In this edition:
-
Introduction
-
Changes to the Writing rubrics for 2006
-
IELTS Tips - Reading
-
Book Review
Introduction
Welcome to this issue of the
Your IELTS Guide
newsletter.
The Reading module is the subject of this month's IELTS tips. The Reading module is one where it is quite easy to lose a lot of marks just by not following instructions to the letter. Read our tips so you don't fall into any traps.
The IELTS Writing rubrics will change from the beginning of next year. We explain the changes and what they mean to you.
And finally, check out this month's book review.
Use this link to read back issues.
Please feel free to forward this newsletter to your friends!
Changes to the Writing rubrics for 2006
The Writing rubrics are going to change from January 2006. What, you might ask, does 'rubric' mean? Rubric is a word that is very seldom used in the English language - unless you are a teacher or IELTS examiner!
Before you worry about not knowing the word, don't - unless you are aiming for a 9! You just need to know that in this case it is the description of the writing task and any instructions. It explains what you are expected to do.
The good news is that the rubrics are now much clearer. We will now go through the changes for each task and format - Academic and General Training.
Academic Task 1
Write a report for a university lecturer
describing the information below.
Will change to:
Summarise the information by selecting
and reporting the main features, and
make comparisons where relevant.
That's much better. Many candidates don't appreciate what
"a report for a university lecturer"
really means.
The new rubric makes it clear that the
main features
should be selected and reported and that
comparisons
should be made.
As a reminder, the style should be formal for an academic report and, for Task 1, should not contain opinion.
General Training Task 1
You do NOT need to write your own
address.
Will change to:
You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Quite a simple, straightforward change here. It just tells you that you don't need to write any addresses.
You won't lose marks if you do, but don't waste time doing so.
Academic Task 2
Present a written argument or case to an
educated reader with no specialist
knowledge of the following topic.
You should use your own ideas, knowledge
and experience and support your arguments
with examples and relevant evidence.
Will change to:
Write about the following topic:
Give reasons for your answer and include
any relevant examples from your own
knowledge or experience.
Again, much better. The old rubric was far too complicated and much of it redundant. For example,
"a written argument"
- this is the writing test, of course it's written!
And
"an educated reader with no specialist knowledge of the following topic"
- you have 40 minutes to write 250 words, you are hardly going to write a specialist article in that time ...
So, the rubbish has been removed and now you have a nice concise sentence telling you to include examples from your own knowledge and experience.
Be sure to do so as this will help support you arguments and opinions resulting in a higher mark.
Again, the style should be formal (not like this article!).
General Training Task 2
Give reasons for your answer and include
any relevant examples from your
experience.
Will change to:
Give reasons for your answer and include
any relevant examples from your own
knowledge or experience.
Not a big change, but an important one. Although the topics are chosen such that everyone will be able to write about them, it doesn't necessarily follow that they will have experience.
This change makes it clear that you can write using examples from your knowledge - not just your experience.
Finally, I would recommend downloading the 'official' IELTS document (see below for link) because it contains a complete writing test for both the Academic and General Training modules.
These are good examples of a 'real' test and would be good to use for a practice test.
Download the official IELTS document:
Changes to the Writing Rubrics
IELTS Tips - Reading
The Reading module is seen by many candidates as the most difficult. It is arguably also the one where you can most easily lose marks. Follow these tips to ensure you get the best possible score in the Reading module.
Read the instructions carefully - and follow them
Make sure you read the instructions carefully. Don't feel pressured into not spending enough time making sure you understand them. For example, you may be told to write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS. If you write more you will be marked wrong, even if the meaning is correct. Taking an example from the IELTS Candidate Information Booklet, a candidate answering
'coat of black leather'
when the correct answer should be
'black leather coat'
will be marked wrong even though the meaning is correct.
Stick to the suggested times
Many candidates find it difficult to complete the Reading test in the time available. It is easy to waste time on difficult questions at the expense of easy ones. The question paper has suggested times for each part and we suggest you try to stick to them.
Answer ALL questions - guess if necessary
You get a mark for each correct answer. Incorrect answers are not penalised i.e. you don't lose marks for incorrect answers, so it is worth guessing those you don't know. Because many questions are multiple choice, you have a good chance of picking up extra marks simply by guessing.
Don't waste time on difficult questions
This reiterates the need to take care of your timing. You do not get extra marks for the more difficult questions so don't waste time on them. Answer the easier questions first and then return to the more difficult ones.
Rather than waste too much time on a question, guess the answer.
Be sure to transfer answers
Unlike the Listening test, you do not get extra time after the test to transfer your answers to the answer sheet. Be sure to transfer them during the test.
Some candidates prefer to transfer their answers from the question paper to the answer sheet near the end of the test. We do not recommend this and suggest you transfer them as you go - or at least at the end of each section. That way you are less likely to run out of time transferring your answers - or forget to do so! Also, you are less likely to make a mistake transferring your answers.
Transfer answers to the correct number
Obvious, we know, but if you transfer your answer to the wrong number the marker will not know this and will mark it wrong - unless by shear coincidence the answer happens to be the same as the correct one for that number.
Transfer answers correctly
Always transfer your answers according to the instructions. See the tip "Read the instructions carefully - and follow them" for an example.
In gap fill questions you need to be particularly careful. The answer you transfer to the answer sheet must be grammatically correct
as if it was placed in the gap on the question sheet. The IELTS Candidate Information Booklet gives an example:
"if a candidate has to complete 'in the ……………' and the correct answer is 'morning' the answer 'in the morning' would be incorrect."
The reason it would be incorrect is because, if you put the answer in the gap it would read
"in the in the morning". A good check to make sure you haven't done this is to write your answer in the gap and check the whole sentence is grammatically correct before you transfer it to the answer sheet.
Another example would be if you are asked for a telephone extension number. The gap to fill might be:
Ext: ……………
If the answer you write on the answer sheet is
'Ext: 12345', then the completed sentence would be:
Ext: Ext: 12345
This would be incorrect.
It goes without saying that, in multiple choice questions, if you are told to write A, B or C, writing 1, 2 or 3 will be marked incorrect.
What about
TRUE, FALSE, NOT GIVEN
answers? It would probably be fair to say that answering
Yes, No or Don't Know
would be marked incorrect. Lowercase answers would probably be allowed as might
T, F, NG. Unfortunately we can't give you a definitive answer as IELTS constantly change what they do and don't allow. The best advice is to write exactly as the instructions tell you i.e.
TRUE, FALSE or NOT GIVEN
in this example.
While some (very little) leeway may be given, it is always best to follow the instructions precisely.
And check your spelling… (see below)
Be careful of your spelling
If your spelling is incorrect your answer will be marked wrong. It is OK to use UK or US spelling but it must be correct.
It is very easy to misspell something under the stress of an exam but it is usually easy to check. In the reading test most of the words you will need are already in the text somewhere. If you're not sure of the correct spelling you will probably be able to find it.
For more information on the Listening test check out our
IELTS Reading Module,
IELTS Reading Tips
and
IELTS Reading Preparation
pages.
Book Review
Focus on Academic Skills for IELTS by Morgan Terry and Judith Wilson Pub Sept 2004
This book is for self-study, intended as a companion book to the Focus on IELTS coursebook. It can be purchased with or without cassettes or CDs, though it is always preferable for students to have the full pack as speaking and listening practice required for IELTS is very specific.
There are ten modules in the book, which focuses on key academic language. All four skills are covered. A particular feature of this book is the guidance given on assessing your own writing.
Recommended.
More information...
