THINGS I’VE NOTICED ABOUT THE TIPS AND TRICKS GROUP’S ESSAYS
I’ve been teaching IELTS prep at a language school for about four years now, and I enjoy offering writing feedback. Before I return papers to my average class of 10 to 20 students, I point out that each student has their own individual strengths and challenges, but I always notice some common mistakes made by more than one student. I’ll spend a few minutes reviewing those trends with the class before individual feedback.
As I’m about to leave town for a 3-week vacation and won’t be stopping by much during that time (don’t bother tagging me on your submissions for a while), I thought I’d take a moment to note some general observations I’ve made about the writing here in this Facebook group. Of course, not everyone is doing this, but after a month or so, I’ve noticed these trends amongst a number of essays. If this were my class, I’d be putting them on the white board.
As I’m about to leave town for a 3-week vacation and won’t be stopping by much during that time (don’t bother tagging me on your submissions for a while), I thought I’d take a moment to note some general observations I’ve made about the writing here in this Facebook group. Of course, not everyone is doing this, but after a month or so, I’ve noticed these trends amongst a number of essays. If this were my class, I’d be putting them on the white board.
THE ‘INCREASINGLY DISCUSSED’ STATEMENT IS BEING INCREASINGLY DISCUSSED
So many essays begin with a statement about how the topic at hand has become more and more controversial, debated, discussed or important lately. That it’s a burning, essential, crucial, unprecedented issue. I think I know why this is so common. Someone, at some point, has taught you that this is a good way to begin an academic essay. There is the ‘inverted triangle’ model for an academic essay which begins with a broad topic statement and narrows down to a thesis. Yes, this is a good model.
But you’re not writing an academic essay. You’re writing an IELTS essay. It needs to be in an academic style, but forget most of what you’re learned about writing college essays. Nowhere in the band descriptors does it say that a candidate has “successfully presented the topic as being important”. I can’t think of a single IELTS expert that recommends starting an essay with an “increasingly debated” statement. In fact, it might even hurt your score because if you take a rather banal topic involving travel, food, sports or a very specific aspect of education, and raise it up to being a “burning issue of the day”, you’re showing you don’t understand the question.
But you’re not writing an academic essay. You’re writing an IELTS essay. It needs to be in an academic style, but forget most of what you’re learned about writing college essays. Nowhere in the band descriptors does it say that a candidate has “successfully presented the topic as being important”. I can’t think of a single IELTS expert that recommends starting an essay with an “increasingly debated” statement. In fact, it might even hurt your score because if you take a rather banal topic involving travel, food, sports or a very specific aspect of education, and raise it up to being a “burning issue of the day”, you’re showing you don’t understand the question.
IT IS UNDENIABLY OBVIOUS THAT…
Positions that are supported by grand statements of how obvious, undeniable, doubtless, absolutely true or without question they are, aren’t well supported. It’s like trying to win an argument by raising your voice. Avoid bombastic, declarative statements on what is true or not true. Part of the spirit of a discursive essay is that truth isn’t obvious; it needs to be demonstrated.
SYSTEMATICALLY DEVIATE FROM OBFUSCATION ENGENDERED BY LEXICAL BEDLAM!
In other words, avoid confusing the reader with bizarre word choices. I’ve likened it several times lately to it not being a video game. You don’t get points for obscure words. A high band score in LR comes from using uncommon (not obscure) words accurately with a sense of collocation (they fit with the words around it) and style
Okay, those are the big three I wanted to share with the class… err… group before
I head out on my holiday. Despite a couple of hiccoughs, I’ve felt welcomed and appreciated by the group and I look forward to helping those in need in the future.
I head out on my holiday. Despite a couple of hiccoughs, I’ve felt welcomed and appreciated by the group and I look forward to helping those in need in the future.
