05 Nov What Must Not Go Wrong In The IELTS Writing Module

Did you know that your content could be fabulous, your vocabulary could be great, and even then, your scores could fall short of your requirements? Wondering how can that possibly happen? Due to unawareness about the marks distribution in the essay, students lose a lot. It is not just the content or the high-flown ornate words in your essay that help you earn marks. In-fact, marks are distributed on certain factors in the writing module and they should be given importance. It is vital to first know about these factors to be able to work upon them.

The Priority

Often students stay focused on what to write and forget how to write. Format is the most important aspect of your writeup. Imagine a fully decorated yet messy Christmas tree.

Nobody would care to look at it. It may have all the decorates but no one would even notice them if overall it looks messy. A properly organized article with a flow of thoughts is the first step to create a positive impression on the examiner. Always remember to divide your essay into paragraphs and secure at least one mark for yourself.

Another important point to note is that paragraphs must be divided logically. Logical division helps the examiner understand the thoughts you want to deliver. Start with an introduction to the topic, so as to show that you have understood it. In the body paragraphs elaborate and explain the points describing the topic. Add examples or references to support your thoughts. Remember to cover one point in one paragraph. Do not club all the points with examples into one paragraph. Each thought mentioned in a separate paragraph gives clarity and is easy to read.

The last paragraph should be a balanced conclusion to the topic. Summarize briefly the gist of the entire article or conclude with a moral. The last paragraph is the end-note and so will be the last thing in the mind of the reader. Try to make it as interesting as possible. The bigger the memory it can create in the examiner’s mind, the bigger will be the number on your score-card!

The Silly Mistakes

Coming back to the vocabulary; as important it is to use fancy words, it is also important to use them right. It is a common observation that students end up using words that actually deliver the absolute opposite meaning of what they were trying to say. Certain words that are used in the same context, have different meanings. For example, both ‘drizzling’ and ‘raining cats and dogs’ describe the intensity of rainfall. However, the first means light rainfall and the latter means heavy rainfall. Make sure you understand the meaning of the words correctly before you use them in your article. 

If you have a doubt about the meaning, it is better not to use such a word. Remember correct English is always better than incorrectly decorated English for the writing module for IELTS. Consider the word ‘alleviate’. It sounds like ‘elevate’. Both of them, however, have quite the opposite meanings. While ‘elevate’ means to raise or lift, ‘alleviate’ means to lessen or reduce. It is a common error to assume similar meanings for similar-sounding words.  

Quick Bites

If you find the Writing Module hard, avoiding silly mistakes and following the right format itself can do wonders for you in your scores. Just make sure to:

• Write the essay in paragraphs
• Divide the paragraphs logically
• Put extra effort in the beginning and end of the essay to make them interesting
• Use vocabulary correctly rather than excessively

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