I had been stuck at a 6.5 in IELTS writing for ages, and I was seriously frustrated. After two attempts, I realized that the key wasn’t about fancy words or complex sentences at all.
The game changer for me was simplifying my approach. I focused on one clear idea per paragraph. Starting with a strong topic sentence made a huge difference, and I followed it up with a specific example. This clarity really helped me convey my points better.
Another tip is to be careful with conclusions. I stopped including new ideas there, and instead, I just wrapped up what I’d already said. This helped maintain coherence throughout my essay.
If you're aiming for that elusive band 7, my biggest advice is to focus on clarity and structure rather than trying to impress with complicated language. It really paid off for me!