Ielts academic Writing Task 2

IELTS Writing Task 2: how to use your 40 minutes
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You have 40 minutes for task 2, so try organising your time in the following way. 
Please note that these are suggestions, not rules. 
First 10 minutes
Read the question and make sure you understand what it is asking you to do. Write a 
plan for a 4-paragraph essay (introduction, 2 main paragraphs, conclusion) and spend 
most of the 10 minutes thinking of ideas for the 2 main paragraphs. 
5 minutes
Write your introduction: 2 sentences are enough. 
20 minutes
Spend 10 minutes on each of your main body paragraphs. These are they most 
important part of your essay, and the key to a high score. 
Last 5 minutes
Write a quick conclusion then check your work. 
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IELTS Writing Task 2: the 10-minute plan
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If you are struggling to improve your score for writing task 2, the solution might be to 
spend more time planning before you start writing. 
I asked the students on my most recent 
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one-day course
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 to spend 10 minutes planning a 
question about whether the only purpose of prisons is to punish people. Here are the 
ideas that my students had: 
Paragraph 2: prisons do punish offenders
Punishment makes offenders think, reflect, feel sorry, understand the consequences 
(that we have choices about the actions we take), suffering, revenge / justice for 
victims, debt to society, taking away freedom and privileges, miss family, deter 
people from committing crimes in future - fear of prison 
Paragraph 3: other purposes of prisons
Reflection time, rehabilitation - help the prisoner to prepare for normal life: new 
skills, education, courses, qualifications, treatment - reform, reeducate, find 
employment, re-enter society - address the root causes of crime 

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With a plan like this, you should find it easier to write a great essay. 
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