counter argument essay ielts

BUY - BOOKS & APPS

When should I make a counter-argument?

Apr 18, 2019

This post will clarify what I mean when I advise band 6.5 candidates to ‘discuss both sides’, and help you to understand when and where to write a counter-argument.

I often find my advice about ‘discussing both sides’ being misunderstood or misinterpreted. Some people mistakenly believe that when I say that ‘ you must always discuss both sides of the question ‘ that this means ‘ You must always give a counter-argument .’ This is not at all what I mean, especially as I know that the latter  can  be bad advice for people stuck at band 6.5 in writing.

In writing task 2, we can a lways talk about ‘ two sides ‘ of the question, but t here are times when  it is not a good idea to write a whole parag raph presenting a counter-argument .   To understand this, let us begin by understanding the key terms we are using.

Understanding the terms

1  what is ‘a side’.

The word ‘side’ has several different meanings in English. The image below, from the Cambridge online dictionary, shows the two most relevant meanings here.

As you can see, the word  ‘side’ does not always mean ‘opinion.’   It can be used to refer to ‘one opinion’ in an argument  but it can also be used to mean ‘ one part ‘ of an issue. We can only understand the precise meaning of a word from the context it is being used in.  So, only when I am talking about a question with two opinions, should you interpret ‘both sides’ to mean ‘both opinions.’

2  What is a ‘counter-argument’

To fully understand what a ‘counter-argument’ is we need to also understand the verb ‘to counter’:

So, a ‘counter-argument’ is an argument made ‘against’ an opinion. The main problems arise when this idea is mistakenly interpreted as:

  ‘I must always write a paragraph that argues against the opinion in the question.’

In my experience, this mistaken belief stops many people from reaching band 7 because they often alter the question or task in some way in order to force what they see as a ‘counter-argument’ into their answer, no matter what the question asks.

Consider this question from Cambridge test book 10:

‘ Countries are becoming more and more similar because people are able to buy the same products everywhere in the world. Do you think this is a positive or a negative development ?”

As you can see, there is no clear ‘opinion’ in the first statement, so candidates who mistakenly believe that they must always write a paragraph that gives a counter-argument will struggle here. Remember, you must be able to show ‘flexibility’ in your writing – this means reacting and responding to the very specific task you are given. The two ‘sides’ of this issue that need to be discussed are whether this is 1) a negative development or 2) a positive development.

Let us try to interpret this idea of ‘discussing both sides’ in the context of more essay questions.

What  do you  mean by ‘the different sides’ to a question?

Writing task 2 can take several different forms. There may be one view, or there may be two views on an issue. There may be extra information included in the question to give you a clear context for the issue you need to discuss (and to make sure you fully understand it). There may be a description of an issue or of a development. These prompts are followed by one or two questions such as ‘To What extent do you agree or disagree?’; ‘Discuss the advantages and disadvantages / problems and solutions etc.’;  ‘Discuss both views and give your own opinion.’ ; Do you think this is a positive or a negative development?”

The Task response descriptor tells us that band 6 candidates ‘address all parts of the task although some parts may be more fully covered than others .’ This is not a problem at band 7. So, if you want to score band 7, you MUST cover all parts of the question equally. This is what I mean when I refer to ‘discussing both sides’ of the question. If you have read Chapter 7 of The Key to IELTS Success , you will know why so many people follow bad advice and ignore parts of the question altogether.

Your argument must represent a balanced discussion of the issue like this:

Not an unbalanced one like this:

This means that, if you are given two differing opinions and asked to ‘Discuss both views and give your own opinion,’ you must discuss both opinions equally . In this case, Side A = one argument and Side B = the counter-argument you are given.

Similarly, if you are asked to say whether an issue ‘has more benefits than problems’, then Side A = the benefits and Side B = the problems. If you are asked whether the topic ‘is a positive or a negative development’  then Side A = the positives  and Side B = the negatives and so on.

The main problems seem to arise with questions where you are given one viewpoint and asked, ‘To what extent do you agree or disagree?’  The two ‘sides’ of a question like this will always depend on 1) the issue raised and 2) your own views on it. However, your language ability also plays a part in how you respond. Band 9 candidates (and the invisible band 10 writers I sometimes refer to) are capable of responding to these questions in a very subtle and skilful way,  which creates problems for the candidates at band 6 and below who try to emulate it. For example, the higher level candidates are able to explain their complete agreement on an issue in a way that is not at all repetitive. At the end of their essay, they may also refer to a possible counter-argument, without discussing it in detail but also without making their position confusing or unclear. Examples like this can be found in Practice test book 10 on pages 162 and 166. Such examples are very difficult for candidates at band 6 and below to learn from.

So, how should I respond if I am band 6 and aiming for band 7?

This is my advice for candidates aiming for band 7:  For questions where you are given one viewpoint and asked ‘To what extent do you agree or disagree?’ (or in GT, ‘Do you agree or disagree?’) I always give the advice to ‘discuss both sides.’ This helps band 6 candidates to avoid writing in a repetitive way.  What these ‘2 sides’ are will depend on your views and the issue you are given. Often, there are two clear ‘sides’ within the question. Look at the following example:

“ In many places, new homes are needed, but the only space available for building them is in the countryside. Some people believe it is more important to protect the countryside and not build new homes there. To what extent do you agree or disagree ?”

There are 2 clear sides to this issue: Side  A =  building houses in the countryside Side  B  = protecting the countryside and not building there.  In organising your answer this way you will ‘discuss both sides’ of the issue while also (hopefully) making your complete agreement or disagreement clear.  You can also apply the same balanced discussion of the two ‘sides’ if you neither completely agree nor completely disagree.

The ‘two sides’ are less clear in a question like this:

‘ Some people say that it is possible to tell a lot about a person’s culture and character from their choice of clothes. Do you agree or disagree?”

For a question like this, a band 8 or 9 candidate can easily argue that they completely agree ( or completely disagree) and explain exactly why. For a band 6.5 candidate trying to reach band 7, this is not so easy; often they will simply repeat the same ideas in both body paragraphs and so remain stuck at band 6.5.

An easy way to see the ‘other side’ of an issue is to think of the opposite . In this case: Side A = You can tell a lot about a person from their clothes and Side B = You cannot tell a lot about a person from their clothes. This immediately gives you two clear main ideas for each body paragraph and helps to make your essay less repetitive.

In my experience, when band 6.5 candidates follow the advice to ‘ always give a counter-argument, ‘ they tend to interpret this in a very narrow way as Side A = I completely agree  Side B = I completely disagree. This creates problems that keep them stuck at band 6.5.  Instead, look for ‘ the other side ‘ of the issue or argument by considering the ‘opposite’ – this can help you to write in a way that is balanced but not repetitive and yet still make your position very clear throughout.

When should I write a counter-argument?

For me, a counter-argument is most appropriate in the following situations:

• When you are given a view that you completely disagree with.  (Side A = the view in the question Side B = your counter-argument.)
• When you are given an argument and a counter-argument and asked to discuss them both (Side A = one argument, Side B = the counter-argument)
• you feel confident that you can write only  about your agreement without repeating your ideas , and
• you are a confident band 8 or 9 candidate and want to show that you have considered both sides , and
• you are confident that you have the language skills to mention a logical counter-argument   without making your overall position unclear .

Learn more about different types of questions in The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS

Learn how to write a band 7+ essay in my new book:   The Key to IELTS Writing Task 2

Once you understand how to answer, you need to build the right language so that you can write confidently about any topic., learn the right vocabulary for bands 7 and above with my ielts vocabulary books….

…and my  IELTS Vocabulary teaching apps

170 Comments

Couldn’t be clearer, thanks for taking the time to do this.

Thanks, Behrooz! I really appreciate your support, as always.

Hi Ms. Cullen, thank you very much, so writing about both sides doesn’t necessarily mean writing a counterargument?

That’s right. Let me know if there is anything in the post that you can’t understand -it’s a very complex issue and difficult to make clear.

This is great, thank you always Pauline

Hi Pauline, thank you very much, your site has a problem, I tried a lot. So I can achieve 7 without counter argument?

This happens when I write a new post on a very popular topic. You should be able to access it now.

Thank you. I got 6.5 in writing and I need 7, can I get 7 with balanced view or I should always write strong view?

Hi Negin, read The Key to IELTS Success to answer that – it’s my free book and there is a link at the bottom of this post.

Hi pauline, thank you very much, I tought when I write counter, it helps my score, it is not right?

Hi Maryam, if you read the post all the way through you will see at the end the only times when a counter-argument will help your score.

?? can I write a middle view in an opinion essay?

I did mention this in the post. As I have always said, write about what you actually think and feel – if you believe in a middle view, then explain it.

But my teacher say middle view is not clear, for 7 you should have strong view

I can’t answer for your teacher or for why your teacher believes that. I can only answer for myself. If you believe that both sides have their merits, and you are able to make this clear, then this is a strong view. If you believe that, but then force yourself to lie (and condemn a viewpoint that you actually support) then I don’t believe you will succeed in making your position clear. It’s more than likely that your argument against something you partly agree with will be confusing and unconvincing. Write what you think and feel.

Thank you so much, this is a relief because it is easier to write about other side than counter argument

Thank you for your writing, it is very helpful

Hi pauline,

Could you please cite examples for the post you have shared on counter agreement .This will help in understanding the main idea easily.I shall be thankful to you.

I’m not sure what you mean by citing examples? I did give page references for some example materials. What sort of information are you looking for?

This is fabulous thank you ☺️

Thanks, Ehsan!

Thanks pauline, this is awesome. My question is about a discussion question (discuss both these views), when I agree with one opinion/side completely, should I show my disagreement with the other opinion when I represent it, or should I present both opinions fairly without taking one side in the body paragraphs and say my opinion in the conclusion. In that case how can I have a clear position throughout?

You can still show your lack of agreement while discussing an issue – in fact, this is exactly what is meant by ‘making your position clear throughout’. Even when you are discussing a view that you disagree with, we should know that you disagree with it because of the language you use. Reread the chapters on Grammar, vocabulary and on Task 2 in The Key to IELTS Success to see how to do this.

Also, N.D, if you read chapter 7 of The Key to IELTS Success you will see why every task 2 question should be seen as both ”a discussion and an opinion essay” – these ‘types’ actually have no meaning in IELTS.

Thanks Ms. Cullen. It was very clear and thorough, like always. I think the gist of all your posts is: “Be yourself, write about the raised question” I always try to answer the question in a way that a friend of mine is asking about that issue; Simple and Precise.

Yes, that’s exactly right 🙂

Thank you Pauline, can you send the download link to your free book?

The link is at the bottom of the post.

thank you pauline, I tried many many times but it says invalid download link, can I download it from somewhere else? also there’s something wrong with your website, I couldn’t reach it for 2 hours

When there is a lot of traffic I’m afraid this happens.

Hi Pauline, thank you very much for your valuable information. I have a question when the question is cause and solution, my causes and solutions should be related?

Thats’ a good question! Yes, the ‘solutions’ must be linked to the ‘problems’ you have outlined. If they weren’t, your ideas would not be logically connected and your argument would not develop.

Dear Pauline! First of all thanks a lot for your valuable advice for us 6.5 “stuckers”. My question is if we are asked to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of ,say, advertisements then can make one paragraph for advantage side, one for disadvantage and one for our opinion like how to regulate them etc? It is is better to mention our opinion in the conclusion breafly? Thanks in advance!

What you are describing would be a plan for an essay that has 2 questions (e.g. What are the advantages and disadvantages? What is the best way to regulate them?) In which case, yes, your plan is the same as I would use.

Many thanks for the clarity on this. Your books and apps are really helpful. Now, I can easily recall vocab while writing and speaking. I cannot wait for your book on writing.

That’s great to hear, Ashish

Hi Pauline, After reading and understanding this post and your book The Key to IELTS Success I have produced an essay. Kindly provide feedback on the second body paragraph whether it makes sense in regards to counter-argument or not. I’m posting the whole essay as I don’t think the only paragraph in isolation would make sense. Thanks for your generosity. Some people say it is important to keep your home and your workplace tidy, with everything organized and in the correct place. What is your opinion about this? Having a place for everything and keeping them on their designated places are keys to efficient management. Those who value these skills manage to utilize their time in appropriately, whereas others being disorganized waste their time and energy. Organizing your belongings is important, be it your home or office. It gives us an opportunity to utilize our time diligently rather than wasting on finding things which might be lost due to untidiness. If we know exactly where our things are, we can locate them easily without squandering time. Consequently, an organized and neat workplace provides peace of mind which ultimately extracts the best out of us, and we manage to make better decisions. Additionally, when we organize our important things, we also separate the stuff which is not in use anymore, hence it can either be discarded or recycled. In either way it reduces our burden of handling unnecessary items thereby reducing our workload. On the other hand, people leave things haphazardly as they think keeping them in order is just a waste of time. They are reluctant to clean their surroundings, as they believe it is a never ending process, and they will be messy again, somehow. They do not realize that a little time spent on organizing them could save their precious hours of finding things in an otherwise dirty and unsystematic place. Such disorientation could lead to wastage of both time and energy, ultimately preventing people to excel in their endeavors. In conclusion, organizing and managing our homes and workplaces, and keeping them clean are of uttermost importance as they save time and energy, and help us to give our best towards things which matter the most. Although it’s a cyclic process, it ultimately leads to efficient and smart working.

Hi Hamza, I don’t have time ti give detailed feedback at the moment. Your main problem here is that you do not make it clear when you are giving your own opinion. Your ideas are good and your counter argument is handled very well, but we need to know what you consider fact and what is your opinion. E.g, it would be better to being the second sentence of your introduction with: “In my view…’ Similarly with the conclusion, tell us what you think – after all, this is what the question has asked you for. In terms of language, your have used some very nice language, though there are errors: “Having a place for everything and keeping everything in ITS designated place…’ ‘rather than wasting IT on…’ ‘could save THEM precious hours’ ‘preventing people FROM excelLING..’ ‘disorientation’ doesn’t work here (confusion would be better) and ‘wastage’ is not a word that we use with time – we would say ‘waste of time and energy’. Again, to make your opinion clear, it would be better to say: ‘ In fact, I believe that working surrounded by such confusion can cause people to waste time and energy…’

Ma’am you have pointed out some very technical issues of mine. I will definitely work on them. Maybe these are the little but critical issues which are keeping me away from band 7. Thank you very much.

Not answering the very specific question you’re given is the main thing that will keep you below band 7. Always focus on that and keep going back to the question to check you ARE answering it.

Many thanks

Hi Pauline, Could you please also explain how to handle the language of low certainty. I’ve heard that, in discus both views or to what extent essays, if a candidate wants to present a counter argument then he or she needs to use various degrees of certainty and present information from “other people’s point of view” with phrases like: it seems, some people believe that, it seems to be the case and etc. Whereas your own position must be clear and presented with “however, from my point of view”. How far do you agree with that? Could you please tell us more? Unfortunately, I can’t find trustworthy source of how to present info. Apparently, you can also make a mistake by presenting info as a fact. Thank you so much for your help!

I am dealing with this in my next book (which will not be ready for a few months). Until then, read the grammar chapter of The Key to IELTS Success – I do deal with this there.

Thank you Pauline. You are the best!

Hi Pauline, thank you for the great thing you are doing online for many people. I read this essay and your feedback, I understand that your feedback is not detailed but you said that the counter argument here is handled well, don’t you think this essay lacks progression, maybe because same ideas are repeated in both paragraphs? The first body paragraphs says “It gives us an opportunity to utilize our time diligently rather than wasting on finding things”, and repeats this same idea for 5 or 6 more lines. The second paragraphs is also mainly about saving time: “They do not realize that a little time spent on organizing them could save their precious hours of finding things”. So I think one of the reasons this essay is not a 7 is because there is no progression throughout, am I right in thinking that?

Hi Naser, you have identified the main idea in both paragraphs, which is exactly what you should be able to do as a reader. The rest of the paragraph explains and supports this main idea. I don’t see any repetition here. The progression comes from making a point and developing the argument so that the reader fully understands the point and can be persuaded about the argument. AS you said, I don’t have time for detailed feedback at the moment.

Thank you Pauline, but in your previous post you wrote that when we have only one idea, it usually leads to repetition, and the problem is that the main idea in both paragraphs is the same, you can save time if you are tidy and organized, isn’t it?

Again, I don’t have time to give detailed feedback and I don’t agree that the paragraphs have the same main idea.

Hi Pauline, I read this reply. So can you please explain how progression in CC is different from development in TR?

There is overlap between the two and I think TR and CC are more connected than people realise. TR is looking at how all of your ideas work together to create your answer overall while CC looks at how you organise, connect and explain those ideas within your essay.

Thanks Paulin The argument on the difference between a “counter-argument” and “both sides” was not clear to me. Am I right if I interpret that counter-argument means just writing about a view without giving my own opinion, while “both sides” means giving my view on both sides?

A counter-argument is an argument against what you believe. It isn’t connected to giving your own opinion. It is just showing you understand the argument of the people who hold an opposite view. You may disagree with neither (i.e. the argument on one wise and its counter-argument.) Interpret ‘both sides’ as discussing everthing in the question equally.

Hi Pauline, I have read it on your blog that when he question asks whether it is a positive or negative development we should talk about both the positives and the negatives of something. I took the IELTS test today and the question was about shops being open late and whether this a positive or negative development for shoppers and the local community. (I know you don’t share recent exam questions so I expect that you might edit it (PC – I did!), I have read all your posts and books about writing, but I wasn’t sure how to answer this question, according to what you said I need to talk about both positives and negatives, I should also talk about both shoppers and the local community. This means positives and negatives for shoppers, and positives and negatives for the community, which makes the essay very long. Can you please tell me if there is another way I can answer this question? Thank you so much.

Hi Mehrdad, the 2 sides of this question are ‘the shoppers’ and ‘the local community’. If you can see only positives for both, then you only need to write about those. If you can see negatives, then discuss those too. As I explained in the above post, a band 8 -9 candidate will mention the possible negatives even if they believe there are only positives (and vice versa), but this does not need to be discussed at length. TO answer it, think about your local community and local shops – do they benefit from shops being open late at night? How? (think of the convenience etc.) if not, why not? (think of noise at night etc). Does this helP?

Thanks a lot Pauline, it was very helpful

Hi Pauline, To ensure that we have understood the issue completely, we need to look into it from all sides, exploring it essentially. I do write only 4 paragraphs for my essays (Intro, 2 BPs, Conclusion). With this approach, considering that there should be only one idea to focus on in a single paragraph, if my second Body Para is for the opposing side (=the side I disagree with, and find reasons for its rebuttal). This limits my ideas for each paragraph for the side I agree with.(First BP) This would mean that if I fully develop my argument in the first BP, thats going to be more than enough for the sake of word count and the development of argument, which would not allow me to write on many reasons (if I have more than one).

Do you think I am looking at it too mechanically in this way??

Hi, the issue here is that you are trying to be as inflexible as possible, but the test requires you to be flexible. By this I mean that you appear to be trying to find one single rule that can be applied to all writing task questions. There is only one ‘rule’ that can and does apply to all, and I explained what this is in chapter 7 of The Key to IELTS Success. To show the problems in your thinking, below I have added comments or questions in response to your ‘plan’:

1) ‘ considering that there should be only one idea to focus on in a single paragraph ‘ My comment: To clarify, there should be one MAIN idea. This is not the same as one idea.

2) ‘ if my second Body Para is for the opposing side (=the side I disagree with, and find reasons for its rebuttal). This limits my ideas for each paragraph for the side I agree with .(First BP)’ My comment: I don’t understand why the contents of your second paragraph will limit what you write in your first paragraph, or how you can generalise about this without seeing a question. Creating a ‘rule’ like this means you cannot respond to each individual question in an individual way.

3) This would mean that My comment: Your conclusion here is based on the assumption that the previous statement is true – which it isn’t.

4) ‘ if I fully develop my argument in the first BP My comment: your argument develops over the entire essay – your rebuttal of a point IS a part of your argument.

5)’ thats going to be more than enough for the sake of word count and the development of argument, which would not allow me to write on many reasons (if I have more than one). My comment:Again, this conclusion follows on from the previous limitations you have set, which will not be ‘true’ for every essay question.

You may not be aware of it, but you have presented an argument here which echoes the most common problems in the arguments I find in essays, and which make conclusions unclear. I am writing about this very topic at the moment in The Key to IELTS Writing Workbook – before you ask, it will not be ready for several more months. For the moment, don’t try to limit your planning, respond naturally to each writing task.

Thank you for the detailed response. Allow me to explain what leads me to this thinking. Consider this that I have read your book and your posts as well. The reason for this inflexibility is following:

• I have a habit of producing 4 paragraphs (self-imposed)> the reason of this inflexible approach is that I believe most of the essays can get their job done, if written effectively, in 4 paragraphs, otherwise, and I have felt this while practicing, I wonder around the ideas just to fill the body paragraphs somewhere in my mind not sure on the number of paragraphs (an added burden to think of). While staying with the 2 Body paragraphs ensures that I stay on topic and fully develop my arguments.

I know that all of your advice is about flexibility and spontaneity and being natural on the test day breaking free any rules, structures, and ready-made approaches, may be it is the lack of confidence in my own writing that I fall for these limitations.

I agree that 4 paragraphs should be sufficient in many essays – I use the same approach myself in that I plan my ideas to fit into those two main paragraphs. Try to see it this way and not the other way around. Having said this, there are questions where 3 body paragraphs may be better – for example when you are asked 2 questions.

Great. One more thing, I was preparing for the GRE some time ago, and I felt it has the Analytical Writing Assessment – Issue Essay which is very similar to the IELTS WT2. Do you think reading those sample essays would be useful for general understanding of how to frame your arguments and the approach? The IELTS has very few authentic samples written by examiners.

I don’t know that exam so it would completely depend on 1) the criteria used to assess writing in it 2) the style of questions and 3) the writing skills of the people writing the samples. My writing workbook will have lost of samples.

Thank you ❤️

Hi Pauline, I have a question about this topic from cambridge books. Please help me because I really can’t find a solution. ‘Some people believe that it is best to accept a bad situation, such as an unsatisfactory job or shortage of money. Others argue that it is better to try and improve such situations. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.’ I really can’t understand the first view in the question and why some people should believe it is better to accept a bad situation than to try and improve. Why do you think some people might think this? I’m really desperate for need, thank you so much Pauline.

Can you tell me which book it is from?

Hi, I saw it in my school library. It was either book 12 or 14.

It was actually book 14 Academic.

Can you please help me?

I am confused about which of the above comments are yours.

I’m sorry for the trouble. I didn’t know I need to write my name, the comments are all mine, the question is from book 14, test 1. Thank you for your help.

Ok, I just thought I was getting messages from 2 different people! 🙂 To answer your question, you need to either think about people you know or put yourself in the position of someone who has this issue. It can be difficult if you have never had a job yourself, but think about all of the people in your family – I am sure someone you know has held a job that they did not enjoy or that was unsatisfactory – why do you think they accepted this? Perhaps they accepted it for a while until they could change their job? Perhaps they really needed the money or there was a shortage of good jobs? Or perhaps they were studying and so needed extra money until they could graduate and get a better job? I am sure If you think about it, you can think of people like that and the reasons they perhaps needed to accept something. If not, then you are completely disagreeing with the first view, and you just need to explain why it is never ok to accept a bad situation.

Thank you so much Pauline, the problem with the question is that it does NOT say that it is better to accept a bad situation FOR A WHILE or that accepting a bad situation is the first step in order to improve, it simply says that it is better to accept a bad situation and this is hard to argue for (because the question has asked us to discuss both views). To me the only reason people may think it is better to accept a bad situation is because they are not willing to risk the little things that they have and are afraid to lose what they have, which may not be much. Do you think my line of argument makes any sense?

Yes, this is exactly the type of explanation that you must provide. Why you think this would be wrong?

Thank you Pauline, I’ve been checking the website for the past several days, I assume you are very busy, thank you for answering my question. Honestly, the main reason for my confusion is the sample answer at the back of the book that has received a 7. It generally says that people need to first accept a bad situation in order to improve. To me it sounds like the argument for the other side that says it is better to improve a bad situation instead of accepting it.

Yes, I am travelling for work at the moment and preparing for a conference talk. I think the issue here is that you are trying to fond one answer from a single sample answer – even if that answer was a band 9, it would still only show you one person’s way of answering – no single answer can show you more than that. It isn’t possible to show every way of answering, because your answer will always be personal to you. My question is why you think your plan / ideas are ‘wrong’ – what do you think the problem is? I am asking this to try to understand your area of doubt.

Hi Pauline, I have a question about the band descriptors for task 2. In the descriptors for band 7 it is written that supporting ideas may lack focus, what does it mean by supporting ideas, and more importantly what does lack focus mean? Can you give an example to help me understand it better? I really appreciate your help.

Have you read my free book, The Key to IELTS Success? I do try to explain this in chapter 7 with examples. A lack of focus often means the candidate is using examples (often learned) that are not related to the question or the main idea in the paragraph.

Thank you for the response. I have read your book thoroughly and thank you for that. But my question is that when I present the main idea and then I give an example that does not help the development of my idea, is this a feature of band 5, 6 or 7? Because in band 5 it says that there may be irrelevant detail, in band 6 it says that the main idea is inadequately developed, and in band 7 it says that the supporting ideas may lack focus. So what band is it when our examples do not help the development of main ideas? Thank you again.

Hi Java What those descriptors are attempting to describe are 3 different ‘shades’ of the same issue – imagine if we represented Task response as a colour, then the deepest colour would be at band 9, and the shade of this colour would become lighter and lighter until we can barely see it by band 1. It isn’t possible to say just how the shade is acheived by each candidate, their reasons for arriving at that band will be varied (some may use irrelevant examples, some may have none etc) what matters is the extent to which their overall task response is affected (ei†her positively or negatively) – †hat is what will result in the band 6 or 7 etc. The truth is, that you cannot single out short phrases from the descriptors – they have †o be seen as working together. So, for example, with band 7, it matters that it says ‘ presents, extends and supports main ideas , but there may be a tendency to overgeneralise and/or supporting ideas may lack focus’ While a band 5 candidate ” presents some main ideas but these are limited and not sufficiently developed; there may be irrelevant detail.”

It’s also important to note that not all ‘supporting ideas’ are ‘examples’ as I pointed†ed out in chapter 7.

Task response is really assessing how all of the ideas work together to form a complete, effective response to the question. At band 5, the ideas generally don’t always work together, while at band 7, they do. Though there are still issues at band 7 that prevent these responses from reaching band 8 etc.

I hope this helps.

Perfect, Pauline ?

Thank you Pauline for your posts, can you please give us an example in which supporting ideas may lack focus? I appreciate it.

Generally this is an idea or an example which is not clearly linked to the previous ideas within the paragraph.

Hi Pauline, I’m an IELTS teacher and I have been teaching IELTS for almost 10 years. I have had this question for many years but I have never found the answer. The problem is when I’m dealing with essays that have almost no grammar mistakes, but there are serious problems with the task response and especially with the position. And I can’t say what band score the grammar is, because there is a wide range of structures and the majority of sentences are error-free except for occasional errors and according to the band descriptors the GRA should be an 8, but at the same time these grammatically accurate sentences do not help develop a position. One of my knowledgeable trainers always says that grammar and vocabulary should always be used to help develop a position. So my question is whether we should rate grammar on its own based on how grammatically correct and varied the sentences are or should we assess grammar on the basis of how much it helps the task response and the development of ideas? Thank you so much for your help.

Hi Reza, that’s a really goor question. The main issue for me would be where this band 8 level grammar comes from if the Task response and coherence and cohesion are lacking. Could you send me an example? If the band 8 grammar comes from learned patterns, showing no / little understanding of meaning, this would be a different matter to an an answer that simple misinterpret the question. In some cases, the grammar can be rewarded while the other scores are reduced, but in other cases, if a candidate is effectively saying ‘I can’t write on the topic you have given me, but I can write this’ the we cannot say that they have shown the flexibility and range required of a higher band. If you can send me an example id be happy to try and be more helpful.

Hello Pauline, I’m sorry to take up your time, I have a question about writing task 2 band descriptors. In band 4, it says that the candidate ‘responds to the task only in a minimal way or the answer is tangential’, what does it mean by a minimal way or tangential? Is it different from being off-topic? Thank you for your help.

“off-topic’ refers to some parts of the answer, while tangential describes an answer about something else completely.

Thank you, but it sounds strange, you mean if a candidate writes about a completely different topic, they can still get a 4 for task response? Also the band descriptors for band 1 says ‘answer is completely unrelated to the task’, so wouldn’t that be a 1?

Another thing is that band 4 says ‘in a minimal way’, does it mean parts of the answer is related to the question and parts of it are unrelated? Thank you.

I don’t mean the it is impossible to see any connection – tangential could be seen as related to the phrase ‘going off on a tangent’ – which means moving away from the original discussion of something. The question gives you a very specific issue to discuss, at band 4, either through misunderstanding or through an inability to discuss the issue, a candidate may aim to write 250 words but, in doing so, will move away from the original issue so much that it seems unrelated. This is not the same as, for example, writing about fashion when you are given a topic about traffic. It is closer to being given a topic about traffic but going on to write about pollutions caused by planes. It isn’t really possible to make it clear without an example.

Thank you so much, I understand. I also have a question about speaking descriptors. In speaking we have fluency and coherence and there is no mention of cohesion, can you tell me if coherence in speaking is the same as coherence in writing and why is cohesion not mentioned in the descriptors for speaking? Thank you so much.

Coherence means ‘being understood’ which applies in writing and speaking. Cohesion is the logical connecting and linking of ideas to form paragraphs – we don’t naturally speak in that way.

Dear Pauline,

You have said:

“When should I write a counter-argument?

When you are given one statement with one viewpoint that you completely agree with and… 1.you feel confident that you can write only about your agreement without repeating your ideas, and 2.you are a confident band 8 or 9 candidate and want to show that you have considered both sides, and 3.you are confident that you have the language skills to mention a logical counter-argument without making your overall position unclear.” Since I am trying to attain 7 score in writing and I prefer to avoid any risk, I am a bit confused as to whether in what cases writing a counter argument is not compulsory if the candidate is a 7 band one? As you have mentioned when it comes to the third case, which I have rewritten above, the candidates who are band 8 or 9 could write a counter-argument. Therefore, I would like to know what means the third case exactly. Would you please give some examples?

Thanks in advance, Saeed

Actually, you have changed what I said. I gave 3 separate descriptions of when it is appropriated / necessary to make a counterargument, and the third of these has these 3 bullet points. So, the 3rd point I makes is: – if you are given a question with only one viewpoint and asked ‘to what extent do you agree or disagree?” – and you completely agree with †he view in the question you could reach band 7 in TR without mentioning the counterargument

only mention the counterargument if you can make it clear that you do not agree with it.

Hi Pauline, So how about when I am given a question with only one viewpoint and I completely agree with it, is it possible to achieve an 8 or 9 without mentioning a counterargument or is counterargument a must for higher scores in these questions? Thank you.

I talk in terms of what is generally true – with skilled native speaker writers, there is always a possibility that they can break rules and still achieve the main aim of the question. If you read the bottom of the post, I give all of the times when a counterargument is used and one of these is exactly what you describe here.

Thank you very much Pauline, so is this a rule that we MUST use a counterargument in the situations that you have described at the bottom of your post in order to score 8 or above?

There is no ‘must’ (as I said in my previous answer skilled professional native speaker writers might find a way to answer without doing that) We can only generalise and state that, in general, what makes band 8 and 9 answers different is that they manage to completely agree while also making their dismissal of the counterargument clear.

Hi Pauline, Thank you for this wonderful post. I have read the samples that you have written for the topic of recycling from Cambridge book 11, in the version that you said you completely disagree, you first mentioned the reasons why people do not recycle their domestic waste (lack of time, confusion) and in the next paragraph you concluded that if these are the reasons, making it a legal requirement does not work, and instead we should make the process simpler and also educate the people. But here in the post you have said that writing a counter-argument is what candidates at bands 8 or 9 will do. The other point that has confused me is that I took the test 4 weeks ago, and before I took the test IDP arranged an online webinar with an IELTS examiner for those who had registered for the test. I asked the examiner if a counter-argument is needed for bands 8 or 9, and she said the exact words as you did, she said that it is possible to EVEN achieve a 9 without writing a counter-argument, and that candidates at band 7 do not need to do it AT ALL, but only those at bands 8 or 9 can do it well. And she also said that if candidates at lower bands attempt to do it, they may fail to do it well and this might affect their score negatively. And my last point is that one of my friends took the test with me 4 weeks ago and she scored 8 in writing, but she said that she hadn’t included a counter-argument. So my question is, as I saw in your sample and according to the examiner and also my friend, it is not necessary to include a counter-argument for band 8 when the question asks to what extent do you agree or disagree? Thanks so much for your support.

Hi Armin, I’m afraid I don’t see the problem – can you explain this sentence to me: ‘But here in the post you have said that writing a counter-argument is what candidates at bands 8 or 9 will do.” Are you saying that I didn’t give a counterargument? or that I should not have given a counterargument? I don’t understand the issue with this.

I completely. agree with what you say the examiner said to you, I have also made exactly the same points myself on many occasions. If you want to ignore the advice of the examiner, and myself, and the IDP course you took, and instead follow a comment made by someone else, that is entirely your choice. Just understand that candidates are not experts on why they achieved the score they did. People often send me writing samples and add comments in the margin saying ‘Here, in this sentence, I am giving the main idea, and here, I am adding evidence’ And I will then have to say to them that, actually, these sentences are not doing this. Your friend is giving you their own opinion about what they wrote and how they achieved their score, you are both drawing a conclusion about counterarguments from that. It is absolutely up to you if you want to do that, but my advice will continue to be the same.

Hello again, Thank you for the comment, I think you misunderstood what I meant. What I said about your recycling sample was that you haven’t included a counter-argument in the ‘I disagree’ version. I also said that the examiner said that a counter-argument is optional and we don’t have to include one for band 8 or 9. My friend who took the test also told me that she didn’t include a counter-argument in her essay but she scored an 8. So I think all these (what you have done in your sample, what the examiner said, and what my friend did in her test) show that a counter-argument is optional and not necessary even for bands 8 or 9, am I right in thinking that?

Hi Armin The only reason you can find a post about counterarguments on my website or anywhere in my books is because people outside of the test keep on bringing it up. People want to pin down writing to make it into a science, when in fact this is not possible. I talk about counterarguments not because they are essential but because someone (I do not know who) has made them into a confusing and controversial issue. This post was written because of the many questions I was being asked about it, not because I felt it was important. A counterargument is just one way of making a point, it is not always essential, but many people believe that it is and so attempt to make one in their essay. In doing so, they create problems for themselves. My problem is that, as you see here, when trying to help those who have trained themselves to think about counterarguments and to make the ideas clear, there will always be someone who tried to find an example when the advice does not fit. Writing is a skill – it is both science and art and cannot be pinned down to absolute rules. There are questions when you MUST discuss the counterargument (see the post) and there are also times when you CAN discuss a counterargument. I don’t know how to make it clearer really – the point of writing this post was to make it clear for those stuck at band 6.5 and aiming for band 7.

With the recycling model answers, I wrote those around 3 years ago and did not memorise them so I do not know whether I included a counterargument or not. Can you send me a link to the essay you are referring to?

I think I got my answer, I have also heard a lot about writing a counter-argument maybe for the reasons that you mentioned (somebody must have been looking for a short cut), so when I read your post I thought including a counter-argument must be important for the test that’s why you have written a separate post about it. But with the explanation that you gave I now understand why you have written this post. By the way, I saw the recycling model answer on your facebook page and I saved the image. I don’t have the link, but I can type it here if you want. Thanks again for clarifying the point, it was a great help.

No problem! It’s been made into a very complex issue (much more than it needs to be!) My main concern is that if I say ‘you do not need to write a counterargument’ then people will also do this ‘discuss both views’ essays, where they mustn’t just choose one side to write about. Don’t worry about the recycling essay – it may be an old version of it anyway – I was going to rewrite them at one point I’ll see if I can find the post about it.

This is the latest version of those answers: https://keytoielts.com/making-your-position-clear-throughout/

Thank you so much for your support Pauline, it means a lot to all of us candidates.

No problem 🙂

Thanks for the link Pauline.

Hi Pauline, I have a question about this topic from book 14:

‘Some people believe that it is best to accept a bad situation, such as an unsatisfactory job or shortage of money. Others argue that it is better to try and improve such situations. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.’

In this topic there are 2 examples for what it means by accepting a bad situation. Should a stick to those examples or can I think of another bad situation? If it is okay to think of another bad situation, should it be related to money like the examples or can it be for instance losing a loved one? Because in the second part of the question it says it is better to improve the bad situation, but a bad situation such as losing a loved one cannot be improved. Thank you for your support.

Hi Rima, when examples are given in a question, the aim is to help you understand exactly what is meant by ‘a bad situation.’ As with all tests, topics that are too upsetting are avoided as it can be difficult for people to write about. It is fine to come up with your own types of bad situation, but I would avoid talking about losing a loved one for the reasons I have mentioned. You could use it as just one example of a case where not all bad situations can be improved on, but I do think the question is really asking you to talk about situations where you can make the choice to act or not to act, so this would not be a main point of a paragraph.

Hi Pauline, I am an IELTS candidate from Iran, my IELTS teacher told me that recently IELTS has changed the rule for the minimum number of words and it is no longer necessary to write 250 words for task 2 or 150 words for task 1. Is this true that? Because I took the test today and in my task 2 it was written write at least 250 words. Can you tell me what the rule is? Thank you

When it is no longer written on the page, then it will be a reality. It is under discussion, I know, but I don’t know when it will be implemented. Personally, I don’t see this as a benefit for non-native speakers. It is only skilled native speakers who can generally answer fully in less than the recommended number of words. I intend to continue advising people to aim for a minimum of 250 words and not much more than 300 if possible.

Thank you, but in my test it was written ‘write at least 250 words’. So this change has not yet implemented?

Hello Pauline. I have a question about speaking, is it important that the information I give in my speaking is factually true? For example if I say that my favourite city to visit is Tokyo because of the Eiffel tower and the Pyramids. So will I lose marks for this, and if so in which speaking criteria will I lose marks? Thanks a lot.

Hi Ditri, I recommend you read the speaking chapter of The Key to IELTS Success. I talk there about the problems with giving invented information like this. You can find the link to the free book on my website.

Hi, Thanks for the reply, I have read your book and I know that you advise against inventing examples in both speaking and writing, but my question is specifically about giving information which is not factual, I don’t mean inventing examples but this could be because might not know this or might mix up information about different cities, so the question is that if this happens will the candidate lose marks, and if so in which criteria? Thank you for taking the time to help us.

The candidate wouldn’t lose marks for incorrect facts.

Hi Pauline, There is a very helpful discussion about position in your book, but after reading the writing chapter several times I still cannot fully understand the difference between a relevant position in band 6 and a clear position in band 7? In what ways are they different and what determines this difference? Thank you so much for your support.

It isn’t possible to separate out phrases – they ideas expressed work together. So, at band 7, the main difference is that the candidate ”presents a clear position throughout the response ” and band 6 candidates may state their opinion but the conclusions may become unclear or repetitive . It is the word ‘throughout’ used together with the word ‘clear’ that makes the difference.

Hi Pauline, I’ve read all your posts and they have helped me so much. I’m going to take an IELTS soon, so could you please do me a favor, giving me some comments and band scores for each of the 4 criteria on my writing below (I wrote this without timing, and lots of time proofreading it, so on test day I might perform much less than this). Thank you so much and hope to have your feedback!

“In many countries today, people in cities either live alone or in small family units, rather than in large, extended family groups. Is this a positive or negative trend?”

In many cities nowadays, families in are small, usually having only one to four people from one to two generations. This seems to be a result of modern societies where many people leave their home towns for urban areas to pursue their study or careers. Although this trend has a major benefit, I believe it is a negative development.

Perhaps the main positive side of this is that conflicts related to age gaps can be avoided. In extended families with multiple generations, habits of grandparents might be totally different from those of their grandchildren. For example, my grandfather tends to go to bed early, whereas I usually go home late and stay up until 1 am. As a result, sometimes I make noises at night and disturb his sleeps, causing us to have arguements about whether I should be at home earlier. If I stayed in a separate place, this conflict would be less likely to occur. However, despite this advantage, not being surrounded by many family members might have negative effects on individuals.

I believe the biggest impact on nuclear families is the lack of child care support. For households with children, looking after children is one of the most important tasks of their daily life. Without grandparents or relatives around, parents have to find alternative ways to take care of their children, such as sending them to day care centers or leaving them alone at home. Day care classes are expensive, while leaving children at home can limit their interaction with the outside world, and can even bring them bad habits such as video game addiction. These long-term impacts, in my opinion, far outweigh the short-term benefit discussed above.

In conclusion, while living in small families can bring some benefits, I believe this overal development is negative. Because this trend appears to be inevitable in modern life, one should adapt to it and minimize its impacts to have a more comfortable life.

Hi Cuong, I’m afraid I don’t have time to give detailed feedback on your 3 task 2s at the moment. I will try to take a look at some stage in the next few weeks.

Thank you Pauline. My test is on September 7,so I would really appreciate if you could give me some feedback whenever you can. By the way, I have only 1 writing, not 3.

My apologies, someone else also sent me 3 different versions of one essay.

Given the fact that my test date is on September 7th, after all my preparation I feel a bit confused. I am going to take a GT. I was wondering whether you could kindly see the question below and the two options and let me know if the 2nd option would be what you consider as both sides of the question?

Moreover, would you mind telling me if the 1st option is considered off-topic?

“Students from disadvantaged families and rural areas are finding it difficult to get a university education. Some people believe that universities should help them. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer and include examples from your experience.”

1st option :

My position: I agree with the idea that universities should help but not solely their responsibility.

Paragraph A: Why the poor students in rural areas find it difficult to obtain post-secondary education? I wrote about the reasons behind this problem.

Paragraph B: Why it should be the government and universities effective collaboration to deal with this issue? I depicted how the university and government can collaboratively tackle this problem.

2nd option:

My position: I agree these students should be helped by the universities but not solely.

Paragraph A: Why people think this is solely the universities responsibility? The reasons why people in the question think this should happen.

Paragraph B: Why this is not only the universities responsibility?

I explain why I think this responsibility should not be shouldered only by universities.

Hopefully, I could be able to hear from you sometimes this week before my exam date. Many thanks, Ali

Hi Ali, first of all, be very wary of trying to reach conclusions about IELTS using shared test questions (if that is where this question comes from). Secondly, I think your best solution is a combination of these 2 approaches – I am not sure why you think a different approach is needed for each as your overall position appears to be the same. Paragraphs A in your first approach seems a logical start, then Paragraph B of your second plan (or a combination of the two paragraph Bs) The most important point is to make your argument clearly and make it clear that you are answering the main question of ‘to what extent do you agree or disagree?” You appear to agree that something should be done but that universities alone are not responsible. I would expect to see an explanation of why you think the universities are responsible and what they could do and why you think governments should also help followed by ways that they can do this.

In paragraph A of your second plan you propose something I see attempted a lot and that often causes problems: an attempt to state why the unknown people who hold the view in the question believe what they do. We can only guess at this, we cannot know it, and there is enough to write about in your proposed plan without this.

Hi Pauline, thank you so much for the time you spent replying me, I do appreciate it.

A little clarification, in fact, the first option is my way of dealing with this question before reading your book (the key to IELTS success) and this post, and the second option is what I came up with as the main paragraph ideas after reading those materials.

The confusion is coming from tons of materials for IELTS that made a huge mess outside of British Council, for instance, I had the following question and I was told that I have written off-topic while I was mainly trying to explain my position to answer that:

“Some governments say how many children a family can have in their country. It is sometimes necessary and right for a government to control the population in this way. Do you agree or disagree?”

Suppose that I disagree with this statement and in fact, I argue that the government has no right to officially limit the number of children in a family.

Paragraph A: Why the government has no write to officially curb the number of children in each family? In my essay, answering this question I also breifly explained why some people may sypport the official limitation to consider the other side of the argument. Paragraph B: Instead of such limitation being enforced to the public, the government should introduce incentives to encourage parents to have fewer children so that they could decide freely.

My essay was commented as “In agree/disagree writing: Do not give alternative solutions. Just give arguments for or against the statement. ” Do you agree with this quoted comment? I am aware taht you do not accept any categorization for the essays such as opinion, and discussion, I was wondering if giving such alternatives to the topic is considered off-topics?

Now that I put your essay written in your books as the actual references alongside other practice books, and yor answer to my post I feel a lot more confident and I suggest the others to only focus on the official materials and that is indeed enough.

Many thanks, Ali

Hi Ali, I can’t really comment without seeing the full answer – for me, it would really depend on how and when you present the alternative solutions. For example, you could argue that: 1) overpopulation is creating serious problems around the world – unsurprisingly many governments want to find a solution 2) some governments try to control this through ABC – I completely disagree with this because XYZ 3) controlling people in this way goes too far and governments need to find another way – (e.g DEF)

In that essay, the main discussion would be 1) the issue itself and 2) the reasons for my complete disagreement. Only at the end would I suggest another possibility. This means the main discussion is still about my complete disagreement and, in fact, the alternative solutions are support for the idea that governments do not need to control people in this way. Does that help?

Hi, Pauline Two quick questions here. First, the equality of two sides means the equal length. Is this correct? For example, two paragraphs are of the same size or similar size. Second, what about questions that require you to talk about causes and solutions. So “two sides” here refer to causes and solutions and they must be of the equal length. Is this correct?

Thank you for your education on “two sides”.

Th two sides would be discussed in a balanced way if they have been discussed in the same depth – this will not always result in exactly the same number of words in each paragraph, but there would be a similar amount of discussion involved and so they would be of a similar length. With causes and solutions you would equally discuss 1) the causes and 2) the possible solutions.

OK. I get it, thank you. But that sentence should be “this does not always result in…”, correct?

I was aiming for ‘this will not’ but yours works too! I have edited my response.

Hi Pauline, I have a question about cause and solution essay. Should the solutions we offer be directly related to the causes or can we offer general solutions? For example if I say that one of the causes that children behave badly these days is the influence of celebrities who behave badly in society. And then for the solution I say that parents need to increase their supervision on children and teach them good manners from an early age. Thank you.

If the causes you raise are not addressed, and the solutions are not clearly related to them then I think that would be odd. You should find a way to link the two e.g by saying: One way for parents to try to minimise the impact this has on their children is to supervise them more. For example,…

Sorry for the previous comment which I accidentally posted. It is incomplete. Kindly read this one.

Hey tutor Pauline Hope you are in the pink of your health

Learners are adversely affected by the improper learning, wrong guidelines from websites, private people, wrong feedback and structuring of essays. A new student started following you would become successful in a minimum amount of time but the misguided ones like me are actually confused about writing.

I have a few questions for you dear tutor.

You said it is better for an average writer: 6.5 level to write the opposite side of the argument to avoid repetitive ideas. Well, great advice. You said we should not completely disagree when writing the opp side, and a balanced approach would be good. How?

In a discussion model essay ( means to discuss two views ), suppose if we are supporting one side, what should we talk about the opp side ( other people’s view?). Should we say they are wrong ( in that body paragraph or just talk about the benefits, seeing through their eyes )? If so then we are also supporting them!

What if we talk about our side( talked about the benefits ) and criticize the other side( other people’s opinion ) in 2nd body para? Is that ok?

An example body para

I do not support the idea of implementing struct rules to reduce the crime rate in society ( my side ). Just imagine I explained.

Now I’m talking about the opp side

However, others vouch for implementing stringent rules that can bring down violence in society. People who are into dreaded crimes and those making troubles very often are now afraid of being caught and put in jail which can deter them from committing crimes. ( see, I explained why they want struct rules). Here is my doubt. Shouldn’t we counter them in the same paragraph? What if I write this following their view. Nevertheless, I think that imprisoning someone for long periods for their crimes actually causes repercussion since jail life can make the person more insane and cruel due to mingling with other criminals.

Then I’m going to a conclusion.

Is that ok?

I think it is better if you post a few of your essays on the website so that people can learn and follow the right structure.

Best Regards.

Hi Ajeesh, I will try to answer your questions and respond to your comments (numbered below). The main problem appears to be that you are trying to apply my advice for ‘To what extend do you agree or disagree?” with questions that ask you to ‘Discuss both views and give your own opinion.’

1) You said we should not completely disagree when writing the opp side, and a balanced approach would be good. How? My answer: Can you tell me where you believe I have said this? My advice is always this: if you agree, show it, if you disagree, show it. You show it through your language and ideas (read The Key to IELTS Success – especially the chapters on vocabulary and grammar).

2) In a discussion model essay ( means to discuss two views ), suppose if we are supporting one side, what should we talk about the opp side ( other people’s view?). Should we say they are wrong ( in that body paragraph or just talk about the benefits, seeing through their eyes )?

My Answer: If you are asked to ‘Discuss both views and give your own opinion.’ Then you need to do exactly that. Notice that you are not asked to ‘choose one side to agree with and only write about that’ (which some people believe). Always answer the question you are given. Here you are asked to ‘discuss’ each of the views in the question – i.e. look objectively at each viewpoint and what it means. The way that you do that should help the reader understand why you fully support only one side, or neither side. If you discuss the side you eventually say you disagree with using language that is very supportive, then the reader will be confused.

3) What if we talk about our side( talked about the benefits ) and criticize the other side( other people’s opinion ) in 2nd body para? Is that ok?

My Answer: As I explained above, this would only happen in a different question – one where you are given one viewpoint and asked ‘To What extent do you agree or disagree?” Always respond to the question you are given. If you are asked to discuss both views, do that. If you are given one viewpoint to discuss, do that. As I explain in the post above your comment, my advice for this type of question is, if you are stuck for ideas, consider the opposite point of view or the opposite side (what if we DIDN’T have or do this?”)

4) An example body para – I do not support the idea of implementing struct rules to reduce the crime rate in society ( my side ).

My Comment: Just to be clear, I assume this is a question where you are given one viewpoint and asked ‘Do you agree or disagree?” etc. Not a question where you are given 2 viewpoints to discuss (as in your first question).

Just imagine I explained. Now I’m talking about the opp side ‘’However, others vouch for implementing stringent rules that can bring down violence in society. People who are into dreaded crimes and those making troubles very often are now afraid of being caught and put in jail which can deter them from committing crimes.’’ ( see, I explained why they want struct rules).

My comment: Actually, you DIDN’T explain ‘why THEY want strict rules’ Your position is unclear here because your second sentence tells the reader that YOU believe this. It is your language that is creating the problem. (NB there are also vocabulary problems here as you are trying to use as many different words as possible to talk about punishment or crime.)

5) Here is my doubt. Shouldn’t we counter them in the same paragraph? My Comment: If this is an idea you disagree with, then you must show this disagreement throughout. You must make it clear 1) what you believe 2) what others believe 3) how you feel about others’ opinions. Your problem is that you are not making it clear which views are yours and which belong to others. E.g. When you write ‘People who are into dreaded crimes and those making troubles very often are now afraid of being caught and put in jail which can deter them from committing crimes.’ You are telling the reader that you believe that strict punishments are effective in reducing crime – in other words, showing support for strict punishment. (NB again there are problems with vocabulary here)

6) What if I write this following their view. Nevertheless, I think that imprisoning someone for long periods for their crimes actually causes repercussion since jail life can make the person more insane and cruel due to mingling with other criminals. Then I’m going to a conclusion. Is that ok?

My answer: Writing this after the previous sentence will mean that your position is not clear ‘throughout’ because you are saying 1) strict punishments can reduce crime 2) I think strict punishments make things worse. Which part of your second sentence (‘People who are into dreaded crimes and those making troubles very often are now afraid of being caught and put in jail which can deter them from committing crimes.’) shows that you do not hold this view?

7) I think it is better if you post a few of your essays on the website so that people can learn and follow the right structure.

My comment: Like most people, I cannot afford to work only for free. Sadly, too many people simply look for free downloads of my books. Until sales of my books improve, I can’t add more free content like that.

Hi Pauline, I would like to know whether the tense(s) used in the overview has to correspond to that or those of the data. For example , in a sample answer(unit23-Vocab for IELTS Advanced) you’ve used the present perfect in the overview, whereas the barcharts show a past period(1950-2010).

I can’t find the sentence you mean but you shouls definitely be conscious of the tense you use when there is a change over time being showman the data

Hi Pauline, I have a question about writing a brief counter-argument in the conclusion paragraph of the essay without discussing it in detail (as you have mentioned in the post). I read it on an IELTS blog that in such cases we cannot begin the final paragraph with “in conclusion”, because here we are referring to a possible counter-argument that is not mentioned in the body paragraphs, so it can’t be a conclusion of our arguments, and therefore we cannot use “in conclusion” or “to sum up” at the beginning of this paragraph, do you think it’s true? Thanks for your support.

There is no rule like this, Soheil. I can certainly imagine a band 9 writer referring to a counterargument in the conclusion.

Hi again, I don’t think I could make myself understood. The blog post didn’t say that we cannot write a counter-argument in the conclusion, it said that when we write the counter-argument in the conclusion we cannot begin the conclusion paragraph with “in conclusion” or “to sum up”. Would you say this is accuarate?

Oh, I see, well, I think it would be unconventional but not impossible to do that (there are conventions but no rules like this) The result would probably be a longer paragraph than usual because you would need to summarise all of your points, refer to a counterargument, and then find a way to finish. I would not rule out a native speaker being able to do this, but I am sure the blog was trying to make life easier for learners. The only reason I say that it is possible is that you may find examples like this in the wider world. It is best to see this not as a fixed rule but as ‘good advice’ for what to aim for.

Thank you Pauline, but allow me to explain more; the post in the blog was not concerned about a long paragraph, the only concern was about the use of the phrase “in conclusion”. It said it would be perfectly fine to write a brief counter-argument in the conclusion, but just that we must not use the discourse marker “in conclusion”. The exact post from the blog said the following: “If you want to write a counter-argument in your conclusion, do not write ‘in conclusion’ at the beginning of the paragraph, because you are not just concluding from your body paragraphs, but including a counter-argument as well.” So I imagine the advice was not given to avoid a long paragraph, it simply said write a brief counter-argument, summarise your main points, but just don’t use “in conclusion” at the beginning of it. Honestly I found the advice rather odd, so I wanted to know your opinion. Thanks you so much for your help.

I think there are many people trying to impose ‘rules’ like this, but the reality is actually much more complicated. When teaching the lower levels, (bands 5 or lower) we new present language with very strict rules, but as the learners become more advanced, they learn that language is less structures and much more complicated. I don’t know the bog post or the writer, but it is very difficult to give advice that suits every level at the same time.

Hi Pauline, My name is Barry and I’m a native speaker. I’ve been following your blog for some time now and thank you for the amazing content. I’m planning to take the IELTS test and I’m aiming for a 9 in writing. To my experience, the biggest challenge is planning. I came across this example question from a recent Cambridge book and I’m not sure how to plan for it, do you think you could help me with it? ‘Some people say that music is a good way of bringing people of different cultures and ages together. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?’ I was thinking of writing a paragraph about how music helps bring people of different ages together, and another paragraph about how it can bring different cultures together. Do you think this plan is good for a 9? Or do you think I need a more considered position (maybe by offering a counter-argument)? (honestly I’m not sure how and if a counter-argument fits here). I really appreciate it.

Hi Barry You are correct in thinking that one of the greatest problems (in my view) for native speakers is a lack of planning – aim to spend 5-10 minutes thinking about the issue and about how to explain your own feelings about it before you begin writing anything. The suggested organisation of your paragraphs (what you have written here is an outline and not a plan) could work for someone who is confident that they have sufficient ideas to support these views. It all comes down to what you think about believe about music and its ability to unite people. For me, I would find it easier to write about either of these: A) how music can unite people of different cultures and ages B) ways music doesn’t always unite people of different cultures and ages If the question said ‘Some people think that music is the best way to unite people of different ages and cultures’ Then I would write organise my answer like this: A) ways music does and doesn’t unite people B) other ways of uniting people of different ages and cultures.

The main issue is having ideas that actually do support your main ideas and being able to clearly explain them and logically organise them. Feel free to send a practice essay and I will give some feedback.

Hi Pauline, In your comment to Barry, you said that what he has written is an outline, and not a plan. Can you explain how a plan is different from an outline, and which one do we need for the test,an outline or a plan? Thank you so much.

A plan is far more detailed – I am showing this as a step by step process in my next book, which will be available next month.

Hi Pauline! Can I just clarify your advice to discuss both sides in a ‘to what extent do you agree or disagree’ essay?

Is this advice simply to help candidates avoid repetition?

Is it to help candidates to “address all parts of the task”? Because you seem to equate “sides” with “parts”, then you say that a ‘to what extent’ essay can have 2 sides, thus implying that candidates MUST address both “sides” in a ‘to what extent’ essay in order to get Band 7.

Hi Charlie, yes, it is to help candidates address all parts of the task , but it is also to help in getting extra ideas and avoiding repetition.

The ‘sides’ refers to different sides of an argument, while ‘parts’ relates to ‘parts’ of the question – often these are the same thing (e.g. if there are 2 viewpoints in the question then the ‘parts’ are also ‘sides’ of an argument. Where there is one viewpoint, the different parts can be within the topic itself. E.g, in a question like this: ‘Some people think parents should teach children how to behave so that teachers don’t have to.’ The two ‘parts’ are 1) ‘parents teaching children to behave’ and 2) teachers teaching children to behave’ – which is also, again, 2 different sides of the argument.

Hi, Pauline. This post is of extreme importance to me. Really appreciate your effort! Just to confirm: If we aim for 7 or higher, we need to cover both sides whether we completely agree or disagree, is this correct? I mean, we don’t have to agree with the other side but we need to give it due attention. So we arrive at our conclusion with equal consideration of both sides. This is my understanding of “discuss”. Correct me if I am wrong. Much appreciated!

Yes, that’s exactly right, Thomas.

Dear Ms. Cullen , I am really glad to find this great and helpful site with a great and skilful IELTS teacher . I would like to say that I read some of your points . They are really amazing .

Hi most are the counter-argument essay have unclear conclusions how can we write a counter argument and come to logical conclusion?

I’m explaining this in detail in my new book – it isn’t something you can explain briefly.

Hi, dear Pauline, I remember in your reply to my question last year (which is also on this page), you agreed that if a question has two parts, the discussion of each part should be of an equal amount. However, in the Official Guidance book, the sample for Test 2 (which I know is not written by you) clearly gives more paragraphs to the second question than to the first question. This really confuses me. If the task has two questions, we should answer both in the same or similar length. Is that correct?

Another question is, how do you understand “How true do you think the statement is”? Can I understand it as “to which degree do you agree with it”? The sample does not give me a clear answer. So I am here to bother you again. I really appreciate your time and attention!

Hi Thomas, I am planning on writing new models for the questions in the Official Guide once I have completed my writing book. There is no rule on how much of your essay to devote to different questions when there are 2 – sometimes there is naturally more to say about one than the other, sometimes the second question is there to prompt you so that you have enough to talk about. In my new book I show you how to make sure you address each issue in a balanced way. The question ‘How true do you think the statement is?” should definitely be ‘To what extent do you agree or disagree?”

Thanks again for your clarification and I am eager to know when your new book will be available.

Thank you very much Ms. Cullen. I just came across your website and found it really helpful. And now I was wondering if you could find the time to answer my question. As someone who has recently started preparing students for IELTS, do you think I should categorize what I want to teach to students with different target band scores? I mean, for someone who, for example, needs to get a 6 in writing, should I just tell them to take one side (in a TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE essay question) and try to develop it using some certain structures?

Hi Morteza, I address this idea a little in my new course – I am sure you will find it helpful. I have aimed the course at bands 6.5 at the moment but I plan to write a lower level version when I can. There is advice for teachers as well as self-study students. It is a 20-lesson course that could be done in 20 days, or 20 weeks, depending on the time you have. There are printable worksheets too. I’ll be sharing a link soon.

Hi, Paullen. A quick question for you: When “discussing both views”, must I say explicitly that “some people believe”? In other words, is it a must that I should distinguish the views I discuss from my own views, even though I might totally agree with one of them?

Hi Thomas, you need to make it clear 1) when you are addressing the question and 2) what your position is. So, you would need to show through the way that you discuss the opinion you agree with, that you also support it. You do that explicitly (by saying that you do!) and also through the ideas and language you use. The main problem people have is when discussing the idea they disagree with (they tend to show too much support for that idea!) I discuss both of these in my new book and show you how to address it. The ‘counterargument’ chapter is the longest!

Oh, thank you. Cannot wait to buy that book.

So is it a must that I say explicitly that “some people believe…”? Or I just directly discuss the view I agree with?

It’s impossible to give a rule like that – there are many ways to do this, and it will always depend on the individual situation. This is certainly one way and it is a way that I recommend in the book.

Do students get marked down in a question that asks for advantages/disadvantages if they just talk about one in a paragraph? Is it the same for problems/causes and solutions? If they develop one solution really well, would that just be ‘partial’ and limit them to band 6?

Hi Ming, the following post will help: https://keytoielts.com/do-the-advantages-outweigh-the-disadvantages/ There is also information about this in my new book.

hi Mrs, thanks for the useful explanation. I have just purchased your latest book. Love it! for this post, I checked the practice test book 10 page 162 and 166. Why do they only have a counter argument paragraph but no conclusion. So can I not write a conclusion or can I include the counter argument into the conclusion?

Hello, I suggest you read the lessons in my new book in order – they explain everything step by step. If you are still confused by the end then let me know. If you read the introduction you will understand why the sample answers in test practice books are not always helpful.

Hi Thanks for amazing tips. One small question. Is this a good plan for a discussion question. BP1: discussing side A BP2: discussing Side B briefly (in two sentences). + refuting the ideas of side B. Concluding that side A is good.

What I mean is can we discuss one side only briefly? and does it need to be refuted?

That isn’t a ‘plan’ for an essay, it is a very basic description of what an essay looks like. The counterargument needs to be refuted so that you make your own position clear. My task 2 book shows you how to plan your essay and there is a lesson on when and how to write a counterargument: https://keytoielts.com/product/the-key-to-ielts-writing-task-2-course/

Hi Paullen,

When you say Side A and Side B, do you mean one body paragraph should talk about Side A and the other about Side B. I have seen a sample answer in Cambridge IELTS book 10. It is a response to an ‘ is it a positive or negative development’ question. But the sample essay only talks about why the writer thinks it is a negative development. Could you explain why?

That’s the way that I recommend you write so as to get the highest score you can in the test. I refer to the sample answers in the test books as an ‘invisible band 10’ because they are not produced in test conditions and are generally edited professionally. The result is often more subtle, so it will cover all that you need to cover but not in a way that is helpful for candidates. My Writing Task 2 book has over 20 models that were all written in 40 minutes, were assessed as being band 9, and are helpful models for you to follow: https://keytoielts.com/product/the-key-to-ielts-writing-task-2-course/

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Submit Comment

The Key to IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Part 3 Video worksheet

The key to ielts academic writing task 1 part 2 video worksheet, the key to ielts academic writing task 1 part 1 video worksheet, the key to ielts writing task 2 part 5 video worksheet, the key to ielts writing task 2 part 4 video worksheet.

English Current

ESL Lesson Plans, Tests, & Ideas

• North American Idioms
• Business Idioms
• Idioms Quiz
• Idiom Requests
• Proverbs Quiz & List
• Phrasal Verbs Quiz
• Basic Phrasal Verbs
• North American Idioms App
• A(n)/The: Help Understanding Articles
• The First & Second Conditional
• The Difference between 'So' & 'Too'
• The Difference between 'a few/few/a little/little'
• The Difference between "Other" & "Another"
• Check Your Level
• English Vocabulary
• Verb Tenses (Intermediate)
• Articles (A, An, The) Exercises
• Prepositions Exercises
• Irregular Verb Exercises
• Gerunds & Infinitives Exercises
• Discussion Questions
• Speech Topics
• Argumentative Essay Topics
• Top-rated Lessons
• Intermediate
• Upper-Intermediate
• Reading Lessons
• View Topic List
• Expressions for Everyday Situations
• Travel Agency Activity
• Present Progressive with Mr. Bean
• Work-related Idioms
• Adjectives to Describe Employees
• Writing for Tone, Tact, and Diplomacy
• Speaking Tactfully
• Advice on Monetizing an ESL Website
• Teaching your First Conversation Class
• How to Teach English Conversation
• Teaching Different Levels
• Teaching Grammar in Conversation Class
• Members' Home
• Update Billing Info.
• Cancel Subscription
• North American Proverbs Quiz & List
• North American Idioms Quiz
• Idioms App (Android)
• 'Be used to'" / 'Use to' / 'Get used to'
• Ergative Verbs and the Passive Voice
• Keywords & Verb Tense Exercises
• Irregular Verb List & Exercises
• Non-Progressive (State) Verbs
• Present Perfect vs. Past Simple
• Present Simple vs. Present Progressive
• Past Perfect vs. Past Simple
• Subject Verb Agreement
• The Passive Voice
• Subject & Object Relative Pronouns
• Relative Pronouns Where/When/Whose
• Commas in Adjective Clauses
• A/An and Word Sounds
• 'The' with Names of Places
• Understanding English Articles
• Article Exercises (All Levels)
• Yes/No Questions
• Wh-Questions
• How far vs. How long
• Affect vs. Effect
• A few vs. few / a little vs. little
• Boring vs. Bored
• Compliment vs. Complement
• Die vs. Dead vs. Death
• Expect vs. Suspect
• Experiences vs. Experience
• Go home vs. Go to home
• Had better vs. have to/must
• Have to vs. Have got to
• I.e. vs. E.g.
• In accordance with vs. According to
• Lay vs. Lie
• Make vs. Do
• In the meantime vs. Meanwhile
• Need vs. Require
• Notice vs. Note
• 'Other' vs 'Another'
• Pain vs. Painful vs. In Pain
• Raise vs. Rise
• So vs. Such
• So vs. So that
• Some vs. Some of / Most vs. Most of
• Sometimes vs. Sometime
• Too vs. Either vs. Neither
• Weary vs. Wary
• Who vs. Whom
• While vs. During
• While vs. When
• Wish vs. Hope
• 10 Common Writing Mistakes
• 34 Common English Mistakes
• First & Second Conditionals
• Comparative & Superlative Adjectives
• Determiners: This/That/These/Those
• Check Your English Level
• Grammar Quiz (Advanced)
• Vocabulary Test - Multiple Questions
• Vocabulary Quiz - Choose the Word
• Verb Tense Review (Intermediate)
• Verb Tense Exercises (All Levels)
• Conjunction Exercises
• List of Topics
• Business English
• Games for the ESL Classroom
• Pronunciation
• Teaching Your First Conversation Class
• How to Teach English Conversation Class

Argumentative Essays: The Counter-Argument & Refutation

An argumentative essay presents an argument for or against a topic. For example, if your topic is working from home , then your essay would either argue in favor of working from home (this is the for  side) or against working from home.

Like most essays, an argumentative essay begins with an introduction that ends with the writer's position (or stance) in the thesis statement .

Introduction Paragraph

(Background information....)

• Thesis statement : Employers should give their workers the option to work from home in order to improve employee well-being and reduce office costs.

This thesis statement shows that the two points I plan to explain in my body paragraphs are 1) working from home improves well-being, and 2) it allows companies to reduce costs. Each topic will have its own paragraph. Here's an example of a very basic essay outline with these ideas:

• Background information

Body Paragraph 1

• Topic Sentence : Workers who work from home have improved well-being .
• Evidence from academic sources

Body Paragraph 2

• Topic Sentence : Furthermore, companies can reduce their expenses by allowing employees to work at home .
• Summary of key points
• Restatement of thesis statement

Does this look like a strong essay? Not really . There are no academic sources (research) used, and also...

You Need to Also Respond to the Counter-Arguments!

The above essay outline is very basic. The argument it presents can be made much stronger if you consider the counter-argument , and then try to respond (refute) its points.

The counter-argument presents the main points on the other side of the debate. Because we are arguing FOR working from home, this means the counter-argument is AGAINST working from home. The best way to find the counter-argument is by reading research on the topic to learn about the other side of the debate. The counter-argument for this topic might include these points:

• Distractions at home > could make it hard to concentrate
• Dishonest/lazy people > might work less because no one is watching

Next, we have to try to respond to the counter-argument in the refutation (or rebuttal/response) paragraph .

The Refutation/Response Paragraph

The purpose of this paragraph is to address the points of the counter-argument and to explain why they are false, somewhat false, or unimportant. So how can we respond to the above counter-argument? With research !

A study by Bloom (2013) followed workers at a call center in China who tried working from home for nine months. Its key results were as follows:

• The performance of people who worked from home increased by 13%
• These workers took fewer breaks and sick-days
• They also worked more minutes per shift

In other words, this study shows that the counter-argument might be false. (Note: To have an even stronger essay, present data from more than one study.) Now we have a refutation.

Where Do We Put the Counter-Argument and Refutation?

Commonly, these sections can go at the beginning of the essay (after the introduction), or at the end of the essay (before the conclusion). Let's put it at the beginning. Now our essay looks like this:

Counter-argument Paragraph

• Dishonest/lazy people might work less because no one is watching

Refutation/Response Paragraph

• Study: Productivity  increased by 14%
• (+ other details)

Body Paragraph 3

• Topic Sentence : In addition, people who work from home have improved well-being .

Body Paragraph 4

The outline is stronger now because it includes the counter-argument and refutation. Note that the essay still needs more details and research to become more convincing.

Working from home may increase productivity.

Extra Advice on Argumentative Essays

It's not a compare and contrast essay.

An argumentative essay focuses on one topic (e.g. cats) and argues for or against it. An argumentative essay should not have two topics (e.g. cats vs dogs). When you compare two ideas, you are writing a compare and contrast essay. An argumentative essay has one topic (cats). If you are FOR cats as pets, a simplistic outline for an argumentative essay could look something like this:

• Thesis: Cats are the best pet.
• are unloving
• cause allergy issues
• This is a benefit >  Many working people do not have time for a needy pet
• If you have an allergy, do not buy a cat.
• But for most people (without allergies), cats are great
• Supporting Details

Use Language in Counter-Argument That Shows Its Not Your Position

The counter-argument is not your position. To make this clear, use language such as this in your counter-argument:

• Opponents might argue that cats are unloving.
• People who dislike cats would argue that cats are unloving.
• Critics of cats could argue that cats are unloving.
• It could be argued that cats are unloving.

These  underlined phrases make it clear that you are presenting  someone else's argument , not your own.

Choose the Side with the Strongest Support

Do not choose your side based on your own personal opinion. Instead, do some research and learn the truth about the topic. After you have read the arguments for and against, choose the side with the strongest support as your position.

Do Not Include Too Many Counter-arguments

Include the main (two or three) points in the counter-argument. If you include too many points, refuting these points becomes quite difficult.

If you have any questions, leave a comment below.

- Matthew Barton / Creator of Englishcurrent.com

Additional Resources :

• Writing a Counter-Argument & Refutation (Richland College)
• Language for Counter-Argument and Refutation Paragraphs (Brown's Student Learning Tools)

EnglishCurrent is happily hosted on Dreamhost . If you found this page helpful, consider a donation to our hosting bill to show your support!

24 comments on “ Argumentative Essays: The Counter-Argument & Refutation ”

Thank you professor. It is really helpful.

Can you also put the counter argument in the third paragraph

It depends on what your instructor wants. Generally, a good argumentative essay needs to have a counter-argument and refutation somewhere. Most teachers will probably let you put them anywhere (e.g. in the start, middle, or end) and be happy as long as they are present. But ask your teacher to be sure.

Thank you for the information Professor

how could I address a counter argument for “plastic bags and its consumption should be banned”?

For what reasons do they say they should be banned? You need to address the reasons themselves and show that these reasons are invalid/weak.

Thank you for this useful article. I understand very well.

Thank you for the useful article, this helps me a lot!

Thank you for this useful article which helps me in my study.

Thank you, professor Mylene 102-04

it was very useful for writing essay

Very useful reference body support to began writing a good essay. Thank you!

Really very helpful. Thanks Regards Mayank

Thank you, professor, it is very helpful to write an essay.

It is really helpful thank you

It was a very helpful set of learning materials. I will follow it and use it in my essay writing. Thank you, professor. Regards Isha

Thanks Professor

This was really helpful as it lays the difference between argumentative essay and compare and contrast essay.. Thanks for the clarification.

This is such a helpful guide in composing an argumentative essay. Thank you, professor.

This was really helpful proof, thankyou!

Thanks this was really helpful to me

This was very helpful for us to generate a good form of essay

thank you so much for this useful information.

Thank you so much, Sir. This helps a lot!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar

IELTS Training with Jonathan

Helping Busy People Succeed in IELTS.

How to write an argument for an IELTS Task 2 essay

By ielts-jonathan.com on 17 June 2022 0

Introduction to IELTS and Academic Writing.

The kind of writing we are going to describe here is ONLY suitable for IELTS Task 2 Writing and not TASK 1 .

Because in Task 1, you are not required to add additional opinion, or comment or speculate on why figures or numbers might be so.

In Task 1, you should only report the figures you can see .

You should not speculate, predict or introduce personal experience in your writing.

Task 2 Writing

For Task 2, often your writing can be improved substantially by providing support to your ideas, your opinions or when answering the prompt given.

Providing Support

Academic writing tends to be impersonal in style in order to be objective .

This may make it appear formal.

Unfortunately, too many IELTS Candidates write in a subjective style .

The result can be:.

If an IELTS Task 2 appears too subjective, this can affect the tone of the writing and lower the Score.

Therefore, it is important to notice how academic writers express themselves and support their opinions.

Support consists of evidence.

Here are four kinds of evidence to make your argument stronger:.

1. Example: from your own experience or from what you heard or read.

2. Common Sense: things that you believe everybody knows.

3. Expert Opinion: the opinions of experts or professionals

(e.g. scientists or doctors) — this comes from research.

4. Statistics: numbers (e.g 75% ) — this also comes from research.

Task: Read the arguments for the following statement:

Here is the statement to consider.

Statement: “Smoking should be banned in all public places”

This is the position I am going to take.

Position: Agree

So, now I am going to agree with this statement by providing an example .

1. Example:

For example / for instance / let me give an example

“ Let me give an example: Whenever I go to a restaurant or bar and there are people smoking near me, I feel that I am breathing in their smoke. This makes me a smoker even though I don’t want to be ”.

or by providing a shared belief.

2. Common Sense:

Everyone knows / it’s common knowledge that / it’s no secret that

“ It’s common knowledge secondhand smoke is very unhealthy for nonsmokers ”.

or by providing figures or percentages .

3. Statistics:

“ Secondhand smoke causes about 250,000 respiratory infections in infants and children every year, resulting in about 15,000 hospitalizations each year ”.

or by providing the voice of another .

4 . Expert Opinion:

According to…/ to quote…/ the book _____ says…

“ According to the Environmental Protection Agency, secondhand smoke causes approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths in nonsmokers each year ”.

For the IELTS test, there is not enough time or number of words to allow completely for this academic style, so although IELTS writing is not informal, it is much more semi-academic in style .

Share Pin 11 Share Tweet 11 Shares

I hope that you found this information useful and you have taken on board some of the tips.

Please share to someone you know and in the meantime take a look at my

Facebook Page  and  Website for IELTS answers   and you can also join my Facebook Group  here too.

I also recommend taking a look at my free blog below, or sign up to my Newsletter which gives further instruction on how to give that perfect Task Response:

The Best Approach to Task 2 Writing

Paragraphing in Task 2 Writing

Strong Arguments for Task 2

Writing the Introduction

Writing a Line of Argument

Cohesion for Task 2 Writing

Writing – Benefits of a Foreign University Education

Reader Interactions

Was this helpful leave a comment :) cancel reply, let me help you get the ielts result you need.

JUST WRITING FEEDBACK

Speaking Feedback

IELTS TRAINING 

IELTS FEEDBACK

YOUR PRIVACY

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• All Lessons
• business english
• comprehension
• culture & tips
• expressions
• pronunciation

IELTS WRITING TASK 2: How to structure an argument

Test your understanding of this English lesson

52 comments.

Got 08. Thank you Benjamin. It was such a useful lesson.

Got 07. Interesting lesson but the quizz is not so easy. Thanks Benjamin.

Got 90 thank you

I’m trying to learn IELTS to the exam. Please, good luck to me!!! =))

Done my part, 9 out of 10, thank you for this amazing video Benjamin!

Thank you Benjamin

Thanks a lot!

Great lesson: to make arguments more efficient, and a your amazing sentence not to forgot: « Time spent planning is time well spent: prepare to succeed »

Thank you Benjamin for a so useful lesson!!!

Thanks a lot Benjamin!

7 out of 10 before watching the video. Now, it’s time to learn more.

Thank you for creating such a good lesson.

I got 10 before I registered. Will you be so kind to suggest as what level out of the three I should opt for, when I plan to be a business writer? Thank you very much Rebecca that was highly enlightening lesson and the following quiz.

got 70 very nice score qnd many thanks to Benjamin

Thank you Benjamin.

This is excellent, as always Benjamin

Thanks a bunch.

Thank you, for share all of your excellent idea about writing task .

Hey Ben, Thanks for the lesson, it was quite useful. I do practice writing essays for my upcoming IELTS exams; however, I need someone to assess my writing. I can’t really know for sure what level they are ay till that is done. Can you suggest a way?

Excellent explanation, Benajmin. I got 09!

This lecture was very informative. Many thanks to the lecturer.

Thank you Mr. Benjamin.

Thanks Benjamin, for your not only excellent explanation on the matter but also on the clarification, thanks once again / Alex

Thank you Ben! Your lessons are the best!

Thank you Benjamin! Does “Whilst” word use normal in British English?

1st try – 60% 2nd try – 90%

Thanks.it is helpful.

Very useful lesson.Thank you.

Thanks Benjamin, you clarify my mind..

Got 8. Thank you Benjamin.

I got 6, so sad, anyway thank you Benjamin for the lesson I hope to improve my writing and getting prepare for IELTS.

70, before watching video. Will watch video now.

Thank you. I got 8 over 10

got 6 out of 10. need to work more on this.

Luckily I got 10.

Got 100/100 thanks Ben for this course

I got 10. Helpful lesson. Thanks

Nice lesson!

Dear Benjamin,

Thank you so much. You describe it really well.

Best Regards

10/10. Thanks for such a useful lesson :)

I really love the way you teach. Thank you, Sir.

WOW! GOT 100/100. LETS HOPE I DO THE SAME IN REAL IELTS EXAM.

I SURPRISINGLY GOT 7/10, AND IT CAME WITH A SMILING FACE NEXT TO IT,I WISH UPON A STAR FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER 70 PERCENTAGE UNIT ON THE FINAL EXAM.

THANK YOU MR BENJAMIN

Thanks the quiz is an eye opener

10, thanks!

What is too-a-lee?

Great effort

about engVid

Learn English for free with 2061 video lessons by experienced teachers. Classes cover English grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, IELTS, TOEFL, and more. Join millions of English learners worldwide who are improving every day with engVid.

• 2-Intermediate
• Uncategorized

• Privacy Policy

© 2024 LearnVid Inc.

Ielts task 2 presenting counter arguments – advertising

• by Alistair Brown
• May 26, 2021 September 18, 2021

I hope you enjoyed brainstorming those topics. Today we will look at a model answer with some of those phrases highlighted.

We follow the structure – claim – evidence – argument =

• your claim  e.g. Computers are more reliable than humans;
• your reasons  e.g. They can deal with large amounts of information and are not prone to making mistakes;
• your evidence  e.g. This can be see in large assembly plants where there are few injuries and high productivity
• your argument  We should invest in building automated workforces.

We are using the topic from last time related to advertising. You can study the advantages and disadvantages of advertising here.

Here is today’s question:

Some of the methods used in advertising are unethical and unacceptable in today’s society. To what extent do you agree with this view?

Here is my answer. Notice how the answer is structured and the signposting language that I introduced in the previous blog:

In this digital age, we see an endless number of advertisements daily, from adverts on our cell phones to personal soliciting. Nonetheless, many of the methods used to advertise can be considered unacceptable and immoral.

There is no doubt that many advertisers aim to increase sales at any cost. They do this by creating a need in the audience who would feel deprived if they didn’t buy the advertised product or service.  A case in point is the latest Apple product that many people feel they couldn’t live without. Most people would agree that this strategy is unacceptable and maybe a little underhanded. Research shows that advertisers are increasingly using the tactic of ‘product scarcity’ where they claim their products are limited in number or available for a limited amount of time.  This taps into human psychology, where we are scared that an item might run out so it releases a sense of panic in us.

In addition, i t seems clear that we can’t escape from advertising as it intrudes on our personal privacy in many ways. Statistics indicate that  we have never experienced such a barrage of products being advertised through the internet. To illustrate , when browsing, ads appear at any moment, and our details seem to manipulated in evermore sophisticated ways to pitch us a new product or service.

In brief, I agree with the notion that many of the tactics used for adverting in today’s world are both unacceptable and unethical because they are manipulative and violate a person’s privacy.

So, choose one of the topics that I gave last time and write an answer:

All blood sports should be banned.

The traditional music of a country is important and should be preserved

Education is not a luxury, but a basic human right and as such should be free

Some people think old buildings should be knocked down and replaced by news ones.

Continual assessment should replace formal examinations.

Advertising is unethical and unacceptable in today’s society.

Famous people should be given more privacy,

You will often have to give counter arguments . To do this you could use:

a verbs such as: argue, claim, point out, and state (normally in the present perfect or present simple tense) or believe, maintain, and contend (normally in the present simple).

Clarkson argues / has argued that …

Clarkson believes/ maintains / contends that …

b phrases that may include view or opinion.

In the view/opinion of Clarkson, …

In Clarkson’s view/ opinion, …

According to Clarkson, …

Some people believe/think that …

ALISTAIR BROWN:  As a writing and speaking examiner for more than 10 years, I bring a lot of experience. I have seen the frustrations that students have with IELTS from a career where I have actively guided and corrected students’ studies. I am looking for the most effective ways to teach IELTS as I understand students’ needs.

Press ESC to close

IELTS Argumentative Essay Structure: Here’s the Step by Step Guide You should Know

When you write a convincing article, you need more than an argument to make your voice felt. Even the best position would not be convincing if it is not well formulated and reinforced by sound logic and proof. Learn what elements each argumentative essay should contain and how to present the essay in a clean and attractive manner in this simple step-by-step tutorial. Read the article below to get a clear view of IELTS argumentative essay structure

What is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is a form of essay writing that takes a stand on the matter. In a strong argumentative article, the writer tries to convince readers to consider and accept their point of view on the matter by outlining their reasoning and presenting facts to back it up.

Argumentative essay writing is a common task for high school students as well as IELTS aspirants Normally, argumentative essay subjects are linked to science, technologies, economics and medical care.

Argument Essay IELTS Structure: IELTS Essay Format

Argumentative essays should have a clear structure such that they are convenient for readers to understand. The purpose of the argumentative essay is to explicitly outline the perspective, the logic and the proof. Follow the IELTS argumentative essay structure below, to write a perfect essay for your IELTS writing task

Introductory Paragraph: IELTS Essay Structure Task 2

The first section of your essay should outline the subject, include the context details required to explain your case, outline the facts that you will be presenting, and state your topic.

The Topic Statement: IELTS Essay Structure Task 2

This is part of the first line of your order. This is a succinct, one-sentence description of your key argument and assertion.

Body Paragraphs: IELTS Essay Structure Task 2

A standard argumentative essay consists of three or four paragraphs that clarify why you endorse your topic. Each topic sentence should cover a different theory or bit of proof and contain a theme sentence that simply and concisely demonstrates why the examiner should agree with your argument. Body paragraphs are where you support up your arguments with examples, analysis, statistics, tests, and text quotes. Discuss and disprove contrary points of view or justify that you disagree with them. Presenting facts and considering a subject from both perspectives adds integrity and can help you win the confidence of the examiner

Conclusion: IELTS Essay Structure Task 2

One section that reiterates the topic and outlines all the points set forth in the sections in your body. Instead of adding additional evidence or further claims, a successful conclusion would cater to the feelings of the reader. In certain cases, authors will use a subjective opinion to illustrate how the topic affects them directly.

Also Read: Art is Considered an Essential Part of All Cultures: A Topic of IELTS Essay

IELTS Writing Task Sample Topic

It is often argued that not many students go to university, while others claim that college education should be a fundamental right. Discuss all sides of the debate and express your own view.

In certain developing nations, it is not uncommon for more than 50% of young people to attend university or college. Reviewers, though, contend that certain undergraduate programmes are useless and that young people will be best off learning expertise at the workplace. In this article, I’m going to discuss all sides of this debate and attempt to draw a conclusion.

Break the Paragraph: IELTS Argumentative Essay Structure

There are many reasons why students now feel that they have the right to higher education. Second, increasing growth in many parts of the world has expanded the number of families with resources to build for the future of their children. Around the same time, declining birth rates mean that one or two kids’ families have become normal, raising the amount of spending for each child. It is not shocking, however, that young people are able to let their families sustain them until they are 21 or 22 years of age. In addition, millions of new positions have been generated in the information industries, and these jobs are normally only available to university graduates.

Nevertheless, it also seems that graduates end up in jobs that are not relevant to their university studies. It is not rare for major English literature to end up employed in sales, or for an engineering graduate to retrain as an instructor, for example. Any commentators have indicated that young people are avoiding their entrance into the workplace rather than learning technical skills. The more important concern is that the higher cost of higher education would ensure that many families are hesitant to have more than one child, alleviating the declining birth rate in some countries.

In summary, while it can be claimed that so much focus is placed on higher education, my own view is that university years are a critical period for personal growth. When individuals enter the workplace at the age of 18, their career opportunities can be heavily limited. Attending a university gives them opportunities to think more about themselves and make a more fitting career decision.

Also Read: Is there a Fact Check in Essay Writing in IELTS? Here’s a List of Do’s and Don’ts

IELTS Argumentative Essay Structure Key Points

Make a question and answer it.

Set a major question that was asked of your essay or in the first few words. Then, accumulate your short paragraph to address the question. For illustration, in your title or introduction, you may ask, “What is the best kind of sandwich? ” And then respond with your sentence fragment: “The best type of sandwich is sour cream and jam.” This approach is successful since interesting questions pull readers in and inspire them to keep reading to find answers.

Make an Argument and Clarify It

Implement a concept that conflicts with your view, and clarify explicitly why you disagree with it. “While some people think that peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are too easy, they are flexible. Transform the subject into a question and answer it. Set a major question in the title of your essay or in the first few words. Then, accumulate your short paragraph to address the question. For instance, in your title or introduction, you may ask, “What is the best kind of sandwich? “And then respond with your sentence fragment: ‘The best form of sandwich is sour cream and jam.’ This approach is successful because interesting questions attract readers and inspire them to continue to read to figure out the answer.

Outline the Crucial Points

Introduce the key argument and clarify how you are going to back that up. For instance, “You can turn whipped cream and jam sandwich into a fine meal by using hand-made bread, toasting bread, and creating extra ingredients.” This approach is useful because it gives readers a good picture about what you’re about to cover in your article. It also acts as a route map to help you remain focused and on schedule.

Also Read: IELTS Writing Task 2 Samples: Exam Questions & Answers to Target Minimum Band 8

5 Argument Types: IELTS Argumentative Essay Structure

When you decide what you’re speaking about and know your conclusion point, imagine how you’re going to make your case. There are five forms of statement statements that can be used to guide your essay:

• Idea: whether the argument is valid or not.
• Description: a dictionary definition of what you argue, and your own personal understanding of it.
• Value: The value of what you’re talking for.
• Cause and consequence: what triggers the dilemma in your article and what effect it has on it.
• Strategy: why the examiner should take care of it and what they should do with it after reading it.

We hope we have given you a perfect article regarding the IELTS argumentative essay structure. To write a perfect argumentative essay you must practice daily. Opt for a lot of mock tests to get better.

Want to become perfect in the IELTS argumentative essay? Follow similar blogs from IELTS Ninja

Also Read: IELTS Essay in Writing Task 2: Here’s How to Organize it Well

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Share Article:

You might also like

Describe Something Important that has been Kept in Your Family: A Cue Card Sample Topic for IELTS Speaking

How to Use an IELTS Calculator? Calculate Your Overall IELTS Exam Score

What is a Good IELTS Score? Is 7.5 a Good IELTS Score? Here’s All You Need to Know

Other stories, best ielts coaching centres in chennai: all you need to know to ace ielts, ielts april 2021 dates in india: exam dates, test centres, preparation tips and more .

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar

IELTS with Fiona

Your comprehensive guide to IELTS

Full Members Academy Log in

3 IELTS essay structures you can use for any Writing Task 2

By ieltsetc on June 22, 2018

IELTS writing structures are important to organise your ideas and strengthen your arguments. Here are 3 options.

Thank you for your interest in my IELTS lessons and tips.

Come and join the Bronze Membership to access this fabulous lesson and lots more.

Get access to all 175+ IELTS lessons for a month (cancel any time).

Learn more Login

Reader Interactions

December 4, 2020 at 4:40 am

I have been preparing for my IELTS examination and this article will surely be of much help. Am grateful that you have shared this information about the structure that can strengthen my argument. It’s a very insightful article. Thank you for the post it will be very useful.

December 4, 2020 at 4:11 pm

Thanks Anna – I’m really glad you found it helpful. Good luck with your IELTS test! Best wishes Fiona

50 Latest Argument IELTS Topics

• Unlimited Task 1 checks Get all the feedback you need to keep improving your charts and letters.
• Unlimited Task 2 checks Practice and perfect your skills with essays.
• Personalized suggestions Know how to boost your score.
• Detailed mistakes analysis Get instant feedback. Spot every mistake.
• Topic ideas generator Get topic-specific ideas to enhance your writing.
• Vocabulary helper Get the right words for any topic.
• Progress tracking Track your writing improvements.

Consider the following thesis for a short paper that analyzes different approaches to stopping climate change:

Climate activism that focuses on personal actions such as recycling obscures the need for systemic change that will be required to slow carbon emissions.

The author of this thesis is promising to make the case that personal actions not only will not solve the climate problem but may actually make the problem more difficult to solve. In order to make a convincing argument, the author will need to consider how thoughtful people might disagree with this claim. In this case, the author might anticipate the following counterarguments:

• By encouraging personal actions, climate activists may raise awareness of the problem and encourage people to support larger systemic change.  
• Personal actions on a global level would actually make a difference.  
• Personal actions may not make a difference, but they will not obscure the need for systemic solutions.  
• Personal actions cannot be put into one category and must be differentiated.

In order to make a convincing argument, the author of this essay may need to address these potential counterarguments. But you don’t need to address every possible counterargument. Rather, you should engage counterarguments when doing so allows you to strengthen your own argument by explaining how it holds up in relation to other arguments. 

How to address counterarguments 

Once you have considered the potential counterarguments, you will need to figure out how to address them in your essay. In general, to address a counterargument, you’ll need to take the following steps.

• State the counterargument and explain why a reasonable reader could raise that counterargument.  
• Counter the counterargument. How you grapple with a counterargument will depend on what you think it means for your argument. You may explain why your argument is still convincing, even in light of this other position. You may point to a flaw in the counterargument. You may concede that the counterargument gets something right but then explain why it does not undermine your argument. You may explain why the counterargument is not relevant. You may refine your own argument in response to the counterargument.  
• Consider the language you are using to address the counterargument. Words like but or however signal to the reader that you are refuting the counterargument. Words like nevertheless or still signal to the reader that your argument is not diminished by the counterargument. 

Here’s an example of a paragraph in which a counterargument is raised and addressed.

Image version

The two steps are marked with counterargument and “counter” to the counterargument: COUNTERARGUMENT/ But some experts argue that it’s important for individuals to take action to mitigate climate change. In “All That Performative Environmentalism Adds Up,” Annie Lowery argues that personal actions to fight climate change, such as reducing household trash or installing solar panels, matter because change in social behavior can lead to changes in laws. [1]  

COUNTER TO THE COUNTERARGUMENT/ While Lowery may be correct that individual actions can lead to collective action, this focus on individual action can allow corporations to receive positive publicity while continuing to burn fossil fuels at dangerous rates.

Where to address counterarguments 

There is no one right place for a counterargument—where you raise a particular counterargument will depend on how it fits in with the rest of your argument. The most common spots are the following:

• Before your conclusion This is a common and effective spot for a counterargument because it’s a chance to address anything that you think a reader might still be concerned about after you’ve made your main argument. Don’t put a counterargument in your conclusion, however. At that point, you won’t have the space to address it, and readers may come away confused—or less convinced by your argument.
• Before your thesis Often, your thesis will actually be a counterargument to someone else’s argument. In other words, you will be making your argument because someone else has made an argument that you disagree with. In those cases, you may want to offer that counterargument before you state your thesis to show your readers what’s at stake—someone else has made an unconvincing argument, and you are now going to make a better one. 
• After your introduction In some cases, you may want to respond to a counterargument early in your essay, before you get too far into your argument. This is a good option when you think readers may need to understand why the counterargument is not as strong as your argument before you can even launch your own ideas. You might do this in the paragraph right after your thesis. 
• Anywhere that makes sense  As you draft an essay, you should always keep your readers in mind and think about where a thoughtful reader might disagree with you or raise an objection to an assertion or interpretation of evidence that you are offering. In those spots, you can introduce that potential objection and explain why it does not change your argument. If you think it does affect your argument, you can acknowledge that and explain why your argument is still strong.

[1] Annie Lowery, “All that Performative Environmentalism Adds Up.” The Atlantic . August 31, 2020. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/08/your-tote-bag-can-mak…

• picture_as_pdf Counterargument

IELTS Practice.Org

IELTS Practice Tests and Preparation Tips

• IELTS Writing

IELTS Essay Writing: The Argument-led and Thesis-led Approaches

by Manjusha Nambiar · April 6, 2013

You can approach your IELTS essay task in two different ways. For example, you may opt for an argument-led approach or a thesis-led approach.

Consider the essay questions given below.

1. Nowadays more and more teenagers get involved in criminal activities. Why do you think this is happening? What can be done to prevent this?

2. Nowadays more and more teenagers get involved in criminal activities. What can be done to prevent this?

The first essay topic includes two questions whereas the second one includes just one topic. When your essay topic asks you to answer more than one question, the argument-led approach is more suitable because it allows you to discuss and compare different views and analyse problems. The thesis-led approach is more useful when you have to answer only one question and when you have a clear opinion on that.

The argument led approach

This approach is helpful while discussing different views or comparing advantages and disadvantages.

Read the essay topic given below.

A large number of unmarried youngsters now live on their own in cities away from their hometowns. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend?

This essay asks you to compare the advantages and disadvantages of a particular trend. Before you start writing brain storm ideas for both sides of the argument; that is, both for and against the issue.

In your introduction, paraphrase the question showing the topic clearly. Do not repeat the exact same words or phrases given in the question. Of course, this is not always possible and sometimes you will have to repeat some of the words. However, avoid the repetition of the entire question at all costs. You may express your opinion in the introduction itself.

Here is a sample introduction statement.

The number of unmarried men and women who live on their own are definitely on the rise. This trend has both positive and negative aspects. For one thing, when people live on their own, they learn to become self-reliant. On the other hand, too much freedom can sometimes lead them astray.

Develop the body of your response

Now that you have clearly stated that this trend has both positive and negative sides, you have to develop your body paragraphs accordingly.

You may write about the positive sides in the first body paragraph. Make sure you support your arguments with valid examples from your own experience. Do not write anything about the negative sides in this paragraph. Discuss only one main point in each paragraph. In the next body paragraph, you can write about the negative sides. Conclude your essay by summarizing the main points.

The Thesis-led approach

Read the essay question given below.

A large number of unmarried youngsters now live on their own in cities away from their hometowns. Is this a positive or negative trend?

As you can see, this essay topic clearly asks for your opinion. The argument-led approach is not suitable in this case. Instead, you have to opt for the thesis-led approach . This approach is suitable when you have or when you are required to take a clear opinion on a particular topic.

If you believe that something is good or right, the whole of your essay – your introduction, body paragraphs and conclusion – should support that view. Do not write about the negative aspects after you have clearly stated that something is good. Now in case, you believe that something is bad, do not write one paragraph explaining why it is bad and another paragraph analyzing the positive aspects of the situation.

Here is a sample introduction statement for the essay topic given above.

More and more unmarried young men and women now live on their own in large cities. This is clearly a positive development. When people live on their own, they learn many skills necessary for success in life. For example, they learn to be responsible for their actions. They also learn to become self-reliant.

Tags: essay writing

Manjusha Nambiar

Hi, I'm Manjusha. This is my blog where I give IELTS preparation tips.

• Next story  Beginning a sentence with and or but
• Previous story  Multiple choice questions in the Reading module

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

• Academic Writing Task 1
• Agree Or Disagree
• Band 7 essay samples
• Band 8 Essay Samples
• Band 8 letter samples
• Band 9 IELTS Essays
• Discuss Both Views
• Grammar exercises
• Learn English
• OET Letters
• Sample Essays
• Sample Letters
• Writing Tips

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

IELTS Practice

• Trending Now
• Foundational Courses
• Data Science
• Practice Problem
• Machine Learning
• System Design
• DevOps Tutorial
• Email Writing - Format and Samples
• English Essay Writing Tips, Examples, Format
• Letter to Principal, Format And Samples
• Analytical Writing Section in GRE General
• 12 Best ChatGPT Prompts for Academic Writing Assistance in 2024
• Writing data from a Python List to CSV row-wise
• CBSE Sample Papers for Class 9 Social Science Set 2 with Solutions
• A Guide to Writing an Essay for Job Interviews
• CBSE Sample Papers for Class 11 History Set 2 with Solutions 2023-24
• How to prepare for IELTS?
• 5 Content Writing Tools to Improve your Content Writing Skills
• IBPS Clerk Prelims Reasoning Question Paper 2020
• CBSE Sample Papers for Class 11 Economics (2023-24) Set 1 with Solutions
• IBPS Clerk Prelims Reasoning Question Paper 2021
• IBPS Clerk Prelims English Question Paper 2019
• IBPS Clerk Prelims English Question Paper 2021
• Fill In The Blanks - Rules, Tips and Tricks with Examples
• CBSE Sample Papers Class 11 History (2023-24) Set-1 with Solution
• UPSC Prelims 2018 General Studies Paper I With Detailed Solutions

IELTS Writing Task 2: Format, Sample, Tips

The IELTS Writing Task 2: The second portion of the writing test, known as IELTS Writing Task 2, asks you to produce an essay in response to a point of view, argument, or problem. Your essay should be written in a formal tone, be at least 250 words long, and take no more than 40 minutes to finish.

Table of Content

IELTS Writing Task 2- Format

1. task question, 2. word limit, 4. response structure, 5. evaluation criteria, difference between ielts writing task 2- academic vs general, understanding the evaluation criteria, common ielts writing task 2 topics, band descriptors ielts writing task 2, ielts essay types for writing task 2, ielts writing task 2 preparation tips, ielts writing task 2 sample, ielts writing task 2- faqs, what are indigenous cultures and languages, why is it important to protect indigenous cultures and languages, what are some challenges in protecting indigenous cultures and languages, what role can governments play in protecting indigenous cultures and languages, are there any potential drawbacks to prioritizing the protection of indigenous cultures and languages.

• You will be presented with a topic or statement related to a contemporary issue or problem.
• The task question may ask you to discuss a particular problem, present a solution, evaluate a situation, or provide your opinion on a given topic.
• You are expected to write at least 250 words for the IELTS Writing Task 2.
• It is advisable to write within the range of 250300 words, as responses shorter than 250 words are penalized, and longer responses do not necessarily receive higher scores.
• 3. Time Allotment:
• You have 40 minutes to complete the IELTS Writing Task 2.
• Your response should be structured as an essay with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
• The introduction should provide an overview of the topic and outline the main points you will discuss.
• The body paragraphs should develop your ideas and arguments, with one main idea per paragraph supported by relevant examples or evidence.
• The conclusion should summarize your main points and provide a final perspective on the topic.
• Your response will be evaluated based on four criteria: Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource (vocabulary), and Grammatical Range and Accuracy.
• You should aim to address all parts of the task question, present a clear and coherent argument, use a wide range of vocabulary accurately, and demonstrate a good command of grammar and sentence structures.

Must Read: IELTS Academic vs General Tests – What’s the Difference?

The IELTS Writing Task 2 covers a wide range of topics related to contemporary issues and problems. Here are some common topics that frequently appear in the IELTS Writing Task 2:

1. Education:

• The role of technology in education
• The importance of extracurricular activities
• The advantages and disadvantages of single gender schools

2. Environment:

• Climate change and its impacts
• Sustainable development and environmental conservation
• The use of renewable energy sources
• The impact of lifestyle choices on health
• The role of government in promoting public health
• The advantages and disadvantages of alternative medicine

4. Society and Culture:

• The effects of globalization on local cultures
• The impact of social media on human interactions
• The role of religion in modern society

5. Technology:

• The advantages and disadvantages of artificial intelligence
• The impact of technology on employment and job markets
• The role of technology in communication and information sharing

6. Urbanization and Transportation:

• The challenges of urban growth and city planning
• The benefits and drawbacks of public transportation
• The impact of transportation on the environment

7. Crime and Justice:

• The causes and prevention of crime
• The effectiveness of different types of punishment
• The role of the criminal justice system in society

8. Economics and Business:

• The impact of globalization on international trade
• The role of advertising in influencing consumer behavior
• The advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing

9. Government and Politics:

• The importance of freedom of speech and press
• The role of government in regulating the economy
• The impact of immigration on societies

10. Arts and Culture:

• The importance of preserving cultural heritage
• The role of art in society
• The impact of censorship on artistic expression

In the IELTS Writing Task 2, candidates are required to write an essay in response to a prompt or question. There are several common types of essays that may appear in Task 2:

1. Argumentative/Opinion Essays: These essays require candidates to express their opinion on a given topic and support it with reasons and examples. They often involve discussing both sides of an issue and presenting a clear argument in favor of one viewpoint.

2. Discussion/Two-sided Essays: Similar to argumentative essays, discussion essays require candidates to discuss both sides of an issue before expressing their opinion or preference. They need to provide balanced arguments and consider opposing viewpoints.

3. Advantages and Disadvantages Essays : In these essays, candidates need to discuss the pros and cons of a particular issue, situation, or trend. They should provide examples to illustrate each point and offer a balanced analysis.

4. Problem-Solution Essays: These essays involve identifying a problem or issue, discussing its causes and effects, and proposing possible solutions or measures to address it. Candidates need to present logical arguments and support their solutions with evidence.

5. Cause and Effect Essays: Cause and effect essays focus on analyzing the reasons behind a specific phenomenon or event and its subsequent effects. Candidates should clearly outline the causal relationships and provide relevant examples.

6. Comparison/Contrast Essays: These essays require candidates to compare and contrast two or more ideas, concepts, or approaches. They should highlight similarities and differences and draw conclusions based on their analysis.

7. Process Essays: Process essays explain a sequence of steps or actions involved in a particular process, such as how to do something or how something works. Candidates need to provide clear explanations and use appropriate transition words to guide the reader through each step.

8. Agree/Disagree Essays: In these essays, candidates are given a statement or opinion, and they need to express whether they agree or disagree with it. They should support their stance with reasons and examples.

IELTS Writing Task 2 preparation tips to help you improve your performance:

1. Understand the Task Question

• Read the task question carefully and identify the key components, such as the topic, the instructions (e.g., discuss, evaluate, give your opinion), and any specific aspects to be addressed.
• Underline or highlight the essential elements to ensure you address all parts of the question.

2. Plan Your Essay

• Spend a few minutes planning your essay before you start writing.
• Brainstorm ideas and organize them into an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
• Develop a clear thesis statement and main points to guide your essay.

3. Manage Your Time

• Allocate your time wisely, allowing enough time for planning, writing, and reviewing.
• Aim to spend around 510 minutes planning, 2530 minutes writing, and 5 minutes reviewing and making corrections.

4. Use Appropriate Structure and Paragraphing

• Follow a standard essay structure with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
• Each body paragraph should focus on one main idea and include supporting details, examples, or evidence.
• Use clear topic sentences and logical transitions between paragraphs.

5. Develop Your Ideas

• Provide relevant and welldeveloped ideas to support your main points.
• Use examples, personal experiences, facts, or hypothetical situations to illustrate your arguments.
• Show critical thinking by analyzing different perspectives and addressing counterarguments.

6. Use Appropriate Language and Vocabulary

• Use a range of appropriate vocabulary related to the topic.
• Vary your sentence structures and avoid repetition.
• Demonstrate your ability to use idiomatic expressions and collocations accurately.

7. Pay Attention to Grammar and Accuracy

• Review and proofread your essay for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and punctuation issues.
• Ensure subjectverb agreement, correct tense usage, and appropriate word forms.
• Avoid overly complex sentences that may increase the risk of errors.

8. Practice with Sample Questions

• Familiarize yourself with different types of IELTS Writing Task 2 questions by practicing with sample prompts.
• Set a timer and practice writing complete essays under timed conditions.
• Seek feedback from experienced IELTS teachers or online resources to identify areas for improvement.

9. Learn from Model Answers

• Study highscoring model answers to understand the expected level of writing and the organization of ideas.
• Analyze the structure, language use, and development of arguments in these model answers.
• Incorporate effective strategies and techniques into your own writing practice.

10. Stay UptoDate with Current Affairs

• Stay informed about current events, global issues, and debates related to various topics.
• Read reputable news sources, magazines, or online articles to broaden your knowledge and enhance your ability to discuss contemporary topics.

Here is a practice IELTS Writing Task 2 topic for you: Topic: Some people believe that governments should make more efforts to protect indigenous cultures and languages from disappearing. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write at least 250 words discussing both viewpoints and giving your opinion.

• Make a plan before you start writing. Outline your introduction, body paragraphs and conclusion.
• The introduction should paraphrase the topic and outline what will be discussed.
• Discuss both sides of the argument in the body paragraphs. One paragraph arguing for protecting indigenous cultures/languages, one paragraph arguing against or giving the opposite view.
• Use examples, data or personal experiences to support your arguments.
• The conclusion should summarize your main points and give a clear opinion.
• Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures. Avoid repetition.
• Check for grammar, spelling and punctuation errors.

In conclusion, while protecting indigenous cultures and languages is undoubtedly important for preserving human diversity and heritage, it should be balanced with practical considerations and the interests of the wider community. A nuanced approach that promotes understanding and appreciation while accommodating evolving societal needs is ideal.

Also Read: IELTS Full Form: Check Its Significance IELTS Average Score: Across Worldwide and India IELTS Minimum Score for Top Universities in 2024 IELTS Exam Pattern 2024: Section-wise IELTS Exam Paper Pattern, Question Types

Indigenous cultures and languages refer to the traditional practices, belief systems, and modes of expression of ethnic groups native to a particular region or country.

Protecting indigenous cultures and languages helps preserve unique identities, traditional knowledge, and cultural diversity, which are valuable aspects of human heritage and can contribute to our understanding of history, societies, and the environment.

Challenges include globalization, urbanization, lack of resources, and a shift towards more dominant cultures and languages, which can lead to the erosion of indigenous practices and languages over time.

Governments can implement policies to support the use and teaching of indigenous languages, provide funding for cultural preservation efforts, and promote awareness and appreciation of indigenous cultures through education and media.

Potential drawbacks include the allocation of limited resources towards this effort at the expense of other priorities, the potential for cultural stagnation or resistance to cultural evolution, and the risk of creating divisions or conflicts within diverse societies.

Please Login to comment...

Similar reads.

• Study Abroad

Improve your Coding Skills with Practice

What kind of Experience do you want to share?

👋 Nhắn cho DOL để tìm hiểu chi tiết về các khóa học IELTS nhé!

4 lưu ý về Counter Argument trong bài IELTS Writing Task 2

Argumentative essay là một bài viết xuất hiện thường xuyên trong bài thi IELTS Writing Task 2. Có rất nhiều cách tiếp cận dạng đề này và Counter Argument là một cách nhiều bạn sử dụng để nhấn mạnh và làm rõ quan điểm của mình hơn cho giám khảo. Counter argument – phản biện là lúc mà bạn đưa ra quan điểm trong bài và tìm cách đưa ra những dẫn chứng cũng như lập luận để bác bỏ quan điểm đó. Trong bài blog này, DOL English sẽ giúp bạn trả lời 3 thắc mắc thường gặp khi sử dụng phương pháp này trong bài viết argumentative essay của mình nhé.

A. Cách viết Counter argument

Khi gặp đề bài trong trong phần Writing Task 2 agree-disagree và quan điểm của bạn hoàn toàn đứng về một phía thì counter argument là một cách tiếp cận hay. Chúng ta cùng phân tích bài mẫu viết theo cách argument nhé: • Some people think that all teenagers should be required to do unpaid work in their free time to help the local community. They believe this would benefit both the individual teenager and society as a whole. ⇒ Do you agree or disagree? • Many young people work on a volunteer basis, and this can only be beneficial for both the individual and society as a whole. However, I do not agree that we should therefore force all teenagers to do unpaid work. ⇒ Người viết đã đưa ra quan điểm của mình chính là không đồng ý với quan điểm đưa ra trong bài. • Most young people are already under enough pressure with their studies, without being given the added responsibility of working in their spare time. School is just as demanding as a full-time job, and teachers expect their students to do homework and exam revision on top of attending lessons every day. When young people do have some free time, we should encourage them to enjoy it with their friends or to spend it doing sports and other leisure activities. They have many years of work ahead of them when they finish their studies. ⇒ Người viết đã đưa ra lập luận về việc học sinh gặp rất nhiều áp lực trong việc học và khi có thời gian rảnh thì nên dùng nó với bạn bè hoặc chơi thể thao và các hoạt động giải trí khác như một cách giải tỏa áp lực của việc học tập • At the same time, I do not believe that society has anything to gain from obliging young people to do unpaid work. In fact, would argue that it goes against the values of a free and fair society to force a group of people to do something against their will. Doing this can only lead to resentment amongst young people, who would feel that they ⇒ Ở đoạn tiếp theo, người viết đưa ra những lập luận giải thích tại sao việc bắt học sinh đi làm không công là hoàn toàn sai lầm In conclusion, teenagers may choose to work for free and help others, but in my opinion we should not make this compulsory. Từ bài mẫu trên, chúng ta có thể suy ra được dàn ý chính cho cách viết theo cách counter-argument.

B. Làm sao để miêu tả các ý counter argument?

Để đưa ra quan điểm của mình (đồng ý/không đồng ý).

Counter argument examples: • To completely agree/disagree with……⇒ hoàn toàn đồng ý/không đồng ý với…. • Be/not to be of the same opinion about….. ⇒ có/không có cùng quan điểm với… • To subscribe to a view that……⇒ Tôi đồng tình với quan điểm…. • To take issue with…. ⇒ Tôi có vấn đề với….

Cách để đưa ra ý phản biện

Counter argument examples: • What this argument overlooks/fails to consider/does not take into account is … not supported by the facts/not logical/impractical/etc… • This view seems/looks/sounds convincing/plausible/persuasive/etc. at first, but… • While this position is popular, it is not supported by the facts/not logical/impractical/etc. • Although the core of this claim is valid, it suffers from a flaw in its reasoning/application/etc. • Many people believe/argue/feel/think/suppose that {state the counter-argument here} • It is often thought/imagined/supposed that {state the counter-argument here} • It would be easy to/One could easily think/believe/imagine/suppose that {state the counter-argument here} • It might seem/appear/look as if {state the counter-argument here}

C. Lợi ích của việc sử dụng counter argument

Sau khi đã hiểu rõ counter argument là gì? Hãy tưởng tượng nếu bạn đang tranh luận với người khác về một vấn đề nào đó và bạn có thể đưa ra những lập luận chứng minh ý kiến của họ sai thì bạn sẽ dễ dàng “thắng thế” cuộc tranh luận đó hơn phải không? Tương tự trong bài thi IELTS, bạn sẽ làm cho người đọc và giám khảo tâm phục khẩu phục hơn khi bạn vừa có thể bảo vệ ý kiến cá nhân vừa bác bỏ ý kiến đối lập. Thuyết phục hơn thì nghĩa là điểm cho phần Task Response và Coherence and Cohesion sẽ cao!

D. Một bài argumentative essay lúc nào cũng cần một đoạn counter argument không?

Đương nhiên là KHÔNG. Như đã nói từ trước, có rất nhiều cách để tiếp cận dạng đề argumentative essay và cũng có rất nhiều bài essay đạt điểm cao mà không cần viết counter argument. Các bạn nên nhớ rằng mục đích chính của bạn là thuyết phục được người đọc quan điểm của bản thân là hợp lý. Ngoài ra, chỉ khi nào quan điểm của bạn đứng về một phía thì mới hợp lý khi sử dụng counter argument. Nếu bạn đồng tình với cả 2 ý kiến thì tự phản biện bản thân mình là cực kỳ vô lý rồi đúng không. Thông thường khi gặp bài dạng argumentative chúng ta có 3 cách tiếp cận chung sau: Cân bằng giữa agree and disagree (Balanced opinion) • Intro: Giới thiệu chủ đề và đưa ra ý kiến của mình; • Body 1: Tại sao lại đồng ý; • Body 2: Tại sao lại không đồng ý; • Conclusion: Summary lại ý kiến của mình. Nghiêng về một phía (one-sided opinion) • Intro: Giới thiệu chủ đề và đưa ra ý kiến của mình; • Body 1: Tại sao lại đồng ý/không đồng ý (lập luận 1); • Body 2: Tại sao lại đồng ý/không đồng ý (lập luận 2); • Conclusion: Summary lại ý kiến của mình. Nghiêng về một phía có đi kèm counter argument (counter-argumentative opinion) • Intro: Giới thiệu chủ đề và đưa ra ý kiến của mình; • Body 1: Tại sao ý kiến của mình là đúng; • Body 2: Tại sao ý kiến của mình là sai; • Conclusion: Summary lại ý kiến của mình. Tóm lại, counter argument – phản biện là một cách tiếp cận đề bài dạng argumentative essay rất hiệu quả cho việc thuyết phục người đọc hay giám khảo đồng ý với lập luận của mình. Tuy nhiên, các idea cũng như cách mở rộng ý của bạn phải logic thì phương pháp này mới hữu hiện. Vì thế, việc không ngừng nâng cấp vốn từ vựng và cải thiện các kiến thức xã hội là cực kỳ cần thiết nếu bạn muốn đạt được band điểm cao trong bài IELTS Writing Task 2.

📌 Tìm hiểu thêm các bài viết có liên quan với nhau:

Countable noun examples

Bài viết khác

Cách dùng chat gpt để tự học ielts writing hiệu quả cải thiện kỹ năng viết.

ChatGPT là công cụ AI với khả năng tạo ra văn bản tự nhiên, mở ra nhiều cơ hội cho việc học và nâng cao kỹ năng viết trong nhiều lĩnh vực, bao gồm cả IELTS Writing. Cụ thể, Chat GPT có thể giúp bạn phát triển ý tưởng và lập dàn ý theo nhiều hướng khác nhau, tạo ra các đoạn văn theo cấu trúc yêu cầu. Hơn nữa, Chat GPT cũng có khả năng đánh giá và đưa ra lời khuyên để cải thiện điểm số, cũng như cung cấp các bài mẫu để tham khảo. Trong bài viết này, chúng ta sẽ khám phá vai trò quan trọng của ChatGPT trong việc nâng cao kỹ năng viết, cung cấp hướng dẫn cách dùng Chat GPT trong việc học IELTS Writing chi tiết và nhấn mạnh những điều cần lưu ý khi sử dụng công cụ này. Chat GPT có thể hỗ trợ bạn trong việc. 1. Phát triển ý tưởng và lập dàn ý theo nhiều hướng khác nhau. 2. Xây dựng đoạn văn theo cấu trúc cụ thể theo yêu cầu của người học. 3. Học từ vựng theo các chủ đề cụ thể. 4. Đánh giá và cung cấp lời khuyên để cải thiện điểm số. 5. Tham khảo các bài mẫu hay ví dụ để hiểu rõ hơn về cách viết và cấu trúc văn bản. Hãy cùng khám phá chi tiết bài viết để tận dụng ChatGPT trong việc cải thiện kỹ năng IELTS Writing!

Cách dùng Write and Improve tự học IELTS Writing hiệu quả

Kỹ năng viết là một trong những yếu tố quan trọng nhất trong kỳ thi IELTS. Để đạt điểm cao trong phần thi Writing, bạn cần trau dồi kỹ năng viết một cách bài bản và hiệu quả. Bài viết này sẽ giới thiệu cho bạn cách dùng Write and Improve tự học IELTS Writing hiệu quả. Write and Improve là trang web miễn phí được phát triển bởi Đại học Cambridge và iLexR, cung cấp nhiều tính năng hữu ích giúp bạn nâng cao kỹ năng viết tiếng Anh, đặc biệt là cho phần thi IELTS Writing. Hãy cùng theo dõi các phần tiếp theo của bài viết để khám phá bí quyết chinh phục IELTS Writing cùng Write and Improve!

Cách dùng QuillBot tự học IELTS Writing hiệu quả

QuillBot là một công cụ trực tuyến, giúp bạn viết lại câu hoặc đoạn văn bản tiếng Anh một cách sáng tạo và tự nhiên, mà vẫn giữ nguyên nghĩa gốc. Không chỉ vậy, QuillBot còn cung cấp nhiều tính năng hữu ích khác như. 1. Tóm tắt nội dung: Giúp bạn rút gọn văn bản dài thành những ý chính ngắn gọn, dễ hiểu. 2. Kiểm tra ngữ pháp: Phát hiện và sửa lỗi ngữ pháp, giúp bạn viết tiếng Anh chính xác hơn. 3. Gợi ý từ vựng: Đề xuất những từ vựng phù hợp để thay thế từ ngữ hiện có, giúp bài viết phong phú và đa dạng hơn. Với những tính năng mạnh mẽ này, QuillBot sẽ hỗ trợ bạn đắc lực trong việc nâng cao kỹ năng viết tiếng Anh và luyện thi IELTS Writing hiệu quả. Hãy cùng DOL khám phá cách dùng QuillBot học IELTS Writing và trải nghiệm những lợi ích tuyệt vời mà công cụ này mang lại!

Cách sử dụng Notion (AI) để tự học IELTS Writing hiệu quả

Notion là một phần mềm ghi chú và quản lý công việc thông minh. Khó ai có thể tóm tắt và giải thích ngắn gọn được Notion là gì bởi vì các tính năng sắp xếp thông tin mạnh mẽ của nó đi cùng với giao diện tối giản và ý nghĩa sử dụng to lớn trong nhiều lĩnh vực cuộc sống như làm việc, học tập, lên ý tưởng, outline, lên kế hoạch,... Trong bài viết này, DOL sẽ giới thiệu qua Notion, cung cấp các tính năng, hướng dẫn cụ thể cách sử dụng Notion (AI) để tự học IELTS Writing hiệu quả và gợi ý những mẫu template tiện lợi cho những ai mới bắt đầu sử dụng Notion như một trợ thủ đắc lực trong quá trình ôn luyện IELTS Writing.

Cách dùng Bing AI để tự học IELTS Writing lên ý tưởng hiệu quả

Bing AI là một công cụ trí tuệ nhân tạo (AI) tiên tiến được phát triển bởi Microsoft, có khả năng xử lý ngôn ngữ tự nhiên một cách ấn tượng. Đây là một công cụ hỗ trợ viết hiệu quả, giúp bạn lên ý tưởng sáng tạo, sắp xếp logic, sửa lỗi chính tả và ngữ pháp, trau chuốt từ vựng, cung cấp thông tin và dẫn chứng, đồng thời chấm điểm và góp ý chi tiết để bạn nâng tầm kỹ năng viết. Trong bài viết này, DOL sẽ cung cấp cho bạn cách dùng Bing Ai học IELTS Writing cụ thể và những lưu ý quan trọng khi sử dụng. Hãy cùng DOL khám phá bí quyết sử dụng Bing AI để chinh phục điểm cao trong bài thi IELTS Writing. 

Đăng ký test đầu vào IELTS miễn phí và nhận tư vấn

Nhắn tin DOL qua Facebook

Click để nhắn tin với DOL qua fanpage chính

Gọi điện liên hệ

Liên hệ DOL qua hotline miễn phí: 1800 96 96 39

DOL có 15+ cơ sở tại TP.HCM, Hà Nội và Đà Nẵng

Click để xem địa chỉ chi tiết

• Luyện thi IELTS
• Luyện thi TOEIC
• Luyện thi HSK
• Luyện đề IELTS
• Luyện đề TOEIC
• Luyện đề THPTQG

“Bật mí” cấu trúc đề thi đánh giá năng lực 2023 chính thức!

“Master” ngữ pháp với English For Everyone English Grammar Guide

[prepedu.com x Top CV] Ra mắt nền tảng đánh giá khung năng lực ứng tuyển Top Contest

[Product Updates] Nâng cấp tính năng tăng cường trải nghiệm !

Vinh danh 20 bạn học viên xuất sắc đạt điểm cao IELTS tháng 10

Tìm kiếm bài viết học tập, cách sử dụng counter – argument essay trong ielts writing task 2.

I. Counter – Argument trong bài IELTS Writing Task 2 là gì?

Counter – Argument hay ‘phản đề’ là một dạng kĩ năng viết nâng cao sẽ được dạy ở các khóa học IELTS Online , trong đó người viết thừa nhận quan điểm đang đi ngược lại với quan điểm của người viết nhưng đồng thời đưa ra lập luận phản biện lại quan điểm trái ngược trên. 

II. Tại sao nên dùng Counter – Argument trong IELTS Writing Task 2?

Việc đặt Counter – Argument trong bài viết sẽ giúp tăng tính thuyết phục, cải thiện điểm cho tiêu chí Task Response và Coherence & Cohesion vì:

• Chúng ta chỉ ra được những lỗ hổng của luận điểm kia
• Chúng ta đã xem xét vấn đề một cách đa chiều 

Và đây là một giải pháp hay để kéo dài bài viết, đảm bảo số chữ mà vẫn bám sát chủ đề của bài. Đồng thời việc luyện tập viết Phản đề là một phương pháp hiệu quả để rèn luyện tư duy phản biện, không chỉ phục vụ cho việc luyện thi IELTS mà cho mục đích sử dụng ngôn ngữ ở các môi trường học thuật khác. 

III. Cách viết Counter – Argument trong bài IELTS Writing Task 2

1. lưu ý khi sử dụng phản đề.

• Chỉ khi nào quan điểm của bạn đứng về một phía, bạn mới nên sử dụng Counter – Argument. Bởi vậy nên áp dụng phương pháp này với bài dạng Strong opinion. 
• Đây là lối viết nâng cao, phù hợp với band 6.5+, nên chỉ sử dụng khi ta quá bí ý hoặc ta có lập luận phản biện hợp lý, có tính thuyết phục cao. Bạn có thể ứng dụng Counter – Argument với cấu trúc cơ bản sau:

2. Giới thiệu ý kiến trái chiều của phía bên kia

Phần này thường được bắt đầu như sau:

• Proponents/Supporters/The other side may argue / support their opinion / reinforce their view that …
•  Those who support / disagree with this view may put forward / bring up …

Sau đó chúng ta sẽ nêu ngắn gọn lập luận cho ý kiến trái chiều ở câu tiếp theo

3. Đánh giá ý kiến trái chiều

Chúng ta có các hướng đánh giá sau:

• Đồng ý một phần. Chúng ta có thể viết như sau: “This argument/idea is only true to a certain extent …”
• Hoàn toàn không đồng ý. Chúng ta có thể viết như sau: “This argument/idea is totally false/invalid … “

Một số cách diễn đạt khác:

4. Đưa ra ý kiến phản biện

Đây là phần chúng ta sẽ phản biện lại để làm nổi bật quan điểm mình theo hơn. Thông thường thì phần này sẽ có hai phần là: 

• Nêu thiếu sót/khuyết điểm của ý kiến trái chiều
• Đối chiếu, so sánh và nêu lên điểm hay ở quan điểm của mình

Ví dụ: 

I believe the notion that local history is more valuable than world history should be rejected (1). Some people may claim that insights into local historical values are completely sufficient for one to know. (2) Their claim could have been true a few decades ago when most interpersonal communications were between people of the same race and origin. (3) However, this view is now outdated, as the world has become globalised and international business and migrant workers have made any community a global village. In this context, an understanding of a foreign country’s history would enable future local workers to reinforce the relationship between them and the expatriates from that country.

Ta thấy cấu trúc rất rõ ràng như sau: 

(1) Giới thiệu ý kiến trái chiều từ phía bên kia và tóm tắt ngắn gọn lập luận 

(2) Đưa ra quan điểm đánh giá ý kiến trái chiều kia 

(3) Đưa ra lập luận phản biện ý kiến trên, cụ thể là chỉ ra khuyết điểm của ý kiến phía bên kia và nêu cụ thể hơn lý do phản biện của mình.

Tham khảo thêm bài viết:

2 quy tắc về cách phát triển ý trong Writing Task 2 từ A đến Z

IV. Một số lưu ý khi viết Counter – Argument 

1. các lỗi liên quan tới tiêu chí task response: .

Để phát huy tác dụng của lối viết counter - argument, cũng như tránh lỗi lập luận không rõ ràng/ lệch trọng tâm, ta nên sử dụng những ý phản biện tương đối phổ biến, hợp lý và có tính thuyết phục cao.

2. Các lỗi liên quan tới tiêu chí Coherence & Cohesion: 

• Cần sử dụng hiệu quả các cụm từ nối để phân biệt rõ ý kiến mình muốn phản biện với ý kiến mình đồng tình
• Paragraphing - chia đoạn cần hợp lý và cân bằng, tránh viết quá dài cho đoạn Counter - Argument khiến tổng thể bố cục bài văn mất cân đối
• Phần giới thiệu ý kiến trái chiều cần được viết khát quát và súc tích vì trọng tâm của đoạn là đưa ra quan điểm phản biện lại

Trên đây là những kiến thức căn bản nhất về việc sử dụng counter - argument trong đề thi IELTS Writing Task 2. PREP hy vọng rằng thông qua những nội dung cung cấp phía bên trên các bạn Preppies sẽ tự tin để sử dụng counter - argument trong bài thi IELTS Writing Task 2.

Bình luận

Đăng ký tư vấn lộ trình học

Bạn hãy để lại thông tin, Prep sẽ liên hệ tư vấn cho mình ngay nha!

Counter Argument là gì? Cách ứng dụng để cải thiện IELTS Writing

TÓM TẮT NỘI DUNG

Trong một bài thi năng lực ngôn ngữ như IELTS, giám khảo không chỉ đánh giá bài thi dựa trên khả năng sử dụng đa dạng vốn từ vựng mà còn dựa trên khả năng diễn đạt ý tưởng của thí sinh. Vì vậy một trong những kỹ năng quan trọng nhất của IELTS Writing Task 2 là cách đưa ra các lập luận sao cho thuyết phục nhất. Việc trình bày lập luận hiệu quả không những giúp thí sinh tăng tính liên kết các phần trong bài mà còn thể hiện rõ tính chặt chẽ trong quan điểm của mình. Thông qua bài viết dưới đây, tác giả muốn giới thiệu cho người học cái nhìn sâu hơn về một trong những cách lập luận hiệu quả trong Writing Task 2, đó chính là lập luận phản đề (Counter Argument).

Key takeaways

Counter Argument là kỹ thuật sử dụng các luận cứ để bác bỏ một quan điểm trái ngược với quan điểm của mình.

Một phần Counter Argument gồm câu luận điểm phản đề và câu phản bác.

Ứng dụng Counter Argument vào Writing Task 2

Các câu dùng để giới thiệu Counter Argument vào bài viết 

Lợi ích của Counter Argument là giúp tăng tính thuyết phục, liên kết và thể hiện rõ quan điểm của người viết xuyên suốt bài viết.

Lưu ý khi viết Counter Agument là phải đảm bảo được các dẫn chứng, lý lẽ phải logic.

Counter Argument là gì?

Theo từ điển Oxford, Counter-Argument (lập luận phản đề) là sử dụng các luận cứ, lý lẽ và dẫn chứng để bác bỏ một quan điểm nào đó trái ngược với quan điểm của mình.

Cấu trúc của Counter Argument và cách triển khai

Thông thường, sẽ có 2 phần trong một phần Counter Argument:

Phần 1 (Counter Argument – Luận điểm phản đề): Đưa ra một ý kiến trái chiều với mình.

Phần 2 (Refutation – Phản bác): Chỉ ra thiếu sót của ý kiến trái chiều đó và phản biện lại bằng cách sử dụng luận điểm và dẫn chứng rõ ràng.

Ví dụ: Mục tiêu của người viết: Chứng minh có nhiều tin tức online là chính xác và đáng tin cậy.

Trên thực tế, trong một bài viết IELTS Writing Task 2, phần lập luận phản đề có thể được nêu ở một trong hai đoạn của bài viết đều được. Miễn sao, người viết đảm bảo được tính mạch lạc, hợp lý và thuyết phục trong quan điểm của mình khi phản đề.

Some people believe that school children should be given homework by their teachers. Do you agree or disagree? (Một số người cho rằng trẻ em đi học nên được giáo viên giao bài tập về nhà. Bạn đồng ý hay không đồng ý?)

Hãy tưởng tượng bạn đang viết một bài luận ủng hộ việc bài tập về nhà nên là một quy định bắt buộc trong trường học. Bạn nghĩ rằng việc yêu cầu học sinh làm bài bập về nhà sẽ giúp cho sự phát triển học tập của học sinh. Để lập luận, bạn cần đánh bại lập luận của những người có quan điểm ngược lại (counter argument).

Intro:  Tôi hoàn toàn đồng ý rằng bài tập về nhà đóng vai trò quan trọng trong việc học của học sinh.

Counter Argument: Some opponents might argue that homework is an unnecessary burden on children as it does nothing to improve educational outcomes. ( Ý kiến của những người đối ngược là bài tập về nhà là một gánh nặng không cần thiết vì nó không giúp cải thiện kết quả học tập của học sinh .)

Refutation: However, they should take into account that homework requires students to apply the knowledge that they have learned in the classroom. Therefore, they have many chances to consolidate their understanding of the concepts taught by their teacher at school, which will help them improve their academic performance. ( Tuy nhiên, họ phải xem xét thực tế là bài tập về nhà đòi hỏi học sinh phải vận dụng tất cả những kiến thức đã học trên lớp để hoàn thành. Vì thế họ có nhiều cơ hội để củng cố lại những hiểu biết về các khái niệm được giảng dạy bởi giáo viên của họ ở trường, điều này giúp học sinh cải thiện được kết quả học tập. )

=> Các bạn có thể thấy, ở câu mở bài, tác giả đưa ra một ý kiến ủng hộ cho việc giao bài tập về nhà. Sau đó, câu thứ 2, tác giả nêu Luận Điểm Phản Đề rằng một số người không đồng ý với ý kiến của tác giả. Nhưng ở câu tiếp theo, tác giả đưa ra các lý lẽ để phản bác lại ý kiến ở trên để chứng minh và cũng cố cho quan điểm của mình rằng việc giao bài tập về nhà có thể giúp học sinh sẽ nắm vững các kiến thức và đạt được kết quả học tập tốt.

Phần Counter Argument hoàn chỉnh

Some opponents might argue that homework is an unnecessary burden on children as it does nothing to improve educational outcomes. However, they should take into account that homework requires students to apply the knowledge that they have learned in the classroom. Therefore, they have many chances to consolidate their understanding of the concepts taught by their teacher at school, which will help them improve their academic performance. 

Conclusion : Khẳng định lại tầm quan trọng của bài tập về nhà đối với học sinh.

Some people think that governments should increase the minimum legal age for driving cars or riding motorbikes to increase road safety. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Trong đề bài này, hãy tưởng tượng bạn đang viết một bài luận không ủng hộ việc tăng độ tuổi lái xe tối thiểu. Bạn nghĩ rằng việc gia tăng độ tuổi lái xe tổi thiểu không đồng nghĩa với việc người lái xe sẽ trở nên ý thức hơn khi tham gia giao thông. Để lập luận, bạn cần đánh bại lập luận của những người có quan điểm ngược lại (counter argument).

Intro:  Tôi không đồng ý rằng việc tăng độ tuổi lái xe tối thiểu là một chính sách hợp lý để đảm bảo an toàn đường bộ.

Counter Argument: Some opponents might argue that older drivers have gained more life experience, so they can make wiser decisions to avoid dangerous situations while driving than younger drivers. ( Ý kiến của những người đối ngược là người tham gia giao thông lớn tuổi tích lũy được nhiều kinh nghiệm hơn cho nên họ có thể đưa ra những quyết định sáng suốt hơn để tránh được những tình huống nguy hiểm khi lái xe hơn những người trẻ .)

Refutation: However, they should take into account that a person grows only several years older is not necessarily synonymous with him or her becoming more aware. For example, drunk drivers, one of the prime causes of traffic accidents, are mostly adults whose age is already qualified to be behind the wheel, but it is their lack of awareness that lets them drive under the influence and crash into others as a result. ( Tuy nhiên, họ phải xem xét thực tế là việc một người chỉ lớn hơn vài tuổi không nhất thiết đồng nghĩa với việc người đó sẽ trở nên có ý thức hơn. Ví dụ, những người lái xe say xỉn, một trong những nguyên nhân chính gây ra tai nạn giao thông, phần lớn là người lớn đã đủ điều kiện ngồi sau tay lái, nhưng chính sự thiếu ý thức của họ đã khiến họ lái xe va quệt vào những người khác. )

=> Các bạn có thể thấy, ở câu mở bài, tác giả đưa ra một ý kiến không ủng hộ việc tăng độ tuổi lái xe tối thiểu. Sau đó, câu thứ 2, tác giả nêu Luận Điểm Phản Đề rằng một số người không đồng ý với ý kiến của tác giả. Nhưng ở câu tiếp theo, tác giả đưa ra các lý lẽ và ví dụ để phản bác lại ý kiến ở trên để chứng minh cho quan điểm của mình rằng việc một người chỉ lớn hơn vài tuổi không nhất thiết đồng nghĩa với việc người đó sẽ trở nên có ý thức hơn khi lái xe, và ví dụ điển hình ở đây là những người lái xe say xỉn hầu hết là người đã lớn tuổi.

Some opponents might argue that older drivers have gained more life experience, so they can make wiser decisions to avoid dangerous situations while driving than younger drivers. However, they should take into account that a person grows only several years older is not necessarily synonymous with him or her becoming more aware. For example, drunk drivers, one of the prime causes of traffic accidents, are mostly adults whose age is already qualified to be behind the wheel, but it is their lack of awareness that lets them drive under the influence and crash into others as a result.

Xem thêm: Syntax là gì? Cách ứng dụng vào IELTS Writing để viết rõ ràng và có hệ thống hơn

Các cách để dẫn dắt ý Counter Argument và Refutation?

Việc sử dụng câu dẫn dắt để ra hiệu và chỉ rõ cho người đọc biết rằng bài viết chuẩn bị đưa ra luận điểm phản đề và câu phản biện là rất cần thiết vì nó đảm bảo tính mạch lạc, liên kết xuyên suốt cả bài.

Câu dẫn dắt Counter Argument:

The counter-argument raised by objectors to this is that …

The opponents might argue that…

Some people, on the other hand, believe that …

Some have a problem/ take issue with this perspective, viewing it as…

Câu dẫn dắt Refutation:

This justification is reasonable to some degree/ extent. However, this argument overlooks /fails to consider …

This argument is true to some degree/ extent; however, this justification does not take into account/ not supported by the facts that …

This view seems/ sounds convincing/persuasive at first, but…

While this position is popular, it is not supported by the facts …

However/ In contrast/ Nevertheless, …

Lợi ích của việc ứng dụng Counter Argument trong Writing Task 2

Trong bài thi IELTS, việc sử dụng Counter Argument để phản biện lại một quan điểm sẽ thuyết phục hơn do người đọc thấy được rằng người viết biết được sự tồn tại của các ý kiến trái chiều nhưng vẫn xem xét và bác bỏ được chúng và bảo vệ, củng cố được ý kiến cá nhân. Điều này làm cho bài viết tăng tính thuyết phục và thể hiện rõ quan điểm của người viết liền mạch xuyên suốt bài viết mà không bị lung lay bởi các quan điểm trái chiều khác.

Lưu ý khi viết Counter Argument

Vì Counter Argument là một kỹ thuật cao trong Writing Task 2 cho nên một số thí sinh đã nghĩ rằng để tăng được band điểm thì bắt buộc phải có Counter Argument trong bài viết. Nhưng thực tế có rất nhiều bài viết đạt được điểm cao nhưng không cần viết Counter Argument. Vì thế Luận điểm phản đề là không bắt buộc phải có bài thi Writing Task 2.

Lưu ý: Bên cạnh đó, không phải lúc nào cũng có thể hoặc cũng nên sử dụng cấu trúc lập luận phản đề trong bài viết IELTS Writing Task 2. Người viết nên sử dụng cấu trúc lập luận phản đề chỉ khi quan điểm của người viết đứng về một phía hoặc khi người viết có thể tìm ra được chắc chắn có lỗ hổng trong câu lập luận để có thể phản bác lại nó một cách hợp lý.

Viết câu phản biện cho chủ đề sau:

a. Hãy tưởng tượng bạn đang viết một bài luận ủng hộ việc cho phép học sinh sử dụng điện thoại trong trường học . Bạn nghĩ rằng điện thoại di động là một công cụ quan trọng mà học sinh nên sử dụng trong lớp. Để lập luận, bạn cần đánh bại lập luận của những người có quan điểm ngược lại (counter argument).

uận điểm của bạn: Cell-phones are an important tool that students should use in class.

Counter Argument: The opponents might argue that ……………………..

Refutation: However,…………………………………………………………………………….

Counter Argument: The opponents might argue that cell phones can distract students from schoolwork in class and teachers cannot control what they are working on.

Refutation: However, there are many effective ways for teachers to control the use of cell phones in their classrooms. For example, teachers can set up some ground rules to limit and monitor students’ smartphone usage. In fact, if someone is really distracted by phones, teachers can ask them questions to manage their attention. In other words, cell phones give students access to more resources, helping them understand more about a topic while having class discussions.

Trong đoạn văn phía trên, người viết đã nêu quan điểm rằng điện thoại là một công cụ quan trọng mà học sinh nên sử dụng trong lớp . Nhưng có một quan điểm đối lập nói rằng điện thoại di động có thể khiến học sinh mất tập trung vào bài vở trên lớp và giáo viên không thể kiểm soát được chúng đang làm gì . Để củng cố thêm quan điểm của mình và đánh bại lại quan điểm đối lập, người viết đã chỉ ra các cách để kiểm soát việc sử dụng điện thoại của học sinh như: giáo viên có thể thiết lập một số quy tắc cơ bản để hạn chế và giám sát việc sử dụng điện thoại thông minh của học sinh. Trên thực tế, nếu học sinh thực sự bị phân tâm bởi điện thoại, giáo viên có thể đặt câu hỏi để quản lý sự chú ý của họ. Hơn thế nữa, người viết còn nêu lợi ích của điện thoại di động trong việc học tập của học sinh là điện thoại di động cho phép sinh viên truy cập vào nhiều tài nguyên hơn, giúp họ hiểu thêm về chủ đề trong khi thảo luận trong lớp.

b. Hãy tưởng tượng bạn đang viết một bài luận ủng hộ rằng mạng xã hội gây ra những ảnh hưởng xấu tới mối quan hệ gia đình . Bạn nghĩ rằng mạng xã hội làm cho mối quan hệ giữa các thành viên trong gia đình không còn gần gũi như trước. Để lập luận, bạn cần đánh bại lập luận của những người có quan điểm ngược lại (counter argument).

uận điểm của bạn: Social networking sites have made the relationship between family members not as close as before.

Counter Argument: The opponents might argue that social networks allow people to keep in touch with each other by making free phone calls or sending messages regularly.

Refutation: However, the overuse of social media reduces the importance of face-to-face interaction. This is because many members are so addicted to social media that they are constantly glued to their screens during family dinners without paying attention to the people around them.

Trong đoạn văn phía trên, người viết đã nêu quan điểm rằng mạng xã hội làm cho mối quan hệ giữa các thành viên trong gia đình không còn gần gũi như trước . Nhưng có một quan điểm đối lập xuất hiện nói rằng Mạng xã hội cho phép con người giữ liên lạc với nhau thông qua việc gọi điện thoại và gửi tin nhắn thường xuyên . Để củng cố thêm quan điểm của mình và đánh bại lại quan điểm đối lập, người viết đã chỉ rõ sự ảnh hưởng tiêu cực của việc sử dụng mạng xã hội tới mối quan hệ gia đình như: Việc lạm dụng mạng xã hội làm giảm đi tầm quan trọng của sự tương tác trực tiếp. Điều này là bởi vì nhiều thành viên nghiện các trang mạng xã hội đến mức liên tục dán mắt vào màn hình trong bữa tối cùng gia đình mà không thực sự chú ý đến những người xung quanh.

Counter Argument – Luận điểm phản đề là một kỹ năng rất hiệu quả trong Writing Task 2 nhằm thuyết phục và chứng minh cho người đọc hay giám khảo đồng ý với lập luận, quan điểm của mình. Tuy nhiên, bên canh việc tập trung sử dụng Counter Argument trong bài viết, người viết cần đảm bảo các lý lẽ cũng như các dẫn chứng phải logic thì phương pháp này mới hữu hiệu.

Để tránh những lỗi sai không cần thiết khi viết Counter Argument, các bạn có thể tham khảo bài viết “ Những vấn đề thường gặp khi đưa ra lập luận phản đề ”.

Tham khảo thêm khóa học IELTS online để được trải nghiệm quá trình học tập theo nhu cầu cá nhân và giải đáp những khó khăn gặp phải.

Bạn muốn học thêm về nội dung này?

Đặt lịch học 1-1 với Giảng viên tại ZIM để được học sâu hơn về nội dung của bài viết bạn đang đọc. Thời gian linh hoạt và học phí theo buổi

Gửi đánh giá

Bình luận - Hỏi đáp

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Guest Essay

As Bird Flu Looms, the Lessons of Past Pandemics Take On New Urgency

By John M. Barry

Mr. Barry, a scholar at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, is the author of “The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History.”

In 1918, an influenza virus jumped from birds to humans and killed an estimated 50 million to 100 million people in a world with less than a quarter of today’s population. Dozens of mammals also became infected.

Now we are seeing another onslaught of avian influenza. For years it has been devastating bird populations worldwide and more recently has begun infecting mammals , including cattle, a transmission never seen before. In another first, the virus almost certainly jumped recently from a cow to at least one human — fortunately, a mild case.

While much would still have to happen for this virus to ignite another human pandemic, these events provide another reason — as if one were needed — for governments and public health authorities to prepare for the next pandemic. As they do, they must be cautious about the lessons they might think Covid-19 left behind. We need to be prepared to fight the next war, not the last one.

Two assumptions based on our Covid experience would be especially dangerous and could cause tremendous damage, even if policymakers realized their mistake and adjusted quickly.

The first involves who is most likely to die from a pandemic virus. Covid primarily killed people 65 years and older , but Covid was an anomaly. The five previous pandemics we have reliable data about all killed much younger populations.

The 1889 pandemic most resembles Covid (and some scientists believe a coronavirus caused it). Young children escaped almost untouched and it killed mostly older people, but people ages 15 to 24 suffered the most excess mortality , or deaths above normal. Influenza caused the other pandemics, but unlike deaths from seasonal influenza, which usually kills older adults, in the 1957, 1968 and 2009 outbreaks, half or more deaths occurred in people younger than 65. The catastrophic 1918 pandemic was the complete reverse of Covid: Well over 90 percent of the excess mortality occurred in people younger than 65. Children under 10 were the most vulnerable, and those ages 25 to 29 followed.

Any presumption that older people would be the chief victims of the next pandemic — as they were in Covid — is wrong, and any policy so premised could leave healthy young adults and children exposed to a lethal virus.

The second dangerous assumption is that public health measures like school and business closings and masking had little impact. That is incorrect.

Australia, Germany and Switzerland are among the countries that demonstrated those interventions can succeed. Even the experience of the United States provides overwhelming, if indirect, evidence of the success of those public health measures.

The evidence comes from influenza, which transmits like Covid, with nearly one-third of cases transmitted by asymptomatic people. The winter before Covid, influenza killed an estimated 25,000 here ; in that first pandemic winter, influenza deaths were under 800. The public health steps taken to slow Covid contributed significantly to this decline, and those same measures no doubt affected Covid as well.

So the question isn’t whether those measures work. They do. It’s whether their benefits outweigh their social and economic costs. This will be a continuing calculation.

Such measures can moderate transmission, but they cannot be sustained indefinitely. And even the most extreme interventions cannot eliminate a pathogen that escapes initial containment if, like influenza or the virus that causes Covid-19, it is both airborne and transmitted by people showing no symptoms. Yet such interventions can achieve two important goals.

The first is preventing hospitals from being overrun. Achieving this outcome could require a cycle of imposing, lifting and reimposing public health measures to slow the spread of the virus. But the public should accept that because the goal is understandable, narrow and well defined.

The second objective is to slow transmission to buy time for identifying, manufacturing and distributing therapeutics and vaccines and for clinicians to learn how to manage care with the resources at hand. Artificial intelligence will perhaps be able to extrapolate from mountains of data which restrictions deliver the most benefits — whether, for example, just closing bars would be enough to significantly dampen spread — and which impose the greatest cost. A.I. should also speed drug development. And wastewater monitoring can track the pathogen’s movements and may make it possible to limit the locations where interventions are needed.

Still, what’s achievable will depend on the pathogen’s severity and transmissibility, and, as we sadly learned in the United States, how well — or poorly — leaders communicate the goals and the reasons behind them.

Specifically, officials will confront whether to impose the two most contentious interventions, school closings and mask mandates. What should they do?

Children are generally superspreaders of respiratory disease and can have disproportionate impact. Indeed, vaccinating children against pneumococcal pneumonia can cut the disease by 87 percent in people 50 and older. And schools were central to spreading the pandemics of 1957, 1968 and 2009. So there was good reason to think closing schools during Covid would save many lives.

In fact, closing schools did reduce Covid’s spread, yet the consensus view is that any gain was not worth the societal disruption and damage to children’s social and educational development. But that tells us nothing about the future. What if the next pandemic is deadlier than 1957’s but as in 1957, 48 percent of excess deaths are among those younger than 15 and schools are central to spread? Would it make sense to close schools then?

Masks present a much simpler question. They work. We’ve known they work since 1917, when they helped protect soldiers from a measles epidemic. A century later, all the data on Covid have actually demonstrated significant benefits from masks.

But whether to mandate masks is a difficult call. Too many people wear poorly fitted masks or wear them incorrectly. So even without adding in the complexities of politics, compliance is a problem. Whether government mask mandates will be worth the resistance they foment will depend on the severity of the virus.

That does not mean that institutions and businesses can’t or shouldn’t require masks. Nor does it mean we can’t increase the use of masks with better messaging. People accept smoking bans because they understand long-term exposure to secondhand smoke can cause cancer. A few minutes of exposure to Covid can kill. Messaging that combines self-protection with communitarian values could dent resistance significantly.

Individuals should want to protect themselves, given the long-term threat to their health. An estimated 7 percent of Americans have been affected by long Covid of varying severity, and a re-infection can still set it off in those who have so far avoided it. The 1918 pandemic also caused neurological and cardiovascular problems lasting decades, and children exposed in utero suffered worse health and higher mortality than their siblings. We can expect the same from the next pandemic.

What should we learn from the past? Every pandemic we have good information about was unique. That makes information itself the most valuable commodity. We must gather it, analyze it, act upon it and communicate it.

Epidemiological information can answer the biggest question: whether to deploy society-wide public health interventions at all. But the epidemiology of the virus is hardly the only information that matters. Before Covid vaccines were available, the single drug that saved the most lives was dexamethasone. Health officials in Britain discovered its effectiveness because the country has a shared data system that enabled them to analyze the efficacy of treatments being tried around the country. We have no comparable system in the United States. We need one.

Perhaps most important, government officials and health care experts must communicate to the public effectively. The United States failed dismally at this. There was no organized effort to counter social media disinformation, and experts damaged their own credibility by reversing their advice several times. They could have avoided these self-inflicted wounds by setting public expectations properly. The public should have been told that scientists had never seen this virus before, that they were giving their best advice based on their knowledge at the time and that their advice could — and probably would — change as more information came in. Had they done this, they probably would have retained more of the public’s confidence.

Trust matters. A pre-Covid analysis of the pandemic readiness of countries around the world rated the United States first because of its resources. Yet America had the second-worst rate of infections of any high-income country.

A pandemic analysis of 177 countries published in 2022 found that resources did not correlate with infections. Trust in government and fellow citizens did. That’s the lesson we really need to remember for the next time.

John M. Barry, a scholar at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, is the author of “The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History.”

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

Follow the New York Times Opinion section on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , WhatsApp , X and Threads .