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Proofreading your IELTS writing | Is it essential?
Proofreading means checking the grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, sentence formation mistakes, factual information, calculation, etc., in any writing before submitting it to any concerned person or system. It is an important technique not just for books or academic writing purposes but also crucial for any exam. In this article, we’ll cover the importance of proofreading your IELTS writing tasks and how you can do that.
An overview of the IELTS writing section
The IELTS is an English language proficiency test for students and working professionals who want to go to Britain, Australia, New Zealand, America, and Canada.
The IELTS exam has a writing section that is of 60 minutes duration, and there are two tasks in this section. The first is writing task 1, where you get 20 minutes and you will get some graphs, tables, charts, or diagrams from which you are asked to explain based on what you understand. The minimum word limit in this task is 150 words. However, there is no penalty for extra words. The first task for the general paper will be a letter, and you have to explain it in your way.
In the second task, you will get 40 minutes, and you will get an argument, topic, or discussion, and around that, you have to write an essay having a minimum of 250 words. The second task for the general paper will be similar, but you have to write it using a personal touch rather than a formal tone.
The importance of proofreading your IELTS writing
Proofreading your IELTS writing task is extremely important because this is the final step that you have to do before submitting your paper. The silly mistakes which can happen while writing can cost you a lot, even if you know fully about any topic. Therefore, proofreading your IELTS writing helps you get an edge over others.
Here is the list of reasons why proofreading is important in IELTS writing-
1. Brings fluidity
Proofreading your IELTS writing helps in bringing fluidity to any writing task because when you finally read the topic after writing it, you will be able to notice the sentence formation, which you can correct in case it is needed and create smoothness in the headings and subheadings.
2. Removes grammatical errors
Grammatical errors are most common whenever anyone writes reports, essays, or letters, and these are the basic issues that lead to scores deduction in the IELTS writing tasks. With proofreading, you can point out the incorrect tenses, verbs, or articles in any sentence and can change them at hand.
3. Removes spelling mistakes
Whenever you search for how to proofread an IELTS essay, the first basic thing you find is removing spelling mistakes. This is because the IELTS exam is there to test your English knowledge, and spelling is something that you need to be sure of and confident about. Proofreading helps you remove spelling mistakes which can happen by mistake or otherwise due to fast typing.
4. Helps in time management
Proofreading your IELTS writing helps in time management by taking out just three or five minutes from the total time and enables you to remove all the issues of your written task. For better time management in proofreading, you should write at least 30 extra words beforehand in order to save some space for removing unnecessary content because you have to fulfill the certain minimum word limit for each task.
5. Highlights attentiveness
Whenever you are submitting a proofread report, it highlights that you are attentive towards your work and creates a positive impact on any of the reader or examiner. However, as all the tests in today’s time are computer-based, including IELTS, you cannot take a chance.
Tips on proofreading your IELTS writing
- You should start proofreading your IELTS writing with the introduction part and check if it is making complete sense about the topic.
- Read the examples and references and also check if the years or dates mentioned do not have any typing errors. Add any new point that you think will support the topic or examples mentioned before.
- While simultaneously checking the format, do not forget about checking the grammatical and spelling errors.
- See the spacing between the words and lines and check if there are any unnecessary title cases between the sentences.
- Read the conclusion or summary thoroughly and see if it crisply highlights the essay.
- Be focused while reading, and do remove the points if you see any that do not add any relevance to the topic.
Key takeaways
- Proofreading is a way of removing any grammatical or spelling errors and adding or deleting unnecessary information in the IELTS writing task or in any other writing work.
- The importance of proofreading your IELTS writing is to bring fluency, remove grammatical and spelling errors, help in time management, and highlight attentiveness.
- The steps to follow while proofreading your IELTS writing work is to start from the introduction and check the flow along with the grammar and spelling errors and then finally check the conclusion.
- Proofreading in the IELTS test is very important and needs full focus and attention in the last five minutes of the exam.
We hope you enjoyed reading this blog. In case of any queries or assistance with your IELTS prep, reach out to us or drop a comment below!
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FAQs
Q1. Why is proofreading your IELTS writing important?
Answer- Proofreading your IELTS writing is important because it removes any grammatical errors and spelling errors, checks the examples and facts, removes unwanted information, and adds extra information.
Q2. What is proofreading in IELTS?
Answer- Proofreading in IELTS means checking the two writing tasks thoroughly before clicking on the submit button. This is the last stage, wherein you check whether the already written essay, letter, or report is fully correct or not.
Q3. What is the most common proofreading technique?
Answer- A common proofreading technique is to read from the start and check the introduction. After that, start the spelling and grammar checks. Finally, check the facts, examples, and quick points and whether it is giving a gist of the writing work.