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IELTS Speaking Part 3: opinions

Having opinions is really important for IELTS Speaking Part 3. Even if your grammar is excellent, you will not get a high score if you don't know what to say.

For example, do you have an opinion about whether governments should protect old buildings?

Here are some possible opinions:

• Historic buildings are part of a country’s heritage.
• Old buildings are often considered to be works of art.
• They give character to cities, and attract tourists.
• We identify countries by architectural symbols, like the pyramids in Egypt.
• Governments should spend money on looking after historic buildings.
• They need regular repairs and maintenance.

These opinions come from my 'Ideas for IELTS Topics' ebook. The sentences above are what a native speaker might say (i.e. band 7-9).

IELTS Writing Task 1: house prices (full essay)

Here's my full essay (band 9) for last week's question:

The bar chart compares the cost of an average house in five major cities over a period of 13 years from 1989.

We can see that house prices fell overall between 1990 and 1995, but most of the cities saw rising prices between 1996 and 2002. London experienced by far the greatest changes in house prices over the 13-year period.

Over the 5 years after 1989, the cost of average homes in Tokyo and London dropped by around 7%, while New York house prices went down by 5%. By contrast, prices rose by approximately 2% in both Madrid and Frankfurt.

Between 1996 and 2002, London house prices jumped to around 12% above the 1989 average. Homebuyers in New York also had to pay significantly more, with prices rising to 5% above the 1989 average, but homes in Tokyo remained cheaper than they were in 1989. The cost of an average home in Madrid rose by a further 2%, while prices in Frankfurt remained stable.

(165 words)

IELTS Writing Task 2: problem and solution (obesity)

Hopefully yesterday's video gave you some good vocabulary ideas for the following question.

Childhood obesity is becoming a serious problem in many countries. Explain the main causes and effects of this problem, and suggest some possible solutions.

Here are some more ideas for this topic:

IELTS Listening: obesity problem

Today's video contains some useful ideas for the 'health' topic. The presenter speaks passionately about the obesity problem and how to solve it.

Fill the gaps in this summary of the first 5 minutes of the talk:

The speaker claims that many American children will have a ______ ______ than their parents. Two thirds of Americans are statistically ______ or obese, and ______-______ disease is now the biggest ______ in the United States. Obesity costs the country 10% of ______ ______ bills, or $150 dollars a year.

IELTS Reading: which paragraph contains...?

"Which paragraph contains the following information?" This type of question is not the same as "match the headings to the paragraphs".

Here are some tips for "which paragraph contains?" questions:

• Instead of looking for the main idea of each paragraph, you need to find one piece of information.
• Some paragraphs might not contain any answers.
• The same paragraph might contain more than one answer.
• It's not usually difficult to understand the question or answer, but it is difficult to find the answer.
• Do these questions last. By doing other questions first, you will become familiar with the passage, and you might remember where some of the answers are.
• Look for the easiest information first: questions that contain names, numbers or big/unusual words might be easier to find.

Click here to try an example "which paragraph contains?" question from the official IELTS website.

IELTS Grammar: 'by' or 'to'

In IELTS writing task 1, you might need to use verbs like increase, decrease, rise and fall. These verbs can be followed by the words 'by' and 'to', but what's the difference?

Let's use these figures:
Company profit in 2005 = £20,000
Company profit in 2010 = £25,000

Now compare these sentences:
- Company profit rose to £25,000 in 2010.
- Company profit rose by £5,000 between 2005 and 2010.

It's easy: 'to' is used before the new figure, and 'by' is used to show the change. It's the same when you are talking about a fall.

IELTS Advice: you can't prepare everything!

Many students write to me because they are worried about a strange or difficult question they have found (usually for writing task 2).

I think you need to remember that it's impossible to prepare for every topic or question that might appear in the exam. You will go mad if you try to do this!

The solution is to make sure you "know what you know". Focus on the common topics that appear regularly, not the strange topic that your friend found on a website.

IELTS Speaking Part 1: travel habits

Remember that Part 1 questions are supposed to be easy. Just give a simple answer and a reason.

1. What form of transport do you prefer to use? Why?

I prefer to travel by car because it means that I have my own space. Also, the buses and trains in my city are usually overcrowded; my car is much more comfortable.

2. How much time do you spend travelling on a normal day?

I probably spend about an hour and a half travelling to and from work. I travel during the rush hours, so there is quite a lot of traffic.

3. What do you do while you are travelling?

I usually listen to the radio or a CD. In the morning I like to listen to the news to find out what is happening in the world.

4. Do you ever have problems with transport?

Yes, as I said, I get stuck in traffic on my way to and from work. I used to get annoyed by traffic jams, but now I'm used to them.

A few important points:

• In the answer to question 4, can you see the difference between "I used to" and "I'm used to"?
• Notice the good vocabulary: 'have my own space', 'overcrowded', 'to and from work', 'rush hour', 'find out what is happening in the world', 'get stuck in traffic'.
• If the examiner asks a question that you have already answered, just say "as I said" and repeat your answer.

IELTS Writing Task 1: 'house prices' chart

The question below comes from Cambridge IELTS book 7. Students tend to find this question difficult, but last week's lesson about house prices might help.

The chart below shows information about changes in average house prices in five different cities between 1990 and 2002 compared with the average house prices in 1989.

Some advice:

• Introduction: paraphrase the question.
• Summary: compare the two periods (prices fell overall from 1990-95, but rose from 1996-2002), and mention that London prices changed the most.
• Details: write one paragraph about each period.
• Note: don't write -5%, write "fell by 5%".

I'm afraid I can't give feedback for essays that people share in the "comments" area, but I'll share my own full essay next week.

IELTS Writing Task 2: do the advantages outweigh...?

Some IELTS writing task 2 questions ask: "Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?" or "Do the benefits outweigh the drawbacks?"

My advice for these questions is to write a paragraph about each side, and make it clear in the introduction and conclusion which side outweighs the other (i.e. your opinion about whether there are more advantages or disadvantages).

This was a recent exam question:

In some countries, governments are encouraging industries and businesses to move to regional areas outside the big cities.
Do the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages?

Here are some ideas:

1. Introduce the topic by paraphrasing the statement, then give a clear opinion about whether there are more advantages or disadvantages.
2. Advantages - e.g. costs are lower in regional areas; there is more space; provide jobs to boost deprived areas; avoid further overcrowding in cities.
3. Disadvantages - e.g. greater availability of skilled workers in big cities; better transport and infrastructure; companies based in regional areas are further from their clients, providers and other contacts.
4. Conclude by summarising your opinion in a different way.

IELTS Listening: job satisfaction

Watch the video and fill the gaps in the summary below.

Americans are apparently becoming more dissatisfied with the daily ______. A survey has found that worker dissatisfaction has been ______ ______ ______ for more than two decades. In 1987, about 60% of workers said they were satisfied, but today the figure is ______ to 45%.

Dissatisfaction is growing in relation to all aspects of jobs, including job security, ______, ______, bonuses and potential for growth. Some economists believe that this dissatisfaction could ______ innovation, and hurt ______ and ______.

IELTS Reading: more vocabulary practice

Read the following text about bad behaviour in schools.

The misbehaviour of children is common in all schools, although most schools manage to maintain tolerable standards of discipline. Low levels of indiscipline can result in a detrimental working environment for children, while poor disciplinary management within a school can cause a more general breakdown in order.

Problems with school discipline have also led to a reduction in the number of people willing to become teachers, especially in schools regarded as difficult. Student misbehaviour and rudeness is the leading cause of teacher resignations. In some areas and countries, this has led to a severe teacher shortage, with classes either not taught, or taught by an unqualified person. In some schools, a class may have up to a dozen different teachers in a single year, as the replacements decide to leave rather than deal with student behaviour. Many countries are now trying to offer incentives to new teachers to remain in such schools, but with very limited success.

Find words or phrases in the text that are similar to those in the list below.

1. sufficient levels
2. negative
3. resulted in
4. main reason for
5. serious
6. as many as twelve

IELTS Advice: how to use a private teacher

If you have the chance to take some lessons with a private teacher, here are some tips for writing and speaking:

• Ask the teacher to identify your problem areas. Focus on improving those things first.
• First, work together on 'big things' like overall essay structure, paragraphs or making sure you answer the question. Only work on 'small things' like grammar mistakes when you have perfected the big things.
• Ask your teacher to write a full essay in front of you. Watch how she does it, and ask her to explain what she is thinking as she writes it.
• Ask your teacher to mark your essays in front of you, and ask her to explain each correction.
• When you practise questions for the speaking test, ask your teacher to play the part of the student. Record her answers and listen to them at home. Try to copy some of the phrases she used.
• Practise doing speaking tests, and always ask the teacher for feedback: what did you do that was good, and how could you improve your answers?

Private lessons might be more expensive, but they can be hugely beneficial if they are done in the right way.

IELTS Advice: identify the problem

Many students ask me for advice about how to improve their scores. Or they ask me to explain why they didn't get higher scores in their exams.

Unfortunately, I can't give good advice if I don't know the person. To give good advice, I need to be able to identify the problem, and the only way to do that is by speaking to the student and reading one of his/her essays.

So, here's my tip for today: if you want to improve your score, first you need to identify what your problems are. You might need to invest in a few lessons with a teacher who can help you with this.

IELTS Speaking: pronunciation

In the IELTS speaking test, 25% of your score is for pronunciation. Many students confuse 'pronunciation' with 'accent'. These are not the same thing!

Nobody expects you to speak with a perfect British English accent. In fact, the examiner will not judge your accent at all.

Your pronunciation score is based on these things:

• clarity (speaking clearly)
• speed (not too fast, not too slow)
• word stress
• sentence stress
• intonation (the rise and fall of your voice)

It's not easy to improve these things quickly or through deliberate practice. Good pronunciation is usually the result of lots of listening and copying. My tip is: stop worrying about your accent, and focus on speaking clearly.

IELTS Writing Task 1: house prices

If you want to learn how to describe trends (increase, decrease etc.), search for some news about house prices.

Here's part of a news article I found about UK house prices:

There was seemingly good news for UK home owners when Halifax announced house prices had risen by 0.3% in July 2011, boosting the average value of a property to £163,981. Halifax also noted that prices were 0.5% higher over the three months from May to July than in the previous three months.

But is it time to celebrate the renaissance of the housing market? Even Halifax’s index shows that over the preceding 12-month period, prices actually fell by 2.6%. Despite the price increases seen in recent months, we are finding that the average price of a property remains just under 13% below its peak in 2007.

Try to answer the questions below. Write a full sentence for each answer.

1. What happened to UK house prices in July 2011?
2. What do the figures 0.5% and 2.6% refer to?
3. Compare the 2011 average UK house price with the 2007 average.

I'll share my answers in the "comments" area tomorrow, and we'll look at an IELTS question about house prices next week (Cambridge 7, test 3).

IELTS Writing Task 2: balanced opinion

Last week I said that it's often easier to have a strong opinion and only support one side of the argument. Today I'm going to contradict myself! Let's look at a 'balanced opinion' essay.

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

For this question, I would write that "I partly agree" or that "I agree to some extent". Then I would write one main paragraph about each side of the argument:

1. Introduction: I partly agree. Make it clear that you have a balanced opinion.
2. One side: In practical terms, sending a man to the moon has not changed most people's lives. We have not benefited in terms of our standard of living, health etc. In fact, governments have wasted a lot of money that could have been spent on public services.
3. Other side: On the other hand, putting a man on the moon was a huge achievement that still inspires and interests people today. It showed us that we can achieve anything we put our minds to.
4. Conclusion: The fact that man has walked on the moon might not have had a direct effect on our daily lives, but it was an inspiring achievement.

IELTS Listening: multiple choice

Multiple choice questions can be difficult, especially when the speaker mentions all of the possible choices. Look at this example (Cambridge 7, page 15):

Janice thinks that employers should encourage workers who are

A) potential leaders.
B) open to new ideas.
C) good at teamwork.

This is what Janice says:

"Well, currently teamwork is in fashion in the workplace and in my opinion the importance of the individual is generally neglected. What managers should be targeting is those employees who can take the lead in a situation and are not afraid to accept the idea of responsibility."

As you can see, all three of the choices are mentioned. You really need to concentrate for this kind of question - don't just write the first thing you hear.

So, which answer is correct, and why?

IELTS Reading: similar words

IELTS Reading is basically a test of your vocabulary knowledge. You need to be able to find words in the text that are similar to words in the questions.

Read the following text about single-sex education (educating boys and girls separately).

You might have thought that boys brought up in a single-sex environment would find relationships with girls difficult to handle. Now research due to be published tomorrow proves it. It shows that boys taught in single-sex schools are more likely to be divorced or separated from their partner than those who attended a mixed school by their early 40s.

The findings, taken from studying a cohort of all those born in a single week of 1958, will be presented by Professor Diana Leonard, from London University's Institute of Education. The research covered 17,000 adults who had been taught in a range of institutions from private boarding schools to state comprehensives. The majority had been brought up in day schools.

Dr Leonard's findings have fuelled claims from teachers' leaders and education psychologists that boys brought up in a single-sex environment are less able to relate to the opposite sex than those taught in a co-educational school.

Find words in the text that are similar to the words/phrases below.

- raised
- to cope with
- co-educational
- a group
- a variety of
- high schools
- added weight to

(Text taken from The Independent)

IELTS Vocabulary: word family for 'compare'

Let's look at the word family for 'compare'. Remember that we are looking at usage, not meaning (I'm sure you know the meaning of these words).

• The graph compares the number of males and females...
• 10% of males were unemployed, compared to only 8% of females.
• The unemployment rate was high in 2008 compared with previous years.
• The unemployment rate was high in 2008 in comparison with...
• By/in comparison, the unemployment rate in 2008 increased to...
• Figures for the USA were comparable with/to those for the UK.
• The figure for females was comparatively low, at only 8%.

You've probably noticed that this word family is really useful for writing task 1.

PS. Thanks to Martin for sharing this online dictionary. The 'usage notes' at the bottom of the page are especially helpful.

IELTS Advice: 'meaning' and 'usage'

Many people think they know a word when they understand its meaning. In my experience, students often don't know the words that they think they know!

You only really know a word when you can use it in a variety of ways and contexts. Don't take it for granted that you know a word until you have studied its usage.

IELTS Speaking Part 2: forget about eye contact

Many students worry that they need to maintain eye contact with the examiner. This is a good idea in part 1 and part 3, but not necessarily in part 2.

In part 2 of the speaking test, you don't need to worry about eye contact. It's more important to look at the question and the notes you made.

• Use the question to organise what you are saying. Answer the question point by point, and make sure you cover all parts of the task.
• You should also look at your notes. Hopefully you wrote down some good ideas during the preparation time.

Remember: the examiner will not reduce your score for lack of eye contact, but he/she will reduce your score if you don't answer the question well.

IELTS Writing Task 1: process diagrams

Process diagrams show how something is done or made. They always show steps/stages. Here's some advice about how to describe them:

• Try to write 4 paragraphs - introduction, summary of main points, 2 detail paragraphs.

• Write the introduction by paraphrasing the question (rewrite it by changing some of the words).

• For your summary, first say how many steps there are in the process. Then say where/how the process begins and ends (look at the first and last stages).

• In paragraphs 3 and 4, describe the process step by step. Include the first and last steps that you mentioned in the summary, but try to describe them in more detail or in a different way.

• You could describe the steps in one paragraph, but it looks more organised if you break the description into two paragraphs. Just start paragraph 4 somewhere in the middle of the process.

• Mention every stage in the process.

• Use 'sequencing' language e.g. at the first / second / following / final stage of the process, next, after that, then, finally etc.

• Times (e.g. past dates) are not usually shown, so use the present simple tense.

• It's usually a good idea to use the passive e.g. 'At the final stage, the product is delivered to shops' (because we don't need to know who delivered the product).

IELTS Writing Task 2: have a strong opinion

If the question asks whether you agree or disagree, it's often easier to have a strong opinion (completely agree or completely disagree) rather than trying to be "in the middle". Here's an example question:

Families who do not send their children to public schools should not be required to pay taxes that support universal education.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

I don't think there is a "middle answer" to this question: either you think that the parents should not pay tax (agree), or you think they should pay tax (disagree).

When you have a strong opinion, you don't need to mention the opposite view.
Here's my plan for a 4-paragraph essay:

1. Introduction: 1 sentence to introduce the topic, 1 sentence to make your opinion clear (e.g. I completely disagree...)
2. Main paragraph: support your opinion with a reason
3. Main paragraph: support your opinion with another reason
4. Conclusion: repeat/summarise your opinion

IELTS Listening: 'vegetarianism' topic

Do you have an opinion about vegetarianism? Could you write an essay about the arguments for and against a vegetarian diet? Today's video will give you some ideas.

Fill the gaps in the following summary.

The speaker states that eating a hamburger every day can ______ the ______ of dying by a third, and that the meat we eat comes from animals raised in ______ ______ ______. He argues that meat production causes more ______ than ______, and beef production uses ______ ______ the water that it takes to produce most vegetables.

IELTS Reading: paragraph headings

Read the following paragraphs, taken from The Guardian newspaper.

A) The hunt for intelligent species outside Earth may be a staple of literature and film – but it is happening in real life, too. Nasa probes are on the lookout for planets outside our solar system, and astronomers are carefully listening for any messages being beamed through space. How awe-inspiring it would be to get confirmation that we are not alone in the universe, to finally speak to an alien race. Wouldn't it?

B) Well no, according to the eminent physicist Stephen Hawking. "If aliens visit us, the outcome would be much as when Columbus landed in America, which didn't turn out well for the Native Americans," Hawking has said in a forthcoming documentary made for the Discovery Channel. He argues that, instead of trying to find and communicate with life in the cosmos, humans would be better off doing everything they can to avoid contact.

C) Hawking believes that, based on the sheer number of planets that scientists know must exist, we are not the only life-form in the universe. There are, after all, billions and billions of stars in our galaxy alone, with, it is reasonable to expect, an even greater number of planets orbiting them. And it is not unreasonable to expect some of that alien life to be intelligent, and capable of interstellar communication.

Match each paragraph with one of the headings below.

1. A pessimistic prediction.
2. The probability of life existing on other planets.
3. Astronomers send messages through space.
4. How to avoid contact with aliens.
5. The search for alien life-forms.
6. Life-forms exist on other planets.

Share your answers in the "comments" area below. I'll reveal the correct answers tomorrow.

IELTS Grammar: word families

If you want to improve your vocabulary knowledge, it's a good idea to study word families.

Let's look at the word family for "different".

1. We usually say different from e.g. A is different from B.
2. The noun is difference e.g. There is a difference between A and B.
3. The verb is differ e.g. A differs from B (or A and B differ).

I'm sure you understood these words, but did you really know how to use them correctly? We'll look at another word family next week.

My favourite comments from students

There are some really useful comments and questions below the lessons on this site. The other day, someone asked me: "What's your favourite type of comment from students?"

The answer is simple: my favourite comments are those that relate directly to the lesson above them. This tells me that the student has read the lesson and thought about it carefully.

Of course, you are welcome to ask other questions about IELTS, but comments that show an engagement with the lessons are my favourite.

IELTS Speaking Part 3: 'wildlife' topic

Here are some Part 3 questions and band 9 answers for this topic. I've underlined the 'band 7-9' vocabulary.

What effects do you think humans have on wild animals?

Humans have a huge impact on wild animals. We have destroyed a lot of natural habitats, and many animals are in danger of extinction. Tigers and rhinos, for example, are endangered species because of humans. The pollution and waste that we produce also have an effect on animals. In some places there are no fish in the rivers.

What measures could we take to protect wildlife?

I think we need stricter rules to protect natural areas and the wild animals that live there. For example, we should stop cutting down trees in the rain forest. National parks are a good idea because they attract tourists while protecting wildlife.

Is it the responsibility of schools to teach children about protecting wildlife?

Yes, schools can play a big part in educating children about this issue. Children should learn how to look after the natural environment. I think schools already teach children about endangered species and the destruction of rain forests, so hopefully future generations will do a better job of protecting wildlife.

IELTS Writing Task 1: line graphs

Line graphs always show changes over time. Here's some advice about how to describe them:

• Try to write 4 paragraphs - introduction, summary of main points, 2 detail paragraphs.

• For your summary paragraph, look at the "big picture" - what changes happened to all of the lines from the beginning to the end of the period shown (i.e. from the first year to the last). Is there a trend that all of the lines follow (e.g. an overall increase)?

• You don't need to give numbers in your summary paragraph. Numbers are specific details. Just mention general things like 'overall change', 'highest' and 'lowest', without giving specific figures.

• Never describe each line separately. The examiner wants to see comparisons.

• If the graph shows years, you won't have time to mention all of them. The key years to describe are the first year and the last year. You should also mention any 'special' years (e.g. a peak or a significant rise/fall).

• Start describing details (paragraph 3) with a comparison of the lines for the first year shown on the graph (e.g. In 1990, the number of...).

• Use the past simple (increased, fell) for past years, and 'will' or 'is expected/predicted to' for future years.

• Don't use the passive (e.g. the number was increased), continuous (e.g. the number was increasing), or perfect tenses (e.g. the number has increased).