Writing
The writing section in IELTS is also different in case of Academic and General Training examinees.
Writing - Academic
IELTS Academic Writing lasts a total of 60 minutes. It consists of 2 tasks (Writing Task 1 and Writing Task 2) and candidates must answer BOTH tasks. Students are advised to spend 20 minutes on Task 1 and 40 minutes on Task 2. They must complete both tasks in one hour.
Task 1 For Writing Task 1 candidates are given some visual information which may be presented in the form of one or more related diagrams, charts, graphs or tables. Candidates are asked to describe the information or data. They must write at least 150 words on this task.
Task 2 For Writing Task 2, candidates are presented with an opinion, problem or issue which they must discuss. They may be asked to present the solution to a problem, present and justify an opinion, compare and contrast evidence or opinions, or evaluate and challenge an argument or idea. Candidates must write at least 250 words and are advised to spend 40 minutes on this task.
TASK ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
- Task Achievement
- Coherence and Cohesion
- Lexical Resource
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Each of the tasks is assessed separately by trained and qualified examiners and is given a score accordingly. Writing Task 2 is worth more marks than Writing Task 1 so candidates should be sure to leave plenty of time to complete Writing Task 2.Academic Writing band scores are reported in whole bands or half bands.
Writing - General
Task 1 Candidates are asked to write a personal informal, semi-formal or formal letter, responding to a given problem or situation. Input to Task 1 includes a brief description of the problem or situation followed by 3 bullet points which tell the candidate what information is required in the letter. Candidates must write at least 150 words for this task.
Task 2 The input to Task 2 consists of a statement of a point of view, argument or problem about a specific topic. This is followed by instructions asking candidates to discuss the topic by providing general factual information, outlining and/or presenting a solution, justifying an opinion, or evaluating ideas and evidence. Candidates are expected to produce a discursive piece of writing. Candidates must write at least 250 words for this task.
TASK ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
- Task Achievement
- Coherence and Cohesion
- Lexical Resource
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Each of the tasks is assessed separately by a trained and qualified examiner and given a score. Writing Task 2 is worth more marks than Writing Task 1 so candidates should be sure to leave plenty of time to complete Writing Task 2. From July 1 2007 General Training Writing band scores will be reported in whole bands or half bands.
