Topic Boundary Map
Gallery showing broad topic, exact focus, and off-topic drift.
Click to zoom
Stay inside the bullseye. Any argument that drifts into the outer circle loses points for Task Achievement.
Differentiate between broad topics and narrow prompt focuses to maintain strict relevance.
Preview · progress not saved — Chapter 1 is free
Teach how broad topics have a narrow focus in the prompt.
A major trap in IELTS Task 2 is answering the Broad Topic instead of the Narrow Focus.
When under time pressure, learners often read a keyword like "Technology" and immediately start writing everything they know about it. This leads to "topic drift" and permanently caps your Task Achievement score at a Band 5 or 6.
Gallery showing broad topic, exact focus, and off-topic drift.
Stay inside the bullseye. Any argument that drifts into the outer circle loses points for Task Achievement.
Learner decides whether body paragraph ideas answer the prompt.
Prompt: "The impact of fast food on public healthcare costs."
Proposed Idea: "Fast food packaging causes severe environmental pollution."
How relevant is this idea?
Learner classifies ideas as relevant, partly relevant, or off-topic.
Terms
Definitions
Learner rewrites an off-topic idea into a task-focused idea.
Prompt: "How does excessive social media use affect the academic performance of teenagers?"
Draft Idea: "Social media causes teens to feel insecure about their body image because they constantly compare themselves to influencers."
Identify the exact boundary the idea crossed.
Write 1-2 sentences. Make sure it connects social media directly to school grades, studying, or focus.