English is a primary language used for communication worldwide. IELTS is one of the most prominent English proficiency tests used for testing applicants’ overall prowess in the English Language. It is a standardised test lasting 2 hours and 45 minutes that consists of Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. The IELTS exam is of two types, namely IELTS Academic (for study purposes) and IELTS General (for work purposes). IELTS General Writing combines two tasks, Writing Task 1 and Writing Task 2. This blog contains IELTS Strategies for General Writing Task 1 that you can implement.
What is the IELTS Writing Task 1?
The IELTS General Writing test is for 60 minutes. The section comprises two tasks, namely Writing Task 1 and 2. Candidates must complete Task 1 by writing a letter of at least 150 words and Task 2 by writing an essay of at least 250 words. Both answers should be written in a formal tone, semi-formal or an informal tone.
In IELTS General Writing Task 1, applicants are given a situation and required to write their personal response in the form of letter. The task requires students to follow a writing style that is appropriate for their audience such as:
- When writing to a friend, use an informal style
- When writing to a manager, use semi-formal or formal
Along with that, students will be required to include information that elucidates a situation. For example:
- Ask for and/or provide general factual information
- Express needs, wants, likes or dislikes, express opinions or complaints
- Make requests or make suggestions/recommendations
*It is to be noted that applicants do not need to include any addresses at the head of their letters.*
Strategies for General Writing Task 1
The General Writing Task 1 of the IELTS assesses your ability to communicate your ideas and opinions pertaining to common practical issues. You have 20 minutes to write a letter to a person, company, or institution in response to a question prompt. Your response is worth approximately 30% of your total writing score and is graded independently of the Task 2 essay. A few strategies for General Writing Task 1 are given below:
- Before starting to answer the letter asked in writing task 1, you must read the instruction carefully and follow it in writing.
- You should always identify the type of letter you are required to write, i.e., a formal or an informal one.
- After reading the purpose and intent of the letter, you must jot down the introduction, body structure and conclusion on paper.
- It is advisable to proofread the content before submission to avoid sentence repetition, redundancy and grammatical/spelling discrepancies.
- Identify the issues related mentioned in the topic of the letter and address them in your writing.
- It is advisable to incorporate standard phrases during the writing task 1.
- Kindly maintain the world limit and keep track of the given time duration.
Also Read:
Sample 1 | Click here |
Sample 2 | Click here |
Sample 3 | Click here |
Sample 4 | Click here |
FAQs
The IELTS Writing Task 1 can be challenging, especially if you haven’t prepared for it. However, with prior preparation and knowledge of the task, you can easily ace it.
To achieve a band 7 or higher in the IELTS writing task 1, you must present your response in a comprehensible, coherent and articulate manner. Incorporate data or figures into your summary.
With a well-planned approach and extensive preparation for 4 to 7 hours per day, depending on your skill level, you can prepare for your IELTS exam in 14 days.
This blog’s goal is to assist you with the Writing Task 1 of the IELTS General test. In Task 1, candidates are asked to write a letter in response to a given problem, explaining a situation. It is recommended that candidates spend approximately 20 minutes on Task 1, which requires candidates to write at least 150 words.
This was all about IELTS Writing Task 1. You may enlist the assistance of Leverage Edu specialists to assist you with the preparation for IELTS so that you can achieve your target. Call us immediately at 1800 57 2000 for a free 30-minute counselling session.