Marvellous Techniques for IELTS Writing is a good material for IELTS writing practice that helps you conquer the IELTS test and solve the difficulties in the Writing test. This IELTS book guides you on how to express your ideas in a complete essay, develop ideas in the body and ways to perfect sentences, and write a quick and good IELTS essay.
“Treasure this book as it makes difficult things easy and the impossible possible” – M.S. Bobby “This book makes IELTS Writing a piece of cake like no other. A must – have for any student.” – Kirk Kenny
Contents of Marvellous Techniques for IELTS Writing
This is the author’s general introduction to the IELTS Writing test, which is divided into the following sections:
Format of the IELTS Writing test: There are 2 types of Academic (Academic) and General Training (General Training).
How to score the IELTS Writing test: In turn, list 4 criteria for scoring the Writing test, and in some cases, if you encounter it, you will lose points.
Steps to do IELTS Writing Task 2: Give suggestions on the steps to take to do well in Writing Task 2, and how to allocate time appropriately for each step.
Things to note: Presents some common problems and errors in the IELTS Writing test and some tips for getting a high score.
Analysis of IELTS Writing Task 2
This section of Marvellous Techniques for IELTS Writing provides an in-depth analysis of the IELTS Writing Task 2 test and the necessary skills and useful notes to help candidates achieve a high score for this test. The above content is divided into 5 chapters.
Chapter 1: Scoring Criteria
In this chapter, the author lists 4 main scoring criteria of IELTS Writing Task 2 and the necessary requirements for the article to achieve a score of 7 corresponding to the above criteria. To illustrate, the author uses a sample essay, then gives the judge’s comments, the score achieved for each criterion, and the total score.
Chapter 2: Practice writing quickly
This chapter of Marvellous Techniques for IELTS Writing focuses on presenting some aspects that students need to pay attention to develop writing skills: how to think to find ideas for essays; some vocabulary and grammar requirements…
Chapter 3: Argumentative essay
The content of the chapter delves into the analysis of how to write an argumentative essay, which is a common type of question in IELTS Writing Task 2. The issues the author discusses include:
- How to configure article layout.
- Some common topics and approaches.
- The essay presents the causes and solutions/consequences: Points to note when presenting the essay layout; how to find ideas for articles; Sample essay analysis.
Chapter 4: 33 sample essays on common topics
In this section of Marvellous Techniques for IELTS Writing, the author analyzes 33 sample essays on common topics (education, society, culture, environment, etc), comments on the approach, and highlights ideas and ways using the writer’s words, thereby concluding a useful experience for the reader.
Chapter 5: Improving essay writing skills
This is an extended knowledge section, for candidates aiming for a score of 9 on the IELTS test. In this section, the author introduces some unique sentence samples from Cambridge IELTS that readers should memorize to improve essay writing skills. Besides, the author also lists advanced writing skills that contribute to making the article more impressive.
Analysis of IELTS Writing Task 1
This section of Marvellous Techniques for IELTS Writing provides an in-depth analysis of the IELTS Writing Task 1 test and the necessary skills and useful notes to help candidates achieve a high score on this test. The above content is divided into 2 chapters corresponding to 2 modules: A (Academic) and G (General Training).
Chapter 1: Task 1 type A – Chart Description
Overview of the article describing the chart: Scoring criteria, basic knowledge of graph text (article layout, some grammar points), applicable sentence structures, and common mistakes.
Describe the types of charts commonly found in Writing Task 1, characteristics, test methods, and notes.
Chapter 2: Task 1 in G – Letter Form
Overview of letter-form articles: Notes on writing, letter layout.
Common letter samples (a thank-you letter, apology letter, complaint, etc.), sample writings, and notes.
Appendix 1 Writing Task 2 exam questions over the years
This section of Marvellous Techniques for IELTS Writing lists some actual IELTS Writing Task 2 exam questions from the last few years, categorized by separate topics (Education, Environment, Technology, etc.)
Appendix 2 IELTS Writing Test Paper (sample)
Skills Covered in Marvellous Techniques for IELTS Writing
Marvellous Techniques for IELTS Writing focuses entirely on the Writing Skills of the IELTS test. The book analyzes in detail 2 parts Task 2 and Task 1 (including Academic and General Training) and related skills. For Task 2, the skills the book mentions include:
Thinking skills: Find ideas, avoid rambling, off-topic, unreasonable layout.
Language skills:
- The ability to present a clear, consistent, and logical point of view.
- Rich, scholarly, and precise vocabulary.
- The ability to use synonyms, use some basic & advanced phrases when writing (for example: play a role in something; make the most of something…)
- Diverse types of sentences, correct grammar, punctuation.
- Fluently use complex sentences, and dependent clauses (noun clauses, adverbs, and adjectives).
Layout skills:
Divide the article into paragraphs in a logical and logical sequence, using phrases – sentence patterns suitable for each paragraph.
Eg: The essay should start with an Intro to state the debate topic and personal opinion. Some phrases the writer needs to use in this paragraph can be mentioned:
Nowadays, a number of people are concerned about… (introducing the context);
However, whether…. is a controversial issue (state the subject of debate);
My view is that … (personal opinion).
Advanced skills:
Ability to apply unique sentences and academic structures
Eg:
Emphatic structure “It is… that…”;
The rhetorical and hypothetical “If this were not true”, etc.
Task 1 – Academic, the book emphasizes the following skills:
- Ability to analyze different types of graphs: column – bar graph, table – table, …
- Presentation of article layout.
- Ability to use words: synonyms (eg show – describe; account for – make up; trend – tendency…), linking words (likewise, whereas…), modifiers (just below, approximately…), fractions (a half, three-quarters…), multiples (3.5 times, double…), trend descriptions (skyrocket/plummet, increase/decrease/stabilize…).
- Use appropriate grammar and sentence structure.
Task 1 – General Training, mentioned skills include:
- Write letters based on imagination: imagine times, places, people… related logically and logically.
- Balanced layout.
- Capture different forms of letter writing: (letter of thanks, apology, leave request, etc.).
Highlights of Marvellous Techniques for IELTS Writing
In the context of IELTS exam preparation, the curriculum is rampant on the market today with all different qualities, students must have a lot of difficulties in choosing the right curriculum for them.
Is Marvellous Techniques for IELTS Writing suitable for your level? Is the content of the book detailed? Does it deal with real problems that candidates face? Or is it just a general analysis of the test? Are the test-taking strategies in the book anything new and practical, or are they just “old” methods that everyone knows for a long time? This is just one of the countless concerns of students when choosing the appropriate IELTS course syllabus.
Below, 9IELTS will present some salient features of the Marvellous Techniques for IELTS Writing curriculum for readers to consider when choosing.
Reasonable and Logical Layout
The content of Marvellous Techniques for IELTS Writing goes from general knowledge of IELTS Writing, format, grading, etc. so that readers have an overview of the writing test, before moving on to a detailed analysis of Tasks 1 and 2. The format of Tasks 1 and 2 is divided into sub-topics before each form has an analysis of 4 scoring criteria.
Example: Task 2 analysis sequence goes from:
Grading criteria => How to practice writing quickly (Thinking + Words + Grammar) => How to write essays => Analysis of sample papers => Advanced
Focus on specific analysis of scoring criteria
Marvellous Techniques for IELTS Writing is also impressive in that the book acts as a skilled teacher when up to a quarter of the textbooks focus on analyzing the marking criteria of IELTS Writing as follows:
The test will be scored by 2 judges, the scores will then be added up and divided into two to get the final result.
There are 4 main scoring criteria:
- Task Response: Answer all the questions given by the test, with evidence to prove the candidate’s point.
- Coherence & Cohesion: The ideas of the article must link and agree with each other.
- Lexical Resource: Rich, flexible, and contextually used vocabulary.
- Grammatical Range & Accuracy: Use diverse and precise grammatical structures.
In addition, there are some mistakes to avoid, otherwise, the essay will be graded separately and risk losing points, for example (Underlength – not enough words specified; off-topic, etc.)
Official Grading Rubric for IELTS Writing Task 2
What is special about Marvellous Techniques for IELTS Writing compared to most other textbooks is that the author presents in detail the requirements to be achieved by each criterion to achieve a score of 7 and 9 – two important milestones in the IELTS test. All elements of vocabulary, grammar, paragraphing, how to build ideas, how to use academic words appropriately, coherence and what to do to become proficient, etc. are all covered. Detailed instructions by the author.
Example 1: To score 7 in Grammatical Range & Accuracy, the requirement is “uses a variety of complex structures” – using a variety of complex sentences. Thus, candidates need to use a variety of 3 types of subordinate clauses: noun clauses, adjective clauses, and adverbs.
Example 2: The Lexical Resources 7-criteria score level requires candidates to flexibly use synonyms to replace words expressing the same concept mentioned before, and the vocabulary is required to belong to the group ” less common lexical items/ vocabulary”. For example, use the word weaken instead of damage, and use the word dilemma instead of the problem.
Besides, in order to meet the needs of saving time for readers, the author also clearly states the parts that readers need to focus on if they want to achieve a certain level of score.
Example 3: In the section on Words and Words, candidates who want to get a score of 6 should carefully review the sections “Common spelling mistakes” and “Common uncountable nouns”. Candidates who want to score 6-7 need to carefully review the “Commonly used synonyms” and “Words with profound meaning” (such as strategy, infrastructure, and mindset).
Diverse sample exam questions, categorized by topic
Not only in theory, but in each small part of the Marvellous Techniques for IELTS Writing book, there is a detailed analysis of sample essays and examiners’ comments to find out how to score in practice. The author even spent a whole chapter commenting on 33 articles on many different topics. This makes it easier for the reader to visually visualize common mistakes and “tips” to keep in mind to get a higher score.
In addition, the author also selects the most popular topics in recent years’ exam questions to facilitate your review and save time (eg Education; Environment; Science – Technology…). This is the basis for readers to study more about common topics in IELTS Writing Task 2 to practice writing skills as well as developing vocabulary and related social knowledge.
Detailed instructions on how to analyze the topic and do the test
In the “Chapter 3: Essay” section of the “Skills for writing Task 2”, the author gave detailed instructions on how to do the test by stating the order of analyzing the problem, from making an outline to Introduction, topic, how to develop the idea, some accompanying tips… This is an important basis for readers to be able to approach many different types of topics.
Diverse tips and strategies
Another highlight of Marvellous Techniques for IELTS Writing is the fact that the book provides information on many “tricks” of the test, even the smallest information. As a result, readers have the most thorough preparation before taking the exam. Some of the details are as follows:
Time to do the test: It is recommended to spend 5 minutes writing the outline, 33 minutes writing the essay, and the last 2 minutes writing the conclusion as well as checking the essay;
Present some problems: common mistakes in the IELTS Writing test that candidates need to remember: how to present essays; Short, abbreviated, number…;
A few tips to get a good score: don’t use machines, lack logic in your sample essays;
Use transition words: transition words like in addition, to sum up… to make the article coherent and easy to read, etc.).
Study Guide for Marvellous Techniques for IELTS Writing
The Marvellous Techniques for IELTS Writing book is suitable for all types of users, whether you are piling at Basic or hovering at Intermediate. Not only for IELTS students, but teachers can also use the book as part of their curriculum.
However, the most suitable audience is those of you who are at level 5 – 5.5 and want to raise the band score higher. The book is written in Vietnamese, so it is easy to understand, the author’s goal for the reader is to achieve a score of 7, and the factors to achieve this score are also explained and analyzed very carefully.
Marvellous Techniques for IELTS Writing also provides a layout for the essay, which is worth referencing for learners at the basic level as well as those who need to study quickly for exams.
To use the book Marvelous Techniques for IELTS Writing effectively, according to the author listed in the book, there are 3 factors students need to improve to practice IELTS writing skills:
- Logical thinking;
- Words;
- Key grammar points.
As described in Chapter 1: Scoring Criteria for Task 2, there are four main scoring criteria: Task Response, Coherence & Cohesion, Lexical Resources, and Grammar Range & Accuracy. The final test score is the average of the 4 scores corresponding to the 4 criteria above. This leads to the following two consequences:
To achieve a high IELTS score, you need to work hard to meet all 4 requirements above.
In case you do not do well on one requirement, but all the remaining criteria are scored high, good results can still be obtained.
For example, test takers’ Lexical Resources and Grammar Range & Accuracy scores only get 5, but Task Response and Coherence & Cohesion scores reach 9, so the final test score is: (9+9+5+5)/ 4 = 7.
One problem for the majority of students who are not native speakers, especially for new students, is language limitations. Unlike native speakers who have been exposed to English since childhood for 24 hours, we do not have the conditions to learn languages in a natural way, leading to certain limitations in vocabulary and flexible application. grammatical structures. This is the reason most IELTS test-takers get low scores in Lexical Resources and Grammar Range & Accuracy. Accumulating vocabulary and getting used to diverse and rich sentence structures often requires a long period of “plowing” over many months, many years.
For this reason, instead of trying to “study day and night” with new vocabulary and structures, it is suggested that students focus on developing logical thinking skills to improve the first 2 requirements when taking IELTS Writing: Task Response and Coherence & Cohesion. The exercise of thinking ability will help you analyze the topic, find ideas as well as ensure the coherence of the article, and avoid errors in a topic, disjointed ideas, unconvincing arguments, and imbalance. between parts… This method works much faster than the method that focuses on studying words and sentence structure.
To do this, the first thing, when faced with an IELTS Writing test, is to analyze the problem through the following steps:
- Identify the question to be asked to determine the appropriate structure of the essay;
- Make an outline for the essay;
- Develop ideas based on the main keywords of the topic.
For language requirements such as Words (Lexical Resources) and Grammar (Grammar), readers can accumulate more daily through activities such as paraphrasing and practice writing a variety of sentence structures, especially in complex sentences.
Whether you are “swimming” at the Basic level or “breaking through” at the Intermediate level, Marvellous Techniques for IELTS Writing is really a very good book and worth considering to improve your Writing skills – one of the best.
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Many students have problems with Chapter 3. Argumantative writing isn’t so easy as it may seems to be. Thaks for sharing!