Choose your own topic essays?

When you choose your own topic, do you have to include your essay topic question in the actual essay, or do you just write it without stating your topic...

If you are truly choosing your own topic, write it well enough that you don't have to state your topic. If you are choosing among a set list of topics, indicate which one you have chosen.

A good introduction will make it clear what you are writing about by presenting a strongly phrased thesis statement and a summary of what you plan to talk about, so this shouldn't be an issue . . .

Never start an essay with: Now I'm going to write an essay on (insert topic here). You shouldn't have to come right out and say what it is you are writing on.

thanks all for your answers, it's useful for me. By the way, is there any one who can learn with me writing essay in IELTS? My YM is: tochucsinhnhat17@yahoo.com

You could post drafts of your practice essays here. The feedback you get might help you improve your essay writing skills for the test.

Lots of forum members are practicing for the IELTS. Many have found it useful to use the forum to share information and critique each other. Please do post your own essays. Also, search the forums for IELTS and look at practice essays that others have written, along with the feedback they've received.

Personally, I start out with just a bit of background. I will state upfront what the reader should expect the essay to be about without saying, "Hey y'all, my essay is going to talk about what I liked in the book." If it is an English literature essay, for example, I might say something like:

Stephen Crane's 1895 novel The Red Badge of Courage tells the story of a young man's experience during the American Civil War. The protagonist, Henry Fleming, experiences a wide range of emotions and responses to war as he transforms from naive recruit to brave and battle-tested veteran.

And then get into my thesis. When it is more of a research paper, I might start with an introduction like this:

Tap dance is a form of theatrical stage dance distinguished by percussive footwork that stomps out an intricate, yet precise rhythm on the stage floor.

Yeah, that's pretty much the standard way of writing intros for academic essays. Occasionally you'll get teachers who want you to start with a hook, which is annoying. A work of fiction needs a hook. An academic essay interests or not primarily based on its relevance to the research needs of the reader.