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IELTS Writing strategies
Spend 20 minutes on Task 1 (150 words) and 40 minutes on Task 2 (250 words). Task 2 is longer than Task 1 and is worth twice as many marks.
Task 1
Before you write
- Read the task and make a mental summary of the key points and overall trends/stages.
- Why? Because if you misinterpret the data or diagram, you will lose a lot of marks for content.
As you write
- Introduce the information, in a sentence or two, using your own words.
- Why? Because if you copy the question, the examiner will not count these words.
- Summarise the key points and use data to illustrate these.
- Why? Because you will lose marks if you miss key points or fail to illustrate them.
- Include an overview of the information - either in your introduction or conclusion.
- Why? Because you will lose marks if your answer does not contain an overview.
How you write
- Try to show that you can use your own words (wherever possible) and a range of grammatical structures.
- Why? Because you will get more marks for vocabulary and grammar if you can do this.
- Divide your answer into paragraphs and use linkers to connect your ideas.
- Why? Because you will get more marks if you can organise your answer well and use a range of linking and reference words.
When you have finished
- Count your words to make sure you have written enough.
- Why? Because short answers lose marks. (There are no extra marks for long answers.)
- Check your grammar, spelling and punctuation.
- Why? Because mistakes in these areas can reduce your marks.
Task 2
Before you write
- Read the task carefully to decide how many parts it has and what your position is.
- Why? Because you will lose marks if you do not address all the parts of the question relevantly.
- Make a quick plan either mentally or on rough paper. Decide on your main ideas.
- Why? Because the examiner will be looking for a number of clear main ideas.
As you write
- Introduce your answer in your own words and make your position clear. You may state your position here as well.
- Why? Because the examiner will not count copied material as part of your total word count.
- Present your main ideas clearly and use examples to support them.
- Why? Because you will get more marks if your ideas are clear and well supported.
- Write a conclusion and re-state your position.
- Why? Because your examiner will expect to find a logical conclusion and a consistent position.
How you write
- Try to show that you can use your own words (wherever possible) and a range of grammatical structures.
- Why? Because you will get more marks for vocabulary and grammar if you can do this.
- Divide your answer into paragraphs and use linkers to connect your ideas.
- Why? Because you will get more marks if you can organise your answer well and use a range of linking and reference words.
When you have finished
- Count your words to make sure you have written enough.
- Why? Because short answers lose marks. (There are no extra marks for long answers.)
- Check your grammar, spelling and punctuation.
- Why? Because mistakes in these areas can reduce your marks.