Thao Ngo IELTS Student's Edition
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THAO NGO IELTS
MTESOL · Academic Director · IELTS–AI Trainer
IELTS Writing Task 2 · Essay Outline

Compulsory Full-time Education until 18 — 02.08.2026

Essay type: Opinion (agree / disagree — to what extent)Band 5.5-6.5Stance: Mostly agreeTarget ≈ 280 wordsModel essay: Band 6.5
Student's Edition
Ngô Đức Thảo
Ngô Đức Thảo
MTESOL · Academic Director
Task 2 Topic

Some people think young people should be required to have full-time education until they are at least 18 years old.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?

1Task analysis

ItemDetail
Essay typeOpinion (agree / disagree — to what extent)
Main topicWhether the law should make all young people stay in full-time education until the age of 18
Keywordsyoung people · required · full-time education · at least 18 years old
Task focusJudge whether compulsory full-time education should continue until 18
Required positionSay clearly how far you agree or disagree and keep the same position in every paragraph
Plain-English meaningShould all teenagers have to stay in school or college full-time until they are 18?
Hidden trapNote required and full-time. A balanced answer may support education until 18 but allow flexible forms such as apprenticeships or vocational training
Chosen stanceMostly agree. Education until 18 improves young people's qualifications and protects them at a vulnerable age, provided that vocational and apprenticeship routes count as education
Main-idea planBP1 → longer education improves qualifications, employability and earnings · BP2 → it protects teenagers from exploitation and gives them time to mature; vocational options are needed

2Idea generation

Body 1 — Better qualifications and prospects

  • Higher qualifications improve employability ✓ strongest
  • Modern economies need skilled workers
  • Education improves health and civic life dự phòng

Body 2 — Protection and maturity

  • Protects teenagers from exploitative work ✓ strongest
  • Gives time to mature and choose careers
  • Reduces youth crime dự phòng

✓ strongest = ý dùng trong bài mẫu · dự phòng = ý thay thế, không có trong bài mẫu.

3Skeleton

Introduction
  • General statement: Legal school-leaving at 15–16
  • Paraphrased task: Rewrite: remain in full-time education until 18
  • Thesis: Mostly agree + vocational options
Body 1: Higher qualifications → employability, earnings; skilled workforce
Body 2: Protection from exploitation; time to mature; vocational routes
Conclusion: Restate the opinion → summarise both reasons → final thought

4Plan & write your paragraphs

How to use: Read the main idea, tap the cue words to add them to the box, then write your own sentence. Your essay is built automatically at the bottom and saved in this browser.

Introduction(45–60 words)

0 words
Goal: Topic → rewrite the statement → give your opinion.
General statement
Main idea: Legal school-leaving at 15–16
Starter: In some countries, young … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Paraphrased task
Main idea: Rewrite: remain in full-time education until 18
Starter: It has been suggested … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Thesis
Main idea: Mostly agree + vocational options
Starter: I mostly agree with … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.

Body Paragraph 1 — Better qualifications and prospects(90–110 words)

0 words
Goal: Reason 1: explain it and give an example.
Topic sentence
Main idea: Better qualifications, prospects
Starter: The main reason I … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Explanation 1
Main idea: Economies need skilled workers
Starter: Modern economies increasingly depend … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Example
Main idea: Electrical engineering course
Starter: For example, a teenager … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Explanation 2
Main idea: Higher lifetime salaries
Starter: Better-qualified workers also tend … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Link
Main idea: Investment in people and economy
Starter: Therefore, extending education until … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.

Body Paragraph 2 — Protection and maturity(90–110 words)

0 words
Goal: Reason 2: explain it and give an example.
Topic sentence
Main idea: Protection at a vulnerable age
Starter: In addition, staying in … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Explanation 1
Main idea: Exploitation
Starter: Young people who start … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Example
Main idea: Afraid to complain
Starter: For instance, teenagers working … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Explanation 2
Main idea: Time to mature
Starter: Two more years in … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Link
Main idea: Confidence, fewer risks
Starter: As a result, they … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.

Conclusion(35–50 words)

0 words
Goal: Repeat your opinion, sum up both reasons, final thought. No new ideas!
Restated thesis
Main idea: Mostly agree
Starter: In conclusion, I mostly … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Summary
Main idea: Qualifications + protection
Starter: This policy improves their … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Final thought
Main idea: Vocational options
Starter: However, vocational courses and … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.

📝 My essay

✓ saved

5Language bank (Band 5.5-6.5)

Mỗi đoạn có bảng collocation riêng. ✓ = có trong bài mẫu · + = cụm mở rộng để học viên tự dùng. 5.5 = nền tảng · 6.5 = nâng band.

Introduction

CollocationFormVietnameseBandBài mẫu
legally allowedadv + adjđược phép theo luật6.5✓
leave educationverb + nounrời trường học5.5✓
start workverb + nounbắt đầu đi làm5.5✓
remain in full-time educationverb phrasetiếp tục học toàn thời gian6.5✓
practical and vocational optionsnoun phraselựa chọn thực hành và nghề6.5✓

Body Paragraph 1 — Better qualifications and prospects

CollocationFormVietnameseBandBài mẫu
future prospectsadj + nountriển vọng tương lai5.5✓
modern economiesadj + nouncác nền kinh tế hiện đại5.5✓
skilled workersadj + nounlao động có tay nghề5.5✓
a high school diplomanoun phrasebằng tốt nghiệp cấp ba5.5✓
a recognised vocational certificatenoun phrasechứng chỉ nghề được công nhận6.5✓
far more employableadv + adjdễ tìm việc hơn nhiều6.5✓
no qualificationsnoun phrasekhông có bằng cấp5.5✓
earn higher salariesverb + nounkiếm lương cao hơn5.5✓
the national economyadj + nounnền kinh tế quốc gia6.5✓

Body Paragraph 2 — Protection and maturity

CollocationFormVietnameseBandBài mẫu
a vulnerable stageadj + noungiai đoạn dễ tổn thương6.5✓
exploited by employerspassive phrasebị chủ lao động bóc lột6.5✓
low wagesadj + nounlương thấp5.5✓
long hoursadj + nounlàm việc nhiều giờ5.5✓
poor working conditionsnoun phraseđiều kiện làm việc tồi5.5✓
treated unfairlypassive phrasebị đối xử bất công5.5✓
time to maturenoun phrasethời gian để trưởng thành6.5✓
the job marketnoun + nounthị trường việc làm5.5✓
fewer risksadj + nounít rủi ro hơn5.5✓

Conclusion

CollocationFormVietnameseBandBài mẫu
In conclusionlinkertóm lại5.5✓
be required topassive phrasebị yêu cầu5.5✓
protects them from exploitationverb phrasebảo vệ họ khỏi bóc lột6.5✓
vocational courses and apprenticeshipsnoun phrasecác khoá nghề và học việc6.5✓
future prospectsadj + nountriển vọng tương lai5.5✓

Useful structures

6Self-check before you submit

7🔒 Model Essay (Band 6.5)

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