IELTS Writing Task 2: templates and 'firstly, secondly, finally'

Here's a question that someone asked me yesterday (I've rewritten it in my own words to make it shorter):

I've heard that examiners in China are lowering scores when candidates use prepared writing templates. The linking words "firstly, secondly, finally" are considered as 'template words' for writing task 2, so how can we replace them to avoid getting a lower score?

First, there are a couple of problems with this question:

• It assumes that examiners in one country have decided to create their own rules about how tests should be marked. This is not true! All examiners are trained to use the band descriptors in the same way.
• It implies that the use of just three simple words (firstly, secondly, finally) will automatically bring your score down. This is also wrong! Your score will not be lowered on the basis of just three words.

Next, let's look at what the band descriptors say about this issue:

• The band descriptors refer to "over-use of cohesive devices" at band 5 level. In other words, if you use too many linking words or template phrases, you're in danger of entering band 5 territory for "coherence and cohesion", which is worth 25% of your score.
• On the other hand, if we look at the descriptor for band 7, we can see the phrase "uses a range of cohesive devices appropriately". This tells us that we do need to use some linking words, but only where they help the flow of ideas.
• No specific examples of good or bad linking or 'template' words are given in the band descriptors, so there is nothing inherently wrong with using "firstly, secondly, finally". Personally I dislike the word 'moreover', but I've never lowered a candidate's score just because he/she used this word once or twice.

To sum up, here's a more direct answer to the student's question:

Examiners in every country (not only in China) want to read essays that are full of 'real content'; they don't like essays that mainly consist of 'phrases for any essay'. I think it's true that too many candidates rely on templates, and I believe that people should focus on preparing topic ideas instead.

Having said that, you do need to link and organise your ideas, and simple words like "firstly, secondly, finally" can help you to do that. These words will only have a negative effect on your score if you overuse them, or if you use them wrongly. But if you still want to avoid using "firstly, secondly, finally", there are plenty of other ways to organise your ideas (click here and here to see some examples).

Comments

[Philip YANG]

Hi Simon,

I have a question about how to describe the multiple of a number in Writing Task 1. In the model answer of Cambridge 4 Test 1 Writing Task 1, there is a sentence in the second paragraph:
However, those xxx had almost double this proportion of poor people, with xxx.

I don't know the word double here is an adjective, a noun, or a verb.

If it is a verb, I think it should be "(had) doubled"-in past perfect tense.
If it is a noun or an adjective, would you please give some examples on how the word 'double' is used in this way?

Thanks in advance!

Philip

[Zac Henry]

I totally agree with this. My first IELTS writing exam was a disastrous because of a nicely prepared templates. Although the examiner gave me a score of 6.5, I should have done it better on focusing more on the context of my essay. On my second appearance, I did a different approached. I followed everything what Simon's lessons and applied this lesson method, most importantly. I was surprised with the result that it did increase drastically to 7.5. I know that my grammar knowledge is below average but if you follow what Simon has always advised us, concentrate on our vocabulary, it would definitely help us to increase our desired score in a short possibly time.

[sjm]

Philip

'to double' is a verb which means 'increase by two times'

'double' the predeterminer (similar to an adjective), means 'two times bigger'

'double this proportion' means two times bigger than this proportion

Candidates make this mistake all the time. It's because the words look the same. If they were different words, like 'half' and 'to halve' then it would be easier to see the difference.

[sjm]

Zac

The problem with a lot of templates is that they contain too many memorised words and phrases. This then lowers the amount of topic vocabulary.

Simon even uses a basic template (for example, he uses a five sentence body paragraph with a clear topic sentence, and similar linkers). However the key is that a template (or what I would call 'good organisation') does not dominate the essay. I always say from an examiner's point of view that candidates should keep memorised words and linkers to under 20% of the total word count.

[Zac Henry]

Sjm, perfectly explained. That's what I was trying to say but I've just had a poor command of English, limited vocabulary and can't expand my ideas in more effective way. hahaha

[Philip YANG]

Sjm, thanks for you answer, but I am still confused about it.

I think the word 'double' in the following sentence is a verb.

However, those xxx had almost double this proportion of poor people, with xxx.

but it should be in past perfect tense, i.e. doubled, because there is a word 'had' before.

am I right?

thank you!

[sjm]

Philip

In that sentence it is clearly NOT a verb. The verb is 'had'.

The word 'double' here is a synonym of the word 'twice'. This is not a verb.

Remember, you are COMPARING two numbers here. You are not describing an increase, which is what the verb 'double' means.

The verb 'double' always describes an increase. When you compare numbers there is no increase.

[Philip YANG]

got it!
Sjm, thanks for your great help!

I looked up in a dictionary, the grammar of predeterminer is very complex for me.

In grammar, a predeterminer is a word that is used before a determiner, but is still part of the noun group. For example, "all" in "all the time" and "both" in "both our children" are predeterminers.

So, I will treat the following words as a whole, never separate them
have double the proportion of
have half the proportion of