This content provides a comprehensive overview of the IELTS writing section, detailing its two tasks, essay structure, types, and the four key marking criteria: task response, coherence and cohesion, grammatical range and accuracy, and lexical resource.
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We're going to start off with the essay
writing. Uh let me tell you ins writing
there are two tasks. Uh first is task
one and task one is report writing for
academic IELS candidates [music] and
letter writing for general training is
candidates. Uh the task length is 150
words. For academic report writing
minimum 150 words and maximum you may
write up to 200 words. Then we have task
two. Uh task two is same for academic as
well as for general training IS
candidates. And task two is essay
writing. You have to write an essay. Uh
the length of task two is 250 words
minimum. Although you may write up to
350 words. There is no penalty on that.
But minimum you should write 250 words
for task two and 150 for task one. Okay.
Now if we go further uh there are four
types of essays and uh we will learn
each type one by one right for example
today we are going to learn one type of
essays then we'll go on and learn other
types but before we proceed let me tell
you the structure of all ISEL's essays
the structures are almost same in every
essay we have introduction then we have
body paragraphs and then we have conclusion
conclusion
So body paragraphs depend on your
layout. For example, you want to write
two body paragraphs, you want to write
three body paragraphs, that's okay. But
there should be minimum two body
paragraphs according to your structure.
Uh or maximum there can be four body
paragraphs, not more than that. And
don't make your essay very lengthy
because writing more will never get you
any positive uh feedback or any positive
bench score in actual exam. So it's
introduction. Then we have body
paragraphs, two or four paragraphs,
three, it depends on you. Okay? And then
we have conclusion. Now if we talk about
essay writing, there are four types of
essays. And there may be a fifth type as
well. And when they make the fifth type,
uh we call it the direct question essay
or double question essay. So they pick
up one question from opinion and they
pick up one question from problem
solution from advantages disadvantages
and all that. All right. Uh okay. So as
far as IS writing task two is concerned
topic will be given in a statement and
there are two parts of the topic. One is
background statement and second is the
thesis statement. Now what is background
statement? They will just tell you a
fact. And by the way, in ISLs, all the
essays are on current affairs, current
issues, current topics. They will not be
anything about the past. Uh for example,
we have artificial intelligence,
technology, transportation, pollution,
environmental stuff and all that. So all
the current affairs they have in their
IELS writing. Okay? They can give you
any topic. So uh don't run after topics.
You should know how to write an essay.
Regardless of the thing that the topic
is this or that, you should know how to
write an essay. Okay. So, uh coming back
to this uh whenever we say topic
statement, now topic statement is
something which you need to read and
understand. For example, these days a
large number of people depend on
softwares based on artificial technology,
technology,
right? Or these days a vast majority of
young people are going to foreign
countries. These days a large number of
people are visiting other countries for
pleasure or this and that. So there will
be a statement. So first thing is you
need to read that. Thank you so much.
You need to read that statement and you
need to understand what it is about and
interpret the statement. Read it,
translate it, translate every word and
make up your mind that this is what I
have to write about. Okay. So once you
understand the statement then from the
thesis part of your essay you will
understand which which type of essay is
that and type of essay means number of
paragraphs and how you're going to
address that topic. If they say what are
the causes and how to solve you
understand it is causes and solution
essay. If they say do you agree or
disagree you understand it's agree and
this is the second part of the topic.
First part is fact. There is a
statement. Second part is this. Okay. If
in the topic they say discuss both views
and give your own opinion, you
understand it is a discussion essay. If
they say do the advantages
outweigh drawbacks, right? Or is this a
positive or a negative development? So
accordingly you have to make up your
mind. You have to see advantages are
more development is positive or
development is negative and all that.
Again for essay writing they do not
expect specialized knowledge. For
example, if they give you a topic on
global warming, they do not expect facts
and figures from you that you are a
scientist and you know about global
warming. Not at all. They want you to
write an essay which is understandable
by by anyone who can understand English.
So there should not be any what do you
say specific facts
[snorts and clears throat] and figures
and all that and you are writing this
essay for an examiner and examiner is
not expert in that very field. Examiner
is expert in English. So you need to
focus your language skills mainly.
Although knowledge is important but
language skills are more important than
that. Okay. Now, today we are going to
talk about one important essay type and
that is what we call problem solution
essay. Uh we may call it problem and
solution or sometimes they give you the
problem in the topic statement and they
ask you the reasons behind that problem.
In that case we call it causes and
solution essay. So either it is going to
be problem and solution or it is going
to be causes and solution and the topic
will tell you. I mean that thesis part
of the topic will tell you. For example,
if they say these days a large number of
people smoke at public places especially
in parks, gardens and shopping malls,
right? So what are the problems
associated with uh with public for with
smoking at public places and how to
overcome these issues or what are the
reasons behind uh smoking at the public
places and how to overcome that. So if
they ask you what are the reasons you
need to tell the reasons. If they ask
you what are the problems you have to
tell the problems and then there will be
solutions. So it is either problem or
solution problem and solution or reasons
causes and solution essay. Now remember
one thing whenever they give you the
topic and all that stuff the first thing
is you need to read the topic and what
do you say gather all the information
that you have available as I told you
you need to have some logical thinking
you don't need specialized knowledge and
the topics that they're going to give
you it is just like you know a common
sense today we are aware what what the
problems are we have environmental
problems we know about artificial
intelligence We know about internet. We
know about education. So, uh they expect
you that you're going to go to a foreign
country for studies or for immigration.
So, you should be able to write at least
250 words to show your language skills.
Okay. Now, uh whenever you write your
essay uh and you understand it's a
problem solution essay. So uh in problem
solution essay you can think about the
topic and then you can have some rough
work as you're doing IS on computer. So
you may do rough work on uh that
computer uh you can type it there and
later on you can delete that. So you can
think okay what are the problems problem
number one problem number two problem
number three that's it or if it is
causes and solution essay you will say
all right uh problem is uh transport
public transport or public people do not
have access to that what is reason
number one what is reason number two
what is reason number and these three
reasons must be separate it's not that
same thing and you're talking about that
I Repetition is the band killer. If your
idea you are repeating your ideas, if
you're repeating same ideas time and
again, that will bring you low band
score. So you need to come up with
different ideas. Okay? For example, if
we talk about uh going to foreign
country for higher studies, why are
people going? Reason number one, you can
talk about international degree that is
more valuable than local degree, right?
Second, you can talk about career opportunities,
opportunities,
>> culture diversity,
>> right? You can talk about cultural
diversity. So, all the things should be
separate so that you could write on
that. Okay? So, uh problem solution
essay. I'll come to the structure of
this essay and layout later. But let me
tell you examiner is going to check four
things in your essay, in your report and
all that. Those four things number one,
we have task response. most important
thing if there is no task response then
they will not check anything now what is
task response task response means number
of words that you write and how many
words minimum all the things I'm telling
you they are written in the book so you
don't have to read anything just follow
me now and whatever I'm saying now we
have already recorded that on Saturday
you will receive the recorded lesson
also the same lesson you will receive on
Saturday so don't worry about that okay
you don't need to write Just listen,
make up your mind, understand as much as
possible. If you miss any part, there is
no problem. So the first thing is task
response. Task response means the length
of your task and second how
uh like how much you cover the topic,
right? For example, if you cover the
topic entirely, then you may get better
bench score in task response. If you
cover some parts of the topic, then you
may get low band on that. And if you go
beyond the topic right for example if uh
you are given a topic foreign studies
and you don't talk about studies you
only talk about foreign lifestyle
opportunities in a foreign country
people go to foreign country they enjoy
they this and that and you miss
education or you don't discuss education
that much you will get low bench score
in task response. So task response means
how thoroughly you covered the topic
right and divide the topic in two parts
like okay I'm going to talk about
studying in a foreign country what are
the problems and what are the solutions
so if in your essay you have the
problems faced by people who study in a
foreign country and you have provided
proper solution okay so you will get
good bench score on your task response
right After that the second criteria is
important one that is coherence and cohesion.
cohesion.
Coherence and cohesion that is all about
the structure of your essay, structure
of your paragraphs, how to connect ideas
or how to connect sentences in the
paragraph. We call it coherence and
cohesion. The first thing is you you are
going to write everything in proper
paragraphing. There is nothing like
bullet points or heading. Headings are
not allowed. Bullet points are not
allowed. Points like numbering 1 2 3 4. Huh?
Huh?
>> Comparison are allowed. Like should we
do the comparison like foreign student
for London?
>> Absolutely. Why not? Comparisons should
be there. Okay. Uh if if they are
relevant. So uh you need to go on like
that. Okay. Now getting back to the main
point and cohesion. uh they will check
paragraphing, proper paragraphing and
then ideas you have presented and the
logical flow of your ideas. In a minute
I'll tell you all these things. It's not
rocket science. They're very very simple
things. Once you make up your mind that
I'm going to structure my essay like
this rest is practice. Practice improve
your ideas, improve your knowledge,
improve your language skills and you can
write a very good essay. Okay. So this
is what we call coherence and cohesion.
Now for for instance if I'm going to
give you a presentation
and in the presentation I say good
morning ladies and gentlemen today I'm
going to talk to you about essay
writing. Now you are clear right? In
this lesson I will discuss what type of
essays we have in ISS and how to write
them. First of all I would like to talk
about the type of essays that we have.
Secondly, I will tell you how to write
these essays and finally we will have a
question answer session. What is it? It
is actually coherence and cohesion. I'm
telling you what I'm going to do. So
when you tell the reader this is my
first point, this is my second point,
this is my example, this is my
conclusion, this is my contrary
statement, this is my solution, this is
problem number one. If you say first of
all the main issue is
>> now you're telling this is the first
problem right then you say to resolve
this problem it means you're going to
give a solution when you say for
instance means you are going to give an
example then you say there is another
important hardship or problem behind
this now you're talking about second
problem right then you give solution so
you need to come up with all these
things Right? And you need to learn
these phrases and we have all these
phrases in the books that you have. For
example, academic eyes. You've got this
book eight units, eight items in
writing. So one by one you can do them
all. Okay. So this is coherence and
cohesion connectivity of ideas. When you
write a paragraph, first you tell what
is the main point in that paragraph.
Then you elaborate that main point. Then
you give a relevant example if you have.
And if it is a problem solution essay in
a minute I'll tell you all that and then
you have to conclude. Okay. So this is
what we call coherence and cohesion.
Ideas should be well connected. Things
should be in proper paragraphs and
paragraphs should have a proper layout
or structure. Okay. Now after this the
next marking criteria is grammatical
range and accuracy. Now they will check
your grammar, they will check your
punctuation. They will check they will
check accuracy of sentences and all
that. So for this essays are written in
present tense in ISS essays are mainly
written in present tense. So you should
have very good command over present
simple we call it present indefinite
also present simple tense along with
that present continuous tense. If there
is a continuous action and you have to
give a variety to the examiner, then
present perfect tense, passive voice of
present perfect is very commonly used in
essay writing and then present perfect
continuous tense. Now there are two more
tenses which you may use. One is past
tense. For instance, if you say a
century ago,
10 years ago, 5 years ago like when you
start then you can say that. So for that
you need past simple tense. And in
conclusion at times you have to predict.
So when you predict there you need
future simple tense. So these are the
tenses that you need to learn and then
you can just go on with that. Now
grammatical range and accuracy for band
score six. If your target band is six in
ISS you can you can use compound
sentences mainly simple sentences
compound sentences and you can get six
band. But if your target band is seven
or above then you need to use compound
complex conditional
>> passive voice passive structures then
variety of tenses because these tenses
will give a variety and do not
repeatedly use the same thing like you
say in my opinion then again you say in
my opinion then again you say in my
opinion and don't use the same structure
again and again. It's called plagiarism
when I did my thesis. It is a very important
important
>> no plagiarism is something different.
It's entirely no no that repetition
plagiarism is if you copy someone's work
without acknowledging that that is what
we call plagiarism. >> So
>> So
repetition is something else. Plagiarism
is something else. For example, if I've
written something an article and you
copy a paragraph from my article and you
don't mention my name, that is what we
call plagiarism. Okay, that's different.
Okay, so coming back to this, we've got
this uh structure and all that and uh
this is what we call grammatical range
and accuracy. Even if you don't use full
stop, uh they will consider that. Now,
it does not mean that they're going to
count your mistakes and they're going to
give you the band score. If you say if I
write more, more mistakes will lead to
lower band score. Fewer mistakes will
lead to better band score. It's not like
that. You know throughout your writing
of 250 words you are maintaining a style
of writing. So they're going to give you
band on that. They will not check your
writing. They will not mark your
writing. They will not correct your
writing. If you think teacher will have
red ballpoint and teacher will say ah
this is the mistake. This is not at all.
They're going to read paragraphs.
They're going to see okay how many words
are these relevance and four marking
criterias and examiner will give marks
to each for example task response all
right you've not covered the topic well
six band then after that they will say
coherence and cohesion connectivity of
ideas okay okay okay good yeah that's
better seven band then they come to
grammatical range and accuracy all right
grammatical range mainly simple
structure five band here and finally
vocabu capsular. So there are four
things they're going to check and
they're going to give you bench score
separately and then there is the overall
bench score. Now the final marking
criteria is lexical resource or we call
it vocabulary. In this uh marking
criteria they will check uh two types of
vocabulary. One is topic specific
vocabulary. If you are given a topic
about going to a foreign country and
studying there, study abroad. Now they
will see how many words you know about
that. Okay. Uh what is the extension or
to what extent you explain the topic?
After that we go on. You're making me
forget. Please be quiet. Okay. Yeah. I
ideas slip out of my mind when I listen
to you. Okay. So, uh yeah, vocabulary.
Now remember in ISS there are two type
of vocabularies. For instance, you've
got problem solution essay. Now the
words we commonly use in problem
solution essay. For example, to resolve
this problem, the main issue is to
tackle this issue. The way forward could
be way forward could be mean solution
could be. So this is the variety you
need to give because you know in problem
solution essay many times you have to
use the word problem and many times you
have to use the word solution problem
solution problem solution. So if you
know the synonyms of problem synonyms of
solution you can write better essay.
This is called uh type specific
vocabulary. Second is topic specific
vocabulary. If you are given a topic tourism
tourism
for example uh global tourism has
increased tremendously in the last 20
years. All right. And then they say what
are the problems people face with the
influx of tourists in a certain area and
how to resolve these problems. Now you
see okay if there are so many tourists
what is problem number one? What is
problem number two? And what is problem
number three? And each problem should
have a solution. That is equally
important. Right? So, vocabulary, topic
related vocabulary and essay type
vocabulary. Essay type vocabulary you
will find here with every essay type we
have almost 100 words. So, you will find
that vocabulary. For uh topic related
vocabulary again with every essay uh
type we have at least 10 to 20 sample
answers and these sample answers are
those topics which are either they have
come in exam or they are most frequent
topics in ISS. So once you're going to
learn those words once you're going to
go through those uh what do you say
sample answers you can easily write your
answer well. Okay. So essay writing
needs two things. One is ideas that is
what we call knowledge. Second is
language skills. Okay. And sometimes if
your knowledge is weak they may may not
deduct your bench score that much. But
if your language skills are strong,
knowledge is weak, you can get good
bench score. But again remember four
marking criterias. And whenever you
practice, you just need to see that how
much have I covered the topic and the
vocabulary range and all that. And essay
writing is not something which I can
deliver a lecture and you say now I
understand problem solution essay. Thank
you so much. Tomorrow I'm going for my
exam. You need practice. Okay? It's just
something when you are going to type an
essay, you type another essay, you type
another essay and then you learn how to
do that all. Okay? Now the final thing
is this that uh you know we have IEL's
speaking book. In speaking book there
are sample answers. Now if I ask you a
question what is your favorite color?
You will give me answer using your
vocabulary using your sentence structure
and there will not be any improvement.
If every day you speak English for one
hour and you speak your own English
there are two Englishes. One is your own
English. Second is you acquire English.
So if you read your if you speak your
own English there will not be any
improvement. But if what is your
favorite color? In the book we have a
question with sample answer and in the
sample answer they have mentioned
different things. For example you may
answer my favorite color is white. I
like this color very much. Right? So if
in the book it's written all right uh I
always like or I get attracted to
lighter shades of colors that is why my
most favorite color is white and there
are several reasons behind this white is
the color of peace that is why I like it
and on the other hand it's a kind of
holy color so that is why I like this
color very much now when you give this
answer now you know sometimes what
happens you already know the words but
the arrangement of the words in certain
ideas that is what you need to learn. So
for essay writing I don't want you to
blindly write an essay. You pick a topic
and you write an essay. Say he he I have
written an essay and it looks good and
all that, right? You you need to first
read an essay. Read one essay. Get some
ideas from there. See what type of essay
is there. And in this book, we have 100
plus essays on all four types of essays.
[music] Right? Once you've read the
essay, you know the ideas, you know what
are the points and now you can rewrite
that essay again. Read an essay. Rewrite
that essay. Read an essay, rewrite that
essay. By reading and rewriting, you
will improve more. [music] But if you
write freestyle that I'll just pick up a
topic randomly and I will write on my
own, there will not be any improvement
at all. Keep that in mind. [music]
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