IELTS Writing for Russian speakers

Task Achievement and Task Response

• An unclear position in Task 2
• Ideas that are listed but not developed
• Memorised paragraphs that do not match the question
• Answering only one part of a two-part question
• Examples that are too general to prove the point
• A conclusion that only repeats the introduction
• Essays that finish under the minimum word count
• Running out of time in the Writing paper
• Writing scores that go up and down between attempts
• The gap between Band 6 and Band 7 in Writing
• A missing or weak overview in Task 1
• Choosing the wrong features to describe in Task 1
• Misreading or misreporting data in Task 1
• Task 1 reports that are too long or too detailed
• The wrong tone in a General Training letter
• Missing or thin bullet points in a General Training letter

Coherence and Cohesion

• Overused linking words such as 'however' and 'moreover'
• Weak paragraphing and essay structure
• Unclear pronouns and reference words
• An introduction that copies the question
• Body paragraphs with no clear topic sentence
• Describing maps and processes clearly
• Making the same mistakes after getting feedback

Lexical Resource

• Repeating the same words from the question
• Unnatural word combinations
• Frequent spelling mistakes
• Rare or memorised words used in the wrong place
• Difficulty paraphrasing the question and task data
• Limited or repetitive trend vocabulary in Task 1

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

• Mistakes with a, an and the
• Switching tenses without a reason
• Sentences that all have the same simple structure
• Run-on sentences and comma splices
• Subject-verb agreement mistakes
• Errors in conditional and hypothetical sentences
• Having no time or method to proofread

What do Russian speakers need to know about IELTS Writing targets?

Russian-speaking candidates often have strong grammar knowledge and need targeted work on articles and natural word choice.

What should Russian speakers fix first in IELTS Writing?

Start with mistakes with a, an and the, examples that are too general to prove the point, switching tenses without a reason. A strong grammar foundation and an analytical writing tradition help with logical structure.

How should Russian speakers organise IELTS Writing practice?

Focus on article and collocation drills in short daily blocks.

Which IELTS test should Russian speakers take?

Check whether the organisation that will read your result asks for Academic or General Training, because Task 1 differs: a chart, map or process for Academic, and a letter for General Training. Task 2 is an essay in both.