In the post Best IELTS Writing Tips, I gave you some general tips for the IELTS Writing Test.  In this post, I’d like to give you some tips that are more specific to the General Training Module.

Task 1

In General Training Writing Task 1, you have to write a letter as a response to a problem or requesting further information.

• Read the task description carefully so that you understand what the letter is for. You should also consider whether the task requires a formal or informal letter. Asking yourself these questions will help you decide on the style and tone of your letter.

• Make sure you read the bullet points in the question and include the information in your letter; remember that the Examiner assesses how you fulfill the task.

• You will be told to start your letter with “Dear…..” or “Dear Sir or Madam”, depending on the formality of the letter. Make sure you do as requested; the only part you can change is the ….. part, where you can put in a name; ‘Dear Mr. Smith’ or ‘Dear Jenny’.

• Remember to use the appropriate letter endings.  If you are told to start your letter ‘Dear Sir or Madam’, the letter will obviously be formal and the appropriate ending is ‘Yours faithfully’. If the task requires you to start your letter ‘Dear…’ you should check from the rubric whether you are writing a letter to a friend (‘Dear Jenny’……………  ‘Yours’/’Regards’) or if the letter is to be more formal (‘Dear Mr. Smith’……..’Yours sincerely’).

• Write at least 150 words.

To summarise, your letter needs to fulfill the requirements of the task; make sure you include ALL the information requested in the bullet points.  The style and tone of the letter should also be appropriate for the task.

Task 2

In task 2 of the General Training writing test, you are presented with a point of view, an argument or a problem.

• Read the task description carefully so that you fully understand the task. Remember that the Examiner assesses  your ability to fulfill the requirements of the task.

• Once you fully understand what the task requires, you should plan your essay. In the introduction, you need to introduce the topic in your own words; don’t just copy the task description, you should paraphrase as appropriate.

• You might be required to do any of the following; present an argument for or against a proposition, compare and contrast points of view, justify an opinion or evaluate evidence.

• End your essay with a conclusion.

• Write at least 250 words.

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Here’s to the best IELTS score possible!