How Should I Prepare For The IELTS Written Exam?
The written examination portion of the International English Language Test System (IELTS) is designed to evaluate students’ ability to “write a response appropriately, organize ideas and use a range of vocabulary and grammar accurately.” But, what does that actually mean? We’re here to share with you several of our top tips for success on the IELTS written exam.
What Is The IELTS Written Exam?
The written portion is one of four topics that make up the complete IELTS examination (the others being reading, speaking, and listening). It is comprised of two tasks and candidates have 60 minutes to complete both tasks. While both tasks are largely similar, there are some very key differences worth pointing out. To keep things simple, we’re going to look at each task separately; outlining the requirements, grading criteria, and what you can do to reach the highest band possible.
Task 1
Understand The Task
The primary goal of Task 1 is to write an academic report on a given chart, table, or graph (there are 6 possible types: Bar Graph, Pie Chart, Line Graph, Map, Table, or Diagram. A combination of two is also possible). This report must be no fewer than 150 words; falling short will count against you. Task 1 is worth only half as much as Task 2, therefore, it is best to spend no more than 20 minutes on it.
Understand The Scoring
All IELTS exams are scored on a so-called “band” system. All exams are graded on a scale between 0-9 (with .5 scores being allowed e.g, 5.5, 7.5) with a score of 7 marking a “Good User”. Your score for each exam is based on four criteria:
- Task Achievement
- Vocabulary
- Coherence and Cohesion
- Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Each of these is weighted equally and is worth 25% of your total score.
Understand The Question
You will not have very long to work on Task 1 (really, keep it under 20 minutes). As such, don’t spend too much time planning out your response. Your top priority is to understand exactly what the question is asking for and to find that data in the given image. Not all of the given data will be relevant. Isolate exactly what you need and ignore the rest.
Get To The Point
You don’t have a lot of time or space to work with. While there is no word maximum, it is best to keep Task 1 under 180 words as going beyond it will eat into your time and will - in and of itself - help your score. Task 1 is about clear, concise writing. Begin your answer with a clearly defined topic sentence and avoid filler words or informal expressions. For example “As you can see in figure 1…” is far too informal and wordy; instead, consider “Figure 1 illustrates…”.
Understand The Style
There are fairly specific guidelines for the style and outline of your Task 1 answer. Generally, four paragraphs are all you will need. These can be further broken down into a nice outline.
- Paragraph 1 - This is your introduction where you should explain exactly what the graph shows and what you will answer.
- Paragraph 2 - this is perhaps the most important part, but can easily be the shortest. In Paragraph 2 you should explain the details of the chart (highest and lowest values, key data, first and last dates, etc.) The data you include will depend on the exact nature of the image and question.
- Paragraphs 3 & 4 - These are the main body of your answer. This is where you explain exactly what the data you laid out in Paragraph 2 means and where you will answer the specific questions asked in the Task.
- Overview - This can be placed either at the end of the answer or after Paragraph 1, but it must be included. This is basically a brief summary of all of your main points.
Study Samples
There is no shortage of sample answers available online. Both on the IELTS official website and countless others. While these will not be the same questions you will be asked, they will show you what kinds of answers and styles are expected of you,
Task 2
Understand The Question
Task 2 will present you with a short text to read. This text will outline a particular argument, problem, or point of view and you will be asked an answer to a specific question regarding the text. This Task requires an answer of no fewer than 250 words; as with Task 1, points will be deducted for going under, but going over will not help you. Attempt to keep your answer between 260-280 words. Read the sample text and isolate only the points that are relevant to the given question.
Understand The Scoring
Task 2 is graded according to the same criteria as Task 1. However, it is weighted to be worth twice as much. Therefore, it is worth committing most of your time to completing this task.
Plan Your Answer
Since you will have more time to spend on this task, it is best to take a few minutes to fully plan out your answer, do not just begin writing and hope for the best. On a spare piece of paper, create a rough outline of what you will say and where. Note that all written answers MUST be written in a formal, complete style. Any answers provided in a note or outline format will not pass.
Understand the Style
Task 2 should follow the same 4-5 paragraph structure as Task 1. The main difference is that this Task requires 100 extra words. Try to spread these out as much as you can; but remember that conciseness is worth 25% of your score on this section. Do not spend time or words giving a strong personal opinion on the matter. This is a formal essay and will be graded as such.
Practice, Practice, Practice
As with anything else, the key to a high score on the IELTS Written Exam is to practice it over, and over again. There are literally hundreds of sample questions and answers available online. Only by practicing your writing skills, again and again, will you be able to pass with a high score.
Take a practice test and see where you scored poorly, focus on that and take another one. The IELTS Written Exam is difficult - it is supposed to be. But through hard work and practice, anyone can succeed.
