IELTS Simon

IELTS Advice: preparing speaking topics

On Friday I suggested preparing six main topics for IELTS Speaking Part 2. But how should you prepare these topics? Where can you find good ideas?

I recommend doing two things. First, have a look through the speaking lessons on this site. Second, use the Internet to do some further research. For example, if you want a good description of a famous person, look him/her up on Wikipedia and note down the best vocabulary ideas.

Students' questions

1. I'm new to IELTS reading. Should I start by doing some general tests?

I think that's quite a good idea. The general tests are a bit easier than the academic ones, so you could start with them and practise the techniques I suggest in lessons here on the site.

2. How can I improve my vocabulary and my reading ability?

Basically you need to read a lot, use a dictionary, and keep a vocabulary notebook. Have a look at this lesson.

3. Will it affect my score if I say too much (e.g. a long example in part 3)?

Don't worry about saying too much in parts 2 and 3 of the speaking test; the examiner will stop you if he/she wants to. Just try to give short, direct answers in part 1.

4. Is it ok to write a sentence beginning "This essay will..." in the introduction to task 2?

I prefer to simply answer the question directly (have a look through my lessons to see how I write introductions), but it definitely isn't wrong to write "This essay will...". It won't affect your score either way.

5. What is the difference between could, should and would?

For this kind of question, I'd recommend that you consult a dedicated grammar book or website. This grammar website looks quite good.

IELTS Speaking Part 2: main topics

For part 2 of IELTS speaking, I encourage my students in Manchester to prepare ideas for 6 main topic areas:

1. Describe an object (a gift, something you use etc.)
2. Describe a person (someone you admire, a family member etc.)
3. Describe an event (a festival, celebration etc.)
4. Describe an activity (e.g. a hobby)
5. Describe a place (somewhere you visited, a holiday etc.)
6. Describe your favourite (book/film/advertisement/website)

Most questions fit into one of these topics. For example, "Describe a river, lake or sea which you like" is number 5 - you could describe a holiday by the sea, or a city with a river.

Don't take the test without preparing some ideas for these topics first!

IELTS Writing Task 1: my 10 sentences

Last week I explained how to write 10 sentences about the chart below.

Average weekly household expenditure by region, 2007-09

Weekly expenditure (£)

Here are my 10 sentences:

1. The bar chart shows average weekly spending by households in different areas of England between 2007 and 2009.
2. Households in the south of the country spent more on average than those in the north.
3. Average weekly spending by households was highest in London and lowest in the North East.
4. English households spent on average around £470 per week.
5. The average expenditure for households in London was about £560 per week, almost £100 more than the overall figure for England.
6. Households in the South East, East and South West also spent more than the national average.
7. Weekly household spending figures for those three regions were approximately £520, £490 and £480 respectively.
8. Similar levels of household spending were seen in the West Midlands, the North West and the East Midlands, at about £430 to £450 per week.
9. In the region of Yorkshire and the Humber, households spent approximately £400 per week, while expenditure in the North East was around £10 per week lower than this.
10. It is noticeable that average weekly expenditure by households in the North East was around £80 less than the national average, and around £170 less than the London average.

IELTS Writing Task 2: 'music' topic

Arnie shared this question about music:

There are many different types of music in the world today. Why do we need music? Is the traditional music of a country more important than the international music that is heard everywhere nowadays?

Here's a quick plan to show you how I would approach this question:

1. Introduction: Paraphrase the idea that many types of music are found around the world, then briefly answer both parts of the question.
2. Paragraph answering the first question: Explain why we need music e.g. for enjoyment, to express ideas and emotions. Give an example from your experience, and/or explain what life would be like without music.
3. Paragraph answering the second question: It might be easier to argue that traditional music is more important e.g. because it expresses cultural identity, customs, history. Give an example from your country, and/or explain how you would feel if traditional music disappeared.
4. Conclusion: Repeat / summarise your views.

I'll continue with this question next week.

IELTS Listening: robots and jobs

Click on the link below and watch the YouTube video about robots and jobs.

Click here

Fill the gaps below to complete the list of jobs that robots can do:

• Filling syringes
• Sorting, dispensing and labelling ______
• Analysing ______
• Inventory management
• Picking up, ______ and delivering items
• Performing ______ work
• Reconnaissance and ______ missions in the battlefield

IELTS General Writing: 'travel problem' letter

Here's my full sample letter for last week's question:

IELTS Speaking Part 2: TV channel

Last week we looked at this question:

Describe a TV programme or channel that you enjoy watching regularly.


• What it is called
 and what is it about?
• When do you usually watch it
?
• Why do you prefer it to other programmes or channels?

Here's a sample description with the best vocabulary underlined:

• I rarely watch traditional television channels nowadays; I much prefer searching for interesting programmes or videos online. So, although it’s not a normal TV channel or programme, I’d like to talk about a website which I think is kind of a modern version of a TV channel. It’s called TED, which stands for ‘Technology, Entertainment, Design’, and it’s a great place to watch short talks and presentations about all sorts of interesting topics.
• The good thing about the videos on TED is that I can watch them whenever I want. I have ted.com saved as one of my favourites on my laptop, and I tend to visit the website every few days to check whether there is anything new. I often watch TED videos on my phone while I’m travelling to work on the train.
• The reason I like watching online videos on TED is that I learn something new every time I watch one. The tagline for the TED website is ‘ideas worth spreading’, and this really sums up the appeal of the site for me. Instead of watching meaningless soap operas and talk shows on TV, I’d much rather spend 10 minutes watching someone talk about a breakthrough in technology, science or healthcare.

IELTS Writing Task 1: ten sentences

One way to practise for writing task 1 is to think in terms of sentences rather than worrying about the full essay. Just take a chart or graph and try to write 10 sentences about it.

Try writing the ten sentences suggested below about last week's chart.

1. State what the chart shows.
2. Make a general comparison between the South and the North.
3. Contrast London with the North East (without giving the figures).
4. Give the overall figure for England.
5. Give the figure for London and compare it with the average for England.
6. Add that figures for the South East, East and South West were also higher than the country average.
7. Give approximate figures for the three regions above.
8. Describe the similar figures for the West Midlands, North West and East Midlands.
9. Give figures for the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber.
10. Compare figures for the North East, national average and London.

IELTS Writing Task 2: introduction and conclusion

In last week's lesson, I explained why you shouldn't save your opinion for a 'surprise conclusion'. Look at the following introduction and conclusion for an essay about whether it is better for students to work alone or in a group:

Introduction
People have different views about the most effective way for students to work. While there are some advantages to studying alone, I personally believe that group work is usually more productive.

Conclusion
In conclusion, both individual and group study can be useful under different circumstances, but I generally prefer to work with others as part of a team.

Notice that my 'position' is clear in the introduction, so the conclusion simply repeats my view in a different way.

IELTS Listening: 3 useful websites

Here are 3 useful websites for IELTS listening practice. Click on the titles.

• Spelling Practice - If you have a problem with spelling, try this website. Choose a topic and take a spelling test. Part 3 of each test is probably the best (parts 1 and 2 might be too easy).

• Listening and Reading - This is not an IELTS website, but it's full of short texts that you can read and listen to at the same time. This could be a good way to work on your pronunciation (American English) and to extend your vocabulary.

• IELTS Tests - A website for test practice (click login as a guest to do the free tests).

IELTS Reading: paragraph questions

There are 2 types of questions that ask you about paragraphs:

1. Paragraph headings - match the sub-headings with the paragraphs.
2. Specific information - which paragraph contains the following information? Try an example: IELTS Reading: Which paragraph?

• For 'paragraph headings' questions, you need to find the main idea of each paragraph. I usually recommend starting with the shortest paragraph first.

• For 'specific information' questions, remember that one paragraph can contain more than one piece of information (e.g. "paragraph A" could be the answer for questions 1 and 2). Some paragraphs may not contain any information, so it doesn't help to start with the shortest one.

Both types of question are easier if you do the other question sections first (gap-fill, true/false/not given etc.). You will then be more familiar with the text, and you might even remember where some of the 'paragraph' answers are.

IELTS General Writing: 'travel problem' topic

Before you start writing, quickly note down some ideas for each point:

• Problem: I was given the wrong boarding card.
• Effect: I missed two days of my holiday.
• Request: I would like compensation for the flight and other expenses.

Don't worry about whether the problem seems realistic or not. You will be judged according to how well you express ideas, not on the ideas themselves.

Students' questions

Sorry if I haven't been able to answer your question. Here are some of the questions that people asked me this week:

1. Can I use slang (e.g. 'rank' meaning 'disgusting') in the speaking test?

No, it's not really appropriate to use slang.

2. Can I give personal examples like the name of the company I work for?

Yes, it's a good idea to use that kind of example when relevant.

3. What is the difference between 'programme' and 'program'?

The first is British English spelling, and the second is American spelling. Both are equally acceptable.

4. How many ideas should I include in each main paragraph (for task 2)?

I include between one and three ideas. If you only have one main idea, just explain it in more detail.

5. Is there a difference between 'put more emphasis on' and 'put more of an emphasis on'?

No, not really. You can use either phrase.

6. Is there a difference between 'of the five countries' and 'out of the five countries'?

No, not really. You can use either phrase.

IELTS Speaking Part 2: TV programme or channel

Yap asked me about the following question:

Describe a TV programme or channel that you enjoy watching regularly.


• What it is called
 and what is it about?
• When do you usually watch it
?
• Why do you prefer it to other programmes or channels?

Yap asked whether it would be acceptable to talk about ted.com as a TV channel. I think it would definitely be acceptable - just say that it's an online TV channel. TED would be a great choice for this topic.

IELTS Writing Task 1: bar chart

The bar chart below is taken from the UK national statistics website that I mentioned in last week's lesson.

Average weekly household expenditure, by region, 2007-09

Weekly expenditure (£)

Try writing a full description of this bar chart. If you need some help, use the information below the bar chart on this page.

IELTS Writing Task 2: no surprises!

The examiners' band descriptor sheet states that a band 7 essay "presents a clear position throughout the response".

A "clear position" means that your opinion must be clear (if the question asks for it), and "throughout the response" means from the beginning to the end of your essay.

For this reason, it's a bad idea to save your opinion for the conclusion. We don't like 'surprise conclusions' in English academic writing. Instead, you should state your position in the introduction, support it in your main paragraphs, and repeat or summarise it in the conclusion.

IELTS Listening: interesting interview

In Sunday's lesson I suggested "reading around" topics to improve your language knowledge and your general knowledge.

I tried reading around last week's reading topic, the Eiger, and found this fascinating interview on YouTube:

Did you understand who the interviewee was, and what had happened to him?

IELTS Reading: how questions are made

The people who create the IELTS reading tests do so by paraphrasing parts of the passage for each question. In other words, they choose a word or phrase in the passage that they want to test you on, and they write a question using words which have a similar meaning.

The table below shows the similar words from last week's exercise:

Note:
The words highlighted in blue were the correct answers because the same meaning was expressed in the passage and the question.

The phrases in black do not express exactly the same meaning (e.g. the fact that climbers have died does not mean that it is the most dangerous mountain). These answers were therefore wrong.

IELTS Speaking Part 2: describe a vehicle

Describe a vehicle you would like to buy in the future. You should say

• what kind of vehicle it is
• what you would use it for
• and why you would like to buy it.

Here's my sample answer:

• If I had the money, I’d like to buy my own helicopter. I recently saw a TV programme about someone who flew around in his own helicopter, and I remember thinking that it would be great to have one. The helicopter on the programme was a small, blue, two-seater and it seemed quite easy to fly - that's the kind of thing I'd like to buy.
• Ideally, I’d use my helicopter instead of a car. First, I’d need to learn to fly it, but then I’d use it to go on short trips or holidays. It would be fantastic to be able to avoid traffic jams, and get everywhere in a fraction of the time it normally takes. I’d take friends and family sightseeing, over cities or mountain tops, and maybe I could even use it to do the shopping!
• The reason I’d like to buy a helicopter is that you can park one almost anywhere. You don’t need to find a runway or an airport like you would for a plane. So I’d be able to park my helicopter in my garden - if I had a bigger garden. Also, I’ve always been intrigued by those helipads on the tops of tall buildings - I think it would be fun to land on top of a building. A helicopter probably isn’t a realistic choice of vehicle, but you never know - I might win the lottery!

PS. You should also have a look at Martin's sample answers in the comments area below this lesson.

IELTS Writing Task 2: answer all parts of the question

A student sent me the following question:

The role of prisons should be to punish criminals who have committed serious crimes. Training courses and education offered to prisoners are a waste of taxpayer's money. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

The student who sent me this question noticed that it contains two sub-topics:

1. Should the role of prisons be to punish serious criminals, not petty criminals (less serious criminals)?
2. Are training courses and education a waste of money?

Apparently there is a model essay for this question which only addresses the second sub-topic. I think that would be a mistake; you should try to answer all parts of the question.

In this case, the two sub-topics help you because they tell you what you should write about in your two main body paragraphs. Always study the question carefully, and make sure you know exactly what it is asking you to do!

IELTS Reading: multiple choice

Read the following short text, and answer the question below.

The Eiger is a mountain in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland. Since 1935, at least sixty-four climbers have died attempting the Eiger’s north face, earning it the German nickname Mordwand, literally "murder wall" - a pun on its correct title of Nordwand (North Wall). Before it was successfully climbed, in 1938, most of the attempts on the face ended tragically and the Bernese authorities even banned climbing it and threatened to fine any party that should attempt it again. Since the first successful attempt, the north face has been climbed many times, but even today it is regarded as a formidable challenge.

Which TWO of the following statements are true according to the text?

A) The Eiger is the most dangerous mountain in the Bernese Alps.
B) The north face of the mountain has an infamous history.
C) The Nordwand was finally conquered in 1938.
D) The Bernese authorities fined climbers who attempted the north face.
E) Climbers consider the north face to be the world’s most challenging climb.

Students' questions

Is it best to use "was" or "were" with "majority" and "proportion"?

It is normal in English to say "the majority of people were" but "the proportion of people was".

If the question was about an old friend and I spoke about an elderly friend, will I lose marks?

Hopefully the examiner won't penalise you for this mistake. The confusion is understandable.

For questions about where I live, should I talk about my hometown or where I live now?

It doesn't matter. You can talk about either.

If the question asks us to explain “problems (or causes) and solutions”, how many problems and solutions should we mention?

I'd go for two or three problems (or causes) and two or three suggested solutions.

The ebook talks about “consumer culture”. What does this mean?

It's a phrase that is often used to criticise societies in which people are encouraged to buy more and more things. Click here to read more.

If I want a band 7 in writing, is it true that 50% of the sentences in my essays need to be error-free?

The examiner will not calculate the percentage of sentences that contain mistakes, but the mark scheme does say that you need to "produce frequent error-free sentences" in order to get a band 7 for grammar.

Can I use the terms “x-axis” and “y-axis” for graphs in writing task 1?

Yes, but I tend not to bother with that.

Can I invent statistics in writing task 2 (e.g. 80% of children watch violent films)?

You can, but I tend not to. I'd just write something like: "a growing number of children watch violent films". Instead of inventing a statistic, you can probably find a better way to express the idea.