Improve your IELTS Academic Writing score
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WELCOME TO IELTS ONLINE WRITINGWelcome to Improve Your IELTS Academic Writing
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Meet Your Course Trainers
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Course Overview
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Using the Platform
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ABOUT THE IELTS WRITING TESTLearning Outcomes
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Check Your Knowledge
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Band Descriptors
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Test Format
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TASK 1Learning Outcomes
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Check Your Knowledge
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Overall Structure5 Topics
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Types of Visuals4 Topics
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Paragraph Structure8 Topics
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Organisation and Logic3 Topics
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Practice5 Topics
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Lesson Summary
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TASK 1 IMPROVE YOUR SCORETask Achievement2 Topics
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Coherence and Cohesion2 Topics
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Lexical Resource2 Topics
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Grammatical Range and Accuracy2 Topics
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Lesson Summary
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TASK 2Learning Outcomes
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Check Your Knowledge
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Overall Structure5 Topics
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Question Types4 Topics
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Paragraph Structure12 Topics
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Organisation and Logic3 Topics
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Practice5 Topics
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Lesson Summary
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TASK 2 IMPROVE YOUR SCORETask Response2 Topics
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Coherence and Cohesion2 Topics
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Lexical Resource2 Topics
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Grammatical Range and Accuracy2 Topics
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Lesson Summary
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COURSE CONCLUSIONOverall tips
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Congratulations on Completing the Course
Comparing Band Descriptors
Comparing Band Descriptors
In this part of the lesson, you will compare the Lexical resource descriptors for Bands 5, 6, 7, and 8. This lesson will use the public band descriptors for Task 2, which you can view here.
What is Lexical resource?
The noun ‘lexicon’ means vocabulary and ‘lexical’ is the adjective. ‘Resource’ means something valuable you have or a capability you have, so lexical resource refers to the English vocabulary you have and use.
Assessing Lexical resource
Lexical resource assesses these aspects of your writing:
- The range of your vocabulary
- The accuracy and appropriacy of the words you choose in relation to a specific task
Range
The range of your vocabulary refers to how varied your vocabulary is.
Here are some features you can use to improve the range of your vocabulary:
- Synonyms (e.g., beneficial = advantageous)
- Rephrasing (e.g., economic growth = development of the economy)
- Modifiers (e.g., skilled staff members)
Accuracy
The accuracy of your vocabulary refers to how correct your vocabulary is in both form and meaning.
Common errors in accuracy include:
- Incorrect word form (e.g. Unemployed people have
economy-> economic problems) - Incorrect collocations (e.g. Criminals should
make-> take responsibility for their actions.) Collocations are natural combinations of words such as verb-noun combinations, or adjective-noun combinations. - Incorrect word choice (e.g. It is important to
realise-> relieve/release stress through regular exercise.) - Incorrect spelling (e.g. Criminals should take
responsability-> responsibility for their actions.) - Incorrect tone (e.g. too informal or emotive)
Band 5 and 6
Here are the Band 5 and 6 descriptors for Lexical resource.
| Lexical resource | |
| Band 5 | Band 6 |
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What do you need to do to move from a Band 5 to a Band 6 in Lexical resource?
Check Your Answers
If you want to move up from a Band 5 to a Band 6 in Lexical resource you need to:
- Use an adequate (not a limited) range of vocabulary.
- Avoid making errors that make it difficult for the reader to understand (impede communication).
Here is an example of limited and adequate vocabulary at a sentence level:
- Limited: When people go to the gym, they can feel good and happy.
- Adequate: When people exercise at the gym, they usually feel healthier and more positive.
As you can see, the limited sentence uses simple vocabulary (go, good, happy) while the adequate sentence uses less common and more precise vocabulary (exercise, healthier, more positive).
Here is an example of errors that impede communication and errors that do not impede communication.
- Errors that impede communication: When their is not enuf water it make people dificulty have lives for every day.
- Errors that does not impede communication: If there is not enuogh water, people’s daily life may be difficulty.
Band 7 and 8
Now compare the Band 7 and Band 8 descriptors. Below them, you can read the definitions of some of the terms used.
| Lexical resource | |
| Band 7 | Band 8 |
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Definition of 'flexibility and precision'
Flexibility
If your vocabulary is flexible, you can describe a concept in different ways or in different contexts. This could be by using synonyms or different word forms (nouns/adjectives).
For example, these two sentences express the same meaning in different ways:
- Criminals often come from disadvantaged social backgrounds.
- A life of crime frequently stems from poor socio-economic circumstances.
Precision
The vocabulary in these two sentences is also precise. This means that the words chosen express and an accurate and clear meaning.
Here is an example of a sentence that lacks precision and uses vague language (‘bad’):
- Criminals come from negative backgrounds.
Definition of 'uncommon lexical items'
Uncommon lexical items (vocabulary)
If you can use uncommon lexical items, it means that you do not use everyday/average vocabulary like other candidates. You have probably done some wide reading to acquire this vocabulary.
Examples of uncommon lexical items:
- A remedy for this problem is urgently required.
- Finding a solution to address this difficulty is of utmost importance.
Definition of 'awareness of style'
As we have seen earlier in the course, your response should have quite a formal/ academic style and tone.
Example
Less formal: Parents shouldn’t let their kids look at bad websites.
- ‘shouldn’t’ is a contraction and is not generally used in formal writing.
- ‘kids’ is usually spoken language and is not formal.
- ‘bad’ is a little basic. It is better to think of a more academic word if you can.
More formal: Parents should not allow their children to access inappropriate websites.
Definition of 'awareness of collocation'
Collocations are words that are frequently used together. High-level English users often read about and listen to a wide range of topics and this helps them to learn collocations, so try to do as much reading and listening as possible in preparation for your test. Note down any collocations you see or hear and keep a personal list if you like.
Examples of collocations
Verbs with nouns:
- to convey meaning/an idea
- to take responsibility (for something)
- to acquire vocabulary
- to offer advice
- to access public services
- to enhance knowledge
- to show concern
Adjectives with nouns:
- heavy traffic
- a wide range
- a defining moment
- extensive knowledge
Verbs with adverbs
- to read widely
- to firmly believe
- to deeply regret
What do you need to do to move from a Band 7 to a Band 8 in Lexical resource?
Check Your Answers
All the features mentioned above are needed to achieve a band 7, 8 (or 9). The main difference between a Band 7 and a Band 8 is the level at which you use these features. These differences have been highlighted below:
| Lexical resource | |
| Band 7 | Band 8 |
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Frequency of errors: One significant difference between a band 7 and band 8 is the frequency of errors. Band 7 allows for occasional errors in word choice, spelling and/or word formation, while Band 8 mandates that these errors should be ‘rare’. Band 9 essays usually have no errors at all.
