The model essay from February 2017 was reported by IELTS students appearing in their IELTS writing task 2 test this month. It is an opinion essay, otherwise known as an agree/disagree essay or an argumentative essay. Following current topics used in 2017 is essential for success in IELTS.
Also please see that I’ve put some useful links for you at the bottom of the page to help you with your IELTS writing task 2 essay.
IELTS Essay Question February 11th, 2017 (Academic)
It is better for the students to live away from the home during their university studies rather than staying with their parents. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
IELTS Model Essay Feb 2017
While some people think that students ought to live alone whilst studying at university, it is believed by others that it is better for them to remain living at home. In my opinion, I think students benefit from living alone unless their finances prevent it.
Firstly, one of the main reasons why it is advantageous for students to live alone is that they become totally independent of their parents and able to think for themselves. University is a time for students to spread their wings and try new ideas or ways of thinking and learn to cope with making life changing decisions. By living alone, without the influence of their parents, they develop rounder, decisive characters able to function well in the world.
Another advantage to students fleeing the parental nest is that they learn to manage money. Most students see university as a stepping stone to adulthood and so by learning to live on a budget, they develop the skills needed once they are earning a salary and balancing their finances. Renting property also comes with responsibilities to both landlords and housemates, and this is a further lesson to learn in useful life skills.
Finally, however, regardless of how beneficial living alone might be for university students, it might be financially impractical for some. For a small proportion of university students, their finances might require them to stay at home for as long as possible until they are finally able to support themselves through paid work.
In conclusion, while it might not be feasible for all students, living away from parents helps university students develop strength of character and useful life skills needed for when they enter working life.
How to Write Your IELTS Essay:
- Spend time anaylising the essay question and brainstorming. Choose your position (your point of view) and select the best ideas. See this page about how to plan your essay properly: IELTS Essay Planning Tips
- aim to have either 4 or 5 paragraphs in total. See this page: How many paragraphs in an IELTS essay. Your essay MUST be over 250 words. There is no upper word count. See this page: How long should your IELTS essay be?
- Use a range of linking words in your essay. The examiner will mark them and it will affect your score if you spelling them wrong or if you don’t know a good range. See this page: IELTS Linking Words
- Before your test, prepare ideas for trending topics in IELTS this year. See this page: IELTS Essay Questions 2017. This page gives a list of essay questions used so far in 2017.
- The essay above is an Opinion Essay which means you need to give your opinion. See this page about how you express your opinion correctly: How to Give your Opinion in Writing Task 2
- If you are taking the GT test, see this page about writing differences: GT Writing Test Differences
- If you can’t hit the score you want in IELTS writing, GET TRAINING from an expert. Purchase my advanced lessons below to help you
Main IELTS Pages
Develop your IELTS skills with tips, lessons, free videos and more.
- IELTS Listening
- IELTS Reading
- IELTS Writing Task 1
- IELTS Writing Task 2
- IELTS Speaking
- Vocabulary for IELTS
- Band Scores Explained
I think there should be topic sentence followed by supporting sentence and then example and conclusion in paragraph. If i am not mistaken i think above mentioned components are missing in your above essay.
There are no such rules in IELTS. None at all. These are suggestions for your paragraphs designed by teachers – not rules from IELTS. You must take more time to learn how IELTS marks your writing so that you can distinguish between suggestions from teachers and IELTS test rules or IELTS test marking criteria.
The book called Effective Academic Writing (second edition) The Paragraph 1 says there should be topic sentence, supporting sentence and concluding sentence in one paragraph.
I am not able to control what other authors or teachers tell people. I can only tell you that there is no such stipulation in the IELTS marking criteria. A body paragraph does NOT need a concluding statement. You present the main point and then explain it as you wish. It is your choice how to extend and support your ideas.
Hi Liz,
I love your blog. Thank you for sharing all these valuable information.
Cheers,
Leo
Dear Liz,
You blog is very helpful.
I’d like to ask you what means “What do you think of this trend?” Shoul we give our opinion or just discuss both sides?
It is asking for your opinion.
Hello Liz,
I have some confusion about a topic which is “Many companies invest their money in sport games for advertisement purpose.” Could you please explain me what is actual sport games mean? Is it refer to any video games or like football cricket product?
It is about football matches or the Olympics.
Is ielts exam paper are similar all over the word ?
Could you please let me know ?
Thanks
No. The questions vary.
Hello mam my exam is 25th March so plz send me new latest speaking and writing topics
http://www.ieltsliz.com/recent-ielts-questions-and-topics
Dear Ma’am, would please tell what all possibilities are there to write an agree disagree question? Can I completely agree /disagree or can go partial.?
The instructions ask for your view. You decide your own view and then present it in the introduction, body paragraphs and then summarise it in the conclusion. You can agree or disagree or partially agree.
Thanks ma’am for your prompt reply. May God bless you!
Can we give give some examples of our own experiences in writing task 2?
Try to avoid writing about your own life and your friends. It isn’t wrong, but it often produces a lower level of English. Instead, give examples of people in general and the world in general.
Hi Liz,
Would you kindly tell me whether I am allowed to take extra sheet for both the writing task. I am planning for exam with idp.
Thanks
You ca ask for an extra sheet when you have filled the one given to you. If you want space for planning your writing, use the question paper.
Hlo mam !today in my speaking test in cue card there was a topic about any appointment i had missed about when where and why and how do u felt…as I’m student i never missed any kind of appointment and I’m puntual too aftr mention these things i explained about the friends birthdy treat which i missed due to family function..is this ok or not? Plz let me know I’m very worried about this
It’s fine. You are not marked on your ideas or being on topic on speaking.
Dear Liz,
I used to write an essay in ilets test by using American English. When I was in USA I got 6, but in my home country I got 5.5 even I have tried many times. Is writing by American or British English will affect my score?.
You can use either USA or UK English for writing. It is common that scores will vary by 0.5 depending on the test. This is because you are producing different English in each test and tackling different questions.
Is it enough that to rephrase the question in task 2 for introduction, or we need to write a general statement first.
You need a background statement and thesis statement. See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2-how-to-write-an-introduction/ and also the main writing task 2 page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/
Hi Liz, your site have been very resourceful for my ielts preparation. I am just coming out of the exam room. I sat for ielts academic in Newcastle, UK today 18th Feb 2017
In the writing test task 1.
It was a line graph comparing 3 different source of book ( bookshop, supermarkets and Internet ) from 2005 with a projection in 2020. Units are measured in millions.
Task 2.
A positive or negative opinion essay about
The recent building of offices and school in an open- space design.
(A) Why is it?
B do you think it is a positive or negative development?
Thanks for sharing 🙂 I hope your test went ok 🙂 I’ve just posted some ideas for your writing task 2 topic on a previous comment on this page, so take a look.
I also had the exam today, and I like the topics of both tasks.
I had my speaking test yesterday.
It was awesome.
I had questions like
What kind of job do you do
Why did you chose that kind of work
What’s your opinion about backpack and handbags
Which one will you opt for
Part 2
Talk about something that made you kaugh
Part 3
How do people receive comedy in your society
What determines people’s response to comedy
Thanks for sharing 🙂
I got for writing task 2 on February 11th exam the following. Modern technology has widened the gap between the poor and the rich. Do you agree or disagree? and discuss both views
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Hello,
Can you please explain what “kaugh” means, I’ ve looked up on google but haven’t found anything relevant.Thanks
I’m sure it means “laugh”
So sorry
Twas a typo error.
I meant to write laugh.. .😊😊😊😊😊😊
😊😊😊😊😊😊
☁☁😊😊☁☁
☁☁😊😊☁☁
☁☁😊😊☁☁
☁☁😊😊☁☁
☁☁☁☁☁☁
🙏🙏☁☁🙏🙏
🙏🙏☁☁🙏🙏
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
🙏🙏☁☁🙏🙏
🙏🙏☁☁🙏🙏
☁☁☁☁☁☁
😁😁☁☁😁😁
😁😁☁☁😁😁
☁😁😁😁😁☁
☁☁😁😁☁☁
☁😁😁😁😁☁
😁😁☁☁😁😁
😁😁☁☁😁😁
How on earth do you do that? So far I can only do a smiley face! I seriously need to learn more computer skills 🙂
Oops!
Don’t get it twisted…
It came with my Gionee Android phone.
I have no time at all to design this.😜😜😜😜😜☁
😜😜😜😜😜😜
😜😜☁☁😜😜
😜😜😜😜😜☁
😜😜😜😜😜😜
😜😜☁☁😜😜
😜😜😜😜😜😜
😜😜😜😜😜☁
☁☁☁☁☁☁
😜😜☁☁😜😜
😜😜☁☁😜😜
😜😜😜😜😜😜
☁😜😜😜😜☁
☁☁😜😜☁☁
☁☁😜😜☁☁
☁☁😜😜☁☁
☁☁☁☁☁☁
😜😜😜😜😜😜
😜😜😜😜😜😜
😜😜☁☁☁☁
😜😜😜😜😜😜
😜😜😜😜😜😜
😜😜☁☁☁☁
😜😜😜😜😜😜
😜😜😜😜😜😜
☀
🍀🍀
🍀🍀🍀
🎁 Have a
nice weekend!
Thank you Liz. More strength.
February 13, 2017
part 1 about home and colour
part 2 interesting song
part 3 about water sport , music, concert
Thanks for sharing 🙂
From you essay I learn how I do an argumentative essay thanks I love you
I had my speaking test yesterday.
It was awesome.
I had questions like
What kind of job do you do
Why did you chose that kind of work
What’s your opinion about backpack and handbags
Which one will you opt for
Part 2
Talk about something that made you kaugh
Part 3
How do people receive comedy in your society
What determines people’s response to comedy
Speaking GT
Personal Questions about Dreams and Robots
Cue Card. Book you want to read again
Support questions.. will you prefer it to your friends. Communications on reading habits and technology
Thanks for sharing 🙂 You might enjoy this video lesson about starting your part 2 talk: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-speaking-part-2-how-to-start-your-talk/
Dear Luz, thank you for yours posts. They are s great help.
In opinion essay is it ok to write like this:
While some people believe …, others hold that…, agreeing with the latter view, this opinion will be supported in the essay.
Where is the word “I” or “my”? You can’t give your own view without using them. I think / I agree that / I believe / In my opinion. Make sure your view clear. Also you don’t need to say that the essay will explain or support. Of course it will. Those are the instructions and the examiner has them too. Don’t waste words. Just get straight to the point – what is your opinion.
Thank you for your quick feedback.
I’m so confused now. My IELTS teacher (she used to be an IELTS examiner) told me there should not be any personal pronounce in opinion essay, especially if I’m aiming for high score in writing.
All the other instructions she gave me are more less the same as yours.
Then it is a very strange thing for an ex-examiner to say because no other examiner would agree at all and examiners are trained to make sure that the Task has been fulfilled depending on instructions. Presenting a clear position which is your own opinion is critical to getting a high score in Task Response in an opinion essay. If it asks “do you think…” or “do you agree..” – you must answer directly with what you think – with your opinion.
Please Liz
Should I leave a line after salutation before I begin my main writing under task 1
In GT writing task 1 letter, you should leave an empty line between each paragraph which includes the greeting.
Hi Liz. If I’ll pay $18 for one advanced lesson, will I see all the advanced lessons ? I have this doubt.
Thank you very much for everything. This link is amazing.
Each lesson is 18usd and is about 1 hour in length.
Is it not necessary to mention at what extent agree or disagree with the statement?
Your write your opinion in the thesis statement. If you want to write “I partially agree with this statement” it is ok but you will get a higher score by avoiding general statements and actually stating your position clearly with a direct opinion.
Thanks a lot.your efforts are appreciable.
thank you, it’s helpful for me and easy to understand
In this essay, doesn’t one have to discuss the cons too before giving an opinion
Not necessarily. But it certainly a possible paragraph to have – explain why living with parents isn’t a good idea.