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My IELTS Classroom Podcast

Why are so many students stuck at a 6.5 for IELTS writing?

May 19, 2020 Shelly Cornick and Nick Lone Episode 7
My IELTS Classroom Podcast
Why are so many students stuck at a 6.5 for IELTS writing?
Chapters
Chapters
0:00
Introduction
3:47
Could IELTS really be changing students’ writing scores so that they cannot achieve a 7.0 in writing? 
12:59
Why do student often get a lower score in writing than the other three parts of the test?
20:56
Introduction to Task Response
22:07
Not addressing the question
31:34
No expanding your ideas
35:41
Introduction to Coherence and Cohesion
37:25
Not having clear topic sentences
40:56
Mechanical use of cohesive devices
47:13
Introduction to Lexical Resource
48:45
Poor paraphrasing 
57:40
Fake transition signals 
1:00:40
Introduction to Grammatical Range and Accuracy
1:01:39
Not having a wide enough range of sentence structures
1:05:35
Poor subject / verb agreement 
Info
My IELTS Classroom Podcast
Why are so many students stuck at a 6.5 for IELTS writing?
May 19, 2020 Episode 7
Shelly Cornick and Nick Lone

Today, Nick and I discuss one of the most important IELTS questions - why are so many students stuck at a 6.5 for IELTS writing? Is it because there is a conspiracy to trick test-takers, or are there other less sinister reasons? You can find the full episode notes and a transcript of the conversation at http://podcast.myieltsclassroom.com/

Episode Notes

Following on from our lesson last week, today we look at the most common IELTS myth -  examiners are changing test-takers writing scores on purpose to prevent them getting a 7.0. Is there really any evidence for this? Well PC Lone and Sargent Cornick will investigate to find out! Then, we will spend the rest of the episode discussing the most common errors in that we saw when we were examiners when marking students' essays. Are you making these mistakes? Well, join the episode to find out!

In this episode, we will discuss:

  1. if it is possible that Cambridge, the British Council, IDP, examiners, or individual test centres are changing scores of purposively making it hard for students to get a 7.0 in IELTS writing?
  2. why students tend to get a lower score in writing than in the other parts of test
  3. the most common errors that we see with Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy that stop students getting a 7.0 for their IELTS essay

Useful Links 

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Show Notes Chapter Markers

Today, Nick and I discuss one of the most important IELTS questions - why are so many students stuck at a 6.5 for IELTS writing? Is it because there is a conspiracy to trick test-takers, or are there other less sinister reasons? You can find the full episode notes and a transcript of the conversation at http://podcast.myieltsclassroom.com/

Episode Notes

Following on from our lesson last week, today we look at the most common IELTS myth -  examiners are changing test-takers writing scores on purpose to prevent them getting a 7.0. Is there really any evidence for this? Well PC Lone and Sargent Cornick will investigate to find out! Then, we will spend the rest of the episode discussing the most common errors in that we saw when we were examiners when marking students' essays. Are you making these mistakes? Well, join the episode to find out!

In this episode, we will discuss:

  1. if it is possible that Cambridge, the British Council, IDP, examiners, or individual test centres are changing scores of purposively making it hard for students to get a 7.0 in IELTS writing?
  2. why students tend to get a lower score in writing than in the other parts of test
  3. the most common errors that we see with Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy that stop students getting a 7.0 for their IELTS essay

Useful Links 

Rate and review My IELTS Classroom
If you are on Apple Podcasts, help us to help more people just like you by rating and reviewing our show. Reviews let other students - just like you - find our information-packed episodes and start their IELTS journey in the best possible way.

Remember, My IELTS Classroom offers a range of IELTS services:

Support the Show.

0:00
Introduction
3:47
Could IELTS really be changing students’ writing scores so that they cannot achieve a 7.0 in writing? 
12:59
Why do student often get a lower score in writing than the other three parts of the test?
20:56
Introduction to Task Response
22:07
Not addressing the question
31:34
No expanding your ideas
35:41
Introduction to Coherence and Cohesion
37:25
Not having clear topic sentences
40:56
Mechanical use of cohesive devices
47:13
Introduction to Lexical Resource
48:45
Poor paraphrasing 
57:40
Fake transition signals 
1:00:40
Introduction to Grammatical Range and Accuracy
1:01:39
Not having a wide enough range of sentence structures
1:05:35
Poor subject / verb agreement