IELTS Simon

IELTS Writing Task 2: who should we help?

We cannot help everyone in the world that needs help, so we should only be concerned with our own communities and countries.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Let's plan an essay for this question.

1. Introduction - I don't think there is a "middle" opinion for this question. You either agree that we should only be worried about our own communities and countries, or you think that we should also help those outside our own countries. The best response might be to disagree - then you can say that we should try to help everyone.
2. Paragraph 2 - I agree that it is important to help our neighbours and fellow citizens. (Explain this idea)
3. Paragraph 3 - At the same time, I believe that we have an obligation to help those who live beyond our national borders. (Explain)
4. Conclusion - Repeat the idea that we can help people both at home and abroad.

IELTS Reading: reading to get ideas

You shouldn't think that reading practice is only useful for the reading test. Reading articles in newspapers, magazines or online is also a great way to improve your vocabulary knowledge and collect ideas for the writing and speaking tests.

For example, a recent question in the writing test asked whether or not it's useful to study history. I did a quick search online and found this article:

Click here for the article "Why Study History?"

You don't need to read the full aricle, but it would be useful to note down some of the main ideas. Can you find 3 arguments against studying history, and 3 reasons why we should study it?

IELTS Grammar: using 'see' in writing task 1

A few people have asked me about using 'see' to describe numbers on a graph or chart. Look at the following sentence:

• In Britain, CD sales increased dramatically in the 1980s.

We can write the same sentence in various ways using 'see':

• Britain saw a dramatic increase in CD sales in the 1980s.
• The 1980s saw a dramatic increase in CD sales in Britain.
• British shops saw CD sales increase dramatically in the 1980s.

IELTS Advice: band 9 essays

Some students (both in my classes and online) find it hard to believe that all of my essays are band 9. They are under the impression that you need to use "difficult" language to get a high score. This is how I respond:

• What is "difficult" language? Language is not mathematics; anyone can learn and understand a word or phrase.
• The most difficult thing is using words together correctly and naturally. Small words like articles and prepositions cause the most problems.
• If an essay has no grammar mistakes and a mix of long and short sentences, it's almost certain that it will get band 9 for grammar.
• If ideas are explained and developed in a clear, logical way, you will get a high score for coherence and cohesion.
• If you try to make your writing over-complicated, it will seem forced and unnatural.

Remember: if an essay is difficult to read, it's probably badly written. Good writing is surprisingly easy to read, and the arguments are easy to follow.

IELTS Speaking Part 3: 'emotions' topic

The following questions follow on from this topic.

Do you think it’s good to show your emotions when you’re angry?

I think it depends on the situation and how you show your emotions. I find that if I’m angry with a friend or someone in my family, it’s best to tell them what the problem is and try to express how I feel. However, I don’t think it helps to argue with people when you’re angry; it’s better to control the anger and explain what’s wrong.

In your opinion, do women show their emotions more than men?

The stereotypical view is that women are more emotional, and in my experience there is some truth in this; my mother, for example, tends to show her feelings much more readily than my father. However, I’m sure that there are exceptions to the stereotype.

Why do you think men tend to show their emotions less than women?

Maybe it’s because of the way we are brought up. I think that boys are often taught from an early age not to cry. Also, boys are aware that their friends might see it as a sign of weakness if they show their feelings. Perhaps girls are brought up to be more sensitive to their friends' feelings.

IELTS Writing Task 2: conclusions

Several people have asked me about conclusions for IELTS Writing Task 2. The main body paragraphs are much more important, so don't worry too much about the conclusion; make it short, simple and fast.

Here are some example conclusion phrases for different types of question:

1. Opinion

For the reasons mentioned above, I believe that... (+ repeat your opinion).

2. Discussion (+ Opinion)

In conclusion, there are convincing arguments both for and against... (topic), but I believe that... (if the question asks for your opinion).

3. Advantages and Disadvantages

In conclusion, I would argue that the benefits of... (topic) outweigh the drawbacks.

4. Problem and Solution

In conclusion, it is clear that there are various reasons for... (topic), and steps need to be taken to tackle this problem.

IELTS Listening: 'mathematics' topic

Watch the following presentation by a mathematics professor, and answer the questions below.

1. Which verbs does the speaker use with the following nouns?

- suggestion
- trends
- the future

2. What words or phrases does he use to express the following ideas?

- improve a lot
- put into effect
- cheap
- every day

IELTS Reading: true, false, not given

Read the following text about last year's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is making Americans think more about a clean energy future – but not yet to the extent of having to pay for it, or to tackle climate change, one of the leading US thinkers on global warming policy said yesterday.

US citizens are "horrified" by the pollution in the Gulf of Mexico, and are starting to think more about cleaner energy sources such as wind and wave power, said Eileen Clausen, president of America's foremost climate think-tank, the Washington-based Pew Center on Global Climate Change.

However, she said, when consumers are asked by pollsters if they would be willing to pay more for such a future, they say no, and say the government should pay. Furthermore, Ms Clausen said, the Gulf disaster was giving US energy policy "a nudge rather than a shift" in the direction of clean energy, but it would probably not be enough to bring forward legislation to curb carbon emissions, at least for the present.

(The Independent, 21.6.10)

Are the following statements true, false or not given according to the text?

1. The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was the result of a human error.
2. US citizens accept that they will need to pay for a clean energy future.
3. In spite of the disaster, the government is unlikely to introduce laws to reduce carbon emissions.

IELTS Grammar: correct the mistakes

Can you correct the mistakes in the following sentences?

1. The pollution and waste that we produce also affect on animals.
2. Many animals are in danger extinction.
3. Traffic congestion in nearly all over the world is on the increase.
4. Most of people who live in cities are suffering from traffic.
5. Schools can make a big part in educating children about this issue.

Please share your corrections in the "comments" area below this lesson. I'll add my corrections tomorrow.

IELTS Advice: notice your mistakes

Students often don't notice when a teacher corrects their mistakes.

Look at this example of a conversation between a teacher and a student:

Teacher: How long have you been living in Manchester?
Student: I came here before one month?
Teacher: One month ago?
Student: Yes, before one month.

The student doesn't notice that the teacher is correcting a mistake. In English we don't say "before one month", we say "one month ago".

When a teacher repeats something that you said in a different way, you probably made a mistake. Listen carefully, and try to notice mistakes and corrections.

IELTS Speaking Part 3: verb tenses

In part 3 of the IELTS speaking test, you will probably get some questions about the past and the future. The examiner will be listening carefully to make sure you use the correct tense.

• If the examiner mentions “50 years ago”, “when your parents were young” or “when you were a child”, you should answer using the past simple.
• If the question asks you to predict, or if it mentions “in 50 years” or “in the future”, use a future tense (will + infinitive).

Do you think people had easier lives 50 years ago?
Yes, maybe life was simpler and less stressful 50 years ago. The mobile phone didn’t exist, so I suppose it was easier to forget about work at the end of the day because people couldn't contact you so easily.

Do you think life will be more stressful in the future?
Yes, it probably will be more stressful. As the world gets smaller, employees will probably have to travel to different countries more often and stay in touch with colleagues and clients all over the world. There will also be more competition for jobs and the cost of living will keep going up.

IELTS Writing Task 1: pie chart essay

Here's my full essay for the pie charts in last week's lesson. I've made the last two paragraphs into a gap-fill exercise to focus your attention on some good ways to describe numbers.

Fill the gaps with these words:
constitutes, drops, amount, fifth, higher, make, one, relative, figure, up

The pie charts compare the proportion of carbohydrates, protein and fat in three different diets, namely an average diet, a healthy diet, and a healthy diet for sport.

It is noticeable that sportspeople require a diet comprising a significantly higher proportion of carbohydrates than an average diet or a healthy diet. The average diet contains the lowest percentage of carbohydrates but the highest proportion of protein.

Carbohydrates ______ ______ 60% of the healthy diet for sport. This is 10% ______ than the proportion of carbohydrates in a normal healthy diet, and 20% more than the proportion in an average diet. On the other hand, people who eat an average diet consume a greater ______ ______ of protein (40%) than those who eat a healthy diet (30%) and sportspeople (25%).

The third compound shown in the charts is fat. Fat ______ exactly ______ ______ of both the average diet and the healthy diet, but the ______ ______ to only 15% for the healthy sports diet.

IELTS Writing Task 2: discussion without opinion

Most discussion essays also ask for your opinion. Sometimes, however, the question doesn't ask for your opinion. It might just ask you to discuss two different views, or compare the advantages and disadvantages.

Remember: if the question doesn't ask for your opinion, don't give it.

Compare the 2 essays attached below. They are almost the same, but in the first essay I give my opinion clearly in several places, while in the second essay I've removed my opinions completely.

Click here to download essays

IELTS Reading: keyword tables

When I do reading tests with my students, we always make a 'keyword table' with the words and phrases that helped us to get the answers.

Here's our table for test 1, passage 1 in Cambridge IELTS book 6:

Don't just test yourself. Study the answers, your mistakes, and the key vocabulary whenever you do a reading test. Try making a keyword table.

IELTS Speaking Part 3: leisure activities

Here are some questions that a student sent me, with example answers below.

1. What is the relationship between leisure and the economy?

Well, people spend a lot of money on all sorts of leisure activities nowadays, so I think leisure is a very important part of the economy of most countries. Leisure could be anything that people do in their free time, such as eating out, going to the cinema, watching a football match, or staying in a hotel. Millions of people are employed in these areas.

2. How does the economy benefit from people's leisure activities?

The leisure industry makes a huge contribution to the economy. As I said before, it keeps millions of people in employment, and all of these employees pay their taxes and have money to spend on other goods and services. At the same time, most people spend some of their earnings on leisure activities, and this money therefore goes back into the economy.

3. Do men and women enjoy the same type of leisure activities?

Yes and no. I think both men and women enjoy things like eating in restaurants or going to the cinema, but I'm sure there are other activities that are more popular with one gender. For example, I think more men than women go to football matches.

IELTS Writing Task 1: introduction and summary

Last week I said that you need to do 3 things to write a task 1 essay: introduce, summarise, and describe details. Today I'll look at the introduction and summary for the pie charts below.

Introduction - just say what the pie charts show:

The pie charts compare the proportion of carbohydrates, protein and fat in three different diets, namely an average diet, a healthy diet, and a healthy diet for sport.

Note: Don't try to 'show off' in your introduction. Just use 'show', 'compare' or 'illustrate'; don't use words like 'depict' or 'indicate'.

Summary - write 2 sentences about the main/general points:

It is noticeable that sportspeople require a diet comprising a significantly higher proportion of carbohydrates than an average diet or a healthy diet. The average diet contains the lowest percentage of carbohydrates but the highest proportion of protein.

Note: There is no 'right' way to choose your main/general points. Just choose the two things that you notice first. I try to avoid specific numbers in my summaries - save numbers for the 'details' paragraphs. We'll look at those next week.

IELTS Writing Task 2: plan your main paragraphs

Before you start writing your task 2 essay, you need a plan:

1. First, think about how you could write 2 main body paragraphs. What would be the main idea/topic of each one?
2. Then make some notes for the first main paragraph. Your notes could follow this formula: Idea, Explain, Example.
3. Do the same thing for the second main paragraph.

Here's an example question with a few ideas below:

People nowadays work hard to buy more things. This has made our lives generally more comfortable, but many traditional values and customs have been lost and this is a pity.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?

1. I can see two clear ideas in this question: 1) buying things has made our lives more comfortable. 2) traditional values and customs have been lost. I agree with both of these points, so I'll write one paragraph explaining why I agree with the first point, and another paragraph explaining the second point.
2. Idea: buying things has made life more comfortable. Explain/Examples: we buy appliances like microwave ovens and dishwashers; we use computers to shop online; more people own a car.
3. Idea: traditional values and customs have been lost. Explain/Examples: people buy microwave meals rather than cooking traditional dishes; traditional local shops disappear and are replaced with online shopping; people are more independent, but lack a sense of community.

IELTS Grammar: correct the mistakes

Can you find the mistakes in the following sentences? You might need to make several changes.

1. It is clear that, diploma and degree were the most popular qualifications.
2. Parents are usually try to provide their children different alternatives.
3. Most of computer games contain several of violence.
4. The number of people living in cities will be sharply increased.
5. Advertising are widely spread nowadays.

Please share your corrections in the "comments" area below this lesson. I'll add my corrections tomorrow.

IELTS Advice: big mistakes!

Here are some mistakes that can really affect your IELTS score:

1. Writing less than 150 or 250 words. My advice: count how many words you write, on average, per line. If you write about 10 words per line, make sure that you write more than 25 lines for writing task 2.
2. Not separating paragraphs. Your score will immediately drop if you don't separate paragraphs clearly. My advice: leave a full line between paragraphs.
3. Not answering the question (writing and speaking). My advice: in the writing exam, keep checking the question to make sure you are answering it fully. In the speaking exam, answer the question directly, then explain your answer.
4. Not finishing the reading test. My advice: you must get to the end of the test paper. If you get stuck on a difficult question, miss it out and return to it later.
5. Making spelling mistakes in the listening test. My advice: if you have a spelling problem, you must keep a list of your mistakes and learn the correct spellings by heart. Test yourself every day.

IELTS Writing Task 1: pie chart practice

Try doing a Google image search for 'pie charts' and you'll find plenty of charts that you could practise describing. Here's one I found:

To write an essay, you need to do 3 things:

1. Introduce the chart by saying what it shows.
2. Summarise the information by describing the main/general points.
3. Describe the charts in detail, comparing the figures (2 paragraphs).

IELTS Writing Task 2: 'equality' topic

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

In recent years, there has been growing interest in the relationship between equality and personal achievement. Some people believe that individuals can achieve more in egalitarian societies. Others believe that high levels of personal achievement are possible only if individuals are free to succeed or fail according to their individual merits.
What is your view of the relationship between equality and personal success?

In my opinion, an egalitarian society is one in which everyone has the same rights and the same opportunities. I completely agree that people can achieve more in this kind of society.

Education is an important factor with regard to personal success in life. I believe that all children should have access to free schooling, and higher education should be either free or affordable for all those who chose to pursue a university degree. In a society without free schooling or affordable higher education, only children and young adults from wealthier families would have access to the best learning opportunities, and they would therefore be better prepared for the job market. This kind of inequality would ensure the success of some but harm the prospects of others.

I would argue that equal rights and opportunities are not in conflict with people’s freedom to succeed or fail. In other words, equality does not mean that people lose their motivation to succeed, or that they are not allowed to fail. On the contrary, I believe that most people would feel more motivated to work hard and reach their potential if they thought that they lived in a fair society. Those who did not make the same effort would know that they had wasted their opportunity. Inequality, on the other hand, would be more likely to demotivate people because they would know that the odds of success were stacked in favour of those from privileged backgrounds.

In conclusion, it seems to me that there is a positive relationship between equality and personal success.

(260 words)

Note:
I'm not sure that this was a 'real' IELTS question (maybe the student who sent it to me remembered it wrongly) because it is a bit confusing: it seems strange to me to imply that "egalitarian/equality" is the opposite of "free to succeed or fail". Anyway, I hope you still find the essay useful.

IELTS Listening: the effects of inequality

Last week's writing task 2 question was about equality. I'll share my full essay about that topic tomorrow, but first you might be interested to watch the following video about the effects of inequality.

Feel free to discuss any ideas or opinions you have in the "comments" area below this lesson.