How Important Is Handwriting In IELTS?

IELTS Tips

September 10, 2018

In the modern world of technology with Smartphones, Tablets in classrooms, taking notes on a Laptop- Who really writes anything anymore? The conventional way of writing- initially on bamboo stalks, clay tablets, palm leaves then on paper, is slowly getting extinct as the Generation Z is growing up.

Well, IELTS Exam is one of those exams that still entail the applicant to write on a paper for the Writing Section. So the real question is- Does handwriting matter in the IELTS Exam?

The Answer would be Yes!

Yes, it does still matter, because first of all (the obvious one)- if a person has two answer sheets: the first one with a good Handwriting and the second one with really bad handwriting, who do you think will score more? It's obviously the first one, why? Because even though the second answer sheet has all the right answers, the first answer sheet will score more because it is more pleasing to the eye; while the examiner wouldn't even bother to strain their eyes to read what is written.

Similarly, in the IELTS Writing in General and in Academic, one has to maintain a good, readable handwriting for the examiner to be able to read your answer correctly; what will be the use if you have written a very thoughtful, well-organized answer, yet lose marks on something like 'handwriting' which could be easily enhanced.

So, here are few tips on how to prevent losing marks due to bad handwriting.

1) Clear Writing:

If your style of handwriting is cursive or not, it won't make much of a difference. Any form of handwriting is accepted as long as it's decipherable. So, if you employ cursive handwriting, try to be careful with your y's and g's so that they don't get into the next syllable in continuation.

2) Writing Utensils:

In IELTS Listening and Reading, you must use a pencil while in IELTS Writing, you can use either a pen or a pencil. While using a pen, if you need to delete a word, don't just put a single line through the word, instead put many lines to tell the examiner that the word is deleted. This will make it unchallenging for the examiner not to read the words that are deleted. If you are making use of a pencil, try to use a darker pencil instead of a lighter one. Make sure that your pencil is sharpened and don't use pencils that can easily break mid-writing. Also, when you erase a word, erase it completely and write a new word; the former erased word should not be seen through the new word which is written over it, as it will confuse the examiner. During IELTS Writing, use the ^ sign if you want to add another word between two words. Make sure to write the additional word clearly.

3) Practice:

Practising Daily is crucial if you want to ameliorate your handwriting in the IELTS exam. You can also improve your handwriting by this casual method and i.e. when you talk on the phone with someone, take a pen and paper and just scribble or doodle words or phrases you say. Take out some time every day and practice writing on a sample answer sheet paper, so that you can time yourself. You will also know, that due to your style of handwriting, how many words you will take up in a single line and thus have an idea of whether you are writing according to the word limit.

Try not to go over the lines when you write in the Answer Sheet. When you practise daily, it will boost your speed as well as your handwriting, therefore, under pressure, you'll be able to write distinctly and in a suitable manner. Sloppy and shabby handwriting will tend to leave a bad impression on the examiner-as if you don't care about your exam.

Also, if you prefer writing in capital letters, you can, but we advise you to not employ capital letters as this will shorten your time period and you might not be able to complete the answer in the allotted time. When you practise, show your handwriting to one of your friends and ask them if your handwriting is legible or not.

In a nutshell -Handwriting holds an essential place in IELTS or any other exams. Experts analyse handwriting to know a person's personality- Handwriting is said to be a reflection of the character. IELTS is also an excellent example of this. A candidate with poor writing skills will not achieve a good band score whether or not their answer is the most efficient one. If your handwriting is messy, it will definitely impact your score negatively.