IELTS Writing Feedback: Waste of Money or Hidden Treasure?

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Example 1: LR (Lexical Resource)

IELTS writing assessments are available all over the internet. These services range from AI checkers to seasoned IELTS trainers providing premium support. They can cost anywhere from free up to around 70 USD.

So, you’re probably asking yourself, “Why pay more for the same service?” A legitimate question. What you should be asking is, “What am I getting for my money?”

Well, you’ve probably heard the old saying ‘You get what you pay for.’ This applies equally well to IELTS writing feedback services. And what you want to pay for is time. This means having a human giving you the feedback, not an instant AI bot, and you want that human to take the time to properly assess your writing and give you feedback that is accurate, productive, and progressive.

What does this mean for you? Here are some points to avoid (and are common features of low-cost services) and what to look for when choosing an assessment service.

  • Generic comments

    These are cut and pasted from one essay sample to another. They are broad and don’t show you the unique issue with your writing that needs fixing. For example, simply stating that “cohesive devices are not always appropriate” does not help if you do not know which ones you used incorrectly and/or why? Look for an assessment that provides detailed feedback.

  • Cosmetic edits

    Many assessment services will fix a grammar mistake here, offer a better word there, and sprinkle random “tips” to improve writing all over the place. To raise your score, you need to know what your weaknesses are, learn from your mistakes, and make better choices in the next sample. Look for an assessment that provides comprehensive editing (i.e. fixes all errors).

  • Confidence boosters

    Of course, it’s good to be encouraged. Just make sure it’s not a sales tactic. If you really want to improve, be ready to handle the truth about your writing. If your sample deserves a band 6, that’s ok. Hopefully the next one will get a 6.5, then a 7, and so on. Earn the confidence by learning and improving. Look for an assessment that provides honest feedback that helps you grow.

A final point: Become familiar with the scoring criteria and assess the assessments. Ask yourself if they are addressing the main features of each criterion, if they are pointing out specific issues that are losing you points, if they are helping you change your outlook on your own writing.

A good assessor should be more like a private tutor than someone there to give you a pat on the back.

Keep all this in mind when shopping around for a feedback service. Make sure they offer a sample for you to see and gauge what you’ll be getting. Make sure they are going beyond grammar and vocab and also touching on argumentation, paragraphing, logical connections, support strength, and so on.

The IELTS is an expensive exam. Invest in yourself now and save money later. It’s all about the training.

Oh, in case you’re wondering, Write to the Top’s IELTS Writing Assessment Service does all of the good things above. Just look at the sample.

Good luck with your preparations.

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