lelts PREPARATION
DAVID PARK
The main features of academic writing relevant to the Writing Task 2 essay in Ielts (International English Language Testing System) are:
! Cautious language is used when making claims.
! The language used should be formal and impersonal (often using impersonal pronouns like "it", phrases and passive verb forms).
Avoid strong statements
Look at the following sample sentences, which all contain definite (i.e., strong, not cautious) statements:
1. Exams make candidates feel nervous, and so they forget what they have learned.
2. Students do not perform well under the pressure of an exam.
3. Examinations make people work hard.
4. Students memorise a lot of information in the last few weeks before taking the exam.
Definite statements should be avoided in your Ielts essay. They can easily be converted into cautious language by changing the verb forms, or by adding appropriate qualifying verbs, adjectives or nouns.
Prudent phrases
Here are some words and phrases to convert definite statements into cautious language.
"It appears that ...", "It seems that ...", "Some people claim that ...", "It is said that ...", "It has been suggested that ..." or "There is a tendency to/for ...".
The following two phrases are used to introduce stronger evidence: "It is widely accepted that ..." or "It is now generally recognised that ...".
The next phrase is used to introduce strong, negative evidence: "It is (very) doubtful that ...".
There are many other words and phrases that can be used to make statements more cautious. They include: apparently, often, some, many, most, may, might, and could.
The four sample sentences have been rewritten as below so that the statements are now more cautious.
1. Sometimes, exams make candidates feel nervous, and they may forget what they have learned.
2. It appears that some students do not perform well under the pressure of an exam.
3. Some people believe that examinations make people work hard.
4. Students may try to memorise information in the last few weeks to pass the exam.
Cautious language is also used when giving an opinion in your essay. Your opinions should not be stated too definitely or strongly, since they are, after all, only opinions, not facts.
Here are some useful ways to start a sentence containing an opinion, after you have stated a fact: "This may be because ..."; "This could be why ..."; "This is probably because ..."; "The most likely reason is ..."; and "A possible reason for this is ...".
Expressing opinions
Let's look at how this language is applied in practice. First, read the following extract from a report on English language levels in Southeast Asia.
A Chulalongkorn University survey shows that Thai graduates have the lowest levels of English proficiency in Southeast Asia, alongside neighbouring Laos. The results confirmed the worst fears of Thai educators: that the English skills of local students are substandard.
Thai students' English skills are at the same level as those of students from Laos, but are significantly behind those of students from Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Burma, Vietnam and Cambodia.
The following paragraph shows how you can give an opinion explaining the fact that Thai graduates have low English language skills. The cautious language is in italics.
There are a number of possible reasons why Thai graduates have low English language skills. To begin with, many people claim that it is because too much emphasis is placed on grammar and vocabulary, rather than on writing and speaking fluently. A further possible reason is that Thai teachers of English may not themselves be comfortable using English, thus reducing the amount of English used in the classroom. However, the most likely reason is that Thai learners of English usually do not have much interaction with native-English teachers and speakers when learning the language.
Summary
In Ielts' Writing Task 2, keep your language appropriately cautious. Avoid making strong statements unless they are indisputable facts.
Improving English writing skills takes time and effort for any user of English. However, most Thais find that improving their academic English writing skills is particularly difficult for two main reasons. First, the Thai language is very unlike English. Second, the Thai way of presenting opinions and arguments is significantly different to that used by speakers of English.
It would help you greatly if you could get a native speaker of English to read your writing and show you specifically where, and how, your writing could be improved.
You could also consider doing English language development and Ielts test-taking skills building courses, such as those available at IDP Education or the British Council. Doing courses like those is a sensible way of developing the skills assessed in the Ielts writing test.
Write to david.park@idp.com for help preparing for Ielts.
David Park designs and teaches Ielts courses, and is involved with Ielts testing at IDP. To register for Ielts, contact http://www.idp.com/thailand . Ielts is owned by Cambridge Esol, the British Council and IDP: Ielts Australia.
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