Don’t panic when you have to write an essay. Instead, just think of it as a collection of parts, with each part having one or two sentences.

The first part is the first paragraph. This is often in three parts – an introduction with two sides of the problem or question, and your idea. You tell the reader the problem or the situation, and tell him or her what you are going to do in your essay. Read more about introductions here.

The next part is the body. This can be two, three or even more paragraphs. In IELTS, there isn’t usually time to write more than two or three paragraphs. These paragraphs are all divided into even smaller parts. Find out more about the body here.

The last part is the conclusion. This the end – you remind the reader what you said and perhaps give them some advice for the future. Read more about conclusions here.