Module 2: Module: 2 Decoding the Question

Module 2*: Decoding the Question

Overview:
Successfully understanding and decoding the question is crucial for crafting a high-scoring IELTS Writing Task 2 essay. If the question is misunderstood or misinterpreted, even the best-written essay will fall short of achieving a high band score. In this module, you’ll develop the skills to identify the question type, understand the task requirements, and brainstorm relevant ideas.

Key Skills:

1. Analyzing Prompts and Identifying Question Types

The first step to writing a high-quality IELTS Task 2 essay is analyzing the prompt carefully. Each prompt requires a specific response type, and misinterpreting the question can lead to an irrelevant or poorly structured answer.

Common IELTS Writing Task 2 Question Types:

• Opinion Essays (Agree/Disagree):
  Example Prompt: “To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement?”
  The task requires you to state your opinion clearly, justify it, and provide supporting examples.
• Discussion Essays (Discuss both views and give your opinion):
  Example Prompt: “Discuss both views and give your opinion.”
  You must present arguments for both sides before giving your own position.
• Problem-Solution Essays:
  Example Prompt: “What are the main problems associated with this issue, and how can they be solved?”
  The essay should outline problems and suggest practical solutions.
• Advantage-Disadvantage Essays:
  Example Prompt: “What are the advantages and disadvantages of this situation?”
  You need to analyze the positive and negative aspects, providing a balanced view.
• Direct Question Essays:
  Example Prompt: “What are the causes of this issue, and what can be done about it?”
  These require a clear and direct response to the specific questions posed.

Tips for Identifying the Question Type:

• Focus on instruction words (e.g., discuss, agree/disagree, describe, analyze).
• Look for keywords that specify the type of response required (e.g., advantages, disadvantages, solutions).
• Pay attention to the task focus—is the prompt asking for your opinion, a balanced discussion, or a solution to a problem?

2. Understanding Keywords and Avoiding Misinterpretation

Key words within the prompt define what the task is asking you to do. Misunderstanding these keywords can lead to irrelevant or off-topic responses, significantly affecting your score.

Common Key Words and Their Functions:

• Agree/Disagree: Indicates an opinion essay. You must take a clear stance on an issue.
• Discuss: Requires you to explore different perspectives and offer your own opinion.
• Describe/Explain: Involves explaining a process or phenomenon, often with supporting examples.
• Examine: Requires a detailed analysis, often of pros and cons or causes and effects.
• Evaluate: Involves forming a judgment or making an assessment based on evidence.
• To What Extent: Asks for your opinion on how much you agree or disagree, often requiring a partial or full agreement/disagreement.

How to Avoid Misinterpretation:

• Underline or highlight keywords in the prompt.
• Break down the prompt into smaller parts to ensure you’re clear on what is being asked.
• Paraphrase the prompt to ensure full understanding before starting to write.

Misinterpretation often leads to irrelevant answers that don’t meet the task requirements. For example, misunderstanding a “problem-solution” question as a “cause-effect” question can lead to an incomplete response.

Practical Activities:

1. Practice Identifying Task Requirements and Question Type from Sample Prompts:

Exercise 1:

Read the following IELTS Writing Task 2 prompts and identify the question type and the task requirements:

1. “Some believe that the government should invest more in the arts. Others believe that this money should be spent on other public services. Discuss both views and give your opinion.”

1. • Question Type: Discussion essay
   • Task Requirements: Present both sides and provide your own opinion.

2. “Do the advantages of studying abroad outweigh the disadvantages?”

1. • Question Type: Opinion essay
   • Task Requirements: State your opinion on whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages and justify your position.

3. “What are the most serious environmental issues today, and what can be done to solve them?”

1. • Question Type: Problem-solution essay
   • Task Requirements: Identify the problems and propose solutions.

4. “What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a large city?”

1. • Question Type: Advantage-disadvantage essay
   • Task Requirements: Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of living in a big city.

5. “How can parents encourage their children to do well in school?”

1. • Question Type: Direct question essay
   • Task Requirements: Respond directly to the question with reasons and examples.

2. Exercise: Brainstorming Main Ideas Based on Prompt Keywords

Once you’ve analyzed the question and identified the type, it’s time to brainstorm. Here’s how you can use keywords to generate ideas.

Sample Prompt: “What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a large city?”

Step 1: Identify Keywords

• Advantages: Positives, benefits
• Disadvantages: Negatives, drawbacks
• Living in a large city: Urban life, big cities, metropolitan areas

Step 2: Brainstorm Main Ideas

• Advantages:

• • Better job opportunities
  • Access to modern amenities and services
  • Cultural diversity and entertainment options
  • Improved public transport system

• Disadvantages:

• • High living costs (housing, food, transportation)
  • Pollution (air and noise)
  • Congestion and overcrowding
  • Stress and fast-paced lifestyle

Step 3: Organize Your Ideas

• Introduction: Briefly introduce the topic and state your thesis (whether you agree/disagree, or a balanced view).
• Body Paragraph 1: Present the advantages, supporting each point with examples.
• Body Paragraph 2: Discuss the disadvantages, again with supporting details.
• Conclusion: Summarize your arguments and give a final judgment based on the discussion.

Summary:

In this module, we have covered the key skills of analyzing prompts, identifying question types, and understanding keywords. By honing these skills, you can ensure that you understand exactly what is being asked, avoid misinterpretations, and focus your essay on relevant content. Practice identifying task requirements from sample prompts and brainstorm main ideas based on those keywords to help organize and structure your essay effectively.

Next Steps:
In the next module, we’ll focus on structuring your essay effectively and developing a clear argument based on the question type and task requirements.