IELTS Writing Tips

Below you'll find important IELTS writing tips to help you with task 1 and 2 of the IELTS writing module. 

Essential IELTS Writing Tips

1. Don’t write too little
   For task 1 you have to write 150 words, and for task 2 you have to write 250 words. Make sure you do not write less than this amount or your band score may be reduced.
   
   Begin to get an idea of how many words you normally write on one line. This way you will know roughly how much you have written without having to keep counting all the words – you probably won’t have time to do this!




2. Don’t write too much
   The examiner is looking for quality, not quantity! You will not necessarily get more marks for writing more, so don’t write more for no reason.
   This will really depend on your writing ability. Someone of a higher level who needs to spend less time checking their grammar will have time to write more.
   
   But if this is not you, then make sure you write at least the minimum number of words, then use the extra time to check your grammar.




3. Plan and check your answer
   Don’t just start writing when the time begins and stop when it finishes.
   
   Use some time at the beginning checking you understand the question, brainstorming your ideas and planning your answer.
   Then spend some time at the end checking your grammar.




4. Spend more time on Task 2
   More of the marks are for task 2 and this task requires 100 more words, so spend 20 minutes on task 1 and 40 minutes on task 2.
   
   It does not matter which task you write first.




5. Write clearly
   You are not being graded on your handwriting; however, if the examiner cannot read some things you have written, it is not going to help you! So try to write clearly.




6. Organize clearly
   Don’t present the examiner with a wall of writing! Make sure you make use of paragraphing to divide up the different arguments or topics you are discussing.




7. Don’t copy the question
   Never copy the question! You may want to use the question (or rubric as it is called) in the introduction of both tasks in order to introduce the topic, but make sure you put it in your own words.




8. Use a variety of sentence structures
   The examiner will be looking to see what your grammatical range is so make sure you are not just using a limited range of sentence types.
   
   To get a higher score you will need to show you can use simple, compound and complex sentences.




9. Read the question carefully
   This is one of the most important IELTS writing tips! When my students write essays, one of the most common mistakes is not answering the question.
   Study the rubric very carefully and make sure you are clear about what you have to write about.
   
   If you are writing about the wrong topic or not responding to exactly what the question asks you, your band score will be lower.





10. Read all instructions carefully
    As with all of the modules of the IELTS test, make sure you read all the instructions carefully. These will tell you where you need to write each answer and what you need to do.

Skilled Independent Subclass 189 Visa (Australia)

The Skilled Independent Subclass 189 visa replaces both the offshore Skilled - Independent Subclass 175 visa and the onshore Subclass 885 visa.

SkillSelect Only Application

In order to apply for a Skilled Independent Subclass 189 visa, you must first lodge an Expression of Interest through SkillSelect and be invited by the Department of Immigration (DIAC) to apply.

Once you are invited to apply for a skilled visa, you must lodge your application within 60 days, otherwise the invitation lapses. Accordingly, it is very important that you have all required documentation prepared to lodge as soon as possible after receiving the invitation.

Visa Criteria

In order to qualify for a Subclass 189 visa, you would need to:

• Lodge an EOI and be invited by DIAC to apply
• Meet the pass mark in the skilled migration points test - currently 60
• Be aged between 18 and 49 inclusive
• Pass Skills Assessment in an occupation on the relevant Skilled Occupations List
• Have Competent English or higher (6 minimum in IELTS or holder of approved passports)
• Meet health and character requirements

This option does not require sponsorship by a relative or State/Territory Government.

Do I Apply in Australia or Overseas?

You can either be in Australia or overseas when you apply for a Subclass 189 Skilled Independent Visa. In order to lodge from within Australia, you would need to hold a substantive visa or a Bridging A, B or C visa. Once you apply from within Australia, you would receive a bridging visa allowing you to remain in Australia during processing of your visa application.

Including Family Members

You can include the following types of family members in your application:

• Spouses, defacto partners and same-sex partners
• Dependent children
• Other dependent family members - eg parents who live with you and are financially dependent

It is possible to include partners and dependent children after lodgement of the application, but other dependent family members must be included at lodgement.

Duration and Conditions

The visa is a permanent visa, allowing applicants to remain in Australia indefinitely with full work rights.

If you are outside Australia when the visa is granted, you and your family members will need to enter Australia for the first time prior to expiry of your health and police clearances.

Acacia has significant expertise in handling general skilled visa applications, and can help you with:

• Getting your skills assessed
• Coming up with strategies to maximise your points score
• Lodging visa applications within tight deadlines
• Managing your bridging visas
• Getting results with minimum stress and worry for you

How to calculate your IELTS Band/Scores

You get a score between 1 and 9 for each section. Half scores such as 6.5 are possible. For admission in universities often demand an IELTS score of 6 or 7. They may also require a minimum score in each of the four sections. Similarly, immigration departments of different countries requires overall or minimum score in each of the four sections. For example immigration department of Australia (DIAC) demands minimum 6 score/band for each section.

Candidates often confuses when they calculate their scores against their listening and reading test. So here is the score sheet against which you can check and mark your test score.

IELTS Listening marking schemes

For the listening test, which contains 40 questions, the approximate band scores can be calculated using this table.

Band Score	9	8.5	8	7.5	7	6.5	6	5.5	5	4.5	4	3.5	3	2.5
Score / 40	39-40	37-38	35-36	32-34	30-31	26-29	23-25	18-22	16-17	13-15	10-12	8-10	6-7	4-5

 

IELTS General Reading marking schemes

For the general reading test, which contains 40 questions, the approximate band scores can be calculated using this table.

Band Score	9	8.5	8	7.5	7	6.5	6	5.5	5	4.5	4	3.5	3	2.5
Score / 40	40	39	37-38	36	34-35	32-33	30-31	27-29	23-26	19-22	15-18	12-14	9-11	6-8

IELTS - The International English Language Testing System

What is IELTS?

IELTS, the International English Language Testing System, is designed to assess the language ability of candidates who need to study or work where English is the language of communication.

IELTS is jointly managed by the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL), British Council and IDP: IELTS Australia. IELTS conforms to the highest international standards of language assessment.

IELTS is recognised by universities and employers in many countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the USA. It is also recognised by professional bodies, immigration authorities and other government agencies.

IELTS Results

Test Report Forms (TRFs)

1. two year validity
2. overall and module bands
3. results available within two weeks
4. results can be sent to receiving institutions
5. no ‘pass’ mark
6. security enhanced paper
7. Online Verification Service 

If you want to study in an English-speaking country, you'll have to prove that you can understand and communicate in English before you commence your studies. We take a look at the all-important IELTS English language test and tell you everything you need to know...

Many institutions require you to prove a certain level of English language competence, and an IELTS English language test is one way to show how adept you are. IELTS is a globally recognised English language proficiency test that tests all four language skills and assesses your communicative ability.

WHAT IS IELTS?

IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. It's a test of your communicative proficiency in the English language, which proves you meet a certain standard, either for work or study purposes. The English language test assesses all four language skills: listening, reading, speaking and writing.

WHO RECOGNISES IELTS? 

Educational institutions in the UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, and a number of professional bodies across the globe including the New Zealand Immigration Service and the UK's General Medical Council recognise the IELTS English language test. IELTS is accepted by more than 6,000 organisations across the worldwide.

WHO GUARANTEES THE QUALITY OF AN IELTS TEST? 

It is co-owned by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge ESOL, who ensure that the tests apply to all nationalities. The English language test content is produced and checked internationally, so that any cultural or linguistic bias is eliminated.

There are two types of IELTS English language tests: the Academic and the General Training test:

• The Academic test is for international students who want to study at a higher education institution in an English-speaking country.

• The General Training test is suitable for people who want to migrate to an English-speaking country or to work for a professional organisation.

The Listening and Speaking parts of the IELTS test are the same in both these tests, but the Reading and Writing tests are tailored to either Academic skills or General skills.
 

IELTS ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEST COMPONENTS - EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

Listening test: 30 minutes, 4 sections, 40 items
What's involved? You'll be tested on specific and overall comprehension of English in a variety of contexts and formats.

Academic Reading OR General Training Reading test: 60 minutes, 3 sections, 40 items
What's involved? You'll have to understand detailed text and demonstrate that you understand complicated information presented in the English language.

Academic Writing OR General Training Writing test: 60 minutes, 2 tasks
What's involved? You'll be expected to use English for a variety of purposes and demonstrate that you can tailor your written English to suit a variety of topics and contexts. Your sentence structure, vocabulary, use of grammar and style will be assessed.

Speaking test: 11-14 minutes, 3 parts to this test
What's involved? This is the same for Academic and General Training candidates. It involves a one-to-one interview and covers a range of topics and contexts. You'll have to talk about personal topics, give an unassisted short talk on a selected topic and contribute to a two-way discussion on more abstract issues.

IELTS BANDS - WHAT DO THEY MEAN? 

After your English language test you'll be assessed and given a band score - here's how they define each of the nine bands.

• 9 - expert user
• 8 - very good user
• 7 - good user
• 6 - competent user
• 5 - modest user
• 4 - limited user
• 3 - extremely limited user
• 2 - intermittent user
• 1 - non-user

HOW MUCH DOES THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEST COST? 

The amount changes on a year basis. At the moment, the International English Language Test costs around £115. You can search by local country and currency on the IELTS website.

WHAT SCORE DO I NEED TO GET INTO UNIVERSITY IN THE UK? 

If you're aiming to study at an institution in the USA, Canada, the UK or Australia then you'll usually have to achieve an IELTS score of 6-6.5. If you want to enter a profession such as medicine, then the requirement may be an IELTS score of 7 or above, but always check with the relevant institution or organisation.

WHAT ABOUT THE TOEFL TEST? 

TOEFL can also be used in the same way - to prove English ability when applying for an academic course. TOEFL is sometimes recognised by British universities as an alternative to IELTS. TOEFL is an American exam that uses American English instead of British English and it's recognised for entry to most US universities.

Useful links 
IELTS course Searches by country
IELTS Courses in Australia
IELTS courses in Malaysia
IELTS courses in New Zealand
IELTS courses in Singapore
IELTS courses in London and the UK

IELTS PREPARATION

The Test

All Candidates are tested in listening, reading, writing and speaking.

•    Listening   30 mins
•    Reading     60 mins
•    Writing      60 mins
•    Speaking   11 – 14 mins

Total test time 2 hours 45 minutes excluding breaks.

Listening

• Time: 30 minutes  4 sections, 40 questions
• Real-world listening situations
• Difficulty
• Range of topics and tasks

               - listening for specific information  e.g.dates, place names

               - understanding gist

               - understanding speaker attitude/opinion

General listening strategies

• Recording is played once
• Read question CAREFULLY BEFORE listening
• Familiarise yourself with question types

               - completing a chart

               - selecting pictures

               - note-taking exercises

               - MC questions 

Reading

• Time: 60 minutes 3 reading passages, totally 40 questions
• Texts are taken from books, magazines, journals and newspapers
• Question types

               - find detailed information

               - identify attitudes and views

               - complete a diagram

General Reading Strategies

• Identify reading skills being tested
• Practise these skills

Writing

• Time: 60 minutes 2 tasks
• Task 1(20mins): descriptive report of a table or diagram, 150 words
• Task 2(40 mins):250 word essay in response to an opinion or a problem. 
• Discuss issues, construct an argument and use the appropriate tone and register.

General Writing Strategies

• Read the question carefully
• Familiarise yourself with descriptions of data – in newspapers, textbooks
• Practise formulating your own ideas on topics

Speaking

• Time: 10 – 15 minutes
• Face to face interview between one candidate and one examiner.
• Part 1(4-5mins): Introduction and interview
• Part 2(1-3 mins incl. prep): Individual talk
• Part 3(4-5 mins): Discussion topics 

• Speak fluently and link ideas coherently
• Demonstrate a range of appropriate vocabulary
• Use accurate grammar and appropriate register
• Speak so that a listener can understand

Speaking strategies

Part 1

    - Take the initiative if possible- Always say more than yes or no
    - Try to overcome nerves

Part 2

                - Take the 1 min preparation time

                - Jot down some main ideas

                - Sound interested in the talk

    Part 3

    - Give informed responses

    - Demonstrate your control of the language

    - Attempt to express abstract ideas

    - Support your opinions

    - Show that you are willing to provide extended replies 

Scoring

• IELTS provides a profile of a candidate’s ability to use English
• Candidates receive a score on a Band Scale from 1-9

 Scores on the IELTS test are graded into nine bands as follows:

 Band 0-Did not attempt the test  
 Band 1-Non User  
 Band 2-Intermittent User  
 Band 3-Extremely Limited  User 
 Band 4-Limited User  
 Band 5-Modest User   
 Band 7-Good User 
 Band 8-Very Good User 
 Band 9 -Expert User  

Band 6-Competent User  

Has generally effective command of the language despite some inaccuracies, inappropriacies and misunderstandings. Can use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situations.