Irina Lutsenko: IELTS, writing, cohesion

#IELTS Writing Task 1: topic-specific vocabulary for the recent task attached above ⬆️⬆️⬆️ Many people don't realize that the key to a high Lexical Resource score is not necessarily fancy lexis. It's topic-specific lexis – very narrow and precise lexical items on the topic.  So, one of the first things I think about when I see an IELTS writing task is: What is the topic-specific vocabulary here?  Here is my list for the attached task.  ✅ More universal words:  - a zone - a section - an area ✅ More specific but still broad words for zoo sections:  - a sanctuary, e.g. a bird santuary - a habitat, e.g. the penguin habitat, the ourdoor habitat - an exhibit, e.g. the bear exhibit - an enclosure, e.g. the elephants enclosure ✅ Very specific words:   - a paddock: a zone for grazing animals and hoofed animals (elephants, giraffes, zebras)  - an aviary / a bird sanctuary: a section for birds    - a pen: a pen for farm animals  ✅ Other potentially useful words:  - primates (shell noun for chipanzees)  - predators (shell noun for lions)  - hoofed animals (shell noun for zebras and giraffes)  Do you think you would ace this task if you saw it for the first time in the exam room? Honestly, I am not sure I would. But my students (and my subscribers) won't be caught off guard.

🦋 Writing Incubator - where writing skills hatch 🦋 "Writing Incubator" is a series of workshops by stellar professionals who love writing. Please welcome our first workshop of the season! 🦋 "Cohesion in CPE Writing" by Alena Nikitina 🦋 In #CPE writing, you need to organize your ideas impressively. Can you? But you have to – this is what Cambridge requires to give you Band 5 for the Organisation scale (and they never define what it means exactly… but there are signs.) In the workshop, we will take a close look at what it is about cohesion that makes a piece of writing stand out in the eyes of Cambridge. You will also learn the distinction between “a wide range” of cohesive devices and just a “variety”, which is vital for the top score. At the end, you will write a paragraph in which you will use a few more types of cohesive devices than you usually do. Hopefully, some will eventually become a part of your active writing repertoire. P.S. And if you don’t see a full range of devices in this description, then the workshop is definitely a must-visit for you! 📆 18 October, Sunday, 11.00 am MSK, Zoom. 💌 The workshop is free. To join dm me @iraluts with a meaningful ending to this phrase: “Wow! I can’t miss this one because…” ❗️ Please note that this is a workshop, not a webinar or a lecture. If you join, you will have to write. “Ghosts” will be kicked out. ❗️ Please note that there will be no recording, so it's a safe space to participate. The materials are for the attendees only. 🦋 Writing Incubator - where writing skills hatch 🦋

⬆️⬆️⬆️ Recent exam. My answer is available here: https://t.me/irinalutsenko/618

13.10.2026 - Tashkent IDP #writing Part 1: The diagram below shows a fire exit plan in a college accommodation. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Part 2: Some people think they have the right to use as much fresh water as they want, while others believe that governments should strictly control the use of freshwater as it is a limited resource. Discuss both views and give your own opinion 📩 Report your questions: @cdireport_admin 🔗 cdireport.t.me 📝 To take mock tests based on these reports: @diyorbeksielts_mock

#IELTS Writing Task 1 is a report, not an essay ❗️ I hear students carelessly calling all IELTS tasks essays. IELTS Writing Task 1 is not an essay. It's a report. An essay is a text that presents an argument, perspective, and/or an opinion. A report is a text that reports factual information in an impartial way. Don't call IELTS Writing Task 1 an essay. Call it a report. Words have meanings. Use them carefully and intentionally -- always. ❤️

⬆️ Case in point: A student runs his IELTS report through Claude and gets 7777. I run it through Gemini and get 9999. That's how accurate IELTS assessment by AI is. I don't think humans would disagree by this much.

"Irina, is #IELTS assessment by AI reliable?" I personally think all IELTS assessment except one type is unreliable.  AI, instructors, former examiners, examiners -- they are all unreliable, in my humble opinion. All scores by all these people (and machines) are just opinions that don't guarantee anything. Think about this: If your score is changed after a remark, what does it mean? It means the original assessment -- assessment by a trained, paid examiner -- was wrong. If even this assessment can be unreliable, then how can assessment by people (or machines) who never got examiner trainining or who got it a decade ago be reliable?  The only reliable IELTS assessment, in my humble opinion, is the assessment by a current senior examiner.  In the face of this overall unreliability -- you are unlikely to have consistent access to senior examiner assessment -- I think it makes more sense to focus on skills, not scores. 

#IELTS: Two more things to absolutely never write in Writing Task 1   Two more extreme "Never"s you can avoid and fix effortlessly.  ❌ Though the figure then declined a little, it recovered by the end of the period.  ✅ Although the figure then declined slightly, it recovered by the end of the period.  1️⃣ NEVER write the short "though." Always write the full conjunction "although."  2️⃣ NEVER write "a little." Always write "slightly" instead (or synonyms like "insignificantly").  Both "though" and "a little" are too informal for IELTS Writing (Academic).  

#IELTS: Two things to absolutely never write in Writing Task 1  I don't like extremes like "never" or "always," but ...  ❌ The figure grew up till 2010.  ✅ The figure grew until 2010. 1️⃣ NEVER say "the figure grew up." Children grow up. Figures grow (as do numbers, percentages and the rest of the flock).  2️⃣ NEVER use "till." Always use "until" instead of "till" in IELTS writing. Always.  Six IELTS Writing groups started last week. 🤪 Do you want me to share IELTS-y things like explanations or common mistakes? ⬇️

A more colorful version of the task from the recent exam (shared above). ⬆️ Reconstructed by a student. Drawn by Anna Skopina -- the person behind all the creative images on my social media. Do you think IELTS tasks should be more colorful? Or is "black and white" better for focus? ⬇️

#IELTS Task Response issues ⬆️⬆️⬆️ The IELTS essay topic above from a recent exam is a topic I often used as a speaking topic in my interviews to see if people might have Task Response issues in IELTS writing. One common issue is only speaking about reasons related to one harmful activity. For example, "People consume fast food and sugary drinks because such foods and drinks are delicious." Food is a common choice. But the topic is not specific to one activity. What about smoking? What about alcohol? What about screen time and excessive social media use? You must come up with a reason that will encompass all of the activities above -- plus other unnamed activities proven to be harmful by science. Feel free to try your hand in the comments. ⬇️⬇️⬇️

SEPTEMBER 21 Part 1: The maps below show a housing estate as it is now and a plan for developing it in the future. Part 2: Science tell us which activities are good for our health and which ones are bad for us. Despite knowing this, million of people still do activities which are bad for them Why is this the case? What can be done to change it? #writing 📩 @cdireport_admin 🔗 cdireport.t.me

Quiz ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Updated IELTS schedule: 1️⃣ Standard course, 10 months, 7.5+ - Tuesday 11--12:30 Moscow time - Tuesday 13--14:30 Moscow time - Friday 11--12:30 Moscow time 2️⃣ Standard course, 7-8 months, below 7.5 - Saturday 9--10:30 Moscow time 3️⃣ Crash course, 2.5-3 months, 7.5 - Friday 14--15:30 4️⃣ Old students - Year 3: Thursday 10--11:30 Moscow time - Year 2: Thursday 12--13:30 Moscow time ❗️ One or two places left in most groups How to sign up: https://t.me/irinalutsenko/740 💌 @iraluts

Two harsh truths about #IELTS writing you need to hear if you are aiming for 8+ 1️⃣ With scores 8 and above, 0.5 differences are actually huge. I know 0.5 looks like nothing. But climbing to each next +0.5 level can take years -- and that's OK. And I mean years of work, not years of waiting for an enlightenment or hopping from tutor to tutor in search of life hacks. Especially if you other scores are not 9 either. 2️⃣ If you got a high score once, it does not necessarily mean you can repeat it. You can get 8 today and 7.5 tomorrow. Tasks are different. Examiners are different. You are different. If you have a one-time score achievement, have some humility too. If you are consistently getting the same high score and want to move higher, see point 1. Finally, yes, exceptions exist. But they are rare. You might be it, but I suggest you assume you are not. More harsh truths about IELTS? Share or ask in the comments. ⬇️

I am now on vacation in New York, a city I love dearly. 💜 But enrollments are open and in full swing. If you wanted to join one of my courses, now is a good time to do the first two steps of the placement process. I will be conducting the second round of interviews on 3 and 4 September. So if you do the writing part now and we meet next week, we'll be all set and ready to rock and roll the second week of September. 📅 More about my courses and schedules: https://t.me/irinalutsenko/742 More about my enrollment process: https://t.me/irinalutsenko/740 💌 Dm me @iraluts

AUGUST 26 Part 1: The diagram below illustrates the process of producing soft cheese. Part 2: In some countries, cars replacing with bicycle, while some people driving bicycle with their own choice What are the reasons of this development? Which development is better?

Recent Writing Task 1 My answer (along with 10 other) is available in a one-time download: https://boosty.to/irinalutsenko/posts/0ab73f9e-fa61-49f2-92e9-de8011bcbaee?isFromShowcase=true

My unique writing course "Writing with New Scientist" -- a writing course based on academic articles and geared towards exam writing but without the pressure.  There are two tracks: IELTS track (essays) and C2 Proficiency track (essays, articles, reviews).  📝 What will we do? - read and discuss articles from the "New Scientist" magazine; - work with lexis and sentence structures; - work on cohesion, coherence, paraphrasing and all the things you need for a successful exam answer; - you'll write an exam answer.  A perfect pre- or post-exam course! Schedules and levels: 📅 Levels C1+/C2 Course instructor: Irina Lutsenko - IELTS track, new group: Friday 11-12:30 Moscow time - IELTS track, old, advanced group: Wednesday 11-12:30 Moscow time - C2 Proficiency track, new group: Wednesday 13:00-14:30 Moscow time  📅 Level C1 / C1+ Course instructor: Anastasia Beisova New groups, IELTS track - Thursday 11:00-12:30 Moscow time - Friday 13:00-14:30 Moscow time 1️⃣ More details about the course:  https://m.vk.ru/product-47977221_5061302?ref_source=community_showcase 2️⃣ A full worksheet on one article (13 pages) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JJVxEWgLj8DFA9qb43ZLKUjReUNXrzNYpvB4D3eWhb0/edit?tab=t.0 3️⃣ A post on lexis from "New Scientist": how to paraphrase "vegan" https://t.me/irinalutsenko/654 4️⃣ A post on lexis from "New Scientist": how to write about throwing away broken things  https://t.me/irinalutsenko/647  5️⃣ A post with ideas from "New Scientist" on how to reduce fast food consumption  https://t.me/irinalutsenko/645 An awesome course. Honestly. 💜 💌💌💌 @iraluts