This IELTS Writing Task 2 post offers the insights of writing a great answer to a descriptive topic. This task 2 question asks the candidates to provide their personal opinions on adopting a local culture by people all over the world. In this post, you will find a plan that can help you to write this answer effectively along with a mind-map or brainstorming ideas.  You will also find two great 7.5-band model answers written by two candidates who took my IELTS Writing Correction Service. I am hopeful that these answers can help you construct your own answers for other opinion topics.

Let’s have a look at the question first.

Describe a custom from your country that you would like people from other countries to adopt. Explain your choice, using specific reasons and examples.

What kind of essay structure should you follow?

In most IELTS Writing Task 2 essays, a 4-paragraph structure is followed. For this specific problem-solution essay, we should also follow a 4-paragraph essay structure.

Paragraph 1: Introduction (Introduce the topic with some background information and your thesis on the topic in 40/45 words)

Paragraph 2: (Explain the specific culture – with examples in around 110 words)

Paragraph 3: (Explain the culture further – with examples in around 110 words)

Paragraph 4: (Conclude the essay with a personal opinion on why people should adopt the culture – 40/50 words)

How to plan for your answer to a descriptive topic:

When you start writing your task 2 answers, what strategies do you follow? Do you have a plan that you arrange beforehand and apply it accordingly?

It is always a very good idea to plan before you write something; even it takes 5/7 minutes of your time. A good plan reduces your pressure of real-time thinking and writing together. It also improves your power of thinking and arranging ideas. So, utilize the opportunity of thinking beforehand and take some necessary notes that can help you to present your thoughts in an organized way.

For this kind of opinion topic, we need to analyze the question and try to understand what the task requirements are. Let’s look at this question again and find out what they want us to write:

Describe a custom from your country that you would like people from other countries to adopt. Explain your choice, using specific reasons and examples.

As you can see, there is only one question on this topic and we should answer the question effectively. We should also remember to write a minimum of 250 words to illustrate our ideas, thoughts, suggestions etc.

So, here is a plan that I’ve made to establish my ideas, thoughts, and suggestions. You can do the same by doing some brainstorming and taking some notes. You need not be accurate to do this, just put down your thoughts and do some regular practice.

Now, let’s have a look at the plan:

Description of the tradition or culture and personal opinion on why to adopt:

1. Pohela Boishakh – first day of Bengali New Year.
2. Celebration in the squares of cities and towns.
3. People wear colourful dresses.
4. Children have fun riding eating sweets
5. Cultural programmes arranged
6. Songs and dances
7. People forget about the faster pace of life and enjoy the moments.
8. Important to adopt because: sharing of thoughts and ideas, meeting new people, enjoy together.

Now, here is a model answer prepared by an IELTS candidate who scored 7.5 in IELTS Writing. In my opinion, the answer is quite organized and you can easily get a band score of 7.5 or more if you write your answers like this one.

Model answer:

Every nation has its customs and traditions which are a reflection of herself as individuals can learn about the place through those cultures and customs. It is quite unfortunate that we sometimes forget about this crucial aspect of our homeland as a result of chasing a modern lifestyle and faster digital entertainment. In this essay, I shall discuss a custom of my native land that I want inhabitants from other nations to espouse due to the fact that I strongly believe it carries a great message about my country.

In Bangladesh, which is my homeland, we have a major traditional festival which is titled ‘Pohela Boishakh’. It is one of the most renowned holidays, which is celebrated on the first day of the Bengali calendar year. A huge number of folks gather on the largest squares of every city and town and make merry on the eve of the New Year. Boys and men wear red and white Punjabi whereas girls and women put on Sarees of the same colour that are traditional dresses. They bid farewell to the yesteryear and pray to God to make the New Year a better one.

Bangladeshi crowd make different types of food items such as traditional cakes and a special fish and rice dish named ‘Panta-ilish’ which is a combination of watery rice, hilsha fish fry and spicy sauce. Additionally, many people gather in the square and participate in cultural programmes like songs and dances. Several social organisations also arrange book fairs and other traditional fairs where many items related to our Bengali culture are displayed. Moreover, toddlers and children enjoy special rides on the fairs and consume sweets.

In summary, I am confident that ‘Pohela Boishakh’ would benefit a sheer volume of countries all over the world. This is a great opportunity for individuals to relax, leave their troubles and worries behind and enjoy the whole day. Not only this, this holiday helps people to connect more, learn about new ideas and share thoughts. In addition to those practical benefits, ‘Pohela Boishakh’ helps people to decelerate their pace of life and enjoy the unique and beautiful moments together.

(336 words)

Here are some other model IELTS Task 2 questions and answers:

Click here for two model answers to an Opinion essay on the use of fossil fuels and its threats

Click here for a model answer to Cambridge 14 Test 4 Writing Task 2

Click here for a model answer to agree-disagree topic: elderly or young people as company leaders

Click here for a model answer to advantage-disadvantage topic: online shopping

Click here for a model answer to opinion essay: urbanization in countryside/ problem of housing

Click here for a model answer to opinion essay: qualities of a good supervisor/boss

Click here for a model answer to opinion essay: on the use of fossil fuels

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