IELTS WORKSHOP

The IELTS 9-band scale

The nine bands are described as follows:

Has full operational command of the language: appropriate, accurate and fluent with
9 Expert User
complete understanding.

Has full operational command of the language with only occasional unsystematic
8 Very Good User inaccuracies and inappropriacies. Misunderstandings may occur in unfamiliar
situations. Handles complex detailed argumentation well.

Has operational command of the language, though with occasional inaccuracies,

7 Good User inappropriateness and misunderstandings in some situations. Generally handles
complex language well and understands detailed reasoning.

Has generally effective command of the language despite some inaccuracies,

Competent
6 inappropriacies and misunderstandings. Can use and understand fairly complex
User
language, particularly in familiar situations.

Has partial command of the language, coping with overall meaning in most
5 Modest user situations, though is likely to make many mistakes. Should be able to handle basic
communication in own field.

Basic competence is limited to familiar situations. Has frequent problems in using

4 Limited User
complex language.

Extremely
3 Conveys and understands only general meaning in very familiar situations.
Limited User

Intermittent No real communication is possible except for the most basic information using
2
User isolated words or short formulae in familiar situations and to meet immediate needs.

1 Non User Essentially has no ability to use the language beyond possibly a few isolated words.

Did not attempt

0 No assessable information provided at all.
the test

WRITING – Task 2
What are you being tested on?
 ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

A) Task Fulfilment
- Does the essay display the features of an academic
essay? i.e. introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion.
- Does the essay address the question?
- Is the essay long enough?

B) Coherence and Cohesion

- Are the ideas clear and understandable?
- Is there a logical organisation ( grouping of ideas)
- Has connecting language been used appropriately?

C) Grammar
- Does the essay use a range of sentence structures?
- Are there any grammar mistakes?

D) Vocabulary
- Does the essay use vocabulary relevant to the question?
- Is the language appropriate or formal for an academic
essay?
- Is the vocabulary used accurately?
WRITING – Task 2
Task 2 question types

 Argument essay
– ‘To what extent do you agree or disagree?’

– ‘Do you agree or disagree?’

– ‘Choose a position and support it with

examples.’

– ‘What is your opinion? Support it with

examples.’

 Discussion essay
– 'What are the advantages and disadvantages
of this subject?'
– ‘Analysis both sides of this claim, before giving
a conclusion.’
– ‘How do opinions differ on this subject?’
– ‘Discuss both sides of this argument.’
– ‘Look at all sides of this argument.’
– ‘What are the benefits and drawbacks of this
argument?’

 Problem/Solution essay
– ‘What are the causes of this problem and what
can be done to prevent it from happening?’

cause problem solution

reason effect measure
WRITING – Task 2
Task 2 essay types

Argument essays (also known as argumentative or opinion

essays)
Example:
Some people think that the only purpose of working hard is to
earn money.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Discussion essays (also known as discursive essays)

Example:
Fast food outlets are everywhere. They provide a quick,
convenient dining experience.
However, they can also have a bad effect on our lifestyle.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of this subject?

Problem/Solution essays (also known cause/effect essays)

Example:
The world is experiencing a dramatic increase in population.
This is causing problems not only for poor, underdeveloped
countries, but also for industrialised and developing nations.

What are the causes of this problem and what can be done to
prevent it from happening?
1 sided argument essay – ‘Nuclear technology

The threat of nuclear weapons maintains world peace. Nuclear power

provides cheap and clean energy.

The benefits of nuclear technology far outweigh the disadvantages.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement

Most countries today are becoming more and more dependent on
nuclear technology as a source of energy. This is because of its high
energy output which can be used to generate power to provide electricity
to households. However, it can lead to some environment issues and
can also be used to develop weapon of mass destruction. For these
reasons, the dangers posed by using nuclear technology far outweigh
the benefits.

Firstly, nuclear power can have some serious drawbacks. Despite not
emitting any harmful gasses into the atmosphere during the generation
process, nuclear fusion does produce massive quantities of radioactive
waste. If not disposed of correctly, radiation can spread through water
supplies and in the air. It can be deposited on people, plants, animals
and soil which will result in the public’s health being affected negatively.
This was demonstrated in the recent Fukushima nuclear reactor crisis in
Japan where the reactors emitted tons of radiation into the atmosphere.
Another widely known nuclear accident was the Chernobyl disaster that
occurred in 1986 where hundreds died, and thousands were affected by
radiation.

Secondly, the development of nuclear technology had led to the race to

produce extremely destructive weapons. The USA and the USSR
developed nuclear weapons as a demonstration of their power. Other
countries have followed suit, leading to political instability in many
regions around the world. In addition, the destruction caused by these
weapons is horrific. Atomic weapons were used during the Second
World War in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan in 1945. The death toll
and number of cancer victims in the following years were testament to
the damage a nuclear bomb can cause.

To sum up, atomic technology can be the cause of extensive damage to

the environment and mankind. Switching to nuclear energy is not a safe
option for everyone as it brings with it numerous dangers. It is strongly
recommended that governments of developing nations should abandon
plans to develop a nuclear programme and concentrate on more
environmentally friendly options.
Word count 332

2 sided argument essay – ‘University gender

enrolment’.
Universities should accept equal numbers of male
and female students in every subject.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

It is sometimes believed that universities ought to try to balance the

number of males and females accepted into all tertiary courses. In my
opinion, while it is certainly ideal to have equal number, it is highly
unrealistic and cannot probably be done.

Firstly, having a balance in the numbers of male and female students is

what many universities try to achieve. Universities need to try to attract
more girls into science subjects and more boys into arts, such as
psychology or art history. This imbalance is reflected in the workforce
ratios and should be addressed and improved where possible.

On the other hand, although the ideal situation would be to have equal
numbers of male and female students in all courses, it is almost
impossible. Universities do not have control over the applications of
students to particular degree courses, regardless of the method of
advertising used. As a result, the ratio of males and females accepted
into these courses is based on the application numbers.

Finally, it also must be taken into account that despite the efforts of
universities to balance out the numbers, it seems that boys are naturally
interested in technical or industrial subjects to a greater extent than girls.
Girls generally seem to have better skills at subjects that involve
communication and creativity. As this seems to have been the case for
hundreds of years, it seems unlikely that universities will be able to
change this easily.

In conclusion, universities should try to balance the numbers of male and

female students but it must be accepted there never will be equal ratio. It
is likely that the imbalance will continue well in the future.
Word count 282
 TASK 2 – ESSAY TYPES
ARGUMENT ESSAY DISCUSSION ESSAY PROBLEM/SOLUTION ESSAY
First, decide if you agree/disagree INTRODUCTION – INTRODUCTION –
with the question or if you want to General statement General statement
write a 2 sided essay. [rephrase exam statement] [rephrase exam statement]
More specific information More specific information
INTRODUCTION – Preview [rephrase exam question] Preview [rephrase exam question]
General statement
[rephrase exam statement]
More specific information BODY PARAGRAPHS – BODY PARAGRAPHS –
Thesis statement (for 1 side or 2 One paragraph showing one side Causes + effects (1st paragraph)
sides) Another showing other side. Solutions (2nd paragraph)
Balanced points OR
BODY PARAGRAPHS – Causes / effects + Solutions
Topic sentence (1st paragraph)
Supporting sentences Causes / effects + Solutions
Developing sentences (2nd paragraph)
(2 or 3 paragraphs showing point
of view with relevant examples) CONCLUSION – CONCLUSION –
Restate main points of 2 sides Restate problems
CONCLUSION – Give point of view in final Restate solutions
Restate thesis statement. sentence.
Give recommendation,
opinion or prediction
AVOID SOME ASPECTS OF INFORMAL ENGLISH

don't (do not!) use contractions (e.g. it's, he'll, it'd etc): always use the
full form (it is/has, he will, it would/had).
avoid too much personal language (I, my, we etc). Some tutors prefer
you to avoid it completely.
don't use informal language or slang (e.g. kid, a lot of/lots of, cool)
don’t use abbreviations (e.g. ppl/Eng)
generally avoid "phrasal verbs" (e.g. get on, get away, went in etc):
instead, try to use one word equivalents. (e.g. board, escape, enter)
avoid common but vague words and phrases such as do, get, nice, thing.
Your writing needs to be more precise.
avoid using personal experiences as examples; avoid direct questions;
don’t use “etc/ so on/ ……..”.
don’t start sentences with co-ordinate conjunctions (FANBOYS)
avoid general phrases that could be used in any essay (e.g. starting an
essay with ‘Nowadays’; saying ‘there are 2 sides to every argument’

► Find more formal synonyms for the given words.

1. LOTS M______________
2. SPECIALLY IN P______________
3. BIG S_____________L
4. THINGS I_______
5. SMALL M_______R
6. A LOT OF A L______ A__________ OF
7. LAST BUT NOT LEAST F___________
8. REALLY BIG E___________ L_________
9. ACTUALLY I___ F_______
10. GET G______________

A quick exercise with some linking words

Check with your partner the following sentences for any mistakes against
linking words. Be careful, not all sentences are incorrect.

Despite of the cold, in winter my country is visited by a large number of tourists.

Even though this sport is relatively dangerous, it is still very popular.

Some people watch several hours of television a day, in spite the fact that the quality of the
programmes is not high.

Beside needing a lot of looking after, pets can also be quite expensive to keep.

Skiing is a very popular sport, even although it is often extremely expensive.

According to some, prison is an effective deterrent to crime. Others, however, feel that
prisons act as “schools for criminals”, and may even increase crime.

People who live in villages usually know their neighbours, whereas while the inhabitants of
towns often have no idea who lives next door.