Below are two IELTS model essays for May 2018 in writing task 2. There is one essay for the Academic test and one for the General Training test. You can all benefit from both of them.

IELTS Essay Question May 2018

Caring for children is very important for our society. Therefore all mothers and fathers should take a childcare training course. To what you extent agree or disagree?

IELTS Model Essay 2018

It is thought that all parents should attend a childcare training course in order to properly understand how to bring up their children. In my opinion, while I agree that parents should learn about childcare, it is not realistic to have mandatory childcare training courses for all parents.

Firstly, it is certainly essential that parents learn the basics of childcare, particularly in the early months and years when they first have a child. Understanding a baby’s needs and the possible medical problems that can arise is essential for the baby’s safety. Without such knowledge they could easily put their baby at risk or not be ready to respond to critical situations in the right way.

However, although childcare is important, it would be practically impossible to have obligatory childcare training courses for all parents due to the large number of new parents each year. For example, there are over half a million children born annually in the UK at present which means that over 750,000 parents would have to attend a childcare training course each year. Both the large scale and cost of such a training course makes this option very difficult to implement.

Finally, a more practical solution to teaching parents, therefore, would be to provide easily accessible information on a website with a free online video training course. This would ensure all parents have access to the necessary information at a fraction of the cost. This would also allow parents to decide which information is useful and still bring up their children according to their own culture or religion.

In conclusion, it is best to provide a free video training course and website which is cheap to make and accessible to all parents rather than a training course which parents need to attend in person.

IELTS Essay Question May 2018 (GT)

Some people believe that travelling within a city is better by car while some other think bicycle is a better means. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

IELTS Model Answer May 2018 (GT)

People hold different opinions about whether a car or a bicycle is the best form of transport in a city. I believe within the city centre a bicycle is best, but a car is better if someone must travel further.

On the one hand, it is commonly thought that a car is the best option for transport in a city as it offers great comfort in terms of seating, air conditioning and other features. A further reason for people preferring cars is that they can easily transport a number of people at the same time and is especially safe for children. Cars are, moreover, time effective. being able to cover long distances in less time.

On the other hand, bicycles are healthier options for getting around a city centre according to some. The majority of people lead a sedentary life style with little or no exercise which can cause serious health problems. This is often due to the lack of time available in their daily routine for exercise. By using a bicycle to travel, people will get the necessary physical activities without any inconvenience.

Finally, in my opinion, bicycles are certainly an asset in a city centre where traffic jams are frequent. They can pass through congestion with minimal effort and offer health benefits. However, if a person lives in the suburbs, the most logical option would be a car for travelling longer distances into the city centre, particularly with more than one person to transport.

In conclusion, both bicycles and cars offer advantages depending on whether the travel is only with the city centre or outside the centre. However, for families travelling together, a car will always be the best option.

Comments

These essays are possibly longer than essays you might aim to write in your real test. There is no actual upper word limit for IELTS writing task 2. However, there is a time limit which will prevent you writing a long essay. Also errors will lower your score. This means you should aim for quality rather than quantity. Most people will aim for between 270 and 290 in writing task 2.

To learn more about the length of your essay, click here: Tips on IELTS Essay Length  If you would like to see more tips on writing task 2, click here: IELTS Writing Task 2 Tips, Info and Answers

IELTS Writing Task 1 Overview (Academic Paper): Tips, Videos and Answers

Do all types of writing task 1 have an overview?

Yes. ALL TYPES of writing task 1 for the academic paper should have an overview. The types are listed below.

1. bar chart
2. pie chart
3. table
4. line graph
5. map
6. diagram (process)

All the above types MUST have an overview.

What is an Overview?

• An overview is a statement or statements which contain all the key features in the task given to you.
• It is important that the key features are collected in one overview and not put in different places.
• An overview will contain all features – this means if you have two charts, there is only one overview which contains the key features for both tasks.
• You are marked on your ability to choose the key features. Each task will be different.

Is the Overview Important?

Yes. It is the most important paragraph in your writing task 1 for the academic paper.

The overview is marked in the marking criterion of Task Achievement. This criterion counts for 25% of your writing task 1 marks. The examiner will look specifically for an overview in all types of writing task 1 (academic). See below:

Band 5 = no clear overview

Band 6 = presents an overview

Band 7 = presents a clear overview

You can see that your score will go up or down depending on your overview. If you miss the overview, you will get Band 5 or below in Task Achievement. If you are aiming for band 7, 8 or 9, you must have a clear overview with key features well selected and highlighted.

Learn more about the band score requirements of IELTS writing task 1 on this page: Band Score Tips & Info Writing Task 1

Overview or Conclusion?

See this video about the difference between an overview and a conclusion.

[su_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/zjzuxyVlkR8″]

Paragraphing: Where to put the overview?

See this video lesson to learn about the paragraphs for writing task 1, including where the overview should be put.

[su_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/TzLyARGcTEA”]

Model Writing Task 1 Answers

See this page to take a look at model answers for all types of IELTS writing task 1. You will see the overviews for ALL types of writing task 1. Model Answers and Tips: IELTS Writing Task 1

Hope this was useful 🙂

All the best

Liz