GT Task 2: Essays on Everyday Topics
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Lesson overview
Planning and writing the 250-word General Training Task 2 essay: the question types, a clear position, developed paragraphs and examples from everyday life.
Go to lesson quiz →Exam guidance · IELTS Band-Descriptor Lens
Pacing
Strict section timing; Writing Task 2 carries twice the weight of Task 1.
How IELTS GT marks this
Task Response, Coherence & Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range & Accuracy.
Watch out for
True / False / Not Given: 'False' contradicts the text, whereas 'Not Given' has no textual proof either way.
Lesson content
Overview
Writing Task 2 in General Training is an essay of at least 250 words, and you should spend about 40 minutes on it. It counts for twice as much as the letter in your Writing band, so it is the more important task. The essay is marked with the same four criteria as in Academic: Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. The question types are also the same. The difference is the topics: GT questions are usually about everyday and personal issues — family life, work, housing, shopping, free time, children and school, health, travel and technology at home — rather than more academic or abstract issues. That is good news. You can use examples from your own life and community, and you rarely need specialist knowledge. But an essay is still an essay: it needs a clear position, logical paragraphs and developed ideas, not a chatty letter.
Key concept: the five question types
Opinion: 'Some people think children should do housework. Do you agree or disagree?' Give your view and keep it throughout. Discussion: 'Some people prefer to live in a house, others in a flat. Discuss both views and give your opinion.' Explain both sides fairly, then say which you prefer and why. Problem–solution (or causes–solutions): 'Many people find it hard to save money. Why is this, and what can be done?' Answer both parts. Advantages and disadvantages: 'More people now shop online. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?' Weigh them and reach a judgement. Two-part question: 'Why do people move to big cities? Is this a positive or negative development?' Answer each question directly.
Building a body paragraph
Each body paragraph should develop one main idea. A reliable pattern is: point (a topic sentence that states the idea), explanation (why or how it is true), example (from your experience or general knowledge) and link (how it answers the question). Personal examples are welcome in GT, but use them to support a general point rather than telling a long story. 'For example, when my sister started working from home, she saved two hours of travelling every day' supports the idea that home working gives people more free time. Three sentences about her daily routine would not add anything more. Finally, keep your position consistent. If your introduction says online shopping has more advantages, your conclusion must not suddenly say the disadvantages are greater.
Worked example 1: analysing a question
Question: 'In many families, both parents now work full-time. What problems can this cause for the family, and what can be done to reduce them?'
Active Worked Example · Predict Step 1
6 stepsWrite down the formula, rule, or first move you would make before revealing Step 1.
Worked example 2: an introduction and a body paragraph
Introduction: 'In many households today, both the mother and the father have full-time jobs. While this can make families financially secure, it often leaves parents with very little time for their children. This essay will discuss these problems and suggest how employers and families themselves can reduce them.' Body paragraph (problems): 'The main difficulty is that children see much less of their parents. When both adults work until six or seven in the evening, young children may spend ten hours a day in nurseries, and older children often come home to an empty house. For example, several of my neighbours' teenagers regularly eat dinner alone. As a result, parents may miss important moments in their children's lives, and children may lack guidance when they need it most.' Notice the pattern: point ('children see much less of their parents'), explanation (working hours), example (the neighbours' teenagers) and link ('as a result…').
Worked example 3: a conclusion, and two errors to avoid
Conclusion: 'In conclusion, when both parents work full-time, children can miss out on time and support from their parents. However, flexible hours at work and a fair sharing of tasks at home can help families make the most of the time they have together.'
Active Worked Example · Predict Step 1
3 stepsWrite down the formula, rule, or first move you would make before revealing Step 1.
Common traps
• Writing in letter style: greetings, 'you' throughout, or 'Hope this helps!'. • Answering only one part of a two-part or problem–solution question. • Telling a long personal story instead of using a short example to support a point. • Memorised introductions that could fit any question; examiners don't count them towards the answer. • Running out of time because the letter took 30 minutes. Do Task 2 first if that helps you protect its 40 minutes.
Summary
• GT Task 2: an essay of at least 250 words in about 40 minutes, worth twice as much as Task 1. • The criteria and question types are the same as Academic; the topics are more everyday and personal. • Identify the question type and every part of the question before you plan. • Use point, explanation, example, link in each body paragraph, and keep one clear position. • Write an essay, not a letter: no greetings, no 'you' as the reader.
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