It
is better to write in regular, not very sophisticated English, than to
use phrases or structures you don’t fully understand. If you need Band 6
– no need for complex sentence structure. If your goal is Band 7 – then
show advanced sentence structure, language and vocabulary. Don’t write
more than 260-265 words in IELTS Writing 2 task. Why? Not because you
will get a lower mark, but because of these 2 reasons:
- It takes more time
- More words = more mistakes
If
you are told to cover specific points in your essay/letter – cover
every point, examiners do actually count them. Don’t overuse connecting
words (like However, Furthermore, Moreover, etc) – examiners are
watching for you to do that.
And below are some tips for taking the efficient writing test :
1). Underline/circle key words.
2). Clearly divide paragraphs.
3). Don’t repeat ideas in a different way.
4). Stick to the topic.
5). Careful with timing-don’t rush Task 2, it’s longer and carries more weight.
6). Paragraph simply with one idea in each paragraph.
7). Avoid informal language.
8). Learn to recognise how long 150 words is in your handwriting. You don’t really have time to count.
9). Get used to always spending several minutes re-reading and correcting your essays.
10). Don’t memorise model answers, they won’t fit the question and you will make more careless mistakes.
2). Clearly divide paragraphs.
3). Don’t repeat ideas in a different way.
4). Stick to the topic.
5). Careful with timing-don’t rush Task 2, it’s longer and carries more weight.
6). Paragraph simply with one idea in each paragraph.
7). Avoid informal language.
8). Learn to recognise how long 150 words is in your handwriting. You don’t really have time to count.
9). Get used to always spending several minutes re-reading and correcting your essays.
10). Don’t memorise model answers, they won’t fit the question and you will make more careless mistakes.
Before writing an essay, you must know its basic structure. A book about essay writing might show you this.
- Do Task 2 first, because it is worth more marks and is easier.
- Don’t waste too much time on Task 1. Learn all the specific writing structure for each type of task 1. In the real test, you just have to apply that structure with new data and suitable verb tenses. Read sample essays and take note of the ones with good structure to have a wide range of academic structures for task 1. Some structures might be used in the task 2 as well.
- You must complete both tasks. I don’t care how difficult the test is, I don’t care how little time you have got. You MUST complete your test at any cost. If you don’t, you will be penalized.
- Again, practice writing. Do both 2 tasks in one hour. You can focus only on task 1 or task 2, but before the test, you should practice writing both tasks to get familiar with time limits.
- Practice makes perfect. In writing, this statement is completely true. But it is better if there is someone to check your writing for you and so you can learn from your mistakes.
- Writing requires wide academic vocabulary. You also have to buy a dictionary to work on and enrich your vocabulary.
- Avoid all informal ways of writing. There are some rules of writing you should follow. For example: no abbreviations, no 1st and 2nd pronoun or possessive (I, you, me, my, your), except in conclusion where you have to state your opinion.
- Each body paragraph has to include: the topic sentence, supporting sentences (2-3 sentences), development sentences (evidence: example, experience, data). In many languages (English included), there are many ways to develop a body paragraph, which results in a situation where that topic sentence is not the first sentence. But you are advised to put the topic sentence at the beginning of each body paragraph. Don’t be creative in this case.
That
is all I can think of. I hope you will be lucky in your exam and what I
wrote will help you in one way or another. But REMEMBER, to reach
success, you MUST make an effort. You should have a clear motivation and
a strong will to overcome difficulties. When I did practice tests, I
was exhausted. But no success comes easily. Practice is the only way to
gain success. Don’t just wait for a lucky break, it will never come if
you don’t know how to grab it.
And the final point I want to mention is:
Relax before the test!
Attempting
to do one or two practice tests before the real test won’t help you
increase your score. On the contrary, it will make you feel stressed and
less confident.
References :
www.ielts-blog.com/ielts...tips/writing-tips-for-ielts-general-module/
bestowed upon eddysuaib.com
