terms of Task Reponse.
To do this, we're going to do 4 things.
🎯 Define what Task Response is.
🔍 Look at how to get a good Task Response grade (7+).
⚖️ Compare a good essay and a bad essay.
📝 Write our own Writing Task 2 essay.
1. 🎯 Defining Task Response
What is Task Response?
Essentially, the Task Response grade is given based on how well you understand and answer the question. It evaluates the level of focus and the completeness of the response. It makes up 25% of your writing grade, so achieving a good score for Task Response can make a huge difference to your overall grade.
Some important questions to keep in mind include:
Do you show the examiner that you understood the question?
Do you address every part of the question?
Is your answer to the question clear and easy to understand?
Is your response focused on answering the question?
Do you develop your ideas with relevant, specific examples and explanations?
2. 🔍 How to Get a Good Task Response Grade (7+)
To achieve a band 7+ for Task Response, you need to do the following:
✅ Make sure you understood the question before you start writing.
✅ Plan before you start writing.
✅ Address all parts of the question.
✅ Keep your ideas simple.*
✅ Give a clear position throughout (from intro to conclusion).
✅ Stay focused on the topic, and not go off on tangents.
✅ Develop and support your arguments with relevant, specific examples.
* There are no extra marks for complicated, interesting, or original ideas. In fact, if you try to answer a simple IELTS question with a complicated answer, in 40 minutes, in 250 words, your essay will probably be pretty confusing. 🥴 Keep your ideas simple! 💡
3. ⚖️ Good and Bad Essays Compared
Before we compare the essays, take a look at the following Writing Task 2 question, and plan your own essay in response. Hold on these notes; you'll need them later.
Now read this first essay, and answer the following questions.
Is it similar to what you would write?
Do you think it's a good or a bad essay? Why?
Many young people decide to further their study abroad. You might be considering studying abroad in the future, but there are many benefits and drawbacks to doing this. What is the best choice for you? In this essay, we’re going to check out all the pros and cons of studying abroad.
One of the main benefits to studying abroad is that you can learn a new language. If you stay in your own country, it’s hard to get really fluent, but if you go to a country where they speak the language you want to learn, it’s much easier. However, sometimes it might be difficult because you might not be able to communicate very well. Also, you might miss your family and friends, but that depends because if you go to a country which is nearby you could still visit them.
The main drawback of studying abroad is that it’s very expensive. Some people have loads of money and so they can afford it, but can everyone? I don’t think so.
For example, studying in the USA, a very popular destination for students, can cost thousands of dollars in tuition fees and travel. This is an absolute ripoff.
So, I think there are more benefits than drawbacks to furthering your studies abroad. This is because you can learn a new language and also because you could learn about new cultures which could be good for any future international business you do.
This essay, I'm sure you'll agree, is pretty awful. Hopefully, your essays aren't like this!
What problems did you notice?
👈☹️ Click here to see the problems with this essay.
❌ No plan (we can assume!) ❌ Copying words directly from the question without rephrasing. ❌ Paraphrasing incorrectly. ❌ Introducing the topic very generally without answering the question in the intro. ❌ Asking the reader questions - magazine article style. ❌ Using very informal language. ❌ Using contractions. ❌ No examples given to support the points. ❌ Paragraph loses focus. ❌ Paragraph fragmented unnecessarily. ❌ New information/arguments in the conclusion. ❌ Answer to the question only given in conclusion, not in intro. ❌ Essay is under 250 words.
Which of these do you think would negatively affect its grade for Task Response?
Although all of the above mistakes are serious and should be avoided, the following mistakes in particular would affect this essays Task Response grade:
👈☹️ Click here to see the problems with this essay which affect Task Response.
❌ No plan (we can assume!) ❌ Introducing the topic very generally without answering the question in the intro. ❌ Asking the reader questions - magazine article style. ❌ No examples given to support the points. ❌ Paragraph loses focus. ❌ New information/arguments in the conclusion. ❌ Answer to the question only given in conclusion, not in intro. ❌ Essay is under 250 words.
Now let's take a look at another essay responding to the same question.
Is it similar to what you would write?
Do you think it's a good or a bad essay? Why? (hint: It's going to be better than the last one!)
Students from all over the world choose to travel abroad to complete their higher education in foreign universities. I believe that this may have some disadvantages, such as the financial cost, but overall the student will enjoy many great benefits, namely the overall learning experiences that they will inevitably have.
One of the most significant downsides to studying abroad is that it can be very expensive. In many cases, on top of costly foreign student tuition fees, students have to pay the administrative costs of applying for visas, and for international travel. Students who choose to study in popular destinations such as the UK, Canada or the USA have to pay thousands of dollars before they have even left their home countries, and that is before paying for living expenses such as food and rent once they arrive. For many foreign students who can afford to study abroad, these costs can add an additional layer of pressure to everyday life while they are trying to focus on their studies.
However, those who can afford to study in another country will be rewarded with invaluable life experience and will be able to improve their language skills. International students in London are a great example of this. While studying, and possibly working part-time, these students often meet people from other foreign countries, as well as locals from different cultural backgrounds, and thus enrich their knowledge of the world. As such, they can improve their English and return to their home countries knowing a great deal more about the world.
In conclusion, despite the fact that studying abroad can cost a large amount of money, in my opinion, it is worth it, as those who study in foreign countries can learn so much from the experience. Indeed, those students will see a great intellectual and cultural return on their investment.
This essay, I'm sure you'll agree, is a lot better than the first one.
What good things did you notice about it?
👈🙂 Click here to see the what's good about this essay.
✅ Essay is carefully planned before writing. ✅ Words from the question have been paraphrased. ✅ Words which don’t need paraphrasing have been kept. ✅ The writer gives their opinion, rather than asking the reader theirs. ✅ The question is answered in the intro, developed throughout the essay, and restated in the conclusion. ✅ Formal language is used throughout. ✅ Words are written separately, not contracted. ✅ Points are supported with explanations and examples. ✅ Paragraphs are focused on 1 topic, clearly stated in the topic sentence. ✅ Ideas are grouped together appropriately in paragraphs. ✅ Conclusion summarises points made in essay. No new points or arguments given in conclusion ✅ Essay is over 250 words.
Which of these do you think would positively affect its grade for Task Response?
👈🙂 Click here to see how this essay would get a band 7+ for Task Response.
✅ Essay is carefully planned before writing. ✅ The writer gives their opinion, rather than asking the reader theirs. ✅ The question is answered in the intro, developed throughout the essay, and restated in the conclusion. ✅ Points are supported with explanations and examples. ✅ Paragraphs are focused on 1 topic, clearly stated in the topic sentence. ✅ Conclusion summarises points made in essay. No new points or arguments given in conclusion ✅ Essay is over 250 words.
4. 📝 Writing your Own Writing Task 2 Essay
Now it's your turn!
Using your notes from earlier, it's your turn to write your own essay in response to this question:
Make sure to keep in mind all of the ✅ points and try to avoid all of the ❌ points!
If you'd like a copy of the good and bad essays, click on the following link.
WT2 - 1 - Good and Bad Essays Compared
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