IELTS Writing Master

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IELTS_Writing_Master

IELTS Writing Task one and Task two. Vocabulary, collocations, and your recurring errors. Master reference. A note on what changed. The source document was about one hundred thirty pages, and roughly half of it was a generic alphabetical dictionary of everyday collocations, repeated twice with only minor variation, and not tied to any specific error of yours. That generic block has been left out of this master, since it added volume without personalization. Everything kept here either teaches vocabulary you will actually use in Task one or Task two, or comes directly from patterns in your own writing. Where the source material repeated the same rule across twenty or thirty near-identical examples, this version keeps only enough examples to fix the pattern in memory, since the twenty-first example teaches nothing the third one didn't. Formatting follows the same rule as your Speaking materials, complete sentences separated by periods, no arrows, no tables, no bullet dashes, so a text to speech reader can move through it without interruption.

PART ONE. TREND AND GRAPH VOCABULARY. Describing an upward trend. The data showed a significant increase. The city experienced a substantial increase. The country witnessed a sharp rise. The sector recorded a marked rise. Prices increased dramatically. The number rose sharply. The figures show an upward trend. Tourist arrivals reached a peak in August. The rate attained its highest level. There was a considerable growth. The city saw exponential growth. Describing a downward trend. The birth rate experienced a gradual decline. The figures showed a sharp fall. The company recorded a significant drop. The rate declined sharply. The data show a downward trend. The numbers hit the lowest point. The region experienced a considerable decline. Describing stability and a plateau. The proportion remained relatively stable. The rate remained constant. The figures reached a plateau. The numbers levelled off. The curve flattened out. There was a period of stability. Describing fluctuation. The temperature fluctuated slightly. The values fluctuated sharply. The data show some fluctuation. The results varied considerably. There was a considerable variation. A slight fluctuation was observed. Percentages and comparisons. Renewable sources accounted for a majority. Non-renewable energy accounted for a minority. A large percentage of people. A significant percentage of the budget. The highest percentage was recorded in the capital. Just under fifty percent of respondents. There was a twenty percent increase. The rate was slightly higher than the national average. The figure was significantly higher than expected. The cost was three times higher than the previous year. London was closely followed by Paris. There are considerable differences between the two groups. Comparing two maps. The main differences between the maps are the transport links and the housing. There are significant differences in land use. Only minor differences can be observed in the town centre. The area underwent major changes over the period shown. The forest decreased in size, while the residential zone expanded. The city centre has seen the most change of any area on the map. The growth in population was more significant than the growth in industry. There was significant growth over the course of twenty years. Introducing a process diagram. The diagram illustrates a complex process. This is a relatively short process. The process consists of four main stages. The process involves several steps. This is a natural process, not a man-made one. The system has various components. It consists of several component parts. This creates a continuous cycle. In the initial stages of the process, the raw material is collected. In the first stage, the water is heated. The next step is to filter the mixture. After which it is sent to the next chamber. In preparation for the final stage. At this point, the liquid is cooled.

PART TWO. WRITING TASK TWO COLLOCATIONS. Expressing an opinion. Education plays a vital role in shaping society. It is widely believed that technology improves lives. It is my firm conviction that early intervention matters most. There is a strong argument for renewable energy. I am inclined to believe that the risks are overstated. I firmly believe that investing in education is crucial. From my perspective, the benefits outweigh the costs. This essay will argue that regulation is necessary. It is widely accepted that stress affects health. There is no denying that climate change is real. Advantages and disadvantages. Globalisation brings about significant benefits. Technology creates opportunities for remote work. Social media poses a threat to privacy. Pollution has a detrimental effect on health. The advantages outweigh the drawbacks. The policy offers significant benefits. This approach brings considerable advantages. Problems and solutions. Governments must address the issue of pollution. Authorities should take effective measures. It is essential to implement solutions quickly. We must tackle the root cause of the problem. Immediate action is needed to prevent further damage. Innovation can help solve this problem. Researchers are trying to find a solution. Cause and effect. Deforestation gives rise to habitat loss. This policy may result in economic growth. Climate change has a severe impact on biodiversity. Urbanisation led to the emergence of new industries. The factory is responsible for the pollution. The rise in obesity can be attributed to poor diet. One contributing factor is lack of exercise. This phenomenon can be explained by shifting demographics. This often leads to social unrest. As a result, many people lost their jobs. Academic evaluation. Education plays a significant part in development. From an economic perspective, the policy is beneficial. In the long run, this will benefit everyone. In terms of impact, the changes are significant. This decision has far-reaching consequences. The new law has a significant effect on businesses. Teachers play a crucial role in child development. Giving examples. For example, many countries have banned single-use plastics. This is clearly illustrated by the case of urban recycling programs. Many countries, such as Germany and Japan, have adopted this policy. This affects two groups, namely children and the elderly. Adding and contrasting ideas. Moreover, the cost of living has increased. On the other hand, there are some drawbacks. Nevertheless, the benefits are clear. While it is true that technology has improved lives, the risks remain. Despite this, many people remain sceptical. Conclusion. In conclusion, the evidence supports this view. To sum up, there are several key factors. All things considered, the benefits are greater than the costs. Taking everything into account, the policy should be adopted. Overall, it can be said that education is key.

PART THREE. YOUR RECURRING ERRORS IN WRITING TASK ONE AND TWO. This versus these. This is the single most repeated error in your texts, and the rule is simple, if the word that follows has an s at the end, use these, if it doesn't, use this. Wrong: the difference in this roles were significant. Correct: the difference in these roles was significant, because roles has an s, so it takes these, and difference is singular, so it takes was. Wrong: this sectors. Correct: these sectors, because sectors has an s. Wrong: these year. Correct: this year, because year has no s. A quick mental trick, if you could say estos in Spanish, use these, if you would say esto or esta, use this. Subject verb agreement, singular versus plural. This is sacred in English, the verb must change depending on whether the subject is one thing or several. A singular subject takes a verb ending in s, or was, or is. A plural subject takes a verb with no s, or were, or are. Wrong: the difference in these roles were small. Correct: the difference was small, because difference is one single thing. Wrong: there was more men. Correct: there were more men, because men is plural. Wrong: the percentage are. Correct: the percentage is, because a percentage is one single number. The golden rule, look at the end of the subject, if it has an s, like numbers or countries or roles, the verb does not take an s, they were, they have, if it has no s, like number or country or role, the verb does take an s, it is, it has. Spend versus spent. This is your most repeated error and the easiest to fix. Spend is present tense. Spent is the past tense or the past participle. In Task one, you are almost always describing data from the graph, so when you talk about money, you almost always need the participle. Wrong: money spend on petrol. Correct: money spent on petrol, since this is spent money, a participle. Wrong: the amount they spend on 1996. Correct: the amount they spent in 1996, since 1996 is in the past, so the verb goes in the past. The golden rule, if you see the word money or income right before the verb, use spent, if you are describing the action happening now, use spend. Verbs after to and after modal verbs. After to, and after can, could, should, will, the verb always goes in the base form, with no ed, no s, no ing. Wrong: could occupied every job. Correct: could occupy every job. Wrong: they need to spent. Correct: they need to spend. The golden rule, can, could, will, would, should, may, must, plus the base verb with no changes, and to plus the base verb. A versus an. If the next word begins with a vowel sound, use an, regardless of the letter it's written with. Wrong: with a expenditure. Correct: with an expenditure, because expenditure begins with a vowel sound. Wrong: a average income. Correct: an average income, because average begins with a vowel sound. Watch out for university, it sounds like it starts with a y sound, so it takes a, not an, since the rule is about the sound, not the letter.

Fixed prepositions. These are set combinations and don't translate word for word from Spanish. Wrong: data of the prices. Correct: data on the prices, or data about the prices. Wrong: spend in gasoline. Correct: spend on petrol, since you spend money on something. Wrong: increase on ten percent. Correct: increase by ten percent, when you mean the size of the rise, or increase to ten percent, when you mean the level it reached. Wrong: compare with, used alone. Correct: compared to, or compared with, but never the bare form compare with on its own. Amount versus number. Amount is for things you cannot count, like money, water, or time. Number is for things you can count, like people, cars, or crimes. Wrong: the amount of people. Correct: the number of people, since people can be counted one by one. Wrong: the number of money. Correct: the amount of money, since money cannot be counted the same way. Comparison structures. These have fixed forms, don't improvise them. Wrong: double compare with. Correct: twice as high as, or double compared to. Wrong: more higher. Correct: much higher, or simply higher, since more higher is a double comparative. Wrong: the most highest. Correct: the highest, since most highest doesn't exist. Your two minute checklist before submitting. Did you use these for plurals and this for singulars, by checking whether the following word ends in an s. Does the verb agree with the subject, if you wrote the difference, did you write was, if you wrote the figures, did you write were. Did you use spent to describe money and spend for the present action. Are the verbs after could and to in the base form, like occupy and spend. Did you put an before words that begin with a vowel sound, like an expenditure. Did you use number of for people and amount of for money.

PART FOUR. WORDS YOU MISSPELL, WITH MEMORY TRICKS. Contributing, not contibuting, it has two rs and two ts, think con-tri-bu-ting. Fuels, not fules, there is no r in this word, it's f-u-e-l-s. Oil, not oli, there is no r, it's o-i-l. Committed, not commited, double m and double t. Unlawful, not unlawfull, only one l at the end. Depicts, not depecis, de-picts, with a c and a t. Independence, not independency, it ends in ence, not ency. Every job, not everyjob, these are two separate words. Australia, not Austrialia, the r comes after the t, aus-tra-lia. The golden rule for checking, if you see a word with an r or a double consonant, underline it and check it letter by letter in your head before submitting.

PART FIVE. DANGEROUS COLLOCATIONS, WORDS THAT EXIST BUT DON'T COMBINE. Wrong: overcome by male workers. Correct: dominated by male workers, or male-dominated, since overcome means being defeated, not being the majority. Wrong: hegemonic of work distribution. Correct: dominance in work distribution, since hegemonic belongs to international politics, not labor statistics. Wrong: spectacular growth. Correct: substantial rise, or sharp increase, since spectacular suits fireworks, not professional writing. Wrong: negative repercussions. Correct: significant decline, or ended lower, since repercussions implies a negative opinion, while decline is a neutral, objective fact. Wrong: levelled of. Correct: levelled off, since the correct preposition for stabilizing is off, not of. Wrong: double compare with. Correct: twice as high as, or double compared to. Wrong: data of the prices. Correct: data on the prices, or data about, never of. Wrong: money spend. Correct: money spent, the participle for money already spent.

PART SIX. YOUR OWN REPETITION PATTERN, WITH SYNONYMS. In one of your energy texts, you used accounted for three times in a row, which weakens your range of vocabulary. For accounted for, alternate with made up, comprised, or constituted. For represented, alternate with constituted, or accounted for. For showed, alternate with illustrated, depicted, or indicated. For increase as a noun, alternate with rise, surge, or growth. For decrease as a noun, alternate with fall, decline, or drop. For went up as a verb, alternate with rose, climbed, or surged. For went down as a verb, alternate with fell, plummeted, or declined. Instead of writing oil accounted for thirty four point three percent, try oil made up thirty four point three percent, or oil constituted thirty four point three percent.

PART SEVEN. LEVEL-UP ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS. Instead of big or large, use substantial or considerable, as in a substantial rise in imports. Instead of small or little, use minor, marginal, or slight, as in a minor difference. Instead of very big, use overwhelming or vast, as in the vast majority. Instead of a lot, use significantly or considerably, as in significantly higher than. Instead of a little, use slightly or marginally, as in slightly exceeded. Instead of about or around, use approximately or roughly, as in approximately nine hundred thousand. Instead of clear or obvious, use apparent or evident, as in it is evident that.

PART EIGHT. DESCRIBING MAPS, THE VERB TENSE SYSTEM. When both maps show the past, for instance 1990 and 2000, everything goes in the past simple. Wrong, treating it as present: the forest is in the north. Correct: the forest was in the north. In 1990, a factory was located in the north, by 2000, it had been demolished and a park was created. The old railway line was removed and replaced by a cycle path. When one map is the past and the other is now, use the present perfect for the change that has happened, and the present simple for what exists today. The present perfect signals that the change happened at some point between the past and now, the present simple describes the current state. Wrong, using only the past: the factory was demolished. Correct: the factory has been demolished, currently a park stands in its place. The old cinema has been closed down, nowadays a modern shopping centre occupies the site. The industrial zone has been redeveloped, at present it comprises several apartment blocks. When one map is now and the other is the future, use the present simple for what exists now, and a future form, will, is going to, or is planned to, for what is coming. Wrong, using only the present: there is a park, they build a hotel. Correct: there is a park, however it will be demolished to make way for a hotel. Currently a forest covers the northern area, according to the plan, it will be cleared to build new houses. The airport is small at present, by 2030 it is expected to be significantly expanded. When one map is the past and the other is the future, use the past simple for the old map, and a future form, or the future perfect, for the new one, to emphasize that the change will already be complete by then. In 1990, a forest covered this area, by 2030, it will have been replaced by a business park. The old railway line was still in use in 1990, however by 2030 it will be completely removed. The golden rule for active versus passive in maps. Use the passive, was built, has been built, will be built, always for human constructions, buildings, roads, bridges, airports, since the classic beginner mistake is writing they built a new road, when a new road was built sounds far more like a band seven or higher. Use the active, increased, decreased, grew, shrank, only for natural or numeric changes that don't need a builder, the population, the size of a forest, a river. The forest shrank. The population grew. Comparatives for maps. Instead of the new airport is big, write the new airport is significantly larger than the old one. Instead of there are many houses, write there are far more houses than there were in 1990. Instead of the forest is small now, write the forest is now less than half its original size. Instead of the population grew, write the population increased by two hundred percent over the period. Instead of the road is long, write the road is twice as long as it was previously.

Prepositions of place for maps. To the north of, for something outside and beside the reference point, as in a new car park was built to the north of the station. In the north-east, for something inside that area, as in the industrial zone in the north-east was removed. Adjacent to, for right next to, as in the shopping centre is adjacent to the new road. Opposite, for directly facing, as in the cafe was built opposite the library. Replaced by, as in the old houses were replaced by a block of flats. Converted into, as in the farmland was converted into a golf course. The six passive verbs you must have automatic for maps, each with its past, present perfect, and future passive form. Build, a school was built, a school has been built, a school will be built. Demolish, the factory was demolished, the factory has been demolished, the factory will be demolished. Replace, the trees were replaced, the trees have been replaced, the trees will be replaced. Extend, the runway was extended, the runway has been extended, the runway will be extended. Convert, the farm was converted, the farm has been converted, the farm will be converted. Remove, the old rails were removed, the old rails have been removed, the old rails will be removed. A full golden paragraph, showing the whole system together. The maps illustrate significant changes to a coastal town between 1990 and 2020. Overall, the town experienced considerable modernization, with new transport links and the expansion of residential areas. In 1990, a large forest was located to the north, however by 2020 this forest had been completely demolished and replaced by a new housing estate. Similarly, the old railway line in the east was removed and converted into a cycle path. Turning to the south, the industrial area has been significantly extended, in 1990 it was small, now it is twice as large as it used to be. Furthermore, a new supermarket has been constructed adjacent to the main road.

PART NINE. THE MAP OVERVIEW FORMULA. A correct overview needs a signal phrase, overall or on the whole, a summary of the main features, a maximum of three or four features, and no specific numbers or exact place names. The formula in three steps, first state the macro change, what did the area change from and to, rural to urban, agricultural to residential, second mention the infrastructure, what roads, railways, or bridges were added or removed, third mention services and facilities, what shops, hotels, or schools appeared. An example that follows the formula. Overall, the town has undergone significant modernization, with new transport links and recreational facilities replacing what was once a largely rural settlement. On the whole, the most notable changes involve the expansion of residential areas and the introduction of commercial amenities, while the natural landscape has been largely replaced by man-made structures. Overall, the most striking changes are the disappearance of farmland and the emergence of new public amenities, such as a pub and a hotel. What makes an overview wrong is including specific details that belong in the body paragraphs, not the overview. Wrong: overall, a shopping centre was built in the north, and the train line runs east to west. Correct: overall, new commercial and transport facilities have been introduced, without saying exactly where. Wrong: overall, the population increased from two thousand to fifteen thousand. Correct: overall, the population has grown significantly, without the exact numbers. Wrong: overall, the trees in the south-east were removed. Correct: overall, green spaces have been largely replaced by built-up areas, without naming the exact location. A full introduction plus overview, ready to adapt. The two maps illustrate the developments that have taken place in the town between 1815 and the present day. Overall, the town has undergone a dramatic transformation from a predominantly agricultural area with scattered housing into a densely populated urban centre. Notably, transport infrastructure has been significantly upgraded, and a range of new commercial facilities has been introduced.

PART TEN. DESCRIBING PROCESSES, RULES AND VOCABULARY. The tense rule for processes is simple, always use the present simple, active or passive, because a process is a general fact with no specific time, it happens the same way every time. The golden rule, ninety percent of process sentences use the passive in the present simple, because what matters is not who performs the action, but what happens to the material. Introduction structures for a process. The diagram illustrates the process of recycling plastic bottles. The flow chart shows the stages involved in making cement. The diagram depicts how glass is recycled. The illustration outlines the steps required to produce paper. The figure provides a visual representation of the water cycle. Sequencing connectors for a linear process. Initially, the raw materials are collected. Subsequently, the mixture is heated. After that, the liquid is filtered. This is followed by the packaging stage. Finally, the bottles are transported to shops. For a cyclical process, where it starts again, use the water returns to the ocean, and the cycle begins anew, or the process is repeated continuously. Verbs by category for process description. For heat and temperature, heat becomes is heated, burn becomes is burned, melt becomes is melted, cool becomes is cooled, freeze becomes is frozen, vaporise becomes is vaporised. For movement and transport, transport becomes is transported, convey becomes is conveyed, pump becomes is pumped, push becomes is pushed, deliver becomes is delivered. For change and transformation, transform becomes is transformed, convert becomes is converted, process becomes is processed, refine becomes is refined, purify becomes is purified. For mixing and combining, mix becomes is mixed, combine becomes is combined, blend becomes is blended, stir becomes is stirred, add becomes is added, pour becomes is poured, place becomes is placed. Natural collocations that sound like Band seven or higher, instead of a direct translation from Spanish. Instead of it is put in the machine, say it is fed into the machine. Instead of it is put in the heat, say it is subjected to heat. Instead of it is put in the cold, say it is exposed to low temperatures. Instead of it goes through a pipe, say it is passed through a pipe. Instead of it is taken out, say it is extracted. Instead of it is put into the water, say it is discharged into the water. Instead of the product is made, say the product is manufactured. Instead of the heat makes it liquid, say the heat causes it to melt. Instead of it changes to gas, say it is converted into vapor, or it undergoes vaporisation. Instead of it moves to the next step, say it progresses to the next stage. Active versus passive in processes. Use the passive, ninety percent of the time, for anything done to the material by a machine or a person, the clay is shaped, the mixture is heated. Use the active only for natural actions with no agent, water flows, or when the material itself is the subject moving forward, the mixture progresses to the next stage.

Process overview formula. State how many stages the process has, the process consists of eight distinct stages, and state where it begins and ends, beginning with the extraction of raw materials and ending with the finished product, or note if it's cyclical. Your checklist for processes before submitting. Is everything in the present simple, not past or future. Have you used the passive, is heated, are mixed, for actions performed by machines or people. Have you varied your connectors, initially, subsequently, after that, finally, instead of repeating then four times. Have you used natural collocations, subjected to, fed into, passed through, instead of a direct translation like put in. Does your overview state how many steps there are and where it starts or ends. Does every sentence have a clear subject, the material, before the verb, for instance the plastic is melted, not just is melted with no subject.

PART ELEVEN. UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS BY THEME, WITH COUNTABLE ALTERNATIVES. These never take an s or a or an. In academic and education topics, the uncountable nouns are research, knowledge, progress, homework, coursework, information, feedback, and guidance, with safe countable alternatives being a study, a fact, a step, an assignment, or a suggestion. In work and employment, the uncountable nouns are work, employment, experience, training, overtime, and labor, with alternatives being a job, an occupation, a task, a skill, or a workshop. In policy and society, the uncountable nouns are advice, legislation, infrastructure, accommodation, welfare, chaos, and violence, with alternatives being a recommendation, a law, a facility, a building, or an incident. In environment and cities, the uncountable nouns are congestion, pollution, waste, litter, traffic, scenery, wildlife, and weather, with alternatives being a jam, a pollutant, a trash can, a landscape, or an animal. In technology and media, the uncountable nouns are software, hardware, equipment, data, media, news, and coverage, with alternatives being a tool, a device, a report, an article, or a story. In economy and money, the uncountable nouns are money, cash, wealth, funding, capital, expenditure, and commerce, with alternatives being a dollar, a grant, an investment, or an expense. In health and wellbeing, the uncountable nouns are health, stress, exercise, sleep, fatigue, nutrition, and hygiene, with alternatives being a condition, a factor, a workout, or a habit.

PART TWELVE. ACADEMIC COLLOCATION TRAPS TO AVOID. For solutions and actions, say prioritize X over Y, as in governments should prioritize public transit over highway expansion, never prioritize X above Y. Say solution to X or key to X, as in education is the key to solving poverty, never solution for X or key for X. Say invest in X, as in cities must invest in green infrastructure, never invest on X. For causes and effects, say result in X when you mean it leads to, as in sedentary lifestyles result in chronic illness, never result on X. Say result from X when you mean it's caused by, as in health issues result from poor nutrition, never result by X. Say attribute X to Y, as in scientists attribute global warming to emissions, never attribute X on Y. For impacts and focus, say have an impact or effect on X, as in technology has a profound effect on daily life, never effect to X. Say focus or concentrate on X, as in schools should focus on practical skills, never focus in X. For engagement, say participate or engage in X, as in students benefit when they engage in extracurriculars, never engage on X.