IELTS Writing Task 2 Environment Band 9 Essay: Samples & Tips

Non-native speakers looking to work, migrate or study in an English-speaking country need to appear for IELTS to establish their English proficiency. This exam is accepted by more than 11,000 institutions worldwide. 

One of the most common queries that aspirants have is- How to score a band 9 in IELTS writing task 2? Apart from this, several candidates are confused about its level of difficulty. The following sections will attempt to answer this question. It is a detailed overview of all sections of the environment essay IELTS band 9 and how to tackle it expertly. In addition, we have added a section on vocabulary for writing task 2. 

What is IELTS Writing Task 2? 

Most students find scoring in IELTS writing task 2 to be challenging due to the time constraint. In this task, students are expected to write an essay of 250 words in 40 minutes. They must present a clear response to a statement given and address all parts of the task. However, candidates must also present different points of view and justify their opinion. They must summarise all the necessary details and identify solutions to the problem to attain a high band score. Moreover, students must prepare very well for this section as it accounts for 66% of one’s score. Furthermore, they will be marked on four criteria: 

• Lexical Resource– This assesses one’s ability to use a wide range of vocabulary and paraphrase the information. Here, the candidate is expected not to use repetitive words or phrases. 
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy– This assesses the range of grammar one uses. These include the usage of compound and simple sentences and punctuation. 
• Coherence and Cohesion– This criterion tests the students’ ability to present their ideas logically. Transition, usage of cohesive devices, formation of paragraphs all are taken into consideration. 
• Task Response– This assesses one’s ability to answer the question correctly. Here, candidates must present hisher opinions and substantiate them with examples. 

How to Approach Writing Task 2? 

There are primarily five types of essay in IELTS writing task 2: 

• Opinion 
• Advantage and Disadvantage 
• Problem, Cause and Solution 
• Discussion 
• Double Question 

The key to nailing IELTS writing task 2 band environment 9is following a systematic process. First and foremost, students’ need to understand the type of question asked and if it is from the list mentioned above. After that, they need to identify the keywords in the question and follow the instructions diligently. Secondly, students can write in bullet points and elaborate these in the answer sheet. This is a part of structuring the answer and can help in time management. Thirdly, they must structure the essay into paragraphs. One must begin with an introduction that states the opinion, followed by a topic and supporting sentences in two or three paragraphs. Lastly, they must summarise the points stated in the body paragraphs. Remember that the introduction and title must be linked as it shows the flow of ideas. This is a part of the task achievement criteria. Furthermore, students can also make use of linking devices to connect the introduction and title. For example, they can begin with ‘The main cause of this’ or ‘The main factor is’. Last but not the least, one must utilise a wide range of clauses. Some of them are underlined below: 

• In contrast 
• Additional information 
• Consequence 
• Cause 
• Effect 
• Purpose 

Students must also keep questioning themselves like,

• ‘What points should I include in the topic sentences?’
• ‘What examples go with the fact that I already mentioned?’ 
• ‘What do I mean by this statement?

Vocabulary for Writing Task 2 

Candidates must use a wide range of vocabulary as this accounts for 25% of the overall band score. Usage of cohesive devices is equally important. However, they must not be overused as that can hamper the overall band score. One can begin by stating their point of view in the introduction to respond to the question in IELTS writing task 2 band environment 9.They can start by: 

• It may seem that 
• The essay will show that 
• The essay will argue that 
• To examine this problem, the essay will highlight both this and that 
• First, this essay will state this and secondly, it will talk about that 
• It appears that 

One can use these transition words while writing the topic sentence: 

• For example 
• For instance 
• However 
• Conversely 
• In addition 

In the primary paragraph for IELTS writing task 2 environment vocabulary, candidates can use: 

• I strongly opine that 
• I strongly disagree with the given topic 
• I think 
• My opinion is 
• In my view 

For the second paragraph in writing task 2 essay, one can focus on phrases such as: 

• Some people think that 
• According to many 
• Some people believe that 
• On that one hand 
• Many are of the view that 

For the third and fourth paragraph, sticking to the below-mentioned phrases are beneficial: 

• Moreover 
• Furthermore 
• Consequently 
• Apart from that 
• Most people believe that 
• Last but not the least 
• What’s more 

However, just using these phrases is not all. Candidates must also make use of collocations. These are generally two or three words that are placed in a sentence together. For example, ‘To make the bed’, ‘To catch a cold’, To do homework, ‘To come on time’ sounds natural.  However, one cannot write ‘To do the bed’ as this sounds grammatically incorrect. One can pair: 

• Adverb + Adjective 
• Adjective + Noun 
• Noun + Noun 
• Noun + Verb 
• Verb + Noun 

Moreover, to learn collocations, candidates can refer to ‘English Collocations in Use’. It is instrumental and can help in widening the vocabulary. Remember, redundancy must be avoided and hence can resort to using synonyms of the given words such as: 

• Advantages- benefits
• Disadvantages- drawbacks 
• Many- plenty, numerous, a large number of 
• Some people- several 
• Some people think that- some people argue that hold the view of the opinion believe 
• Children- Youngsters 
• Teenagers- Adolescents 
• Interesting- engaging entertaining 
• Increased- dramatically, surge, rise 
• Go to work- commute 

Sample Questions with Answers for Environment Topic 

The environment essay IELTS band 9is one of the most common topics that come in IELTS. However, many students do not feel the need to prepare this as they find it as one of the most straightforward topics. Consequently, this approach results in losing marks. That is why we have underlined below samples and answers that students can refer to and practice before their exam. 

Question:

The best way to solve the world’s environmental problem is to increase the price of fuel.  To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.Write at least 250 words. 

Answer:

Today, the Earth is facing a massive threat in the form of a climate crisis and it is believed by many that the most efficient way to tackle the world’s environmental issue is by augmenting fuel prices. Conservationists would deem this method to be effective and I agree with this notion; however, up to an extent, as it heavily impacts the livelihood of the poor people.On the one hand, it is a potent solution to increase the rate of crude commodities like oil since that would force people to try alternative methods of transportation and in turn reduce their carbon emissions. Fostering the habit of cycling and carpooling for instance could be the go-to method. The Netherlands is one such country to have adopted the systemic approach by inflating the fuel prices thereafter urging the nation to take up cycling and subsequently becoming a greener nation. Additionally, it would also discourage people from purchasing automobiles that run on petrol or diesel and encourage them to switch to electric vehicles. On the other hand, the obvious reason why a hike in fuel rates would not be a better solution for humanity is that it could worsen poverty. People with meagre incomes and daily wage earners would have a hard time saving their salary for their basic needs if their travelling expenses increase. Besides, the fuel price determines the market prices of other essential commodities, and increasing the price can affect poor and middle class families. If this practice were to take place in India, for instance, there would be a spike in the number of families struggling to afford food and household essentials. In conclusion, increasing the price of petrol can certainly help reduce environmental pollution to some degree; however, I feel that educating people about the ill effects of the overuse of natural resources and encouraging them to use alternative methods would be a better solution in handling this issue as it will not further deteriorate the life of the poor.

Tips to Write Writing Task 2 

Discussed below are some tips to help improve your IELTS scores: 

Analyse the question carefully 

First and foremost, students must understand the question that is being asked. One must differentiate between the different types of essays. 

Practice brainstorming 

The examiner will be grading based on vocabulary and the ability to organise their ideas. To do this, one must brainstorm and develop ideas in a short time. Therefore, it is always best to write down the keywords associated with the concept and explain those with examples. 

Style the essay 

It is important to follow the academic word list and implement them in the essay. In addition, candidates must use linking devices as mentioned above. 

Prepare a study plan 

Students must strategise an effective study plan that caters to their requirements and needs. Following this plan will help them crack the IELTS exam.  

Practice 

The key to success in IELTS is practice, practice and practice. Candidates can download sources from the internet and look at sample questions. This will polish their English language skills. 

Conclusion

The writing task is one of the most challenging areas of the IELTS exam. However, this comprehensive guide on IELTS writing task 2 band environment 9 will allow candidates to prepare for the said question easily and more efficiently. Students aspiring to pursue a foreign degree abroad can now finance their dreams with ease due to Leap Scholar. It provides financial assistance in the form of education loans with simple and flexible terms to help students fulfil their dream of studying abroad.