IELTS essay writing tips

Develop your English writing skills

It goes without saying that the most important skill necessary for scoring well on the IELTS writing test is proficiency in English writing. If you are a good writer you will not have much difficulty in writing a good essay. Another skill that is equally important is your ability to express your ideas in the allotted time. You have to write your IELTS essay in 40 minutes. Many students who take the IELTS exam have good writing skills, but they need hours to write a good essay. If you are one among them, you must work hard on increasing your speed.

Be brief

Your writing must be brief and to the point. Remember, you are not writing a full-fledged essay on the given topic. You are not writing a paragraph either. Typically, your IELTS essay should have at least 250 words. You may write longer essays, but they must not be shorter.

Be imaginative

Another necessary skill is the faculty of imagination. You may be a given a preposterous situation to analyze and imagine what would happen if it comes to a pass. For instance, you may be asked to explain what would happen if there was no water on this planet or if the earth was flat. While attempting to write an essay on a topic like this, let your imagination run wild and visualize all possible consequences.

Sometimes you may be asked to argue in favour of and against a given proposition. While writing an essay on a topic like this, do not attempt to describe the situation: it is already given. Think of cogent and logical arguments that may be put forward by both sides if a debate is held on the given topic. Condense them and then analyze them in a logical manner.

What to avoid

• Avoid a roundabout or ambiguous approach to the topic or key idea.
• Avoid the introduction of unnecessary and irrelevant details. Your essay must appear as a well-knit whole.
• Avoid lengthy and compound sentences.
• Avoid illustrations unless you are specifically asked to give them.
• Avoid repetition.