IELTS Task 2 Writing Band 9 Ultimate Guide 2024

Summary

This video script addresses common pitfalls in IELTS essay writing, emphasizing that memorized templates can lead to lower band scores. It explains the importance of understanding the IELTS criteria set by Cambridge University and the need to write in either the first or third person voice without mixing. The script provides a detailed guide on how to achieve a high band score by focusing on task response, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy. It also includes a step-by-step correction of a sample band 6 essay to illustrate improvements for a band 9 score, highlighting the significance of clear structure, concise language, and proper grammar.

Takeaways

• 📚 The IELTS exam is created by Cambridge University, not British Council or IDP, which are involved in administration.
• 🎯 To achieve a high band score in IELTS, it's crucial to understand the official task 2 marking criteria: task response, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy.
• 📝 Cambridge University, established in the 1200s, has a deep understanding of English language and literature, which influences the IELTS writing task requirements.
• 📈 The goal of a standard persuasive essay, like those in IELTS, is to convince the reader of an idea, and it should have a clear structure with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
• 🗣️ When writing an essay, the author can choose between a first-person voice (using 'I', 'me', 'my') or a third-person voice (using 'people', 'individuals'), and should not mix these voices.
• 💡 A band 9 task response requires the author to fully address the task and create a well-developed answer with accurate and precise ideas.
• 📑 For coherence and cohesion, a band 9 essay should skillfully manage paragraphing, including a hook, background information, and a direct thesis in the introductory paragraph.
• 🔄 To achieve a high lexical resource score, it's important to paraphrase key words in the essay to avoid repetition, rather than using overly complicated vocabulary.
• ⚖️ Grammatical range and accuracy require the use of a wide range of structures flexibly and accurately, with purpose, rather than simply using complex grammar for the sake of it.
• 👨‍🏫 The video provides a step-by-step correction of a band 6 essay to a band 9, highlighting common mistakes and how to correct them for higher scores.
• 🔗 The video suggests using a premium IELTS package for more help with writing, including understanding essay structures and receiving professional feedback.

Q & A

What is the main issue discussed in the video script?

The main issue discussed in the video script is the common mistakes made by IELTS candidates when writing essays, particularly the use of templates and the lack of understanding of the IELTS scoring criteria.

Who is responsible for creating the IELTS exam?

Cambridge University is responsible for creating the IELTS exam, including task two writing questions and the necessary English requirements for high band scores.

What are the four columns of the IELTS task 2 marking criteria?

The four columns of the IELTS task 2 marking criteria are task response, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy.

Why are templates not effective for the IELTS exam?

Templates are not effective for the IELTS exam because they do not allow for the full development of ideas and do not demonstrate the range of language skills required for high band scores.

What is the goal of a standard persuasive essay?

The goal of a standard persuasive essay is to convince the reader of an idea, which requires a clear structure with an introductory paragraph, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

What are the three different voices an author can choose to write an essay in?

The three different voices an author can choose to write an essay in are first person voice (using 'I', 'me', 'my'), third person voice (using 'people', 'individuals'), and never mixing these voices.

Why is it important to maintain the same voice throughout an essay?

Maintaining the same voice throughout an essay is important because mixing voices can confuse the reader and lead to a decrease in the essay's coherence and the author's credibility.

What does a band 9 task response require from the author?

A band 9 task response requires the author to fully address the task and create a well-developed answer with accurate and precise ideas.

What is the importance of paraphrasing key words in an essay?

Paraphrasing key words in an essay is important to avoid repetition and redundancy, and it can help achieve a higher lexical resource score without using overly complicated vocabulary.

What does the grammatical range and accuracy category assess in an essay?

The grammatical range and accuracy category assesses the author's ability to use a wide range of structures flexibly and with accuracy, ensuring that grammar serves a purpose and is not used incorrectly.

How can a student improve their IELTS essay score?

A student can improve their IELTS essay score by focusing on task response, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy, as well as avoiding common mistakes such as incorrect verb forms, unnecessary articles, and wordiness.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to IELTS Essay Writing

This paragraph introduces the topic of IELTS essay writing and the common pitfalls that lead to lower band scores. It emphasizes that IELTS is created by Cambridge University, which has a long history and expertise in English language and literature. The speaker outlines the four marking criteria for IELTS task 2: task response, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy. The paragraph also mentions the importance of understanding standard English essay writing practices, including the structure and voice of the essay, to achieve a high band score.

05:01

🚫 Avoiding IELTS Writing Templates

The speaker warns against the use of generic templates in IELTS writing, explaining that they do not lead to high band scores. Instead, candidates should use their own knowledge and language skills effectively. The paragraph discusses the importance of task response, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy for achieving a band 9 essay. It also touches on the need to avoid mixing first and third person voices in the essay and to use vocabulary and grammar with purpose, rather than simply using complex structures for the sake of it.

10:01

📝 Correcting Common Mistakes in IELTS Writing

This paragraph focuses on identifying and correcting common mistakes in IELTS writing, such as unnecessary articles, incorrect verb forms, punctuation errors, and the misuse of complex words. The speaker provides examples of how to improve the introductory paragraph of an essay about obesity and suggests focusing on conciseness, clarity, and proper grammar. The paragraph also highlights the importance of maintaining the author's voice throughout the essay and avoiding the use of 'you' in academic writing.

15:03

🏋️‍♂️ Improving Cohesion and Vocabulary Use

The speaker continues to address how to improve an IELTS essay, focusing on enhancing cohesion and vocabulary use. They suggest avoiding repetitive sentences, using affirmative language, and staying in the present tense for consistency. The paragraph also emphasizes the importance of linking paragraphs effectively and using simple concepts to convey ideas clearly. The speaker provides a detailed analysis of a student's sample essay, identifying specific errors and offering corrections to improve the essay's band score.

20:05

🎯 Final Tips for High Band Score in IELTS Writing

In the final paragraph, the speaker summarizes the key points for achieving a high band score in IELTS writing. They stress the importance of addressing the task clearly, using concise and clear language, and avoiding repetitive mistakes. The paragraph also provides a corrected version of the student's essay, demonstrating how to apply the discussed corrections to improve the overall quality of the writing. The speaker concludes by encouraging candidates to practice writing and to use the resources provided by their premium IELTS package for further assistance.

Keywords

💡IELTS

IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System, which is a globally recognized test for non-native English speakers to demonstrate their English language proficiency. In the video, the focus is on improving IELTS writing skills, particularly for Task 2 essays, which is a crucial part of the test for those aiming for high band scores.

💡Band scores

Band scores in the context of IELTS refer to the levels of proficiency in the four language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. The script discusses strategies to achieve higher band scores, specifically for the writing component, by avoiding common mistakes and improving essay structure and vocabulary usage.

💡Templates

Templates in the video script refer to pre-written phrases or structures that some test takers use in their essays. The speaker argues that relying on templates can lead to lower band scores because they may not allow for the development of original ideas and personalized language, which are important for higher band scores in IELTS writing.

💡Cambridge University

Cambridge University is highlighted as the institution responsible for creating IELTS Task 2 writing questions and the English proficiency standards required for high band scores. The script mentions the university's long history and its role in shaping the English language and modern literature, emphasizing its authority in setting the criteria for effective essay writing.

💡Task response

Task response is one of the four marking criteria for IELTS writing, which assesses how well the candidate addresses the task requirements. The video emphasizes the importance of fully addressing the task and creating a well-developed answer with accurate and precise ideas to achieve a high band score.

💡Coherence and cohesion

Coherence and cohesion are essential aspects of IELTS writing that pertain to the logical flow and organization of ideas within an essay. The script explains that a skillful management of paragraphing, including clear introductory paragraphs and effective transitions, is crucial for achieving a high band score in this category.

💡Lexical resource

Lexical resource refers to the range and flexibility of vocabulary used in an IELTS essay. The video suggests that using a wide range of vocabulary naturally and accurately, including paraphrasing key terms to avoid repetition, is key to scoring highly in this area without necessarily using overly complex or unfamiliar words.

💡Grammatical range and accuracy

This IELTS marking criterion assesses the variety and correct usage of grammatical structures in an essay. The script advises against overusing complex grammar forms for the sake of it, emphasizing the importance of using grammar with purpose and ensuring accuracy to achieve a high band score.

💡Persuasive essay

A persuasive essay is a type of writing that aims to convince the reader to accept a point of view or to take a particular action. The video explains that understanding the structure and voice of a persuasive essay is fundamental to writing an effective IELTS Task 2 response.

💡Voice of the author

The voice of the author refers to the perspective from which an essay is written. The script discusses the importance of maintaining consistency in the voice throughout the essay, either using the first person (I, me, my) or the third person (people, individuals), and warns against mixing these voices.

💡Overweight

The term 'overweight' is used in the sample Task 2 question provided in the script, which asks candidates to explain the causes of being overweight and provide solutions. This topic serves as a context for demonstrating how to apply the discussed writing strategies to a specific IELTS essay question.

💡Essay correction

Essay correction is a process highlighted in the video where common mistakes in a sample band 6 essay are identified and corrected to improve the quality of writing and potentially achieve a band 9. The script provides a detailed analysis of errors related to grammar, vocabulary, and essay structure, and how to amend them.

Highlights

IELTS exam templates do not work effectively for achieving high band scores.

IELTS is created by Cambridge University, not British Council or IDP.

Cambridge University's long history and expertise in English language and literature.

Understanding the official IELTS task 2 marking criteria is crucial for high scores.

IELTS essay writing requires adherence to standard English essay writing practices.

An essay should have a clear structure: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

Choosing between first person or third person voice is essential in essay writing.

Mixing author voices in an essay is a mistake that can lower your score.

A band 9 essay requires fully addressing the task with accurate and precise ideas.

Using complex vocabulary is not necessary; using known vocabulary well is key.

Coherence and cohesion are critical for a high-scoring IELTS essay.

A well-structured introductory paragraph with a clear thesis is important.

Paraphrasing key words in the essay helps avoid repetition and redundancy.

Grammatical range and accuracy require using a wide range of structures flexibly.

Grammar must serve a purpose and not be used unnecessarily or incorrectly.

Examples of correcting a band 6 essay to a band 9 by addressing specific mistakes.

Removing unnecessary articles and correcting verb forms can improve essay scores.

Maintaining a consistent voice throughout the essay is crucial for higher band scores.

Providing detailed explanations and avoiding repetition can enhance essay quality.

Using affirmative language and avoiding the future tense in the conclusion strengthens the essay.

Correcting repetitive mistakes and ensuring concise language can significantly improve band scores.

Professional feedback on essays is valuable for identifying and correcting errors.

Premium IELTS packages offer practice exams and courses to improve writing skills.

Transcripts

foreign

[Music]

do you start your essays with this essay

we'll discuss the merits and the

disadvantages of this topic and include

my opinion and then continue your body

paragraphs with on the one hand and on

the other hand well you're certainly

headed towards a band 5 disaster in this

video I will explain why these templates

don't work on the IELTS exam and exactly

what you need to do to get those high

band scores without learning more

vocabulary or grammar just simply using

what you know in a smarter way let's

begin

the first point you must understand is

that IELTS in fact is created by

Cambridge University and not British

Council or IDP sure you hear these words

and they do the administrative part of

the IELTS exam but in fact it's

Cambridge that creates these task two

writing questions and the necessary

English requirement to get those high

band scores I mean fair enough Cambridge

was established in the 1200s in England

and is one of the oldest universities

arguably they created the English

language and modern literature the way

we see it today so they know what you

need to do to write that perfect essay

and I'm going to show you just that with

a couple of examples and a step-by-step

explanation a great place to start is by

looking at the official task 2 marking

criteria that is publicly available

right away you know notice there are

four columns task response coherence and

cohesion lexical resource grammatical

range and accuracy you can check out all

of the criteria that is required for a

band 0 all the way up to a band 9. but

we're not going to do that right now

because as you can see there's just a

lot of small letters and words we want

to focus on what is needed for that top

level band 9 essay to help me explain

this to you even better let's take the

example task 2 question being overweight

has become a major health concern in

many parts of the world explain the

causes for being overweight and provide

Solutions write at least 250 words later

in this video we'll take a look at a

band six and a band 9 correction for

this essay question to understand the

four marking criteria of the IELTS exam

we have to step back one and really

first understand stand Standard English

essay writing practices now this isn't

according to what I said or what that

other guy said in the other video but

it's the actual rules of writing an

essay in the English language that has

been developed over Centuries by

universities like Cambridge

firstly with past two you have to

understand that you are writing a

standard persuasive essay the goal of

this type of essay is to convince the

reader of an idea then you must

understand that such essays have clear

structure with an introductory paragraph

body paragraphs and a conclusion let's

dig even deeper

according to standard essay writing the

author can choose to write the essay

with three different voices first person

voice meaning the voice of the author in

my opinion I believe this is using the

pronouns I me my and this is fitting for

some IELTS task 2 essays or the third

person voice where the essay does not

use I me my or you yours it simply uses

the objective voice of the author using

words like people and individuals very

importantly you must never mix the

voices of the author if you decide to

write a first person voice Essay with I

me my your whole essay must follow

through with this perspective or if you

use the third person voice from

beginning to end you must never use the

pronouns I mean Emi and of course never

ever use the pronoun you this would be

second person voice and it is simply not

used in professional and academic

writing as soon as you start writing you

know this you can see that your Market

will go down

now that we understand that we need to

write a persuasive essay in either the

first or the third person voice we can

look at the marking criteria with more

clarity a band 9 task response states

that the author fully addresses the task

and creates a well-developed answer with

accurate and precise ideas this right

away tells you that templates simply

won't work you have to use your own

knowledge and your own language as the

saying goes content is King

does this mean that you have to come up

with some really original ideas and

write an essay using very fancy high

level vocabulary absolutely not in fact

that could be a really bad idea because

it could be quite confusing for the

examiner and will certainly result in

low marks instead use the vocabulary

that you know well that you can spell

easily and use your own style of

communication going back to the question

of being overweight clearly the reason

for this is usually that people simply

do not exercise enough and they eat

unhealthy the solutions a healthier diet

and doing more Sports as long as you

present these ideas with your own words

and focusing on the topic and your

explanations you can get a band nine

looking at the category of coherence and

cohesion for band 9 we can see the

description that the author skillfully

manages paragraphing this means that the

writer you clearly understand the

components of an introductory paragraph

a good introductory paragraph will have

a hook some background information and a

direct thesis this is not my advice this

is standard English essay writing

practice at the college and university

level it's very important that you learn

this structure if this is new for you

check out our premium IELTS package and

make sure to go through the writing

course carefully when we look at the

band 9 description for lexical resource

it starts by stating that the author

uses a wide range of vocabulary

naturally now does this mean that you're

using very complicated good words again

no that's a bad idea especially if

you're making spelling mistakes it

simply means that you're paraphrasing

especially the key words in the essay

like instead of saying healthy eating

you can say it's a good diet or lots of

exercise playing sports these aren't

complicated words they're simply

paraphrasing each other to avoid

repetition and redundancy again a simple

set of words used wisely can still get

you a very high band score as long as

you make sure that your writing is clean

and clear without spelling mistakes and

with good grammar the fourth and final

category of grammatical range and

accuracy states that the author can use

a wide range of structures flexibly and

with accuracy now some people think this

means using the passive voice present

perfect past perfect conditionals as

much as possible and just pushing them

into the essay again this will likely

lead to low results especially when used

incorrectly you need to keep in mind

that grammar has purpose there is a

reason to use present perfect academic

and professional essays in fact usually

avoid the passive voice because the

reader should know the agent of the

action again if this is unfamiliar

territory I highly recommend using our

premium IELTS course and going through

the writing section of the interactive

course step by step nevertheless for now

just keep in mind that grammar must be

used with purpose let's take a look at a

student's sample band 6sa which I will

correct to a band 9 essay explaining

each of the corrections step by step

first let's read this band 6

introductory paragraph and identify the

mistakes so that we can correct them and

make them a band nine do you want to

challenge yourself pause the video and

see if you can find the mistakes before

I identify them let's begin in the past

decades people are more concerned about

having a healthy life and controlling

weight for many reasons although in some

regions of the world the numbers of

obesity and health problems has a

giganticity increased I think that one

of the major problem is that people are

not having time to eat properly and the

fast foods are an easy option to have a

quick meal another problem could be that

some people do not like to do exercises

to improve their health life for these

two problems I have some suggestions

first we need to remove unnecessary

articles from the essay like the ah as

these make writing wordy and they do

eventually decrease your score then we

need to correct be verb mistakes

students often use incorrect form of the

B verb here it's were instead of are pay

attention to word form like healthy

instead of Health Punctuation is also

important for band 9 essays do not use

commas excessively here the dependent

clauses although in some regions of the

world the number of obesity and health

problems has increased comma I think

know your complex grammar also do not

use unnecessary complicated words

incorrectly here giganticity is both

wrong and awkward the word to use is

simply greatly pay attention to plurals

instead of problem the major problems

again the B verb must be used correctly

essays must be concise at the band 9

level here the phrase to have a quick

meal is unnecessary in the introduction

high band essays must have a specific

thesis statement instead of simply

stating that for these two problems I

have suggestions for band 9 the author

should State what those suggestions are

to get Corrections on your essays like

this make sure to use the green Task 1

and task two buttons in your my student

account now let's read the first body

paragraph having a quick meal is always

a good option when you do not have time

to cook at the moment most of the

population especially the ones who have

access to cheaper fast food chains

probably are used to that option when

they do not have time to prepare a

proper healthy meal for this a good

solution is in their free time people

could cook healthy food and put it small

portions keeping them in the freezer

doing this the people will always have

healthy food storage in their houses

again let's look for those mistakes with

grammar word choice spelling and content

so that we can push this essay from a

band six to a band 9. do you want to

challenge yourself remember to stop the

video and identify as many of these

mistakes as you can ahead of me now

let's start never shift the voice of the

author avoid using you here let's change

this to a third person voice and replace

the you with a person when a person does

not have time to cook in this case the

correct collocation is fast food

restaurants because we're not discussing

the entire chain although it's a small

change it is confusing avoid repeating

sentences between your paragraphs here

this sentence seems to be redundant with

the sentence that was already mentioned

in the introduction

to get those band aid band 9 high marks

your body paragraphs must go into more

details and explanations and avoid

repeating information that is already in

the introductory paragraph use

affirmative language in your essays

instead of using words like could use

the word can make sure to complete your

ideas keep in mind that the reader does

not know what you know in this case

keeping them in the freezer for quick

preparation later on simply reheat and

serve avoid jumping tents in your essays

practice staying in the present tense

avoid using the future participle will

in this way your argument holds true not

for the future but for the past present

and the future stay in the present tense

make sure to review after each paragraph

for mistakes like word form here using

the adjective health fee instead of the

noun health for healthy food stored in

their homes let's read the second body

paragraph and identify the mistakes here

again do this before me by pausing the

video see if you can catch all the

critical mistakes that I will identify

in just a moment let's read the other

problem to keep a balance in health food

and loss of weight is by doing some

exercises to improve the body not just

to looking good but also to be healthy

working out at the gym is always the

first though to lost weight but people

forget that doing some other activities

could help like biking hiking and doing

exercises Outdoors could help to improve

some of the vitamins that the body needs

especially vitamin D linking these

paragraphs strongly using a second major

problem is much better than simply

stating the other emphasize important

Concepts by choosing the correct

vocabulary make sure to use Simple

Concepts whenever possible like to keep

a balanced diet and healthy weight pay

attention to incorrect use of plural

like exercise instead of exercises

remember to reflect the original topic

of the question here becoming overweight

or being obese in the topic sentence it

is much better to end by stating and

avoid becoming obese after you finish

each paragraph review for silly spelling

mistakes that can quickly drop your

score like writing firsts instead of

first keep language concise biking and

Hiking are forms of exercise which

people do outdoors this does not need to

be stated for the reader stop and think

about how you can improve information

biking and exercising are both

cardiovascular exercises that lead to

good blood circulation providing this

kind of added detail will help to boost

your mark now let's read and review the

conclusion challenge yourself pause the

video and see if you can identify the

mistakes before I do have you already

found some mistakes that I missed if so

make sure to comment in the video Below

in conclusion studies shows that the

higher numbers of obesity is caused by

the highest numbers of people consuming

junk food and not doing proper exercises

of course people does not need to stop

to eat fast food but decreased

consumption could help as go doing some

exercises that they enjoy too could help

having a balance with health food and

exercising is not easy but if you want

to have a healthy life and live longer

you should give it a try

once again word form matters especially

when mistakes tend to be repetitive

these cost ban scores the same situation

happens again with the be verb clearly

for this candidate using the correct

word form and the correct form of B is a

common type of Mistake by identifying

redundant mistakes and correcting these

a person can quickly improve their band

scores but you need professional

feedback once again you can do this in

your premium course on the website

simply click the link in the video

description let's keep going using

infinitives and gerunds correctly is

confusing for many English Learners be

sure to review this before your IELTS

exam keep your language concise

especially in the conclusion when you're

practicing for your IELTS exam at home

always check to see if you can write the

same ideas using less words if so this

will lead to better band scores concise

writing is considered Advanced English

you need to use affirmative language

especially in the conclusion as this is

a persuasive essay and the conclusion is

the final thought of the author that's

you so in this case the candidate should

write they must do this instead of you

should give it a try which of course

also has that second person voice

mistake avoid making mistakes with the

voices and use affirmative language

convince your reader of your ideas when

you're able to do this well that's when

you get those high band scores make sure

to practice this by going through the

writing section of our premium IELTS

course and submitting essays once you're

confident that you have a good idea on

how to write a standard persuasive essay

in the first or third person voice we

look forward to seeing your work this

candidate would likely score a ban 5 on

the low end and a band 6 on the high end

after correction this would be a band

8.5 for task response the candidate gets

an eight because they do address the

question clearly and with details they

Identify some good points that lack of

exercise and poor diet lead to these

problems and fixing these are the

solution the coherence and cohesion are

a band Six because at times it is

difficult to understand the Transitions

and the information presented lexical

resource is a seven the candidate has

lots of vocabulary although they do need

to improve the accuracy of the word form

and at times the word choice grammatical

range and accuracy is a band five this

is where all of those word form and

punctuation mistakes come into play and

of course these different marking

criteria are interconnected grammatical

range and accuracy has a major impact on

the overall adhesion and coherence of

the essay the important Corrections for

this candidate are the ones that are

repetitive that are made three four five

or more times throughout the essay

including paying more attention to word

form being more careful with correct use

of plurals and singulars especially when

it comes to verbs and finally using

concise and clear language now let's

read the corrected version in past

decades people were more concerned about

having a healthy life and controlling

weight for many reasons although in some

regions of the world the cases of

obesity and health problems have greatly

increased I think that one of the major

problems is that people do not have time

to eat healthily and fast foods are an

easy option another problem is that some

people do not like to do exercise to

improve their physical fitness levels

nevertheless there are solutions to

these two problems having a quick meal

is always a good option when a person

does not have time to cook at the moment

most of the population especially the

ones who have access to cheaper fast

food restaurants get used to that option

when they do not have time to prepare a

proper healthy meal for this a good

solution is during free time people can

cook healthy foods and put it in small

portions to keep them in the freezer for

quick preparation later simply reheat

and serve by doing this people always

have healthy food stored in their homes

a second major problem to keeping a

balanced diet and healthy weight is by

doing some exercises to improve physical

fitness not just to look good but also

to be healthy and avoid becoming obese

working out at the gym is always the

first thought to lose weight but people

forget that doing some other activities

could help like biking and Hiking to

improve blood circulation and vitamin D

uptake in conclusion study please show

that the high numbers of obesity are

caused by many people consuming junk

food and not doing proper exercise of

course people do not need to stop eating

fast food but decreased consumption

helps doing some enjoyable exercises

also helps having a balance of healthy

food and exercising is not easy but if a

person wants to have a healthy life live

longer and reduce weight they must do

this good luck on your next IELTS exam

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