Also by Steve Price How to Improve your IELTS Test bandscores IELTS Reading: How to improve your IELTS Reading bandscore IELTS Speaking - How to improve your bandscore IELTS Writing Task 2: How to Improve Your IELTS Band Score IELTS Listening: How to improve your IELTS band score IELTS Task 1 Writing (Academic) Test: How to improve your IELTS band score Standalone Proposal Writing - Smart Bids, Tenders and Proposals Also by Adonis Enricuso How to Improve your IELTS Test bandscores IELTS Reading: How to improve your IELTS Reading bandscore IELTS Speaking - How to improve your bandscore IELTS Writing Task 2: How to Improve Your IELTS Band Score IELTS Listening: How to improve your IELTS band score IELTS Task 1 Writing (Academic) Test: How to improve your IELTS band score Contents Title Page Copyright How This Book Helps You Understanding Band Score The IELTs Writing Task 2 9 Techniques for Better IELTS Writing Task 2 Band Score CHAPTER ONE Technique 1: Reading and analysing the question CHAPTER TWO Technique 2: Essay format: planning and outlining CHAPTER THREE Technique 3: Brainstorming for good ideas and opinions CHAPTER FOUR Technique 4: The introductory paragraph: thesis statement CHAPTER FIVE Technique 5: The body: topic sentence; major and minor details CHAPTER SIX Technique 6: Time Management CHAPTER SEVEN Technique 7: Linking devices and expressions CHAPTER EIGHT Technique 8: The conclusion: restatement or summary CHAPTER NINE Technique 9: Common mistakes: syntax and lexis How to get the band scores you need IELTS Preparation Checklist Did you like this eBook? Keep learning about the IELTS Test with us Get access to our free IELTS Library Authors' Note About the Authors IELTS Writing Task 2: How to Improve Your IELTS Band Score Issue 2 An IELTS guide from www.com Copyright © 2017, STMP Associates Ltd. First published in 2012 This Issue, Issue 2, published in 2017 The copyright of this document is vested in STMP Associates Ltd., the parent company which owns: the Pass IELTS Higher brand, the www.com website, the www.com website (now amalgamated with www.com) and related products, and the document is sold only for the purpose for which it is supplied. All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be disclosed, reproduced, or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher.
Publisher: STMP Associates Ltd. 27, Old Gloucester Street London, England WC1N 3AX www.com The names of companies and website addresses are provided for information of readers with no intention whatsoever to infringe on copyright or trademarks. All trademarks and registered trademarks appearing in this guide are the property of their respective owners. The information contained in this book is for information purposes only.
Users of this book are advised to do their own due diligence when it comes to making learning decisions, and all information, products, and services that have been provided or recommended should be independently verified by your own qualified professionals. By reading this book, you agree that the authors and/or the publisher are not responsible for the success or failure of your IELTS Test. For more information on the IELTS Test, please visit the official website at www. How This Book Helps You This book gives you, the IELTS Test candidate, detailed guidance on how you can improve your IELTS Writing Task 2 Test band score.
The IELTS Writing Task 2 Test is no different from any other exam or test type. There are techniques, which can be practised and which will place candidates in a better position to answer each given question type. This book teaches you those techniques for the IELTS Writing Task 2 Test. Both Task 1 and Task 2 are rated based on four criteria: Task Achievement(Task 1) and Task Response (Task 2), Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy.
Scores range from 0 to 9, and a 0.5 rate may also be given. To better understand each criterion, carefully study the descriptors below. The four criteria are of equal weight, so there must also be an equal amount of preparation. During your practice and preparation, don’t forget to keep referring back and forth to these descriptors.
This will thoroughly guide you as you progress. This knowledge is the icing on your IELTS preparation cake. In a favourable way, of course. The next table shows a comprehensive description of the English language capabilities required in each band score for Task 2 Writing.
The second question in the IELTS Academic Writing Test asks you to write an essay of at least 250 words. The question may ask you to agree or disagree on a particular idea or opinion; sometimes, the question may directly ask your stand on a particular issue. It may also ask you to cite some advantages and disadvantages of a particular idea, action, or event. The amount of time given to accomplish this task is 40 minutes.
A key technique for this task is to ensure you do not take longer than 40 minutes. This is because students would usually score higher marks in the first part of the next section of the IELTS Test than they would score by spending extra time on this task. DO remember though, that Task 2 is worth 66 or 2/3 of your marks, so twice as much. 9 Techniques for Better IELTS Writing Task 2 Band Score The techniques are listed below, and each relates to a chapter in this book which teaches IELTS Test candidates the required skills.
Technique 1: Reading and analysing the question Technique 2: Essay format - planning and outlining Technique 3: Brainstorming for good ideas and opinions Technique 4: The introductory paragraph - thesis statement Technique 5: The body - topic sentence; main idea and support ideas Technique 6: Time management Technique 7: Linking devices and expressions Technique 8: The conclusion - restatement or summary Technique 9: Common mistakes - syntax and lexis CHAPTER ONE Technique 1: Reading and analysing the question What are the really effective ways of “reading” the question? Firstly, you should make sure you understand every word in the question. In so doing, it is important to familiarise yourself with the range of possible topics in IELTS and the vocabulary associated with each. Here are some typical topics: Education Leisure Entertainment Technology Environment IT Health Education Science The Natural World Sport Nature or Nurture Advertising Cultural Differences Social Issues Language and Communication The Arts You should also refer to the practice materials by Cambridge, British Council, and/or IDP Australia, as they usually present the most common themes or topics used in the IELTS exam. Secondly, you should study the question itself.
Does it ask one or two things? Does it ask you to discuss something, give your opinion about a topic, agree or disagree with an argument, or suggest a solution or solutions to a certain problem? Finally, it is a good strategy to keep asking yourself, “what am I being asked in this question?” What are the exact things I need to do? To help maintain focus, you should keep referring to these questions every now and then during the test to ensure you are still addressing them in your answer. Why is "analysing" an important step in Writing Task 2? Being able to analyse the question fully is a great way to start with Writing task 2. Do not attempt to start writing if you are not confident that you have totally understood the question. So it is a good idea to give yourself some time for this stage - 5 minutes of understanding the question very well - before you proceed to the planning stage.
After reading and fully understanding the question, it will become straightforward to write your answer. Focus on what is being asked for before you start brainstorming for ideas. One criterion examiners consider when assessing your work is how you answer the questions. Just as in the IELTS Speaking Test, it is possible to express an answer without really thinking deeply.This is the same with the IELTS Writing Task 2.
It’s about answering what you are being asked to answer. Don’t waste your time on ideas that don’t succinctly answer the question. Focus is the key, and don’t forget you are constrained by the time in which to finish the task.There is only a minimum of 250 words. There is no maximum number but it is possible that the more words you write, the more mistakes you make.
How do we read and analyse the question? Let’s consider a set of sample questions below. The questions reflect the various types of question you may be asked to answer, and you will see what each of them asks you to do. Question 1: Some people say that holding the Olympics in Britain will benefit the country enormously. Do you agree or disagree? The question above presents an issue with which you have to either agree or disagree.
If you agree with the first statement above, then you just need to give your reasons in the body of your essay. If you disagree, you will have to do the same. To support your opinion, you may include your personal experience or give related examples. Question 2: It is much better for people with children to live in the countryside.
To what extent do you think this is true? The question above is simply asking your opinion. One important thing to be careful with here is the phrase “to what extent”. Take note that with this, you have to show some degree of your opinion. In short, adverbs of degree would be of great help.
You may start by saying "I absolutely agree/disagree"; "I partly agree"; "I really agree/disagree", etc. It’s also possible if you show one side of the argument with some corresponding points, and then you just emphasise that despite such, you are still for the other argument. In this event, you need to provide more points to qualify your overall claim further. Question 3: Britain is often criticised for being too lenient with its serious criminals, and much of the population believes that "life" should mean life.
Some people believe that less serious infringements of the law should be treated differently. Discuss both these views and give your opinion. This is another type of question that might be given in the actual exam. You are first given a situation with an argument.
Instead of merely agreeing or disagreeing, you now need to discuss both sides in an in-depth manner. After which, you may proceed to giving your personal opinion. This structure is very common in essay writing since it’s a good way to present your opinion when you have discussed both sides of the issue first. In effect, the readers would not only learn from your viewpoints but also familiarise the issue more deeply by looking at every possible angle of the argument.
In short, you are trying to influence them with your opinion while educating them about an important matter, and it sounds really fair enough, doesn’t it? Question 4: In some developed countries, personal tutors or teachers are becoming very popular. Do the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages? Here is a topic that presents a kind of social observation or event. With this kind of question, you need to give both the pros and cons of the trend; then, you need to state clearly whether it’s more beneficial or detrimental at all. You may also support your answer with personal experience and relevant examples.
Question 5: With the advent of technology, plagiarism is becoming a very serious problem in many industries today. Discuss the major causes and effects of this problem, and cite some possible solutions. With the last type of question above, you have to explore any contemporary problem by discussing why it came to be or what might happen next with its existence.