In this post: What goes in each of my eight note categories A to H, how to sort your corrections into them, and a five-step routine for turning a marked essay into notes.
Turning Feedback into Notes · 3 parts
- 1. My notes and the capitals method
- 2. Categories A–H and a five-step routine (you are here)
- 3. Review, checklist, exercise and FAQ
✦ In this post
4. What goes in each of A–H, and how to sort your feedback into them
Below I explain what each category is for, and which kinds of corrections belong in which category when a marked essay comes back. The sample entries are examples I wrote for this post to show the format; they are not copied from my notes.
| Category | What goes in it | What to collect from your feedback | Sample entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Easy patterns / must-use collocations | Sentence frames and collocations you can use in every essay and are unlikely to get wrong | Patterns and collocations that were praised, or changed into a more natural phrasing | a wide range of + plural noun; pose a threat to |
| B Grammar toolkit | Grammar rules plus your own mistakes | Subject–verb agreement, tenses, the passive, comma splices, so…that and so on | so + adjective + that + subject + verb (the subject after that can’t be dropped) |
| C Prepositions / singular and plural | Preposition collocations, countable and uncountable nouns, words that need an -s | Wrong in/on/for, -s added to uncountable nouns, a plural after each | no -s on information, research, advice; each + singular noun |
| D Phrases and set patterns | Phrasal verbs, fixed patterns | Places where a phrase was corrected to the right one | take X into consideration; result in + result |
| E Synonyms | Several ways of saying the same thing, and words you must not swap | Repeated words that were replaced, synonyms used wrongly | increase / rise / grow (trends); important ≠ imperative |
| F Background sentences | Frames for opening background sentences on each topic | Introductions that were adjusted | In recent years, ___ has become increasingly common. (sample frame) |
| G Ideas by topic | Arguments and examples organised by topic | Where you ran out of ideas, or an argument was weak or off-topic | Technology: one argument each on efficiency, privacy and personal interaction |
| H Question bank | Lists of Cambridge past papers, homework questions and predicted questions | Questions you have written, and ones you want to write again | Questions listed by type, each marked done or not done |
A Easy patterns / must-use collocations: clear first, impressive later
The key to category A is “easy to understand” and “used in every essay”. It isn’t for very difficult long sentences, but for frames that work in any question and that you are confident you won’t get wrong.
In my post about my tutor Ali (in Chinese), I wrote that rather than chasing impressive words, it’s better to aim first for precise word choice and a low error rate. Category A puts that idea into practice: things you can use correctly in every essay are worth more than the occasional difficult sentence that contains a mistake.
B Grammar toolkit and C Prepositions / singular and plural: where mistakes go
B and C are the two categories I update most often after a marked essay comes back. I suggest writing every entry in three lines, “rule + my own mistake + correct version”: the rule tells you why, the mistake helps you recognise your own habit, and the correct version is what you use next time.
C has its own category, separate from B, because preposition and singular/plural mistakes are usually numerous and scattered, and they get buried if mixed in with grammar rules. As a separate category, it’s also easier to scan quickly before you hand in. The grammar mistakes I was corrected for most often are collected in The Grammar Mistakes I Was Corrected for Most in IELTS Writing.
Rule: research is uncountable and takes no -s; if you need a countable noun, use study / studies.
My mistake: various research say … (Task 2, sugary products question)
Correct version: various studies show … / research shows …
D Phrases and set patterns, E Synonyms: more precise, not more decorative
Category D is for things you learn as a whole unit, such as fixed verb + preposition combinations. Category E is for synonyms, but more importantly for noting which words can’t be swapped. For example, using imperative to say a problem is serious sounds unnatural; an entry recording a “wrong swap” like this is more useful than a plain list of synonyms.
For how to paraphrase without losing marks, see Paraphrasing in IELTS Writing Without Losing Marks: Synonyms, Background Sentences and Words to Avoid.
F Background sentences, G Ideas by topic: for when you can’t think what to write
F and G don’t deal with mistakes; they deal with getting stuck. Category F holds frames for background sentences on each topic, so you don’t have to start your introduction from scratch every time. Category G holds arguments and examples by topic, so you don’t have to invent ideas on the spot in the exam.
When a marked essay shows that an argument was off-topic or too vague, that’s the time to update category G: write the improved argument under the matching topic, ready to use the next time that topic comes up. For topic vocabulary, see IELTS Task 2 Topic Vocabulary (Part 1) and IELTS Task 2 Topic Vocabulary (Part 2).
H Question bank: give your practice a plan
Category H lists Cambridge past papers, homework questions and predicted questions separately. I suggest marking each question with “done / not done” and its question type, so that when you plan to write several essays of the same type in a row, you can pick questions straight from the list.
5. From a marked essay to your notes: a five-step routine (my suggestion)
Here is my suggested routine for working one marked essay into your notes. It takes about 20–30 minutes per essay:
| Step | What to do | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| ① File the original | Paste the essay you sent for marking into the right place: Task 2 essays under the matching topic, Task 1 essays with a chart-type code (for example, maps start with M) | Task 2 topic section / Task 1 chart-type section |
| ② Correct in capitals | Following the marking, put changed words in capitals and the original in brackets; put whole-sentence rewrites on the next line | Under the same essay |
| ③ Sort the mistakes | For every capitalised change, decide which category it belongs to and copy an entry into A–H | A–H |
| ④ Log the status | Fill in the Ref and marking status in the log, and mark the Corrected column as done | Score log |
| ⑤ Pull out a reminder for next time | Pick the 1–3 most important mistakes from this essay and add them to your “next essay checklist” | Checklist (see section 7, in Part 3) |
Sorting guide
| The correction you see | Which category |
|---|---|
| Verb forms, tenses, the passive, a sentence with no verb, comma splices | B Grammar toolkit |
| in/on/at/for replaced, -s added or removed on a noun, articles | C Prepositions / singular and plural |
| A whole phrase replaced (for example, put X into consideration → take X into consideration) | D Phrases and set patterns |
| A repeated word replaced, a synonym used wrongly | E Synonyms |
| The introduction rewritten | F Background sentences |
| An argument questioned, an example too weak | G Ideas by topic |
| Changed into a more natural expression you can use in every essay | A Easy patterns / must-use collocations |
Continue reading · Part 3 of 3
IELTS Notes in English · Practice Methods (post 4 of 5)
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Task 1 Structure · Task 2 Structure · Topic Guides · Writing Language · Band Score Samples · Practice Methods · Speaking & Study Tips
✦ Target Your Future
Some days you practise for hours and the score still does not move. I hope these notes remind you that the setbacks are part of the road: every recording you replayed, every essay you rewrote and every sentence you finally dared to say is progress you have already made.
I wrote this down so the next person can take fewer detours. You do not have to follow my method exactly. Find a rhythm that works for you, rest when you need to, and come back for the next small step.
I hope what you take away is more than a number on a score report: a little more confidence in yourself, and the courage to step a bit closer to the world.
— Ting
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