IELTS Writing _ Task

I
Shizheng Zhang

Writing Rules
No Title
WRITE Bigger, bigger and bigger (10-12
words / line)
WordsNo
> ambiguous
150 words (160
180 w)
spelling
Im - I am, Thats - That is

Punctuation ( , ; . ? ! )
Revision
Eraser
Insertion
or ?

Suggested Writing
Procedure
Read + Plan (3 mins)
Write (16 mins)
20 minutes
Check (1 mins)

Make notes on the question booklet

Change pencils whenever needed

Question Types
Figure
Multiple / Single

Non-Figure
Flow chart / Map

Read
Words:
Instruction

Pictures:

chart / graph / diagram / table / flow

chart / map
line, curve
bar, column
pie

number
figure
data
statistic

Paragraph
Comparisons within the chart or
between the charts
Select main features
(recreates the picture in the
examiners mind)
Supporting data
Report facts, not opinions

Plan - Content
Summarize features, not list data
a1, a2, a3, , an
Trend
Max / Min
Slope

A, B, C,
Max / Min

Plan - Structure
Paragraph or not?
reader friendly

How to Paragraph?
A new idea, a new paragraph
Introduction
Conclusion (if needed)

Paragraph Layouts 1 &

2
Four score and seven years ago, our
fathers brought forth upon this continent a
new nation: conceived in liberty, and
dedicated to the proposition that all men are
created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war. .
.testing whether that nation, or any nation so
conceived and so dedicated. . . can long
endure. We are met on a great battlefield of
that war.
We have come to dedicate a portion of
that field as a final resting place for those
who here gave their lives that that nation
might live. It is altogether fitting and proper
that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we cannot
dedicate. . .we cannot consecrate. . . we
cannot hallow this ground. The brave men,
living and dead, who struggled here have
consecrated it, far above our poor power to
add or detract. The world will little note, nor
long remember, what we say here, but it can
never forget what they did here.
It is for us the living, rather, to be
dedicated here to the unfinished work which
they who fought here have thus far so nobly
advanced. It is rather for us to be here
dedicated to the great task remaining before
us. . .that from these honored dead we take
increased devotion to that cause for which
they gave the last full measure of
devotion. . . that we here highly resolve that
these dead shall not have died in vain. . .
that this nation, under God, shall have a new
birth of freedom. . . and that government of
the people. . .by the people. . .for the people.

Four score and seven years ago, our fathers

brought forth upon this continent a new nation:
conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the
proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war. .
.testing whether that nation, or any nation so
conceived and so dedicated. . . can long endure.
We are met on a great battlefield of that war.
We have come to dedicate a portion of that
field as a final resting place for those who here
gave their lives that that nation might live. It is
altogether fitting and proper that we should do
this.
But, in a larger sense, we cannot
dedicate. . .we cannot consecrate. . . we cannot
hallow this ground. The brave men, living and
dead, who struggled here have consecrated it,
far above our poor power to add or detract. The
world will little note, nor long remember, what
we say here, but it can never forget what they
did here.
It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated
here to the unfinished work which they who
fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It
is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great
task remaining before us. . .that from these
honored dead we take increased devotion to
that cause for which they gave the last full
measure of devotion. . . that we here highly
resolve that these dead shall not have died in
vain. . . that this nation, under God, shall have a

Word & Sentence

Multiple Charts

Introduction
Chart 1
Chart 2

Comparison

Single Chart

(30w, 1s)
(50w, 4s)
(50w, 4s)
(30w, 1s)

Introduction
(30w, 1s)
Feature 1
(50w, 4s)
Feature 2
(50w, 4s)

Conclusion (if needed) (20w, 1s)

Language Requirement
Word
Correct Spelling
enviroment / environment

Word Level
get / achieve a band 8

Word Variety (avoid repetition)

a good / well-paid / satisfactory / decent
job

Sentence
Grammatical Accuracy & Range
Sentence Length
Band 8 : 20+
Band 7 : 15

Structure Variety
A new challenger comes here.
Here comes a new challenger.
(inversion sentence: full Inversion)

How to write the introduction

paragraph?

Word Variety
give information about

reveal
indicate
demonstrate
show
Simple Present Tense

the UK
Be Specific
Britain
in 1999
most popular
favorite / fashionable / stylish
country
nation

Structure Variety - Passive Voice

The chart shows A.
(do)
A is shown by the chart.
(be done)
e.g. The line chart reveals visits to and from the UK.
e.g. Visits to and from the UK are revealed in the line chart.
Compound Sentence:
e.g. The line graph reveals , and the bar chart indicates
e.g. The line graph reveals , and are indicated in the bar
chart.

Introduction Example
Example: The upper line graph reveals visits
to and from Britain, and UK travelers top fi
ve favorite nations in 1999 are indicated in t
he lower bar chart. (1 s, 26 w)

Copied phrases will not be counted

Paraphrase the instruction

Practice: Introduction Paragraph

Writing
1. Find a partner and pair up with
groups;
2. Each group gets one writing task
(A or B);
3. Write an introduction paragraph
with your partner;

Introduction Examples
A: The chart gives information about the percentage
change in average house prices in five different cities
located in five different countries over twelve-year
period from 1990 to 2002 compared with the average
house prices in 1989. (1 s, 36 w)
B: The graph shows the increase in the ageing
population in Japan, Sweden and the USA. It indicates
that the percentage of elderly people in all three
countries is expected to increase to almost 25% of
the respective populations by the year 2040. (2 s, 42
w)

Linking Devices
Linking Devices
Between paragraphs
Between features
Within sentences
also / besides / on the other hand / in
addition
but / however / conversely
while (make comparison)
in particular (special time)

Basic Structure
The visits increased greatly
Subject

Verb

Adverb

from about 12 to 57 million

Number

between 1979 and 1999.

Time

Subjects
Legend
visits abroad by UK residents
Synonyms (word variety)
UK visitors / travelers / tourists
the UK (United Kingdom) / Britain
most popular/ favorite / fashionable /
stylish
country / nation
it / they (pronoun)
The visits increased from 1979 to 1999. In
particular, they increased most quickly

Verbs

increase : decrease / rise : fall

go up : come down
climb : slide
100%
ascend : decline
90%
80%
rocket : collapse
70%
60%
50%

fluctuate/ vary

40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Category 1

Category 2
Column1

remain or keep

Category 3
Series 3

Category 4

Adverbs

(describe the tendency)

sharply / rapidly / swiftly

slowly / gradually / tardily

greatly / vastly / considerably

slightly / marginally / minutely

Series 1

Series 2

Series 3

Adjectives
line/curve/column/bar graphs:

a sharp/great/slow/slight increase
an upward/rising/increasing tendency
a downward/ falling/decreasing trend

Nouns
There was a sharp increase + time period +
peak/summit in 2000.

with a
, reaching a

peak/summit in 2000.
, peaking
at 4.5 in 2000.
A sharp decrease was seen + time period + with a nadir/lowest
point
in 2005.
5
4.5
4
XXX
decreased from 4.5 to 1 between 1995 to 2015 with a
3.5
fluctuation.
3
2.5
XXX fluctuated from 4.5 to 1 between 1995 to 2015 with a
2
decreasing
trend.
1.5
1
0.5
0
1995.0

2000.0

2005.0
Series 1

2010.0

Column1

2015.0

Number & Time

about / around / roughly / approximately+
Number

from 1979 to 1999

between 1979 and 1999
during the 20 years / two decades
during the period/span of 20 years/ this
period
starting from 1979

Pair work activity

1. Find a partner and pair up with groups;
2. Each group gets one different writing sample and
note cards;
3. Underline/circle/ color the linking devices; different
expressions of numbers, time; synonyms of
vocabulary;
4. Pay attention to the usage of verbs, adverbs, nouns
and sentence structures involved in the writing sample;
5. Share it with another group member;