Timing

Students are advised to spend 20 minutes

on Task 1 and 40 minutes on Task 2. They
must complete both tasks in one hour.

Task 1
For Writing Task 1 candidates are given
some visual information which may be
presented in the form of one or more
related diagrams, charts, graphs or tables.
Candidates are asked to describe the
information or data. They must write at
least 150 words on this task.

Writing Task 1 is assessed based on the

following criteria:

1) Task Achievement
2) Coherence and Cohesion
3) Lexical Resource
4) Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Task 2
For Writing Task 2, candidates are
presented with an opinion, problem or issue
which they must discuss. They may be
asked to present the solution to a problem,
present and justify an opinion, compare
and contrast evidence or opinions, or
evaluate and challenge an argument or
idea. Candidates must write at least 250
words and are advised to spend 40 minutes
on this task.

Writing Task 2 is assessed based on the

following criteria:

1) Task Response
2) Coherence and Cohesion
3) Lexical Resource
4) Grammatical Range and Accuracy

Each of the tasks is assessed separately by

a trained and qualified examiner and given
a score. Writing Task 2 is worth more
marks than Writing Task 1 so candidates
should be sure to leave plenty of time to
complete Writing Task 2. There are no half
bands in IELTS Academic Writing so all
Writing scores are reported in whole bands.

Tips for IELTS Writing

Resource for Tips for IELTS Writing. The
Tips for IELTS Writing information are
updating on regular basis, get the latest
Tips for IELTS Writing along with other
latest material for the preparation of IELTS
test. The IELTS preparation material
contains free IELTS Cambridge books,
IELTS tutorial, free IELTS practice test and
other information of Tips for IELTS Writing.
Actually sit and write out tasks 1 and 2
while practicing. It is very tempting to
think of what you would write and not do
the actual writing. You will appreciate the
importance of using a structured format
and avoiding being repetitive only if you
practise writing.

Task 2 carries more marks. Spend

more time on it. Twenty minutes on
task 1 and 40 minutes on task 2 would
be a good balance.

Since task 2 is more important, it may be

a good idea to do task 2 first and task 1
later. However, make sure you write for
each task in the allotted area since the
answer sheet has separate areas
designated for each task.

For both writing tasks, it is a good idea to

note down your ideas on the question
sheet so that you know the outline of what
you will be writing. It may take 2 or 3
minutes but the time spent is worth it.
Writing task 1 requires you to describe a
graph / table / diagram in AT LEAST 150
words. I had practiced on a lot of graphs
but the task we had was to describe the
data in a table! So practice describing all
kinds of graphs / tables. See how much of
your writing is 150 words. If you write less
than 150 words, you lose marks. If you
write more, you are likely to make more
mistakes. Try and stick to around 150
words.

For task 1, first spend some time looking

at the graph / table and understanding the
information given. Don't start writing
immediately. Make sure you know what
each axis of the graph represents and in
what units. The following structure is
suggested for writing:

A sentence describing what the graph /

table shows.

Another sentence describing the broad /

important trends shown.

Description of the data

It may not be possible to describe all the
data as there may be too much data
presented. Describe the relevant and most
important parts. If there is more than one
graph / chart, describe any comparisons or
trends that can be made out.

A concluding sentence which sums up the

data / trends.

Practise using a variety of phrases to avoid

being repetitive.

The best practice for task 2, which asks

you to present an argument, is to read
newspaper editorials and magazine articles
on current topics. This will help you
develop your ideas. A suggested structure
for writing is:
1. Introduce the topic
 2. Give arguments in support of your
viewpoint supported by relevant
examples.
3. State the contrary viewpoint and
give reasons why you don't agree with
it.
4. Conclude with a short concluding
paragraph.
5. If there is time left at the end, revise
your answers and correct any spelling
or grammatical mistakes.

Five Ways to Improve your Writing

Even if your future plans don’t include

becoming the next Shakespeare or
Hemingway, writing is one of the most
valuable skills you’ll ever learn. Throughout
your school years, in college, and beyond, no
matter what career you decide on, you’ll
need to be able to express yourself clearly.
Here are five tips to help you become the
best writer you can be.

Learn the rules. Mastering the rules of

grammar, spelling, and punctuation is a bit
like learning to ride a bike. The process
might be painful but the results are worth it.
The more you learn about the basic
foundations of good writing, the easier,
smoother, and more fun the writing process
will be.

Stick to the main idea. Before you start

writing, identify and write down a sentence
or two that identifies exactly what you’re
trying to tell about or say.
This writing “blueprint” is called a thesis
statement. Everything you include in your
paper, essay, or other writing should support
your thesis statement. A clear thesis
statement will help you stay on topic and
reduce clutter in your writing. Keep it simple.
Use plain, clear language whenever possible.
You may think fancy words make you sound
smart, but it’s more important to make sure
readers understand your meaning than it is
to impress them with your vocabulary.

Review and revise

Every piece of writing can benefit from some
tweaking and polishing. Read your finished
draft with a critical eye, marking changes to
make later. If possible, ask a friend to read it
and make comments too. This feedback will
help you avoid embarrassing mistakes and
will also help improve your writing.

Use reference tools. Keep a dictionary and a

thesaurus handy—whether hard-copy books
or electronic versions—to look up words and
check spelling. Make a habit of looking up
words you don’t know. There are lots of
good writing resources on the Internet, too.
Find your favorites

The writing Component of IELTS is divided in two

separate tasks.
Task I deals with report writing on information
provided to you in the form of diagram, flow chart
or graphs.

Task II is like essay writing either in form of

argument or opinion.

The Test

Total duration of the writing component is 60

minutes and because the Task II carries more
weightage, it is always advisable to break up your
allotted time accordingly.

It is always advised that you break up the total

allotted 60 minutes in 20 : 40 proportion, i.e. 20
minutes for the Task I and 40 minutes for Task II.

However, its always beneficial to 1st practice over

this and see if this suits you or you need some
modification in the same.

Again, because Task II is more time consuming and

has more impact on your final score, its advisable
to start with the Task II 1st and come to Task I
later. However, again tailor this advise according
to what suits you the best.

The Task II of consists of writing an essay on the

topic provided to you. Your essay can be in the
form of opinion or argument, as the question
demands.

You should not spend more than 40 minutes over

this task and should not write less than 250 words.

The topics given in the Task II is of general interest

and usually deal in with the following areas.
-Technology
-Education
-Men and Women Relationship
-Entertainment
-Sports
-Physical Fitness
-Working Environment

While in Task I, you were just suppose to write a

report on the information provided without giving
your opinion, Task 2 differs in the sense that here
you are supposed to express your views more
elaborately.

Learn to identify if the topic given to you is in the

form of argument or opinion.

Task 2 is most difficult part of all the components

as scoring good marks depends not only on your
ability to express your ideas but also to organize it
efficiently and stud it with your strong word power
and unique ideas.

In this Task you will be judged on your ability to:

1) Express your views intelligently.

2) Give relevant examples.
3) Your vocabulary
4) Your grammar and spelling
5) Your ability to organize your ideas
6) Your ability for an efficient time management

The question will be presented to you in NOT a

single line but in 2-3 sentences. Read carefully so
as to analyze what exactly you are supposed to
write on. This is very important as, they wont give
u any marks if you write on a totally different topic
than what is actually asked.

You are supposed to write not less than 250 words

and any essay shorter than this will reflect on your
final score. In my view, 300 words is a decent
target to be on the safe side.

Make sure that you have practiced well before

hand so that you know approximately what length
of your hand writing makes 250-300 words on an
average A4 paper. This will save you from the
arduous task of counting each and every word on
the test day, especially when you have very limited
time in hand.

The Practice:

Practice is the key to success. The more you

practice the more you will prefect the skill of
writing elusive essays which will compel the
examiner to give you the score you deserve.

Be careful at each step and do not leave any loose

areas which can cost you on your score.
Start from the carefully reading the question and
analyze it well.

Analyze the Question:

A typical question will read like this :

“Telecommuting refers to workers doing their jobs
from home for part of each week and
communicating with their office using computer
technology. Telecommuting is growing in many
countries and is expected to be common for most
office workers in the coming decades. How do you
think society will be affected by the growth of
telecommuting? “

Understand the fact that you should read the

question completely and up to the last line.

Learn to identify ‘factual’ lines and ‘subjective’

lines.

In the above example there are 2 factual

statements:

➮ Telecommuting refers to workers doing their

jobs from home for part of each week and
communicating with their office using computer
technology.

➮ Telecommuting is growing in many countries

and is expected to be common for most office
workers in the coming decades.

However, there is just one subjective statement:

How do you think society will be affected by the
growth of telecommuting?

It the subjective statement which determines the

main theme of discussion in your topic.
Like say, in the above example you can write pages
on ‘Telecommunication’, but here what u need to
answer is how this telecommunication is effecting
social lives of the people.

Mark the Key words and Arrange a Vocabulary

List:

This is good practice.

Mark the key words in the question and list down
the all the related words synonyms you can think
of.

This list can be very meager when you actually

start to practice. But don’t get disheartened. Keep
a dictionary/thesaurus handy. Select appropriate
words and make a good list. The aim of this list is
to utilize these words when you actually start to
write the real essay.
Plan your ideas:

This is a very individual and personal thing but

matters a lot on your score. As soon as you see the
question plan what exactly you would like to
discuss in the given topic.

Decide if you want to discuss ‘FOR’ the topic or

‘AGAINST’ the topic or that you want to discuss
both the aspects in your task.

If you can think of a good example to quote, write

down the keyword in the rough area so that you
wont forget it later when you are in total flow of
writing.

To get good and solid ideas for your essays, it is

important that you read as many articles as
possible, from a standard good English daily/
magazine.

Its not necessary nor ideal that you quote down

everything mentioned in an article in your essay.
While reading an article learn to identify the points
you think you can elaborate upon. Learn to use
these ideas in your essay.

Structure your Essay:

An essay has 3 main parts : Introduction, Body and

Conclusion.

Your essay should be divided at least into 3

paragraphs.

It is also advisable to discuss each point in a

separate paragraph, thus giving your essay a more
organized look and giving a good example of your
clear thinking/ organization.
If you are writing an argument, a model essay
should contain 4 paragraphs:

Paragraph 1 : Introduction :

Start with introducing the topic. Take help of the

‘Factual’ statements in the question, but DO NOT
COPY the exact words, for you wont be given any
marks for such an introduction.

A good practice is to start with a saying or a

proverb. But at every point make sure that
whatever you write is all related to the topic. Don’t
get diverted from the main topic in order to
include a proverb/phrase.

Paragraph 2: Body Part 1:

Divide your main body in different parts. If you

have already planned what are you going to
discuss, it will be easy for you at this step to decide
how your main body will be divided.

If you have decided to discuss both ‘for’ and

‘against’ the topic, a good practice is to say ‘FOR’
in one paragraph and ‘AGAINST’ in another
paragraph.

If you have decided to discuss either ‘for’ or

‘against’, get at least 2-3 main topics/points and
discuss these separately in separate paragraphs.

Length your paragraphs accurately and make sure

you don’t write too long or too short paragraphs.

Quote examples as and when possible. This will

fetch you real good marks. Make sure you quote
only relevant and realistic examples. Read variety
of texts to help yourself with examples.

Paragraph 3/ 4: Body Part 2/3:

Discuss other points efficiently. Make sure you do

not repeat the same ideas, for even if you
paraphrase it the examiners are trained to catch
this very efficiently and you will lose marks in no
time.

Be honest and practice as much as you can.

Paragraph 4/5: Conclusion:

This is the conclusion part. You have discussed so

many points above and now it is the time to wrap
up every thing and say in 2-3 sentences what you
think of.

It is very important here for you to express your

own personal opinion and do not hesitate from
using such phrases/ beginners as, “In my
opinion…” or “I think that….”

If you cant decide on ONE particular side , its

always safe to say both sides and suggest a
‘middle-path’.

However, these are just my views and advices for

you to help you write efficiently. Only when you
start writing, you will recognize your own style and
your own way to express views over any given
topic.

Grammar and Spelling Mistakes:

There is no leniency for a grammatical error or

spelling mistakes. You are writing an essay to show
how efficient your English is, let not small things
marr the shine of your beautiful ideas and strong
vocabulary.

Abbreviations:

Avoid using any sort of abbreviations. Its always

better to write ‘do not’ than to write ‘don’t’.

The Test Day:

As already mentioned above, start the writing part

of the test with Task 2.

Identify the appropriate area allotted in your

answer sheet for Task2 and make sure that you
write only there.

Any additional sheets should be attached to only

appropriate places (which differs for Task 1 and
Task 2). Ask before attaching.
Remember when you start, that you have 40
minutes for this and you have to write not less
than 250 words.

Read the question with cool head. Understand the

factual statements and subjective statements.
Identify clearly what exactly you need to discuss
on.

Immediately plan the structure of your essay and

how many parts your main body should have.

Did any examples flash in your mind while you

read the topic? Make a rough note of it.

Always try to use pencil (for a ‘pen and pencil’ test)

to give your essay a neat and tidy look.

Start writing. Don’t bother about the word count

now, for if you are honest with your ideas, the plan
of your essay and if you have practiced well, you
will know that your essay will always be of the
appropriate length required.

Avoid repeating the same words and same ideas.

Make sure you place your views clearly.

Always leave sometime at the end to go through

your essay completely and correct any spelling
mistakes, grammatical errors or any repetition of
thoughts and ideas.

SAMPLE ESSAY
Popular events like the football
World Cup and other international
sporting occasions are essential in
easing international tensions and
releasing patriotic emotions in a
safe way.
Every four years, the whole world
stops to watch international sporting
events such as the Olympics and the
Football World Cup in which athletes
show their best performance to make
their country proud of them. These
sporting occasions have proved to be
helpful in easing international tensions
in difficult times when powerful
leaders were trying to control the
world?s economy and other
governments were fighting over land.

The Olympic Games are one of the

best examples which prove how
sporting events can bring nations
together, at least temporarily. From
ancient History, when Greeks and
Romans would interrupt battles to
participate in the games, to the more
recent international disputes, when
athletes from Palestine and Israel
would forget their differences,
compete pacifically and even embrace
each other after an event. Moreover,
these popular events have called the
worlds attention to the terrible
consequences of wars; thus some
leaders have tried to accept
agreements to end their dispute and
live peacefully.
Similarly, international sporting
events show benefits in some
developing countries which live in a
daily internal civil war. For example,
Brazil has a high rate of
unemployment, lack of education,
hunger, crime, poverty and corruption
which leads to an immense
embarrassment of being Brazilian and
a low self-esteem. However, when the
Football World Cup starts, the
Brazilian squad, which is considered
the best team in the world, provokes
an amazing feeling of pride in their
country. Most people seem to forget
all their problems and even the
criminal activity decreases. They paint
roads with the national colors, wear
the Brazilian team shirt and buy
national flags. Moreover, the
competition brings families and
neighbors together and even rival
gangs watch the games and celebrate
peacefully.
In conclusion, popular sporting events
play an important role in decreasing
international tensions and liberating
patriotic feelings as History has
shown.