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IELTS Writing Task 2 • B2 Level

Unit 1: Early Childhood Development

Module 1: Vocabulary & Grammar Build-Up

Target Time 20 Minutes

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How to use this lesson

For Teachers

• Use this 55-minute B2 lesson to guide students step-by-step from core vocabulary and age grammar in Module 1 to essay writing in Module 2 and model analysis in Module 3.
• Monitor students as they complete the interactive practice items and check their automatic feedback before moving to the main writing task.

For Learners

• Start with Module 1 to practice key unit words, useful essay linking phrases, and age-description grammar.
• Next, move to Module 2 to plan and write your essay of at least 250 words, using the checklist and self-check steps provided.

Module 1: Vocabulary & Grammar Build-Up

In this short warm-up module, you will practice the 10 target unit words, common academic collocations, key essay linking phrases, sentence paraphrasing, and age-description grammar patterns before writing your essay.

Section A: Word Forms (5 items)

Complete each sentence with the correct form of the word in brackets.

1. During early ____ (infant), babies develop strong emotional bonds with their primary caregivers.

2. Young children learn many social skills through simple ____ (imitate) of adult behavior.

3. Before producing real words, an eight-month-old child often spends hours ____ (babble) to experiment with speech sounds.

4. A child taking their very first steps often appears ____ (wobble) on their feet.

5. It is normal for two-year-old children to throw temper ____ (tantrum) when they feel frustrated.

Section B: Collocations with Unit Words (5 items)

Choose the word that forms a natural phrase with the surrounding words.

6. When a tired toddler feels overwhelmed, they may throw a temper _______.

____ a. babble ____ b. tantrum ____ c. cradle ____ d. stroller

7. Many parents encourage their toddlers to join a local _______ to interact with peers.

____ a. playgroup ____ b. cradle ____ c. babble ____ d. wobble

8. The mother was gently pushing her sleeping baby in a lightweight _______ through the park.

____ a. tantrum ____ b. rhyme ____ c. stroller ____ d. imitation

9. The father sat beside the bed and gently rocked the baby's _______ until she fell asleep.

____ a. cradle ____ b. playgroup ____ c. toddler ____ d. wobble

10. In nursery school, young children love to sing songs and recite a nursery _______ together.

____ a. tantrum ____ b. stroller ____ c. infant ____ d. rhyme

Section C: Common Essay Phrases (5 items)

Use each phrase from the bank exactly once: As a result, For instance, In my view, On the other hand, In addition.

11. _______, parents should remain the primary carers during a child's earliest years of life.

____ a. In my view ____ b. For instance ____ c. In addition ____ d. On the other hand ____ e. As a result

12. Young children need constant adult supervision. _______, a toddler requires close attention while exploring outdoors.

____ a. On the other hand ____ b. For instance ____ c. As a result ____ d. In my view ____ e. In addition

13. Early education helps young children develop social skills. _______, it introduces them to letters and numbers.

____ a. As a result ____ b. On the other hand ____ c. In addition ____ d. In my view ____ e. For instance

14. Nursery care offers structured learning activities. _______, home care provides a personalized emotional bond.

____ a. In my view ____ b. On the other hand ____ c. For instance ____ d. In addition ____ e. As a result

15. Many working parents lack time during the workday. _______, they rely on formal childcare services.

____ a. As a result ____ b. For instance ____ c. In my view ____ d. On the other hand ____ e. In addition

Section D: Sentence Paraphrasing (3 items)

Complete the rewritten sentence so that it matches the meaning of the original statement.

Original sentence: "Parents must look after very young children, from birth up to the age of five."

16. It is the main responsibility of parents to provide care for ____.

Original sentence: "Attending nursery school helps young children learn how to socialize with others."

17. Enrolling in nursery school enables young children to develop essential ____.

Original sentence: "If the state pays towards childcare, young families will feel less financial pressure."

18. Financial pressure on young families can be reduced through ____.

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Grammar Recap: Expressing Age & Age Groups

Notice how each structure is written without extra technical jargon. Choose the pattern that best fits what you want to describe:

1. Exact age period (aged + number):

Put aged + number right after the noun.

Example: "children aged between 5 and 12"

2. Rough life stage (decade):

Use in his/her/their + early/mid/late + decade.

Example: "in her early thirties", "in their sixties"

3. Whole group by age limit:

Use the under- / over- + number + s.

Example: "the under-12s", "the over-50s"

4. Hyphenated age descriptor:

Use a number-year-old (hyphenated, no 's').

Example: "a six-year-old child", "a teenage patient"

Pattern in Action

"Children aged between two and five learn to talk at an amazing speed."

Section E Practice: Age Structures (3 items)

Select the grammatically correct age description for each sentence.

19. Many community nursery programs cater specifically to _______.

____a. the under-5 ____b. under 5s ____c. the under-5s ____d. an under-5s

20. Sarah is currently _______ and works as a full-time early childhood educator.

____a. in her early thirty ____b. on her early thirties ____c. at her early thirties ____d. in her early thirties

21. A _______ requires consistent routine, clear boundaries, and emotional warmth.

____a. three-year-old child ____b. three-years-old child ____c. three year old child ____d. three-years old child

Module 2 • Main Task 20 Minutes

Module 2: The Writing Task

Now it is time to write your full essay. Review the official prompt, check the writing requirements, follow the 4-paragraph plan, and complete your essay in the response box below.

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Prompt

"Some people think that the government, and not the family, should be mainly responsible for the care and education of children under five. To what extent do you agree or disagree?"

💡 Task Type: Opinion Essay (To what extent do you agree or disagree?)

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Essay Requirements

250+ Minimum Words

Write at least 250 words to meet the complete task requirement.

3+ Grammar Structures

Include at least 3 sentences using the age description patterns from Unit 1.

5+ Unit Vocabulary Words

Use at least 5 target words from the unit word list in your essay.

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4-Paragraph Essay Plan

Structure your essay into 4 distinct paragraphs using these sentence starters:

Paragraph 1: Introduction

"In this essay I will discuss ..."

Paragraph 2: First Body Paragraph

"One reason is ..."

Paragraph 3: Second Body Paragraph

"Another reason is ..."

Paragraph 4: Conclusion

"In conclusion, ..."

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Self-Check List

Tick each item to confirm your essay meets all requirements before submitting:

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1. Word Count Requirement My essay is at least 250 words long and fully addresses both care and education for children under five.

____

2. Target Age Grammar I have used at least 3 age-description structures (e.g., children aged between..., the under-5s, in their thirties, a three-year-old child).

____

3. Target Unit Vocabulary I have included at least 5 words from the unit word list (infant, toddler, babble, wobble, imitate, rhyme, tantrum, playgroup, stroller, cradle).

____

4. Paragraph Structure & Starters My response is divided into 4 paragraphs using the mandatory sentence starters provided in the plan.

Write Your Essay

Graded Criteria: Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy

Evaluation criteria for your writing submission:

• Task Response • Coherence and Cohesion • Lexical Resource • Grammatical Range and Accuracy

____ (Write your essay here... (Minimum 250 words))

Module 3 • Model Essay 15 Minutes

Module 3: Model Essay Analysis

Read this B2 model essay to see how target vocabulary, essay linking phrases, and age-description grammar are used naturally in a complete 250-word answer.

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How to Study This Model Essay

Teacher Tip

Have students read the model essay aloud, highlighting how each paragraph starts with a mandatory prompt starter and uses an age pattern appropriately without technical jargon.

Learner Tip

Pay attention to the bolded sentences and read the "Why this works" notes directly beneath them to understand how to apply these patterns in your own writing.

Strong B2 Student Sample Essay

Care and Education of Children Under Five

Word Count: 255 words

Paragraph 1 • Introduction

In this essay I will discuss whether the state or families should carry the main duty of caring for young children. Some people argue that public institutions ought to manage early education. In my view, while public support is helpful, parents should remain primarily responsible for raising children aged between one and five.

📌 Why this works: Uses aged + number after the noun "children" to state an exact age range.

Paragraph 2 • First Main Idea

One reason is that emotional bonding is essential during early childhood development. When an infant is very young, resting in a cradle, they need personal love and attention from their parents. As they grow into a toddler, they start to wobble while taking their first steps and learn to speak by trying to imitate adult sounds. Parents, especially mothers in their early thirties, often spend significant time talking with their children and singing a simple nursery rhyme. These daily personal interactions build trust and emotional security that public centers cannot easily replace.

📌 Why this works: Uses in their early thirties to describe a general age decade for a group of adults.

Paragraph 3 • Second Main Idea

Another reason is that parents are best equipped to handle behavioral challenges at home. For instance, a three-year-old child may throw a sudden tantrum when feeling tired or frustrated.

📌 Why this works: Uses a three-year-old as a hyphenated descriptor before the noun "child" without adding an "s".

Parents understand their child's personality better than outside staff. However, community support is also useful. Parents can take their child in a stroller to a local playgroup, where the under-5s interact with peers and learn to transition from simple babble to clear words.

📌 Why this works: Uses the under-5s to group all children below age five into one clear plural noun phrase.

Therefore, external programs should support parents rather than replace them entirely.

Paragraph 4 • Conclusion

In conclusion, parents should be the main providers of early care and guidance. Although public facilities offer valuable social opportunities, the primary responsibility belongs to the family.

Model Essay Feature Breakdown

Target Unit Vocabulary Used (10/10)

infant toddler babble wobble imitate rhyme tantrum playgroup stroller cradle

Age Grammar Patterns Demonstrated

• aged + number: "children aged between one and five"
• decade period: "mothers in their early thirties"
• hyphenated age adj: "a three-year-old child"
• group age limit: "the under-5s"

Writing IELTS: Early Childhood Development

Unit 1: Early Childhood Development

How to use this lesson

Module 1: Vocabulary & Grammar Build-Up

Section A: Word Forms (5 items)

Section B: Collocations with Unit Words (5 items)

Section C: Common Essay Phrases (5 items)

Section D: Sentence Paraphrasing (3 items)

Grammar Recap: Expressing Age & Age Groups

Section E Practice: Age Structures (3 items)

Module 2: The Writing Task

IELTS Writing Task 2 Prompt

Essay Requirements

4-Paragraph Essay Plan

Self-Check List

Write Your Essay

Module 3: Model Essay Analysis

How to Study This Model Essay

Care and Education of Children Under Five

Model Essay Feature Breakdown

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