IELTS Speaking Advice: tell stories

At the end of yesterday's lesson I mentioned that you could prepare some examples or stories to make your descriptions more interesting (for speaking part 2, and maybe part 3).

When speaking in our own languages, we tell stories all the time. For example, you might tell a member of your family about what happened at work today, or you might tell your friends about a film you saw last night.

The ability to tell a story in English is a sign that you are becoming a proficient user of the language. Test yourself: try telling a story in English now! Start with something easy, like "what I did yesterday".

Comments

[Ryan]

Hi Simon,

I am having my exam next week, and I want to ask you one question: will my answer count if I write Yes No Not Given instead of True False Not Given, and vice versa, in the Reading Test?

Thank you in advance!

[Maya]

Hi Simon,

"Nowadays,children have too much freedom". To what extent do you agree or disagree?

For this question,can I write one para about how children in western countries have too many choice which is having too much freedom in terms of food, fashion,schooling,places they want to visit etc. And other para about how children in African countries are lacking liberty and have to struggle for basic need of life to schooling and higher education.

OR, should I write one para about how parents these days spoilts their children with too many choices and giving them too much freedom. Another para about how we have to give our children freedom to grow as an individual and so on.

Which one is better suited for the question and Please suggest me asap.Thanks!

[ghyath]

Dear Simon

Today I have done my IELTS exam

Writing task 2 was "Most people nowadays think that children have much more freedom"
Do you agree or disagree?

If you wish I can send task you to your email as I remember it.it was a table about the amount of wasted production in six cities in three different year.

Many thanks

[ghyath]

I can send task 1 to your email

[Edith]

Simon,i want to thank you so much for your lessons.its really easy to comprehend.

[Raj, Poole]

hi maya,, i agreed completely with the point, then i gave argument that now days people live in nuclear families nd also both parents go for work so no proper watch on children nd they have full freedom to do as the want,,further in this para said about effect of it nd gave example of last year uk streets riots.
in second para i mentioned about lack of control in school by teachers nd they r not allowed to punish children as, they were once.
in third para in brief i mentioned about children get money from home to spend which increase chances of drinking nd smoking nd also they r allowed to watch any movie or programme , which mainly full of violence, so they develop more violent personality in later of their life,, i raelly dont know how much it s correct, the right who can tell s only MR SIMON,,,

[Nava]

heyy do you know who came today to work? you must have seen who. didn't you see it? anyway, i want to tell you who came in any case. a man came to work to meet with the boss. he was very cute and charming. i realized that i know him but i couldn't figure out and then i went out from the boss's room. he was closed to me and asked my name. i said it's nava. he thought a little bit while. then he said that he realized me from somewhere but he also couldn't figure it out. and then he wanted my phone number and said 'maybe if we go out to drink something, we can figure out how we know eachother'. of course i said ok. and at tomorrow night i have a date with him. :)

[serky]

Hi Simon,

Guess what I did today...I did something truly adventurous today. Bet you cannot guess what it was..No, not hijacking the plane. Not going swimming in the middle of winter either. OK so maybe it was not that adventurous, but it was definitely unusual for me! So what did I do?..

I just wrote a short story here! So that's all for me!

Thank you so much Simon that you made learning English enjoyable.

[Maya]

Hi Simon,

You know in listening section 1, we have to fill some details about people,for example date of birth,18th September 1983.But in the question they will ask us to write 3 words or a number. So in this case,what am i suppose to write,should i just write 1983 or all of it.I am so confused???

[Simon]

Hi Ryan,

To be honest I'm not sure about the rule for that (examiners don't mark the reading and listening papers). I think there is a danger that they could mark it wrong if you wrote 'true' instead of 'yes', so be careful.

...

Hi Maya,

Both ways are equally good because they are both valid opinions.

...

Hi Ghyath,

Ok, if you have the table, my email is ieltssimon@gmail.com

...

No problem Edith.

...

Hi Raj,

You seem to have the right idea.

...

Thanks for sharing your stories Nava and Serky!

...

Hi Maya,

I've never seen a real question where this is a problem. The question usually asks for 'day and month' or only the year. Don't worry, it will be very clear in the test.

[Raj, Poole]

thanks simon,,

[Maya]

Hi Simon,

Thank you so much for your reply.
So if the question say,date of birth then we just have to write 18(18.03.1947) not march or 1947, is it?

[Shayan Bigdeli]

Hi guys;
Yesterday I took IELTS Speaking. Questions are here;
part1:
What is your name?
Do you work or study?
Are healthy activities important to keep fit?
Is it important to give a present on birthdays in your country?
part2:
Describe a music from a foreign country you have listened to.
when you listened to it?
where you listened to it?
why you enjoyed it?
part3:
Are there wider range of music nowadays?
what is the effect of music on people? on children?
what is the difference between songs popular with the young and the old?

[Kris]

Hi Simon,

Its very helpful tips we are getting from you. I have done IELTS test few times but I always get score 6 in reading and writing and 7 on listening and speaking. I need 7 on reading and writing as well. "What are the common mistake people do when they just getting 6 and how is it possible to rectify them and correct by ourselves."

Thank you

[Marc]

Hi Kris. I think this advice from Simon is good:

http://ielts-simon.com/ielts-help-and-english-pr/2012/02/ielts-advice-from-65-to-7.html

[Saadah]

I am glad to share my last trip. But I do not know how to put it in words. Can you all enlighten me?

Recently I went to visit my brother in Japan. Visiting Japan is an eye opening actually. I managed to learn their culture and advanced technology.

Japanese people are very punctual and discipline. Time management for nearly all public transportation is at top notch. We have tried all the services, be it taxi, bus, train and rapid transit such as subway. Apart from the cleanliness is very impressive.
Also they are people with pride, a superb behaviour you cannot find in other part of the world. They are very generous. Failure to do so means a real shame. Recalled back one incident that happen when I lost my glove on my way to the train station, this Japanese lady kindly returned it to me, while she was rushing to commute in. She is helping me for good.
The most astonishing feature is the technology that they have. The technologies are invented for the betterment of the citizen especially elderly, women and disabled people. For example, railway station was designed without compromising any safety aspect. Let say if you accidentally dropped into the rail track, you have the opportunity to hide safely under there until the official security come in. Next, I found Non-step bus, a user friendly bus for handicapped. It is a tilting bus when it comes to the destination so that the passengers do not have to step down the stair. Apart from that, there is easily accessible vending machine with selection of healthier food choices.

For me this is the wonderful trip and I started to fall in love with Japan because of their beauty.

[rajni]

hi simon Tommorow my ielts exam first i got 5 bands but now i want 6.5 band can i do this but i m not good in speaking so what can i do plz reply soon.thanx

[jan]

HiI have just read some of views and decided to write.I hope it i will help me.I have target 7 book i read that but there are still lots of things to read and study on the website.I will read little bit more and check the comments here.Also my exam 12 of May.I need to concentrate on it more.

[dolly]

anyone want to practice ielts on skype?do respond.. want a female speaking partner

[mani]

how can i improve my band in writing and speakig from 6.5