IELTS Writing for Teachers: 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
- Teachers
- 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 teachers
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 teachers: classroom explanations are simple and repeated for clarity, which can read as repetitive in a written argument.
Teachers often explain a point well but forget to state a firm position early.
A strength to build on: Experience of explaining ideas step by step supports clear paragraph logic.
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 teachers 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. Teachers often explain a point well but forget to state a firm position early.
How long does it take teachers to fix examples that are too general to prove the point?
Most learners need one week. Marking and planning fill evenings, so one focused weekly timed essay plus daily micro-drills works best.
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 teachers?
Write three specific example sentences for the idea 'public transport reduces traffic', one with a place, one with a person, one with a scenario. Marking and planning fill evenings, so one focused weekly timed essay plus daily micro-drills works best.
How can teachers 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 teachers know about their IELTS Writing target?
Teacher registration and overseas teaching routes usually set a minimum IELTS score. Check the specific board or employer, because the test type and score vary.
Should teachers 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. Experience of explaining ideas step by step supports clear paragraph logic.
Can an AI checker help teachers 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 teachers: overview
- Teachers: an unclear position in Task 2
- Teachers: overused linking words such as 'however' and 'moreover'
- Teachers: sentences that all have the same simple structure
- Teachers: repeating the same words from the question
- Teachers: a conclusion that only repeats the introduction
- Teachers: ideas that are listed but not developed
- Self-study learners: examples that are too general to prove the point
- Candidates aiming for Band 7.5 or higher: examples that are too general to prove the point
- Arabic speakers: examples that are too general to prove the point
- Korean speakers: examples that are too general to prove the point
- Engineers: examples that are too general to prove the point
- PhD applicants: examples that are too general to prove the point