Do you know what ‘Task Achievement’ is and how it can help you increase your IELTS band score? If not then watch the video below created by the IELTS owners, the British Council to find out.
The full script is underneath in case you don’t catch everything.
Play The Video…
IELTS Writing: How To Improve Task Achievement/Task Response
So, you’ve decided to take the IELTS exam. Good for you, it’s the test for study, work and Life.
The IELTS writing test is divided into two tasks. The first task differs depending on the module you are taking.
There are two IELTS modules, the IELTS academic module is generally taken by anyone intending to pursue higher education studies in an English speaking Institute or country, the IELTS general training module is generally taken for immigration or employment purposes.
Here we look at the criteria of task response for writing task 1 and task achievement for writing task 2 these represent one of four criteria on which you will be tested.
Look for the other three criteria in other videos (available on this site from the menu bar).
These criteria (task achievement/task response) focus on the degree to which the exam question has been answered properly.
Task Response For IELTS Writing Part 1
In the IELTS Academic module there is a writing task of at least one hundred fifty words where you should summarize, describe or explain a table, graph or diagram, you might be expected to make comparisons too.
Successfully negotiating this academic task 1 means you will need to identify all the key features in the diagram. You might lose marks if important details are left out.
Provide sufficient detail for a meaningful explanation, not too much detail, not too little. Ensure accuracy when referring to data or describing trends or processes.
It’s important to write a clear overview, this means summarizing the most significant trends or features from the data or information in the diagram.
This is not simply an introduction to the topic that’s a common mistake. Here’s an example of identifying significant trends:
‘looking at this graph we would say from the graph it is apparent that participation of both men and women in full time employment has increased over this time period. However, while the numbers of women are generally increasing, the numbers of men in part time employment are fluctuating.’
In a question requesting a process description the overview might identify the key stages in the process for instance how many stages there are and what each are briefly
In the general training module there is a letter writing task of at least one hundred fifty words. In this task explain the reason for the letter, include all the points mentioned in the question and use a consistent and appropriate tone.
In both modules task 2 is a short essay task of at least two hundred fifty words. You are expected to present your opinion on a specific topic supporting your ideas with evidence.
Task Response For IELTS Writing Part 2
Task 2 contributes more to your overall writing mark than task 1. To master task 2 you will need to respond completely to all parts of the question. Develop and support your ideas, don’t just mention them in a single sentence and move on to the next idea add explanations, examples or experience.
Ensure your opinion is clear in your answer, make sure you underline key words in the exam question. Identify how many parts there are to the question and make sure you do everything you are asked to do.
Before you write, plan your ideas though keep them relevant, then group and sequence them. Spending two to three minutes doing this can save you time when you are writing. Follow the recommended timings for each task and meet minimum word counts.
For more information please see the other writing test videos, Coherence and cohesion, Lexical resource and grammatical range in accuracy (all available on this site from the menu bar above).
Where To Next?
How To Do IELTS Writing Task 1
How To Do IELTS Writing Task 2
