This article deals with the kind of language needed for stating facts and giving opinions for IELTS writing band score 7 success! It is not always clear in students’ essays whether or not they are stating a fact and opinion. This lack of clarity could result in a loss of marks. We also introduce some expressions for stating generalizations. This will be a huge benefit to you all and well worth considering putting into your task 2 essays!
‘Fact’
‘Evidence’
The word ‘evidence’ is used in a similar way to ‘fact’, but the important difference between the two is that ‘evidence’ is uncountable while ‘’fact’ is countable.
Common combinations with ‘evidence’ include:
Verbs: collect, examine consider, analyse
Adjectives: growing, widespread, conflicting, abundant, hard
Generalizations
The following phrases in bold are useful for introducing generalizations.
In general, most jobs in the fast-food industry are low -paid.
Generally, people buy a drink with their food in fast-food restaurants.
On the whole, fast-food restaurants are more popular with young people.
For the most part, fast-food advertisements seem to focus on new tastes and low prices
All things considered, I think the appearance of fast-food restaurants on out high streets has been a good thing.
On balance, I believe that fast-food restaurants have had a negative effect on our society.
A lot of people agree that letter writing is a dying art.
Nowadays there is a (growing) tendency to only read or listen to opinions that you already agree with.
Degrees of Certainty
Certainty:
Probability:
Possibility:
Improbability:
It is doubtful that banks will adequately regulate transactions by themselves.
The report concludes that most schooling is allegedly failing children.
(The use of ‘allegedly’ suggest that the writer does not believe the claim being made)
People claim that a university degree is a necessity for a good job. (but I dispute this)
There’s(only) a faint /slight possibility that a satisfactory solution can be found for this problem.
Impossibility:
Exercises
Exercise 1
- Before accusing athletes of being drug cheats. It is essential that journalists verify the truth of the claims they are making.
- It is a misrepresentation to suggest that all Russian athletes are taking drugs.
- A lot of the negative publicity arises because newspapers want to write sensational headlines. They are not so concerned about the accuracy of their reporting.
- There is a lot of data available to support the view that young people can benefit from having a positive role model to emulate.
· there is a growing tendency | · abundant evidence |
· goes without saying that it is | · distortion of the facts |
· check the facts | · am in no doubt |
· stems from the fact that | · it is generally accepted |
Exercise 2
- I’m sure that most people think that nurse are underpaid but is it necessarily a good thing to give them very high salaries? (doubt)
- I don’t think I’m wrong in believing that most nurses are not motivated by financial gain (presumably)
- There are probably many highly paid hospital managers who wouldn’t last a minute if they had to work the same hours as many nurses. (likely)
Answers to Exercises
Exercise 1
- Before accusing athletes of being drug cheats it is essential that journalists check the facts of the claims they are making.
- It is a distortion of the facts to suggest that all Russian athletes are taking drugs.
- A lot of the negative publicity stems from the fact that newspapers want to write sensational headlines. And are not so concerned about the accuracy of their reporting.
- There is abundant evidence to support the view that young people can benefit from having a positive role model to emulate.
Exercise 2
- There is no doubt that most people think that nurse are underpaid but is it necessarily a good thing to give them very high salaries?
- Presumably, most nurses are not motivated by financial gain.
- It is likely that many highly paid hospital managers wouldn’t last a minute if they had to work the same hours as many nurses.