Task

Writin
g

UNI
T

INTRODUCTION

In Task 1 of the IELTS Writing test, you are often asked to describe data from a chart or table. In
this unit, you will learn how to write a paragraph where you describe the module of the IELTS
test, using data from a table.

Getting ready to Write Model 1

Total time
Tasks

Words
Time
Topics
Marking
criteria

IELTS WRITING TEST

1 hour
1
Describing the information
from a chart, tablen, or
process diagram

2
Writing an essay discussing
an issue such as education or
the environment, illustrating
with examples from own
experience
At least 150 words
At least 250 words
Approximately 20 minutes
Approximately 40 minutes
Topics of general interest
e.g. the environemtn,
education, social issues
Grammar, vocabulary, ideas, and coherence

1. Look at the table and discuss the questions below with a partner.
a. How long does the IELTS Writing test last?
b. How many tasks does the IELTS Writing test have?
c. What do you do in the Task 1 of the test?
d. How many words must you write?
e. How many minutes must you take?
f. What do you do in the Task 2 of the test?
g. How many words must you write?
h. How many minutes must you take?
i. What topics will you write about?

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j. How will your writing be marked?

2. Read Model 1 below. Check your answers to the questions.
Model 1

The Writing test in IELTS takes one hour, and candiates must complete two
tasks. In the first task, they have to write a report that describes the
information from a chart, table, or process diagram. They must write at
least 150 words, and they should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
Task 2 is an essay whrer candidates must discuss an issue such as
education or the environement. They need to illustrate their answer with
examples which come from their own experience. In task 2, which should
take about 40 minutes, they must write at least 250 words. The marking
criteria include grammar, vocabulary, ideas and coherence. For the IELTS
test, it is importatnt that students learn useful vocabulary, correct

Key Vocabulary
3. Check the meanings of the words below in both English-English dictionary and EnglishVietnamese dictionary.
candidate

discuss

issue

complete

length

compare

environment

length

provide

task

criteria

illustrate

passage

section

experience

describe

include

4. Complete the sentences, using the words below.

-

You may need to change word forms and suffixes

You may need to use some words more than once

You will not need all the words

candidate

discuss

issue

complete

compare

environment

length

provide

criteria

illustrate

passage

section

describe

include

experience

task

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a. _______________ for the IELTS exam must bring their ID card with them to the test.
b. In both the Speaking and Writing tests, you will need to_______________ your answers
with examples from your own_______________ .
c. In some IELTS Writing topics, you are asked to _______________ two or more things.
You may also be asked to write a _______________ of a chart or diagram.
d. It is important to _______________ some data when you describe a chart or graph.
e. The Listening test has four _______________ , and the Reading test has three
_______________.
f. Writing _______________ include _______________ a chart or table ad writing a longer
essay about a social issue.
g. The Speaking test _______________ a one- to two-minute talk.
h.

You will be _______________ with all the paper and pens you need in the test.

i. The Speaking and Writing tests are marked according to four different_______________.
j. One common topic in the IELTS test is _______________ problems.

Essential Grammar
In English, we use the present simple tense for expressing facts.
Present simple verbs are used aproximately 75% of the time in
English. The verb must agree with the subject.
5. Look at the sentences below.
-

Put the verb into the correct tense for the sentence

Pay attention to he subect and then decide if it is singular or plural

Then, check subject-verb agreement

a. People in western countries (speak) English.

b. The number of people who (speak) English is increasing in the world today.
c. IELTS (be) a test which (focus) on using English, rather than grammar itself.
d. Preparation for the IELTS test (include) speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
e. Thousands of people (take) the IELTS test every year.
f. English tests such as IELTS (be) very popular in Vietnam.

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g. Last year, students in many provinces (take) the exam.

h. The number of IELTS centers n Vietnam (be) increasing all the time.
i. A new center (be) built in Hanoi recently.
j. Successful candidates (work) hard and (do) a lot of practice everyday.
6. Turn the notes below into sentences.
a. English _________ _________global language.
b. It _________ about 1,500 years old.
c. English _________ words from German, French, Latin, _________ other _________
such as Chinese.
d. English _________ the official _________ of science and business.
e. English _________ the most common language on _________ Internet.
f. There _________ 375 million native (first language) speakers of English and the same
_________ of second language _________.
g. There _________ 750 million learners of English in the world today.
7. Turn the sentences above into a short paragraph below.
English _________ language _________ 1,500 _________. It _________ words_________,
_________, _________ and_________ such as _________. It _________ the _________ of
_________ and business, _________ also the _________ on the ________. There _________
375 _________ (first language) _________ of _________ and ______________ second
language _________. As well, _________ 750 million _________ of English _________
today.

Guided Writing
8. Discuss the information in the table with a partner and write a paragraph about it, using
the question below it.
Total time
Reading
passages

Questions

IELTS READING TEST

One hour
Three reading passages
Total of 2,000 2,750 words
University-level material general interest
Newspapers, books, or magazines
Sometimes including diagrams or illustrations
Forty questions
Writing answers on the answer sheet
Each question = 1 mark

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- Short answers, multiple choice, gap-fill, matching

a. How long does the IELTS Reading test last?
b. How many passages are there in the test?
c. What is the total length of the three reading passages?
d. At what level is the material in the passages?
e. What types of topics are used?
f. Where do the passages come from?
g. What may they include?
h. How many questions must candidates answer?
i. Where do they write their answers?
j. How much is each question worth?
k. What types of questions are included?
9. Now, check your writing with Model 2 below.
Model 2

The reading test in IELTS lasts one hour. In the test, there are three
passages which have a total length of 2,000 to 2,750 words. The material
in the passages is at university level, and the topics are of general interst.
The passages come from newspapers, magazines, or books. They
sometimes include graphs or illustrations. During the test, candidate must
answer forty questions, and they must write their aswers on the answer
sheet which is provided. Each question is worth one mark. Question types
include multiple choice, short answers, gap-fill, and matching.

Writing Practice
10. Write a paragraph about the following table.
Total time
Parts
Time
Types of
answer
Topics

IELTS SPEAKING TEST

11 14 minutes
1
2
4 5 minutes
1 2 minutes
Short answers
Monologue
Shopping, everyday
habits, food,
clothes

A famous person, a
vacation, a
newspaper article

3
4 5 minutes
Dicussion
Similar topic to
Part 2
candidates need
to describe,
compare, talk

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about changes,
future trends

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