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CHAPTER ONE
TASK1 ACADEMIC
HOW TO UNDERSTAND AND ANALYZE
GRAPHS, CHARTS AND TABLES

Features of a line or bar graph

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There are five features

1. ​Title: Total population of Thoralby
2. X-axis (horizontal)
3. Y-axis (vertical)
4. Units of measurement
5. Key

Features of a pie chart

There are three main features:

1. Title
2. Key or label
3. Unit of measurement (normally %)
 6

Features of a table

There are four main features:

1. Title
2. Columns
3. Rows
4. Unit of measurement

Purpose of Grapes, Charts and Tables

It is important to understand the data, but it is even more important to
know the purpose. All graphs and charts display data, however, there will
normally be more data than required. We therefore have to identify key
features of the data. Purpose helps us to do that. There are two main
purposes:
1. Show trends over time.
2. Compare and contrast data.
 7

Trends Over time

You will always be able to tell if it's a trend over time by looking at the
bottom axis (X-axis) which usually has dates. What they want you to do is
identify the general trend that happened from the start to the end.
Remember, focus on the key features.
 8

Compare and Contrast

This occurs when you have no dates on the data source. Because there are
no dates we can’t talk about general trend. All we need to do is compare and
contrast.
 9

PLANNING, STRUCTURE AND IDENTIFYING

KEY FEATURES
Why Plan?
1. It saves you time.
2. If you know what to write, you will be quick.
3. Task 1 is a thinking task and a writing task.
4. You will make fewer mistakes.
5. You won't get stuck.

Four Stages of Planning

1. Understand the graph.
2. Identify key features.
3. Identify any comparisons.
4. Add information to a structure.

Understand the Graph

1. What type of graph is it?
2. What does the title say?
3. What does it say on the X and Y axes?
4. What is the unit of measurement?
5. What are the items and is there a key?
6. How many items are there?
7. Is it over time or not?
8. What tenses will you have to use?
9. What is the purpose?

Task1 Structure
The question always states the same thing: ​Summarize the information by
selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons were
relevant.
Therefore, we can use the same structure for every question.

1. Paragraph 1- Introduction (paraphrase the question statement);

1sentence
 10

2. Paragraph 2- Overview (pick 2-4 key features and report them

generally): 2sentences
3. Paragraph 3- Details I (report key features in more detail): 3-4
sentences
4. Paragraph 4- Details II (report key features in more detail): 3-4
sentences

Identifying Key Features

1. The biggest mistakes students make is overcomplicating these.
2. The key features are often the most obvious things.
3. The examiner knows that you have never seen the graph before and
that you are not expert in this field.
4. The biggest mistakes teachers make is simply telling students to look
out for things like: Biggest, Smallest, Big changes, Big differences,
Trends, Comparisons
5. The problem with this is that it does not allow any flexibility and treats
all graphs the same.

Example1:
 11

Two General Trends (over time)

1. A significant rise in the percentage of the population that owned a
computer.
2. The higher the level of education the more likely they are to own a
computer.

Example2:

One Highest/Lowest and One Comparison

1. Watching TV highest in evening.
2. Listening to radio highest in the morning.
3. Overall, more people watch TV.
 12

Example3:

Three General Trends

1. Overall the number of men and women in full time education
increased.
2. Women in part time education increased significantly.
3. Men in part time education fluctuated.

Example4:
 13

One Comparison and One General Trend

1. It is clear that Yemen had the younger population in the year 2000,
and the same is predicted for the year 2050.
2. The populations of both countries are predicted to get older over the
50 year period.

Example5:

Two General Trends

1. Coffee increased in all five countries from 1999 to2004.
2. Sales of bananas only went up in three out of the five countries.
 14

Example6:

1. There are three main reasons why farmland becomes degraded, and
overgrazing is the main one.
2. The table shows that Europe had a far higher proportion of
unproductive land than Oceania or North America in the 1990s.

Key Lessons
● Don't get into detail.
● Look for the most obvious thing.
● If more than 4 elements than it is probably wrong.
● Look at the big picture.
● Don't overcomplicate it. If it seems easy or obvious then you have the
right answer.
● Look for general trends if over time.
● Think about the purpose.
 15

HOW TO WRITE EFFECTIVE INTRODUCTION

AND OVERVIEW PARAGRAPHS

INTRODUCTIONS
These are very easy to write and should be one sentence only. They are
easy to write because all you have to do is paraphrase the question
statement. Paraphrasing means writing something again with different
words, but with the same meaning.

Paraphrasing
We need to write the question statement again, but with different words. We
can do this in several ways:
1. Synonyms
2. Different word forms
3. Examples

Synonyms
 16

These are different words that have the same meaning.

Examples​: Man/male, Country/nation Chart/graph. However, there are two
types of synonyms:
Direct- woman/lady and Loose- phone/gadget, sport/exercise, young
person/child.
Only use direct synonyms.

Word Forms
There are four main types of word form:
1. Verbs (avoid)
2. Nouns (avoidance)
3. Adjectives (avoidable)
4. Adverbs (avoidable)
5. We can also change the tense:

Studying/study/studied
However, this often changes the grammar, so be careful.

Using Examples
Britain- England, Wales and Scotland

Putting it all together:

The graph displays the amount of males and females in third level education
in England, Wales and Scotland in three periods and if they studied part or
full-time.

Example:
Q.​ The pie chart below shows the main reasons why agricultural land
becomes less productive. The table shows how these causes affected three
regions of the world during the 1990s.

Paraphrase​: The pie graph illustrates the primary reasons why farm land
produces less over time. The table displays how these causes impacted three
parts of the planet in the 90s.
 17

Warning
● Just because it lists a word as a synonym in a dictionary, does not
mean it is a direct synonym.
● If you don't know the synonym, copy the word.

OVERVIEW
1. You need to identify 2-4 key features.
2. Write them in a separate paragraph. Does not matter where you put it.
3. Should be 2 sentences only
4. No data or details

Identify Main Features

It is the most obvious thing. Look at the big picture. Think about purpose:
● If over time, then it will be a general trend.
● If it is not over time, then it is more likely to be biggest/smallest and
comparisons.
Treat each graph differently.

​Examples1:
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Overall, goods carried by road, on boats and through pipes all displayed an
upward trend over the entire period. The exception to this was rail, which
fluctuated throughout the period.

● 4 elements
● 2 sentences
● No data
● General trends over time.
● Most obvious things

Example2:

Overall, the primary reason people used their mobile phones was to call
someone. However, during this time there was a significant increase in the
use of other features, with searching the internet displaying the most
dramatic increase.​

● Three elements
● 2 sentences.
● No data.
● Most significant data.
 19

Example3:

Overall, water use increased in all three sectors. Brazilians use far more
water per capita than people who live in Congo.

One thing about one graph and one thing about the other.

Golden Rules
● Start with overall.
● No data.
● Report key features.
● Four or less elements.
● 2 sentences.
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HOW TO WRITE EFFECTIVE DETAILS

PARAGRAPHS

Difference Between Overview and Details

Paragraphs
1. Overview is simply the main ideas described generally.
2. Details paragraphs describe these main ideas in more detail. For
example: Important changes, numbers, differences, comparisons.

Golden Rule
1. Do not describe every piece of data.
2. Make sure data is accurate.
3. Make sure you actually mention data.
4. Group data together logically.
5. Make comparisons when relevant.

Describing Data Over Time

Main goal is to show the examiner that you understand the details and you
can report them clearly. In the overview you described the data from start to
finish i.e. general trends. In the details paragraphs you are going to describe
the data in smaller parts.
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Example

The number of burglaries rose slightly to around 3750 in 2004 and then
dropped sharply over the next four years to just above 1000.

Burglaries saw a slight increase in 2009 to just below 1500 and then
remained relatively stable at around this level until the end of the period.

The number of car thefts fluctuated slightly between the start of the period
until 2009 at between roughly 2300 and just above 2000. It then increases
steadily to its final level of approximately 2800 in 2012.

Comparing Data
Here we take the most important features from the overview and we
describe them in more detail using data.

Example:
Australia has the highest percentage of people living on the coast than any
other country.​ (This is a bad example of details paragraph because there is
no data).

With 7
​ 2%,​ Australia has the highest percentage of people living on the coast
than any other country.
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Example1:

Overgrazing, over cultivation and deforestation make up the v ​ ast majority​ of

causes of land degradation. Animals eating too much grass is the top reason
with just ​over a third​, cutting down too many trees is second with just ​under
a third​ and producing too many crops is the second last reason with just
over a quarter​.

NB.​ In red represent the data.

Europe has nearly twice as much degraded land than Oceania, with 23% and
13% respectively.

In Oceania overgrazing is the number one reason with 11.3%, while

deforestation is the main cause with 9.8% in Europe. Finally, in North
America over cultivation is the primary cause with 3.3%.
 23

Example2:

In 2000 over half of the population of Yemen were between 0-14 years old,
but in Italy this figure was much lower at just 14.3%. Just under half of
Yemen's population was between 15-59 and only a small minority of 3.6%
was 60 or over, in contrast with Italy where 24.1% were 60 or over.

Yemen's population is projected to change with a rise of 11% in people aged

between 15-59 and an increase of over 2% in people over 59. The
percentage of people in Italy under 15 is expected to fall by over 3% and the
population of people over 59 is predicted to nearly double.

Grouping
Most logical way for graph over time is normally by category.
● If two graphs, it will normally be one graph in one detail paragraph
and then the other in another detail paragraph.
● For comparison graphs, it will normally depend on the purpose.
 24

Examples:

1. Introduction
2. Overview
3. Details 1- Burglary and Car theft.
4. Details 2- Robbery
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1. Introduction
2. Overview
3. Details 1- Pie Chart.
4. Details 2- Table
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1. Introduction
2. Overview
3. Details 1- Compare Italy and Yemen.
4. Details 2- Compare 2000 and 2050.
 27

LINE GRAPHS

Question Analysis
1. Type of graph- Line graph
2. Over Time- Yes
3. Title- solar energy in four countries.
4. X and Y Axis- Years and nothing.
5. Categories- Four different countries.
6. Purpose- Show general trends and compare four countries.

Key Features
1. USA- Increases dramatically.
2. China- Increases significantly.
3. Japan- Gradual decrease.
4. Germany- Remains stable.

Planning
1. Introduction- Paraphrase
2. Overview- 4 General Trends
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3. Details I- USA highest overall and increased every year. China started
lowest and became second highest. Increased steadily and then
dramatically.
4. Details II- Japan decreased steadily. Germany: Small drops, then
rises, but stayed the same overall.

Introduction
Question Statement:​ The graph shows the use of solar energy in four
different countries.

Paraphrase:​ ​The chart below displays the use of power from the sun in the
USA, Germany, Japan and China​.

Overview
Over time, so we will include the four general trends.

Overall, America and China's use of solar power increased significantly over
the entire time period. Japan's use decreased gradually and Germany's
remained relatively stable.

Details 1
America and China are the two most significant, so we should make
comparisons. We also support general trends with detail.

The United States was the biggest consumer of solar energy in 1995 with
just below 8,000 and increased consistently every year to around 18,000 in
2015. China was the lowest overall user at the start of the period at around
1000, but steadily increased to just over 2000 over the next 10 year, before
the second highest consumer with nearly 12,000 in 2015.

Details 2
There are no significant comparisons that we can make between Japan and
Germany. So we simply support the main trends with data.

Japan's use began the recorded period with around 6,000 and this
consistently dropped year on year to just below 4,000 in 2015. Germany's
value hovered between approximately 2,000 and 3,000 throughout the
entire period.
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BAR GRAPH

Question Analysis
1. Type: Bar chart
2. Over time: No. Only two dates- 2005 and 2010
3. Title: GDP in four countries.
4. X and Y Axis: Years and $USD.
5. Categories: Four different countries.
6. Purpose: Show difference between four countries and two different
years.

Key Features
1. USA has by far the highest GDP in both years.
2. All increased.
3. China nearly tripled in 5 years.

Planning
1. Introduction- Paraphrase.
2. Overview- 3 key features.
3. Details I- 2005 values for four countries. Comparisons for 2005.
4. Details II- 2010 values and comparisons with 2005.
 30

Introduction: ​The bar graph displays the GDP of the USA, Japan, China and
Germany in the years 2005 and 2010.

Overview: ​Overall, all four countries increased their GDP, while America
had a GDP many times greater than any other country in both years. The
other significant feature of this graph is that China nearly tripled its value in
just 5 years.

Detail I: ​America had a GDP of around $13,000 in 2005, tripled that of

Japan in second place, which only had a GDP of just over $4,000. Japan's
value was twice as much as the lowest in 2005, namely China, which only
had a GDP of just over $2,000. Finally, Germany's GDP was a little under
$3,000.

Details II: ​The United States increased its GDP to approximately $15,000 in
2010, but China made significant gains on them by increasing their value by
nearly $4,000 to $6,000, overtaking Japan as the second ranked country. At
the same time, Japan and Germany's GDP increased to just over $5,500 and
$3,500 respectively.
This is how your essay should be:

The bar graph displays the GDP of the USA, Japan, China and Germany in
the years 2005 and 2010.

Overall, all four countries increased their GDP, while America had a GDP
many times greater than any other country in both years. The other
significant feature of this graph is that China nearly tripled its value in just 5
years.

America had a GDP of around $13,000 in 2005, tripled that of Japan in

second place, which only had a GDP of just over $4,000. Japan's value was
twice as much as the lowest in 2005, namely China, which only had a GDP of
just over $2,000. Finally, Germany's GDP was a little under $3,000.

The United States increased its GDP to approximately $15,000 in 2010, but
China made significant gains on them by increasing their value by nearly
$4,000 to $6,000, overtaking Japan as the second ranked country. At the
 31

same time, Japan and Germany's GDP increased to just over $5,500 and
$3,500 respectively.

Key Lesions
1.​ You have to understand the graph first.
​

2.​ ​You have to establish the purpose and key features.

3.​ ​Plan for 4 minutes using structure.

4.​ ​Report 2-4 key features in overview.

5.​ ​Group data logically.

6.​ ​Support key features with data in details.

PIE CHARTS

Question Analysis
1. How many?: 2
2. Comparing what?: 5 social networks
3. Dates and data?: past and future and percentages
4. Purpose: compare social networks in 2010 and then compare this with
future projections.
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Key Features
1. Facebook was the most popular in 2010 and will continue to grow.
2. Twitter will remain significant. i.e. second most used social network.
3. All others will decline.

Planning
1. Introduction- Paraphrase Question
2. Overview- 4 key features
3. Details I- Facebook and Twitter
4. Details II- Three others.

Introduction: ​The pie charts display the main social networks for users in
England, Wales and Scotland in 2010 and predicted numbers for 2018.

Overview
We will include the four general trends we spotted when analyzing both
graphs.

Overall, Facebook had the biggest market share in 2010 and this is expected
to grow even more in the future. Twitter will continue to be significant in
2018 with only a small decline, but all others will fall to minimal levels.

Details I: ​In 2010 Facebook had nearly half of the overall share and this is
set to increase to nearly three quarters of the total in 2018. The next biggest
website was Twitter with nearly a fifth in 2010 and it is predicted that this
will remain the second biggest network, with only around a 1% drop.

Details II: ​Pinterest is set to become the biggest loser with a loss of nearly
10%, from 16.95% to 7.25%. It is thought that Google Plus will become the
least used social network in 2018 with a drop of nearly 8% to just 2.9%.
Despite Bebo being used by nearly a tenth of British users in 2010 it is
projected to disappear completely by 2018.
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TABLES

Question Analysis
1. Over time- No. Only 2014.
2. Title- Tourist visiting Vietnam.
3. Data- Number, length of stay, money spent.
4. Countries- Eight different countries.
5. Purpose- Give data for 2014 and compare figures for all countries.

Key Features
1. China has the biggest number of visitors, but they spend the second
least.
2. Australians spend the most money.
3. People from the UK spend the most money per day.

Planning
1. Introduction- Paraphrase Question
2. Overview- 3 features
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3. Details I- China, Korea, Japan and USA.

4. Details II- Australia, UK, Cambodia, Russia.

Introduction: ​The table displays information about foreign visitors in

Vietnam from eight nations in 2014.

Overview: ​Overall, more people visited from China than any other nation,
but they were also among the lowest spenders. Australians spent the most
money overall, whilst tourist from the United Kingdom spent the most
money per day.

Details I: ​Nearly one and a half million people visited Vietnam from China in
2014, but they only spent $658 on average, which was the second lowest
figure overall. Nearly one million Koreans visited and just over half a million
Japanese spent their holiday in Vietnam. Just over four hundred thousand
Americans vacational in Vietnam and they spent $1238, on average, while
they were there.

Details II: ​Australians spent much more than any other nations with an
average spend of $1893. People from the United Kingdom stayed the
shortest length of time with only 5.9 days, but they spent the second highest
amount with $1379 and therefore by far the most spent per day. Just over a
quarter of a million Russians visited Vietnam and the country with the lowest
amount of visitors, Cambodia, also spent the least money with figure of
187,986 and $120 respectively.

Key Lessons
1. For pie charts try to use proportions.
2. Think about dates.
3. Must include data for each country, but only significant data.
4. Don't have to include everything
 35

MULTIPLE GRAPHS

Question Analysis: Bar Chart

1. Over time? - No. Just two dates. 2005 and 2015
2. Title- internet speeds.
3. Categories- 5 cities.
4. Unit of measurement- MBPS
5. Purpose- compare five cities and compare two dates.

Question Analysis: Pie Chart

1. Over time- No. Just one date: 2010.
2. Title- Type of internet connection.
3. Categories- 4 types.
4. Units of measurement- percentage %.
5. Purpose- compare types in 2010.

Key Features- Bar Chart

1. All increased.
2. Sydney has the fastest internet.

Key Features- Pie Chart

1. Most people have broadband
2. Significant proportion have mobile.
 36

Structure
1. Paragraph 1- Introduction
2. Paragraph2- Key features of both charts.
3. Paragraph3- Details of chart 1(Bar)
4. Paragraph4- Details of chart 2 (Pie)

Introduction: ​The bar chart displays how fast internet connections were in
2005 and 2015 in five cities in Australia and the pie chart illustrates the type
of internet connection people in Australia used in 2010.

Overview: ​Overall, internet speeds increased in all five cities between 2005
and 2015, with Sydney having a much faster connection than any other city
in both periods. In 2010 most people connected to the web via broadband,
but a significant proportion used a mobile connection.

Details I: ​In 2005, Sydney had the quickest internet with a speed of
approximately 13 MBPS and this increased only slightly to 14 MBPS in 2015,
but was still the fastest by nearly 8 MBPS. Melbourne's connection nearly
tripled from just over 2 MBPS to nearly 6, making it the second speediest in
2015. Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane's speeds increased to just under 6, just
over 3 and just over 2 respectively.

Details II: ​In 2010 the majority of people living in Australia used a
broadband connection to surf the net with 62.09%. However, just over a
third of people used a mobile device to access the internet, whereas a very
small percentage of people either used dial up or had no connection at all
with 1.48% and 0.89% respectively.

Key Lessons
1. Include both in introduction.
2. Pick 1-2 key features for each graph and report these in overview. No
more than 4.
3. Write about first type of graph in details paragraph 1 and write about
the second type in details paragraph 2.
4. You don't have to include everything.
 37

GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY GUIDE

G&V Strategy
● Think about what the question is asking you to do. e.g.
○ Describe a general upward trend.
○ Describe change in detail.
○ Compare two pieces of data.
● Think about the most appropriate structure.
● Check sentence to make sure it is grammatically correct.
● Remember that you should focus on accuracy, not range.

Verbs, Nouns, Adverbs and Adjectives

It is essential that you know the difference between these four different
types of words
● A ​noun​ is a thing or a person.
● A ​verb​ is an action.
● An ​adverb​ describes a verb or adjective.
● An ​adjective​ is a describing word.

E.g. The ​fat​ ​man​ ​walked​ ​silently​.

38
 39

Describing General Trends in Our Overview

You will have to do this for graphs over time. There are two main grammar
structures that you need to learn in order to do this effectively in the exam.
1. There + be + adj. + noun +in +noun phrase.
2. Noun phrase + verb + adverb.
 40

Example1:
There + be + adj. + noun +in +noun phrase.
1. USA- There was a significant increase in the price of sugar.
2. China- There was a dramatic rise in the price of sugar.
3. Germany- There was a gradual growth in the price of sugar.

Example2:
Noun phrase + verb + adverb.
1. In the USA, the price of sugar increased significantly.
2. The price of sugar rose dramatically in China.
3. The price of sugar in Germany rose gradually.

Describing Change in Our Details Paragraphs

You will normally have to describe how the data changes in the details
paragraphs, such as increases and decreases. You will also have to describe
change when comparing two or more dates. There are three ways you can
do this:
1. Noun phrase + verb + adverb
2. There + be + noun + in + noun phrase.
3. Using fractions or multipliers.
 41

Example1:
Noun phrase + verb + adverb.
1. The population of the USA will decrease slightly.
2. China's population is projected to grow considerably.
3. The population of Germany is predicted to decline sharply.

Example2:
There + be + noun + in + noun phrase.
1. There will be a decline in the population of the USA.
2. There is predicted to be a surge in China's population.
3. There will be a decrease in Germany's population.

Example3:
Using Fractions and Multipliers
1. The population of the USA will increase by nearly a half.
2. The population of China will nearly double by 2050.
3. The population of Germany will be less than half of what it was in
2015.
 42

Making Comparisons
It is essential that you are able to make comparative structures. They
include:
1. More/few/less + noun + than
2. One syllable adjective -er + than
3. More/less + adjective of more than one syllable.
4. One syllable -est
5. The most/least + adjective of more than one syllable.

Examples:
 43

More/few/less + noun + than

1. ​More people use Facebook than any other site.
2. Fewer people use Twitter than Facebook.

One syllable adjective -er + than

1. A higher number of people use Facebook than any other site.
2. A lower number of people use Twitter than Facebook.

More/less + adjective of more than one syllable

● Facebook was more popular than any other social network.

One syllable -est

● Bebo had the lowest figures of any social network.

The most/least + adjective of more than one syllable

● The most popular site was Facebook and the least popular was Bebo.

Task I Tenses
It is essential that you look at the dates of the graph/chart and then adjust
your tenses accordingly. The examiner will be looking for your ability to do
this. Think about whether the data is past, present or future. If there is no
date, use present tense.

Proportions and Fractions

Often the data we will see in Task 1 will be expressed as a percentage, such
as 52%. However, we can express these as fractions or proportions to help
us vary our language. This will help us improve our score for grammar and
vocabulary.

Fractions
● 73%- nearly three quarters
● 51%- just over a half
● 49%- just under a half
● 32%- nearly a third
● 3%- a tiny fraction
 44

● 50%- exactly a half

● 26%- roughly one quarter
● 49%- around a half
● 24%- almost a quarter
● 77%- approximately three quarters

Proportions
● 70%- a large proportion
● 71%- a significant majority
● 15%- a small minority
● 3%- an insignificant minority

Examples:
 45

1. A significant majority of people will use Facebook.

2. Nearly a fifth of users will use Twitter.
3. A tiny minority of users will use Google Plus.

What Should You Do Next?

1. Make sure you understand the basic grammar structures we discussed
in this lesson.
2. Compare these with model answers.
3. Practice slow: Think about what structures/grammar you need for each
part of your report. Focus on getting them correct. Get them
corrected.
4. Practice Fast.

PROCESS QUESTIONS
How To Answer a Process Question
1. Find the beginning and end of the process.
2. Understand the different stages of the process.
3. Write your introduction- Paraphrase Question.
4. Write Overview.
5. Divide process into two parts and write two paragraphs describing
them.

Structure
1. Paragraph 1- Introduction
2. Paragraph 2- Overview
3. Paragraph 3- Details 1
4. Paragraph 4- Details 2

Introduction
Q1.​ The diagram below shows the stages in the production of bricks.
 46

Paraphrase1:​ ​The illustration demonstrates how bricks are produced.

Q2.​ The diagram below shows the life cycle of the silkworm and the stages
in the production of silk.

Paraphrase2:​ ​The graphic illustrates the life process of the silkworm and
the phases in the manufacture of silk material.

Overview Checklist
1. How many stages are there?
2. Is it man-made or natural?
 47

3. Is it cyclic or linear?
4. What happens at the start and the end?
5. Are there any raw materials?
6. What is produced?

For Example:
1. How many stages are there? 7
2. Is it man-made or natural? Man-made.
3. Is it cyclic or linear? Linear
4. What happens at the start and the end? Digger digs clay and
delivered.
5. Are there any raw materials? Clay, sand, and water.
6. What is produced? Bricks

Overview I: ​Overall, it is a seven stage, man-made, linear process. It

begins with clay, water and sand being added as raw materials and finally
results in bricks being delivered.

Overview II: ​Overall, the life cycle is a natural process and contains four
cyclical phases, beginning with the laying of eggs and ending with the birth
of a new moth from a cocoon. The production of silk is, in contrast to the
previous stage, a man-made linear process comprising of six main stages.

Details
Next, we must describe each of the stages in more detail. You will have to
decide first how to split your details into two paragraphs. You will then write
out the details. You will have to think about:
1. Sequencing
2. Showing purpose
3. Passive or active voice

Organizing Details Paragraphs

1. Details 1- First Diagram (or first half, if it is one diagram)
2. Details 2- Second Diagram (or second half, if it is one diagram)

Sequencing
First of all,​ an excavator digs out clay from the ground and places it on a
metal grid where it passes over a rolling machine in order to separate out
 48

small and big pieces. A

​ fter that​, sand and water are added and this is either
added to a mould or cut by a wire to produce bricks.

Following that,​ they are placed in an oven so that they can dry and are
subsequently ​exposed to two different stages of heat​ in turn ​between
200-980 degree Celsius in the first stage and 870-1300 degree Celsius in the
second. ​From this,​ the bricks are cooled in a cooling chamber for two to
three days ​before ​they are packaged and​ then​ placed on a truck so that they
can be transported.

NB.​ The words in red are the sequencing languages which tell the examiner
what stages different things are happening.

Showing Purpose
You will have to interpret the diagram a little to show the purpose of each
stage. Only state what you can see. Think about why each stage occurs.

First of all, an excavator digs out clay from the ground and places it on a
metal grid where it passes over a rolling machine ​in order to​ separate out
small and big pieces. After that, sand and water are added and this is either
added to a mould or cut by a wire to​ produce bricks.

Following that, they are placed in an oven so t​ hat they can ​dry and are
subsequently exposed to two different stages of heat in turn between
200-980 degree Celsius in the first stage and 870-1300 degree Celsius in the
second. From this, the bricks ​are cooled​ in a cooling chamber for two to
three days before they are packaged and then placed on a truck ​which
transport them.

NB​. The words in red show the purpose.

Active or Passive
Many teachers tell students to use the passive voice for Task 1 process
questions, but it is not that simple. You do use the passive voice for
processes that are man-made, but not for natural processes. Use Passive
voice for man-made processes and Active voice for natural processes.
 49

For Example:
1. The river flows to the sea. (Active)
2. iPhones are assembled in China. (Passive: be + past participle)

To begin with, eggs are produced by the moth and it takes 10 days for the
eggs to hatch into silkworm larvae that feed on mulberry leaves. This stage
takes between 4 and 6 weeks before the worms construct a cocoon from silk
thread, taking approximately one week. They stay there for around a
fortnight, subsequently emerging as moths and the process can begin again.

The first stage in the manufacture of silk is the selection of cocoons and
these are then boiled. Once boiled, the silk thread is unwound to a length
between 300 and 900 meters. Finally, the silk can be twisted and weaved
into cloth before being dyed.

NB.​ The first paragraph is in Active voice (Natural) while the second
paragraph is in Passive voice (Man-made).

Review
● Understand the different stages of the process.
● Write your introduction- Paraphrase Question.
● Write overview.
● Divide process into 2 parts and write 2 paragraphs describing them.
● Make sure you have considered sequencing, showing purpose and
used the correct voice.
 50

MAP QUESTIONS

In IELTS part1 you may be asked to describe a map. You may be asked to
describe:
1. A map in present day.
2. A map in the future.
3. Two maps: one in the past and one in the present. (this is the most
common question).

Structure for Comparing Two Maps

1. Paragraph 1- Paraphrase Question.
2. Paragraph 2- Describe general change (Overview).
3. Paragraph 3- Describe specific changes in one part of the map.
4. Paragraph 4- Describe specific changes in other part.
 51

Changes You Should Look Out For

1. Rural to Urban. (more apartments, houses, shops)
2. Rural to industrial. (more factories)
3. Industrial to commercial. (more offices, shops and markets)
4. Commercial/industrial to residential. (more houses and apartments)
5. Large additions, such as golf courses, factories or malls.

Describing General Changes

In the overview you will first have to describe changes generally. Think
about it this way- you are only allowed to mention three changes, what
would you say? Think about three big changes that have happened in your
home town.
1. The town centre was developed dramatically.
2. The neighborhood was completely transformed.
3. The residential area was totally reconstructed.
4. The old factories were totally redeveloped.
5. The old houses were completely rebuilt.
6. The city centre was totally modernized.

Describing Specific Changes

You will need to learn certain verbs that describe changes to a town or city.
These should be used in the details paragraphs.
For example:
1. The government demolished the industrial estate and developed a
sports ground.
2. They removed the shop and replaced it with a skyscraper.
3. A port was constructed at the edge of the river.
4. The factory in city centre was demolished and relocated to the north of
the city.
5. The old warehouses were replaced with new hotels.
6. The factory was converted into apartments.
7. Tree and Forests- cleared, cut down, chopped down, removed,
planted.
8. A skate park was set up next to the swimming pool.
9. A park was developed besides the forest.
 52

Directions

You will also have to describe where on the map you are talking about.
 53

Example:

Introduction:​ ​Both maps display an island, before and after it was

developed for tourism.

Overview:​ ​The Island is long and thin, is surrounded by ocean and has a
beach to the west. Over the period, the island was completely transformed
with the addition of a hotel and a pier; however the eastern part of the
island appears to have been left undeveloped.

Details I:​ ​The most noticeable additions are the hotel rooms. 6 buildings,
surrounding some trees, have been built in the west of the island and 9
buildings have been constructed in the centre of the island. Between the two
accommodation areas, a reception building and a restaurant has been
developed.
 54

Details II:​ ​A pier has been built on the south coast of the island, allowing
yachts access to the resort. Apart from the trees, the beach remains the
only natural feature to remain relatively untouched; however it does appear
that it is now used for swimming.
 55

CHAPTER TWO
TASK 1 GENERAL

In task1 you will be given a topic and asked to write a short letter to
someone. You have 20 minutes to complete this and you must write at least
150 words.
Below are possible situations and letters you might be asked to write about:
1. Letter of complaints.
2. Application or resignation letter.
3. Inviting a friend or colleague to join you at an event or social occasion.
4. Making a request.
5. Making formal arrangements.
6. Explaining something to a friend or colleague.
7. Making an apology.

TONE

Why is tone important?

It is part of the marking criteria. The examiners will be looking to see if you
have:
● identified the style of letter
● used the appropriate tone.
There are three main tones:
1. Formal
2. Informal
3. Semi-formal

You don't really need a semi-formal tone. Just focus on formal and informal
tones.
 56

Difference between formal and informal tones

1. We use the word 'friend' to distinguish them.
2. If the question contains the word 'friend', use an informal tone.
3. If it doesn't, we use a formal tone.

Semi-formal tone
We write this type of letter to our colleagues, neighbors or manager and we
use formal tone. The only difference between semi-formal and formal tone is
that in semi-formal tone we usually know the name of the person we are
writing the letter to.

MARKING CRITERIA

Task Achievement Dos

● Write over 150 words.
● Have a clear purpose or reason for writing the letter.
● Make sure that all of your main points are relevant.
● Address each of the bullet points.
● Develop each of the main paragraphs fully. (50 words for each bullet
point.)
● Present information clearly.
● Correct and consistent tone.

Task Achievement Don'ts

● Don’t write about irrelevant topics or details.
● Don’t use an inconsistent tone.
● Don’t write undeveloped main points.

Coherence and Cohesion Dos

● Have a clear structure.
● Organize information logically.
 57

● Use linking words appropriately and accurately.

● Use referencing instead of repeating nouns again and again. (it, they,
this etc. )

Coherence and Cohesion Don'ts

● Don’t write one long answer.
● Don’t try to get extra marks by using lots of linking words.
● Don’t list main points in an illogical order.

Lexical Resources Dos

● Use a range of vocabulary.
● Use vocabulary accurately and appropriately.
● Use appropriate collocations.
● Think accuracy first.

Lexical Resources Don'ts

● Don’t misspell words.
● Don’t use words or phrases you don't know 100%.
● Don’t repeat words from the question too many times.
● Don't take risks with synonyms.
● Don’t try to show off your vocabulary.

Grammar Dos
● Use appropriate structures
● Use the correct tense
● Use structure accurately
● Use accurate punctuation
● Think accuracy first

Grammar Don'ts
● Don’t make careless mistakes
● Don’t try to use as many different structures as possible.
 58

PLANNING

Why plan?
1. It saves you time.
2. If you know what to write, writing will be quick.
3. Task 1 is a thinking task and a writing task.
4. You will make fewer mistakes.
5. You won't get lost.

Four Stages of Planning

1. Understand the question.
2. Decide if formal or informal.
3. Idea Generation.
4. Quick notes using question.

Understand the Question

● Don't start writing immediately.
● Spend first 1-2 minutes reading and thinking.
● If there is something you don't understand, don't panic.
● Ask yourself three questions:
1. What is the general topic?
2. Who am I writing to?
3. What are three specific things they want me to write about?

Idea Generation
● You do not have to think of the best ideas or the most entertaining
idea.
● The most important thing is that they are relevant.
● Easiest way is to pretend you really are the person writing the letter.
● Personal experience is the best, but if not, simply make them up.
● Write some ideas beside the bullet points.
 59

Strategy & Strategy

What does the examiner want you to write about? There are four main
things that the examiners want you to do:
1. Write the purpose of your letter.
2. Bullet point 1
3. Bullet point 2
4. Bullet point 3
Write about the four things and the four things only.

Structure
Dear.............
Paragraph 1- Purpose
Paragraph 2- Bullet point 1
Paragraph 3- Bullet point 2
Paragraph 4- Bullet point 3
Sign off.

Your paragraphs should be in the same order as the question.

Q.​ A friend of yours is going on holiday soon and has asked you to
recommend a destination. Write a letter to your friend and recommend a
good place for a holiday that you have visited before. You should say:
● where you went
● where you stayed and
● what you can do there

Dear.............
Purpose- recommend a place to go on holiday.
Bullet point 1- where you went
Bullet point 2- where you stayed
Bullet point 3- what you can do there
Sign off.
Make it very clear which bullet point you are talking about.

Overall Strategy
1. Your first paragraph should clearly state the purpose.
2. Your next three paragraphs should address the 3 bullet points
 60

3. Your paragraphs should be in the same order as the question.

4. Make it very clear which bullet point you are writing about
5. Skip a line between each paragraph to clearly show where one
paragraph ends and the other starts.

Putting everything together

Dear Mary
I hope you're well. I've got a great place for you to visit when you get some
time off work.

I went to Shanghai in China a fortnight ago and it was just perfect. It only
takes about 3 hours from where you live and there are some direct flights.
We also visited a few other cities in China, but Shanghai was our favorite.

We stayed in a little boutique hotel called the Dragon Inn. It wasn't the
biggest hotel, or the most expensive, but I really loved the personal service
and the families who run it were so hospitable. They made us a home
cooked meal every night- so authentic.

There are loads of things to do, but my favorite has to be the Bund. You can
scroll along there in the evening and admire the view or grab a coffee and
watch the world go by. It's really touristy, but I'm sure you won't mind that.
Anyway, let me know if you have any questions about your trip.

Best wishes

Smith
 61

COMMON MISTAKES AND SOLUTIONS

Problems
1. Not having a clear purpose i.e. starting the letter with the bullet
points.
2. Not covering the entire bullet points i.e. failing to mention one of the
bullet points.
3. Poor paragraphing.
4. Not using the correct tone or not having a consistent tone.
5. Main points are not clear.
6. Undeveloped main points.
7. Incorrect tenses.
8. Small grammar and vocabulary mistakes.
9. Trying to use 'complex' or 'complicated' vocabulary.
10. Perfectionism.

Solutions
1. Your very first paragraph should clearly state your main reason for
writing the letter. This will be from the question. You can use key
words from the question or synonyms to make it very clear to the
examiner.
2. Use the question to plan your answer by writing your ideas beside the
bullet points.
3. Use the structure and skip a line in-between paragraphs.
4. Decide on your tone during planning stage. Check your work at the
end to make sure your tone is consistent.
5. Use key words from the question or synonyms to make it very clear to
the examiner which bullet point you are talking about.
6. Writing around 50 words for each bullet point.
7. Think about the time periods (past, present or future ) you will have to
use during the planning stage. Make checking tenses part of your
proofreading at the end.
8. Use the 100% rule.
9. Have confidence in your vocabulary range. Focus on accuracy.
10. There is no such thing as the 'perfect' answer.
 62

INFORMAL LETTER
Q.​ You are moving to another country to study. You would like to do a
part-time job while you are studying, so you want to ask a friend who lives
there for some help. Write a letter to this friend. In your letter:
● give details of your study plans
● explain why you want to get a part-time job
● suggest how your friend could help you find a job.

Idea Generation
● Give details of your study plans- Masters in law because my job
requires me to do one
● Explain why you want to get a part-time job- need to make extra
money to pay for my living costs and will help me improve my English.
● Suggest how your friend could help you find a job- suggest any local
newspapers that advertise jobs and ask her boss.

Structure
Dear.......
I'm just writing to let you know.......
Bullet point1
Bullet point 2
Bullet point 3
All the best
Your name

Band 9 Checklist
1. Have I read and thought about the instructions?
2. Am I sure that this is an informal letter?
3. Have I made a plan?
4. Have I covered both the reason for writing and the 3 bullet points?
5. Have I supported each bullet point with relevant details and fully
developed them?
6. Have I used informal language?
7. Have I used paragraphing?
 63

8. Are my ideas easy to understand?

9. Have I avoided copying the words in the question and varied my
vocabulary
10. Have I checked my letter for grammar and spelling mistakes?

Dear Mary
I'm just writing to let you know that I'm moving to London in September to
start my Masters.

It's a one year postgraduate course at Queen's College London. I'll be

studying International Financial Law with a few modules on Shipping
Legislation. I know it sounds super boring, but I need to complete it before I
can get a role in a corporate law firm.

Talking of jobs, I'm going to need to get a part-time one to help pay for my
living costs and rents while I'm studying. As you know, my English is not
really up to scratch, so a job would also really help me polish up my
speaking and listening skills.

Would you be able to email me a list of newspapers that advertise jobs in

your area? Also, could you put a good word in for me with the owner of the
pub you work in? Bar work would be perfect for me because I will have to
study during the day.

All the best

Smith

Useful language for an informal letter

What not to write
1. Informal language does not mean you can relax and write like you
would in a text message to a friend. Remember that this is an English
test and your grammar and spelling will have to be correct.
2. Avoid using abbreviations like 'luv' or 'bcus'. Also, don't use acronyms
like 'lol' or 'OMG' and never use emoticons.

Contractions
● It is a good idea to use contractions like 'I've', 'I'd' and 'I'm'.
 64

● This is one of the ways that you can show the examiner that you know
how to write an informal letter.

Stating Purpose
● I'm just writing to let you know that......
● I'm writing to tell you about......

Apologizing
● I'm very sorry about.....
● I'd like to apologize for.....

Asking for help

● I'd be really grateful if you could......
● I was wondering if you would give me a hand with......
● I was wondering if you would do me a favor.

Expressing Satisfaction
● I was over the moon to hear about.........
● I was thrilled to find out that/about.......

Giving bad news

● I'm afraid I've a bit of bad news for you.
● You'll never believe what happened.

Ending
● All the best
● Keep in touch

FORMAL LETTER

Q.​ You were hurt in a minor accident in a supermarket and you wish to
make a complaint. Write a letter to the manager of the supermarket in your
letter:
● give details about who you are
 65

● give details about the accident

● suggest how the supermarket could prevent similar accidents.

Idea Generation
● give details about who you are- Smith, 37, Canadian, lived in
Manchester for 2 years and I am a teacher.
● give details about the accident- glass fell out of display and smashed
on top of me, cut my arm, went to hospital and got stitches.
● suggest how the supermarket could prevent similar accidents- test all
of the glass, put warning signs up.

Dear Sir/Madam
I am writing with regard to.....
Bullet point 1
Bullet point 2
Bullet point 3
Yours faithfully
Your name

Band 9 Checklist
1. Have I read and understood the question?
2. Is it a formal or informal letter?
3. Have I made a plan?
4. Have I included both the reason for writing and the 3 bullet points?
5. Have I fully developed each bullet point with relevant details?
6. Have I used appropriate language?
7. Have I separated my letter into paragraphs?
8. Are my ideas clear and easy to understand?
9. Have I avoided copying the question and varied my vocabulary?
10. Have I checked my letter for grammar and spelling mistakes?

Dear Sir/Madam
I am writing with regard to an accident that occurred in your supermarket
last Thursday afternoon.
 66

My name is Smith Collins and I am a 37 year old man from Canada. I have
been living in Manchester for the last 2 years and I am studying Masters
degree at the University of Manchester. I am a regular customer and I visit
your shop on a daily basis.

I was walking in the frozen food section and suddenly a piece of glass fell
out of one of the display cabinets. It caught me on the arm before smashing
on the ground. I suffered a large gash on my forearm and had to be taken to
hospital to receive stitches.

I recommend that all of your glass displays are tested thoroughly in order to
prevent such an incident occurring in the future. I would also like to suggest
that you install signs warning people of the dangers of tempering with the
glass in any way.

Yours faithfully

Collins Smith

Useful language for a formal letter

Greetings
● Dear Sir/Madam
● Dear Sir or Madam

What not to write

● Do not use any contractions.
● Avoid informal phrases from spoken English.
Examples:
1. In spoken English we sometimes drop pronouns, such as 'We', 'I',
'They' etc.
2. Went to London. Had such a good time.
3. We went to London. I had such a good time.

Stating Purpose
● I am writing this letter with regard to......
● I am writing to bring to your attention.....
 67

● I am writing to inform you that.....

● I am writing to express my dissatisfaction.....

Apologizing
● I am very sorry about......
● I would like to apologize for.....

Asking for help or making suggestions

● I would be grateful if you would......
● I would like you to.....
● I am entitled to request that you.....
● I was wondering if it would be at all possible to......
● I would like to suggest that........

Expressing Satisfaction
● I was delighted to hear about......
● I was delighted to find out that/about....

Giving bad news

● I am afraid I have some bad news for you.
● You might find this hard to believe but........

Ending
● I look forward to hearing from you.
● I look forward to receiving your response.
● I await your prompt service.
● Thank you for your consideration.
● Please respond at the earliest convenience.
● Kind regards
● Yours faithfully
 68

CHAPTER THREE
WRITING TASK 2

UNDERSTAND AND ANALYZE ANY TASK 2

QUESTION
There are five different types of type 2 questions and you need to
understand each of them very well because it will affect the structure and
how you answer the question. The structure will be different for each of the
five different question types. The 5 different question types are:
1. Opinion (Agree or Disagree)
2. Discussion (Discuss both views)
3. Advantages and Disadvantages
4. Problem/Causes and Solution
5. Double Question (Two-Part)

Opinion
The opinion question will always start off with someone else opinion, a
statement that is one sided. Let’s look at few ​examples​,
1. Every year several languages die out. Some people think that this is
not important because life will be easier if there are fewer languages in
the world. Do you agree or disagree?

2. Being a celebrity such as a famous film star or sports personality

brings more problems than benefits. Do you think that being a
celebrity brings more problems?

Discussion
In opinion questions you had a one sided statement, but for discussion you
will always be given both sides of the argument. ​Examples,
1. Some people think that the teenage years are the happiest times of
most people’s lives. Others think that adult life brings more happiness,
 69

in spite of greater responsibilities. Discuss both these views and give

your own opinion.

2. 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 these views and give your own opinion.

Advantages and Disadvantages

In this type of essay, you will be given one statement and asked to discuss
the advantages and disadvantages. It is easy to spot this type of question
because it will have advantages and disadvantages in the question although
they might use synonyms like benefits and drawbacks.
Examples,
1. Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin a foreign
language at primary school rather than secondary school. Do the
advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

2. In some countries young people are encouraged to work or travel for a

year between finishing high school and starting university studies.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who
decide to do this.

Problems/Causes and Solutions

You will always be given a general statement and asked to either discuss the
problems or causes and solutions. You will always have the words problems
or causes and solutions in this type of essay.
Examples,
1. In some countries the average weight of people is increasing and their
levels of health and fitness are decreasing. What do you think are the
causes of these problems and what measures could be taken to solve
them?

2. Global warming is one of the biggest threats humans face in the 21st
Century and sea levels are continuing to rise at alarming rates. What
problems are associated with this and what are some possible
solutions.
 70

Double or Two-Part Question

You will always be given a general statement at the start about the topic and
then you will be given two separate questions.
Examples,
1. Today more people are travelling than ever before. Why is this the
case? What are the benefits of travelling for the traveler?

2. Increasing the price of petrol is the best way to solve growing traffic
and pollution problems. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
What other measures do you think might be effective?

Question Analysis
The first thing you should be doing before writing task 2 essay is to analyse
the question. When analyzing a question we have to think about three
things:
1. Topic
2. Keywords
3. Instruction words

Let’s look at some ​examples​,

1. Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin a foreign
language at primary school rather than secondary school.
Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

The topic for this essay is foreign language and the keywords are
better, children, primary school and secondary school. The instruction
words are “do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?”

2. Every year several languages die out. Some people think that this is
not important because life will be easier if there are fewer languages in
the world.
Do you agree or disagree?

Why is this important?

1. If you write about the general topic you have not answered the
question.
 71

2. If you can’t tell the difference between the topic and the keywords,
you can’t answer the question.
3. If we do not think about the instructions, we won’t answer the
question correctly.

Question analysis should be the very first thing you do and you should spend
2minutes analyzing the question. This will save you time and focus your
mind on answering the question.

HOW TO THINK LIKE AN EXAMINER

The only way to get a high score is to know how the exam is marked. The
key to getting over a 7 is to give the examiners exactly what they want and
nothing else. All the strategies in this book are based on this principle.

The four criteria

1. Task Response 25%
2. Coherence and Cohesion 25%
3. Vocabulary 25%
4. Grammar 25%

Task Response
This part refers to your ability to:
1. Answer the question being asked.
2. Answer all parts of the question.
3. Make your position (opinion) clear and support it with relevant, well
developed ideas.

Task Response Dos

1. Answer the specific question being asked, NOT the general topic.
2. Make sure your ideas are relevant to the specific question being asked.
3. You have to fully address each part of the question. Example, for a
problem and solution question, you should give equal amount of word
count to the problem part and equal amount of word count to the
solution part.
 72

4. State your opinion in the introduction and use the supporting

paragraphs to support this opinion.
5. To make your opinion clear throughout the whole essay, you should
reiterate your opinion in the conclusion.
6. Develop your main ideas with explanations and examples.
7. Be as specific as possible. The more specific you are, the more your
answer will be linked to the question.

Task Response Don’ts

● Don't spend lots of time on just one part of the question.
● Don't give very general examples.
● Don't leave opinion until the last sentence.
● Don't repeat the same points over and over.
● Don't write under 250 words.

Bad Example:
Q; ​Some say that music, art and drama are as important as other school
subjects, especially at the primary level. Do you agree or disagree?

Bad Ans; ​Music, art and drama are important subjects. Firstly, they are
enjoyable. Secondly, people need to have lots of fun and music and art allow
them to do this. Art allows us to express ourselves. Finally, drama is
important for people who want a job as an actor or actress.

There are three main ideas in the above paragraph and none of them are
developed. None of them have explanations and none of them have
examples.

First idea;​ “Music is enjoyable.” How is it enjoyable? Can you give an

example when someone has enjoyed music?
Second idea;​ “People need to have lots of fun and music and art allow them
to do this.” Why do they need to have lots of fun? Why is that important? Do
you have any example?
Third idea;​ “Drama is important for people who want a job as an actor or
actress.” Do you have any examples of that? Do you have a famous actor or
actress that you could name? Why is drama important for someone who
wants a job as an actor?
 73

This might seem obvious but unless you write it then the examiner can’t give
you any mark for it. So you must develop your ideas properly.
Another thing you should notice in the question is that it talks about school
subjects (primary school students or young people below the age of 12 or
11) while the answer talks about people (general topic).

A better answer for that question will be;

Music, art and drama helps young learners with their intellectual
development. It has been shown that this can help a young brain develop
and actually helps with subjects like maths and science. For example, it has
been shown that children who study the piano are more likely to do well in
mathematics.

Coherence and Cohesion

This refers to your ability to:
● Write an essay that is clear and easy to understand.
● Logically organize information.
● Link ideas, sentences and paragraphs together.

Coherence and Cohesion Dos

1. Use the four paragraph structure that will be explained in this book.
2. Outline your main ideas and opinion in the introduction.
3. Have clear topic sentences (the very first sentence of your main body
paragraph and it tells the examiner what the rest of your paragraph is
all about) in your supporting paragraphs.
4. Skip a line between paragraphs.
5. Use cohesive devices appropriately and accurately. Examples,
therefore, in conclusion, in my opinion, etc.

Coherence and Cohesion Don’ts

1. Don't include background statement in the introduction.
2. Don't have lots of ideas in one paragraph.
3. Don't use cohesive devices at the start of every sentence.
4. Don't use cohesive devices inaccurately.
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Bad Ans: ​Music, art and drama are important subjects. ​Moreover​, they are
enjoyable. ​Furthermore,​ people need to have lots of fun and music and art
allow them to do this.​ Additionally​, art allows us to express ourselves.​ Last
but not least,​ drama is important for people who want a job as an actor or
actress.

If you use these words in red, which are cohesive devices, again and again
and you use them at the beginning of every sentence, it demonstrates to the
examiner one thing; that you don’t have a very high level of English and you
are not able to link sentences together without cohesive devices.

Good Ans: ​Music, art and drama helps young learners with their intellectual
development. It has been shown that​ this​ can help a young brain develop
and actually helps with subjects like maths and science. F
​ or example​, it has
been shown that children who study the piano are more likely to do well in
mathematics.

NB: ​Reduce the amount of cohesive device you are using and only use them
when necessary and it must be appropriate.

Vocabulary /Lexical
This refers to your ability to:
● Express meaning both accurately and precisely, using words that are
both appropriate and accurate. You shouldn’t just use as many big
fancy words as possible , you should only use words that are
appropriate for that topic and the words must also be accurate.
● Use a range of vocabulary.
● Use topic-specific words accurately.

Vocabulary Dos
1. Be careful with spelling and grammar.
2. Be aware of collocations. Collocations are words that go together
naturally. For example, to describe your dinner you would say ‘a
delicious dinner/meal’, to describe a woman you would say ‘a beautiful
woman’, to describe a man you would say ‘a handsome man.’ But you
wouldn’t say a delicious man, a delicious woman or a handsome
dinner.
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3. Use topic specific words. For example, if you were talking about mobile
phone, you might describe the screen resolution, the mega pixels for
the camera, the operating system. So screen resolution, mega pixels
and operating system are words specific to talking about mobile
phones. Whenever you get a topic you should think about the words
that you would normally use to describe that topic.
4. Follow the 100% rule. Only use vocabulary that you are 100% sure
that you know the meaning, the spelling, the synonyms, the
antonyms, the collocations, the grammar and everything about that
word.

Vocabulary Don’ts
1. Don't repeat the same words again and again (use synonyms,
paraphrase or different form of the word).
2. Don't force complex words into your essay without knowing them
100%.
3. Don't use synonyms that are wrong. (If in doubt, it is better to repeat
the word than to use wrong synonyms).
4. Don't learn lists of ‘academic’ words out of context. (Learn words from
books, podcasts, tv or radio shows)

Bad Ans: ​Research shows that children who play computer games are more
likely to be​ myopics.

This person doesn’t know what myopics actually means or its form and
correct spelling.

Good Ans: ​Research shows that children who play computer games are
more likely to have bad eyesight.

It is much better to use a simple phrase like ‘bad eyesight’ than use a very
complex phrase like ‘myopics.’

Grammar
This refers to your ability to:
● Produce ‘complex’ sentences.
● Use a range of grammatical structures.
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● Produce error-free sentences.

Grammar Dos
1. Try to write as many ‘error-free’ sentences as possible.
2. Use ‘complex’ sentences. A complex sentence is not actually complex,
they are just sentences with more than one clause. For example, I am
from Canada, My name is Smith. These are simple sentences.
However, a complex sentence would be; My name is Smith and I am
from Canada.
3. Use a variety of structures. If you follow the strategy in this book, you
will definitely use a variety of structures.
4. Check work when writing and at the end. After you write each
sentence, go back and read that sentence. Don’t leave it until the end
because you won’t have time to correct all the mistakes.
5. Follow the 100% rule. Make sure you are 100% sure about the
structure and tense.

Grammar Don’ts
1. Don't try to use as many different structures as possible.
2. Don't try to impress the examiner with complex grammar.
3. Don't write sentences that stop meaning being conveyed i.e. stop the
reader understanding the sentence.

Vocabulary and Grammar

Remember that it is a writing test, not a grammar and vocabulary test.
Focus on answering the question. The goal of writing is to convey your
meaning clearly, not list long and complicated words and phrases. Clarity is
the key.

IDEAS AND REDUCING LANGUAGE ERRORS

Planning helps you to:
● Analyse the question and answer it correctly.
● Think of relevant ideas.
● Structure your answer.
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● Saves you time.

● Reduces the amount of grammar and vocabulary mistakes.

Four Stages of Planning

1. Question Analysis
2. Idea Generation
3. Structure
4. Vocabulary

If you have ever felt lost in the middle of your essay, it’s probably because
you don’t have proper plan or you haven’t planned your essay at all.
● No planning: think, write, think, write, think, write, get lost, make
mistakes, write.
● Planning: think, write.

Think of planning as a map that guides you through your essay.

Question Analysis
We have already talked about question analysis so go back and review it
before you continue.

Idea Generation
Your ideas should be easy to understand and explain. It should be relevant
and answers the specific question. The simplest, most straightforward ideas
are the easiest to understand and the easiest to write about. There are no
extra marks for ‘amazing’ ideas, hence, the first ideas you think of are
normally the best. Below are few ways of generating ideas.
Brainstorming
1. Six questions method
2. Examples method
3. Personal opinion method
Everyone thinks of ideas differently and you should pick the one that works
best for you.

Brainstorming
This is the most common and most popular method. This means thinking of
many ideas as possible. The problem with this method is it leads to
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irrelevant ideas because you are not thinking about specific ideas related to
the question. Because you have many ideas, it takes a long time to pick the
ones you think are suitable for your essay.

Six Questions Method

This method helps you by asking very specific questions and generating
ideas that way.
1. Who? Who are involved?
2. What? What are the requirements or results?
3. Why? What are the reasons?
4. Where? What is the location of occurrence?
5. When? What is the time/period of occurrence?
6. How? How is it done?
This method works best for people who think very logically and also know a
little bit about the topic already.

Examples
This method uses real examples to help you think of ideas. All you do here is
to think about real life examples.

Personal opinion method

Take yourself out of the exam and imagine you are sitting with a friend and
he/she ask you the question. What would you say? So what you should do
here is to ask yourself the direct question. This method leads to the most
specific ideas and it is the fastest method for answering any question.

Structure Planning
No matter what method you choose you should not start writing until you
have organized your ideas into a structure. This will help you when writing
and also get you higher marks for coherence and cohesion. Think of it as a
map for your essay. Although each essay type has its own specific structure
which is slightly different from the others, the basic structure is:
1. Introduction
● Paraphrase Question
● Outline main ideas
2. Supporting Paragraph I
● Main point
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● Explanation
● Example
3. Supporting Paragraph II
● Main point
● Explanation
● Example
4. Conclusion
● Summarize main points
● Give opinion

There are specific structures for each of the five different types of question,
so what you need to do is memorize them all.

Vocabulary
One of the biggest mistakes students make is repeating the same words
over and over again, especially keywords from the question. You can avoid
this by thinking of some different ways of expressing keywords from the
question. It is much easier to think of vocabulary when you focus on them,
rather than trying to think of them while writing. The key thing here is to
use synonyms. For example;
You can replace students with undergraduates. You can replace university
with college, third-level education, or tertiary education.

Timing
● You have 40 minutes to complete Task 2.
● 5-10 minutes planning
● Most essays are around 12 sentences long.
● 2 minutes per sentence = 24 minutes.
● 6 minutes reviewing and checking your work.
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HOW TO WRITE INTRODUCTIONS

Common mistakes #1
Writing long general background statements or hooks.
● There are no marks for being interesting or entertaining.
● You don't have time. Every minute is important and if you are doing
something that doesn't get you marks then it is a waste of time.
● Never include words like 'Nowadays', 'In the modern world' or 'in
modern life'
● Doesn't impress the examiner.

Common mistakes #2
No opinion or outline of main ideas.
● Your opinion must be clear throughout the WHOLE essay.
● Makes it easier for the reader to understand your main points.

Common mistakes #3
Copying the question.
● The examiner will delete this and you will receive no marks for this
part of the exam.

Bad Examples:
Q.​ The continued rise in the world's population is the greatest threat faced
by humanity at the present time. Do you agree?

Bad Intro1:​ ​Nowadays the rising of the population is a very controversial

issue and it is undeniably a very serious issue in the modern world. This
essay will discuss it and then make a conclusion.

The two main reasons why the above introduction is bad are:

1. There is a background statement in the very first statement. i.e.

Nowadays, in the modern world, controversial issue. These statements
are not adding anything to your essay, it is a complete waste of time.
2. The three essential elements (paraphrase question, outline main points
and give opinion) are not included.
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Bad Intro2:​ ​It is undeniable that in the modern world there are too many
people and it is without question that it is a very serious issue. This essay
will explore these issues.

Again they have a very vague background statement that doesn't add
anything to the essay and they didn't give their opinion and outline their
main ideas.

Why are Introductions so important?

1. First impression: From your introduction, they examiner will know if
the rest of your essay is going to be very good.
2. It helps you avoid stress and panic: If you start your essay very well,
it will reduce your stress and you won't panic.
3. Task Response: If you include your opinion in your introduction, you
will get a higher mark for task response.
4. Coherence and Cohesion: If you write a very good introduction and
organize your main ideas and it makes everything easier to
understand, you will write a more coherence and more cohesive essay.
5. Focus: It helps you create a mini-plan for the rest of your essay.

Structure of Introduction
The three things you should include in your introduction are:
● Paraphrase the question
● Include your opinion (Sometimes it doesn't ask you for your opinion)
● Outline your main points

Combine these three things into two sentences. Most of your marks are
going to come from the main body paragraphs, so you don't want to spend
too much time on the introduction. It should be around 40-60 words.

Paraphrasing
Prior to taking the IELTS test, mastering paraphrasing is one of the most
crucial things to do. The very sentence in your essay should be paraphrasing
the question. Paraphrasing simply mean re-writing a phrase or sentence so
that it has the same meaning, but with different words. You can do this by
using synonyms.

Synonyms are different words that have the same meaning. For example,
'human' is a synonym of 'people' and 'consume' is a synonym of 'use’. This
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method simply replaces words with the same meaning in order to produce a
new sentence.

Q.​ The continued rise in the world's population is the greatest threat faced
by humanity at the present time. Do you agree or disagree?

Paraphrase 1:​ ​Increasing overpopulation is the biggest threat human

beings face today.

Paraphrase 2:​ ​The primary threat that people currently face is the
continuous increase of the planet's population.

While using synonyms, you can also change the word order (eg. second
answer above) and/or change the form of the word (eg. suggest becomes
suggesting, continue becomes continuous).

Warning
1. Don't be afraid to repeat a word if you are not sure about the meaning
or how to change it.
2. If you change a word, the grammar must also be correct.
3. Practice makes perfect.

Giving your opinion

This means telling the examiner how you feel about the whole issue.
However, you should give your opinion only in the following type of essays:
1. Opinion Essay
2. Discussion Essay
3. Type II and Type III Advantages and Disadvantages Essays.

For opinion essay, after paraphrasing the question, give your opinion by
saying 'This essay completely agrees/disagrees (depending on the side you
choose) with that statement because X and Y. X and Y should be your main
ideas.
For Discussion and Type II & III A&D Essays, use 'I believe or I feel...... ' to
give your opinion after paraphrasing the question and outlining your main
ideas.
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Outlining your main ideas

After paraphrasing the question, you will need to tell the examiner what you
will discuss in the main body paragraphs. In order words, you will outline
what the examiner will read in the rest of the essay. This should be one
sentence.

Examples of good Introductions

For opinion essay:
Q.​ The continued rise in the world's population is the greatest threat faced
by humanity at the present time. Do you agree or disagree?
Agree: Why do I agree?

Main ideas:​ run out of resources and damage to the planet

Ans: ​Increasing overpopulation is the biggest threat human beings face

today​.​ This essay totally agrees with this statement​ because this will lead to
a serious depletion of resources and pollution.

In red is the paraphrasing of the question, in blue is my opinion and in green

is the outline of my main ideas.

Q.​ In some countries an increasing number of people are suffering from

health problems as a result of eating too much fast food. It is therefore
necessary for government to impose a higher tax on this kind of food. Do
you agree?

Paraphrase:​ It is argued that states should charge fast food companies

more tax because of the growing amount of men and women with health
conditions associated with this type of food.

Opinion and main ideas:​ This essay totally agrees with that statement
because these illnesses cost the health services too much money and
increasing the price of junk food would reduce the demand for it.

The whole introduction looks like this:

It is argued that states should charge fast food companies more tax because
of the growing amount of men and women with health conditions associated
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with this type of food. This essay totally agrees with that statement because
these illnesses cost the health services too much money and increasing the
price of junk food would reduce the demand for it.

Discussion
Q.​ Some people work for the same organization all their working life. Others
think that it is better to work for different organizations. Discuss both views
and give your own opinion.

Paraphrase​: Some say that it is more beneficial to be employed with the

same company all their lives, while others would argue that it is better to
work for a variety of companies.

Idea Plan:
● Better to work for the same place because more benefits
● Better to work for different places because more experience.
This essay will argue that although working for just one employer gives you
more financial and other benefits, working at lots of different places provides
an employee with more experience.

The whole introduction will be:

Some say that it is more beneficial to be employed with the same company
all their lives, while others would argue that it is better to work for a variety
of companies. This essay will argue that although working for just one
employer gives you more financial and other benefits, working at lots of
different places provides an employee with more experience.

By using 'although' in the above introduction, I have shown the examiner

(my opinion) that I agree with the second main idea and not the first idea.
Always put the statement you don't agree with first before the one you
agree using words like 'although', 'despite', 'even though', etc.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Q.​ One of the consequences of improved medical care is that people are
living longer and life expectancy is increasing. Do you think the advantages
of this development outweigh the disadvantages?
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Paraphrase;​ One of the results of modern medicine is that men and women
are able to live longer.

Plan:​ Agree that advantages outweigh disadvantages.

Advantages: People will not suffer from disease and heartache of losing
loved ones.
Disadvantages: Strain on pension system.
This essay will argue that despite the strain this might cause on the pension
system, the alleviation of suffering means that the advantages far outweigh
the drawbacks.

Whole Intro: ​One of the results of modern medicine is that men and
women are able to live longer. This essay will argue that despite the strain
this might cause on the pension system, the alleviation of suffering means
that the advantages far outweigh the drawbacks.

Problem and Solution

Q.​ Smart phones are becoming a common sight in the primary school
classroom. What problems do this cause and what are some viable
solutions?

Paraphrase:​ iPhones and other devices are being used more often by
primary school children.

Plan:
Problem- distracting
Solution- ban
This essay will suggest that they are very distracting and that the best
solution is to ban them completely in class.

Whole Intro:​ ​iPhones and other devices are being used more often by
primary school children. This essay will suggest that they are very
distracting and that the best solution is to ban them completely in class.

Double Question
Q.​ Car ownership has increased so rapidly over the past thirty years that
many cities in the world are now 'one big traffic jam'.
How true do you think this statement?
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What measures can government take to discourage people from using their
cars?

Paraphrase:​ Lots of city centers are highly congested due to an increase in

the ownership of cars in the last three decades.

Plan:​ True, but only during rush hour.

Measures: good public transport and high tax.
This essay will argue that this is true only during peak times and that
improving public transport and increasing taxes on vehicles will reduce this.

Whole Intro:​ ​Lots of city centers are highly congested due to an increase in
the ownership of cars in the last three decades. This essay will argue that
this is true only during peak times and that improving public transport and
increasing taxes on vehicles will reduce this.

HOW TO WRITE A GOOD SUPPORTING

PARAGRAPH
Common Mistakes
● Too many ideas.
● Undeveloped ideas.
● No explanations or examples.
● Use of firstly, secondly, thirdly, finally.

Why are MBP so important?

● They are 70-80% of your essay.
● Make your opinion clear throughout the whole essay.
● Fully address all parts of the task.
● Present a fully developed position, with relevant, fully extended and
well supported ideas.

NB:
● MBP = Main Body Paragraph
● TS =Topic Sentence
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● EXP = Explanation

Structure
There are three elements of a main body paragraph:
● Topic Sentence
● Explanation Sentences
● Example

Example of MBP
Q.​ In some countries an increasing number of people are suffering from
health problems as a result of eating too much fast food. It is therefore
necessary for government to impose a higher tax on this kind of food. Do
you agree?

Intro.​ ​It is argued that states should charge fast food companies more tax
because of the growing amount of men and women with health conditions
associated with this type of food. This essay totally agrees with that
statement because these illnesses cost the health services too much money
and increasing the price of junk food would reduce the demand for it.

MBP1:​ ​Obesity related illnesses cost the taxpayer billions of dollars every
year.​ ​People who eat too much fast food are more likely to suffer from
diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. As a result, they have to go to
hospital more regularly for treatment and this puts a strain on the health
service​.​ For example, the United Kingdom's National Health Service is
expected to spend more than $2 billion on diabetes in 2021.

In blue is our topic sentence which tells the examiner what the whole
paragraph is about. In green are our explanations which explain what the
topic sentence means. In red is our example.

Topic Sentence
The very first sentence in your main body paragraph should be the topic
sentence (which is one of the main ideas in your introduction). Each
paragraph should have one main idea only and topic sentence tells the
reader what this idea is. This makes your paragraph and the whole essay
clearer and easier to read. Think of them as signposts that direct the reader
to where you want to go. Your topic sentence should be short and simple
and does not need to be a complex sentence.
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Why Use Topic Sentence?

● It introduces the main body paragraph and makes it easy to
understand.
● Makes the reader's job easy
● Makes it easier to understand the rest of your paragraph, like
signposts to drivers.
● It links to main ideas in your introduction.

Q.​ Most high-level positions in companies are filled by men even though the
workforce in many developed countries is more than 50% female.
Companies should be required to allocate a certain percentage of these
positions to women. Do you agree?

I agree with the statement so I am going to think of two reasons and write
topic sentence for them.

Ideas:​ Fairness, Equality, women outperform men in many school subjects,

prevent discrimination, women outperform men in many jobs.
You should always pick the ideas you know most about (can explain and
support with examples).

TS1:​ ​Women should be allocated a certain percentage of roles because to

not do so, discriminates against them because of their gender.
TS2:​ ​Females should be given a bigger share of jobs because women
currently outperform males in most university subjects.

As you can see, all I have done is simply introduce my ideas in a very clear
way.

Explanation
Never assume that the reader knows what your topic sentence means or
that they know how it answers the question. So you must explain
everything. Pretend you are explaining it to someone who knows nothing
about the topic. It should be at least 2-3 sentences. To generate ideas you
will use to develop your topic sentence, keep asking yourself- why, where,
how, when, what's the result?
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Let's attach explanation to the above topic sentences.

Exp1:​ ​Women should be allocated a certain percentage of roles because to

not do so, discriminates against them because of their gender. ​As a result
women will be denied jobs, not because of their intellect or skill, but simply
because of their sex.

Exp2:​ ​Females should be given a bigger share of jobs because women

currently outperform males in most university subjects. ​That is to say those
young women are just as qualified as men, if not more and should therefore
be given at least an equal share in the job market.

In blue is our explanation.

The explanation should relate specifically to the question. They should not
only explain what the idea is, they should explain how the idea answers the
question.

There are certain useful phrases you can use to explain your ideas such as:
● Use 'That is to say......' or 'In other words......' to reformulate what
you are saying.
● Use 'This is because......' or 'The reason is.....' to give reasons.
● Use 'As a result.....' or 'Therefore.....' to talk about the results.

Examples
A relevant example should be part of any good main body paragraph. It
supports your main ideas and makes it easy for the reader to understand.
Your examples do not need to be true, rather it must make sense and you
can make them up. Think of them as evidence in a court case.
Here are different ways to think of examples:
● Personal stories:​ For example, I used to smoke 20 cigarettes every
day, but the government kept increasing the tax and now I cannot
afford to smoke. In general, you shouldn't use personal pronouns in
Task 2, but it is fine to use it here.
● Real examples:​ For example, when the duty on cigarettes is raised
each year in UK, more people quit smoking and this has a knock on
effect on the number of people dying from lung cancer and other
smoking related diseases.
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● Surveys:​ For example, The Sunday Times recently asked a number of

people if they would buy a hamburger if it was over $5 and most
people said no.
● Academic studies: ​For instance, Oxford University recently reported
that 80% of people would not eat fast food if it cost more than $10.

HOW TO WRITE CONCLUSION

A good conclusion should always restate the ideas you have in the rest of
the essay. We do this by simply paraphrasing our main points in our
introduction.

Common Mistakes
● New ideas. You should have no new ideas in your conclusion at all.
● Trying to be entertaining.
● Being too vague.
● Repeating exactly the same thing as in the rest of your essay.
● Using the wrong cohesive devices.

Why so important?
● It is the last thing the examiner reads.
● It shows the examiner that you can summarize.
● Opinion is clear the whole way through.
● Makes essay cohesive and coherent.

Inappropriate Cohesive Devices

● All in all,
● In Sum,
● To sum up,
● Finally,
● In a nutshell,

Appropriate Cohesive Devices

● In conclusion,
● To conclude,
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You should memorize these two and use either of them at the beginning of
your conclusion.

Structure
There are two essential elements of good conclusion.
● Summary of main points.
● Opinion.
Your conclusion should be 1 or 2 sentences with an optional extra sentence
of recommendation or prediction.

NB:​ We have already summarized our main points and given our opinion in
the introduction. All we have to do is paraphrase it here.

Q.​ The continued rise in the world's population is the greatest threat faced
by humanity at the present time. Do you agree or disagree?

Intro:​ ​Increasing overpopulation is the biggest threat human beings face

today. This essay totally agrees with this statement because this will lead to
a serious depletion of resources and pollution.

Conclusion:​ ​In conclusion, there are too many people in the world and this
is a huge threat to everyone because essential resources are running out
and we are also polluting our planet.

Intro:​ ​iPhones and other devices are being used more often by primary
school children. This essay will suggest that they are very distracting and
that the best solution is to ban them completely in class.

Conclusion:​ ​In conclusion, mobiles are not a good idea for young children
because they interfere with the learning process and this should be stopped
by telling parents that they are not allowed in schools.

Prediction or Recommendation
We can also add a prediction (what we think will happen) or a
recommendation (what we think should happen) to our conclusion. However,
this is completely optional and should be only added if we are worried about
not making it to 250 words.
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Example1:​ ​In conclusion, mobiles are not a good idea for young children
because they interfere with the learning process and this should be stopped
by telling parents that they are not allowed in schools. It is predicted that
more schools will make this part of the school rules in the future.

Example2:​ ​In conclusion, there are too many people in the world and this is
a huge threat to everyone because essential resources are running out and
we are also polluting our planet. It is recommended that government take
steps to encourage people to conserve resources.

Make sure that the prediction or recommendation is reconnected to the main

ideas.

Review
● It is essential that you leave yourself time to review your essay.
Everyone makes mistakes.
● You should focus on: Grammar (find out your weak areas and try to
spot them in the exam). Vocabulary (scan for any repeated word and
use synonyms to change it), collocations, meaning, spelling and word
form.

Checklist
1. Does the essay answer all parts of the question?
2. Is the opinion clear in the introduction?
3. Does each supporting paragraph have a clear topic sentence?
4. Are ideas fully developed with explanations and examples?
5. Is your opinion clear throughout the whole essay?
6. Is there a suitable conclusion?
7. Over 250 words?
8. Range of complex and simple sentences.
9. Is anything confusing or unclear?
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OPINION ESSAY
Common Mistakes
1. Not giving your opinion.
2. Leaving opinion until the conclusion.
3. Discussing someone else's opinion
4. Discussing both sides of the argument.

Band 9 Checklist
1. Give a clear opinion in the introduction.
2. Think of two main points supporting your opinion.
3. Develop these main points with explanations and examples.
4. Provide some balance with a concession statement.
5. Short conclusion summarizing your main points and reiterating your
opinion.

Deciding Opinion
● Don't waste time here, just pick one side very quickly.
● Your personal opinion does not matter. You should choose the side
that you can write the best article about.
● Pick one side only, either agree or disagree. Don't write both sides
● Pick the side you can write about the most.

Structure of Opinion Essay

1. Paragraph I- Introduction
● Paraphrase Question
● Give opinion and outline main points
2. Supporting Paragraph I
● Topic Sentence
● Explanations
● Examples
● Concession Sentence (Optional)
3. Supporting Paragraph II
● Topic Sentence
● Explanations
● Examples
● Concession Sentence (Optional)
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4. Conclusion
● Summary and Opinion
● Prediction/Recommendation (Optional)

Q.​ Most high-level positions in companies are filled by men even though the
workforce in many developed countries is more than 50 percent female.
Companies should be required to allocate a certain percentage of these
positions to women. Do you agree?

Intro:​ ​It is argued that corporations should be compelled to give a certain

proportion of their executive level roles to females, given that over half of
the workforces are women. This essay agrees with that statement because
women are capable of doing a job to the same level as a man, and girls are
currently outperforming boys on many university courses.

Supporting Paragraph:​ ​Females are currently getting higher grades in

most university courses. How well a man or woman does at university is
normally the deciding factor in getting a top graduate job, so it is only fair
that women should get more of these positions. Even previously male
dominated fields, such as law and medicine, now see women in the
ascendancy and they should therefore be rewarded with top roles. For
example, females recently outperformed males for the first time in law in
U.k. universities.

Conclusion:​ ​In conclusion, men should not be given the majority of

high-level jobs in businesses because women can perform at the same level
as men and also do better academically.

We are now going to go through a whole question, step-by-step:

1. Planning
2. Introduction
3. Supporting Paragraphs
4. Conclusion
5. Vocabulary

Q.​ In many countries it is now illegal to advertise alcohol. To what extent do

you agree or disagree?
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Planning
Question Analysis
1. Topic Words: advertising alcohol
2. Key words: illegal
3. Instruction Words: agree or disagree
4. Decide opinion; agree

Idea Generation
Why do I agree? (Direct method )
1. Alcohol is a problem both socially and for our health.
2. Taking advantage of alcoholics.
3. Advertisers can influence people to drink alcohol.
4. Young people are exposed to persuasive ads.
You don't need all four of these ideas; what you should do is pick two of the
ideas that you feel you're most comfortable explaining and giving examples.

Structure
1. Paragraph 1- Introduction
● Paraphrase Question
● Agree and outline main points
2. Supporting Paragraph 1
● Topic Sentence- health and social
● Explanations- addiction and bad behavior
● Example- Russia
3. Supporting Paragraph 2
● Topic Sentence- influence
● Explanations- glamorize and young people.
● Example- Specific advert Concession sentence- warning at the
end of advert.
4. Conclusion
● Summary and opinion

Vocabulary
Take keywords in the question that you think you would need and think of
some synonyms to replace them.
● Illegal- banned, ban, prohibited, not allowed.
● Advertise- TV, radio, prints, ads, commercials, promoting.
● Alcohol- drinking, alcoholic drinks/beverages, beer, wine and spirits.
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● Addiction- alcoholic, addicted to alcohol, alcohol dependence,

dependent on alcohol.
● Bad Behavior- anti-social behavior, violence, vandalism.
● Influence- sway, persuade, convince.

Intro:​ Adverts for beer, wine and spirits are now banned in many nations.
This essay agrees with this idea because drinking can lead to serious health
and social problems and advertisers can often influence people to drink more
than they should.

SP1:​ Advertising alcoholic drinks should be banned because alcohol is

harmful to a person's health. Drinking too much causes several conditions
including liver cancer, diabetes and brain damage. This puts a huge strain on
the health service and not only causes suffering to the patients, but also to
their families. For example, Russia had a huge problem with alcoholism and
many men were dying from alcohol related diseases, but after they decided
to stop companies promoting alcoholic beverages on TV and in print ads, it
resulted in a huge reduction of such cases.

SP2:​ Another reason why promotion of alcohol should be prohibited is the

fact that it influences people unfairly to buy that product. The main goal of
any advertising campaign is to sell more and this could be seen as
irresponsible considering the harm drinking can do. Commercials often make
certain drink brands look cool or sexy, in order to sway potential customers,
and do not actually talk about the dangers. For example, Hennessy adverts
often portray a handsome man in a luxurious setting, drinking cognac with a
beautiful woman. However, it should be noted that warning are often put at
the end of these ads warning people to drink responsibly.

Conclusion:​ In conclusion, alcohol is a hazardous product and advertisers

should not be allowed to try and convince people to drink it and I therefore
believe that more countries should ban advertising of liquor.

This is how the whole essay should look in the exam:

Adverts for beer, wine and spirits are now banned in many nations. This
essay agrees with this idea because drinking can lead to serious health and
social problems and advertisers can often influence people to drink more
than they should.
 97

Advertising alcoholic drinks should be banned because alcohol is harmful to a

person's health. Drinking too much causes several conditions including liver
cancer, diabetes and brain damage. This puts a huge strain on the health
service and not only causes suffering to the patients, but also to their
families. For example, Russia had a huge problem with alcoholism and many
men were dying from alcohol related diseases, but after they decided to stop
companies promoting alcoholic beverages on TV and in print ads, it resulted
in a huge reduction of such cases.

Another reason why promotion of alcohol should be prohibited is the fact

that it influences people unfairly to buy that product. The main goal of any
advertising campaign is to sell more and this could be seen as irresponsible
considering the harm drinking can do. Commercials often make certain drink
brands look cool or sexy, in order to sway potential customers, and do not
actually talk about the dangers. For example, Hennessy adverts often
portray a handsome man in a luxurious setting, drinking cognac with a
beautiful woman. However, it should be noted that warning are often put at
the end of these ads warning people to drink responsibly.

In conclusion, alcohol is a hazardous product and advertisers should not be

allowed to try and convince people to drink it and I therefore believe that
more countries should ban advertising of liquor.

Review
Make sure that:
1. Give a clear opinion in the introduction.
2. Think of two main points supporting your opinion.
3. Develop these main points with explanations and examples.
4. Provide some balance with a concession statement (optional).
5. Short conclusion summarizing your main points and reiterating your
opinion.

Your Turn
Find IELTS opinion essay question and practice using the above strategy.
 98

DISCUSSION ESSAY
​Common Mistakes
1. Not giving your opinion.
2. Not discussing both sides.
3. Giving much more attention to one side than the other.

Band 9 Checklist
1. Give a clear opinion in the introduction.
2. Think of two main points supporting each side.
3. Decide whether you agree or disagree with each side.
4. Support each side with explanations and examples.
5. Short conclusion summarizing your main points and reiterating your
opinion.

Deciding Opinion
● Don't waste time here.
● Your personal opinion does not matter.
● Just agree with one side and disagree with the other. Write both sides.

Structure of Discussion Essay

1. Paragraph 1- Introduction
● Paraphrase Question
● Outline both sides and give opinion
2. Paragraph 2- Disagree side
● Topic Sentence
● Explanation
● Example
● State why you disagree
3. Paragraph 3- Agree side
● Topic sentence
● Explanation
● Example
● State why you agree
4. Paragraph 4- Conclusion
● Summarize main points and give opinion.
● Prediction/Recommendation(optional)
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Q.​ Some people think that drug addicts should be treated like criminals and
sent to jail, while others believe that they should be treated like patients and
sent to hospital. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Intro:​ Some would argue that people who are addicted to drugs should go
to jail because they have broken the law, while others say that they are sick
and should be taken care of in hospital. While sentencing them to a term in
prison is the quick and easy solution, I believe that it is better to be
compassionate and help them get better in hospital.

Negative supporting paragraph:​ On the one hand, custodial sentences

provide a short term solution to the drugs problem. By locking up addicts
the government can take them off the street and they believe that this will
stop them from using narcotics and also causing any harm to others. For
example, in United States someone caught with even a small amount of
heroin is likely to be locked up for at least a year. However, I believe that
this does not solve the actual problem because drug addicts can gain access
to drugs while in prison and will be still hooked upon release.

Positive supporting paragraph:​ On the other hand, helping drug addicts

kick their habit under medical supervision is thought to reduce the number
of addicts in the long term. By treating addiction as a disease and the person
with compassion, the root cause can be addressed and that person can
eventually become free from drugs. For example, in Switzerland heroin
addicts are given free heroin by doctors until they are ready to stop using
the drug and this has resulted in drug related crime falling by 80%. I believe
this method is preferable because addiction is a disease and it benefits both
the individual and society as a whole.

Conclusion:​ In conclusion, although throwing addicts in jail might get them

off the streets for a few years, it does not treat the actual problem and that
is why it is more important to help them get off drugs in a medical facility. It
is recommended that more governments follow this logic and bring in more
forward thinking initiatives.

Some would argue that people who are addicted to drugs should go to jail
because they have broken the law, while others say that they are sick and
should be taken care of in hospital. While sentencing them to a term in
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prison is the quick and easy solution, I believe that it is better to be

compassionate and help them get better in hospital.

On the one hand, custodial sentences provide a short term solution to the
drugs problem. By locking up addicts the government can take them off the
street and they believe that this will stop them from using narcotics and also
causing any harm to others. For example, in United States someone caught
with even a small amount of heroin is likely to be locked up for at least a
year. However, I believe that this does not solve the actual problem because
drug addicts can gain access to drugs while in prison and will be still hooked
upon release.

On the other hand, helping drug addicts kick their habit under medical
supervision is thought to reduce the number of addicts in the long term. By
treating addiction as a disease and the person with compassion, the root
cause can be addressed and that person can eventually become free from
drugs. For example, in Switzerland heroin addicts are given free heroin by
doctors until they are ready to stop using the drug and this has resulted in
drug related crime falling by 80%. I believe this method is preferable
because addiction is a disease and it benefits both the individual and society
as a whole.

In conclusion, although throwing addicts in jail might get them off the
streets for a few years, it does not treat the actual problem and that is why
it is more important to help them get off drugs in a medical facility. It is
recommended that more governments follow this logic and bring in more
forward thinking initiatives.

Now let's go through a whole question, step by step.

Q.​ Serious violent crimes among people who are under-18 are becoming
more common. Some people think that children who commit serious crimes
should be treated like adults, while others would say that they should be
rehabilitated.

Planning
Question Analysis
● Topic Words- crime and punishment.
● Keywords- treated like adults or rehabilitated.
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● Instruction Words- Discuss both these views and give your own
opinion.
● Decide opinion

Idea Generation
Treated like adults
1. Victims need justice.
2. Depends on seriousness.
3. Danger to society.

Rehabilitated
1. They are not fully developed yet.
2. Didn't know what they were doing.
3. Higher chance of rehabilitation with children.
4. They will have to rejoin society eventually.

Structure
1. Paragraph1- Introduction
● Paraphrase question
● Outline both sides and agree with rehabilitation.
2. Paragraph2- Negative viewpoint
● Topic sentence- victims.
● Explain why- they need justice.
● Example- mother of toddler.
● State why you disagree- because children themselves are
victims.
3. Paragraph3- positive viewpoint
● Topic sentence- not fully developed
● Explain why- were not aware of consequences.
● Example- UK
● State why agree- because it helps them reform.
4. Paragraph4- conclusion
● Summarize main points and give opinion.
● Prediction or recommendation

Vocabulary
● Rehabilitated- rehabilitation, treated, reform
● Adults- over 18s, grown up
● Children- young people, adolescents, minors
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● Crime- murder, offense

Major violent offences are being carried out by children more often. While
some would argue that they should get the same treatment as grown-ups, I
believe that they should be treated differently and rehabilitation is a better
option.

On the one hand, treating young violent criminals like they are over-18 gives
the victims justice. Someone who has lost a loved one would find it very
difficult if the perpetrator was not sentenced to prison because they are not
old enough. Their relative is still dead or injured no matter how old the
criminal is. For example, the mother of Jamie Burger said that it was like the
crime happening all over again when she heard her son's murders were
released earlier than expected because they committed the crime when they
were only 11 years old. However, I believe that a criminal's age should be
taken into consideration because they are not fully developed as human
beings.

On the other hand, it is thought that children who carry out acts of violence
are not aware of their actions because of their age. A young child does not
know, to the same degree as adults, that their violent actions will result in
death or serious injury. This is why young murderers in the United Kingdom
are rehabilitated and given new identities so that they can live a normal
adult life outside of prison. I believe this school of thought is preferable
because it helps the young criminal reform and ensures that they do not
carry out serious crimes again.

In conclusion, although sending young criminals who have committed violent

atrocities to adult prisons gives the victims some justice, the criminals
themselves should also be seen as victims, because they were not aware of
their actions and that is why trying to make them model citizens again is a
more preferable option.

Review
Make sure that:
1. Give a clear opinion in the introduction.
2. Think of two main points supporting your opinion.
3. Develop these main points with explanations and examples.
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4. Short conclusion summarizing your main points and reiterating your

opinion.

Your Turn
Find IELTS Discussion essay question and practice using the above strategy.

PROBLEMS/CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS ESSAYS

Difference between problem and cause
I stay up all night playing video games. When I wake up I am late for work.
Cause- playing video games.
Problem- late for work and trouble with my boss.

Common Mistakes
● Getting confused between problems and causes
● Not linking problems and solutions together. Your solutions should
solve the problems.
● Not developing main ideas or listing too many ideas.
● Answering it like an opinion or discussion question.

Band 9 Checklist
● State answer to question in introduction.
● Have at least one relevant problem/cause and a linked solution.
● Develop the above fully with explanations and examples.
● Short conclusion summarizing your main points.

Structure
1. Paragraph 1- Introduction
● Paraphrase question
● Briefly state what the problems and solutions are.
2. Paragraph 2- Problem
● State problem
● Explain problem
● Results of problem
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● Example
3. Paragraph 3- Solution
● State solution
● Explain solution
● Example
4. Paragraph 4- Conclusion
● Summarize main points and give opinion.

Q.​ Many people strive to maintain a successful career and happy family life
at the same time. What problems can this situation cause? What are the
possible solutions?

Many try to have success at work and spend enough time with their family.
The main problem this causes is​ exhaustion​ and the most viable solution is a
public awareness campaign​ warning people about the dangers of working too
hard.

The principal problem associated with​ trying to spend time with your loved
ones and be a success in your career is people tend to burn out. Burnout is
when people are both mentally and physically tired to the point that they
can no longer continue. ​The result of this is​ often physical and mental health
problems, which in turn can cause the breakdown of a family or poor
performance at work. F​ or example, a recent government survey found that
82% of CEOs felt they did not spend enough quality time with their children
because they often felt too tired when they returned home.

To tackle this problem the government should launch a publicity campaign in

the media and in schools to educate people about the dangers​ of working
long hours and not spending enough time with your kids. Many people are
afraid to ask their boss for time off work because of the stigma surrounding
people who work fewer hours than normal and they might also feel like they
cannot talk to their family about this issue. A
​ n awareness campaign could
shed some light on this difficult situation and allow people to be more open
and honest about it. For instance, a similar initiative in Japan resulted in a
52% decrease ​in people calling in sick to work because of mental fatigue.

In conclusion, striking the right balance between home life and working life
is a major issue that can result in people ​working themselves so hard that
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they cannot perform either role, h

​ owever it can be addressed through
educating people about the dangers.

NB.​ You can memorize the above phrases in red and use them in any
problems/causes and solutions essay.

Q.​ Natural resources, such as water, forests and oil, are being used at an
excessive rate. What are the causes of this problem? What are the possible
solutions to address this issue?

Question Analysis
● Topic Words- natural resources
● Keywords- being used at an excessive rate
● Instruction Words- causes and solutions

Idea Generation
Causes- overpopulation, lack of environmental laws, lifestyles in the west.
Solutions- public awareness campaign, education, new laws.

Structure
1. Paragraph 1- Introduction
● Paraphrase question
● Briefly state cause and solution.
2. Paragraph 2- Cause
● State cause- Western lifestyle
● Explain- Overconsumption
● Results- huge energy consumption
● Example- SUV cars, electrical devices
3. Paragraph 3- Solution
● State solution- education
● Explain- long term solution in schools
● Example- Germany
4. Paragraph 4- Conclusion
● Summarize main points and give opinion.

Vocabulary
● Natural resources- planet's resources, natural materials.
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● Being used- consumed, depleted, exhausted, expended.

● Excessive- rapid, disproportionate, irresponsible, drastic,
unreasonable.
● Lifestyle- habit, culture, behavior, style of living.
● Education- schooling, lessons, learning, teaching.

The planet's resources are being consumed at an alarming pace. The

primary cause of this phenomenon is the wasteful lifestyle in many countries
in the West and the most viable solution is to educate their young people
about this issue.

Countries in North America and Europe have a culture of waste. That is to

say that their lifestyles involve consuming lots of natural resources for their
transport, food and leisure time. For example, the most popular car in the
United States is the SUV, which has the lowest fuel efficiency of any car and
it is not unusual for the average home in Europe to have a TV in every room,
along with many other electronic devices. This results in a huge amount of
energy being consumed in the form of petrol in cars and coal and gas in
electrical power stations. Many have become so used to this type of luxury
that it is very difficult for them to contemplate a life without modern
conveniences.

A long term solution to this predicament is to educate young people about

the dangers of consuming resources irresponsibly. Children in schools could
be taught about how to conserve energy and recycle, so that the next
generation will act more responsibly. They are also likely to teach their
parents about the things they learned at school and adults will also be
influenced by this initiative. For instance, school children in Germany were
taught about the consequences of treating the planet in a reckless manner
and now they have one of the highest rates of recycling and renewable
energy in the world.

In conclusion, the planet is being depleted at a staggering rate because

American and European citizens consume more than their fair share of
energy and their children must be taught that conservation is the only
answer.
 107

​ eview
R
Make sure that:
1. Stated at least one problem/cause and solution in introduction.
2. Have one paragraph for each.
3. Develop these main points with explanations and examples.
4. Short conclusion summarizing your main points and reiterating your
opinion.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES ESSAY

There are three types of advantages and disadvantages essay:
1. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages?
2. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages and give your opinion?
3. Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

Type1:​ Some people think that computer games are bad for children, while
others believe that they are useful. Discuss the advantages and
disadvantages. We only need to do two things:
1. Discuss the advantages
2. Discuss the disadvantages
We don't have to give our opinion.

Type2:​ Some people think that computer games are bad for children, while
others believe that they are useful. Discuss the advantages and
disadvantages of computer games and give your opinion. You must do three
things:
1. Discuss advantages
2. Discuss disadvantages
3. Give your opinion.

Type3:​ Some people think that computer games are bad for children, while
others believe that they are useful. Do you think that the advantages
outweigh the disadvantages?
We must do one thing: Give opinion about whether the advantages outweigh
the disadvantages, so...
1. Yes, the advantages do outweigh the disadvantages.
 108

2. No, the advantages don't outweigh the disadvantages.

Each question is different and requires a different opinion and structure.

Type1
Q​. Multinational companies are becoming increasingly common in developing
countries. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages?

Deciding opinion
We are not asked for our opinion, but the marking scheme says that our
opinion must be clear throughout the whole essay. We therefore simply
outline our main ideas in the introduction. In other words we simply state
what the advantages and disadvantages are in the introduction.

Structure
1. Paragraph1- Introduction
● Paraphrase question
● Outline advantages and disadvantages
2. Paragraph2- Advantages
● Topic sentence
● Explain advantage
● Example
3. Paragraph 3- Disadvantages
● Topic sentence
● Explain disadvantage
● Example
4. Paragraph 4- Conclusion
● Summarize main points.

More and more transnational corporations are setting up branches and

factories in less developed nations. This essay will first suggest that reduced
labor costs is the primary benefit for these companies, while bad publicity
because of Human Rights abuses is the main drawback.

The main reason multinationals set up shop in poorer countries is because it

is much cheaper for them to get their goods manufactured there, due to
comparatively lower salaries. In an ever more competitive marketplace it is
simply unsustainable for most companies to pay Western wages when they
can pay someone a fraction of the cost to do the same job. For instance, the
 109

only reason an iPad or iPhone can be sold for less than $499 is because a
worker in China can assemble the unit for approximately one tenth what an
American would expect to be paid.

Despite this economic benefit, Apple has recently come under scrutiny
because of appalling conditions in many of its Asian factories. Workers in
their Foxconn plant in China had to work under such grim circumstances,
including 15 hour shifts, pressure to meet unrealistic quotas and low wages,
that several of them committed suicide by leaping off the factory roof. The
New York Times reported that this resulted in a 12% drop in the sale of
Apple products, especially after it was reported that Apple had installed nets
to stop any employees killing themselves in the future.

In conclusion, huge global companies may reap the rewards of low operating
costs in developing countries, but they should also keep in mind that they
have a responsibility towards their workers and any infringements of their
rights could negatively affect their image and stock price.

Type2
Q.​ Some people think that computer games are bad for children, while
others believe that they are useful. Discuss the advantages and
disadvantages of computer games and give your own opinion.

Deciding opinion
● The question statement will always have two sides- one good and one
bad- Some people think that computer games are bad for children,
while others believe that they are useful.
● Easiest thing to do is to agree with one and disagree with the other. Or
in other words, say why one is stronger than the other. However, you
must discuss both sides.
● We simply 'steal' the discussion structure, but this time we discuss
advantages and disadvantages.

Structure
1. Paragraph1- Introduction
● Paraphrase question
● Outline both sides and give opinion
2. Paragraph2- Advantages
● Topic sentence
 110

● Explain advantage
● Example
● State if you agree or not
3. Paragraph 3- Disadvantages
● Topic sentence
● Explain disadvantage
● Example
● State if you agree or not
4. Paragraph 4- Conclusion
● Summarize main points and give opinion.

Some would argue that video games are not good for kids, while others
would say that they can provide some benefit. While games can improve
children's language skills, I believe that they result in children not exercising
and becoming overweight.

The main advantage to playing computer games when a person is young is

that it exposes young people to foreign languages in an authentic context.
This enables them to practice a second language in real life, which is much
more enjoyable and productive than the classroom. For example, teenagers
in Asia can chat to American and British people while they play online games
like World of Warcraft. Despite this, I believe that this encourages children
to lead a very sedentary lifestyle which can lead to poor health.

Playing online games for extended periods of time means that children do
very little exercise. This leads to obesity related diseases, such as diabetes
and heart diseases, later in life because they become obese. For instance, it
is estimated by WHO that children are now 30% more likely to be fatter than
kids 30 years ago due to the fact that they now prefer to play indoors rather
than outside where they are more likely to get exercise. I believe that this
makes overconsumption of video games dangerous and they should only be
used in moderation.

In conclusion, although computer games can help children improve their

linguistic ability, they also prevent them from getting enough exercise and
they should therefore only be used sparingly.
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Type3
Q.​ Some teachers think that international student exchange would be
beneficial for all teenage school students. Do you think its advantages
outweigh the disadvantages?

Deciding opinion
● We must state which side is stronger. Not which one has more
advantages or disadvantages.
● Imagine if asked do the advantages of traveling by private jet
outweigh the disadvantages.
● Advantages- luxurious, convenient, saves time, flexible, don't have to
fly with other people.
● Disadvantage- costs a lot of money.
● The disadvantages outweigh the advantages because it's costly and
less people fly private jet due to the high price.

Structure
1. Paragraph 1- Introduction
● Paraphrase question
● Outline both sides and give opinion
2. Paragraph 2- Weak side
● Topic sentence
● Explain
● Example
● Say why it is weak
3. Paragraph 3- Strong side
● Topic sentence
● Explain
● Example
● Say why it is stronger than the other side.
4. Paragraph 4- Conclusion
● Summarize main points and give opinion.

Some would argue that going on an exchange program has benefits for all
adolescent students. This essay will argue that despite there being some
dangers of misbehavior while away from home, the benefit of being exposed
 112

to a new culture and resulting development of the teenager far outweighs

any drawback.

When young people are away from home, they are often badly behaved and
can get into trouble with teachers and guardians. This is because they are
not under the supervision of their parents and this new found freedom often
leads to delinquency. For example, when I was in France at the age of 16, it
was the first time I had ever been away from my parents and I, along with
most of my friends, took the opportunity to get drunk for the first time.
However, student exchange does not need to be like this and concerns about
behavior can be reduced if the young person is properly supervised and not
given the opportunity to misbehave.

Attending school in a new country allows students to experience a new

culture and learn from the people they are living with. This opens their eyes
to new attitudes about life, enables them to think critically about their own
culture and expands their horizons. For instance, I once worked at a summer
school for students from France and they all commented that they were
shocked at how friendly and laid back the Irish families were and they would
try to replicate this hospitality when the returned home. This opportunity
means that an exchange program is very worthwhile and eclipses any fears
about poor behavior.

In conclusion, the cultural opportunities given to teenagers and the chance

to develop as a person far outweigh the supposed disadvantages of
misbehavior, while studying in a foreign country.

Review
Make sure that you have....
1. Used the correct structure.
2. Given your opinion in introduction and conclusion, if necessary.
3. Discussed both advantages and disadvantages equally.
4. Summarized your main ideas in the conclusion.
 113

DOUBLE QUESTION ESSAY

Common Mistakes
1. Not answering both question in the introduction. i.e. giving opinion and
outlining main ideas.
2. Focusing on just one of the questions.
3. Trying to answer it like an opinion question.
4. Trying to answer it like a discussion question.

Band 9 Checklist
1. Give a clear opinion in the introduction for both questions.
2. Have a separate supporting paragraph for each question.
3. Fully develop main ideas in each supporting paragraph.
4. Paragraphs should be relatively equal.
5. Short conclusion summarizing your main points and reiterating your
opinion for both questions.

Structure
1. Paragraph1- introduction
● Paraphrase question
● Directly answer both questions
2. Paragraph2- First Question
● Topic sentence
● Explanations
● Example
3. Paragraph3- Second Question
● Topic Sentence
● Explanations
● Example
4. Paragraph4- Conclusion
● Summary for both questions
● Prediction/Recommendation(optional)

Q.​ Most employers do job interviews before offering a position to a person.

Do you think this is the best way to do it? What is the best method of
choosing employees in your opinion?
 114

Many companies conduct interviews before making a job offer to someone.

This essay will argue that this is not the most appropriate way to recruit
people because an interview is not a true reflection of a person's ability and
the best method is to give people standardized tests designed to assess on
the job performance.

Conducting interviews is not a very effective recruitment method because

the interview does not give the interviewee a chance to show how good they
really are. The skills tested in interview, such as the ability to communicate
in a friendly manner and being able to answer questions without any
assistance are the opposite of those required by many jobs. For example, a
skilled computer programmer or lab technician may be socially awkward and
used to consulting the internet before answering a question and they would
never be able to show how technically proficient they are.

A better way to find new employees would be to test them on things that
they will actually be doing on the job. This is more reliable because it tests
the specific skills they will use on a day to day basis and not just interview
technique. For instance, Facebook give potential programmers a real
program to debug or ask them to hack into their system. Similarly, Google
give anyone hoping to join their business division a real life scenario that
some of their executives recently faced and ask the candidate to think and
present a solution.

In conclusion, interviews have limitations because they often test

interviewing skills rather than job-related skills and a better test would be to
give prospects a challenge that simulates the real job.

Q.​ It is important for children to learn the difference between right and
wrong at an early age. Punishment is necessary to help them learn this
distinction.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
What sort of punishment should parents and teachers be allowed to use to
teach good behavior to children?

Planning
First Question: Agree- Why?
● Children cannot learn by themselves.
● Been shown to be effective in the past.
 115

● Consistent with what society does to adults.

Second Question
● Not physical punishment
● Taking away the things they love.
● Grounding.
● Extra chores.

Structure
1. Paragraph1- introduction
● Paraphrase question
● Agree and outline main points
● State type(s) that are allowed
2. Paragraph2- First Question
● Topic sentence- Agree because consistent with rest of society.
● Explanations- Social and criminal system.
● Example- personal example.
3. Paragraph3- Second Question
● Topic Sentence- Not physical violence but take away something
they love.
● Explanations- Teach them difference without violence.
● Example- University study
4. Paragraph4- Conclusion
● Summary

Some would argue that it is essential that children are taught morals from
early age and punishment is the best way to do it. This essay totally agrees
with that statement because they will be punished at school and by the
authorities when they get older if they break the rules, however, parents
should not beat their child and instead should deprive them of something
they love.

It is essential that young children get used to punishment because they will
be treated in the same way later in life by their teachers and by the police. A
lack of discipline at home often leads to delinquency later in life because the
person has not been taught that there will be consequences to breaking the
rules. Therefore, parents have a responsibility to punish their children so
that they will become responsible students and citizens in the future. In my
primary school, parents who were very relaxed about discipline often
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produced the most unruly children and some of them even went on to serve
prison terms because they were never taught the difference between good
and bad behavior.

However, punishment should never be violent in any way because it teaches

the child that the answer to a problem is to beat someone and this could
result in a young person that is prone to violence. A study by Queen's
University concluded that over three quarters of all violent offenders in
British prisons experience some kind of physical punishment as children. A
better punishment is to take away something the child's treasures, such as
their favorite toy or toy or TV show or stopping them seeing their best
friend. This allows the child time to think about what they did and learn from
the experience without resorting to physical abuse.

In conclusion, discipline should be instilled from a young age because it will

teach the child about what is acceptable and unacceptable later in life,
however, this should always be non-violent and the best way to punish a
child is to deny them something they have a deep attachment to.

Review
Make sure that:
1. Give a clear opinion in the introduction for both questions.
2. Have two separate supporting paragraphs for each question.
3. Fully develop main ideas in each supporting paragraph.
4. Paragraphs should be relatively equal.
5. Short conclusion summarizing your main points and reiterating your
opinion for both questions.
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CHAPTER FOUR
SPEAKING

HOW TO THINK LIKE AN EXAMINER

The four criteria
1. Fluency and Coherence 25%
2. Pronunciation 25%
3. Vocabulary 25%
4. Grammar 25%

Fluency and Coherence Dos

1. Speak at a natural pace i.e. not very slow, not very fast.
2. Avoid unnatural pausing, hesitation and repetition.
3. Fully develop your answers.
4. Structure your answers.
5. Use appropriate cohesive devices.
6. Answer the specific question.
7. Natural flow of language and interconnected ideas.
8. Use connected speech and contractions.

Fluency and Coherence Don'ts

1. Don’t over think the answer.
2. Don’t correct your mistakes too much.
3. Don’t search for language too much.
4. Don’t repeat the same points over and over.
5. Don’t stop in Part 2.
6. Don’t speak unnatural slowly or quickly.
7. Don’t insert formal or academic linking words.
8. Don’t overuse linking words.
9. Don’t give very short answers.

What is fluency and Coherence is not?

1. Speaking very quickly.
2. Not making any pauses or hesitations.
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3. Give 'good' answers.

How good candidates sounds for fluency and

coherence
1. Speaks without any effort at all.
2. Gives very well developed answers.
3. They do not search for either language or content. Any small
hesitations are content related.
4. The listener does not have to think about what the person is saying
because everything is very well signposted.

Difference between band 7 and 8 for fluency and

coherence
1. Band 7 students tend to hesitate, pause or repeat ideas/phrases to a
higher degree.
2. Band 7 students will have hesitation relating to both language and
content, whereas a Band 8 is nearly all content related.
3. Band 7 students have mixed control of linking words, whereas Band 8
students make rare mistakes in this regard.

Pronunciation
This refers to your ability to:
● Speaking clearly, so that the examiner can understand everything
without making any effort.
● Having control of higher level pronunciation features, such as:
1. Sentence stress
2. Word stress
3. Intonation
4. Connected speech

Pronunciation Dos
1. Speaking clearly. Make sure you can make all of the sounds of English
clearly. The examiner should easily understand every word.
2. Understand and use correct word and sentence stress.
3. Use natural intonation.
4. Speak in full sentences.
5. Use connected speech:
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● Linking of sounds.
● Weak sounds.
● Contractions.

Pronunciation Don'ts
1. Don’t say everything so clearly that you don't use connected speech.
2. Don’t allow your native language to interfere with clear use of English.
3. Don’t try to use American or British accent.
4. Don’t speak with no enthusiasm or feeling.
5. Don’t speak in small chunks of language.

How good candidates sound pronunciation

1. There is no strain at all on the examiner when they listen.
2. The candidate does not only have an awareness of higher level
pronunciation features, but full control of these features.

Difference between band 7 and 8 for pronunciation

1. Examiner can understand everything for both, but with Band 8 the
accent causes only minimal problems.
2. Band 7 students use higher level pronunciation features with mixed
control.
3. Band 8 students only have occasional lapses when it comes to use of
pronunciation features.

Vocabulary
This refers to your ability to:
1. Express meaning both accurately and precisely, using words that are
both appropriate and accurate.
2. Use a range of vocabulary.
3. Use topic-specific and idiomatic language accurately.
4. Talk about a variety of topics.

Vocabulary Dos
1. Use topic-specific words.
2. Use 'less common' words and phrases.
3. Use idiomatic phrases when appropriate.
4. Use suitable/appropriate words and phrases.
5. Use vocabulary accurately.
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6. Use appropriate collocations accurately.

7. Pronounce words correctly.
8. Paraphrase when you cannot express a word or idea.

Vocabulary Don'ts
1. Don’t repeat the same words again and again.
2. Don’t force complex words into your sentence without knowing them
100%
3. Don’t use idioms that are wrong or inappropriate.
4. Don’t learn lists of 'academic' words.
5. Don’t keep quiet when you are unsure of a word or phrase
6. Don’t get nervous or think you are going to do terribly if you get an
'unfamiliar' topic.
7. Don’t try to use words you do not know 100% i.e. meaning,
pronunciation, synonyms and collocations.

How good candidates sound for vocabulary

1. They have enough vocabulary to talk about any topic.
2. The vocabulary they use is both accurate and appropriate.

Difference between band 7 and 8 for vocabulary

1. They can both discuss a variety of topics, but a Band 7 candidate may
make some mistakes when it comes to accuracy.
2. Accuracy includes meaning and collocation.
3. Band 8 students are allowed some mistakes, but they are only
occasional.

Grammar
Refers to your ability to:
1. Produce 'complex' sentences.
2. Use appropriate grammar structures and tenses.
3. Produce error-free sentences.

Grammar Dos
1. Try to use as many 'error-free' sentences as possible.
2. Use 'complex' sentences.
3. Use a variety of appropriate structures.
4. Use tenses correctly.
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5. Follow the 100% rule.

Grammar Don'ts
1. Don’t try to use as many different structures as possible.
2. Don’t try to impress the examiner with complex grammar.
3. Don’t make basic or systematic errors.

Vocabulary and Grammar

1. Remember that it is a speaking test, not a grammar and vocabulary
test.
2. The goal of speaking is to communicate clearly, not list long and
complicated words and phrases.
3. Focus on communication. Clarity is the key.

How good candidates sound for Grammar

1. Each structure or tenses is used in response to the question asked.
2. Minimal errors.
3. Any errors are not basic or systematic.

Difference between Band 7 and 8

1. To get Band 8 the majority of your sentences will have to be
completely free of errors and any errors you do make are not basic or
systematic.
2. To get a Band 8 you have full control of structures and tenses.

PART 1 SPEAKING STRATEGY

Speaking Part 0
This is the part when you meet the examiner before the actual test begins.
First impressions should not count, but they really do. You will not be
marked officially on this part of the test, but is worth knowing what to
expect.
Speaking Part 0 Questions:
● What's your full name? Just say 'My name's................ '
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● What can I call you? Just say 'You can call me.......... '
● Where are you from? Just say 'I'm from............. Don't ask the
examiner questions.
● Can I see your ID please? Just say 'sure, here you are' _
● Don't speak while they are checking this.

Speaking Part 1 Format

● It will last around 4-5 minutes.
● If you answer the questions properly, there should be 3 topics.
● You will be asked 3-4 questions for each topic.
● You will normally be asked around 12 questions in total.
● Your first topic will be either:
1. Work/Study
2. Hometown

Common Topics
● The three most common topics are:
1. Work/Study
2. Hometown
3. Your home
● You will only be asked about one of these.
● There are NO specific common topics.
● It is impossible to predict what you will be asked.
● The questions are about you, so it's impossible to get them 'wrong'.

Why some people mess Part 1 up and how to avoid it

1. They prepare memorized answers.
2. They give very short answers.
3. They give very long answers.
4. They think too much about the answers.
5. They get stuck when they get an 'unusual' topic or question.
6. They seem like they don't care or don't want to be there.
7. They are so nervous that they can't perform properly.
8. They talk to the examiner like they are a recording device.

How to avoid it
1. Answer the questions naturally and spontaneously.
2. Develop your answers appropriately.
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3. Do not give a speech.

4. Remember these questions are about YOU, so there is no need to think
deeply about the answers.
5. Expect the unexpected.
6. Pretend like you care.
7. Take this as an opportunity to relax and get into a groove.
8. Treat the examiner like a human being.

Key Skill: Develop Your Answer

● One of the big mistakes students make in Part 1 is giving very short
answers. However, developing your answer does not mean talking as
much as possible.
● Your answers should be not too short and not too long.
● One word or phrases is obviously too short.
● If you are including more than 3 sentences, I think this is probably too
long.
● A very simple way to make sure that you develop your answers is to
simply answer the question and add an extra piece of information.
● If you do this, you will be sure to follow the 'not to short, not too long'
rule.

​Extra Info.1- Explanation

● This is the most obvious way to add extra information and we can do it
simply by adding a word like 'because'.
● Example- How often do you read?
● Bad answer- I read every night before bed.
● Better answer- I read every night before bed because I find it difficult
to get to sleep and reading fiction relaxes me and switches off my
brain.

Extra Info. 2- Contrast

● Another obvious example is contrasting by using a word like 'but' or
'although'.
● Example- Do you read every night?
● Bad answer- I normally read Monday to Friday.
● Better answer- I normally read Monday to Friday but at the weekend I
tend not to read at all because I go out on Saturday and Sunday night
with friends and I'm not in the mood to read when I come home.
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Extra Info. 3- Combine Details

● Very simply, we combine two things by adding the word 'and'.
● Example- Do you read every night?
● Bad answer- I normally read Monday to Friday.
● Better answer- I normally read Monday to Friday and I also like to
read during the day on Saturday and Sunday as those are my days off
and I have more free time to relax.

Extra Info.4- Past Comparisons

● We use the phrase 'used to' to compare the past and the future.
● Example- Do you read every night?
● Bad answer- Not anymore.
● Better answer- I used to read all the time, but since I became a father,
all of my time is spent looking after the new baby, so I don't have
time.

Extra Info. 5-Future

● Use 'will' or 'be + going to' to talk about the future.
● Example- Do you read every night?
● Bad answer- Not at the moment. Maybe in the future.
● Better answer- Not at the moment, but I'll definitely try to read more
next year when I have more free time in the evenings.

Extra Info. 6- Examples

● An easy way to develop your answers is to add an example.
● Example- Do you read every night?
● Bad answer- Yes, I do.
● Better answer- Yes, I do, like last week I got in to a really good book
called XYZ and I couldn't wait to get into bed each night and read it.

Extra Info. 7- Frequency

● You can use words like 'usually', 'never', 'always', and 'more often
than not.' to extend your answers.
● Advanced tip- Use one of the many frequency idioms.
● Example- Do you read every night?
● Bad answer- No, not often.
● Better answer- Once in blue moon I'd say because I'm normally so
tired by the time my head hits the pillow, I'm out like a light.
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Preparation
1. You must talk to people
2. Engage in small talk
3. Ask someone to ask you Part1 questions.
4. If you're really alone then you should look at past papers and record
yourself.

PART 2 SPEAKING STRATEGY

Speaking part 2 Format
1. You will have one minute to prepare and you are allowed to make
notes.
2. You should speak for up to 2 minutes.
3. The examiner will stop you.
4. They will normally ask you one follow up question.

Why do people not do well?

1. Don't speak for the 2 minutes.
2. Read their notes, rather than talk.
3. Run out of things to say.
4. No structure to their answers.
5. Think they know nothing about the topic.

What can you talk about?

You can talk about the bullet points..... But also......
1. Introduce the topic:​ Start by saying 'I'm going to talk about X. I
choose this topic because....... '
2. Description:​ Now pause and say 'So let me tell you about X in a little
more details.'
3. Your opinion:​ Now you can pause and say 'personally, I would say +
your opinion on topic.' You can add another related opinion using 'I
strongly believe that......... '
4. Past:​ pause and use linking words like 'anyway, in the past' or 'back in
2012.......'
5. Present:​ Now pause and say 'at the moment' or 'presently....'
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6. Future:​ Now start off by saying 'with regards to the future.........' or

'In the future..........'
7. Give examples
8. Tell a story
9. Anything else....... As long as you are are talking about the general
topic.

The Strategy
● Look at the cue card and then decide which of the bullet points you are
comfortable talking about.
● Add other things you are more comfortable talking about from the list
provided.
● Make short notes for a plan. Keep these brief. They are just prompts.
● Use these prompts to give a fluent answer. If you don't need them,
don't use them.
● On the piece of paper provided, write down these seven headings
below and make short notes about the general topic beside them.
1. Introduction
2. Description
3. Opinion
4. Past
5. Present
6. Future
7. Examples

Q.​Describe something you own which is very important to you. You should
say:
● where you get it from
● how long you have had it
● what you use it for, and
● explain why it is important to you.

Introduction:​ ​I want to talk about my laptop.

Description:​ ​My laptop is an Asus and it is something called an ultrabook.

Ultrabooks are laptops that are very portable but it's also very powerful. So
it has 8gigabyte of ram, it has a Intel i7 processor and I think it has
1terabyte of memory.
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Opinion:​ ​Personally, I think this is a perfect laptop for me because I travel

quite a bit but I also do very intensive things like memory intensive
processing things on the laptop. So personally, it works really well for me.

Past:​ ​In the past I had a MacBook but the problem with the MacBook was it
kept breaking all the time. I don't know why but all the Apple laptops I have
had in the past haven't been great and what I did was I went and bought an
Asus desktop and it worked perfectly for about two years. So I trusted Asus
and I went and bought Asus laptop.

Present:​ ​And presently I use it every single day. I make Facebook live
videos, I make videos, I edit videos. It's great at rendering them; it's a
really amazing piece of device.

Example:​ ​For example, I'm making videos for an online course at the
moment.

Cohesive Devices
1. Introduce- 'Today I'm going to talk about......... '
2. Description- 'To get into the details....... '
3. Your opinion- 'Personally, I'd have to say.........,'
4. Examples- 'Like........ ' or 'For example........,
5. Past- depending on the situation, you can say 'in the past......... ' or
'back in 2005.......'
6. Present- 'At the moment.....,'
7. Future- 'in the future + 'will' or be + going to'

Preparation
● This will not come easy to you immediately and it does require
practice.
● When you get the hang of this, it will be very easy for you to produce
a 2 minutes talk on any topic.
● You simply find lots of Part 2 questions and practice using this
technique.
● Start slow and improve gradually.
● Record yourself.
● The goal is to be able to talk for 2 minutes while looking at notes for
cues.
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PART 3 SPEAKING STRATEGY

Speaking Part 3 Format
1. You will be asked questions relating to (not exactly the same) the
same topic as Part 2.
2. It will last 4-5 minutes.
3. The questions will be more abstract i.e. they will be about ideas, not
about you.
4. This part is designed to stretch your abilities to the limit. You will get
difficult questions.

Reasons why people don't do so well

1. They give short answers.
2. They try to finish quickly.
3. They get stressed or upset when they get a question they don't know
how to answer.
4. They do not fully understand the question.
5. They don't think about the actual question being asked.

How to avoid common issues

1. Use my technique for extending your answers.
2. Treat this as the most important part and finish strong. Practice
speaking for 15 minutes in English.
3. Expect difficult questions and answer them as best as you can.
4. Ask the examiner questions if you don't understand. But only two
questions are allowed.
5. Be aware of the 7 most common types of questions and answer
accordingly.
6. Get used to discussing ideas, not yourself, people or events.

Seven Most Common Questions

1. Opinion:​ You will be asked what you think about something. Example,
do you think that students use eBooks?
2. Evaluation:​ You will be asked to comment on someone else's opinion.
For example, some people think that paper books are bad for the
environment. Do you agree?
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3. Future:​ You will be asked to speculate about what will happen in the
future. For example, do you think people will read more books in the
future?
4. Cause and Effect:​ You may also be asked to discuss what has caused
a certain situation and what effects this has. For example, how do
online retailers affect the type of books people buy? What effect does
this have on the book market?
5. Hypothetical:​ You will be asked an 'unreal' or imaginary situation. For
example, if you were a book publisher, what genre of books do you
think would be most successful?
6. Compare and Contrast:​ You will be asked to compare and/or
contrast two or more things. For example, do you believe eBooks or
paper books are more suitable for students?
7. Past:​ You will be asked about how things were in the past or how
things have changed from the past up until now. For example, how has
the way people purchase books changed in the last 25 years?

Part 3 Strategy
1. Answer the question
2. Explain your answer
3. Give examples to support your answer
4. Show the other side/concession.
Think of it like a Task 2 Writing main body paragraph.

Part 3 preparation
1. Get a partner to ask you questions and record your answers.
2. Do this by yourself by looking at a list of real questions and record
yourself.
3. Start off slow and think about the type of question and the grammar
and functional language needed to answer it

PRONUNCIATION
What pronunciation features are tested?
● Individual sounds
● Clarity
● Word stress
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● Sentence stress
● Connected speech
● Intonation

How will the examiner judge your pronunciation?

1. The first thing they will listen for is clarity.
2. In order words, can they understand what you are saying?
3. They will NOT be judging your accent.
4. They will listen for higher level pronunciation features.

Clarity
● If you are not clear you will struggle to get a high score. If the
examiner can't understand what you are saying, then they won't be
able to judge anything.
● This is rarely a problem at your level.
● There could be two problems:
1. Mispronunciation of certain sounds.
2. First language interference.

Fluency and Coherence

● Fluency is the ability to maintain a natural flow of language without
unnatural hesitation, pausing or repetition.
● It has nothing to do with talking quickly.
● Coherence is the logical organization, development and connection of
ideas.
● It has nothing to do with putting a linking word at the start of every
sentence.
● It has nothing to do with ideas.
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CHAPTER FIVE
IELTS GRAMMAR
This course is for anyone who is struggling to get a 7 or above in their IELTS
writing test. It will tell you exactly what you need to know, saving you time
and effort. Until you get your grammar problems fixed, you will not pass.

MARKING CRITERIA
This whole course is based on the Official Marking Criteria. This is the only
thing that matters. Therefore, it is essential that you understand what IELTS
says about grammar and stop thinking things about IELTS grammar that are
not true. There are three important things in IELTS grammar marking
criteria:
1. Mistakes (Accuracy)
2. Variety of structures (Range)
3. Complex sentences

Accuracy
For the purpose of IELTS, accuracy refers to two things: seriousness of
errors and frequency of errors. There are two kinds of seriousness of errors:
1. simple
2. serious
Simple errors are things like preposition, article and punctuation mistakes.
They are obvious to the reader, but they do not stop the reader
understanding the MEANING of the sentence. If more than 50% of your
sentences have any errors at all, you will not be able to get a 7 or above. So
you should be aiming for more than 50% of your sentences to be 'error-free.

Serious errors occur when the mistakes are so serious that it stops the
reader understanding what you mean.

Range
If you follow all the strategies and structures that we explained in Task1 and
2 writing, then you already have a variety of structures.
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Complex sentence
Most people see the word 'complex' and think it means 'complex',
'complicated' or 'sophisticated' language. It does not. A complex sentence is
simple a sentence with multiple clauses in it while a simple sentence has
only one clause.

SIMPLE VS COMPLEX SENTENCE

A simple sentence is a sentence with one clause only. You can make a
simple sentence by including a: Subject + verb + object/completed thought.
For example, I teach English.
A complex sentence has more than one clause i.e. two or more. One clause
is a main (independent) clause. A good way to think about main clauses is
they express a complete thought if you take away the other clause. The
other clause (or clauses) is subordinate (or dependent). A good way to think
about these is they do not express a complete thought when they stand
alone. For example, I am a teacher who specializes in teaching IELTS.
Who specializes in teaching IELTS is the subordinate clause.

Most students see the word 'complex' and think that it means:
1. A long sentence
2. A complicated sentence
3. A sophisticated sentence
4. An academic sentence
5. A high-level sentence

Conveying simple ideas into complex sentence

1. First class air travel is luxurious.
2. First class air travel results in the person being well rested.
3. First class air travel is very expensive.
4. I don't fly first class.
Although first class air travel is luxurious, and results in a person being well
rested, it is very expensive and this is why I do not fly first class.

Understand that complex does not mean complex.

1. You do not get high marks for writing very long sentences.
2. You do not get high marks for writing sentences with lots of clauses.
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3. You get high marks for writing clear sentences without any errors.
4. Complex sentences are important, but remember what they actually
are.

ARTICLES
Articles are the little words that go before nouns in a sentence.
1. A/An: Indefinite article
2. The: Definite article
3. Zero article.

Most Common Rules

1. Specific/General.
2. Familiar/Unfamiliar.
3. Common ground/No common ground.
4. Generalities.

Specific/General
This is the most important general rule.
1. We use 'the' when we are talking about something specific.
2. We use 'a/an' when talking about something more general.
For example​, ​I'd like to take ​an​ IELTS course with you Smith. I'd like to
talk to you about t​ he​ IELTS course Smith.

Familiar/Unfamiliar
Use the indefinite article when talking about something unfamiliar.
For example​, ​there’s been a​ n​ accident. He's been depressed since​ the
accident.

Common Ground
When you are talking about something you both know about, you are more
likely to use a definite article.
For example​, ​what was the score in the match last night? Are you going to
watch a match this weekend?
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Generalities
When talking about something general or routine, we are more likely to use
no article.
For example, ​Football matches are safer than they were in the past. I
normally go shopping at the weekend.

Less Common Rules

1. Occupations
2. Time and Quantity
3. Part of an Institution
4. Home, Work, Bed.

Occupations
When naming occupations or things, you are more likely to use an indefinite
article.
For example​, ​I'm currently a student, but one day I hope to be a doctor.

Time and Quantity

You are more likely to use the indefinite article when talking about time or
quantities.
For example​, ​I'll be there in a few minutes. I gained a kilo over the
Christmas holidays.

Proper Nouns
Proper nouns normally have definite articles.
For example​, The Atlantic Ocean, The Sahara Desert.

Part of an Institution
We do not use article when talking about being part of an institution. ​For
example​, I go to church every Sunday. I went to university last year.

Home, Work, Bed

We do not normally use articles when talking about these. For example, ​I
went home after work and went to bed.
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How to Learn Articles

1. When reading, underline any articles you are unsure of. If you really
need to work on articles, underline all of them.
2. Think about why they are correct and reference the rules.
3. Try to use them as innately as possible when writing or speaking.
4. Proof read your writing and try to correct your use of articles with
reference to the rules.

NOUNS
A noun is a word that names something: either a person, place or thing.
Think of them as one of the building blocks of a sentence. There are two
types of noun:
1. Countable nouns: have singular and plural form. For example, car and
cars.
2. Uncountable nouns: have only one form for both singular and plural.
For example, news, furniture.

General Rule for Countable

● Separate and separable objects are normally countable. e.g. books.
● Another way to think about them is simply things that are individual
items. Example: toes, people, bottles, sheep, fish.
● Some countable nouns are irregular and they do not change when they
become plural.
● Most forms do change to an '-s' at the end.

General Rule for Uncountable

● Liquids, materials, substances and abstract qualities are normally
uncountable. e.g. water, wood, cocaine and success. There are always
exception.
● We can't count things that are a single mass rather than individual
items. For example, chocolate (mass) vs a piece of chocolate, or a bar
of chocolate (singular item).
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Uses of Articles
● We can use numbers to talk about countable nouns but not
uncomfortable nouns. ​Example:
○ 3 books (correct)
○ 3 information (incorrect)
● We can use the article 'a/an' to talk about a single unit of a countable
noun but not an uncountable noun. ​Example:
○ an apple (correct)
○ a weather (incorrect)
● We use zero article to talk about both generally. ​Example:
○ I like apples.
○ Ireland normally has wet weather in July.

Common Mistakes
1. Using uncountable nouns as countable nouns. Example: ​can you give
me an information about your course? Was it a good weather last
weekend?
2. Using uncountable nouns that end in '-s' as countable nouns. Example:
the news are good.​
3. Making regular plural forms of names that are irregular. Example:
womans got the vote after years of struggle.
4. Confusion between nouns that have two meanings. Example​: It's
made of a paper. (Mass) The Guardian is an excellent paper (Single)

Quantifying Phrases
We often use the following quantifying phrases while writing:
1. A number/range/variety of.......
2. A small/large amount of.........
3. A small/large quantity/proportion/majority of..........
Be careful when using these with uncountable nouns because this will often
modify the sentence.
Examples:
1. A number of sheep is killed by a wolf. (incorrect)
2. A number of sheep were killed by a wolf. (correct)
3. A large amount of paper are required to make a book. (incorrect)
4. A large amount of paper is required to make a book. (correct).
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How to Improve
1. Look at your past writing samples.
2. Look at the lessons and common mistakes in this book.
3. Why did you make those mistakes?
4. Practice! Practice! Practice!

SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
There is a subject in a sentence and a verb in a sentence. The subject and
verb must agree.
1. Singular subject agrees with a singular verb and vice versa. E.g. ​The
baby cries. The babies cry.
2. The plural form of a verb has no 's' on the end. E.g. ​Those watches
look expensive.
3. The singular form of a verb has an 's' on the end. E.g. ​That watch
looks expensive.

Common Mistakes
1. First person singular pronoun. When using a first person singular like
'I', we would use a plural form of the verb. E.g. ​I believe you are
wrong. She/He believes you are wrong. They believe you are wrong.
2. When the following are used with the main verb: Is- Are, Was- Were,
Has- Have E.g ​The boy has talked to me. The boys have talked to me.
3. Use of modal verbs: Can, could, should, may, might, will, would, must.
They have just one form (no singular or plural form). E.g. ​The dog
could have killed me. The dogs could have killed me.
4. Irregular subjects may confuse some students. E.g. ​The man looks at
the car. The men look at the car.
5. Indefinite pronouns, such as: Each, Everyone, Nobody and Someone.
These pronouns go with singular verbs. E.g. ​I like ice cream. Everyone
likes ice cream. Nobody likes ice cream.
6. Uncountable Nouns agree with singular verbs. E.g. ​The news is
interesting. The furniture is interesting.
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PUNCTUATIONS
Every single sentence contains punctuation. The examiners will be looking
for your ability to use it effectively.

Terminal Points
We must end our sentences with one of three terminal points:
1. Full stop (period)
2. Question mark
3. Exclamation mark
Make this part of your proofreading process.

Capital Letters
Another common mistake is the failure to put a capital letter after a full stop.
You must ALWAYS start every sentence with a capital letter. Capital letters
are also used with particular types of nouns and some adjectives. You must
always use them in the following:

Names and Titles

E.g. ​Barack Obama was the President of the United States.

Dates and Holidays

E.g. Days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday,
Sunday.
Months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July August,
September, October, November, December.
Holidays: Christmas, Easter, New Year's Eve.

Places
E.g. Countries: Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, China, India.
Continent: Europe, North America, Africa, Asia.
Regions: South-East Asia, the Middle East, Sub-Sahara Africa.
Cities and Towns: New York, Paris, Manitoba, Sydney.
Rivers, Seas, Ocean, Deserts, Amazon River, South China Sea, the Pacific
Ocean, Lake Victoria.
Mountains: Gellert Hill, Mt. Olympus, San Juan Hill.
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Landmarks: the Golden Gate Bridge, the Lincoln Tunnel, the Eiffel Tower, the
Status of Liberty.

Groups of People
E.g. The French, Chinese people, Canadians, Americans, Muslims, Christians,
Hindus.

Companies
E.g. Apple, Microsoft, Uber, Alibaba.

Products/Brands
E.g. Apple Watch, Tetley Tea, Facebook, Whatsapp.

Institutions
E.g. Cambridge University, The Supreme Court, The Roman Catholic Church,
The Department of Education.

Apostrophes
These are used to:
1. Show possession- ​I almost drank​ Mary's​ juice yesterday.
2. Contractions- ​I​ can't ​believe he slapped Mary.

Possessive
This shows the reader that the thing in the sentence belongs to the person
or entity. There are a few simple rules that you need to be aware of:
1. With singular nouns and most personal names, we simply put an 's' on
the end. E.g. ​Kate's perfume is empty. The cat's foot needed to be
amputated.
2. With plural nouns that ends in '-s', we simply put an ' on the end. E.g.
The boys' school needs a new roof.
3. With plural nouns that don't end in '-s', we simply put an '+s on the
end. E.g. ​The men's/children's bathroom is down the hall.

NB.​ We do not use an apostrophe with 'it' to show possession. E.g. ​Facebook
changes its algorithm in January 2018. It's a shame Facebook is so
addictive.
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Commas Discourse Markers

At the start of a sentence
Normally, when you use one of the following words at the start of a
sentence, you will put a comma after: In my opinion, In conclusion, Firstly,
On the one hand, Furthermore, However, By contrast,
E.g. ​In my opinion, it is essential that you understand how to use commas​.

In the middle of a sentence

If you are using a discourse marker in the middle of a sentence, put a
comma before and after. E.g. ​Collins got an 8 in his IELTS test, therefore, he
was allowed to travel to Canada. The price of oil fell to new lows, as a result,
the share price of all companies fell drastically.

List
We will often have to list things in one sentence.
1. This could be a description (adjectives). E.g. ​The old, brown dog lived
with the old man.
2. This could list nouns. E.g. ​Napoli, Milan, Rome and Turin are all Italian
cities.

Main and Subordinate Clauses

Rule:​ If the subordinate (dependent) clause comes first, put a comma after
it. E.g​. In order to get a high IELTS score, you need to study grammar. You
need to study grammar to get a high IELTS score.

Conditional Sentences
A conditional sentence will have two clauses.
Rule:​ If it begins with 'if', put a comma after. If not, don't. E.g​. If you study
hard, you'll get good grades. You'll get good grades if you study hard.

Conjunctions
Conjunctions simply connect parts of a sentence together. E.g. and, but, yet,
so, for, or.....
Rule:​ We normally put a comma before these words. E.g. ​You can have your
drink at the bar, or you can have it at your table in the restaurant. Although
some might say that Bitcoin will be successful, others think that it will fail.
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Adverbs Showing Your Position

You can indicate to the reader how you feel about something by including an
adverb at the start of a sentence, such as: Fortunately, Actually,
Surprisingly, E.g. ​Fortunately, the price of Bitcoin went up. Surprisingly, the
price of Bitcoin went down.

TENSES
The examiners want you to demonstrate that you can recognize the tense
required and then use that tense effectively. Tenses give you the flexibility
to express meaning. The better your knowledge and use of tenses, the
better your ability to express meaning.

Present Simple
We use this tenses to talk about general actions, events and states. They
are easiest to explain by categorizing them into two general categories:
1. Repeated Events
2. General Facts

Repeated Events
We often use these to talk about habitual behaviors. For example​, I normally
have dinner at 7.30 pm. I play basketball on Tuesdays.

General Facts
These never change. They are always true. For example​, I am from Canada.
London is the capital of the UK.

Present Continuous
We generally use the present continuous to refer to:
1. Something temporary which has begun and has not finished. For
example, ​He's eating his lunch. She's studying for her test. I'm writing
to let you know that.......
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2. Something which is completable and is in the process of being

completed. For example, ​I'm drinking lots of water today. I'm going to
bed early this week. She's completing her degree in psychology.
3. Changing and developing states. For example, ​The price of Bitcoin is
decreasing. I'm developing a new vocabulary course.

Present Simple VS Continuous Form

We use the present continuous with a present tense form of to be (am, is,
are) and an -ing verb form. E.g.​ I live in Canada. I'm living in Australia at
the moment.

Typical Problems
1. Not recognizing that something is temporary or not.
2. Using the simple form when the continuous is more appropriate.
3. Using continuous with verbs that can't be used in a continuous form.
E.g. ​I'm not believing you. I'm not hearing you clearly.
4. Omission of third person 's' E.g. ​My mother swim every morning.
(swims) She think I'm handsome. (thinks)

IELTS Context- Present Simple

1. Stating facts or general truths: ​Apple is the biggest company in the
United States. Children learn more effectively when they are in smaller
class sizes. The line graph compares.....
2. Stating opinion: ​In my opinion, smaller class sizes are better than
larger ones. I believe children learn better in small classes.
3. Adverbs of frequency: ​I always go to school at 9 am. I never go to the
cinema.

IELTS Context- Present Continuous

1. Changing or developing states: ​The price of oranges is increasing.
North Korea is developing nuclear weapons.
2. Temporary situations: ​Facebook is currently dominating the social
media market, but will not be for much longer.

Future Tenses
Going To
We use going to when talking about:
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1. Planned events. ​I'm going to visit Australia for 6 weeks in January next
year.
2. Predictions based on evidence. ​Bitcoin is a financial bubble and is
going to crash.
Form:​ Think of this as 'be + going to + infinitive' I am going to take a
shower.

Will
We use 'will' to talk about:
1. Unplanned future events
2. Predictions that are not based on evidence.

We often use will when talking spontaneously: ​I'll do that for you. I'll meet
you down the pub.
Predictions are guesses or hope: ​I know nothing about Bitcoin, but it'll drop
in the future. I hope I'll pass my IELTS test.
Form:​ Subject + will + infinitive.
Man City will win the Premier League this season. I will leave Australia soon.

Typical Problems
1. Mixing up difference between 'going to' and 'will'.
2. Using only one.
3. Getting overwhelmed with the number of different ways to express the
future: present continuous, shall, present simple, future perfect, future
perfect continuous.

Future- IELTS Context

1. We use 'going to' to talk about: Planned future events and Predictions
that are based on evidence.
2. We use 'will' to talk about: Unplanned future events and Predictions
that are not based on evidence.
3. You are far more likely to use 'going to' than will because most of your
writing and speaking will be based on things you have planned or
based on evidence.

Future Perfect
● The future perfect tense is used to talk about a completed action in the
future.
● It is unlikely that you will use this in the context of the IELTS test.
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Past Simple
We use this tense to refer to completed events, states or actions. The key
word here is completed. It is started in the past and completed in the past.
1. Michael Jordan won 6 NBA titles.
2. Apple sold more than 10 million units in the first quarter.

Past Perfect
1. We use the past perfect when we want to talk about something that
took place and finished before something else in the past: ​It had
stopped raining so they decided to go out for a walk.
2. We use it to help clarify the order of events: ​They had finished kicking
the man when I got there.

Past Continuous
We use this tense to describe something which began before a particular
points in the past and is still in progress at that point.
● The men were still kicking him when I got there.
● They were enjoying themselves so much that they didn't even hear the
burglar enter the house.

We can also use it when actions stopped at the key point in the past:
● They stopped kicking the man when they saw me.

Past Perfect Continuous

We use the past perfect continuous when we are concerned with an
extended or repeated event or activity which took place before a particular
point in the past:
She'd been working for 8 hours before she got a break.

Form
Past Simple
With most verbs the past tense is formed by adding -ed: But there are a lot
of irregular past tenses in English.
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Past Perfect
We use the verb 'had' and the past participle: ​I had completed the video
game.

Past Continuous
This is formed from the past tense of be with the -ing form of the verb : ​The
boys were playing football when I got home.

Past Perfect Continuous

This is formed with had been and the -ing form of the verb: ​He had been
fishing along the river.

Typical Problems
The main problem is choosing between the different past tenses. However,
this is normally not as big of a problem as you think it might be. Most of the
time, this will not lead to an error because the listener or reader will be able
to discern what is happening from the context. Many students have
problems with irregular forms of verbs, especially with past simple. If you
decide to use one of the tenses, make sure you get the form correct.

Typical IELTS problems

1. Relying on past simple only.
2. Learning the rule and form for one 'complex' tense and using it
inappropriately or overusing it.
3. Spending too much time thinking about which past tense to use.

Past Simple IELTS Context

The past simple is used to talk about finished events or actions in the past,
therefore you will use it in a wide range of circumstances in:
1. The Speaking test
2. Task 1 GT
3. Task 1 AC
4. Task 2

Past Perfect IELTS Context

Again, this could be used in any part of the test, but here is a specific
example from Task 1 AC: ​In 2014, the price of coffee in Australia was $13
per kilo. By 2016, the price had dropped to just $7 per kilo.
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I used the past simple in the first sentence. I used "by" with the past perfect
"had dropped" to talk about change that happened in the years from
2014-2016.

Past Continuous IELTS Context

This will be used in the speaking test when talking about what you were
doing at a particular moment in the past:
I was studying medicine in Sydney before I moved to the UK.

This could be used in the Writing test when talking about something that
was happening before a particular time in the past:
Apple was selling a huge range of products before Steve Jobs returned and
cut the product line.

Present Perfect
The key feature of present perfect is that it links the past and the present. It
also focuses on the effect or result at the time of speaking or writing. We
also have to think about the distinction between uncompleted (present) and
completed (past) actions and events. Many learners struggle with this tense
because it refers to the present in some context and the past in others. It
can refer to the present tense when talking about uncompleted action or
events. It can refer to the past tense when talking about completed actions
or events.
Examples:
1. We have lived in this town for two months. ​(we still live here)
2. Your Uber has already arrived. (​ it's outside waiting for you)
3. He has broken the computer. (​ he broke it and it's still broken)
4. I'm writing to let you know about the poor service I have recorded.

Biggest Difficulty
1. The most confusing thing about using this tense is deciding when to
use it or the past simple.
2. Within an IELTS context, the ability to use the present perfect will
often be tested in the speaking test so it is important that you
understand the distinction and how to form it.
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Form
The present perfect of any verb is composed of two elements: the
appropriate form of the auxiliary verb to have (present tense), plus the past
participle of the main verb.

Present Perfect IELTS Context

We use the present perfect to introduce information about a past
experience. It is often followed by the past simple to give details about the
experience. This is especially useful in the Speaking test to introduce topics
that deal with the past.
Example:​ ​I have attended two different universities. I did my
undergraduate at Harvard and completed my Masters and Doctoral Thesis at
Stanford.
We use this tense generally to talk about an action that happened at an
unspecified time before now. The exact time period is not important.

In writing Task 1, we use this tense to talk about changes in data that have
happened over a period of time.
Example:​ ​The price of oil has fallen by $5 a barrel every week since July.
Remember! You are not going to lose marks for not using every single tense
there is. You certainly don't need to do that to get a Band 7.
My advice is to look at your work and figure out if you have any specific
problems relating to tenses. If you do, come back and review.

PREPOSITIONS
Prepositions are little words that come before a noun or a pronoun in a
sentence. Prepositions are important because they show the relationship
between the noun and the rest of the sentence.
Examples:
1. The firm about the boy.
2. The firm by the boy.
3. The firm near the boy.
4. The firm behind the boy.
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NB.​ about, by, near, and behind are prepositions. They change the
relationship between the firm and the boy.

Functions of Prepositions
1. Show time: ​I'll be there at 2 pm.
2. Show place: ​I'll meet you behind the school.
3. Movement: ​The car crashed into the tree.
4. Others: ​I left school as a result of failing my test.

How to Learn Them

1. There are more than 100 prepositions.
2. There are no logical rules that determine which preposition should be
used in which sentence.
3. People do not learn language through learning grammar rules. They
learn by reading and listening to native speakers.

CONDITIONALS
Why Improve Use of Conditionals?
1. You will be expected to use them at some point in your Speaking test.
2. They allow us to improve the range of grammar we use.
3. They help us develop our main points in both the Speaking and Writing
tests, thus improving our mark for Task Achievement.
4. They allow us to form more coherent paragraphs, thus improving
coherence in both the Speaking and Writing tests

Warning
Do not try to shoehorn them into your responses. They are very useful, but
you should only use them when it is appropriate to do so.

When Do We Use Them?

1. When we are asked a hypothetical question.
2. To talk about unreal situations.
3. To talk about real situations.
4. To talk about facts or things that are always true.
5. To develop our opinion.
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​Four different types of conditional

1. Zero Conditional
2. First conditional
3. Second conditional
4. Third conditional

Zero Conditional
We use them to talk about things that are facts or always true.
E.g. ​If the temperature goes below 0 degree, water freezes.
When the sun comes up, it gets brighter.
Structure: if + present simple and present simple.

First Conditional
We use them when we talk about real situations and situations that are
possible.
E.g. ​I'll stop off in Dubai on the way home from Australia, if I have time.
If it rains tomorrow, we'll just stay at home.
Structure: If + present simple and will + infinitive.
It's not important if the 'if clause' comes first or second.

Second Conditional
We use them to talk about 'unreal' or impossible things.
E.g. ​If I was a millionaire, I'd drive a Ferrari.
Structure: If + past simple and would + infinitive.

Third Conditional
Used to refer to a time in the past, and a situation that is real.
E.g. ​If I had passed my IELTS test, I would have got that job in London.
I could have got a Band 8, if I had studied harder.
If I got married, I would have been unhappy.
Structure: If + Past Perfect and would/could/should + have + part participle.

When Asked a Hypothetical Question

You will often be asked questions like:
1. If you could live anywhere, where would you like to live?
2. If you could play a musical instrument, what would you like to play?
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3. If you could change careers, what job would you like to do?
We normally use the 2nd conditional to answer these questions because we
are talking about 'unreal' situations.
● ​If I could live anywhere, it would be Paris because.........
● If I could play an instrument, it would be the guitar because.........

When you are forced to answer a question

Often you won't be able to answer a question because it does not apply to
you. For example, they might ask you about your favorite musician, but you
have no interest in music. In this situation you can use the following:
I don't really know much about music, but if I had to give an answer, I
would say Justin Bieber is my favorite because..........

Again, you are using the 2nd conditional because it is unreal. Don't use this
for every answer, but it is good to get you out of a difficult situation.

Giving options when talking about the future

You will often be asked what you will do in the future or to speculate about
the future:
What will you do next weekend?
1. If it's a nice day, we'll go for a picnic because......
2. But, if it rains, we'll just stay at home and...........
How will people travel to work in the future?
1. If A.I. continues to progress at the rate it currently is, I would say that
we will have smart cars that do the driving for us due to........
2. But if we have to drive ourselves, we might have flying cars that will
overcome the problem of congestion........

Talking about the past

We can use the 3rd conditional to talk about what might have happened if
things were different. You don't have to do this every time you talk about
the past, but it is a nice way to finish off a story. ​Example:
1. If I hadn't have moved to Australia, I would not have met my business
partner and we wouldn't have established our business.
2. If Donald Trump was not elected President, North Korea would not
have launched a test missile into the Pacific Ocean.
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Comparing Two Viewpoint

If Y happens, this will happen. If X happens, this will happen.
Examples:
1. If the government charges tuition fees, it will cost them less to fund
higher education, but will leave students with lots of debt.
2. If the government does not bring in tuition fees, students will leave
university debt free, but this may result in higher taxes to pay for free
third-level education.

Developing Main Ideas

This is probably the most useful application of these grammar structures.
They allow us to explain what we mean in a coherent way.
Examples:
1. The best way to improve the education system is through improving
the quality of teachers. If the teachers are of high standards, they will
be able to teach better lessons and students will improve. (1st
conditional; Real Situation)
2. The best way to improve an education system is through improving
the quality of teachers. If all the teachers in a country had no training
at all, this would obviously lead to poorer student results because of
low teaching standards. (2nd conditional; Unreal)
3. The best way to improve an education system is through improving
the quality of teachers. This is because higher standards of teaching
will lead to the improved quality of lessons. For example, it has been
shown by Cambridge University that if you double the number of
training hours a teacher receives, student grades increases by
21%(zero conditional; facts). If the Education Board had instead
reduced the training hours, it would have led to poorer results (3rd
conditional).
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RELATIVE CLAUSES
They add extra information to a sentence by defining a noun. They help us
to clarify who or what we are talking about, or to give more information
about what we are talking about. There are two types of relative clause:
1. Defining Relative Clause
2. Non-defining Relative Clause

Why is it important?
1. Grammatical Range and Accuracy- help us improve our range of
grammar.
2. Task Achievement- help us to develop our main points or be more
precise about what we are writing about.
3. Coherence and Cohesion- they allow us to clarify who or what we are
talking about or give accurate information about what we are talking
about.

Defining relative clauses are used to identify which person/thing we are

referring to. E.g. ​The teacher that taught us yesterday was actually an IELTS
examiner.
Non-defining relative clauses are used to give extra information. E.g. ​The
movie, which had Brad Pitt in it, won an Oscar.

Punctuation
Defining clauses are part of the sentence and do not require a comma before
the relative pronoun. E.g. ​Men who spend more time with their children are
less likely to get divorced.
Non-defining clauses do require a comma before the relative pronoun. They
are set apart from the rest of the sentence by commas. E.g. ​Facebook will
introduce a new cryptocurrency in 2019, which will make it easier for people
to make online transactions.

How to form them

The easiest way to think of them is by linking two bits of a sentence together
with a relative pronoun. This could be by:
1. People= who/that
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2. Things= which/that
3. Places= where
E.g. ​Solar energy, which reduces CO2, is the most sustainable source of
renewable energy because it is relatively cheap to install and provides a
huge amount of power.
Some websites, especially those aimed at children, should be strictly
regulated by the government.

How to Use Them

Just like conditionals, they are just tools in your tool kit.
● They allow you to express meaning clearly.
● You should not go into the test thinking, 'how will I use conditionals
and relative clauses?'
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CHAPTER SIX
LISTENING
SENTENCE COMPLETION
This is another type of gap fill question. You will be given a number of
sentences with gaps in them and you will be required to fill in these gaps.
Here are some tips to help you when you are asked to complete a sentence.
1. Always read and understand the sentences before you listen. This will
make your job much easier.
2. Predict the type of word(s) that might be needed to complete the
sentence.
3. Try to guess the word if you can. The listening will then confirm your
guess.
4. Write the answers exactly as you hear them.

Strategy for sentence completion

1. Read the instructions carefully and note the word limit.
2. Look at the sentences and understand them.
3. Predict the type of word you will hear e.g. noun, verb, adjective,
name, phone number etc.
4. Try to guess the word, if you can, before you hear the recording.
5. Listening and fill in the gaps with the correct answers exactly as you
hear them.
6. Check spelling.
7. Make sure each sentence is grammatically correct.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

These questions are similar to the classic listening comprehension questions
you might have been asked to do in English class, or even in your own
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language. They ask you a number of questions about the recording and you
must give short answers in response.
1. Read the instructions very carefully, especially regarding the word
count.
2. Read the questions in order to fully understand them before you listen.
3. Try to predict what the answer will be before you listen.
4. Be aware of synonyms and paraphrasing.
Strategy for Short Answer Questions
1. Read the instructions carefully and note the word limit.
2. Look at the list of questions to understand them.
3. Try to predict the type of information required.
4. Be aware of how synonyms and paraphrasing might be used.
5. Listen and write the answers in the form that you hear them.
6. Check spelling when you are finished.

SUMMARY COMPLETION
When you get to university or start working, two of the key skills you will
have to use are summarizing and paraphrasing. These skills are tested in
summary completion questions.
1. You'll be given a list of sentences that summarise the clip you'll hear.
2. The text will be a paragraph of the recording.
3. They have also summarized the listening.
4. You should be able to read the text before listening and know what
you're going to hear.

Strategy for Summary Completion

1. Read the instructions carefully and note the word limit.
2. Read the sentences and understand the general meaning.
3. Predict what you'll hear.
4. Think about how the sentences have been changed through
paraphrasing.
5. Look at the gaps and predict what the answers will be.
6. Listen and fill in the gaps with the correct answers.
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TABLE COMPLETION
In this task, you will be given a table and asked to fill in gaps in that table.
This type of question could appear in any section of the test. The answers
will all come in order. Here are some tips to help you when you are asked to
complete a table.
1. Predict the type of word required based on the information on the
table. e.g. date, name etc.
2. Understand the table before the listening begins.
3. Always note the word limit.
4. You may hear all the answers in one or two sentences, so don't wait
for the next answer. Keep listening.

Strategy for Table Completion

1. Read the instructions carefully and note the word limit.
2. Look at the table and try to understand it using the information
already provided. Pay particular attention to the headings.
3. Predict what you'll hear. Try to predict the type of word you'll hear,
based on the information provided in the table.
4. Listen and fill in the gaps with the correct answer.

COMPLETING FORMS/NOTES
This type of question often appears in the first section of the test. Normally
the answers will be one or two words long and will be factual information,
such as phone numbers, dates and times. These questions may seem
relatively simple, but it would surprise you how many students throw away
easy marks in this section.
1. They will try to trick you by giving you a number of different pieces of
information when only one of them is correct.
2. One common trick is for the person to give one piece of information
and then correct it later in the recording.
3. Prediction will allow you to anticipate the type or form of the word(s)
required.

Strategy for Completing Forms/Notes

1. Read the instructions carefully and note the word limit.
2. Look at the form/note and try to understand it, using the information
already provided.
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3. Predict what you'll hear. Try to predict the type of word you will hear,
based on the information provided in the table.
4. Listen and fill in the gaps with the correct answers.

LABELLING A MAP OR PLAN

This type of question could appear in any of the four listening sections, but it
is most likely to appear in section 2. In section 2, you will listen to just one
person talking about a non-academic topic. It is often someone giving
information to an audience about an event, or showing them around a
building, such as a university or hotel.
1. You have to identify the different parts of a map or plan by listening to
and understanding a description, or by following directions.
2. You might be asked to select the answers from a list, or take them
from the recording directly.
3. An awareness of language for directions is essential.
4. The information you need to answer the questions is in the same order
as it is on the recording.

Common Problems
1. Not being familiar with the vocabulary and functional language used to
describe locations and directions. See our useful language below.
2. Too much information. This question requires you to not only listen,
but also to follow a description or directions, understand the map or
diagram and write short notes, all at the same time.
3. Spelling. This is a common problem in all IELTS listening questions,
but particular in this type, because you have to do so many things at
the same time.
4. Visualisation. This refers to your ability to form mental visual images.
You will be sitting in an exam room and the person talking will be
describing a plan you have never seen before. Unless you can imagine
what it looks like, it is very difficult to answer these questions.

Useful Languages
● at the top/at the bottom
● on the left/on the right/on the far side
● North/South/East/West
● to the north/to the west
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● slightly west of
● in the southwest/in the northeast
● in the middle of/in the centre of
● above/below
● inside/outside
● opposite/in front of
● left hand side/right hand side
● clockwise/anticlockwise
● a little beyond
● just past
● before you get to
● adjoining
● enter via
● runs alongside

Strategy for Labelling a Map or Plan

1. Read the question carefully. Understand the map or plan and its
features.
2. Ask yourself where things are in relation to the questions. This should
help you predict the answers and follow the talk.
3. Think about where the person might begin their talk from. What is to
their right and left? What is in front of and behind them.
4. Look at the major parts of the map or plan to help you understand and
navigate your way around.
5. Predict which type of words might be the answer i.e. will it be a place,
room, street, building etc?
6. Listen to the beginning of the talk carefully: because this will help you
understand the context and help you follow the talk more easily.
7. Visualize the place they are describing whilst the person is talking.
Note down any possible answers, but be careful with distractors e.g.
"​this was the library but we decided to move it down to the end of the
corridor".
8. Listen for signposting language like ​"The next room we are about to
see is…..", ​or ​"if you now follow me to….", t​ o help you understand each
stage of the talk.
9. Make short notes on the question paper and then transfer your
answers at the end, using correct spelling.
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MATCHING
For this type of question, you will be required to match a list of options from
the listening test to a number of options on the test paper.
1. This type of task tests your ability to listen for details.
2. You will often have to follow a detailed conversation between two or
more people.
3. The list will always be in the same order as you hear it in the
recording.
4. The list might be expressed differently in the recording through
synonyms or paraphrasing.

There are many variations of this kind of question, including matching:

● Words
● Phrases
● Sentences
● Pictures

Strategy for Matching

1. Read the instructions carefully and note the word limit.
2. Look at the list of options and questions to understand them.
3. Try to predict which ones match, based on what is on the test paper
before listening.
4. Predict how the list of options could be expressed differently in the
recording.
5. Listen and match the options to the correct questions as you hear
them.
6. Eliminate options that can't be correct, in order to narrow down the list
of options as you complete the questions.

MULTIPLE CHOICE
There are three different kinds of multiple choice listening questions:
1. Short answer
2. Sentence completion
3. Matching picture
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Common Problems
1. Often all of the choices will be mentioned, not just the correct answer.
Don't pick the first one you hear.
2. The answers will normally be synonyms or paraphrases.
3. The three choices often look similar in meaning.
4. You must read a lot of information and listen at the same time.

Advice for Multiple Choice

1. Don't check your answers from the previous section when you have a
break. It is important that you read the next multiple choice questions
and try to understand them.
2. Highlight keywords. The keyword in the question will help you answer
the question correctly. The keywords in the different options are those
that differentiate meaning between the choices.
3. Don't write the first answer you hear. Remember that they will try and
trick you.
4. Don't spend too much time on one question. If you didn't get the
answer or you are unsure, make an educated guess and move on.
5. Be careful if you hear words like 'but' or 'however'. This often means
that the speaker is going to qualify or alter a previous statement.
6. Your answers will often be a letter and not a word. Read the
instructions to make sure, and be careful when transferring your
answers at the end.

Strategy for Multiple Choice

1. Read the instructions carefully.
2. Read the questions and identify what is actually being asked. Highlight
the keywords in the question.
3. Look at the different options and underline any keywords that will help
you tell the difference in meaning.
4. Think of any synonyms or paraphrase you might hear.
5. Predict the answer.
6. When listening, listen for any keywords and synonyms.
7. Don't write the first answer you hear. They will probably talk about
more than one of the options, so wait until they have talked about
them all and then answer. Be careful with answers that are given by
the speaker but then taken away.
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8. If you think an answer is correct, put a tick beside it and keep listening
to make sure.
9. Don't spend more time than necessary. If you miss an answer, make a
guess and move on.

LISTENING SKILLS
Prediction
Prediction is the most tested of the listening sub-skills, and crucially
important to getting a high score in the test. Predicting enables you to not
only focus your brain on the part that you will hear, but more importantly,
not focus on any other areas.

For example:
Name: David Williams
Room no…………………….
Number of occupants: 3
Check out time:....................

In this example, we can accurately predict that we are going to hear a room
number and time. That means we can completely focus on those two items,
making it much easier for us to get the correct answer.

How to Predict
In the IELTS listening test, there will be between 30-45 seconds of silence
before the section of the recording begins. Use this time wisely by predicting
what you are going to hear.
You should think about the following:
1. Grammar: noun, verb, adjective, adverb etc… Often it will be obvious
which word form we need to use. If we use a different form of the
word, we will get the question wrong.
2. Subject: phone number, address, date, business name etc... This will
help us focus on the correct part of the recording and find the correct
information more easily.
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3. Function: list, question, label, instruction etc..

Synonyms and Paraphrasing

You should always be aware of how synonyms and paraphrasing are used. In
the IELTS listening test, it is normal for you to read one word but hear
another word with the same meaning. For example, you may read 'cost' but
hear 'price'. This is called a synonym and the IELTS listening test has lots of
them.
A common mistake is to read a certain word and try to listen for that word,
but then not hear it. That is because the recording used a synonym. For
example, you might hear someone making a hotel reservation and you have
to note down their details. The form might say 'Arrival Date', but you will
hear 'day you arrive'. Similarly, you may read 'Departure Date', but you
might hear 'day you leave'.
Make sure you think about the type of information you might hear in the
form of synonyms, not just what you read.

A good way to practice synonyms and paraphrasing is to listen to a short

video and think about how each sentence or phrase could be paraphrased. If
you do this regularly, over time you will get used to common synonyms and
this will really help you in all parts of the IELTS test.

Signposting Language
Signposting allows the speaker to tell you where their talk is going and
allows you to follow them. In two of the four parts of the IELTS listening
test, you will have to listen to someone speaking by themselves, one in a
social context and one in a lecture style.

When someone talks in this way they often use what is referred to as 'sign
posting'. For example, when you give a lecture you might say 'This lecture is
divided into three parts' and then you will say things like 'First of all…. ',
'Secondly….', 'After that….' and 'Finally….'.

These phrases tell the listener what stage of the talk they are listening to
and what is going to be said next. If we know how to interpret these signals,
we are more likely to understand and follow the whole thing.

To practice this you can listen to a lecture and simple try to find any
signposting language. When you hear one, pause and think about the
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meaning of the language and predict what you are going to hear next.
Continue this until you get to the end of the recording. Recognizing
signposting allows you to prioritize and focus on the important parts of the
listening which contain the answers.

Connected Speech
When you hear how native speakers actually talk, it is often very difficult to
hear what is being said. This is mainly due to connected speech. Connected
speech is the linking of words and sounds together in a sentence. For
example, 'I have to go to the doctor, I have an earache,' might sound more
like 'Ivtegote the doctor, Ivenearake.'
Other sounds may appear 'weak' or change when put into a sentence. For
instance 'Do you want to go?' might sound more like 'De ye want te go?'

We can practice this by doing something called 'micro-listening'. It involves

pausing a sentence you don't understand and replaying it until you have
understood all the words. Don't worry about how many times you have to do
this, focus on hearing every word and breaking down connected speech into
individual words. Over time, you will get used to how words link together, so
listening to native speakers will become much easier. You can practice this
with podcast.

Dates
Make sure you are aware of the spelling of all the days of the week,
especially difficult ones like Wednesday. This is also true for months like
February. Remember to put a capital letter at the beginning of these words.

Also be aware of some synonyms such as, 'weekend' for Saturday and
Sunday or 'fortnight' for two weeks. There are also different ways of saying
and writing dates, for example:
'The eleventh of September 2012' could be written as '11 September 2012.'
Again, pay attention to the word limit in the question and only write under
this limit.
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Letters
Some letters are more difficult to distinguish than others. The test will
normally have the difficult letters. If there is a word, such as a surname or
address, that is unfamiliar to most people, the recording will spell it out.

Make sure you familiarize yourself with how all the letters sound. You could
also categorize them by similar sound. For example, B, D, E, T, G, P and C
all have a similar final sound and may be used to try and trick you.

Addresses
Each country has a different address format. IELTS will normally use UK or
Australian addresses. It is normally:
House/Flat Number
Street Name
Town/City Name

Finally, you might have to write down a postcode. These always start and
end with one or two letters first (normally the same as the city) and then a
series of numbers in between. Make sure you write down both the letters
and numbers. Example: M1 4JH

For example:
21 South Street
Bristol
BS1 5TW

Word Limit
This is often one of the most confusing aspects of the test. It is essential
that you know the word limit for each question and you stick to it. Here are
some examples:
1. 'NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS' means that you may write one OR two
words, but not more.
2. 'NOT MORE THAN ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER' means that if you
write more than one word your answer will be incorrect.
3. 'NOT MORE THAN ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER' means that you can
write:
a. One word
b. One number
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c. One word and a number

Vocabulary Building
The listening and reading tests are as much vocabulary tests, as they are
skills tests. It is much easier to get a good score when you have a
wide-ranging vocabulary.
1. Read and Listen: Studies have shown that the number one way for
learners to improve their vocabulary is through reading and listening
to genuine source of English.
2. Record: You must record any new words you hear or read. There are
lots of ways to do this, so that you will remember them effectively.
3. Review: It is essential that you regularly review these new words and
phrases in order to retain them in your memory.
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CHAPTER SEVEN
READING
TABLE COMPLETION

For these questions, you will be asked to complete gaps in a table. You may
also be asked to complete gaps in a flow chart. You have to complete the
gaps using words or phrases from the text.

Common Problems
1. Not reading the instructions carefully, especially the word limit.
2. Going over the word limit.
3. Changing the form of the words from the text.
4. Spelling errors.

Strategy for Table Completion

1. Read the instructions carefully.
2. Check the word limit.
3. Scan the text to locate the relevant paragraph(s).
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4. Read the appropriate section carefully to find the answer.

5. Transfer the word(s) exactly as they are to the gap.
6. Check your spelling.

TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN AND YES/NO/NOT

GIVEN

'True, False, Not Given' questions require you to identify information in a

text and then say if that information is true, not true or not given.
You will be given a number of factual statements and you have to check in
the text if they are true or not.
● If the text agrees with or confirms the information in the statement,
the answer is TRUE.
● If the text contradicts or is the opposite to the information in the
statement, the answer is FALSE.
● If there is no information or it is impossible to know, the answer is
NOT GIVEN.
● If the text agrees with or confirms the writer's opinion, the answer is
YES.
● If the text contradicts or is the opposite to the writer's opinion, the
answer is NO.
● If there is no information or if the statement may or may not be true
due to lack of informatinformation, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
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Common Problems
1. Not understanding what 'not given' means.
2. Spending too much time making sure that it is 'not given'.
3. Failure to understand exactly what each statement means, and
therefore being unable to identify if it is true or false.
4. Focusing on keywords instead of understanding what the statement as
a whole means.
5. Not understanding the writer's opinion.

NB.​ The main difference between TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN and YES/NO/NOT

GIVEN is that the former deals with facts while the later deals with opinion.
Thus, we can use the same strategy to answer both questions.

Strategy for T/F/NG and Y/N/NG

1. Always read the instructions carefully, and make sure you know if it is
a TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN or YES/NO/NOT GIVEN question.
2. Read all the statements carefully, trying to understand what the whole
sentence means rather than simply highlighting keywords.
3. Try to think of synonyms that might be in the text. This will help you
identify the matching part of the text.
4. Watch out for qualifying words such as 'some' or 'always'.
5. Match the statement with the correct part of the text.
6. Focus on the statement again, and then carefully read the matching
part of the text to establish if it is true or false. Remember the
meaning should match that of the statement exactly if it is true.
7. Underline the words that give you the answer, as this will help you
focus and you can check back later. Again, be careful there are no
qualifying words in the text.
8. If you can't find the answer, mark it as 'not given' and move on to the
next question.
9. If you are really unsure or can't find the answer, mark it as 'not given'.
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LABELLING A DIAGRAM

This type of question tests your ability to understand and label a diagram or
plan. There are three kinds of diagrams you might get:
● A technical drawing of a machine or invention.
● Something from the natural world.
● A design or plan.

Common Problems
1. Focusing too much on the diagram and trying to understand
everything about it.
2. Failing to locate the paragraphs that contain the information quickly.
3. Writing the wrong number of words or spelling the word incorrectly.
4. Getting stuck on one question and wasting time.

Strategy for Labelling a Diagram

1. Check how many words you can write.
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2. Study the diagram and try to understand what is happening generally.

Don't spend too much time doing this.
3. Highlight keywords or labels.
4. Identify the types of words required and try to predict the answer.
5. Scan the text and identify where the information is located.
6. Read in more detail to find the answer

MATCHING INFORMATION TO PARAGRAPHS

In this kind of question, you are asked to match a statement to paragraphs

in the reading text. The statement could be reasons, descriptions,
summaries, definitions, facts or explanations. You do not need to understand
what the whole paragraph is about, just find specific information in the
paragraph and match it to one of the statements. The answer will normally
be contained in a whole phrase or sentence, rather than a single word.

Common Problems
1. The biggest problem is the fact that you need to look at the whole
text.
2. The answers might not be the main idea of each paragraph.
3. There is also lots of irrelevant information that you do not need to
consider.
4. Not all paragraphs contain an answer, and some paragraphs contain
more than one answer.
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Strategy for Matching Information to Paragraphs

1. Read the instructions carefully.
2. Read the questions first. Think about synonyms and how you could
paraphrase the statements. This will help you identify the answer.
Saying each statement in your own words can help do this.
3. Quickly skim the reading text to try to understand the general
meaning of the text.
4. Read the question statements again and predict which paragraph
contains the answer.
5. Scan the text paragraphs you think might contain the answer for
synonyms. If you find a possible answer, underline it.
6. Check back with the question statement and mark the answer if
correct. If not, move on to other paragraphs.

MATCHING HEADINGS

This type of question tests your ability to understand the main idea of each
paragraph. Headings are short sentences that summarises the information in
a paragraph. You have to pick the one that best summarises the information
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in the paragraph. You will be given between 5 and 7 headings in the reading
text to one heading. There are always more headings than paragraphs.

Common Problems
1. Lots of information to process and not enough time.
2. Not understanding the statements as a whole.
3. Some of the headings may appear to have the same meaning.
Students do not spend enough time reading the statements.
4. Not understanding the main idea of each paragraph in the text.

Strategy for Matching Headings

1. If this type of question is on the test, do it first.
2. Don't look at the headings.
3. Read the first one or two sentences and the last sentence of each
paragraph to understand the general meaning of the paragraph.
4. Don't worry about highlighting keywords in the test.Try to sum up the
general meaning of each paragraph in one or two words.
5. Look at headings and identify keywords within each heading.
6. Match any heading that are very obvious and you are sure about.
7. For the others, write 2 or 3 headings beside the paragraph. Identify
the difference between each of the headings. Establish if there are any
synonyms in the paragraph to keywords in the headings.
8. If you still can't pick one, move on. The answer will often review itself
later.
9. Repeat until diminished.
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MATCHING NAMES

In this type of question, you are asked to match someone's name, normally
an expert, researcher or scientist, to a statement. You are given a list of
names and a list of statements. Your job is to read the text and then match
the names with the correct statement. The reading text will tell you what
that person has said or done (normally research findings) and this will guide
you to the correct answer.

Common Problems
1. The names that occur several times will be harder to match than the
names that appear only once.
2. Reading the whole text and trying to find the names that way.
3. Not reading the appropriate sections in detail, and instead finding the
names and writing the answer immediately.
4. Trying to find words in the text that match with words in the
statement exactly.

Strategy for Matching Names

1. Read the question carefully.
2. Focus on the names first. Read them and then scan for the names in
the reading text and underline them. Remember that some names will
appear more than once and you should underline them all.
3. Focus on the names that appear only once first, because these are the
easiest.
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4. Read around the name to see if their findings or research come before
or after their name.
5. Read their research or findings, and then go back to the statements in
the question and match them. Be aware of synonyms.
6. When you find a statement that matches a name, delete the
statement. Each statement can only be used once.
7. Repeat for the rest of the names.

MATCHING SENTENCES

You will be given a list of incomplete sentences with no endings and another
list with possible endings. Your job is to match the incomplete sentences
with the correct ending based on the reading text.

Common Problems
1. Not reading or fully understanding the correct parts of the reading
text.
2. Not being aware of synonyms and paraphrasing.
3. Looking for the exact words in the reading text, rather than synonyms.
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4. Trying to complete the sentences using logic or grammar, rather than

using the reading text.

Strategy for Matching Sentences

1. Read the incomplete sentences first, and don't look at the endings yet.
Try to understand what they mean and highlight any keywords
especially names, places or dates.
2. Predict what the endings might be before looking at them. Think about
what word type (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs) makes the
sentence grammatically correct.
3. Look at the endings but not in too much detail. Try to see if there are
any obvious answers.
4. Eliminate endings that definitely cannot match. Think about grammar,
collocations and meaning.
5. Match the ending you think might be correct. Write two or three
options if necessary.
6. Find the correct part of the reading text for each incomplete sentence.
Be careful with synonyms and paraphrases.
7. Understand the meaning of that part of the text and choose the correct
answer.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

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On both the academic and general IELTS reading papers you are likely to be
asked multiple choice questions(MCQs). Your job is to simply choose the
correct answer from a list of possible choices.

Common Problems
1. Reading the text before looking at the questions.
2. Not answering the questions at all.
3. Being tricked by 'distractors', such as qualifying words.
4. Not reading the questions or text carefully.

Strategy for Multiple Choice Questions

1. Read the questions carefully.
2. Skim the text to get the general meaning.
3. Underline any keywords in the question, and think about any
synonyms that might appear in the text.
4. Read the choices and underline any keywords. Think about the
differences in meaning between the different choices.
5. Predict the correct answer.
6. Read the text and, using keywords and synonyms, locate the part
containing the answers.
7. Read that part of the text very carefully, thinking about the difference
in meanings.
8. Don't only think about which options are correct, but think about how
the other options are wrong.

SENTENCE COMPLETION
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You will be given a number of sentences with gaps in them, and asked to
complete the sentences with words from the reading text. These questions
are as much vocabulary tests as they are reading tests. They require you to
be aware of paragraphing (using different words to repeat a sentence so that
it has the same meaning) and synonyms (words with the same or very
similar meaning).

Common Problems
1. Trying to match words in the question with the exact same words in
the reading text.
2. Not being aware of synonyms and paraphrasing.
3. Not reading instructions properly.
4. Reading the text before the question.

Strategy for Sentence Completion

1. Read the instructions carefully, noting how many words you can write,
and if they want you to include the exact words from the question or
not.
2. Read the incomplete sentences first. Think about what word form can
be used, and try to predict the answer. Also think about keywords and
how they could be represented by synonyms and paraphrasing.
3. Locate where the information is located by scanning quickly. If you
can't locate the answer quickly, move on.
4. Read the incomplete sentence again.
5. Study the reading text more carefully to establish the answer.
6. Check your spelling.
7. Repeat with the other sentences
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SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

These questions are often called 'comprehension' questions and they are
very common in English classrooms all over the world. Most students have
answered these kinds of questions before and, for this reason, most
students tend to do quite well with them.

Common Problems
1. Lack of awareness of synonyms and paraphrasing.
2. Going over the word limit.
3. Reading every single word instead of skimming and scanning.
4. Panicking when you see a word or phrase you don't understand.

Strategy for Short Answer Questions

1. Read the instructions carefully and note the word limit.
2. Read and understand the questions. Think about the information you
will need to find.
3. Underline any keywords in the questions.
4. Think about synonyms or paraphrases for these keywords.
5. Find the part of the text the question relates to.
6. Read the question again.
7. Read the section containing the answer carefully and identify the
answer.
8. Continue with the next question and repeat until finished.
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SUMMARY COMPLETION

You will be given a summary of information from the text and there will be
some gaps in that summary. You will either be given a list of words to fill the
gaps with, or asked to find the answer in the reading text. Your job is to
insert some of the words from the list into the gaps, or, if asked, to fill the
gaps with words from the text. There will be more words in the list than
required to fill the gaps.

Strategy for Summary Completion

1. Read the question carefully. Note how many words you can write
(normally one, two or three), and if you should get the words from the
reading text or a list.
2. Skim the summary and try to understand the overall meaning.
3. Try to predict the answers before you look at the reading text. Also,
think about the word type (noun, verb, adjective) that should be
included.
4. If you have a list of words, try to guess which 2 or 3 the answer might
be. Pay attention to words that collocate well with the words in the
sentence.
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5. Identify which part of the reading text the summary relates to.
Scanning for synonyms from the summary will help you do this.
6. Look at that part of the section more carefully and choose the correct
answer. Remember to be careful with synonyms.
7. Check to see if your word makes the sentence grammatically correct.