General Training Task 1 & 2 Checklist Number:

TASK 1 TASK 2
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
- + - +
Task Achievement/Response
Addresses the question (the prompt)
 Task 1 - All parts are addressed / Task 2 – All parts are addressed
 Task 1 – Highlights points / Task 2 – Addresses each part equally
Writer’s purpose (what you think)
 Clear
 Consistent
Format
 Task 1 - Letter form / Task 2 - Appropriate essay form
 Length is okay (150-180 words T1 or 250 – 280 words Task 2)
Support (ideas and examples)
 Task 1 – Tone ok / Task 2 - Sufficient ideas
 Task 1 – Clear purpose / Task 2 – Relevant examples
Coherence & Cohesion
Paragraphs
 Sufficient number of paragraphs
 One main idea in each paragraph
Logical structure
 Ideas linked logically
 Clear development of ideas (introduction – body – conclusion)
Cohesion (connecting words)
 Range of cohesive devices
 Pronouns and substitution (reference) used effectively
Lexical Resource
Range
 Can use natural idioms
 Can use less common words
Spelling
 There are few errors
 Errors do not cause misunderstanding
Word form
 There are few errors
 Errors do not cause misunderstanding
Grammar
Range

 There are many verb forms (aspect, voice, participles, gerunds etc)

 There are some complex structures

Punctuation Articles (a/the) Missing words Tense
- + - + - + - +
Accuracy
SV Agreement Unnecessary words Word order Singular/Plural
- + - + - + - +

Date: 9 January 2017 Coach Initials : DO

 General Training Task 1 & 2 Checklist Number: 0

RECOMMENDATIONS

Task Achievement (Task 1)

There are key points missing from your letter. The third point (a suggestion for future action by the bus company) is not covered. Failing to cover all
points in the task will result in a penalty for this criterion.
The tone of your letter is consistent and appropriate.
Task Response (Task 2)
You address only part of the task. Make sure you read the question carefully and decide how many points you should cover. There should have been a
discussion of possible disadvantages to compulsory holidays.
Your position is not always clear, for instance, in lines 27 - 30.
You have written enough words
Coherence and cohesion
Your paragraphing is logical. Make sure that each paragraph develops a topic sentence sufficiently - e.g. the concluding paragraph in Task 2 is not
really developed.
There is a range of cohesive devices.
Reference (the use of pronouns and other substitutes for particular nouns) is generally well controlled, e.g. "by so doing". Don't use a pronoun when
unennecessary - e.g. line 30 Task 2.
Lexical resource
You use a good range of vocabulary and can convey precise meanings. Nevertheless, there are occasional errors in spelling and word choice.E.g. "of
(off)", "country side (countryside)", "writing (writing)", "manor (manner)".
Reading serious English language newspapers will give you an idea of suitable vocabulary for Task 2 Writing.
Note the spelling errors you make and systematically eliminate them. Make sure you leave some time at the end of the Writing test to correct spelling
errors. Don’t be afraid to cross out words and rewrite them correctly.
Note some of the errors in word form - "in a hurry manner", "initiation (initiative)", "heathy wise (health wise)".
Grammatical range and accuracy
You use a good range of grammatical structures, but there are occasional errors. Be conscious of the errors you make and try to eliminate them.
Punctuation is not generally well controlled. Be careful not to make your sentences too long. You tend to use a comma when a full-stop would be more
appropriate.
You regularly make errors in the following: verb forms, articles, subject/verb agreement, missing words, tenses, singular/plural forms (number).

Try to read more widely and focus on good grammar. You might benefit from googling particular grammar points and reading the explanation.

Date: 9 January 2017 Coach Initials : DO

How your feedback

- + - + - +
sheet should be
You need a lot of Some improvement No improvement
understood:
improvement needed needed
 ACTION PLAN FOR WRITING
WA NUMBER:
Consider our advice and suggested resources. Please create your own timetable for addressing these areas, and
Area Suggestions Resources Learning How will you
TA/TR TA/TR Task achievement
• The more you read serious general-interest articles, the better you’ll become at •
Task Achievement / Response - Answering the question

Reading about topics: example: Read a

analysing the IELTS Writing tasks which are based on similar topics to those you’ll http://www.theguardian.com/au serious newspaper
find in newspapers. Read the opinion pages of newspapers and news magazines – • Reading about topics: http://www.theage.com.au/ or magazine
the topics and the language used are very relevant to Task 2 essays. Read the • Looking at graphs: http://www.abs.gov.au/ (this everyday at the
Business section – look at the graphs and tables – this is Academic Task 1 practice. website has many graphs and tables derived from same time. Read
Look at the letters pages – this will help you with your General Training Task 1 Australian government departments and census actively, that is,
letter. figures – it’s actually very interesting!). have a pencil in
• Read actively, that is, think of IELTS-type questions you might be asked about • A good general textbook: Jakeman, V. & your hand, make
what you read. Here is the first paragraph of a newspaper article about urban McDowell, C. (2006) Action Plan for IELTS notes, ask yourself
problems: Cambridge: CUP questions.
"We are all too familiar with the problems cities commonly face. These include rising • Official IELTS Practice Materials Vols 1 & 2
house prices putting ownership beyond the reach of many, suburban sprawl, long • A very thorough course covering all aspects of
commutes, traffic congestion, and related social problems." IELTS: http://www.ieltsonline.com.au/ieltsMaster -
IELTS-type Writing questions: Macquarie University
“Do the advantages of living in a city outweigh the disadvantages?” • A very good free online course: University of
“Some say only governments can solve the problem of overcrowding in cities, but Queensland IELTSx Academic test Preparation
other people believe that individuals can solve this problem. Discuss both views and course: http://bit.ly/21MefXX
give your own opinion”
• Practise expressing a clear position on many different topics. The more you read
and discuss issues in English, the easier this will become. Practise using phrases
like, “I think that…”, “In my view…”, “It would seem that…” etc. Keep reading and
discussing what you read.

Coherence and cohesion Coherence and cohesion Coherence and

• Cohesive devices might be adverbs (consequently, inevitably, meanwhile etc.), • Using conjunctions: http://www.smart- cohesion example:
Coherence and Cohesion

conjunctions (while, if, because etc.) or relative pronouns (which, where, whose words.org/linking-words/conjunctions.html Write a paragraph,
etc.). When you read English or listen to native speakers, focus on how these words • A good Learner's dictionary: Hornby, Turnbull, J. et seek the opinion of
are used to link ideas in a sentence. al, Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary Oxford: a
• Use a good Learner’s dictionary to find examples of how to use cohesive words. OUP native speaker, then
• Paragraphing is logical. As a general rule, one paragraph should have at least 3 • Search for yourself: Google “Cohesive devices in redraft till the
sentences, and shouldn’t have more than about 5 sentences. When you start a new English” paragraph is
thought, that’s when you start a new paragraph. Often you finish one paragraph by perfectly
hinting at what the next paragraph will be about. acceptable. Do this
• Read the opinion pages of serious news magazines and newspapers to see how once a week.
to use paragraphs.
 Lexical resource Lexical resource Lexical resource
• Learn to accurately use some uncommon English words. Also learn how to use • A good Learner's dictionary: Hornby, Turnbull, J. et example: Do a
common, idiomatic words (e.g. phrasal verbs: “bring up a topic”, “call off a meeting”, al, Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary Oxford: Google search
“look over the contract” etc.) Do this by reading regularly and noting down the OUP for a particular
context in which these words are used. • Phrasal verbs: phrase every day -
• Use a good Learner’s dictionary. http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/phrasals.ht compare
• Listen to podcasts, and music in English. If there’s a transcript, read this and m the ways that the
Lexical resource

underline useful phrases. Make sure that noting down new words and regular • Search yourself: Google “English phrasal verbs” phrase is used.
revision are part of your routine. • A very complete online course:
http://www.ieltsonline.com.au/ieltsMaster -
Macquarie University
• A very good free online course: University of
Queensland IELTSx Academic test Preparation
http://bit.ly/21MefXX
• Reading about topics:
http://www.theguardian.com/au
• Reading about topics: http://www.theage.com.au/

Spelling Spelling Spelling example:

• English spelling is not entirely unpredictable! Learn the rules. • Spelling rules: Find podcasts and
• Use a good Learner’s dictionary to check spelling. www.une.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/10673 try to
• Use the spell-check on your computer to teach you correct spelling.
Spelling

/WC_Spelling-rules.pdf transcribe what you

• Read often and widely. • A good Learner's dictionary: Hornby, Turnbull, J. et hear. Check with
al, Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary Oxford: the
OUP transcript. Twice a
week.
 GRA GRA Grammatical
• The more you read serious general-interest articles, the better you’ll become at • English Grammar in Use online: range example:
recognizing correct grammar. Read the opinion pages of newspapers and news http://bit.ly/1Ty0dTu Translate from
Grammatical range and accuracy

magazines. Read novels. •Think of ways you can modify some of the sentences you • Reading about topics: http://www.economist.com your language into
read to create new sentences, e.g.: Here is the first paragraph of a newspaper English. Check on
article about urban problems: the
"We are all too familiar with the problems cities commonly face. These include rising success of your
house prices putting ownership beyond the reach of many, suburban sprawl, long translation with a
commutes, traffic congestion, and related social problems." native
“We are all too familiar with the problems cities commonly face” speaker. Once a
Parents/challenges/teenagers (Parents are all too familiar with the challenges week.
teenagers face)
Governments/threats/nations
Women/discrimination/they
• Google specific grammar points (e.g. “relative clauses”, “participle clauses”
“passive voice”, “conditional sentences” etc.)
• Read often and widely.

Punctuation Punctuation Punctuation

• English punctuation is basically about using a symbol to show where you would • Punctuation tutorial: example: Remove
pause if you were speaking! It’s about making your ideas clear. Learn the rules. http://www.niu.edu/writingtutorial/punctuation/punctu the
• Use the grammar-check on your computer to teach you correct grammar. ation.html punctuation from a
Punctuation

• Read often and widely. • Using commas: http://bit.ly/21Mf9Un paragraph of a

• English Grammar in Use online: Word
http://bit.ly/1Ty0dTu document and
replace it - check
with the
original. Every week
at a regular time.

Use of articles Use of articles Article example:

• English article use is basically about using “a”, “the” or no article to show how well- • Explanation of article use in English: remove the articles
known or definite something is: "The" is used in front of singular or plural nouns and https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/540/01/ in a Word
adjectives to refer to something with which both the writer and reader are familiar. • English Grammar in Use online: document and then
Use of articles

"A duck" refers to a single unspecified duck whereas "the duck" refers to a specific http://bit.ly/1Ty0dTu replace them.
duck that has been mentioned before. “Duck”, with no article, refers to the type of Check with
meal you’re eating - Learn the rules. the original. Every
• Google “using a and the in English” week at a regular
• Read often and widely. time.
 SV agreement SV Agreement SV agreement
• If the subject (the noun that does the action) is singular, the verb must be singular. • Explanation of SV agreement: example: Write
If the subject is “he”, “she” or “it” (3rd person) then the verb in the present tense will http://www.pcc.edu/staff/pdf/645/SubjectVerbAgree about what you
SV agreement

have an “s” at the end – simple! Sometimes, however, there are two nouns in a ment.pdf have done and are
phrase, e.g. "A set of instructions". Which is the subject, "set" or "instructions"? • English Grammar in Use online: going to do. Then re-
Answer: the noun that is before the "of", i.e. "set". Your sentence will therefore be, http://bit.ly/1Ty0dTu write
"A set of instructions is useful (a singular subject + singular verb). the information
• Use the grammar-check on your computer to teach you correct grammar. using "he" or "she".
• Read widely and often. Discuss what you read about. Do this regularly

Verb tenses Verb tenses Verb tenses

• English grammar requires you to always specify when something happens – that’s • Verb tenses explained: http://bit.ly/1ZuOOrT example: Write
what verb tenses are mostly about. Sometimes the past tense is also used to • English Grammar in Use online: about what you
Verb tenses

describe a situation that is not very real – e.g. “I wish I had more money” http://bit.ly/1Ty0dTu did, often do, and
• Use the grammar-check on your computer to teach you correct grammar. will do in the future.
• Google “using tenses in English” Change the doer to
• Read often and widely. Discuss what you read about. "he" or "she". Do
this regularly.

Singular / plural nouns Singular/plural nouns Singular/plural

• English plurals are mostly formed by adding “s”. Unfortunately, some common • Tutorial on plurals: example: Make a
nouns aren’t, e.g. child/children, mouse/mice etc. Learn the rules. http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/topic/plurals list in your
Singular/ plural nouns

• Google “singular and plural rules in English”. • English Grammar in Use online: notebook of the
• Remember that uncountable nouns like "information" or transport" don't have a http://bit.ly/1Ty0dTu plural forms of
plural form. irregular nouns.
• Use the grammar-check on your computer to teach you the correct plural form. Also make a note of
• Read often and widely. Discuss what you read. uncountable nouns,
e.g. "rice", "water" -
these normally don't
have a plural form.
Revise regularly.

General Advice
Improving any aspect of your English will improve the other aspects, i.e. reading will improve writing, speaking will improve listening etc. Doing lots of practice tests doesn't necessarily improve your
written English. Working on one short piece of writing until there are no mistakes might be more beneficial than doing several essays and repeating the same mistakes each time. Make a habit of reading
well written articles about common topics in IELTS Writing. Analyse the grammar and vocabulary. Try these newspapers and magazines:
http://www.theguardian.com/au
http://www.theage.com.au
http://www.economist.com
Test tips
Make sure your handwriting is clear. You can write in block letters if you want to.
Spend a couple of minutes making some notes before you write.
Leave a few minutes to check your writing when you finish.
Always write in full paragraphs (not using bullet points or using sub headings). Make sure it's clear where the paragraphs begin and end (leave a line or indent the first sentence).
written English. Working on one short piece of writing until there are no mistakes might be more beneficial than doing several essays and repeating the same mistakes each time. Make a habit of reading
well written articles about common topics in IELTS Writing. Analyse the grammar and vocabulary. Try these newspapers and magazines:
http://www.theguardian.com/au
http://www.theage.com.au
http://www.economist.com
Test tips
Make sure your handwriting is clear. You can write in block letters if you want to.
Spend a couple of minutes making some notes before you write.
Leave a few minutes to check your writing when you finish.
Always write in full paragraphs (not using bullet points or using sub headings). Make sure it's clear where the paragraphs begin and end (leave a line or indent the first sentence).
General resources
A good general textbook: Jakeman, V. & McDowell, C. (2006) Action Plan for IELTS Cambridge: CUP
A very thorough course covering all aspects of IELTS: http://www.ieltsonline.com.au/ieltsMaster - Macquarie University
A very good free online course: University of Queensland IELTSx Academic test Preparation course: http://bit.ly/21MefXX
English Grammar in Use online: http://bit.ly/1Ty0dTu