How test taker knows that he or she has written a good IELTS essay is a common come up-question after test taker finishes his or her essay. In order to anticipate this, test taker has to master the points that are used to score the essay.
The first point is “task response”.
What is meant by task response here is the ability of test taker’s
essay to show his or her understanding about the topic. It covers all
aspects of the topic. The example is “Homework: helping students to
study regularly or merely giving more burdens for students?” In this
topic for example, test taker who explains about homework’s role in
helping students to study regularly looses his or her score. Another
test taker who explains only the point of view of homework in giving
students’ additional burden losses his or her score as well. On the
contrary, test taker who explains both sides, gains a score.
The next point is “coherence and cohesion”.
In order to make a coherence and cohesive essay, test taker has to be
able to relate paragraphs and sentences in the paragraphs itself.
Whenever test taker needs to explain a discussion essay that requires
two points of view about a topic, he or she should put the right
connective to avoid the effect of jumping paragraph. The choice of some
words such as “on the other hand, on the contrary, in spite of, and some
other contradictory connectives” is a must item to use to begin a new
paragraph. The same case must be applied in the sentences in the
paragraph. Every sentence in a paragraph should lead to the next
sentence so that all sentences are logic.
The third point is “lexical resource”.
Lexical resource is vocabulary and different types of sentences, simple
and complex. It is expected that test taker is able to use words and
know their synonyms.
The last point is “grammatical range and accuracy”.
This point covers spelling and grammar of sentences. Test taker has to
keep constant in using the right spelling, punctuation, articles, part
of speech, and other things related to grammar.
It
should be remembered as well that these four points have the same weigh
in the essay score. Therefore, none of these points is less important
compared to others.
References: http://www.ielts-blog.com/ielts-preparation-tips/writing-tips/ielts-writing-2-task-explained/, http://ielts-simon.com/ielts-help-and-english-pr/ielts-writing-task-2/.
