Writing

As a writing instructor, I am often asked by my students what the secret is to successful essay
writing. When I tell them lots of practice, lots of guidance and lots of patience, they usually
look at me a bit disappointed as though my answer was too obvious.
So I tell them, just follow the 4 Cs.
The 4 Cs? they ask with new interest.
Yes, the 4 Cs: conciseness, cohesion, coherence and composition.
So lets begin with conciseness. Unlike other languages which prize long and very elaborate
sentences, proper written English is language that says a lot in few words. Students often falsely
believe that the longer a sentence is the more academic it sounds.
Writing longer sentences in your response is problematic for 2 reasons. The first is it heightens
the chances of errors related to coherence. The second is it makes it more difficult for you to
control the grammar of the sentence, leading to silly grammatical mistakes. Too often, students
receive disappointing marks on their essay simply because their long sentences led them to issues
with coherence and grammar.
So how long should a sentence be? Including cohesive phrases (the second C in our list),
typical sentences are somewhere between 8 and 15 words.
Now lets take a look at how to write these cohesive phrases.
Cohesion refers to words and phrases that help ideas link together. Cohesive phrases include
wordings like

Because of this
As this shows
As can clearly be seen from this example
It is clear that
Thus, the idea is that
To illustrate this
After analyzing both points of view
To provide a summary
Without a doubt, this causes
What I always suggest to students is to commit many of these phrases to memory and learn how
to use them properly. When you get to your examination, you can use these phrases with
confidence, which will not only save you time but also reduce the chances of grammatical
mistakes.
Our third C is coherence, which is the notion that all ideas you present in your essay should be
easily understood by your reader. As you can probably guess, using the cohesive phrases above
correctly can really help to boost the coherence in your essay as they clarify your ideas.
Coherence is also greatly improved by proper grammar, so make an effort to brush up on this
prior to your examination.
Our final C, composition, refers to employing a proper essay structure. This means including a
thesis (in the case of an argument essay), at least 2 supporting ideas, real-life examples, proper

discussion of those examples as well as some kind of summary and finally a reasoned
conclusion. To break it down, an argument essay is most likely going to contain 15 sentences
partitioned into 4 paragraphs and follow a pattern something like this.
Introduction paragraph

A background sentence giving some background information on the essay topic.

A more detailed sentence linking the background sentence to the thesis.
A thesis that presents your point of view on your given topic.
An outline sentence declaring the 2 points you are going to use to support your thesis.

Supporting paragraph 1

A topic sentence illustrating the first point you will be presenting to support your thesis

(this point taken from your outline sentence).

A sentence showing a real-life example of this topic in action.
A discussion sentence that shows how your example links or proves your topic sentence.
A conclusion sentence that links this entire paragraph back to your thesis.

Supporting paragraph 2

A topic sentence illustrating the second point you will be presenting to support your

thesis (this point taken from your outline sentence).

A sentence showing a real-life example of this topic in action.
A discussion sentence that shows how your example links or proves your topic sentence.
A conclusion sentence that links this entire paragraph back to your thesis.

Conclusion paragraph

A summary sentence that briefly states the 2 points you discussed in your supporting

paragraphs.
A restatement of your thesis using different words.
A prediction or recommendation based on the topic you have been given.

By employing a logical structure like this you fulfill your essays requirement for proper
composition.
So, in a nutshell, the 4 Cs make up the essential elements in a successful essay. Conciseness
keeps sentences brief, cohesion helps the sentences link together, coherence maintains
understanding in the essay and composition links all parts of the essay together logically.
Make an effort to use the 4 Cs properly and I guarantee your written mark will improve.

Formal and Informal Words

If the topic asks you to write to someone you know, that is an informal letter as opposed to
writing to someone you dont know, which should be formal.
The difference between formal and informal styles is mainly in the vocabulary. Informal words
are the ones used in everyday conversations and formal are used in books, contracts, business
letters and essays. If the task requires formal writing avoid using informal vocabulary. If the
task requires informal writing, such as a letter to a friend, avoid using formal heavy words.
Apart from the vocabulary in formal writing it is best to avoid words like I, you, we,
unless you are expressing an opinion. For example in an essay instead of writing You would
find it difficult to get a job without proper qualifications, write something like One would find
it difficult to find a job without proper qualifications, or you could write Finding a job without
proper qualifications would be rather difficult.
For those of you who dont live in an English speaking country and dont speak English on daily
basis it may be difficult to tell the difference between the formal and informal vocabulary, which

is why I compiled this short list of words. You could memorize it and use in your writing while
practicing this way the chances you will use the correct word in the real exam increase.
Formal

Informal

Inform me

Let me know

Cancel

Drop

Contact

Get in touch

Obtain

Get

Apologize

Say sorry

Postpone

Delay

Request

Ask for

Compensate

Make up

Establish

Set up

Discover

Find out

Handle

Deal with

Investigate

Check up on

Tolerate

Put up

Increase

Go up

Children

Kids

Many / Much

A lot of

Many / Much

Heaps of

Transitions
Transitional words and phrases are what gives your essays coherence, we need them to join
sentences and thoughts together. Look at the lists below. These are transitional phrases that you
can memorize and keep in your arsenal for the writing module.
AGREEMENT: also, plus, in addition, further, furthermore, moreover, additionally, to add to
that, next, in accordance with, accordingly, in agreement, finally, for instance, for example, in
exemplification, exemplifying that, in fact, factually speaking, in terms of, and so forth, looking
at the nexus between, in coordination with, along those lines, collectively speaking, generally
speaking, indeed, undoubtedly, obviously, to be sure.
CONTRAST: however, contrastingly, in contrast, on the contrary, on the other hand, to put it
into perspective, from a different angle, nonetheless, nevertheless, but, yet, a catch to this is,
sadly enough, as a hindrance, looking at the holdups, oddly enough, instead, in direct opposition,
still, and rather.
RESULT: as a result, as a consequence, consequently, thus, therefore, hence, thereby, resulting
in, ultimately, in the end, finally, in the overall analysis, in hindsight, in retrospect,
retrospectively, vicariously, the long term effect, as a short term result, significantly, as a major
effect, effectively, heretofore, hereafter, thereafter, in short, generally, over all, concluding.

Connective Words
This is the post about connective words and here you will find words to use in sentences
referring to examples, describing reasons or sequencing events in time.

Examples

For instance

There are many schools in many countries where you could study, for instance the schools in
London or Birmingham.

One example

One example of how to get better at cooking would be to start reading recipes.

for example
just as

I wanted to be home already just as much as a thirsty man in the desert wanted water.

in particular

I am referring to my exams, in particular, IELTS and TOEFL.

such as
namely

My friends, namely Andy and Cindy, have told me about this new exhibition in the city.

to illustrate

Reason

since

Since you asked, Id like to tell you my story

because (of)
due to

Due to the teachers illness this lecture is canceled.

owing to
the reason why
in other words
leads to

This assumption leads us to believe that

cause

The cause of this unfortunate accident was

Time

before
since

Since 2005 I have been working in

As
until

Until now I wasnt able to find anything like it.

meanwhile

Meanwhile, I would like to ask you to be patient.

at the moment

At the moment I am experiencing financial difficulties.

when
whenever

Whenever I call him, he appears to be very busy.

as soon as
just as

The headings in bold are the purpose for which you are using the connective words.

Certainty

obviously

I was very disappointed, obviously because my expectations were too high.

certainly

I will certainly let her know your opinion.

plainly

You are plainly wrong

of course

Undoubtedly

She is undoubtedly very beautiful

Condition

if
unless

I wont be able to participate, unless we schedule the meeting in the morning.

whether

Whether you like it or not, this is the truth.

provided that

I can guarantee a good result, provided that you study.

so that

I can send you the documents so that you would have proof.

depending on

We can have a picnic this weekend, depending on the weather.

Summary

in conclusion
in summary
lastly
finally
to sum up

To sum up, I strongly support the efforts of our society to help the environment.

to conclude
to recapitulate
in short

Addition

in addition

In addition, I would like to point out that my neighbor is disturbing me late at night.

and similarly

Your life will change forever and similarly, your whole family will feel the change.

likewise

Some people have little time for a hobby, and have likewise little will to get one.

as well as

Beauty, as well as smarts, is a remarkable quality

besides

We arent friends. Besides, I dont feel its my place to set him straight.

furthermore

Computers are getting faster and faster these days; furthermore, their cost is getting lower and
lower.

also

moreover

Ive been wanting a change for a long time, moreover, I feel I deserve one.

and then too

not only but also

Not only this product is good for your hair, but also it may soften your skin

Sequence

first(ly) initially

Initially, you would start putting a plan together.

second(ly)
to begin with

To begin with, you will need to commit a portion of your time to studying.

then
next
earlier/later

Later on there comes a stage when your skills are put to a test.

after this/that
following this/that

Consequence

as a result

I studied well and as a result, I got a high score.

thus
so
therefore

I was younger and therefore less experienced.

consequently

it follows that
thereby

I upset my friend, thereby causing her pain.

eventually
then in that case
admittedly

Admittedly, he is the smartest person I know.

Contrast

however

The book is expensive, however it is worth it.

on the other hand

She says she feels fine, but on the other hand, her face is pale and she doesnt look healthy.

despite
in spite of

In spite of the difficulties, the task was completed.

though

He still insists, though he knows that wont do any good.

although
but
on the contrary

The music didnt lift her spirit, on contrary, it made her feel weak and vulnerable again.

otherwise
yet instead of

He felt unwelcome, yet instead of leaving, he stayed.

rather

Eggs for breakfast is not a good idea, I would rather have some toast.

whereas

He was her true love, whereas for him she was just another girlfriend.

nonetheless

While they didnt trust each other, nonetheless they worked together for many years.

even though
compared with
in contrast
alternatively

Sentence structures
Basically, you need to be able to choose the most important numbers you see and compare them
in your response.

There are actually two types of number questions Change Over Time (usually a line graph,
showing how numbers change over time, such as The Number of Factories from 2000-2015), or
Static (often a table or bar chart, showing numbers for one point in time, such as People with
Full-time Work in One European City, 2014).
Sentence structures you should use:
Below are three high level sentence structures, and examples, for both of these question types.
1. As / while A verb, B verb (at the same time). [Linking words]
Change over Time example: While the number of factories in Taiwan increased dramatically to
100,000 in 2006, the quantity in Japan plummeted to 1,000 at the same time.
Static example: As the number of females in full-time work stood at 300 in 2014, the amount of
working males stood at 500.
2. In comparison to A, which verb, B verb. [Relative clauses]
COT example: In comparison to the number of factories in Taiwan, which saw an increase to
100,000 in 2006, the quantity in Japan plummeted to 1,000 at this time.
Static example: In comparison to the number of females in full-time work, which stood at 300 in
2014, the amount of working males stood at 500.
3. A verb, v-ing, (which verb). [Adjective clause + relative clause]
COT example: The number of factories in Taiwan saw an increase to 100,000 in 2006, exceeding
the quantity in Japan, which had only 1,000.

Static example: The number of males in full-time work reached 500 in 2014, exhibiting a higher
number than all the other categories provided.
As you can see, the sentences above all contain numbers, which you must have in order to get a 6
or higher in Task Achievement.
Plus, they all use high-level vocabulary, most assuredly earning an 8 or 9 in that category.

How the band score is calculated

Report
Filling the requirement of the task
This means writing a report that shows this student understands what he needs to do and does
as we ask.
Selecting what information to present
A bit tricky, you need to be careful not to throw away useful information yet avoid including
every little detail.
Presenting an overview
Describing what the graph shows without repeating the task statement (task prompt), in your
own words. If you dont have an overview or copy the task statement it will cost you marks.
Presenting key features
Almost any graph has the most noticeable features, write about them.
Organization of information

This is mostly about paragraphs that should come in a logical order.

Progression
As the examiner reads your report he/she needs to see how you move smoothly on the graph
from one thing to another.
Cohesion, reference and substitution

That is to do with the way you present statistics. If you repeat the same structure to mention all
the numbers, or choose awkward expressions to do it it will cost you marks.
Range of vocabulary
Your choice of words can point at limited, normal or wide vocabulary. It also matters if your
vocabulary is adequate for the task or not (if it is not wide but enough to write a clear report,
thats fine)
Control over grammar, spelling and appropriate choice of words.

This is how they grade your essay

You receive points for Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, Grammatical
Range and Accuracy.
Task Response
Task Response means that your essay shows that you understood and covered the topic from all
its sides, aspects, etc. Lets take this topic for example Internet: connecting or isolating
people? Those who chose to write about how Internet connects people lose marks, those who

chose to write about how Internet isolates people lose marks, those who compare and contrast
both sides of the Internet and give arguments for and against gain marks.
Coherence and Cohesion
Coherence and Cohesion means how well you connected the paragraphs and sentences inside
each paragraph. You see, all of your paragraphs need to be logically connected. For example, if
paragraph 1 explains the advantages of the Internet, and paragraph 2 explains its disadvantages,
then paragraph 1 should have a last sentence saying something like this: In spite of Internet
being such a help in communication, its drawbacks can not be overlooked. This sentence creates
the connection between 1st and 2nd paragraphs. If it wasnt there, the examiner could have
thought that you jumped from advantages to disadvantages without a reason. The same rule
applies to sentences inside the paragraph. Every sentence should lead to the next one.
Lexical Resource
Lexical Resource means vocabulary and different types of sentences, simple and complex. You
should be able to use words and their synonyms.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Grammatical Range and Accuracy means spelling and grammar of sentences. You should be able
to spell the words correctly, do not forget the articles a/an and the, the punctuation is also
important, and so on you get the picture, dont you?

Structure

Introduction
Body
Conclusion

The Introduction should describe the purpose of your report and say what overall trends you
see.
For example, if the graph is climbing up or dropping down, you should mention that.You need to
remember that you are describing a graph to someone who doesnt see it. Write what the graph is
about, its dates and location.
The Body should describe the most important trends, while all information is summarized to
avoid unnecessary details. For example, if there is a graph that has 2 peaks, you should mention
them; tell when those peaks appeared and what the peak values are. Notice how many distinctive
features the diagram has and divide information into paragraphs, one paragraph per feature. You
should link the paragraphs by sentences that logically connect them to one another.
Important! You need to write about all the periods of time and all the subjects of graph. If it
shows several years (1992, 1993, 1994) write about all of them, if it is about men and women
write about both. Remember, summarizing doesnt mean throwing away information. The secret
here is to select whats important, organize it, compare and contrast.
The Conclusion should sum up the global trends shown on the graph and compare them if
possible.

Types
The topic of an essay can be one of 3 possible types: a description of an opinion, an argument or
a social problem.
The first thing to do is to understand what kind of topic is before you.
Next:

for an argument you need to explain both sides and agree with one of them
for an opinion you need to present another point of view and say which one you agree

with and why

For a problem you need to explain it, discuss and offer a solution and discuss it too.

No matter what type of essay you are writing, you must provide some facts, evidence and
information. When you explain the problem evaluate it; say when/where/who for it is
especially difficult. If you present an idea of solution discuss it; say what its good and bad sides
are. Add examples from your own experience to support what youre saying.

Letters
There are 4 types of letters in the test.

Complaint / Request (of information) letter

Formal business letter
Job application letter
Personal letter

Structure
Structure means that your letter must have paragraphs, at least 3 of them. Every paragraph has its
job.

The first one must define the purpose of your letter in one two sentences.
The second one must explain more about why you are writing this letter.
The third must say what kind of answer you expect.

Vocabulary

Vocabulary means that you should use some smart words. In case you are writing a Complaint,
a Business or a Job application letter you must use formal language, but not for the Personal
letter.
Fluency of language
Fluency of language means phrases people usually use in letters.