5 Reasons for a Low Band Score in IELTS Essay Writing

IELTS Essay Writing: IELTS writing tasks are the second segment of the IELTS examination. In this segment, you have to show and convince the examiner that you have a great vocabulary and grammatical skills. In this IELTS segment, you need to write a balanced, coherent, and structured writing. You have to use your vocabulary and grammatical skills in your writing in a clear way. The IELTS writing part consists of two different tasks. But task 1 is different for IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. Individually in IELTS writing if you score 6.5 bands, it is considered a good score. 

In this article, we are going to discuss the top 5 reasons why you can get Low Band Score in IELTS Essay Writing.

To perform well in the IELTS writing task, you need to understand the thought of the question and what the examiner wants to know through your writing. Here we are going to discuss the top 5 reasons why will receive a Low Band Score in IELTS Essay Writing. 

Time management is a crucial thing in IELTS writing. In the writing segment, you will get only 60 minutes to complete both tasks. You need to divide the allocated total time into two parts. Usually, you need to complete task 1 in the first 20 minutes, and then rest 40 minutes you can apply for task 2. This time management process is applicable for both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. You need to develop the habit of generating ideas after reading the question and frame your whole response. If you are unable to do it, you will not be able to produce a good response to secure a good band score. 

Including Too Many Ideas in the same article is not a good move for IELTS writing. You need to create a proper framework and style of approach to write a draft response. When you read the question, you need to develop an idea regarding the given topic. You should stick with the core idea and have to produce the proper example and supporting logic to back your response. Break down your response into the main points and try to write them as a response. A well-written essay with good flow and vocabulary, helps you to create a great impression about you. A fluent response and relevance to the question always help you to get a high band score, or else you will get low bands. 

When you get the question paper, you need to read the question first and develop a proper skeleton of the response. Without the proper view and skeleton, you will not be able to produce a great response. You need to put certain keywords and aspects to back your writing with the proper examples. If you do not plan well and start writing without thinking anything, it will not help you to get a high band score. Rushing into Writing Without a Plan will lead you to a low band score. 

Memorizing Prepared Answers is harmful to you if you are doing that. Those candidates who think that the premade answers on a certain topic will help them receive a high score are wrong. Premade answers can give you an idea about the framework and the way of writing you can use in IELTS. But it does not have the credibility to bring you a high score. In IELTS writing, examiners want natural responses that will be fluent and coherent at the same time. For this you need to think, develop the idea on the given topic and you need to write. Premade’s answers do not sound natural at all. 

Not Understanding the Test Format is the major problem with so many candidates. If you are preparing for the IELTS, you need to understand the test format and need to know the related information with it. You need to understand what is the actual thing the examiners are looking for. You should read the testing methods and related information like marking and regulations. If you understand them properly, you will create a path for you towards the high band score. If you are unable to understand the whole process you should get help or else you not not get a high band score. 

Before discussing the IELTS Writing Common Mistakes, you need to know about the format and structure of the whole segment efficiently. The problems and the mistakes are deeply rooted in this. Here is the proper structure of the IELTS Writing Segment for both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training as mentioned below. 

Read More: IELTS Exam Syllabus 2024: General & Academic

For both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training, you need to complete two individual tasks. For IELTS Academic task 1 is related to the data representation and in IELTS General Training you need to write a letter on the given situation. For both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training, you need to answer an opinion-based essay question. Here is the breakdown of the IELTS Writing Module as mentioned below. 

Here are some master Tips for Writing Sections as mentioned below. 

• In IELTS, you need to avoid using common terms and words. 
• You need to work on your vocabulary. It is needed to secure a good band score in the writing section. 
• Use the passive voice with new words in your writing. In this, the examiner will understand that you have prepared well with your vocabulary. 
• There are two writing tasks you need to complete in IELTS in 60 Minutes. 
• The word limit is 150 and 250 for Task 1 and Task 2. 
• You need to stick to the word length but it is recommended to add 10-20 words more during writing.
• Less word count may cause low band scores. 
• There is no place for grammatical mistakes. You need to fix it up in an early stage of your preparation.
• Focus on writing the various ranges of tenses with good sentence formation. 
• You need to remember that for task one you have to spend only 20 minutes not more than that. Use timer to do that.
• Follow the proper format for the writing section.
• A good introduction and conclusion always say that you can create balance in your writing. So focus on them.
• You have to develop proper analyzing skills because short and small data are always important for IELTS writing.

Conclusion

IELTS writing tasks are the second segment of the IELTS examination. In this IELTS segment, you need to write a balanced, coherent, and structured writing. You have to use your vocabulary and grammatical skills in your writing in a clear way. The IELTS writing part consists of two different tasks. But task 1 is different for IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. To perform well in the IELTS writing task, you need to understand the thought of the question and what the examiner wants to know through your writing.

If you are preparing for the IELTS, you need to understand the test format and need to know the related information with it. A good introduction and conclusion always say that you can create balance in your writing. So focus on them. You have to develop proper analyzing skills because short and small data are always important for IELTS writing.

Also Check:

• How to prepare for IELTS?
• IELTS Exam Pattern 2024: Section-wise IELTS Exam Paper Pattern, Question Types
• IELTS Exam Fee 2024
• How to Apply for IELTS 2024| Step-By-Step Guide
• IELTS Academic vs General Tests – What’s the Difference?
• Top 5 Recommended IELTS Preparation Books
• How to Write IELTS Essays to Score Band 9!

Why do people score low in IELTS Writing?

Most candidates generally don’t write anything in their life. That is the main reason they score less in writing. In IELTS the candidate’s handwriting should be legible, spelling mistakes should be avoided, sentences should be grammatically correct and punctuation should be followed.

Why is my IELTS score so low?

Memorized answers are another big issue. Often, students will use IELTS phrases that they learn in training centers. Examiners hate these phrases and you will be penalized for using them. Misreading the question is also quite a problem.

What is the lowest band in IELTS Writing?

IELTS scores are reported as band scores on a scale from 1 (the lowest) to 9 (the highest). You will be given a band score from 1 to 9 for each section of the test – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.

Why am I stuck at 6.5 in IELTS writing?

There are a few reasons why you might be stuck at a 6.5 in IELTS Writing. Here are a few possibilities: You may not be using a wide enough range of vocabulary. In order to score a 7 or higher in IELTS Writing, you need to use a wide range of vocabulary.

Is it hard to get 6.5 in IELTS writing?

IELTS 6.5 band comes with extensive practice, determination, hard work, and perseverance. You should emphasize suitable daily learning modules while also taking cues from practical life. It is easy to score 6.5 bands for a non-native speaker in the first attempt with proper strategy and consistent practice.

Can you get 0 in IELTS?

When you get your IELTS test results you will be given an overall test score of between 0 and 9 on the IELTS scale. You will also get a score for each of the four sections of the test – Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. The IELTS scale helps organisations understand your level of English.

What are the 4 criteria for ielts writing?

Your answers in Writing Task 1 are assessed against the following criteria: task achievement, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource and grammatical range and accuracy.