IELTS WRITING

IELTS WRITING is the third paper of the IELTS test; as you will see in the videos, there are two tasks in total, and these are different for ACADEMIC IELTS or GENERAL IELTS. In IELTS ACADEMIC, task one asks you to describe a graph/chart/map/flow chart, whereas IELTS GENERAL asks you to write a letter. Task 2 instead asks you to write an essay in both types of IELTS. One of the problems students normally come across with is time management as one hour seems to be too short to complete both tasks required in the test; another problem that my student often have is that they have never described a graph or an essay and they don’t know where to start. Some other people say they don’t understand the “IELTS” grammar and vocabulary needed for the tasks.

When we say “IELTS” grammar we actually mean “ENGLISH” grammar as the IELTS is a language test that assesses how well you know English; however, I do agree that if you want a high band score, you need to use what the IELTS calls “flexible structures”, meaning “advanced grammar structures” such as the passive, for example, or conditionals or relative clauses.

As for the vocabulary, TASK 1 does require certain specific words but they are the words that you would use at work or in an academic context when you report on data. So, basically, what I am trying to say is that you don’t need to learn a completely new discipline to improve your grammar and vocabulary in the IELTS. You just need a combination of good techniques, good strategies, grammar and vocabulary which I teach in my courses.

 
 

TASK 1: ACADEMIC IELTS

Task 1 Academic and General IELTS are different. As you can see in my Writing video section, Academic IELTS tests your ability to describe a graph (bar/table/pie/line/maps/flow chart), while General IELTS tests your ability to write a letter (formal-informal/semi-formal).

WHAT THE COURSE COVERS

  • The Different Task 1 question types

  • Structure of task 1

  • Planning Your Response (Including Time Management)

  • Mistakes to Avoid when planninG

  • How to identify Main Trends / Differences

  • How to Select Key Features

    Introduction – what is it and how to write it

  • Grammar and vocabulary for the introduction

  • Different introductions: lower bands (up to 6.5) – higher bands (7+)

    Overview (academic): what is it and how to write it

  • Grammar and vocabulary for the introduction

  • Different introductions: lower bands (up to 6.5) – higher bands (7+)

    Main Body

    Main verbs and vocabulary to describe:

  • Movement

  • Change

  • Comparisons/contrast

    Analysis of different types of graphs:

  • Line graph

  • Table graph (analysing and comparing data)

  • Describing a process (Describing sequences + language of process)

  • Maps: describing changes in maps

  • Mixed charts: are the more difficult?

  • Comparing Lower bands with higher bands

  • GENERAL IELTS

  • Different types of letters (complaints/invitations/requests/ suggestions)

  • How to start/end a letter (greetings and salutations)

  • How to approach the 3 bullet points

    Analysing the different types of letters

  • Complaint/invitation/suggestion/request

  Grammar to use in task 1: (Academic + General)

  • Tenses – understanding what tenses to use according to the time reference of the graph /letter

  • Active/passive

  • Linking words

  • Relatives

  • Using Punctuation in Task 1

 

 

TASK 2: ACADEMIC IELTS / GENERAL IELTS

Task 2 Academic and General IELTS are the same in terms of structure. What changes is normally the topic: Academic IELTS will have topics on school, government, crime, business, transport etc…, while Academic IELTS will have topics such as society, languages, people, art, customs etc..

WHAT THE COURSE COVERS

  • The Different Task 1 question types

  • Structure of task 2

  • Planning Your Response (Including Time Management)

  • Mistakes to Avoid when planninG

  • How to identify the type of essay (discussion/opinion/2-sided)

  • How to organise the essay

Introduction

  • Grammar and vocabulary for the introduction

  • How to reword an essay statement: background sentence/rewording the statement/

  • Different introductions: lower bands (up to 6.5) – higher bands (7+)

    Main Body

    How to write 2 paragraphs with all the information + examples”

  • language for discussion essay/opinion essay/ 2-sided essay

    Analysis of different types of graphs:

  • Discussion essay

  • Agree/Disagree essay

  • To what extent do you agree essays

  • Advantages/Disadvantages essays

  • Problem/solution essays

Comparing Lower bands with higher bands

Grammar to use in task 1: (Academic + General)

  • Tenses – understanding what tenses to use according to the time reference of the graph /letter

  • Active/passive

  • Linking words

  • Relatives

  • Using Punctuation in Task 2