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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 and just weird.
• they think about their template first and the question/task second, which leads to lots of problems.

So, what can you do instead? You can structure your Task 1. The structure will not change.

• In your first paragraº11ph, paraphrase what the data represents then add your overview. There will always be 2 things in the overview.
• Then, divide the data into 2 groups (by year, by graph if there are 2, by big and small, by age etc). Let’s imaging there is a graph based on the UK and Germany. Put the UK into one body paragraph and Germany into the next.
• When you write about Germany in your second body paragraph, make sure you refer back to the UK to show you are interacting with the data.

And that it is it. No conclusion is needed. This structure will get you through Task 1 as it doesn’t change, but forget about templates, they lead to more problems.

If you want an IELTS examiner to correct and evaluate your Academic Task 1 and show you what you need to do to get higher marks, you can order it here.