As we have seen earlier, the ideas brought up in the Introduction paragraph of our essay have to be developed in the body paragraphs. The body paragraphs for IELTS essay question are where we present explanation and evidence to support our thesis.
Altogether four or five paragraphs work well for IELTS essays. Except the first paragraph, which is the Introduction, and the last paragraph, which is the Conclusion, the meat of our essay are the two or three paragraphs in the middle where we tackle the question presented to us.
3 steps for composing body paragraphs for IELTS essay
In academic writing, it is best to create paragraphs which are concise and to the point. Therefore, instead of dillydallying, it is better to immediately present arguments in the body paragraphs and then extend them with supporting details.
| Step 1 | State your argument |
| Step 2 | Define what you mean OR provide reasons for your claim |
| Step 3 | Give an example |
This format is preferable to other formats because it helps to fulfil all the criteria laid out by IELTS for a good writing score. We have to present a position relevant to the question with well-supported ideas which are sequenced logically in the body paragraphs for IELTS essay in order to meet the requirements of high band.
IELTS Essay Body Paragraph Step 1: State your argument
Begin your paragraph by directly declaring your argument. As we already set a context to our arguments in the Introduction paragraph, no background information or frame of reference is needed.
Use the following phrases to start the first sentence of the paragraph:
- As far as I am concerned
- In my opinion
- From my perspective
- It is often claimed that
- It has been argued that
Follow up these phrases with any one idea which you want to deal with in the paragraph.
Example
| Many people these days rely on information found on the internet. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend? |
Examples of first sentences of body paragraphs for IELTS essay:
- As far as I am concerned, looking up facts on the internet is fast and easy.
- In my opinion, most of the information found online is available free of cost.
- From my perspective, not all information on the internet is true.
- It is often claimed that fraudsters on the web are preying on naïve citizens with false information.
- It has been argued that internet only delivers sensationalized information by using click-bait titles.
IELTS Essay Body Paragraph Step 2: Elaborate on the argument
After you have asserted your point of view on the matter in the first sentence of the body paragraphs for IELTS essay, the next sentence or sentences should support the opinion with a chain of reasoning. This can be done by clarifying what you mean by the first sentence. If the first sentence is self-explanatory, then you can give reasons for your views.
Use the following discourse markers when elaborating on your argument:
- To clarify
- This is due to the fact that
- What I am trying to say is
- This is because
- This is brought about by
Try to expand on the idea by using complex sentences and context-specific vocabulary in the body paragraphs for IELTS essay.
Example
As far as I am concerned, looking up facts on the internet is fast and easy. To clarify, instead of reading books and journals in order to research a topic, we can simply do a web search on our phone or computer in the matter of seconds.
In my opinion, most of the information found online is available free of cost. This is due to the fact that most media organizations, research institutes, government bureaus, and private individuals post content on the internet which anybody can access without paying fees.
From my perspective, not all information on the internet is true. What I am trying to say is there are no checks and balances in the content uploaded online, so the reliability of such information is always questionable.
It is often claimed that fraudsters on the web are preying on naïve citizens with false information. This is because scammers and racketeers scour the internet for gullible people to spread misinformation for financial or ideological motive.
It has been argued that the internet only delivers sensationalized information by using click-bait titles. This is brought about by our human nature as scandalous news grabs our attention quicker, and computer algorithms have learned to maximize our engagement on the web with the help of such news.
IELTS Essay Body Paragraph Step 3: Prove your point with a representative case
There are many ways to convince people about your viewpoint. Anecdotal evidence is one of them. And, the instructions given in IELTS Writing Task 2 tell us that examples from our personal experience can be used in the essay.
Announce your examples as follows in the body paragraphs for IELTS essay:
- For example
- For an instance
- Let us consider
Example
As far as I am concerned, looking up facts on the internet is fast and easy. To clarify, instead of reading books and journals in order to research a topic, we can simply do a web search on our phone or computer in the matter of seconds. For example, in less than a second, a Google search will reveal countless facts on a topic, which might otherwise require hours or even days to gather on our own.
From my perspective, not all information on the internet is true. What I am trying to say is there are no checks and balances in the content uploaded online, so the reliability of such information is always questionable. For an instance, debunked theories about the earth being flat or 5G mobile network causing Covid-19 pandemic are still circulating on the internet, and millions of people worldwide believe such falsehoods.
It has been argued that the internet only delivers sensationalized information by using click-bait titles. This is brought about by our human nature as scandalous news grabs our attention quicker, and computer algorithms have learned to maximize our engagement on the web with the help of such news. Let us consider the social media site Facebook. We can all see on a daily basis how unverified posts related to controversial issues surface on Facebook which people share and comment on. Although the accuracy of such posts is doubtful, they still get viral and shape people’s opinions.
Conclusion
Creative writing has no format. However, IELTS essays should not be treated as free writing. Rather, they are academic discourse on various matters, so a tightly structured essay serves our purpose of scoring high.
Basically, a three-part format works best for the body paragraphs for IELTS essay. Begin the paragraph with a direct argument. Next, explain the argument. Lastly, present an example.
Next lesson: