Hi Katiss and ChrisLuke

Have a look at what Dominc Cole says here. As usual, his advice is excellent.

There is some shocking advice out there. The examples of Band 9 essays I have seen on some IELTS websites are too easy, but that doesn't mean it's impossible to get a Band 8.5 or a 9.

Most native speakers would not get Band 9. It is aimed at 'educated writers' - by that IELTS means someone

• who almost certainly has a university degree (no monosyllabic teenagers, please) 
• with five or six reasonably acceptable ideas  (nothing too extreme, wacky, or right-wing)
• with a natural style (not too gushing, no angels and dolphins or crystals, but not too turgid or soul-destroying)
• who knows the difference between writing and speaking (no 'like, totally awesome, lol')
• who can plan an essay in a particular way (no circular logic or repetition, even if this is normal in your language)
• who can put together a predictable structure (paragraphs, topic sentences and a couple of cohesive devices)

Hi Katiss

That might just be a good idea to practise writing in your own style without time pressure.

But I would suggest that you have something at the back of your mind to keep your creative beast on a leash.

For example, print out the sample IELTS Writing Task 2 Answer sheet here so that you know the appropriate length depending on your handwriting.

There are twenty lines on each side of the page, which makes it easier for examiners to estimate the length of your essay. If you normally write 8 words on a line and fill two pages that will be 320 words (hmmmm, that's a bit long!).

If you write 9 words and do about a page and a half, that's 270 words. You get the idea.

Maybe visualizing a page and a half is easier than worrying about the time.

Hi Eman!

It's a good question!

There is no difference between 6.5 and 7, because there is no Band 6.5!

What happened is that you got Band 7 for some parts and Band 6 for other parts. As far as we know the four criteria (Task Response (your ideas), Coherence and Cohesion (how you link ideas and sentences), Lexical Resource (vocab), and Grammar and Accuracy are equally weighted. So it seems if you got Band 6.5 for writing you got 7766, or 7676, or 6677 or 6767. So you already have Band 7 in some areas.

Have a look at the attached picture or have a look at the official descriptors for IELTS Task 2 Writing (public version) here, to see the descriptors for Bands 6 and 7.

Don't forget that your grade is a 40% : 60% mix of Task 1 (graphs/charts/maps/diagrams/cycles/process -  objective visual data) and Task 2 (opinion essay -  subjective, personal, experience). Your style of writing needs to be different. Some students are good at Task 2 but very weak at Task 1 -  often 'fluent' students who have done no preparation, and they are surprised at their low overall score.

So have a look at your essays and see what your strengths and weaknesses are.

Of course, one way to improve is to aim for Band 8! 

Hi David

Don't be discouraged. Just concentrate and you will be able to do it. You've noticed a lot here so just try to put some of what you've learned into practice.

Make sure there is a big difference in style between Task 1 and Task 2.

I don't think you should have a big problem in Task 1: Just make sure to have an "Overall,.." statement in your introduction, and be as objective as you can. No subjective "I", no "we," no "as you can see," no "the graph shows us that if people in France don't stop using nuclear power there will be a huge environmental disaster for our children." 

In Task 2, underline the keywords, brainstorm, pick related words and ideas, and write synonyms.  Don't start writing until you have six ideas.

Have a good thesis sentence in your intro which tells the reader what you are going to say. Have a clear central topic in each paragaph. Have a topic sentence at the start of each paragraph.

Add some short sentences - perhaps the topic sentences or a short expression or opinion. Have some long sentences, but don't have any over 25 words. Keep the average down!  There's a big difference between conversation and IELTS Task 2 writing. 

Don't rely on tired old phrases. Add one or two links between sentences, but not for every sentence. Let your ideas and examples do the work.

Remember Task 2 is about YOUR opinion. Give your opinion. That's what the question asks you to do. Don't hide behind experts or passives or scientists or recent research. 

Check for subject /verb agreement  ("he goes," not "he go"). Check every noun to see if it needs an article ('a, an, the'). Remove unnecessary commas. 

And don't write too much. A page and a quarter  or a page and a half is fine for Task 2.  Print out this sample IELTS Writing Task 2 Answer sheet from the official IELTS website, and practice writing by hand in 35 - 40 minutes. For most people with about ten words per line, 300 words is about a page and a half. There are 20 lines on each side.

It’s important to practice by hand at least once or twice. Typing on the computer is not the same. You don’t have time to reorganize when you are writing by hand.  You have to get it right the first time. 

Good luck!