IELTS WRITING: Which Essays score well at IELTS?

Which Essays score well at IELTS? Well, this can certainly be categorized as one of the million dollar questions. IELTS is a test of English, so the first obvious reply which comes to one's mind, is that essays written in good (accurate and appropriate) English can achieve a good score. However, there is a lot more to it than just English (though good command over English is certainly important). Here are a few points which give an insight into well-written, high scoring essays:

1. Essays which are relevant to the topic with no (or only minor) digressions from the main theme give a good impression. They show that the candidate has understood the topic and has the ability to write well on a specific topic.
2. Good essays are always well planned. This means that in a well-written essay, ideas are presented in a logical sequence (and not in a haphazard manner). The essays begin with an introduction, followed by arguments one after the other in a logical pattern (and do not give the impression that the writer is writing without planning or in an irregular manner. More tips on planning in the following posts.)
3. The writer argues or proves his point of view through valid examples from real life situations, facts and figures etc. Even if there are no specific examples to be shared the arguments should be logical and verifiable.
4. Good essays always show a range of appropriate and relevant vocabulary.
5. High scoring essays show accurate usage of English with no or very few grammatical, spelling and sentence structure errors.
6. The essay should be appropriately divided into paragraphs. Well-written essays have balanced paragraphs where every paragraph presents and explains a new idea or point of view (which is relevant to the main topic and linked to the previous paragraphs).
7. The use of language should be highly appropriate and should not contain inappropriate slang words or phrases. Similarly language usage is also affected by the type of material one is writing for example formal letters need to be very meticulous, polite and straight forward while informal letters can be casual and friendly depending on the person they are being addressed to.
8. The written material should be legible, i.e. it should be clear enough for the examiner to be able to read it. A piece of writing which cannot be read properly, cannot be marked properly. Though handwriting is a skill mastered earlier in life with only minor improvements possible later in life, candidates should at least try to write clearly and in a font size which is easily visible and readable by the examiner.
9. Well-written essays always leave a good impression. This means that they are concluded properly (and the examiner is not left wondering what the final thoughts of the candidate might have been!). This is just like having a first impression in the beginning and a last good impression in the end by giving an impressive ending to the piece of writing.
10. Essays falling short of the provided word limit do not score well! Therefore candidates should write sufficiently on the given topic to at least reach the required word limit, otherwise they will miss out on vital marks.

The above mentioned points will be discussed in detail in upcoming posts to shed light on individual aspects of a well-written essay. Make sure to cover all these points and the final score will speak for itself. Good Luck!

IELTS SPEAKING MODULE - Know The Basics

IELTS Speaking Module - Basics

The IELTS Speaking Module starts with an introduction of the candidate. The interviewer will begin with asking questions about the candidate for example,

• Where do you live?
• What do you do? or What is your occupation?
• What is your favourite pass time? or Tell me about your hobbies? etc.

This is to allow the candidate to introduce themselves, feel comfortable and confident as the candidate will be speaking about things he/she knows.

Then the interviewer will provide the candidate with a topic. The candidate will also be provided with a question paper with the topic written on it. The candidate will be allowed one minute to think about the topic and take down notes or points if he/she wishes to about the topic. The candidate will then have to talk for about two minutes on the topic.

The interviewer will move on to asking questions about the topic after the candidate has finished speaking. The questions will be relevant to the topic but may also slightly touch other related areas. The questions will be open ended. This means that there is no right or wrong answer. The candidate has to express their own point of view.

What is assessed in the Speaking Module?

The Speaking Module assesses a candidate's ability to communicate verbally in English. This includes:

• The candidate understands what the interviewer has asked them, hence his/her answers should be relevant and show their understanding. (The candidate can always ask the interviewer to repeat their question if they haven't understood what was asked.)
• Speak clearly and fluently in English (with normal stops and breaks as used in everyday spoken English).
• Use appropriate language (accurate grammar and relevant vocabulary as far as possible). For example, if the candidate is talking about a football he once bought, he may say that the ball was quite big, but not fat! Similarly if talking about a person, he may say ' the man was fat', however, if he says 'the man was thick', it will be absolutely wrong and inappropriate use of vocabulary....so candidates need to make sure they do not confuse words and use them appropriately even when speaking fluently.

(More information on using appropriate vocabulary both in speaking and writing will be provided in later posts)