Plan Your Essay
A plan can take you miles. This is often a saying, regarded as the perfect quote for life. But, it is also the correct saying, if you want to get high marks in the writing section of IELTS. The reason most people face problems in essays, is because they start writing as soon they read the question. And that is the main issue with it. Until and unless each and every sentence has a purpose, chances are that you will end up writing either gibberish or something that an examiner does not expects out of you.
But then, most of you would argue that you get only 40 minutes to write an essay, what must you do then?? Well, plan. It is only way out and trust me, the time spent on planning is worth it. Just imagine, you start writing an essay without a plan. Half way through it you realise that you have written something wrong, what next will you do?? Obviously delete. So, yet again, the time gets wasted because you did not plan.
There are four things that you need to consider while writing an essay –
- Question
- Idea
- Structure
- Vocabulary
QUESTION – The question is the most important part of the writing task. You are marked on every aspect of the question. So, if you don’t answer a particular part of the question, you certainly will lose marks. Or if, you answer a part of the question wrongly, you be sure of losing marks.
For instance-
Some people think that it should be compulsory for people to retake their driving test after every five years.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of doing this?
So, now while answering this question, you need to bring out the advantage and disadvantage of giving driving test every five years. If you just write the advantages or the disadvantages and not the both, you will surely lose marks.
IDEA – Most of us think that the only way of getting great ideas is by brainstorming ourselves. But the fact is that although, you might get lot of ideas, but mostly they are not the ones that are required. So, instead of brainstorming yourself, ask the following questions –
What are the advantages of learning driving every five years?
What are the disadvantages of learning driving every five years?
It is okay if you have only two solid ideas for each of the question. Remember, it does not matter how many ideas you put in, but how well you explain what you have figured out.
STRUCTURE – Structure plays a very important role in IELTS. You may have a good idea, a great vocabulary but if you fall in structure, you are more likely to lose marks!! Given below is a structure that you may follow in the writing task of IELTS –
Paragraph 1- Introduction
Sentence 1- Paraphrase Sentence
Sentence 2- Thesis Statement
Sentence 3- Outline Statement
Paragraph 2- Advantages
Sentence 4- Topic Sentence
Sentence 5- Explanation
Sentence 6- Example
Paragraph 3- Disadvantages
Sentence 7- Topic Sentence
Sentence 8- Explanation
Sentence 9- Example
Paragraph 4- Conclusion
Sentence 1- Summary of main points
VOCABULARY
I don’t think I need to rewrite the importance of vocabulary in IELTS. The only thing that need reconsideration is that, make sure that while using high end vocabulary words you use them correctly. Often a word has more than one meaning, and you must make sure that you are using the word in the right context.
So, go on and use the following tips and make sure that now on, when you write essays you follow these tips. Remember, you are going to write the final essay the way you practice your mock test essays. Try to bridge the gap between your exam and preparation.