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IELTS Writing Task 2: introduction and conclusion

Wild animals have no place in the 21st century, so protecting them is a waste of resources. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Introduction (topic + general answer)
Some people argue that it is pointless to spend money on the protection of wild animals because we humans have no need for them. I completely disagree with this point of view.

Conclusion (paraphrase the answer)
In conclusion, we have no right to decide whether or not wild animals should exist, and I believe that we should do everything we can to protect them.

Remember:
The introduction and conclusion should be short, quick and direct. If you want a high score, spend your time on the main body.

IELTS Listening: some inspiration for you!

Here's an interesting video that I've just found on ted.com. I recently read Professor Dweck's book 'Mindset', and I really like her ideas about 'believing that you can improve'. I hope you find some inspiration in what she says.

This should also be good listening practice, and you can turn subtitles on if you need them.

IELTS Reading: recent vocabulary

Here's another keyword table with some of the vocabulary from recent lessons here on the blog. It's always useful to make keyword tables, no matter how easy the vocabulary might seem.

IELTS Advice: daily study habit

In my opinion it's better to study for 30 minutes every day than for 3.5 hours once a week. I try to write these lessons every day to encourage students to get into a daily study habit. It isn't easy, and there are days when you feel like giving up, but it will all be worth it when you get the scores you need!

IELTS Advice: common topics first!

Students often write to me asking about a strange or difficult question that they have found. Personally, I think that studying strange questions is a waste of time when there are some really common topics that appear again and again.

Topics like education, family and work in the writing test, and 'describe a person' or 'describe a place' in the speaking test are so common that you should definitely prepare these topics before you start worrying about any unusual questions.

Use the 'real' questions in the Cambridge IELTS books and the topics here on my website before you worry about anything else.

IELTS Writing Task 1: diagram introduction & overview

Here's the question that we were looking at two weeks ago:

The diagrams below show how houses can be protected in areas which are prone to flooding.

The full report will contain 4 paragraphs. Let's start with the introduction and overview.

Introduction - paraphrase the question
The diagrams compare two different methods of defence for homes which are at risk of being flooded.

Overview - mention two main things
The key difference between the diagrams is that they show flood protection with and without a stopbank. In either case, the at-risk home must be raised on stilts above ground level.

IELTS Writing Task 2: 'wild animals' topic

Several people have asked me to work through the question below (which I mentioned in a lesson last month).

Wild animals have no place in the 21st century, so protecting them is a waste of resources. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

The first step is to decide whether we agree, disagree or partly agree. My preference would be to 'completely disagree'. I don't think we can partly agree in this case (either we value and protect animals or we don't).

Next, we need a 4-paragraph plan:

1. Introduce the topic (rights and protection of wild animals), then answer the question (completely disagree)
2. First reason why we disagree e.g. our duty to protect animals, their rights and place in the world
3. Second reason why we disagree e.g. the resources we should use to protect animals, and why this is not a waste
4. Conclusion: repeat / summarise our answer

Now comes the important part: ideas. Can you think of some good ideas for paragraphs 2 and 3?

IELTS Listening: 'routines' multiple choice

Listen to the following advice about routines for toddlers (young children).

Click here to listen

Which TWO of the statements below agree with the speaker's advice?

How to establish a routine for your toddler:

A) This is an easy task for most parents.
B) The parent must establish a routine before expecting the child to follow one.
C) Busy parents need help with their children.
D) Parents should include the child’s sleep times in their schedules.
E) Meal times don’t need to be included in parents’ plans.

IELTS Reading: true, false, not given

Read the following passage about the daily life of a philosopher.

For 27 years the philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer followed an identical routine. He rose every morning at seven and had a bath but no breakfast; he drank a cup of strong coffee before sitting down at his desk and writing until noon. At noon he ceased work for the day and spent half an hour practicing the flute, on which he became quite a skilled performer. Then he went out for lunch at his favourite restaurant. After lunch he returned home and read until four, when he left for his daily walk; he walked for two hours no matter what the weather. At six o’clock he visited the reading room of the library and read The Times. In the evening he attended the theatre or a concert, after which he had dinner at a hotel or restaurant. He got back home between nine and ten and went early to bed. He was willing to deviate from this routine in order to receive visitors.

Are the following statements true, false or not given in the passage?

1. Schopenhauer got up at the same time every day.
2. He dedicated the whole day to his work.
3. He ate the same meal every evening.
4. Schopenhauer allowed nothing to interrupt his daily routine.

Students' questions

1. Is it a problem if I mixed British and American spellings?

Not really. This isn't something that is likely to change your score.

2. If I only put my opinion in the conclusion, will I lose marks?

Possibly, yes. If you want a high score, your opinion should be clear "throughout" the essay (if the question asks for it). State your opinion in the introduction, then explain it in the main body, and repeat or summarise it in the conclusion.

3. I'm practising every day, but I don't seem to improve. Why is this?

Are you analysing your mistakes carefully? If you analyse and understand a mistake, that's an improvement. Also, improvements happen gradually when you're learning a language; you might not notice that you are getting better. Just keep working!

4. Can you provide tapescripts of your listening lessons?

It's a good idea, but I don't have time to make the transcripts myself. Maybe students could work together to make them.

5. My exam is next week, but I don't know how to start an essay!

There are many lessons about how to write an essay introduction on this website. However, I must say that it's a bad idea to book an exam when you are not properly prepared. You need a lot more than a week to prepare for the IELTS test.

Thanks!

Thanks to those of you who wrote a 'get well' comment or sent me an email while I was ill. I'm feeling much better now.

I'll get back to normal tomorrow with a lesson in which I answer some questions that students have asked me recently. Then on Monday I'll give you a quick reading exercise as usual.

Message from Simon

I've been ill with the flu since Monday, and have realised that I can't fight it any more; I need to stay in bed for a day or two!

I've decided to take the next three days off, meaning that my next blog lesson will be on Saturday. I won't be able to do a video lesson this week either. However, I will still check emails, and the ebook and video lessons are still available.

Sorry if you were waiting for a task 2 lesson! Hopefully I'll be back to normal by Saturday.

IELTS Listening: what is blended learning?

Watch the following video or listen to the recording below it.

Click here to listen

Fill each gap in the summary below using a maximum of 2 words.

People think that blended learning could be the next _____ in education. In a nutshell, blended learning is a mix of face-to-face learning and _____. A concrete example is a teacher who records maths videos and posts them onto her school’s _____. Students can watch the videos and take tests. A report tells the teacher how well her students understood the _____, and this means that she can plan her next lesson _____.

IELTS Reading: keywords

The following question demonstrates the 'keyword technique' perfectly.

Question (true, false or not given?)
If you return unwanted shoes straightaway, with a receipt, the shop will probably give you a refund.

Passage
Go back to the shop with proof of purchase. If you return faulty shoes at once, you have a right to insist on a refund. It is also likely that you will get one if you change your mind about the shoes and take them back immediately.

Task
The correct answer is 'true', but can you complete the keyword table below to show how we found this answer?

IELTS Advice: grammar or vocabulary?

Students often ask me questions like: "Can you explain phrasal verbs?" or "Can you explain prepositions?"

The problem is that the word explain implies that phrasal verbs and prepositions are grammar issues with easy rules. In fact, there are no easy rules to explain phrasal verbs, prepositions, and many other areas of language. Instead of treating these things as 'grammar', it's easier to see them as vocabulary items.

In any language, some things can be explained using grammar rules. Everything else is vocabulary. You don't need to explain vocabulary; you just need to learn it gradually.

Tip: vocabulary knowledge is the key to a high IELTS score!

IELTS Vocabulary: from the 'parks' topic

As I said yesterday, you don't need to 'show off' in part 1 of IELTS speaking. However, I did use some nice vocabulary in my answers:

- every city needs some green space
- people can escape from the crowds
- Parks are like an oasis
- get away from the hustle and bustle* of city life
- take some exercise
- forget about work for a while
- I can't imagine what I would do

*hustle and bustle = busy activity, usually when describing a city

IELTS Speaking Part 1: 'parks' answers

Here are my sample answers for last week's questions. Remember that part 1 answers are supposed to be short and direct. You don't need to 'show off' in this part of the test!

1. Do you like parks? Why / why not?

Yes, I like parks because they're great places to relax or go for a walk. I think every city needs some green space where people can escape from the crowds.

2. How often do you visit parks?

There's a park very close to where I live, so I probably go there once or twice a week if the weather's nice.

3. Why are parks an important part of many towns and cities?

Parks are like an oasis where people get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. They are where people go to have lunch, to take some exercise, or to forget about work for a while.

4. What do you think could be done to make parks better?

The parks in big cities are already really good in my opinion. If I think about the famous parks in London, Paris or New York, I can't imagine what I would do to improve them.

Video lesson 10 (free)

My latest video lesson is now available at the bottom of this webpage.

In this lesson, I show you how I would answer four different 'agree or disagree' questions, either by agreeing, by disagreeing, or by partly agreeing.

IELTS Writing Task 1: 'flooding' diagrams

Try writing a task 1 report for the following diagram question.

The diagrams below show how houses can be protected in areas which are prone to flooding.

Note:
Freeboard = the height of the underside of a structure above a given level or water
Berm = a bank of earth

(Source: www.waikatoregion.govt.nz)

IELTS Writing Task 2: agree, disagree or partly agree?

Here's some advice for people who are still confused about "agree or disagree" questions:

If you completely agree or completely disagree:

• Make your opinion clear in the introduction and conclusion.
• Explain one reason for your opinion in paragraph 2 and another in paragraph 3. Imagine that you are persuading the examiner that your opinion is right.
• Don't write a paragraph about what 'other people' think. If you do that, you are in danger of writing a "discuss both views" essay. If you mention the opposite argument, make sure that you refute it (explain why you think it's wrong), like I did in paragraph 2 of this essay.

If you partly agree:

• Make it clear in the introduction and conclusion that you have a balanced view i.e. that you accept both sides of the argument to some extent, like I did in last week's lesson.
• Write one paragraph about each side of the argument. But do this from your point of view e.g. On the one hand, I accept that... / On the other hand, I also believe that...
• Don't write a discussion essay e.g. some people believe / other people argue...

PS. This week's (free) video lesson will also help with this "agree, disagree or partly agree" problem. It will be ready tomorrow.

IELTS Listening: 'video games' topic

Listen to the following talk about the effect of video games, then fill the gaps in the summary below.

Click here to listen

Video games are arguably the best technologically-based teaching ______. When playing a video game, you are an active player who drives the ______ and makes decisions that change the ______ of what is going on. Psychologists would say that you are learning behavioural ______.

Video games are ______ driven. The medium itself is ______; we give the valence of good or bad or ______ to it. Unfortunately, the most popular video games are the ones that reward you for doing ______ against others.

IELTS Reading: match the headings

The space agency NASA proposes six "lunar exploration themes" to answer the question, "Why should we return to the Moon?"
.....

Match each heading from the following list with one of the themes described below.

A) Economic Expansion
B) Scientific Knowledge
C) Global Partnerships
D) Human Civilisation
E) Public Engagement
F) Exploration Preparation
.....

1. Extend human presence to the Moon to enable eventual settlement.

2. Pursue scientific activities that address fundamental questions about the history of Earth, the solar system and the universe; and therefore, about our place in them.

3. Test technologies, systems, flight operations and exploration techniques to reduce the risks and increase the productivity of future missions to Mars and beyond.

4. Provide a challenging, shared and peaceful activity that unites nations in pursuit of common objectives.

5. Expand Earth's economic sphere, and conduct lunar activities with benefits to life on the home planet.

6. Use a lively space exploration program to engage the public, encourage students and help develop the high-technology workforce that will be required to address the challenges of tomorrow.

(Source: Wikipedia)

Students' questions

Here are my answers to some of the questions that students asked me this week.

1) Is it ok to steal ideas and sentences from your ebook and other books?

Yes, you should steal as many ideas as you can from me, other teachers, books, websites, newspapers etc. In my experience, the best way to learn a language is by copying the phrases that native speakers use.

2) In the 'moon' question in this lesson, do we need to give an opinion about what the first man to walk on the moon said?

No. It is a fact that Neil Armstrong said those words, and we can accept that the moon landing was a great scientific achievement. The question is about whether this achievement affected the daily lives of normal people.

3) Can I write answers in capital letters?

Yes. In all parts of the test, answers written in capital letters are accepted.

4) Can we write about the opposite view in an "agree or disagree" essay?

Be careful with this! If you give the views of other people, you are in danger of writing a "discuss both views" essay. Have a look at this lesson.

5) Some teachers say that we should avoid using "I" or "my". Is this correct?

No, this advice is not correct. Read this lesson, and remember that you can't answer the question "Do you agree?" by writing "It is agreed" (because this means "people agree").

IELTS Advice: meticulous preparation

'Meticulous preparation' is a nice collocation. Meticulous means extremely careful, detailed, diligent and methodical. How meticulously are you preparing for IELTS? What could you do to be even more meticulous?

Video lesson 9

This week's video lesson is now available here. In the video, I go through the steps of planning and writing an essay for the following '2-part question':

News editors decide what to broadcast on television and what to print in newspapers. What factors do you think influence these decisions? Do we become used to bad news, and would it be better if more good news was reported?

IELTS Speaking Part 1: 'parks' topic

Several students have had this topic recently. How would you answer?

1. Do you like parks? Why / why not?
2. How often do you visit parks?
3. Why are parks an important part of many towns and cities?
4. What do you think could be done to make parks better?

IELTS Writing Task 1: verbs and nouns for trends

In the following sentences the verbs are underlined. Can you rewrite the same sentences using nouns (e.g. a rise) instead of verbs?

1. In 2013, UK house prices rose by 10%.
2. The number of university applicants fell by 5% from 1999 to 2009.
3. The price of petrol increased significantly in 2009.

IELTS Writing Task 2: balanced opinion

In this lesson I suggested writing a balanced opinion (partly agree) essay for the question below.

In the last century, the first man to walk on the moon said it was "a giant leap for mankind”. However, some people think it has made little difference to our daily lives. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

You can see my 4-paragraph plan in the lesson, but a student asked me to explain exactly how we can 'partly agree'. So here's my sample introduction:

It is often argued that the act of sending a man to the moon has been of no benefit to normal people. While I agree that this is true in practical terms, I believe that the psychological impact of this great achievement should not be underestimated.

Note:
Can you see how I create a balanced answer by using a 'while' sentence to contrast the 'practical' and 'psychological' impacts of the moon landing?

IELTS Listening: gap-fill summary

Listen to the recording about 'delayed language development' and fill the gaps in the summary below.

click here to listen

If a child turns two but is still ______ ______ ______, parents start to worry.

Parents often ______ this problem, hoping that their child will soon ______ ______.

One reason for late language development could be a delay in the child's ______ ______.

Delayed language development could also be caused by ______ or ______ problems.

IELTS Reading: multiple choice practice

The document attached below contains a multiple choice exercise from the official IELTS website, ielts.org. Here's some advice before you try the exercise:

1. First, underline the 'keywords' in the question. In the first question, for example, I would underline research, 1982, United States and soil erosion.
2. Second, underline the keywords in each of the four choices e.g. reduced productivity by 20% in choice A, and India and China in choice B.
3. Next, search for the keywords from the question. I'd look for 1982 first, then find the other keywords.
4. Finally, read the relevant section of the text carefully, and compare what it says with the information in the four choices. In question 1, you'll need to think carefully about answers A and C.

To download the exercise click here.