IELTS Simon

IELTS Vocabulary: band 7-9 phrases

The essay I wrote on Wednesday was full of good words and phrases. Can you remember the missing words in the phrases below?

1. medicines are ______ tested on animals
2. cleared for ______ use
3. a limited ______ of animal experimentation
4. clear ______ arguments
5. a common ______ of this practice
6. the ______ of a drug can be measured
7. subject animals to ______
8. all creatures should be ______
9. the benefits do not ______ the suffering
10. alternative ______ of research
11. suffering on the ______ of mice and rats
12. may be a necessary ______

IELTS Speaking Part 2: don't focus on linking

A student asked me whether it would be a good idea to use the phrases below to organise last week's description of a market:

1. I would like to start with the first point which is where the market is.
2. Going on to my next point which is what the market sells, well...
3. With reference to the question of how big the market is, well...
4. As a final point, I would like to explain why I enjoy to visiting it.

Personally I do not recommend using phrases like these. While you won't lose marks for using them, you won't gain marks either. But here's the problem: the time you spend saying these linking phrases is time that you should be spending on the real content of your answer. Focus on answering, not linking!

IELTS Writing Task 1: the main features

Last week I wrote about looking carefully to find the main features before you start your description of a graph, chart or diagram. In the table below, I've highlighted my choices for the main features (in purple).

Here's my paragraph describing the information highlighted above:

It is clear that between 2006 and 2010 the main reason why people used their mobile phones was to make calls. However, during the same period there was a marked increase in the popularity of other mobile phone features, with the most dramatic increase being seen in the use of mobiles to search the Internet.

IELTS Writing Task 2: 'animal testing' essay

Nowadays animal experiments are widely used to develop new medicines and to test the safety of other products. Some people argue that these experiments should be banned because it is morally wrong to cause animals to suffer, while others are in favour of them because of their benefits to humanity.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

It is true that medicines and other products are routinely tested on animals before they are cleared for human use. While I tend towards the viewpoint that animal testing is morally wrong, I would have to support a limited amount of animal experimentation for the development of medicines.

On the one hand, there are clear ethical arguments against animal experimentation. To use a common example of this practice, laboratory mice may be given an illness so that the effectiveness of a new drug can be measured. Opponents of such research argue that humans have no right to subject animals to this kind of trauma, and that the lives of all creatures should be respected. They believe that the benefits to humans do not justify the suffering caused, and that scientists should use alternative methods of research.

On the other hand, reliable alternatives to animal experimentation may not always be available. Supporters of the use of animals in medical research believe that a certain amount of suffering on the part of mice or rats can be justified if human lives are saved. They argue that opponents of such research might feel differently if a member of their own families needed a medical treatment that had been developed through the use of animal experimentation. Personally, I agree with the banning of animal testing for non-medical products, but I feel that it may be a necessary evil where new drugs and medical procedures are concerned.

In conclusion, it seems to me that it would be wrong to ban testing on animals for vital medical research until equally effective alternatives have been developed.

(270 words, band 9)

IELTS Listening: English as a global language

I occasionally re-post old lessons (to give the creative part of my brain a break!). Here's a lesson from 2010 that you might find interesting. I apologise if you've done the exercise before.

Fill the gaps in the sentences below.

1. How many people are trying to learn English ______? Two billion of them.
2. Learning English can give people the ______ for a better life, a job, to be able to pay for school, or ______ better food on the table.
3. With English you can become part of a ______ conversation, a global conversation about global problems.
4. English is becoming the language of ______ ______.
5. English represents hope for a better future, where the world has a ______ language to solve its ______ problems.

IELTS vocabulary review

Here's a quick review of the band 7-9 vocabulary from this week's lessons:

- the current generation of language learners
- have the Internet at their disposal
- the chance to immerse themselves in

- upset by
- opposed to... for ethical reasons
- carry out research

- stalls are spread across several sites
- the centrepiece
- an array of
- mouth-watering food and drink
- spilling over into other pedestrian streets
- attracting thousands of visitors
- the fantastic atmosphere
- Manchester seemed to come alive
- the streets were bustling
- there was a real festive feel to the city

IELTS Speaking Part 2: describe a market

Describe an open-air or street market which you enjoyed visiting. You should say:

- where the market is
- what the market sells
- how big the market is
- and explain why you enjoyed visiting it.

Here's my description. It includes several examples of 'band 7-9' vocabulary that I took from the websites I listed in last week's lesson.

• I’m going to describe a street market that I’ve enjoyed visiting many times in Manchester. It’s the Manchester Christmas Market, and it comes to the city for about a month from the end of November every year. The market stalls are spread across several sites in the city centre, but the centrepiece is the large European market in Albert Square next to the Town Hall.
• The Christmas Market stalls sell an array of Christmas gifts and mouth-watering food and drink from all over Europe. It’s a great place to find handmade crafts such as jewellery, ornaments, wooden toys and other souvenirs, but it’s the food and drink that seem to be most popular. Probably the biggest seller is the ‘Gluhwein’, a hot, sweet wine which is sold in a souvenir mug.
• The market was originally quite small, occupying just one of the central squares in Manchester, but it’s grown quickly in recent years, spilling over into maybe five other pedestrian streets and a few other squares. Apparently there are over 200 stalls now, so it’s become a really big event attracting thousands of visitors.
• The main reason I’ve always enjoyed visiting the Christmas Market is the fantastic atmosphere. When I went there last December, it didn’t matter how cold or wet the weather was, Manchester seemed to come alive when the market opened; the streets were bustling with people and there was a real festive feel to the city.

IELTS Writing Task 1: look carefully!

It's really important that you take time to notice and select the main features for your description of a graph, chart or diagram.

Look at the table above and a student's summary of main features below.

Overall, it can be seen that the people who used mobile phones for making calls were at the top in all three years. However, it is noticeable that there is no record of Internet usage and video recording in 2006.

I told the student that I thought she had missed some of the key features shown in the table. What main features can you see if you look more carefully?

IELTS Writing Task 2: correct the mistakes

Students shared some good essays about the animal experiments topic that we looked at last week. Can you improve the sentences below?

1. This essay examines both sides of views.
2. The first reason, the lives of animals should be respected.
3. Most people think animal testing is necessary but others are upset of these activities.
4. On other hand for those who are opposed this type of research would stand on ethical issues.
5. Thanks to the researches on mice, scientists have known how to treat diseases.
6. To sum up, it is highly true that we rely on animals’ research to help us to develop medicines.

I'll share my full essay next week.

IELTS Advice: small words can also impress

In Thursday's lesson I wrote that examiners would be impressed by the words huts, dock and tip. This would probably surprise most students, so I'll explain.

The three words would impress the examiner because they fit the description perfectly. As one person pointed out in a comment below that lesson, most students would probably use the word 'hotel' to describe the accommodation for tourists shown on the map. Only a native speaker or an advanced learner of English would know that small buildings to accommodate tourists on an island would probably be called huts. Click here to see a real example.

It's the same with 'dock' and 'tip'. Not everyone would know that the perfect verb to describe the parking of a boat is 'to dock'. And not everyone would know that tip is the perfect word for the end point of a landmass.

Students' questions

1. Is it ok to use rhetorical questions in writing task 2?

No, don't put any type of question in your essays. It isn't considered appropriate academic style.

2. What is the difference between IDP and the British Council?

The IELTS exam is the same wherever you take it. IDP, the British Council and Cambridge University work together to make the test.

3. When describing a map (writing task 1), can we use north, south, east, west even if no compass is shown?

Yes, I often do. I think it's fine to assume that the top of a map is north.

4. The speaking examiner stopped me before I had spoken for 2 minutes. Is that a bad sign?

First, I don't recommend that you time yourself in the exam, so you shouldn't really know how long you spoke for. Examiners sometimes stop candidates when it is clear that the person has nothing left to say. If you spoke for at least one minute and said some good things, don't worry.

5. Is it possible to get band 7 if my essays are unfinished or under length?

It's possible, but not easy. You'll need to get really high scores for vocabulary, grammar and organisation.

IELTS Speaking Part 2: 'street market' topic

The following question comes from Cambridge IELTS book 9.

Describe an open-air or street market which you enjoyed visiting. You should say:

- where the market is
- what the market sells
- how big the market is
- and explain why you enjoyed visiting it.

Task:
Let's imagine that you have visited the Christmas market in Manchester. Write your answer to the question above using information from the websites linked below. Try to 'steal' some good vocabulary from the sites. I'll share my answer next week.

1. Official visitor website for Manchester Christmas market
2. Newspaper article about the market
3. Some reviews on a tourism website

IELTS Writing Task 1: did you analyse?

Did you analyse the map essay I wrote last week, or did you just read it quickly? Here are some things that you might have noticed if you analysed it carefully:

Range of verb tenses, and use of both active and passive:

- has been developed, have been built
- has changed
- can be seen
- is, are, include
- was

Phrases and collocations that would impress the examiner:

- with the introduction of tourism
- new features
- main developments
- the island is accessible
- small huts*
- to accommodate visitors
- physical structures
- in the middle of, to the north of
- completely bare apart from
- where boats can dock*
- a designated swimming area
- the western tip* of the island

*huts, dock and tip might be the words that most impress the examiner in this essay. Can you think why? Does this surprise you?

IELTS Writing Task 2: discuss both views

Last week I asked you to share your "discuss both views" questions. I've chosen a question shared by JK:

Nowadays animal experiments are widely used to develop new medicines and to test the safety of other products. Some people argue that these experiments should be banned because it is morally wrong to cause animals to suffer, while others are in favour of them because of their benefits to humanity.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Here are the steps I would take to answer this question:

• First we need ideas. I would start by writing down some arguments for and against animal testing. I covered this topic in my ebook (chapter 2), so I already have some good ideas in my head.
• Next we can decide on our own view. Looking at the ideas you wrote down, you need to make a decision. A good 'middle point' might be that animal experiments should only be used for the most important medical research.
• Now we need to organise our ideas. Always stick to the 4-paragraph structure; you don't need an extra paragraph for your own view because you agree with elements of the two views stated in the question.
• Finally we're ready to write the essay. Keep your introduction and conclusion short. Spend most of your time on the main body paragraphs.

IELTS Advice: using memorised phrases

Is it acceptable to use memorised phrases in the writing and speaking tests? Well, it depends. Take the sentence below as an example. A student asked me whether it can be used at the beginning of a letter (general writing task 1).

I hope this letter finds you well. Sorry I didn't write to you earlier, but I’ve been working flat out since the moment I arrived home.

Good use:
If the question tells you to begin by explaining to your friend why you haven't contacted him/her for a while, then this sentence would be perfect.

Bad use:
However, if the question does not tell you to explain why you didn't write earlier, the sentence is irrelevant. It will be clear to the examiner that you have used that phrase because it looks good, and not because it fits the question.

Can you see the difference? The examiner will only be impressed if your memorised phrases fit the question perfectly.

IELTS Writing Task 1: maps essay

Here's my full essay for this map question:

The diagrams illustrate some changes to a small island which has been developed for tourism.

It is clear that the island has changed considerably with the introduction of tourism, and six new features can be seen in the second diagram. The main developments are that the island is accessible and visitors have somewhere to stay.

Looking at the maps in more detail, we can see that small huts have been built to accommodate visitors to the island. The other physical structures that have been added are a reception building, in the middle of the island, and a restaurant to the north of the reception. Before these developments, the island was completely bare apart from a few trees.

As well as the buildings mentioned above, the new facilities on the island include a pier, where boats can dock. There is also a short road linking the pier with the reception and restaurant, and footpaths connect the huts. Finally, there is a designated swimming area for tourists off a beach on the western tip of the island.

(175 words, band 9)

IELTS Writing Task 2: discuss both views

Task 2 questions often ask you to Discuss both views and give your own opinion. Here's how I structure a 4-paragraph essay for this kind of question:

1. Introduction (2 sentences):

• First introduce the topic. I often begin with the phrase "People have different views about...".
• In the second sentence, mention both views and your own opinion. I often use the word "although" in this sentence e.g. Although there are good arguments in favour of..., I personally believe that...

2. The first view
3. The second view (I make it clear that I agree with this view)
4. Conclusion: summarise both views and your own opinion

Please share any 'discuss both views' questions that you find difficult in the comments area below. I'll choose one question to look at next week.

Students' questions

1. Can I ask for an explanation if I don't understand a question in the speaking test?

In part 1, you can ask the examiner to repeat a question, but he/she is not allowed to explain what the question means. In part 2, the examiner will not help you. In part 3, you can ask him/her to explain the question in a different way.

2. How can I get band 7 in all four parts?

This is a big problem for many people, and I'm afraid there is no easy solution. You just need to keep practising. Click here for some more advice.

3. Do I need to mention all of the numbers in writing task 1?

No, you don't need to mention all of the numbers; just select the key information. On the other hand, if you don't mention any numbers, you'll get a lower score.

4. Are you sure we don't need a conclusion in writing task 1?

Completely sure. A conclusion is really a 'final judgment', so I prefer to use the word 'summary'. You can put the summary either after the introduction or at the end.

5. Can I improve from 5.5 to 7 in one month?

Probably not. Click here to read my advice.

IELTS Writing Advice: getting an extra half band

Many students need to improve by only half a band to get the score they need. For example, they have a 6.5 and they need a band 7.

Here's some advice if you're in that situation: try to improve in one small area.

Instead of worrying about everything (grammar, vocabulary, organisation etc.), just choose one area to focus on. For example, a small improvement in the quality of your ideas (vocabulary) could lift your score from 6.5 to 7.