ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a brief introduction to IELTS, the International English Language Testing System, and more specifically the writing component of IELTS. First, basic information about IELTS (e.g., the two modules and the four papers) is provided. Then, an overview on the assessment rubrics of IELTS Writing Task 1 (data analysis) and Task 2 (essay writing) will be given. Next, an analysis of common question types and themes of IELTS writing test will be discussed. The chapter closes with a section on why an exemplar-based approach to writing instruction is valuable to IELTS candidates.
