Planning the Layout of the Essay

Rule number one of IELTS Writing or any writing should be that your ideas should be organized into paragraphs. The layout of most types of writing consists of three parts: an introduction, a main body and a conclusion. This bring us to the question, what is a paragraph?

A paragraph is usually defined as a set of sentences, however, that is wrong. A paragraph is a set of sentences describing an idea. One idea. So, whether it is IELTS or PTE or TOEFL or GRE, whether you are reading or writing, please remember that one paragraph presents only one idea.

So how can we structure an 8 Band Essay?

Here’s a layout that you could follow

I) Introduction

The introduction, i.e. the first paragraph, is a short paragraph whose purpose is to give the reader a general idea of the subject of the composition. It should attract the reader's attention so that he/she wants to continue reading. For example if you had to write about your favorite car you can start you introductory paragraph in this way:

ℹ️ Everyone dreams of owning a fancy car and so do I. My dream car is a fully electric, Mercedes Benz Maybach.

🛑Yes. Introductions need not be long. Many essays that have scored an 8 Band or a 9 Band usually have very short introductions that are clear and to the point.

II) Main Body

The main body usually consists of two or more paragraphs and its purpose is to develop points related to the subject of the essay. Here, it is important not to deviate from the main idea. If your essay is about a favourite car, do not talk about other unrelated stuff. Stick to talking about the car and why you like it.

The number of paragraphs and the way you divide them depends on how many ideas you want to present. Each paragraph should deal with points related to the same idea. Whenever you discuss a new idea, you should begin a new paragraph.

In the main body of your paragraph you start proving your claims by bringing reasons. In our case we can say:

ℹ️ Body paragraph 1:
The Mercedes Benz EV is the pinnacle of both luxury and an Eco-friendly driving experience. (You can take the idea forward by giving additional information about these features).

ℹ️ Body paragraph 2:
In addition to all those, the Maybach is the safest car in the world. (Say why or how it is the safest, or you could talk about one or two safety features. Do not deviate from the aspect of safety)

ℹ️ Body paragraph 3:
Owning a Maybach is an incomparable experience. (Say why or how owning this car is the best experience. You can also give the reader an example of an experience if you wish)

If you want to add more idea, you can obviously add more paragraphs. Remember, a paragraph can only be two sentences long. There is not need for a para to have any more than two sentences. Especially if those two sentences give the readers a clear idea of what you want to say.

III) Conclusion

The conclusion is a short final paragraph in which you can summarize the main idea of the subject, restate your opinion in different words, make general comments, express your feelings, etc.

Don't claim something new or present a new idea in the conclusion. You have to wrap up what you have been discussing so far.

In our case we can say:

ℹ️ It can clearly be seen that the Maybach is a unique car with unmatched features, making it my favorite car.

🛑 The Introductory and Concluding parts can be as short as one sentence.