Writing problems of Thai candidates for academic writing tasks in a standardized test

This study investigated the academic writing challenges encountered by Thai candidates in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and aimed to assess the incidence of errors in Writing Tasks. The research underscored the critical role of English language proficiency in global university admissions, with specific emphasis on the writing component of standardized tests such as IELTS, which is pivotal for non-native speakers, including Thai students. Despite the typical requirement of a minimum IELTS score ranging from 6.0 to 6.5 for university admissions, Thai candidates have frequently faced challenges in achieving this in the writing section, averaging scores of only 5.5 to 5.7 in recent years. The study delved into these challenges by scrutinizing specific issues in IELTS Writing Tasks 1 and 2. This research employed a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data collection through surveys with qualitative insights gathered from focus group discussions. Drawing on data from 15 Thai students and workers who had taken the test, the research pinpointed the most problematic concerns under 4 criteria of a standardized test experienced by Thai test-takers: limited tenses and essay structure under Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA); word choice or synonyms, and lack of vocabulary under Lexical Resource (LR); the use of cohesive devices under Coherence and Cohesion (CC); and inaccurate comparison, missing key features, inappropriate format, and irrelevant information under Task Achievement (TA) and Task Response (TR). The findings aimed to support candidates in improving their writing proficiency and assisted educators in devising targeted curricula and resources to address these writing challenges, thereby enhancing candidates’ performance in future tests.