IELTS Writing for Undergraduate applicants: How to Fix Examples that are too general to prove the point

At a glance

For: Undergraduate applicants
Problem: Examples that are too general to prove the point
Scoring criterion: Task Response (Task 2)
Task affected: Task 2 (essay)
IELTS test: Academic
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 undergraduate applicants

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 undergraduate applicants: school essays reward a memorised structure and topic knowledge more than a direct answer to a new question.

School habits push candidates to write everything they know about a topic instead of answering the exact question.

A strength to build on: Recent classroom writing practice means essay structure is already familiar.

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 undergraduate applicants 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. School habits push candidates to write everything they know about a topic instead of answering the exact question.

How long does it take undergraduate applicants to fix examples that are too general to prove the point?

Most learners need one week. Study around school or a gap year gives time, so regular weekly essays with feedback are realistic.

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 undergraduate applicants?

Write three specific example sentences for the idea 'public transport reduces traffic', one with a place, one with a person, one with a scenario. Study around school or a gap year gives time, so regular weekly essays with feedback are realistic.

How can undergraduate applicants 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 undergraduate applicants know about their IELTS Writing target?

Universities set an overall IELTS score and often a minimum Writing score that varies by course and institution. Check each offer's conditions.

Should undergraduate applicants 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. Recent classroom writing practice means essay structure is already familiar.

Can an AI checker help undergraduate applicants 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.

Run a free first check

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.