IELTS Task 2: The Importance of Setting Goals – Band 6-9

Introduction

Goal-setting is a recurring IELTS Writing Task 2 theme because it connects to education, work, success, and long-term planning—areas that examiners frequently test. Understanding how to argue for or against planning and goal-setting will help you handle opinion and discussion essays with confidence. In this lesson, you will learn how to analyze the task, avoid common traps, and write three model essays (Band 5-6, 6.5-7, and 8-9) on the importance of setting goals. You will also get a practical vocabulary bank, high-scoring sentence structures, scoring breakdowns, and self-assessment checklists.

Verified past IELTS-style questions related to goal-setting and planning include:

• Reported by IELTS Liz and IELTS-Blog: “Some people think that planning for the future is a waste of time because the present is more important. To what extent do you agree or disagree?”
• From British Council practice materials: “Some people believe that success in life comes from hard work and determination, while others think that other factors such as money and appearance are more important. Discuss both views and give your opinion.”
• Reported on examiner and teacher lists: “Some believe that young people should set ambitious long-term goals, while others say goals should be realistic. Discuss both views and give your opinion.”

For readers who want a quick primer on why goals matter in everyday life, you may find this useful: The importance of setting personal goals.

1. Question & Analysis

Some people think that planning for the future is a waste of time because the present is more important. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

• Question type and requirements:
  • Type: Opinion (Agree/Disagree).
  • Your task: Take a clear position (agree, disagree, or balanced), support it with reasons and examples, and address both “future planning” and “the present” perspectives.
• Key terms:
  • “Planning for the future” includes setting long-term and short-term goals, timelines, and milestones.
  • “Waste of time” implies inefficiency or low return on effort.
  • “The present is more important” focuses on immediate needs, mental health, flexibility, or seizing opportunities.
• Common pitfalls:
  • Going off-topic by discussing only “success” without linking it to planning.
  • Providing only generic advantages of planning; you must compare future planning with present-focused living.
  • No clear stance: sitting on the fence without a reasoned position lowers Task Response.
• Strategic approach:
  • Decide on your stance first. A balanced “qualified disagreement” often works: planning is valuable, but it should allow present flexibility.
  • Paragraphing: One paragraph on why planning is useful (e.g., career, finance, study), another on why over-planning can backfire and how present-moment actions keep momentum.
  • Use concrete examples: students mapping exam preparation, graduates budgeting for further study, or professionals planning career transitions.

For readers interested in a practical angle—how clarity improves goal effectiveness—consider the discussion here: importance of setting clear financial goals.

IELTS student setting goals and planning essays with timers and checklists

2. Band 8-9 Sample Essay

Band 8-9 essays present a clear, nuanced position, develop ideas coherently with precise examples, and show a wide range of grammar and lexis with natural control.

Essay (298 words)
In my view, planning for the future is not a waste of time; rather, it is a compass that helps individuals align daily actions with meaningful outcomes. That said, planning should remain flexible so that people can respond to immediate realities without abandoning long-term goals.

First, effective planning converts vague aspirations into measurable steps. Students preparing for IELTS, for example, benefit from time-bound targets such as weekly writing practice, vocabulary logs, and mock tests. This structure not only clarifies priorities but also reduces anxiety by breaking a large challenge into manageable parts. In the workplace, employees who set quarterly learning goals—obtaining a certificate or completing a project—tend to progress faster because they can monitor milestones and adjust strategies early.

Nevertheless, an obsession with the future can cause tunnel vision. Life is unpredictable; layoffs, illness, or sudden opportunities demand agility. For this reason, I advocate adaptive planning: setting a direction, then updating plans through short feedback cycles. In study contexts, if a listening score plateaus, a learner should temporarily reallocate time to targeted drills. This present-focused shift does not undermine planning; it optimizes it by aligning effort with current evidence.

Finally, planning safeguards long-term wellbeing. Whether saving for further education or switching careers, a structured plan fosters consistency and resilience during setbacks. The present may feel more urgent, but without a plan, daily choices risk becoming reactive and fragmented. A balanced approach—long-term goals with short, reviewable sprints—allows individuals to honor today’s constraints while still building the future they want.

In short, planning is indispensable when paired with flexibility. The present matters because it is where action happens; the future matters because it gives action direction. We need both.

Scoring breakdown
| Criterion | Band | Justification |
|—|—:|—|
| Task Response | 9 | Fully addresses both sides; clear stance; precise examples (IELTS prep, workplace learning). |
| Coherence & Cohesion | 8.5 | Logical progression with clear topic sentences; cohesive devices are varied and natural. |
| Lexical Resource | 8.5 | Topic-specific lexis (time-bound targets, milestones, adaptive planning) used accurately and precisely. |
| Grammatical Range & Accuracy | 8.5 | Wide variety (inversion-like emphasis, non-defining clauses, participle phrases) with near-native control. |

Why it excels

1. Clear, consistent stance with nuanced caveat (“indispensable when paired with flexibility”).
2. Concrete, context-rich examples familiar to Asian test-takers (IELTS prep, certificates).
3. Sophisticated vocabulary deployed naturally, not forced.
4. Cohesion via logical sequencing and signposting rather than repetitive linkers.
5. Complex sentences balanced with crisp, short emphatic lines.
6. Direct engagement with the prompt’s contrast (future vs present) throughout.
7. High accuracy: no awkward phrasing; precise collocations.

For more real-life contexts where goals are systematically applied, the discussion of measurable targets in finance is informative: importance of financial goals setting.

3. Band 6.5-7 Sample Essay

Band 6.5-7 essays present a clear position and relevant ideas with generally good organization and language control, though with minor lapses in precision or development.

Essay (262 words)
People often say we should “live in the moment,” but I believe planning for the future is usually beneficial. However, plans should not be rigid, because life changes and people need room to adjust.

To begin with, goals make big tasks achievable. For instance, an IELTS candidate who sets a monthly target score and divides practice into daily writing and reading tasks can track progress more easily. This plan keeps motivation high and prevents last-minute panic. In the same way, professionals who plan skill development—like finishing an online course—often advance faster than those who just work without a clear direction.

On the other hand, there are times when focusing on the present is wise. If a student is exhausted, taking a short break and improving sleep may help more than strictly following a plan. Also, unexpected events such as family issues or job changes can make plans unrealistic. Therefore, the best approach is to keep plans flexible. People can review goals every week and make small adjustments.

In conclusion, planning is not a waste of time. It helps people set priorities and create steady habits, which are essential for long-term success. Still, it is important to remember that plans are tools, not rules. We should plan with a clear purpose but also listen to current needs and evidence.

Scoring breakdown
| Criterion | Band | Justification |
|—|—:|—|
| Task Response | 7 | Clear stance with relevant support; minor depth limitations in example development. |
| Coherence & Cohesion | 7 | Logical paragraphing and linking; some repetitive phrasing. |
| Lexical Resource | 7 | Appropriate range (targets, flexible, adjust); occasionally generic vocabulary. |
| Grammatical Range & Accuracy | 6.5 | Mix of complex and simple sentences; minor slips; some safe structures. |

Direct comparison with Band 8-9

• Precision: Band 8-9 uses “adaptive planning,” “time-bound targets,” whereas Band 6.5-7 uses broader terms like “flexible” and “targets.”
• Development: Band 8-9 integrates feedback cycles and optimization; Band 6.5-7 suggests reviews but with fewer specifics.
• Style: Band 8-9 varies sentence length for emphasis; Band 6.5-7 is more uniform and occasionally repetitive.

If you are extending planning to self-improvement beyond study, this perspective is relevant to growth mindset and life design: importance of financial goals in personal development.

4. Band 5-6 Sample Essay

Band 5-6 essays address the task but may be underdeveloped, repetitive, and show noticeable language errors that affect clarity.

Essay (258 words)
Many people think planning for future is not useful because today life is changing fast. I partly agree with this idea, but I still think having goals is more important in general.

Firstly, without any plan people can get lost. Students want to pass IELTS but they don’t know what to do each day, so they waste time. If they make a weekly plan, like two essays and several listening tests, they can see improvement. Also in work, if employees have a plan to learn new skills, they can get promotion faster than waiting for luck. These examples show that planning is helpful.

However, sometimes plans are too strict and make stress. A person may make unrealistic goals and then feel failure when he cannot achieve. For example, if a student decide to study five hours everyday but he has part-time job, the plan will break. In this situation, focusing on present health and responsibilities is better choice. People should keep some space in the plan.

In conclusion, planning should not be waste of time because it gives direction and save time, but people should avoid too hard goals. I believe the best way is to plan with flexibility and check the result every week.

Scoring breakdown
| Criterion | Band | Justification |
|—|—:|—|
| Task Response | 6 | Addresses prompt with clear but simple stance; some generalization. |
| Coherence & Cohesion | 6 | Basic organization; repetitive linking; limited referencing. |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 | Limited range; some word choice errors (save time → saves time). |
| Grammatical Range & Accuracy | 5.5 | Frequent errors: articles, subject-verb agreement, countability. |

Error analysis and corrections
| Mistake | Why it’s wrong | Correction |
|—|—|—|
| “planning for future” | Missing article | “planning for the future” |
| “today life is changing fast” | Word order/article | “today’s life is changing fast” or “life today is changing fast” |
| “get promotion” | Collocation | “get a promotion” |
| “if a student decide” | S-V agreement | “if a student decides” |
| “five hours everyday” | Spelling/word form | “five hours every day” |
| “is better choice” | Article | “is a better choice” |
| “should not be waste of time” | Article | “should not be a waste of time” |

How to improve from Band 6 to 7

• Upgrade collocations: “set measurable milestones,” “allocate study blocks,” “review progress.”
• Vary structures: add non-defining relative clauses and participle phrases.
• Develop examples with specifics (what target, what timeline, how reviewed).

5. Essential Vocabulary

6. High-Scoring Sentence Structures

1. Complex subordination

• Formula: Subordinator + clause, main clause
• Example: Although life is unpredictable, planning remains a compass that aligns daily actions with meaningful outcomes.
• Why it scores well: Shows control over concession and emphasis.
• Additional examples:
  • While short-term needs matter, long-term goals sustain momentum.
  • Even if plans fail, reflective review extracts lessons.
• Common mistake: Using “despite” with a full clause (needs a noun/gerund).

2. Non-defining relative clauses

• Formula: Noun, which/who + extra info, main clause
• Example: Planning, which is often criticized as rigid, can be adaptive when regularly reviewed.
• Why: Adds precision without breaking flow.
• Extra examples:
  • Milestones, which many students overlook, prevent procrastination.
  • Feedback cycles, which guide adjustment, improve efficiency.
• Mistake: Forgetting commas around non-defining clauses.

3. Participle phrases

• Formula: -ing or -ed phrase, main clause
• Example: Breaking large tasks into sprints, learners reduce anxiety and track gains.
• Why: Condenses information; improves cohesion.
• Extra:
  • Faced with unexpected events, planners adapt timelines.
  • Guided by data, teachers refine instruction.
• Mistake: Misplaced modifier making the subject illogical.

4. Cleft sentences for emphasis

• Formula: It + be + focus + that/who + clause
• Example: It is flexibility that prevents planning from becoming counterproductive.
• Why: Highlights key idea; boosts impact.
• Extra:
  • It is weekly review that keeps plans realistic.
  • It is clear criteria that make goals measurable.
• Mistake: Overuse leading to unnatural style.

5. Advanced conditionals

• Formula: If/Unless + present, modal + base verb
• Example: If learners avoid feedback, they may repeat ineffective habits.
• Why: Accurately predicts consequences; precise modality.
• Extra:
  • Unless goals are specific, progress will remain vague.
  • If plans ignore current evidence, results can stagnate.
• Mistake: Mixing tenses incorrectly across clauses.

6. Inversion for emphasis

• Formula: Negative/limiting adverb + auxiliary + subject + verb
• Example: Only by reviewing plans regularly do students maintain consistent progress.
• Why: Sophisticated emphasis; native-like control.
• Extra:
  • Rarely does tunnel vision help in dynamic situations.
  • Not until feedback arrives do improvements accelerate.
• Mistake: Forgetting subject-auxiliary inversion after the fronted adverb.

For those refining life-planning examples that parallel study goals, you may find practical language in discussions of clarity and priorities: importance of setting clear financial goals.

7. Self-Assessment Checklist

Before writing

• Identify question type (opinion/discussion) and choose a clear stance.
• Brainstorm 2-3 main ideas linked to goal-setting and present vs future.
• Plan examples (study, work, finance) and transitions.

While writing

• State your position in the introduction; keep it consistent.
• Start each body paragraph with a controlling idea.
• Use one high-level structure per paragraph (e.g., concessive clause, inversion).

After writing

• Check task coverage: Did you compare future planning with present needs?
• Replace generic words with precise collocations (time-bound, milestones).
• Fix grammar hotspots: articles, S-V agreement, prepositions.

Time management tips

• 3-4 minutes: Analyze and outline.
• 25 minutes: Draft with focus on development and examples.
• 6-7 minutes: Revise vocabulary and grammar; check cohesion and stance.

Conclusion

The importance of setting goals is not just an IELTS topic; it is a practical life skill that strengthens focus, reduces stress, and improves measurable outcomes. To move up the bands, prioritize a clear position, coherent development, and specific examples supported by precise vocabulary and advanced sentence patterns. Aim for steady improvement—most candidates can raise their Writing Task 2 performance by 0.5 band in 6–8 weeks of targeted practice with weekly feedback and timed essays. As you plan your study pathway, consider how personal and financial planning share the same logic of clarity, milestones, and review. A concise primer on these principles is here: importance of financial goals setting. For those thinking further ahead, one practical application of goal-setting is long-term money management: importance of budgeting for retirement.

Your next step: write your own 250+ word essay to the prompt above, apply the sentence structures, and run through the checklist. Share your draft with peers or a teacher for targeted feedback. Consistency beats intensity—plan smart, write regularly, and review purposefully.