Lesson 31 – Task 2 main paragraphs

We looked at paragraph one last lesson and now we will move on to the next paragraph/s

Let’s begin with some tips and advice

 

1. Your second paragraph will take us (as the reader) further on your journey through the topic.
2. Make sure that you check the question carefully. If there are two parts to it then this paragraph will be the second part of the question (e.g. it may be the solutions to the problems in paragraph 1 or the other side of a discussion).
3. Try to use a good opening sentence to move from paragraph one to paragraph tow seamlessly – we should feel very comfortable as the reader with this transition. The examiner will be looking for flow as they read your essay.
4. Everything that was said in lesson 30 about writing the body of the essay applies here too. Go back and check these things in lesson 30.
5. If your essay question is not a two or three part question then paragraph two is where you can bring in other ideas and support for you opinion or argument.
6. Make sure that your second paragraph balances your first – they should look roughly the same length ( and be around 100 words)
7. Examiners (and me) assess with our ‘eyes’ first before we start to correct. We know when an essay looks well-balanced, has a clear structure, has been well-planned and looks as though it will flow well. We can tell this through how it looks on the page, whether there are lots of crossings out and re-workings (a sign of not having been well-planned), if the introduction and conclusion look balanced and the two inner paragraphs are roughly the same length. Trawling through lots of crossing out, bad handwriting and re-working makes life difficult for examiners and is a clear sign that you haven’t planned or are in a panic.
8. At this point I will go back to planning and try and urge you to do this as it really makes a big difference to how you write and the number of errors you are likely to make. In my LONG experience no planning = very high risk for lack if cohesion and error.
9. Also remember here even more than in Task 1 you need to think about noun phrases (lesson 24) and complex sentences (Lesson 26).
10. Finally make sure that your second paragraph ends in a way that leads us comfortably to your conclusion.

 

Key skills to develop:

 

Do the same things as were suggested in the last lesson, but for the second paragraph:

 

• Look over your own writing and analyse the mistakes do you know what is wrong (if not ask the teacher who corrected it)?

 

• When you get your work back don’t just look at the band and then put it away!!

 

• Look at your last essay. Check the third paragraph how did you do? Check the model (if you don’t have one google the essay question and find one) how does this compare with yours? Can you adapt yours to be more like the model.

 

• Do this exercise on checking errors – can you find them all?

 

Don’t forget, if there is anything you don’t understand or can’t find send a message via Contact us

 

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Let’s practise paragraphs

 

Here is an exercise on creating great paragraphs without confusion

 

Try it out

 

And some more spelling – spell these words and then see why they often make English confusing!

 

Now go back to the plan in lesson 21 and write the third paragraph for this task 2

 

check your version with mine here

 

Don’t forget, if there is anything you don’t understand or can’t find send a message via Contact us

Now you’re done!

Good luck and let’s make great progress with IELTS!