Task Achievement in IELTS Writing Task 2
Task Achievement in IELTS Writing Task 2
Whether you have completed the requirements for the task or not. Either task 1 or task 2, you must cover all the parts of the task. Meeting the minimum word requirement is one of the subcategories in the evaluation process. to achieve better results, you should cover both the minimum word requirement and the requirements given in the question.
Avoid Sitting on the Fence
When was the last time you read a news article or academic article? Think back to what you read. Did the writer present a clear argument? Did you have any doubt about the writer’s point of view? You should avoid producing writing like this for the IELTS Writing test. This is true for both General Training and Academic tests. Take a position and defend it. The examiner will be looking for a clear position. To help you understand how to do this, let’s consider the various types of essay questions. The IELTS Writing Task 2 question you face will most likely fall into one of three categories: problem and solution, opinion, and discussion.
Problem and Solution
This kind of question will refer to a well-known issue that anybody can understand and express an opinion about. Some examples are: aging populations, climate change, migration, crime, or deforestation. For this task, you need to clearly describe the problem and propose a reasonable solution.
Opinion
Should we care about the national dress of the culture we come from? Is it a good idea for people to be completely free to use harmful substances? Do international sporting events make us get along better? These are the kinds of questions that you might have to write about. Notice that none of these refer to a problem per se. Rather, they are asking you to give your opinion. For a question like this, make it clear what your opinion is and motivate it.
Discussion
Home schooling or mainstream schools? State-funded healthcare or private? Public transport or cars? These questions require you to describe two opposing arguments and pick which one you prefer. It’s important that you make it very clear where you stand, because if this isn’t clear, it will be difficult for someone to say you have answered the question. By all means, consider two sides of the argument, but when you do so, make sure it’s clear which side you personally favor.
Planning is key
It is obvious when someone has written without planning first. Often, words will be left out, erased or crossed out. Paragraphs will run on too long, straying from their original topic. It is well worth it to spend a few minutes at the beginning of your test sketching a plan before you start writing. Once you finish writing, look back to make sure you have dealt with everything.
There is no penalty for requesting paper, but if you’ve planned adequately you should be able to fit everything on the first sheet you’re given. If it’s been a while since you had to plan and write an essay or report, it will be worth your while to practice this before test day.
Another handy tip for test day: make sure you know how many words you average per line in normal handwriting. If you fail to reach the word count, you will be heavily penalized. If you know how many words you typically fit into a line, you can do a quick count at the end of peace of mind. You definitely won’t have time to waste on counting word for word. Once you’ve finished writing, you should reread your essay and ask yourself questions like: Have I answered the question? Have I stuck to the topic?
