IELTS Writing: Academic Task 1 Graphics: Strategies and Tips Part 1Academic Writing Task 1: Charts, graphs and tables Time: You will have 20 minutes to complete IELTS Academic Task 1. Spend your time in the following order: © Step1 Plan (Five minutes) © Step2 Write (Twelve minutes) © Step3 Revise (Three minutes) Length: You must write at least 150 words. You can write more but not less than the required number of words.Tips Use only the information provided in the task. Do not include outside information or your personal opinion. Always ask yourself the following questions: 0° Whatis this graphic about? o Which are the most important details?For the best score You need to: Address all parts of the task. Accurately summarize the information. Make meaningful comparisons. Use correct grammar, spelling and punctuation. Write in complete sentences: simple, compound, complex and compound-complex sentences. End your paragraph with a brief overview of the information. Write in your own words; you will lose points if you copy exact sentences from the task.Step 1: Plan Spend about five minutes planning your essay before you start writing. Planning will make sure that you include the most important details from the graphic. First: Address the task « In Task 1, you will see a graphic. This graphic can be a bar chart, line graph, pie chart, table or diagram with samples shown in the four following slides. You must identify the type of graphic you see and its main features, describe information shown in the graphic, and make comparisons.Sample AT 1 graphic types: 1. The bar graph below shows the number of tourists visiting two cities by season. Number of Tourists by Season: Summarize the information so by selecting and reporting the main features, aoe and make comparisons where relevant. 25.00) thoy 20900 10009 somo ‘Spine ‘Summer Fal Win2. The pie charts below show the form of transportation-to-work normally used by workers in a particular city. ‘Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.3. The line graph below shows the number of single-family homes constructed in the United States by region over a period of six years. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. New Residential Construction 1,000.00 900.000 ae normeast I rengea] = South eas se eet © sco. i 200.000 100,000 = 03008 sae aa ——z0 Yeor4. The table below gives information about independent films in the UK . Summarize the information and make comparisons where relevant. ene Munberof Sof alelenies Nol income om —Determine the topi In Task 1, you will be asked to write a short essay in which you summarize the information on the graphic selecting and repor ¥g the main features and comparing them. To identify the main details of the graphic, first read the task and recognize the type of graphic. Second, read the title of the graphic and scan the features. Ask yourself Who? What? Where? When? questions in order to focus your thoughts. Make notes on: Task Type of graphic Title of graphic Features: Who? What? When? Where? Topic sentenceExample: aaa ee tet i 1 Gepteype ba ari . ‘se Average Dy Ses, Numer cf Serve, Watt rerage day tee Went wer and sumer Toole the erage ruber servo arta food ems dal ‘ewer and ne ume.Use your bar-graph notes to create a topic sentence Notes Graphic type: Bar graph ‘Average Daily Sales, by Number of Servings The average daily sales of selected food items in winter and summer Topic Sentence: The bar graph shows how many servings of certain food items sold on average every day in two different seasons at the Vista Cafe. + Do NOT copy exact phrases and sentences from the task and graphic title. + Paraphrase by using other phrases and synonyms to express the same ideas.Step 2: Write After you plan, you are ready to write. You will use your notes about the task, topic, comparisons (in a moment), and details as a guide. You should spend about 12 minutes writing a short three or four paragraph essay: a short introduction, one or two short body paragraphs, and a short conclusion. Your goal: + Two-sentence introduction: A topic sentence that summarizes the information in the graphic, and a second sentence that makes a general statement about the relationship of the data + Four to seven sentences in each of the one or two body pat sentence and details/comparisons aphs including a topic One or two sentence conclusion that is a summary including the most important change.Introduction ¥ The introduction tells what you will write about. in your introduction, tell what you will summarize and compare. > The first sentence tells what the graphic is about. If itis difficult for you to write it on your own, you can simply paraphrase a couple of words from the prompt. Just make sure NOT to copy every single word. > The second sentence tells what you will compare (average number of sales of each items) and how you will compare them (changed with the season).Example prompt: The graph below shows the average daily sales of selected food items at the Vista Café, by season. ‘Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. First sentence/paraphrase: The bar chart below demonstrates the average daily sales of certain food items at the Vista Café in different times of the year. Second sentence/overall trend: It can be seen that the average number of sales of each item changed with the season.Express the main idea of each body paragraph > When you planned your essay, you made notes that you can use to compare and give details. Now you will turn these notes into paragraphs for the body of your essay. You will write one paragraph about each comparison. Write the Main Idea Begin each paragraph with a main idea that summarizes the comparison you are making. Below are sample main ideas each with a focus comparison: Comparison for Paragraph 1: _ ene ty ey ater tern The average dally sales of selected food items in winter. >| s— Comparison for Paragraph 2: i. 2Supporting details + The main idea of each paragraph is followed by details that support it. Use your notes about details to write statements that support the main idea. On the next slide, look at how the notes for the first comparison on the graphic have been turned into the supporting details of a paragraph.Putting the main idea and details together Body Paragraph 1 sample plat Topic: The average daily sales of different food items in winter. Important details: 1. Highest number of sales: hot coffee - 75 2. Second highest number of sales: soup - 50 3. Next number of sales: salad and ice cream - 25 each 4, Lowest number of sales: iced coffee - almost 0 Sample Body Paragraph 1 main idea: Certain food items had much higher sales than others in the winter. Supporting details: Hot coffee had the highest number of sales with an average of 75 servings sold daily. The item with the second highest number of sales was soup with an average of 50 servings sold daily. Salad and ice cream had average daily soles of 25 servings each, and iced coffee had the lowest number of sales with close to zero servings sold daily.Body Paragraph 2 sample plan: Topic: The average daily sales of different food items in summer. Important details: 1. Highest number of sales - iced coffee - 40 2. Second highest number of sales - ice cream -35 3. Hot coffee sales - 30 4 Lowest number of sales - soup and salad - 25 each ‘Sample Body Paragraph 2 main idea : The sales numbers for each food items were different in the summer than what they were in the winter. Supporting details: Iced coffee sales rose significantly to an average of 40 servings sold daily. The item with the second highest number of sales was ice cream, with an average of 35 servings sold daily. Sales of ice cream go up in the summer when the weather is hot. Hot coffee fell to daily sales of just 30 servings. Soup and salad had the lowest number of sales, with 25 servings sold daily on average.Write the conclusion > Inthe introduction you made a general statement about the comparisons you planned to make. In the conclusion, you sum up the ideas you developed in your essay. The conclusior restatement of these ideas. Look at the following introduction and conclusion from a previous essay about the graphic. Introduction The bar graph shows how many servings of certain food items sold on average every day in two different seasons at the Vista Cafe. The average number of sales of each item changed with the season. Conclusion In general, the average daily sales of each food iter changed depending on the season. Certain items were more popular in the winter, but certain others were more popular in the summer.The complete sample essay ‘The bar graph shows how many servings of certain food items are sold on average every day in two different seasons at the Vista Café. The average number of sales of each item changed with the season. (37 words) Certain food items had much higher sales than others in the winter. Hot coffee had the highest number of sales, with an average of 75 servings sold daily. Following this, the item with the second highest number of sales was Soup, with an average of 50 servings sold daily. Salad and ice cream had average daily sales of 25 servings each, and iced coffee had the lowest number of sales, with close to zero servings sold daily. (77 words) ‘The sales numbers for each food item were different in the summer compared to winter. Iced coffee sales rose significantly to an average of 40 servings sold daily. The item that had the second highest number of sales was ice cream, with an average of 35 servings sold daily. Hot coffee sales fell to just 30 servings daily. Soup and salad had the lowest number of sales, with 25 serving sold daily on average. (74 words) In general, the average daily sales of each food item changed when the season changed. Certain items were more popular in the winter, but certain others were more popular in the summer. (32 words) Total,< Step 3: Check and revise After you finish writing your essay, make sure to revise your writing. Save the last three minutes to check your work. Remember even native speakers make some grammatical mistakes, so make sure to check your essay. Follow the official IELTS rubric in the next slide and consider if you need to revise your essay around these points. And make sure to practice A LOT before your upcoming exam.Official IELTS Rubric: https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/ielts task 1_writing band descriptors.pdf ‘Summary from the official IELTS rubric: ‘Addressing the Task 2 Thesis Statement 2 Main ideas Coherence Main Idea - Paragraph Supporting Details Cohesion Introduction - Conclusion Transition Words Lexical Resource Vocabulary Variety 2 Spelling Grammatical Range and Accuracy Sentence Variety AccuracyRecap You have 20 minutes to complete IELTS Academic Task 1. You need to write at least 150 words. AT1 has four types of graphics: bar chart, line graph, table chart and pie chart. Analyze the graphic for topic, description and points for comparison. Ask yourself Wh-questions to identify the main features of the task. Always make sure to understand the prompt and graphic before writing your essay. Do NOT copy exact words. Instead, paraphrase the words in the task with synonyms. And always smile and do your best! :)Process Diagrams Q Process diagram is not as common as a graphic essay on the IELTS test, but you should know how to complete this task and be prepared for it. a Aprocess diagram may show the steps in a process, or it may show changes in a place over time. Q You will have to describe the steps in the process or changes that occurred before and after.Tips v Make sure that you understand all parts of the process before you start planning Write only what you see in the diagram Do not add extra information Don't skip the steps and important details Always plan before you start writing SKKScore To receive a good score, you need to: . . . . . . Address all parts of the task Accurately describe each step or change Make meaningful comparisons End your paragraph with a brief overview of the information Use correct grammar, spelling and punctuation Write in complete sentences: Simple, Compound, Complex and Compound-Complex Sentences. Write in your own words; you will lose points if you copy exact sentences from the task.Step 1 ¥ Spend about 5 minutes on planning your essay before you start writing. Planning will make sure you include the most important details from the graph. Address the Task In task 1, you will see a diagram describing a process how to make something or changes that occurred at a particular place. You will be asked to describe information shown in the diagram and explain what changes happened from the beginning until the end of this process. You must determine whether it shows steps in a process or changes in a place.Sample AT 1 prompts: 1. The diagram below shows the area around a river before and after the flood. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.2. The diagram below shows a process generating electricity with a wind turbine. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.Determine the topic in Task 1, you will be asked to summarize the information on the diagram by selecting and reporting the main features. You can identify the topic by reading the title of the diagram in the task. Make a note of both the title and the description.Example of the diagram task and graphic you'll see: The diagram below shows the process of producing raisins from grapes. ‘Summarize the information by selecting and ‘reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant. This is how to start your analysis of writing: © LD.title: Raisin Production. * LD.description: The process of producing raisins from grapes. ‘Always make sure to identify whether you have a process diagram orExample of the diagram task: The diagram below shows a library before and after renovations. ‘Summarize the information by selecting Taftsvlle Public Library ‘and reporting the main features ‘and make comparisons where relevant. Title: Taftstville Public Library Description: A library before and after renovations.4 Making notes about details + Ifyou have a process diagram, you will have to determine what happens at each step of a process and understand the order in which the steps happen. + For a diagram that shows a place that changes, you will have to identify the differences between before and after pictures. + Most diagrams have labels that can help you identify objects and actions. + Diagrams may also have arrows to show direction of movement, enteringSample of the process outline: Raisin Production Details/Steps 1. Harvesting 2. Drying 3, Transporting to processing plant 4, Cleaning 5. Washing 6. Sorting 7. Packaging for sale Sample of the before and after outline: Taftsville Public Library Details Before +Desk in the middle Reference area behind desk *Children’s room on the right *Adult fiction on the left After *Desk closer to door *New reading area *Old children’s area is divided *New children’s area and gardenStep 2: Write Introduction: Introduction tells the topic of the essay. Using your notes, describe what the topic of your essay is and whether it presents steps or changes. 1st sentence describes the topic/ you can also paraphrase two or three words in the prompt. 2nd sentence summarizes what happens from beginning until the end. It is a general statement that gives an overview of the process or changes. DON'T include any examples or specific details.Example of the introduction: The diagram in the Task 1 illustrates a housing site before and after construction. The neighborhood was much busier following the construction of the bridge. OR The diagram in the Task 1 illustrates the process of producing chocolate from cacao beans. It takes many steps from being cacao beans in the field to becoming chocolate that people can buy at the store and enjoy it.Tips: For the process diagram essay, write one body paragraph For the diagram essay that show changes before and after, you can write two body paragraphs Make sure to use transition words (first, second, next, then, etc.) Use Passive Voice in the body paragraph(s) Be consistent with your tense (Past or Present) Use Prepositions of Place to describe locations (next to, in front of, behind, across from, etc.) Always revise your work after finishing your essayRevision Checklist Addressing the Task: Topic Sentence/Paraphrase the Prompt + General Statement/Overview Coherence: Process of Steps OR Changes - Before and After Cohesion: + Transition Words Lexical Resource: Vocabulary Variety + Spelling Grammatical Range and Accuracy: + Sentence Variety AccuracyRecap + You have 20 minutes to complete IELTS Academic Task 1. + You need to write at least 150 wards. + You need to determine whether you have a process diagram or a diagram about changes. + Identify how many steps are presented in the process diagram. + Identify important changes in the diagram about before and after. + Always make sure to understand the prompt and diagram before writing your essay. + You do not need to write a conclusion. + Do NOT copy exact words. Instead, paraphrase the words in the task with synonyms. a oo| IELTS Writing: Academic Writing Task 2 Tips and Strategies Part 1 |Time You will have 40 minutes to complete the writing task 2 of the test. Divide your time as follows: Total time 40 minutes Total number of words 250 words Step1 Plan 10 minutes Step 2 Write 25 minutes Step 3 Revise 5 minutesTips Q Read the task carefully, and make sure you understand what it is asking for. Q If you do not understand the task, do not panic. Read it again two or three times. @ Well written essay has a good plan, so allow yourself some time to make planning notes.To receive a good score, you should: + address all parts of the task + use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation + write in complete sentences + use your own words; do not copy exact sentences from the task + explain your own opinionThe question in IELTS Writing Task 2 can be stated in 5 different ways. You may be asked to: 1. agree or disagree 2. describe advantages and disadvantages 3. discuss two points of view and give your opinion 4. suggest solutions to a problem 5. answer two questionsWriting Task 2 essay prompts: 1. Nowadays many people have access to computers on a wide basis and a large number of children play computer games. What are the negative impacts of playing computer games and what can be done to minimize the bad effects? 2. Some people believe that it is cruel to test drugs and other new products on animals. Others believe that this sort of testing is important and necessary for improving and even saving people’s lives. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.3. Traditionally, elderly people have lived with and been cared for by younger family members. In modern society, more and more elderly people are living in special homes for the elderly. Why do you think families choose to have their elderly relatives live in special homes away from the family? What do you think is the best way for modern families to care for their elderly relatives? 4. Developing an area for tourism changes life in that area in many ways. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages that tourism can bring to the lives of people who live in the area?5. Making smoking illegal is the best way to protect from the harmful effects of tobacco. To what extent do you agree or disagree?Thesis Statement: BP1/Main Idea1: Supporting Details: 1 2 3. BP2/Main Idea2: Supporting Details: 1 2) a: BP3/Main Idea3: Supporting Details: 1 2 3. Step 1: OutlineIntroduction Your introduction part has to contain three things in order to attain a good score and complete one of the requirements of the task 2. Describe the topic (paraphrase your prompt; tell the reader what the essay is about) Thesis statement (tell the reader what type of essay you have; 5 types of essays: agree or disagree, advantages and disadvantages, problems and solutions, two question essay, both views and your opinion, etc.) Main ideas/specific reasons for your thesis statement (tell the reader why you agree or disagree by providing specific reasons that you will explain in your body paragraph)Example: Prompt: In some parts of the world, the rate of divorce has increased dramatically over the past few decades. Explain some possible reasons for this problem and suggest some solutions. The divorce rate is increasing in many places. | believe that the breakdown of the extended family and the stresses of work are the major causes of this situation. Fortunately, although these issues have led to a rise in the divorce rate, there are ways we can solve this problem. _(S60words)Explanation: Describe the topic: The divorce rate is increasing in many places. Thesis Statement: Causes and solutions. Main ideas: Breakdown of the extended family and the stresses of work.Step 2: Body paragraph Once you have written your thesis statement and shown the reader how you plan to develop your essay, you have the basis for writing your body paragraph. You should use the main ideas and supporting details from your outline to write the sentences for each paragraph. Of course, you must use correct grammar and spelling and show variety in your vocabulary and sentence types. TIPS Try to use all four types of sentences (Simple Sentence, Compound Sentence, Complex Sentence, and Compound Complex Sentence) Do not use academic words if you don’t know how to use them in the sentence Ask yourself in what tense you are writing your essayExample of the body paragraph: BP 1/Main Idea 1: Breakdown of the extended family Past — family helped with child care Past family helped with expenses Now ~ people don’t have this support In my opinion, the biggest cause for divorce is the breakdown of the extended family. In the past, a family was made up of parents, grandparents, children, and other relatives. This meant that there was always somebody available to help with child care. It also meant that expenses could be shared in times of financial difficulty. These days, people do not have this kind of support from their families, and this puts more stress on a marriage. (77 words)Conclusion: A good conclusion briefly sums up the ideas you developed in your essay. Itis a restatement of the thesis and main ideas you laid out in your introduction. It usually sounds stronger with its opinion and more convincing than introduction. Introduction The divorce rate is increasing in many places. | believe that the breakdown of the extended family and the stresses of work are the major causes of this situation. Fortunately, although these issues have led to a rise in the divorce rate, there are ways we can solve this problem. Conclusion There are a lot of demands in modern life that place stress on marriage and lead to divorce. However, people can choose to make changes to their lifestyle that can result in a better, stronger marriage. (36 words)Step 3: Revise https://www.ielts.org/-/media/pdfs/writing-band-descriptors-task-2.ashx?la=en Addressing the Task + Thesis Statement + Main Ideas Coherence + Main Ideas ~ Paragraph + Supporting Details Cohesion + Introduction - Conclusion + Transition Words Lexical Resource + Vocabulary Resource + Spelling Grammatical Range and Accuracy + Sentence Variety + Accuracy 4Useful words and phrases: think | believe I feel I consider First In the first place Therefore The main advantage is Finally Another advantage is To sum up Another reason is In my experience In my opinion Itis my belief that From my point of view Common Transition Words and Phrases Second In the second place Moreover Then Also In addition So Additionally Furthermore On the other hand HoweverRecap You have 40 minutes to complete Writing Task 2. You need to write at least 250 words. Make sure to state your personal view. Always make sure to understand the prompt before writing your essay. Do NOT copy exact words. Instead, paraphrase the words in the task with synonyms. Begin each paragraph with the main idea. Include supporting details in each body paragraph. And always smile and do your best! ;)IELTS Writing The most common mistakes and things you should know Part 1The most common mistakes in writing Using contractions. Instead of writing | won't be home, you need to write / will not be home. Never use contractions in academic writing Writing too few words. if you write much less than the required word count, the examiner has to reduce your score, even if your essay is otherwise good. You should count the number of words in each paragraph to make sure you reach 250 or 150 words depending on your task. Writing too many words. The examiner is paid to mark on an “essay per hour basis,” and so will not read the end of an essay if it exceeds the minimum word count by more than about 100 words. This means that the examiner will not see the end of your argument which can reduce your score considerably. Remember: 250 words minimum and 350 words maximum.Having handwriting that is difficult to read. \ELTS is still a handwritten exam and the examiners will not spend time trying to understand your writing if they cannot read it. You must make sure that your handwriting is not messy and can be read quickly. Using informal words. For example, instead of using nice, use positive. Remember that academic vocabulary is different from the language you would use in English when talking to friends. Giving a personal opinion. You need to read carefully when you complete writing and speaking tasks. Sometimes the task does not ask for your opinion, and it only asks to describe what you see in the graphics. Telling stories about your personal history, friends, or family. The Task tells you to use ‘examples from your own experience,’ but this does not mean describing stories from your life or people you know! It means describing examples of things in the world that you know about, have studied or have learned about in the medGiving evidence which is too detailed or specific to a subject. You may be an expert in a particular social or scientific field, but the examiner probably has a different specialty. You need to make your ideas and examples accessible to the general reader. For example, if the Task topic is about money and you are an accountant, do not use specialized accounting terms. Being emotional or too dramatic when giving your opinion in an OPINION Task. You may feel strongly about issues such as animals or crime, but academic writing must be unemotional. So, avoid phrases such as ‘a disgusting idea’ or ‘I detest this concept. It is much better to say, ‘an unacceptable idea’ or ‘ disapprove of this concept’ which is more impersonal and academic; similar to the type of writing that people use in business reports or university essays. Not following the basic structures presented in the task. The examiners want to see a clear, well-structured essay that is easy to read. They are accustomed to seeing the structures we have presented in this review, and they will feel more positive about your essay if they can recognize these structures in what you write. Give the examiners what they want, and they will reward you with a high score, even if there are ‘some grammatical mistakes in your English.Sentences Use four types of sentences to reach a higher score. 1. Simple Sentence: A simple sentence has one SUbjeet and one Verb. Ex. Offers a variety of programs. 2. Compound Sentence: A compound sentence has two or more simple sentences linked by the conjunctions and, or, or but. Ex. Some people are not bothered by violent TV programs, but others avoid them. 3. Complex Sentence: A complex sentence is made up of a simple sentence (an independent clause) and one or more subordinate clauses. Ex. If we don't like a particular TV program, we can easily change the channel.4. Compound - Complex Sentence: A compound - complex sentence has two or more simple sentences and one or more subordinate clauses. Ex. While many people avoid watching violent TV programs, others do not mind them, and they watch them frequently.Parallel Structures Parallel structures are structures that follow the same pattern. When you write with parallel structures, your writing has a pattern that is easy to follow. It helps make your ideas easier to understand. Subjects Parallel Play and study are two ways children can use a computer. Playing and studying are two ways children can use a computer. Not parallel Playing and study are two things children can use a computer for.Verbs Adjectives Voice Parallel Not parallel Not Parallel | reached out my hand, grabbed a glass, and noticed that my watch was gone. The village has grown and becoming more prosperous. Maple syrup is a popular and tasty treat. Maple syrup is a popular treat and also tastes good. The house was painted and the roof was repaired. The house was painted and we repaired the roof.Punctuation Full Stop/Period (.) Full stops/periods have three distinct uses: 1. To mark the end of a sentence Ex.: The cat is completely black. 2. To indicate abbreviated words Ex.: The teacher will be John Smith (B.A.). 3. To punctuate numbers and dates Ex.: All assignments should be submitted by 6.15.21. Colon (:) 1. Acolon can be used to indicate that a list, quotation or summary is about to follow. Ex. Buy these things: a bag of peanuts, two loaves of bread, and a pound of steak.2. Acolon can also be used to separate an initial sentence/clause from a second clause, list, phrase or quotation that supports the first in a particular way. Ex.: Writing an essay is not easy: you have to do a lot of research.Comma (,) Commas signal a slight pause but not a complete stop. They are tricky punctuation marks that involve a lot of rules. 1, Use commas to separate items in series. A series contains three or more similar items in a row. Ex.: The girls like playing golf, reading books, and riding horses. 2. Use commas to separate two or more adjectives that precede and modify the same noun. Ex: The human eye is a complex, efficient organ Note: However, do not use commas when the last adjective in a series is part of a compound noun. You can tell if one of the adjectives belongs to the noun if you reverse the position of the adjectives. Ex. Whose red eyeglass case is this? (Eyeglass case is a compound noun.)3. When a coordinating conjunction (such as and or but) connects a compound verb in a sentence, do not add commas. Ex.: Jean dropped a contact lens and searched for ten minutes but could not find it. 4, Commas are needed between independent clauses. Ex.: Jen dropped a lens, and she couldn't find it anywhere.Apostrophe (’) Apostrophes (‘) are used in the IELTS essay for possessive forms of nouns and indefinite pronouns. 1. To show possession in a plural noun that ends in an -s, add only an apostrophe (“). studerts report the neighbors! dog students asignments 2. Add an apostrophe and an -s ('s) to show possession in a plural noun that does not end in s. women's wages childrers drawings geese’s feathers 3. Use an apostrophe and an -s 's) to show the possessive form of indefinite pronouns. everyone's paper someone's wallet anybody’ turnParentheses () Parentheses are used to set off information within a text or paragraph. Parentheses always come in pairs. Typically, the words inside the parentheses provide extra information about something else in the sentence. Parentheses are useful, especially for quoting statistics in Writing Task 1, but do not overuse them. Ex. The total number of cars (10). Tip: Exclamation mark /!/ Question mark /?/ Do not use exclamation marks in the IELTS Writing Test and avoid asking questions.