Amazing Tips to Get Hold on IELTS Writing Task 1
The IELTS Writing exam is tough, but it plays a critical role in helping students get into an institute or organisation in English speaking countries. The IELTS Writing exam often confuses and perplexes students.
There is no shortcut for obtaining a high IELTS band score, but there are definitely some tips that you can follow to improve your writing skills for IELTS Writing task 1.
Let’s first understand the format of writing task 1 in the IELTS exam.
The IELTS Writing exam in both Academic and General is divided into 2 parts – task 1 and task 2. Task 2 of the IELTS Writing exam is similar for both General and Academic. But writing task 1 is different.
IELTS Writing task 1 of the General Training Writing exam is letter writing. In this task, you are given a situation and based on it, you are expected to write a formal, semi-formal or informal letter in at least 150 words. IELTS Writing task 1 of the Academic Writing exam is report writing. In this task, you are given a bar graph, line graph, pie chart, process, map etc., and you are expected to critically analyse the diagram and write a report in at least 150 words.
IELTS Writing task 1 marking criteria:
Task Response (25%) – Overall accurate information, essential information and tone
Coherence and Cohesion (25%) – Use of ideas and linking words in the right format
Lexical Resources (25%) – Usage of uncommon vocabulary and error-free spelling
Grammatical Range and Accuracy (25%) – Correct use of grammatical structures and tenses.
Tips to refrain you from committing silly grammatical errors in your IELTS Writing task 1:
1. Subject-Verb Agreement errors
The subject and verb of the sentence must always agree in number with one another. Thus, if a subject is singular, its verb should also be singular, and if a subject is a plural, its verb should also be plural.
For Example:
Incorrect: A girl is sitting on the table.
Correct: Two girls are sitting on the table.
2. Sentence Fragment
Sentence fragments are incomplete sentences because it’s missing a critical component like subject, verb or complete thought or sentence that have become disconnected from the main clause.
For Example:
Incorrect: After they finished lunch
Correct: After they finished lunch, they watched movies.
3. No Comma after introductory words and phrases
Using a comma after an introductory word or phrase gives the examiner a slight pause after the introductory elements and emphasises important information.
For Example:
Incorrect: I was feeling hungry so I made myself a sandwich.
Correct: I was feeling hungry, so I made myself a sandwich.
4. Misuse of apostrophes
A contraction word is made by shortening and combining two words. For example, its – it is. When you put an apostrophe with ‘it’s’, it means ‘it is, otherwise ‘its’ means ‘belongs to.’
For Example:
Incorrect: Its finally my chance to play.
Correct: It’s finally my chance to play.
5. Wrong word Usage
Various words and phrases are confused and misused in sentences. Using incorrect words in a sentence can change the meaning of the sentence. So, always make sure to double-check the spellings of the words.
For example:
Incorrect: I excepted the business proposal.
Correct: I accepted the business proposal.
Some golden preparation tips for IELTS Writing task 1 preparation
1. Read
Reading different kinds of texts will help you get familiar with the various kinds of words and phrases.
2. Learn new vocabulary
While reading regularly, you will come across various difficult terms and phrases. Practise vocabulary in different situations and learn all the forms of the words and prepositions used with words.
3. Emphasise on spelling
After writing the answers, double-check your spelling and make sure you avoid any homonym errors. Homophones are similar sounding words but have different meaning and spellings.
For example: Write – Right, allowed – aloud, ball -bawl, buy – bye, brake – break etc.
4. Practise Daily
Practice is the only key to success. The more you practise writing, the better you will get in your IELTS Writing skills. It is not necessary to practise writing answers every day; you can even choose a random topic that interests you and write a small essay or paragraph and get it checked by someone knowledgeable.
5. Proofreading is must
Proofread your answers before submitting; it will help you identify any silly mistakes you make while writing the answers. If you are not able to identify your mistakes, join a course. The teachers will help you develop fluency and accuracy in English writing skills.
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