5 Things To Avoid When Taking The IELTS Writing Test
Understand the Requirements Before Writing
This examination has very specific requirements, and students must understand what they are before they sit down and start writing. The most important part of the examination is Task Achievement, or in other words, 'answer the question in detail and don’t put in any irrelevant information.' The most common mistake is paraphrasing the question. It is important to demonstrate a wide vocabulary, but this should be in context and appear in the essay’s body rather than as an artificial first paragraph. Paraphrasing as 'a lone exercise' does not earn points and should be avoided. ExamoBoost teaches you how to avoid this common error by providing immediate feedback and helping you stay on track.
Start Answering the Question Immediately
The mantra is 'Begin to answer the question in the first sentence and develop your ideas in a logical, understandable manner.' Don’t use words that you are not sure of—simpler words you are confident in will always work better. Regularly checking your work as you write is a good habit. Make sure every word is earning you marks. Just get to the point and don’t repeat yourself. A response like 'Many children enjoy reading' is not focused and won’t earn many marks. ExamoBoost helps you develop the habit of answering the question directly and staying focused.
Avoid Irrelevant Information
It’s easy to go off track and include irrelevant details. I once took a German exam and wrote an essay that didn’t answer the question at all—it was a complete failure. The lesson here is to read the question carefully and make sure your response is focused. ExamoBoost helps you stay on topic by providing instant feedback, ensuring your writing remains relevant to the question. This system rids you of bad habits and trains you to focus on the task at hand.
Don’t Introduce New Ideas in the Conclusion
Many teachers advise writing an introduction and conclusion, but in IELTS, it’s not always necessary to have a traditional intro. Start answering the question in the first sentence and keep your final paragraph as a broad summary of your main points. Never introduce new ideas in the conclusion as there won’t be time to explain them in detail. Clarity is key in this exam. ExamoBoost teaches you how to structure your essay properly and gives you real-time feedback to improve your performance.
Be Mindful of Grammar and Punctuation
While IELTS is not purely a grammar test, using correct grammar and punctuation can still affect your score. Try to replace commas with connectors like 'and,' 'although,' and 'because.' Avoid starting sentences with connectors and use them in the middle instead. ExamoBoost also checks your use of articles and provides immediate feedback on your grammar. Occasional errors won’t drastically lower your score, but improving your grammar and punctuation will boost your overall performance. The platform makes it easy to refine these aspects while focusing on communication.
Conclusion
Learning a foreign language is challenging, but ExamoBoost makes the journey to IELTS success smoother. With its instant feedback and structured lessons, you can improve both your language skills and test techniques, ensuring a quicker and more effective path to achieving your desired score.