Writing
I spy Task 1
Level The idea IELTS focus What to prepare
The aim of the activity is to raise the students’ awareness A Writing Task 1 One card per
of the language and structural requirements of describing checklist: TA, CC, student.
specific graphs in Writing Task 1. LR and GRA Choose the one
Eventually, students should be able to take ownership of relevant to the
their own writing by applying the suggested points to their Writing Task.
writing. They should be able to proof-read their writing in
the exam by keeping these points in mind.
IELTS hack
Never underestimate the power of proof-reading. As you prepare for the exam, you should develop a
mental checklist that focuses on two things:
a) the requirements of the task (layout, specific vocabulary, linking words, grammatical range)
b) the mistakes you tend to make – and should therefore double-check your writing for.
Spend the final 3 – 4 minutes of your writing just looking out for these two aspects and amending
your writing as necessary. You may increase your chance of getting a much higher score if you learn
to upgrade your writing efficiently!
How to play
1. Before writing:
Task 1
On the board, write 150, 20, 3 and encourage students to speculate what the numbers might mean in
the context of the Writing Part 1 (perhaps, writing at least 150 words, 20 minutes to write an answer,
and dividing their text into at least 3 paragraphs).
Elicit and discuss other Task 1 do’s and don’ts.
Task On the board, write 250, 40 and 3 and encourage students to speculate what the numbers might
mean in the context of the Writing Part 2. (perhaps, writing at least 250 words, 40 minutes to write an
answer, and dividing an essay into at least 3 paragraphs).
Elicit and discuss other essay do’s and don’ts.
2. After completing a Writing task:
Both tasks
Tell students to exchange their tasks (written individually or as a group) and hand out the “I spy” cards.
To avoid confusion in feedback, get two students sitting next to each other to mark each other’s writing.
Please, note:
a) to focus on specific points, it is recommended to use the same card for everyone.
b) for a more holistic approach to feedback, all the cards can be distributed among students and
different points can be highlighted.
3. Tell students to scan through each other’s writing and then tick and highlight the language and
organisational points suggested by the feedback card.
4. After about 10 minutes get students to work with each other and share initial feedback.
5. Copy feedback cards, or note down some recurrent features to focus on in the following writing lesson.
Follow-up
1. Students should highlight what they see as the most important requirements on their card.
2. Tell students they will make a class check list which you can then photocopy and use in lessons and for
self- and peer-correction.
3. Organise students into a carousel / “speed dating” seating and encourage them to rotate in order to
compile the class writing checklist using a selection of ideas from each card.
4. Encourage students to add their own areas to work on to the checklist.
1
Task 1 I spy – the cards
A line graph: Tick A pie / bar chart: Tick
I spy … I spy …
(content): an overview: (content): an overview:
the overall TREND (upwards, the HIGHEST and the LOWEST
downwards, unstable) proportion
(content): similar features grouped (content): similarities grouped together
together
(content): highlighted differences (content): ranking of information
between trends
(content): periods of stability and (content): comparison between
fluctuation categories
(layout): at least three paragraphs: (layout): at least three paragraphs:
introduction, overview, detail introduction, overview, detail
(connection) linking words and (connection) linking words and
referencing (this, that, such) referencing (this, that, such)
(vocabulary) adjectives and adverbs of (vocabulary) of percentages, proportions
change and movement and fractions
(vocabulary) peaks and troughs (vocabulary) “number” for countable
and “amount” for uncountable nouns
(vocabulary) verbs of change and (vocabulary) quantifiers (most, some, all)
movement
(grammar) Do the verbs reflect the time (grammar) Do the verbs reflect the time
of the graph? of the chart?
(grammar) complex sentences: (grammar) complex sentences:
1) having + (verb of change), … the 1) …, making it + adjective
figure then … 2 which was nowhere near as + /
2) despite + (verb of change)-ing, the adjective… as adjective … /
figure then … 3) with the majority (minority) of …
3) The figure …, which meant that it … (verb) -ing
© DELTA Publishing, 2020 | www.deltapublishing.co.uk
ISBN 978-3-12-501573-9 2
A mile a minute – the vocabulary cards
A diagram: Tick A map: Tick
I spy … I spy …
(content): an overview: (content): an overview:
the TYPE of process, where it BEGINS a general change in the LAYOUT of the
and ENDS, and NUMBER of stages map and the TYPE of place
(content): a description of stages in (content): a description of changes with
order with similar ones grouped similar ones grouped together
together
(content): extra information about the (content): comment on the change of
stage (where, which, in order to) size and purpose of places
(layout): at least three paragraphs: (layout): at least three paragraphs:
introduction, overview, detail introduction, overview, detail
(connection): language of connecting (connection): linking words and
the stages, time connectors referencing (there, this, that, such)
(vocabulary): language specific to the (vocabulary): place-specific words
chart
(grammar): the present simple active for (vocabulary): prepositions of place and
a natural process phrases of location
(grammar): the passive voice to describe (grammar): Do the verbs reflect the time
actions of shown on the map?
(grammar): Use complex sentence (grammar): Use complex sentence
structures: structures:
1) once + the present perfect 1) …, making it + adjective
2) after + -ing 2) which was nowhere near as + /
3) having + past participle adjective… as adjective … /
3) after + -ing
© DELTA Publishing, 2020 | www.deltapublishing.co.uk
ISBN 978-3-12-501573-9 3
