IELTS Advice: words that I would ban

I ban my students from using certain words in the IELTS test. The easiest way for me to explain why I ban these words is that most native speakers wouldn't use them if they were doing the test. Here are a few of my least favourites:

• Moreover - Native speakers hardly ever use this word, and students tend to use it wrongly. Just use 'furthermore' or 'also'.
• Demerits - It's ok to talk about the 'merits' of something, but the word 'demerits' seems unnatural. Just use 'disadvantages' or 'drawbacks'.
• Hence / Thusly - These words sound too formal and old-fashioned. Just use 'therefore' or 'as a result'.

Remember that topic vocabulary is the key to a high score, not 'difficult' words.

Comments

[Eli]

Thank you very much!

Wonderful!

[Kay]

Hi Simon
I got my results yesterday
L 8.5 R 8 W 6 S 8
over all 8 but I required 7 overall with 7 each :(
do u suggest rechecking for writing ?
Please reply I really need ur opinion
I appeared in IELTS for very 1st time or I need to give exam again

[srini]

Thanks simon,
for your wonderful tips.

[Simon]

Kay, it's unlikely that they will raise your writing score by a whole band I'm afraid. Maybe if you had a 6.5, but from 6 to 7 is very rare.

[Kay]

Thanks simon for your response so it means I need to re appear instead of wasting money and time for re mark

[Ha]

oh, i occasionally use "hence, thus, moreover". tks Simon for your advice, i hope u continue list other banned words

[melisa]

DEAR everyone,

just a quick question,
Who is going to take a IELTS on 12 Oct 2013?
please let me know if YES, and let me know which country.
thank you

[Somi]

Dear Simon,
is it OK if we use them in the writing ?

also in reading part, do we need to write TRUE or False in Capital letter ?

[Soha]

Hi Melisa,

I am soha from Egypt and will take the exam in Oct 12th. Best of luck for all

[Naresh]

Hi SIMON,

Kindly please clarify below:

1) Text: 4 x 35P stamps with airmail labels, for sending postcards to anywhere in the world.

Question: How much does it cost to send a postcard by airmail?

My Answer: 1.40P
Actual answer: 35P

I feel my answer is correct, can you please confirm which one could be the answer.

2) If you send something by either international recorded or international registered, what does the person receiving it have to do?

My answer: Signature
Correct answer: Sign on delivery

In this case, my answer is correct or not?

3) Answer should Not be more than three words

In this case, if the answer from text is "trees and public parks" (4 words), is it acceptable?

Or else, do we need to modify that as "trees and parks"?

Thanks,
Naresh

[joy]

Hi Simon

I got the result. L: 7.5 R: 7.5, W: 7 S: 6.5 ..But i need 7 for each . i am thinking to apply for remarking the speaking subject.. what do u think about the remarking process? is that possible to be successful ? thanks a lot

[Ebi]

That's one priceless piece of advice there! I've been saying the same about demerits for a while, but never knew about "moreover". You're Simon H. Christ to us :)

[chaman]

Hi!! Simon, you are like god to us.
Can you please tell that whether numbers are deducted by incorrect use of "s" at the end of an answer to make it plural.

[Melisa]

Dear SOHA,

thanks for getting back to me.
i KNOW , 12Oct would be the easiest TEST ever !
goodluck and PRAY :)

[Jack]

Hi Melisa,

I am Jack from China,I will take the exam in Oct 12th.
Why do you say that it would be the easiest test ever.

[Par]

I'm totally surprised hearing that native speakers do not use "moreover" in their writings that often. It always sounded more natural than "furthermore" to my ear. Thanks for the lesson. But, how about "in addition" or "additionally"?

[True Blue]

Hi Melisa,
I am Ngoc Hoa, from Vietnam. I am going to take the the Academic Test in Vietnam on 12th October.
Good luck to all... I'm so nervous :(

[Helen]

I 100% agree!!! I am an oral examiner for two well-known examination bodies & every time I hear moreover, I cringe! In fact, a colleague & I were recently commenting that we have NEVER used it in spoken language ever and wondered who is telling so many candidates to use it!!

[Simon]

FROM SIMON:

Thanks Helen. It's nice to have a current examiner supporting me on this!

[Fred Thomas]

Hi, Simon! I'm guilty of this. I ask my students to use "moreover". Thanks for pointing this out. I agree that it's better to focus on topic specific vocabulary rather than unnatural speech.

[Robert Wang]

Hi, Simon! This is the first time i leave my massage. The word you show above is useful for me, for i was always use these words.
Thank u a lot!

[Samira]

Hello Simon,

I would like to know if there is any way for someone who lives out of your city or even your country to use your Saterday class online? I am from Canada and I need more help with my exam. I have to take academic one and get overall 7 ( L 7.5, S 7, R 6.5, W 7 ).
Thanks for your helpful web sit
Samira

[Razan]

Hi,

Thanks so much for this post.

Many books mention Moreover as a good word to use when an addition is needed. That's why we tend to use it.

[sukhvir]

hi naresh can u please send me the ans of the reading that you wrote there 4*35p one thx