IELTS FOCUS

BOOSTER 2 – WRITING (1-2)

 References
Archer, G., & Wijayatilake, C. (2017). Mindset for IELTS Level 3 Student's book. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.

Corcoran, S. (n.d.). IELTS Simon. Retrieved from ielts-simon.com

McCarter, S. (2010). Ready for IELTS: Coursebook. Macmillan.

Mitchell, T. (2016). IELTS Writing for Success - Academic Module. Ho Chi Minh city: Nhan Tri Viet.
Contents
PART 1: WRITING TASK 1 ...........................................................................................................................................3
MODULE 1: UNDERSTANDING TASK 1....................................................................................................................4
MODULE 2: TIMELINE GRAPHS (1) ....................................................................................................................... 16
MODULE 3: TIMELINE GRAPHS (2) ....................................................................................................................... 28
MODULE 4: COMPARISON CHARTS (1) ................................................................................................................ 35
MODULE 5: COMPARISON CHARTS (2) ................................................................................................................ 43
MODULE 6: DIAGRAMS (1): MAPS ......................................................................................................................... 49
MODULE 7: DIAGRAMS (2): PROCESSES.............................................................................................................. 60
PRACTICE 1: TIMELINE GRAPHS............................................................................................................................ 65
PRACTICE 2: COMPARISON CHARTS .................................................................................................................... 69
PRACTICE 3: MAPS...................................................................................................................................................... 72
PRACTICE 4: PROCESSES .......................................................................................................................................... 76
PART 2: WRITING TASK 2 ........................................................................................................................................ 80
MODULE 1: UNDERSTANDING TASK 2................................................................................................................. 81
MODULE 2: “DISCUSS BOTH VIEWS” ESSAYS ..................................................................................................... 89
MODULE 3: ‘AGREE OR DISAGREE’ ESSAYS ........................................................................................................ 97
MODULE 4: ‘PROS AND CONS’ ESSAYS............................................................................................................... 103
MODULE 5: ‘CAUSES-PROBLEMS-SOLUTIONS’ ESSAYS ............................................................................... 109
MODULE 6: ‘2-PART QUESTIONS’ ESSAYS ....................................................................................................... 115
TOPICAL WRITING 1: FITNESS AND HEALTH................................................................................................. 121
TOPICAL WRITING 2: CRIMES.............................................................................................................................. 124
TOPICAL WRITING 3: CHILDREN AND FAMILIES .......................................................................................... 126
TOPICAL WRITING 4: EDUCATION AND SCHOOLS ....................................................................................... 129

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 Part 2
WRITING TASK 2

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 Module 1
UNDERSTANDING TASK 2
After this lesson, I am able to…
 understand how IELTS writing task 2 is tested
 write a good introduction

UNDERSTANDING THE TASK

IELTS Writing task 2 normally requires you to write a discursive essay in around 40 minutes. The task
questions can be further classified into two groups Idea Questions and Issue Questions.

1) Ideas

 Some people think high school students must wear uniform. To what extent do you agree or
disagree?
 Some people think that children should learn to compete to become good individuals. However,
some others think that it is better for them to learn how to cooperate. Discuss both views and
give your opinions.

2) Issues

 More people prefer living alone nowadays. Do the advantages of this outweigh the
disadvantages?
 Some universities now offer their courses on the Internet so that people can study online. Is this
a positive or negative development?
 Each year, the crime rate increases. What are the causes of crime and what could be done to
prevent this rise in criminal activity?
 Natural resources have been running out at an alarming rate. What are the causes of this? what
problems does this have individuals and the society?

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 Writing Task 2

Ideas Issues

to what extent causes -

discuss both
do you agree pros and cons problems -
views
or disagree? solutions

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STRUCTURE OF A TASK 2 ESSAY

Exercise 1: Read the following sample essay and answer the following questions.

Some people think that planning for the future is a waste of time. They believe it is more
important to focus on the present. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Some people are of the opinion that we should focus more on the present rather than making
plans for the future. From my perspective, while this argument can be explained for some
reasons, I would argue that planning is of paramount importance in the success of any
person, and therefore I completely disagree with this statement.

People who advocate this idea cite the living-for-the-moment way of life as their ideology.
Preparations and arrangements are deemed too complicated for them, and some even think
that having a plan is tantamount to giving ourselves unnecessary concerns. However, I find
this argument somewhat flawed, since planning ahead is far from synonymous with excessive
worrying. Good planners see planning as a facilitator to their future goals, rather than a
complication that stands in the course of personal development.

Furthermore, I believe that future planning is what makes a person successful in life. Good
preparations give a person an edge over impulsive, disoriented ones, and indeed, no big
corporations would run well without well thought-out, elaborate schemes. Also, a good
planning helps people minimize uncertainties. Success stories of famous entrepreneurs and
politicians all pinpoint the need for a careful, detailed plan. In times of crisis, a person or an
organization with great predictions of as many potential problems as possible always
triumphs over those without good planning.

In conclusion, my firm conviction is that careful planning for the future is never an
unnecessary burden. It is one of the most important attributes of constituting success. It is
not an overstatement to say that if one fails to plan, they plan to fail.

1. How many paragraphs are there in this essay?

2. What is the essay about? Underline the parts of the essay that briefly introduce background
information of the essay.
3. What is the position of the writer on this matter? Underline the sentences showing the writer’s
position.
4. What are some reasons the author gives to support his claim? Underline the sentences showing
the reasons.

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 Task Focus

The format of the IELTS Task 2 Essay

IELTS Task 2 essays, just like any other discursive essays, is comprised of three parts (1) the
Introduction, (2) the Bodies, and (3) the Conclusion.

1) The Introduction provides the background information of the issue in question, your position (e.g.
whether you disagree/disagree with the statement), and a brief mention of what you are going to write
in the Bodies.

2) The Bodies are the main part of the essay where the ideas are given and supported. There are no
restrictions on the number of body paragraphs, but most of the time, the right number should be around
2-3.

3) The Conclusion again restates your position, summarises the main ideas, and offers some final
thoughts.

WRITING AN INTRODUCTION

Exercise 2: Consolidation: Idea or Issue?

Read the following questions and decide whether they are Idea questions (ID) or Issue questions (IS).

1. The most common solution for criminal behaviour is prison but many believe education
is a better method. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
2. At the present time, the population of some countries includes a relatively large number
of young adults, compared with the number of older people. Do the advantage of this
situation outweigh the disadvantages?
3. Some people believe that allowing children to make their own choices on everyday
matters (such as food, clothes and entertainment) is likely to result in a society of
individuals who only think about their own wishes. Other people believe that it is
important for children to make decisions about matters that affect them. Discuss both
views and give your own opinion.
4. Nowadays because of digital technology, it is possible for not only studios but also
individuals to produce their own films. Do you think this is a positive or negative
development?
5. More and more people in developing countries are purchasing cars for the first time.
What problems does this cause? What do you think are the possible solutions?
6. In many countries schools have severe problems with student behavior. What do you
think are the causes of this? What solutions can you suggest?

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 Task Focus

Introduction

A good introduction should include…

1) background information of the issue

2) your position
3) main ideas of your essay (optional)
Question: Some people think that high school students must wear uniform. To what extent do you
agree or disagree?

Some people are of the opinion that students should be required to wear uniform (1). I completely agree
with this idea (2), since uniform is very convenient, and wearing it is one way of eradicating inequality
(3).

Exercise 3: Read the following sample introductions and mark (1) for the part that provide background
information, (2) for the position and (3) for the main ideas of the essay.

1) Idea Questions

A. 1-view question

Task Question 1: Some people think that high school students must wear uniform. To
what extent do you agree or disagree?

Sample introduction: Some people are of the opinion that students should be required to wear
uniform. I completely agree with this idea, since uniform is very convenient, and wearing it is
one way of eradicating inequality.
B. 2-view question

Task Question 2: Some people think that children should learn to compete to become good
individuals. However, some others think that it is better for them to learn how to cooperate.
Discuss both views and give your opinions.

Sample introduction: Some people are of the opinion that children should be taught to compete
to become good people in the future. However, some others are opposed to this idea, saying that
it is better for them to be cooperative. While the former view can be justified for some reasons, I
am more inclined towards the latter.

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2) Issue Questions

A. Pros and Cons

Task Question 3: More people prefer living alone nowadays. Do the advantages of this
outweigh the disadvantages?

Sample introduction 1: In recent years, some people are more inclined towards living alone. I
believe this is more likely to have negative consequences on individuals and the society.

Task Question 4: Some universities now offer their courses on the Internet so that people
can study online. Is this a positive or negative development?

Sample introduction 2: Online learning has enjoyed increasing popularity in recent years. In my
opinion, it is both advantageous and detrimental in equal measure.

B. Causes-Problems-Solutions

Task Question 5: Each year, the crime rate increases. What are the causes of crime and
what could be done to prevent this rise in criminal activity?

Sample introduction 1: The crime rate has increased on an unprecedented scale. There are
several reasons associated with this, several measures could be taken to solve this problem.

Task Question 6: Natural resources have been running out at an alarming rate. What are
the causes of this? what problems does this have individuals and the society?

Sample introduction 2: The world’s natural resources have been depleting on an unprecedented
scale. This essay will outline some reasons and problems associated with this issue.

Exercise 4: Idea Type

Write the introductions for the following questions.

1. Many people believe that children should be required to do unpaid work in their free time to help the
local community. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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2. Although more and more people read news on the Internet, newspaper will remain the most
important source of news. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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3. Some people believe that research on finding a new planet to live is necessary, while others claim that
it is a waste of money. Discuss both views and give your opinions.

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4. Some people think that museums should be enjoyable places to entertain people, while others believe
that the purpose of museums is to educate. Discuss both views and give you own opinion.

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Exercise 5: Issue Type

Write the introductions for the following questions.

1. Nowadays, many people prefer buying goods from famous brands. Is it a positive or negative
development?

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2. It is becoming increasingly popular to have a year off between finishing school and going to
university. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
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3. Nowadays, there are more and more young people committing crimes. What are the causes? What
should be done to solve this problem?
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4. An increasing number of professionals, such as doctors and teachers, are leaving their own poorer
countries to work in developed countries. What are the causes? What problems does this cause?
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HOMEWORK

Write introductions for the questions in exercise 2.

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 Module 2
“DISCUSS BOTH VIEWS” ESSAYS
After this lesson, I am able to…
 write a discuss-both-view essay

FOCUS ON LANGUAGE

Study the Vocabulary Chart and complete Exercise 1, 2 and 3.

THEME 1: THE WORLD OF WORK

Word list Definition Collocations Examples
1. job satisfaction the feeling  level of job satisfaction Upper-middle-class
(n) that you  enjoy job satisfaction professionals have large
have when  high/low/increased job amounts of autonomy in the
you enjoy satisfaction workplace and therefore
your job enjoy high job satisfaction.
2. workforce (n) all the  qualified/skilled/diminishing The factory has a 1 000-
people who workforce strong workforce.
work in a  employ/cut/enter (the)
particular workforce
industry or  a member of the workforce
company
3. workload (n) the amount  heavy/excessive/added We have taken on extra staff
of work workload to cope with the increased
 expand/lighten/distribute workload.
workload
 workload
management/balancing
4. profession (n) a job, esp.  the legal/medical/teaching She was at the very top of her
one which profession profession.
requires a  enter/go into/join a profession
high level of  the top of sb’s profession
education
5. labour (n) work, esp.  manual/physical/forced The demand for skilled
physical labour (work) labour in the building
work  skilled/unskilled/cheap industry is high.
labour (workers)
 division of labour
6. pension (n) the amount  state/old-age pension to receive a retirement
of money  draw/provide sb with/qualify pension
you receive for pension
you stop
working
7. perks (n) benefits you  offer perks Perks offered by the firm
get from  receive perks include a car and free health
your work insurance.
in addition
to your
wages
8. fringe benefits benefits you  offer fringe benefits Furthermore, players did not

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 (n) get from  receive fringe benefits receive any fringe benefits,
your work meaning players had to pay
in addition for their own health
to your insurance.
wages
9. incentive (n) something  added/adequate/financial There is an added incentive
someone incentive for you to buy from our
(the boss)  create/give/offer incentive catalogue—a free gift with
gives you to  act as an incentive every purchase.
encourage
you to work
harder
10. career the According to this view,
prospects (n) probability individuals could use social
or chance capital to further their own
for future career prospects, rather than
success in a for the good of organisations.
profession.
11. job hopping (n) a pattern of While job-hopping used to be
changing a negative term, its
companies traditional definition may no
frequently longer apply in the current
economy.
12. blue-collar (adj) related to  blue-collar workers/jobs Blue-collar workers do work
physical that involves using physical
work strength or skill with their
hands rather than working in
an office
13. white-collar working in  white-collar workers/jobs White-collar workers work in
(adj) offices offices rather than doing
physical work. People who do
physical work in places such
as factories and mines are
called blue-collar workers.
14. rewarding (adj) making you  rewarding Do you find your job
feel happy job/experience/career rewarding?
and satisfied
15. remuneration payment for  form of/levels of remuneration
work  receive remuneration for

Exercise 1

Match the following words with their correct definitions.

1. job hopping a. people who do physical work

2. career prospects b. changing jobs frequently
3. blue-collar workers c. payment for your work
4. white-collar workers d. the feeling of enjoyment from your job
5. perks e. opportunities to progress in your career in the
future
6. job satisfaction f. people who work in offices
7. pension g. the amount of work you receive

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8. workload h. money you receive when you stop working
9. remuneration i. fringe benefits

Exercise 2

Circle the best answer.

1. The company’s goal was to create a highly skilled/heavy workforce which can handle different
tasks with ease.
2. There are free tickets for tonight’s movie as an excessive/added incentive.
3. Her mother disapproved of her decision to draw/go into the legal profession.
4. Working for Apple Inc. is expected by most people to be a rewarding/diminishing experience.
5. Many children in Sri Lanka are forced to do hard manual/skilled labour.

Exercise 3

Fill in each blank with ONE word. In some cases, there might be more than one correct answer.

1. Developing countries are often thought to be the pool of

cheap ____________.
2. Some of the ____________ include a free company car, medical
insurance and a free trip to Korea.
3. Bonus payments act as an ____________ for employees to
work harder.
4. A lot of people consider job hopping because of the
excessive ____________ they have to deal with on a daily basis
in their current job.
5. Good wage rates, friendly co-workers and bright career prospects are factors of job ____________.
6. ____________ workers are often better paid and work in better working conditions.

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FOCUS ON WRITING

PART 1: GUIDED WRITING

Task Question 1: In many countries, a small number of people earn extremely high salaries.
Some people believe that governments should not allow salaries above a certain level, but
others think that this is good for the country. Discuss both these views and give your own
opinion.

Exercise 4

Read the Task Question 1 and answer the following questions.

 What is the task about? Is this a 1-view or 2-view question?

 How many parts does the task have? What are they?

Task Focus

Planning your essay

Before you start writing, it is highly advisable that you make a plan on what you are going to write. Think
about:

 Your position, or to which extent do you agree/disagree with each side of the argument.
 How you are going to develop your ideas. It could be either of the following approach:

The Chain Approach The Parallel Approach

 Main idea  Explanation   Main idea
Examples  More specific Examples  Explanation 1 – Examples
…Consequences  Explanation 2 – Examples

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PLANNING YOUR ESSAY & WRITING THE INTRODUCTION

Exercise 5

Read Essay Plan 1 and name the approach each body follows.

Essay Plan 1
Position: earning extremely high salaries [the former] is understandable, but I think there should be a
limitation [the latter].
Body 1: ……………. Approach Body 2: ……………. Approach
Main idea: allowing people to be paid Main Idea: there should be a minimum wage.
extremely high salaries can be beneficial  pay gap is huge  demotivate workers
Explanation 1: help attract talented people  pay gap is reduced  lower executive salaries
 Big companies (i.e. Google) get the  higher staff salary  maybe crime rates are
best employees reduced  everyone is happy
Explanation 2: create motivation
 better economy
 better tax revenues

Exercise 6

Read the Essay Plan 1 and write the Introduction. Then, compare your answer to the Introduction in the
sample on the next page.

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WRITING THE BODIES

Task Focus

The “TEC” Technique

A paragraph often starts with a Topic sentence, which states the main idea of the paragraph. Then there is an
Explanation sentence which explains the main idea, accompanied by some Clarification sentences, which, as the
name suggests, clarify the Explanation by giving more details and examples. This “TEC” model has another
variation, the “TECEC” if the writer wishes two support the main idea with two smaller ideas.

Exercise 7

Read the note about TEC and TECEC and decide which corresponds with the Parallel approach.

Exercise 8

Read the following sample and mark the Topic Sentence, the Explanation Sentence and the
Clarification Sentence(s) in the body paragraphs. The first body has been done for you.

Some people are of the opinion that employee remuneration should be capped at a certain
level. However, some others are opposed to this idea, claiming that it is more reasonable to
allow people to earn as much as companies are willing to pay. While the latter view can be
justified for some reasons, I am more inclined towards the former.

I can understand why it might be considered beneficial to allow people to be paid

extremely high salaries (Topic Sentence). Advocates of this idea believe that if
companies offer excellent pay packages, they can attract the most talented people in
their fields to work for them (Explanation Sentence 1). For example, technology
companies like Google are able to employ the best programmers because of the huge
sums that they are willing to pay (Clarification Sentence 1). Furthermore, these well-
paid employees are likely to be highly motivated to work hard and therefore drive their
businesses successfully (Explanation Sentence 2). In theory, this should result in a
thriving economy and increased tax revenues, which means that paying high salaries
benefits everyone (Clarification Sentence 2).

However, I would side with those who argue that there should be a Notes:
maximum wage. This is because by introducing a limit on earnings,
the pay-gap between bosses and employees can be reduced. Most of the time, it is more
Currently, the difference between normal and top salaries is huge, logical to write about your
unfavoured idea in Body 2.
and this can demotivate workers who feel that the situation is
unfair. With lower executive salaries, it might become feasible to
introduce higher minimum wages, and everybody would be better off. One possible
consequence of greater equality could be that poverty and crime rates fall because the general
population will experience an improved standard of living.

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In conclusion, my firm conviction is that it would be better, on balance, for governments to set
a limit on the wages of the highest earners in society. With the pay discrepancy reduced, we are
moving forward to a much more egalitarian society where everybody is decently paid.

Language Focus

Useful Language for the TEC (1)

Topic sentence Explanation sentence Clarification sentence

 I can understand why…  Advocates of this idea  For example,…
 However, I would side believe that… (mostly  This may result in/lead
with those… in unfavoured to/give rise to…
paragraphs)  One possible
 Furthermore,… consequence of [X]
 This is because… could be…
 This appears to be
because…
 This is due to the fact
that…
The list goes on as you progress till the end of the course.

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WRITING THE CONCLUSION

Task Focus

Conclusion

A good conclusion should include…

1) your position (most important)

2) main ideas of your essay (advisable)
3) final thoughts (optional)
Question: Some people think that high school students must wear uniform. To what extent do you agree
or disagree?

In conclusion, my firm conviction is that obliging students to wear uniforms is a good idea, as it is both
convenient and fair. Indeed, it is not an overstatement to say that wearing uniform is a first step
towards a more egalitarian society.
Exercise 9

Read the conclusion of sample again and underline the position, the main ideas, and the final thoughts.

PART 2: FREE WRITING

Task question 2: Some people work for one organization all their working life. Some
others, however, think that it’s better to work for different organisations. Discuss both
views and give our opinion.

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 Module 3
‘AGREE OR DISAGREE’ ESSAYS
After this lesson, I am able to…
 write an ‘agree or disagree’ essay

FOCUS ON LANGUAGE

Study the Vocabulary Chart and complete Exercise 1, 2 and 3.

THEME 2: WHAT’S IN THE NEWS

Word list Definition Collocations Examples
1. news outlet a source of Judge In addition, Citrus County is
news Sentence him with capital punishment serviced by Bay News 9, a
news outlet provided by
Bright House Networks.
2. coverage when an  media/press/news coverage The murder has received
event is  extensive/considerable coverage extensive media coverage.
reported on  attract/get/receive coverage
radio/TV, or
in
newspapers
3. distort to change the  distort the truth/reality The paper was accused of
information  grossly/seriously/severely distort distorting the truth.
so that it is no The programme presented a
longer true or distorted picture of her life.
accurate
4. intrude affect  intrude on/upon Employers should not intrude
someone’s on the private lives of their
private life employees.
5. to someone’s making you It would be to your
advantage more likely to advantage (= it would
succeed improve the situation for
you) to agree to his demands.
6. affairs public/politic  current/private/public affairs ABC1, the Corporation's
al events and  domestic/internal/foreign/world original television service,
activities affairs receives the bulk of funding
 commercial/economic/ for television and shows first-
environmental affairs run comedy, drama,
documentaries, and news and
current affairs.
7. headline- reported in The story was headline-
grabbing many grabbing material in the
newspapers nationals.
and on radio
and television
8. Endorse to express  entirely/wholeheartedly/ The prime minister is unlikely
formal unanimously endorse to endorse this view.
support or  fail to/refuse to endorse
approval for
someone or

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 something
9. anonymity when other  complete/total anonymity I see three important
people do not  ensure/guarantee/preserve/ constituent elements of the
know who protect anonymity digital realm becoming more
you are or  a sense of anonymity evident every day:
what your malleability, anonymity and
name is connectivity.
10. figure someone who  major/key/leading/prominent She was the dominant figure
is important figure in British politics in the
or famous in  historical/political/religious figure 1980s.
some way
11. lag behind to develop Britain is lagging behind the
more slowly rest of Europe.
than others
12. circulation the average  circulation of The newspaper has a daily
number of  enjoy/have a circulation circulation of 55,000.
copies of a  daily/monthly/mass circulation
newspaper/m
agazine
13. plummet decrease Profits plummeted from £49
sharply million to £11 million.
14. prevalent very common  prevalent in/among This negative attitude is
surprisingly prevalent among
young boys.

Exercise 1

Match the following words with their correct definitions.

1. news outlet a. having a better opportunity

2. circulation b. make progress so slowly that you are
behind others
3. headline-grabbing c. a newspaper, television company or other
mass media which publishes news stories
4. to your advantage d. involved in other people’s private life
5. lag behind e. how many copies of newspapers or
magazines are sold
6. intrude f. to change something so that it is wrong
7. distort g. reported as a very important story in the
news
8. plummet h. very popular
9. prevalent i. fall significantly

Exercise 2

For each sentence, cross out the word that does not collocate well with the underlined word.

1. The royal wedding received extensive/media/gross coverage.

2. As a leader, he’s been criticized for his inexperience in foreign/mass/commercial affairs.
3. The authority promised to attract/ensure/guarantee the anonymity of the whistleblower.
4. Our consultants are prominent/key/unanimous figures in their field.

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 5. The government has entirely/grossly/wholeheartedly endorsed a new neighbour watch
scheme.

Exercise 3

Fill in each blank with ONE word. In some cases, there might be more than one correct answer.

1. The company’s circulation has greatly _____________ during the recession.

2. Paper-based newspapers often _____________ behind when compared to its Internet-based
counterpart.
3. A large number of news _____________ today provide trivial news with attention-grabbing
headlines.
4. My dad often starts off his day by flicking through the page about the world _____________, then the
national ones.
5. The Internet provides users with a sense of _____________.

FOCUS ON WRITING

PART 1: GUIDED WRITING

Task Question 1 Some people think that although the Internet has become more popular,
newspapers are still the most important source of news. To what extent do you agree or
disagree?

Task Focus

Different approaches

There are different approaches to a “to what extent do you agree or disagree” question type.

1) One-sided approach: you either completely agree/disagree with the statement. This is what we are going to
discuss in the Guided Writing part.

2) Two-sided approach: you understand why other people think that way, but you have a different idea. This is
similar to the ‘Discuss both views’ question type.

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PLANNING YOUR ESSAY

Exercise 4

Fill in your own Essay Plan. Then, read the sample below and complete Essay Plan 2.

Your Essay Plan

Position: COMPLETE DISAGREE

Body 1: TECEC Approach Body 2: TECEC Approach

Main idea: Reason 1: NEWSPAPER REQUIRES Main Idea: Reason 2: IT’S INCONVENIENT
A LOT OF WORK

Essay Plan 2
Position: Completely disagree!

Body 1: Chain Approach Body 2: ……………. Approach

Main idea: Main Idea:

Some people are of the opinion that traditional printed newspapers will still be the dominant
source of news despite the increasing popularity of the Internet in recent years. I completely
disagree with this idea, due to the obvious deterioration of paper-based news in today’s fast-
paced life and the immense advantages that online news offers.

One reason why I disagree with the statement is the fact that traditional printed newspaper,
once a prevalent and time-honoured means of providing news to people, has experienced an
unprecedented recession in recent years. This appears to be because paper-based news often
lags behind in providing news, and with the advent and emergence of online news, newspaper
circulation has undergone a sharp plummet. Even the elderly – the target audience of paper-
based news – are beginning to switch to read news online now that everyone has at least a
smartphone or a tablet.

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Another compelling reason is that The Internet offers distinct benefits that paper-based news
fails to have. One clear advantage is that it allows us fast access to real-time news coverage.
Readers can enjoy having their favorite news updated every time they reload their news reader
application on their devices. Additionally, online news is free of charge; readers can get their
news without additional costs for a printed newspaper. Some other benefits encompass the
vast array of information readers can reap from online news and the fact that it is more eco-
friendly.

In conclusion, my firm conviction is that the use of printed news is undermined in recent years,
and it will pale into insignificance now that the Internet has much greater advantages.

WRITING THE INTRODUCTION

Exercise 5

Read Your Essay Plan and write your Introduction. Then, compare your answer to the Introduction in the
sample.

..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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WRITING THE BODIES

Exercise 6

Read the sample and mark the Topic Sentence, the Explanation Sentence and the Clarification
Sentence(s) in the body paragraphs. Then, rewrite parts of the Sample using the language in the
Useful Language for the TEC (2) below.

Language Focus

Useful Language for the TEC (2)

Topic sentence Explanation sentence Clarification sentence

 One reason why I  This is because…  For example,…
disagree….  This appears to be  This may result in/lead
 Another compelling because… to/give rise to…
reason is that…  This is due to the fact  With the introduction
that… of [X],…
 One benefit is that…
 One clear advantage is
that…
 Additionally,…
 Moreover,…
 From a financial
perspective,….

WRITING THE CONCLUSION

Exercise 7

Read the conclusion of sample again and mark the key things you need to write. Which one is missing?

PART 2: FREE WRITING

Task question 2: Some people think that reading newspapers is a waste of time. To what
extent do you agree or disagree?

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 Module 4
‘PROS AND CONS’ ESSAYS
After this lesson, I am able to…
 write a ‘pros and cons’ essay

FOCUS ON LANGUAGE

Study the Vocabulary Chart and complete Exercise 1, 2 and 3.

THEME 3: ADVERTISING
Word list Definition Collocations Examples
1. advertisement a short film on  magazine/newspaper/press We placed advertisements in
(n) television or advertisement a number of national
short article on  place/carry/display/publish/ newspapers.
radio that is show advertisement
intended to  advertisements say sth/show
persuade people sth/feature sb/sth
to buy something
2. commercial (n) an  commercial break (n) a soap powder commercial
advertisement  commercials feature (v) sb/sth
on TV or radio  in a commercial
3. pop-up ads (n- advertisements Pop-up ads or pop-ups are
pl) that appear forms of online advertising
suddenly on a on the World Wide Web.
computer screen
4. billboard (n) a large board for Around the world, some 3
advertisements billion pairs of eyes will
in an outside notice their logos, slogans
public place and billboards.
5. make a buy  make unnecessary purchases She made two purchases
purchase from my stall.
(v.phr)

6. tempt (v) to make you  be tempted to do something Don’t be tempted to spend

want to do or to  tempt sb into doing sth too much.
have something,
especially
something that is
not good for you
7. alluring (adj) very attractive an alluring smile

8. informative providing useful  be/prove informative The talk was both

(adj) information  extremely/highly/most informative and
informative entertaining.

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9. misleading making you  misleading It would be profoundly
(adj) believe advertisements/claims/ misleading to suggest that
something that is statements/information/ television has no effect on
not true impression children.
 extremely/profoundly/complet
ely/somewhat misleading
10. irritating (adj) annoying He had an irritating habit of
cracking his knuckles.
11. slick (adj) clever but not  slick advertising They ran a very slick
sincere promotion campaign, you
must admit.
12. infuriating very annoying It is infuriating to talk to
(adj) someone who just looks out
of the window.
13. entice (v) to persuade  entice somebody/something to The bargain prices are
somebody/sth to do something expected to entice customers
do something away from other stores.
14. exaggerate (v) to make sth  exaggerate the significance/the Personally, I think society
larger or more importance/the extent/the exaggerates the importance
important than it impact/the effects of something of marriage.
really is  it is easy to exaggerate

15. impulsive (adj) without plan  impulsive Impulsive buying is the

behaviour/decision/person/ tendency of a customer to
buying buy goods and services
without planning in advance.
16. promote (v) to help These products are
something to aggressively promoted and
develop or marketed.
increase

Exercise 1

Match the following words with their correct definitions.

1. promote j. advertisements that you see on the computer screen

2. infuriating k. a large board on the outside of a building or at the side of
the road
3. make a purchase l. make a product more popular by advertising it
4. pop-up ads m. clever but in a dishonest way
5. slick n. buy
6. alluring o. very attractive
7. billboard p. very irritating

Exercise 2

Circle the correct answer.

1. Unscrupulous advertisements entice people into/tempt people into making unnecessary

purchases.
2. Most advertisements often feature/purchase celebrities and prominent figures.

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 3. Commercials often exaggerate/promote the effects of their products so that they may sound
much better than they really are.
4. In a sense, advertising can be very alluring/informative as it provides consumers with the
descriptions of the products they wish to buy.
5. The screens at the stock exchange gave the misleading behaviour/impression that shares
were falling.

Exercise 3

Fill in each blank with ONE word. In some cases, there might be more than one correct answer.

1. The credit company has been criticized by the Office of Fair Trading for printing misleading
____________ on the local newspapers.
2. ____________ advertisements or TV commercials are especially designed to capture the attention
of young people.
3. Our special offers are intended to ____________ people to buy more.
4. Pop-up ads can be extremely ____________ ; they come unwanted and they often disturb people’s
work.
5. Credit cards often tempt people into ____________ unnecessary purchases.
6. We see that big ____________ on King Street every day on our way to work.

FOCUS ON WRITING

PART 1: WRITING ANALYSIS

Task Question 1: Advertisements are becoming more and more common in our everyday
lives. Is it a positive or negative development?

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 Task Focus

“Pros and Cons” question types

The questions for the “Pros and Cons” types are often (1) “Do the advantages of [X] outweigh the disadvantages”
and “(2) “Is [X] a positive or negative development?”

 If the question is (1): you are required to state both the pros and cons of [X] (+position) (~discuss both
views)
 If the question is (2): you can discuss either the pros, the cons or both the pros and cons of [X] (+position)
(~agree disagree?)

PLANNING YOUR ESSAY

Exercise 4

Fill in your own Essay Plan. Then, read the sample below and complete Essay Plan 2.

Your Essay Plan

Position: cons > pros
pros = cons

Body 1: ……………. Approach Body 2: ……………. Approach

Main idea: Main Idea:

Essay Plan 2
Position: pros = cons

Body 1: ……………. Approach Body 2: ……………. Approach

Main idea: Main Idea:

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Advertisements have gained increasing popularity in recent years. Some people are of the
opinion that advertising greatly assists us in making purchase decisions, and to a certain
extent, it can be educational as well. However, we can also hear some others decrying ads for
being annoying and misleading. In my opinion, it has both positive and negative sides in equal
measure.

Advertising indeed offers some distinct benefits to buyers and sellers, and some of them can be
very meaningful as well. From the buyer’s and the seller’s perspective, advertising plays a vital
role in bringing fresh products and services closer to consumers who have not heard about
them. Were it not for commercials, it would be very difficult for sellers to get their products to
the market, and for buyers to be informed of new commodities. From an educational
perspective, advertising has become very thought-provoking Messages of love, friendship,
family core values, and environmental protection that are included in some commercials have
been very well received by the audience.

However, there are also several disadvantages inherent in advertising. Advertisements, with
the advent of the Internet, has been rising on an unprecedented scale. Pop-ups, flyers and
billboards are virtually everywhere, and since we are simply unable to avoid seeing them, such
advertising overload has been considered to be unwelcome intrusion rather than useful
information. Furthermore, several ads attempt to tempt people into making unnecessary
purchases. Every year, many people, under the manipulation of alluring and provocative ads,
queue for the latest flagship phones, even though their old ones are still in perfectly good
condition. Discarding things when they are still of good use is a huge waste of money and
resources.

In conclusion, my firm conviction is that advertising is detrimental to its intrusive and

manipulative natures, but it can be very informative and meaningful as well. Wise consumers
are those who demonstrate the ability to see through those pieces of advertising and make
sensible buying decisions.

WRITING THE INTRODUCTION

Exercise 5

Read Your Essay Plan and write your Introduction. Then, compare your answer to the Introduction in the
sample.

..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

WRITING THE BODIES

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Exercise 6

Read the sample and mark the Topic Sentence, the Explanation Sentence and the Clarification
Sentence(s) in the body paragraphs. Then, rewrite parts of the Sample using the language in the
Useful Language for the TEC (2) below.

Language Focus

Useful Language for the TEC (2)

Topic sentence Explanation sentence Clarification sentence

 [X] offers some  From the + singular noun’s  For example,…
distinct benefits to… perspective,…  This may result
 There are also several  From an in/lead to/give rise
disadvantages educational/economic/fina to…
inherent in…. ncial etc. perspective,…  With the introduction
of [X],…
 Were it not for [X], [Y]
would…

WRITING THE CONCLUSION

Exercise 7

Read the conclusion of sample again and mark the key things you need to write.

PART 2: FREE WRITING

Task question 2: A large number of advertisements today are aiming at children. Is it a

positive or negative development?

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 Module 5
‘CAUSES-PROBLEMS-SOLUTIONS’ ESSAYS
After this lesson, I am able to…
 write a ‘causes-problems-solutions’ essay

FOCUS ON LANGUAGE

Study the Vocabulary Chart and complete Exercise 1, 2 and 3.

THEME 4: SOCIAL ISSUES & THE GOVERNMENT

Word list Definition Collocations Examples
1. cost of living the level of Average wages have
(n) prices relating to increased in line with the cost
a range of of living.
everyday items.
2. destitution extreme poverty  state of/threat of/life of
(n) destitution

3. egalitarian based on the  egalitarian

(adj) belief that society/principles/distributi
everyone is on/approach
equal and should
have equal rights
4. problem (n) a way of solving  growing/pressing/urgent/
a problem insoluble problem
 be faced
with/face/encounter a
problem
 alleviate/ease/combat/hand
le a problem
5. relief (n) money, food,  provide relief
clothes, etc.  humanitarian/emergency/
given to people famine/flood relief
who are poor or  relief package/programme
hungry
6. unrest (n) a political  social/political/industrial
situation in unrest
which people  mounting/growing unrest
protest or  spark off/stir up unrest
behave violently
7. disorder (n) a situation in  social/political/public
which a lot of disorder
people behave in  create/lead to/quell the
an uncontrolled, disorder
noisy, or violent
way in public
8. social fabric the fabric of a The country’s social fabric is
(n) society is its disintegrating.
basic structure,

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 way of life,
relationships,
and traditions
9. subsidy (n) money that is  (a) Lacking the generous
paid by a huge/large/massive/housin subsidies that European
government or g/food subsidy orchestras receive, modern
organization to  get/receive/grant American groups are under
make prices sth/provide sth with (a huge, increasing pressure to play
lower, reduce large etc.) subsidy popular pieces.
the cost of
producing goods
etc
10. abstain (n) try not to do or  abstain from A high percentage of women
have something said they had abstained from
you enjoy alcohol during pregnancy.
11. basic something you basic necessities like milk and
necessities need to have in bread
(n) order to live

12. policymaker someone who Policymakers have used a

(n) decides what an number of measures to boost
organization’s or the economy.
government’s
policies will be
13. wellbeing (n) the well-being of  emotional/physical/mental We are now concerned about
someone/somet wellbeing the economic well-being of
hing is the state  economic/financial wellbeing the country.
in which it is  ensure/foster/promote
strong and doing one’s wellbeing
well  a sense of wellbeing
14. bring in its bring with it; The storm brought in its
wake cause sth to wake destruction of houses.
(phrase) happen (esp.
something
negative)
15. inflation (n) a continuing  high/low/soaring inflation Wages are not keeping pace
increase in  cause/fuel/raise/curb with inflation.
prices, or the inflation
rate at which  keep pace with inflation
prices increase
Exercise 1

Match the following words with their correct definitions.

1. policymakers a. the amount of money a person needs to live

2. inflation b. a general, continuous increase in prices
3. basic necessities c. the state of being without money, food, a home, or possessions
4. social fabric d. members of the government who make laws
5. cost of living e. basic things you need such as bread, water, shampoo, etc.
6. destitution f. a society where people have equal rights, equal possessions, etc.
7. egalitarian society g. the structure of the society

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Exercise 2

Circle the correct answer.

1. He swore to abstain to/from smoking.

2. The new law brings at/in its wake social unrest.
3. A delicious meal and a good night’s sleep promote a sense/distribution of well-being.
4. The recent death of a black man has sparked off/quelled social unrest among the American
people.
5. Generous subsidies have been stirred up/granted to the country.
6. A new relief inflation/package has been granted to help alleviate destitution.
7. A number of stadiums were closed because of public/basic disorder.
8. Several measures could be taken to alleviate/abstain from this problem.

Exercise 3

Fill in each blank with ONE word. In some cases, there might be more than one correct answer.

1. COVID-19 has ____________ in its wake economic recession and unemployment.

2. To ____________ the problem of video game addiction, many parents decide to quit their job and
stay home to care for their children.
3. As can be expected, the crisis of foodstuffs led to social ____________.
4. While the daily concerns of people in the First World countries are which restaurant to go to for
dinner, or which movies they should binge-watch, many people in Africa are still living in
____________.
5. Sustainable tourism greatly affects a country’s economic and environmental ____________.
6. The social ____________ is changing as more fathers stay home and more mothers go to work.

FOCUS ON WRITING

PART 1: WRITING ANALYSIS

Exercise 4

Look at the two task questions. Circle the correct descriptions of each.

Task Question 1: causes problems solutions

Task Question 2: causes problems solutions

Task Question 1: In many countries, the cost of living is on the rise. What effects do higher
prices have on individuals and society? What can be done to solve those problems?

Task Question 2: Some businesses find that their new employees lack basic interpersonal
skills such as cooperative skills. What are the causes? Suggest some solutions.

Task Focus

‘Causes – Problems – Solutions’ Question type

Normally the ‘causes-problems-solutions’ question type asks candidates to write about (1) causes-solutions, (2)
causes-problems, or (3) problems-solutions

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Exercise 5

Read the following Sample 1, which responds to Task Question 1 and answer the questions that
follow.

The cost of living has been rising in some countries in the world. This is a major hindrance to the
wellbeing of individuals and our society as a whole, and solutions to this problem would be for
individuals to lead a less material-oriented lifestyle and for the government to curb taxes.

On an individual level, the growing cost of living has made life much harsher for people living in certain
parts of the world, especially in megacities. Escalating prices have made paying for basic necessities a
much harder task than before, and indeed, many middle-to-low-income families living in big cities
around the world are reported to have been struggling a lot to get by. On a societal level, increased
living expenses and other associated issues such as inflation bring in its wake social disorder and
crimes. We all know the tragic stories of rich people declaring bankruptcy and eventually contemplating
suicide, or impoverished ones resorting to stealing for survival.

One good solution is that individuals can take advantage of a minimalist, non-materialistic lifestyle to
cope with the high cost of living. For example, we can always abstain from having a new phone every
year, watching a new movie released every month or having too much furniture, and the money saved
from such unnecessary purchases can be better utilized to cover the bills and other basic needs. From
the government’s perspective, many policymakers consider cutting tax as a way of reducing the cost of
living. Lowering tax on food, housing and other necessities can help ameliorate the effects of high living
expenses.

In conclusion, we are all heavily impacted by the increased cost of living. Leading a minimalist life and
cutting tax can be considered as sensible ways of mitigating the problem.

 What are the effects(s) of the increased cost of living? Underline the sentences indicating the
reasons.
 What are the solution(s)? Underline the sentences indicating the solutions.
 Do you think that the effects and the solutions the writer gives are convincing and well-
supported? What are some other effects and solutions you can think of?

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Exercise 6

Read the following Sample 2, which responds to Task Question 2 and answer the questions that follow.

Cooperative communication has been undermined in the present day’s world of work, with many
employers claiming that their staff do not have the interpersonal skills required to handle a job well.
Reasons for this include the abuse of technology and the sheltered upbringing a worker might have, and
several measures could be taken to solve this problem.

Excessive use of technological devices is one reason for the deterioration in interpersonal skills among
workers. Technology has made verbal communication redundant; many aspects of our life, from
ordering a pizza, socializing with friends, learning a new language or even physical training can be done
without conversations. As a result, workers nowadays, especially young ones, find themselves
unaccustomed to talking to their colleagues in person, or prefer conversing digitally. Furthermore,
young people in recent years appear to be overprotected compared to their predecessors 10-20 years
ago. Research indicates that today’s millennials, especially in collectivistic countries, are more inclined
towards living under the protection of their parents. In other cases, some parents adopt a very easy-
going approach that allows their children to do whatever they want to. Such safeguarding and
permissiveness may result in either an inhibited worker who is unable to strike up a proper
conversation, or a self-centered one who does not want to cooperate with others in assignments that
require teamwork.

One solution to this problem would be to promote digital wellbeing, that is, to know how to harness
technology in a moderate manner. Having a 30-day no-social-media challenge among workers in a
company, for example, would be a fun way of reducing the amount of time wasted on social networking
sites. Public places such as parking spaces or cafeterias can also help by setting up boards and signs
with inspirational words promoting the power of interpersonal communication and teamwork. From an
educational perspective, parents and teachers should take a less protective, more group-engaging
approach towards teaching youngsters. Children should be taught to work in groups so that they can
socialize more with their friends and cherish collaboration. Early exposure to different personality
traits can help a person be much better prepared for their future career.

In conclusion, the misuse of technology and families’ overprotection are the two main reasons for the
lack of interpersonal skills among workers. Promoting moderate use of technology and early education
can be viewed as efficient ways of alleviating this problem.

 What are the reason(s) for workers’ lack of interpersonal skills? Underline the sentences
indicating the reasons.
 What are the solution(s)? Underline the sentences indicating the solutions.
 Do you think that the reasons and the solutions the writer gives are convincing and well-
supported? What are some other reasons and solutions you can think of?

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 Language Focus

Alternatives to “moreover”

One good strategy to make your essay well-linked without attracting

attention is substitute easy-to-catch-attention words like “moreover” or
“firstly” with phrase-based linkers such as “on an individual level”, “from
the government’s perspective” etc.

PART 2: FREE WRITING

Task question 3: In spite of the advances made in agriculture, many people around the
world still go hungry. Why is this the case? What can be done about this problem?

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 Module 6
‘2-PART QUESTIONS’ ESSAYS
After this lesson, I am able to…
 write a ‘2-part question’ essay

FOCUS ON LANGUAGE

Study the Vocabulary Chart and complete Exercise 1, 2 and 3.

THEME 3: TRAVEL & TOURISM

Word list Definition Collocations Examples
1. tourism (n) the business of  eco-tourism/ sustainable/ mass The boom in ecotourism has
providing tourism certainly seen a welcome
services for  boost/ increase/ promote expansion of special interest
people who are tourism holiday options.
traveling for
their holiday
2. indigenous belonging to a  indigenous to
(adj) region
3. prevail (v) to be the  prevail against/ over
strongest
influence
4. influx (n) a large number  huge/ great/ massive influx It's jet lag and it affects
of people or  influx of guests/ tourists/ nearly everyone on long-haul
things coming to immigrants/ visitors flights.
a particular  influx into [place]
place
5. paradigm (n) typical example; KLM announced sharply
model lower peak season fares to
the US from Amsterdam.
6. culture shock the nervous Moving to London was a bit
(n) feeling when of a culture shock after ten
someone arrives years of living in the country.
in a place that
has a different
culture
7. cultural the fact that Cultural assimilation is the
assimilation many countries’ process by which a person or
(n) cultures are a group's language and/or
becoming culture come to resemble
similar to one those of another group.
another
8. holidaymake tourist Most holidaymakers still opt
r (n) for travellers' cheques which
are no longer the cheapest
means of funding trips
abroad.
9. acquire (v) get; gain  acquire knowledge/ land/ The college acquired a
control/ wealth/ the rights/ reputation for very high
the status standards.

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10. catastrophe disaster  absolute/ major/ terrible/ Red foxes are indigenous to
(n) environmental/ ecological/ the East and Midwest parts of
natural catastrophe the U.S.
 cause/ lead to catastrophe
 be faced with/ face/ be
heading for/ avert catastrophe
11. rooted (adj) having  rooted in The country’s economic
developed from  deeply/ firmly rooted troubles are rooted in a
sth string of global crises.
12. at the resulting in the the growth in short breaks, at
expense of loss of the expense of longer
(phrase) something package holidays
13. teleworking working from It's very difficult to integrate
(n) home; yourself into a society whose
telecommuting culture is so different from
your own.
14. commute to travel from  commute (v) daily The menu described the
(n/v) home to work  commute (v) from… to… dessert as 'a medley of exotic
and from work  daily commute (n) fruits'.
to home
15. insight (n) deep  insight into It was an interesting book,
understanding  detailed/ considerable/ full of fascinating insights
profound/ valuable/ deep into human relationships.
insight
 provide/ show/ give/ offer an
insight

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Exercise 1

Match the following words with their correct definitions.

7. teleworking q. the feeling of anxiety when coming to a new place that has a
different culture
8. cultural r. a model; a typical example
assimilation
9. culture shock s. working from home
10. paradigm t. the process by which a group’s culture resembles that of
another group
11. holidaymaker u. tourist
12. prevail v. to be the strongest influence

Exercise 2

Circle the correct answer.

1. Ecotourism/mass tourism involves influxes of tourists flocking into tourist destinations at peak

seasons.

2. Tramway is an effective means of transportation for daily commute/paradigm.

3. The book provides a profound/terrible insight into the life of the tribal people in Africa.

4. How can such a large quantity of knowledge be prevailed/acquired?

5. Sudan requires food immediately to cause/avert a humanitarian catastrophe.

Exercise 3

Fill in each blank with ONE word.

1. Military strength is often achieved _____________ the expense of a country’s economic health.

2. His problems are deeply rooted _____________his childhood experiences.

3. The kangaroo is indigenous _____________ Australia.

4. Influxes of tourists _____________ London every day is nearly unstoppable.

Exercise 4

Fill in each blank with ONE word. In some cases, there might be more than one correct answer.

1. Most _____________ still opt for travellers' cheques which are no longer the cheapest means of
funding trips abroad.
2. _____________ is the business of organizing holidays to natural areas, such as the rain forest, or the
activity of visiting a place like this on holiday and being careful not to damage the natural
environment.

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 3. The COVID-19 pandemic is an economic _____________. It has forced a lot of businesses to declare
bankruptcy.
4. He did not want to devote more time to his business at the _____________ of his family.
5. The article gives us a deep _____________into the causes of the present economic crisis.

FOCUS ON WRITING

PART 1: WRITING ANALYSIS

Task Focus

“2-part” question type

2-part question type might be the most unpredictable sort of question in the IELTS Writing Task 2. It often
contains 2 questions, and you are required to address both of them. Task Questions 1, 2 and 3 below are the
examples of 2-part question.

Exercise 5

Read the following task questions and underline the “questions” part.

Task Question 1: Many developing countries are currently expanding their tourist
industries. Why is this the case? Is it a positive or negative development?

Task Question 2: Many people are now spending more time to travel to work or to school.
Why is it the case? Is it a positive or negative development?

Task Question 3: Throughout history, people have dreamed of living in a perfect society.
However, there is still no agreement about what a perfect society would be like. What, in your
opinion, would be the most important element of a perfect society? What can people do to
help create an ideal society?

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Exercise 6

Read the following Sample for Task Question 1 and answer the questions that follow.

Tourism in recent years has been booming on an unprecedented scale, with many developing countries
considering it as a major income source. The main reason for this is the great revenue it generates, and I
believe that it is a positive development in some countries that embrace sustainability, but a negative
one in some others who are inclined towards mass tourism.

The major reason for the rapid growth of tourism is the great profits it might bring. Indeed, tourism has
become one of the major players in international commerce, with many statistics indicating that the
revenue it brings equals or even surpasses that of many industrial fields such as garment, food
production or oil exports. In cases of developing countries where technology in industrial areas is
somewhat inferior to developed ones, tourism is deemed instrumental in promoting economic well-
being. Any country endowed with natural beauties and historic sites can take advantage of those
precious sources to boost their economy.

Sustainable tourism, with all economic, social and environmental angles being thoroughly taken into
consideration, is a welcome development. It helps generate great profits, it is a good and healthy form of
entertainment for tourists, and it also provides jobs for inhabitants living in tourist destinations. Reality
Tours and Travel in India is a great example of such a tourism paradigm. Travellers taking the tour are
provided with not only personal solace but also valuable, thought-provoking experiences about the
locals’ lives, and the profits of the tours eventually go to the development of the impoverished areas in
Mumbai and Delhi. However, in some other developing countries where mass tourism prevails, this has
become a disaster. Influxes of tourists flocking to one area in peak seasons, littering all over the place,
intervening in the locals’ traditional values and damaging the environment have plagued the overall
well-being of those countries. The Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, for example, has been reported to
suffer from irreversible damage as a result of the enormous number of visitors coming there to see the
site every year.

In conclusion, tourism has enjoyed increasing popularity in developing countries because it is a

profitable economic sector. It can be a force for good if developed judiciously and sustainably, yet a
catastrophe if it is out of control and tampers with the life and nature of the local areas.

 Which paragraph answers the first question? Which paragraph answers the second
question?
 What is the main reason why developing countries are expanding their tourist industries?
Underline the sentence(s) that state the reason.
 What are the positive sides of the given phenomenon? What are the negative sides?

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PART 2: FREE WRITING

Task Question 2: Many people are now spending more time to travel to work or to school.
Why is it the case? Is it a positive or negative development?

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 Topical Writing 1:
Fitness and Health

FOCUS ON LANGUAGE

Word list Definition Examples

1. fitness (n) She needs to improve her fitness.

2. sportsperson (n) He was voted Sportsperson of the

Year.

3. sporting event (n) The Olympics is the biggest sporting

event in the world.

4. physically fit (n) To keep physically fit, for years Sting

ran five miles (8 km) a day and
performed aerobics.
5. strong-willed (adj) She's very strong-willed and if she's
decided to drop out of school, nothing
will stop her.
6. overindulgence (n) Overindulgence in food and drink is a
big danger for those who live alone.

7. sedentary lifestyle My doctor says I should start playing

(n) sport because my lifestyle is too
sedentary.

8. manoeuvre (n) Reversing round a corner is one of the

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 manoeuvres you are required to
perform in a driving test.
9. intake (n) It says on the packet that four slices
of this bread contains one half of your
recommended daily intake of fibre.
10. stamina (n) The triathlon is a great test of
stamina.

11. agility (n) The acrobats display jawdropping

feats of strength, agility, and control.

12. demonstrate (v) the At least some singing species

ability to demonstrate the ability to learn their
songs, to improvise and even to
compose new melodies.

13. eating pattern (n) An eating pattern represents the

totality of all foods and beverages
consumed.
14. combat (v) The duty to combat obesity in
children should not fall on the
government alone because parents
are, for good reasons, a greater
source of influence on children’s
unhealthy life.
15. undermine (v) economic policies that threaten to
undermine the health care system

16. obese (ad) If these lives are sedentary then we

risk becoming unfit and obese.

17. malnourished (adj) During the 1930s a large proportion

of Britain's urban population was
malnourished.

FOCUS ON WRITING

1. Scientists say that junk food is harmful to people’s health. Some people say the way to ask
people to eat less fast food is to educate them, while others say education does not work. Discuss both
views and give your own opinion.

2. Some people think it is more important to spend public money on promoting a healthy lifestyle
in order to prevent illness than to spend it on the treatment for people who are already ill. To what
extent do you agree or disagree?

3. Some people say that the best way to improve public health is by increasing the number of
sports facilities. Others, however, say that this would have little effect on public health and that other
measures are required. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

4. In many countries traditional foods are being replaced by international fast foods. This is having
a negative effect on both families and societies. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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5. In many countries, good schools and medical facilities are available only in cities. Some people
think new teachers and doctors should work in rural areas for a few years, but others think everyone
should be free to choose where they work. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

6. Some people think that mental strength is the most important factor for success in sports.
However, some others believe that it is more important to have strong and fit people. Discuss both
views and give your opinions.

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 Topical Writing 2:
Crimes

FOCUS ON LANGUAGE

Word list Definition Examples

1. criminal activity (n) The book examines the causes of
criminal behaviour.
2. commit (v) Women commit fewer crimes than
men.
3. offender (n) The book examines the causes of
criminal activities.
4. punishment (n) A 1994 law increased punishments
for overloaded trucks.
5. penalty (n) The maximum penalty for the
offence is two years’ imprisonment.
6. juvenile delinquency (n) He introduced topical story lines
about television, juvenile
delinquency, graft, organized
crime, and other developments in
American life during the 1950s.
7. heinous (adj) a heinous crime
8. imprison (v) The government imprisoned all
opposition leaders.
9. deterrent (n) The small fines for this type of
crime do not act as much of a
deterrent.
10. reintegrate (v) "it can be difficult for an offender
to be reintegrated into the
community"
11. condone (v) The school does not condone
bullying of any kind.
12. exert (v) A well-funded national
organization would be able to
exert more influence in Parliament.

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FOCUS ON WRITING

1. Some people who have been in prison become good citizens later, and it is often argued that these
are the best people to talk to teenagers about the dangers of committing a crime. To what extent do
you agree or disagree?
2. Some countries are struggling with increases in crime rates. Some believe that having more police
on the streets is the best way to reduce and combat crime. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
3. In many countries, the level of crime is increasing and crimes are becoming more violent. Why do
you think this is and what can be done about it?
4. The best way to reduce crime is to educate people in prison so that they can get a better job when
they leave. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
5. Each year, the crime rate increases. What are the causes of crime and what could be done to prevent
this rise in criminal activity?
6. Some people who have been in prison are the best to talk to students about the danger of
committing a crime. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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 Topical Writing 3:
Children & Families

FOCUS ON LANGUAGE

Word list Definition Examples

1. nuclear family (n) 2-generation family Traditional Indian family
values are highly respected,
and multi-generational
patriarchal joint families have
been the norm, although
nuclear families are becoming
common in urban areas.
2. single-person household A family with only one member Many people nowadays prefer
(n) (living alone) living in single-person
households.
3. behavioral related to behaviour Children who were ill-raised
may have some behavioral
problems in the future.
4. adulthood (n) The state/the period of being People might encounter a lot of
an adult financial problems during
adulthood.
5. foster (v) o help a skill, feeling, idea, etc. An evening out might foster
develop over a period of time mutual understanding between
parents and their children.
6. dysfunctional (n) not following the normal They say poor judgments by
patterns of social behaviour, overburdened and
especially with the result that undertrained caseworkers
someone cannot behave in a have reunited some irrevocably
normal way or have a dysfunctional families.
satisfactory life
7. bond (n) emotional link the emotional bond between
mother and child
8. tie (n) A strong relationship between Family ties have become
people, groups, or countries weakened.
9. rapport (n) healthy relationship Many doctors develop an
excellent rapport with their
patients.

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10. rebellious (adj) not obeying people rebellious teenagers

11. obedient (adj) always doing what you are told The children stood in a little
to do group disciplined, and
obedient.
12. permissive (adj) not strict a permissive society

13. comply with (v) obey You are legally obliged to

comply fully with any
investigations.
14. indulge (v) to let someone have or do
whatever they want, even if it
is bad for them
15. exposure (n) the chance to experience new Children’s early exposure to
ideas, ways of life, etc. money might not be a good
thing.
16. sheltered (adj) overprotective Sheltered upbringing might
give rise to an inferiority
complex among children.
17. well-adjusted (adj) emotionally healthy A well-adjusted person is
reasonable and has good
judgment and their behaviour
is not difficult or strange
18. emotional security (n) emotional stability These mothers who talked
about having emotional
development as their goal
hoped their children would
gain a sense of emotional
security and feel more at ease
as a result of attending music
classes.

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FOCUS ON WRITING

1. Some people say that parents have the most important role in a child’s development. However,
others argue that other things like television or friends have the most significant influence. Discuss
both views and give your own opinion.
2. Some people think that children should learn how to compete, but others think that children should
be taught to cooperate to become more useful adults. Express some reasons for both views and give
your own opinions.
3. Mothers generally stay home to take care of their children after pregnancy. Do you support the
opinion that these mothers should be compensated by the government?
4. Today’s children are living under more pressure from the society than children in the past. To what
extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
5. Old generations often hold some traditional ideas on the correct way of life, thinking and behavior.
However, some people think that it is not helpful for young generations to prepare for modern life
in the future. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this view?
6. Some people think that children should obey rules or do what their parents and teachers want them
to do, but others think that children controlled too much cannot deal with problems well by
themselves. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
7. Once children start school, teachers have more influence on their intellectual and social
development than parents. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
8. Caring for children is an important thing of the society. It is suggested that all mothers and fathers
should be required to take childcare training courses. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
9. Some people think that family life and parents have a great influence on children’s development,
while others consider that external influence plays a more important role in children’s life. Discuss
both views and give your own opinion.
10. Some people think parents should read or tell stories to children, while others think parents need
not do that, as children can read books, watch TV or movies by themselves. Discuss both views and
give your opinion.
11. A report indicated that many children between 7 and 11 spend too much time watching television
and/or play video games. How does the problem affect the children, their families and society?
What measures can be taken to control it?
12. Nowadays, more and more people decide to have children later in their life. What are the reasons?
What are the effects on society and family life?

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 Topical Writing 4:
Education and Schools

FOCUS ON LANGUAGE

Word list Definition Examples

1. formal schooling (n) Household heads have 9.6 years
of formal schooling on average.

2. academic performance (n) It is believed that online games

may improve students’ academic
performances.
3. marked improvement (n) John has shown marked
improvements after 3 years of
home schooling.
4. demonstrate the ability to At least some singing species
(verb phrase) demonstrate the ability to learn
their songs, improvise and even
to compose new melodies.
5. inherent (adj) in Problems inherent in formal
schooling such as bullying are
nearly non-existent in home
schooling.
6. internet-based learning (n)

7. MOOCs (n)

8. personalized learning (n)

9. paradigm (n) Although MCA itself was a short-

lived institution, it was the
testing ground for a new
educational paradigm that took
off very rapidly.
10. enable (v) Internet-based learning enables

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 students to learn at their own
pace.
11. at your own pace (phrase) Internet-based learning enables
students to learn at their own
pace.
12. unnecessary strain (n) Homework may cause
substantial unnecessary strain
on students.
13. rapport (n) Many doctors develop an
excellent rapport with their
patients.
14. deprive (v) someone of As a child, he had been deprived
of love and attention.
15. curriculum (n) Latin is no longer on the
curriculum.
16. self-disciplined (adj) I faced up to the fact that I was
not self-disciplined enough to
lose weight by myself so I got a
personal trainer.
17. interpersonal skills (n) In this concept, a number of
desirable attributes for
mediators include interpersonal
skills, patience, empathy,
intelligence, optimism, and
flexibility.

FOCUS ON WRITING

1. In developing countries, children in rural communities have less access to education. Some
people believe that the problem can be solved by providing more schools and teachers, while others
think that the problem can be solved by providing computers and Internet access. Discuss both views
and give your own opinion.

2. Some people think that everyone has the right to have access to university education, and that
governments should make it free for all students no matter what financial background they have. To
what extend do you agree or disagree?

3. Some people believe that teenagers should concentrate on all school subjects. But others believe
that teenagers should focus on the subject that they are best at or that they find the most interesting.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

4. The subjects and lesson contents are decided by authorities such as the government. Some
people argue that teachers should make the choice. Do you agree or disagree?

5. Some people think that students benefit from going to private secondary schools. Others,
however, feel that private secondary schools can have a negative effect on society as a whole. Discuss
both views and give your own opinion.

6. Computers are widely used in education and some people think that teachers do not play an
important role in the classroom. To what extent do you agree?

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