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IELTS Writing Task 1: 'details' paragraphs

If you've read my task 1 lessons, you'll know that I always write 4 paragraphs:

1. Introduction - paraphrase the question
2. Overview - describe 2 main or general things
3. Details
4. Details

Let's forget the introduction and overview for the moment, and focus on the two 'details' paragraphs. Why do we need two paragraphs?

The answer is that this encourages you to divide the information into 2 groups, and hopefully this means that your essay will be better organised and you'll make some useful comparisons.

Click here to see 3 pie charts (taken from Cambridge book 8). Thinking about the 'details' paragraphs only, how would you divide the information into 2 groups?

IELTS Writing Task 2: firstly, secondly, finally

The paragraph I wrote for last week's lesson (repeated below) is structured in the following way:

1. Topic sentence
2. Firstly
3. Example
4. Secondly
5. Finally

I think this is a good way to organise a paragraph. However, it's best not to use the same structure twice in one essay. Compare the two paragraphs below. How did I structure the second one to avoid repeating "Firstly, Secondly, Finally"?

First main paragraph
There are good reasons why some people feel the need to make significant changes to their lives from time to time. Firstly, any new situation that a person encounters can be an opportunity to learn and grow as a person. A new job, for instance, might present challenges that push the person to adapt, acquire new knowledge, or add to his or her skill set. Secondly, a change can represent a break with the past and an old routine which has become boring and predictable. Finally, as well as making life more fun and interesting, new experiences can be good for our physical and mental health.

Second main paragraph
On the other hand, it is understandable why people might avoid change. Whenever people are forced to change their lifestyles, jobs or even to move house, they are likely to experience stress and worry as they try to adapt to the new situation. By contrast, we feel comfortable and confident when we stay with what we know. The decision to persist with a course of action or stick to one chosen path often leads to greater success in life. For example, by staying in the same job for many years, a person can become an expert in his or her field, which will lead to better opportunities for promotions and career progression.

IELTS Listening: multiple choice

Listen to the following short talk about cave paintings.

Click here to listen

1. In which continent are the cave paintings that the speaker is describing?

A) Africa
B) Europe
C) Asia

2. How were the painted caves discovered?

A) By children
B) By artists
C) By tourists

3. How can visitors experience the cave paintings nowadays?

A) They can’t see any paintings because the caves are closed
B) They can go on a tour of the original cave
C) They can visit a reproduction of the original cave

IELTS Reading: underline key words

Hopefully you do this already, but it’s worth pointing out why underlining is so important when you’re doing an IELTS reading test. I tell my students to underline the main words in the question, then underline any similar words that they find as they read the passage.

There are 3 reasons why underlining is useful:

1. It encourages you to use the keyword technique to find the answers.
2. You don't lose your place in the passage when you're turning pages to check between the question and the text.
3. The same information may be relevant for a later question (e.g. when you do a 'paragraph headings' section last).

I can always tell when students have worked hard on a reading paper by the amount of underlining or highlighting they have done. If you don't usually underline things, start now!

Students' questions

1) How can I eliminate the influence of my mother tongue language?

You probably won't eliminate it, but I think it's possible to take control of the influence of your mother tongue by getting to know the differences that cause you problems. For example, some students say "before two weeks" instead of "two weeks ago"; this mistake is caused by interference from the students' first language. If you are aware of this problem, you can avoid it in future.

2) In the listening test, should I be looking at the questions while I listen?

Yes, definitely.

3) Do examiners hate phrases like "Nowadays... is a controversial issue"?

Examiners don't hate these phrases, but they don't love them either! It's fine to use a few memorised phrases, but don't fill your essay with them and don't expect them to get you a high score. Read this lesson for more detailed explanation.

4) Why is there no "s" in "10-year period"?

"10-year" is acting as an adjective to describe the period. It's like saying "long period". We don't put a plural "s" on adjectives.

5) Is it ok to say things like "you know" in the speaking test?

Yes, it's fine. Try not to say "you know" too many times, but it's nothing to worry about if you say it a few times. The important thing is the real content of your answers.

IELTS Advice: review vocabulary

You may have read this week's lessons here on the blog, but did you take notes? Would you really be able to use the vocabulary that I used?

Let's review some good phrases from this week's lessons:

• society is undergoing enormous change(s)
• make significant changes to their lives
• encounter a situation
• (something) presents a challenge / challenges
• acquire knowledge
• add to your/his/her/their skill set
• a break with the past
• share common interests / have something in common with
• spend time with
• honest and trustworthy
• have time to yourself
• take stock and reflect on things

IELTS Speaking Part 3: more long answers

Here are two more answers using the techniques I explained last week:

What do you think are the most important qualities for friends to have?

Maybe the most important things are that friends need to share common interests and be honest with each other. (why?) Friends are people we spend a lot of time with, so it definitely helps if they enjoy doing the same activities or talking about the same topics as we do, and of course we need to be able to trust our friends, so honesty is vital for a good friendship. (alternatives / example?) I think I would struggle to become friends with someone who didn’t have anything in common with me, or who wasn’t reliable or trustworthy.

How important do you think it is for a person to spend some time alone?

I’d say that it’s essential to spend a bit of time alone, even if it’s just a few minutes a day. (why?) When you have a few minutes to yourself, it’s a chance to take stock and reflect on things. (why?) Most of us live such busy lives that our brains need time to catch up every now and then. (example / alternatives?) Personally, I try to have a bit of “me time” every day; I’ll go for a coffee or find a quiet place to sit and read the newspaper. If I never had any time alone, I think I’d go mad!

IELTS Writing Task 1: the most common mistake

The most common mistake in IELTS writing task 1 is not a grammar mistake.
Find the 2 big mistakes in the sentences below:

The unemployment rate in the UK rose by 2% between 2008 and 2009, whereas Canada decreased by about 1%. The USA was the highest, at just over 4%.

IELTS Writing Task 2: band 9 paragraph

My students and I prepared an essay about the following question:

Some people prefer to spend their lives doing the same things and avoiding change. Others, however, think that change is always a good thing. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Here's one of the main body paragraphs:

There are good reasons why some people feel the need to make significant changes to their lives from time to time. Firstly, any new situation that a person encounters can be an opportunity to learn and grow as a person. A new job, for instance, might present challenges that push the person to adapt, acquire new knowledge, or add to their skill set. Secondly, a change can represent a break with the past and an old routine which has become boring and predictable. Finally, as well as making life more fun and interesting, new experiences can be good for our physical and mental health.

Task:
Analyse this paragraph carefully. What can you learn from it in terms of structure, ideas, vocabulary and grammar?

IELTS Listening: keep a spelling list

Many of my students have problems with spelling. Simple spelling mistakes can lose you marks in the IELTS listening test, even if you have the right answer.

My advice is to keep a spelling list - a list of words that you have difficulty with. Forget about spelling rules; just learn the words by heart.

Are you sure you can spell the following words correctly?

1. quite and quiet
2. address
3. questionnaire
4. career
5. necessary
6. choose and choice
7. business
8. government
9. environment

IELTS Reading: choose the title

Read the following passage and choose the best title from the list below.

Future Shock is a book written by the futurist Alvin Toffler in 1970. In the book, Toffler defines the term "future shock" as a certain psychological state of individuals and entire societies. His shortest definition for the term is a personal perception of "too much change in too short a period of time". The book became an international bestseller, selling over 6 million copies, and has been widely translated.

Toffler argued that society is undergoing an enormous structural change, a revolution from an industrial society to a "super-industrial society". This change overwhelms people, he believed, the accelerated rate of technological and social change leaving people disconnected and suffering from "shattering stress and disorientation" - future shocked. Toffler stated that the majority of social problems are symptoms of future shock. In his discussion of the components of such shock he popularized the term "information overload."

A) A shocking vision of the future.
B) What is “future shock”?
C) The career of the futurist Alvin Toffler.
D) A changing society.

IELTS General Writing: some questions

Here are some questions that a student asked me about General Writing task 1:

1. Should I write the date at the top of a formal letter?

No, in the IELTS test you should not write the date or your address.

2. Should I use indentation at the start of a new paragraph?

You can either indent or miss a line. Just make sure it's clear that you have begun a new paragraph. Personally, I think missing a line is clearer.

3. Should I end the letter with "Yours..." on the left or on the right?

Always end the letter on the left. Have a look at my letters on this page.

4. Should I sign the letter before writing my name?

No, don't sign your name. You don't even need to put your real name. Personally, I use a first name (e.g. John) for informal letters, and a full name (e.g. John Smith) for formal letters.

IELTS Advice: 'deep' answers

The technique I used in yesterday's lesson is really useful because it helps you to give a 'deep' answer. It's a deep answer when you take one idea and develop it, and you're likely to get a higher score if you can do this. Unfortunately, many candidates give 'shallow' answers; they mention a few different ideas, but fail to develop any of them in detail.

Practise explaining just one idea in as much detail as you can. The ability to do this could really benefit your speaking and writing scores.

IELTS Speaking Part 3: longer answers

Here are 3 techniques to help you give longer, more detailed answers:

1. Keep asking yourself "why?"
2. Explain the alternatives
3. Give an example

Question:
Do you think that school children should be encouraged to have their own ideas, or is it more important for them to learn what their teachers give them?

Answer:
I think that we should definitely allow children to be creative and have their own ideas. (why?) Children need to develop the ability to think for themselves and solve problems (why?) because as adults they will not always have somebody to guide them or tell them what to do. (alternatives?) If we don't allow children to have their own ideas, they will be less successful in the adult world; they will be too reliant on others. (example?) A doctor, for example, might encounter a situation that he or she hasn't been trained for, but will still be expected to make a decision that could save someone's life.

IELTS Writing Task 1: repeating words

In last week's line graph essay I repeated the word "expenditure" four times. Is this a problem?

The answer is no! If you look at the graph, you can see that the whole essay must be about expenditure. In fact, I needed to mention the idea of expenditure eleven times! Does the examiner really expect you to think of eleven synonyms for "expenditure"? Of course not.

It's impossible to avoid repeating some of the key words in writing task 1. Try to add variety where you can (I also used "spending", "spent" and "paid out"), but don't become obsessed with this. The important thing is to describe and compare the data.

IELTS Writing Task 2: opinion, not discussion

If the question asks whether you agree or disagree, it is asking for your opinion. You should express your opinion in the introduction, and support it in the rest of the essay.

Don’t structure an “opinion” essay like this:

1. Introduction
2. Paragraph supporting the opposite opinion
3. Paragraph supporting my opinion
4. Conclusion

The problem with this essay structure is that paragraph 2 is not consistent with my opinion. This is a “discussion” essay structure!

Think of it this way: your task when you answer an “agree or disagree” question is to persuade the reader that your view is right. Each paragraph should defend your opinion.

Note:
You can write about both sides of the argument if you say that you "partly agree". Go to this lesson to see some suggestions for essay structures.

IELTS Listening: synonyms

In the listening test, synonyms or similar words are often the key to getting the answer. Try the following multiple choice questions from Cambridge IELTS 7.

Click here to listen

1. The original buildings on the site were

A) houses
B) industrial buildings
C) shops

2. The local residents wanted to use the site for

A) leisure
B) apartment blocks
C) a sports centre

Note:
Which synonyms or similar words did you hear?

IELTS Reading: gap-fill

Read the following text about pedestrian zones in cities.

A large number of European towns and cities have made part of their centres car-free since the early 1960s. These are often accompanied by car parks on the edge of the pedestrianised zone, and, in the larger cases, park and ride schemes. Central Copenhagen is one of the largest and oldest examples: the auto-free zone is centred on Strøget, a pedestrian shopping street, which is in fact not a single street but a series of interconnected avenues which create a very large auto-free zone, although it is crossed in places by streets with vehicular traffic. Most of these zones allow delivery trucks to service the businesses located there during the early morning, and street-cleaning vehicles will usually go through these streets after most shops have closed for the night.

In North America, where a more commonly used term is pedestrian mall, such areas are still in their infancy. Few cities have pedestrian zones, but some have pedestrianised single streets. Many pedestrian streets are surfaced with cobblestones, or pavement bricks, which discourage any kind of wheeled traffic, including wheelchairs. They are rarely completely free of motor vehicles.

Fill the gaps below with NO MORE THAN 3 WORDS from the text.

1. In some cases, people are encouraged to park ________ of the town or city centre.
2. The only vehicles permitted in most pedestrian zones are those used for ________ or ________ cleaning.
3. Certain types of road surface can be used to ________ traffic.

IELTS Vocabulary: band 7 or higher

To get a band 7, you don't need to learn "big" or "difficult" words. You need to learn how to use words together. You need to use good collocations.

Collocations are groups of words that often go together. For example, collocations like "increase significantly" are used in IELTS Writing Task 1.

Look for collocations in the speaking and writing lessons on this website. Here are some examples:

• Health topic: a major cause, poor health, manual jobs, physical activity, outdoor sports.
• Writing Task 1: noticeable feature, significantly higher, a dramatic increase in.
• Describe a person: a major influence, a good role model, inherit traits, set an example, a positive outlook.

Most learner dictionaries now show examples of how words are used in common collocations and phrases. If you read a lot of English, you will see collocations everywhere.

IELTS Advice: copy my ideas!

I try to give my students good vocabulary ideas to help them write better essays and give better spoken answers. However, some students feel like they are copying or cheating if they use my ideas. They prefer to use a dictionary or rely on what they already know.

My advice is: get your vocabulary ideas from the lessons on this website, from a book, or from your teacher. This is good preparation, not copying or cheating!

IELTS Speaking Part 2: team project

Describe a team project that you worked on. You should say:

• what it was
• 
what you did
• 
and how you felt about it.

Example answer (band 9):

I’d like to talk about a team project that I was involved in during my final term at business school. There were four of us on the team, and our task was to work with a local company to research a new market, in a European country, for one of their products or services. Our objective was to produce a report and give a presentation.

The first thing we did was split into two groups of two. We had been assigned a company that produced a range of bicycle accessories, so two of us spent some time getting to know the company while the other two researched the market and the competitors in the target country, which was Germany. In the end, I think it was a successful project because we managed to identify a possible gap in the market in Germany for one of the company’s products. Our group presentation also went really well.

Until that point, the course had been all about business theory, so it was quite a learning experience to work with a real company. I felt a real sense of accomplishment when we handed in our report and delivered our presentation, and I think all of us were proud of what we had done.

IELTS Writing Task 1: line graph essay

Here's my full essay using last week's ideas:

The line graph compares average yearly spending by Americans on mobile and landline phone services from 2001 to 2010.

It is clear that spending on landline phones fell steadily over the 10-year period, while mobile phone expenditure rose quickly. The year 2006 marks the point at which expenditure on mobile services overtook that for residential phone services.

In 2001, US consumers spent an average of nearly $700 on residential phone services, compared to only around $200 on cell phone services. Over the following five years, average yearly spending on landlines dropped by nearly $200. By contrast, expenditure on mobiles rose by approximately $300.

In the year 2006, the average American paid out the same amount of money on both types of phone service, spending just over $500 on each. By 2010, expenditure on mobile phones had reached around $750, while the figure for spending on residential services had fallen to just over half this amount.

(162 words, band 9)

IELTS Writing Task 2: agree or disagree?

When the question asks whether you agree or disagree, you can either express a strong opinion (completely agree or disagree) or you can express a balanced opinion (partly agree, or agree to a certain extent).

Let's look at two ways to answer the following question:

After leaving school or university, young people should choose a job or career that they love, rather than one that pays the best salary. To what extent do you agree with this statement?

1) Introduction for a strong opinion
Some people make their career choices according to what they enjoy doing, whereas others place more importance on earning a high salary. Personally, I support the view that job satisfaction and a sense of fulfillment are much more important than money.

2) Introduction for a balanced opinion
Some people make their career choices according to what they enjoy doing, whereas others place more importance on earning a high salary. Personally, I believe that both criteria should be given equal consideration.

IELTS Listening: multiple choice

Watch the short video and answer the multiple choice questions below.

1. What is the speaker interested in?

A) only physics
B) many things, but not physics
C) physics and language groupings, among other things
D) long-distance relationships

2. How old does he think modern language is?

A) 20 to 25 thousand years old
B) not as old as cave paintings
C) as old as cave sculptures
D) at least 35 thousand years old

IELTS Reading: when to 'skim' or 'scan'

Many IELTS books talk about 'skimming' and 'scanning' to find answers in the reading test. But the danger is that students focus more on these techniques than on the passage that they are reading, with the result that they often miss the answers by skimming or scanning past them!

Here's some simple advice:

Skimming basically means 'reading very quickly'. Only skim if you are looking for a distinctive word that doesn't have any synonyms e.g. "Manchester".

Scanning basically means 'looking for something without reading'. Only scan if you're searching for a number e.g. "1999".

For all other questions, forget about skimming and scanning; just read the passage carefully at normal speed.

Students' questions

1) Should I apply for a re-mark?

From the comments below this lesson, it seems that scores most often remain the same when students ask for a re-mark. I would only recommend applying for one if you are really confident that you did well, and you only need a 0.5 band improvement in speaking or writing.

2) How much of the writing score is given for task 1 and task 2?

You get one third of the score for task 1, and two thirds for task 2.

3) Do I need to include all of the data in my task 1 essay?

No, the question will always ask you to select key points. There is usually too much data for a 150-word essay. Also, your ability to select key data will impress the examiner.

4) Should I put a future sentence in my task 2 conclusion?

No, you don't need to do that (although you can if it's relevant). I usually just repeat or summarise my ideas in one sentence. It's better to spend more time on the main paragraphs than on a long conclusion.

5) Do the reading and listening tests become more difficult in each section?

The listening test does; section 1 is easy and section 4 is the most difficult. However, the same is not true of the reading test; sometimes the first section is the hardest.

IELTS Advice: it takes time

Can I improve my score from 5.5 to 7 in one month?

The honest answer is: no, you probably can't

It's important to be realistic about the time it takes to improve your ability to speak, write or understand a second language. It's a really difficult task. There is no magic recipe for success and there are no shortcuts. Take your time, work hard and be patient.

Note:
I've underlined the good vocabulary contained in my advice.

IELTS Speaking Part 2: 'team project' topic

I decided to do some research for last week's Describe a team project question. I typed "it was a team project" into Google.

Here are 3 links to project descriptions that I found:

1) Project about software failures
2) Student robotics project
3) Barack Obama's speech

You won't be able to use everything you read in these descriptions, but you should find some good vocabulary ideas that you can copy:

• a team project with 3 members on each team
• It was quite a learning experience
• In the end, I think it was a successful project
• Our task was to...
• We had to collaborate
• The challenges were intense but fun
• a real sense of accomplishment
• It was more rewarding than I could have imagined
• They were proud of what we had done
• Success is a team project
• share the burden

IELTS Writing Task 1: line graph ideas

The graph below shows US consumers' average annual expenditures on cell phone and residential phone services between 2001 and 2010.

Some paraphrasing that you could use in your introduction:
- annual expenditures = yearly spending
- cell phone services = mobile phones
- residential services = landline phones

Two possible main points for your overview / summary:
- compare the two trends over the whole period
- say what happened in 2006

Select key details:
- compare the figures for 2001
- describe the changes in expenditure over the following 5 years
- give the figures for 2006 (where the two lines meet)
- finish with a comparison of spending in 2010

IELTS Writing Task 2: 'money' topic

Following on from yesterday's video, let's look at a writing task 2 question:

After leaving school or university, young people should choose a job or career that they love, rather than one that pays the best salary. To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Don't attempt this question without spending some time planning first:

• Decide on your overall point of view: agree or disagree (or maybe 'partly agree').
• Plan your 4-paragraph essay structure: what will each paragraph be about?
• Note some ideas for each main paragraph: think about how you will explain your ideas in detail, and what real-life examples you could use.

IELTS Listening: 'money' topic

I'd like to use the following video to get you thinking about the 'money' topic for writing task 2. We'll look at a task 2 question for this topic tomorrow.

If you can't see the video, listen to the recording below.

Click here to listen

Questions:
Can you summarise the speaker's views? To what extent do you agree with him?