IELTS PREPARATION COURSE ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬ GENERAL WRITING HANDOUT TASK 1 OVERVIEW OF LETTERS ? HANDOUT 1: GENERAL TRAINING WRITING I FORMAT and STRUCTURE: The writing test lasts for 60 minutes, and you will need to complete two writing tasks, each of which requires different text types (informal and formal text) TASK is a letter – informal or semi-formal letter – and you must write at least 150 words You should spend about 20 minutes out of the hour for task There are four types of letters in IELTS: _ Complain about something _ Request information _ Ask for help _ Make arrangements or/and explain a situation TASK requires you to write at least 250 words You will be presented with a topic and will be tested on your ability to respond by giving and justifying your opinion, discussing the topic, summarizing details, or outlining problems, identifying possible solutions and supporting what you write with reasons, arguments and relevant examples or evidence from your own knowledge or experience It is recommended that you spend no more than 40 minutes on this task II FACTORS IN THE ASSESSMENT: The skills on which you will be assessed include: _ Ensuring minimum word limit _ Appropriate, accurate and complete responses addressing all parts of the question _ Organisation and linkage of information – logical flow _Range (and appropriate use) of vocabulary _ Correct spelling and punctuation _ Grammatical accuracy _ Range of sentence structures _ Examples and supporting evidence used, reasons and arguments More particularly, here is the detailed description of the criterions in General Training Writing Task 1 TASK FULFILLMENT: This mark grades you on basically have you answered the question? The examiner has a question in his/her mind: ‘Does the letter what the questions asked?’ Or, is the content (the ideas and information) appropriate to the task? COHESION AND COHERENCE: These two are interrelated which is why they are done together Cohesion is how your writing fits together Does your writing with its ideas and content flow logically? Coherence is how you are making yourself understood and whether the reader of your writing understands what you are saying An example of bad coherence and cohesion would be as follows: We went to the beach because it was raining Probably the writer of this sentence does not mean "because" as people don't usually go to the beach when it is raining The writer should have written: We went to the beach although it was raining Sentence has made a cohesion and coherence error (as well as a vocabulary one) "Because" does not join the ideas of the sentence together correctly and, as a result, the reader does not understand what the writer wants to say This is an exaggerated example but it shows what I mean VOCABULARY AND SENTENCE STRUCTURE: This area looks at your grammar and choice of words The examiner will look whether the right grammar and words are used and whether they are used at the right time in the right place and in the right way Most people are predominantly worried about their grammar but, as you can see, grammar is only half of one section of three used to grade your writing IELTS is much more interested in communication rather than grammatical accuracy III WHAT YOU NEED TO PRACTICE: • Ensure that you can control and use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures • Paraphrasing • Brainstorming • Organisation and linkage of ideas – logical flow • Correct spelling and punctuation • Grammatical Accuracy • TIMING • III SAMPLE QUESTIONS: Sample 1: You bought an iron from a local shop, yesterday When you got it home, you found that it does not work properly In addition, the water container also leaks Write a letter to the shop manager and request another iron You would prefer another brand Explain the reasons why you want the replacement? Sample 2: You are planning to open a restaurant in a newly constructed shopping mall The management of the mall has offered you a place in the mall Write a letter to the manager of the mall and request for the details Sample 3: You will move to a new city for work You know some people who live there Ask them for help finding accommodation Tell them where you would like to live Tell them the type of place you are looking for Sample 4: The course director of your previous college has invited you to attend a party for new students, and he has also asked you to give a talk about studying overseas You have an important examination on the same day so you cannot attend the party Write to the director to apologise and to explain why you cannot attend Suggest another date when you could give your talk ACTION I DOING TASK 1: Steps guide: In Steps Recommended time Step Analyse the question minutes Step Plan what you are going to write Step Write your answer on the Answer Sheet Step Check your writing minutes 12 - 13 minutes Only if you have time left Detail • Find out by underline the keywords in the question Answer these questions: To whom I am writing? What is my purpose in writing the letter? • Make notes of any ideas which you might use in your answer • Make a plan by organizing your ideas logically • Write a greeting • State your purpose • Give/ request information • Request action • Close • Sign off • Check grammar and vocabulary In Step 1, you read the situation first Then read what you have to and make sure that you understand the requirements of the task In Step 2, you need develop a plan A plan is a list of what you will write, written in a very short way Some people find it useful to write their plan on the Question Paper Some people prefer to imagine the plan in their minds You can decide which way is better for you Remember that not write your plan on the Answer Sheet In Step 3, you should have a total of four to seven short paragraph (not counting the greeting and the signing off) You letter has three mains sections: Introduction – your opening paragraph which states your purpose in writing Body – the paragraphs supporting your purpose Conclusion – where you request your reader to something, before closing and signing off Your letter must be organized into paragraphs in a clear step-by-step manner, with a logical connection between one idea and the next, one sentence and the next, and between one paragraph and the next One way to show this connection is to use a noun or pronoun to refer back to the previous sentence(s) Depending on the topic and the question, it may be possible to organize your points into paragraphs that begin with words such as: Firstly, Secondly, Finally Do not, however, organize your writing into a numbered or bulleted list Step is only done if you have time left after finishing two tasks You should know where your potential problems in grammar are Keep a personal grammar checklist II PARAGRAPHING: INTRODUCTION • GREET THE ADDRESSEE • TELL THE ADDRESSEE WHO YOU ARE • (THANK THE ADDRESSEE IF HE/SHE HAS SENT YOU A LETTER OR DONE SOMETHING ELSE FOR YOU) BODY • Varies along with the types of letter • • CONCLUSION The closing paragraph varies along with the types of letter Sign off II PRACTICE THE STEPS: Practice exercise Question: Step Analyse the question What is the situation or topic? Who is the addressee? In other words, to whom you are writing? What is the purpose of the letter? (e.g to request, to complain, to suggest?) The requirements of the task: _ You should write at least 150 words in maximum of 20 minutes _ You not need to write your own address Step Plan what you are going to write Make a brief note of any ideas which come to mind and which may be relevant Plan your writing You must think about questions: Which ideas will be definitely used in the letter? How will these ideas be organized? Paragraph Content Ideas Practice exercise Question: Step Analyse the question What is the situation or topic? Who is the addressee? In other words, to whom you are writing? What is the purpose of the letter? (e.g to request, to complain, to suggest?) The requirements of the task: _ You should write at least 150 words in maximum of 20 minutes _ You not need to write your own address Step Plan what you are going to write Make a brief note of any ideas which come to mind and which may be relevant Plan your writing You must think about questions: Which ideas will be definitely used in the letter? How will these ideas be organized? Paragraph Content Ideas ...HANDOUT 1: GENERAL TRAINING WRITING I FORMAT and STRUCTURE: The writing test lasts for 60 minutes, and you... words You should spend about 20 minutes out of the hour for task There are four types of letters in IELTS: _ Complain about something _ Request information _ Ask for help _ Make arrangements or/and... reasons and arguments More particularly, here is the detailed description of the criterions in General Training Writing Task 1 TASK FULFILLMENT: This mark grades you on basically have you answered