Get 7 bands in IELTS Writing Task 2

As a aspirants, to crack IELTS exam is quite difficult but it becomes easy whern you have right statergy to crack. In this ultimate guide, we explain how you score 8.0+ bands in your IELTS writing task 2.

The duration of the IELTS writing test is one hour. IELTS writing test is divided into two parts, Task 1 and Task 2. Both the tasks are compulsory to attempt. Let’s look into the details of writing task 2.

In this article, you will learn:-

1. Marking Strategy of IELTS Writing Task 2.
2. Common Mistakes of IELTS Writing Task 2. 
3. Management of Time for IELTS Writing Task 2.
4. Essay Types of IELTS Writing Task 2.

Duration: 40 minutes 

Word Limit: 250 words

In writing task 2 you have to write a minimum 250 words. If you are writing fewer words then the chances are that you have not explained your essay well. If you are writing more than 300 words then probably you might make more grammatical mistakes and also, you are giving up on your time to be spent on task 1. So, decide what would you prefer, a perfect essay with a required word length or a longer essay with probably more errors. 

Marking strategy of IELTS Writing Task 2-

An examiner of the IELTS test would examine your IELTS writing task 2 based on the following assessment criteria. (Band Descriptors)

1.Task Achievement

2.Coherence and Cohesion

3.Lexical Resources

4.Grammatical Range and Accuracy

 

 

 

IELTS writing task 2 is worth twice as much as writing task 1.

THE DO’S AND DONT’S OF IELTS WRITING TASK – 2

1. Manage Your Time Well

Total time in IELTS writing is one hour in which a student has to attempt 2 tasks. Time-division should be made such that both the tasks can be completed on time. Task 1 = 20 min , Task 2 = 40 min. Remember, a poorly written essay for the task 1 report will score a higher band than an incomplete one. So, never leave your tasks incomplete, and always attempt task 2 first.

2. Never use (…) (etc.)

While explicating a list avoid the usage of abbreviation (etc). Instead prefer to write in such a pattern; ( X, Y, and Z); (India, U.S.A, and China)

3. Do not use Question Marks:

Never frame questions in your essays. For Example: How do you think we can solve the problem of water shortage in our country?

4. Never begin your sentences with AND, BUT, OR:

Instead try to use linking phrases such as “In addition/Furthermore”, “However”.

5. Use Sentences Related to the Topic:

The first sentence of each paragraph should be related to the topic and guide the examiner about the information he/she is going to read in the upcoming content.

6. Careful Usage of Articles ( a, an, the, no article):

You generally use articles in theories whereas the best way to use articles is by learning their exact usage through accurate writings. Review the rules about articles before applying them to the nouns in your writing.

7. Singular/Plural, Countable/Uncountable:

When speaking about something in general,  prefer using the plural form. While in the case of countable and uncountable it’s a bit tricky. So it’s better you have a list prepared of the words coming under these categories. Words like advice, knowledge, and information are the common mistakes that students make.

8. No Personal Opinions:

Avoid giving personal examples or opinions in your essay. Do not use phrases like – “I think, I believe, in my mind, in my opinion, for me, to me“, etc. in the body paragraphs. You can use these only in the introduction or conclusion. Use impersonal opinions in body paragraphs such as “ some people think, other people, believe” etc.

9. No Contractions-

Avoid using contractions of words. For example: Rather than  “shouldn’t”  prefer to write “should not”. Similarly rather than “can’t” write “can not” and “couldn’t” can be written as “could not” etc.

10. Active tenses are changed to Passive tenses to omit the pronoun.

HOW TO MANAGE YOUR TIME IN IELTS WRITING TASK 2

Time management is the key to achieve high band scores in your IELTS writing. If you have learned how much time and energy is to be given to each task nobody can stop you from getting 8.0+ bands. The most common mistake student do is to spend too long on one task. This prevents you from finishing both the tasks of your writing within 60 minutes.

The best way to attempt your IELTS writing is to divide the time wisely and strictly as following:

Planning Stage (10 mins):

Read the question carefully

Decide your overall opinion

Pen your ideas using keywords paragraph wise

Writing Stage (30 mins):

Write down the introduction with your above-noted ideas ( 5mins)

Write the first body paragraph (10 mins)

Write the second body paragraph (10 mins)

Write the conclusion (5mins)

Proofreading Stage (5 mins ):

Read through your writing. Look for mistakes and correct them.

The most important time in which you are going to spend planning before writing your essay. You must use this time wisely to generate plenty of ideas for your essay. So that you are able to write a good essay. 

ESSAY TYPES OF IELTS WRITING TASK 2

The two most common essay  types are:

THE ARGUMENT LED (EVIDENCE LED)

The Thesis led

The first rule is that they won’t tell you which essay type is it. They will give you a topic and you have to decide on your own. Here we will discuss some questions of both types of essays:

The Argument led Essay:

Some people believe that studying at university or college is the best route to a successful career, while others believe that it is better to get a job straight after school. Discuss both views.

In recent times,  an increasing number of students go abroad for university study. Is that true?

The Thesis led Essay:

Some people say that what children watch influences their behavior. Others believe the amount of time they spend on television influences their behavior most.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Some people believe that people have the right to university education, and the government should make it free no matter what their financial background. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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