1. An overview of IELTS Writing Test

 

IELTS Writing test skill plays an essential role in assessing your English skills generally, and flexible ability to use English language in terms of specific written contexts.

In accordance with two types of IELTS test including IELTS General Training and IELTS Academic, IELTS Writing in each type is also different.

ielts writing test overview

 

2. IELTS Writing Test in IELTS General Training & IELTS Academic

 

Normally, the IELTS Writing test lasts 60 minutes with two tasks:

 

  • Task 1: It’s suggested that you should spend around 20 minutes completing this task. The candidates are also required to write at least 150 words.

 

  • Task 2: This task should be taken approximately 40 minutes to write at least 250 words. Especially, the candidates’ overall score for the IELTS Writing test will depend more on this task that contributes twice as much as Task 1.

 

>>> Practice now: IELTS Writing Practice Test

 

Despite insignificant differences in IELTS Writing Task 2 (table 2), IELTS General Training and IELTS Academic don’t share the same form in IELTS Writing Task 1 (table 1).

 

Writing Task 1 in 

IELTS General Training

 Writing Task 1 in 

IELTS Academic
Form Letters: formal, informal and semi-formal

(e.g. 

You have just spent a week with a friend on holiday. When you got home, you realised you had left your wallet there.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:

– Thank you friend for the holiday

– Explain that you left your wallet in their house

– Give them instructions of how to send it back to you)

 Reports: line chart, bar chart, pie chart, table, map, process, etc.

(e.g. 

The bar chart below shows the percentage growth in average property prices in three different countries between 2007 and 2010.)
Requirements – The letter can be formal, semi-formal or informal, so be careful with the option of an appropriate writing format and language

– The form of a letter should be taken into consideration:

+ Opening

+ Paragraphs

+ Closing statements

 – The report must be formal in language

– The form of the report should be included:

+ Introduction

+ Overview

+ Body paragraph 1

+ Body paragraph 2

– The key features and data should be highlighted and compared

(Table 1: Differences in IELTS Writing Test Task 1)

 

Writing Task 2 in 

IELTS General Training

 Writing Task 2 in 

IELTS Academic
Form In IELTS Writing task 2 of both IELTS GT and IELTS Academic module, the test takers are required to write an essay in response to an argument, a problem, or point of view:

+ Argumentative / Opinion / Agree & Disagree

+ Advantages – Disadvantages

+ Discussion

+ Causes and Effects / Causes and Solutions / Problems and Solutions

+ Two-Part Questions
– Topics are more common (social media, schools, family, communication, etc.) – Topics have a wider range (space, nature, museum, etc.)
Requirements – The language must be academic and formal

– Abbreviations, slangs, and fillers are prohibited strictly

– Grammar, sentence structure, punctuation and spelling should be accurate
– The style is more personal – The style is more objective

(Table 2: Differences in IELTS Writing Test Task 2)

 

3. IELTS Writing scoring and assessment

 

As the differences aforementioned between IELTS Writing Task 1 of IELTS General Training and IELTS Academic, the criteria of each are not totally similar. On the other hand, those of IELTS Writing task 2 are the same in both GT and Academic IELTS test.

 

These are some criteria description that you should pay attention to:

 

Task achievement 

 – word count

– key features

– structure (form of a letter, report)
Coherence and cohesion – organisation of ideas or information

– linking devices

– paraphrasing
Lexical resource – appropriate language

– flexible vocabulary usage

– collocations

– spelling errors
Grammatical range and accuracy – grammar structures

– tenses

– punctuation

 

Let’s get started with our free IELTS online test to pass the exam on your first attempt.

 

4. Tips to get a high score in IELTS Writing Test

 

Here are some tips and advice for effective learning and practicing IELTS Writing process:

 

Tips ielts writing test

 

  • Focus on reviewing and improving Vocabulary and Grammar

 

  • Create a daily writing habit (diary, blog, articles using learned vocabulary, etc.)

 

  • Pay attention to the band descriptors in the IELTS Writing test:


+ Task achievement
+ Coherence & Cohesion
+ Lexical Resource
+ Grammatical Range & Accuracy

 

  • Develop ideas in the form of PEER formula:

+ P – Point: opinion / main idea

+ E – Explanation: explain the opinion / main idea

+ E – Example: demonstrate explanation

+ R – Result: how the example impacts on the opinion / main idea

 

  • Prepare a TEMPLATE for each topic (IELTS Writing Task 2), or type (IELTS Writing Task 1)

 

  • Carefully check and review each task done

 

  • Set time for each task in order to get acquainted to time pressure

 

  • Enroll in IELTS offline classes / courses

 

  • Ask for experts, teachers, friends, or experienced test-takers to correct your essay and give comments

 

  • Take advantage of IELTS mobile apps or online courses

 

With IELTS TEST PRO, you can not only refer to assessed articles, but also practice on copious topics.

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