Capital Letters in IELTS: Will it affect your score?

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When to use capital letters in your IELTS Listening, Reading and Writing test. Will you get a lower score if you make a mistake with capital letters? Can you write your answers in all capital letters? What are the rules for capital letters in IELTS? What about using capital letters in the computer based IELTS test? Read below to learn about this.

Using Capital Letters for IELTS Answers: Rules & Advice

Below you will find advice for using capital letters for writing your answers in IELTS Listening, Reading and Writing.

Capital Letters in IELTS Listening and Reading

In IELTS listening and reading, you can write all your answers in capital letters if you want. You can do this for the paper based test and the computer based test. It is completely up to you. There is no rule stating whether you should use capital or lower case.

  • You can write your answers in small letters if you want.
  • You can write in all capital letters.

Examples of capital letters in listening and reading:

  • HOSPITAL = correct / hospital = correct / 9am = correct / 9AM = correct 

Which is best? Capital letters or lower case?

I recommend writing your listening and reading answers in capital letters for the paper based test. This avoids any problems of markers struggling to read your handwriting. For the computer based test, it doesn’t matter. Both lower case and upper case will be easy to read. 

Transferring Answers in Listening & Reading

In IELTS listening, you will be given 10 mins extra to transfer your answers to your answer sheet in the paper based test. Check your answers and check your spelling – then write your answers on the answer sheet.  If your handwriting is poor, write using all capital letters so it is easy to read. For the computer based test, you do not need to transfer answers. You only need to check what you have already put into the computer. For this reason, you will be given only 2 mins to check your answers after the recording ends.

In IELTS reading, you will not get 10 extra mins to transfer your answers. You must write your answers directly on your answer sheet. But it is completely your choice how to write your answers. The most important factor is clear writing for the paper based test. Use all capital letters if your handwriting isn’t clear.

Capital Letters in IELTS Writing

In IELTS Writing, you can choose to write your essay in capital letters. But I would not recommend it because:

  1. you WILL be marked on punctuation so the use of capital letters and lower case is important to show. You must have a capital letter at the start of a sentence, for example.
  2. you have a strict time limit and it takes too long to write in capital letters

So, write your essay in lower case and remember to use capital letters when grammatically appropriate. The examiner will mark you down if you use capital letters incorrectly. Here is a list of typical words that use capital letters:

When to use capital letters in English grammar

  • Days/ Months = Thursday / September
  • Names and Titles = Mrs J Blogs / Dr Author Jones
  • Countries / Cities = India / Vietnam / Paris / Hong Kong
  • Names of Places = University of London
  • Acronyms = BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation)
  • Start of a Sentence = “The majority of people use cars to go to work these days. However, it would be better if they used healthier means of transport such as the bicycle.”

Biggest Mistake with Capital Letters

  • but / because / and
    • These linking words should NEVER be used to start a sentence in formal writing. See my page of linking words for writing task 2 to learn tips and get a useful list: IELTS Writing Task 2 Linking Words

What about speaking part 2? Well, the notes you make for your talk are not marked and only you see them. The examiner will not check them or mark them. So, don’t write sentences or bother with punctuation, just write words, ideas and tips to help you present a good talk.

More IELTS Tips

What about using a pen or pencil? Click on this link: IELTS Pen or Pencil

How are words counted in IELTS Listening? Click on this link: How Words are Counted in IELTS

Can I use “I” or “my” in writing task 2? Click on this link: How to express your opinion in IELTS WT2

Tips & Practice for Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking:

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IELTS Test Tips & Advice On the day

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Below are some tips for the day of your IELTS exam. This tips are to guide you before your IELTS test and also during your test. These tips are for both GT and Academic tests. All pages on my site are relevant this year, 2023.

On this page, you will find:

  1. Tips for “on the day” of your test
  2. Last Minute Listening Tips
  3. Last Minute Reading Tips
  4. Last Minute Writing Tips
  5. Last Minute Speaking Tips

It is important that everyone reads this page before the test day and also on the morning of the test day. Good luck 🙂

1) On the Day IELTS Exam Tips:

Be prepared for your IELTS exam by making sure you know exactly what will happen in the day of your test. Check all tips and rules below.

  1. Sleep & Eat Well
    1. The IELTS test is long. It takes 2 hours and 40 mins to do the listening, reading and writing test. There is no break between the tests. Make sure you are well rested and have eaten in order to keep your concentration during your test.
  2. Clothes
    1. Wear comfortable clothing. You are not marked on your appearance for any part of the test. So, wear something that you are comfortable in and that gives you confidence.
    2. The test room might be cold in the aircon is on, so take an extra layer of clothing with you. Or if you are worried it might get hot, wear layers you can take off.
  3. Drink
    1. You can take a drink into the exam room as long as it is in a transparent bottle.
  4. Arrive Early.
    1. Make sure you know how long it takes to get to your IELTS test center and exactly where your test will be held. Don’t be late or you won’t be allowed to enter the exam room. You will need to check in so make sure you arrive with plenty of time to spare.
  5. Toilet
    1. The listening, reading and writing tests take 2 hours and 40 mins. There is no break so make sure you go to the toilet before you enter the exam room. If you need the toilet during the test, put your hand up and the invigilator will let you go. But you will lose valuable time by doing this and it could affect your score.
  6. No Phones
    1. You will not be allowed to take your phone or any other electronic items into the test room.
  7. Pen, Pencil & Eraser
    1.  You should take at least two pencils and one pen – just in case one of them stops working. You should also take an eraser as well. You can’t take a dictionary or extra paper into the test room. For your speaking test, you can take nothing into the room except your ID.
  8. ID
    1. Check with your test center exactly what ID you need to take with you. Don’t forget it. The ID you take with you should match the details on your registration form.
  9. Listen to Instructions
    1. Listen carefully to all instructions given before your test starts.
  10. Clock
    1. There will be a clock on the exam room. You cannot take a watch into your test. Make sure you know where it is before your test starts so you can keep checking it in your reading and writing test. You can’t take your watch into the exam room.
  11. Disability
    1. If you have any form is disability that will affect your test, you must speak to the test center well before your test date.
  12. Focus & Be Calm
    1. Make sure you go into your test with a clear aim and an understanding of the techniques you need to use. Be calm and confident at all time.

Don’t 

  • Don’t cheat
    • This is an international test and cheating or copying is not allowed.
  • No dictionary
    • You are not allowed to use any form of learning aid in your test.
  • Don’t take the test paper home
    • You are not allowed to take any part of the question paper home with you.
  • Don’t continue writing after the invigilator tells you to stop. If you continue writing even one word or one sentence, you could have your whole test invalidated. In the computer based test, you won’t have the chance to continue writing as the screen with shut down at the precise time the test finishes.

IELTS Test Tips During your Test

The following IELTS test tips for each part of the IELTS exam will help you focus on the right things during your test. Don’t lose marks by not being prepared.

2) IELTS Listening Exam Tips

  1.  Make sure your headphones are working. Raise your hand if you have a problem.
  2. If loud speakers are used instead of headphones, make sure you can hear the recording. If you need the volume increasing, raise your hand immediately and someone will come to ask what the problem is. Explain that you need the volume increasing.
  3. Use the time given to prepare the questions. Always read through all questions before the recording starts and note keywords. Thet keywords will help you keep track of the information and listen for answers.
  4. Answers to questions come in order (question 1 and then question 2 etc)
  5. Underline keywords in the questions. You should practice speed reading questions and spotting keywords at home as part of your preparation. For the computer test, you can highlight words in the screen.
  6. Focus on listening for answers rather than trying to understand everything. You win a point for each question you answer correctly.
  7. Write your answers on your question paper while you listen. For the computer test, you put the answers directly into the computer.
  8. Pay attention to how many words and/or a number or numbers you can have for each answer. Many people forget to check this. For example, “15 workmen” is one word and one number, “driving test” is two words.
  9. You will be given 10 mins after the recording has ended to transfer your answers to the answer sheet for the paper based test. For the computer test, you’ll only get 2 minutes to check your answers. Always check your spelling – any spelling errors and the answer will be marked wrong.
  10. It is recommended to use ALL CAPITAL LETTERS FOR YOUR ANSWERS for the paper based test to avoid problems with handwriting. This is not an issue with the computer test.
  11. For 25 essential tips for listening, watch this video: IELTS Listening Essential Tips 

3) IELTS Reading Exam Tips

  1. Read the instructions carefully and make a note of how many words you can use for your answer. Each word is counted, for example “university reception hall” is three words and “workbook” is one word.
  2. Each answer is worth one point so don’t waste too much time finding one particular answer when you could spend the same amount of time finding two easier answers. You decide when to move on to the next question.
  3. Keep your eye on the clock. Make sure you have enough time for the final passage.
  4. You can tackle the passages in any order you want. This is the same for the questions – you can skip questions and come back to them later if you want.
  5. Write your answers directly on to your answer sheet for the paper based test. There is no extra time for transferring later. For the computer test, your answers will be put directly into the computer.
  6. Always spend time analysing the questions before looking for an answer. If you don’t analyse the question enough, you’ll end up jumping from question to passage so many times because you are confused which wastes valuable time.
  7. Look out for paraphrasing. Find the keywords in the question and pay attention to paraphrases in the passage.
  8. Your aim is to find answers – not to understand the whole passage. Focus on your goal – find as many answers as you can.
  9. It is recommended to use ALL CAPITAL LETTERS FOR YOUR ANSWERS for the paper test to avoid problems with handwriting. This isn’t an issue with the compute test.
  10. Spelling is essential to get right or the question will be marked wrong.

4) IELTS Writing Exam Tips

Click on red links to access more pages:

  1. Don’t spend more than 20 mins on task 1. Keep checking the time so you don’t make this mistake. You need 40 mins for task 2 as this task carries more marks and requires more words.
  2. Always write over 150 words for task 1 and over 250 words for task 2. See this lesson about the recommended word count.
  3. Don’t count the number of words you have written. You won’t need to total up the words and you won’t need to mention them at the end of your essay. If you are concerned about word count, just quickly count the lines and multiple by the usual words you see on a line with your writing. See this lesson to learn about using the official IELTS writing answer sheet properly. For the computer test, there is the advantage of seeing how many words you have written appear on the screen.
  4. You can plan your essay on the question paper. No extra paper is given for planning. The examiner will not look at your planning, only at your essay. Planning is essential because the examiner will be marking the chosen content, not just your language. For a quick overview of the writing task 2 marking criteria, click here: Band Scores & Tips for Writing Task 2
  5. Always write a clear overview for task 1 academic. See here about the conclusion/overview issue. For GT task 1, make sure you cover all points requested in your letter.
  6. Always write your conclusion for task 2. Never miss it out. If you only have 3 mins left, use it to write your conclusion. See this video: Using the last 5 minutes
  7. Always organise your writing for both tasks into body paragraphs. Paragraphing will be marked.
  8. Check your spelling. You can use either American or British spelling but don’t mix them.
  9. Keep all information focused and relevant. More does not mean better.
  10. If you run out of paper, put up your hand and you can get more.
  11. Do not remove any paper from the exam room.

5) IELTS Speaking Exam Tips

  1. Practice speaking English before your test. Practice expressing your opinions on different topics and talking about your past experiences.
  2. This is an informal interview/chat with an examiner. So be friendly and open. Explain what you mean.
  3. Be chatty. The more willing you are to use English, the better.
  4. Listen to the question and answer it directly. Be direct. This applies for part 1 and part 3. For part 2, you will have a chance to prepare your answer.
  5. Add more information (details, examples, description) to all answers. Keep talking until the examiner stops you.
  6. Don’t ever be silent. There is never a reason for your English to completely stop working.
  7. Don’t focus only on vocabulary. Vocabulary is only 25% of your marks. However, do make sure you use relevant topic based vocabulary. For example, if your top is Happiness” then you will use words such as “smile, laugh, giggle, contentment, joyful, fulfilment” as well as antonyms (opposites) such as “sad, depressed, feeling low or feeling down”.
  8. Idioms are not the key to a high score. Most candidates overuse idioms that are too common or outdated. The examiner will note if you use idiomatic language but that doesn’t necessarily mean idioms. Instead use phrasal verbs – calm down, bring up, work out, get over etc. Phrasal verbs are the best types of idiomatic language to use in IELTS.
  9. The questions are not aimed to test your knowledge. Each question is just a chance to show your English.
  10. You can wear anything you want. This is not a job interview. Clothing does not affect your score. Aim to be comfortable.
  11. Use a range of grammar tenses in your test.
  12. American or British English pronunciation can be used. A mixed accent is also fine. The key is to make sure your words are easy to understand.
  13. Ask the examiner to repeat the question if you need it. See this lesson about asking the examiner questions.
  14. If the examiner interrupts you, don’t worry about it. It’s a normal part of the speaking test. Just focus on the next question.
  15. The examiner will provide a pen and paper to prepare your talk for part 2. The examiner will not look at your plans and will only mark your talk. It is fine to look at your notes and at the cue card during your talk, but also try to make eye contact.
  16. May people are worried they won’t understand the cue card. Don’t be. The cue card is always written in simple English and topics are common topics. Review Misunderstanding the Cue Card page if you are concerned.

IELTS Exam Tips: One Week Before

  1. Full IELTS Practice Tests
    • Make sure you have completed at least one or two complete IELTS practice tests before your real test. See my useful websites page for links to free IELTS practice tests.
  2. Review common topics for IELTS speaking and IELTS Writing.
  3. If you are worried about your test, consider booking two tests. You can choose to use the certificate with the highest overall score.

The exam tips above  are summarised from the official IELTS sites:

Always check with official sources in case of any changes in rules.

Good luck with your test! Liz 🙂 

GET SUCCESSFUL RESULTS?

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IELTS Speaking: Should I correct myself or keep speaking?

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IELTS Speaking test – it is good to correct yourself or should you keep talking? It is common that people might make mistakes with vocabulary and grammar during the IELTS speaking test. But what should you do if you make mistakes? Should you ignore your speaking mistakes or correct yourself?

Should you correct your mistakes in IELTS speaking?

The answer is NO. You should not stop to correct an error.

Why? Read below to have a full understanding why. IELTS Speaking success really does depend on understanding more about how the test is marked and how to maximise your score.

Minor Grammar and Vocabulary Errors

You should definitely ignore these errors. You won’t get extra points for correcting your mistake. You will only show the examiner that you struggle with fluency and need to keep stopping to correct your English. This shows a weakness of English. It is best to keep talking and get a strong score on fluency.

If you make a mistake in the past tense, for example, it doesn’t matter because there will be lots of opportunities for you to show the examiner your past tense ability in English. The examiner is looking at your overall English, not a single sentence or word. So, if you make a mistake, ignore it and keep talking to retain a strong fluency score.

Mistakes in Meaning

If you have made a mistake in the meaning of what you have said, then it is fine to correct yourself. This type of mistake is not a language mistake but an accident that you gave the wrong meaning. IELTS allows for this type of correction.

But you should not repeat word for word what you have just said – you need to re-phrase and continue to show flexibility in English. Below are examples:

Example Answer 1: I really think that people should force their children to do homework because it puts too much pressure on them. Sorry, I mean – I really think that people should not force their children to do homework because it puts too much pressure on them”.

This is not a good self-correction regarding your meaning. It would lower your score because it is a full repetition and breaks fluency.

Example Answer 2: I really think that people should force their children to do homework because it puts too much pressure on them. Sorry, I mean – they should not force them because it could cause mental health problems for the child like chronic stress.

This is the right way to correct a mistake based on meaning. You are paraphrasing and useful different language as well as altering the meaning to be precise. Native speakers do this and it’s fine in IELTS. Your fluency is still strong.

Using Words from Your Own Language in IELTS Speaking

It is best to avoid using words that are not English in an English language test. You are being marked on your ability to communicate in English and you should remember that at all times.

However, sometimes words from your own language sometime pop into the answer without you thinking. Particularly when you are referring to something that is unique to your own language such as sari, guzheng or bibimbap. In such cases, it is best to immediately explain the meaning of the word (paraphrase it in English) in a natural way. Below are examples of how you can do that.

Question: Do people ever wear traditional clothes in your country?

Answer: Yes, they do. Many women in India still enjoy wearing a sari, particularly at weddings. A sari is a long piece of fabric, often silk, which is wrapped around the body and then draped over the shoulder. It’s very flattering to wear. 

Question: Did you ever play a musical instrument as a child?

Answer: Yes, I did. When I was young, I had lessons on the guzheng which is a large stringed instrument made of wood. The sound it produces is rather mystical and reminds me of misty mountains. I stopped playing when I left school.

Question: What is your favourite food?

Answer: Without doubt, bibimbap. It’s a rice dish with a variety of vegetables, such as carrot, cabbage, courgette and many more,  served in a hot stone bowl with chilli paste. It’s a really popular food here in South Korea.

As you can see from the example answer above. The paraphrased explanation of the word adds really high band score vocabulary to your answer. Also when you use “x, which is …”, you are also adding a clause and that will help your grammar score. So, never miss the opportunity to immediately explain any word you accidentally say in your own language. Although the rule really ought to be to avoid doing so in the first place.

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IELTS Listening Test Changes Jan 2020

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Starting January 4th, the IELTS listening test will have the following changes:

IELTS Listening Test Change 1

There will be no example played in part 1. Usually there would be an example answer for you to listen to at the start of the recording. This helped you get used to the accent and check the volume if you were using headphones. This example has now been removed. This is a very important change that you need to be ready for. You must listen carefully from the start of the recording for answer 1.

IELTS Listening Test Change 2

The word “sections” will now be changed to “parts”. This won’t affect the actual test, but it is something that is useful to know.

IELTS Listening Test Change 3

There will be no page number references. But there will still be references to question number. Again, this is no big change for you, but it is something to be aware of.

There are no other changes to the IELTS Listening Test or the Reading, Writing or Speaking Tests. For pros and cons of the computer based test, see this page: Computer based IELTS. For useful information about the IELTS test does and don’ts, see this page: IELTS FAQ Visit the Official IELTS page for verification of the above changes: IELTS Listening Test Format

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IELTS Line Graph Model (Band Score 9)

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This model line graph for IELTS is estimated at band score 9. The model answer below is for IELTS writing task 1 academic paper. Use this sample writing as a template for structure, key features and language for any IELTS line graph. There are also some tips given below to guide you and help you understand how to describe this type of graph.

Line graphs will typically have between two or five lines. However, it is possible to have more than five lines. Depending on how many lines you have, you’ll need to decide how much data you present in your report. See the tips at the bottom of the page.

IELTS Line Graphs with Model Answers

IELTS Line Graph 1

This line graph is typical of IELTS writing task 1. It shows three lines and one of the lines doesn’t have any data for the first few years. See the model answer below to learn how to tackle this task.

The graph below shows the consumption of three spreads from 1981 to 2007.

IELTS Line Graph

IELTS Line Graph Model Answer

The line graph illustrates the amount of three kinds of spreads (margarine, butter, and low fat and reduced spreads) which were consumed from 1981 to 2007. Units are measured in grams.

Overall, the consumption of margarine and butter decreased over the period given, while for low fat and reduced spreads, it rose.  At the start of the period, butter was the most popular spread. Margarine was the most widely consumed in the middle of the period but, by the end, low fat and reduced spreads was most popular.

With regards to the amount of butter used, it began at around 140 grams and then peaked at 160 grams in 1986 before falling dramatically to about 50 grams in the last year. Likewise, approximately 90 grams of margarine was eaten in the first year, after which the figure fluctuated slightly and dropped to a low of 40 grams in 2007.

On the other hand, the consumption of low fats and reduced spreads only started in 1996 at about 10 grams. This figure, which reached a high of just over 80 grams five years later, fell slightly in the final years to approximately 70 grams in 2007.

IELTS Line Graph 2: Five Lines

Essential tip for a line graph with many lines:

  • Don’t get lost in too much detail. Going beyond 200 words is very rare. Most tasks require only 170 and 190 words. Getting lost in detail and writing too much will give you a low score for Task Response, which counts for 25% of your marks. See this page: Band scores, Marking & Tips for bands 5 to 8.

IELTS Line Graph Model Answer

Line Graph Model Answer

The line graph illustrates how many weekly hospital admissions there were in Fortsmith, Adlin, Stanton, Bardley and Oxley, which are hospitals located in a European country, between 2004 and 2018.

Overall, for most of the period given Bardley had the most admissions, while Stanton had the least. Oxley was the only hospital to see a decline in admissions and Fortsmith was unique in that their admission figures remained relatively stable over the period. Admissions to all other hospitals increased during the years given.

Admissions to Oxley hospital started at just under 250 a week in 2004 but more than halved by the final year (just over 100 admissions). Fortsmith weekly hospital admissions fluctuated at around 200 for the whole period.

On the other hand, the number of people admitted to Adlin hospital rose dramatically from just over 100 in the first year to 250 by 2018. Likewise, Bardley also saw a rise from 200 to peak at over 250, the highest for any hospital. In terms of Stanton hospital, only approximately 70  people were admitted in 2008 and this gradually climbed to slightly over 150 in 2018.

Words = 187

Tips for IELTS Line Graphs

Below are key steps for tackling an IELTS line graph:

  1. Paraphrase the line graph information for your introduction.
  2. Add axis information to your introduction if needed, such as categories or units.
  3. Put main trends and any other key features in an overall statement. The overview is the most important statement in your writing task 1. One sentence for an overview usually isn’t enough.
  4. Organise body paragraphs logically because you are being marked on this. Make sure to always have two body paragraphs (three occasionally). Decide which lines show trends that should be grouped together.
  5. Make sure each sentence in the body paragraphs has numbers and dates to support it. This is vital for Task Response.
  6. Ensure all data is accurate. If you are not sure the number is precise, write “about” or “approximately”.
  7. Use a range of linking words. Try not to repeat them.
  8. Aim for around 180 words for writing task 1. Try not to write over 200 words. More does not mean better.
  9. Line graphs have specific vocabulary that you must showcase. Learn nouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs carefully: Line Graph Vocabulary

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU – IELTS WRITING TASK 1

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Happy New Year: 2020

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Hi guys,

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year and hoping that this coming decade will bring you all you desire.

Below you will find useful links to help you prepare for your IELTS test. Click to open and start learning:

IELTS Band Scores Explained: A Must Read Page

Useful Links & Resources

How to Prepare IELTS: Video Tutorial

Liz’s Android App Quiz: Test your knowledge of IELTS with my IELTS app quiz

Band Score 8 Tips from a successful IELTS candidate in 2019

Band Score 8.5 Tips from a successful IELTS candidate in 2019

Top Results: To give you motivation and inspiration

Ideas for Essay Topics E-book: Sample Chapter

Coming in 2020

This year I will be releasing my “Grammar for IELTS Writing Task 2” E-book.

This e-book will cover all aspects of grammar that you struggle most with and provide you with lots of sample sentence structures to help you improve your grammar score. There will also be grammar exercises to help you build accuracy.

I’ll post a sample chapter of this e-book soon. I hope to have the e-book ready for purchase in either March or April this year. It is already written but needs formatting and final edits.

Again, my best wishes for this new year and new decade to all of you preparing for IELTS and your family.

All the best

Liz 🙂

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Tips from a Band 8 IELTS Candidate

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Below are tips from a successful IELTS candidate for getting band 8 overall. For the purpose of anonymity I have called her Annie.

Annie’s Result

  • Listening = 8.5
  • Reading = 8.5
  • Writing = 7.5
  • Speaking = 8

Computer or Paper Test Tips

Choosing the test format (Paper/Computer) wisely: I was weak in listening and no matter what I couldn’t score beyond 7.5 in my practice tests. While I was taking my practice tests on computer, I realised that I had no opportunity to highlight the text or make notes for reference. It was the same case with reading. My writing and typing speed were relatively same. So, I opted for paper based test and it was the best decision as evident from my listening and reading scores. Although I lost quite a lot of time in editing my essay on paper and I feel I could have scored band 8 through typing, listening and reading were my priorities. 

Listening Tips

Like Liz and other tutors reiterate, answers often appear as synonyms. Learning alternative ways in which the same thing is expressed and practicing to identify the synonymous language is extremely helpful. If you’re unable to do so while listening, note down the words used and come back to it while answering. It happened to me twice or thrice and the notes helped me. The key is to stay with the audio and not get lost if you miss something. Recheck the word fit into the answer sentence before you finalize the answer. This eliminates undesired mistakes in tenses, singular and plural, spelling etc. 

Reading Tips

Patience is the key. It’s important to develop stamina to sustain your focus required to complete all sections. Keyword search is the most effective way of targetted reading covering only required parts. When I felt stuck, I chose to answer easy questions first and the quick wins kept me going. Especially in ‘True, False, Not Given’ type, the strategy that aids decision making is crucial. For example, a statement is false if there’s a clear contradiction, a statement should be marked as ‘Not Given’ if relevant information is totally absent. The last two passages are actually informative, sometimes fun to read. If you look at passages with an intention to make sense out of the content instead of just answering, you can connect the dots and derive the answers with much more ease.  

Writing Tips

The biggest mistake I made is to change my stance mid-way. After I wrote the first paragraph, I felt I was able to get adequate points on the other side of motion. I lost time in erasing and re-writing. Even if it means spending good amount of time, identify your stance clearly so you’ll spend rest of the time strengthening your content. We’ll never be able to practice all possible essay questions or preempt our topics, but we can always carry a skeletal structure around which the essay could be developed. Needless to say, an essay with good range of vocabulary is a definite winner. That said, do not force fit words. Throw in a few words to make your essay look smart and that’s just about it.

Speaking Tips

I was quite confident about the speaking test. In fact, I did well in first two parts. Part three was a shocker and I struggled to express my views about the topic. What you need to remember while answering is that you’re not judged based on your choices. You may either like or dislike something and the idea is to express what you feel with clarity in thought. This acknowledgment then made me more comfortable and eased me during the rest of the conversation.

That is all from my end. Annie.

Message to Annie: Thank you so much for sharing your tips. I know many people will benefit from them and be inspired by your results 🙂 Liz.

More IELTS Candidate Tips

Click below to read more tips from successful IELTS candidates:

How I scored Band 9 in Speaking

How I scored Band 9 in Reading

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How many Sentences for an Essay Introduction

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Academic & GT Essay Introductions

Hi guys, here are model answer introductions and essential tips for Tuesdays lesson on writing task 2 introduction paragraphs. I hope you find this lesson useful 🙂

1) How long should the introduction be?

Most essays will require only two sentences for your introduction paragraph. You will need to write a background statement and a thesis statement. There is no need to write more. It won’t help your score to add more to the introduction. Your introduction should usually be between 40-60 words. Below are details of the content of an introduction paragraph.

2) Background statement:

This is the first sentence of your essay and it paraphrases the essay question. This is the way to introduce the issue or issues given to you by IELTS because that is what your essay is responding to. Paraphrasing is a way to avoid copying directly from the essay question by using your own sentence. For example:

Essay Question: The government should allocate more funding to teaching sciences than on other subjects so that the country can develop. Do you agree or disagree?

Background: It is often thought that in order for the country to progress more funding ought to be allocated to teaching sciences instead of other subjects.

As you can see above, the background statement contains exactly the same information but written differently. It is an easy sentence to write if you practice your paraphrasing skills. You can find a useful page on paraphrasing here: Paraphrasing Background Statements and examples of background statements here: Background Examples

3) Thesis Statement

Your thesis statement will introduce your answer or your opinion. It is the second and final statement needed in the introduction. It shows the reader the direction you plan to take in your essay. Furthermore, it is important that you write this carefully and clearly because it will impact both Task Response and also Coherence and Cohesion which together count for 50% of your marks.

The thesis does not need to be detailed. It is possible to split it into two sentences if you need more space, but mostly it will be one sentence only. For example:

Essay Question: The government should allocate more funding to teaching sciences than on other subjects so that the country can develop. Do you agree or disagree?

Thesis Statement Agree: I completely agree that focusing on science subjects at school is essential for a country’s future.

Thesis Statement Disagree: In my opinion, funding should not focus on the sciences but should rather be allocated to maths, technology and languages.

Thesis Statement Partial Agreement: While I agree that the sciences do need extra funding, this should not be at the expense of other subjects which are also crucial to a country’s development.

As you can see above, each thesis statement is simply written and presents a clear opinion. Do not try to create a complicated thesis statement. Your opinion and having a clear position is more important.

Short thesis statements

Yes, it is possible to write just a few words: “I completely agree with this position.” or “I strongly agree with this opinion.” However, I personally prefer to showcase more language skills with a slightly longer thesis statement as shown above.

Below you can see a full introduction for a one sided approach:

It is often thought that in order for the country to progress more funding ought to be allocated to teaching sciences instead of other subjects. In my opinion, funding should not focus on the sciences but should rather be allocated to maths, technology and languages.

4) Giving Your Opinion in IELTS Essays

Yes, you need to give your opinion if the instructions ask for it. Using the words “this essay” does not represent your own personal opinion. If you are asked for YOUR opinion, you need to use I or MY – failure to do this will result in a lower score. See this page for more details: How to give your opinion

5) More Writing Task 2 Tips

You can find more IELTS writing task 2 tips, model essays and lessons on this page: IELTS Writing Task 2 . All main sections of this website are access through the RED MENU BAR at the top of the site.

High Band Score Essay Techniques: Advanced Lessons

If you are struggling to hit band 7 or you need more help understanding how to write a high band score essay, get my Advanced Writing Task 2 lessons which you can find here: Liz’s Advanced Lessons.

You can also find a useful e-book about Ideas for Essay Topics. Containing over ideas for over 150 essay topics. Ideas are presented as vocabulary exercises to help you improve your range and accuracy in English.

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6) How to Write an Introduction

Here is a useful video tutorial I made some time ago which helps you understand more about writing an introduction paragraph:

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