Clarity. Control. Confidence.
Meta Description:
Learn how to write in an academic tone for IELTS Writing Task 2 without sounding robotic. This lesson teaches formal phrasing, tone correction, and the fluency mindset for Band 7+.
Key Insight
Academic tone is not about sounding stiff.
It’s about clarity, formality, and control.
Band 7+ writers don’t sound like IELTS students — they sound like fluent thinkers.
Teaching Points
1. Formal ≠ Boring
Academic writing should be:
- Clear
- Direct
- Respectful
- Objective
You don’t need big words — you need clean expression.
2. Use Assertive Phrases
These phrases increase clarity and make your ideas sound more serious:
- “This suggests that…”
- “It can be argued that…”
- “A significant factor is…”
- “Evidence indicates…”
- “One possible explanation is…”
These replace vague or casual expressions like:
- “I think maybe…”
- “Kinda shows…”
- “A bunch of reasons are…”
3. Avoid These Common Tone Killers
| Tone Killer | Fix |
|---|---|
| Contractions (e.g. don’t, can’t, isn’t) | Use full forms: do not, cannot, is not |
| Casual idioms (“a piece of cake,” “kids these days”) | Use precise, topic-related vocabulary |
| Overuse of first-person | Only use I believe or In my opinion in opinion essays — keep the rest neutral |
| Internet/Chat style (“a lot of stuff,” “you know”) | Replace with academic phrasing: a variety of factors, it is widely believed… |
Tool: Tone Tuning Fork
Casual vs. Academic Rewrites
| Casual Version | Academic Rewrite |
|---|---|
| “A lot of people think…” | “Many people believe…” |
| “It’s not a good idea.” | “This approach may be ineffective.” |
| “Stuff like pollution and crime…” | “Issues such as pollution and crime…” |
| “You have to deal with it.” | “Individuals are often required to address this challenge.” |
| “Kids get bored easily.” | “Children often lose focus when material lacks engagement.” |
Exercise 1: Rewrite in Academic Tone
Instructions: Rewrite these sentences to fit IELTS Writing Task 2 tone expectations.
- “Lots of people don’t like paying for health care.”
→ - “I think it’s kinda unfair to charge students for university.”
→ - “There are a bunch of problems with this idea.”
→ - “You should totally ban cars in the city.”
→ - “Fast food is super popular because it’s cheap and easy.”
→
Exercise 2: Spot the Tone Errors
Student Sample 1:
“It’s not okay that people have to pay to get into museums. Museums are super important for learning stuff, and lots of people can’t afford it. So yeah, they should be free.”
Your Task: Identify 3 tone problems and rewrite the paragraph.
Student Sample 2:
“Kids these days spend way too much time online, and it’s kind of ruining their social life. I mean, they don’t even talk face-to-face anymore!”
Your Task: Identify 3 tone problems and rewrite it in a more formal, academic style.
Bonus Tool: Fluency Filters Checklist
Before you submit your essay, ask:
- Does my vocabulary fit the topic naturally?
- Is every word doing real work? (no fluff)
- Are my sentences easy to follow — but not all the same length?
- Does my tone match IELTS academic writing expectations?
Print this. Post it. Use it every time.
Identity Shift Message for Module 8
“The way you say it shapes your score.”
Band 7+ writers don’t try to sound ‘IELTS-y’ — they sound clear, fluent, and in control.
That’s what this module gives you.
This is not about pretending to be someone else.
It’s about aligning your writing voice with how serious thinkers express real ideas.
Next Step: Download the Academic Tone Toolkit
Includes:
- Tone Tuning Fork (full version)
- Fluency Filters printable checklist
- 20 sentence rewrites (Casual → Academic)
- Model Band 7+ mini-essays
Download Free → TotallyFreeIELTS.com/free-lessons
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