英式写作，万法归宗
在了解了雅思写作评分标准之后，我们可以看出这些标准提供了显性的要求，但我们不能忽视它作为英语写作的隐性要求。雅思写作作为学术性写作也有一些“规矩”，下面我们看一下都有哪些“规矩”呢?
雅思写作之格式
根据雅思官方数据，25%的考生因为写作格式的原因而被扣分。即使words以及 grammar都很好，但是格式是错误的，那么得分也就只有5分。英文中最常见的格式有两种：齐头式和缩进式。这两种格式也是雅思官方认可的写作格式。
齐头式是每段的首字母都顶格，段与段之间空一行；缩进式要求每段的首字母缩进3到5个字母。以剑10 Test 1中的Model Answer为例：
齐头式：
MODEL ANSWER
One important stage in a child's growth is certainly the development of a conscience, which is linked to the ability to tell right from wrong. This skill comes with time and good parenting, and my firm conviction is that punishment does not have much of a role to play in this. Therefore I have to disagree almost entirely with the given statement.
To some extent the question depends on the age of the child. To punish a very young child is both wrong and foolish, as an infant will not understand what is happening or why he or she is being punished. Once the age of reason is reached however, a child can be rewarded for good behaviour and discouraged from bad. This kind but firm approach will achieve more than harsh punishments, which might entail many negative consequences unintended by the parents.
To help a child learn the difference between right and wrong, teachers and parents should firstly provide good role modelling in their own behaviour. After that, if sanctions are needed, the punishment should not be of a physical nature, as that merely sends the message that it is acceptable for larger people to hit smaller ones—an outcome which may well result in the child starting to bully others. Nor should the punishment be in any way cruel.
Rather, teachers and parents can use a variety of methods to discipline their young charges, such as detention, withdrawal of privileges, and time-out. Making the punishment fit the crime is a useful notion, which would see children being made to pick up rubbish they have dropped, clean up graffiti they have drawn, or apologise to someone they have hurt. In these ways responsibility is developed in the child, which leads to much better future behaviour than does punishment.
缩进式：
MODEL ANSWER
One important stage in a child's growth is certainly the development of a conscience, which is linked to the ability to tell right from wrong. This skill comes with time and good parenting, and my firm conviction is that punishment does not have much of a role to play in this. Therefore I have to disagree almost entirely with the given statement.
To some extent the question depends on the age of the child. To punish a very young child is both wrong and foolish, as an infant will not understand what is happening or why he or she is being punished. Once the age of reason is reached however, a child can be rewarded for good behaviour and discouraged from bad. This kind but firm approach will achieve more than harsh punishments, which might entail many negative consequences unintended by the parents.
To help a child learn the difference between right and wrong, teachers and parents should firstly provide good role modelling in their own behaviour. After that, if sanctions are needed, the punishment should not be of a physical nature, as that merely sends the message that it is acceptable for larger people to hit smaller ones -an outcome which may well result in the child starting to bully others. Nor should the punishment be in any way cruel.
Rather, teachers and parents can use a variety of methods to discipline their young charges, such as detention, withdrawal of privileges, and time-out. Making the punishment fit the crime is a useful notion, which would see children being made to pick up rubbish they have dropped, clean up graffiti they have drawn, or apologise to someone they have hurt. In these ways responsibility is developed in the child, which leads to much better future behaviour than does punishment.
实际上，书写规范在写作当中还是很重要的，会影响到考官的阅读和心情。雅思考官平均只会用4-5分钟去给考生的一篇Task 1以及Task 2打分。这个时间是非常短的。因此写作格式和字迹就显得尤为重要。不需要英文写得多好看，但是一定要保持卷面整洁以及字迹清晰，至少要让考官一眼能够看出你写的是什么单词，千万不要让考官半蒙半猜地去看你的试卷，那结果可不是一个“惨”字了得!
小结：一般而言，齐头式的写作格式更加整洁，而且剑桥考官的满分作文也都是齐头式，所以比较推荐齐头式。在这里需要提醒大家注意的是：两种格式不能混用!两种格式不能混用!两种格式不能混用!重要的事情说三遍!混用格式肯定是错误的。
雅思写作之语言
写作不同于口语，应当尽量符合书面语的正式性。很多考生在作文中使用的句子虽然表达清楚了其观点，也能够形成一定的从句，但还是存在一个问题，就是写作句子、句式太口语化，不够书面化，致使整篇文章的语言上比较low，无法获得高分。例如：
You know, if kids screw up their study, their old men will kick their ass for sure. But you know they ain't bad guys.
这个句子太口语化，体现在词汇太初级（kids）, 滥用美式俚语（screw up，kick their ass），以及缩略形式（ain't）。而且，切记，最好不要以And，But，So开头，这是非正式写法。同学们可以同以下句子进行对比。
改正：As we all know, if a child failed on his academic exploration, his father would probably conduct physical punishment on him. However, it is obvious that they are out of good will.
再比如：
·“Tough luck, pal, yerol' lady's bit the dust!”
·“We regret to inform you the untimely death of your spouse.”
两个句子表达的含义是一样的，告诉某人其妻子突然去世，但风格全然不同，第二句显然更贴近写作中需要的正式程度。
还有比较重要的一点是不容忽视的，即用语的正式性和严谨性。实际上，在汉语中也有很多这样的例子，比如我们说：“这里人真多啊!”这就是一个典型的口语化的表达方式，而如果用“人山人海”“车水马龙”“摩肩接踵”等词来形容人多就是写作语言了。我们不妨看几个非正式用语的句子：
例1：Parents have to get kids food and other stuff.
此句中的kids和stuff就是两个非正式用语，如变成：Parents have to provide children with food and other necessities.就正式了。
例2：People always say competitive sports are totally cool.
此句中的cool以及这个句式都是属于比较口语化的，应该变为：It is always said that competitive sports benefit us in several important ways.
小结：不能用俚语（在这里是提醒那些美剧迷或者美式口语很好的同学，接触较少的，就免提醒了）。不要用太可爱的表达，比如“good things”、“kids”、“not bad”、“something is very important”，这些太过口语，“成熟度”上无法体现一个即将去英语国家大学课堂求学者的水平。
雅思写作之数字的“潜规则”
在雅思小作文中，数据的表达是考生们一定要掌握的，因为在小作文中考生要用各种各样的数据来描述图表的信息，描写的时候才会使文章更加丰富。因此，在雅思写作中，数字的正确表达尤为重要。
Ⅰ.英美等国的出版社在排版时遵循一条原则，即1-10用单词表示，10以上的数目用阿拉伯数字（也有的以100为界限），这条原则值得我们行文时借鉴。
Example 1: That table measures ten feet by five.
那个工作台长10英尺，宽5英尺。
Example 2: The traditional pattern of classroom experience at the college level brings the professor and a group of 20 to 30 students together for a 45-to-50-minute class session two or three times a week.
由一名教授和二三十名学生每周会晤两三次，每次授课时间45到50分钟，是大学程度课堂教学的传统方式。
Ⅱ.人数用阿拉伯数字表示显得更简洁明了，但不定数量、近似值用单词表示较恰当。
Example 1: There are 203,817 voters on the electoral rolls.
选举名单上有203817个投票人。
Example 2: Nearly thirty thousand voters took part in this election.
近3万投票人参加了这次选举。
Ⅲ.遇到日期、百分比、带单位的特殊数字，通常用阿拉伯数字。
Example 1: Maximum swivel of table is 120.
工作台的最大回转角度是120度。
Example 2: 3rd March 1991或3 March 1991（1991年3月3日）
Example 3: a discount of 5 percent（5%的折扣）
Example 4: purchased 7 yards of carpet（买7码地毯）
Example 5: ordered 2 pounds of minced steak（订购2磅剁碎的肉）
如果涉及的数目和单位是不定数，可用单词表示。
Example 1: about five miles per hour（每小时大约5英里）
Example 2: at least ten yards away（至少有10码远）
Example 3: hesitated for a moment or two（犹豫了片刻）
Example 4: I have warned you a hundred times.（我已经警告你多少遍了）
Ⅳ.在科技文章中，数字频繁出现，用阿拉伯数字比用单词陈述更有利。
Example 1: The new engine has a capacity of 4.3 litres and a power out-put of 153 kilowatts at 4400 revolutions per minute.
这台新发动机的容积为4.3升，转速为每分钟4400转时输出功率是153千瓦。
Example 2: We know that the weight of a cubic foot of air at 0℃ and 76cm，pressure is 0.08l pound, or 12 cubic feet of air weigh a pound.
我们知道，1立方英尺的空气在0摄氏度和760毫米汞柱压力下，重量是0.81磅，也就是说12立方英尺空气的重量是1磅。
Ⅴ.句首不用阿拉伯数字，句末要尽量避免用阿拉伯数字。
Example 1: 4th July is an important date in American history.
7月4日是美国历史上一个重要的日子。
正解：The fourth of July is an important date in American history.
Example 2: 19 couples took part in the ballroom dancing competition.
19对选手参加了交际舞比赛。
正解：Nineteen couples took part in the ballroom dancing competition.
Example 3: 60% profit was a reported.
据报道有60%的利润。
正解：Sixty per cent profit was reported.
Example 4: 1,345 kilograms force was applied at the center point of the bar.
试验时在杆的中点加1345公斤力。
可改成When tested, a force of 1,345 kg was applied at the center point of the bar.
Ⅵ.遇到分数，可用带连字符号的单词表示。
Example 1: At least two-thirds of the class have had colds.
这个班至少有三分之二的学生患重感冒。
Example 2: Nitrogen forms about four-fifths of the atmosphere.
氮约占大气的五分之四。
小结：在雅思写作中，数字的英语表达也是非常重要的部分，尤其是小作文中，如果表达不对，会拉低分数。实际上，以英语为母语的国家，在书写数字时已形成几条约定俗成的规则。只要掌握这些“潜规则”即可。
雅思写作之英式思维
相信很多考生都有这样的困扰：明明我的雅思作文用词丰富，语言流畅，可是怎么就是嗅不到半点“洋腔洋调”，反而是浓浓的“Chinglish”味道呢?实际上，根本原因就在于中英思维的差异。那么，如何才能写出“原汁原味”，符合英式思维的作文呢?
语言是思维的载体。因此，写作就是思维表达的一种形式。西方人直线式的思维方式体现在语言上就是西方人说话写文章喜欢开门见山，把关键性的话放在开头，然后再论及其他次要的内容。中英思维方式的差异主要表现在用词习惯、句子和篇章结构上。
Ⅰ.用词习惯
汉语一般把定语、修饰语放在中心词前面。但是英语的修饰语，如介词短语、动词不定式、分词、定语从句等都放在中心语的后面。体现了直入与螺旋的不同的思维方式。例如：
1．The scientists everywhere in the world are looking for the efficient methods to make the air clean and protect it from the pollution by all kinds of industrial harmful waste gases.
汉语“全世界的科学家”，修饰语在前，中心词在后，而英语（The scientists ［everywhere in the world］）则是中心词在前，修饰语在后。“净化空气，防止空气受到各种有害工业废气污染的有效方法”同样是修饰语在前，中心词在后，而英语（the efficient methods ［to make the air clean and protect it from the pollution by all kinds of industrial harmful waste gases］）则相反。
2．We appreciate your words about the relations between our two countries.
汉语“有关我们两国关系的话”，修饰语在前，中心词在后，而英语（your words ［about the relations between our two countries］）则是中心词在前，修饰语在后。“有关我们两国关系”，同样是修饰语在前，中心词在后，而英语（the relations ［between our two countries］）则相反。
Ⅱ.句子
英美人写句子总是开门见山，一般先下结论，后叙事，从近到远，新近发生的事先出现，重心落在句首。汉语句子一般以逻辑关系和时间的先后顺序排列，一般先叙事，后下结论，由远及近，重心落在句尾。这种差异体现了直入与螺旋的不同的思维方式。中国学生在英语写作时往往会受汉语思维的影响，写出“中国味儿”的句子。下面我们来看一下中英思维句式的对比。
1．中式思维：When I stayed in Guangzhou last month, you helped me. I am grateful for that.
英式思维：I am very grateful for your help during my stay in Guangzhou last month.
2．中式思维：Tom's mother died when he was only two years old, so he did not remember her.
英式思维：Tom did not remember his mother who died when he was only two years old.
3．中式思维：After we left China in 1959, the natural calamities happened one after another for three years in the country. While we read about it at home, we had been dismayed.
英式思维：We had been dismayed at home while reading of the natural calamities that happened one after another for three years after we left China in 1959.
4．中式思维：It looked rain that evening, yet Dad came all the same. That made us very joyful.
英式思维：It looked rain that evening, yet to our great joy, Dad came all the same.
对于中国学生来说，这种思维方式的转换确实比较复杂，是需要操练的。
Ⅲ.段落篇章
总体而言，英文篇章，一般都采用直线型的形式，尤其是说明文和议论文，更是“一般—具体”式的。为读者考虑，英语篇章开门见山，一开头就直接点明段落的主题句（topic sentence）或全文的中心思想（thesis statement），即亮明作者的观点、态度、看法等，或者以引言开门，即“首先用一个熟悉的事实、观点、故事、引言等开头，然后直接见到作者全文的观点思想”。
小结：总之，英美人士习惯使用名词和一些生动的动词；在文章结构上，英美人喜欢总分结构，更喜欢简洁的语言。要想真正改变自己的思维习惯，一定要多看英文原版的书籍和杂志，多看英文电影、电视，在英美人士地道的语言环境中浸泡，逐渐从中式思维向英式思维靠拢。这样，大家才能在自己的书面表达中，让读者感觉自己不像是在西餐馆里吃中国菜，而是在英国本土品味地道的英式大餐。