Classroom – IELTS

Business English: Opinions and Statements

Opinions and Statements

Stating your Opinion
It seems to me that …
In my opinion, …
I am of the opinion that …/ I take the view that ..
My personal view is that …
In my experience …
As far as I understand / can see, …
As I see it, … / From my point of view …
As far as I know … / From what I know …
I might be wrong but …
If I am not mistaken …
I believe one can (safely) say  …
It is claimed that …
I must admit that …
I cannot deny that …
I can imagine that …
I think/believe/suppose …
Personally, I think …
That is why I think …
I am sure/certain/convinced that …
I am not sure/certain, but …
I am not sure, because I don’t know the situation exactly.
I am not convinced that …
I have read that …
I am of mixed opinions (about / on) …
I am of mixed opinions about / on this.
I have no opinion in this matter.
Outlining Facts
The fact is that
The (main) point is that …
This proves that …
What it comes down to is that …
It is obvious that …
It is certain that …
One can say that …
It is clear that …
There is no doubt that …
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Strategies and Tips for IELTS Listening

Strategies and Tips for IELTS Listening Strategies and Tips for IELTS Listening

IELTS Listening Tips

  1. Predict the topic – it helps you to listen if you know what kind of conversation is taking place so you can picture it in your head. So look through each section in the time you are given and make sure you have an idea of who is speaking to who and what the context is.
  2. Predict the questions – you should also try and have an idea of what kind of information you are listening out for. For example, in section one you often have to listen for names, numbers and addresses. Have a look at the questions in the time you are given and work out what needs to go in the space. A name? Number? An address? You are more likely to catch it then when the answer arises.
  3. Use a minute to look through each section – you are given 30 seconds at the end of each section to check your answers. You are then told to turn over and look at the next section for 30 seconds. Although some IELTS listening tips will tell you to check what you have written, there is little you can check for the previous section as you can’t hear the listening again. So instead, turn straight to the next section. You will then have one minute (instead of 30 seconds) to look through the next section. This is time better spent.
  4. Careful with question order – often you have a table to complete, and sometimes a diagram or chart. The questions will not necessarily go from left to right, so check the progression carefully otherwise you will get lost and confused.
  5. Look at two questions at once – there are two reasons for doing this. Firstly, some questions may have the answers close together in one sentence so you could miss one if you only look at one question at a time. Also, it is possible that you will miss an answer – if you are just looking at one, you may not know that you missed it. If you are also looking at the next, you’ll see that it has moved on.
  6. Move on if you miss an answer – if you do realise you have missed an answer, quickly forget about it and concentrate on the next ones. There is nothing you can do, and you can also guess when you transfer your answers to the answer sheet at the end. The same applies if you realise you missed two or three answers. Don’t panic and just move on as there is nothing you can do. A few questions missed may not necessarily affect your band score.
  7. Watch others if you’re completely lost – if you completely lose where you are, then watch when the other candidates turn over their exam papers. You’ll know then that you are back in the right place.
  8. Look out for paraphrasing – remember that what you hear will most likely not be exactly the same as is written on the exam paper as that would be too easy. The question and the question stems use such things as synonyms so you must listen carefully for these.
  1. Ignore words you don’t know – don’t worry or panic if you hear a word that you do not know. It may not be necessary to know it anyway, or you can take a guess.
  2. Underline key words – when you look through the questions first, particularly in the more difficult parts 3 and 4, underline key words (such as names, places and dates) in the question stems to help you hear the answer. Remember though, as explained above, synonyms are often used.
  3. Take care with spelling and grammar – your answer will be marked wrong if it is spelt incorrectly or the grammar does not fit. So when you transfer your answers at the end, double check these. The sentence on the exam paper may help you with the grammar – does it fit grammatically? Should it be a verb, noun, adjective?
  4. Use British or American spelling – this is what is says on the official IELTS website: ”IELTS recognises both British and American English in terms of spelling, grammar and choice of words”. So you can use either in your answers
  5. Don’t worry about what you write on the exam sheet – in practice tests, it is common to see students rubbing or crossing things out on the exam paper. Remember that nobody sees or marks what you write here. Don’t waste time getting the spelling correct or anything else. If you do this you’ll get lost – you need to be listening. So just write down what you hear then move on. When you transfer the answers at the end to the answer sheet, you can make sure you have the correct spelling.
  6. Read the instructions – an IELTS listening tip that is an important tip for any part of the test is to always read the instructions carefully. They will tell you how many words to use. If it asks for no more than two words and you use three, it will be wrong. And you must only put in the words asked for. For example, if there is a gap of “at …… pm” and you write “at 5pm” on the answer sheet, it will be wrong. You should only write what is missing i.e. “5”.
  7. Use upper or lower case letters – a question often asked is whether you can use upper case letters. This is what it says on the official British Council Website: “You may write your answers in lower case or capital letters”. So you can write all your answers in capital letters if you like. This statement from the British Council suggests, therefore, that you will not be penalised if you write ‘paris’ for example, instead of ‘Paris’ because it says you can use lower case letters. However, it is recommended that you try and use capitalisation correctly to be on the safe side. If you are not sure if the first letter needs capitalisation, then capitalise the whole word.
  8. Get used to the British accent – a good IELTS listening tip is to be prepared to hear all accents as you may hear Australian, American, Canadian, New Zealand and a mix of European countries. However, although there are a mix of accents in the test, the majority tend to be British (unlike TOEFL which tends to be American). So make sure you are used to the British accent.
  9. Practice the pronunciation of letter and numbers – often words are spelt out in the test by a speaker and numbers are read out, so make sure you can recognise how different letters sound in different accents, not just words.
  10. Careful with what you write down – speakers in the test will often give an answer but then correct themselves. So the first answer that looks right may actually be wrong.
  11. Don’t leave answers blank – you will not get penalised for writing the wrong answer (as opposed to nothing if you are not sure what it is) so guess if that is possible.
  12. Transfer your answers to the answer sheet carefully – if you put correct answers in the wrong place on the answer sheet it will be wrong, so make sure you put the answer in the correct place. It is easy to do this if you leave an answer blank on the exam sheet. You may then fill that one in with the wrong answer when you transfer them across. So put in a guess for any you do not know and leave no blanks.
  13. Check your answers – make sure you recheck your spelling and grammar too when you transfer your answers at the end.
  14. Listen very carefully – listen very very carefully throughout the test. Zone in and focus. Don’t be distracted by anything around you, and don’t panic if you think you having missed any answers or that you are getting them wrong. All this will do is distract you from listening.
  15. Practice listening – of all the IELTS listening tips, this is one of the most important. Make sure you practice listening as much as you can! You can practice with sample IELTS listening tests but you should also expose yourself to as much English as you can. Target it at the level you are currently at. There is no point in listening to BBC World if you don’t understand any of it. Find resources on the internet that suit your level and gradually increase difficulty. And don’t worry if they are not exams or specifically for IELTS, any kind of listening helps. Try to make listening fun and listen to things you like. You can move on to more difficult things as you improve.
  16. Listen to lectures – remember that the last part is a lecture, so practice listening to lectures and taking notes. Lectures often follow certain patterns, such as an introduction to tell you the topic and main points, and they have sign-posts to tell you if they are comparing e.g. “although”, or moving onto a new main points e.g. “Now I’ll discuss….”. So listening to lectures will help you with this section. You can find lectures online if you do a search. TED lectures may be useful as they provide a transcription so you can check your notes. .
  17. Learn to listen and write together – practicing your listening skills is important, but remember in the test you have to write and listen. So you should practice this too. One way to do this is with practice tests but you can also try listening to audios and taking notes at the same time. This will improve your ability to do both skills at the same time.
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50 Popular English Idioms for Fluency

50 Popular English Idioms for Fluency

To understand English as it is spoken in real life, you have to be familiar with idioms. They are used so much in everyday English that it is important to be aware of them. You need to learn what they mean, and how to use them to become an ‘insider’. This blog post will show you some of the most popular English idioms currently in use. Remember, knowledge is power.

50 Popular English Idioms

1. CRUNCH TIME: the period of time just before a project has to be completed and everyone has to work hard
  • I’m not getting enough sleep these days. It’s crunch time at work.
2. LET YOUR FREAK FLAG FLY: to let others see your uniqueness
  • My colleagues were surprised at the Christmas party- I let my freak flag fly and showed them a break dance routine.
3. GET OUT OF HAND: when you lose control of things, they get out of hand
  • The party got out of hand and the guests started to throw bottles at each other.
4. GET YOUR HEAD AROUND IT: to understand something
  • I just can’t get my head around the fact that Joe is leaving us.
5. DIG IN YOUR HEELS / STICK TO YOUR GUNS: to refuse to compromise or change your mind
  • My parents wanted me to give up writing, but I dug in my heels and went on to become a famous writer.
  • My parents wanted me to give up writing, but I stuck to my guns and went on to become a famous writer.
6. POUND THE PAVEMENT: to walk the streets looking for a job
  • I’d been pounding the pavement for months before I found a job in a fast food restaurant.
  7. PULL A RABBIT OUT OF A HAT: to do something unexpected that may have seemed impossible
  • I thought we were going bankrupt, but my partner pulled a rabbit out of his hat and we landed a major contract.
8. LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED: to do everything you can to achieve your goal
  • I’ll leave no stone unturned until I find out who did this.
9. GET IT OUT OF YOUR SYSTEM: to do something you’ve wanted to do for a long time and don’t want to postpone any longer
  • I wasn’t sure how she was going to react, but I had to get it out of my system, so I told her I had found another woman.
10. STEP UP YOUR GAME: to start performing better
  • If you want to win this competition, you’ll have to step up your game.
11. PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER: to calm down and behave normally
  • I understand you’ve had a bad day, but pull yourself together and get on with your job, will you?
12. SHAPE UP OR SHIP OUT: either start performing better or leave
  • This is the last time I’m telling you to arrive on time. Shape up or ship out.
13. CUT SOMEBODY SOME SLACK: to give somebody a break/ not to judge somebody severely
  • I was extremely busy last week. Cut me some slack and I’ll finish the report by tomorrow morning.
  14. BY THE SKIN OF YOUR TEETH: when you do something by the skin of your teeth, you only just succeed/ nearly fail
  • I hadn’t studied much, but passed the test by the skin of my teeth.
15. ONCE IN A BLUE MOON: when something rarely ever happens
  • We used to see him all the time, but now he just visits us once in a blue moon.
16. GO DOWN IN FLAMES: to end or fail suddenly and spectacularly
  • She’d wanted to become Managing Director, but her career went down in flames when they found out she’d been leaking information to our competitors.
17. TAR SOMEONE WITH THE SAME BRUSH: to believe that someone has the same bad qualities as others in a group
  • I don’t think much of that band, but the singer shouldn’t be tarred with the same brush. She’s got a fantastic voice.
18. COME OUT SWINGING: to be confrontational and strongly defend yourself at the beginning of a debate
  • Our local MP came out swinging against the current leadership and demanded that the government resign.
50 Popular English Idioms for Fluency 19. HANG IN THERE: wait and be patient
  • I know you’d really like to call him, but I don’t think that’s the right thing to do now. Just hang in there and he will call you.
20. SHOOT FROM THE HIP: to speak directly
  • If you want to get on well with your boss, try not to shoot from the hip next time. You don’t want to offend him, do you?
21. GO THE EXTRA MILE: to make a special effort/try very hard to achieve your goal
  • If you want to become proficient in English, you’ll have to go the extra mile and start learning idioms.
  • My English class was great, we learnt so much because our teacher was the best, she always went the extra mile for us.
22. RUNNING ON FUMES: to continue to stay awake when feeling exhausted
  • I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go home now. I haven’t slept for twenty hours and I’m running on fumes.
23. SOLD ME OUT: to snitch on someone, or let their secret out
  • I asked you to keep it to yourself! I can’t believe you sold me out, I trusted you!
24. YOU SOLD ME (ON SOMETHING): you convinced me of something, because you were persuasive
  • OK, you’ve sold me. I’ll go to the match with you.
25. BLEW ME AWAY: when something blows you away, you’re extremely impressed by it
  • The exhibition just blew me away. I’d never seen so many beautiful paintings before.
26. BLOW SMOKE: to exaggerate or say things that aren’t true to make you seem better/ more knowledgeable than in reality
  • I’m not blowing smoke. I have honestly read War and Peace by Tolstoy.
  27. CRY WOLF: to call for help when you don’t need it
  • Do you think Peter is in trouble or is he just crying wolf?
28. COULDN’T CARE LESS: used to express total lack of interest in something
  • That man stole a bottle of wine from the shop.
  • Oh, really? I couldn’t care less.
29. BE CHUFFED TO BITS: to be pleased and happy
  • Hey, thanks for the present! I’m chuffed to bits.30. FEELING UNDER THE WEATHER: to be ill or unable to do regular activities
  • I think I’m going to have to take the day off work. I feel quite under the weather today.
31. BE TICKLED PINK: to be excited and happy
  • She was tickled pink by all the compliments she’d received.
50 Popular English Idioms for Fluency   32. A BAKER’S DOZEN: thirteen
  • Check out our baker’s dozen language learning tips.
33. COMFORT FOOD: food that makes you feel better, because it reminds you of your childhood
  • After a tiring day, it’s so nice to make some comfort food and settle down with a good book.
34. SKELETON CREW: the minimum number of people needed to keep a service/office operating
  • Can you come back after the holidays? We’re operating with a skeleton crew at the moment.
  35. LET THE CHIPS FALL WHERE THEY MAY: to let something happen, no matter what happens next
  • I must tell John how I feel about him, let the chips fall where they may.
36. NO-BRAINER: an easy decision
  • Do you think I should propose to Judy?
  • Come on, it’s a no-brainer. She’s such a fantastic woman!
37. A STONE’S THROW: very near
  • The hotel  was a stone’s throw from the beach. I loved it.
38. HEAR ON THE GRAPEVINE: to hear a rumour or unconfirmed story
  • I heard on the grapevine that Charlie and Sarah are dating at the moment.
39. SIT ON THE FENCE: to stay neutral and not take sides
  • Well don’t you think I’m right, he’s been acting differently hasn’t he?
  • I’m sitting on the fence with this one, you’re both my good friends.0. TAKE WHAT SOMEONE SAYS WITH A PINCH OF SALT: regard something as exaggerated, or only believe a part of something
  • Did you hear what Tina said happened in the office yesterday?
  • Oh, I would take anything she says with a pinch of salt.
41. FREAK OUT: to become very angry, scared or excited
  • Mum, don’t freak out! I married a guy in Las Vegas.
2. BE A CATCH: be someone worth marrying/having
  • John is taking me out tonight. He’s such a catch, I hope he’ll propose.
43. PIECE OF CAKE: when something is extremely easy to do
  • Do you think you could beat him in a race?
  • Yeah, piece of cake. I’m definitely a lot faster than him.
44. HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD: used if something someone says, is precisely correct
  • My doctor hit the nail on the head. He knew exactly what was wrong with me!
45. COSTS AN ARM AND A LEG: when something is very expensive
  • My son wants that mountain bike for his birthday, but it’ll cost an arm and a leg!
50 Popular English Idioms for Fluency 46. HIT THE BOOKS: to study very hard
  • Do you want to go for lunch somewhere nice?
  • No thanks, I’m going to hit the books. I have an exam coming up soon.
47. BITE OFF MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW: to take on something that is too much for you to handle
  • He recently got promoted and took on some new responsibilities, but he’s just too busy. He bit off more than he could chew, and I don’t think he can handle it anymore.  48. WHEN PIGS FLY: this means that something will never happen
  • Aren’t you going to buy that dream house you told me about?
  • Ugh, I will when pigs fly. It’s just so expensive, I don’t think it’ll happen.
49. DON’T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER: this means don’t make a decision based on a brief impression or outward appearance
  • I don’t like our new neighbours very much, they’re quite strange.
  • Hey, you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Give them a chance, I think they’re just a bit quirky but really nice!
50. YOU ROCK: you are great
  • Thanks for the tickets, Rob. You rock!
51. MISS THE BOAT: when someone has missed their opportunity to do something
  • Have you applied for that job yet?
  • No, I think I may have missed the boat. I should’ve done it last week.
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IELTS Speaking Test Vocabulary

IELTS Speaking Test Vocabulary and Conversation Fillers

Vocabulary for IELTS Speaking Test I for Imaginative E for Excellent L for Laid-back T for Tuned-in S for Smart. Look at each word above and see how many SYNONYMS (words with the same meaning) can you think of? Not many? It’s time to learn some new words and to revise the old ones. By the way, ’revise’ has a synonym I love: BRUSH UP. When I hear this word, I always visualize a large brush scrubbing my brain cells. OK, let me give you a few examples:
  • imaginative, creative, inventive, original
  • excellent, great, outstanding, first-rate
  • laid-back, relaxed, lax, easy-going
  • tuned-in, learned, informed, knowledgeable
  • smart, bright, intelligent, sharp
Why are we talking about synonyms? Because they are extremely important for you to express yourself fluently. When your MIND GOES BLANK (you suddenly forget something you knew) and you can’t remember a word, it is HANDY (useful) to know a list of other words that you can choose from. Also, you can use synonyms to avoid repetition. A nice job, a nice lunch, a nice car, a nice woman etc.- it just sounds unimaginative and perhaps even uneducated if you speak like this. To get a higher score in the exam, you’ll have to learn to PARAPHRASE (to express the same idea with different words). Another way to maximize your learning is to make your own selection of the words YOU would like to memorize. Have you ever learnt a long list of words for a school test, only to forget all of them once the test was over? That was because you had no choice in which words you wanted to learn. Real learning only happens when you yourself are the motivation behind it. So, choose the words you would like to use in the future and focus on them. No need to waste time and energy with long, meaningless lists- make the list shorter if needed, but more interesting to you. It’s also a good idea to group the words and expressions you want to learn into topics. It will help you create a CONTEXT (a setting) where vocabulary becomes more meaningful and memorable to you. And this is what we are going to do now. Below you can find groups of words that will COME IN HANDY (prove to be useful) when preparing for the IELTS exam and IELTS Speaking Test. If you can, try to memorize whole sentences- they will just pop into your mind when you need them. The words you’ll find are not the typical, boring ones you would usually see in a similar compilation. I have chosen them to give you the chance to SPICE UP (make more interesting) your active vocabulary and impress the examiners. CONVERSATION FILLERS Use filters to give yourself time to think before you speak. This will make you sound much more fluent. Er… let me think…
  • What do you think are the most common causes of road accidents?
  • Er… let me think… I would say there are two main causes…
Hmm… that’s a good question…
  • Is listening to the radio more beneficial for children than watching TV?
  • Hmm… that’s a good question. I guess it is, because…
Actually… I’ve never really thought about it…
  • Why do teenagers love texting their friends?
  • Actually… I’ve never really thought about it… It might be, because they…
Umm… (repeat the question)
  • Where do you see yourself in ten years’ time?
  • Umm… Where do I see myself in ten years’ time?… Maybe, I will…
Well, you know …
  • Would you give up your car and cycle to work?
  • Well, you know… I work quite far from home…
It’s also important to ask for CLARIFICATION when you don’t understand what the examiner has said.
  • Excuse me, can you repeat the question, please? / I beg your pardon?
  • Sorry, what do you mean by…?
  • Could you say that again, please?
  • I’m afraid I don’t understand what you mean by….
  • I’m not sure I can follow you. Could you be more specific, please?
  • Sorry, I didn’t get your point. Could you put it differently, please?
And to GIVE CLARIFICATION when asked.
  • What I mean is… (paraphrase what you’ve said)
  • I just want to say that… (paraphrase what you’ve said)
  • Sorry, let me explain.
  • Sorry, let me put it differently.
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IELTS Speaking Test : Mock Test

Mock IELTS tests and Practice Test for IELTS for Score Boosting

Part 1 – Introduction Q.  Good afternoon. My name is Kristina Pollock. Could I have your name please? A.  Good afternoon Madam. My name is Joseph Mark and my nick name is Mark. Q.  And your candidate number? A.  My candidate number is….. Q. Thank you. Now could you tell me a little about yourself and where do you live? A. Well, I’m Joseph Mark and I live at…. My father’s name is …. He is a Government service holder. My mother’s name is…. She is basically a housewife but sometimes she works at our shop. I’m 26 and I’ve finished my graduation from  …. University. My major was Mathematics. I’ve got 2 brothers and a younger sister. We live like a very happy family and my parents take great care of us. I’m doing a part time job at a local school as a Mathematics teacher. I’m planning to complete my M.Sc. from any reputed University of UK. My future plan is to teach in a college. I spend my leisure time surfing the internet and reading books. Sometimes I hang around with my friends on the lake shore. The place I live now is really charming and I love to live there. It’s not noisy and busy like other cities and I have got many friends there. I am maintaining a personal blog and there I try to add a post every week. This is basically a technology and Math related blog. Q. What are some of the nicest things about where you live? A. The place where I live in is a clam area and is very neat and clean. You will find it naturally beautiful and the lakes, gardens, fountain, river, hill and the songs of birds will take your heart away. Whenever my friends from other cities come to visit my area, they become awestricken! Our area is indeed a beautiful place to live in. The people are very nice and friendly and you would be very pleased with their charming behaviours if you visit there. The area is free of pollution as it not an industrial area and the fresh air would give a soothing feeling. The traffic on the road is good most of the time and you won’t have to worry about the public transportation as they are available around the clock. This area is famous for many historical sites and monuments like ……… and many tourists come to visit here every day. The tour guides are very nice and are maintained by Government. There are many restaurants there and you can pick one of your delicious menus from there and I am sure you will never forget the taste! People in our area lead simple yet friendly lives and they make friends easily. The crime rate is pretty low and as a small town we know other members of our area. I am sure if you visit our area once, you will simply love it. Q. Are there any places of special interest I could visit in your home area? A. The Gomez River and Roar Hills are two most beautiful places in our area. Thousands of tourists each month come to visit our area and these two places are main attractions for the tourists. Apart from that, some monuments of famous politicians, poets and renowned persons in the Family Square is one of the main attractions and it is worth visiting. The hill hiking, swimming and fishing are three most popular activities among tourists and I would recommend those activities to you. You will never get bored there and if you even slightly do, simply get yourself enrolled in the government managed tour plans for couple of days. This would give you a whole new chance to explore hills, rivers, forests and you would find challenges and enthralling experiences from there. Lastly, do not forget to taste our local foods and fruits. Take the chance to visit our area and I am sure you would start recommending your friends after that. IELTS Speaking Q. Could you describe some of them for me? A. The Gomez River is a long river that passes through our town. The water is crystal clear and you can see the fishes, corals and other objects inside it. The water is surprisingly warm and when you will look at it, you will be surprised to see all the fishes there. It is like a large aquarium. The reflection of the sky gives it a heavenly look and many people go there for picnic and fishing there. In the evening children and parents play in the fields beside the river and you can find some newly constructed motels and restaurants there. Swimming in this river is a popular activity among local people and tourists in the summer season. The Roar hill is another beautiful site in our area and it got its names from the roaring echo sound it creates. There are several hills there and they are over 300- 500 feet tall. The vista, illusionary sound of birds, the natural beauty and fountains give it a painted picture like looks. In the evening when the sun starts hiding behind the hills, people look at this out-of the-world scenery simply in amazement. Q. What would be the best way for me to get there? A. If you have private car with you, you can drive along the roads and reach there. From the city center, both of the destinations would be around 1 and half hour’s journey. Alternatively, you can take a public bus or hire a small car and reach there. The rent of the public transportation is fixed and you need not to pay any extra charge. If you enroll with the tour service provider, they will manage the plan, route and based on your preference, you can either share a zip or can take a private car for rent. The later one is comparatively expensive. Q. What sort of places could I stay at? A. You can stay at a tourist motel near the hills or can rent a hotel room in the city center. If you are visiting your family members, then villa near the hill road would be better alternatives for you. Almost every tourist motel provides meals facility. Q. Should I go at any special time of year? A. Most of the tourists come to our area during the summer season and I would recommend you to visit during summer as well. There are lots of activities you can do during this period and you will find the beauty of our city at that time. [ I see, this has all been very interesting.] Part 2 – Cue Card Topic:

Describe a problem that affects the environment in the area where you live.

You should say:
  • what the problem is
  • what causes it
  • what people feel about the problem
and explain what you think could be done to solve it. IELTS Speaking Part 2: IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card.
IELTS Speaking Test Part 2&3 Video

Describe a problem that affects the environment in the area where you live.

You should say:
  • what the problem is
  • what causes it
  • what people feel about the problem
and explain what you think could be done to solve it. Sample Answer: There are so many problem that negatively affects the environment in our area and among them the highly density of population in my opinion is the most severe one. While in many countries, less than 100 people live in one square kilometer, we have got around thousands of people living in one square kilometer. Because of this high population in a small city, lots of problems are arising. The expenditure to support living is quite high compared to the average earning of the people, a heavy traffic has become a common scenario in the roads and as a consequence, lots of time is killed every day. The lower economic people are not getting the proper education and hospital facility, crime has increase than ever, lots of unplanned and risky constructions have been established, the environment is getting polluted and seems like no one cares. There are many reasons that caused this outburst of this mass population in our city and among them the most influential reason is the centralization of industry in this city. Most of the factory, offices and organizations are located in this city and people from all area of the country are coming here to find a living. The unemployment in rural area is another reason why people are trying to stay here. The political reason not to take strict decisions on making equal opportunity in the country is another reason. The businesses and job opportunity attracts people to come and live here in this city. People can feel the heat of this uncontrolled population and the problems are creating for that but they have little control over it. We all suffer from the problems and talk about it but I have not seen any big movement to solve this problem. On the other hand the political leaders who can take initiatives to lessen the problem are sometimes corrupted to take appropriate and honest steps. There are lots of theories to solve this problem and seems like we all know about it. First of all decentralization should be done and industries and factories that can be moves to other areas should be moved. Proper education and job sectors should be ensured so that people can earn their living at their cities rather than coming here. Local government can be formed to support and improve each area of the country. Each local government should be able to invest and decide about the development projects in their area. People naturally want to live in a better place where they can find the necessary infrastructure, daily needs and can earn a living. If that can be ensured throughout the country, this problem can be reduced.

Part 3 – Two-way discussion:

Q. What causes environmental problems? Q. What should the government do to protect the environment? Q. What should we do to protect the environment? Q. What other measures can you think of to protect the environment? Q. How should we educate children to protect environment? Q. What’s the difference between the old and the young as regards environmental protection?

Similar Cue Card Topics

Your ability to talk about this Cue Card Topic would also enable you to talk about the following Cue Card Topics as well:
  1. Describe pollution in your city.
  2. Describe a problem you face in your city.
  3. Describe air or sound pollution in your city.
  4. Describe something you would like to change in your hometown.
Part 3 – Details Discussion [Now let’s go to real life and you…..] Q. Tell me, what do you think are the greatest problems facing your country at present? A. Economic development issue, political instability, unemployment and healthcare are the major issues most of the people in my country face. In my opinion these are the most burning issues and the greatest problems we have in our country. Q. And what has been done so far to solve these problems? A. The government has taken many initiatives for the economic progress of our country. According to the statistics, we are indeed progressing. But I am not convinced with the reported statistics. I want to see the result, I want to feel it. The political instability seems like consuming most of our good will and energy. While major political parties should have worked together to help improve our economic conditions, sometimes their actions give me real doubt whether they are the type of leaders we need for our country! IELTS Speaking Mock Test On the positive sides, government has emphasized on ICT sector, has made the export process easier for business people, established many training institutes to enhance the skill of the rural people and those are all hopeful signs. Someday definitely we will see the progress. Education, skill, foreign investment, job security etc. are also important areas where the government has invested a lot of money. The aim of this investment is to create a skilled and educated generation who would lead the economy and the country. The healthcare section is still an expensive area for the mass people and the government’s initiatives for establishment of new hospitals, enrolling more doctors and nurses are in reality very little compared to the actual need. Q. How successful would you say these measures have been? A. These measures are successful to some extent but if I present it in figures, it would only few percentages than the actual progress we expect. For instance: more than three thousands hospitals are required throughout the country whereas only 45 hospitals have been established in the last one year. Q. Do you think things are likely to get better or worse in the future? A. We hope that the problem we have in our country would be resolved in next few years. The government and other organizations are working hard to address these issues and we are noticing some progress. So we can definitely be positive and wait for the glorious days when we won’t have those issues. This was an optimistic idea and I possess this positive idea about my country. But the greatest obstacle is the hunger for power and our political parties often create haphazard situation for the power. This is the single reason that can degrade the situation in the future. Q. Is what you are going to study likely to be of any use to solve these problems? A. I am going to finish my graduation majoring Computer Science and I am very positive that it would directly or indirectly help eradicate unemployment, economic progress issues to some extent that I have talked about. After finishing my education, I would establish a small software company and hopefully one day it would grow to be a large company where thousands of employees would work. The ICT sector also helps earning foreign remittance for a country and I would also contribute to enhance the foreign remittance for my country. [Thank you very much. It’s been pleasant talking to you. I wish you success in your study program. Goodbye.]
 

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IELTS Speaking Practice test 1

IELTS Speaking Training at Lingua World Coimbatore

IELTS Speaking Practice test

In the Speaking test, you will have a discussion with a certified examiner. It will be interactive and as close to a real-life situation as a test can get.

The Speaking test is the same for both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training tests. This practice material is designed for two people working together. Find a study partner to help you practise. This might be a teacher or a friend. The Speaking test is 11-14 minutes long and is in three parts.
Part 1 You will answer questions about yourself and your family.
Part 2 You will speak about a topic.
Part 3 You will have a longer discussion about the topic introduced in Part 2.
  Take the three parts of this practice test one after another without a break to make your practice as realistic as possible. Remember, you need to speak fluently, clearly and accurately. It is important to say as much as you can and to be spontaneous. Do not prepare answers in advance. Record yourself if you can so that you can go back and check your performance.

Review your Speaking test

Listen to your recordings and discuss your test with your study partner. Think about how you spoke. Were you fluent? Did your speech sound natural? Were you able to express yourself clearly? Use the audio recordings and transcripts in each section to gain an insight into the test format. Note that these are not model answers, so do not try to imitate them. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQVWgnkIpuQ[/embed] There are no ‘answers’. You and your study partner will need to assess how well you do.

Speaking part 1

In part 1 of the Speaking test the examiner will introduce him or herself and ask general questions on familiar topics.

The examiner will ask you to confirm your identity. He or she will then ask general questions on familiar topics such as home, family, work, studies and interests. Part 1 of the test will last 4-5 minutes.

How to practise

You will need a study partner to practise the Speaking test. Ask your study partner to interview you using the questions below. Record yourself if you can.

Speaking test part 1: questions

Let’s talk about your home town or village:
  • what kind of place is it?
  • what’s the most interesting part of your town/village?
  • what kind of jobs do the people in your town/village do?
  • would you say it’s a good place to live? (why?)
Let’s move on to talk about accommodation:
  • tell me about the kind of accommodation you live in?
  • how long have you lived there?
  • what do you like about living there?
  • what sort of accommodation would you most like to live in?

Listen to the audio:

Left click on the link to listen now (the audio player will open in a new tab) or right click and select ‘Save Link As’ to download the file to your computer and listen later. You can read the transcript of the audio to check any words that you did not understand. Do you think that this candidate performed well? Think about how you can improve your own Speaking test.

Transcript

Examiner: Now, in this first part, I’d like to ask you some more questions about yourself, OK? Let’s talk about your home town or village. What kind of place is it? Candidate: It’s quite a small village, about 20km from Zurich. And it’s very quiet. And we have only little … two little shops because most of the people work in Zurich or are orientated to the city. Examiner: What’s the most interesting part of this place … village? Candidate: On the top of a hill we have a little castle which is very old and quite well known in Switzerland. Examiner: What kind of jobs do people in the village do? Candidate: We have some farmers in the village as well as people who work in Zurich as bankers or journalists or there are also teachers and some doctors, some medicines. Examiner: Would you say it’s a good place to live? Candidate: Yes. Although it is very quiet, it is … people are friendly and I would say it is a good place to live there, yes. Examiner: Let’s move on to talk about accommodation. Tell me about the kind of accommodation you live in …

Speaking part 2

IELTS Speaking Practice test

In the IELTS speaking part 2 test you will be given a task card on a particular topic, and this will include key points that you should talk about.

This section of the Speaking test gives you the opportunity to speak for longer on a topic. You will be given one minute to prepare to talk about the topic on the task card.  A pencil and paper will be provided for you to make notes. You will have to talk for 1-2 minutes, and then the examiner will ask you one or two questions on the same topic. Part 2 takes 3-4 minutes in total.

How to practise

Ask your study partner to listen while you speak about the task card topic. You should talk for 1-2 minutes. Your study partner should then ask you one or two questions on the same topic using the rounding off questions. Record yourself if you can. IELTS Speaking Practice test

Speaking test part 2: candidate task card

Describe something you own which is very important to you. You should say:
  • where you got it from
  • how long you have had it
  • what you use it for; and
  • explain why it is important to you.
You will have to talk about the topic for 1 to 2 minutes. You have one minute to think about what you’re going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.

Rounding off questions

Tell me
  • is it valuable in terms of money?
  • would it be easy to replace?

Listen to the audio:

Left click on the link to listen now (the audio player will open in a new tab) or right click and select ‘Save Link As’ to download the file to your computer and listen later. You can read the transcript of the audio to check any words that you did not understand. Do you think that this candidate performed well? Think about how you can improve your own Speaking test.

Transcript

Examiner: Alright? Remember you have one to two minutes for this, so don’t worry if I stop you. I’ll tell you when the time is up. Candidate: OK Examiner: Can you start speaking now, please? Candidate: Yes. One of the most important things I have is my piano because I like playing the piano. I got it from my parents to my twelve birthday, so I have it for about nine years, and the reason why it is so important for me is that I can go into another world when I’m playing piano. I can forget what’s around me and what … I can forget my problems and this is sometimes quite good for a few minutes. Or I can play to relax or just, yes to … to relax and to think of something completely different. Examiner: Thank you. Would it be easy to replace this, this piano? Candidate: Yes, I think it wouldn’t be that big problem but I like my piano as it is because I have it from my parents, it’s some kind unique for me.

Speaking part 3

In part 3 of the Speaking test the examiner will ask further questions which are connected to the topics  discussed in part 2.

This part of the test is designed to give you the opportunity to talk about more abstract issues and ideas. It is a two-way discussion with the examiner, and will last 4-5 minutes.

How to practise

Ask your study partner to prompt your practice test discussion using the questions below. Try to speak as naturally and fluently as possible. Record your discussion if you can.
 
Let’s consider first of all how people’s values have changed.
  • What kind of things give status to people in your country?
  • Have things changed since your parents’ time?
Finally, let’s talk about the role of advertising.
  • Do you think advertising influences what people buy?

Listen to the audio:

  Left click on the link to listen now (the audio player will open in a new tab) or right click and select ‘Save Link As’ to download the file to your computer and listen later. You can read the transcript of the audio to check any words that you did not understand. Do you think that this candidate performed well? Think about how you can improve your own Speaking test.

Transcript

Examiner: We’ve been talking about things we own. I’d like to discuss with you one or two more general questions relating to this topic. First, let’s consider values and the way they can change. In Switzerland, what kind of possessions do you think give status to people? Candidate: The first thing which comes in my mind is the car. Yes, because lots of people like to have posh cars or expensive cars to show their status, their place in the society. Examiner: Is that a new development? Candidate: No, I think it isn’t. Examiner: People have thought like that for quite a long time? Candidate: Yes. Another thing is probably the clothing. It starts already when you are young. When the children go to school they want to have posh labels on their jumpers or good shoes. Examiner: What do you think of this way of thinking, that I need to have a car or certain clothes to show my status? Candidate: Probably it’s sometimes a replacement for something you don’t have, so if your wife has left you or your girlfriend, you just buy some new, I don’t know, new watches or new clothes to make you satisfied again. Examiner: You don’t think of it as a healthy way of thinking? Candidate: It’s probably not honest to yourself. You can understand what I mean? Examiner: Yes. And do you think this will change? In the future, will cars and designer clothes be status symbols in the same way? Candidate: I’m sure that clothes will be … that the thing with the clothes will be the same. I’m not so sure about the cars because cars cause lots of environmental problems and probably in some years, a few years, this will change because it’s not reasonable to drive a car anymore. Examiner: Can you tell me a little bit more about that? [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzzOowpCryw[/embed]
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Success-oriented Classes in IELTS, Need-Based Training  for Cambridge, British Council Exams in Coimbatore

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IELTS Classroom:Reading Academic

IELTS TrainingIELTS Academic Reading Sample 1 On these pages you will find IELTS reading sample questions and passages. Further sample readings are available by clicking on the links on the right or following the link at the end of each page.IELTS Reading Sample – Passage 1 In this first reading example you have:

  • Matching headings to paragraphs
  • True, False, or Not Given

Air Rage

(A) The first recorded case of an airline passenger turning seriously violent during a flight, a phenomenon now widely known as “air rage”, happened in 1947 on a flight from Havana to Miami. A drunk man assaulted another passenger and bit a flight attendant. However, the man escaped punishment because it was not then clear under whose legal control a crime committed on plane was, the country where the plane was registered or the country where the crime was committed. In 1963, at the Tokyo convention, it was decided that the laws of the country where the plane is registered take precedence. (B) The frequency of air rage has expanded out of proportion to the growth of air travel. Until recently few statistics were gathered about air rage, but those that have been indicate that passengers are increasingly likely to cause trouble or engage in violent acts. For example, in 1998 there were 266 air rage incidents out of approximately four million passengers, a 400% increase from 1995. In the same period American Airlines showed a 200% rise. Air travel is predicted to rise by 5% internationally by 2010 leading to increased airport congestion. This, coupled with the flying public’s increased aggression, means that air rage may become a major issue in coming years. (C) Aside from discomfort and disruption, air rage poses some very real dangers to flying. The most extreme of these is when out of control passengers enter the cockpit. This has actually happened on a number of occasions, the worst of which have resulted in the death and injury of pilots or the intruder taking control of the plane, almost resulting in crashes. In addition, berserk passengers sometimes attempt to open the emergency doors while in flight, putting the whole aircraft in danger. These are extreme examples and cases of air rage more commonly result in physical assaults on fellow passengers and crew such as throwing objects, punching, stabbing or scalding with hot coffee. (D) The causes of air rage are not known for certain, but it is generally thought that factors include: passenger behavior and personality, the physical environment and changes in society. A recent study has identified the issues that start the incidents to be as follows.  
Alcohol 25%
Seating 16%
Smoking 10%
Carry on luggage 9%
Flight attendants 8%
Food 5%
(E) One of the major causes seems to be the passenger’s behavior or their personality. Fear of flying and the feeling of powerlessness associated with flying can lead to irritable or aggressive passengers. Also, alcohol consumed on a plane pressurized to 8000ft affects the drinker more quickly and the effects are stronger. Many people do not take account of this and drinking may increase any negative reaction to the flying environment they have, which, combined with the lowering of their inhibitions, may cause air rage. Smoking withdrawal, which some liken in severity to opiate withdrawal, is another major cause of air rage incidents. Passengers caught smoking in the toilets occasionally assault flight attendants and have been known to start fires. When conflicts occur in these conditions, they can escalate into major incidents if the passenger has a violent personality or a fear of flying and because of the enclosed nature of a plane offers no option of retreat as would be natural in a “fight or flight” reaction. (F) Some people feel that the physical environment of a plane can lead to air rage. Seats on most airlines have become smaller in recent years as airlines try to increase profits. This leads to uncomfortable and irritated passengers. Also, space for carry on luggage is often very small. Because up to 8% of checked in luggage is lost, misdirected or stolen, passengers have been trying to fit larger carry on items into these small storage areas and this can lead to disputes that can escalate into air rage. Airlines could also be to blame by raising passengers’ expectations too high with their marketing and advertising. Many air rage incidents start when disappointed passengers demand to be reseated. Finally, there is some evidence to show that low oxygen levels can raise aggression level and make people feel more desperate. Airlines have lowered oxygen levels to save money. Now the level of oxygen in the air that the pilots breathe is ten times higher than in cabin class. (G) Another reason that has been suggested is that society is getting ruder and less patient. The increased congestion at airports, longer queues and increased delays have only added to this. In addition, some air rage incidents have been linked to the demanding nature of high achieving business people, who do not like people telling them what to do and resent the power that the cabin staff have over them. For them, a flight attendant is a waiter or waitress who should do what the passenger wants. (H) The strongest calls for action to control air rage have come from pilots and aircrew. The International Transport Workers’ Federation argues that there are too many loopholes that let people escape punishment and that the penalties are too light. They want to notify all passengers of the penalties for air rage before taking off, rather than after the passenger begins to cause serious problems, when it may be too late. The Civil Aviation Organisation has been organizing international cooperation and penalties have increased in recent years. The most severe punishment so far has been a 51 month jail sentence, a fine to pay for the jet fuel used and 200 hours community service for a man who attempted to enter the cockpit and to open the emergency door of a domestic US flight. (I) Various other measures are being used to control air rage. Air crew are getting training on how to calm passengers and how to predict where incidents might result in air rage and take action to prevent this. Other measures include, strengthening doors to stop people entering the cockpit, training crew in the use of plastic restraints to tie down unruly passengers and having pilots divert their planes if passengers cause problems. Banning passengers who are guilty of air rage from flying has also been tried to a lesser extent.

IELTS Reading Sample: Questions 1 – 8

The IELTS reading sample passage has nine paragraphs A – I. From the list below choose the most suitable headings for B – I. Write the appropriate number (i – xiv) beside in boxes 1 – 8 on your answer sheet. NB There are more headings than paragraphs, so you do not have to use them all. List of headings
  1. A decline in the tolerance of passengers.
  2. Disproportionate growth.
  3. Pilots and aircrew cooperate.
  4. Additional action.
  5. Smaller seats are the norm.
  6. Laying the blame with the airlines
  7. Origins.
  8. A major threat to travel.
  9. Demands for change.
  10. Business people fly more.
  11. New research pinpoints the causes.
  12. The pace of life.
  13. Passenger at the root of the problems.
  14. Personal experience.
Example:
Paragraph A Answer: vii
  1. Paragraph B
  2. Paragraph C
  3. Paragraph D
  4. Paragraph E
  5. Paragraph F
  6. Paragraph G
  7. Paragraph H
  8. Paragraph I

IELTS Reading Sample: Questions 9 – 14

Do the following statements agree with the information in the IELTS reading sample text? Mark them as follows.
T______if the statement agrees with the information in the text. F______if the statement does not agree with the information in the text. NG_____if there is no information on this in the text.
  1. In the first case of air rage, one of the reasons the man was not punished was because the plane was not registered.
  2. The statistics on air rage were collected by private monitoring groups.
  3. The second most common catalyst for incidents is problems with seating.
  4. The environment in a plane makes disagreements more likely to become serious problems.
  5. Airlines have been encouraging passengers to bring more items onboard as carry-on luggage.
  6. There have been no attempts to ban passengers with a history of air rage.

Click here for Answer 

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IELTS Classroom:Reading Strategies

 IELTS Reading Strategies for Score Boosting

IELTS Reading Strategies for Score Boosting

IELTS Reading Strategies for Score Boosting

Academic and If you are taking IELTS to study abroad then you will take the Academic IELTS Reading Module.

If you are taking IELTS for other purposes such as working abroad, then you will take the General Training Reading Module. IELTS Training Either way, improving your reading for IELTS is important as you will face some complex reading and difficult vocabulary. The aim of these pages is to give you the skills and practice to tackle the reading module. Ielts preparation Both IELTS Reading Tests, Academic and General Training, aim to assess the following skills:
  1. Reading for gist
  2. Reading for main ideas
  3. Reading for detail
  4. Understanding inferences and implied meaning
  5. Recognising a writers opinions
  6. Attitudes and purpose
  7. Following the development of an argument
Academic Reading
General Reading
60 minutes 40 questions
60 minutes 40 questions
3 readings
3 readings
Texts from journals, magazines, books, newspapers
Texts from advertisements, booklets, leaflets, manuals, notices, newspapers, magazines
General interest texts written for non-specialist audience
Texts related to everyday life, work & general interest

The Academic IELTS Reading Module

IELTS Reading Strategies for Score Boosting

IELTS ReadingThe Academic IELTS Reading Module takes 60 minutes and there are 40 questions to answer. Each question is worth 1 mark. The Reading Passages There are three reading passages with a total of 2,150-2,750 words. Texts are taken from journals, magazines, books, and newspapers. All the topics are of general interest and the texts have been written for a non-specialist audience. The readings are intended to be about issues that are appropriate to candidates who will enter postgraduate or undergraduate courses. IELTS Reading Strategies for Score BoostingAt least one text will contain detailed logical argument. One of the texts may contain non-verbal materials such as graphs, illustrations or diagrams. If there are technical terms which you may not know in the text then a glossary is provided. The texts and questions become more difficult through the paper. The Questions Instructions are clear and easy to follow and you will be provided with examples of any unfamiliar question types. Texts and questions appear on a Question Paper which you can write on but not take away from the test room. You must answers all questions on an Answer Sheet during the 60 minutes – there is not extra time at the end to transfer your answers to an answer sheet. The position of the questions varies – some of the questions may come before a passage, some may come after, depending on the question type. These are the types of question you can expect to see in the test:
  1. short-answer questions
  2. multiple choice
  3. sentence completion
  4. notes/summary/diagram/flow chart/table completion
  5. choosing a heading for a paragraph
  6. identification of writer’s views/claims – yes, no or not given
  7. identification of information – true, false or not given
  8. classification
  9. matching lists/phrases.
There is an answer sheet and you must enter all the questions on there during the test. There is no extra time at the end to enter the scores.

The General Training Module

As with the Academic IELTS reading, the General Training reading module takes 60 minutes, there are 40 questions, and each one is worth 1 mark. The Reading Passages The readings are 2,150-2,750 words, each text being harder than the one before. In contrast to the Academic Reading, texts are taken from advertisements, notices, booklets, official documents, leaflets, newspapers, timetables, instruction manuals, books and magazines. They are all authentic. These are texts that you are likely to have to deal with daily in an English speaking country. Section one: This section contains 2-3 short factual texts with topics that will be relevant to your everyday life when you live abroad in an English environment. For example, a text may consist of a number of advertisements. Section two: There are 2 factual texts and they focus on issues related to work such as applying for a job, pay and conditions, staff training and development and company policies. Section three: The text in this section is longer and more difficult. It is a text on a topic of general interest. The Questions As with the Academic IELTS reading, these are the questions you can expect to see on the test:
  1. short-answer questions
  2. multiple choice
  3. sentence completion
  4. notes/summary/diagram/flow chart/table completion
  5. choosing a heading for a paragraph
  6. identification of writer’s views/claims – yes, no or not given
  7. identification of information – true, false or not given
  8. classification
  9. matching lists/phrases.
IELTS Reading Strategies for Score Boosting]]>

IELTS Classroom:IELTS Writing Tips

IELTS Writing Tips

IELTS Classroom:IELTS Writing Tips

  • Below you’ll find important IELTS writing tips to help you with task 1 and 2 of the IELTS writing module.
  • Don’t write too little For task 1 you have to write 150 words, and for task 2 you have to write 250 words. Make sure you do not write less than this amount or your band score may be reduced.
  • Begin to get an idea of how many words you normally write on one line. This way you will know roughly how much you have written without having to keep counting all the words – you probably won’t have time to do this!
IELTS in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
  • Don’t write too much The examiner is looking for quality, not quantity! You will not necessarily get more marks for writing more, so don’t write more for no reason.This will really depend on your writing ability. Someone of a higher level who needs to spend less time checking their grammar will have time to write more.
  • But if this is not you, then make sure you write at least the minimum number of words, then use the extra time to check your grammar.
  • Plan and check your answer Don’t just start writing when the time begins and stop when it finishes.
  • Use some time at the beginning checking you understand the question, brainstorming your ideas and planning your answer.
  • Then spend some time at the end checking your grammar.
  • Spend more time on Task 2 More of the marks are for task 2 and this task requires 100 more words, so spend 20 minutes on task 1 and 40 minutes on task 2.
  • It does not matter which task you write first.
IELTS Preparation
  • Write clearly You are not being graded on your handwriting; however, if the examiner cannot read some things you have written, it is not going to help you! So try to write clearly.
  • Organize clearly Don’t present the examiner with a wall of writing! Make sure you make use of paragraphing to divide up the different arguments or topics you are discussing.
  • Don’t copy the question Never copy the question! You may want to use the question (or rubric as it is called) in the introduction of both tasks in order to introduce the topic, but make sure you put it in your own words.
  • Use a variety of sentence structures The examiner will be looking to see what your grammatical range is so make sure you are not just using a limited range of sentence types.
  • To get a higher score you will need to show you can use simple, compound and complex sentences.
  • Read the question carefully This is one of the most important IELTS writing tips! When my students write essays, one of the most common mistakes is not answering the question.Study the rubric very carefully and make sure you are clear about what you have to write about.
  • If you are writing about the wrong topic or not responding to exactly what the question asks you, your band score will be lower.
  • Read all instructions carefully As with all of the modules of the IELTS test, make sure you read all the instructions carefully. These will tell you where you need to write each answer and what you need to do.

How to Write an IELTS Essay

On this page you will find some guidance on how you should write anIELTS essay. There are then model answers on the following pages for different types of essay and different questions, with some brief guidance on each. It is important to analyse model answers for IELTS essays because there are different essay types, and these will require different ways to answer them. However, as you will see from the guidance on this page, they can all follow the same basic structure. These are some of the types of IELTS essay we will look at:
      • Agree / disagree
      • Discuss two opinions
      • Advantages & disadvantages
      • Causes (reasons) & solutions
      • Causes (reasons) & effects
      • Problems & solutions
Not every essay will fit one of these patterns, but many do. You may get some of these tasks mixed up. For example, you could be asked to give your opinion on an issue, and then discuss the advantages or disadvantages of it. The golden rule is to ALWAYS read the question very carefully to see exactly what you are being asked to do. IELTS Training

How do I Write an IELTS Essay?

In order to answer this, lets first look at a sample question:
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic: In the last 20 years there have been significant developments in the field of information technology (IT), for example the World Wide Web and communication by email. However, these developments in IT are likely to have more negative effects than positive in the future. To what extent do you agree with this view? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge. Write at least 250 words.
An IELTS essay is structured like any other essay; you just need to make it shorter. There are three key elements:
  1. Introduction
  2. Body Paragraphs
  3. Conclusion
We will look at each of these in turn, using the essay question above as an example.

1) Introduction

You should keep your introduction for the IELTS essay short. Remember you only have 40 minutes to write the essay, and some of this time needs to be spent planning. Therefore, you need to be able to write your introduction fairly quickly so you can start writing your body paragraphs. You should do just two things:
  • State the topic of the essay, using some basic facts (that you may be able to take from the question)
  • Say what you are going to write about
Here is an example introduction for the above essay question about IT:
The last two decades have seen enormous changes in the way people’s lives are affected by IT, with many advances in this field. However, while these technological advances have brought many benefits to the world, it can be argued that these developments in IT will result in more negative impacts than positive.
As you can see, the first sentence makes sure it refers to the topic (IT) and uses facts about IT taken from the question. Note that these are paraphrased – you must not copy from the rubric! The second part then clearly sets out the what the essay will be about and confirms the writers opinion (some questions may not ask for your opinion, but this one does). IELTS Writing Tips

2) Body Paragraphs

For an IELTS essay, you should have 2 or 3 body paragraphs – no more, and no less. For your body paragraph, each paragraph should contain one controlling idea, and have sentences to support this. Lets look at the first paragraph for the essay about IT. The essay is about the benefits and drawbacks of IT, so these will need to be discussed in separate paragraphs. Here is the first body paragraph:
To begin, email has made communication, especially abroad, much simpler and faster, resulting in numerous benefits for commerce and business. Furthermore, theWorld Wide Web means that information on every conceivable subject is now available to us. For example, people can access news, medical advice, online education courses and much more via the internet.  It is evident that these improvements have made life far easier and more convenient for large numbers of people and will continue to do so for decades to come. IELTS Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening
The controlling idea in this first paragraph is the ‘benefits of IT‘, and there are two supporting ideas, which are underlined. No drawbacks are discussed as the paragraph would then lose coherence. Most of the essay will focus on the negative aspects of IT, as the writer says there are more negative effects in the introduction. So the next two paragraphs are about these. The topic sentence in the next paragraph therefore tells us we are changing the focus to the negative points:
Nevertheless, the effects of this new technology have not all been beneficial. For example, many people feel that the widespread use of email is destroying traditional forms of communication such as letter writing, telephone and face-to-face conversation. This could result in a decline in people’s basic ability to socialize and interact with each other on a day-to-day basis.
The final body paragraph gives the last negative effect:
In addition, the large size of the Web has meant that it is nearly impossible to regulate and control. This has led to many concerns regarding children accessing unsuitable websites and viruses. Unfortunately, this kind of problem might even get worse in the future at least until more regulated systems are set up.

3) Conclusion

The conclusion only needs to be one or two sentences, and you can do the following:
  • Re-state what the essay is about (re-write the last sentence of your introduction in different words)
  • Give some thoughts about the future
Here is an example:
In conclusion, developments in IT have brought many benefits, yet I believe developments relating to new technology are likely to produce many negative effects in the future that must be addressed if we are to avoid damaging impacts on individuals and society. IELTS Classes

The full IELTS Essay:

The last two decades have seen enormous changes in the way people’s lives are affected by IT, with many advances in this field. However, while these technological advances have brought many benefits to the world, it can be argued that these developments in IT will result in more negative impacts than positive. To begin, email has made communication, especially abroad, much simpler and faster, resulting in numerous benefits for commerce and business. Furthermore, the World Wide Web means that information on every conceivable subject is now available to us. For example, people can access news, medical advice, online education courses and much more via the internet. It is evident that these improvements have made life far easier and more convenient for large numbers of people and will continue to do so for decades to come. Nevertheless, the effects of this new technology have not all been beneficial. For example, many people feel that the widespread use of email is destroying traditional forms of communication such as letter writing, telephone and face-to-face conversation. This could result in a decline in people’s basic ability to socialize and interact with each other on a day-to-day basis. In addition, the large size of the Web has meant that it is nearly impossible to regulate and control. This has led to many concerns regarding children accessing unsuitable websites and viruses. Unfortunately, this kind of problem might even get worse in the future at least until more regulated systems are set up. In conclusion, developments in IT have brought many benefits, yet I believe developments relating to new technology are likely to produce many negative effects in the future that must be addressed if we are to avoid damaging impacts on individuals and society. (287 words)


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