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DESCRIBING DATA - Writing Tips

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When describing data, or anything for that matter, it is important to include details and comments on what is significant, to show that you are aware of which features are critically important and require comment. Descriptions are not very useful unless they are detailed. Details need also to be put into perspective – compared and contrasted with something (a shared standard or reference point); or located during or over a particular period of time. Making comments demonstrates that the significance of trends, or of what is being described, is appreciated. It also helps the reader to appreciate the importance of these trends. In describing data there are several aspects to consider: 1. Organisation of good description of data - how to construct a complete description 2. Language choices in descriptions of data - language choice enables variety 3. Register - formal and informal language choices 4. Prepositions of Time – there are several prepositions (at, in, ...
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EDITING AND CHECKING YOUR WRITING - Writing Task 1 and 2

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Upon completion of your writing task - whether it is IELTS Task 1 or IELTS Task 2 - always proofread what you have written carefully to edit the task for grammatical accuracy and check the organisation of the essay, as well as the punctuation and spelling. There are a number of common language difficulties students have with their writing. These notes provide a list of language items to be aware of, and also serve as a checklist when examining your writing.
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SUBJECT~ VERB AGREEMENT - Writing Task 1 and 2

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With any writing, whether it is IELTS Writing Task 1 and Writing Task 2, it is important that a verb agrees with its subject. This is called agreement. When this agreement is made care must be taken to accurately identify the subject. Subjects may not always be obvious. These study notes focus on the various kinds of subjects and their agreement with the verb. There are two main parts of a sentence, a subject ( who or what ) and a verb ( action or  condition ). In order for a sentence to be grammatically correct, the verb must agree  with the subject in number (singular or plural) and person (1 st – I, 2 nd –you, 3 rd –  s/he, it, they). A singular subject (one person/thing) must take a singular verb, and a  plural subject (two or more people/things), a plural verb   For example: Generally, the verb form is the same for all persons with the exception of the 3 rd  person singular, which takes an s/es . The verbs to be and to ...
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PHRASAL VERBS - Speaking and Writing

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Phrasal verbs are commonly used in spoken English. Though they do not look difficult, they can be problematic for learners of English because of their construction and idiomatic meanings.  Phrasal verbs consist of a verb followed by a preposition. This forms a new verb, one sometimes related to the original verb, but sometimes not. There’s no pattern to the meanings they take, and they often have a number of different meanings. Phrasal verbs are expressions or phrases  which consist of a:   The adverb or preposition that is used to form the phrasal verb is sometimes called the particle . Phrasal Verbs and Meanings When a verb combines with either an adverb or preposition to form the phrasal verb, a new or extended meaning is created. This meaning is sometimes predictable from the meanings of the words that form them, but usually the meanings are unpredictable because they are idiomatic – the meanings cannot be understood from  the i...
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CONNECTING IDEAS - Writing Tips

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An important aspect of formal writing is the appropriate use of sentence structures to convey your ideas clearly and effectively. It is necessary to have a variety of sentence structures, drawing on the use of coordinate  and subordinate conjunctions to form both compound and complex sentences.  Sentences can express both simple and  complex ideas. Connecting ideas in sentences correctly is important because this  makes the relationship between ideas clear and meaningful. A sentence must have  a subject and a verb, and is also referred to as an independent clause . A  dependent clause also contains a subject and verb, but is not regarded as a  sentence because its meaning is incomplete. COORDINATION AND SUBORDINATION Ideas can be connected in a number of different ways.  Coordination is used to connect ideas that are of equal importance, joining  independent clauses, which express ideas of equal content. An independent c...
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