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IELTS speaking tips, information, advice, model answers and topics to help you prepare successfully for your IELTS speaking test. This page contains everything you need to know and the essential skills for a high score in IELTS speaking.

Below is essential information about the IELTS speaking test.

1. The speaking test is face to face with an examiner in a room.

2. There is only one speaking test for all candidates. Academic & GT candidates take the same speaking test.

3. If you are doing computer delivered IELTS, you will still have a face to face interview with the examiner. The speaking test remains the same for everyone.

4. It is recorded so that you can ask for a remark if you wish later.

5. This is an informal speaking test.

6. The examiner who asks the questions will decide your results at the end of the test.

7. The test lasts between 11 and 14 mins (not more and not less).

8. The examiner controls the time and length of your answers.

9. The test comprises of:

ID check and Greeting

Part 1 = questions & answers 4 to 5 mins

Part 2 = a talk for 1-2 mins with rounding off questions for 1 min.

Part 3 = discussion 4 to 5 mins

10. There are four marking criteria:

1. Fluency & Cohesion (25%)

2. Vocabulary (25%)

3. Grammar (25%)

4. Pronunciation (25%)

5. You can see more details on this page: IELTS Band Scores

11. See below for more information about speaking and also more test information, click here: IELTS FAQ

Below are lists of common speaking topics with questions that frequently appear in the speaking test.

Practice speaking exams to develop your skills and get used to the speaking test format. This is essential practice for all IELTS students.

IELTS Speaking Test (1) & Model Answers IELTS Speaking Test (2)

All useful free IELTS speaking video lessons and speaking tips. Learn more about how to get a high score in speaking and how to improve your answers.

1. Tips: How I got Band Score 9 in IELTS Speaking

2. Linking Words for IELTS Speaking

3. Tips: Which part of the speaking test is most important?

4. Tips: Asking the examiner questions

5. Tips: Be ready for the examiner to interrupt your answer

6. Tips: How long should my answer be?

7. Tips: Should I speak fast or slow?

8. Tips: Using wonna and gonna

9. Tips: Umm Ahh and Using Fillers

10. Tips: Can I tell lies?

11. Tips: Should I correct myself or keep talking?

12. Tips for Speaking Part 2 - Will I get a low score for speaking less than 2 mins?

13. Tips for Speaking Part 2: Difficult Topics

14. Tips: Going Off Topic

15. Tips: Misunderstanding the cue card

16. Video: Speaking Part 1: Common Questions

17. Video: Speaking Part 1: Common Topics

18. Video: Speaking Part 1: What's your favourite...?

19. Video: Speaking Part 1: Dictionaries Topic

20. Video: Speaking Part 2: How to start your talk

21. Video: Speaking Part 3: Comparing Urban and Rural Life

22. Video: Greeting the Examiner & ID Check

These lessons are in order of date and new lessons will be added over time. All questions are reported exam topics at time of posting. Lessons usually contain questions, model answers, tips or vocabulary. Notice: Do not memorise model answers. Model answers are to show you options, skills and techniques. Your answers in your IELTS test should come from you and show your own English language.

1. Topic with Model Answers and Vocabulary: Concentration

2. Predicted Speaking Part 1 Topics this year

3. Topics related to Gardens & Parks

4. Topics related to Mobile Phones

5. Predicted Speaking Part 1 Topics: 2022

6. Speaking Part 3 Model Answers: Health & Coronavirus 2020

7. Full IELTS Speaking Test

8. Part 1 New Topic 2018: Plants

9. Part 1 Topic: Dreams

10. Speaking Part 1 Topic: Robots

11. Speaking Part 2: Good Service Topic

12. Speaking Part 1 : Topic of Shoes

13. Speaking Part 1: Snacks

14. Speaking Part 1: Maths

15. Speaking Part 2: Quiz of Understanding

16. Speaking Part 1: Camping

17. Speaking Part 3: Environment

18. Speaking Part 3: Common Mistake

19. Speaking Part 1 & 3: Musical Instruments

20. Speaking Part 1: Food - Vegetables

21. Speaking Part 1: Clothes

22. Speaking Part 1: Travel & Transport

23. Speaking Part 1: Travel & Transport Sub Topics

24. Speaking Part 3: Tourism and the Local Community

25. Speaking Part 3: Technology

26. Speaking Part 1: Sky

27. Speaking Part 3: Charities

28. Speaking Part 1: Sleep

29. Speaking Part 3: Health

30. Speaking Part 2: Holidays

31. Speaking Part 3: Sport

32. Error Correction: Speaking Part 1

33. Speaking Part 1: Walking

34. Speaking Part 3: Art - Paintings

35. Speaking Part 2: A Place to Learn

36. Speaking Part 2: A Friend you are Proud of

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IELTS Speaking: Free Lessons & Essential Tips

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IELTS speaking tips, information, advice, model answers and topics to help you prepare successfully for your IELTS speaking test. This page contains everything you need to know and the essential skills for a high score in IELTS speaking. Below is essential information about the IELTS speaking test.

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Before you listen to the model answers to a full IELTS speaking test, please do the test yourself by watching the practice test video and answering the questions – full practice speaking test video. After you have finished your test, listen to the model answers below or read the answers by looking at the transcript.

Speaking Part 1 Model Answers

Speaking Part 1 Transcript

Home

Do you live in a house or a flat?

Answer = I live in a house which is located on the outskirts of a small town. I’ve lived there for almost 5 years with my parents.

Which is your favourite room?

Probably the sitting room. To be honest, we all spend most of our time in the sitting room because it’s the cosiest room in the house. It’s much nicer than all the other rooms in our house.

Can you describe it?

Well, it’s not particularly large but even so, it feels quite spacious. There are two huge comfy sofas, an open fire which we light in the dark winter months and on the walls there are some rather beautiful oil paintings of country scenes from the area where we live. It’s quite a pretty room, lots of natural light.

If you could improve one thing in your house, what would it be?

Well, if I could change just one thing, I’d probably choose to change my bedroom. At present it’s rather small with almost no view at all. If I could alter it in any way, I would enlarge it to have a private study area, where I could do some work, and I would improve the view by planting some lovely trees and shrubs outside the window. I think being able to sit at a window and see nature is really important.

Films

Do you enjoy watching films?

Oh yes. I’m a bit of a film fanatic actually. I watch films most weekends and quite often during the week as well. I much prefer films to TV programs.

What kinds of films do you like most?

I really like a wide variety of film genres. But if I had to choose a type of film. I’d say I mainly go for suspense, psychological thrillers. In fact some of my favourite films are the old Hitchcock films – he really was the master of suspense.

Did you watch much TV as a child?

No, I didn’t. My parents encouraged us, that’s my brothers and me, to spend time outdoors rather than sitting inside watching TV. So we only ever had the chance to watch TV for an hour each evening before we went to bed. I can’t say it was very common because most of my friends watched loads of TV.

Are foreign language films popular in your country?

No, they’re not really that popular compared to domestic films. I mean there are some Asian films from India and China, as well as some films from Europe as well but I think having to read the subtitles puts people off watching them. It’s a shame really because I think it’s important for people to watch more foreign language films in order to learn more about other cultures.

Greeting People

How would you greet someone who was visiting your house?

Well, I’d probably welcome them into the house and offer them a cup of tea. That’s usually the way it’s done in my country. We don’t really have any formal way of welcoming people.

Would you greet an old friend and a stranger in the same way?

No, definitely not. If it’s a close friend who I’ve known for a long time, I give them a hug and kiss, but if it’s just a stranger I would either shake hands with them or just say “hello, nice to meet you” and nothing more.

How do you meet new people?

I mainly meet new people through friends. Whenever I have dinner with a friends there’s nearly always someone there that I haven’t met before and that how I usually extend my circle of friends.

Do you think first impressions are important?

Oh yes. From the first time you set eyes on someone, you already form some kind of an opinion about them, about their lifestyle, their background or what kind of person they might be. That’s why I always think it’s really important to give a good impression when you meet someone for the first time.

Speaking Part 2 Model Answer

Speaking Part 2 Transcript

I’d like to move on how. I’m going to give you a topic to talk about. Here is some paper and a pen. You’ll have one minute to make notes and then you’ll need to speak for 2 minutes. I’d like you to talk about a holiday you recently had. Please start making notes, I’ll let you know when it’s time to begin talking.

A Holiday you Recently Had

Describe a holiday you recently had

You should say:

Where you went

Who you went with

What you did there

And why you enjoyed it

I’d like to talk about a holiday that I took to the south coast of England just two months ago. I went to a small village in a coastal region called Cornwall. It’s really well known for its dramatic coastal scenes, stunning landscape and also for its tasty food. I went with my parents who had never been to this area of England before. They’d always wanted to go but just never had the chance because of work commitments. Anyway, Cornwall is quite far from where we live so we decided that it would be better to fly there rather than take the car. The roads and traffic are notoriously bad in that part of England. On our arrival, when we found got to the little village, we found our way to the cottage we had booked which overlooked the sea. I can’t tell you how gorgeous it was there. It was just lovely. The windows of my room overlooked a little harbour and I could see all the boats coming in and out and all the seagulls flying around.

We spent most of our holiday sightseeing. We visited all the local towns and villages and tried most of the local delicacies such as fresh crab and lobster. My father is a keen fisherman so he did a bit of fishing while my mother and I relaxed in little cafés somewhere just chatting with locals. It was so relaxing.

I think the thing I’ll remember most about the holiday, will be just how friendly and welcoming all the locals were. It felt like home from home. By the time we’d finished the two week holiday, we had made loads of friends and I’m sure we’ll all keep in touch. If I ever get the chance to go back, I’d love to go and possibly stay longer, maybe for a few months. There’s still so much of the countryside that we didn’t explore, so there’ll still be plenty to see when we return.

Speaking Part 3 Model Answers

Speaking Part 3 Transcript

Now I’d like to talk more about holidays and travelling.

1. If you had the chance to travel anywhere, where would you go?

That’s really difficult for me to answer because there are so many places I’d like to go to. But I suppose, if I had to pick a place, I’d choose India mainly because of the incredibly landscape and also because of the fascinating culture there. I always like to go to countries which have a rich culture steeped in history and India certainly has that. I think I’d be blown away by the colours, the sounds, the aroma of amazing food and by the local people. I’ve heard that the locals are very welcoming and hospitable to foreigners. I think going to India would be a dream come true for me.

2. Why do you think some people like to travel alone?

Well, I suppose one reason could be that when you travel alone, you are completely free to do exactly what you want. You don’t need to consider anyone else when you’re planning your itinerary or when you change it. It can be quite annoying not to be able to do exactly what you want when you’re on holiday. Also, another reason why some people might prefer travelling alone is that it’s easier to make friends and meet people. What I mean is, other people are much more likely to start chatting to you when you’re on your own than if you are already with someone. So, travelling on your own can be more exciting and more interesting.

3. Do you think travel has changed much over the last few decades?

Yes, I do. It’s changed beyond all recognition really. In the past, only wealth people were able to travel, not only because of the expense but also because of the time it took to travel long distances – you know it could sometimes take days to go from one culture to another. They would either have to travel over land or by sea. Nowadays, of course, there are budget flights all over the world and anyone can afford to travel. Travel has become so cheap that it’s often cheaper to travel abroad than in your own country. So, not only is it easier to travel, it is also more accessible to the average person.

4. How does travel change people?

I guess it changes people in a number of different ways. For the individual traveller, it gives them a chance to learn about how other people live and other cultures. This helps them to become more tolerant and accepting of differences which is really important nowadays in a time when there is so much tension between cultures and religions. Also travel can affect the local cultures a lot. What I mean is, it brings foreigners to more remote places in the world where previously there was little outside contact. This can change the way they earn money and the type of work they do as instead of doing traditional jobs, they focus more on making money from the tourist industry. I think that’s quite a worry actually, because if there’s a sudden drop in the number of people travelling, local cultures will suffer as a consequence.

5. Do you think there are any disadvantages to modern travel?

Yes, for sure. I think the main drawback is of course pollution, air pollution. Because there are so many budget flights these days, it has really increased the number of people travelling by plane and the number of flights each day. This has led to serious problems with air pollution which affects the entire world not just the country with the most flights. So, I think this is a major world problem and really needs to be addressed either by reducing the number of flights or finding a cleaner energy source. Another disadvantage is that people are able to move so easily from one country to another that they almost forget their in a new country. I mean, if you take Thailand as an example, many tourists are so busy just having fun and doing what they want, that they forget they are in a relatively traditional culture and they act and dress inappropriately. I think that really is quite a disadvantage of modern travel.

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Full Speaking Test with Model Answers and Audio

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Before you listen to the model answers to a full IELTS speaking test, please do the test yourself by watching the practice test video and answering the questions – full practice speaking test video. After you have finished your test, listen to the model answers below or read the answers by looking a…

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Each video shows IELTS candidates of different levels (band 5 to band 8) doing a mock speaking test with an iPass trainer.

Click on 'examiner's comments' to see how each candidate was assessed and how the overall band score was calculated.

If you'd like to have mock interviews with an iPass trainer to get instant feedback & expert advice, you can buy 1-3 skype sessions (from just €20) or sign up for our complete IELTS speaking course

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​While browsing for customised IELTS speaking sessions, I came across iPass. Really impressed by their reviews, I enrolled on the Speaking Plus course. Jenny was my trainer & mentor in my mock interviews, giving me honest feedback about my weaknesses & making me feel confident about my strengths. Finally, I never looked back and was able to score band 7 in speaking. I genuinely recommend iPass to everyone.
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Take a look at our course menu to see our complete range of online language courses.

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Each video shows IELTS candidates of different levels (band 5 to band 8) doing a mock speaking test with an iPass trainer. Click on 'examiner's comments' to see how each candidate was assessed and how the overall band score was calculated.

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Try our six steps to IELTS Speaking exam success:

Ready to take your Speaking to a higher level?

STEP 7 >> If you want to learn the strategies you'll need to face the Speaking exam with total confidence find out more about IELTS Speaking: Advanced.

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Try our six steps to IELTS Speaking exam success: Ready to take your Speaking to a higher level? STEP 7 >> If you want to learn the strategies you'll need to face the Speaking exam with total confidence find out more about IELTS Speaking: Advanced.

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IELTS Writing Task 1 Tips, Model Answers & More

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Useful IELTS writing task 1 tips, answers, lessons & videos for success achieving a high score. This page contains all the information and help you need to do well. Learn about the IELTS marking criteria, paragraphing, vocabulary and much more. This page has tips for Academic writing task 1 and GT w…

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Band Scores 5 to 8 with Tips

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Learn how your IELTS writing task 2 is marked and the difference between band scores 5, 6, 7 and 8 with tips to improve your score. You need to understand the 4 marking criteria used by the examiner to fulfil the requirements of the score you want.

IELTS band scores are from 0 to 9. However, this page focuses on the main band scores of 5 to 8. If you are aiming for band 9, the main difference is the density of errors in your writing. Also remember that there is a penalty for being under the word count: see link at bottom of page. Tips

Don't just read the band score you want. Read all the band score descriptions to learn how you lose marks and how you gain marks.

The examiner will assess your IELTS essay using the 4 criteria below. Each criterion is worth 25% of your total marks for task 2. You will be given a band score for each criteria and then a total score for task 2. See bottom of page for example of scoring.

Task Response

Coherence and Cohesion

Lexical Resource (Vocabulary)

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

This task 2 marking criterion is about your answer to the IELTS essay question, your main ideas and how you develop them.

Your score will increase if you:

pay attention to ALL issues in the essay question

write about the issues rather than just the general topic

answer the essay question with relevant main points

plan your supporting points so they don't go off the topic

write over 250 words

The IELTS examiner will check the organisation of your essay, the paragraphs and your use of linking devices.

Your score will increase if you:

have either four or five paragraphs but not more and not less
this means you should have two or three body paragraphs only

have just one central topic in each body paragraph

organise your ideas logically

use a range of linking words

avoid errors in linking words

Your use of vocabulary, your paraphrasing, your spelling and the number of mistakes you make will be assessed in this criterion.

Your score will increase if you:

pay attention to collocations (which verb matches which noun)

paraphrase carefully to avoid errors

use a range of words appropriate for the topic

spell words correctly

avoid making errors (errors will lower your score - see table above)

avoid using informal language

The IELTS examiner will give you a band score for your sentence structures, the tenses you use, your control of grammar and also the number of mistakes you make.

Your score will increase if you:

use different grammar tenses (conditionals, perfect tenses, passive voice, past, future etc)

pay attention to word order in your sentences

use a range of sentence structures

use the correct punctuation (full stops and commas)

avoid errors in grammar (errors will lower your score - see the table above)
common grammar errors: articles, plural nouns, uncountable nouns, word order)

You will get a band score for each of the above criteria and then a total score for task 2. Here's an example:

Task Response: Band 6

Coherence & Cohesion = Band 7

Grammar: Band 6

Vocabulary: 6

Total Score for IELTS Writing Task 2: 6 + 7 + 6 + 6 = 25/4 = 6.25. This score will be increased to 6.5. To calculate your score, add all scores together and divide by 4.
IELTS Writing Task 1 Band Scores 5, 6, 7 & 8: Differences and Tips All IELTS Band Scores Explained Penalty for Under Word Count
Note: The information above is taken from the band score descriptors published by IELTS. To learn about band scores 1-9, please see the public band score descriptors for writing task 2 published by IELTS.

Recommended Pages for IELTS Writing Task 2

Main IELTS Pages
Develop your IELTS skills with tips, model answers, lessons, free videos and more.

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Band Scores 5 to 8 with Tips

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Learn how your IELTS writing task 2 is marked and the difference between band scores 5, 6, 7 and 8 with tips to improve your score. You need to understand the 4 marking criteria used by the examiner to fulfil the requirements of the score you want.

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IELTS Writing Task 2: Tips, Lessons & Models

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Success in IELTS writing task 2 is based on using the right techniques. These free tips, model essays, lessons, videos and information will help develop the skills for writing task 2. This page will teach you how to maximise your IELTS writing task 2 score.
All lessons are on this page are for both GT and Academic writing task 2.
On this page, you will find for free:

1. Test Information for Writing Task 2

2. Practice essay questions

3. Essential tips for IELTS writing task 2

4. Free video lessons

5. Model essays

6. Practice lessons to improve your IELTS essay writing (paraphrasing, skills, ideas, spelling etc

Although some lessons are dated from years ago, all lessons and tips are 100% relevant to IELTS writing task 2 today.

Learn about your IELTS writing task 2 test.

1. IELTS recommend you spend no more than 40 mins on writing task 2. However, the time is yours to manage as you wish.

2. You should write over 250 words. In the lessons below you will learn about word count and essay length.

3. IELTS writing task 2 is worth only about 66% of your total writing marks.
Learn how your total writing score is calculated: Total Writing Score Calculations

4. You will be marked on:

1. Task Response (25%)

2. Coherence & Cohesion (25%)

3. Vocabulary (25%)

4. Grammar (25%)

5. For band score tips and details, see this page: IELTS Writing Task 2 Band Scores

6. Academic writing task 2 is a formal essay. The common types of essays are: Opinion, Discussion, Advantage/Disadvantage, Direct Questions, Solutions. These categorisations will differ from teacher to teacher depending on how they like to teach. See below for 100 IELTS Essay Questions to practise at home.

7. GT writing task 2 is the same as Academic IELTS. The essay is written in the same way and the scoring is the same. The only difference is that GT essay questions are often easier and topics are simpler.

8. All words will be counted, even small or repeated words. See this page: How Words are Counted

9. COMPUTER DELIVERED IELTS: See the following link to read Pros and Cons of Computer Based IELTS:

10. For more information about IELTS test rules and info, see this page: IELTS Test FAQ

Practice essay questions to help you prepare ideas for topics in IELTS writing task 2. These questions have been written based on questions reported by IELTS students. They are not IELTS tests.

The most important writing tips for a strong IELTS essay in writing task 2. Learn about the recommended essay length, how to plan your essay, when to give your opinion and how to write an introduction etc.
How many paragraphs for an IELTS essay?: Essay structure Key Linking Words List: Academic Vocabulary Types of IELTS Essays Video: How to write an introduction paragraph: Complete lesson Essay Planning Tips: How to plan your IELTS essay Common Essay Topics: 20 Most Common Essay Topics Video: Essay Length Advice: How long should your essay be? Video: Official Writing Answer Sheet Tips: Using the answer sheet When to give your opinion: Opinion Essay Tips Video Using the last 5 minutes: Exam technique tips Video: Paraphrasing Tips Finding Ideas: Developing ideas for essay topics All Free IELTS Writing Task 2 Videos Lessons : Main Essay Types in Writing Task 2
Sample essays for IELTS writing task 2. These high score model essays will help you understand how to answer the essay questions and how to structure your writing.

Develop your IELTS writing skills and get useful ideas for many essay questions. Lessons are in order of date and new lessons will be added over time.

1. New Essay Topics in 2023 (these are new topics only. You also need to prepare all common topics as well)

2. IELTS Essay Topics Prediction 2022

3. Grammar Test: Using "the" with countries and nationalities

4. Paraphrasing Practice 1

5. Paraphrasing Practice 2

6. Paraphrasing Practice 3

7. Essay Questions for 2017 - questions reported in the test this year.

8. Using Passive Voice for Giving Opinions

9. Essay Ideas: Employment Competition

10. Writing Skills: Paraphrasing Practice

11. Writing Skills: Improving Sentences (2)

12. Essay Ideas: The Importance of History

13. Essay Ideas: Housing & Trees

14. Essay Ideas: International Aid

15. Essay Ideas: City Transport

16. Essay Ideas: Salaries

17. Essay Ideas: Function of Schools

18. Essay Ideas: Female Staff in Senior Positions

19. Writing Skills: Punctuation Practice

20. Writing Skills: Linking Word Practice

21. Essay Ideas: Littering in Cities

22. Listen and Write Dictation: Natural Disasters

23. Discussion Essay with Feedback: Music Topic

24. Writing Skills: Improving Sentences: Ebooks Topic

25. Essay Ideas: Banning Mobile Phones

26. Two Question Essay with Feedback: Judging Business Success

27. Essay Ideas: Tourism and Local Communities

28. Essay Ideas: Traffic & Pollution

29. Writing Skills: Improving a Thesis Statement

30. Writing Skills: Improving Sentences (1)

31. Essay Ideas: Handwriting Skills

32. Writing Skills: Linking Word Practice

33. Essay Ideas: Promoting to Children

34. Essay Ideas: Older or Younger Leaders

35. Writing Skills: Introduction Feedback

36. Writing Skill: Opinion Essay Introduction Feedback

37. Writing Skills: Opinion Essay Body Paragraphs

38. Writing Skills: Opinion Essay Introduction

39. Writing Skills: Opinion Essay Finding Main Points

40. Writing Skills: Thesis Statement

41. Essay Ideas: Public Services.

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IELTS Writing Task 2: Tips, Lessons & Models

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Success in IELTS writing task 2 is based on using the right techniques. These free tips, model essays, lessons, videos and information will help develop the skills for writing task 2. This page will teach you how to maximise your IELTS writing task 2 score.

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7 Model answers for IELTS writing task 2. IELTS essays model answers

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An IELTS essay is a 'discursive essay' where you may have to discuss an issue, give an opinion, explain the advantages or disadvantages, write about problems or causes of problems and give solutions. There are 5 variations to an IELTS discursive essay. In this blog post, there are 7 model answers for IELTS writing task 2. These are based on essays my students have written with help from me to correct them and make them more concise and clear.

First, let's look at these important points.

In a problem-solution essay or an advantage disadvantage essay, the instruction words will ask something like:

Notice the plural form here, advantage s and disadvantageMany students (and IELTS teachers) think they have to write more than one advantage and disadvantage or more than one problem and solution. Yes, you can certainly do this but you can also make it much simpler by writing about one advantage and one disadvantage. The same goes for a problem solution essay.

Another point to consider is that you may run out of time if you write 2 of each. You will have only 40 minutes for the essay. Planning time is around 10 minutes so that means 30 minutes of writing. Another danger of writing about 2 of each is that your word count will go well over 300 words.

What does the marking criteria say?

Band 8 Task Response states-> 'presents a well-developed response to the question with relevant, extended and supported ideas...'

There is nothing mentioned in the marking criteria about having more than one advantage or disadvantage only that it needs to be well developed, relevant and supported. So you can take one advantage one disadvantage, explain them well and support them with a specific example within an essay of between 260 to 300 words. Same for a problem solution essay, one problem one solution.

Band 7 coherence and cohesion it states-> 'presents a clear central topic within each paragraph...'

So you can run with one central idea or one main advantage and disadvantage, or problem/solution, as long as you are able to explain it well and give a clear relevant example. You will see this technique in the model answers below.

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7 Model answers for IELTS writing task 2. IELTS essays model answers

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An IELTS essay is a 'discursive essay' where you may have to discuss an issue, give an opinion, explain the advantages or disadvantages, write about problems or causes of problems and give solutions. There are 5 variations to an IELTS discursive essay. In this blog post, there are 7 model answers for IELTS writing task 2.

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Sample Writing Part 1 & 2 answers different bands/scores

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Sample Writing Part 1 & 2 answers different bands/scores

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Free English lessons at Test-English.com: grammar, vocabulary, listening, reading. Learn English online for free with tests and exam prep.

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Unsure how to improve your score in grammar for IELTS Writing Task 2?

The good news is that you can increase your grammar score in a relatively short amount of time.

In this lesson, you’ll learn the IELTS test requirements for grammar and my unique strategy to improve your grammar score.

Here are the topics that will help you do this;

What is Grammatical Range and Accuracy?

How IELTS examiners decide your score

What bands 5 to 9 look like

Getting the highest possible score on test day

Useful sentence structures for Writing Task 2

Approaches to avoid when studying grammar

Strategy to improve grammar for IELTS Writing Task 2

Should I use Grammarly?

Prefer to watch the video version?

What is Grammatical Range and Accuracy?

The requirements for each of these band scores are outlined by IELTS in this document.

Because a lot of academic vocabulary is used in the band descriptors document, there are probably parts of it that you don’t understand.

However, this isn’t an issue because the descriptions you’re about to read are much easier to follow.

How IELTS examiners decide your score

As the name implies, the examiner will be checking for the range of grammatical structures and the accuracy of the grammar used throughout your Writing Task 2 answer.

To determine your Grammatical Range and Accuracy band score, the examiner checks for;

Clarity of communication

Frequency of errors

Range of structures

Let’s look at each of these in more detail.

Clarity of communication

The most noticeable thing for examiners is how easily they can understand your essay.

If grammar mistakes make an essay difficult to understand, that is a band 5 or lower for Grammatical Range and Accuracy.

For band 6, the examiner can understand the entire essay but not always easily.

To get a band 7 or higher, the grammar in your essay needs to cause absolutely no difficulty to the examiner. There can be some mistakes, but they cannot affect clarity.

Frequency of errors

The next thing the examiner will check is how often you make grammar mistakes in your writing.

The public band descriptors document clearly outlines the frequency of mistakes that are acceptable for each band score;

band 5 = frequent grammatical errors.

band 6 = some grammatical errors.

band 7 = a few grammatical errors.

band 8 = occasional grammatical errors.

band 9 = rare minor grammatical errors.

Of course, there is more involved!

To get a band 7 and 8 in Grammatical Range and Accuracy, you also need to have ‘error-free sentences’.

What is an error-free sentence?

An error-free sentence is a sentence with absolutely no grammar mistakes in it.

It’s okay if these sentences have vocabulary errors as we are only concerned with grammar for the Grammatical Range and Accuracy score.

How many error-free sentences do I need?

IELTS doesn’t give a specific number.

What we are told is that;

band 7 = frequent error-free sentences

band 8 = a majority of error-free sentences

However, we do know that the average Writing Task 2 essay is about 13 sentences.

With this in mind, we can say that you need;

at least 6 or 7 error-free sentences for a band 7.

about 9 or 10 error-free sentences for a band 8.

What about band 9?

Band 9 needs to be pretty much perfect. It’s okay to make some minor errors, but they need to be ‘slips’.

A slip is a mistake that is made accidentally while writing rather than a mistake that is made because of a lack of ability in grammar.

How would an examiner know the difference?

Let’s look at these two examples;

Candidate A makes 3 grammar mistakes

Mistake 1 = comma

Mistake 2 = article

Mistake 3 = subject-verb agreement

Because Candidate A made three different types of grammar mistakes, the examiner will conclude that these are slips.

Candidate B makes 3 grammar mistakes

Mistake 1 = comma

Mistake 2 = comma

Mistake 3 = comma

Because Candidate B is making the same type of mistake repeatedly, the examiner will conclude that this person doesn’t know how to use commas and that these mistakes are due to a lack of ability to use commas correctly.

Range of structures

To get a high score, the examiner must also see a good range of structures in your essay.

If you only use simple sentences in your answer, your score won’t be higher than a band 4, so it’s essential that you attempt a variety of structures.

In particular, the examiner expects you to use a range of compound and complex structures.

Let’s go through these different structure types to make sure you understand what they are.

Simple Sentences

1. I ate fruit for my breakfast.

This is referred to as a simple sentence as it contains one independent clause.

Sentences like this should rarely appear in your essay if you need a band 7 or higher.

Compound Sentence

2. I ate fruit for my breakfast, and I enjoyed it very much.

This is referred to as a compound sentence as it contains two independent clauses.

Complex Sentence

3. I enjoyed the fruit which I ate for my breakfast very much.

This is a complex sentence as it contains a dependent clause. The dependent clause here is ‘which I ate for my breakfast’.

Compound-complex sentence

4. I enjoyed the fruit which I ate for my breakfast very much, and I plan to eat the same thing tomorrow.

This is a compound-complex sentence as it has at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause.

What bands 5 to 9 look like

Next, we will look at examples of band scores 5 to 9 for Grammatical Range and Accuracy to help you better understand what you need to do.

Before we look at specific examples, though, I’d like to explain something about the band descriptors.

This image outlines the requirements for band 7 and band 6 in Grammatical Range and Accuracy as shown in the band descriptors document.

Let’s imagine an IELTS examiner looked at a Writing Task 2 essay and determined;

1. [it] uses a wide range of structures (a band 7 description),

2. the majority of sentences are error-free (a band 7 description),

3. [it] makes some errors in grammar and punctuation, but the errors rarely reduce communication (a band 6 description).

What band score would this essay get?

For Grammatical Range and Accuracy, it would receive a band 6 because the essay doesn’t fulfil all the requirements of the band 7 score.

This information indicates that we must give enough attention to all the various aspects of grammar before the IELTS test.

With that in mind, let’s look at examples of band scores 5 to 9 for Grammatical Range and Accuracy.

You’ll notice all the various requirements that I’ve already described, and all the mistakes are highlighted to help you notice the frequency of mistakes.

Band 5

My favourite fruit is pear. The pear taste delicious and I am eating them nearly every day . the pear is healthy too which I eat a lot.I can able carrying convenient with the pear.and i brought the pear to the office when i am eating the pear at lunch.

Band 6

My favourite fruit is the pear. The pears taste delicious which is why I am eating them nearly every day . The pear is healthy too which means that I can eat a lot of them without being concerned.I can conveniently carry the pear unlike watermelons and durians so i brought the pear to the office where i eat the pear at lunch.

Band 7

My favourite fruit is the pear,and it tastes delicious which is why I eat them nearly every day. Pears are healthy too which means that I can eat a lot of them without being concerned. I can conveniently carry the pear, unlike watermelons and durians, so i brought the pear to the office where i eat it at lunch.

Band 8

My favourite fruit is the pear, and it tastes delicious, which is why I eat them nearly every day. Pears are healthy too which means that I can eat a lot of them without any concern. i can conveniently carry a pear, unlike watermelons and durians, so i usually bring a pear to the office where i eat it at lunch.

Band 9

Pears are my favourite fruit, and because they’re so delicious, I eat one nearly every day. They’re good for my health too, which means that I don’t need to be concerned about how often I eat them. Unlike some fruits, such as watermelons and durians, pears are convenient to carry around, so i usually take one to my office to eat with my lunch.

Getting the highest possible score on test day

If you’ve already completed my lesson on Lexical Resource, you’ll know it’s essential that you don’t take any risks with your vocabulary on test day.

However, that advice does not apply to your Grammatical Range and Accuracy score.

To get the highest possible score for grammar, you need to carefully balance the range and the level of accuracy in your writing.

If your range is too narrow, you will get a low score.

On the other hand, if you push yourself too far and use a range beyond your ability, you’ll make too many mistakes and get a low score for a lack of accuracy.

To help you understand the best approach, let’s look at the 5 scenarios below.

Situation 1

Grammatical Range – far beyond candidate’s ability

Grammatical Accuracy – so bad that examiner can’t understand

This candidate is going to get a low score because their grammatical accuracy is too low.

Situation 2

Grammatical Range – beyond candidate’s ability

Grammatical Accuracy – many errors

This candidate would get a better score if they didn’t push themselves beyond their ability.

Situation 3 (This is where you want to be)

Grammatical Range – candidate can comfortably use this range

Grammatical Accuracy – some errors

This candidate has a perfect balance of range and accuracy. This will get the candidate the highest possible score they’re capable of.

Situation 4

Grammatical Range – a range which candidate can use very well

Grammatical Accuracy – a few errors

This candidate could get a better score if they push themselves to use a wider range.

Situation 5

Grammatical Range – Range of grammar which candidate has completely mastered

Grammatical Accuracy – No errors

This candidate is going to get a low score because their grammatical range is too narrow.

Useful sentence structures for Writing Task 2

Learning a few structures will not automatically give you a higher score in Grammatical Range and Accuracy, but it will give you a push in the right direction.

I have a few suggestions to help you build on top of what you already know.

Conditional sentences

Not every Task 2 essay requires a conditional sentence, but they are a very useful set of structures to have in your toolbox.

If you don’t already have a strong grasp of conditional structures, I would recommend that you master these before your test.

Here is a nice summary of what they are and when to use them.

Adverbial phrases

Adverbial phrases can be added to the start of a sentence and are an easy way to avoid using simple sentences in your essay.

Adverbial phrases add information like when, where, how and why. For example,

Yesterday, I ate an apple.
At work, I eat apples.
Happily, I ate my apple.
To stay healthy, I eat apples.

These adverbial phrases can be a lot more detailed as well and can help to make sure the context of your sentence is completely clear.

Whenever I used to stay at my grandparents’ house, I ate lots of apples.
Up on the roof of my apartment block, I ate an apple.
With a great sense of enjoyment, I ate my apple.
To ensure that I’m getting all the vitamins and minerals that my body needs, I eat apples.

Functional structures

In Task 2, we often need to explain, give our opinion, discuss opposing views and so on.

There are various structures that can help us do this, and you should definitely make a note whenever you discover one.

Here are a few to get you started;

Opinion + explanation

The reason why I think … is that…

The primary reason why I think everyone should eat fruit regularly is that it provides people with essential vitamins.

Other view + opinion

Despite many people feeling that…, I would argue that…

Despite many people feeling that children should be allowed to make their own decisions, I would argue that children should have no decision whether they eat fruit every day or not.

Other view + opinion + explanation

Even though…, I believe that… as …

Even though children prefer to eat junk food, I believe that eating fresh fruit is more important as it will have a better long-term benefit for their health.

Listing advantages or disadvantages

By…,… not only… but also…

By eating fruit, children not only enjoy a tasty snack but also have healthier bodies.
OR
By eating junk food, children not only become overweight but also increase the risk of diabetes.

Conflicting views

It is argued by some that…, while others feel that…

It is argued by some that children should be allowed to eat what they want, while others feel that it’s necessary to insist that children eat at least one piece of fruit every day.

Comparing the past with the present

For example, if people wanted to… in the past, they had to …, whereas these days, people can …

For example, if people wanted to eat strawberries in the past, they had to wait until summer, whereas these days, people can buy strawberries all year round.

Cause and effect

As a result of…, …

As a result of how much marketing is done for junk food, children are continuously encouraged to have unhealthy diets.

Approaches to avoid when studying grammar

There are a few mistakes that I see students make over and over again.

I want to go through these quickly to make sure that your hard work results in progress.

Reading grammar books

Don’t get me wrong!

Grammar books are great when they are used correctly.

The issue here is that some students purchase a grammar book and read it from start to finish.

This also applies to watching lots of grammar videos on YouTube.

This is a very unfocused method of improving your grammar and will waste a lot of time.

Let’s say, for example, that your key grammar mistake is with articles. If you read a full grammar book, you’ll only have spent a very short amount of time on your biggest weakness.

Doing lots of practice exercises

Again, practice exercises are useful but only when used correctly.

As part of a larger strategy to improve grammar for IELTS Writing Task 2, they’re great, but you cannot rely on them alone.

If you do nothing but practice test after practice test, you can expect your grammar to improve very slowly.

Ignoring the complicated things

Instinctively, our brains want to avoid complicated things.

This happens to everyone.

For example, if I ask you to do this math question, you’ll likely do it because it’s easy.

6 x 9 =

However, when I ask you to do this question, you’ll probably skip it.

(12 x 8) – (7 x 9) =

We tell ourselves that it’s easy, that we already know how to do this, that we could do it if we really wanted to, that it’s not important…

Sound familiar?

It’s not just you; it’s everyone in the world. This is just how our brains are wired.

To overcome this, you need to recognise what you’re doing and force yourself to study any grammar points that seems complicated.

The good news is that this grammar area you wanted to avoid is probably the exact thing you need to study to improve your grammar for IELTS Writing Task 2.

Think of it as a small victory in finding something you need.

Thinking of grammar as a math equation

A lot of grammar is introduced to students in the form of a math problem.

sbj + verb + obj
adj + noun
sbj + have/has + present participle

These forms are helpful for recognising and constructing different parts of grammar.

However, this is not what grammar looks like.

Real grammar looks like this sentence you’re reading right now.

You need to make sure that you’re actively transferring your grammar knowledge from the rules you learn into the way you write and speak.

Strategy to improve grammar for IELTS Writing Task 2

Improving your ability in various aspects of grammar can be done in a short period of time.

For this reason, you can continue studying grammar right up until your IELTS test day.

Here is the strategy I want you to follow to improve your Grammatical Range and Accuracy score;

1. Discover your key mistake

2. Study the rules

3. Active reading

4. Controlled practice

5. Start writing again

6. Check your band score

Discover your key mistake

There will be one or two grammar areas that result in the majority of mistakes in your writing.

Remember that the frequency of mistakes in your essay is used to determine your score, so it’s best to focus on the mistake that you make most often.

This will improve your score as efficiently as possible.

But how can you discover which mistakes you make most often?

Here are some options;

#1. Ask an English-speaking friend

If possible, you should ask a native English speaker to help you with this.

Give a Task 2 essay you’ve written to your friend and ask them to circle all the mistakes.

Most native English speakers don’t know about grammar, but they will easily know when something is wrong.

Once all the mistakes are circled, you need to identify which type of grammar mistake each one is.

Finally, count the different types of mistakes to see which one you’ve made most often.

#2. Ask an English teacher

This is a better option than asking a friend as an English teacher can also identify what types of mistakes you’re making.

All you need to do then is count the number of times you made each mistake type and focus on improving the one you made the most.

#3. Use an online writing correction service

At this point in time, computer software isn’t accurate enough to do this effectively.

This means that it’s best to use a correction service where a real person is correcting your writing.

Study the rules

Next, you will need to study the grammar rules for your key grammar mistake.

I know that you’ve likely seen these rules hundreds of times already.

Just remember, you’re not looking for rules you haven’t seen before; you’re looking for rules you don’t fully understand.

Any reliable resource is suitable for this stage of your grammar improvement.

In particular, I’m fond of Cambridge Dictionary and the grammar references by BBC for; basic, intermediate, upper-intermediate and towards advanced.

I’d also recommend the books; Practical English Usage by Michael Swan and English Grammar in Use by Raymond Murphy.

It can also be beneficial to search online for the differences between two grammar points that seem similar to you. Click here for an example.

Once you’ve understood and familiarised yourself with all the various grammar rules, move on to the next step.

Active reading

The next step is to start looking out for your key grammar mistake in texts.

I know that you’ll be eager to start using the grammar already, but you need to make sure that you understand it perfectly first.

Let’s imagine that you’re improving your use of modals. This is what you would do;

Read something in English and stop every time you find a modal. Ask yourself;

1. Why was that modal used rather than a different modal?

2. Which grammar rule applies to this modal being used?

3. Would I have used this modal correctly in my writing?

If necessary, do some additional grammar research and make extra notes in your grammar notebook.

Continue reading texts in this way until you’re confident that you understand this grammar point.

Now, move on to the next step.

Controlled practice

Controlled practice means using the grammar in a way that it’s easy to find any mistakes we make.

The most practical way to do this is with practice grammar exercises.

Some practice exercises are for grammar in general rather than specific grammar areas, so these ones are not beneficial for us.

We need to use practice exercises that focus on the specific grammar area we’re studying.

I would recommend the following sites for this because they are reliable, and the exercises are organised into specific grammar areas.

Perfect English Grammar

British Council

Once you’ve finished a practice exercise, you’ll be shown how many answers you’ve got correct.

If you get most of the answers correct, move on to the next step in this strategy. If you’re getting a lot wrong, move back to the previous step.

A word of warning

A lot of these practice exercises use multiple-choice questions.

If you’re guessing answers and getting them correct because you’re lucky, that doesn’t mean you know the grammar.

Start writing again

It’s time to start writing Task 2 essays again.

At this point, we expect to see fewer mistakes in your writing.

However, we are not expecting zero mistakes. There will still be some mistakes, but that’s normal, so there’s no need to be disappointed about this.

You will also make some slips while writing, so remember to check your writing and correct as many of these as possible.

Spend a few days writing by yourself and when you’re comfortable, move on to the next step.

Check your band score for Grammatical Range and Accuracy

In general, an IELTS expert isn’t necessary to improve grammar for IELTS Writing Task 2.

However, you might be unsure of where you are in relation to the IELTS test.

For instance, if you need a band 8 in writing, you don’t want to book your test until you can get a band 8 in Grammatical Range and Accuracy.

In this case, you can get an IELTS expert to check your work so that you know if you need to continue improving your grammar or not.

There are many IELTS writing correction services online so just choose the one that seems most reliable to you.

After you’ve got your feedback, you’ll know if you’re ready for the test or if you need to discover a new key grammar mistake to focus on next.

Should I use Grammarly?

I get asked about Grammarly a lot, so I thought you’d want to know my thoughts on this software.

Firstly, you need to understand that it’s not designed for English students.

I use Grammarly all the time, and it’s a great piece of software, but it is not perfect.

It often finds mistakes in my writing that I need to fix, but sometimes, it makes incorrect recommendations.

In particular, I notice that Grammarly regularly makes inaccurate suggestions for subject-verb agreement and complex sentences.

That’s fine for me because I know when to accept and reject the recommendations.

For you, however, it’s not going to be clear when the software is right and when it’s wrong.

I’m not saying that you shouldn’t use it; I’m just saying that you can’t rely on it completely and will need to do your own research instead of accepting every suggestion it makes.

One thing you can definitely rely on, though, is the platform’s excellent descriptions and explanations of grammar which you can find here.

What now?

If you need to improve your grammar for IELTS Writing Task 2, I encourage you to combine the strategy you’ve learned here with my Vocabulary Improvement Strategy.

Both require you to read texts, so you will get more out of your time by combining them.

If you haven’t already completed my lessons for the other Writing Task 2 bands, Task Achievement and Coherence & Cohesion, those would be the most logical lessons for you to continue with.

Besides that, I hope you learned a lot and thanks for completing the lesson. 🙂

I hope you work hard, make steady improvement and get your IELTS scores as soon as possible.

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Grammar for IELTS Writing Task 2 (Complete Guide)

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To improve your grammar score in IELTS Writing Task 2, it’s important to know what the examiner expects and to have an effective strategy.

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15 IMPORTANT SYNONYMS FOR IELTS LISTENING

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The list of top 100 synonyms is the most used in the IELTS test, students just need to know this vocabulary list to be able to practice Speaking and Writing a lot more flexibly.

This is a rare and good document, please remember to save it for future reference.

1. important = crucial (extremely important), significant(amount or effects large enough to be important)

2. common = universal, ubiquitous(if something is ubiquitous, it seems to be every where)

3. abundant = ample (enough and usually extra), plentiful (enough for people's needs and wants)

4. stick = adhere, cling (hold on something tightly)

5. neglect = ignore. (difference: neglect means someone has not paid enough attention to something; ignore means no attention.)

6. near = adjacent (two things next to each other), adjoin(the same as adjacent)

7. pursue = woo (man woos woman, old-fashioned), seek (if you seek sth, you try to obtain it. FORMAL)

8. accurate = precise (precise is exact and accurate in all details), exact (correct in every detail)

9. vague = obscure (unknown or known by only a few people)

10. top = peak, summit

11. competitor = rival, opponent (especially in sports and politics)

12. blame = condemn (if you condemn something, you say it is very bad and unacceptable)

13. opinion = perspective, standpoint(means looking at an event or situation in a particular way)

14. fame = prestige (describe those who are admired), reputation

15. build = erect (you can erect something as buildings, FORMAL), establish

16. insult = humiliate (do something or say something which makes people feel ashamed or stupid)

17. complain = grumble (complain something in a bad-tempered way)

18. primary = radical (very important and great in degree), fundamental

19. relieve = alleviate (alleviate means you make pain or sufferings less intense or severe)

20. force = coerce into (coerce means you make someone do something she/he does not want to), compel

21. enlarge = magnify (magnify means make something larger than it really is)

22. complex = intricate (if something is intricate, it often has many small parts and details)

23. Lonely = solitary (if someone is solitary, there is no one near him/her)

24. small = minuscule (very small), minute,

25. praise = extol (stronger than praise), compliment(polite and political)

26. hard-working = assiduous (someone who is assiduous works hard or does things very thoroughly)

27. difficult = arduous (if something is arduous, it is difficult and tiring, and involves a lot of efforts)

28. poor (soil) = barren, infertile (used to describe the soil is so poor that plants cannot be planted on it)

29. fragile = brittle, vulnerable (someone who is vulnerable is easily hurt emotionally or physically)

30. show = demonstrate (to demonstrate a fact means to make it clear to people.)

31. big = massive (large in size, quantity, or extent), colossal (use this word, you emphasize something's large), tremendous (informal)

32. avoid = shun (if someone shuns something, she/he deliberately avoid that something or keep away from it.)

33. fair = impartial (someone who is impartial is able to give a fair opinion or decision on something.)

34. attack = assault (physically attack someone), assail (attack violently)

35. dislike = abhor (abhor means you hate something to a extreme extent for moral reasons), loathe (dislike very much)

36. ruin = devastate (it means damage something very badly, or utterly destroy it.)

37. always = invariably (the same as always, but better than always)

38. forever = perpetual (a perpetual state never changes), immutable (something immutable will never change or be changed)

39. surprise = startle (it means surprise you slightly), astound (surprise you to a large degree), astonish(the same as astound)

40. enthusiasm = zeal (a great enthusiasm), fervency (sincere and enthusiasm)

41. quiet = tranquil (calm and peaceful), serene (calm and quiet)

42. expensive = exorbitant (it means too expensive that it should be)

43. luxurious = lavish (impressive and very expensive), sumptuous (grand and very expensive)

44. boring = tedious (if you describe something tedious, you mean it is boring and frustrating)

45. respect = esteem (if you esteem someone, you respect and admire him/her. FORMAL)

46. worry = fret (if you fret about something, you worry about it)

47. cold = chilly (unpleasantly cold), icy(extremely cold)

48. hot = boiling (very hot)

49. dangerous = perilous (very dangerous, hazardous) (dangerous, especially to people's safety and health)

50. only = unique (the only one of its kind), distinctive;

51. stop = cease (if something ceases, it stops happening or existing)

52. part = component (the components of something are the parts that it is made of)

53. result = consequence (the results or effects of something)

54. obvious = apparent, manifest

55. based on = derived from (can see or notice them very easily)

56. quite = fairly

57. pathetic = lamentable (very uncomfortable and disappointing)

58. field = domain (a particular field of thought, activities or interest)

59. appear = emerge (come into existence)

60. whole = entire (the whole of something)

61. wet = moist (slightly wet), damp (slightly wet), humid (very damp and hot)

62. wrong = erroneous (incorrect or partly correct)

63. difficult = formidable

64. change = convert (change into another form)

65. typical = quintessential (this word means represent a typical example of something)

66. careful = cautious (very careful in order to avoid danger), prudent(careful and sensible)

67. ability = capacity, capability (the same as ability)

68. strange = eccentric (if some one is eccentric, she/he behaves in a strange way, or his/her opinion is different from most people)

69. rich= affluent (if you are affluent, you have a lot of money)

70. use = utilize (the same as use)

71. dubious = skeptical (if you are skeptical about something, you have doubts on it.)

72. satisfy = gratify (if you are gratified by something, it gives you pleasure and satisfaction)

73. short = fleeting, ephemeral (if something is ephemeral, it lasts a short time)

74. Scholarship = fellowship

75. smelly = malodorous (used to describe an unpleasant smell)

76. ugly = hideous (if something is hideous, it is very ugly or unattractive)

77. attractive = appealing (pleasing and attractive), absorbing (something absorbing can attract you a great deal)

78. diverse = miscellaneous (a miscellaneous groups consists of many different kinds of things)

79. disorder = disarray, chaos

80. crazily = frantically (used to describe someone who behaves in a wild and uncontrolled way)

81. rapid = meteoric (ATTENTION: meteoric is only used to describe someone achieves success quickly)

82. ordinary = mundane (very ordinary and not at interesting or unusual)

83. despite = notwithstanding (FORMAL)

84. best = optimal (used to describe the best level something can achieve)

85. sharp = acute (severe and intense)

86. unbelievable = inconceivable (if you deem something inconceivable, you think it very unlike to happen )

87. puzzle = perplex (something perplex someone means it confuses and worries him/her because he/she does not understand it)

88. method = avenue (a way of getting something done)

89. famous = distinguished (used to describe people who are successful in their career)

90. ancient = archaic (extremely old and extremely old-fashioned)

91. decorate = embellish (embellish means make something look more attractive via decorating it with something else)

92. possible = feasible (if something is feasible, it can be done, made or achieved)

93. so = consequently, accordingly

94. rare = infrequent (doesn't happen often)

95. greedy = rapacious (greedy and selfish)

96. individuals,characters, folks = people,persons

97. nowadays = currently

98. dreadful, unfavorable, poor, adverse, ill = be less impressive

99. reap huge fruits = get many benefits

100. for my part, from my own perspective = in my opinion

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List of top 100 Synonyms in the IELTS Test - IELTS Practice Online (Band 9)

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The list of top 100 synonyms is the most used in the IELTS test, students just need to know this vocabulary list to be able to practice Speaking and Writing a lot more flexibly. This is a rare and good document, please remember to save it for future reference.

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Make notes under the headings 'introduction', 'past', 'description', 'opinion' and 'future'.

Use the correct tenses and vocabulary.

Talk about what you're comfortable with - you don't have to cover everything on the card.

Be confident! If you need the examiner to repeat something, just ask.

Practise this structure at home. Find official Speaking questions and improve your skills.

This post will help you give better answers in part 2 of the IELTS speaking test.

In IELTS speaking part 2 you will be given a topic or cue card similar to this:

Describe a plant grown in your country. You should say
- what the plant is
- where it is grown
- why you like or dislike it
and explain why it is important to your country.

You will have 1 minute to make notes and then will be asked to speak for between 1-2 minutes.

Speaking for 2 minutes on an unfamiliar topic scares most IELTS students and that's why IELTS speaking part 2 is one of the most feared parts of the exam. The problem seems to be running out of things to say or not knowing what to say because you are unfamiliar with the cue card suggestions.

To overcome this problem, I have developed a strategy to help students and it has proved very successful.

A common error is thinking you have to talk about exactly what is written on the card. You don't! Having spoken to several IELTS examiners and students who achieved very high marks in their speaking test, I can assure you that you don't have to cover everything on the card. The band descriptors also don't mention anything about answering all the suggested parts of task 2.

Following the suggested sentences on the card is fine and many candidates do very well following them but others run out of ideas. More importantly, if you have a structure to follow for every question you can practice and prepare more effectively.

My strategy is to talk about what you feel comfortable talking about. In other words, talk about the things you think will get you the highest marks. If you like the suggestions on the card, then talk about them. But if you don't, or you want some extra things to talk about, then follow the strategy below.

When you get the cue card you will be given one minute to write down some ideas. You are going to use this time wisely by using the following structure. On the piece of paper provided write down five headings with a little space between each one.

Introduction
Past
Description
Opinion
Future

Now you will start to write keywords beside each of these headings. Let's look at each in a little more detail.
Introduction
Start off by saying 'I'd like to talk about (X).' Then say 'I chose this topic because...' and you will be able to say why you choose this topic. If you can't think of a reason just make one up, although it's always better to talk about real experiences.
Past
Now pause and use a linking word like 'anyway' or 'anyhow' to transition into talking about the past. This will allow you to demonstrate that you are confident using a range of past structures. For example-

Used to + infinitive to talk about past habits or states that are now finished.
Would + infinitive to describe past habits.
Past simple to talk about things you did in the past that you no longer do or are no longer true.
Past continuous to talk about the background of a story or how you felt at a particular time.
Past perfect to say something happened before something else in the past.
Description
Now pause and say 'So let me tell you about (X) in a little more detail.' This is your opportunity to impress the examiner with specific vocabulary. Get to know the common topics and have some specific adjectives ready. If you use an adjective to describe something, make sure you expand on it or explain it with examples. Again, if you can't think of specific examples, it is fine to make these up. Make sure your examples match the adjective and you will be fine.
Opinion
Now you can pause and say 'If you ask me/In my view/I would say + (opinion on topic). This give you a chance to express how you feel about the topic. It could be your personal opinion or it could be a comparative or superlative. Using a wide range of phrases to express your opinion will help you get a higher mark. If you want to give a stronger opinion you could say:

I strongly believe that...
As far as I'm concerned...
I'm strongly against...
I'm strongly in favour of....
I'm skeptical of the idea that...
I must admit, I think....
Future
Finally you can display your ability to use future tenses. Start off by saying 'With regards to the future....' A range of tenses will help you gain extra marks. For example you could use:

Present continuous to talk about fixed arrangements.
Be going + to + infinitive to talk about future plans.
Will or won't + infinitive is used with predictions based on opinions or experiences. It can also be used to talk about hopes and assumptions.
The future perfect- will have + past participle- is used to say something will have happened or will have been completed by a certain point in the future.

That's it! Five simple headings that will allow you to speak for at least two minutes without any difficultly.

The most important thing is that you practice using this strategy with many different topics. Get some past IELTS speaking part 2 questions and ask a friend or classmate to give you them at random. You can start off slowly by using this post to help you, but after a lot of practice, this strategy will become natural for you and you will be able to answer any part 2 question with confidence.

There is no magic formula or trick to getting the IELTS band you want but there are good strategies you can use and, more importantly, strategies you can use to help you practice.

Here is an IELTS speaking task 2 question. Try using the strategy above with this question and please post your answers in the comments below and I will get back to you.

Question:

Describe a teacher that you know.

You should say:

what the teacher looks like
what sort of person this teacher is
what the teacher helped you to learn
and explain why this teacher is popular.

Remember, you don't have to talk about what the teacher looks like, what sort of person they are, what the teacher helped you to learn or explain why this teacher is popular. You can talk about these things but you don't have to. Do whatever you feel most confident talking about. All you have to do with my strategy is talk about:

Introduction
Past
Description
Opinion
Future

Examples

Here's an example of a student using the strategy.

I hope you found this post on IELTS speaking task 2 useful. I also have a post on IELTS speaking part 3.

I look forward to reading your comments and answers.

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Make notes under the headings 'introduction', 'past', 'description', 'opinion' and 'future'. Use the correct tenses and vocabulary. Talk about what you're comfortable with - you don't have to cover everything on the card. Be confident! If you need the examiner to repeat something, just ask. Practise this structure at home.

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This IELTS discussion essay sample answer is estimated at band 9. See comments below the essay for advice and tips.

Completing university education is thought by some to be the best way to get a good job. On the other hand, other people think that getting experience and developing soft skills is more important.
Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

It is considered by some that being a university graduate is the key to securing a good job, while there are others who think that it is better to have experience and soft skills. In my opinion, I believe that having university education is essential for academic jobs, while soft skills and experience are more useful in business.

On the one hand, many think it is easier for most people to find a good job if they are university graduates with a good degree. In other words, having tertiary education puts people one step ahead of others who do not and this can be the deciding factor in getting a good job. The competition to get in to universities and the increasing number of graduates show just how significant this level of education is for people's future work opportunities.

On the other hand, having work experience and soft skills, such as leadership skills and other interpersonal skills, can also throw the balance in favour of the applicant, according to some. For many positions there are an overwhelming number of applicants and, therefore, it is often thought that having relevant experience in that line of work or having acquired useful soft skills that can be valuable to a company, can put one ahead of the game when applying for a position.

Finally, in my opinion, whether needing high level education or skills and experience, depends on the position being applied for. Take for example law, medicine or teaching, it is impossible to be considered for a position without the required educational background. In contrast, in business, it would be more important for a candidate to have soft skills and experience in that line of business so they can step into a position without further training and be of immediate benefit to the company.

In conclusion, getting a good job requires a relevant background either in experience or education depending on the type of work and field. People should make sure they attain the necessary skills or degrees before applying for a job in order to be sure of success.

Comments: This is a a band score 9 essay. It has over 300 words but all sentences are relevant, focused and well written. Band score 8.5 and 9 students can attempt long essays successfully but students from band 8 to band 6, should aim for around 270 to 290 words. Both sides are clearly discussed and the opinion is also clearly given. Linking devices are well used.

Recommended

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This IELTS discussion essay sample answer is estimated at band 9. See comments below the essay for advice and tips. Completing university education is thought by some to be the best way to get a good job. On the other hand, other people think that getting experience and developing soft skills is more important.

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Writing parts 2: topic types; question types; sample answers

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Writing parts 2: topic types; question types; sample answers

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Below are practice IELTS essay questions and topics for writing task 2. The 100 essay questions have been used many times over the years. The questions are organised under common topics and essay types. IELTS often use the similar topics for their essays but change the wording of the essay question.

In order to prepare well for writing task 2, you should prepare ideas for common topics and then practise applying them to the tasks given (to the essay questions). Also see model essays and tips for writing task 2.

Below you will find:

1. Essay Questions By Topic

2. Essay Questions by Essay Type

Please also note that my new Grammar E-book is now available in my store along with my Ideas for Essay Topics E-book and Advanced Writing Lessons. To visit store, click here: Liz's Store

1) Common IELTS Essay Questions

IELTS practice essay questions divided by topic. These topics have been reported by IELTS students in their tests. Essay questions have been recreated as accurately as possible.

2) IELTS Essay Questions by Essay Type

There are 5 main types of essay questions in IELTS writing task 2 (opinion essays, discussion essay, advantage/disadvantage essays, solution essay and direct question essays). Click on the links below to see some sample essay questions for each type.
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Below are practice IELTS essay questions and topics for writing task 2. The 100 essay questions have been used many times over the years. The questions are organised under common topics and essay types. IELTS often use the similar topics for their essays but change the wording of the essay question.

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Below are a few topics which many students find difficult. Plan your ideas and answer so that you are ready for a difficult topics in your test. Remember that whatever you choose to talk about, you must be able to talk for up to 2 minutes on that topic. So, be wise and choose something you can talk about easily.

Click "Tips" to reveal tips for the topic.

If you don't know much about laws, choose a simple law such as a the helmet law which requires motorbike riders and cyclists to wear a helmet or go for the compulsory primary and secondary school education which prevents children from skipping lessons and ensures they get a solid, basic education.

This could be a bad decision about a holiday you chose, a job you did, some advice you gave someone or even something really simple like a bad decision you made while you were cooking.

A Journey that Didn't Go As Planned
Describe a journey you have taken that didn't go as you had planned.

You should say:

where you were going

who you were traveling with

how you were travelling

what went wrong

and explain what you would have done differently.

This is a tough topic because not only do you need to think of a story but you also need to pay attention to the grammar tenses you use. This topic will require you to use the 3rd conditional which is used when expressing regrets (if I had known ....., I wouldn't have ......). Try to stick to a simple story about a time when you did a trip but you had bought the wrong tickets or there was an unexpected delay which caused problems.

Many students dislike this topic because they are not familiar with museums. In this case, choose to talk about a museum of local culture - that way you can talk about local culture, traditional ways of life and other interesting historical points about where you are from. If you are familiar with museums, make sure you add lots of detail about your first trip there - who you went with, how old you were, your first impression etc.

This sounds like a tough topic but in fact it isn't. A family business could be a simple as a local shop that is run by a family or a family run restaurant. If you don't know any family run businesses, then you could start your talk this way "I don't really know any family run businesses but there is a fantastic shop round the corner from my house which is as friendly as any family run shop...."

Make sure you prepare ideas for as many topics for speaking part 2. This is not an academic talk or a formal talk so if you make your talk personal and friendly, you will do better.

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IELTS Speaking Part 2: Difficult Topics with Tips

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Below are a few topics which many students find difficult. Plan your ideas and answer so that you are ready for a difficult topics in your test. Remember that whatever you choose to talk about, you must be able to talk for up to 2 minutes on that topic.

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The IELTS Listening test will take about 30 minutes, and you will have an extra 10 minutes to transfer your answers to the answer sheet.

The four parts of this practice Listening test are presented over four separate web pages. Make sure you move swiftly from one page to the next so that your practice is as realistic as possible.

Download the question paper and blank answer sheet before you start, and write your answers on the question paper while you are listening. Use a pencil.

Listen to the instructions for each section of the test carefully. Answer all of the questions.There are 40 questions altogether. Each question carries one mark.

For each part of the test, there will be time for you to look through the questions and time for you to check your answers.When you have completed all four parts of the Listening test you will have ten minutes to copy your answers on to a separate answer sheet.

We can make special arrangements for test takers with disabilities. If you require a modified version of the test, for example, in Braille, contact your test centre three months in advance to discuss your requirements.

Instructions to test takers

In the actual test you will be given the following instructions:

do not open this question paper until you are told to do so

write your name and candidate number in the spaces at the top of this page

listen to the instructions for each part of the paper carefully

answer all the questions

while you are listening, write your answers on the question paper

you will have 10 minutes at the end of the test to copy your answers onto the separate answer sheet; use a pencil

At the end of the test you will be asked to hand in the question paper.

Review

Once you have completed the practice test, download the answers and see how well you have done.

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Free Online IELTS Listening Practice Tests | Take IELTS

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Free online IELTS Listening practice tests to help improve your IELTS Listening scores and prepare you for your IELTS exam. Access here.

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IELTS Speaking Sample Questions:
Part 3

Here you will find IELTS speaking sample questions that are taken from part 3 of the test, the final section.

This part is a two-way discussion with the examiner, but you will still do most of the talking.

The IELTS speaking sample questions below are divided into different topic areas.

However, remember there are many different topics and questions that may arise in the test.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 - Questions and Topics
Eating habits Education

1. How are education priorities today different from those in the past?

2. What is your opinion on the way languages are taught in schools?

3. How can the type of school you go to affect career success?

4. What changes do you think will happen in the classroom in the near future?

Environment

1. Is water pollution a problem in your country?

2. What are some of the causes of water pollution?

3. What can individuals do to try and ensure water is kept clean?

4. Do you think problems with the cleanliness of water will improve in the future?

Influence of television Influences on the young Leisure activities Shopping

1. Is shopping a popular activity in your country

2. How have shopping habits changed over recent years?

3. To what extent do you think advertising affects the way people shop?

4. Do you think shopping habits are likely to change in the future?

Sports

1. What types of sports are popular in your country?

2. What are the benefits of playing a sport?

3. Do you think the types of sport that are popular will change in the future?

4. how can sports bring people from different countries closer together?

Transport

1. How do most people travel long distances in your country?

2. Have the types of transport people use changed much over the last few decades?

3. What kinds of improvement have there been in transport in your country in recent years?

4. Do you think transport is likely to continue to improve in the future?

Band 7+ eBooks

"I think these eBooks are FANTASTIC!!! I know that's not academic language, but it's the truth!"
Linda, from Italy, Scored Band 7.5
You may also be interested in:

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IELTS Speaking Sample Questions - Part 3

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Here you will find IELTS speaking sample questions that are taken from part 3 of the test, the final section. This part is a two-way discussion with the examiner, but you will still do most of the talking. The IELTS speaking sample questions below are divided into different topic areas.

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Speaking Part 3 transcript RfI_Video_scripts (1)

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This post will cover:

what to do if you don't understand the question

what to do if you can't think of an answer

how to extend your answer

One of my strongest IELTS students came to me the other day and told me how worried she was about speaking part 3. In particular, she was worried about not understanding the question and not being able to give a long enough answer. She asked me for some tips to help her overcome these problems.

This guide will try to address these issues, give you lots of tips and help you give your best possible answer in part 3 of the IELTS speaking test.
What do I do if I don't understand the question?
First of all, this is not a very academic test. The questions are designed so that anyone can answer them. If you look at some example questions, it will surprise you how easy they are. They require no specialist knowledge and the examiner does not even have to agree with your opinion, they just want to hear how well you convey your ideas and express your opinion.

However, sometimes you may not quite understand what the examiner just said. In this case, simply ask him or her to repeat the question. If there is a word or term you don't understand, it is also acceptable to ask them to explain it to you. Don't overdo this, as it will seem as if you are abusing this rule.

It is a speaking test, not a listening test and the examiner wants you to give your best possible answer so don't be afraid to let them know. They won't repeat the question or explain a word to you unless you ask.
Do I have to give an answer for every question in part 3?
Yes, if you don't attempt an answer for all questions you will lose marks. However, if you get a question you are really struggling with you can admit this to the examiner and give the best answer you can.

You could say something like: 'I don't know a lot about this topic, but if I had to guess I would say.....' It is unlikely you will have to use this phrase and it should only be used when you really have no ideas.
What if I need time to think?
The IELTS examiner does not expect you to give instant answers, you are not a robot! However, they do expect you to respond in a natural way. It is completely normal for native speakers to use certain words and phrases in order to give themselves time to think. You probably also do it a lot in your own language.
Phrases that can be used include:
That's a difficult question, let me think for a second.

That's a very interesting question, let me think.

It's very difficult to know exactly, but I think/but I believe/perhaps....

It's difficult to say, I think....

I don't really know for sure, but I would say....

The most important thing is not to overuse these phrases. Some students put them in front of every answer and it sounds really unnatural. Remember, they are only to be used when you get an unexpected or particularly difficult question.
How do I extend my answer?
Many students are worried that they will not have enough to say in part 3.

In part 3 the examiner will mostly ask for your general thoughts on an issue; advantages and disadvantages; problems and solutions; how the issue has changed from the past until now; and how the issue will change in the future. You should therefore practice thinking and talking about your opinion on common everyday issues like health, the economy, education and the environment.

There is no set word limit for what a good part 3 answer, but it should not be too short and not too long. Too short and you will have failed to develop your answer properly; too long and you may go off topic and/or make mistakes. As a rule, I advise my students to try to answer with 3-4 sentences.
Technique #1- Paraphrase Question
A good way to extend your answer is respond with a paraphrase of the examiner's question. Paraphrasing is when you repeat the sentence but with synonyms so that it has the same meaning.

This technique is very effective because it not only gives you time to think in a natural way, but it also focuses your mind on answering the question.

For example:

Examiner: What can people do to try and reduce water pollution?

Student: So, what can individuals do to ensure water is kept clean? I think....

Examiner: How can events like the Olympics improve international relations?

Student: Hmmmm, how can sport bring people from different countries closer together? I believe...

Again, this should not be used for every answer and only when you think it is appropriate.
Technique #2- Explain why
Many students state their opinion but don't extend their answer by stating why they feel that way. Some students have told me that they are afraid of patronising the examiner and assume he or she will know why they have stated their opinion. Assume that the examiner has no knowledge at all about the topic. Pretend you are speaking to a child who knows nothing of the topic and this will help you explain how you feel.

Example:

Examiner: What can people do to reduce water pollution?

Student: I believe the best way to keep water clean is to curb water use at home. (Why?) The vast majority of water is used in the home, (why?), for cooking, cleaning and washing, (why?) therefore by reducing the amount of water we use, (why?) the government can conserve the water supply and keep it clean.

By asking ourselves 'why' we continue to explain our opinions and this leads to more developed answer.
Technique #3- Give Examples
This seems an obvious one but it is something many students don't do. In order to really develop your answer an example is normally needed. A lot of my students complain that they don't know or can't think of any examples. If you can't think of one just make one up. You will not lose any marks for making up an example and this will only lead to you gaining marks for giving a well developed answer.

A good technique is to use an example from a newspaper article or recent study.

Example:

Examiner: Have the modes of transport people use in your country changed much over the last few decades?

Student: Absolutely, they have changed a lot. In the past most people used bicycles, but now they predominantly use motorbikes. For example, a recent survey found that 72% of people in Ho Chi. Minh City now own a motorbike.

I just made that statistic up and it is perfectly acceptable for you to do the same thing in the IELTS speaking test. The examiner will never disagree with you or ask you to prove any of your examples.
Technique #4- Make Concessions
We make a concession by admitting that there are limits to our opinion or there may be another side to the argument. We use words like 'however', 'on the other hand' and 'despite this' to make concessions.

Some students don't like doing this because they think it weakens their argument or opinion. In fact, by showing you are aware of other opinions you actually strengthen your argument.

Example:

Examiner: To what extent do you think advertising affects people's shopping habits?

Student: Personally, I don't think that it affects the way people shop at all. When people need something they make up their own mind rather than thinking about adverts. However, it must have some influence, if companies pay lots of money for ads.
Next Steps
Reading this guide won't help you unless you put the ideas in to practice. Every part 3 question is different and therefore requires a different response. Try to answer it as naturally as possible and use the techniques above to extend your answer if needed.

There is no magic formula, so find some example questions and practice. Why not record your answers and you can then listen and pinpoint your mistakes.

I hope that the tips in this post will help you give a fully developed answer to all the examiner's questions. Now get practicing.

I hope this lesson has helped you and if you have any questions, please comment below.

The best way to keep up to date with posts like this is to like us on Facebook.
Recommended speaking articles: Part 1 Common Topics and Sample Answers Speaking Part 2 Strategy 7 Common Speaking Questions Examiner Approved IELTS Speaking Tips How to Prepare for IELTS Speaking IELTS Speaking Topics
Click here to return to the homepage, or click one of the links below to check out more great IELTS stuff.
Writing Task 1 Writing Task 2 Vocabulary IELTS Preparation

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This post will cover: what to do if you don't understand the question what to do if you can't think of an answer how to extend your answer One of my strongest IELTS students came to me the other day and told me how worried she was about speaking part 3.

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Home " IELTS Writing Task 2 " 10 Examples Topic Sentences for your Essays

In this tutorial we look at 10 typical IELTS task 2 questions and suggest possible topic sentences. In the audio tutorial these sentences are further improved to avoid repetition, and rewritten to improve their effectiveness.

Topic sentences form the backbone of your IELTS Task 2 essay.
What is a Topic Sentence?
A topic sentence is a sentence that captures the essence of your paragraph. It introduces the reader to the topic or main point that you set out to make in that paragraph and sets the tone for the rest of the paragraph.

The examiner should be able to read the topic sentence, and immediately know what the rest of the paragraph will be about. So this part is very important.
Important points to consider :

It is important to read the question extremely carefully so that you can order your arguments in a coherent manner.

You should outline your position and write a coherent argument. It helps to plan your answer or argument before you begin.

Each paragraph should contain one main idea/point. This is where your topic sentences come in. This sentence IS the main idea or point that you wish to make in the paragraph.

Your essay is made of paragraphs that have supporting points. Each paragraph should come together to form a coherent whole essay. The topic sentence is just one way to make your writing shine!

Here are 10 examples of topic sentences that you can practice with for your IELTS essay. I have included the questions and examples on how you could write a paragraph.

1. Some people argue that it is the responsibility of the police to educate children about good behaviour in society, whereas others believe that parents should be responsible for teaching their children how to behave in an acceptable way. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Example:

It is the responsibility of the police to educate children about good behaviour ...

Or

The police and parents have a mutual responsibility to teach children about good behaviour

2. Some people believe that more women should be encouraged to pursue careers in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), while others believe that women are naturally suited for careers in the Humanities/ Social Sciences, such as teaching and psychology. Discuss your views and opinion.

Example:

There are not enough women pursuing careers in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics( STEM)

Or

Women are better suited for careers in the Humanities/Social Sciences

3. Scientists argue that the use of modern gadgets, such as cellphones and tablets, by young people has the potential to boost creativity. Do you agree or disagree?

Example:

There has been evidence that the use of modern gadgets by young people does in fact increase their creativity

Or

The use of modern gadgets decreases the creativity of young people

4. Social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, have become a more important source of news and information for young people, than newspapers. Do you agree or disagree?

Example: Social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, have become a major source of news and information for young people

Or

Example: Newspapers are still a more important source of news and information for young people than social media networks

6. School children should be instructed in their home language for the first 6 years of school.

Example: Young learners need to be taught in their home language in the first 6 years of their education

Or

It is not important for school children to be taught in their home language in the first few years of school

OR more advanced:

Pupils need not be taught in their home language in the first 6 years of their education

7. Nowadays women are having children at a much later age than previous generations. Do you think this a positive or negative thing? Discuss both sides.

Example: Nowadays females have children much later in life than they did in the past

Or

Currently women start families much later in life than previously (vague?)

8. In many countries women are opting not to have children. Some people believe that having children stifles a woman's career growth. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Example: Having children can take a toll on a woman's career

Or

Female careers been hindered by starting families is (unfortunately) a very common concern for both females and employers.

9. Nowadays children are exposed to more sex and violence in the media than before. What are the reasons for this? Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

Example: There are several reasons why young people see more sexual and violent media than before

1 0. Parents need to do more to protect children from cyberbullying. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Example: Parents can do a lot to protect their children from cyberbullying

Or

Parenting nowadays has become increasingly more complex largely thanks due to the internet and cyber bullying.

Regarding protecting their children online, parents need to find a balance between their child's online freedom and becoming online helicopter parents.
especially because most parents are not digital natives.
11. Some people think that children should not have a cell phone until they have reached their teens, whereas others believe that children should have cell phones at an early age. Discuss both views and give your own opinion

Example: Children should not be allowed to have a cell phone until they are 13

Or

Parents should encourage cell phone use at an early age

As you have seen, there are many different ways you can write your topic sentence. The topic sentence forms the backbone of your paragraph- it is where you state your main point, so it is important to get this right.

I hope you find the above examples and tips helpful in your preparation for the IELTS writing task!

For feedback to improve your writing, check out our IELTS essay correction service.

You can download or listen to the audio version here:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

For more help with your IELTS preparation, take a look at some tutorials here:

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Topic Sentence Examples for your IELTS Essays in 2021

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Home " IELTS Writing Task 2 " 10 Examples Topic Sentences for your Essays In this tutorial we look at 10 typical IELTS task 2 questions and suggest possible topic sentences. In the audio tutorial these sentences are further improved to avoid repetition, and rewritten to improve their effectiveness.

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The IELTS Listening test contains 40 questions. Each correct answer is awarded 1 mark. Scores out of 40 are converted to the IELTS 9-band scale. Scores are reported in whole and half bands.

Here are the average number of marks scored at different levels of the IELTS scale in Listening section. The precise number of marks needed to achieve these band scores will vary slightly from test version to test version.

Marks out of 40

The IELTS Reading test contains 40 questions. Each correct answer is awarded 1 mark. Scores out of 40 are converted to the IELTS 9-band scale. Scores are reported in whole and half bands.

The IELTS Academic and General Training Reading tests are graded on the same scale. The Academic Reading test may contain texts which feature more difficult vocabulary or greater complexity of style. It is usual that a greater number of questions must be answered correctly on a General Training Reading test to secure a given band score.

Here are the average number of marks scored at different levels of the IELTS scale in Academic Reading, and General Training Reading sections. The precise number of marks needed to achieve these band scores will vary slightly from test version to test version.

Marks out of 40

Band Score 5: Academic Reading 15 | General Training Reading 15

Band Score 6: Academic Reading 23 | General Training Reading 23

Band Score 7: Academic Reading 30 | General Training Reading 34

Band Score 8: Academic Reading 35 | General Training Reading 38

Examiners use assessment criteria to award a score for each of the following four criteria:

Task achievement (for task 1) and task response (for task 2)

Coherence and cohesion

Lexical resource

Grammatical range and accuracy.

Each task is assessed independently. The criteria are weighted equally and the score on the task is the average. The assessment of Task 2 carries more weight in marking than Task 1.

Find out more about the key assessment criteria and how examiners assess the Writing section.

Examiners use assessment criteria to award a score for each of the following four areas

Each of the criteria carry equal weighting and the overall average gives the IELTS score for Speaking. Find out more about the key assessment criteria and how examiners assess the Speaking section.

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Here you'll find all of the information you need to understand IELTS test results, including marking criteria and band scores. IELTS scoring in detail

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After marking hundreds of Task 1 reports on my VIP Course, I've noticed that most students make the same mistakes over and over that prevent them from scoring a Band 7 or above. Below you'll find the 5 most common mistakes that people make in their IELTS Task 1 reports and how you can fix them and improve your writing.

1. Not Writing a Clear Overview

Your overview is the most important part of your whole response for IELTS Writing Task 1.

This should be a short paragraph that tells the reader 2 or 3 of the most significant things about the chart, graph, table etc. It should contain no data and instead describe the main features in general terms.

If you look at the IELTS Marking Criteria for Task 1, it states that candidates must 'present a clear overview of main trends, differences or stages' in order to get a Band 7. In other words, if you don't write a clear overview, you can't get a Band 7 or above.

Don't know how to write a Task 1 overview? Read my guide to writing an effective overview here.

2. Trying to Write About Everything

Every Academic Task 1 question states ' Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features...'. 'Summarise' means that you should only mention the main points, or as the question states, 'the main features.'

Lots of students try to write about every piece of information they see. This normally leads to a very disorganised essay and often means that you run out of time, or even worse, run over time and fail to complete Task 2.

Always keep in mind that this task is as much about what you do not write as it is about what you do write. This is often a case of prioritisation. When teaching my VIP students how to write an overview, I suggest that they only tell the examiner 3 things and 3 things only about the graph. This prioritisation helps them to write a clear and effective overview.

3. Over-complicating the Question

The examiners know that you have never seen the graph or chart before and that you only have 20 minutes to write about it, so they are not expecting miracles. To help you, the graphs are much simpler than you think.

Look at the graph below and try to spot the three general trends. Try not to get caught up in the details, just focus on what is happening generally from the start date to the end.

In general, one goes up, one goes down and one stays relatively stable. It is often that simple! If you reported those three main trends you would be correct, but many students (especially the higher-level ones) think that this is too simple and try to find data that is not really there to find.

4. Not Organising Ideas Logically

The most logical way to organise a Task 1 report is:

Paragraph 1- Introduction

Paragraph 2- Overview of main features

Paragraph 3- Details of main features 1

Paragraph 4- Details of main features 2

See my lesson on Task 1 charts for more details about this structure above.

Remember: It's important that you keep it simple and make sure your report is easy for the reader to understand. You could hand a Band 9 answer to a stranger and they would be able to read it once and roughly draw the graph or chart.

If you struggle to write a clear IELTS Writing Task 1 report, paragraphing and grouping ideas together logically help the reader to understand everything more easily.

5. Describing Data Incorrectly

Describing general trends and changes in data requires very specific grammar structures and vocabulary.

The most common mistake students make in IELTS Writing Task 1 is trying to use grammar or vocabulary they are not sure about. Remember: your grammar and vocabulary need to be accurate or you will lose marks.

You should also avoid describing data too precisely. For example, if you look at the figure for 'Car Theft' in 2003, it would be better to say 'approximately/around 2300' or 'just under 2500' than '2300' because we don't know what the figures are exactly from just looking at the graph.

Next Steps

You can read our grammar and vocabulary guide for lots of different structures and phrases that you can use in IELTS Writing Task 1. However, if you need expert guidance or feedback on your work, you can join the Waiting List for my VIP Course here.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me and the team here: [email protected]

Thanks!

Chris

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5 Common IELTS Writing Task 1 Mistakes That Stop You From Getting Over a Band 6

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After marking hundreds of Task 1 reports on my VIP Course, I've noticed that most students make the same mistakes over and over that prevent them from scoring a Band 7 or above. Below you'll find the 5 most common mistakes that people make in their IELTS Task 1 reports and how you can fix them and improve your writing.

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Introduction

Finally, we come to the future tenses. Talking about the future tends to be more complicated than the past or present, at least in regards knowing when to use it, but thankfully it’s also less important for IELTS. This is because some future tenses have really limited uses and appear infrequently in our language. Look at the table below and consider how often in the IELTS exam you would ever need to say, “I won’t have been going.” It very rarely comes up. However, proficiency in these tenses generally shows a higher level of English and can therefore be used in attaining higher band levels for the speaking and, perhaps, the writing task 2.

Yet although they can be difficult to know when to use, these tenses are actually quite easy to form. Looking through the examples below, you can see how little the structure changes. While in the present continuous we say “I am going” and “She is going,” in the future continuous it’s just “I will be going” and “She will be going.” Likewise for the perfect tenses: “I have eaten” and “She has eaten” become “I will have eaten” and “She will have eaten.”

Let’s start with an overview of the tenses as we did with past and present:

Tense | Positive | Negative | Question
Future simple: | I will go. | I won’t go. | Will I go?
Future continuous: | I will be going. | I won’t be going. | Will I be going?
Future perfect: | I will have gone. | I won’t have gone. | Will I have gone?
Future perfect continuous: | I will have been going. | I won’t have been going. | Will I have been going?

Future Simple

The future simple is formed with “will” and the base form of the main verb. To make it negative, you can change to “will not,” which is usually abbreviated to “won’t.” As the future tense is most likely to be used in the speaking exam, I’ll include “won’t” below. We also very commonly contract “will” to “’ll.” For example, “I’ll” and “She’ll.”

Positive | Negative | Question
I will cook. | I won’t cook. | Will I cook?
You will cook. | You won’t cook | Will you cook?
We will cook. | We won’t cook. | Will we cook?
They will cook. | They won’t cook. | Will they cook?
He will cook. | He won’t cook. | Will he cook?
She will cook. | She won’t cook. | Will she cook?
It will cook. | It won’t cook. | Will it cook?

When to Use Future Simple

The future simple is used for most events or actions taking place in the future.

The president will visit Paris next year for a peace conference.

They will celebrate their fourth anniversary in December.

Future Continuous

As with the past and present continuous forms, the future also includes “to be” and verb+ing.

Positive | Negative | Question
I will be waiting. | I won’t be waiting. | Will I be waiting?
You will be waiting. | You won’t be waiting | Will you be waiting?
We will be waiting. | We won’t be waiting. | Will we be waiting?
They will be waiting. | They won’t be waiting. | Will they be waiting?
He will be waiting. | He won’t be waiting. | Will he be waiting?
She will be waiting. | She won’t be waiting. | Will she be waiting?
It will be waiting. | It won’t be waiting. | Will it be waiting?

When to Use Future Continuous

The future continuous describes an on-going action in the future.

He will be running for president in next year’s election.

We will be eating those vegetables tomorrow night.

Future Perfect

The future perfect uses “will have” and the past participle.

Positive | Negative | Question
I will have finished. | I won’t have finished. | Will I have finished?
You will have finished. | You won’t have finished. | Will you have finished?
We will have finished. | We won’t have finished. | Will we have finished?
They will have finished. | They won’t have finished. | Will they have finished?
He will have finished. | He won’t have finished. | Will he have finished?
She will have finished. | She won’t have finished. | Will she have finished?
It will have finished. | It won’t have finished. | Will it have finished?

When to Use Future Perfect

The future perfect refers to a point in time by which an action will be finished. As such, it is often used together with an expression that indicates the time.

By the time you get home from work, I will have fallen asleep.

She will have gone to work before then.

Future Perfect Continuous

Perhaps the least common of our 12 tenses is the future perfect. It uses “will have been” and the present participle.

Positive | Negative | Question
I will have been learning. | I won’t have been learning. | Will I have been learning?
You will have been learning. | You won’t have been learning. | Will you have been learning?
We will have been learning. | We won’t have been learning. | Will we have been learning?
They will have been learning. | They won’t have been learning. | Will they have been learning?
He will have been learning. | He won’t have been learning. | Will he have been learning?
She will have been learning. | She won’t have been learning. | Will she have been learning?
It will have been learning. | It won’t have been learning. | Will it have been learning?

When to Use Future Perfect Continuous

This tense is used to speak about a point in the future when an action will have been taking place but is not yet finished. It is quite commonly used with “for” to highlight the period of time that the action has been taking place. It may also be used with a marker for the time that is being referred to.

I will have been studying for five years by the time I graduate.

She will have been working for forty-eight hours by the time she finally stops.

Other Ways to Talk About the Future

We can sometimes use the present simple to talk about future events. As strange as that sounds to non-native speakers, it really is true! If an event occurs regularly, we may use the present simple to talk about it. This is the case for movie showings, TV schedules, and transportation timetables. If one of these things occurs at a set time in the future, you may be able to refer to it with the present simple:

The movie starts at 9pm.

Our bus leaves at 7:30am.

We can use another present tense to talk about personal arrangements that are set for the near future. The present continuous is really common in spoken English for this reason:

I’m meeting my brother after school.

We’re playing golf this weekend.

Finally, we can use going to + verb to express intentions for the future. It indicates that something has already been planned (or at least thought about) and that it will very likely take place in the future.

She’s going to learn French next month.

We’re going to visit my brother in Washington.

A Final Note on the Future Tenses

In most cases it can be quite easy to figure out what someone means when they talk about the future, but actually speaking about the future can be more challenging. This is because the differences can be quite subtle. Take predictions for example. You quite often deal with predictions in the IELTS exam, and so this is important. If you have some sort of evidence to back up your prediction, you should use going to, but if you have no evidence, you would use will instead. It can be confusing! Fortunately, even native speakers bend the rules when it comes to tenses (not just for the future) and so using “will” where “going to” should be used is not a major problem.

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A Complete Guide to the Future Tenses (for IELTS) - TED IELTS

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Finally, we come to the future tenses. Talking about the future tends to be more complicated than the past or present, at least in regards knowing when to use it, but thankfully it's also less important for IELTS. This is because some future tenses have really limited uses and appear infrequently in our language.

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Learning collocations are highly recommended.

Some of the most important vocabulary needed for IELTS writing are collocations. These are essential for a higher score. Basically, collocations are 2 or 3 words that commonly go together and sound just right to a native speaker. For some tips on building your vocabulary take a look at this blog post here. If you do not know how to use collocations then they will sound or look 'wrong' to a native speaker.

For example if you go shopping, ' use money' sounds strange. The correct word is to ' spend money', or if someone speaks in a loud way I can't say he has a ' big voice' I need to say he has a ' loud voice'. Or maybe he has a ' big mouth' to describe him as arrogant, not a ' large mouth'. When I want to relax in the evening I wouldn't ' look at a movie' I would ' watch a movie '.... and so on...

Why are collocations so important?

In the marking criteria in IELTS, you are marked on Lexical Resource (vocabulary). You will be marked on the way you use collocations in the writing section. Here is what it says in the Public Band Descriptors about Writing task 2 Band 7.

uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow some flexibility and precision

uses less common lexical items with some awareness of style and collocation

may produce occasional errors in word choice, spelling and/or word formation

Not only are collocations in IELTS important for writing, but they are also useful in the speaking test. They give your speech a smooth natural flow, which if used well can help you get a Band 7 or more in the speaking test. You have to know how to use them correctly though.

How do I learn collocations?

When you learn new words you must learn the surrounding words or the matching words that help it collocate. Do not just memorise words on their own. Collocations are like chunks of language and there are various patterns to these.

The best way to learn collocations is through reading, listening and making your own sentences. I advise making your own vocabulary book where you write out example sentences. I do not advise using word lists because you must know how collocations work in the surrounding sentence. These also have to be reviewed regularly and put into practice, so word lists are of no real use.

Recommended resources.

This is drillpal.com a very good online resource for studying collocations , there are exercises that help you remember how they are used in context and many of the topics presented are connected to IELTS writing topics. Click here to see it.Make sure you practice them though.

If you really want a much deeeper understanding of collocations with many practice exercies, you can get the book ' English Collocations In Use' from Cambridge See this link here. You can get this book on amazon.

Collocation Patterns

There are quite a few patterns such as:

Let's take a look at some example sentences.

These are for example purposes only. I always advise against just memorising vocabulary because the IELTS examiners are trained to spot that. Try using them in your own sentences and get feedback from a teacher if possible.

Verb Noun collocations

a) It was his 21st birthday so he decided to throw a party.
b) The student raised a question about the topic in class.
c) The teacher paid him a compliment about his well written IELTS essays.
d) She was late for work so she made an excuse about the train being delayed.
e) The government is giving priority to the issue of air quality in cities.
f) I made an appointment to see the dentist.
g) The student made an effort to improve his essay writing.

Verb Adverb collocations

a) The customer complained bitterly about the terrible service.
b) The guests were welcomed warmly when they arrived at the party.
c) She spoke loudly over the phone because the signal wasn't very good.
d) He smiled proudly when he got his IELTS exam results.
e) He apologised profusely after bumping into the man and spilling his drink.
f) She is a very gentle person who speaks softly.

Adjective Noun collocations

a) The boy shows a keen interest in going to University and becoming a Doctor.
b) We had a brief chat about our travel plans next week.
c) There was heavy snow overnight, the roads were all blocked.
d) I was given invaluable advice from the teacher about doing the reading test.
e) He suggested going to the beach. It was a fantastic idea so we all decided to go.
f) There is a strong possibility that the climate will get warmer over the next two decades.

Adverb Adjective collocations

a) I was utterly shocked by his bad behaviour.
b) She is totally satisfied with her Band 8 score in IELTS
c) It is incredibly stupid to drink and drive.
d) The weather is rather cold for this time of year.
e) The new laws about internet privacy are pretty worrying.
f) I'm extremely interested in getting a Band 9 in IELTS.

Noun Noun collocations

a) There was a ceasefire agreement by the rebel groups.
b) I bought a loaf of bread and a can of coke.
c) He bought a round of drinks for his friends
d) He got a round of applause after his performance
e) They work in the service industry.
f) You need a building permit to build a house.

Collocations with 'Have' or 'Take'

In British English the word 'have' is quite popular, for example: have a bath, have a look, have a break. In American English, the word 'take' is often used such as : take a bath, take a vacation, take a look.

Have a bath - Take a bath

Have a drink

Have a look - Take a look

Have lunch

Have fun

Have a rest - Take a rest

Have a holiday - Take a vacation

Have a seat - Take a seat

Have a haircut

Have a wash

Have a shave

Have a nice day

Have something to eat

Have a laugh

Have a tough time

So you need to now take action (take action - verb noun collocation !) and start your IELTS collocations notebook, remember to make sentences and use them in speaking.

Collocations exercise

What collocations fit into the sentences below?. Try it first then check your answers.

1. Mr Smith was __________ welcomed when he arrived at the conference.
2. There was _______ rain all night, so the streets were flooded.
3. Many people ________ questions about the governments new immigration policy.
4. Most developed countries are ________ priority to the implementation of renewable energy.
5. We _______ a reservation for a room in the hotel.
6. She _________ profusely for arriving late for the meeting.
7. I needed to _______ a haircut so I went to the barbers.
8. Hello Mr Smith, please ______ a seat.
9. I was given ___________ advice about preparing for IELTS writing task 2.
10. Driving while using a smartphone is an __________ silly thing to do.

Show Answers

Any questions? Leave a comment below.

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Collocations in IELTS, learn collocations to get a Band 7+

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Some of the most important vocabulary needed for IELTS writing are collocations. These are essential for a higher score. Basically, collocations are 2 or 3 words that commonly go together and sound just right to a native speaker. For some tips on building your vocabulary take a look at this blog post here.

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Collocation, an important part of the English language, has a significant role in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam. Correct use of collocation will help improve IELTS scores. As per the IELTS band requirement, applicants should use less common lexical terms with some awareness of collocations. When non-native English speakers use collocations correctly in the writing section, they can prove their proficiency in the English language like a native speaker. If you aim to score high in the IELTS speaking and writing sections, you must use collocations accurately.

Collocations combine two or more definite words to make a phrase so that it makes appropriate sense. While communicating correct usage of collocations makes interaction smooth, accurate, and fluent. Especially for writing task 2, the test takers should use collocations correctly to ace the writing test. The easiest way to be proficient in collocation for IELTS is by reading English regularly.

Important Collocations for IELTS Examination

Have: have fun, have a blast, have a phone, have food, and have breakfast

Make: make your bed, why don’t you make your breakfast? make some tea, make your food

Do: do your homework before you sleep, do it right now, do get up early

Take: take a bite from me, take your pen, take a bath, take a knife

Keep: keep your bag off, keep it on the desk, keep a smile on your face

Get: get it done, get married, get off, get ready

Go: go out, go home, go to school

Examples of Using Collocation for IELTS

IELTS examiner: Can you tell us about your morning regime?

Candidate: Well, I maintain a healthy schedule. I usually wake up by 8 in the morning. I have my breakfast, do my dishes, get dressed up, then leave around 9 in the morning

Tell us about your plans after completion of your study?

Well, I plan to get a job in a reputed firm. After which, I wish to get married in 2-3 years and settle down with my family

Types of Collocations in the English language

Adverb + Adjective

Noun+ Noun

Verb+ Noun

Collocations that come with have, make and take

Adjective Or Noun

Verb+ Adverb

Noun+ Verb

Here are examples:

1. Adverb + Adjective

I was utterly shocked by the way he behaved with me

Leaving the examination in the middle was a stupid decision taken

I am totally satisfied with a band 8 in IELTS

It is pretty worrying to find the new rules imposed on traveling

She is extremely interested in meeting me

I booked an elite decorated apartment for the birthday party

Are you completely aware of what you are doing to yourself?

2. Adjective + Noun

The heavy snowfall got us delayed in reaching our destination

Considering his health conditions, he was advised to walk for 30 minutes every day

I always found my sister to show a keen interest when it comes to studying in the US

It was a bit of invaluable advice that I did not use for the examination

It was an amazing idea to visit a foreign destination during Christmas

3. Noun + Noun

She paid huge money for a round of soft drinks

They get paid to work in the service industry

Without a building permit, you cannot build the property

Important Resources to Read About IELTS:

IELTS Speaking Topics | IELTS Writing Task 2 | Opinion Essay IELTS
Important Vocabulary for IELTS | IELTS Band Score | Validity of IELTS Score
IELTS Reading Section | IELTS Essay Writing Samples | Essay on Historical Places
IELTS Test Report form | Benefits of IELTS Coaching | How to Cancel IELTS Exam

4. Noun + Verb

Her mother paid her a compliment for singing a song so well

All the applicants were doubtful about the question that was discussed during the last session

It was the 50th anniversary of his parents, so he took them to watch a movie

The government is very serious when it comes to the rising level of pollution

I made a late appointment to see my oncologist

Non-native English speakers always make an effort to get more than 8 bands in IELTS

5. Verb + Noun

The prisoner was hanged for committing murder

Get something to drink for yourself

Always get some time for yourself to enjoy

The nurse died out of poverty

6. Verb + Adverb

The hotel supervisor complained bitterly regarding the bad behavior of the manager

Guests should be given warm welcome whenever there is a party

Rohit spoke loudly and shouted at his father for the entire time over the call.

Jack whispered very softly in Jill’s ears

7. Collocation with have, take, or make

Make mistake

Have a conversation

Have a job interview

Have a headache

Take a shower

Take care

Take a survey

Take advice

Take medicine

Make a wish

Make salad

Make breakfast

Take a picture

Have a baby

Have an illness

Importance of Collocation For IELTS Applicants

While taking the IELTS test, non-native English-speaking applicants should prioritize sounding like native English speakers. The proper usage of collocation will surely keep the language flow natural so that the interviewer can comprehend everything you speak.

While taking the IELTS speaking test, applicants use collocations to draft the answers with the right words to express themselves. Collocations enhance the vocabulary so that you can express emotions or situations with different alternatives. In a way, you get to deliver winning answers.

Students need to be sure about the collocations they use while taking the speaking test, to improve IELTS band and English language proficiency. C stands for collocations, and that is an important marking criterion.

Speak naturally with collocations. They make your English more idiomatic and sound similar and proficient like a native speaker.

Collocations improve oral communication skills, comprehension, reading speed, and fluency in non-native English speakers, and eventually, they perform well in the IELTS test.

Read More About IELTS:

How to Prepare for IELTS at Home Without Coaching

Causes and Effects of Obesity IELTS Essay

Business and Money IELTS Essay

Advantages and Disadvantages of Tourism IELTS Essay

How to Write Conclusion in Writing Task 2

Art is Considered an Important Part of a Society IELTS Essay

Is Computer Based IELTS Easier

How to Prepare for Computer Based IELTS

IELTS Slot Booking

How to Check IELTS Revaluation Results

How to Get IELTS Certificate

How to Download IELTS Score Card

How to Use Collocations Correctly?

Appropriate collocations improve the IELTS score. Applicants do not need to learn the long list of collocations to do well in the IELTS examination. There are some rules that you need to apply to use the collocations while communicating correctly. It should be included in your vocabulary learning schedule. As you come in contact with a new word that can be a part of your IELTS vocabulary, note it down and start looking for other words that will go well and relate to that word. This way you will start building up a rich vocabulary with collocations. It is important for non-native and English speakers. The words aren’t new, but the way it is used will be different when you use collocations accurately. For proper collocation usage, it is essential to use common words in different ways.

Collocations bring natural flow to the English language and make it more idiomatic. You need to understand the right words that can be used together to make sense. If you are speaking incorrectly, any native speaker will be able to pinpoint it. When you learn a simple word like ‘to have, you will just not learn the word ‘have’, instead you learn chunks of the English language. You will be learning all the words that can be used with the word ‘have.’ This is how you can use collocations in IELTS speaking and writing sections. To have a rich vocabulary, you need to learn using collocation for IELTS instead of learning words in an isolated manner.

Examples of More Collocation

Have | Make | Do | Take
Have food | Make food | Do a favor | Take a break
Have a drink | Make progress | Do nothing | Take rest
Have lunch | Make money | Do the cocking | Take your seat
Have sympathy | Make furniture | Do your best | Take notes
Have rest | Make a noise | Do your homework | Take an exam
Have a holiday | Make trouble | Do your best | Take a taxi

Some More Examples of Collocations in Sentences

He is excellent at planning parties

The teacher was surprised at the student’s question

He has lost his belief in God

There was no change in the patient’s health overnight

She wanted to see if she could get a job with us

I might take a lesson from you

My goals were to go back to school and get a degree

Study Abroad With upGrad Abroad

To offer learners end-to-end assistance, upGrad Abroad has launched a Booster Program. The 12-weeks long extensive program is designed with a keen focus on equipping learners to kick-start their international undergraduate/ postgraduate journey after completing their first year in India. The Booster Program is designed to offer support to students in preparation for IELTS, Academic Writing, Profile Building, International Faculty Masterclass, and University Application, Education Loan, and Visa Support.

Recommended Reads:

Frequently Asked Questions

Collocation is the combination of two or more words to make a proper phrase. Correct collocation is used in the IELTS writing section to improve scores. As per the IELTS band requirement, applicants should use less common lexical terms with some awareness of collocations.

Collocations are used in IELTS speaking section to enhance the sentences used in communication. Collocations bring natural flow to the English language and make it more idiomatic.

Here is an example of collocation used in the IELTS speaking test:

Examiner: How do you get to work?

Candidate: Mostly I get to work by bus. However, if I’m late, I take a cab.

Here are some examples of collocation in sentences

1. My daughter does her homework during the evening

2. Our teacher gave us some advice on taking mocks

3. Please feel free to enjoy the wedding

4. We need to find a replacement for Tara as soon as possible

Collocations are important in the IELTS examination to score well. If you aim to score high in the IELTS speaking and writing sections, you must use collocations accurately.

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Collocation For IELTS | Collocation Words Examples & Sentences

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Using collocations properly can help you score better in the IELTS exam. To score well in the speaking and writing sections, here are some collocations and their usage.

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A blood test that could predict the future risk of....

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A blood test that could predict the future risk of....

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A blood test could help better predict the risk of leukaemia in older people and ultimately improve early diagnosis of the disease, new research suggests.
© PA Archive Blood test could prBlood tests could predict the future risk of leukaemia, a study suggests (Ben Birchall/PA)edict future risk of leukaemia, study suggests
By identifying those most at risk it should be possible to provide preventive or early treatment to improve patient outcomes, experts say.

In the UK, 28 new patients are diagnosed with leukaemia every day, and each year more than 40% of all new leukaemia cases in the country occur in people aged 75 and over.

As we age, our blood system can become damaged, potentially increasing the chance of developing blood cancer like leukaemia.

The ability to detect leukaemia at the earliest opportunity in the elderly may provide options for less harsh but effective treatments

Dr Dawn Farrar, Leukaemia UK

Dr Kristina Kirschner, co-lead author and senior lecturer at University of Glasgow’s Institute of Cancer Sciences, said: “In knowing an individual patient’s risk of developing leukaemia, clinicians can schedule shorter gaps between appointments in those most likely to develop the disease and provide early treatment, which is more likely to be successful”.

Dr Linus Schumacher, co-lead author and Chancellor’s Fellow at the Centre for Regenerative Medicine of the University of Edinburgh, said: “To understand leukaemia risk, we need to consider the balance between the different cells involved in blood cell production and how this balance changes as we grow older.

“By linking genomic data with machine learning we have been able to predict the future behaviour of blood cells based on the mutations they develop.”

The researchers, based at the University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow and the Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, used data from a long-term study in Scotland that collects information from people as they aged.

They measured changes in blood samples over a 12-year period, in a group of 85 people from the age of 70 onwards.

The scientists combined this data with an artificial intelligence algorithm to link different gene mutations with different growth speeds of blood stem cells carrying these mutations.

If lots of these cells with mutations develop, the risk of cancer grows.

The chances of these groups of mutated cells developing increases with age.

Exploring the mutations in more detail allowed researchers to better identify gene changes that were likely to go on to cause disease such as leukaemia.

Knowing who has these mutations means they can be more closely monitored to diagnose and treat the disease earlier.

Dr Dawn Farrar, Director of Impact at Leukaemia UK, said: “These are exciting new findings.

“The ability to detect leukaemia at the earliest opportunity in the elderly may provide options for less harsh but effective treatments.

“Identifying a future risk of development of leukaemia may ultimately offer the possibility of prevention and therefore save more lives.”

“These early stage findings provide an important stepping stone for further research to build on, with the potential to transform and personalise monitoring and follow-up for patients in the future and could ultimately play a role in preventing disease.”

The findings are published in the Nature journal.

From news to politics, travel to sport, culture to climate – The Independent has a host of free newsletters to suit your interests. To find the stories you want to read, and more, in your inbox, click here.

Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.

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Blood test could predict future risk of leukaemia, study suggests

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Blood test could predict future risk of leukaemia, study suggests - Identifying those most at risk could mean it is possible for them to receive treatment earlier.

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Advanced Grammar for IELTS : Relative Clauses - Diagnose Test, Grammar Explanation & Practice Exercises

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The use of the English language must adhere to a set of rules known as grammar. Consequently, it is essential to have a solid understanding of English grammar. You can develop your skills and are sure to conquer the IELTS Exam if you are an IELTS aspirant who is conversant with advanced grammar.

Advanced Grammar for IELTS: Relative clauses - Diagnose Test, Grammar Explanation & Practice Exercises

Relative clauses are complex sentences, and in the IELTS examination, writing complex sentences plays a significant role. You also have the knowledge of using these complex sentences in the right places. In this article, you will find some relative clauses and the same usage, which can be used for the practice test.

Diagnostic Test: Relative Clauses

Underline the correct alternative in bold.
Example:
Do you know anyone which/ who can repair cigarette burns on clothes?

1. It's usually children from deprived backgrounds that/ which cause the worst problems.

2. Captain Corelli's Mandolin, that/ which topped the best-seller lists for weeks on end, was never formally publicized.

3. The Council provides bins in that/ which waste paper can be deposited for recycling.

4. All cows over 30 months who/ which may have been exposed to BSE will be destroyed.

5. Address the reference 'to who/whom it may concern', as it's very formal.

6. The town hall clock played a different tune at twelve every day, which/ what amused the locals and attracted tourists.

7. 'There's a lucky person in this hall who/ whose lottery ticket has just won them £2,000!'

8. 'Why don't you tell the police which/ what you told me yesterday?'

9. The film is set in the period where/ when the divide between rich and poor was much greater than it is now.

10. You can put the photo whichever/ wherever you think it looks best.

Each sentence below contains a mistake. Find the mistakes and correct them.
Example:
Orders for that we have received payment will be processed immediately. ___which___

1. The jackets which this shop makes them are of excellent quality

2. Jack has prepared his favourite dish from Delia Smith's recipe book, which he is about to eat.

3. Can you get me one of those chocolate bars have got toffee in the middle?

4. The charity event raised over £1,000 for St Andrew's Hospice which opened last year.

5. I'd always wanted to take Graham to the city where I grew up in.

6. Have you invited the residents who living here on a temporary basis to the meeting?

7. He presented the visiting ambassador with a genuine Ming vase, that was worth over $10,000

8. The bank robbery what I told you about is in the local newspaper.

9. High taxation is often the main reason which governments fall.

10. The new buyer identified a dozen new sources for the material, most of them proved to be reliable.

Grammar Explanation : Relative Clauses

Relative clauses are subordinate clauses that refer to the noun of the main clause, identifying it or adding extra information. There are two types of relative clause: defining clauses (identifying the noun or classifying it as part of a group) and non-defining clauses (adding information about the noun). This unit examines both types of relative clause and the pronouns and adverbs used to introduce relative clauses.

Relative Clauses
Form and Use
Relative clauses are subordinate clauses introduced by relative pronouns, such as that, which or who. These clauses give information about someone or something in the main clause. Compare these examples:

I used to live in one of those houses. They have now been demolished.

I used to live in one of those houses that have now been demolished.

Main Clause Relative Clause
The relative pronoun is the subject or object of the relative clause. It is, therefore, unnecessary to repeat the noun from the main clause or introduce a personal pronoun to replace it:

X I used to live in one of those houses that they have now been demolished.

We usually put the relative clause as close as possible to the noun it refers to, otherwise the meaning may not be clear:

X Jack has prepared his favourite dish from Jamie Smith's recipe book, which he is about to eat

✓ Jack has prepared his favourite dish, which he is about to eat, from Jamie Smith's recipe book.

We often avoid relative clauses in casual speech and writing, preferring shorter ways of defining or adding information:

People who come from Wales are often quite musical. (relative clause)

Welsh people are often quite musical. (adjective)

People from Wales are often quite musical. (prepositional phrase)

Subjects and Objects
A relative pronoun can be the subject of a relative clause:

Last week I saw that film which won all the Oscars.
Subject relative pronoun
Here, the pronoun is the subject of the relative clause ( the film won the Oscars), even though it is the object of the main clause (I saw the film).

A relative pronoun can also be the object of a relative clause:

Last week I saw the film which you made at college.
Object relative pronoun
Here, the pronoun is the object of the subordinate clause (you made the film).

In defining relative clauses, we can omit the relative pronoun when it is the object of the relative clause, but not when it is the subject:

X Last week I saw the film won all the Oscars.

✓ Last week I saw the film you made at college.
Defining Relative Clauses
A defining relative clause identifies or classifies a noun or pronoun in the main clause:
Identifying relative clause:
Is this the book that you were looking for?
Classifying relative clause:
Would all those who have booked dinner please go to the restaurant now?

(In the second example, the relative clause classifies the members of a group.)

In defining relatives, the relative clause gives information which is necessary for the sense of the sentence. In the first example above, if we say just Is this the book?, this does not convey the key meaning of the whole sentence, i.e. the book that you were looking for.

We often use defining relative clauses to describe an important quality of someone or something:

Van Gogh was an artist who used a lot of bold, vibrant colors.

We often use a relative clause with the same pattern for emphasis, with introductory It:

It is always violent crime that provokes the most extreme reaction from the public.
Non-defining Relative Clauses
We usually use non-defining relative clauses to add extra information about the subject of a main clause:

ITV's News at Ten, which occupied the mid-evening slot for many years, was a very popular program.

(main clause = ITV's News at Ten was a very popular program.)

We can also use non-defining relative clauses to show consecutive actions:

Heskey passed the ball to Owen, who scored a magnificent goal.

We use non-defining relative clauses mainly in writing and formal speech.
Punctuation and Pausing
We usually use commas to separate the relative clause from the main clause in non-defining relatives, but we do not use them in defining relatives:

The tribespeople, who traded with the settlers, retained their land. (All of the tribespeople retained their land, and, incidentally, they traded with the settlers.)

The tribespeople who traded with the settlers retained their land. (Only some of the tribespeople retained their land - this defines a group.)

The use of commas reflects the way we say the two types of relative clause.

In defining relative clauses, there is no pause between the main clause and the relative clause:

We asked for the double room which had a sea view.

In non-defining relatives, there is a short pause after the main clause or between the two parts of the main clause:

We were given a lovely double room ( ), which had a sea view.

I first met Harry Gardiner ( ). who eventually became my father-in-law ( ), at a Law Society meeting.

Prepositions with Relative Clauses
We can use prepositions with relative pronouns. Where we put the preposition depends on formality:

Informal: Have you seen the little case that/ which I keep my contact lenses in?

Formal: This system provides a case in which the contact lenses can be kept.

Note: We do not put a preposition before the relative pronoun that:

X This system provides a case in that the contact lenses can be kept.

Note: If we put a preposition before who, the pronoun always becomes whom. Compare:

The people who this report is addressed to will have to consider carefully the consequences of the proposed cuts.

The people to whom this report is addressed will have to consider carefully the consequences of the proposed cuts.

We can often use were (for places) or when (for times) instead of which + preposition:

This is the house where I grew up/ which I grew up in/ in which I grew up.
Reduced Relative Clauses
We often 'reduce' a relative clause, i.e. we shorten it by omitting the pronoun and verb. We can do this with a participle phrase:

Marilyn was the woman living in the flat underneath us at the time (= ... who lived/was living in ...)

The clauses struck out of the agreement were all unimportant. (= ... which were struck out/which we struck out ...)

Another possibility is to use an infinitive phrase:

Newton was the first person to really understand the laws of gravity. (= ... who really understood ...)

Relative Pronouns and Adverbs
General Use
This table lists relative pronouns and adverbs and how they can be used:

Pronouns Use for Use as

Subject Object Defining Non-defining

Adverbs

Nominal Pronoun

Notes on the table:
We sometimes use who to refer to animals, particularly domestic pets:

Is Sheba the dog who was run over and nearly killed last year?

Whom is formal and we rarely use it in speech. We now mainly use it after prepositions:

I am referring to the person with whom you were seen on that evening.

Note that we always use which (not who) to refer to inanimate objects.

We can also use which to refer to the 'idea' of a whole clause:

When he came home, he was unusually attentive, which made her very suspicious.

Here, which refers to the fact that 'he was unusually attentive'.

We can use that to refer to people or objects, but we usually prefer to use who for a person when the pronoun is the subject of the relative clause:

Ms Harrison is the lawyer who/that has been chosen to represent you.

Note: We do not use that in non-defining relative clauses:

X This offer, that will not be repeated, must end next week.

Note: In US English that is more common than which or who in defining relative clauses.

It is possible, though not very common, to use whose to refer to objects.

It would only be possible to colonize planets whose atmosphere contained enough oxygen to sustain human life. (= the atmosphere of which)

We often omit a relative pronoun when it refers to the object of a defining relative clause:

The girl (who) I met in the florist's was at the party. (= I met the girl.)

We cannot omit the pronoun if it is the subject of the clause:

X The girl works for the florist in the High Street was at the party.

✓ The girl who works for the florist in the High Street was at the party.

Note: We cannot omit an object relative pronoun in non-defining relative clauses:

X Last year's winner presented the cup, each holder keeps for the year.

✓ Last year's winner presented the cup, which each holder keeps for the year.

We can use which or that + a preposition instead of where:

Mozart's birthplace and the house where he composed 'The Magic Flute' are both now museums.

Mozart's birthplace and the house that he composed The Magic Flute' in are both now museums.

We can use that as an alternative to when in defining relative clauses:

I remember - it was the day when/ that the heatwave started.

We can use which or that + a preposition instead of when:

The attacks continued up to the day on which the agreement was signed.

The only noun which takes why as a relative pronoun is reason:

Sometimes he thought her clear morality was the reason why/ that he loved her.

We can use which + for instead of why.

High taxation is often the main reason for which governments fall.

Note: It is possible to use relative adverbs without the noun to which they refer:

It's (the place) where that rock festival is held every year.

We use what to mean 'the thing that/ which'. The clause containing 'what' is a nominal clause, i.e. the whole clause acts as a noun, either a subject or an object. While 'what' isn't used in the same way as 'that' or 'which' it can fulfill the same functions as the other relative pronouns:

Why don't you tell the police what you told me yesterday?

In this example what you told me yesterday is the object of the verb tell. It means the same as:

Why don't you tell the police the story (that) you told me yesterday.

We cannot use what to replace who, which or that:

X It was the money what I wanted, not the fame.

✓ It was the money (that) I wanted, not the fame.

This could be expressed as:

The money was what I wanted, not the fame. (= the thing that I wanted)
Modifying a Relative Pronoun/ Adverb
We often use modifiers, such as all of and many of before which or whom in a non- defining relative clause to refer to the subject or object of the clause:

The supermarket removed from the shelves all of its jars of tomato puree, several of which were found to contain fragments of glass.

The college entered over a hundred students for the exam, all of whom passed.

We interviewed fourteen applicants for the post, none of whom we thought suitable.

Whichever, Whenever, etc.
In defining relative clauses we can modify the pronoun or adverb with -ever to give the meaning of anything, anyone, anywhere, etc.:

Use whichever phone you want - they all have outside lines.

I'd like to meet whoever did that to the garden hedge!

You can put the photo wherever you think it looks best. I don't mind.

See also:
Practice Exercise
Q 1.
Match each headline (1-10) with a sentence (A-J). Then write one sentence containing a relative clause (defining or non-defining) to combine each headline and sentence that accompanies it. Use the present perfect tense in the main clause.

1. Body of man found in River Severn

A. He was disgraced in a financial scandal.

2. Fashion icon Quant leaves business

B. They were spoiled in the recent US presidential election.

3. Global Warming Conference ends without Agreement

C. His contract with Ferrari finishes at the end of the season.

4. Irwine Narrowly misses Formula 1 World Champion Title

D. It was held in The Hague.

5. Hand count of votes continues

E. She shares the house with her British husband, Guy Ritchie.

6. London Zoo remains open

F. It was in danger of closing through lack of funds.

7. Politician hands in resignation

C. She refused to diet to a size 12.

8. Size 16 model wins new Estee Lauder Contract

H. The man jumped off the Severn Bridge.

9. Madonna's UK home burgled

I. They have been studying cancer genes for years.

10. Scientists discover new wonder-cure for cancer

J. She is famous for inventing the mini-skirt.

Scientists ___( I) who have been studying cancer genes for years have just discovered a new wonder - cure for cancer. ___

1. The body of a man____________

2. The fashion icon Mary Quant_____________

3. The global warming conference______________

4. Formula 1 driver Eddie Irvine______________

5. The hand count of votes__________

6. London Zoo______________

7. The politician___________

8. The size 16 model_____________

9. Madonna's house in the UK______________

Q 2.
Choose the best sentence to describe each cartoon.
Q 3.
Complete the following article by writing each missing relative pronoun or adverb in the space provided. Use only one word for each space.
Jack of Hearts
Jack of Hearts is a new six-part drama series (0)__which/ that___comes to our screens this week. It has been given the prime Wednesday evening 9.30 slot, (1)___shows that the network has faith in its latest creation. The first episode opens to a scene (2).___a young man is being chased. He stops at a phone box and makes a desperate call. This call wakes up a man (3)___most viewers will recognize as Keith Allen - the slightly sleazy unshaven Cockney (4)___characters are usually less than wholesome. This time, however, he is on the right side of the law, playing a probation officer with a complicated professional and personal life, both of (5)____form the main themes of the series. The writers have managed to find a different angle on his personal problems. At the center of these problems is his stepdaughter, for (6)____he attempts to keep the household together. His relationship with the girl's mother, (7)____seems to be a bad-tempered, grumpy woman, is further compromised later in the series (8)____she joins the staff of a college at (9)____she meets a former lover. Thus the ground is prepared in this first episode for a series (10)___may help to lift British summertime TV out of its regular slump.
Q 4.
This article has too many relative clauses in it. Change the underlined parts so that you don't use a relative clause. The first one has been done for you.
Controversial School to Close
Brockenhurst School, which opened as an educational experiment in 1974. is to close this summer. All the teachers (0) who are currently employed by the school will be relocated to other schools in the area (1) which have staff vacancies.

Brockenhurst was founded by (2) Sir Patrick McDonald, who comes from Inverness, at a time when new educational theories were welcomed by the establishment and experiments in education were supported. However, in recent years, such initiatives have been frowned upon as successive governments have urged a 'back-to-basics' approach.

The school currently employs 28 teachers, (3) all of whom come from the holistic school of education. Most of the teachers have been at the school for at least 15 years. There are approximately 780 students (4) who are of different ages at the school, and they will all transfer to schools in the region. Staff (5) who are currently living at the school will be found alternative housing by the local council.

Sir Patrick was the first person (6) who was informed of the government's decision and he passed the bad news on to staff and students at a meeting (7) which was held last week. Sir Patrick, who is 62, has decided to take early retirement. Although Sir Patrick himself was unavailable for comment, a spokesperson for the school told us. 'We are all very sorry about the closure. For over 25 years we have run an establishment (8) which has been dedicated to making learning a rich and enjoyable experience. All the staff and students (9) who have been participating over the years will agree that this is a sad day not only for the local community but for education in this country as a whole.'
Example:
(0) who are currently employed by the school => currently employed by the school
Q 5.
Complete the article at the top of the page opposite with an appropriate relative pronoun or adverb (if necessary) and a phrase from the box. Use each phrase once only. Write the letter of each phrase (A-l) in the spaces (1-8).

Pronouns Phrases

Who

A. raise huge amounts of money

Whose

B. only the privileged can take part

Whom

C. most of us can only dream about

Where

D. activities are as diverse as

Which

E. she was able to raise so much

Why

F. women hire private jets to go shopping

That

G. has given nearly $200 million

-

H. you often can't find a cab

-

I. they wear only once

Women who rule New York
There is another world in New York beyond the tourist attractions and the high-rise blocks (0)__which __It's a world (1)___and pay several thousand dollars for a dress (2)___These are women for whom one of the modern day necessities is having a personal car and driver in New York, (3)___These women, however, are not only interested in designer clothes and facelifts, but they are also serious philanthropists, many of (4)___for charity. Brooke Astor, for example, is a 97-year-old socialite (5)____to charitable causes in the last 40 years. This 'Queen of New York Society', (6)____visiting elementary schools and attending charity dinners, has raised $4 million in one evening alone. In an explanation of (7)____she admits that she tries to stimulate competition amongst her wealthy and famous guests. This is a ratified life in (8)____but which does a lot of good for the less fortunate.
Q 6.
Read the following text. In most lines, there is an unnecessary word, a word missing or a punctuation error. For each numbered line 1-22, identify the mistake and write the correct version in the space on the right. Some lines are correct. Indicate these lines with a tick (✓). The first two lines are examples (0 and 00).

Tourism today is an industry V has grown so much in recent years that in many - which

countries it provides the greatest single contribution to the country's revenue ✓

1. But is it always a good thing? Mass tourism which is a relatively recent

2. phenomenon brings with it a whole raft of problems. First, it means that a

3. country's economy may rely on an industry which is wholly seasonal, with

4. the consequence that the huge numbers of people work in tourism during the

5. season have no income during the rest of the year. Some find wherever work

6. they can, but others may turn to a government that is already receiving lower

7. revenues for support.

8. Second, it is true that in many countries tourists are destroying the very

9. sights they flock to see them. They take home pieces of an ancient monument

10. or of a coral reef which will gradually result in erosion of the attractions and

11. therefore of the industry. While this kind of destruction may be wholly

12. unintentional, a certain type of tourist what wants only a 'good time' can be

13. very destructive in a different way: they drink too much, pick fights and

14. destroy the clubs and bars where they are drinking in. Obviously, it is then

15. this behavior by that the local community judges all members of that

16. nationality group, creating enmity between races rather than fostering

17. empathy, which should be one of the main advantages of tourism.

18. Finally, there are many places tourism is threatening a well-established

19. way of life: people whose livelihoods traditionally come from older

20. industries, such as agriculture or fishing, are finding new jobs and wealth in

21. the over-developed tourist regions, but at what cost? It is sometimes difficult

22. to understand exactly which a country gains from tourism.

Answer Key for Diagnostic Test

1. that

2. which

3. which

4. whom

5. which

6. whose

7. what

8. when

9. wherever

10. which this shop makes-them => which this shop makes

11. Jack has prepared-his favorite dish from Delia Smith's recipe-book, which he is about to-eat- => Jack has prepared his favorite dish, which he is about to eat, from Delia Smith's recipe book.

12. bars have got toffee in- the middle? => bars which/ that have got toffee in the middle?/ bars with toffee in the middle?

13. St Andrew's Hospice which opened last-year-. => St Andrew's Hospice, which opened last year.

14. the city where I grew up in-. => the city where I grew up./the city which/that I grew up in.

15. the residents who living here => the residents who are living here/the residents living here

16. a genuine Ming vase, that-was worth => a genuine Ming vase, which was worth

17. The bank-robbery-what told you-about => The bank robbery that/which I told you about

18. the main-reason which governments fall => the main reason why governments fall.

19. most of them proved => most of which proved

Answer Key for Practice Exercise
Q 1.

1. H The body of a man who jumped off the Severn Bridge has been found in the River Severn.

2. J The fashion icon Mary Quant, who is famous for inventing the mini-skirt, has left her business.

3. D The global warming conference, which was held in The Hague, has ended without agreement.

4. C Formula 1 driver Eddie Irvine, whose contract with Ferrari finishes at the end of the season, has narrowly missed gaining the Formula 1 World Champion title (today).

5. B The hand count of votes which/that were spoiled in the recent US presidential election has continued.

6. F London Zoo, which was in danger of closing through lack of funds, has remained open.

7. A The politician who was disgraced in a financial scandal has handed in his resignation.

8. G The size 16 model who refused to diet to a size 12 has won the new Estee Lauder contract.

9. E Madonna s house in the UK, which she shares with her British partner, Guy Ritchie, has been burgled.

Q 2.

1. B

2. A

3. B

4. A

Q 3.

1. which

2. where

3. who/ whom/that

4. whose

5. which

6. whom

7. who

8. when

9. which

10. which/that

Q 4.

1. with staff vacancies

2. Sir Patrick McDonald, from Inverness

3. all from the holistic school of education.

4. of different ages

5. currently living

6. to be informed of the government's decision

7. (held) last week

8. dedicated to

9. participating over the years

Q 5.

1. where F

2. (that/which) I

3. where H

4. whom A

5. who C

6. whose D

7. why E

8. which B

Q 6.

1. tourism which => tourism, which

2. ✓

3. which it is => which is wholly seasonal

4. people work => people who work

5. wherever work => work wherever

6. government is-already receiving => government which/that is already receiving/government already receiving

7. ✓

8. ✓

9. to see them. => to see.

10. reef which => reef, which

11. ✓

12. tourist what wants => tourist who/that wants

13. ✓

14. whore they are drinking- in. => where they are drinking./that/which they are drinking in.

15. that => which

16. ✓

17. what => which

18. places tourism => places where/ in which tourism

19. that whose => whose

20. ✓

21. ✓

22. which => what

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Advanced Grammar for IELTS : Relative Clauses - Diagnose Test, Grammar Explanation & Practice Exercises

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Practice daily to improve Grammar For IELTS with Practice Exercises. Advanced Grammar for IELTS: Relative clauses - Diagnose Test, Grammar Explanation & Practice Exercises

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Relative Clauses: Use them correctly in your IELTS essay

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Relative Clauses: Use them correctly in your IELTS essay

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Relative Clauses are a type of complex sentence. There are two types - defining relative clauses and non-defining relative clauses. This IELTS lesson provides you with 8 essential facts about these clauses to help with your grammar for the test.

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How to use conjunctions in IELTS essays, IELTS grammar.

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Using conjunctions in IELTS writing.
Updated Feb 7th 2021
For a high band score in IELTS writing it is important to use conjunctions effectively. This shows the examiner you can use grammar precisely and helps the flow of your essay, which makes it easier for the reader. A conjunction is a word used to connect clauses or sentences. These are marked under grammar and are directly linked to coherence and cohesion in the IELTS marking criteria.

If you make mistakes with conjunctions it will affect coherence and cohesion. In fact 'complex sentences' can be constructed using conjunctions. Let's take a look at some of these and how to use them correctly.
Below are some example sentences.
1. though, although, even though, nonetheless

'Being a parent is often exhausting and stressful, but it is very rewarding.'

Now I can rewrite this sentence in 4 different ways and keep the same meaning.

1. Although being a parent is exhausting and stressful, it is very rewarding.
2. It is very rewarding being a parent. Nonetheless, it is also exhausting and stressful.
3. Being a parent is exhausting and stressful, although it is very rewarding.
4. Even though being a parent is exhausting and stressful, it is very rewarding.

Though, although and even though have the same meaning. Usually 'though' is at the end of the sentence.
Punctuation is important here, check the position of the commas in the sentences. 'Nonetheless' usually starts a sentence and there is a comma straight after it.
2. in spite of, despite, although

'Studying overseas is expensive, but it is important for our career.'

1. Although studying overseas is expensive, it is important for our career.
2. In spite of the cost, studying overseas is important for our career.
3. Despite the cost, studying overseas is important for our career.

All the sentences above have the same meaning, after 'in spite of 'or 'despite' we need to use a noun or a pronoun. So I changed the word 'expensive' to 'the cost', also notice the position of the comma. Punctuation is a key point here too.

3. unless, providing, as long as

'The government should take steps to tackle pollution or the environment will not be able to recover'

1. Unless the government takes steps to stop pollution, the environment will not be able to recover.
2. Providing that the government takes steps to stop pollution, the environment will recover.
3. As long as the government takes steps to stop pollution, the environment will recover.
4. The environment will recover, as long as the government takes steps to stop pollution.

In the first example using 'unless' the second part of the sentence is negative. Unless is quite often used to give a warning. Usually unless is used to mean 'except if' ..for example: ' You can't use this gym unless you have membership.'

Again, punctuation is important and the position of the commas.

4. while, whereas, on the other hand

(very useful in an overview in IELTS writing task 1)

The number of people who ate fast food once a month accounted for the highest percentage. The every day category showed the lowest figures

1. The number of people who ate fast food once a month accounted for the highest percentage, whereas the every day category showed the lowest figures
2. The number of people who ate fast food once a month accounted for the highest percentage. On the other hand, the every day category showed the lowest figures
3. The number of people who ate fast food once a month accounted for the highest percentage, while the every day category showed the lowest figures

This sentence was taken from a task 1 academic bar chart to show contrast. These conjunctions are important to use in the overview in task 1 to compare high and low figures. Notice that I use a comma with 'whereas' and 'while'

Using conjunctions for opinions and conclusions

When writing your essay, it is a very good idea to contrast your own opinion with a conjunction. These examples below are taken from various essays such as crime, health, technology..

Even though long prison terms are considered the best way to tackle crime, I think that there are other alternatives to bringing the crime rate down.

Many people would say that obesity is caused by fast food. However, I believe that it is caused mainly by lack of exercise.

Recently there is a concern that robots will take peoples jobs. In my opinion, as long as people update their skills, such as learning something that can only be done by humans, then this should not be a major cause for concern

Conjunctions in the conclusion

Here are 2 examples of conclusions that have the same meaning taken from an essay about technology.

To conclude, even though there are concerns that people will lose jobs in the future to robots, I hold the view that as long as people can update their skills and offer a service that robots cannot do, then there should not be a cause for concern.

To sum up, In spite of concerns that people will lose their jobs in the future to robots, I believe that as long as people can update their skills and offer a service that robots cannot do, then there should not be a cause for concern.

Now it's your turn to practice.
Can you add some conjunctions to these sentences? the words you need are in the brackets. You may need to add words and make changes to the sentence structure too.
a) Studying IELTS can be stressful but it opens up career opportunities worldwide. (Even though)

b) I occasionally go to the movies but I prefer to download movies from the internet. (Although)

c) My city is really overcrowded and expensive to live in but it has some great restaurants and bars. (Nonetheless)

d) Pollution in developing countries is a serious issue. If action is taken to sort the problem out then this can be solved. (Providing)

e) Pollution in big cities is a serious issue these days. If the problem is not tackled soon it will get out of control. (unless)

f) Obesity is a growing issue in developed countries but there is also a growing awareness of healthy eating. (despite)

g) Overall, Bobs Bakery saw upward trends in yearly income earned. Johns Bakery, which had started with the highest revenue, ended with the lowest earnings by the end of the period. (whereas)

Show my answers
Conclusions practice: fill in the gaps with conjunctions you have learned in this lesson and then finish the conclusion with your own opinion.

a) In conclusion, ____________ many people say that living in the countryside is boring, my view is that.......

b) To sum up, it is clear that longer prison sentences are appropriate for serious criminals. ___________ I believe that...

c) To conclude, ________ the downsides to using the internet to communicate and develop relationships, I think that....

Show possible answers

Any comments?, leave them below.

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How to use conjunctions in IELTS essays, IELTS grammar.

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Updated Feb 7th 2021 For a high band score in IELTS writing it is important to use conjunctions effectively. This shows the examiner you can use grammar precisely and helps the flow of your essay, which makes it easier for the reader. A conjunction is a word used to connect clauses or sentences.

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Being concise and keeping it simple in IELTS writing.

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Being concise and keeping it simple.
Updated: March 10th 2021
I quite often get essays that contain 'flowery' or convoluted sentences and vocabulary which makes it hard to understand what point is being made. My advice here is to keep your wording simple, direct to the point and concise.

It seems that many students try too hard to use 'complex sentences' or 'high level' vocabulary and completely miss the point of communication, so in the end the reader (the examiner in this case) has trouble understanding.

Some students like to memorise lists of words and then just put those into the essay without actually knowing fully what the word really means. This will end up ruining your band score in coherence and cohesion as well as grammar and vocabulary. In fact, complex sentences are not actually complex or complicated, here is a lesson on those, click here to see it

Many IELTS candidates use very complicated sentences or memorised phrases thinking that they are impressing the reader. To be honest, this is not impressing anyone and it is having an opposite effect. The IELTS examiners are trained to spot memorised phrases and will most probably mark these kinds of essays down to a Band 5 or 6 for coherence and cohesion.

In the IELTS marking criteria, coherence, cohesion, grammar and vocabulary are linked. This means that if your sentence structures, grammar and vocabulary are not right then it will affect the overall ability to understand what is being communicated in the essay. Bad news for overall coherence and cohesion as well as grammar and vocabulary.

The same goes for Writing task 1. Just keep it clear and concise.

Dictionary definition of concise and convoluted.

Take a look at these 2 examples

Task question 1

Which of these introductions would be better in the essay?

Example 1: There are global concerns over environmental problems caused by the growth of air travel. Tax hikes on tickets have been suggested as a measure to limit the number of air travellers. I completely disagree with this because more research and development to reduce carbon emission should be the focus instead of taxing travellers.

As air travel gains more prominence among the populace, there are great concerns over the environmental problems as a result of airports and flights. Putting higher tax on tickets has been suggested as a measure to control air travel from certain quarters, but I am inclined to disagree with this. More research and development should rather instigate and reduce carbon emission from aviation sources, while environmental assessment tests should be looked into in the positioning of airports.

Show Answer

Task question 2

Which of these is a good introduction?

Example 1: Of all mankind's manifold creation, the internet must take pride of place. But sadly, not all information on the internet is true, which makes it a victim of its own portrayal as an unreliable platform to some extent. Perhaps this issue can be battled by constructing some authenticating software and by other means that can lay aside the issues.

The internet is a huge source of knowledge which has enabled people worldwide to learn new things. However, not everything on the internet can be trusted, therefore, regulations need to be implemented to curb the spread of fake information and misleading websites.

Show Answer

Here is a conclusion from another essay

Task Question:
The prevention of health problems and illness is more important than treatment and medicine. Government funding should reflect this. To what extent do you agree?

In a nutshell, this opinion is double-edged sword, so I can't agree fully. It is important to use money depending on cases. For instance, in case of people in hospital which are relatively prevented with ease, you should pay for the prevention more.

Show Answer

My Advice

It takes time and effort to build your grammar skills and build vocabulary. Use the grammar that you are comfortable with until you can use more advanced structures. There is no quick fix here as it takes a while to develop your English. Reading is important for building vocabulary and reading and listening at the same time is a good way to develop your vocabulary. Never memorise words from word lists either.

There are various free websites to help you with this. TED Talks, BBC News, The Times, The New Scientist, Podcasts and so on, see the link below.
Check this page out to see links to useful free websites.
Learn exactly what a complex sentence is and practice writing them. You do not have to use high-level grammar to get a Band 7. In fact, a Band 9 essay uses surprisingly straightforward grammar structures and is very easy to read.
Click here to see a Lesson on Complex Sentences.
Find a good teacher in your area and make sure you get good feedback on your writing. Ask yourself these questions below when you are practicing your writing.

Does this make sense to someone reading it for the first time?

Is it clear what point I am making?

Is my language 'convoluted' or 'flowery'?

Am I still on topic?

Am I memorising phrases and putting them in the essay?

Leave a comment below.

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Being concise and keeping it simple in IELTS writing.

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Updated: March 10th 2021 I quite often get essays that contain 'flowery' or convoluted sentences and vocabulary which makes it hard to understand what point is being made. My advice here is to keep your wording simple, direct to the point and concise.

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Referencing in IELTS, avoiding repetition using pronouns, IELTS writing

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Pronouns help with coherence and cohesion in IELTS writing.
Updated: October 12th 2021
Having a cohesive and coherent essay is very important for your overall band score in both writing tasks in IELTS, especially writing task 2. You should always make your writing as easy as possible for the reader to follow and it should be easy to understand. In the IELTS exam the reader will be the examiner.

One way to improve your cohesion is to use pronouns to reduce repetition. This is mentioned in the marking criteria for writing under 'Referencing'.

What is referencing?

Referencing is when you refer back to something you stated earlier without having to constantly repeat it. You can do this by using pronouns, (they, them, this, their, it, these) By the way, there is a false belief among many IELTS students (and IELTS teachers) that you should never repeat words.

You can repeat some words as long as it is not done too much. Obviously, you have to vary your vocabulary and grammar wherever possible. However, sometimes it is hard to find a good synonym or paraphrase so this is where referencing is useful.

Referencing is also assessed in the speaking part of the exam.
Let's have a look at the IELTS marking criteria writing task 2 for Coherence and Cohesion below:
As you can see, it is clear from the marking criteria that you need to develop this skill to get over Band 6. Remember that the essay has to have a natural smooth flow and be easy for the reader to follow.

For Example

Here are two examples of the same paragraph taken from an essay about the problem of obesity and possible solutions. Red = pronouns , blue = repetition
With referencing.
One of the reasons that people are becoming overweight these days is that they are eating more junk food, ready meals and convenience food rather than cooking healthy meals at home. This is because many people tend to lead a busy life and after a long day at work it is easier to just buy ready meals in the supermarket or get a takeaway. For instance, In the UK, sales of these types of foods have risen considerably since the 1990s, this is because busy people see cooking at home as time-consuming. To tackle this issue, the government should take steps to increase tax on high fat, high sugar or unhealthy foods. Therefore, consumers would think twice about the foods they consume, which could lead to them losing weight.
Without referencing.
One of the reasons that people are becoming overweight these days is that people are eating more junk food, ready meals and convenience food rather than cooking healthy meals at home. People are eating more junk food and ready meals because many people tend to lead a busy life and after a long day at work, instead of cooking at home most people prefer to buy ready meals in the supermarket or get a takeaway. For instance, In the UK, sales of take aways and ready meals have risen considerably since the 1990s, The urge to buy ready meals and convenience foods is because busy people see cooking at home as time-consuming. To tackle the problem of people being overweight, the government should take steps to increase the tax on high fat, high sugar or unhealthy foods. Therefore, consumers would think twice about the foods consumers consume, which could lead to consumers losing weight.
So you can see that the second example above is ugly and hard for the reader, the first example with the pronouns is more concise and cohesive. For Example:
One of the reasons that people are becoming overweight these days is that they are eating more junk food.

Therefore consumers would think twice about the foods they consume, which could lead to them losing weight.

Using relative pronouns

You can also use relative pronouns to join sentences, these make relative clauses. Words like: who / that / which / when / where ... Take look below. Which of these sentences are better?

1. In some countries, the government invests large amounts of money in public transportation. Investing money in public transportation leads to fewer cars on the road and helps to reduce CO2 emissions..

2. In some countries, the government invests large amounts of money in public transportation. This leads to fewer cars on the road and helps to reduce CO2 emissions.

3. In some countries, the government invests large amounts of money in public transportation, which leads to fewer cars on the road and helps to reduce CO2 emissions.

Show Answer

Exercise

Decide the best pronoun or relative pronoun, add them to the sentences below

they / it / their / they / this / our / they / it / which / they

1. Property prices tend to be very high in big cities, _______ means that many people cannot afford to buy a house.

2. Some people believe that children should not be given homework because _____ is not necessary for ______ education. ____ think that teachers should focus on more creative ways to teach subjects.

3. One important advantage of labour-saving machines and household appliances is that ______ are more efficient and save time, because housework takes up a lot of time and energy.

4. I think ____ is very important that the government maintains and restores old buildings as ______ are a reflection of _____ cultural heritage.

5. Many old buildings protected by law are part of a nation's history. Some people think _______ should be knocked down and replaced by new ones.

6. Violent crime is a concern in many societies and some hold the view that _______ cannot be solved.

Show Answers
Any questions? leave a comment below... Feel free to share and like.

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Referencing in IELTS, avoiding repetition using pronouns, IELTS writing

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Updated: October 12th 2021 Having a cohesive and coherent essay is very important for your overall band score in both writing tasks in IELTS, especially writing task 2. You should always make your writing as easy as possible for the reader to follow and it should be easy to understand.

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IELTS Grammar Lessons ~- Referencing ~ to improve your reading, listening, writing and speaking

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I have noticed that many candidates are not aware of the importance of using references in the IELTS interview. Perhaps this has been overlooked in favour of getting their grammar and vocabulary right when speaking. Although, grammar and vocabulary do play important roles, IELTS candidates as well as IELTS teachers must remember that there are other factors in play when candidates are being assessed. Referencing is not only considered in speaking but also in writing as well! So, to ignore this in favour of grammar and vocab can be quite risky to your or your IELTS students’ performance!

So, what do I mean by referencing? References are expressions that actually do not have any meaning in themselves but are used very often in speaking and writing. They usually refer to something else for their meaning. Writers and speakers use these to avoid repeating themselves and to improve fluency in their writing and speech. And examiners look for these!

In the IELTS Speaking public descriptor, the differences between a Band 4 and Band 6 candidate in Fluency and Coherence, are that a lower level performance uses frequent repetition whereas the other displays occasional repetition. Similarly, in the IELTS Writing Part 2 public descriptor, a Band 6 writer may not always use referencing clearly or appropriately as compared to a Band 8 candidate who does.

Here’s a simple example of how referencing is used:

The student sighed as she handed in the assignment. At last it was finished. This was the most difficult piece of writing which she had been set, but she had completed it.

As you can see, the words in pink refer back to ‘the student’ while the ones in blue refer to ‘the assignment’.

Photo Credit: Martin Gommel via Compfight

Can you identify any references in these texts?

Exercise 1

Every organisation, as soon as it gets to any size (perhaps 1,000 people), begins to feel a need to systematise its management of human assets. Perhaps the pay scales have got way out of line, with apparently similar-level jobs paying very different amounts; perhaps there is a feeling that there are a lot of neglected skills in the organisation that other departments could utilise if they were aware that they existed. Perhaps individuals have complained that they don’t know where they stand or what their future is; perhaps the unions have requested standardised benefits and procedures. Whatever the historical origins, some kind of central organisation, normally named a personnel department, is formed to put some system into the haphazardry. The systems that they adopt are often modelled on the world of production, because that is the world with the best potential for order and system.

Exercise 2

We all tend to complain about our memories. Despite the elegance of the human memory system, it is not infallible, and we have to learn to live with its fallibility. It seems to be socially much more acceptable to complain of a poor memory, and it is somehow much more acceptable to blame a social lapse on ‘a terrible memory’, than to attribute it to stupidity or insensitivity. But how much do we know about our own memories? Obviously we need to remember our memory lapses in order to know just how bad our memories are. Indeed one of the most amnesic patients I have ever tested was a lady suffering from Korsakoff’s syndrome, memory loss following chronic alcoholism. The test involved presenting her with lists of words; after each list she would comment with surprise on her inability to recall the words, saying: ‘I pride myself on my memory!’ She appeared to have forgotten just how bad her memory was’.

Taken from: http://www.uefap.com/reading/exercise/refer/refer.htm

You can find our more about referencing and try out some exercises from the websites below:

EAP Reading – Introduction

English Writing Online: Cohesion exercises

Reference and Substitution Cloze

Until next time!

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Referencing in IELTS Writing and Speaking | The IELTS Tutor

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I have noticed that many candidates are not aware of the importance of using references in the IELTS interview. Perhaps this has been overlooked in favour of getting their grammar and vocabulary right when speaking. Although, grammar and vocabulary do play important roles, IELTS candidates as well a…

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Listen to the sounds of English

Please wait a few seconds while the chart loads...

The symbols on this clickable chart represent the 44 sounds used in British English speech (Received Pronunciation). Click on each symbol or sample word to hear. ( See also: Printable Phonemic Chart)

Monophthong vowels are arranged by mouth shape:

left > right, lips wide > lips round

top > bottom, jaw closed > jaw open

The first two rows of consonants are paired:

above, voiceless

below, voiced

This version of the phonemic chart is based on the familiar Adrian Underhill layout.

Further Reference

Useful Videos

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Click to hear each symbol and sample word. This interactive phonemic chart contains all 44 sounds used in spoken British English (Received Pronunciation).

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IELTS Pronunciation: The Ultimate Guide - Keith Speaking Academy

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Improve your IELTS pronunciation with this ultimate guide showing you the main pronunciation features and how to practice them

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Diagrams: Processes, maps & cycles sample answers 

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Diagrams: Processes, maps & cycles sample answers 

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1. Home

2. IELTS writing

3. Diagram

Sometimes IELTS Writing Task 1 requires you to describe a process. If you have a ‘describing a process’ task in the exam, you will be given a diagram with a series of pictures. The diagram shows the stages of how something is made or how something works.

Sample Questions

The diagram illustrates how bees produce honey.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The diagrams give information about the manufacture of frozen fish pies.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The diagram shows the recycling process of aluminium cans.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The diagram shows a possible future means of home energy production.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The diagram shows the production of electricity using a system called Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC).

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The diagrams show a structure that is used to generate electricity from wave power.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The diagram shows the production of steam using a gas cooled nuclear reactor.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The diagram shows how greenhouse gases trap energy from the Sun.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The diagram shows how a central heating system in a house works.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The diagrams give information about the Eiffel Tower in Paris and an outline project to extend it underground.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The diagram gives the information about the Hawaiian island chain in the centre of the Pacific Ocean.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The Diagram shows the typical stages of consumer goods manufacturing, including the process by which information is fed back to earlier stages to enable adjustment.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

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Sometimes IELTS Writing Task 1 requires you to describe a process. If you have a ‘describing a process’ task in the exam, you will be given a diagram with a series of pictures. The diagram shows the stages of how something is made or how something works.

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Show caption
Losses are driven by young adults, with a particular increase in New Zealand citizens aged 18 to 27 leaving Photograph: Cavan Images/Getty Images/Cavan Images RF

Young New Zealanders are leaving in droves as borders reopen and economic conditions tighten at home.

The latest data from Stats NZ found that in the year to March, annual net migration was negative, with 7,300 more people leaving than entering. That loss marks a dramatic shift from early in the pandemic when border closures and the relative safety of Covid-free New Zealand prevented many from leaving. In the year to March 2020 there was a record net gain of 91,700.

Now, many New Zealanders - particularly young professionals and graduates - are heading off overseas once more. Some are driven by tough economic conditions in New Zealand, which is dealing with high inflation of 6.9%, housing unaffordability, and sky-high living costs: petrol, rents, mortgage interest rates and groceries are all on the rise.
As New Zealand emerges from pandemic isolation, citizens queue up to leave
Brad Olsen, Infometrics principal economist and director, said the latest figures "demonstrate just how momentous really the shift has been in New Zealand's migration outcomes", changing to a net loss from 50,000-60,000 annual net gains in the years leading up to the pandemic. "It's a huge reversal - and the first time we've seen those negative figures since the global financial crisis, the Christchurch earthquakes and the Australian mining boom all combined in the early 2010s."
New Zealand

Thousands head overseas, partly because of economic conditions, with departures accelerating and labour shortage feared

Stats NZ, the government's data and statistics agency, said the losses were driven by young adults, with a particular increase in New Zealand citizens aged 18 to 27 leaving. With unemployment already at a low of 3.2%, economists say the loss of more of the workforce via migration could create ongoing labour shortages.

"The difficulty finding workers is extreme around the country - you have a smaller working age population than the year before, at a time when everyone is desperately calling out for workers. [It] really just exacerbates the pressures that businesses are under," Olsen said.

In April, government documents estimated that 50,000 people would leave over the next year - but that the number could swell to 125,000 if the many young people who had delayed post-graduation trips during the pandemic left too.

Asked about those projected losses, the prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, said that overseas trips were "part of our history" and a rite of passage for many New Zealanders, noting that she had spent time living in London. "It has been part of our history as a nation to frequently have New Zealanders come and go as part of our overseas experience, building skills and talent."

Olsen said there were a mixture of contributing factors including pent-up demand from those who delayed leaving over the past two years, high living costs, housing unaffordability, and delays fully reopening New Zealand's borders, which meant lower numbers of migrants coming in.

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More people leaving New Zealand than entering as young flee high cost of living

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Young New Zealanders are leaving in droves as borders reopen and economic conditions tighten at home. The latest data from Stats NZ found that in the year to March, annual net migration was negative, with 7,300 more people leaving than entering.

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This article shows you how to use TED Talks to improve your English, how they can be used in the classroom and suggests 10 great talks to use in the English classroom.

TED is a series of informative, educational, inspiring and sometimes jaw-dropping talks that present 'Ideas Worth Spreading'. Ted has attracted many of the world's most important thinkers such as Larry Page, Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Ken Robinson, and a few winners of the Nobel Prize.

There is an emphasis on informing, educating and opening people's eyes to new ideas, making them perfect for the classroom. Students love these talks and really appreciate it when you take the time to make a lesson out of them. Teenagers, being the 'YouTube generation', also find them highly engaging and motivating. They come with transcriptions in most common languages, allowing students to read what they have listened to in English or their native tongue.

This post will list 10 TED talks I have found work particularly well in the classroom. I will also outline how students could use TED to improve their English at home and how teachers can use them in class.

How Students Can Use TED at Home

TED Talks for students provide an engaging context from which they can autonomously improve their English at home. There are thousands of videos to choose from, so there should always be something of interest. They can help students improve, not only their listening skills but also improve their pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar and writing.

This is the obvious one, but students should be encouraged to listen 'actively'. Ask students to look at the title before they listen and try to predict what they are going to hear. They can also pause at different points and try to guess what they will hear next. Another useful exercise is 'micro-listening' where they rewind and listen again and again to any sentences they didn't quite get until they fully understand, thereby getting used to connected speech and any other barriers that might prevent comprehension.

'Micro-listening' can also be used to help students produce sentences. Identify a few sentences that caused the listener trouble and identify elements of connected speech, weak sounds and or difficult phonemes. A comparison with the transcripts should highlight important differences between written and spoken English. Students can then practice reproducing these features at home.

Learners listen for unfamiliar words and then try to guess the meaning from context. They can also look at the transcripts for extra help. Students can then note down their new words together with definitions, synonyms, antonyms and example sentences.

Students could be encouraged to think about the grammar used. What verb tenses were used and why? How did the speaking use sequencing words? How did they use discourse markers? What phrases did they use to make their points or persuade the audience?

Below every TED video is a comments section where people discuss the video and the issues that came up in the video. Students can enter these debates and practice their writing at the same time.

How Teachers Can Use TED Talks in Class

Every TED Talk is different and they can, therefore, be exploited in a variety of different ways. Below are a few suggestions:

Ask some questions about the title. What do you think the speaker is going to say?

Example: Ken Robinson- How Schools Kill Creativity.

Do schools teach creativity?

Which subjects are creative and which are not?

How do schools kill creativity?

Is it the teacher's fault?

Alternatively, you could give them some key vocabulary from the talk and ask them to predict what is going to be said based on the keywords.

Ask students to listen and check if their ideas match those in the video. If not, how are they different?

You could also give them the transcript with the keywords missing and ask them to insert them as they listen.

Focus on Lexis, Grammar or Functional Language

I normally ask students to note down any words or phrases they don't understand and then either watch again or read the transcript to try to guess the meaning from context. Students should then discuss their unknown words and expressions with other students to see if anyone can help them and the teacher clarifies at the end.

This approach can also be used for verb tenses or functional language. For example, how did the speaker use sequencing language? What phrases did they use to try and prove their point? How many times was the present perfect used and why?

Give students a task that encourages them to use the language you focused on in the previous stage. Here are some examples:

Interview the speaker- think of questions you might ask the speaker based on what you have heard. Role play as a journalist and speaker. Students should try to use phrases used to persuade the journalist or make a point.

Explain what you mean- give each student the definition of a difficult word or concept brought up in the video and students mingle asking each other to explain what they mean.

Debate- Write a few controversial statements of the board and divide students in to 'for' and 'against' teams. They should work together to think of how they are going to justify their points and then have a debate.

Write a review- What did they think of the TED talk? Did they agree or disagree with the points made? Was the speaker convincing? Did they find it inspiring?

Presentation- Write and present your own talk on a similar topic.

Explain to a lower class- How would you explain the ideas in simple terms to a class a level below you?

I hope you have found these ideas useful and if you have any other ways to use TED Talks in class, please let us know below.

The best way to keep up to date with posts like this is to like us on Facebook.
Here are my top 10 TED Talks: Sir Ken Robinson - Do Schools Kills Creativity? Jamie Oliver - Teach Every Child About Food Al Gore - Averting the Climate Crisis Hans Rosling - The Best Stats You've Ever Seen David Christian - The History of our World in 18 Minutes Jay Walker - The World's English Mania Edward Snowden - Here's How We Take Back the Internet Nigel Marsh - How to Make Work Life Balance Work Bill Gates - Mosquitos, Malaria and Education Sugata Mitra - Build a School in the Cloud

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10 Ted Talks Every English Student Should Watch

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This article shows you how to use TED Talks to improve your English, how they can be used in the classroom and suggests 10 great talks to use in the English classroom. TED is a series of informative, educational, inspiring and sometimes jaw-dropping talks that present 'Ideas Worth Spreading'.

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The articles below are taken from a variety of English-language media and reflect the type of content tested in the Reading portion of the IELTS. They also involve many common Task 2 Writing topics. A Neglected Protein-Rich Superfood Source: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210420-the-prote…

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IELTS conditionals: How to use conditional sentences in IELTS

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Review IELTS Conditionals from zero to third and mixed, with specific, focused examples that you can use in the Writing and Speaking tests.

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How to use zero, 1st, 2nd and 3rd conditionals (if sentences)

There are four kinds of conditional sentences. The zero conditional describes real or specific situations, while unreal Conditionals describe unreal, imaginary situations or hopes for the future. With unreal conditionals there is a difference in the likelihood of them happening, however, they don't refer to the past. The 3rd conditional is for past regret, how something could be different or a past hypothetical situation.

Conditional sentences are very useful structures in IELTS as they are seen by the examiner as complex sentences and are often included in a natural conversation. This comes in very handy in the IELTS speaking section when talking about your daily life, talking about possibilities and expressing regret or a hypothetical past.

Zero Conditional

This is used to talk about what you normally do in real-life situations or a specific situation.

The structure is: If + Present verb + Present verb (notice we can also use adverbs of frequency such as 'usually, often, tend to, sometimes' )
Show Examples
1st Conditional and 2nd Conditional

The 1st Conditional is used to talk about imaginary situations but the possibility is stronger.

The structure is: If + Present verb + Will

The 2nd Conditional is used to talk about imaginary situations but the possibility is weaker.
So in a conversation if you are asked a question with a conditional, reply with a conditional sentence:
John: What would you do if you won the lottery?
Bob: If I won the lottery I would buy a house in London.

Anne: Where would you live if you could move to Europe?
Betty: I reckon I would live in Madrid, it's a great city.

John: If you could change your job, what would you like to do?
Bob: I would like to be a Chef If I had the chance because I love cooking.

3rd Conditional

These are used when talking about how the present moment would be different if things had happened differently in the past. It is also useful when you talk about regrets or wishing something could be different.

The structure is: If + had + past participle + would have / could have + past participle

Show Examples
Using 'wish' for emphasis:

This is commonly used to add emphasis that you have a regret about something. It can replace the word 'if' .

I wish I'd know you were in hospital, I would have come to visit you.

I wish I hadn't bought that car, it's always breaking down.

I wish I knew his email address, I would be able to let him know I'm visiting London.

Using 'were to' in an If sentence.

'were to' can be put into conditional sentences if you feel the outcome might be terrible or if it is something you don't really want to think about.

If there were to be an economic crash, many people would lose their savings.

If he were to commit another crime, the police would send him to jail.

If we were to have been driving on ice, we wouldn't have been able to stop in time.

If a large meteorite were to hit the Earth, I don't think we would survive.

Exercise:

Are these sentences right or wrong? (4 of them are wrong)

James was heading for the airport and caught the bus just in time. If he would have missed the bus, he would have missed his flight.

Unfortunately, I didn't have your email while I was on holiday. If I'd your email address, I would've sent you a message.

I wish I hadn't told him about the situation with John, now he just keeps gossiping to everyone about it.

If I could change my profession, I would like to be a farmer as I love being outdoors and working.

I wish I could bring my camera, this scenery is incredible.

If I go to bed late, I can't really sleep well.

If we take the 11.14 am train, we will arrive much earlier than we expected.

If you gave that cat too much food, he will vomit.

See Answers
Any Questions? Leave a comment below.

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Using conditional sentences in IELTS. Complex sentences in IELTS.

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There are four kinds of conditional sentences. The zero conditional describes real or specific situations, while unreal Conditionals describe unreal, imaginary situations or hopes for the future. With unreal conditionals there is a difference in the likelihood of them happening, however, they don't refer to the past.

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Conditional structures are usually presented as types (zero, first, second, third, mixed) using specific structures. It is important to remember that these specific structures are a general guide and that different tenses can be used in the condition clause. There are also alternatives to will/would in the result clause.

Conditional structures can be useful for the IELTS Writing Task 2 to express facts or unreal situations based on conditions or to speculate on results or consequences in the future or past.

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Conditional structures are used to talk about a condition and a possible result or consequence. The condition is something that must happen first in order for something else to happen as a result or consequence. Conditionals are complex sentences, which consist of an if-clause, followed by a main clause.

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Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

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Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

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" Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? " means when you put the benefits of something on one plate of a weighing scale and the demerits on the other plate, which side weighs more.

So for questions like this in IELTS, you need to think of several ideas both in favor and against the position. You should always try to make one side of the argument heavier than the other, unlike the advantages and disadvantages question type where we present a balanced essay.

Basically, " Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? " is a Yes/No question. It is up to you to decide how you want to approach the issue. Regardless of your choice, you have to come up to several reasons to back up your position.
If you answer the question, "Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?", with a Yes, then you have to present more advantages than disadvantages. Conversely, if you choose to go with a No, then you have to include more arguments for disadvantages compared to advantages.
Examples of Advantages outweigh Disadvantages IELTS essay question
WRITING TASK 2
You should spend around 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience.

Write at least 250 words.
WRITING TASK 2
You should spend around 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience.

Write at least 250 words.
WRITING TASK 2
You should spend around 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience.

Write at least 250 words.

Format for IELTS Writing Task 2 Advantages outweigh Disadvantages essay

There are two ways to write an essay on whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. When you think about the question, try to come up with several arguments for both positives and negatives of the situation. One side has to have more arguments than the other.

You need at least five separate ideas. You can either write about three advantages and two disadvantages, or three disadvantages and two advantages.

Since you have to demonstrate one side outweighing the other side, the essay should lean towards one side.

You can include more than five arguments as well, but remember to include at least one argument more for one side. However, writing about too many points may be counterproductive as you may run out of time during the test, or your essay becomes disorganized.

Some questions only ask you to state the advantages and the disadvantages without taking a side. To learn about such essays, click here "

Introduction paragraph for "Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?"

Like the Introduction paragraph for other types of question, the first paragraph for "Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?" question should contain three things.

1. Rewrite the topic of the question

2. Mention your five arguments

3. Declare whether there are more advantages or more disadvantages

Printed books have become redundant in the modern age thanks to the advent of electronic books. This has prompted many to advocate for the abolishment of textbooks in universities in favor of digital books. Though many individuals find reading on their devices comparatively difficult and some may even lack expertise in using digital resources, I believe there are many benefits of this situation. Besides being portable and economical, e-books offer various accessibility functions which are absent in traditional textbooks.

So our Introduction begins by setting the background of the essay. For this, I have paraphrased the two sentences from the question. Then, the next sentence highlights the two demerits of the situation, but it has also been expressed that there are "many benefits". These benefits have been outlined in the next sentence.

Advantages outweigh Disadvantages IELTS essay: The body paragraphs

The five points mentioned in the Introduction paragraph should be developed into two body paragraphs.
Mention the advantages and disadvantages in separate paragraphs. Remember, one paragraph should include only two arguments, while the other has to include three arguments.
In this way, you can show that one side outweighs the other.

In the body paragraphs, you have to explain the points with the help of logical reasoning and examples.

Introduction:

Printed books have become redundant in the modern age thanks to the advent of electronic books. This has prompted many to advocate for the abolishment of textbooks in universities in favor of digital books. Though many individuals find reading on their devices comparatively difficult and some may even lack expertise in using digital resources, I believe there are many benefits of this situation. Besides being portable and economical, e-books offer various accessibility functions which are absent in traditional textbooks.

Body paragraphs:

The main advantage of using e-books is the ease of carrying and storing them. One mobile phone, tablet computer, or pc can hold millions of digital books, so students would not have the burden of carrying paperback or hardcover books. Universities, too, can save a lot by eliminating their libraries and digitizing their resources. Similarly, it is extremely inexpensive to publish and purchase e-books since one file can be replicated as many times as possible without having to use paper and ink. Lastly, unlike traditional books, e-books come with features like Search, Bookmark, and Highlight, which make them a lot easier to use.

On the other hand, digital resources might be unfavorable for students who are unfamiliar with technology. Despite the advantages discussed earlier, there is a huge digital divide among the people in the world. While some have been raised with amenities like computer and internet, others might be technologically illiterate. It would be detrimental to such students if universities do away with printed books. On top of that, even among people who are capable of using computers, reading long texts on a screen is tiresome and inconvenient. Due to a force of habit, many people find holding a physical book and flicking through the pages easier than downloading books onto their devices and reading against the glow of the screen.

Advantages outweigh disadvantages essay Conclusion

The arguments mentioned in the Introduction paragraph and detailed in the body paragraphs should be reiterated in the Conclusion paragraph of the essay.

Introduction:

Printed books have become redundant in the modern age thanks to the advent of electronic books. This has prompted many to advocate for the abolishment of textbooks in universities in favor of digital books. Though many individuals find reading on their devices comparatively difficult and some may even lack expertise in using digital resources, I believe there are many benefits of this situation. Besides being portable and economical, e-books offer various accessibility functions which are absent in traditional textbooks.

Body paragraphs:

The main advantage of using e-books is the ease of carrying and storing them. One mobile phone, tablet computer, or pc can hold millions of digital books, so students would not have the burden of carrying paperbacks or hardcover books. Universities, too, can save a lot by eliminating their libraries and digitizing their resources. Similarly, it is extremely inexpensive to publish and purchase e-books since one file can be replicated as many times as possible without having to use paper and ink. Lastly, unlike traditional books, e-books come with features like Search, Bookmark, and Highlight, which make them a lot easier to use.

On the other hand, digital resources might be unfavorable for students who are unfamiliar with technology. Despite the advantages discussed earlier, there is a huge digital divide among the people in the world. While some have been raised with amenities like computer and internet, others might be technologically illiterate. It would be detrimental to such students if universities do away with printed books. On top of that, even among people who are capable of using computers, reading long texts on a screen is tiresome and inconvenient. Due to a force of habit, many people find holding a physical book and flicking through the pages easier than downloading books onto their devices and reading against the glow of the screen.

Conclusion:

To sum up, I believe the usefulness of e-books trumps the downsides. They are convenient to store and transport, comparatively inexpensive, and come with several extra features. These merits should outweigh the difficulties faced by some students when using digital books.

Advantages outweigh disadvantages IELTS essay example

Example:
There is a rising trend among some companies to consider the opinion of their employees when taking major as well as minor steps for the organization. This inclusionary concept may boost the loyalty and dedication of the workers alongside helping the management become aware of various perspectives on an issue. Nonetheless, in my opinion, giving more power to the employees may be counterproductive as they might walk over the administration and derail the direction of the organization. Additionally, this absolves the managers from owning up to responsibility for failure.

From my point of view, holding meetings to elicit the comments and criticisms from the employees makes them feel more valued in an organization. If workers are consulted before introducing new policies, launching new campaigns or products, and investing in new areas, they feel empowered and thus become more responsible. Apart from that, there is a bonus for the organization as it will be able to untangle complex problems with feedback from the staff who come from various walks of life. Even though upper management may be qualified, it never hurts to approach an issue from a number of angles.

However, giving more power to the employees to voice their opinions might open a can of worms. Firstly, the decorum of the workplace with proper chain of command and predefined span of control might be lost if the management team is constantly in talks with the employees. Some disagreeable workers with grudges against other staff may disrupt conversations giving rise to unproductive meetings and bad work environment. Secondly, what the employees want maybe so radical or removed from the vision of the proprietor that hearing from the workers is just a waste of valuable time. Lastly, some managers may hide their incompetence behind their "democratic" style of leadership. If the general direction of the company is dictated by consensus among the the employees, it becomes difficult to pinpoint problems in decision-making and easy for senior staff to wash their hands off any unsuccessful action.

To conclude, it is beneficial for some organizations to operate by incorporating the outlook of their workforce as not only might it uplift the morale of the workers, it can also generate creative and novel solutions not thought up by the top brass. Nevertheless, the drawbacks like damaging company culture, deviating from company goals, and losing accountability from the managers might overwhelm any potential advantages.

Next lesson:

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Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? - A reliable essay format | pteielts.com

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" Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? " means when you put the benefits of something on one plate of a weighing scale and the demerits on the other plate, which side weighs more. So for questions like this in IELTS, you need to think of several ideas both in favor and against the position.

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Complete list of B2 grammar contents

This is a list of all the grammar topics covered in level A1. But if you want to learn B2 grammar, we recommend studying the topics in the order that they appear in: Grammar points " B2 Grammar lessons and exercises.

Past tenses

Future

B2 Future forms - expressing future time
B2 Other ways to express future - be about to, be due to, etc.
B2 Future in the past

Modals, the imperative, etc .

B2 Modal verbs - permission, obligation, prohibition, necessity
B2 Speculation and deduction - modal verbs and expressions
B2 Verbs of the senses
B2 Get - different meanings

Conditionals, if, wish, etc.

B2 All conditionals - mixed conditionals, alternatives to if, inversion
B2 Mixed conditionals - If I were you, I wouldn't have done it
B2 Wish, rather, if only, it's time - unreal uses of past tenses
B2 Unless, even if, provided, as long as, etc. - other expressions in conditionals

Passive

B2 Distancing - expressions and passive of reporting verbs
B2 Passive verbs with two objects

-ing and the infinitive

B2 Verb + object + infinitive/gerund - verb patterns
B2 Gerunds and infinitives - complex forms

Articles, nouns, pronouns, and determiners.

B2 Reflexive and reciprocal pronouns
B2 Generic pronouns - common-gender pronouns
B2 Compound nouns and possessive forms
B2 Possessive 's with time expressions - Two hours' walk

Relative clauses, relative pronouns and adverbs

B2 Relative clauses - defining and non-defining

B2 There and it - preparatory subjects

Auxiliary verbs

Adjectives and adverbs

B2 Inversion with negative adverbials - adding emphasis

Conjunctions and clauses

B2 Clauses of contrast, purpose, reason and result
B2 Discourse markers - linking words
B2 Participle clauses

Word order

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Table of grammar contents - B2 - Test-English

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Check out our complete list of grammar contents for level B2. In this list you will find the links to all the grammar lessons. In each grammar lesson there are at least three exercises and a complete explanation.

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In many places, new homes are needed, but the only space available for building them is in the countryside. Some people believe it is more important to protect the countryside and not build new homes there. What is your opinion about this? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Here is a band 8 IELTS essay on this topic written by one of our students. Need help with IELTS writing? Get your IELTS essays, letters and reports corrected by me.

Band 8 IELTS essay sample

It is considered by some that in spite of the need to build new houses, the countryside should be protected from any such constructions. In my opinion, homes are necessary and with a little bit of planning, we can construct them in the countryside without causing much damage to it.

On the one hand, with the growing population, the demand for new residences is rising. The cities are becoming over-crowded and there is always a limit to exploiting the space in the city for construction. People in cities also need to have some free space that includes parks, gardens and orchards. Thus, it is not advisable to keep on building new homes in the city. Additionally, it will increase the pollution level in the city and affect the health of residents.

Building homes in the uncultivated areas of the countryside is a solution to this problem. This area is lying unused and if it can be converted into residential space, it will ensure a fair distribution of population and will help in reducing the traffic congestion and pollution in the cities. Of course, there is some truth in the argument that countryside should be protected. However, in mu opinion, addressing the need for housing is an even bigger concern and it cannot be neglected. Hence, rather than imposing a carpet ban on all the construction activity in the rural area, the government and environmental activists should come up with a solution to build new homes without causing much damage to the serenity of villages.

To conclude, in my opinion a diligent construction plan for new homes keeping in mind the preservation of environment in the countryside will be a win-win situation. It will not only cater to the increased demand for new houses but also preserve the beauty and purity of the countryside.

Band 8 IELTS essay sample 2

As population is increasing at a fast pace, the need to build more and more houses is also increasing rapidly. According to some people construction activity in the countryside should be avoided although land is available there. I do not agree with this view. In my opinion, it is important to address the housing needs even if it involves construction in rural areas. By extending housing schemes to the countryside, the government can also make local people the beneficiaries of that development.

I understand that some people are worried about the natural resources and beauty of countryside. They are scared that their land will be captured by big builders and businessmen. The beauty of their gardens and rivers will be spoiled by chemical extract and dust from houses or industries. While these arguments are certainly valid, it is even more important to build homes because people need a place to live in.

Also, construction activity in the countryside does not have to be at the expense of the environment. By using eco-friendly construction materials and techniques, it is possible to build homes without doing much damage to the environment. Another solution is to use only barren land for building homes. This way forests and farmlands can be protected and damage to the environment reduced.

In conclusion, I personally believe that if proper measures are taken to protect the natural resources, there is no harm in utilizing the land of rural areas for building habitats. After all, addressing housing needs is just as important as preserving the environment.

Band 8 IELTS essay sample 3

Nowadays, the urban areas are overcrowded and the only place where new houses can be constructed is the village side. In my opinion, having a home is a necessity so people should be allowed to build it in the countryside without damaging the pristine rural environment.

To commence with, most of the cities are already occupied and there is no space available further for building new homes. Moreover, this overcrowding in the urban areas has led to a huge traffic congestion and the pollution rate has drastically increased over the decades. For this reason, the governments of many developed countries have started to allocate lands in the metro cities to build parks and zoo sanctuaries instead of residential complexes. For instance, in Chennai the government has passed an order to build at least one park in a 20 kilometer radius to reduce the overcrowding and also for the residents to get fresh air and space in their neighbourhood.

On the other hand, when many people shift to countryside more transport facilities in and around the village could be developed. Furthermore, the land rates are cheaper in the village and many middle class people can afford to build a good home there. Eventually, when many people move to the countryside more job opportunities will be created for the village dwellers enabling them to lead a good life like the urban residents. Meanwhile it is very important to maintain the natural environment without damaging or polluting the area while constructing new buildings. For example, a province in Indonesia developed a project called Green Project where educational institutes and shopping malls were built on the outskirts of the city to develop the transport facility in the rural area and also to balance the environmental pollution level.

To summarise, overcrowding of urban areas has led to space constraints and higher pollution levels. In my opinion it is better to build new houses on the outskirts of the city so that the people can lead a healthier life amidst the natural environment.

Do you have an essay on this topic? Submit it below in the comments for a free band score estimate.

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In Many Places New Homes Are Needed | Band 8 IELTS Essay Sample

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In many places, new homes are needed, but the only space available for building them is in the countryside. Some people believe it is more important to protect the countryside and not build new homes there. What is your opinion about this? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

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Tips

1. Before writing about the detailed figures, give an overview of what the graphs or charts represent.

2. Say precisely what the data refers to. There is a difference between, for example, a user spending 57% of their time on games and a user spending 57% of their tablet time on games. (You can write % or per cent, but be consistent.)

3. You don't need to describe all the information in the diagrams. Select the most important things.

4. Don't repeat vocabulary. Use different words and phrases with the same or similar meanings, e.g. playing games = gaming.

5. Use similarly, in the same way or also to show similarities.

6. Use however, in contrast, but, while or instead to show differences.

Discussion

Language level

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Learn how to write about and compare two pie charts.

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The data illustrates the proportion of foreign students from six countries on a business course in Britain in 1991 and 2011. In both years, France was the country which contributed the most students, however, in 2011 the percentage of Indian and Nigerian students had increased significantly.

In 1991, the majority of foreign students on the course came from France at 51%. However, by 2011 this had fallen by 20% to 31%. Similarly, the proportion of Italian students taking the course fell significantly. In fact, the proportion nearly halved from 22% in 1991 to 11% in 2011.

The proportion of students from the other four countries increased. The most noticeable increases were in the proportion of Indian students, from 14% to 26% and Nigerian students from 2%, which was the lowest proportion contributed by any country, to 19%. Interestingly, the proportion of foreign students on the course from Sweden and Saudi Arabia increased by the same amount from 6% to 7% and 5% to 6% respectively.

(165 words)

Notice:
The writer groups the data so that the first body paragraph deals with decreases in the proportion of students and the second body paragraph deals with increases.

The writer doesn't try and guess why the changes in the data occurred. this increases task achievement because in this type of task you should only describe, compare and contrast the data that is provided.

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The data illustrates the proportion of foreign students from six countries on a business course in Britain in 1991 and 2011. In both years, France was the country which contributed the most students, however, in 2011 the percentage of Indian and Nigerian students had increased significantly.

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These are the 10 IELTS reading tips I share with all of my IELTS classes. First, let's look at an overview so we can understand what the reading paper is about. Are the IELTS reading papers the same for both Academic and General Training? The reading skills required (prediction, finding specific information, identifying opinion etc.)

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This IELTS Band Score Calculator will work out your Overall IELTS band score and also your score out of 40 for listening and reading.

Learning more about IELTS overall band scores

Your Overall Band Score is the average of your four scores for listening, reading, speaking and writing, rounded to the nearest whole or half band. The scores are weighted equally.

Scores ending in .25 are rounded up to the next half band and those ending in .75 are rounded up to the next whole band.

So for example, if the average of the four components is 6.25, the IELTS band score calculator will round your score up to 6.5.

If it is 6.75, the IELTS band score calculator will round up your score to band 7.

Comments

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IELTS Band Score Calculator: Work out your score

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You can use this IELTS band score calculator to work out your overall IELTS band score and to also work out what your scores out of 40 will be for listening and reading. You can choose whether you are doing Academic or General Training as the scores for reading differ.