Structure and Coherence Topics related:

. Although there are variations, there are a set number of topics tasks are related to. These include: a. Culture and Society b. Education c. Technology d. Environment e. A combination of the above It is a good thing to prepare yourself by improving your general knowledge. Visit websites that have information on these topics. Read books, magazines and newspapers which might have articles covering them. Remember: reading will improve your writing, so the more reading you do, the more you improve your general knowledge of each area, and you also have exposure to sentence structures and organization - this should carry over to your writing. The more reading you do, the more you improve your general knowledge of each area Structure

Introductory paragraph The introduction of a Task 2 answer should begin with a general statement or idea of your own that takes into account the key topic words or their synonyms. The last sentence of the introduction should include a thesis statement which shows the point of view or direction that will be taken in the answer. Body paragraphs Body paragraphs each consist of several sentences that are arranged in a logical way to develop a main idea. You can expect to write about 2-4 body paragraphs for a Task 2 answer. Each of these contains an appropriate connective word to ensure a smooth transition between paragraphs. This connective is then put in a topic sentence which is the main point of the paragraph clearly stated in a sentence. Every sentence in the paragraph must be directly related to it. Try to develop every paragraph adequately. This may be done through the use of examples, explanations, detail, logical inference, cause and effect or making comparisons or contrasts. There are many different ways to organize your ideas for body paragraphs. Be confident of the ideas you choose. The conclusion A good conclusion serves several purposes: It indicates the end of your essay. It gives your final thoughts and assessments on the essay

subject. It weighs up the points in your essay and should strengthen your thesis statement. Do not simply repeat your opening paragraph. This appears too mechanical and superficial.
Logical flow
Now that you know which ideas you are going to use and focus upon, organize them. Put your writing points in a logical order. You have your main ideas that you will focus on, and must align them in a sequence that will flow in a smooth, sensible path from point to point, so that the reader will go smoothly from one idea to the next in a logical path. Readers must have a sense of continuity as they read your paper. You dont want to have a paper that rambles back and forth.

COHERENCE
For a review, cohesion relates to the way your sentences are connected. Coherence, on the other hand, relates to the way your ideas are organized. As you may have known by now, coherence and cohesion is a criteria checked by your examiners in IELTS writing. Today we're going to provide you with some quick pointers on how to improve your writing when it comes to coherence. Here you go: 1) Separate each major idea into paragraphs. When a particular idea or point is complete, end the paragraph. In other words, start a new one, and make it easier for the examiner to understand your essay by not stuffing all your ideas into one very long paragraph. How would you know if you have to start a new paragraph? Take note of the next tip. 2) Mind the paragraph structure of your essay. What this means is that your writing task should consist of several paragraphs. Each paragraph should serve a specific purpose in your essay or writing task. For example, if you are given a "To what extent do you agree or disagree." type of question in Task 2 of IELTS Academic writing, then your essay could be broken down to four to five paragraphs, as follows: Paragraph 1 - Introduction Paragraph 2 - Justification of your view Paragraph 3 - Additional justification of your view Paragraph 4 - Refutation of the opposite view Paragraph 5 - Conclusion There are of course other question types. While the content of each paragraph may not be the same, the point is that each paragraph that you construct should be based on its purpose in relation to the entire essay. 3) Make use of transition words.

As discussed before, transition words and phrases are those which connect ideas, sentences, and paragraphs together. Consider these words as links so that your paragraphs and the ideas that they contain would flow freely from one to the other. In your IELTS test, we encourage you to use words and phrases such as "moreover," "furthermore," "first," "firstly," "second," "secondly," "although," "while," "by way of contrast," "however," "therefore," or "in conclusion." These words, and many others, could help in showing your reader that an idea or point is to be added, listed, compared, constrasted, or concluded, thus resulting in an essay that exhibits a smooth flow of ideas. There you have it. Master coherence and cohesion for a more organized essay or writing task. Checklist
Here the aim is to check that you've written the best IELTS Writing answer you can. You're going to review and improve your work. Here's what you should be checking at this stage:

make sure you've answered the task fully (all aspects of the task) check that your style and tone are appropriate and consistent (e.g. NOT, Dear Sir,............'Hi,
how are ya doin?'!

make sure your paragraphing is clear and logical all your supporting points are relevant to your answer to the task. look for grammar and spelling mistakes.