Useful Tips for Essay Writing in IELTS in 2023

Written by Krishnatrya
March 6, 2023

Are you preparing for the IELTS exam and struggling with the essay writing section? Look no further! In this blog, I share helpful tips to improve your essay writing skills and increase your chances of scoring well on the IELTS exam. From understanding the question to organizing your thoughts, we've got you covered. So, let's dive in and learn how to ace the essay writing section of the IELTS exam!

POSITIONING OF IELTS WRITING MODULE:

LISTENING (roughly 30 min)----READING (1 hour)----WRITING (1 hour)

Speaking is separate from the rest of his IELTS test and may or may not take place on the same day. It is obvious that you really get exhausted by the time you get your writing module as it is positioned third. Therefore, it is difficult for you to maintain the same level of concentration while doing your writing tasks as for the earlier two. Your ideas and presentation matter here, which demands creativity. My advice is to practise enough mock tests before the actual IELTS test in order to be able to bring out your creativity even in an exhausted state.

Since the writing module comprises of two tasks, one needs to time himself in such a way that he could give justice to both the tasks. Task 2 (essay writing) is longer and carries more weightage. Ideally, one should spend 40 min on this task and 20 min on Task 1. One can choose to do any task first, but I would advise to start with Task 2 or the one which you find easier. If indecisive of what to take first, it is better to take Task 2 as it demands more time and carries more weightage, so one can’t afford to compromise on it at the cost of Task 1. Taking an easier task first is also good as it will take less time and will gear you up for the other task. You are provided separate writing space for Task 1 and Task 2.

Make sure that you write each task as indicated in the space provided. Error in this may cause you to lose marks. In case you make a mistake and start writing in wrong space, don’t panic, just bring it to the notice of the invigilator the moment you notice and do as he instructs you to do. Careful handling will not cause you any loss of marks. It is important that you finish both the tasks. Don’t think that giving your best to one task at the cost of the other will get you good bands. Remember that task fulfil- ment is one of the criteria for marking in IELTS. Writing as less as just 50 words will get you a Band 0 score. Writing over or less than stipulated number of words has a negative impact in many ways. Writing less may produce an essay with insuf- ficient points and hence of inferior quality. On the other hand, a candidate may go out of track and include irrelevant points and consume more time when he writes more. Besides, more text is more likely to have more errors.

Thus, it is good to set a deadline for yourself (like 300 words) to strike a balance between the quality and quantity. You can achieve the desired length by the formula given below. Any of the two layouts can be used for the text in writing section – either indenting or leaving one line space between two paragraphs.

I would recommend the latter format as it would help the candidate to take a word count smoothly by main- taining fixed number of words per line throughout. Calculating words: It is a simple calculation that will take just a minute or so before you begin to write your essay but will help you to be judgmental about the length. The formula is: Number of words you decide to write (divided by) Number of words you fix per line (plus) Blank lines to be left in case you choose to use the block style The number you get by this formula is the number of lines to be consumed for the whole essay. Count these many lines and leave a mark there to remind you of your deadline.

(Note: Considering that you get an A4 size answer sheet, 8 to 10 words per line will lead to good readability.)

CRITERIA FOR ASSESSMENT OF TASK 2:

-Task response (how well-responded the task is and its fulfilment)

-Coherence and cohesion (organising the ideas, flow, and presentation)

-Lexical resource (vocabulary)

-Grammatical range and accuracy (sentence structures)

One must focus on increasing his reading on diverse topics to enrich his general knowledge and vocabulary as a part of IELTS Exam practice. It is good to do conscious newspaper reading for the current issues and take the help of good IELTS books for samples, tips and techniques for preparation. It is recommended to use a pencil instead of a pen for the writing task from a neatness point of view. You have the scope to erase and correct your mistakes and even make alterations in the end if you use a pencil. It is advisable to take a few good quality pencils, an eraser and a sharpener with you even if you get them at the centre (this facility is not in all the centres).

IELTS Writing demands “writing.” Reading the essay topics or other re- sources is suitable for idea-building only. Our writing skills are reflected only when we put our ideas in an organised way taking care that it is pleasing to the eyes of readers. Thus, writing practice is essential for everyone to do. This helps one to establish coordination between hands and mind and brings consistency in writing quality. For those for whom writing is not part of the routine, I would advise doing vigorous writing practice with a pencil to improve their handwriting and writing speed. Though there is no negative marking for the lousy script, legibility does make a difference in assessment as the examiner has to make fewer efforts if the text is reader-friendly. Initially, one needs to focus on quality and not time.

Once enough confidence is gained in quality, one can start a time-bound practice. Here also, it is better to be in a comfort zone and note the time duration initially and then gradually decrease the time (like reducing 5 min every day) to bring it to the course you set for yourself (like 40 min for the essay). It would be best if you did a time-bound strategic practice in the last stage of preparation to beat the time constraint and nervousness in the test. We recommend that you seek feedback on your writing from a linguist to improve the quality of your writing.

WRITING STRATEGY FOR TASK 2:

Read the given title thoroughly and carefully to get the gist of it. It is important that you understand properly what is asked to you and remain focused throughout. It is a good idea to brainstorm yourself for ideas on the given topic and plan the essay for the first few minutes. You can jot down your ideas on the question sheet (can even use mind mapping for this) so that you know the outline of what you will be writing. It may take 5-7 minutes, but it's well worth the time. Since the use of good vocabulary can increase your band scores significantly, whatever good words you can recollect relevant to the topic should be scribbled im- mediately on the question sheet as they flash or else you will lose them.

Even the proverbs, quotations and idioms that can possibly be applied can be scribbled. Once an outline is prepared, you may start structuring it by developing the points, and as you write, keep in mind the flow and coherence. It is good to keep about 5 min for proofreading and checking your work. It really helps you eliminate silly and avoidable mistakes that degrade the quality of your work.

DOS AND DON’TS:

-Punctuation/Formatting (especially commas, full-stops, capitalisation, paragraphing)

-Singular/Plural -Sub-verb agreement

-Superficial check on the use of tenses -Spellings

Please avoid using the sentences in the title as in any part of your essay. Try to understand the information provided in the title and re-create it. If some information from the title is required, it should be altered somehow, like by changing the order of words or using synonyms. Always use paragraphing and not points in your writing. An essay should have at least four paragraphs. Don't skip writing on anything asked in the title. If you are asked multiple questions or given bullets in the title, make sure that you cover them all. Make sure you use pronouns as your writing progresses, maintaining consistency per the noun forms (masculine, feminine, neutral, singular, plural etc.). Avoid contractions (like don't, won't), short forms (like govt. or, e.g.) and slang {like guys, cops, nuts (for crazy)}.

Adhere to the formal writing style in Academic tasks.

Remember, your vocabulary is getting tested, so go for better general word alternatives. You can cut single-line from the middle for the words or information you want to omit after writing. Try consistently using the US or British language to create a good impression. You will get a line along with the essay title:

Use your ideas, knowledge, and experience to support your arguments with examples and relevant evidence.

Here, I want to indicate that including appropriate model (s) in your essay would enhance the quality of the subject matter. Example(s) can be factual, personal or even hypothetical.

Read the title carefully. It may seem not easy, but the answer could be easy to write.

Take the following case: "The inclination of human beings for more and more advancements in technology and modernisation for the betterment of living standard is bound to tamper the environment and create threats to life on earth. To what extent do you agree with this?"

It may be challenging to understand what is precisely asked. Still, if we pay attention and grasp the more significant idea, we would be asked to write about "damage to the environment due to human activities, largely pollution."

Please focus on the broad keywords of the title (you may underline them). Thinking over them can give you a perfect start or introduction. You get keywords such as communication, entertainment, technology and so on.

An essay title can be anything like:

Topic 1: Studying and working abroad provides international exposure and develops a person's thinking. At the same time, the host culture affects a person's mentality to produce many adverse effects. What is your opinion?"

Topic 2: People do not need to learn different foreign languages whatsoever, and computers can be used to translate the languages for them. To what extent do you agree with this?

Topic 3: Though modern life is much facilitated by automobiles, it would have been better if they were not invented. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Topic 4: Nowadays we find many problems due to more and more production of rubbish. Why did this situation happen? What can be done about it?

Understand what kind of essay is asked of you and answer accordingly. If you are asked to give your opinion or whether you agree or disagree (Topic 1, 2 and 3), it is good to write on both views for comparison and then conclude with an opinion. However, ensure that your composition flows towards the ending and that your opinion matches what you give more weightage to in the content above. If you are asked direct questions or given bullet points (Topic 4), you must address them adequately.

In conclusion, writing a solid essay in IELTS is crucial to achieving a good score. It may seem overwhelming initially, but anyone can improve their writing skills with the proper techniques and practice. Remember to plan, structure, and develop your ideas clearly and concisely. Use the valuable tips in this article to elevate your essay writing abilities and excel in your IELTS exam.

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