IELTS Writing Task 2 - Social Media

IELTS tip

A topic sentence expresses the essential idea of a paragraph or section. It emphasises the key concepts of the essay and allows the reader to understand the main points quickly. In addition, it helps the writer to develop further points coherently.

In the IELTS test, the topic sentence is normally the first sentence in each paragraph. It is a short statement of what the paragraph is about.

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Some people believe that social media sites, such as Facebook or Twitter, have a negative impact on young people and their ability to form personal relationships. Others believe that these sites bring people together in a beneficial way.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

How to write a Task 2 discussion essay:

• Introduction: paraphrase the question, state both points of view, make a thesis statement and outline your sentence.
• Main body paragraph 1: state the first viewpoint, discuss it, state whether you agree or disagree and give an example to support your view.
• Main body paragraph 2: state the second viewpoint, discuss it, state whether you agree or disagree and give an example to support your view.
• Conclusion: summarise, and state which viewpoint is better or more important.
• Remember that each Task 2 essay requires a different structure. It is important to learn each structure and practise your writing at home.

There are various phrases you can use to do this. Here are three examples. They all say the same thing using different language.

• Some people argue that… while others say that…

• It is considered by some…. while there are others who think….

• It is often argued that... whilst others disagree and think...