Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Identify the subject-verb agreement error: "Neither of the candidates have submitted their essay on time."
(has instead of have):
"Neither" is grammatically singular when referring to items individually ("Neither one has..."). Even though "candidates" is plural, the subject of the sentence is "Neither."
Replace the overused word "bad" with a higher-level academic synonym in this context: "Pollution has a bad effect on public health."
(detrimental / adverse / negative):
Words like "bad," "good," "big," and "thing" are Band 5.0 words. Replacing "bad" with precision adjectives like detrimental or adverse demonstrates a Band 7.0+ vocabulary range.
Choose the correct transition: "The country experienced a recession. (However / Furthermore), unemployment rates reached an all-time high."
(Furthermore):
"However" introduces a contrast. "Furthermore" adds supporting evidence. Because both sentences describe negative economic events (recession + high unemployment), you need an additive transition.
What key element MUST be included in the introduction of an opinion essay alongside the paraphrase of the prompt?
(Clear Position / Thesis Statement):
Band 7.0 requires a clear position presented throughout the response. If your introduction only paraphrases the prompt without stating your stance, you lose points immediately.
Add the missing punctuation: "However the data suggests a different trend."
(Comma after However,):
Transition words at the beginning of a sentence (However, Therefore, Consequently, Furthermore) must be separated from the main clause by a comma.
Rewrite this active sentence into the passive voice: "Researchers conducted the experiment in 2022."
("The experiment was conducted by researchers in 2022."):
The object of the active sentence ("the experiment") becomes the subject of the passive sentence. Combine the auxiliary verb to be in the past tense (was) with the past participle (conducted). In IELTS Writing, passive voice is essential for maintaining an objective, academic tone.
Identify the correct natural collocation: "Do we make an effort, do an effort, or take an effort?"
(make an effort):
English verbs pair with specific nouns natively. We say make an effort, do homework, and take action. Using incorrect verb-noun pairings signals non-native phrasing to the examiner.
Identify the referencing pronoun error: "When international students move abroad, it often faces severe culture shock."
(they instead of it):
The antecedent is "international students" (plural). Therefore, the referencing pronoun must also be plural (they face, not it faces).
Identify the flaw in this thesis statement: "In this essay, I will discuss both sides of the argument about public transport."
(Lacks a stance/opinion):
"In this essay, I will discuss..." is an announcement of structure, not a thesis statement. A proper thesis outlines your actual argument (e.g., "Although public transport requires high investment, its environmental benefits outweigh the costs.").
Convert this informal spoken phrase to formal academic English: "A lot of people think..."
("A substantial proportion of the population believes..."):
Phrases like "A lot of people think" are conversational speech. Formal writing uses precise quantifiers (a substantial proportion) and formal reporting verbs (believes / asserts / contends).
Choose the correct conditional form: "If the government ___ (invest) in renewable energy earlier, the carbon footprint would be lower today."
(had invested):
The sentence links an unreal past condition ("If the government had invested..." -> Past Perfect) to a present result ("...would be lower today" -> Would + Base Verb).
Spot the incorrect word choice: "The new legislation had a profound affect on the local economy."
(effect instead of affect):
Affect is almost always a verb ("to influence something"). Effect is almost always a noun ("an outcome or result"). Because the sentence says "a profound ___", it requires the noun effect.
Re-order these sentences to create a coherent paragraph:
As a result, municipal carbon emissions dropped by 15%.
In 2018, the local council introduced dedicated bus lanes.
This initiative encouraged more residents to rely on public transit.
(Order: 2 > 3 > 1):
Sentence 2 introduces the action (council introduced bus lanes).
Sentence 3 references that action using a cohesive pronoun (This initiative encouraged...).
Sentence 1 provides the final measurable result (As a result, emissions dropped).
Which of the following is considered an informal tone error for Task 2?
A) "Furthermore, individuals ought to reduce energy consumption."
B) "You can clearly see that money doesn't buy happiness."
C) "Consequently, economic growth may stagnate."
(Option B):
Addressing the examiner directly using "you" ("You can clearly see...") creates an informal, conversational tone. Academic writing relies on objective statements ("It is evident that...").
Correct the semicolon usage: "The climate is changing rapidly; because of greenhouse gas emissions."
(Remove semicolon):
A semicolon links two independent clauses (full sentences). "because of greenhouse gas emissions" is a dependent prepositional phrase, so it cannot follow a semicolon. Use a comma or no punctuation instead.
Correct the dangling modifier: "Walking through the library, many useful academic journals were found."
"Walking through the library, I found..."):
The introductory phrase "Walking through the library" must describe the subject that immediately follows it. In the original sentence, "journals" were walking. You must introduce a human subject who was doing the walking ("I" or "the researcher").
Provide a formal idiomatic expression or precise verb that means "to suffer the consequences of one's actions
(bear the brunt / pay the price):
While informal idioms (like "face the music") should be avoided in Task 2, formal idiomatic verbs like bear the brunt (endure the main force of something negative) show strong native-like fluency.
Replace the repetitive linking word "Also" at the start of a sentence with two alternative high-level cohesive devices.
(In addition / Moreover / Additionally):
Repeating basic linkers like "Also," "And," or "Besides" lowers your Coherence score. High-scoring essays use discourse markers like Furthermore, Moreover, or In addition.
Spot the main idea error: Write a one-sentence topic sentence that unifies paragraphs discussing both unemployment and increased crime rates.
(Unified Topic Sentence):
Every body paragraph must start with a single umbrella idea. Connecting joblessness and crime under the umbrella term economic instability prevents the paragraph from reading like two unrelated lists.
Fix the run-on sentence: "Public transport should be free it would encourage more people to stop driving."
(Add period/semicolon after free):
"Public transport should be free" and "it would encourage more people" are two complete sentences fused together without punctuation. They require a period, a semicolon, or a coordinating conjunction ("...be free, as it would...").
Combine these two sentences using negative inversion for emphasis: "The policy was ineffective. It was also extremely expensive."
("Not only was the policy ineffective, but it was also extremely expensive."):
When starting a sentence with a negative adverbial phrase like "Not only," the subject and auxiliary verb invert ("was the policy" instead of "the policy was"). This advanced structure directly boosts your Grammatical Range score.
Select the word that fits best in an IELTS Task 2 essay: "The findings corroborate / exaggerate / deliberate the hypothesis that urbanization leads to reduced biodiversity."
(corroborate):
Corroborate means to confirm or give support to a statement, theory, or finding. Exaggerate means to overstate, and deliberate means to discuss carefully—neither fits the context of research evidence supporting a hypothesis.
Identify the missing logical step that creates a gap in coherence: "Automation increases factory output. Therefore, governments must raise taxes on corporate profits."
(Missing intermediate logical step):
Jumping from "automation increases output" directly to "raise taxes on corporate profits" leaves an unexplained logical gap. To fix it, you must add the middle step: Automation increases output > increasing corporate profits > leading to higher tax obligations.
Explain why this counter-argument structure fails to achieve a high score: "Some people think space exploration is a waste of money. But I think space exploration is great because we learn new things."
(Fails to refute/evaluate the counter-argument):
Simply stating what the opposing side thinks and saying "but I disagree" is weak. High-level writing acknowledges the opposing view's merit, then logically refutes it (e.g., "While space exploration requires substantial funding, the technological spinoffs directly benefit Earth-bound industries...").
Identify the register inconsistency in this conclusion: "In conclusion, while technological advancement offers clear benefits, it also presents significant risks. Basically, we need to be super careful."
(Register Inconsistency):
Starting strong with academic phrasing ("technological advancement offers clear benefits") and ending with casual language ("Basically," "super careful") breaks the formal register. It should read: "Hence, a cautious approach is imperative."