IELTS Academic WRITING How To Write 8+ Answers For The IELTS Exam! (With High Scoring Sample Answers For Each Question Type) By Daniella Moyla Copyright 2017 by Daniella Moyla Published by Sanbrook Publishing All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of the author. Limits of Liability / Disclaimer of Warranty: The author and publisher of this book and the accompanying materials have used their best efforts in preparing this program. The author and publisher make no representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy, applicability, fitness, or completeness of the contents of this program.
They disclaim any warranties (expressed or implied), merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. The author and publisher shall in no event be held liable for any loss or other damage, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. As always, the advice of a competent legal, tax, accounting or other professionals should be sought. This manual contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties.
Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. IELTS is jointly owned by British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL). ISBN: 9781370604746 ***** Table of Contents WHO IS THIS BOOK FOR? ACADEMIC WRITING SECTION TASK 1 WRITING ACADEMIC What Is Task 1? Suggested Answer Structure (Task 1) Scoring Criteria (Task 1) Task 1 Question Types Graphs, Charts & Tables Processes Maps Planning Task 1 Reports Quick Tips For Task 1 HIGH SCORING TASK 1 SAMPLE ANSWERS Graph – Sample 1 Graph – Sample 2 Process – Sample 1 Process – Sample 2 Map – Sample 1 Map – Sample 2 TASK 2 WRITING ACADEMIC What Is Task 2? Suggested Answer Structure (Task 2) Scoring Criteria (Task 2) Task 2 Question Types Task 2 Question Types Summary Task 2 Question Types (Mind Map) Planning Task 2 Essays Quick Tips For Task 2 HIGH SCORING TASK 2 SAMPLE ANSWERS Opposing-Views Question type Opinion-based Question type Two-part Question Type ABOUT THE AUTHOR WHO IS THIS BOOK FOR? The IELTS can be a very daunting exam in which to achieve a high score. The significance of the IELTS can be the difference between obtaining a visa or position at a university for many people.
Therefore, it is important that if you require a specific IELTS score, you review what makes high quality writing answers before you take the exam. All too many people take the IELTS several times without reaching their desired score and do not understand why. This book has been written specifically for people like you who want to view sample writing answers that comply with the standards of the IELTS scoring criteria and would achieve a high score if written for an IELTS exam. Many sample answers on the internet today are not quality reviewed and can be misleading.
The answers you will find in this book, however, have been written by a professional IELTS teacher with more than 10 years experience who has used these methods to reach high scoring results with most of her students. If you want to succeed on the IELTS Writing section, then this book will assist you in understanding what is required. You should read this book if: • You have taken the IELTS exam before and did not obtain a high score in the writing section and don’t know why. • You have searched the internet for sample answers but you are unsure of the quality of the answers and who wrote them.
• You have never taken the IELTS exam and you want to review how high scoring answers are structured, so you can follow a similar format. • Your IELTS exam is very soon and you need last minute guidance on how to write high scoring answers. ACADEMIC WRITING SECTION The Writing section of the IELTS has two formats, Academic and General Training. This book refers to the Academic format, which is often, but not exclusively, one of the entry requirements for candidates interested in completing tertiary education programmes in most English speaking countries.
The writing section assesses a person’s ability to communicate in written English, in an academic context as well as the capacity to understand different tasks and respond to them with an adequate level of accuracy. Even though there is an allocation of time for each task, candidates are responsible for managing it, as one hour is given to complete the whole writing section. Which means, that if a candidate spends more than twenty minutes in task 1, he/she will have less time to write the essay which will be detrimental for the final result. It is also important to remember that task 2 (the essay) is worth double the marks, and hence requires more attention given its level of complexity.
TASK 1 WRITING ACADEMIC What Is Task 1? This task in particular, evaluates a candidate’s ability to understand data presented in a pictorial diagram. Once the information has been analysed and understood, candidates are expected to write a report explaining the given data. The illustrations will vary in format, and only one will be given per test. These can include the following: a) Line graph, chart or table b) Process or diagram c) Maps Suggested Answer Structure (Task 1) The structure for the report may vary according to the type of illustration received.
Generally speaking, the report will be divided in four paragraphs. Scoring Criteria (Task 1) Task 1 is assessed according to four areas which determine the final score in bands from 1 to 9. A brief description of each criterion is provided below: *The public version of the Writing scoring criteria is available on www.org Task 1 Question Types A variety of charts can be included in this part of the writing section, however, there is only one per test. Even though graphs are still the most common figure, maps have recently gained a certain level of popularity.
Graphs, Charts & Tables In this type, a series of numerical features is presented. The main purpose is to identify the trend (rising, falling) as well as to establish comparisons when relevant (the highest, lowest etc.) Processes In this type, a sequence of stages or the process of how something works is illustrated in a pictorial diagram. The objective is to identify the steps and functionality of the diagram. Maps This is a rather newer type, in which two maps which show the same place with a series of changes are provided.
Another possibility is to receive one map where the aim is to compare two different locations for a certain purpose. Planning Task 1 Reports One of the main reasons people fail to get a high score in task 1, is due to the lack of planning. This means that most people study the image quickly and start writing the report immediately, which usually results in mistakes such as not providing important details or missing information. Therefore, it is vital to have a system to follow for task 1 that provides better results.
Steps to follow: Step 1 - Study the illustration carefully Read the question a couple of times to make sure you understand what the task is about. Then study the data carefully looking for similarities and differences that will help you determine the main trends, stages or changes. Step 2 - Make a list of features Use the page where the illustration is to make a short list of the aspects that will be part of the description. By doing this, you will avoid leaving information out and you will better present your overview.
Step 3 - Write the report for the reader and not for you This sounds rather obvious, but a common mistake people make in this task, is to write the report assuming the reader will be looking at the illustration simultaneously. This is a mistake because the purpose of the report is that the reader does not feel the need to look at the image because everything described well enough that such action would be unnecessary. Step 4 - Check and edit your report Always leave a few minutes at the end to read your report and make any changes necessary before you submit it. Most people understand this is important but usually run out of time before they get a chance to do it.
The reality is, you should always have some minutes to spare. If you do not, that means you need more practice. Quick Tips For Task 1 1) Have a system and manage your time wisely. As explained above, most people do not have a system for any of the writing tasks.
This is because most people are not used to the idea of planning at all and they think of it as a waste of time. However, planning is vital in order to get good results. There is no perfect method for planning, but a good place to start is to follow the suggestions above. Twenty minutes seem to be not enough time for planning, writing and checking.
But once more, having a system will help you get there. Keep track of how long it takes you to analyse a graph, take notes and write it. Use that to create your own system and then practice as much as possible keeping records of the time you spend on each step. After a few trials you will see amazing results.
2) Get familiar with the scoring criteria Understanding what examiners expect to find in your report is essential. Even though the band descriptors are available on the IELTS official website, not many people have taken the time to try to understand what they actually are and how examiners use them. But if you do not know what getting an 8 means, then how will you ever get there? This is not rocket science. The descriptors are quite clear and though they might sound somewhat technical at times, even knowing the main aim of each criterion will help you realize what examiners need to see in order to score you handsomely.
For example, in order to get a 7, you need to at least: Task achievement • Write at least 150 words and submit a finished report • Present an overview that clearly highlights the main trends/stages or changes depicted in the graphic • Describe all features, though some could be better covered Cohesion and Coherence • Present the information in a logical sequence where ideas progress at ease • Use a range of cohesive devices (linking words, pronoun reference etc.) with some flexibility, though there may be some under/over-use Lexical range and accuracy • Use a variety of expressions with some level of sophistication (uncommon words) and some awareness of style and collocation (combination of words such as “do business”). • Make a few errors throughout (most sentences are error-free) in terms of spelling, word choice and form. Grammatical range and accuracy • Use a variety of structures with a high level of accuracy (most sentences are error-free) and good control over punctuation. As it can be seen, a report that gets a 7 is far from being perfect, but it needs to have a high level of accuracy in all four criteria.
In order to get 8, the requirements are the same but there is less room for error and higher expectations in terms of the proficiency in the use of vocabulary and grammar. 1) Paraphrasing is key Given that the content of task 1 (academic) is provided in the task, paraphrasing is essential on order to show your own understanding of the illustration without having to repeat terms used in the question. Clearly, there will be words that cannot be replaced, but ideally, most of the information should be grouped or replaced by a synonym or a different expression.