TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)
🧱 Every body paragraph needs a clear main idea, an explanation, and specific support.
✍️ If the main idea isn’t obvious, use the Explanation-Based approach.
📌 If the idea is already clear, go straight to a real or realistic example or Example-based approach.
🎯 Use the “So what?” trick to strengthen your explanation and show why it matters.
✅ Choose the right method based on how obvious or complex your idea is.
You chose a great main idea for your IELTS Writing Task 2 body paragraph. Nice work! But now comes the part many people struggle with: explaining the idea clearly and completely.
In this blog post, you’ll learn how to support your main idea with explanations or examples, avoid vague reasoning, and use a powerful trick to boost your Coherence and Cohesion score. Let’s dive in!
Why Explaining the Main Idea Is So Important
Each body paragraph in your essay needs to:
- Introduce a clear main idea
- Explain or develop that idea
- Support it with logic or a real-world example
If your explanation is unclear, incomplete, or off-topic, your Task Response and Coherence & Cohesion scores will drop.
So how do you write a strong explanation? There are two ways to support your idea:
Method 1: The Explanation-Based Approach
Use this when your main idea needs to be unpacked or clarified.
Main Idea Example:
Public transport reduces traffic more effectively than building new roads.
This sounds good, but your reader might still wonder: Why is it more effective? That’s what your explanation should answer.
Example Explanation:
“When new roads are built, they often attract more drivers and seem to reduce traffic. But over time, more vehicles enter the roads, and congestion returns. Public transport, on the other hand, removes cars from the road entirely, offering a long-term solution to traffic problems.”
Sounds better, right? But we can make it even stronger.
The “So What?” Trick (Band 7+ Strategy)
One of the most common mistakes students make is stopping too soon. They explain the idea, but not why it matters.
Here’s the fix: After writing your explanation, ask yourself:
“So what? Why does this matter?”
Let’s apply that:
“Public transport removes cars from the road entirely, offering a long-term solution to traffic problems.”
So what?
That means public transport is more cost-effective and sustainable than constantly expanding road infrastructure.
Boom. That extra sentence adds depth and helps the examiner see the connection clearly.
Note: After completing the argument, you should also provide a relevant example to support your claims.
Method 2: The Example-Based Approach
Use this when your idea is already clear, or a fact, and doesn’t need much explanation.
Main Idea Example:
Public transport has proven more effective in reducing traffic than roads in many cities.
Instead of explaining the logic, you go straight to the evidence:
“In Singapore, the government invested heavily in public buses and metro systems. As a result, despite a growing population, car usage has stayed low, and the city has avoided severe traffic congestion.”
This works because:
- It’s specific
- It directly supports the main idea
- It shows the examiner you understand real-world connections
Which Method Should You Use?
Ask yourself: Does my main idea need explanation?
- If YES → Use the explanation-based approach (+ So What trick)
- If NO → Use a clear example
Final Tips
- Always check if your main idea is fully supported
- Don’t assume the examiner can fill in the gaps
- Ask: “So what?” to push your explanation further
- Use examples that are realistic and relevant (they don’t have to be true, just believable!)
Ready to Practice?
The next time you write an IELTS essay, don’t forget to explain your main ideas clearly.
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