IELTS Listening: capital letters and plurals

Here are two common questions about the IELTS listening test:

1. Is it acceptable to use lower case instead of upper case e.g. "central station" when the answer is "Central Station"?
2. Will you lose marks if you miss the "s" when the answer should be plural?

Here are my answers:

1. Using lower case is fine, so "central station" would be correct. You can even write everything in capital letters if you want.
2. Missing the "s" is sometimes acceptable and sometimes not. It's not acceptable when the grammar requires a plural e.g. "the journey takes three hour" would be wrong. Some answers can be singular or plural. Check the context of the question and the sentence grammar carefully.

Comments

[bonnie]

thanks simon!

[hi,]

I am thankful for today's lesson Sir!

[Atif]

Actually, thank you for the " lessons" , you know :)))

[zarah]

Hi everyone,

Please can anyone tell me if these statements are correct....

Although there are convincing arguments on both the sides I believe its true to a certain extent. (written in Task2 agree /disagree question)

Mobile and internet users were nil till 1996. (Im not sure about using nil!? Task 1)

[Tim]

Hello, Simon...
Thank you for your daily lessons, I do appreciate them!
There is a question regarding to the writing section..Whenever I write at classroom I lose my inspiration, compared to the contrary trend at domestic environment...I think this would adversely effect my exam result as well...How to boost the flow of words or automatically write essays fluently without the necessity of inspiration?...
Warm regards, Tim

[Ashik]

Hello Simon,My speaking level is 5.5 to 6.00.But in this 19 july was held my speaking exam.I don't know why Examiner try to make me hassle.Finaly my speaking was really so bowls up.I was crying finished my exam.Examiner never provide me atleast 5.I am damn sure.

[vuong ho]

thank simon

[desi_don]

Regarding question 2, I would say you must use plural if the question directly reveals that the answer should be plural and you must include singular if the question suggests that you should use singular.

For example, if article "a" is written before a gap, then it clearly indicates that the answer is going to be singular. Similarly, words like many, some suggest that the answer will be plural.

[desi_don]

To zarah,

I would say your first question regarding task2 looks fine to me,but having convincing arguments on both sides means you're almost going to write both ways. I'd probably use the word "there are reasonable arguments for ...., I believe that...."

2. Depending on the graph, it is possible to use "nil". However, in my view, you should use words like "there were no users" and most likely there may not be any data. It doesn't mean there were no users. It all depends on the graph. I think you might have found a graph whose information is given from 1996. Check it carefully. I may be wrong.

Regards

[Zarah]

Thank you desi_don for answering, actually my task 2 question was about children given too much freedom nowadays...I meant to say that although there are convincing arguments on both sides I believe it's true to a certain extent. I wonder if the examiner will really understand what I meant to say....anyways too late for anything, I'm praying that I get 7 in writing.

Is "NIL" an academic word!?

[zarah]

Hi everyone
Finally got the required score....my third attempt was on 12th july and thanks to Simon ebook and this wonderful site got the following score...
L- 9
R- 8
W-7.5
S- 8

I would advice everyone who is struggling in writing (esp doctors) to write the essays in the required time instead of assuming that you would do well in the exam and simply reading them. Simon templates for task 2 essays are really wonderful as it gives you a format to follow whatever the topic is. Thanks a lot simon for helping out so many.

Kind regards
zarah

[Avanthi]

Please give me the e mail address to send the IELTS exam questions I got last week in Sri Lanka

[kelly]

Hi Simon,
I took the ielts on 2nd August, I have one question in section 2 which talk about car. the question is keep the window_. I written with close, but then i find the video pronunce keep the window closed. Am I lost mark for that? thanks
kelly

[madina]

Hi, Simon. Is it really possible to use only capital letters in listening? I am taking IELTS tomorrow, hence I would love to clarify it.

[Riko]

i tried to enter the IELTS exam 4 times ago every time i got 6 in speaking, actually i need 7, i study with my self every times, but i found this website by a chance, it is great. do you think the score which i need is easy.
L:6.5
S:7
W:6.5
R:6
i need any one to practice speaking with me in skype(tarek_ali_
esmail

[sarwar]

dear friends i have a question and answer will be highly appreciated that can we use capital letters in essay writing.anticipatory thanks

[Sam]

Hi Simon My exam on this week on 18 April 2015 plz send Me ielts material

[N.I.Shajib]

Hi simon,,,
What is best way to improve in speaking??

[klan]

I will be sitting for my ielts next month, being May,please send ielts tips to me

[Khoeurn Sokkheng]

Dear Simon,
To begin, I would like to say thank you so much for your daily lesson and it is a very useful foe international students such as me. Also, I really need the band score for IELTS as following:
L: 6
R:6
W:6.5
S:6.5
W
However, I think that it is not easy for me to take it so I completely need more English improvement.
Finally, I also want to improve my English IELTS through partner learning so if any one is interesting please add me as Skype name at: khoeurn.sokkheng1
With best regards,
Sokkheng , Cambodia country

[Ar]

Is it correct to write email address as
[email protected]

[rahul]

Hi,
I took the exam last week.

I am a bit worried now. I have a doubt if a word in listening can be written by using the first letter in upper case and the rest in lower case (not a proper noun and not the first word of the sentence)

Eg: Sam is busy in the _________. "The answer is morning" (will I lose a mark if I answer it as -- Morning).

[Simon]

Don't worry rahul. They don't care about upper or lower case in the listening test.

[Joy]

Hi Simon,

My name is Joy from China. I'm preparing for the IELTS in Rwanda. But i was heard the exams in China are different from here in Rwanda. Is it true? I am using the materials bought from China.

Thank you so much.

[IELTS friend]

Oh god. I am getting annoyed with this lower and upper case in listening and reading. I am really not able to figure out what to choose.

SIMON,

I kindly request you to show a sample of listening and reading answer sheets of students who have written all their answers in capital letters.

I really request you for this. There are many like me who are dying to see it live to believe if we can in detail understand how to answer capitals or lowercase with some exceptional answers for which we need to put capitals.

PLEASE HELP OUT SIMONE.

[Simon]

Please stop worrying about this! The following answers are all correct:

- Central Station
- central station
- CENTRAL STATION
- Central station

Please just believe what I'm saying: they don't care about lower and upper case in the reading and listening tests.

[sohit chhabra]

Hi

I would like to know that in the listening test while writing answers if we miss articles or some small words, will the answer still be correct.
For example, in answer, if I write study problems instead of any study problems and give presentation instead of give a presentation.

Thank You

[mikee]

Hi I just want to ask about listening part...

If I heard the word in plural form, but on the answer sheet was asking in singular form, which should I follow? the speaker or the paper?

Thanks

[Cindy]

Hi Simon, it would be OK if I write everything in capital letters? I mean the whole exam: Reading, writing, listening

[Rufat]

Hi everybody. Could anyone help me please? Is it considered right if I write plural instead of singular as long as grammar is correct?

[amir]

hi simon
, in Cambridge 6 test 2 , no.17 the answer is seat reservations , i am confused why singular form of reservation is incorrect while it seems grammatically correct

[Hadi kayhani]

Hi
Upper case ,lower case question again.Is it ok if we put sunday instead of Sunday or germany instead of Germaney or january instead of January or even simon for Simon?

[Simon]

Hadi,

Yes, it's fine. They don't care about upper / lower case in the listening test.