IELTS Writing Task 2: How to avoid going off-topic?

In the IELTS Writing Task 2, one of the most crucial skills is to stay on topic throughout your essay.

Going off topic can significantly impact your score, as it shows a lack of focus and coherence in your writing. To avoid this common mistake, it is important to understand the question thoroughly, plan your essay structure carefully and constantly refer back to the question while writing. By following these strategies, you can ensure that your essay remains relevant and coherent,

Read on to know all about how you can improve your chances of achieving your needed scores in the IELTS Writing Task 2.

Book your IELTS test now

In IELTS Writing Task 2, it is very important to stick to the main point. The examiner checks if you can answer the question properly and give a clear and relevant response. If you go off track, it shows that you might not fully understand the question, and this can affect your score.

When people go off track from the assigned topic, it's usually because they didn't plan well, didn't understand the question enough, or trying to express their knowledge of other things. But going off-topic usually means your thoughts become messy, your arguments are not complete, and it's hard to understand what you are trying to say and all of these things can really lower your overall score.

In IELTS Writing Task 2 essays, how well your ideas flow and how you link them together are important factors. Coherence means your ideas should make sense and connect smoothly, both within paragraphs and throughout the whole essay. Cohesion involves using linking words and phrases effectively.

However, when you go off-topic, it disrupts these essential elements, making your essay seem jumbled and hard to understand. When you go off track from the given topic, you might introduce unrelated ideas or arguments that don't fit with the main question. This messes up the overall structure of your essay and confuses the reader due to the lack of coherence. Also, trying to connect these off-topic ideas to the main question often leads to awkward transitions, which reduces the overall cohesion of your essay.

Read: Guide to Coherence and Cohesion

Task Achievement is extremely important when it comes to evaluating IELTS Writing Task 2 essays. Going off-topic directly impacts your ability to meet the requirements of the assigned task. This is because examiners want you to provide a well-organised response that directly addresses the given question, presents a clear opinion, and supports it with relevant arguments and examples.

When you deviate from the given prompt, you run the risk of not fulfilling these requirements. Your arguments might lack specific details, relevance, or clarity, which weakens your essay overall. As a result, even if your writing skills are good, going off-topic can significantly lower your Task Achievement score.

Read: What is Task Achievement and Task Response in IELTS Writing

To make sure you stay on track in your IELTS Writing Task 2 essays, here are some helpful tips for you to keep in mind to score high in your IELTS test:

• Understand the question:
  Before you start writing, fully understand the question. Identify the main points and what it's asking for. This will guide your essay and prevent you from going off-topic.

• Plan your essay:
  Create a clear outline with the main ideas, supporting arguments, and examples you will use. This keeps you organised and focused on the task.

• Stick to your thesis:
  Make a span thesis statement that directly addresses the question. Use it as a reference point throughout your essay to stay on topic.

• Avoid going off track:
  While it's good to show your knowledge, ensure every point you include supports your main argument and is relevant to the assigned topic.

• Proofread and revise:
  Take time at the end to review your essay. Check if your arguments and examples align with the main question and make any necessary changes to ensure coherence and cohesion.

• Stay focused during writing:
  While writing your essay, keep reminding yourself about the main question and your thesis statement. This will help you stay on track and avoid getting off into unrelated areas.

• Be mindful of word limits:
  IELTS essays have a word limit, and going off-topic may cause you to run out of space without adequately addressing the main question. Keep track of your word count to ensure you allocate enough space to cover the essential points.

• Practice time management:
  During the exam, allocate time wisely for planning, writing, and revising. When you manage your time effectively, you reduce the chances of rushing and going off-topic due to time constraints.

• Seek feedback from others:
  Before the actual exam, have someone review your practice essays. Ask them if your response stays on topic and effectively addresses the question. Constructive feedback can help you improve and refine your approach.

• Focus on the main idea in each paragraph:
  Each paragraph should contribute to your overall argument and be centred around the main topic of the essay. Avoid introducing unrelated ideas within the same paragraph.

• Use topic sentences:
  Start each paragraph with a clear topic sentence that relates back to the main question. This will help you stay organised and on point throughout your essay.

• Practice staying on topic:
  Regularly practice writing essays on various topics and ensure that you consistently adhere to the given prompts. The more you practice, the better you will become at staying focused and avoiding deviations.

In IELTS Writing Task 2 essays, getting off the topic can seriously impact your score. It affects coherence, cohesion, and task achievement. However, there are ways to avoid this issue and craft a strong and relevant response. By thoroughly understanding the question, planning your essay, and staying focused on the main topic, you can steer clear of this common mistake.

Read: IELTS Writing band scores explained

It's important to understand the different assessment criteria in the IELTS Writing test to be able to prepare and achieve the scores you need.

If you are aiming for a particular band score, or want to improve your marks in general, you can access our wide range of IELTS Preparation Resources and prepare by taking an IELTS Practice Test.

For those who want premium coaching, you can try IELTS Writing Assist -- an official IELTS mock Writing test from IDP Education for test takers who need to boost their Writing score. You will complete an official mock writing test online and receive personalised feedback from an IELTS Expert. You get a detailed report on your writing skills indicating your strengths and weaknesses, and strategies for improvement via an action plan.