IELTS Academic Writing: Strategies for acing this part of the English language proficiency exam

 Introduction 

This is the one section of IELTS Academic Writing that gives you more points than any other. With a good score in this section, you can get an overall band score of 7.0 or above. We will give you some tips that will help you achieve this goal smoothly. 

• Academic writing requires you to read extensively before you begin writing. 

Reading extensively before starting the IELTS academic writing section is crucial for understanding expectations and finding sources for your own writing. This helps ensure a smooth and predictable writing process, ensuring no surprises and a smoother writing experience. 

• It's important to start an academic piece with a clear purpose. 

In an academic essay, the introduction should clearly state the topic, its relevance to research, and its main focus. It should also include a summary of the paper, highlighting the main focus and the importance of the topic for others' attention. Finally, the introduction should include a thesis statement that explains the significance of the work. 

• Create a comprehensive introduction in an academic essay. 

The introduction is crucial in an academic essay, providing background information and explaining the topic. It should also include an explanation of the thesis statement. The body paragraphs follow, supporting and elaborating on the introduction's points. 

• Provide a clear thesis statement and outline essay's main points. 

At the beginning of an essay, provide a thesis statement and a clear outline of all points. Each paragraph should have a topic sentence, supporting details, and examples to organize ideas and explain them clearly. One of the top tips for IELTS writing is to use bullet points or numbers to make paragraphs easier to follow and maintain organization. 

 

• Utilize transition words and phrases for reader comprehension. 

Transition words and phrases are essential for a reader to understand and follow your ideas in a paper.  

• Use 'furthermore', 'in addition', 'also', or 'also' to introduce additional information, like free transport passes for students.  

• Use 'however' to indicate an exception, like some students don't own cars, and 'therefore' when something follows logically from the previous statement, like ensuring every child has access to education. 

 

• Research results should include studied, tested and conclusions drawn from the studies. 

When writing about research results, it's crucial to clearly explain the study or testing, its methodology, and the significance of the results. It's essential to discuss the experiments and ensure readers understand the significance of the findings.  

To effectively communicate research findings, it's essential to indicate the study or testing, the methods used, and the conclusions drawn from the tests or studies. For instance, a study on students' performance on standardized tests could show a 10% improvement in performance after lunch compared to before breakfast. 

• Use active voice instead of passive voice wherever possible. 

The active voice is more direct, concise, and easier to read than the passive voice, making it clear who is doing what in a sentence. It can be confusing when focusing on an action rather than who performs it.  

For example, "was" indicates that someone did something to something else, which could be problematic if highlighting only one apple was eaten by someone else. The active voice is more appropriate for academic essays, as it requires precise language and clarity of thought over formality or politeness.  

Additionally, using active verbs helps avoid unnecessary repetition, which is often the case when using passives. 

[Learn more: IELTS Preparation Tips for Last Minute Success] 

• Minimize sentences for easy reading, ensuring meaning is not lost. 

The IELTS Academic Writing test evaluates an essay's academic writing skills. With 30 minutes to write on a given topic, it's crucial to use the time wisely. To ensure effective writing and high marks, avoid using long sentences, which can be difficult for readers to follow.  

Short sentences are easier for non-native English speakers, but there's a balance between shortness and conciseness. For example, a concise answer like "pretty good" can convey enough information about the essay's topic without getting lost in the complexities. 

 

• Practice makes perfect! 

The IELTS Academic Writing test evaluates your academic writing skills, with a 30-minute time frame for an essay on a given topic. To achieve high marks, follow these tips: 

The essay must answer a question and provide examples or explanations within the given 50-minute timeframe. To prepare, practice writing regularly, as more writing leads to better writing skills. When preparing for IELTS exam or TOEFL iBT Writing Test, use free sample answers as much as possible. 

Conclusion 

To excel on the IELTS essay section, practice extensively by reading academic papers and essays in English, as well as long paragraphs and sentences in books or articles. Make sure you take a top coaching for the IETLS exam. This will help build stamina and prepare you for the test day without feeling overwhelmed.