🚫 Never Do This If You Want a Band 7 in Writing (Part 1)

Pelawat, I often hear my students complain about Writing Task 1, and I see them struggle with it firsthand.

It's easy to make mistakes, even if you know the basics. Today, I'll cover 3 common issues that can really hurt your score and show you how to fix them.

1. Copy Words Directly from the Question

Example: If the question says, "The graph shows the number of students studying abroad from 2000 to 2020," some people write, "The graph shows the number of students studying abroad from 2000 to 2020", without changing anything.

Using the exact same words shows that you can't paraphrase well. The IELTS exam tests your ability to use different words and sentence structures.

Correct Version: "The graph illustrates how many students went to study abroad between 2000 and 2020."

Tip: Practice changing the vocabulary and structure to show your skills.

2. Use the Wrong Synonyms

Example: The student paraphrased the question as follows - "The graph shows the amount of guests to three separate art galleries from 2010 to 2020."

"Amount" is wrong because it's used for things you can't count, like water or air. "Guests" doesn't work well here because it usually means invited people or those staying at hotels, and "art galleries" isn't the right synonym for "museums."

Correct Version: "The graph shows the number of people visiting museums from 2010 to 2020."

Tip: Double-check that your synonyms have the right meaning and fit the context.

3. Make Sentences Too Complicated

Example: "The given graphical representation delineates the vehicular transaction alterations across a decade."

Using overly complicated words makes your writing hard to understand. Examiners prefer clear and simple language that is easy to follow.

Correct Version: "The graph shows changes in car sales over 10 years."

Tip: Focus on making your writing clear and easy to read, not fancy.

Need help to Achieve Your Target Score?

Pelawat, my students have seen their scores improve significantly in IELTS Writing Task 1 as soon as they stopped making these mistakes. If you're serious about achieving your target score and need 1:1 coaching, I have just opened a couple more spots. These spots are for students who need to improve their writing and hit their IELTS goals in the next 2 months.

Sounds like you? Reply to this email now to learn how you can reach your IELTS goal with me in just 2 months.

Cheers,

Simone Braverman

Founder @ IELTS-Blog.com

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