Ielts writing tips PTE UNIVERSE

Task 1 tip
Dos
1. Do find out what are your most common mistakes.
Checking your work at the end is really important, but many students complain that they
don't have time. You can make this process more efficient by checking your work when you
practice and writing down your four or five common mistakes. After a while, you will get to
know your more common mistakes and fix them quickly.

2. Do read the instructions carefully.

• Seems like a very obvious one, but it is one of the most common mistakes students make in
IELTS writing task 1.
• Take one minute to read the question a few times and really understand what it is asking
you to do. Practice will also help you familiarise yourself with the different types of task 1
question and save you time in the exam.

3. Do paraphrase the question.

• You will lose marks for copying the words in the answer and the examiner is looking to see if
you can paraphrase the question. To paraphrase, simply use synonyms to change keywords.
• Example Question: The graph below gives information about cinema attendance in the UK
between 1998 and the present, with projections to 2018.
• Paraphrased: The diagram shows data of movie-goers in the United Kingdom from 1998 until
now, with forecasts up to 2018.
• As you can see, the meaning has not changed but the words have. This should be the first
paragraph in your essay.
4. Do use signposting language.
• These are words and phrases that tell the examiner what you are writing about. They are
sometimes also called "discourse markers".
• Examples include "The graph/table/chart shows", "The most significant change is.", "Another
noticeable change/trend is.", "Overall"
• Paraphrased: The diagram shows data of movie-goers in the United Kingdom from 1998 until
now, with forecasts up to 2018.
• As you can see, the meaning has not changed but the words have. This should be the first
paragraph in your essay.

5. Do practice on IELTS answer sheets.

• Many students worry about not writing at least 150 words in IELTS writing part 1. A clever
way to always know how many words you have is to practice on the official exam answer
sheets and then you will be able to judge how much space you normally use for 150 words.
• A quick Google search will help you find these.

6. Do know how to describe change.

• You will pick up easy marks if you know how to accurately describe change. From very small
to very large, here are some examples: Minimalslight-gradual-moderate-considerable-
significant-substantial-enormousdramatic.
• You will normally have to describe change in your task 1 essay and these more advanced
words will help you gain some valuable marks for lexical resource'.
7. Do spend time organizing and planning your answer.
• This is one of the main differences between students who score well in IELTS writing and
those who don't. It is never a waste of time to plan your answer as this will help you score
well by giving a clear and coherent answer.
• Familiarize yourself with the different question types and then learn the different
structures for each one. For example a bar chart should look like this:
- Paragraph 1- paraphrase question.
- Paragraph 2- overview.
- Paragraph 3- describe main feature in detail.
- Paragraph 4- describes another main feature in detail.
When you have this structure in your head, you will be able to plan an effective answer
quickly and easily.

8. Practice writing overviews.

• Your overview is probably the most important paragraph in the whole essay. Write a good
one and you are well on your way to getting a good band score.
• An overview is a summary of the main features shown in the diagram.
• Part of this is identifying the main trends in the diagram. For bar and line charts ask yourself
what is increasing, what is decreasing and what is fluctuating? For processes ask yourself
how many main stages there are and what are the main changes and outcomes?
• Remember that your overview should not include any numbers because you are just
describing the most significant aspects in general terms; the detail comes in the next
paragraphs.
 9. Do consider which tense you are going to use.
Many IELTS candidates lose easy marks by only writing in the present tense. Ask yourself if
any of the data is about the past or the future and change your tenses accordingly.

10. Support your descriptions with accurate data.

As stated before, you won't use any numbers in the overview section but you will have to
use data to describe the main features in subsequent paragraphs. Make sure you choose the
correct data and that it is accurate.

Don'ts
1. Don't use the same words for percentages and numbers.
For percentages use words like large/small/higher/lower percentage of
For numbers use words like many/more/most/few and fewer.

2. Don't give your opinion or speculate.

• IELTS task 1 is not a discursive essay; discursive essays are for task 2. Only write
exactly what you see and don't try to give reasons for the data unless explicitly
stated in the diagram. You will lose a lot of marks if you do this.
• You should also not add any new information or draw any conclusions from the
data presented.
• For example, I had one student who was an engineer and was presented with a
diagram of how a car engine works. He wrote a very detailed description of the
process from his own knowledge. All of his information was correct but it was not
shown in the diagram. He didn't achieve the score he should have because he
made this error.
• Remember, give the IELTS examiners what they want and nothing else.
3. Don't use bullet points, notes or abbreviations.
Again, this might be fine in university essays but not in IELTS essays.

4. Don't write every number or process you see.

Many students do this and end up spending far too much time on task 1.
Remember you will only be asked to write about the most significant features.
For example, in a line graph or bar chart question you will only be expected to
write about 2 or 3 things. Any more is a waste of time and you won't get any
extra marks for writing about anything else.

5. Don't copy words from the question or information from the diagram.
• If you do this examiners will not mark these words and it is therefore like writing
nothing at all.
• To overcome this, familiarise yourself with the common vocabulary used in IELTS
writing part 1 and learn synonyms for this information. Also use synonyms when
practicing writing.

6. Don't overuse linking words or signposting language.

• Above I advised you to use these words but one problem students have is
learning lots of linking words and then overusing them to show the examiner how
good they are. Unfortunately, for those students you lose marks for overusing
them.
• If you use around 6 of these words and phrases you will do fine. More than 8 and
it looks like you are trying to insert them in without thinking if you are using them
appropriately or not.

7. Don't have messy handwriting.

• IELTS examiners will try their best to understand what you have written but
sometimes the writing is so untidy that it is impossible to read. If your writing is
like this the examiner will not be able to give you a mark for the words they can't
read.
• Many of us rely on computers these days and some students don't realise how
bad your handwriting is. Show some of your practice tests to a teacher or friend
and ask their opinion. If they can't read it then an examiner won't be able to
either.

8. Don't use informal language.

Remember this is an academic essay and you are expected to write in that
style. Avoid phrasal verbs, slang and colloquial language.

9. Don't just focus on line and bar graphs.

• These may have been popular in the past but it doesn't mean IELTS will continue
to use them that often. We are seeing many more maps, pie charts and process
diagrams these days.
• Many students overlook these kinds of questions and if you are well prepared for
every type of question you will really stand out from the crowd.
 10. Don't panic!
• Many students open up the exam paper, see something they know nothing about
and then panic.
• For example, I was teaching a class and the process diagram was about the
production of chocolate. But, all I know about chocolate is how to eat it. I cried
most of my students. This is understandable but the IELTS writing tests are not
knowledge tests, they are English tests. You are not expected to have knowledge
of the diagram, just calmly write about what you see.

Task 2 tip
Dos
1. Answer the question read the question carefully and does exactly what it asks you to do. You
can then make a plan to help you order your ideas before you start to write.
2. Use an appropriate structure. There are several different types of question that you need to
learn and they all have different structures.
3. Most questions ask you what your opinion is about a certain topic. If they do, make sure you
make your opinion very clear throughout your essay.
4. Keep it simple. The examiners know you only have 40 minutes and do expect a masterpiece.
Don't over think it. Often the best answers are the simplest ones.

Don'ts
1. Don't show off. You are being marked on vocabulary and grammar but that does not mean
you should try to use very complicated words. If you are not 100% sure. Don’t use them.
2. You should never try to memories or copy answers. Your grammar and vocabulary will be
good but you will not have answered the question.
3. Don't overuse words like 'moreover', 'however' and ‘nowadays’? You can use these but they
should not be in every sentence. If you look at a Band 9 answer they are rarely used.
4. Never write a sentence without a purpose. Each sentence has a job to do in an essay. If it
doesn't have a purpose, leave it out.

Answer the Question Not the Topic

1. One of the biggest complaints from IELTS teachers and examiners alike is most students'
inability to answer the question. Instead lots of students write very generally about the topic
and do not actually answer the question.
2. If we look at an example you will see why: Question-Global warming is one of the biggest
threats humans face in the 21st century and sea levels are continuing to rise at alarming
rates. What problems are associated with this and what are some possible solutions. Many
students will see this question and write as much about global warming as they can think of.
This is a mistake because the IELTS writing test is not a test of your knowledge; it is a test of
your ability to answer the question with a high level of written English. A good student
 would read the question carefully and realize that the question is not asking you to talk
about global warming; in fact, it is asking you to comment on sea level rises with reference
to humans. So the answer to the question will only talk about the problems humans face
from sea level rises and nothing else. I often tell my students that you should answer the
question with a sniper rifle, rather than a shot gun. Talking about the topic is the shot gun
approach, you might hit a few things but you are unlikely to hit the target in the way a sniper
would.

Analyze the Question Properly

1. If you don't answer the question fully you can't get over a band 5. It is that simple and it is
probably the number one thing stopping people getting a high score. It takes a long time to
improve your grammar and vocabulary but you can improve this very quickly.
2. Answering the question fully simply means reading the question carefully and then doing
what it asks you to do.
3. Spend time reading the question carefully and think about exactly what the question is
asking you to do
4. A good way to think about this is to use keywords (general topic), microkeywords (specific
sub-topic) and instructions words (what we must do) when thinking about your answer. Let's
look at an example:"The continued rise in the world's population is the greatest problem
faced by humanity at the present time. What are the causes of this continued rise? Do you
agree that it is the greatest problem faced by humanity?" The keywords here are rise in the
world's population. This is useful because we now know the general topic (population
growth), however, we can't simply write about this topic generally, we must think about it in
more detail and figure out exactly what the question is asking us to do. The micro-keywords
are greatest problem and continued rise. Therefore, we have to think about this topic more
specifically and think about if it really is the greatest problem we face and we also have to
comment on why it is continuing to rise. Now we must look for the instruction words. In this
question there are two different instruction words causes and do you agree? We must
therefore talk about both of these things in our essay. If we don't or we just write a sentence
or two about one and focus on the other, we have not answered the question and we can't
get over a band 5.
Plan
1. The students who get the highest marks always spend time making a plan before they start
writing. I normally tell my students to spend at least 5 minutes planning and another couple
of minutes analyzing the question.
2. Lots of students don't plan and this leads to them getting lost in the middle of their test and
either having to start over again or losing lots of time or results of a very confused essay that
is difficult to follow. Think about this way; if you were going to travel to a new place would
you take some time to look at a map or would you just start driving?
3. A plan can be very simple and just used to guide you.

Use an Appropriate Structure

1. IELTS task 2 questions generally follow a standard format. They will either ask your opinion
about something, ask you to discuss to different points of view, as you to discuss the
advantages and disadvantages of something or discuss the causes/problems and solutions of
something.
2. The great thing about this is there are standard structures you can learn for each of these
essays. I am not talking about memorizing essays, you should never do this, but you should
familiarize yourself with the standard structures.
3. For example in a problem and solution essay your structure should look something like this:
Paragraph 1

- Sentence 1- Paraphrase Sentence

- Sentence 2- Outline Sentence
Paragraph 2

- Sentence 3- State Problem

- Sentence 4- Explain Problem
- Sentence 5- Result of Problem
- Sentence 7- Example
Paragraph 3

- Sentence 8- State Solution

- Sentence 9- Explain Solution
- Sentence 10- Example
Paragraph 4

- Sentence 11- Conclusion

- Sentence 12- Recommendation/Prediction
Don't Show Off
1. To show off is to try to tell everyone how good you are at something. IELTS candidates try to
show off by using very complicated vocabulary and advanced grammar and believe this will
show the examiner how good they are and that you deserve a high score. The only problem
with this is that many people use vocabulary and grammar they are unsure of and this leads
to lots of mistakes.
2. If you try to use advanced vocabulary and grammar structures, but use them incorrectly, you
will actually get a lower score. It is much better to use a simpler structure you are 100% sure
is correct. I always tell my students to follow the 100% rule- if you are not 100% sure, don't
use it.
3. This is one of the biggest revelations my students have after their first class with me and it
leads to clearer writing and ultimately higher bands scores.

Make Your Opinion Clear

1. Most of the Task 2 questions ask you to give your opinion. You should make this very clear in
the introduction, conclusion and the main body paragraphs. Make sure you state your opinion
in the introduction, if asked to do so, by saying: - I believe that.

- It is agreed that
- It is disagreed that
- This essay agrees that.
- This essay does not agree that.
2. The rest of your essay should then be used to demonstrate why you believe this to be
true.

What Are Your Common Grammar Mistakes?

1. After marking thousands of IELTS papers, I can tell you that students tend to make the same
mistakes over and over again.
 2. These small grammar mistakes might not seem very significant, but unless at least half of
your sentences are 100% error free, you cannot get over a band 7 for grammatical range and
accuracy.
3. You should therefore get a native speaker or a professional IELTS teacher to mark some of
your writing and tell you what your common grammar mistakes are and then you can fix
them. If you know the mistakes you are making, you can practice hard and eliminate them
from your writing.

Write Slightly Over the Word Limit

1. Did you know that IELTS examiners count every word of your writing test? It's a very boring
job but they still do it.
2. For task 1 you have to write at least 150 words and for task 2 at least 250 words. That means
if you write 149 words for task 1 you will lose marks. It is therefore essential that you write
over the word limit.
3. You will not have time to count every word, so the best thing you can do is practice using the
official answer sheets and you will then know what 150 words and 250 words looks like on
the page without having to count every word.
4. Lots of students also ask if it is better to write over the word limit. The answer is no because
you don't have time and writing more than is required often leads to more grammar
mistakes and your ideas becoming irrelevant. Try to write about 10-15% over what is
required. This way you will always go over the word limit, but not lose time or make
mistakes.

Write Clear Topic Sentences

1. Topic sentences should be the first sentence you write in each main body paragraph and
should tell the reader what the rest of the paragraph is about. These really pop out at the
examiner and tell them exactly what the whole essay is about. They make your essay very
clear and easy to read and this will not only make the examiner very happy, but also get you
higher marks.
Explain Your Points and Give Examples
1. The official task 2 band descriptors state that your ideas should be relevant fully extended
and has well supported ideas.
2. This means that your ideas should not only answer the question (see IELTS writing tip 1), but
also be explained and supported with examples.
3. When you make a point you should assume that the writer has no previous knowledge of the
subject and you have to explain what you mean. I often tell my students to pretend they are
writing to a 10 year old who has never heard of the topic you are writing about and this will
help you to fully explain your ideas.
4. You also need to include a very specific example of what you are talking about. This could be
a newspaper article, a personal anecdote or some research that was recently done that
relates to the question. The key is to try and be specific. Including specific countries or cities
and dates will help you be more specific.
5. Lots of students complain that they cannot think of any specific examples. If you are unable
to think of a real example, simply make one up. The examiner will not check your examples
for authenticity; it is not an honesty test, it is an English test. Just make sure your examples
sound plausible.

Learn How to Paraphrase and Use Synonyms

1. Paraphrasing and using synonyms are two of the key skills required in the IELTS writing test.
In fact, the examiner will be looking for your ability to do this.
2. Paraphrasing is simply restating a phrase or sentence with different words, so that it has the
same meaning.

Don't Memorise Answers

1. Every question is unique and will therefore require a unique answer. If you memorise
answers and try to write them in the exam, your grammar and vocabulary will probably be
very good, but it will be very obvious to the examiner that you have memorized an answer.
This is considered copying and the examiner can give you a band score of 0 for this.
2. The examiner will always know, so it is really not worth the risk.
3. It is worthwhile looking at good sample answers and using some of the functional language
and structure from these, but please don't copy it word for word.
Start Task 2 before Task 1
• Task 2 is worth two thirds of the total marks of the IELTS writing exam and task 1 is worth
one third. You should take both as seriously as each other, but because task 2 is worth more
marks and takes longer, I advise my students to do task 2 first.
• When you mark lots of IELT exams, you notice that lots of students fail to finish task 2. I think
many people try to write the perfect task 1 answer, or take too long trying to understand the
data in task 1 and this leaves them with very little time to finish task 2.
• Timing is key in all parts of the IELTS exam so you should practice under exam conditions
before you do the test.

It's Not an Intelligence Test

• One of the biggest complaints I hear from students about the IELTS writing test is that they
don't understand the questions and they can't think of any good ideas.
• The IELTS writing test is not a test of your intelligence, it is a test of your ability to express
relevant ideas in English. Your ideas do not have to be the most amazing ideas in the world,
just ones that are relevant to the question. When you go to university, your ideas have to be
intelligent', but in the IELTS test they just have to be relevant and answer the question.
• For each question there are probably 10-20 ideas that could get you a band 9; there is no
one perfect idea that will get you a high score.
• When you are thinking of ideas for your answer, you should pick the ones you can use. What
I mean by use is the answers you can explain and extend with examples. As stated above,
you can't just list lots of ideas, you have to pick 2 or three and then fully support them with
explanations and examples. It does not matter how good the idea is, if you can't fully
support and extend it, don't use it.

Only Use Cohesive Devices Appropriately

1. I post lots of band 9 IELTS task 2 sample answers on this site and I am often surprised when
students tell me that they are not band 9. The main reason they think this is you haven't
used enough cohesive devices.
2. Below are lots of examples of cohesive devices:
• Comparison: also, equally, similarly, likewise, compared with
• Addition: and, also, furthermore, too, what is more
• Exemplification: for example, for instance, to illustrate, such as, namely
• Sequencing: First, second, next, then, after
• Result: so, therefore, as a result, thus, because
• Contrast: in comparison, in contrast, instead, on the contrary, conversely
 • Qualifying: but, however, although, except, unless
• Reformulation: in other words, put more simply, that is to say, rather, in simple terms
• Highlighting: in particular, especially, mainly, particularly, above all
• Transition: turning to, with regard to, with reference to, as far as X is, concerned
3. The problem with these is they are overused by most students. Some people think that the
key to a good score is using as many of these as possible, when in fact it will only harm your
score if your use them incorrectly.
4. Similar to my rule for grammar, only use them if you are 100% sure what they mean and
how they are used.

Keep It Simple
1. The examiners know that you have only 40 minutes to write an essay and you are doing it
in a foreign language. They do not expect you to write to the same standard that you would
if you were given lots of time to think about the questions, research your answer, write a
first draft, have it checked and then correct all of your mistakes. The examiners are not
expecting an essay of that standard so don't try to over think it. Just show them in a simple
way that you have understood the question and you can express yourself in English. That's it.