WRITING.

IELTS Writing Test Information

The writing test consists of 2 writing tasks and you'll have a total of
60 minutes to complete both. You can complete the tasks in any
order, just make sure you manage your time well and spend around 20
minutes on IELTS writing task 1 and 40 minutes on IELTS writing
task 2.

IELTS Academic Writing Task VS IELTS General

Writing Task

The IELTS offers two test versions. The Academic version is for
people looking for higher education, while the general Training
version is for those looking to simply migrate or perhaps a lower
education. There are more criteria for both versions, so please contact
IELTS customer service to learn which test is right for you.

So which test harder? The academic test, as you may have guessed, is
more difficult than the general training test. The difference between
the two is IELTS writing task 1's difficulty. Luckily, only Writing
Task 1 is different. IELTS writing task 2 is the same for both test
versions. The table below summarizes the two types of IELTS writing
tests.

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 Type of test Task 1 Task 2

IELTS Academic IELTS Writing

Writing Task 1 Task 2

In IELTS academic
writing task 1, you are
presented with a graph,
Academic Writing
table, chart or diagram
and asked to describe,
summarise or explain
the information in your
own words.

IELTS General Writing

Task 1

In IELTS Genral In IELTS writing

Writing Task 1, you are task 2, you will
asked to write a letter need to write a
about a given situation. traditional style
This letter will be one essay in response
General Writing
of the following types: to a question. You
must write at least
- Formal (Formal 250 words
letters are sent to
people that we do not
know or have never
met.)
- Semi-formal (Semi-

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 Type of test Task 1 Task 2

formal letters are sent

to people that we do
not know well.)
- Informal (Informal
letters are sent to
people that we know
well such as our
friends)

How IELTS Writing Test is Scored

In the IELTS writing test, your writing score will be scored based on
four categories. These are known as Task Achievement/Task
Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and
Grammatical Range and Accuracy.

Note that the scoring criteria for both tasks include:

Task Achievement/Task Response - Did you fully answer the

question and present a fully developed answer?

Coherence and Cohesion - Does your argument or analysis make

sense? Is it well thought-out and presented in a complete way?

Lexical Resource – Did you use a wide range of vocabulary in a

natural, formal tone?

Grammatical Range and Accuracy – Is your essay virtually error-

free? Did you manage to use a wide range of grammatical
structures?

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Refer to the following band descriptors which IELTS examiners use
to score the writing section of the test:

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Are IELTS Writing Task 1 & IELTS Writing Task
2 Worth the Same Amount of Points?

Well Just like how you will spend double the time writing IELTS
writing task 2, it's also worth around double the points. Now it's not
exactly double. Another way to look at it is to add the score for
writing task 2 score twice. So take the band scores 7 for task one and
4 for task two and you get the following formula on how to calculate
your IELTS writing score:

(7 + (4 x 2))/3 = 5.

Therefore, the total IELTS writing band score is around 4.5 - 6. You

see we can't give an exact number because IELTS has not made their

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scoring formula public, but the formula presented here is fairly
accurate up to a difference of about 0.5 points.

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1

In IELTS academic writing task 1, you are presented with a graph,

table, chart or diagram and asked to describe, summarise or explain
the information in your own words. You may be asked to describe and
explain data, describe the stages of a process, how something works
or describe an object or event.

Regardless of which visual information is presented to you, your job

is to write a summary of the visual information. and describe the main
trends, overall differences, main changes, or the main components of
a system, or the main phrases of a process. You must write 150 words
or more, and you should spend around 20 minutes on this part of the
test. The writing structure can be as follows:

Introduction: Paraphrase the question

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 Overview: Describe the overall trend or write a general overview
of the main groupings

Body paragraph 1: Write in detail about the first grouping in a

logical way

Body paragraph 2: Write in detail about the second grouping in a

logical way

So the steps to write the report for this task is very simple:

Analyse the chart(s) and plan how to group the information

Write an essay using the recommended essay structure

Proofread essay

Let's look at each different possible type of visual graphs, tables,

charts, and diagrams you could encounter in your IELTS writing test:

Line graphs

Bar charts

Pie charts

Tables

Diagrams

Maps

Mixed (including two or more of 1-6 above)

Line Graphs

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In this type of task, you will be given one or more line graphs. Each
line graph will have 1-8 lines showing how values change over
time. The time period could be the past, the present or the future, or a
combination of all three. Your task is to write a summary, covering
the most important points and supporting your description by
including data.

Sample Line Graph Question

The chart illustrates consumption of three kinds of fast food by
teenagers in Mauritius from 1985 to 2015.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.

- Write at least 150 words.

- You should spend around 20 minutes on this task.

How to tackle IELTS Academic Writing Task - Line Graphs

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In a line graph, there are usually multiple lines that show changes
over time. In your writing, you need to group information based on
lines having similar trends or values, so your essay structure will be as
follows:

Introduction: Paraphrase the question

Overview: Describe the overall trend or write a general overview

of the main groupings

Body paragraph 1: Describe the first grouping of lines having

similar trends or values.

Body paragraph 2: Describe the second grouping of lines having

similar trends or values.

Let’s write an essay for the above sample question.

Step 1: Analyse the graph and plan how to group the information

It is evident that hamburgers consumption and fried chicken

consumption show an upward trend, whereas the pizza consumption
shows a downward trend. Therefore, the best way to group the data
would be as follows:

hamburgers consumption and fried chicken

First grouping
consumption

Second
pizza consumption
grouping

Step 2: Write an essay using the recommended essay structure

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Now that you’ve analysed the task and figured out how to group the
information, let’s write the essay.

Model Essay

The chart illustrates the consumption of three kinds of fast food by

teenagers in Mauritius from 1985 to 2015. Summarise the information
by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons
where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

Important functional words are highlighted in red

Useful vocabulary and phrases are highlighted in green
Synonyms and topic vocabulary are highlighted in blue

Introduction

The line graph depicts the consumption of three types of fast food,
(hamburgers, pizza, and fried chicken) over a 30 year period by
Mauritian teenagers. Units are given as the number of times each
kind was eaten per year.

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Original task question:
The chart illustrates the consumption of three kinds of fast food by
teenagers in Mauritius from 1985 to 2015.

How we paraphrase:
Task question Our own words

The chart The line graph

illustrates depicts

three types of fast food, (hamburgers, Three kinds of fast food

pizza, and fried chicken) over a 30 by teenagers in Mauritius
year period by Mauritian teenagers from 1985 to 2015.

Overview

Overall, hamburgers and fried chicken had become the most popular
foods by 2015 with the biggest increase in numbers eaten, while pizza
that was the most widely-eaten at the start, declined precipitously in
popularity.

Here we write a general overview of the main groupings. In the

overview paragraph, you don’t need to mention percentages, details or
numbers. The place for the details are the main body paragraphs. We
summarise the rise in popularity of hamburgers and fried chicken,
along with the fall in pizza consumption.

“Precipitously” means "sharply'.

Body paragraph 1

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With regards to hamburgers, consumptionshowed a steady upward
trajectory from 10 times eaten per year to over 70 times. Likewise,
teenagers in Mauritius ate fried chicken only 5 times per year in 1985
before rising dramatically to a plateau in 2005, then increased
slightly at the end of the period to finish as the second most popular
food.

Here we describe how hamburger consumption and fried chicken

consumption changed over time. The past tense is used.

Body paragraph 2

On the contrary, although pizza was the most popular food with
Mauritian adolescents in 1985, its consumption fell
continuously from 60 times a year to just 10 pizzas by the last year.

Here we describe how pizza consumption changed over time. The

past tense is used.

“On the contrary” is used to show a contrast with the last paragraph.

Bar Charts

In this type of task, you will be given one or more bar charts. The bar
charts may show how values change over time (dynamic data), the
differences between values at one point in time (static data), or the
results of a survey or questionnaire. The information could be about
the situation in the past, the present, or the future, or a combination of
all three.

Your task is to write a summary, covering the most important points

and supporting your description by including data.

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Sample Bar Chart Question
The chart below gives some of the most reported issues among people
living in UK cities in 2008 (%).
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.

- Write at least 150 words.

- You should spend around 20 minutes on this task.

Sample Essay
The chart illustrates several important living issues faced by
inhabitants of seven major UK cities (Newcastle, Belfast,
Birmingham, Cardiff, Manchester, Glasgow, and London) in 2008.
Units are given in percentages.

Overall, health services proved to be the most important living issue

in most cities, with education and training a close second. Least
worrisome of all to UK residents was air pollution that year which on
average seems around 5 times less important to city populations
there.

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In five of the seven cities, health and safety was the biggest concern
with over 50% of city residents stating it as their number one living
issue. This was especially true in Belfast and Cardiff where almost
60% of residents were worried. Education and training fell a close
second in those same cities with a less than 10% difference between
the two results, with the exception of Glasgow (53%) and London
(52%) where it had become the biggest problem.

Regarding air pollution, only Manchester (16%), London (14%) and

Cardiff (12%) had more than ten percent of their inhabitants
concerned. Least of all worried about air pollution were those in
Newcastle of whom only 5% of people stated this as an issue.

How to tackle IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 - Bar Charts

Bar charts are pretty common in IELTS writing task 1 academic.

There are three different scenarios you will encounter in a bar chart
task:

A bar chart with categories on the x axis

A bar chart with dates or years on the axis (functions as a line

graph)

Two bar charts presented

Each scenario requires you to write the report differently.

Pie Charts

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In this type of task, you will be given one, two. or three pie charts.
The pie charts may show percentages of a total figure. If you have
one pie chart, it will represent one point in time (static data). If you
have two or more pie charts, they may represent how the percentages
change over time or compare different countries or groups.

Your task is to write a summary, covering the most important points

and supporting your description by including data.

Sample Pie Chart Question

The pie chart below shows the native languages spoken by students at
Bakersfield Senior College over two separate years.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main

features, and make comparisons where relevant.

- Write at least 150 words.

- You should spend around 20 minutes on this task.

Sample Essay
The pie chart depicts the proportion of attorneys using four kinds of

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smartphone operating systems, IPhone, Android, Blackberry and
Windows, in the US in a given year.

Overall, a clear majority of attorneys prefer using the IPhone

operating system on their smart phones, though other systems are also
regularly used.

Iphone usage accounts for almost two thirds of total smartphones with
62% of all attorneys using the system. This is in stark contrast to the
other three operating platforms, namely Android, BlackBerry, and
Windows, which together only comprise 28% of all US attorneys total
smartphone use.

After the Iphone platform, Android is the second most widely-used

system at 20% while Blackberry and Windows struggle to make up
the remainder at 5% and 3% respectively, proving that very few if any
attorneys use those platforms. Particularly of note are the 10% of US
attorneys who use no smartphone in their day-to-day business or
chose not to declare in this survey.

Tables

In this type of task, you are given a table containing data. can
show dynamic figures which change over time or static data for
one point in time.

Often there is too much information, so you won't be able to include

every detail. Your task is to write a summary, covering the most
important points and supporting your description by including data.

Sample Table Question

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The table below shows a survey of the percentage of adults in
California by age group who enjoyed different types of leisure
activities in 2011.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main

features, and make comparisons where relevant.

- Write at least 150 words.

- You should spend around 20 minutes on this task.

Sample Essay
The table displays the percentage of different types of leisure
activities enjoyed by four different age groups in California in 2011.

Overall, social pursuits like watching TV and spending time with

family and friends were the most enjoyed leisure activities by all age
groups, though there were clear differences between ages for some.
The least popular activities in general were individual-based such as
gardening and playing video games for all survey respondents.

Regarding social activities, watching TV was a popular activity for

the entire adult population increasing from 76% of 18-30 year olds to
89% for the over 60s. On the contrary, spending time with family or

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friends rapidly declined with age from 58% of those under30 to under
a third of those over 60 as people spend more time alone.

Of the other activities, whereas reading declined from 22% for the
youngest age group to 16% for the eldest, the amount of time spent
gardening increased greatly over the four age groups from 7% to
26%. Playing video games and listening to music showed the greatest
decline with age, with over 40% of young people 18-30 engaged in
these activities, yet only 2% of those over 60 doing the same.

Process Diagrams

For this type of question, you will be given a diagram which shows
how something works. The diagram may show a machine, a system,
or a natural phenomenon.

Often there is no data or little data included. Your task is

to summarize the information shown in the diagram.

Sample Diagram Question

The diagram below shows the process of milk production.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main

features, and make comparisons where relevant.

- Write at least 150 words.

- You should spend around 20 minutes on this task.

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Sample Essay
The diagram illustrates the way by which milk, cheese, cream and
butter are produced, processed and packaged to be sold. Overall, there
are eight stages shown from grazing to cows to the sale of milk to
supermarkets and shops.

Initially, cows are grazed in the field then brought to a milking

machine where they are milked twice a day. Following this, the milk
is moved into large refrigeration tanks for storage, before being
transferred to a milk tanker for transport to the Dairy where it will be
processed further. This process occurs on a daily basis.

Once at the factory, the milk is subsequently processed into its

various ancillary products: milk, cheese, cream and butter. To make it
safe to drink, the milk undergoes pasteurization to remove any
bacteria and pathogens. When the latter process is complete, it is
ready to be packaged. As soon as packaging is complete, the final
product is shipped off to supermarkets and shops for customers to
purchase.

Maps

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For this type of question, you will be given one, two or three maps.
The maps may show a town, city, island, or other geographical
area. Maps usually show the changes which occurred in the area
during a period of time. The changes could be related to construction
(e.g. developing an area for tourism) or destruction (e.g. how an area
was affected by a natural disaster such as an earthquake)

Your task is to write a summary of the changes which took place and
cover the most important points.

Sample Map Question

The two maps below show an island, before and after the construction
of some tourist facilities.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main

features, and make comparisons where relevant.

- Write at least 150 words.

- You should spend around 20 minutes on this task.

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Sample Essay
The visual display shows two maps of an Island that underwent a
construction process and was developed for tourism.

The island is approximately 100 meters long, has some palm trees that
appear to be its natural resources dotted around it, and is surrounded
by the ocean with a beach to the west. Generally, over the period, the
island was completely transformed, although the eastern part of the
island appears to have been left undeveloped.

The accommodations are a conspicuous change about the Island,

having 6 buildings surrounding some trees to the west and 9 others
constructed at the centre. Between the two sides of these
accommodations, a reception and a restaurant were also built.

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Movements through the accommodation areas seem to be only
through footpaths, and vehicles appear to be not allowed, or perhaps,
roads for vehicles have not yet been constructed at this time.
However, for the areas surrounding the reception, vehicles could be
used to move to the restaurant and the pier which also was
constructed on the south coast directly facing the reception.

Finally, apart from the trees, the beach remains the only natural
feature to stay relatively untouched; however, it does appear that it is
now being used for swimming.

Mixed Data

In this type of task, you will be given two sets of data. The data will
be different types. For example, one set might be change over time
while the second set is static. Alternatively, one set of data could
show percentage whereas the second set shows numbers. You may
also be given an illustration (e.g. a diagram or map) and a set of
data (e.g. a bar chart, line graph, pie chart, or table)

Your task is to summarise both sets of data.

Sample Mixed Data Question

The bar chart below shows the preference for different types of
Complementary or Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies among US
adults in 2007. The table lists which therapies where the most popular
over two years.

Summarise the data by selecting and reporting the main features and
make comparisons where relevant.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main

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features, and make comparisons where relevant.

- Write at least 150 words.

- You should spend around 20 minutes on this task.

Sample Essay
The bar chart illustrates the top ten Complementary or Alternative
Medicine (CAM) therapies preferred by the proportion of all adult US
citizens in 2007. The table lists how the popularity of four of those
therapies increased over five years in percentages.

Overall, deep breathing and massage therapies increased the most in

popularity over the five year period, while natural products was the

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clear favourite among U.S. adults in 2007.

Between 2002 and 2007, certain alternative therapies showed higher

gains than others. Deep breathing and massage saw the biggest gain in
use of approximately 4%, while meditation and yoga rose by a less
significant 1.9% and 2% respectively.

Of the ten most common CAM therapies, around 1 in 5 adult

Americans preferred to use natural products, substantially greater than
the second most widely-used technique of deep breathing which stood
at 12%. Following these, around a tenth of Americans were likely to
do either meditation, chiropractic, massage or yoga, whereas a
significantly smaller proportion of under 3% of American adults did
the remaining four CAM approaches shown.

IELTS Writing Task 2

In IELTS writing task 2, you will need to write a traditional style
essay in response to a question. You must write at least 250 words. If
you do not write enough words, you will be penalised. There are 6
different question types in task 2.

Causes and effects

Discuss both views and give your own opinion

Advantages and disadvantages

Problems and solutions

Two-part question

Opinion

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Now, let's look at sample questions and model essays for each essay
type.

Causes and effects

Discuss both views and give your own opinion

Advantages & Disadvantages

Problems and Solutions

Two-part Question

Opinion

Cause and effects

In this type of question, you will be given a problem or situation.

Your task is to describe the causes of the situation and some of the
effects of the situation.

Sample Question
The percentage of overweight children in western society has
increased by almost 20% in the last ten years. Discuss the causes and
effects of this disturbing trend.

- Write at least 250 words.

- You should spend around 40 minutes on this task.

Model Essay

Obesity among children has risen sharply over the last decade in
western countries. Such a trend is largely the result of a tendency
towards convenience in society, yet its effects may be detrimental
to children’s long-term mental and physical health.

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The prime causes of obesity are unhealthy eating habits and an
inactive lifestyle. In recent years, there has been a surge in the
consumption of convenience foods among modern families. Busy
parents with no time to cook rely on prepared meals to feed their
families. Such foods have little to no nutritional value which
contributes to obesity. In addition, children these days
spend inordinate amounts of time playing video games than playing
outside with friends resulting in insufficient physical activity each
day. For example, studies show that children in France exercise on
average around 20 minutes per day as compared to75 minutes 30
years ago.

The possible effects of obesity are a range of health

issues. Regarding physical health, diseases, such as type 2 diabetes
and high blood pressure, are known to be higher
in overweight children than their peers. These put a child’s life in
danger, and may further affect mental health growing up. When
children are obese, they are more likely to be bullied and ostracized
by classmates because they look or behave differently. This has
been known to cause low self-esteem and depression in many, and
thus shun friends in favour of time alone.

In conclusion, through poor diet choice and inactivity, obesity is a

growing problem that can cause lasting damage to a child’s mental
and physical development. However, by addressing this problem
while young, much can be done to aid a child in becoming a healthy
functioning adult.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion

In this type of question, you will be given two opposing views related
to an issue. Usually, the two views will be in separate sentences
connected by a transition word such as "however" to indicate that the
two views contrast. Your task is to write a discursive essay,
contrasting both sides of the issue and presenting your own view.

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Sample Question
Some people think that exercise is the key to health, while others feel
that having a balanced diet is more important. Discuss both sides and
give your opinion.

- Write at least 250 words.

- You should spend around 40 minutes on this task.

Model Essay

According to some, good health goes hand in hand with regular

exercise, yet others feel that it is more important to maintain a
balanced diet. In my opinion, I believe that exercise is more essential
for the majority of people.

There are several benefits to a balanced diet for good mental and
physical health. For one thing, eating well lifts moods. Simple foods
that are varied in colour and type can lift mood and lower the risk of
depression. Eating more fruits, colourful vegetables, proteins, and
whole grains helps the body run efficiently. This makes dieters feel
good, and as a result more willing to be active which thus makes them
healthier. For another thing, eating well makes people less prone to
getting sick by building a body less susceptible to disease. Vitamins
and minerals in diet boost immunity, which protects the body against
certain diseases like obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure.

On the other hand, I believe that exercise is more effective at

improving health since it encourages long-term health habits from the
beginning. Exercising not only burns calories, but makes people feel
good. While starting a diet is never a pleasant
experience, cardiovascular exercises like cycling, walking or

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swimming trigger endorphins in the brain that immediately decrease
stress levels, and enhance our sense of well-being. Once people start
feeling good from exercise, they are more likely to
continue. Moreover, exercise doesn’t have to be for long periods to
achieve instant benefits. Doctors usually advise exercising for 20
minutes three times per week, a sufficiently short enough time
to make a habit of, and fit into busy schedules.

In conclusion, while good diet is necessary, exercise offers greater

convenience, flexibility, and by making people feel good, encourages
good health habits in the long run.

Advantages and disadvantages

In this type of question, you will be asked to discuss the positive and
negative aspects of a situation, solution or trend. You may also be
asked to give your opinion about which side you think is more
important.
Sample Question
It is becoming increasingly popular to have a year off between
finishing school and going to university. What are the advantages and
disadvantages of this?

- Write at least 250 words.

- You should spend around 40 minutes on this task.

Model Essay

More and more students are taking a year away from their studies
between graduating from school and beginning university. Students
can save for and think about their future during this
period, though there are several drawbacks to consider.

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To begin with, by taking a year after high school, students can avoid
costly mistakes of starting a degree that they are not interested in. A
year is a good time to consider options and decide what subject is best
to study. Secondly, a gap year is excellent for character
development. When graduating high school at 18, most people still
don’t know what life direction they wish to take. Studies show that
students who take a gap year doing something constructive like
travelling do better in at university later on than those who do
not. Finally, a year away from studies provides the chance to save
money. That way, at university, students may focus more on classes,
and less on debt.

However, spending such a long time away from studying may cause
some students to lose good study habits, and gain bad habits
instead. After 12 years of continuous schooling, many teenagers may
be distracted by the prospect of earning money, and lose the
motivation to continue their studies. Furthermore, individuals
without a constructive plan for their education-free year may be
tempted to procrastinate and waste time. Lastly, travelling overseas
can be expensive, and there is a real possibility that students may end
up in more debt by the start of the university year.

To sum up, although students who take a year out can save money
and achieve greater life-direction, this time may also be wasted, lead
to greater debt, or cause unintended life decisions that may later be
regretted.

Problems and solutions

In this type of question, you will be given a problem or situation.
Your task is to describe the causes of the situation and some solutions
to the problem. The question may ask for general solutions (e.g. How
could this problem be solved) or ask how specific groups can solve

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the problem (e.g. What steps can governments and individuals take to
address the problem?). You do not need to mention the effects in
detail, just briefly.
Sample Question
More and more people are migrating to cities in search of a better
life, but city life can be extremely difficult. Explain some of the
difficulties of living in a city. How can governments make urban life
better for everyone?

- Write at least 250 words.

- You should spend around 40 minutes on this task.

Model Essay

Before as now, emigration from the countryside to the city

continues apace worldwide as people seek a better standard of
living. However, life in the big city is often hard on new
immigrants. There are several reasons for this as well as solutions for
governments to handle them.

Most difficulties emerge since rural folk are unaccustomed to city life
on moving there. For a start, the cost of living is much greater than in
a town or village. City residents must pay more for utilities, housing,
transportation and food, which causes many immigrants to
share overcrowded housing in a bid to save
money. Secondly, unemployment in the city is a major challenge for
new arrivals. Many immigrants are unprepared for the fierce job
competition when arriving in a city. This inevitably drives
unemployment up, which may quickly lead
to poverty. Finally, healthcare costs are often high in the city, and if
made sick, many immigrants often lose meagre savings to pay for
their medical care.

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To solve these challenges, and improve life for all inhabitants, city
governments have several options available to them. Firstly, ensure
an adequate housing supply to prevent overcrowding. Developing
low-end, cost effective housing for migrants would reduce living
expenses and provide a base for first-time inhabitants starting a new
life. Secondly, establish job schemes and professional training
programs for new city residents. This would help them to find
reliable work and figure out their next step. Finally, make affordable
healthcare available to all. Guaranteeing access to affordable
healthcare provides a social safety net for new city citizens as they
adjust to city life.

In conclusion, given the diverse challenges faced by city immigrants,

ensuring decent accommodation and healthcare, as well as creating
job programs, can help many hit the ground running and begin
contributing to city life.

Two-part question

In this type of question, you will be given two questions and you will
need to answer both questions. The two questions will be different.
For example, you might need to assess the importance of an idea or
action (e.g. How import is it?) and say whether you agree or disagree
(e.g. Do you agree or disagree?).

Sample Question
Art and music are considered some of the fundamental elements of
society. Do you think art and music still have a place in today’s
modern world of technology? Should children spend more time
learning art and music at school?

- Write at least 250 words.

- You should spend around 40 minutes on this task.

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 Model Essay

Some people regard the arts as fundamental pillars of society, and

even in today’s technology-dominated world, art and music are still
important. More than ever before, I believe it is necessary to teach
children such subjects in school for the many benefits they bring
society.

Art and music are central to life in developed civilisations. For a

start, they help society to reflect on what it has become. As society
advances, artists help to interpret the changes and problems created by
progress in unique ways. Artists use their creativity to draw attention
to key issues such as the increasing mountains of trash produced
or the rich-poor divide. Secondly, artists make people more humble
by helping them remember their humanity and their connections to
the world around them. Pictures of nature, society, tribal scenes, past
and present make people think about their roots and consider where
they’re heading. Finally, music gives joy and inspiration to many
people. It helps to express emotion and lift mood when feeling
down.

While in school, there are key advantages to learning art and

music. For one, both give children the creativity to express
themselves. Children live in a world of adults; however, art and
music classes allow all to be themselves which is good for
their mental development. For example, while older children are less
inclined, younger children often find singing, dancing and painting to
be among their favourite classes. In turn, studying music has proven
beneficial in helping children connect more with their emotions. This

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produces more rounded adults able to connect with their knowledge
through science and their emotions through art and music.

In conclusion, for adults and children, the arts bring not only joy, but
inspiration, and helps both to remember who they are really are in a
world dominated by science

Opinion
In this type of question, you will be given a question which contains
an opinion. Your task is to write an essay in response to the opinion.
This type of question often asks if you agree or disagree with an
opinion.

Sample Question
Many people believe that social networking sites (such as Facebook)
have had a huge negative impact on society. To what extent do you
agree? Do you agree or disagree?

- Write at least 250 words.

- You should spend around 40 minutes on this task.

Model Essay

It is said by many that social networking websites like Facebook are

negatively influencing society. Although I believe this the effect of
social media on society is somewhat negative, there are also clear
benefits to individuals from using it.

Regarding society, social networks are causing a decline

in meaningful relationships. Firstly, people spend less time having
good conversation with each other face-to-face. Most people spend

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more time having short conversations with dozens of people online,
and less time having longer, meaningful conversations with
friends face-to-face. This erodes close relationships over time and
may be creating a more socially disconnected society as a
result. Additionally, there is some evidence that social media sites like
Facebook have created a more socially awkward and antisocial
society. The average European spends four hours per day chatting
online, yet this familiarity with the screen is causing many to become
more anxious talking with others in person as a result.

However, there are distinct advantages to the individual from using

social media. For one, it is very easy to find work when
online. Through group functionality on sites like Facebook, job
seekers can easily find a job they desire in the right
field, thus increasing job satisfaction when at work. Finally, social
networks bring like-minded people together in an unprecedented
way. Whether it is friends looking to organize an event, or people
looking to meet others with similar interests it is extremely easy to
find people online. For example, just take the explosion in minor
hobbies like board games clubs that have become popular due to the
interconnected nature of social media.

In conclusion, in my opinion, although there is some evidence to

show social networking may affect society badly in the long run, in
the short term, its effects on individuals seem more positive.

IELTS Writing Samples and Strategies for IELTS Writing Task 2

In general, there are 4 steps to approaching the IELTS Writing

Task 2:

1. Read and Understand - Although this step may seem self-

explanatory, many test takers let their nerves get the best of them and
do not fully understand the question at hand. This is why the first

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thing you will need to during Writing Task 2 is to fully understand the
question and underline key words. Additionally, think of these two
things:

What type of essay will I need to write? (For example, it can

be Problem and Solution).

How familiar am I with this topic? (This question is important,

because it may affect the outline you choose to use.

2. Plan your Outline - Now that you’ve understood what the

question is asking as well as which type of essay you will have to
write, you are ready to map out your outline. Do not skip this
step. This should take only 2 or 3 minutes and will act as a reference
for you going forward. Also, depending on how the question asks
you, the outline will be different.

3. Make Outline Notes - Now that you’ve chosen and drafted your
outline, make notes in your outline using key words of the main
sentences of each paragraph. This will help you “map out” your essay
and give you a bird’s eye view of what it will look like. At this stage,
you should already be able to understand the main topics of each
paragraph.

4. Start Writing - After planning your outline, begin writing with

your introduction and continuing on from there. Be sure to use a
formal tone (do not use contractions, write out numbers lower than
10, etc.) and indent after each paragraph.

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 IELTS ACADEMIC WRITING PRACTICE TESTS.

In this section you will find 30 ACADEMIC WRITING TESTS.

This will help you to practice IELTS WRITING for 30 days. Always
remember, the key to improving your IELTS band score is
PRACTICE! PRACTICE!! PRACTICE!!!
This exactly is what this MATERIAL provides for you!

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 PRACTICE TEST 1
Writing

Time: 1 hour

Official Instructions to candidates

Do not open this question paper until you are told to do so.
Write your name and candidate number in the spaces at the top of
this page.
Read the instructions for each task carefully.
Answer both of the tasks.
Write at least 150 words for Task 1.
Write at least 250 words for Task 2.
Write your answers in the answer booklet.
Write clearly in pen or pencil. You may make alterations, but make
sure your work is easy to read.
At the end of the test, hand in both this question paper and your
answer booklet.

Information for candidates

There are two tasks on this question paper.

Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the Writing score.

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WRITING TASK 1
The bar chart below shows employment figures in different tourism-
related industries between 2009 and 2019.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

Model answer

The chart provides a breakdown of employment in a number of

tourism-related industries over a ten-year period. Overall, we can

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see that the total level of employment increased by about twenty
per cent during the period. However, there was some variation in
the figures for the individual sectors. For example, while the
travel industry increased its workforce substantially over the
decade, there was relatively little growth in that associated with
hotels and other tourist accommodation.

Travel represented the biggest area of expansion, having almost

doubled its number of employees by 2019. The food industry also
saw a significant increase, from 283,000 employees in 2009 to
357,000 in 2019, while the sports industry enjoyed an almost
equal level of growth. The least successful sector was culture,
including museums and art galleries, where the figures actually
fell slightly over the period.

The data suggests that, despite minor fluctuations in the various

sectors, employment in the tourism industry as a whole will
continue to grow.

(162 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You Should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Some people advocate the death penalty for those who committed
violent crimes. Others say that capital punishment is
unacceptable in contemporary society.

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Describe the advantages and disadvantages of the death penalty and
give your opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

Model answer

Many people believe that death penalty is necessary to keep

security system efficient in the society. While there are some
negative aspects of capital punishment, I agree with the view that
without it we will become more vulnerable to violence.

Death penalty can be considered unsuitable punishment for

several reasons. The strongest argument is that we have no rights
to kill other humans. Right to live is the basic right of any human
being, and no one can infringe this right, irrespective of the
person’s deeds. Moreover, innocent people can face wrongful
execution. Such unfair sentences take away lives of innocent
people and make other citizens lose faith in law and justice. And
besides, sometimes criminals repent of their acts. In this case they
should be given a second chance to improve themselves.

However, I believe that capital punishment is necessary in the

society. Firstly, it is an effective deterrent of major crimes. The
best method to prevent a person from committing crime is to
show the consequences of his or her actions. For example, the
government of Pakistan has controlled the rate of terrorism by
enforcing death penalties for the members of terrorist
organisations. Secondly, the governments spend large sums of
national budget on maintenance of prisoners. Instead, this money

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can be used for the development of the society and welfare of the
people.

To sum up, although capital punishment has some disadvantages,

I think that it proves to be the best way of controlling criminals,
lessening governmental expenses and preventing other people
from doing crimes.

(257 words)

Practice Test 2
WRITING TASK 1
The line graph gives information about the number of Iranian,
Greek and Turkish students who enrolled at Sheffield University
between 2005 and 2009.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

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Model answer

The diagram shows the enrolment of Iranian, Greek and Turkish

students at Sheffield University from 2005 to 2009. During this
period, enrolment of both Iranian and Turkish students rocketed
sharply. However, Greek admissions dropped significantly with
numbers being almost the reverse of those for Iranian students.

Iranian numbers grew steadily up to 2008 followed by a sharp

rise reaching almost 160 students in 2009. Similarly, numbers of
Turkish students showed steady growth throughout the period
from about 20 in 2005 to over 120 in 2009. In contrast, enrolments
of Greek students decreased dramatically from a high of 180
students in 2005 to just about 70 in 2007. Numbers then levelled
off throughout 2007 finally dropping again to a low of around 45
in 2009. A further point of interest is that from 2007 to 2008,
enrolments from all three countries were very similar, the
average difference being approximately 20 students.

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Overall, the graph highlights a considerable difference between
growth in Iranian and Turkish enrolments but reduction in
Greek enrolments.

(169 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the
following topic:
Each year, the crime rate increases.
What are the causes of crime and what could be done to prevent this
rise in criminal activity?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER
Crime is an issue of increasing concern around the world, and
more money than ever before is being spent on the detection and
punishment of criminal activity. The reasons why people commit
crime are countless, but drugs and alcohol, social problems and
poverty play a major role. To solve these problems, governments
can either focus on draconian punishments, or improve
employment opportunities, invest in good housing projects and
tackle drug and alcohol abuse.

One of the main causes of criminality is the use, sale and

trafficking of narcotics. For example, the sale of drugs is
organised by armed criminal gangs who illegally traffic drugs and

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control their business with extreme violence. Drug-related crime
does not end there; drug users often steal to fund theft habit,
resulting in further acts of petty crime. The social problems
connected with crime are said to be the result of single-parent
families, absent role models and bad living conditions. The
children from these broken families often become criminals
because they feel alienated from society. Poverty is also a reason
behind crime. When unskilled jobs pay so little and prices are so
high, it's easy to see why some turn to crime for an income.

Crime can, of course, be dealt with by toughening criminal laws

and introducing longer custodial sentences for persistent
criminals, but some of the best ways to deal with crime may be to
deal with the social causes. Increasing employment opportunities
in poorer areas would improve living standards, which would
mean access to affordable housing and education. Government
funding for drug and alcohol rehabilitation programmes would
help reduce dependency on stimulants and the need for the
criminal activity that surrounds them.

In conclusion, crime is a major issue, but cracking down on

offenders with a harsh penal system is not the only way. These
problems can be solved through the government providing jobs
and funding which should raise living standards and dramatically
reduce crime levels.

(323 words)

Practice Test 3
WRITING TASK 1

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The chart below shows the changes that took place in three different
areas of crime in Panama City from 2010 to 2019.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

Model answer

This graph illustrates how crime rates altered in Panama City

during the period 2010-2019. We can see immediately that the
greatest change occurred in the number of burglaries, while
incidents of theft remained low but steady.

In 2010, we can see that burglary was the most common crime,
with approximately 3,400 reported cases. The figure rose to
around 3,700 in 2011, but then there was a downward trend until
2015. At this point the figure stood at just over 1,000 incidents.
This rose slightly in 2016, then continued to fluctuate for the
remaining period.

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In 2010, the number of cars being stolen stood at around 2,800
and followed a similar trend to burglary until 2013. At this point
the number rose, standing at around 2,200 in 2014. There was a
marginal decrease in the following year, but from then on, the
trend was generally upwards.

Finally, robbery has always been a fairly minor problem for

Panama City. The number of offences committed changed little
over nine years. It is interesting to note that the figure of
approximately 700 in 2010 is the same figure for 2019.

(185 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Some people choose to eat no meat or fish. They believe that this
is not only better for their own health but also benefits the world
as a whole.
Discuss this view and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

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MODEL ANSWER
The number of vegetarian in a community may depend on
various factors, for example the traditions of the country, the
wealth of the country, the religion or the age group. Therefore,
the reasons why people choose to exclude meat and fish from their
diet may also vary.

Some people become vegetarian because they believe that this will
benefit their health. Undoubtedly, eating too much meat,
especially too much red meat, is not to be recommended.
Moreover, the fact that there are healthy populations in some
parts of the world where no one eats meat proves that it is not, as
some people claim, an essential part of the human diet. However,
it is important to ensure that enough protein, for example, is
included in the diet from other sources. Where vegetarianism is
not a tradition, this may require some careful planning.

In my experience, it is quite common for people to become

vegetarians because they feel that it is selfish to eat meat or
because meat production increases global warming. They may
also feel that if no one ate meat, there would be no food shortage,
because meat production uses up food resources. This idealistic
point of view is very attractive, but it is hard to judge whether it is
in fact correct.

In some families, if a teenager decides to become a vegetarian,

they may do so partly out of a spirit of rebellion, because this
behaviour can be interpreted as a criticism of their parents’ way
of life. However, provided that they continue to eat healthily, the
parents should not raise objections, in my opinion. Vegetarianism
is a valid choice in life. Moreover, research shows that vegetarians
tend to be healthier in many ways than meat-eaters.

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Personally, I think that being a vegetarian is a good idea in
principle as there are proven health benefits and probably social
benefits as well. However, it does not suit everybody, and I doubt
whether it will ever be a universal choice.

(330 words)

Practice Test 4
WRITING TASK 1
The graph below shows the number of hours per day on average
that children spent watching television between 1950 and 2010.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

Model answer

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The graph shows the number of hours per day on average that
children spent watching television. The graph covers the period
between 1950 and 2010.

From 1950 to 1960, there was a modest rise in the average

number of hours children spent in front of the television set. This
was followed by a marked increase from approximately one hour
to four hours of viewing per day among children between 1965
and 1982. Over the next five years, there was a decrease. However
this trend proved negligible as the viewing figure then rose again
marginally, and it reached a peak of over four hours in 1995.

Between 1995 and 2010, there was another modest decline in the
hours children spent watching television.

Overall, it can be concluded that there has been a significant rise

in television viewing over the sixty-year period, though there is
some indication that this trend may be changing.

(151 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

In many countries, very few young people read newspapers or

follow the news on TV.

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What do you think are the causes of this?
What solutions can you suggest?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER
There is increasing concern in many countries that newspapers
are not being read and the news on television is not being watched
by many young people. As a result, young people in these
countries are not up-to-date with or even concerned about local,
national and international events.

The major causes of this problem are that most newspapers and
news programmes are designed for an adult audience and are not
presented in a format that teenagers find attractive. Few young
people read newspapers because the language is too difficult and
the style and content is usually quite serious. A lack of interest in
the news is also due to the fact that young people are fascinated
by new technology, such as computers and the Internet. As a
result of this there is a lower interest in traditional news formats,
which are considered unappealing and unfashionable.

There are some strategies that can be used to encourage young

people to keep abreast of the news. The first is to have news
agencies present the news in formats that are appealing for the
young. The easiest way to do this would be to present news on
internet sites that are designed for a younger audience. Another
way to confront the problem is to have schools involved in the

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publication of regular school newspapers. Recent local, national
and international news events could be included, although schools
should also encourage pupils to be involved in the writing of
articles and submissions. This newspaper could then be
distributed to all the pupils, which means a greater number of
young people would regularly read news stories.

The low number of young people reading newspapers and

following the news on television can be increased by presenting
the news in formats that are appealing to them. The key is to
utilise websites and also have schools publish their own
newspapers, which students are involved in.

(317 words)
Practice Test 5
WRITING TASK 1
The graphs below show the post-school qualifications held by
Canadians in the age groups 25 to 35 and 45 to 55.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

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All Study Materials Page 52 of 146
Model answer

These two pie charts show the differences between two groups of
Canadians (25 to 35 and 45 to 55 year olds) in terms of their post-
school qualifications.

The first point to note is the huge increase in the number of

people with qualifications. The younger group is more than two
times bigger than the older group (515,600 compared to 213,400).

Comparing the two groups, Humanities and Nursing have

experienced an increase in popularity with older graduates;
Nursing rose by 4%. However, the biggest gain was made by
engineering, which increased from 9% to 19% of the whole.

Some subjects were more popular with the younger age group.
The biggest loss in graduate numbers were to Science, Maths and
Computers which, as a group, have decreased by 8%.
Administration has declined by 4%.

To sum up, the graphs show a more than twofold increase in the
number of graduates. The most noticeable change in subject
percentages is the increase in the number of engineering
graduates.

(164 words)

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WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Nowadays many countries have very cosmopolitan cities with

people from all over the world.
How can the government ensure that all these people can live
together harmoniously?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER
In today's cosmopolitan world it is unusual to find a major city or
country where there are no immigrants. People travel more now
than they ever did in the past and populations have had to adapt
to this transitional lifestyle much more quickly than in the past.
Ultimately society, as a group of individuals, directs the way that
new arrivals in a country are treated. But the government can do
a number of things to support this.

Firstly, all governments should insist that schools teach history

and culture from more than one country, not just the home
nation. By learning how others have lived we gain insight into
alternative cultures and ways of life which makes us more
accepting when we meet people from those countries. Of course
we don't have time to learn about the history of every country in

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the world but understanding at least one other culture opens our
minds and makes us more tolerant.

In addition, when immigrants choose to settle in a country, the

host government should offer free language and culture lessons. It
is impossible for new arrivals to integrate if they do not
understand the language and habits of their new home. I believe it
is important for immigrants to learn the culture of the place they
have chosen to settle. By acquiring the language and knowledge
about the culture, they will be able integrate more easily and
comfortably without necessarily losing their own identity.

Finally the governments of countries should make sure that they

have some stringent laws to protect people from aggression or
prejudice so that, should an immigrant face terrible attitudes,
they have some protection. By ensuring people feel safe the host
country shows that it is civilised and promotes integration.

In summary, understanding others is the key to harmonious

living but laws should also be in place to protect people from
those who can't behave responsibly.

(317 words)

Practice Test 6
WRITING TASK 1
The table below shows top ten countries with largest population in
2019, and how it is projected to change by 2100.

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Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

Model answer

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The table compares the population of the world's top ten
countries in 2019 with projected numbers in 2100.

In 2019, China had the highest population of 1,439 million, with

India second on 1,380 million. However, by 2100, India is
projected to have the highest population of 1,551 million with
China second on 941 million - down 498 million since 2019.
Although the USA is projected to increase its population from 331
million to 478 million, it steps down from third to fourth place,
being overtaken by Nigeria, which moves up from seventh place
with 206 million, to a total of 730 million, representing a massive
increase of 524 million. Brazil drops from sixth place in 2019 with
213 million, down to tenth in 2100 on 177 million - a decrease of
36 million.

Three of the ten most populous countries in the world will no

longer be among the top ten in 2100, and all three will be
supplanted by rapidly growing nations in Africa.

Except for China and Brazil, all other projections show an

increase between 2019 and 2100, but there is a significant
shuffling of position by some countries, the elimination of others,
and the introduction of new contenders for a top-ten placing

(203 words)

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WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Social media is becoming increasingly popular amongst all age

groups. However, sharing personal information on social media
websites does have risks.

Do you think that the advantages of social media outweigh the

disadvantages?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER
Since the invention of social media, many people have been better
able to connect with each other and also to keep up to date with
the lives of their friends, families, co-workers and even celebrities,
to such a degree which was previously impossible.

However, social media has its risks. As people of all ages have
access to social media, children can be exposed to adult content,
and are themselves vulnerable to be approached by strangers
with unknown intentions. Even if children are sure of who they're
talking to on social media, social media's issues are not completely
eliminated. Cyber bullying is frequently reported in the news, and
occurs on social media between children and schoolchildren. This
is problematic, as it means even when children are at home,

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remote from their bullies they can still be bullied when they're
inside their own homes.

Social media can be problematic for adults, too. People often feel
comfortable posting things on social media that they wouldn't say
in real life. This can indirectly cause a bad impression on other
people, and if employers judge the nature of the content
prospective employees post on social media to be inappropriate, it
can affect their chances of attaining or keeping jobs.

As long as people are aware of the risks of using social media, and
are careful to post only respectful and respectable content, then
the advantages of social media far outweigh the disadvantages,
and children and adults alike should be allowed to benefit from
such technology.

(250 words)

Practice Test 7
WRITING TASK 1
The diagrams below show the main reasons workers chose to work
from home and the hours males and females worked at home for the
year 2019.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

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Model answer

The bar chart illustrates the reasons men and women chose to
work from home in 2019. Overall, saving money was the main
reason for both males and females (45% and 42% respectively).
In contrast, approximately a quarter of males put productivity as
a reason, which was twice as high as the female response (24%
and 11% respectively). For childcare, the pattern was different
again with almost a quarter of females giving this reason
compared to very few males (4%).

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The table shows the hours men and women worked from home in
2019. The vast majority of males worked over 30 hours per week
(81%) contrasting with a minority of females (6%) doing similar
hours. This pattern is reversed when examining the under ten
hours category with almost three quarters of females working this
amount compared to only 3% of males. The 10 to 30 hours per
week category shows fewer marked differences.

To sum up, it can be seen that men and women do not always give
the same reasons for home working and, in general, men work
longer hours from home.

(182 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Some people think that developed countries have a higher

responsibility to combat climate change than developing
countries. Others believe that all countries should have the same
responsibilities towards protecting the environment.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Write at least 250 words.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.

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MODEL ANSWER
With environmental concerns growing continually in the last few
decades, the question of what each country can do to protect the
environment has become more and more prominent. Some people
believe that all countries around the world are equally responsible
when it comes to combating climate change. Others, however,
think that developed countries have a greater responsibility than
developing countries.

It is indubitable that climate change is a universal, global

problem; therefore, any solution to it will need to be on a global
scale, too. Furthermore, developing countries are more likely to
suffer as a result of climate change, so they should be just as
motivated as developed countries to help the environment.

On the other hand, developed countries are clearly wore capable

of taking the lead in combating climate change and improving
their carbon footprint, as they have fewer pressing concerns than
developing countries. Not only that, but they are also going to
have a more marked effect if they reduce their emissions, since
developed nations have always been far ahead in terms of
pollution, and are in fact mostly to blame for it. Finally,
developed countries have the responsibility to set the example for
others, introducing changes to encourage the rest to do the same.

Therefore, I firmly believe that while every country should be

accountable for their emissions and contribute to combating
climate change, developed countries have a slightly bigger
responsibility to take action than developing countries, as they
have both the means and the reasons to do so, as well as the
ability to create a formidable wave of change in attitudes towards
the environment around the world.

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(271 words)

Practice Test 8
WRITING TASK 1
The bar chart below gives information about the percentage of the
population living in urban areas in different parts of the world.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

Source: United Nations

Model answer

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The graph compares the growth in the percentage of the
population living in urban areas in six different regions of the
world.

According to the chart, between 1950 and 2007 the percentage of

the population living in cities in Latin America and the Caribbean
almost doubled, from 42% to 76%, whereas in Europe it only
increased by 21%. However, in Europe over half the people
already lived in cities in 1950.

When we compare the projected increases in Asia and Europe by

2050 we see that in Asia the percentage will continue to grow at
the same speed, with a further increase of 25%, whereas in
Europe the change will be slower than before, increasing by only
12%. By 2050, the vast majority (around 90%) of people in Latin
America, the Caribbean and North America will live in cities.
Even in Africa, more than half the population (62%) will live in
urban areas by then.

(155 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

A government’s role is only to provide defence capability and

urban infrastructure (roads, water supplies, etc.). All other
services (education, health, social security) should be provided by
private groups or individuals in the community.

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Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Write at least 250 words.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.

MODEL ANSWER
Governments can only provide a limited range of services for
citizens. Certain types of services, however, must be provided by
governments, whereas both governments and private groups or
individuals can share the responsibility to provide other services.

A government must provide those services which are essential to a

country. These include defence capabilities and-social security.
Private enterprise and the profit motive should not form part of
these essential services. On the other hand, some services could be
provided by either governments or private groups or both.
Education and health care are examples of such services. A
government must provide at least a basic level of education and
health care so all citizens can have access to them. Private
enterprise, though, could also provide services in these areas for
those who wish to pay for them.

Urban infrastructure is another area where governments and

private groups or individuals can share responsibility.
Governments must build and maintain a system of roads, but toll
roads can be built and road maintenance carried out by private
contractors. Similarly, other infrastructure, such as water or
electricity supply, can be operated by private companies.

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To sum up, there are some services, such as defence and social
security, which must be provided by government. Other services,
for example water supply or education, could be provided by both
government and private enterprise. Consequently, it is not true to
say that a government’s role is only to provide some services
while others should be provided by the private sector. In fact,
both government and private groups can share in the provision of
most services.

(265 words)

Practice Test 9
WRITING TASK 1
The diagrams below give information about the manufacture of
frozen fish pies.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

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Mo

Model answer

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This diagram shows that there are a number of processes
involved in the commercial production of frozen fish pies. The
main ingredients consist of fresh salmon, peas and sauce, with
sliced potatoes, and they are prepared separately.

The potatoes, which may have been delivered up to a month in

advance, are cleaned, peeled and cut into slices. The slices are
boiled and then chilled before being stored until needed. The
preparation of the fish is more labour intensive than the
preparation of the potatoes. Within twelve hours of being
delivered to the factory, the fresh fish is cooked by being steamed
with lemon juice and salt. Then the skin and bones are removed
by hand and disposed of, before a visual inspection takes place.

After this, the pies are assembled in microwaveable containers

Peas and sauce, which have also been prepared, are added to the
fish and then the pie is covered with a layer of cooked potato
slices. The pies are then wrapped and frozen. At this point they
are ready for dispatch, or they may be stored at the factory before
being dispatched.

(185 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

In the past, shopping was a routine domestic task. Many people

nowadays regard it as a hobby.

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To what extent do you think this is a positive trend?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER
Going shopping used to be a chore, but recently it has become a
leisure activity or a pleasant outing. To my mind, it is debatable
whether this can be regarded as a wholly positive development.

For earlier generations, buying food or consumer products

involved visiting several shops, each with the same limited range
on offer. Customers had less money and credit was not widely
available. By contrast, shoppers nowadays can find almost
anything in the supermarket or shopping mall. The comfortable
environment, the variety of goods and attractions such as cafés
and cinemas make spending money enjoyable.

Nowadays, with many parents working full-time, families have

little time together. In my experience, it is normal to see families
in the local shopping mall at weekends. Undoubtedly, one of the
benefits of this is that they are together as a family. Nevertheless,
this is not ideal, especially if it leaves no time for other activities,
such as sport.

Another negative result of this change in attitudes is the effect it

has on young people all over the world, who spend time in
shopping malls. The reasons for this are the influence of
advertising and the availability of credit cards. On the one hand,

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they are with friends in a safe environment, but on the other, it
can tempt them to buy things they do not really need and may
cause them to get into debt. Moreover, it would be better for their
health if they met friends to go swimming.

In conclusion I would like to suggest that although shopping now

is less tedious, this is not necessarily a positive trend. It may be
good for the retailers, but not for consumers if it replaces other,
healthier activities.

(286 words)

Practice Test 10
WRITING TASK 1
The graph below gives information about how much people in the
United States and the United Kingdom spend on fuel.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

All Study Materials Page 70 of 146

Model answer

The graph compares the percentage income that people in the UK

and USA spend on fuel.

Firstly, the difference between the total spending on fuel by the

poorest and the richest is greater in the UK than in the USA. In
the former, the poorest spend less than 0.5% of their income on
fuel, suggesting that they do not use cars very much, and the
richest spend around 3%. By contrast, in the US, the poorest
spend around 4-5% while the richest spend between 2 and 3%.

Secondly, in the USA it is also noticeable that the percentage of

income spent by the poor can be twice that spent by the rich.
However, in the UK. the percentage spent rises quite steeply for

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the poorer members of the population but then remains almost
constant apart from the very richest, where it falls again.

In both countries people on middle incomes spend about the same

percentage. Overall, the percentage of income spent on fuel
generally gets higher in the UK, whereas it decreases in the US.

(175 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Genetic engineering is a dangerous trend. It should be limited.

To what extent do you agree?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER

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Over the last few decades, remarkable advances have been made
in the field of genetic engineering. Consequently, scientists now
have the ability to manipulate genes for a range of purposes, from
making improvements in agriculture to experimentation with
human genes. The question, however, is whether there should be
any limitations on this development. In this essay, I shall examine
both sides of the argument.

Firstly it is clear that genetic engineering has brought about

certain benefits in terms of crop production. Now plants, for
example, can produce more fruit more quickly. This achievement
mean that greater harvests are guaranteed, so that more people
can be fed. As for the impact of genetic engineering on healthcare,
advocates claim it could be used to cure a range of health-related
problems, such as cystic fibrosis and Alzheimer's. Children and
adults with these diseases endure terrible suffering, yet with gene
therapy, there is a possibility of a better quality of life.

Despite these advantages, there are some aspects of genetic

engineering which require ongoing consideration. Critics claim
that genetically modified plants have little nutritional value and
that they will lead to the eradication of weeds, which many insect
species depend on. In the case of gene therapy, it is still uncertain
how the alteration of one gene, even though it may be faulty,
could affect the functions of the human body in the long term.

In my opinion, the benefits of genetic engineering can outweigh

the drawbacks, provided governments and scientists consider the
consequences carefully, and put people before profit.

(256 words)

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 Practice Test 11
WRITING TASK 1
The table below shows the results of surveys in 2005, 2010 and 2015
about McGill University.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
Percentage of students giving good ratings for
different aspects of McGill University

Model Answer
The visual display is a table that shows the percentage of students
who rated various aspects of McGill University good according to
the results of surveys in three different years (2005, 2010 and
2015).

Generally, there are five aspects of the Institution that were rated,
and three of these aspects (Teaching quality, Library resources
and Student services) have had an increased percentage of
students who rated them good by the last year. However, the

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percentage of students giving good ratings for Range of modules
offered declined through the three years. For sports and social
facilities, the percentage remained constant for the three years.

In the first year of survey, the results suggest that the library
resources aspect of the University had the greatest appeal to the
students and had the highest percentage of students who did rate
it good; 85%. On the contrary, by the last year of survey (2015), it
was student services department of McGill that received the most
good ratings by the students. This aspect of the school had only
just over a half of the students ranking it good, but by this time,
only a fifth of the students did not rate this aspect good.

It is worthy of note that the Range of modules offered at this

University of McGill did not get a lot of students rating it good in
2005; just 39% and, in similar fashion, the trend remained the
same through the next two survey years. The percentages
declined continuously that by the last survey year, the percentage
of students rating it good had declined to just a quarter. With
regards to the area of sports and social facilities, a constant 65%
of good ratings was recorded in the three survey years.

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Should the international community do more to tackle the threat

of global warming?

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Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER
Global warming has long been recognized as a serious problem by
most climate scientists. Governments around the world have
begun to take the necessary measures to address it. However, as
our understanding of the scale and nature of the problem is still
developing, efforts to tackle global warming need to be reassessed
from time to time.

Recent evidence suggests that some risk factors associated with

climate change may have been overstated. Sea levels are now
expected to rise by approximately one metre, not two metres, as
previously thought. This is because some glaciers and ice sheets
appear to be contracting, the Arctic, for example, while others,
such as the Antarctic, appear to be expanding. Also, it is now
thought that the Gulf Stream is unlikely to vanish. It may,
therefore, be possible to scale back plans for flood defences in
coastal areas.

However, there is also evidence that some of the consequences of

climate change may have been understated. Tropical forests are
now believed to be more vulnerable to drought. Hurricanes and
typhoons may become more severe. Greater efforts should
therefore be made to protect vulnerable populations, especially in
tropical areas. Buildings in storm-prone areas may also need to be
re-designed to withstand high winds.

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These recommendations, however, address the symptoms of
global warming, not the root cause: the generation of greenhouse
gases. Whatever the precise scale and nature of the consequences
of global warming, they are all undesirable. Clearly, more needs
to be done to reduce the burning of fossil fuels. Stricter emissions
targets should be set and use of alternative sources of energy
encouraged. It would be profoundly irresponsible to do nothing
about the causes of global warming.

(280 words)

Practice Test 12
WRITING TASK 1
The graph shows the impact of vaccinations on the incidence of
whooping cough, a childhood illness, between 1940 and 1990 in
Britain.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

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Model answer

The graph shows the changing number of cases of whooping

cough in Britain from 1940 to 1990, and how the introduction and
use of a vaccine for the disease affected the pattern. Apparently,
there was a direct link between the administration of the vaccine
and the number of cases of whooping cough among children
during this period in history.

Overall, the number of cases fell from a high of 170,000 to almost

zero. However, there were significant fluctuations in the trend.
For example, just after 1940, there was a surge in the number of
cases from 50,000 to approximately 170,000. Although the figure
fell back in the next few years, it peaked again in the early 1950s
and fluctuated considerably until the introduction of a
vaccination in the late 1950s.

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Following this, the number of cases dropped sharply to well below
20,000 in the mid-1970s, until a sudden fall in vaccinations, from
81 percent to 30 percent, resulted in a parallel rise in the
incidence of the illness. Figures then went up again to 60,000
around 1980, but gradually fell back to their earlier level as
vaccinations were resumed. By 1990, 94 percent of children were
being vaccinated against whooping cough, and there were few, if
any, cases.

(208 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Many people believe that increasing levels of violence on

television and in films is having a direct result on levels of
violence in society. Others claim that violence in society is the
result of more fundamental social problems such as
unemployment.

How much do you think society is affected by violence in the media?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

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MODEL ANSWER
There are different views on the causes of violence in the world
today. Some argue that it is connected to people's exposure to
violent scenes on television and in films, whilst others point to
wider problems in society such as unemployment, poor housing
and education as the root of anti-social behaviour. It is my belief
that violence in the media plays a significant role in encouraging
violent behaviour.

A first point is that as levels of violence in the media increase, so

does young people's exposure to it. Even films aimed at children
often contain violence and despite the difficulty of proving
whether this directly affects society, it is hard not to be concerned.
After all, children learn through modelling adult behaviour, so if
the models they choose are violent then it is highly likely that they
may be violent themselves.

Furthermore, the way violence is portrayed in the media is often

stylised resulting in violence being seen as attractive. People who
are easily impressed may then behave violently themselves.
Although research has shown that aggressive behaviour is
actually often the result of having aggressive parents, I still
believe that the unrealistic way violence is shown in the media
must have a negative result on society.

Finally, the media has become increasingly globalised which

means that violence in programmes or films can be viewed all
over the world. I would argue that the increasing quantity and
level of violence seen around the world must be a negative force in
society.

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In conclusion, although it is difficult to prove beyond a doubt the
effect of violence in the media on society, I believe that the result
on the young, the unrealistic way it is shown and the global nature
of media communications all have a significant and negative
impact on society.

(300 words)
Practice Test 13
WRITING TASK 1
The bar chart gives information about the number of car journeys
into the city centre made by residents and non-residents.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

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Model answer

The graph shows the number of car journeys into the city centre
made by residents and non-residents over a ten year period. In
1996 an average of just under 10,000 journeys per day were being
made by residents, while approximately half that number were
made by non-residents. Over the subsequent three years, resident
journeys remained reasonably stable, while non-resident journeys
increased each year, exceeding 8,000 per day in 1999.

In early 2000, parking meters were introduced into the city

centre, and this had the effect of virtually halving resident traffic,
although non-resident traffic decreased only slightly. By the end
of 2002, the number of resident journeys had not altered
significantly, but non-resident journeys had risen to their 1999
level. At this point, Westgate Street and Park Lane were
pedestrianised. This resulted in a dramatic decline in non-resident
traffic, and a slight decrease in resident traffic. From this point
onward, resident traffic remained more or less at the same level,
while non-resident traffic resumed its upward trend, reaching
nearly 5,000 journeys per day in 2005.

(174 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

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Governments around the world spend too much money on
treating illnesses and diseases and not enough on health education
and prevention.

Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER
I very much agree with the statement that governments are not
spending their health budgets in the best possible way. If
governments continue to spend such large sums of money on
treating illness and disease instead of preventing these diseases,
then perhaps they should rename our national health services
‘national illness services’!

Governments will probably argue that it is necessary to spend a

large proportion of health budgets on treating illness because the
general population do not live healthy lifestyles and so become ill.
They would argue that most people do not listen to health
campaigns. Also, they would say it is not possible to prevent many
illnesses and diseases such as flu and many types of cancer, as well
as accidents and emergencies. The problem with this argument is
that it is very negative because it assumes that people are stupid
and refuse to lead healthy lives. However, when people have the
right information, they often do the right thing – in my country
than in the past. I believe that the main reason for this is
government health campaigns, including very strong health
warnings on the products.

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In my opinion, governments can do a lot to prevent not only
illnesses and disease, but also accidents. Why don’t governments
spend more money on installing speed cameras on roads to make
people drive more slowly? That would reduce the number of
accidents.

To summarise, I really think that there is a lot that governments

can do to prevent illness and disease to make the world a
healthier place to live. In particular, rich governments can spend
more money on scientific research to find the causes of new
diseases such as AIDS, while governments from less well-
developed countries can spend money on providing clean water
for all their people. In this way, the world will have less need for
expensive cures and hospitals.

(311 words)

Practice Test 14
WRITING TASK 1
The table below shows the percentage use of four different fuel
types to generate electricity in five Asian countries in 2005.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

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Fuel type used to generate electricity (%)

Model answer

The table shows different sources of fuel for producing electricity

and their percentage use in five Asian countries in 2005.
Generally, the five countries showed a significant difference in
their patterns of consumption. Taking nuclear fuel first, Japan
had the highest percentage at 49%, with South Korea second at
33%. In marked contrast, Thailand used no nuclear power at all.
Turning to Coal and Lignite, Malaysia and Singapore used this to
generate a large proportion of their electricity (61% and 42%
respectively), a much higher percentage than the remaining
countries.

Regarding Petroleum products, Thailand produced 36% of its

electricity from this source. In comparison, the other countries
only generated 3% or less of their electricity from this fuel.
However, Hydro and Wind reveal another pattern with South
Korea producing almost half of its electricity (48%) this way
(over twice as high as Thailand which had the second highest
percentage at 19%). Finally, a significant amount was produced
from other sources with three countries (Singapore, Thailand and

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Japan) generating around 40% of their electricity from other
fuels. Overall, it can be seen that there was a significant variation
in which fuels countries used to generate their electricity.

(196 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Today's teenagers have more stressful lives than previous

generations.

Discuss this view and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER
Despite a continuing improvement in standard of living, many
people believe that young people suffer more stress than older
generations. In this essay, the arguments surrounding the issue of
teenage stress will be discussed.

Firstly, teenagers are exposed to more products than earlier

generations as a result of living in a modern consumer society.

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Through films and the media, they see celebrities with expensive
jewellery, clothes and cars. In addition, youth-oriented
advertising gives them an awareness of the latest technology such
as digital music formats and mobile phones. Consequently,
teenagers feel pressure to acquire these items. Some might argue
that these pressures are not new. However, I believe that such
stresses were not so strong during earlier times.

It could also be argued that pressures at school are stronger than

before. In order to achieve the lifestyle they see in the media,
teenagers must succeed in their studies so they can compete for
the best jobs. Parental pressure, examinations and homework are
all reported as causing increased levels of strain.

On the other hand, although it may be true to say that modern

society produces certain stresses it does not necessarily mean that
stress was previously absent. In earlier times, hunger and physical
discomfort would undoubtedly have caused high levels of anxiety,
as would hard physical labour, for example, working down a
mine. Any balanced view must take into account these alternative
factors.

To sum up, consumerism and academic pressures are powerful

causes of stress on today's teenagers. Nevertheless, it is my view
that these stresses are no greater than those experienced by
earlier generations of teenagers.

(267 words)

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 Practice Test 15
WRITING TASK 1
The graph below gives information about changes in the birth and
death rates in New Zealand between 1901 and 2101.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
Birth and death rates in New Zealand

Model answer

The graph shows changes in the birth and death rates in New
Zealand since 1901, and forecasts trends tip until 2101.

Between 1901 and the present day, the birth rate has been
consistently higher than the death rate. It stood at 20,000 at the

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start of this period and increased to a peak of 66,000 in 1961.
Since then the rate has fluctuated between 65 and 50 thousand
and it is expected to decline slowly to around 45,000 births by the
end of the century.

In contrast, the death rate started below 10,000 and has increased
steadily until the present time. This increase is expected to be
more rapid between 2021 and 2051 when the rate will probably
level off at around 60,000, before dropping slightly in 2101.

Overall, these opposing trends mean that the death rate will
probably overtake the birth rate in around 2041 and the large gap
between the two levels will be reversed in the later part of this
century.

(164 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

In some countries it is thought advisable that children begin

formal education at four years old, while in others they do not
have to start school until they are seven or eight.

How far do you agree with either of these views?

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Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER
In some parts of the world, parents encourage their children to
begin studying while they are still toddlers, using a variety of
books and computer games which teach them to count or to learn
their letters. The parents choose a first school for their four-year-
old which focuses on academic ability in order that, by the time
they enter the next school, the children are well ahead of their age
group, with high marks in important subjects such as maths and
language, or are equipped to take competitive entrance
examinations for other schools if that is relevant.

In other countries, children are at home or play-school until they

are around seven years old. They do not even begin to study
reading until then, but they listen to and tell stories, they paint
and draw, they make models and build tree houses, they swim
and play ball games, they keep fish and grow plants in the play-
school garden.

In my opinion, the question is not which method produces the

most able students, because all over the world, the majority of
those who reach university do so at around the same age,
wherever they are educated. A brilliant scientist from one country
may be working in a laboratory alongside an equally brilliant
scientist from another country and the educational start of each
career may have been in complete contrast. Therefore, it is clear
that the two approaches can both produce able academics, all

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other things being equal. Nevertheless, it is probable that one
method is preferable to the other.

It seems to me that spending early childhood struggling to acquire

academic skills in a competitive atmosphere is not the best way to
produce a balanced personality. Learning through play and
developing social skills equips a child for adult life in essential
ways that the competitive parents neglect. If the child has
academic ability, this will manifest itself as the child develops and
does not need to be forced at an early age.

(329 words)

Practice Test 16
WRITING TASK 1
The diagram below shows the recycling process of aluminium cans.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

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Model answer

The diagram illustrates how aluminium cans are recycled. First,

the cans need to be taken to special collection centres instead of
being thrown away with the normal refuse. The cans are collected
from here and taken to a factory where they are first sorted and
then cleaned. Next, the cans are shredded and crushed in a special
machine.

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The metal is then heated to a high enough temperature to allow
the aluminium to melt. It is then rolled out flat to a thickness of
between 2.5mm and 6 mm, depending on what it is going to be
used for. The aluminium is now ready to be recycled into new
packaging, such as drink containers. Finally, the new cans are
delivered to a soft drinks factory where they are filled. The cans
can now be sold to the public and reused. In the UK, 74 per cent
of all aluminium cans that are sold are recycled.

(155 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Women are better at childcare than men therefore they should

focus more on raising children and less on their working life.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER
Although the care of children has traditionally been the role of
women, nowadays many men have decided to stay at home to

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raise children while the woman in the family goes to work.
However, some people believe that women have a natural ability
for childcare and this role should be left to them. I disagree with
this for the following reasons.

Firstly, both men and women have qualities which are important
for bringing up and educating children. These qualities are not
specific to men or women, therefore both genders are able to raise
children successfully. By saying that childcare is a specific female
role, children will receive a message which portrays women as
carers only. For example, young girls who are taught to believe
that the place of women is in the home may not try hard in school
subjects which are more male dominated, such as science.

Secondly, the role of women in the workplace has changed

significantly in the last fifty years. Many women now hold senior
positions in many areas of employment. Women contribute a
range of skills to the workplace which are both valuable and
important. In my opinion, women should continue to focus on
their careers and ensure that their daughters are aware of the
opportunities which are available to them in life. Men should also
take on some of the responsibility of childcare and teach their
sons that this is a valuable role in society for men as well as
women.

In conclusion, it is important that men and women share

childcare duties because both genders have important qualities
and skills. However, women and men should also be allowed to
focus on their careers and provide strong role models for
children.

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(287 words)

Practice Test 17
WRITING TASK 1
The charts below show local government expenditure in 2010 and
2015.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

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Model answer

The charts show the percentage breakdown of government

spending across nine categories in 2010 and 2015. Over the five-
year period, there were significant changes in expenditure.

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In both years, the four largest areas of government expenditure
were: education, healthcare, pensions, and defence, with
education taking the largest share (24% in 2010 and 21% in
2015). The smallest areas of expenditure were transport, culture
and leisure and "other". Interest on borrowing and spending on
welfare lay in between.

Interestingly, between 2010 and 2015, spending on all four of the

largest areas had dropped, with the exception of pensions, which
remained the same at 19%. Spending on transport and culture
and leisure also fell significantly, with the transport budget
declining by two thirds. On the other hand, spending on welfare
and interest on government borrowing rose markedly, with the
latter doubling over the five-year period to 10%.

Overall, the charts indicate that the government has had to cut
expenditure in most areas in order to fund the cost of borrowing
and welfare.

(170 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Many people believe that the high levels of violence in films today
are causing serious social problems.

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What are these problems and how could they be reduced?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER
The increasing amount of violence that is shown regularly in films
has been a cause of concern for some time. Such films make
violence appear entertaining, exciting and even something to be
copied. However, it seems to be increasingly clear that this
development is causing problems in our society.

First of all, those who enjoy such films eventually stop associating
the violence with any real consequences. They therefore lose their
sense of reality and no longer take violence seriously or have any
sympathy with the victims. This is bad for both individuals and
for our whole society. Another worrying trend is that in these
films the heroes are shown as people to be admired, even though
they are very violent characters. This leads impressionable people
to believe that they can gain respect and admiration by copying
this aggressive behaviour, and so the levels of violence increase,
especially in major cities throughout the world.

What is needed to combat these problems is definite action. The

government should regulate the film industry on the one hand,
and provide better education on the other. Producers must be
prevented from showing meaningless violence as 'fun' in their
films. Instead, films could emphasise the tragic consequences of
violent acts and this would educate people, especially young
people, to realise that violence is real.

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To conclude, I think that viewing violence as entertainment may
indeed cause serious social problems and that the only way to
improve this situation is by regulating the industry and educating
the public about the real human suffering that such violence
brings.

(260 words)

Practice Test 18
WRITING TASK 1
The diagram below shows a possible future means of home energy
production.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

All Study Materials Page 99 of 146

Model answer

The diagram shows a process for producing electricity for home

use. The equipment consists of a large tank, boxes and pipes that
would be able to fit into a garage-sized room.

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Electricity is produced using methane gas, generated from a mix
of compost and water in a large steel tank. The tank is about the
same height as a person and about twice as wide. Methane rises to
the top of the tank and is collected and stored in a gas storage
system. The stored gas is the fuel source used in the energy
conversions that happen next.

Once compressed in a gas compressor, the methane fuels a

combustion engine, which in turn produces mechanical energy.
Having been transferred to a generator, the mechanical energy is
then transformed into electrical energy, which is then stored in a
battery. At this stage the electricity is ready for home use.

(150 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Increasing numbers of students are choosing to study abroad.

To what extent does this trend benefit the students themselves and
the countries involved?

What are the drawbacks?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.

All Study Materials Page 101 of 146

Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER
Studying abroad has become increasingly common in the last few
years, especially for young people from countries such as China
and India. Many students and their families clearly consider the
experience worth the sacrifices involved. The former often give up
friendships when they move abroad; the latter often use their life
savings. Moreover, many governments are willing to invest huge
sums of money in sponsoring their young people to study in
universities overseas.

However, this trend has drawbacks as well as benefits for those

concerned. One potential drawback is that the instruction
international students receive may not be relevant to their home
contexts. For example, students from developing countries who go
to Western countries for teacher training are often taught to use
teaching techniques that are suitable for small classes. When they
return home they are often expected to teach classes of 40 or 50
students. Hence, what they have been trained to do may not be
relevant.

Another potential drawback is the phenomenon of 'brain drain'.

Prior to leaving home, they may be fully committed to returning.
Nevertheless, students are often at the stage in their lives when
they are forming their most important personal and professional
relationships. Thus they may choose to remain in the host country
on completing their studies.

However, most international students find ways of making the

experience work well for themselves and others involved. Most

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return home, enriched by new friendships made abroad.
Furthermore, most find ways of adapting what they have learned
to their home context. On balance, the drawbacks do not
outweigh the benefits.

(262 words)

Practice Test 19
WRITING TASK 1
The graph below shows how elderly people in the United States
spent their free time between 1980 and 2010.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

All Study Materials Page 103 of 146

Model answer

This graph shows the kinds of activities done by old people in

their spare time, covering a period from the 1980s to now in the
United States. We can see that generally the activities listed have
been increasing in popularity amongst the elderly, with hiking
increasing steadily throughout the years, and watching TV being
the most popular overall.

In the 1980s, nearly all activities were growing in popularity. The

only activity which was becoming less popular over these years
was going to the theatre. Going to the theatre declined steeply
from 50% to 30%.

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This changed in the 1990s, and going to the theatre became more
popular, whereas reading saw a dramatic drop in popularity. The
number of people doing all other activities increased.

This century, hiking, reading, going to the theatre and surfing the
Internet have all been increasing in popularity. However,
watching TV has been decreasing in popularity. Despite this,
watching TV is still the second most popular activity nowadays
amongst this group. Most elderly people are hiking nowadays in
their spare time.

(174 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

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 is? What measures can
governments take to discourage people from using their cars?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

All Study Materials Page 105 of 146

MODEL ANSWER
Most people would agree that car ownership has increased in
recent years and is causing a range of problems, particularly in
built-up areas. I think there are a number of ways that
governments can aim to deal with this.

Many big cities in the world have traffic problems but these
problems vary. For example, it is reasonably easy to drive around
my city after 10 am and before 5 pm. However, outside these
hours, you have to allow double the usual time to reach your
destination. In some other cities, traffic is congested at all times,
and there is the continual sound of car horns as people try to get
wherever they want to go.

One of the best approaches governments can take in busy cities is

to encourage the use of public transport. This means the
transport facilities have to be well run and people must be able to
afford them. Buses, trams and trains are good ways of getting
around, and if they are cheap and reliable, people will use them.

Another approach is to discourage people from actually entering

the city by building car parks and shopping centres on the
outskirts. Many cities around the world do this quite successfully
and offer passengers bus transport into the centre, if they need it.

At peak travel periods, governments can also run campaigns to

encourage people to be less dependent on their cars. Apparently,
a lot of car trips involve very short journeys to, say, the
supermarket or local school. These are often unnecessary, but we
automatically get in our cars without thinking.

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Clearly we all have a responsibility to look after our cities.
Governments can do a lot to improve the situation and part of
what they do should involve encouraging individuals to consider
alternatives to driving.

(299 words)

Practice Test 20
WRITING TASK 1
The table below gives information about student enrolments at
Manchester University in 1937, 1967 and 2017.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

All Study Materials Page 107 of 146

Model answer

In the table we can see information about the numbers of students

enrolling at Manchester University in the three years, 1937, 1967
and 2017. It compares the percentages of females and males, and
also students from abroad and those from within 40 miles of the
city.

The most noticeable changes concern the overall growth of

student numbers, from 327 in 1937 to 6254 in 2017, and the
proportions of local students, who constituted 55% of the total in
1937, but only 1-2% in 2017.

It is surprising to note that the percentage of female enrolments

did not rise steadily, but dropped between 1937 and 1967.
However, at the same time, the percentage of the student
population who came from abroad remained almost unchanged

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between 1937 and 1967, being 6% and 7% respectively, but rose
markedly after that, so that by 2017 foreign students represented
32% of the total.

(150 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Longer life spans and improvements in the health of older people

suggest that people over the age of sixty-five can continue to live
full and active lives.

In what ways can society benefit from the contribution that older
people can make?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER
People today can expect to live a longer and healthier life than
people in the past. People often see retirement as a time for
relaxation and letting go of the stresses of working life. However,
many who reach retirement age are more interested than ever in

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contributing actively to their communities. This essay will outline
two ways in which this interest can benefit society.

Becoming involved in schools is one of the ways in which the life

experience of the elderly can be made available to the community.
Because families now are often more mobile than in the past,
many children do not have regular contact with grandparents.
Yet children are often fascinated by stories of life in the past.
Inviting local retired people into schools to speak to children can
help to maintain a vital link between past and present.

Another way in which society can benefit from a more active

older generation is by inviting older employees to remain in work
part-time. Older people may not want to or indeed be able to do a
full day's work; however, their experience may continue to be
valuable to their employers. A good example of this can be seen in
one scheme in the UK in which elder employees remained in work
as mentors for younger employees.

In my opinion, schools and the workplace are just two of the areas
in which those who have reached retirement age can continue to
contribute to their communities. As life expectancy improves, the
need to maintain an active and socially meaningful life may also
increase. Experience suggests that this trend can have benefits for
all, not just the elderly.

(276 words)

Practice Test 21

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WRITING TASK 1
The chart below shows the places visited by different people living in
Canada.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

Model answer

All Study Materials Page 111 of 146

The chart gives information about the kinds of leisure activity
engaged in by three distinct groups: native Canadians, recently
arrived immigrants from English-speaking countries and new
migrants for whom English is not the first language in their
country.

The cinema is by far the most popular free-time activity listed in

the chart for those with English as their first language — 70% of
non-migrants and 65% of English-speaking migrants. Half the
migrants from non-English-speaking countries also go to see a
film but interestingly, 5% more of this group prefer the library to
the cinema. Roughly 40% of the other two groups say they visit
the library.

Zoos are visited most by half of the English-speaking migrants

compared to just over 40% of those born in Canada and
approximately 35% of the migrants born where English is not
widely spoken. The theatre is least popular for all concerned, with
only 10% of non-English-speaking migrants attending, while
double the number of native Canadians go to see a play. A
quarter of those born in English-speaking countries are theatre-
goers.

Overall, it is perhaps unsurprising that Canadians prefer the

cinema to the theatre, but the popularity of the library with new
migrants may reflect the financial circumstances of these new
citizens.

(206 words)

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WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

In the modern world, the image (photograph or film) is becoming

a more powerful way of communicating than the written word.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER
In today's world, images in the form of photographs, films and
pictures are used everywhere as a means of communicating with
the public. I certainty agree that such images have become a very
powerful means of communication and they are used in many
different sectors to influence, inform and entertain the public.

The media, for example, use images to give detailed information

and immediate impact to their news coverage. Similarly,
advertising industries constantly use images to influence,
persuade and make people identify with what they see. The
powerful attraction of images is also evident in the entertainment

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industry and even in the growth in mobile phones that can send
photos as part of a regular personal 'conversation'.

However, while it is evident that the image has certainly become a

very powerful way of communicating, that it not to say that it has
become more powerful than either the written or spoken word.
Images can be interpreted in a range of different ways, and
because of this they are rarely used alone. Captions, headlines
and written explanations or spoken commentaries almost always
accompany the use of images, whether they are used in
advertising or the media. Used alone, the message of a picture can
be notoriously misleading, and is less effective as a result.

In conclusion, therefore, I only partly agree with the statement.

While it is true that images can send very powerful messages, they
are only really effective as a means of communication when used
together with either the written or spoken word.

(254 words)

Practice Test 22
WRITING TASK 1
The pie charts below show the most common advantages and
disadvantages of Bowen Island, according to a survey of visitors.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

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Model answer

The two pie charts show the aspects of Bowen Island that tourists
enjoy the most and the least.

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Bowen Island has many features that attract tourists but the most
popular of these are the scenery and the people, with more than
two thirds of the visitors to the island listing these as the greatest
advantages. The standard of accommodation on the island
appears to be more than adequate, with 11% of respondents
listing this as an advantage. 12% of visitors cite the culture of the
island as a major attraction.

However, the island seems far from being a perfect tourist

destination. When it comes to the negative aspects of the island,
the high cost of living, poor weather and the quality or lack of
entertainment are seen as the worst of these. Together, these three
categories make up 90% of the total disadvantages. In spite of the
high costs on the island, 10% of the visitors complain of poor food
quality.

Overall, it seems that most people like Bowen Island because of

the scenery and people. However, it is possible that the unspoilt
nature of the island means there is little in the way of
entertainment and this, combined with the high cost of living,
makes it unlikely to appeal to everyone.

(212 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

All Study Materials Page 116 of 146

Supermarkets should only sell food produced from within their
own country rather than imports from overseas.

What are your opinions on this?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER
Nowadays, supermarkets are stocked with food products from
around the world. Some would argue that it would be better if
food produce was not imported. I firmly believe that this view is
correct, and will discuss the reasons why in this essay.

It is certainly the case that importing food can have a negative

effect on local culture. This can be seen in countries such as Japan
where imported food has become more popular than traditional,
local produce, eroding people's understanding of their own food
traditions. Although some would claim that this is a natural part
of economic development in an increasingly global world, I feel
strongly that any loss of regional culture would be detrimental.

A second major reason to reduce imports is the environmental

cost. Currently, many food imports, such as fruit, are transported
thousands of miles by road, sea and air, making the product more
expensive to buy and increasing pollution from exhaust fumes.
Despite the fact that the trade in food exports has existed for

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many years, I am convinced that a reduction would bring
significant financial and environmental gains.

However, many jobs depend on food exports and some less

developed countries may even depend on this trade for economic
survival. In spite of this, the importance of developing local trade
should not be undervalued.

In conclusion, I am certain that reducing food imports would

have cultural and environmental benefits. What is more, the local
economy should, in time, prosper commercially as the demand for
local and regional products remains high resisting the
competition from overseas.

Practice Test 23
WRITING TASK 1
The table below shows the results of a 20-year study into why adults
in the UK attend arts events.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

All Study Materials Page 118 of 146

Model answer

The table illustrates four reasons why adults in the UK have

attended arts events over the past twenty years. The major reason
over the whole twenty-year period was a desire to see a specific
performer or artist; while the least important reason was
attending arts events for work-related reasons.

The percentage of people who attended events out of a desire to

see a particular performer has remained relatively stable
throughout the twenty-year period; varying from 58% twenty
years ago to 56% today.

On the other hand, the percentage of people accompanying

children has shown a significant increase, from 9% 20 years ago
to just under a quarter today. As far as those who attended arts
events because of special occasions or celebrations are concerned,
the percentage fell slightly from 27% 20 years ago to 20% a
decade ago, dropping dramatically to 9% today.

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There has been a slight increase in the percentage of people
attending arts events for work or business, from 6% 20 years ago
to just over 10% today.

Overall, there has been a rise in people attending events in order

to accompany children and for work-related reasons, while fewer
people choose to attend an arts event as a form of celebration.

(204 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

In the past, shopping was a routine domestic task. Many people

nowadays regard it as a hobby.

To what extent do you think this is a positive trend?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER

All Study Materials Page 120 of 146

Going shopping used to be a chore, but recently it has become a
leisure activity or a pleasant outing. To my mind, it is debatable
whether this can be regarded as a wholly positive development.

For earlier generations, buying food or consumer products

involved visiting several shops, each with the same limited range
on offer. Customers had less money and credit was not widely
available. By contrast, shoppers nowadays can find almost
anything in the supermarket or shopping mall. The comfortable
environment, the variety of goods and attractions such as cafés
and cinemas make spending money enjoyable.

Nowadays, with many parents working full-time, families have

little time together. In my experience, it is normal to see families
in the local shopping mall at weekends. Undoubtedly, one of the
benefits of this is that they are together as a family. Nevertheless,
this is not ideal, especially if it leaves no time for other activities,
such as sport.

Another negative result of this change in attitudes is the effect it

has on young people all over the world, who spend time in
shopping malls. The reasons for this are the influence of
advertising and the availability of credit cards. On the one hand,
they are with friends in a safe environment, but on the other, it
can tempt them to buy things they do not really need and may
cause them to get into debt. Moreover, it would be better for their
health if they met friends to go swimming.

In conclusion I would like to suggest that although shopping now

is less tedious, this is not necessarily a positive trend. It may be

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good for the retailers, but not for consumers if it replaces other,
healthier activities.

(286 words)

Practice Test 24
WRITING TASK 1
The chart below gives information about the number of social
networking sites people used in Canada in 2014 and 2015.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

Model answer

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The bar chart shows the number of social networking sites visited
by internet users in Canada in 2014 and in 2015. We can see from
the data that, in general, there was a growing tendency to use
more than one site.

Although just over one fifth of internet users did not use any
social networking sites in either of the years, the proportion in
this category decreased from 22 percent in 2014 to 21 percent in
2015. In both years the highest proportion of users in any group
fell into the ‘One site’ category. However, this group declined
sharply from 36 percent in 2014 to 28 percent in 2015.

In contrast, the numbers who reported using two sites, three sites,
four sites and five sites all grew over the period analysed. In both
years the proportion of internet users fell as the number of social
networking sites increased, with only 2 percent using five sites in
2014 compared to 4 percent in 2015.

(163 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Advances in science and technology and other areas of society in

the last 100 years have transformed the way we live as well as

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postponing the day we die. There is no better lime to be alive than
now.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER
The last hundred years have seen rapid and dramatic
developments in many areas, including medicine, transport,
manufacturing and communications. Over that period our lives
have changed in ways that our parents and grandparents could
only have dreamed of, but the question we should ask is whether
the world is a better place to live in as a result.

There have clearly been many benefits. Advances in medical

science have brought cures for once fatal diseases and this has
significantly extended the lifespan we can expect. Information
technology has allowed us to contact friends or colleagues
worldwide at the click of a mouse. We can now gather
information, manage our bank account or shop without having to
step outside our home. In addition, labour-saving devices such as
washing machines and microwave ovens have made everyday
tasks much easier.

However, the fact that life has improved in so many ways doesn't
mean that all the developments have been positive. For example,
the emphasis on acquiring the latest technology has made people

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increasingly materialistic. We also tend to lead more isolated lives
than our parents did, with less concern for other people. The
resulting breakdown of traditional social ties can leave the elderly
and other vulnerable people without the support they need.
Among other serious problems we face are the drug culture, and
the ever-present threat of terrorism.

To sum up, we have made great progress over the last hundred
years but there are still many important issues to tackle. This may
well be a better time to live than any previous age but hopefully
the future will be better still.

(268 words)

Practice Test 25
WRITING TASK 1
The table below gives information about UK independent films.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

All Study Materials Page 125 of 146

Model answer

The table provides information about different types of

independent films released in the UK and the Republic of Ireland
in 2012. It indicates how many films of different genres were
made and also shows what proportion of total ticket sales was
made by each kind of film.

The table makes it very clear that there is no correlation between

the number of films made in any category and the proportion of
ticket sales earned by that sort of film. For example, the largest
numbers of films were made in the Drama and Documentary
categories - 35 of each of these were released. However, they
earned only 8.3 and 2.9 percent of total ticket sales respectively.

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Comedy films were the most financially successful: 26 films, out
of a total of 148, earned 45.4 percent of all the income from ticket
sales. Another very successful type of film in 2012 was the biopic.
Although only one of these was released, it accounted for 9.1
percent of ticket sales.

(166 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

The most important consideration when choosing any career or

job is having a high income.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER
It is widely accepted that, for most people, their daily working
lives will not be spent in their dream jobs. Despite this, I do not
feel that people should instead prioritise becoming a high earner
above all other concerns.

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To begin with, I strongly believe that people need stimulation in
their daily working lives in order to feel a sense of reward. Very
few of us can go through an entire career staying in a position or
an industry that we find boring purely for the financial incentive.
Secondly, there are so many people who see their working life as a
search for fulfilment and contentment in helping others, rather
than a search for wealth. It seems unlikely that the priority for,
say, every nurse or teacher in the world is to become well-off, and
jobs such as these are rarely extremely well-paid.

Despite this, some would argue that those people who have
families to support should always prioritise earning a high
income; after all, it means securing their children's future. Others
point out that, as the job market becomes increasingly unstable
across the globe, it is vital to earn more and therefore save more.
However, I do not agree that a good salary should necessarily be
the number one concern for everyone. Too many people become
preoccupied with the next pay rise or career move, and eventually
become unhappy or even depressed, neither of which helps them
to save or to provide for their family.

In summary, earning as much money as is humanly possible

should not be anyone's main concern. Granted, it arguably brings
financial stability, for individuals and for their families, but it is
simply not worth tolerating a lifetime of unhappiness at work
purely for the money.

(291 words)

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 Practice Test 26
WRITING TASK 1
The charts summarise the weight measurements of people living in
Charlestown in 1955 and 2015.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

All Study Materials Page 129 of 146

Model Answer

The charts provide an analysis of the weight issues among the

residents of the town of Charlestown in 1955 and in 2015.

In 1955, the youngest age group had the fewest number of weight
issues, with more than 70% of 20-29-year-olds being assessed as
having a healthy weight. In the same year, excess weight was only
a significant problem among 40-49-year-olds, 20-30% of whom
were classified as either overweight or obese. In fact, being
underweight was a more significant problem affecting more than
twenty percent of each age group, and the elderly in particular,
with 40% of the over 60s being classified as underweight.

In stark contrast to this, in 2015, being underweight was only a

problem among 20-29-year olds, with 20% obtaining this
diagnosis, and the number of underweight elderly people had
fallen to 10%. The charts clearly show that, in modern times,
obesity poses a considerable problem from the age of 30 upwards.
In fact, there was a steady increase in this problem in almost
every age group over 29 until the age of 60, when the vast
majority are considered to have an unhealthy weight. It is
important to note that, by the age of 60, less than 50% of each age
group was considered to have a perfect weight by the year 2015.
This is a fall of 10% compared to the same age group in 1955.

When comparing the two years, it is clear that there has been a
significant increase in the number of obese people in
Charlestown, and there was a general drop in the number of
underweight people between 1955 and 2015.

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WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Most people do not care enough about environmental issues.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER
It is certainly true that environmental problems should be taken
seriously in order to prevent disaster in the future. Unfortunately,
however, most people do not take this threat seriously enough and
this is for a number of reasons. The following essay will outline
why the majority of people do not care enough about the
environment.

Perhaps the main reason people do not give the environment

much thought is because at the moment it does not affect their
daily life. This is because, generally, they cannot see how global
warming or pollution is destroying the environment. It is only
when a crisis occurs, such as flooding, that people start to
consider the reasons behind it. However, these are soon forgotten
and the situation is once again ignored.

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Another reason environmental issues are ignored is that people do
not know enough about them. Although it is generally understood
that recycling helps to save resources, this is perhaps the only step
people take to help the situation. Most people have heard of
global warming and pollution, but do not fully understand the
implications of them. If they did, sure they would use their car
less and try at all costs to save resources more.

Many people also believe that these environmental problems will

not impact society for another 50 to 100 years. Consequently,
people feel these problems can be dealt with then by future
generations.

Overall, therefore, whilst there may be some people who are fully
aware of the environmental problems facing the planet, the
majority of the population still do not give them the attention they
deserve.

(265 words)

Practice Test 27
WRITING TASK 1
The charts below show the reasons why people travel to work by
bicycle or by car.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

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Model answer

The first chart shows the reasons why some people in the UK
prefer to cycle to work. Conversely, the second chart gives
reasons for those who choose to go to work by car.

The highest percentage of those who favour cycling say that this is
because riding a bicycle to work is healthier than driving. 30% of

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them gave this as a reason. The same amount of people, 30% say
that they cycle to work because it causes less pollution. 13% of
people cycle to work because it is cheaper than driving.
Surprisingly, a similar amount of people said that they cycled to
work because it is faster than travelling by car.

In contrast to this, the percentage who prefer to travel by car

because it is more comfortable is 40%. The two least important
reasons for going to work by car, with 14% and 11% respectively,
is that people need to carry things to work and that it is safer than
cycling to work. Finally, 16% say they prefer driving because it is
faster than cycling. This contrasts with the cyclists who ride to
work because it is faster than driving.

In general, it seems that the majority of people who cycle to work

do this for health and environmental reasons. By contrast, those
who travel by car want to have a more comfortable journey over
longer distances.

(229 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

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Very few schoolchildren learn about the value of money and how
to look after it, yet this is a critical life skill that should be taught
as part of the school curriculum.

Do you agree or disagree?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER
It may be true that schools don’t really teach young people how to
handle their finances on a grand scale, but it isn’t true that they
ignore the topic altogether. The problem may be that students
don’t see the relevance of what they are taught.

At primary school children learn to do mental arithmetic and

simple calculations including fractions and decimals. At my
school, maths problems at this level were set in a real context such
as working out the cost of buying a T-shirt at 10% discount, or
calculating interest when you put your pocket money in a savings
account.

Unfortunately, some children do not realise how useful these

things will be later in life. For instance, if you borrow money to
buy a car, you need to know how to work out for yourself how
much it will cost you without relying on the finance company to
tell you. Similarly people should only buy things on credit if they
know how much it is really costing them if they don’t pay the debt
off each month.

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It is possibly true that schools could try to make children
understand the importance of all these areas, but children are
young and cannot look into the future or predict the skills that
they will need.

Ultimately, people have to make their own decisions about what

money is worth, based on their earnings and lifestyle. An
education system can equip us to work out what is best, but it
cannot save the money for us.

(253 words)

Practice Test 28
WRITING TASK 1
The graph below shows population figures for India and China
since the year 2000 and predicted population growth up until 2050.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

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Model Answer
The graph shows how the populations of India and China have
changed since 2000 and how they will change in the future.

In 2000, there were more people living in China than in India.

The number of Chinese was 1.25 billion, while India's population
was about 1 billion. Between 2000 and 2010, there has been a 0.2
billion rise in the number of Indian citizens. Over the same
period, China's population has increased by 0.1 billion to reach
over 1.35 billion.

According to the graph, the population in India will increase

more quickly than in China, and experts say that by 2030, both
countries will have the same population of 1.45 billion. After this,
China's population is likely to fall slightly to 1.4 billion in 2050,

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while India's population will probably increase and reach 1.6
billion.

Thus, over the 50-year period, India is going to experience steady

growth in its population and it will overtake China. On the other
hand, China's population will peak in 2030 and then begin to fall.

(173 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Many students choose to take a gap year before starting

university, to travel or gain work experience.

Do you think this is a good idea or a waste of time?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER
The majority of students start their degree in the same year as
finishing school or college. Some students, however, choose to
take a year out before starting university. In my opinion, this is a
very good idea if the time is used wisely in order to gain new skills

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or knowledge. In the following essay, I will discuss this idea
further.

It is very important that, when a gap year is taken, the time is not
wasted but used productively. It would not look very impressive
to a future employer if the time was simply used to take a break.
This does not mean to say that a gap year should not be enjoyed.

Many people choose to go travelling during their gap year. This

can be very beneficial to the individual as it exposes them to new
ideas and cultures. It can also mean that they are able to learn a
new language. Other students decide to gain work experience
during this year. This can be particularly useful, especially if
connected to their chosen area of study. Often, students who have
worked before attending university appreciate their course more,
as they are able to understand the relevance of what is being
taught.

Overall, therefore, as discussed in this essay, there can be several

benefits to taking a gap year. It is very important, however, that
this time is used wisely and not wasted. This means that the year
needs to be planned carefully in advance to get the most from the
experience.

(253 words)

Practice Test 29
WRITING TASK 1
The table below gives information about languages with the most
native speakers.

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Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Languages with the most native speakers

Model answer

The table illustrates the number of native speakers of six

languages as well as the number of speakers of these languages as
an additional language. It is noticeable that the number of
speakers of Mandarin Chinese is strikingly higher than the other
languages with over one billion speakers.

People who speak Mandarin largely speak it as a first language

(900 million). In comparison to this only 190 million people speak
Mandarin Chinese as an additional language. What is remarkable
about English speakers is that the number of speakers of English
as an additional language is higher than that of native speakers of
English (603 and 339 million respectively).

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While the total number of Hindi speakers (490 million) is roughly
equal to that of Spanish speakers (420 million); when it comes to
speaking these languages as an additional language the number
for Hindi is much higher (120 million) than that for Spanish (70
million).

Native speakers of Arabic and Portuguese are similar in number

with 206 million and 203 million respectively. However, the
number of Arabic speakers as an additional language (24 million)
is almost 2.5 times higher than speakers of Portuguese as an
additional language.

(195 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

In many societies in the world, the population is ageing rapidly

and this is leading to an unsustainable increase in the cost of
public healthcare.

A nation’s population should pay for their healthcare provision in

the future.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER
Advances in medical science are resulting in prolonged lifespans
but there is a knock-on effect for public health services with many
hospitals struggling to cope with an aging populace. Many
countries enjoy the benefits of free or subsidised national public
health services. However, there are some within senior health
management who claim that such provision will become
unsustainable, and I firmly agree that changes need to be made in
order to reflect this changing reality.

Despite the notion that healthcare should be 'free', such care is

predominantly funded by the taxpayer. To give a specific
example, a recent report in my country established that almost
40% of the nation’s tax spending is distributed to healthcare and
some 80% of that figure is reserved for treating the elderly. This
is a disproportionate amount of money which has greatly
increased the burden on the state and existing funding is no
longer sufficient to meet these needs. This is turn impacts on the
standard of care that can be provided as shown by numerous
negative media reports about the conditions for both staff and
patients. If we want quality healthcare then, clearly this financial
burden needs to be alleviated.

One way to do so would be to increase the contributions made by

citizens through increased taxation. Alternatively, governments
could encourage those who can afford it to take up private
healthcare arrangements. By switching to a private model, the

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well-off can afford a higher quality of care, while at the same
relieving pressure on public services for those who do not have
the means to go private.

One thing is for certain, an ageing population has increased the

pressure on existing health provision. If we are going to maintain
the standards of healthcare that we are used to, more funding
needs to be found either through taxation and alternative forms
of provision should be considered. Otherwise, standards will fall
and people’s lives will be put at risk.

(323 words)

Practice Test 30
WRITING TASK 1
The table below gives information about a restaurant’s average
sales in three different branches in 2016.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

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Model answer

The table illustrates the performance of three different branches

of a chain of restaurants in three different locations in Vancouver
for the year 2016. It is evident that the best performer is the
branch in Georgia Street, which with 854 transactions a day on
average has at least 100 more transactions than Dunsmuir Street
and more than double from Drake Street. Georgia Street is also
ahead in terms of average transaction value (ATV), with $10.69
per transaction compared to Dunsmuir Street’s $5.61 and Drake
Street’s $9.02.

On average, eat-in and take-away transactions are almost equal

in each restaurant, with take-away transactions ending slightly
ahead in two of them. Drake Street is the only exception, with eat-
in transactions surpassing take-away by 10.

The table also gives us information about the most popular item
in each branch, revealing that the eating habit of customers in
each area are widely varied: Georgia Street’s best seller is
Chicken Burger, while Dunsmuir Street’s customers favour
Chicken Wings, and Drake Street’s customers prefer Chicken
Pasta.

Overall, it is clear that the Georgia Street’s branch is the

company’s most profitable branch, with the highest number of
transactions and ATV. Drake Street, on the other hand, lags far
behind, despite the fact that its ATV is higher than Dunsmuir
Street.

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(212 words)

WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

We are becoming increasingly dependent on computer-based

technology.

How do you think it will change in the future?

Is it good for us to rely so much on computers?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from
your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER
It would be difficult to imagine life without computers. Over recent
years in particular, their use and potential have grown at an
incredible rate and I strongly believe that this growth will continue
as more innovative ways to use them are developed. Although
there are definitely some downsides to their use, I do believe the
positives outweigh the negatives.

Computers enable us to do a wealth of tasks that would have been

unthinkable for previous generations. We can bank online, book
holidays, do our weekly shopping - the list of labour-saving

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activities is almost endless. Given the speed at which they have
evolved and altered the way we do things, I am convinced that this
evolutionary trend will continue. Take, for example, the rise of
virtual reality. We can already do amazing things with it, and, as a
computer-based technology, it is only in its infancy. It has so many
practical applications, from improving gaming to providing training
for doctors or pilots to handle real-life situations. As computer
processing power increases, so will its potential to enhance
everything we do.

Despite this, there are dangers in relying quite so heavily on

computers. So much of our daily lives is controlled by them, that
without them, modern-day life as we know it would be impossible.
Furthermore, computers store all our important data and the risk of
hacking exposes us to crimes such as fraud. However, I would argue
that the technological advances made possible by computers have
improved our world in so many ways. I believe that most people
would argue that that any negative aspects of computers are
outweighed by all the benefits they have brought.

In conclusion, I believe we will probably become more dependent

on computers but that our lives will improve as the technology
improves. While there is a negative side to such a dependency,
there are many more positives that we can focus on.

(318 words)

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