Video Lesson
General Writing Task 1
GENERAL WRITING
TA S K 1
What is the IELTS EXAMINER looking for?
IELTS BAND DESCRIPTORS GENERAL WRITING
TASK ACHIEVEMENT
BAND DESCRIPTOR
• Fully satisfies all the requirements of the task
9 • Clearly presents a fully developed response
• Covers all requirements of the task sufficiently
8 • Presents, highlights and illustrates key features / bullet points clearly and
appropriately
• Covers the requirements of the task
7 • Presents a clear purpose, with the tone consistent and appropriate
• Clearly presents, highlights and illustrates key features / bullet points but could be
more fully extended
• Addresses the requirements of the task
6 • Presents a purpose that is generally clear; there may be inconsistencies in tone
• Presents and adequately highlights key features / bullet points but details may be
irrelevant, inappropriate or inaccurate
TASK ACHIEVEMENT
What does the IELTS EXAMINER want to see?
• Appropriate and extended details about all three points
• Balance: a similar/correct amount of detail about each of the three
points
• Information about all three points in a logical order or sequence
• A clearly stated purpose (reason for writing)
• Information not repeated
• Only information which is relevant
• Writing in an appropriate style (formal; semi-formal or informal)
– appropriate GRAMMAR
– appropriate VOCABULARY
– an appropriate BEGINNING and ENDING
– appropriate and consistent tone (polite; friendly)
IELTS BAND DESCRIPTORS GENERAL WRITING
COHERENCE AND COHESION
BAND DESCRIPTOR
• Uses cohesion in such a way that it attracts no attention
9 • Skilfully manages paragraphing
• Sequences information and ideas logically
8 • Manages all aspects of cohesion well
• Uses paragraphing sufficiently and appropriately
• Logically organises information and ideas; there is clear progression throughout
7 • Uses a range of cohesive devices appropriately although there may be some under-
/ over-use
• Arranges information and ideas coherently and there is a clear overall progression
6 • Uses cohesive devices effectively, but cohesion within and/or between sentences
may be faulty or mechanical
• May not always use referencing clearly or appropriately
COHERENCE AND COHESION
What does the IELTS EXAMINER want to see?
• Well-organised paragraphs (often with topic sentences)
• Logical progression (the letter needs to feel like a whole, complete
piece of writing which develops from beginning to end)
• Signposts (which indicate to your reader how the following sentence
is connected to the previous sentence or the overall theme of the
letter)
• Pronouns (which connect one noun or idea to another)
• Words/phrases which connect clauses/ideas in the same sentence
• Other strategies which connect different parts of your writing
• No overuse of these strategies
IELTS BAND DESCRIPTORS GENERAL WRITING
LEXICAL RESOURCE
BAND DESCRIPTOR
• Uses a wide range of vocabulary with very natural and sophisticated control of
9 lexical features
• Rare minor errors occur only as ‘slips’
• Uses a wide range of vocabulary fluently and flexibly to convey precise meanings
8 • Skilfully uses uncommon lexical items but there may be occasional inaccuracies in
word choice and collocation
• Produces rare errors in spelling and/ or word formation
• Uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow some flexibility and precision
7 • Uses less common lexical items with some awareness of style and collocation
• May produce occasional errors in word choice, spelling and/ or word formation
• Uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task
6 • Attempts to use less common vocabulary but with some inaccuracy
• Makes some errors in spelling and/ or word formation, but they do not impede
communication
LEXICAL RESOURCE
What does the IELTS EXAMINER want to see?
• Vocabulary which is not copied from the question
• Vocabulary which is not repeated
• Vocabulary which is not basic
• Vocabulary which is complex and which gives precise meaning
• Vocabulary which has the correct meaning
• Vocabulary which is appropriate to the style of the letter
• Vocabulary which is spelt correctly
• Collocations and set phrases
• Prefixes and suffixes
IELTS BAND DESCRIPTORS GENERAL WRITING
GRAMMATICAL RANGE AND ACCURACY
BAND DESCRIPTOR
• Uses a wide range of structures with full flexibility and accuracy
9 • Rare minor errors occur only as ‘slips’
• Uses a wide range of structures
8 • The majority of sentences are error-free
• Makes only occasional errors or inappropriacies
• Uses a variety of complex structures
7 • Produces frequent error-free sentences
• Has good control of grammar and punctuation but may make a few errors
• Uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms
6 • Makes some errors in grammar and punctuation but they rarely reduce
communication
GRAMMATICAL RANGE AND ACCURACY
What does the IELTS EXAMINER want to see?
• Tenses used accurately
• A range of more complex tenses (simple; continuous; perfect;
conditional)
• Other verb forms used correctly (infinitives; -ing forms; passives; modals)
• The correct form of word (verb; noun; adjective; adverb)
• Nouns and pronouns used correctly
• Prepositions used correctly
• Articles and determiners used correctly
• Adjectives and adverbs (including comparatives) used correctly
• Plurals used correctly
• Punctuation used correctly
• Complex sentences where appropriate
• Sentences which do not contain any errors
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