When many people think about the IELTS exam, they often start to feel quite nervous — especially when they think about how their speaking is going to be assessed!  Moreover, many students start their exam preparation with some incorrect ideas — or misconceptions — about how the exam will take place, and what exactly the examiners are looking for according to their criteria.    

Join the free webinar on IELTS Speaking preparation on October 8th and 9th, where we’re going to take a closer look at speaking, and see exactly what skills we need to develop to reach our desired band on IELTS — and what things we should avoid.

Register for the webinar to find out about:

— IELTS Speaking format and overview

— key skills to train

— important things to avoid during speaking on the exam

We’ll also cover some practical methods of preparation for the exam, and key resources that can be used to help you get ready.

Who the webinar is for: 

— IELTS Academic test takers

— students preparing to take IELTS in the future

— teachers providing IELTS preparation classes

— anyone wishing to improve their speaking skills for international exams

Speaker: 

Christopher Reese — a certified teacher (CELTA, Delta), teacher trainer, Cambridge speaking examiner. Chris has experience teaching English to all age groups of students, including international exams preparation. Recently, Chris has also been working on teacher training courses including Cambridge CELTA and CELT-P/S courses.

Register here: 

• October 8th 5:30 pm (UTC +3) 

 https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcqc-GqrDooHN2jt_HdRyRmKv9s_7a-lA-c

• October 9th 3 pm (UTC +3) 

 https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUpd-qtqT4pG9DIPuNuFbbPEutoWMNdvw-n

Besides 60 minutes of useful content and real practical techniques, you will also get an exclusive bonus that will help you skyrocket your IELTS preparation.  

See you online! 

One of the main criteria for assessing your writing at the IELTS Academic exams is Coherence and Cohesion, which is 25% of your marks. Besides logically organising information and ideas, using paragraphing, you have to ‘use cohesion in such a way that it attracts no attention’. This requirement is taken from the document that IELTS examiners use to score your essay. Cohesion refers to the use of linguistic devices to join sentences together.

Using linking words is a grammatically correct and stylistically effective way to connect ideas and sentences. They are essential for IELTS Writing Task 2, and if you use them, chances are you will get a higher score. However, the examiner will check your range, accuracy and your flexibility of linking words in an essay. Let us look at how the linking words are used and how they add coherence to a sentence.

Why use linking words

Linking words and phrases are the tools that make your text naturally or logically connected. Thus, the reader can easily follow your ideas and understand them. Linking words play a very important role in the text:

• they make your writing clear and connected;
• they show how the clauses/parts of the text are related to each other;
• they help to express opinions, attitudes and purposes;
• they help to add further information, details, examples;
• they point to the conclusions etc.

What linking words to use

Contrast

Use these words and phrases when you need to introduce opposite ideas in your essay. They can also introduce exceptions to the rules:

• however
• at the same time
• although
• despite
• yet

Result

These linking words usually link reasons with results. Use them for the solution essay or any essay where you will have to explain consequences or results of something:

• thus
• as a result
• therefore
• that is why

READ: IELTS Academic essay writing tips and tricks

Explanation / details

When you are giving more details or want to explain your idea further in your essay, use the following phrases:

• this means
• in this way

Reason

If you have to write a cause/solution essay in your IELTS Writing task 2, you will need these linking words and phrases to explain reasons and causes for something:

• due to
• as
• since
• because of
• in view of

Addition

In essays, you have to give a main point, and then support it. If you use these linking words and expressions, the reader (examiner) will know that you are going to present some extra information:

• moreover
• furthermore
• what is more
• in addition

WE RECOMMEND: 5 things to avoid in IELTS Academic Writing

Condition

Use the following expressions to join a condition and its consequence together. They are alternatives for ‘if’ used in more formal contexts, including academic writing:

• on condition that
• provided that
• unless

Example

When writing your essay, it is good to provide examples to support main ideas. Make sure you use these expressions to introduce examples:

• to illustrate
• for instance
• for example

Now, have a look at the linking words and expressions in the following essay sample, and think about their functions:

As you can see, we have highlighted all the linking words and expressions in the essay above. In the introduction, the writer presents two opposite ideas. In the next two paragraphs, these ideas are developed, explained in detail, and supported by examples. The author of the essay also writes about advantages and disadvantages of an increasing lifespan, and its consequences that depend on different conditions; this means that he or she models different situations. Finally, we can see that in conclusion, the writer explains the reason why this issue is controversial, and why such a trend is impossible to stop or prevent.

In your essay, show a range of linking words and expressions, and try not to repeat them throughout your essay. If you wrote ‘for example’, next time write ‘for instance’. Use the variety of linking words, but be careful, and only use them when they should be used. It’s a bad idea to stuff your essay with linking words or phrases because the use of these devices must look natural.

Using linking words or expressions is not the only way to make your writing cohesive. In our course, you will learn about other means that make different elements of the text hold together well. You will also keep all your strategies and useful tips in the Knowledge Bank so that you could return to them every time you need. With our new online IELTS Grade course, you will be fully-equipped to score high in IELTS Academic.

Test-takers and students often find IELTS Speaking to be difficult because they are not aware of what to expect in this section of the exam. In this article, we will tell you about the IELTS Speaking test, the parts it consists of and the types of questions to expect at the test. You will also learn what the examiner will be listening for during the test, and what your band will depend on.

Basic facts

Regardless the version of the test you choose, paper or computer-based, IELTS Speaking is always conducted face-to-face. You will take this part of the test in a private Speaking test room, free from noise and distraction with the examiner only. According to IELTS, it is the most effective way of assessing your speaking skills and it prompts a more lifelike performance. This is also an advantage because the examiner can repeat and rephrase questions for you.

You will take the Speaking test before or after other sections of IELTS. Some centers offer to take IELTS Speaking a day before Listening, Reading and Writing which is less stressful for candidates. Others conduct the Speaking test on the same day after the main session. It is up to you what option to choose. However, people tend to demonstrate better results when they are less tired and more relaxed.

IELTS Speaking is the shortest section of the test. It lasts only from 11 to 15 minutes. However, it may seem like you have spent forever and a day in the room with the examiner. The main reason for this is that candidates forget to relax and lose their confidence. The examiner knows you worry a lot, so he or she may also ask you how you feel to help you relax.

3 parts of the IELTS Speaking test

There are 3 parts in the speaking test:

• Introductions and general questions;
• Individual long turn;
• Two-way discussion.

Part 1 will last for only 4 – 5 minutes, and you will have to answer questions about your everyday life, for example, about your family, work or studies, hobbies, weather etc. These are the questions people often ask each other when they meet for the first time. This part of the test is a kind of warm-up before the next two parts.

In Part 2 the examiner gives the candidate a card with the task. You will have 1 minute to prepare and then talk for 1 – 2 minutes, with some questions from the examiner. The tasks in this part are usually about your experience. For example, you can be asked to speak about things you have or want to have, places you visited or would like to visit, situations and experiences you’ve had or would like to have. Use the preparation time to plan your answer and make some notes. You can look at your notes while answering.

READ ABOUT: How not to pass IELTS Speaking: common mistakes made by candidates

Below, there is an example of the prompt card you might get from the examiner:

In Part 3 the examiner asks further questions on the topic from Part 2, and gives the candidate the opportunity to discuss more abstract issues or ideas. This means that you will have to speak about other people, tendencies and social issues. For example, if you were to talk about the adventure in Part 2, now you may have to answer the following questions:

• How important is it to have adventure in our lives?
• What do people learn about themselves from having adventures?
• Should people always avoid danger, or is it a good idea sometimes to take risks?
• What risks should people try to avoid?
• Do you think people take fewer risks as they grow older? Why (not)?

The examiner will ask you questions, and you will have to give a response with as much detail as you can. Your answers should be clear and extended. It’s a good idea to support them with an example or two.

What do examiners look for in your response?

In IELTS Speaking you will be assessed according to the following criteria:

• Fluency and coherence. The examiner will listen if you can speak fluently without preparation, if you can organize your speech so that the listener could follow your ideas, if you make long pauses or not.
• Lexical resource. You should avoid repetition and show that you have a wide range of vocabulary. They also check if you can use less common and idiomatic vocabulary, or if you are good at paraphrasing.
• Grammatical range and accuracy. They will listen for simple and complex structures , and if you can use them appropriately. Try to avoid making mistakes as well.
• Pronunciation. Your pronunciation should be easy to understand, and you should speak clearly.

The better your work on these aspects the higher score you will get for your speaking test.

If you want to find out more about the format of the test, strategies you can use to increase your score and get feedback on your speaking, register for IELTS Grade course. Moreover, you will have the chance to practise all four skills, watch video tutorials, get your writing evaluated and checked by the automated checking system that uses artificial intelligence to give you the IELTS band score instantly.

We have also written about helpful idioms you can use at the IELTS Speaking test.

Are you looking for an opportunity to prepare for IELTS Academic effectively within a short period of time? Would you believe if someone told you it is possible to get ready for all sections of the exam in just two months or less? If you want to take IELTS with confidence and skyrocket your band score, we, at Grade Education Centre, have prepared a practical course that gradually builds all the skills needed to pass IELTS Academic with flying colours.

IELTS Grade is a full preparation course with emphasis on the development of academic writing skills. Experienced qualified teachers and IELTS experts created it to help students and candidates get a better understanding of the IELTS Academic exam and master strategies needed to tackle all kinds of tasks.

What’s in the course?

IELTS Grade course includes four parts that cover all the skills you need to master for the exam. They are Speaking, Reading, Listening, and Writing.

The Speaking part has videos and diagnostic tasks for training your speaking skills. You will also familiarize yourself with sample tasks and get feedback from our IELTS experts.

In the Reading part, you will watch six videos on the test format and strategies for each particular type of task. We have also prepared materials with advice and topics covered in video lessons that you can download and save. In our course, we analyze all types of texts that you can come across at the exam.

The Listening part contains four video lessons on the test format and strategies as well as downloadable materials and sample tasks.

The Writing part is the advanced course in preparation for the IELTS Academic Writing test. As many candidates consider Writing to be the hardest part of the test, we make emphasis on the thorough preparation for it. Here you will find a diagnostic test that will be followed by feedback from an IELTS expert. In the course, we will analyse all the types of texts that you can get on the day of the exam step by step, including essays and visuals. You will practise doing real tasks on Writing that will be checked by an automatic checking system that uses AI. Every time you succeed in doing the tasks of the course, more and more strategies and tips will be added to your Knowledge Bank. Finally, you will sit a mock test in the real exam-like conditions.

How does it work?

Our platform is easy to use. You can choose one of the three pricing plans.

You can start with a Free trial. You will get access to all tasks of the first unit in each part: Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking. This will give you an opportunity to get the taste of the course.

Choose the Basic plan if you are planning to study at your own pace, cover all parts and the materials of the course in any order you like. Spend as much time studying as you need and follow the Study plan in your profile that will help you structure and organise your IELTS preparation process.

If you would like to access all parts and tasks of the course, do a full mock test in the exam-like conditions, and have an online lesson with a certified teacher, choose the Complete plan.

After that, log in to the platform, and do the tasks in turn or in random order. You will receive step-by-step instructions for completing IELTS Writing, Speaking, Listening and Reading tasks as well as tips and hints from our virtual assistant. Depending on how much time you have, you will get a detailed self-study plan to prepare for IELTS Academic from 1 week to 2 months.

READ ABOUT: Opportunities you have with IELTS certificate

Why choose IELTS Grade?

There are more than 80 topics in the course. Every lesson contains strategies for successful completion of test tasks, vocabulary and grammar required to pass IELTS Academic. In total, you will have 40+ hours of practice on the IELTS Academic test format. In your personal Knowledge Bank, you will keep tips and checklists for self-examination on IELTS Academic Writing. AI and our IELTS experts will assess your writing. You will also be able to track your own progress. At the end of the course, you will get a certificate of completion and have clear structure for all types of tasks in IELTS Academic Writing, Speaking, Reading and Listening.

We did our best and put a lot of effort into our course to make IELTS simple for you and build your confidence. Don’t waste time, enroll, and skyrocket your IELTS band score today!

WE RECOMMEND READING:

• Key facts you need to know about the IELTS Reading test
• Top 8 IELTS Listening facts
• IELTS test format 
• IELTS Writing: Academic vs. General

Many candidates and students struggle with the IELTS Reading section. Difficulties appear because they might not be aware of the essentials of the Reading test, such as time, number of questions and types of texts, and some other basic, but indispensable facts. However, good news is if you are reading this blog, you still have some time to correct your mistakes and change the route of your preparation towards passing the IELTS exam successfully. Below, we are going to discuss everything you need to know about IELTS Reading as well as everything you need not to get lost on the day of the exam.

Key facts

1. The tasks are different in each module of the IELTS test: General and Academic. You will take the exam together with other candidates regardless the module. As you already know, you will do the Listening section in the same room. Right after that, you will remain seated and proceed with the Reading and Writing sections. Candidates do not change the rooms until the end of the test.

2. The types of questions in both modules of IELTS Reading are basically the same. This means that the IELTS Reading sections in general and academic modules differ only in contents. For example, you may need to:

• fill in gaps in sentences, tables and diagrams;
• choose correct options in multiple-choice questions;
• match paragraphs with headings.

We will look specifically at all question types and give you lots of useful tips in our course.

3. The duration of the IELTS Reading test is 60 minutes. You have to manage your time properly in order to complete all tasks. Try to spend no more than 20 minutes on each part of the test (there are 3 of them). However, you will notice that the first part is usually shorter. So, it is recommended to spend less time on it if you want to complete the rest of the tasks in time.

4. In IELTS Reading, you have to answer 40 questions. All of them are divided into several texts with different levels of difficulty. That is why some of the questions might seem easier, and others will look more difficult. Your task is to answer all of them.

5. Texts for IELTS General Training and Academic Training come from different sources. If you are taking IELTS Academic, you should get used to reading texts from books, journals, magazines and newspapers written for a non-specialist audience. At least one text contains detailed logical argument. They may also contain non-verbal materials such as diagrams, graphs or illustrations. If texts contain technical terms, a simple glossary is provided. That is because most IELTS Academic test-takers enter undergraduate or postgraduate courses or seek professional registration, and they are going to deal with these kinds of texts further in their studies or work.

READ ABOUT: IELTS Reading tips and resources

Those who take IELTS General should prepare themselves for ‘social survival’, i.e. you have to understand general factual information, such as timetables or notices. The texts are also about ‘workplace survival’ where you have to read a job description or staff development materials, for example. And the last part involves reading newspapers, magazines and fictional and non-fictional book extracts, i.e. is about general context.

6. You will have no extra time to transfer your answers. Remember that you have to do everything in 60 minutes. Be very attentive when writing answers on the answer sheet as poor spelling and grammar are penalised.

7. You can get a maximum of 40 points for IELTS Reading. Each correct answer is worth 1 mark. After that they are translated into IELTS 9 band scale. In the tables below you can see the average number of marks required to achieve a particular band score in Academic Reading and General Training Reading.

and

General tips on IELTS Reading

Now, when you are already aware of the structure of the IELTS Reading test and know what to expect, here are some helpful tips from our IELTS experts:

Tip #1. You should read not only the texts but also the instructions. Always check how many words you need to write, and how many options to choose in each question.

Tip #2. Do not even try to understand every single word. You will waste precious time and fail to find the answers to the questions, which is your goal, isn’t it? It’s a good idea to scan the text and find the necessary information such as keywords. Then, read this part of the text more carefully.

Tip #3. Do not get stuck if you can’t find the answer. If you spend too much time on the question you cannot answer, you are likely not to finish in time. Simply skip it and return to it later.

Tip #4. Do not leave blank answers. You have to answer all 40 questions. You will not get any penalties for choosing the wrong answer. If you are not sure, try any option that seems most appropriate. Chances are you can get it right.

Tip #5. Complete the answer sheet after each part. Once you are done with the first text, for example, transfer your answers. Then, proceed to the next task. This will help you save time and finish your test before it’s too late.

You will learn more useful tips and tricks in our complete IELTS Academic Writing self-study course with video lessons on all parts of the test, including reading strategies, sample tasks, feedback from IELTS experts, and a detailed self-study plan from 1 week to 2 months. Register for a free trial now or buy the full course and get access to all parts of the IELTS preparation.

READ ABOUT: 6 typical mistakes in IELTS essays

Students and test-takers find Listening to be a rather difficult part of IELTS. However, knowing what to expect when you get into the room on the day of your IELTS exam is your major advantage. We have collected the key information about the format of the test, question types, marking tips and scoring of the IELTS Listening test to give you more confidence about it. In this article, you will learn how much time IELTS Listening takes, number of questions and parts, what happens in each part and how listening is scored.

Fact #1

There are two modules of the IELTS test: General and Academic. Regardless of the module, the Listening test will be the same. The candidates who take either module of the IELTS exam arrive at the same venue on the same day, and sit the exam in the same room. They also listen to the same recordings and fill out the same answer sheets. Both modules differ in content only in the Writing and Reading sections of the test. That is why the assumption that IELTS General is easier is partially wrong.

Fact #2

The duration of the Listening section is 30 minutes. However, candidates who have chosen paper-based test will have 10 minutes to transfer their answers into the answer sheet. In a computer-based test, you will have 2 minutes to check your answers.

Fact #3

In IELTS Listening you have to answer 40 questions. There are 40 questions and 4 parts of the Listening test, 10 questions per each part. Before 2020, parts of Listening used to be called sections. That is why you may still see this word in practice tests. However, you don’t need to worry, the difference is only in the name.

Fact #4

You are not expected to have a detailed knowledge of the topics. Many candidates fear to fail because they do not know anything about engineering, pharmacology or paleontology, for instance. However, IELTS checks your listening skills, not your knowledge of the topic:

· your ability to understand main ideas and detailed factual information;

· if you can differentiate opinions and attitudes of speakers;

· if you understand the purpose of an utterance;

· your ability to follow the development of ideas.

READ ABOUT: Which IELTS should you take: general or academic?

Fact #5

Each part has a fixed format. First two parts of the test relate to social situations, while parts three and four relate to educational and training situations.

In Part 1, you will hear a conversation between two speakers on a general topic. For example, someone wants to buy a house or someone is applying for a job.

Part 2 has a monologue, again on a general situation from real life. For instance, a person is giving instructions to new company employees, or a guide is telling people about a museum.

In Part 3, there is a conversation with up to 4 people involved. They talk on an academic topic, for instance, the professor and the students discuss the project they are working on as a part of studies.

In Part 4, you will listen to a lecture. One person will be talking about a scientific or academic subject, for example, about the impact of global warming etc.

Fact #6

There are certain types of questions in IELTS Listening. Tasks you can get in each part of this section may differ. There are some common types of questions you may come across and need to know how to answer:

· Matching

· Multiple choice

· Note, form, table, diagram or flow-chart completion

· Sentence completion

· Summary completion

· Short answer questions

· Labeling a plan or a map

READ ABOUT: How to get ready for IELTS Listening

Fact #7

You have time to read the questions before listening. Once the Listening test starts you will open your test paper and read the instructions. They are short, clear and easy to follow. Read them carefully. Many of them state the number of words you have to write. For example:

Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER

or

Write ONE WORD ONLY

or

Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS.

You will also have some time to read the questions before you actually listen to the recording. This is one of the advantages of the IELTS test. However, don’t read too far ahead. You should read only the questions for the part of the audio you are about to listen to. Moreover, in the recording, you will also hear what questions you have to answer.

At the end of each part of the IELTS Listening test, you’ll hear the following instruction: ‘You now have half a minute to check your answers.’ Use this time to read the questions of the part that follows.

Fact #8

Candidates can get maximum 40 points for the Listening test. One mark is awarded for each correct answer in the 40-item test. Write your answers carefully on the answer sheet because poor spelling and grammar are penalized and are likely to reduce your score.

The table below indicates the average number of marks required to achieve a particular band score in Listening:

Now, you are aware of what the IELTS Listening test is like, and you are already at an advantage. To get more confidence, learn more tips and tricks, do practice tasks and get feedback from experienced tutors join our IELTS Academic Writing self-study course and get access to Listening, Speaking and Reading preparation parts as soon as the course updates are released.

Recently, we have written about mobile apps for IELTS preparation.

When it comes to IELTS Writing, we want to avoid making typical mistakes. However, shall we care only about spelling, punctuation or grammar? Or are there any other things considered to be mistakes in IELTS essays?

The truth is, it is possible to prevent stumbling when you are still preparing for the exam. Knowing what one should not do is as important as knowing what to do. That is why we have selected 6 most common issues arising when candidates do Task 2 in the IELTS Writing. We will discuss them further and give you some tips on how to deal with them and receive the best band score for your essay.

1. Not reading the task carefully.

Usually, the task contains the keywords that tell us what to write about and what things to do in the task. Let’s underline the keywords in the following task. For example:

Nowadays many people in cities live alone. What are the reasons for it? Is it a positive or a negative trend?

If we analyse the task carefully, we will see that it consists of three parts:

• writing on the topic: people in cities live alone;
• giving reasons for it, i.e. writing why people live in cities on their own;
• giving opinion whether it is a positive or a negative trend.

Not reading the task carefully might lead to not understanding and not addressing the task further in your essay, i.e. you will not be able to achieve more than band 3. According to IELTS TASK 2 Writing band descriptors, the candidate ‘whose answer is completely unrelated to the task’ or ‘does not adequately address any part of the task’ cannot get a high score. If you aim at 7+, you must ‘address all parts of the task’.

This also means that you have to write only what you are asked to write about in the task, and you should not go off topic. As you can see from the example above, you have to write about ‘people living in cities alone’, but not about ‘big and small cities’ or ‘people living alone’ or ‘living in cities’ etc.

2. Not giving any examples.

It is not enough only to make your point in the essay, but you also have to explain it. For example, if you write why something happens, explain why it is important and/or give an example of it. Examples help you support and develop your ideas.

Again, IELTS TASK 2 Writing band descriptors clarify that in order to achieve the score higher than 7 a candidate has not only to ‘present a clear position throughout the response’ but also ‘extend and support main ideas’ that are ‘relevant, fully extended and well-supported’.

You can give examples from your own experience. However, write them as if they are about the society or a group of people, not you personally.

For instance:

There are two main reasons for modern city dwellers to stay alone. Firstly, (REASON 1) they tend to devote most of their lifetime to career development and self-improvement. As a result, (EXPLANATION) they become too obsessed with the goals they want to achieve, and there is little time left for private life.

Or

People suffering from a cold, for instance, may be tempted by the promise of a quick recovery in an online advertisement. However, they are not aware of potential side effects of such a drug that may follow.

ALSO READ ABOUT: IELTS Academic essay tips and tricks

3. Not stating opinions clearly.

It is important to state your opinion in the introduction and restate it in the conclusion of your essay. According to the descriptors, you have to ‘present a clear position throughout the response’, i.e. the reader (the examiner) has to understand what you think and be able to follow your ideas throughout the whole essay. You can also provide short summaries at the end of body paragraphs if it really makes sense.

For example:

INTRODUCTION: Today, many city residents tend to live on their own for a number of obvious reasons, which will be elaborated on in this essay. Personally, I believe that this trend has both upsides and downsides.

BODY PARAGRAPHS

CONCLUSION: To conclude, while I am of the opinion that there are both advantages and disadvantages to living alone in a large city, this trend, for the reasons given above, is likely to develop further.

4. Not organizing your ideas in paragraphs and not linking them properly.

In IELTS essays, you have to not only present your ideas but also arrange the information and ideas. This also means that the essay should be divided into paragraphs, and each paragraph ‘presents a clear central topic’. Moreover, they have to be logically linked so that the reader (the examiner) could follow them.

While planning your essay, keep looking back at the task to give only relevant ideas, decide on the number of paragraphs. It is also good to brainstorm ideas and details/examples to answer questions, and take notes. Choose only those ideas that you are sure you can develop and explain in your essay. It should consist of:

• introduction
• body paragraph 1 (key point, explanation/example)
• body paragraph 2 (key point, explanation/example)
• conclusion

There are many ways to link your ideas logically and make your essay more coherent. For example:

Daily workouts in a gym are widely considered to be the most effective method of keeping fit. Personally, I partially support this view, as despite having a beneficial effect on human body, such exercise may not suit everyone. In addition, there is a variety of other ways to achieve similar results.

On the one hand, gym classes can bring impressive results in terms of physical development. When performed on a regular basis, such workouts allow people to strengthen their immune system and increase metabolism, thus becoming healthier. Additionally, gym classes help people shape their body, lose excessive weight and, as a result, become more attractive.

This view – refers to ‘Daily workouts … considered to be the most effective method of keeping fit’.

Such exercise – ‘daily workouts’.

On the one hand… – shows us there are two different views/opinions.

Additionally… – adds more information about ‘gym classes’.

As a result… – means you are going to describe the consequences etc.

As you may see, linkers can introduce opinions, add information, show contrast, change topics etc. We use them in almost every sentence. Therefore, it is important to manage them well. In our course, you will learn lots of cohesive devices and practice using them in your essays, keep them in a Knowledge Bank to have at hand.

5. Not using a variety of language.

If you want to write a good essay, you should avoid repetition and ‘use a wide range of vocabulary’ and ‘use a wide range of structures’ as the descriptors say. This means that it is necessary to pay attention to the vocabulary and grammar you use.

While planning your essay, think of the synonyms that can be used properly and in the correct context for it. However, in some topics we cannot use a different synonym in each sentence. In this case, you have to ‘dilute’ them with other expressions or words. For example:

‘On the one hand, gym classes can bring impressive results in terms of physical development. When performed on a regular basis, such workouts allow people to strengthen their immune system and increase metabolism, thus becoming healthier. Additionally, gym classes help people shape their body, lose excessive weight and, as a result, become more attractive.’

RECOMMENDED : 5 things you should definitely avoid in IELTS Academic Writing

6. Not checking your essay.

This is the last and very important step in completing IELTS Writing Task 2. It is also the fastest way to improve your band score because only in five minutes you can correct your mistakes or change sentences you have written. If you are aiming at 7+, you have to ‘produce frequent error-free sentences’, i.e. at least half of the sentences in your essay must not contain any mistakes.

Do check your essay for:

• spelling;
• your typical mistakes;
• repetition of vocabulary and linkers;
• grammar and punctuation.

You are able to fix these mistakes, especially if you know the types of mistakes you commonly make.

As you can see, there are many other items to consider when writing IELTS essays. However, all of the issues can be easily tackled, and now you know how to do it effectively. All of them and even more are covered in our IELTS Academic Writing self-study course with detailed analysis, automated instant feedback on writing using artificial intelligence, video comments and a full mock test imitating the conditions of a real exam. You can try the free version to feel the benefits of the course.

Many test-takers face certain difficulties when describing visuals in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1, which leads to typical mistakes. This happens due to not knowing how to prepare and what to avoid during exam preparation. However, these problems can be easily solved. You can improve your IELTS score if you try out our advice.

Andrii Pigariev, one of the authors and coordinators of IELTS Academic Writing self-study course, shares the list of most typical mistakes students and candidates make in IELTS preparation and on the day of the exam, based on his own experience of teaching for IELTS. We are going to discuss the problems that arise for many test takers and students as well as those that can affect the score candidates receive for their IELTS Academic Writing Task 1.

1. Not knowing what to expect.

A lot of candidates who fail the exam or receive a lower score do not know what kind of visuals they can face in Task 1 and what to pay attention to in each of them. You will always benefit if you are familiar with all types of tasks. Know the names of the visuals and pay attention to the key features like trends, stages and steps, changes that have taken in places etc.

We have already written about how to understand IELTS visuals.

2. Including personal opinion or reason.

What kind of information should you include in your response? Firstly, you have to write about figures, i.e. numbers that illustrate changes. Secondly, write about the facts from the chart, such as changes, rise and fall etc.

You might get a penalty if you write about:

— reasons why changes happened;

— your opinion about the situation;

— predict the future of the situation.

3. Starting writing immediately.

Many candidates start writing their reports the very same moment they receive the task. This is the best thing you can do … to fail or complete the task in the wrong way.

What you have to do is:

— read the description of the visual carefully. If you don’t do so, you might misunderstand some information.

— analyse the chart. Carefully look at the axes, measurements, names of columns, dates, periods of time, trends etc. It will help you choose the vocabulary and grammar for your writing.

— plan how to organize your writing. For example, grouping trends by similarities or differences will help you organize your response more effectively, and lead to a higher score.

— spend 3 – 5 minutes on the things mentioned above. However, if you practice a lot before the exam, it might take shorter time to do these things.

4. Not summarizing main features.

Candidates who do not prepare for the exam, do not report on the main features, and, most importantly, don’t focus on the summary of main features.

Do not just describe the details from the chart because it is only the part of the score. It is not enough to complete the task successfully. Provide the summary because its absence will lead you to a penalty.

If you want to receive band 6+, follow the criteria, which say that you need ‘to present an overview with information appropriately selected’. Unlike band 5, where the candidates simply ‘recount details mechanically with no clear overview’. As you can see, knowing what to write about is an important point to consider.

5. Describing every single detail immediately.

Sometimes, students or candidates don’t know what kind of information to describe, and they describe everything they see. They also do not know how to organize it.

What you have to do is to organize your response into paragraphs. For example, if you group your trends by similarities and differences, which is a good strategy, you will:

— paraphrase the task in paragraph 1 + overview of main trends;

— write about similar trend in paragraph 2 (e.g. downward trends);

— write about different trends in paragraph 3 (e.g. downward and upward trends).

Before you start writing, you must have a kind of draft of how you are going to describe your response. Without it, the score might be lower. If we do not organize the information, it is difficult for the reader (examiner) to follow it.

6. Not using specific vocabulary.

The vocabulary for IELTS Writing should be ‘better’, i.e. more specific to the task. The more varied your language is, the higher band you can achieve.

Also, try to avoid repetition. Do not use the same words. Use synonyms instead.

For example:

A: The number of cyclists went up a bit, then went down a bit again and was the same until the end of the period.

B: The number of cyclists first increased insignificantly, then there was a slight decline in figures, followed by a period of stability until the end of the period.

Both sentences describe the same line graph, but B is the example of the better choice of the language.

READ ABOUT: 5 things to avoid in IELTS Academic Writing

7. Not having reliable models to follow.

Another way to avoid typical mistakes in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 is not only to practice but also to check some good examples of responses where you can see how to write and improve your understanding of how to approach the task.

After you have written your own response, it would be good to see how others have done it and to analyse it.

This can be done on our platform where you will find good model answers for each type of task guidance on how to understand the task, how to organize your answer, and what kind of vocabulary to use. As you proceed, you will get the Knowledge Bank filled up with useful language and strategies, and complete the tasks in test-like conditions. Your answers will be checked using AI, and you will receive your score within a few seconds.

Besides, it is a good idea to see some model answers with mistakes to spot them.

8. Not checking your response.

This is one of the biggest mistakes candidates commit in the real exam. It happens because they do not have enough time to check their writing, especially if they are not trained to do so.

At the same time, this is a very important step. While writing, we tend not to see our mistakes. That is why it is worth spending 1 or 2 minutes at the end to check your writing. Pay attention to:

• spelling;
• punctuation;
• articles;
• subject and verb agreement;
• the mistakes you know you often make.

Read your response a few times. Each time you read focus on a different aspect.

9. Not practicing enough.

Practice makes perfect. In order avoid making typical mistakes in IELTS Academic Writing 1 we recommend:

• writing in English every day;
• describing charts and diagrams in English;
• practicing writing a certain number of words in a limited time;
• trying to describe charts and diagrams in English using a certain number of words in a limited time.

You will also benefit if you try describing all types of tasks and do it a few times. Such order will help you ease the anxiety on the day of the exam.

10. Not using strategies consistently.

Using strategies is all about using things repeatedly. The approach that will help you succeed in IELTS Writing is knowing what to do, how to do it, and practicing.

What is meant here, is the more you practice using the same strategies, the less and less time you spend every time on completing the task. Strategies should become part of your routine.

For example, our platform includes every single type of IELTS Academic Writing task that is followed by a certain strategy — you learn what to do step by step (analyse the task, plan your response, write, and check).

If you would like to improve your IELTS academic writing skills, familiarize yourself with the contents of the course and sign up for a free trial before you get access to the full course.

READ ABOUT: 5 easy steps to complete IELTS Academic Writing Task 1

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 assumes that the candidate will describe one or more graphs, tables, diagrams or even maps. We recommend you to spend no more than 20 minutes and write at least 150 words in this task.

Most candidates do not have any problems with the volume and time to complete the task. However, they can experience difficulties the moment when they first see a visual to be described. The majority of those preparing for the exam think that to describe is to write at least one sentence about each number or each movement of the graph. In fact, this is the biggest mistake. So, how to approach the task, how to understand what is important and what is not — we’ll discuss it further.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT WORDS

It is very important not to confuse the names of the visuals in English. That is because in the first sentence you will need to write what can be seen from the visual. In your native language and English these words may be ‘false friends’. So, remember:

• a map — a drawing of the earth’s surface, or part of that surface, showing the shape and position of different countries, political borders, natural features such as rivers and mountains, and artificial features such as roads and buildings;
• line graph — a drawing that uses lines to show how different pieces of information are related to each other;
• bar chart — a mathematical picture in which different amounts are represented by thin vertical or horizontal rectangles that have the same width but different heights or lengths;
• table — an arrangement of facts and numbers in rows or blocks;
• process / flow-chart — a drawing that shows the stages of a process or activity from the beginning to the end using different shapes connected by lines;
• pie chart — a way of showing information about how a total amount is divided up, consisting of a circle that is divided from its centre into several parts.

We also call all these types of images with the English word ‘diagram’. If the task you receive has several visuals, then this type of task will be called a ‘multiple chart’. Most likely, there will be either two or three pie charts, or a graph and a bar chart. For example:

or

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM VISUALS? 

In order to complete the task successfully, it is important to read it carefully and study the diagrams. Usually, the text of the task indicates:

• what the visual shows;
• what you have to do.

For example:

In this case, ‘The graph shows the changes in the popularity of different types of dwellings among families from 2002 to 2012.’ is the indication of what the visual shows. So, we need to ‘summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant’. This is the essence of the task, i.e. to select and describe the main trends as well as compare them. So, is it necessary to write about everything that is shown in the graph? Of course, not.

HOW TO DESCRIBE GRAPHS?

Each type of visuals has its own main features, i.e. the important information we pay attention to. If we describe everything in a row, we will not be able to make any comparisons. Therefore, we will not complete the task. What is more, it is almost impossible to describe everything in 20 minutes.

If you have to describe tables, graphs or charts, pay attention to the trends reflected in numbers and percentages. There can be a rise, a fall, a stable trend or fluctuation.

If we are talking about the line graph, for example, it is very easy to determine the direction of the trend. Look at the numbers at the beginning and at the end. If they climb up, we have an upward trend, and, if on the contrary, — a downward trend. In addition, the trends can fluctuate.

Sometimes a trend can fall/rise for a while and then change its direction. It is also worth writing about. For example:

• Generally, Mali’s showed a significant decrease at the beginning, followed by a period of gradual growth, while the financial performance of Genius demonstrated considerable fluctuations over the span of fifteen years.

READ MORE ABOUT: 5 things to avoid in IELTS Academic Writing

It is also important to pay attention to what each axis — horizontal or vertical — shows us. In the graph above, the vertical axis is a percentage and the horizontal axis is a year. Graphs usually show certain changes that occur over a period of time: past, present, or future. When it comes to the future, it is usually a prediction of a situation. You need to understand this and use the appropriate grammatical structures.

HOW TO DESCRIBE OTHER VISUALS?

Bar charts can be both horizontal and vertical. Instead of lines, pay attention to the columns and their length or height. By doing so, you will be able to follow the growth, decline or fluctuations of trends. They also have axes, and can show changes that occur over a period of time, as well as various categories — then pay attention to the colour of the columns.

Unlike graphs and charts, tables have no axes. Instead, pay attention to columns and rows. Columns usually have titles. You can use them to find out what the table is about, what period of time, what categories and measurements there are. As a rule, we can follow the trends in the rows.

Talking about the map/maps, you might have to report on settlements at different stages of development/decline. What do we pay attention to here? Of course, we have to find objects that have changed their location, the area that has expanded or decreased, the emergence of new or disappearing of old objects.

And what shall we look for in the process? Of course, these are stages or steps that are performed in this process. It is the sequence that plays the most important role here.

WHAT AND HOW TO WRITE IN IELTS ACADEMIC WRITING TASK 1?

• First, in your first sentence you need to paraphrase what is said in the task itself. This is a good strategy. For example, if the task says: ‘The graph shows changes in the popularity of different types of dwellings among families from 2000 to 2012.’, you can write: ‘The graph illustrates the percentage of three types of apartments chosen by households from 2000 to 2012.’
• Next, you need to describe the main categories depicted in the visual. For example, we will describe three types of housing: duplex/triplex, railroad аnd studio.
• Do not forget about the paragraphs. Each new feature is a new paragraph. But remember, we only write about main/outstanding things.
• It is not necessary to write conclusions, as well as it will be superfluous to express your own opinion concerning the things represented in the visual. However, do not forget to compare trends.
• The language of writing is academic. Therefore, no abbreviations, phrasal verbs or colloquial phrases.

You will find even more life hacks and secrets to successfully complete IELTS Academic Task 1 on our IELTS Academic Writing self-study course platform. With our course you will learn not only to understand each of the types of visuals, but also to describe them correctly. After all, the components of the course include learning strategies, vocabulary and grammatical structures, creating your own Knowledge Bank, and most importantly — checking your writing within seconds with our AI automated system.

FURTHER READING: 5 easy steps to complete IELTS Academic Writing Task 1

There are different ways to prepare for tests and exams. If you want to do it flexibly, whenever you want and wherever you are, take a look at mobile apps to practise for IELTS. One more advantage is that they are usually free. Let’s find out more about them and decide which ones to download!

Official apps

First of all, have a look at IELTS Prep App and IELTS Word Power offered by the British Council, the official maker of the IELTS.

With IELTS Prep App you will get instant access to free practice tests, grammar tips, exercises, quizzes and more. You will find sample questions for each section of the exam: Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking, as well as vocabulary practice. Furthermore, you can track your progress to help you understand the IELTS assessment criteria and to build your confidence for the real test.

Word Power contains over 100 vocabulary quiz questions. With gap-fill activities and listening comprehension quizzes, this app tests vocabulary skills for the IELTS Reading, Writing, and Listening sections. Because users get to hear an extensive selection of English audio, this app also has some use for developing spoken vocabulary. Additionally, the speakers in the sound files can serve as an example of how to pronounce IELTS vocabulary words and use them in context. There is a series of interesting and exciting vocabulary-building games that will ensure that you learn and have fun at the same time. You can even challenge your friends and see who has the best vocabulary!

Mobile apps to practice four skills for IELTS

IELTS Full – Band 7.5+ contains various sections: Tips, Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening and Vocabulary. Each section provides practice exercises, information, and sample tests with answers. The Listening section has 3 levels, each containing 34 lessons. You will find words and collocations on various topics for both general and academic modules in the Vocabulary section. In addition, the Speaking section has many cue cards with examples, as well as vocabulary you will need to complete the tasks. Even more, the section allows you to practise their speaking, listen to sample audio recordings, record yourself and replay your answer.

READ ABOUT: IELTS Speaking: common mistakes made by candidates

10000+ Free Videos For IELTS is a real treasure box for those who enjoy watching videos and want to practice listening skills. The new videos update every day. Each video has subtitles which run correspondingly with it. The videos are grouped by topics: music, movies, travel, media, social, business, academic, kids, education, entertainment, science etc. The app provides an intelligent way that helps learners practice all skills. Moreover, you can practice listening to each sentence, record yourself and check your pronunciation, translate each sentence to over 40 languages. The app provides 4 kinds of word games to help learners enhance vocabulary. It also has a section for taking and saving notes.

More mobile apps to practise for IELTS

IELTS Tutorials – Speaking is a free self-preparation mobile app for both IELTS Speaking Academic and IELTS Speaking General Training. It will help to improve your speaking skills and to boost your capabilities in addressing and resolving each task. There are various types of IELTS speaking questions, topics, tips and features like: question bookmark, record your test, common mistakes of speaking, etc. What’s more, it contains a collection of introductory questions, cue cards with the latest topics, model answers given by experts. In addition, you can learn some common mistakes of the IELTS speaking exam and how to avoid them. Useful videos will improve your speaking, pronunciation and time management skills during the exam.

WE RECOMMEND: IELTS Academic Writing Topics in 2020

IELTS Reading offers a real test-like collection of exam samples. This app provides real reading tasks and model practice tests with answers, and covers the following reading types:

• multiple choice
• True/false/not given
• short-answer questions
• sentence completion
• notes, summary, plan, diagram, table or chart completion
• classification
• matching paragraphs

There are lessons that teach you strategies to answer different kinds of questions. Moreover, you can switch from general to academic module.

ALSO READ ABOUT: Tips and resources to get ready for IELTS Reading

Academic Writing

IELTS Academic Writing self-study platform by Grade is the latest and the most practical course with over 500 practical tasks of all types, an in-depth analysis of model answers, and a full writing test at the end of the course. Besides, you will get:

• a bank of strategies for all writing task types;
• a bank of useful vocabulary, grammar and linking words for essays and visuals.

Before you start, try the Free version to get the taste of the course!