10. IELTS Task 2 : "Brainstorming using IDEAS"

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In podcasts 8 and 9 we learnt how to write a nice introduction without doing too much work. Now we need to sit back and take a break because we need to do some serious thinking now. After finishing the introduction, the next stage is to do a quick brainstorm to generate quality ideas for the body section of the essay. This will help us to score really well for the Task Achievement criterion of the task 2.

Under exam conditions the brainstorm will ideally take a minute or 2, and will generate four quality ideas to write about in the two body paragraphs. Each of these paragraphs will be 90 words long and include two brainstorm ideas along with examples or contrasts. Let’s keep using the same essay question that we used in podcasts 8 and 9. Here it is again for those that have forgotten:

(1) Some people believe that it is best to accept a bad situation, such as an unsatisfactory job or shortage of money. (2) Others argue that it is better to try and improve such situations. (3) Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

If you find it difficult to come up with ideas for this to use in your body paragraphs, it can be really useful to put yourself in another person’s shoes. For this we can use the IDEAS acronym, which stands for Industry leaders (or business people), Doctors, Engineers, Artists, and Social Workers. The idea is to imagine what these people would say about the task question, and then use the best ones for our body paragraphs. Let’s have a go.

1. Industry leaders might say that it is always better to improve a bad situation because if we don’t the economy will never improve.

2. Doctors might say that if we don’t strive to improve a bad situation like a disease, people will suffer.

3. Engineers might say that it is only because of the constant need to improve that we have such incredible buildings and places to live today.

4. Artists might say that there is no need to improve a bad situation because beauty can be found in suffering, which leads to better inspiration.

5. Social workers might say that it is often impossible to improve the situation of economically disadvantaged people, so it could be better not to even try.

The next step would be to choose four of the above ideas, and expand them with examples to create a plan. Let’s explore the IELTS body plan in podcast 11 next time we meet.

See you then!