IELTS Writing Section

Candidates who wish to move abroad to a dominantly English-speaking country require proof of English fluency. To fulfill this criterion, organizations, universities, and governments worldwide recognize the IELTS - International English Language Testing System. It is an English proficiency test that scores a candidate's listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills. The IELTS offers two types of tests, the Academic and the General Training, depending on whether candidates are moving for educational reasons or career prospects. The listening and speaking sections for both tests are the same. However, the writing section of the IELTS is one of the differences between the Academic and the General Training.

IELTS Writing Section Test Structure

Candidates are given two tasks in the writing section and have a duration of one hour to complete it. Both tasks require complete sentences with paragraphs. Bullet points and flow charts will not earn candidates points. The essays should meet the minimum word count requirements. Not meeting the minimum word count results in negative marking. The first task requires 150 words, and the second, which carries more points, requires 250 words. Task 2 is the same for the Academic and General Training IELTS. Task 1 is different for the two tests. When preparing, candidates need to make sure they are preparing for the right test.

IELTS Task 1: Task 1 is 20 minutes long and should be at least 150 words long.

• IELTS Academic: Task 1 in the IELTS Academic writing section requires a 150-word description of a pictorial representation. This could be line or bar graphs, pie charts, tables, maps, diagrams, etc. This task does not expect creativity or speculation from candidates. Candidates must simply follow the instructions given carefully and interpret the figures accordingly. This task assesses a candidate's ability to identify and represent their ideas in a cohesive and organized manner.
  
  
• IELTS General Training: Task 1 in the IELTS General Training writing section asks for a 150-word letter that follows the elements of English letter writing, such as starting and ending a letter and how to present the letter's contents. The letter's tone may be personal, semi-formal, or formal, depending on the task. The information to include in the letter will be provided in three points.

IELTS Task 2: Task 2 is the same for the Academic and General Training Test. It requires candidates to write a 250-word essay on a given topic in 40 minutes. It is worth 66% of the overall score in the writing section. That is why it is recommended that candidates spend 40 minutes on this task, including editing time. The IELTS writing section expects a discursive type of essay, which requires candidates to present a point of view and examples that prove the validity of that point of view.

How is IELTS Writing Section Scored?

The IELTS Writing section is scored on a band of 1-9 and is reported as a half or whole band score. The average score for the IELTS Writing section is between 6 and 7. 2-4 examiners score the IELTS Writing to eliminate bias. The Writing task is assessed against four criteria that have 25% weightage each:

Criteria	Description
Task Achievement/Task Response	Assesses how well the candidate follows the instructions and responds to the task
Coherence and Cohesion	Assesses how clearly and organized the ideas are presented
Lexical Resource	Assesses the correct use of vocabulary
Grammatical Range and Accuracy	Assesses correct use of grammar

Candidates must keep in mind that writings that stray from the topic, use a limited range of vocabulary, and are repetitive with spelling or grammatical errors will result in a low score.

How to Ace IELTS Writing Section?

Many consider the IELTS Writing section the most challenging part of the IELTS. Overall, on average, the writing section has the lowest score compared to the others. Here are a few tips to ensure the writing section is not as daunting as it seems.

1. Meet the word count but stick to the word limit as much as possible. The IELTS word limit helps examiners assess a candidate's ability to be effective yet concise. For a 250-word essay, keeping the word limit between 250-300 is ideal. Anything more is unnecessary and may be a waste of time.
2. Since a significant portion of the IELTS Writing score depends on grammar and spelling, candidates must set time aside to edit their writing well.
3. The candidate should improve their vocabulary by using the various online tools available. This sets them apart from other test-takers.
4. In task 1 of the IELTS General Training test, candidates can earn a higher score by being descriptive and elaborating on details.
5. Do not memorize content for essays. This may lead to candidates adding content that is not relevant. The candidate should follow an organic and natural way and keep a flow in writing and work.
6. Spend a minute understanding the instructions and the tasks asked. The candidate should plan a general structure before writing. This will ensure all the necessary points are included.
7. For task one, it is helpful to mention relevant numbers and statistics during the description of a graph or table that has numerical data.
8. A good way to conclude the writing is to summarize all the points mentioned.

Just like with every IELTS section, not only does practice make one perfect, it is mandatory. Consistent practice for the writing section can help with vocabulary usage, grammar accuracy, and time management.