This document provides information about the IELTS writing exam. It outlines the two tasks that students must complete: Task 1 involves describing visual information such as graphs, charts or diagrams. Task 2 requires writing an essay giving a personal opinion on a contemporary issue while providing reasons and examples. The document discusses the assessment criteria, common problems students face, and strategies for improving time management and writing skills. Sample topics, vocabulary, and grammar areas are also presented to help prepare students for the exam.

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Writing
skills
Davide Melzi

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First things first
• Familiarise
students with the tasks
• What
tasks ?
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TASK 1
Description
of visual information:
7
possible variations
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LINE GRAPHS

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BAR CHARTS

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PIE CHARTS

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MULTIPLE CHARTS

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TABLES

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MAPS & PLANS

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DIAGRAMS

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TASK 2
Essay
Give personal opinion about
contemporary issues
Personal opinion must be supported by
reasons and examples

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QUESTION TYPES
•STATEMENT
AGREE vs DISAGREE
•TWO SIDES OF AN ARGUMENT
DISCUSS & GIVE OPINION
•PROBLEM
DESCRIBE CAUSES & SOLUTIONS

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ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
4 for each task (25% * 4)
❖ TASK ACHIEVEMENT (T1) / TASK RESPONSE (T2)
❖ COHERENCE & COHESION
❖ LEXICAL RESOURCE
❖ GRAMMATICAL RANGE & ACCURACY

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Task achievement / response = task fulfilment
TASK 1
•OVERVIEW
•KEY FEATURES
MAIN POINTS AND DATA
•150 WORDS
TASK 2
•TAKE POSITION
•ADDRESS ALL THE
POINTS
•GIVE EXAMPLES AND
REASONS
•STAY ON TOPIC
•250 WORDS

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Task 1: OVERVIEW AND WORD COUNT
OVERVIEW
Summarises / gives a general picture of the most relevant
visual information
Example:
The graph below gives information about the technology that
households in one US city used for watching television
between 2004 and 2014

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Sample

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Word count
• It bears a close and direct relation to the:
OVERVIEW
RAISE STUDENTS’ AWARENESS ABOUT:
✴ Copying or lifting phrases or clauses from the rubric
✴ Repeating the exact wording of the question
➢ Copied words are detracted

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Synonyms and paraphrases
•Students need to expand their vocabulary
•Expose students to authentic materials (e.g. newspapers
articles, The Economist daily charts)
•Gapfill exercises
•Consolidation exercises aimed at recycling vocabulary

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Task 2 MOST COMMON PROBLEMS IN ESSAY
WRITING
A PARAGRAPH is a paragraph
is a paragraph
is a paragraph
is a paragraph
You absolutely have to insist on this
Paragraphing helps progression, which is assessed
according to COHESION AND COHERENCE

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LACK OF EXAMPLES AND REASONS
DIFFERENT SIDES OF AN ARGUMENT
ARE NOT DISCUSSED
NO PLANNING

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Task 2 POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
•Have DISCUSSIONS in class
•Promote DEBATES based on contemporary issue
•Divide the class into groups for BRAINSTORMING
PURPOSES
•Have students to discuss PROS AND CONS
•This should be followed by some Writing practice

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SKILLS
IELTS is not JUST about
GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY
Students DO have to write in:
CLEAR, COHERENT, WELL-ORGANISED ENGLISH

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BUT LET’S NOT FORGET ABOUT
•STRATEGY
•TIME MANAGEMENT

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TIME MANAGEMENT
•TASK 1 20 minutes
•TASK 2 40 minutes
•Students are subject to time restrictions
THIS MEANS
PLANNING IS CRUCIAL

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BAND 6 BAND 7
•Strategy and planning increase students’ chances of
SUCCESS
Contrary to what might be generally expected:
Band 6 : LR
attempts to use less common vocabulary but with some
inaccuracy
makes some errors in spelling and/or word formation, but
they do not impede communication
•

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•Band 6 : GR
makes some errors in grammar and punctuation but they
rarely reduce communication
Band 7: LR
may produce occasional errors in word choice, spelling
and/or word formation
Band 7: GR
produces frequent error-free sentences
has good control of grammar and punctuation but may make
a few errors

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GRAMMAR & VOCAB
•Task 1:
Past and future tenses
Active vs Passive voice
Adjectives & adverbs + Collocations
Comparison & Approximation + Contrastive devices
Prepositions
Modals
Vocab for trends and movements

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GRAMMAR & VOCAB cont.
•Task 2
Impersonal contructions IT constructions
Passive voice
Participle clauses
Noun phrases
Linking devices