English Pro Tips

Essay Writing Checklist

Before you write your essay

Question Analysis

1. I can identify what kind of question it is

- Agree/ Disagree
- Advantage/ Disadvantage
- Discussion Question
- Double Question
- Direct Question

2. I know how I will structure my essay for each question type

3. I understand what the question is asking me to do

4. I understand the keywords in the question

Preparing your essay

1. I know how many ideas I am going to include

2. I know how I will develop each idea

3. I know what position I will take in relation to the question

- e.g. fully agree, partially agree, etc.

In the real IELTS test, you won't have enough

time to write down a detailed plan. You might
have to do this in your head. Practise this
skill before you go to do your IELTS test.
Good luck!

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English Pro Tips

After you have written your essay

Task Achivement

1. All of my ideas are relevant to the question

2. I have developed all of my ideas (ideally with examples)

3. I have written my position in the introduction and conclusion

4. I have written more than 250 words

Coherence and Cohesion

1. I have organised my essay into clear paragraphs

2. Each paragraph has a clear purpose/topic

3. I have a range of linking words (However, Secondly, etc.)

4. All of my sentences are clear and easy to understand

5. I have used pronouns and paraphrased correctly

Lexical Resource

1. I have read over my essay to make sure that I don't repeat

words unnecessarily

2. I have chosen vocabulary to best communicate my ideas

3. I have checked for word formation and spelling mistakes

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

1. I have used a variety of structures

2. I have checked my writing for grammar mistakes

3. I have checked for punctuation mistakes

© English Pro Tips
 Teenagers should have regular exams at secondary school as this will prepare them
better for life after leaving school. Do you agree or disagree?

Model Essay
Introduction Body Paragraph 1 Body Paragraph 2 Conclusion
Introduce the topic Topic sentenceExaminer's Topic sentence
Comments Restate position
Respond to the question Development Development Summarise ideas
(Link) (Link)

Exams are an important feature of secondary education. However, there is contention over whether frequent
exams prepare students for post-school life. I believe that teenagers should be given regular exams as this
will provide useful practice before they go on to be assessed in university and also help develop a range of
skills which are essential in the world of work.

Having frequent exams at high school ensures that teenagers have had ample examination practice before
continuing to higher levels of education. In further education, it is almost certain that students will be tested
in one way or another. This may be practical (for example, a vocational course will require students to pass
practical exams) or academic (university students are evaluated on ‘coursework’ type tests, formal end-of-
year exams, or a combination of both). Hence, exams at secondary school provide a foundation of experience
which prepares teenagers for the tests they will encounter in further education.

Regular exams also push teenagers to develop a range of skills that are useful in the world of work. For
example, taking an exam requires a student to plan, prepare, and perform in the test, thus developing time
management capability, resilience, and the ability to deliver under pressure. These skills are invaluable in a
professional setting, where it is essential to be able to organise the workload and meet deadlines.The more
exams that teenagers have in high school, the greater the opportunity to develop such skills.

In conclusion, I would argue that teenagers should be given regular exams at secondary school because they
provide useful practice for future tests in further education and develop a range of skills that help teenagers
when they start work.

Examiners Comments
This is a very good response to the question. There is a clear position ("teenagers should be given regular
exams"), which is presented consistently throughout the response (introduction, body paragraphs and conclusion).
Both of the ideas are relevant to "life after leaving school". The response does well to distinguish the effectiveness
of regular exams for those that continue on to "further levels of education" and those who enter the "world of work".
In addition, each of these ideas is well developed with examples.
The response follows a logical structure. The introduction introduces the ideas and position, the body paragraphs
develop each idea, and the conclusion restates the position and summarises the main ideas. Throughout the
response there are a mix of linking words ("Hence", "For example", "also", "thus", "because") and pronouns ("This",
"These") which makes the response easy to follow while avoiding repetition.
This response contains a large range of appropriate advanced vocabulary ("a range of skills", "world of work",
"ensures", "ample examination practice", "higher levels of education", "further education", "vocational course",
"foundation of experience", etc.) There is also effective paraphrasing ("secondary school"- "secondary education",
"regular exams" - "frequent exams", "life after leaving school" - "post-school life"). Spelling is well-controlled.
In terms of Grammatical Range and Accuracy, the response makes use of a variety of different structures ("whether
frequent exams prepare students for post-school life", "have had ample examination practice", "a foundation of
experience which prepares teenagers for the tests...", etc.) Finally, punctuation is well-controlled throughout the
response. © English Pro Tips