IELTS Writing for Accountants: How to Fix Examples that are too general to prove the point
Use one specific, believable example per body paragraph: a named situation, a type of person or a realistic scenario. Vague examples such as 'many people' or 'some countries' do not support an argument. Invented statistics should be avoided.
At a glance
- For
- Accountants
- Problem
- Examples that are too general to prove the point
- Scoring criterion
- Task Response (Task 2)
- Task affected
- Task 2 (essay)
- IELTS test
- Academic or General Training (check your requirement)
- Typical effort
- one week
- First step
- Choose an example type: a named country or city, a typical person, or a short scenario.
Why this happens to accountants
Candidates worry about giving wrong facts, so they stay general. The result is an example that could support any point, which weakens development and makes the essay sound generic.
Why this affects accountants: professional writing is precise and number-heavy, with little extended argument.
Accountants can write exact statements but often skip the broader reasoning that Task 2 requires.
A strength to build on: Accuracy and attention to detail help with proofreading and with reading data in Task 1.
Fix it in four steps
- Choose an example type: a named country or city, a typical person, or a short scenario.
- State who or what, and what happened, in one sentence.
- Link it back with 'This shows that…' so the example proves your point.
- Never invent a percentage. Use 'a growing number' or 'most' if you are not certain.
Before and after
Before
For example, many countries have good public transport.
After
For example, a commuter in Tokyo can reach most of the city by train without a car, which removes thousands of daily journeys from the roads.
Ten-minute drill: Write three specific example sentences for the idea 'public transport reduces traffic', one with a place, one with a person, one with a scenario.
Questions and answers
What is the fastest way for accountants to fix examples that are too general to prove the point?
Use one specific, believable example per body paragraph: a named situation, a type of person or a realistic scenario. Vague examples such as 'many people' or 'some countries' do not support an argument. Invented statistics should be avoided. Accountants can write exact statements but often skip the broader reasoning that Task 2 requires.
How long does it take accountants to fix examples that are too general to prove the point?
Most learners need one week. Peak work periods such as year-end make study irregular, so plan lighter weekly targets in busy months.
Do examples have to be real facts?
They must be believable. A well-chosen general scenario is fine. Made-up numbers or false claims can hurt credibility and are unnecessary.
Can I use personal experience as an example?
Yes, if it is short and supports the argument. Keep it factual and link it to a wider point instead of telling a long story.
What does a good practice drill look like for accountants?
Write three specific example sentences for the idea 'public transport reduces traffic', one with a place, one with a person, one with a scenario. Peak work periods such as year-end make study irregular, so plan lighter weekly targets in busy months.
How can accountants tell they have fixed examples that are too general to prove the point?
Each example answers who, where and what happened, and could not be reused for a different idea.
What should accountants know about their IELTS Writing target?
Accounting bodies and migration routes usually set a minimum IELTS score. Check the professional body or visa category for the current requirement.
Should accountants practise this on Task 1, Task 2 or both?
This is a Task 2 issue, so practise it on full essays. Task 2 carries about twice the weight of Task 1 in the Writing band, so progress here moves the score most. Accuracy and attention to detail help with proofreading and with reading data in Task 1.
Can an AI checker help accountants with examples that are too general to prove the point?
An AI checker can show where this pattern appears in your own essay and which criterion it affects, which makes the fix concrete. It gives a practice estimate, not an official IELTS score, so use it to choose the next revision, rewrite, and check again. The first check on this site is free.
Check your own essay
See where examples that are too general to prove the point appears in your own writing and which criterion it affects, then rewrite the weakest paragraph.
Feedback is a practice estimate, not an official IELTS score. Last reviewed 2026-11-11. Score requirements change, so confirm them with the organisation that will read your result.
Related guides
- IELTS Writing for accountants: overview
- Accountants: ideas that are listed but not developed
- Accountants: sentences that all have the same simple structure
- Accountants: body paragraphs with no clear topic sentence
- Accountants: misreading or misreporting data in Task 1
- Accountants: repeating the same words from the question
- Accountants: an unclear position in Task 2
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- Australia skilled migration applicants: examples that are too general to prove the point
- IELTS retakers: examples that are too general to prove the point
- Candidates stuck at Band 6.5: examples that are too general to prove the point
