Comprehensive guide covering essential IELTS preparation strategies and techniques to help you achieve your target band score.
Originally published December 2017. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
In this post, we will look at how to think of ideas for writing task 2 questions. Many of my students struggle to think of ideas when faced with a question, especially when it is on a topic they feel they know little about.
They worry that their examples will not be relevant or they often find it difficult to think of any examples at all. I have marked many essays, where the student has said that they couldn't think of an example. You must practice thinking of ideas for various questions, finding a method that suits you. Everyone has different ways of learning and retaining information, so find out your preferred method and apply it.
Here are some ways that you can think of ideas for your writing task 2 essay :
Read More Materials
This is really obvious, to improve both vocabulary and knowledge reading is the best thing that you can do. If you are on Facebook, like the pages of well-known news sites, like BBC News, The Guardian, The Telegraph, The New York Times, The Economist, etc. This is a super-easy way to stay informed and read articles, as you scroll through your newsfeed.
Reading the news will give you many ideas for your essays when giving examples to my students I often say 'I read something about that the other day...'. Read around topics that come up again and again, like health, education, technology, the environment and crime. Also read articles that interest you, on art, movies and anything else. When you find words you do not know the meaning of, look them up and make a note. Most phones/tablets have a built-in dictionary, so it is very easy to look up the meaning of a word or cut and paste sections of an article.
Here are some news websites that you should take a look at regularly:
Before you start writing the essay, make a plan with your ideas in note form. When I plan any essays or blog posts I start by making a bullet list of my ideas. This helps me to visualise the information and organise it. It might not work for everyone, but it is a good way to start planning, getting those thoughts out onto the paper.
It might look something like this :
You could also create a mind map of your ideas, write a keyword in the middle of the page, then think about and link as many relevant ideas as possible.
Be Positive
Many students when they are given a question, straight away say 'I don't know anything about this topic...' almost shutting down before they have even started. If you have a question, with a topic that you feel you know little about, don't stress out and don't feel frustrated. Push yourself to generate ideas and keep it light and enjoyable. Negativity is death to creativity, meaning that if you have a negative mindset from the beginning, this will crush your ability to get those creative essay writing juices flowing!
When you are thinking of ideas and examples, you are allowed to be creative, making up statistics/data from an article or survey. As long as the example is relevant and believable.
Interact
Imagine you are talking about this question with someone. Sounds simple, think about reaching out and chatting with other people who engage you intellectually and creatively. If you were discussing this question with a friend or work colleague, what would you say/they say? Thinking about conversations with others can help you to generate ideas.
Reflection
Think about what you know about the question/topic already......
What have I read about or seen that stands out?
What do I know about this topic?
What did I read/see that could be used as an example?
What is the main issue?
Why is this happening?
Use your responses to these questions as writing prompts. For example, if you know that obesity is becoming a huge strain on the NHS because of the increase in costs, think about how you could turn that information into an example.
Comprehensive guide covering essential IELTS preparation strategies and techniques to help you achieve your target band score.
Originally published December 2017. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
During your IELTS preparation, many of you will use free resources online, but there are also many books that are worth the investment. Even your IELTS teachers and examiners have some of these books and have studied them, in order to know everything they can about the IELTS Test.
The one book that is worth getting (if you choose only one) is The Official Guide to IELTS Student's book with Answers. This book has everything covered, with many helpful hints and tips, and it also includes practice tests and answers. If you want to get extra help with your vocabulary and grammar, then Cambridge English offer specific books each with a focus in these areas. There are so many books out there to choose from and in our experience, the books from Cambridge English are excellent.
Here is a book list to help you with your IELTS preparation >>
**All books were sourced on Amazon.co.uk**
The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS Student's Book with Answers with DVD-ROM (Cambridge English)
By Pauline Cullen, Amanda French, Vanessa Jakeman
The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS is THE definitive guide to IELTS. It contains all you need to succeed in the exam. Skill-building exercises cover all of the question types in the exam for both the General Training and Academic Modules. Our research into real IELTS candidates' exam answers - and the mistakes they make helps you avoid the same ones!
Eight official practice tests and a focus on test-taking strategy help you maximise your score. Videos of the Speaking test, and all the listening material, including the tests, can be found on the DVD-ROM or downloaded via an accompanying App from iTunes or Google Play. IELTS is jointly managed by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge English Language Assessment.
Cambridge IELTS 12 Academic Student's Book with Answers: Authentic Examination Papers (IELTS Practice Tests)
By Authentic Examination Papers
Cambridge IELTS 12 contains four authentic IELTS examination papers from Cambridge English Language Assessment, providing excellent exam practice. The Student's Book with answers allows students to familiarise themselves with IELTS and to practise examination techniques using authentic tests. It contains four complete tests for Academic candidates.
An introduction to these modules is included in the book, together with an explanation of the scoring system used by Cambridge English Language Assessment. There is a comprehensive section of answers and tapescripts at the back of the book. Audio CDs containing the material for the Listening Tests, and a Student's Book with answers with downloadable Audio are sold separately. These tests are also available as IELTS Academic Tests 5-8 on Testbank.org.uk
Cambridge Vocabulary for IELTS Advanced Band 6.5+ with Answers and Audio CD (Cambridge English)
By Pauline Cullen
The book covers all the vocabulary needed by students aiming for band 6.5 and above in the IELTS tests and provides students with practice of exam tasks from each paper. Cambridge Vocabulary for IELTS Advanced focuses on moving students to 6.5 and beyond by working on vocabulary-building strategies necessary for success at advanced levels.
It includes useful tips on how to approach IELTS exam tasks and covers especially tricky areas such as paraphrase and collocation. It is informed by the Cambridge English Corpus to ensure that the vocabulary is presented in genuine contexts and includes real learner errors. The Audio CD contains the listening and pronunciation exercises from each unit. The material is suitable for self-study or homework tasks, and may also be used in class with the teacher.
Cambridge Grammar for IELTS Student's Book with Answers and Audio CD (Cambridge Grammar for First Certificate, Ielts, Pet)
By Diane Hopkins
Cambridge Grammar for IELTS provides complete coverage of the grammar needed for the IELTS test, and develops listening skills at the same time. It includes a wide range of IELTS tasks from the Academic and General Training Reading, Writing and Listening modules, and contains helpful grammar explanations and a grammar glossary. A Student's Book 'without answers' is also available.
Collins Writing for IELTS has been specially created for learners of English who plan to take the Academic IELTS exam to demonstrate that they have the required ability to communicate effectively in English at university.
It is ideal for learners with band score 5 – 5.5 who are aiming for band score 6 or higher on the IELTS test (CEF level B1 and above). Collins Writing for IELTS concentrates on the Academic paper.
We hope you found this post useful in helping you to study for the IELTS Test. If you have any questions please let us know in the comments below or on the Facebook page.
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If you need help preparing for the IELTS Test, join the IELTS Achieve Academy and see how we can assist you to achieve your desired band score. We offer an essay correction service, mock exams and online courses.
