Two easily confused essays (problem / causes solutions essay)

What is the difference between a Causes Solutions and a Problem Solutions essay?

Problem solutions and causes solutions essay are very similar but there is a subtle difference,  one type asks about the problems and the other type asks about the causes.

It is very important to spend a couple of minutes analysing the task question so that you know what to write about in the essay. I have seen many good essays lose marks in Task Response because the writer did not find the issues in the task question, or did not fully understand what to write about.

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IELTS Speaking FAQ

ielts speaking17 commonly asked questions about the IELTS speaking test.

There is a lot of misinformation and myths out there surrounding IELTS, so hopefully these questions and answers should help clear up any confusion before you go into the IELTS exam.

Simply click on the blue buttons to see the answers to these IELTS speaking questions. If there are any questions not listed, leave a comment in the comments section at the bottom of this post. I will try to answer them for you.

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Writing Task 1: Fast Food Restaurants Bar Chart

ielts writing task 1 model bar chartModel Answer: Bar chart about fast food restaurants

Bar charts are pretty common in IELTS writing task 1 academic, many people panic when they see them but they get easier the more you practice. The most important thing to bear in mind is that the report should be concise, so you must be selective. This means that you should never write about every single detail in the chart. Aim for around 170 to 190 words.

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Why can’t I get a Band 7?

IELTS adviceI have heard this question so many times.

Why can’t I get a Band 7?

I get so many people who email me asking me why they can’t hit Band 7 or Band 8 or whatever score they need and are stuck at Band 5 or 6. They all seem puzzled as to why they cannot raise their score. Usually it is to do with their writing as this tends to be the hardest part of the test.

Here are 9 reasons why you may not be getting the score you need.

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Model answer for a letter to a friend: Selling a laptop

IELTS general writing task 1, an informal letter.

There are 2 main types of register that you will need for IELTS general writing task 1, that is either formal or informal. If it is a letter to a friend then it will always be informal. If it’s to your boss, ex boss, a company, or some kind of business situation then it’s formal. Pretty simple really.

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IELTS academic writing task 1: Lesson for a floor plan

Writing about a diagram / floor plan in IELTS.

Here is an interesting task 1 question below. Be prepared as something similar could appear in writing task 1 academic. It’s not a map or a process diagram, it’s a floor plan. You will also notice it has two time periods. The present and plans for the future.

It is essential to analyse the task and it’s main features and then plan your writing before starting your report. Total planning for task 1 should be around 4 or 5 minutes. Remember that you need to paraphrase the introduction and give an overview.

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Writing Task 1: How to use ‘number, total, amount, figure, period’

Useful IELTS academic writing task 1 vocabulary.

To get a good score in IELTS writing task 1 academic, you need to have a good range of grammar and vocabulary. In this lesson we will look at 5 words that can be used in various ways. Those words are : Number, Total, Comprised, Accounted for, Amount, Period and Figure. Try the exercises at the end of the lesson to test your knowledge then click the green buttons to see the answers. The key to learning is to practice, so think about how you can apply these words to your academic task 1 reports, especially for graphs and trends.

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Reading: 10 strategies for a high score

ielts reading tipsIs IELTS reading driving you crazy?

After studying this lesson it should be much clearer and you will have a much better idea of how to hit your target score.

Actually, the IELTS reading test is not really about reading, it’s more like a vocabulary test. That’s why you should work on your vocabulary, however, this takes time and there are no shortcuts. Another point is to never read the whole text or try and understand every single word, you will not have time. Understanding how paraphrasing works is crucial to getting a good score, therefore you need to have a good range and understanding of vocabulary. Never learn lists of words either , that will work against you.

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Referencing: avoiding repetition with pronouns

Pronouns help with overall coherence and cohesion in IELTS writing.

Having a cohesive and coherent essay is very important for your overall Band score In both writing tasks in IELTS, especially writing task 2. You should always make your writing as easy as possible for the reader to follow and it should be easy to understand. In the IELTS exam, the reader will be the examiner.

One way to improve your cohesion is to use pronouns to reduce repetition, this is mentioned in the marking criteria for writing under ‘Referencing’.

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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Process Diagram

Model answer for an IELTS Process Diagram.

In the last lesson about process diagrams, I looked at the grammar and vocabulary needed to write about them. Click here to see the grammar needed.  This type of task sometimes appears in IELTS academic writing task 1, so I advise practicing this kind of task as it could appear in the exam.

Overall, the passive voice grammar is used when describing a process, you will also need sequencers to show a step by step process. The structure needed is: an introduction, an overview and 2 body paragraphs. Word count is 150 words minimum, aim for around 170 to 180 words.

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