IELTS 1447: Use “I” for Higher Task 2 Scores
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This is an IELTS Energy Podcast, Episode 1447. Use I for higher Task 2 scores.

Welcome to the IELTS Energy Podcast from All Ears English, downloaded more than 22 million times with former IELTS examiner Jessica Beck and Aubrey Carter, the IELTS whiz. If you are stuck with a low score, our insider method will help you get the score you need to unlock your dreams. Get your estimated band score now with our two-minute quiz. Go to allearsenglish.com

Today, you'll learn exactly where in your essay you need to directly say, I. We'll tell you why the examiner needs to see this, and we'll give you examples of how to do it in a real IELTS Task 2 essay.

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when you visit buyatoyota.com. That's B-U-Y-A-T-O-Y-O-T-A.com. Toyota, let's go places. Hey, Aubrey, how's it going today? I'm great. How are you, Jessica? Wonderful. I had an amazing Christmas weekend. Christmas is my favorite holiday.

And James and I did a bunch of celebrating, like just traditions we have every year. So I feel great today. Amazing. That's always the best. Spending time with family at holidays, whatever holiday or celebration you guys are out there preparing for. It's just fun. It's just fun to like have a reason to do something a little out of the ordinary.

100%. I love that. I'll take any reason to do something out of the ordinary. Switch it up. Switch up the Monday drum. Yes. All right, guys. So we had a great question from a student and we thought it would help you guys as well. There's always this question about how is...

IELTS tasks too different than academic writing, right? And this is one of those big differences. Exactly. So this question was from Amandine. She is a member of our Three Keys IELTS course, so she got her answer right away. She posted this in our community. But we thought, ooh, this would make a great episode for everyone out there who's also wondering about this. So I'll share her question.

And let's dive in here. She said, "Hello, Aubrey. Could you tell me if the use of 'I' is allowed in an essay? I heard not. I'm going to take the academic test." And I think this is really key. A lot of students preparing for the general exam probably are like, "Oh, I'm sure I can use 'I'," but then academic test, ooh, would this be different? Should it be more like college academic writing? For sure. Hopefully the answer is no. Task two is the same for both.

It is misleading, right? I wonder how many students realize that you are graded on exactly the same things. Like, yes, the questions are different.

The task two question for general training is a little bit easier than for academic students, but nonetheless, you are graded on exactly the same things. There's no difference. You have to show the examiner the same skills and abilities, no matter if you're general or academic. Yeah.

Yes, and the instructions are the same, where you are told to use personal examples from your own experience. This is very different from the essays I wrote in college where, yes, I had to use passive voice, I had to avoid writing in the first person, but that's not how IELTS is for both the general and the academic exam. They're expecting you to use personal examples.

Exactly. And no, like you're not going to use I in all personal examples. We are going to give you some with I today. But

The fact is, is the personal examples, that's all you have. You don't have Google. You can't go to the library. Like if you're going to support an opinion, you do need to use some, not all, but some personal examples. So that's one way. And then also giving your personal opinion. That is also required on task two if you're going to get a high score for task. So

in academic writing, you're not supposed to give a personal opinion. You're not supposed to use I. So again,

Different. Exactly right. When you share your opinion, you want it to be clear. You can use phrases, "In my opinion," "I feel," or "I maintain that this." These are ideal. Sometimes when you're trying to couch it in academic writing, suddenly it's not that clear if you're sharing your opinion or sort of general facts that might be true. So you should be using these phrases to make your opinion clear and consistent like the scoring system requires.

Exactly. Yeah. If your position is not clear throughout your essay,

It's possible to get a six, right, for task, but you might get a five for task. That's how important this is. So let's show you guys how to do this. So we're going to read a task two question that has been reported as being a recent one on the IELTS exam. And then we're gonna give you examples of where to use I throughout this essay. So Aubrey, can you read the question please? - Absolutely.

Agree, agree, a thousand percent. I love so much about this question. Like first, I just, I'm

I love the first sentence. Caring for children is probably the most important job in any society. Like how beautiful is that? It's so validating as a parent to be like, okay, life is stressful, but like I am just honorable

for raising a child. Especially as society evolves and, you know, a lot of jobs start to have sort of this assumption that they're more important than child rearing. I agree. This is good. All of the parents out there, this is an incredibly important job. All of the time you're putting into this is vital. So thank you, IELTS.

for giving us that reassurance. I love it so much. Okay, so first guys, we're going to show you how to use I in an opinion, a personal opinion throughout this essay. And then we're going to give you some sentences using I in personal examples. Okay, so first,

The first place that you're going to use I is in the introduction. Again, you have to have a clear position throughout the essay. So start giving it immediately as in the first paragraph of your essay. So how could we use I in the introduction, Aubrey? Yeah, so you could say, "Some feel that it should not be mandatory for caregivers to undertake a course. However, I believe that this would be a very positive requirement."

right so that i believe right there your opinion is very clear consistent yes use i here you have

You have to, you have to use I. If not, then I don't know that it's your opinion, right? You're just saying some people think this and other people think this, but that doesn't tell me your position on the topic, right? Right. And even if you just say it should be required, you might think, oh, that's clearly my opinion. I'm saying it should be required. Not necessarily, right? The examiner could look at it and be like, hmm.

by who you think that or just people in general think that. So yes, use I. Exactly, exactly. So in body paragraph one, right, this is the second paragraph of your essay. This is where we recommend you give reasons and examples for the other side, right? People that don't agree with you.

You don't have to use I here, right? You're just saying like other people think this because, right? So I would begin this paragraph by saying as to those who disagree with this idea, and then I would give reasons and examples for that, right? And then

The very beginning of body paragraph two, which is paragraph three of your essay, I know it's kind of confusing, but there you go. Here is where I would give a strong personal opinion directly, right? So Aubrey, how could we begin this next paragraph?

Yeah, it could be, nevertheless, I maintain that an educational opportunity for parents would be incredible or invaluable. Yes, this is ideal, right? You've already stated your opinion in the introduction. So I maintain makes perfect sense. You're sort of saying I still believe this.

Exactly. And it's a very cohesive way to show that consistent position the examiner is looking for. So see how necessary it is to have a template to follow, right? So you're fulfilling all of these needs.

requirements, right? Stating that personal opinion in the introduction. And that allows you to cohesively continue that position in paragraph three by saying, I maintain, right? It just, it connects it all together. Exactly.

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All right, Aubrey. So let's show our students how to give high level personal examples that are appropriate and high scoring for a task two academic essay or general essay. So body paragraph one, here is where we're talking about the other side, right? You can still give a personal example for the other side. This is empathy. It's also high scoring. So Aubrey, what could be that example?

So, you could say, "Take my mom, for instance. She grew up as the eldest of six siblings. I know firsthand that she learned all the skills she needed as a young person and thus would have gained very little from a parenting class." Awesome. My mom would definitely agree with this statement. She's like, "I don't need a parenting class, but we could all use it."

But this is, and right, I wrote this example and this is true. My mom did have to like cook dinner and do all of that stuff when she was like, what, 12 and older, she was cooking dinner for all of her, you know, siblings. A lot of life experience. I know. And like sewing clothes and stuff. I was like, oh my gosh, I do not want that pressure on any child. Totally. Yeah.

All right. So then we move on to the third paragraph of the essay. This is body paragraph two, in which I support my opinion. So I would continue that body paragraph with a personal example and say, as an illustration, I am a shining example of a parent who could have benefited from education about child rearing. Let's say that I'm a parent who is a child rearing.

Let me just pause real fast, guys, and recognize how amazing the vocabulary is and how formal the sentence structures are, even though we're talking about personal experience. So I do want you guys to take note of that. Okay. So continuing this example, when leaving the hospital after having my first child, I was severely unprepared and had extreme trepidation about caring for a child. In fact, I

I didn't know how to properly secure the infant seat in my car. Oh my gosh. I know, Aubrey, you wrote this example, but I remember having that experience too. Just being like, somebody should have taught me how to do this. This seems important. Right? You're leaving the hospital. Like, really? I'm allowed to take this child home? I don't know what I'm doing. Like,

who decided to entrust me with this little human idea what is happening right now anyway guys so not only were these sentences um would these sentences all be high scoring fulfilling everything that the examiner is looking for to to award a seven or higher but

they're also real, right? And that comes through in your essay. This is strong support, right? Yes, exactly right. The examiner is looking for detail. And if you aren't looking

you know, taking from personal experience, it is difficult to come up with the level of detail that you need to share in, you know, the support and the examples for your body paragraphs. So rather than try to think of some academic way to support your opinion, draw from personal experience, just like it says in the instructions. And like Jessica said, it will be easier for you to come up with details. Exactly. Exactly. So the takeaway guys is yes, you

You do need to use I in your opinions that you must give directly in your essay. And you can use I when you give personal examples. But remember, don't have more than one personal example in your essay, though. Right. So let's say a personal example is great for one paragraph and then try to use a real world example from.

you know, something you read in the news or something about your culture, tradition, society that you see around you. That should be where you draw from in the other paragraph. Now, this is why you need to be taking in a lot of English, listening to podcasts, reading the news, because you need variety also in your examples. And that's where you can be getting it on any topic that you might get on test day. I'm just laughing right now because I

Like every time I every time like I pick up James from school or something and I'm always like, oh, I learned the coolest thing. And he's like, what podcast was it on? Anyway, the point is, guys, that, yes, podcasts are amazing. And that is how you should be preparing for IELTS. OK, guys, thank you for listening to this podcast. And we'll be back on Friday. Awesome. See you guys Friday. Bye.

Thanks for listening to IELTS Energy. Hit subscribe now and don't forget to find your estimated band score at allearsenglish.com slash myscore.

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