IELTS Advice: the 'vocabulary mindset'

I've written about this before, but I think it's a message that I need to keep repeating:

Too many candidates approach the IELTS exam with a grammar mindset. They go into the test with their heads full of 'grammatical structures' that they think will impress the examiner. Unfortunately this approach is more likely to hinder you than help you.

I'm trying to persuade people to have a vocabulary mindset. This means that you go into the test knowing that you have prepared ideas for common IELTS topics, and with the aim of expressing your ideas coherently and in as much detail as you can.

Here's a quick question to see which mindset you have:

Which of the two activities below do you spend more time doing?

1. practising complex sentences, passives and conditionals; learning lists of linking words and phrases; worrying that you make too many mistakes
2. collecting ideas for IELTS topics and past exam questions; reading and listening to English (not just IELTS related); trying to copy the way native speakers write and speak

Comments

[Casey]

2

[Bosco]

good

[Shakhzod]

2

[chris]

2

[Simon]

Excellent! I'm happy to see twos.

[bahman]

Hi
I am trying to collect IELT topics and Reading magazine like The Times and listening to English on the radio.

[hang]

hi Simon,
I follow 2 recently.

[Tony]

Hi Simon,
Thanks alot for the resources.

Definitely approach 2. I had been following approach 1 for years ending up with stress and worry essay after essay. But from the time I started learning essay ideas, task 2 seemed an easier module. Thanks again for the good work.

[Pachu]

Sir,
No 2 approach is good for passing the IELTS exam.But it is difficult to copy the way the native speakers speak and write.

[Jv]

I am on '2' now. Thanks Simon for the awareness!

[Vishaal]

Hello Simon!

I just bought your ebook for learning essay writing. I need your help in understanding 'How should I use the ebook for practicing essay writing?' Thanks!

[Vishaal]

I just completed Cambridge IELTS 11 and 12 (General training) for preparation of the reading. I also studied Cambridge Academic books for the reading, but I am consistently getting a low score (Around 28 to 30) in Academic Reading compared to General Reading (Around 34).

Which book(s) should I use for practicing General Reading test? Any tips for improving score (Above 35) in Reading?

[Vishaal]

I just completed Cambridge IELTS 11 and 12 (General training) for preparation of the reading. I also studied Cambridge Academic books for the reading, but I am consistently getting a low score (Around 28 to 30) in Academic Reading compared to General Reading (Around 34).

Which book(s) should I use for practicing General Reading test? Any tips for improving score (Above 35) in Reading?

[DaoAnh]

2

[Sunita]

Vishaal

The Academic reading test generally has a greater number of difficult-questions than the General one. Consequently, thirty correct answers in Academic converts to Band 7, whereas thirty-four correct answers are required for Band 7 in General.

See "component band scores" here:

https://www.ielts.org/ielts-for-organisations/ielts-scoring-in-detail

The Academic paper is more oriented toward band 7 and above, and has more questions directed at those levels. This might make it a little more reliable (or less hit-and-miss) in terms of achieving the desired high-level result.

[Saro]

It is 2

Hello
Simon
Are these questions thes same?
IELTS Writing Task 2: introduction and conclusion
Caring for children is probably the most important job in any society. Because of this, all mothers and fathers should be required to take a course that prepares them to be good parents. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this view?

2
Caring For Children is very important for our society. therefore all mothers and fathers should take childcare training course. To what extent you agree or disagree?

I see your ideas and I thought it can be wriiten for this questio

[Vishaal]

@ Sunita

Agree! But, as I am planning for the IELTS general test, what should I refer for the preparation? I mean reading passages of Academic books or General training books? What are the good materials for practicing reading other than Cambridge IELTS books? Thanks!

[Vishaal]

Advertising is all around us, it is an unavoidable part of everyone’s life. Some people say that advertising is a positive part of our lives while others say it is a negative one. Discuss both views and include your own opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience

People have different views about the impact of advertisements on our lives. While there are some benefits of advertisements to the individuals and companies, I would argue that it has more negative consequences.

There are many reasons why people might think that commercials are good for society. Firstly, various companies will get an opportunity to inform the customers about their products and services. It is mainly beneficial for smaller firms operating from developing towns or cities. Secondly, customers would get more choices for the purchase, and they are many times benefitted by various offers from advertisers. Finally, advertisements help the development of certain businesses. For example, the success of online purchase sites like Amazon, Flipkart, Paytm and others are dedicated to the advertisements from the sellers.

On the other hands, I certainly believe that there are more negative effects of advertisements. The major drawback is that it significantly increases purchase of less useful products. Many advertisers aim to convince us that buying things leads to happiness, and under influence of this we make purchase of certain products having least or no applicability to us. The other minus point is that some commercials promote sells of unhealthy products, like cigarettes, tobacco, and alcoholic beverages, which are prone to cause life-threatening health conditions later in our lives. Last but not the least, children can be easily influenced by advertisements, and they put irrelevant pressure on their parents by crying or pestering.
In conclusion, it seems to me that advertisements have more disadvantages than advantages to the individuals and society, and governments should implement strict regulation for the release of certain commercials in the country.

[Simon]

FROM SIMON:

Vishaal,

There are different ways to use the ebook.

The quick way is to read it and underline key words for each topic. At least then you'll have some ideas and opinions for the main topic areas.

The 'deeper' way is to practise writing full paragraphs using the ideas in the ebook. For example, you could use my ideas to write a paragraph about the 'positives of advertising'. In this way, you'll learn how to use and link ideas together, and the act of writing should help you to remember the vocabulary better.

...

Saro,

Yes, those questions are the same.

[GS]

sir
in technique 2 , do you mean creaming full sentences or just getting ideas and then writing those in own wording ?

[Sunita]

Vishaal

Try CAE reading tests:

https://engexam.info/cae-reading-and-use-of-english-practice-tests-printfriendly/cae-reading-and-use-of-english-practice-test-1/

https://www.examenglish.com/CAE/cae_reading1.htm

https://www.examenglish.com/CAE/cae_reading_use_of_english1.htm

https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/advanced/preparation/

https://www.flo-joe.co.uk/cae/students/tests/

These are set at an advanced level throughout.

[Sunita]

Vishaal:

1) I thought it odd that the word 'advertising' does not come up in your submission.

https://www.ldoceonline.com/search/?q=advertising

https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/advertising

2) "to the individuals": why "the"? Which particular individuals are being referred to?

Be wary of using "individuals" as a shoe-in substitute for 'people'. It tends to require the context of one single person as distinct from society in general Eg: the rights of the individual vs the majority. See the usage as a noun here:

https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/individual

https://www.thefreedictionary.com/individual

2) "commercials" refers only to commercial advertising breaks on television. -> advertising is good for society.

See noun here:
https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/commercial

3) get -> derive

4) get -> benefit from more choices

5) On the other hands, -> hand

[Sunita]

correction: -> shoo-in

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/shoo-in#English

[Onur B]

second

[Ashley]

2 ! Love English horror movies and some dating experts's YouTube such as Matthew Hussey. However, I prefer listening and watching but reading, so my reading and writing skills are so so.

[Gurkaran]

Sir,
Could you tell me a little bit for improving my speaking score. As, I am getting nervous while I went for speaking.

[Mahbub Hasan]

I think that you like number 2 and that is why most of the people comment here against point 1. However, i think that we should follow combination of both(stressing more on 2 number).In addition, in number 1, some points are matched with IELTS brand descriptor.