Chapter 4.2.1: Writing The Three Parts of a paragraph: Introduction, Body and Conclusion

The introduction: 

The first paragraph in your essay is called the introduction. A good introduction is important because it tells the reader what your essay is going to be about and it also provides the reader with their first impression of your writing.
A good introduction should  

• summarise the essay topic in your own words,  
• state your position or perspective on the topic and 
• briefly outline what the essay will discuss.

So let’s look at an example. We’ll start with the essay question. Let’s have a look at the topic, the task and the parts of the question. Remember, do these steps to ensure we cover all the parts of the question.

The topic: space exploration.
The task: Ask yourself the question.(ideas to address)
Instead of spending billions of dollars on space programs, governments should use this money to fight global problems such as poverty, disease, and climate change.

Here is an example introduction.

Take a look at the  yellow highlighted part. This is where the essay question has been summarised and the candidate has been sure to use their own words.

'However, it is now becoming clear that space exploration programs are a waste of money.' This is the candidate's position on this argument. Clearly, he or she agrees that 'space exploration is a luxury we cannot afford', as stated in the essay topic.  

Notice, though, that the writer also mentions the opposite opinion in the previous sentence. Thus, the introduction needs to explain what the essay will discuss and the candidate has listed those ideas here. 

Remember, the introduction gives the reader the first impression of your writing so make sure it’s a great one!

DOs  and DON'Ts

• Don’t copy the question word-for-word into your introduction
• Make sure you include one or two general statements introducing the topic  
• include a thesis statement which shows your opinion or position on the topic and the direction your essay will take

 THE ESSAY BODY:

Between the introduction and the conclusion of your IELTS Task 2 Academic Essay, will be the body. In academic writing you have to make an argument, that is give your opinion and support it with evidence and link your ideas and your paragraphs. That's why two of the four criteria for Task 2 Writing are task response and coherence and cohesion.

Task response requires two main things from you. Firstly, that you address all the parts of the question and secondly, that you present a clear, supported argument. This outlines what is expected of you in terms of what should be included in your essay for the IELTS Academic Writing Task 2. These items become particularly relevant when we talk about the body of your essay. As that is the largest part of your essay, you need to be sure that it covers everything in the task. The first thing your essay needs to do is address all the parts of the task. 

Here is our task: 'To what extent do we agree or disagree with the idea that space exploration is a luxury we cannot afford and instead governments should be spending money on global problems'. These are the parts of the question that we need to address supported by our reasons and examples. So what steps can you take in those first 5 minutes of your Task 2 time to set yourself up for addressing the question?

Once you have read the question you must remember to analyse the question. How many parts are there? And ask yourself, what is my opinion? Do you think that governments should be spending money on space exploration? Or would that money be better spent on fighting global problems such as poverty and disease? It’s an interesting question so it’s time to brainstorm some ideas. If you agree, why? If you disagree, what makes space exploration more important than fighting poverty? What are your reasons and do you have any examples to include? Once you’ve got some ideas down it’s time to make a brief plan.Following these steps will help you to ensure you address all parts of the question.

In the IELTS Task 2 Writing Test instructions, you are told to, 'Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.' So, the next requirement is that we present a clear position and support it with relevant reasons and examples. This is called, constructing an argument. In your IELTS essay, you can build an argument by following this pattern; make a general statement and be sure that it refers back to the points you outlined in your introduction. Then, give a reason and/or give an example. In an academic essay you have to back up your argument with factual evidence such as statistics.

Look at the following sentences. Which one is more convincing, A or B? 

• A. 'Too much fast food is bad for your health.' Or 
• B. 'Scientific studies show that too much fast food is bad for your health.' 

B is more convincing. An opinion that is held by many people or by scientists or by a respected person is more convincing than an opinion which is only held by one person, the writer. When giving opinions, reasons and examples try to include some general statements in your essay.

Some useful language for making general statements:

• It appears that many people prefer to drive themselves to work rather than catch public transport. 
• It seems that many people prefer to drive themselves to work.
• It has been claimed that advances in technology will lead to greater unemployment in the future.
• It is often said that this nation does not properly value its artists.
• On the whole, childhood obesity is not a serious problem in my country.

When giving examples, don't use abbreviations like: eg., etc. and avoid using expressions such as 'etcetera', 'and so on'.

It's important that each paragraph has just one central idea. So when you have finished that paragraph, with a general statement, a reason and/or an example, it is time to move on to the next paragraph with a new main idea. Make sure once again, that it’s an idea that you have outlined in your introduction and one that supports your overall argument.

Let’s take a look at an example. And here is the introduction. Let’s see whether the writer of this example agreed or disagreed with the statement in the task. The writer states that 'space exploration programs are a waste of money.' We can see that the writer’s position has been clearly stated and the writer agrees. The rest of the essay has been outlined and we should expect to see three body paragraphs focusing on poverty, disease and the environment.

That looks good. We can see that the body of the essay has three paragraphs and each paragraph covers one of the ideas outlined in the introduction and there is just one main idea per paragraph. So we know that the essay has a clear overall position and addresses the task.

Let’s have a look at each paragraph in a bit more detail. We want to see a general statement and that the ideas are supported with reasons and/or examples. We also want to see that the paragraphs have been linked to each other using cohesive devices. These work like the glue that sticks them together.

In the second body paragraph, we can see a link to the previous paragraph. Then, there is a general statement which is surrounded by examples. In this paragraph we can also see another sentence supporting the central idea of the essay that governments should not be spending money on space exploration.

Here is the third body paragraph and we know it is the last body paragraph as it starts with the linking phrase, 'Finally, …'. This is followed by the general statement and then the reason.

As you can see, each paragraph must have just one central idea introduced with a general statement and then supported by reasons and examples. And each one of these paragraphs in the body of your essay needs to support the overall position that you have taken. You must also ensure that you have addressed all of the parts of the question. If you keep all of these things in mind as you write the body of your essay you should be able to do a good job of responding to the task.

Cohesion and coherence requires three main things from you:

• use paragraphs and link them logically as we have seen in the examples above, 
• link the ideas within paragraphs and use a range of cohesive devices appropriately to do that. 
• Thirdly, you must present a clear, central topic in each paragraph.

Let’s look at our sample essay again and examine the use of cohesion and coherence within the paragraphs. One of the keys to cohesion and coherence is using a variety of referents, words that refer to the same thing that allow your paragraph to flow smoothly. '

In paragraph one, the central idea is that poverty is a bigger issue than space exploration and governments should help people living without food and shelter first. The whole paragraph refers to 'people who are living in poverty'. But each time the writer refers to them a different expression is used: 'These people', 'They' and '...this problem'. This demonstrates the writer’s ability to use a range of language to refer to the same thing thus linking the ideas and examples in the paragraph, and making the ideas cohesive. 

In paragraph two, the writer has done the same thing for referring to diseases, using words like epidemics and pandemic. In the third paragraph there are a variety of referents for the central ideas of the environment such as 'our own (world)' and the effects of climate change.

What other devices can you use in a paragraph to connect ideas and introduce opposite ideas? These words and expressions are known as linking devices. We saw some being used between paragraphs earlier, such as 'Another urgent problem that threatens us all' and, 'Finally'. But within a paragraph you can also use words like 'Although', 'While' and, 'Instead of' to introduce an idea that you want to examine both sides of. 

Like in the first sentence, 'Although we are living in prosperous times, with people in many countries enjoying a higher standard of living than ever before, there are still millions of people in the world who are living in poverty.' The writer admits that many people are not poor and have a high standard of living, but at the same time there are still many people living in poverty. And of course, there is also the language you can use to introduce examples and reasons, such as, 'other diseases' which is then followed by a list of those other diseases, such as 'AIDS' and 'malaria'.  Try to use words and expressions like these to link the ideas between your paragraphs and in your paragraphs. Remember that variety is the key. Bearing these things in mind will keep you on track with cohesion and coherence.

THE CONCLUSION:

The final paragraph in your essay is called the conclusion. The conclusion reinforces what you have said in your essay. Although it may give your final thoughts on the essay topic, you should not introduce any new information.

How do you write a good conclusion? 

• At the beginning of a concluding paragraph it is a good idea to use a concluding linker, such as, “In conclusion,...”, “To sum up, …” or, “In summary, …”, to show the reader that this is the end of the essay. 
• The conclusion will also summarise your main points and 
• restate your opinion. 

Now, in this example conclusion, it is clear to see that the candidate has used a concluding linker. In this case: “In conclusion, …”, so we know that this is the end of the essay and the final paragraph. Then, the writer restates his or her point of view. The candidate agrees that spending money on space exploration is “a luxury that we cannot afford”. And finally, the writer sums up the main points, reiterating what the government should be spending money on.

DOs and DON'Ts:

• give your final thoughts
• don’t introduce any new information
• make sure your final thoughts are the sameas those expressed in your essay.

Finally, save some time and check errors in your essay.

Chapter 4.2: Task 2 of the Writing Test

Introduction to Writing Task 2:

In this section of the Writing Test, you need to write an academic essay, (a short piece of writing written in formal language), with a clear structure and purpose. You should show that you understand the question and you should answer it by taking a position and giving reasons and examples to support your points. You have to write at least 250 words and your essay should be organised logically. Now, you have about 40 minutes to do all of this, so you need to approach this task quickly and efficiently. You’re also told that when you answer the question, you should support your position by giving reasons and examples. These can come from your own knowledge and experience of this topic.

An academic essay has a standard format or structure that writers are expected to follow. You should write in full sentences; no notes or bullet points, and your essay should be organised into paragraphs.

The IELTS Task 2 essay is only 250 words, so four or five paragraphs for your essay is sufficient.

The essay begins with an introduction. 

• This should introduce the topic and  
• briefly give some background information, followed by  
• your position and 
• a very brief outline of the main points of the essay.

The next part of the essay is the body.  

• This contains the main points that you're using to support your position.  
• Two or three paragraphs is sufficient here, depending on how many main points you have in your argument.

Final paragraph is your conclusion. 

• You sum up your main points and re-state your position.

How to do writing task 2:

• Step 1: Read the question carefully. Note the topic and the task. How many parts are there to the question?  
• Step 2: Think about your response to the question. What is your position?  
• Step 3: Note down some ideas. Choose two or three main ideas that you will use to support your position.  
• Step 4: Make a brief essay plan. Plan to write 4 to 5 paragraphs, including 1 paragraph for the Introduction, 2 to 3 paragraphs for the Body, and 1 paragraph for the Conclusion.  
• Step 5: Write your essay. Write at least 250 words. Try to use a range of grammar and vocabulary and try to be as accurate as you can.  
• Step 6: Allow a minute or two to read over your answer and check it before handing it in.

How the essay is assessed?

The examiner will assess your essay in four different areas. 

• Firstly, task response; in other words, how well you answered the question. Your essay should address the question and have a clear position, supported by reasons and examples.
• Secondly, coherence and cohesion. This means that your essay is organised logically and has a clear structure, with an introduction, a body and a conclusion. Your essay should be divided into paragraphs, with each paragraph having a clear central idea.
• Thirdly, your lexical resource, that is, your ability to use a range of vocabulary accurately and appropriately.
• And finally, grammatical range and accuracy, or how well you can use English grammar.

Paragraph Structure:

In Task 2 of the IELTS Academic Writing Test, one of the four areas on which your essay is assessed is coherence and cohesion. One important aspect of this is paragraphing, that is, how well you can organise your ideas into paragraphs. Remember, your essay will probably consist of four or five paragraphs. You’ll have an introduction and a conclusion paragraph, as well as two or three body paragraphs. So now, let’s focus on how you can write a well-organised paragraph.

So let’s begin with a brief overview of the structure of a paragraph. First, a paragraph should contain one central idea. This main idea should come in your first sentence, the topic sentence. The topic sentence should be a general statement, it shouldn’t be too specific. You should develop the idea in the paragraph with about three supporting sentences. These sentences may give reasons, examples, effects, or details. Now, let’s take a look at an example paragraph.

In this paragraph, which is from an essay about the benefits of education, the writer begins with a topic sentence. Notice how he uses the phrase 'generally speaking' to show that this is a general statement. In other words, it may not be true for all people, but it is true for most people. So the main idea of this paragraph, is that it is not until people get older that they appreciate the value of their education. When you’re a child or a teenager, you may not realise how important school is. After the topic sentence, the writer uses the remaining sentences in the paragraph to develop the main idea. As you can see, the writer gives an example of a useful skill that is learned at school, reading. Notice how the writer uses a linking expression, 'For example', to show that he is giving an example of the main idea. The writer then gives an additional reason, and uses the word 'also' to show this. And finally, notice how the writer gives a personal example from his own experience. He uses the expression, 'In my case' to signal this.

Structure of A Good Paragraph:

1. Topic sentence
2. Supporting Sentence 
3. Supporting Sentence 
4. Supporting Sentence  
5. Concluding sentence (optional)

Notice the final sentence here, a concluding sentence. Now this is optional, but you can include a concluding sentence at the end of your paragraph, which sums up the main idea. Think of it as a re-statement of your topic sentence.

This is the same paragraph on the benefits of an education, with the addition this time of a concluding sentence. Can you see how the writer uses the linker, 'Therefore' to begin the concluding sentence? And notice how the concluding sentence is a general statement, like the topic sentence. So the purpose of the concluding sentence is to remind the reader of what the paragraph is about. Now remember, a concluding sentence is optional, but it can help to make your argument a clear one.

You might find it helpful to think of your paragraph as a hamburger. The topic sentence and the concluding sentence are the buns, and the supporting sentences are the filling, the meat and the salad.

This paragraph would be part of the body of the essay, and you would have two or three of these paragraphs in the IELTS Section 2 essay.

Complex Sentence :

In Task 2 of the IELTS Academic Writing Test, one of the four areas on which your essay is assessed is Grammatical Range and Accuracy. One important aspect of this is sentence structure. It is important to use complex sentences. If your sentences are all simple, then you will lose marks for grammatical range. 

 A simple sentence contains only one main or independent clause, for example, 'The baby cried'. A complex sentence contains one main or independent clause and at least one subordinate or dependent clause. For example, 'Although I was tired, I stayed up late studying.' As the name suggests, the independent clause can stand on its own, while the dependent clause cannot.

• Independent Clause: I stayed up late studying
• Dependent Clause: Although I was tired. 

We could use a relative pronoun like 'where', 'which', or 'that' to create complex sentences. Another way to make complex sentences is to use linking words and phrases to link your ideas and show the relationships between them. The kinds of relationships you can show include comparison and contrast, cause and effect, additional information, and opposition.

https://courses.edx.org/asset-v1:UQx+IELTSx+3T2015+type@asset+block@Linking_Words_and_Phrases_Handout.pdf

Chapter 4.1: Writing Task 1

How to do Task 1 questions:

• Step 1: Read the instructions carefully.
• Step 2: Check the time that you begin Writing Task 1 and allow 20 minutes only.
• Step 3: Read the first paragraph and quickly scan the visual(s).
• Step 4: Read the second paragraph and underline the verbs. These tell you what to write about.
• Step 5: Write your response in at least 150 words.
 

Task 1 is a description of a visuals which can be a bar chart, or a pie chart, a line graph, a table, a diagram, a flow chart, or a map.you will need to write 150 words for Task 1. So it is important to understand the information given and make the right decision about what features to include in your writing.

1. Topic and Overview (How to begin writing)

In this chapter, we will focus on two important things you need to include in your Task 1 answer; a sentence to introduce the topic of the visual, and an overview. That is, a sentence or two sentences that summarise the main trend or trends shown in the visual. First of all, let’s focus on how to begin your answer.

To begin your answer, you need to write one or two sentences that introduce the general topic of the visual and explain the type of information that it shows.

If we copy the description word for word, the examiner will ignore any sentences that are copied directly from the question, and these words will not be counted as part of your 150 word answer. In order to write an introductory sentence, we need to paraphrase the sentence shown.

 

Instead of the word ‘chart’, you could use ‘graph’. Instead of ‘shows’, you could use ‘illustrates’, ‘gives an overview of’, or ‘gives information about’. Instead of ‘proportions’, you could use ‘percentages’. And finally, instead of the word ‘annually’, you could use 'in one year’. So, by paraphrasing a few words and phrases, we have avoided copying the question and also demonstrated a range of vocabulary to the examiner. So let’s take a look at a good example of paraphrase. Here, by paraphrasing, the candidate has shown the examiner that they have understood the information correctly and that they have some range in terms of vocabulary and grammar.

Now let’s focus on how to write an overview. An overview is usually one or two sentences. It describes the main trend or trends contained within the visual. You either put your overview at the beginning, after the introductory sentence, or at the end. It is very important to include an overview, so it may be better to include it at the beginning of your answer, just in case you are starting to run out of time. 

As you can see, the graph shows global energy consumption since 1970 by generating method. When you are analysing the graph before you start writing, it is very important to identify the main trend or trends to include in your overview. So in this case, you can see that the use of petroleum and coal fell slightly over the period. On the other hand, there were slight increases in the use of natural gas and nuclear energy. So our overview could be something like shown on picture. Now if we added an introductory sentence, the beginning of the answer would be like this. 

As you can see, the beginning of this sample answer begins with an introductory sentence to introduce the topic of the graph, followed by a clear overview. Now you will have the chance to practice writing introductory sentences and writing overview sentences, then combining the two to create the first paragraphs for a number of Task 1 answers. 

2. Analysing and Describing Key Features

 

In Task 1, it is very important to spend time carefully analysing the visuals in order to identify the key features. If you miss a key feature, this can affect your score. So, when you look at a visual, first ask yourself the following questions:  

• ‘Which places, people or things is the information about?’ , 
• ‘How many different things are being compared?’, 
• ‘What units are used to show amounts, numbers or proportions?’ and ‘
• What period of time does the visual refer to?’. 

This last question will determine what verb tenses you will use. For example, past tense, present perfect tense or even future.

• Let’s look at an example. So, first of all, which places, people or things is the information about? Well, in this case the table is about the use of atomic energy in six countries. 
• This also answers the second question, ‘How many different things are being compared?’. That is, we have to compare the atomic energy use of these six countries.
• We also need to check, ‘What units are used to show amounts, numbers or proportions?’. In this case, the table shows percentages.
•  Finally, we need to ask ourselves, ‘What period of time does the visual refer to?’. In this case, the table covers a twenty year period, from 1980 to 2000. So, what tense would you use? It's simple past tense.

 Now we need to analyse the table in more detail in order to identify the overview and the key features. How are these different? The overview is the main overall trend or trends, while the key features are the other important details contained within the visual. Remember, in Task 1, you do not need to describe every tiny detail.
Let’s look again at the table. Overall, you can see in the graph that in all countries, there was an increase in the use of atomic energy. This is our overview and could be expressed like this:
Overall, it can be seen that the general trend was upward, with all countries showing an increase in the totals of atomic energy produced.

Now, let’s focus on the key features. In order to identify them, you should ask yourself questions such as: ‘Which information is the most important?’, and ‘What are the biggest or smallest changes shown in the graph?’. So, if we again use our table as an example, let’s find some key features.

• First of all, we can see that the single biggest expansion occurred in the USA, where production rose from 0.9 to 2.71 percent. 
• Another key feature that you could mention is that Africa had the smallest increase in the use of atomic energy. 
• A further feature that you could mention is that the use of atomic energy as a percentage of total energy production roughly tripled in the UK, Japan, and the Former Soviet Union. 

Thus, whenever you have to write about visual data in Task 1, you need to spend some time analysing it, carefully looking for the overview, and the key features.

Focus on Language: Describing Data

In Task 1 of the IELTS Academic Writing Test, you are given a visual that presents some information. You need to analyse and describe this information clearly and accurately. When your paper is marked, the examiner will be assessing your grammar and vocabulary. In this section we’ll focus on the language you’ll use to write your sentences. Often you will need to describe the trends in the data, that is how the figures change over time. You will also need to make comparisons between different elements given in the graph or graphs. This means you will write about how data is similar or different. Let’s look at an example.

This line graph is about global energy consumption since 1970 by generating method. The vertical axis shows percentage figures, and the horizontal axis shows the years since 1970. We can identify two overall trends: the slight decrease in consumption of energy from petroleum and coal; and the slight increase in energy generated by gas and nuclear energy. We would mention these overall trends in the overview. 

Now, we need to write about this in more detail. When we do this, we must mention the data to support the description.

 Let’s begin with the energy source with the highest consumption, petroleum. We’ll use three expressions: 

• ‘peaked at over 50%’, 
• ‘gradually declined’; and  
• ‘has remained stable’.

 Let’s use these to make our sentences:

"The consumption of petroleum peaked at over 50% in 1973, then gradually declined over the next 12 years. Since 1985, global petroleum consumption has remained stable at 40%. "

Remember, it’s very important to include data from the graph.

Now let’s look at the global consumption of nuclear energy. 

Can you think of some words to describe this pattern? Did you think of these phrases? Notice that you need to carefully choose your tense to match the time. We’ll use past simple for finished time in the past. And we’ll use present perfect for time beginning in the past, but continuing until now. Let’s put these phrases together.

For the first decade after 1970, the rate of nuclear energy consumption was unchanged at around 5% worldwide. After 1980, it slowly increased, and since 1995 it has plateaued at 12%. 

 Notice that rather than repeating ‘the rate of nuclear energy consumption’, we can say ‘it’. This improves cohesion.

Next, we’ll focus on how to make comparisons by describing similarities and differences in something in fixed time. For this, we’ll look at a pie chart. This pie chart shows us which languages English originated from.

In an overview we would try to group the data to make a statement. We could say that as:

"Three languages Germanic languages, French and Latin, had the greatest influence in roughly equal proportions, and much less influence came from Greek, other languages and the names of people and places."

So let’s look at how we would compare each of these six influences on English. We’ll write about the dominant group first. 

• We can see that the influence of French and Latin is exactly the same at 29%, 
• and that of Germanic languages is almost as much at 26%. 
• All three of these languages together make up more than 80% of the origins of English.

Let’s write this into sentences: 

"The influence of Latin  and French on English  is  exactly the same  at  29%, and Germanic  languages have  influenced English  almost as much  at  26%.  Together, these  three language groups  make up more than  80% of the origins of  English."

  

Remember that it is very important that we give data from the chart in our sentences. Also look at how we change the use of the word ‘influence’ from a noun to a verb. This shows the examiner that you are flexible in vocabulary use.

We still need to mention the smaller sections of the pie chart. Clearly, the influence of these groups is smaller than French, Latin or Germanic Languages. We should think of words to say how much smaller. We could say considerably smaller, or significantly smaller. Here’s a short sentence about this.

"In contrast, Greek, other  languages and proper  names have had a  significantly smaller  influence on the origins of  English, at 6%, 6% and  4% respectively."

It begins with a linking expression to show that we’re moving from the more influential languages to these smaller groups of languages. The beginning of this sentence lists three parts of the pie chart: Greek, other languages and proper names. Then at the end, we gave the percentage figures for each of these languages or language groups. Notice that these figures were given in the same order as the languages. So the figure for the first language, Greek, is the first figure, 6%, and so on. To make this clear to the reader, we use the word ‘respectively’ at the end of the list. This technique works well for two or three items, but not more than that.

Skills Focus: Selecting and Grouping Information:

 

In the last paragraph of our writing, we need to summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. it means that you need to transfer information that is given visually into a clear and comprehensive written summary. You need to do more than simply list information. You need to identify, present, highlight and illustrate the important features of the visual, and organise the information that you are giving in a logical way, so that it’s easy for your reader to follow.

Let’s look at an example of how you can do this.

So now let’s look at the flow chart.

Can you see the title? 

Can you see the key features? 

And can you also see the blue arrows connecting the key features? 

This is all important information that we’ll want to include in our answer. But first, we need to come up with an overview of what this flow chart is all about. The title helps us a little. We’re told that this diagram illustrates natural gas production and distribution. But let’s just see if we can get any more information from the visual. Storage seems to also be an important stage in the process. So for our overview, we can say that this flow chart depicts natural gas production, storage and distribution. Now let’s go on to look at how we can select and group the information in the visual when we write the rest of the summary.

This visual is a flow chart, so it’s describing a process. Now, the first thing we need to do is decide where to begin our description of this process. Where would be a logical place to start? How about over here on the left? In English, we generally expect to see information presented from left to right, rather than from right to left, so that’s one clue, and the second clue is that if you look at the direction of the arrows, they all start from here, so it would make sense to start with these sources of natural gas, gas wells, oil wells, and imports. Now follow the arrows and keep going right, to the middle of the diagram. We going to group these key features together when we talk about how the gas is stored and piped between the storage areas.

Next let's focus on how the gas is transported from the regional storage facility to the retail storage facility, and finally how it makes its way from there to the home, where the retail customer is. 

So now let’s look at an example answer which identifies and presents these key features in an organised and logical way. The answer should group the features as we’ve tried to do, rather than just present a list of features in random order that aren’t connected in any way.

The diagram outlines the system used in the production, storage and distribution of natural gas.

The gas can originate from several sources.  Firstly, natural gas can be obtained  directly from gas wells. After treatment in a gas plant it is ready for distribution.  Another way of obtaining natural gas is as a by-product of oil production. Oil is  refined and the natural gas is obtained as part of the process. Thirdly, the ready-to- use gas may be imported by ship and is available for immediate distribution. 

Gas from all three of these sources is initially kept in a central underground storage facility.  It is then piped to regional storage centres. Once there, it is transported either  by 24,000 litre rail wagons, or 40,000 litre road tankers to retail outlets ready to be  sold to the public. At the retail outlets it is stored in 120,000 litre tanks. 

The final stage in the process involves delivery to individual customers by smaller 12,000 litre tanker trucks.

Notice how the writer begins with an overview of the whole process, which has three main parts: production, storage and distribution. Then, as we suggested, start your description of the key features in the flow chart with the sources. Continue your description by describing how the gas is stored. And finally, finish your description by talking about how the gas is distributed to customers. Why don’t you take a moment now to read the whole response.

Chapter 4: Writing

The IELTS Academic Writing Test takes 60 minutes and you need to complete two tasks in this time. The two tasks are not linked in terms of topic. In other words, they will be about different things. There is a lot to do in 60 minutes and it is a good idea if you can organise your time like this. In Task 1, you need to write at least 150 words and we usually recommend that you finish in 20 minutes. In Task 2, you need to write at least 250 words and you should plan to finish in 40 minutes.

In Task 1, you will receive some information in visual form. This information could be in the form of a graph, a table, a diagram or even a map. You will also receive a statement explaining what the visual represents, or what it shows, in other words. Then, you need to summarise the information in the visual and it is important that you write this summary in your own words.

So how can you do well in Task 1? In order to do a good job you need to be able to do the following things: select, organise and compare information. You may need to be able to describe the stages of a process, or describe an object or place, or perhaps you will need to explain how something works. You will do this using the information you can see in the visual.

In Task 2, you are given a point of view, an issue or a problem and it will be written in the form of a question or statement. For this task, you are required to write an academic essay. And, as in Task 1, you must write it in your own words.

So how are you going to organise your essay and what do you need to include in Task 2? You need to read the question carefully and decide what the question is asking you to do. You may need to present and support an opinion, or present the solution to a problem. The question may ask you to compare and contrast evidence and opinions, or evaluate and challenge ideas, evidence or opinions.

Assessment

1. Cohesion and Coherence: ability to write a clear and organised answer that is easy for the reader to follow and understand
2. Lexical resource, or vocabulary: ability to use a range of vocabulary and expressions accurately and appropriately.
3. Grammatical range and accuracy: ability to use a range of grammar structures accurately and appropriately.
4. Ability to answer the question because each writing task requires a different type of written response, and they are marked slightly differently.

Task 1 is a description of a visual so you will be marked on task achievement, or how appropriately, accurately and relevantly you complete the task using at least 150 words. 

In Task 2, on the other hand, you need to write an academic essay, so you will be marked on your task response. Here the examiner will be looking to see how well you can make and develop your position or argument and how you support it with evidence and examples, to complete the task using at least 250 words.

Chapter 3.4 : Listening Test - Section 4

In this part of the test, you'll hear an academic talk, such as a lecture, which is given by one person. So, the topic is academic and also quite detailed and in-depth. For example, the speaker might give an overview of a field of study, or describe a research project that he or she has been involved in. The talk is also given in an educational setting, like a university and because it is an academic talk, the language can be quite formal. As with all other sections of the Listening Test, you'll have to listen and answer 10 questions. So why are you listening? Well, you are being tested on your ability to understand the information and opinions that the speaker provides. You also have to show that you can follow the arguments being presented.

Notes Completion:

 

In this type of task, you need to complete a set of notes by filling in the gaps. Notes are a record of the main points and structure of what you listen to. In this task, you also need to keep within a word limit.

How to do notes completion tasks:

Before you listen:

• Step 1: Read the instructions carefully. Check or see how many words and/or numbers can you write?

• Step 2: Read the notes task to get an understanding of the facts and information presented.

• Step 3:  Look at the gaps and try to predict what types of words or numbers might fit.

• Step 4:  Highlight any keywords you can see and try to think of synonyms.

While you listen:

• Step 5: Listen for the keywords/synonyms you have thought of to help you find the answer, as well as the sub-headings, to guide you. You will hear the speaker say the words or numbers that you need to write in the same order as you can see in the questions.

• Step 6: Write the answer in the gap.

EXERCISE 

Listen to part of a talk about computers and type the correct/missing words to complete the gaps below.  Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

https://courses.edx.org/asset-v1:UQx+IELTSx+3T2015+type@asset+block@1.6.6.4-_Notes_Completion_Practice-V2.mp3

31. The ENIAC computer was very large and heavy (it weighed more than ....... tons).
 

32. It needed a large staff to run it and change its programs. It used a lot of power so an advanced ...... needed to be fitted.
 

33. The use of easily broken vacuum ........ resulted in a lot of time spent fixing the computer.

34. ENIAC's .......... couldn't match that of today's computers.

ANSWERS:

31. thirty or 30

32. cooling system (Not "cooling" only, must be "cooling system")

33. tubes

34. speed

Listening for Signpost Language:

Signs are used in academic talks, too, and you will see them in the talk in Section 4 of the IELTS Listening Test. The speaker uses special language, which we call signpost language, to organise the talk and help you follow the argument. This signpost language can have a number of different functions. Let's see just a couple of examples. 

As you listen, think about the function of what the speaker says. Why is this language being used and what type of information is being given? For example, the Speaker says: "In the lecture today we’ll look at nuclear fusion reactions" . So, what did you think? Well, the function of this extract can be described as giving the subject of the talk. 

A speaker could use this pattern of words at the start of a talk to let the audience know what the overall subject of the presentation will be. It makes the audience feel more sure that they are in the right room and listening to what they wanted to hear about. It also helps understanding by setting a context for the talk, so the audience may start predicting some of the vocabulary and content that they might hear.

Let’s look at one more example. The Speaker says:  "Now let’s turn to the question of...." 

‘Now let’s turn to..’ is one of the many ways in which a speaker can signal that they are moving on to a new point or topic. This would be used in the middle of a talk, to tell the listeners that a new topic or point about the overall lecture subject is going to be introduced and talked about from now. So, in terms of the lecture content, the listeners know exactly where the talk is going. If you can understand a wide variety of signpost language you will be able to follow the speaker more easily and not lose your place. Also, you will be able to predict what is coming next, which makes understanding a lot easier in the IELTS Listening Test. 

EXAMPLES:

• In the lecture today we'll look at.....
• There are three main topics that I will focus on in my talk... 

 -> These are explaining which topics will be covered in the lecture.

• Now, let's turn to the question of... 
• Now, in the next part of the lecture... 
• I'd now like to evaluate... Now, let's move on to... 

-> The speaker is changing to a new topic.

• So, why do we need...? 
• So, what exactly is...? 
• You might be wondering why...?

-> Asking a question about a main point that will be answered in the next part of the talk/lecture.

Chapter 3.3: Litening Test Section 3 - Conversation

Section 3 is usually a conversation between 2 to 3 speakers. It's a conversation that takes place in an academic or educational situation, like a tutorial or seminar for example. And although this section of the test has the same number of questions as sections 1 and 2, it is more difficult. So what are you being tested on in this section of the Listening Test? Well, Section 3 tests your ability to follow a discussion. It also tests your ability to listen for and understand facts, reasons, and ideas. On top of that, it's designed to see how well you can understand the opinions and attitudes of speakers, and understand agreement between speakers.

Sentence Completion

 

With this type of task, you need to fill in a gap in a sentence with words containing important points from the Listening text. The gap could be at the start, middle or end of the sentence and it's important that you keep within a word limit. This type of question can appear in any of the four sections of the Listening Test.

How to do sentence completion tasks:

Before you listen:

• Step 1: Read the instructions carefully - how many words and/or numbers can you write? 

 (Example: NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS)

• Step 2: Highlight keywords in the sentence and think of synonyms/paraphrases you may hear. 

You need to write down the missing word or missing words in exactly the same form as you hear them. You should not change the words in any way. But the sentences on the question paper are a paraphrased form of what you hear in the recording. That is, you will hear different words in the recording to what you see on the page, but their meaning will be the same.

• Step 3: Look at the gap and think of the type of word(s) which may complete it.

You should also think about the type of word that might complete each gap. For example, could the missing word be a time, or maybe an amount? Could it be a noun or an adjective perhaps? Then, listen for the synonyms of the written sentence keywords that you have thought of. These will help you find the answer. When you think you have the answer, write it in the gap with the correct spelling.

While you listen:

• Step 4: Listen for the keywords/synonyms you have thought of to help you find the answer.
• Step 5: Write the answer in the gap. Check spelling and grammar.

 

Another important step which you should do after listening is to read the complete sentence to make sure it's grammatically correct. But what if you see that your completed sentence is not grammatically correct? Well, you may have made a mistake for one of the following reasons. The first reason could be that you have not heard the correct form of the word.

Example:
The ______(Ans filled: Table)_____ in the classroom are used by students and lectures.

 

As you can see in this example, you think you heard 'table' in the recording, but the speaker actually said 'tables', which is the plural form of table. So this answer cannot be correct. (It said: are used by, so need to be tables not table)
Another reason that your answer might be wrong is because you have chosen the wrong word from the listening. For example, if the words 'furniture' and 'tables' were used by the speaker and you chose furniture, then this answer is wrong because, in this sentence, it is grammatically incorrect. That is, furniture is an uncountable noun and so it doesn't fit the gap. 

 

As you have seen, grammar is particularly important in this question type. So, by being careful about your grammar, you can improve your chances of getting a higher score.

Another Example:
The teacher believes that checking students' ............. is useful. (Essay, Assignments) Chose the correct answer Essay or Assignments?

Ans: Assignments, because the singular cannot be used here with this noun. Students' means many students. So, must be plural.

Classification:

This type of task is distinctive because the question numbers have different features given by statements, words or phrases which will be heard in the Listening Test, and you need to put them into a category which is labeled A, B, C or D. In this task, it's also possible for the same answers, that is letters A, B, C, etc for the categories, to be used more than once. In all classification tasks, the categories are of the same type, like people, location etc.

 

Example Question:

‘Who likes to study in the following locations?’

A. only Aurthur
B. only Mark
C. both Aurthur and Mark 

 

1. Library                 -----

2. The Lecture Theater     -----

How to do classification tasks:

Before you listen:

• Step 1: Read the complete task carefully - what is the topic?
• Step 2: Read the task question. Which words refer to categories?
• Step 3: Read the task question. Which words refer to the features or statements?

 First, the word "who" refers to the categories, which are the names of people. So, notice Who, Aurthur,  Mark. 

And, If we go back to our example again, you can see that the word ‘locations’ refers to the type of feature next to the question numbers. So, notice Locations, Library, The Lecture Theater.
 

While you listen:

• Step 4: Notice the different speakers and their attitudes and opinions.
• Step 5: Write ONE category letter (A, B, etc) next to the features/statements. 

As you listen, you will need to recognize who is speaking at any one time, especially if the classification task appears in Section 3 because there will be two or more speakers in this section. You need to notice the following about each speaker: the quality of each person’s voice. That is, for example, how high the voices are. Are the voices male or female? You also need to notice the speaker's accent.
And finally, and most importantly, you should be able to understand the opinion or attitude of each speaker. For example, is the person disagreeing or agreeing? Or does the speaker sound surprised by something? Once you have recognized the speaker and his or her attitude and opinion, you should be able to choose the letter of the correct category and write it next to the question number. The ability to recognize speakers and their attitudes is most important in Section 3 of the Listening Test, and the classification task is often used to assess this skill.