Writing Task 2 · Academic language · Lesson 15 of 18
Formal, objective and supported writing
Write formally and impersonally, choose between the active and the passive, and support every main idea, with clear rules for when you can use I in IELTS.
In this lesson you will
- tell the difference between formal and informal language
- write impersonally, and know when I is acceptable in IELTS
- choose between the active and the passive
- support every main idea, so that your argument is not just a claim
Part A
Informal and formal language
Formal language is careful, accurate and sophisticated. It avoids colloquial expressions and contractions. At Band 7, the Writing band descriptors say that “an awareness of style and collocation is evident”, and a formal style is what the examiner expects in an academic essay.
| Informal | Formal |
|---|---|
| It isn't cheap. | It is not cheap. |
| The government should've acted sooner. | The government should have acted sooner. |
| Things got a bit better. | The situation improved slightly. |
| Loads of people can't afford it. | A large number of people cannot afford it. |
Phrasal verbs: the idiomatic phrasal verbs in our Speaking course are excellent in the Speaking test. Many of them are too informal for an essay, so choose a one-word verb in Writing: find out → discover.
Useful phrases are tools, not templates. Band 4 mentions “memorised phrases, formulaic language and/or language from the input material”, and an answer that has been totally memorised can receive Band 0. Learn phrases, then adapt them to the question. Never memorise a whole essay or paragraph.
Formal or informal?
- The results aren't great, to be honest.
- The results were lower than expected.
- Loads of people can't afford to buy a house.
- A large number of people cannot afford to purchase a home.
- Kids these days are glued to their phones.
- Many young people spend a considerable amount of time on their phones.
Choose the formal word
- get better
- find out
- a bit
- big
- put up with
- get (a qualification)
Part B
Personal and impersonal language
Academic writing usually sounds objective. Writers use the third person (it, they) and avoid I, we, you, our and us. Plural forms also help you avoid gendered language: Students should check their work.
| Personal | Impersonal |
|---|---|
| In this essay, I will examine… | This essay examines… |
| I will argue that… | It will be argued that… |
| You can save money by cycling. | People can save money by cycling. |
IELTS has its own rule for “I”
At university you may be told never to give a personal opinion. In IELTS, it depends on the task:
| Task | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Task 1 | Stay impersonal. Give no opinion at all. | Your job is to report the information. The descriptors say that “irrelevant, inappropriate or inaccurate material” detracts from your response. |
| Task 2, opinion asked for | State your opinion clearly (I firmly believe that…). Keep the rest of the essay mostly impersonal. | Higher bands require “a clear and fully developed position”. |
| Task 2, opinion not asked for | Stay impersonal (This essay discusses…). | You must answer the question that was asked. |
Make it impersonal
- In this essay, I will examine…
- I will argue that…
- You can reduce your costs…
- We should protect…
- As I said above,…
Is it suitable for this task?
- Task 1: I think this graph is very interesting.
- Task 1: The graph shows that sales rose steadily.
- Task 2, “give your own opinion”: I firmly believe that governments should act.
- Task 2, “what are the advantages and disadvantages?”: In my opinion, it is better to work in an office.
- Task 2, any question: You should always eat your vegetables.
Part C
Active and passive
Both have a place in academic writing. The descriptors do not mention the passive by name, but they do reward range: Band 9 needs “a wide range of structures”. Using both forms well helps to show that range.
| Active | Passive | |
|---|---|---|
| Example | Shakespeare wrote Hamlet. | Hamlet was written by Shakespeare. |
| Example | The lecturer raised the main issues in class. | The main issues were raised in class by the lecturer. |
| Effect | Direct and concise | More objective and impersonal, because you can leave out who did the action |
| Use it when | It matters who does the action, or when you give your position. | The action matters more than the person, or nobody knows who did it. |
Task 1 too: the passive is especially useful for describing maps. See Task 1, Lesson 5.
Make it passive
Complete the passive sentence. Keep the same tense.
- The council built a new bridge in 2010. → A new bridge in 2010.
- People use mobile phones everywhere. → Mobile phones everywhere.
- Companies have reduced their costs. → Costs by companies.
- People should recycle more plastic. → More plastic .
- The government will introduce new laws. → New laws by the government.
Which is better?
In 1 and 3, who did the action is unknown or unimportant, so the passive works well without by. In 2, you are giving your position, so the direct active form is clearer.
Part D
Unsupported and supported arguments
A claim on its own is not an argument. The Task 2 band descriptors make support a clear difference between the bands:
| Band | Task Response |
|---|---|
| 9 | “Ideas are relevant, fully extended and well supported.” |
| 7 | “Main ideas are extended and supported but there may be a tendency to over-generalise or there may be a lack of focus and precision in supporting ideas/material.” |
| 6 | “…some supporting arguments and evidence may be less relevant or inadequate.” |
| Unsupported | Supported |
|---|---|
| The main reason that young people smoke is that they are victims of peer group pressure. | Peer pressure can be a major influence on a young person's decision to smoke. For example, teenagers whose friends smoke may feel that they need to do the same in order to be accepted by the group. |
No references in IELTS. At university, you must support your ideas with published sources, citations and page numbers. In the test you have no sources, and the question asks for “reasons” and “relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience”. So use a clear reason and a relevant example, and do not worry about quoting anyone.
Supported or unsupported?
- Working from home is better.
- Working from home saves time because employees do not need to commute, which gives them more time for exercise or family.
- Social media is bad for young people.
- Social media can harm the confidence of young people, as they often compare themselves with the edited images they see online.
- Fast food is the reason for all health problems.
- Fast food can contribute to obesity because it tends to be high in fat and sugar.
Choose the best support
- Public transport can reduce air pollution in cities.
- Learning a foreign language can improve career prospects.
Good support is relevant and precise. It explains how or why the claim is true, and it does not over-generalise.
Support this claim
Add a reason and an example in two or three formal, impersonal sentences.
Studying abroad can help young people to become more independent.
Students who live overseas must manage their own finances and solve problems without the help of their families. For example, an international student may need to arrange accommodation in a foreign city without assistance. As a result, these young people are likely to return home more confident and self-reliant.
Checklist for your writing
- Is it formal? Replace contractions and colloquial expressions.
- Is it impersonal? Use I only to give an opinion that the question asks for. Never use you to mean people in general.
- Have I used the active and the passive where each one works best?
- Is every main idea supported with a reason and a relevant example?
Model answers and lesson materials by Tips4IELTS.