1. Build your vocabulary – but don’t study lists. Instead, make it fun. The key is context. Find a book or article that you are interested in and look up any words you don’t understand. Then, write them down. The best way to remember new words is to read them in a story you enjoy. 

2. Create sentences with the new words you have learned. A lack of vocabulary is a main reason people struggle in English, especially writing. Like anything else, if you don’t use it, you lose it. The best way to remember new words is to create sentences with those words. Even 5 new words a day will help a lot! 

3. Pay close attention to the question prompt. And then read it again. I can’t count how many times I’ve seen students rush into their writing tasks without taking the time to read the question fully. Does it ask for your opinion? Make a plan to fully answer the question. 

4. Proofread your work. Do you usually forget articles or mix up prepositions? Look closely over your response and check for any mistakes you may have made. Even if you only find 3 or 4 errors, that could be the difference between a CLB level 8 and 9.

5. Get feedback on your writing. Most students are not aware of what they are doing wrong. If you know which part of your writing requires attention, it will become much easier to take your writing to the next level. Having a native English speaker or teacher look over it will help a lot.

6. Simple is better than complicated. Many students try to write really fancy, but they end up making a lot of grammar mistakes and go off topic from the question being asked. You will be graded on your ability to write cohesively and clearly. One main idea per paragraph is the goal.

7. Avoid repetition. It’s tempting to start most of your sentences with the subject “I”, but this repetition shows you lack the ability to write at a higher level. Mixing in compound and complex sentences with some simple sentences is ideal and will lead to a better score.

As with everything, practice makes perfect. You won’t improve your writing skills overnight. However, I can promise you that by perfecting these strategies, you will see clear results.