IELTS general writing task1 overal view Hướng Dẫn Viết Task 1 IELTS General Tổng quan

IELTS PREPARATION COURSE
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GENERAL
WRITING
HANDOUT1

TASK1
OVERVIEWOFLETTERS


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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 1 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 1. There are four types of letters in IELTS:
_ Complain about something
_ Request information
_ Ask for help
_ Make arrangements or/and explain a situation
TASK 2 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.
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 do what the questions asked?’ Or, is the
content (the ideas and information) appropriate to the task?
2. 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:
1 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:
2 We went to the beach although it was raining.
Sentence 1 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.
3. 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 do 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
1.
Ask them for help finding accommodation
2.
Tell them where you would like to live
3.
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 1
Analyse the question
2 minutes

Step 2
Plan what you are
going to write

Step 3
Write your answer
on the Answer Sheet

Step 4
Check your writing

5 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 do 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 do 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 do 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 4 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 1


Question:

Step 1

Analyse the question
1. What is the situation or topic?
2. Who is the addressee? In other words, to whom you are writing?
3. 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 do not need to write your own address.

Step 2

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 2 questions:
Which ideas will be definitely used in the letter?
How will these ideas be organized?
Paragraph
Content
Ideas


Practice exercise 2
Question:

Step 1

Analyse the question
4. What is the situation or topic?
5. Who is the addressee? In other words, to whom you are writing?
6. 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 do not need to write your own address.

Step 2

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 2 questions:
Which ideas will be definitely used in the letter?
How will these ideas be organized?
Paragraph
Content
Ideas