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IELTS Writing Test: Pattern, Topics, Tips, Lessons
The IELTS Writing section assesses candidates' proficiency in English grammar and vocabulary through the composition of a short essay or letter. Many candidates find this section to be quite challenging due to its strict structure. The IELTS Writing module varies depending on whether the applicant is taking the Academic test (for university admission) or General Training test (for work/migration). Each test consists of two tasks:
- In the IELTS Academic test, test-takers must describe a graph or diagram (Task 1) and write an essay (Task 2).
- In the IELTS General Training test, test-takers must write a letter (Task 1) and an essay (Task 2).
Candidates should allocate 40 minutes for the essay and 20 minutes for the graph or letter since the essay carries more weightage than Task 1 in the IELTS academic writing test. This is because of the difference in the number of words required for each task, with a minimum of 150 words for Task 1 and 250 words for Task 2. Candidates can refer to the IELTS exam pattern for a breakdown of the exam's various sections.
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IELTS Writing Practice Papers
The followingIELTS writing practice papers can be useful for candidates appearing for the IELTS exam:
IELTS Writing Task 1 Practice Papers
IELTS Writing Task 2 Practice Papers
IELTS Writing Tips
Mentioned below are a few IELTS writing tips. Candidates can implement these IELTS writing tips to structure their answers for IELTS Academic and general writing.
- Include Appropriate Information: The best way to ace a writing task is to write your essay based on 5Ws and 1H. This will help in writing an informative essay.
- Add Relevance to Your Writing: This can be achieved by including argumentative statements and appropriate examples.
- Stick With Formal Language: Remember that your essay must not become informal and colloquial. Construct grammatically correct sentences and avoid using first and second pronouns.
- Avoid Repetition: Task achievement, cohesiveness, and grammatical range & correctness are the other three factors used by the IELTS to score your essay. Make your language more interesting by avoiding monotonous, repeated word usage, which makes the examiner assume you don't understand the language.
- Understand the Prompt: Candidates appearing for the IELTS Academic or IELTS General Test, or you’re on Task 1 or IELTS Writing Task 2, make sure you understand exactly what the prompt is asking you to do. While writing a letter, understand if it is formal or informal and use appropriate salutations and closings. However, while attempting an onion essay, make sure to identify both sides of the issue. Further, writing a graph, identify the main trend and features that are being depicted and frame an outline of your answer.
- Prepare an Outline for Your Answer: Before starting with your answer, make an outline of it. Preparing an outline will help students with saving time in the examination. Moreover, outline will help ideas with organising ideas and opinions. Most importantly, having a good outline means you can focus on the language you are using (vocabulary and sentence structure) rather than the ideas you will present. You should start by writing a thesis statement (Task 2) or important points to include in your introduction. Your thesis statement is the driving force behind your entire essay, and every paragraph will relate back to and support it. For IELTS Writing Task 1, organise your introduction by writing down the answer to the question: “What information should someone know about these charts/graphs/diagrams?” (IELTS Academic Task 1) or “What is the purpose of this letter?” (IELTS General Task 1).
- Follow a Defined Order: When organising the opinion essay during the outline stage, determine the order in which you will present your ideas. Your strongest body paragraph should come first, as this will create your reader’s first and most important impressions. If you have three body paragraphs, put the best one first, followed by the weakest one in the middle, and lastly the second-strongest. This way your reader will leave your essay with a good impression.
IELTS Writing Score
The IELTS Writing Band score ranges from 0 to 9. Band scores are awarded based on below mentioned evaluation:
As it is mentioned that the writing task 2 weighs twice that writing task 1. So, if someone receives 8 in task 2 and 6.5 in task 1, the total IELTS Writing score will be 8.0*(2/3)+(6.5)*1/3=7.5.
IELTS Writing Marking Criteria
IELTS writing is assessed based on four specific criteria and each task is judged independently analysing if the responses of the candidates meet those criteria. For both task 1 and task 2 in IELTS Academic and IELTS General Writing, candidates need to fulfil the marking criteria. Table below highlights the criteria both the tasks are assessed on:
| Task achievement/response (25%) | Accuracy of language Relevance of the response Meeting minimum word count requirements of 150/250 |
| Coherence and cohesion (25%) | To have clarity in the message To have fluency in language Having an organised response Linking ideas and information to the topic |
| Lexical resource (25%) | Use of good vocabulary Terms used should be accurate Does not have errors in spelling or word formation |
| Grammatical range and accuracy (25%) | Use of accurate grammar Error free sentences Properly structured response |
IELTS Writing Samples
Mentioned below are the samples for IELTS writing task 1 and IELTS Writing task 2 for both IELTS Academic and IELTS general training test. Each sample has three model answers:
IELTS Academic Writing Samples
Following are the samples for IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 and Task 2:
IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Samples
- The Graph below shows the Total Births and the Total Deaths in a European Country from 1950 to 2050 IELTS Writing Task 1
- Journeys made by Different Forms of Transport in Four Countries IELTS Writing Task 1
- Source of Complaints about the Bank of America IELTS Writing Task 1
- Positions held by Women in Government and Management in Five Different Countries in 2000 IELTS Writing Task 1
- Number of Books Read by Men and Women at Burnaby Public Library IELTS Writing Task 1
- Different Types of Crime in England and Wales From 1970 to 2005 IELTS Writing Task 1
- Different Sources of Air Pollutants IELTS Writing Task 1
- Percentage of Students Giving Good Ratings IELTS Writing Task 1
IELTS Academic Writing Task 2 Samples
- People Should Follow The Customs And Traditions IELTS Writing Task 2
- Cultural Traditions IELTS Writing Task 2
- The Increase in People’s Life Expectancy IELTS Writing Task 2
- The News Media have Become Too Much Influence on People Lives Today IELTS Writing Task 2
- The Crime Rate Nowadays is Decreasing Compared to the Past Due to Advances in Technology IELTS Writing Task 2
- People Should Get Married Before They are 30 IELTS Writing Task 2
- People Spend a Lot of Money on Tickets to go to Sporting or Events - IELTS Writing Task 2
- Increasing Business and Cultural Contact between Countries is a Positive Development - IELTS Writing Task 2
IELTS General Writing Samples
Following are the samples for IELTS General Writing Task 1 and Task 2:
IELTS General Writing Task 1
- Write A Letter To Your Manager Asking Permission To Attend The Conference - IELTS General Writing Task 1
- Write a Letter to Your Professor to Change the Presentation Date - IELTS General Writing Task 1
- Letter To Manager For Holiday - IELTS General Writing Task 1
- Letter to the Principal about Taking a Week Off IELTS GT Writing Task 1
- Letter To A Council About A Shopping Centre Near Your Home - IELTS General Writing Task 1
- Letter to a Friend About Moving to a New House - IELTS General Writing Task 1
- Formal Letter to Change Hostel Room IELTS General Writing Task 1
- Letter to summer camp organisers - IELTS General Writing Task 1
IELTS General Writing Task 2
- Leaders and Directors in an Organisation are Normally Older People. Some People Think having a Younger Leader would be better. Do you agree or disagree? – IELTS Writing Task 2
- Best Way To Reduce Crime Is To Have Longer Prison Sentences - IELTS Writing Task 2
- In Some Countries More and More People Becoming Interested in Finding Out About the History of the House IELTS Writing Task 2
- High Sales of Popular Consumer Goods Reflect the Power of Advertising - IELTS Writing Task 2
- International Sporting Events Can Contribute To World Peace - IELTS Writing Task 2
- Governments Should Not Spend Money On International Aids - IELTS Writing Task 2
- The Speeding of Life in Many Areas Such as Travel and Communication - IELTS Writing Task 2
- People Today do not Feel Safe either at Home or when they are Out - IELTS Writing Task 2
IELTS Writing Question types
For both IELTS Academic writing and IELTS General Writing, there are different question types. The question types are based on IELTS writing task 1 and IELTS writing task 2.
IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The question in IELTS academic writing task 1 is based on infographics. Candidates need to analyse the given diagram or picture and write a short essay in 150 words. The following example on the topic can be of help. Based on this task, candidates’ analytical and reasoning skills would be assessed.
Topic: The graph below shows the total births and the total deaths in a European country from 1950 to 2050. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and give comparisons wherever necessary. Candidates need to write the answer in no less than 150 words.
IELTS Academic Writing Task 2
IELTS Writing Task 2 is an essay based task. Candidates need to write a 250 word essay based on a given topic. Candidates have to either agree or disagree, make discussion or give their opinion.
IELTS General Writing Task 1
IELTS General writing task 1 comprises letter-writing questions. Candidates are required to write either of the formal, informal or semi-formal letters as stated in the questions. They need to write their response based on the situation given. The following is an example question of task 1:
IELTS General Writing Task 2
IELTS General writing task 2 is an essay based task. Candidates need to write a 250 word essay. The questions are based on daily-life general topics. Candidates need to state their opinion with supporting argumentative statements, provide general information or evaluate a given idea.
IELTS Writing Topics
Prior to exploring the IELTS writing topics, candidates must be aware of the types of essay they might be asked to write. Below mentioned is a table that highlights essay types in IELTS writing task:
| Type of Essay | Description |
|---|---|
| Opinion Essay | Candidates are required to discuss their opinion on a given topic. To score more, candidates must have prior knowledge about the given topics |
| Discussion Essay | Candidates are required to present appropriate explanations against a given topic. |
| Solution Essay | This requires candidates to provide solutions based on a given situation. |
| Advantage and Disadvantages Essay | students have to write about the positive and negative sides of a particular topic. Such essays test your argument construction skills and how well you can use English to put your point across as clearly and coherently as possible. |
| Direct Question Essays | For this type of essay, the topics will be provided as a direct question which students have to answer based on their experiences and thoughts. |
Several IELTS writing topics are there for both Task 1 and Task 2. These topics have been provided below and candidates can consider IELTS preparation accordingly.
Below mentioned are some of the IELTS task 1 topics that can be practised by candidates:
| IELTS Essay Topics | Questions |
|---|---|
| Food | The bar chart shows the percentage of people who consumed five portions of fruits and vegetables per day in the UK from 2001 - 2008 The line graph shows the consumption of different kinds of meat in an European country from 1979 to 2004 |
| Activities | The chart below shows the hours per week that teenagers spend performing certain activities in Manhattan from 2001 - 2007 |
| Business/Work/Employment | The chart below shows the growth in sales of different digital games from the year 2000 to 2006 The table gives information about employment sectors in which people from 3 age groups work |
| Population | The graph shows the population of different types of turtles in India from 1980 to 2012 |
Below mentioned are some of the IELTS task 2 topics that can be practised by candidates:
| Animal | Energy | Independent and influential art | Reading |
| Art | Environment | Job | Relationship |
| Business | Entertainment | Language | Science |
| Communication | Exercise and fitness | Leadership | Society |
| Crime & Punishment | Family/Kids | Leisure | Space Exploration |
IELTS Academic Writing vs IELTS General Writing
IELTS academic writing includes two questions, one each for writing task 1 and writing task 2. IELTS academic writing assesses candidates’ efficiency to write, organise and use their vocabulary appropriately with grammatical accuracy.IELTS General writing tests candidates’ skills in communicating in their non-native language in leading an everyday life abroad. IELTS writing task 1 requires candidates to write 150 words in 20 minutes. Writing Task 2 includes a 40 minutes task to write a 250-word essay.
IELTS Writing Books and Resources
- Official IELTS Practice Materials – Check PDF
- The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS- Check PDF
- Cambridge IELTS’ Book 14 for Academic with Answers – Check PDF
- Barron’s IELTS Superpack – Check PDF
- Target Band 7– Check PDF
- English Vocabulary in Use- Check PDF
Also you can follow these sites:
Candidates can consider preparation from above mentioned resources. These provide effective guidance for IELTS exam pattern. Moreover, candidates can also find more samples and practice papers available over the internet for IELTS preparation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ques. How to score band 9 in IELTS Writing?
Answer: Candidates need to ensure that their IELTS Writing Task 2 does not go off topic. You need to brainstorm the ideas and structure your essay effectively. Further, candidates need to develop strong paragraphs and sentences that are varied for higher score.
Ques. How should I prepare for IELTS Writing?
Answer: Candidates need to read lot of English books, papers and take model tests as part of their preparation. You need to be careful for not learning any new words or phrases one week before the exam as it would be of no help and might confuse you.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College
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