Editing and Upgrading for Band Jumps
Key Insight:
You don’t get Band 7 by just fixing mistakes.
You get there by upgrading clarity, strengthening logic, and building flow.
Teaching Points
The 3 Types of Edits
- Micro Edits — Precision at the sentence level
- Grammar fixes
- Better word choice
- Reducing repetition
- Structural Edits — Paragraph-level logic and coherence
- Does each paragraph follow a single clear idea?
- Are topic sentences focused?
- Are transitions smooth and purposeful?
- Framing Edits — The start and end of your essay
- Does your introduction clearly present your stance?
- Is your conclusion natural, complete, and reflective — not robotic?
Fluency Trick: The Read-Out-Loud Test
Reading your writing aloud helps you:
- Catch awkward grammar and sentence rhythm
- Hear missing transitions or unclear logic
- Notice when ideas don’t connect smoothly
If it sounds clunky, an examiner will feel it.
Exercise: Full Essay Upgrade
- Choose one of your older essays (Band 5.5–6.5).
- Do a 3-layer edit:
- First pass: micro edits
- Second pass: structural logic
- Final pass: framing intro + conclusion
- Record a before and after version in your Feedback Journal.
- (Optional: use voice memos or a doc to reflect on what changed.)
Bonus Tool: Writing Growth Tracker
Track your improvement week by week with:
- Estimated band score
- Time taken to write each essay
- Most common errors
- New vocabulary used
- Notes on what you upgraded
This builds awareness, momentum, and a visible record of your transformation.
Final Message
You don’t just write.
You build a writing system.
You become the kind of person who knows how to pass — not someone who just hopes for it.
This editing process is your forge. Use it.
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