IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
IELTS is the short form of International English Language Testing System. It is a test designed to assess the English language skills of students belonging to countries where English is regarded as second or third language and are seeking admissions in colleges and universities of English speaking countries.
There are two versions of IELTS:
General Module: general module is taken up by those students who are applying for vocational training courses
Academic Module: Academic module is specifically for students who intend to earn a high degree or a diploma from recognized world universities. IETLS assess students in four areas: speaking, reading, listening and writing.
Writing Tasks in Academic Module
In academic writing section of the test, there are two writing tasks for students which have to be completed within duration one hour. In task one, students are presented with a chart, pie diagram, table, graphs or any other pictorial representation and they are asked to explain the general trend of the diagram in 150 words.
Task 1
The time allotted for task one is twenty minutes. The number of words a student is required to produce are 150. In task 1, the candidate is required to come up with a complete but precise description of a graph, chart, bar, table, map or any graphical representation.The student is required to pick out specific information from the diagram and adorning it with good vocabulary, fit it precisely within the required number of words.
Task 2
In task two, a two to three lined statement will be provided on which students have to present their opinions or arguments against it. The time allotted for this task is forty minutes in which students are required to documents their logical ideas and thoughts in 250 words.
Here, students are judged on their ability to communicate their considerations to the reader in a style which is comprehendible, interesting, factual, comprised of properly constructed sentences and supported with strong examples.
Tips for IELTS Academic Writing
Below you will find a few tips which if followed would help you in scoring well in the academic writing section.
Writing Tips for Task 1
First of all, give a careful look to the figure you are presented with and see what sort of description is asked for.
Once you are done with it, plan how you are going to answer to it for instance, what to write in the intro paragraph, what to mention in the body and ending phrases—you can make notes on the side of the question paper for your convenience.
Use your own words to explain the diagram—no regurgitation of the task description please! Stick to the relevant information and avoid including personal opinions.
Writing Tips for Task 2
Read the task statement carefully and for 5 minutes, do a brainstorming—plan what you want to write and how you want to organize the content into paragraphs.
Remember, in case the statement demands your opinion on a subject; mention your agreement or disagreement on it in the paragraph of introduction so that the reader gets an idea of what you will be saying in the rest of the paragraphs.
In contrast, if you are asked to write on pros and cons of something, do not rush into taking sides—in fact, keep the tone neutral throughout your writing and throw out your view at the end.
Make sure that you write logically and intelligibly. After you are done with the tasks, give them a proof reading so that there are no spelling and grammatical mistakes left and also ensure that the tone of your answers is formal and in academic style.
At the end, the three golden rules to get you through—a) Practice b) Practice c) Practice.
Feisty Ash has written this article. Visit writing tips to read more about academic writing for IELTS.