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Tag - IELTS Task 1

How to write a Task 1 in the General exam

One of the writing examiners here explains how to write a Task 1 in the General exam.  You only get this advice at upmyielts.com.   First, read the question and see whether it is informal or semi-formal (You will never be expected to use formal English; it is a different language!) Second, check to see whether you have been told how to start, i.e. Dear Sir/Madam etc Third, make sure you understand the purpose of the letter (apology, asking for a recommendation, etc) Fourth, read...

How to write an IELTS Task 1 – Process

Writing a process in Task 1 generally has the lowest word count so don’t worry if you only hit 150 words.  There isn't really very much to say about them usually. So, to start with, you need to introduce what the process is about; usually it is making something, like how to make cut diamonds/electricity/cement etc. So, you need to state what the process is showing and then you need some kind of overview. The overview may be that the process takes...

What templates can I use in IELTS writing?

Is there any template for the IELTS academic task 1 that can literally work for any given question? IELTS templates.........do they exist? An IELTS examiners answers your question No. The tasks are too varied. How could you use a template to describe a bar chart and a process? There are certain phrases that I suppose you could use for your introduction if you were faced with bar chart to describe like “The given bar charts show + add your description here” “From an overall...

Where should I get my IELTS writing questions from?

This question comes from a few questions that we have come to us recently from people using our writing service.  We see a lot of people use IELTS questions that are not IELTS questions.  But what does this mean? Well, it means that the questions are not up to IELTS standard.  Let’s look at a couple of examples. This is one that someone who used our IELTS correction service used recently. Now, IELTS avoids issues like sex, religion, abortion etc because they are...

10 reasons why IELTS writing is so hard

There are a number of reasons why IELTS writing is where most people struggle.  The IELTS examiners that work with us came up with these 10 reasons. People don’t write very much anymore so it is skill we are losing. Teachers avoid teaching writing and set it for homework. They think they should focus on speaking in class and so writing gets neglected. This happens pretty much from school age. Students don’t think they need to practice it. They are...

How to write an overview in Academic Task 1

The overview is an important part of Task 1.  It is in the Task Achievement criteria and it can be difficult to know what it actually means.  One of the examiners that works with us explains what an overview is and how to identify it. An overview is basically the main trends you see in data; the key standout features.  In the Academic Task 1, there are nearly always two.  It is clearer if we look at some examples so you...

How to write an Academic IELTS Task 1

This is arguably the most difficult part of the Academic exam and it is also where a lot of candidates lose marks.  They lose marks because they miss a few key things. 1)  The overview.  The overview is where you highlight the TWO main features of the data that you are presented with.  There are always two.  The overview is also in the marking criteria and if you don’t include one, you are capping your Task Achievement score at Band 5. ...

Why do we only use native IELTS examiners to evaluate your work?

upmyielts.com is where IELTS examiners work for you.  So many people come to us having done IELTS numerous times and they haven’t got what they need in IELTS writing or speaking.  Some of these people have even done IELTS courses with teachers in their countries or used other IELTS writing correction services.  And here lies the problem. Unless you are an examiner, you will have no idea how to score your essays.  We have had people come to us showing their...

How to write a Task 1 and 2 in 60 minutes

This is a common problem for a lot of people.  A member in our private Facebook page “IELTS Writing and Speaking support” got in touch and left this question. “Sometimes we are given to much information in the task 1 and this makes it very hard to include all the data to the writing, just as it is very difficult to fill 150 words when there is very little to write about. However, I think the hardest part of the writing...

What is the best template for Academic IELTS Task 1?

Many people try to use templates for IELTS writing and, as this IELTS examiner explains, they are not a very good idea.  But there is something else that will help you. There isn’t one and don’t use templates in IELTS, they just lead to more problems for candidates. What happens with candidates that use templates is….. they use their template and it doesn’t quite fit the question so their answer is weird. the language they have learnt to use is archaic...