Ielts writing Task 2: ways to prepare

Try to analyse this paragraph
Is there a topic sentence? What reasons and examples are given? What linking expressions are used? What 'band 7 vocabulary' is used? Can you find some conditional sentences?

Write the main ideas for the 'global language' topic (positives and negatives) in your notebook.

IELTS Writing Task 2: what is happiness?

Many students find the following question difficult (Cambridge IELTS 4, page 55):

Happiness is considered very important in life.
Why is it difficult to define?
What factors are important in achieving happiness?

Here are some ideas from my ebook.

• 
  Happiness means different things to different people.
  
• 
  It can be described as a feeling of pleasure or enjoyment.
  
• 
  People enjoy spending time with family and friends.
  
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  Hobbies, sports and games can be a source of fun and enjoyment.
  
• 
  Some people see money as a source of happiness.
  
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  Other people define happiness as something deeper.
  
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  They need to feel that they are doing something useful with their lives.
  
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  Some people get a sense of achievement from their work.
  
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  Others find happiness in bringing up their children.
  

Try expanding on these idea to write a full essay. Remember to use examples from your experience; this is the best way to develop an idea.

IELTS Writing Task 2: tourism

Do the benefits of tourism outweigh the drawbacks?

Here are some ideas. I've organised the vocabulary according to different perspectives (different ways of looking at this issue).

Positives of tourism:

1. 
   Personal perspective: Tourism is a popular leisure activity. Tourists can relax, have fun, 'recharge their batteries', experience different customs and cultures (sight-seeing, sunbathing, visiting monuments, tasting new cuisine). Travel opens our minds. It can broaden our horizons.
   
2. 
   Economic perspective: The tourism industry is vital for some countries. People rely on tourism for their income. Tourism attracts investment from governments and companies. It creates employment due to demand for goods and services (hotels, entertainment etc.). It helps to improve the standard of living.
   

Negatives of tourism:

1. 
   Environmental perspective: Tourism can have a negative impact on the environment. Excessive building (roads, hotels etc.) destroys natural habitats and spoils the landscape. Tourism creates pollution and waste. It puts pressure on local resources such as food, water and energy.
   
2. 
   Economic perspective: Tourism may cause a rise in the cost of living. Prices of goods and services go up. Tourists buy second homes. All of this affects local people.
   
3. 
   Cultural perspective: Local traditions may be lost. Traditional jobs and skills die out (e.g. farming, fishing). Local people are forced to work in the tourist industry.
   

Thinking about topics from different perspectives can help you to generate better ideas. This technique isn't perfect for every topic, but it can be really useful.