Should I give my personal opinion in an IELTS essay?
No, only if you are explicitly asked in the question. Present your ideas as if they are objectively true.
In which paragraph do I put a thesis statement, and what is a thesis statement.
Introduction, and it's a statement that give the essay's (your) opinion e.g. This essay agrees that... This essay will demonstrate that...
What is a paragraph?
A paragraph is a series of sentences that are organized and coherent, and are all related to a single topic. Almost every piece of writing you do that is longer
You should use exactly the same words in the question when you write your introduction.
False, use synonyms and phrase it different to avoid repetition.
An essay should have more than 2 body paragraphs.
False, 2 is enough (can do more). Each argument can represent a paragraph.
You have 50 minutes to write the IELTS essay.
False, 40 minutes!
Where does a topic sentences go? Which paragraph?
Body paragraph, first line. It should be a simple sentence that easily summarises the topic/argument of that paragraph.
How many paragraphs should an essay have?
No, less than 4.
An IELTS essay should be balanced.
False, it depends on the type of question.
You don't need to write a title.
True
You should spend 10-minutes planning your essay before you start writing.
True, makes your essay easier more structured.
You should use phrases like 'It is believed by many that...' or ' It is argues that...'
True, these phrases create an impersonal objective tone.
An IELTS essay should be no less than 250 words.
True
You should explain the argument that you are going to make in your introduction.
True. It should be the last sentence of the introduction e.g. This essay is going to look at...
Contractions are allowed e.g. I'd, It's, can't
NO! False, use the full forms, e.g. I would, It is, and cannot.
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