IELTS Simon

IELTS Reading: finding and understanding

IELTS reading is really a test of 2 things:

1. Can you find the part of the text that contains the answer?
2. Do you understand that part of the text?

Finding
You need to be able to find the right part of the text quickly. I practise this a lot with my students: we decide which words in the question we need to search for, then we try to locate those words (or words with the same meaning) in the text.

Understanding
When you have found where the answer is, you need to read that part of the text carefully. Read the sentences before and after the keywords that you found. Then it becomes a test of your vocabulary knowledge: if you don't understand the words that you are reading, it will be difficult to get the right answer.

IELTS Grammar: not following advice leads to mistakes!

In Thursday's lesson I suggested some phrases that could be used in a task 1 introduction sentence.

However, I noticed below the lesson that some students had used their own ideas instead of my suggested phrases. Unfortunately this led to some big mistakes in the sentences below:

1. The bar chart portraits the three different environmental unfriendly techniques for recycling the waste management in various countries of Europe.
2. The bar chart depicts data about the percentage of recycled waste that is put into a landfill, an incinerator, or have been disposed of in other ways which are done in various EU countries.
3. The bar chart shows the percentage waste that is recycled.Meanwhile, put into landfill, incinerated, or disposed of in other ways in various EU countries.

Can you see the mistakes that could have been avoided if the students had used my suggestions?

IELTS Writing Task 1: 'recycling' chart introduction

Let's write an introduction for the chart in last week's lesson. Here's the task description again:

The chart below compares levels of recycling, as well as some less environmentally friendly forms of waste management, in fifteen European countries.

Here are some suggestions for paraphrasing:

• The chart compares = The bar chart shows
• levels of recycling = the percentage of waste that is recycled
• less environmentally friendly forms of waste management = put into landfill, incinerated, or disposed of in other ways
• in fifteen European countries = in various EU countries

Can you use the suggestions above to make a new introduction sentence?

IELTS Writing Task 2: 'recycling' essay skeleton

Here's the recycling question from last week, with my essay 'skeleton' below it.

Some people claim that not enough of the waste from homes is recycled. They say that the only way to increase recycling is for governments to make it a legal requirement.

To what extent do you think laws are needed to make people recycle more of their waste?

..........

Introduction
It is true that we do not recycle enough of our household waste. Although I accept that new legislation to force people to recycle could help this situation, I do not agree that a recycling law is the only measure that governments should take.

Topic sentence for first main paragraph
In my view, a new recycling law would be just one possible way to tackle the waste problem.

Topic sentence for second main paragraph
However, I believe that governments should do more than simply introduce a recycling law.

Conclusion
In conclusion, I disagree with the idea that making recycling a legal requirement is the only way to encourage people to recycle their household waste.

..........

The introduction, main paragraph topic sentences and conclusion should give you a clear and coherent outline of my answer. The only thing missing is the detailed explanation in each main body paragraph. We'll look at ideas for the main body next week.

IELTS Listening: an interesting idea, with gap-fill

Watch the following talk about a very interesting idea, then fill the gaps in the summary below.

...
Fill each gap with just one word:

The large number of ______ places around the world hold huge economic ______. The speaker’s new addressing system doesn’t rely on GPS coordinates, which are too ______. Instead, it divides the world into around 57 trillion three-metre squares. Each square is named ______ with just three words. The system uses 40,000 words, and it is currently available in ______ different languages. Three-word addresses are now being used by hospitals, postal services, the UN, and even ______ delivery drivers.

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IELTS Advice: sample answer analysis

Yesterday I suggested that you analyse sample answers carefully, instead of just reading them and then forgetting them. So here's a quick analysis of two of Friday's sample speaking answers:

Answer 1

• 4 sentences: topic sentence then 3 advantages
• Organising: I think... / First,... / Another benefit would be... / Finally, it seems to me that...
• Good vocabulary: clear advantages, lack of traffic or industry, the average city, sense of community, everyone knows each other, the pace of life, laid back, the hustle and bustle
• Interesting grammar: second sentence begins with a subordinate clause using 'with'

Answer 3

• 3 sentences: direct answer, explanation, the opposite or alternative
• Organising: Yes, think... / A visit can be both... and... / If schools don't offer...
• Good vocabulary: both relaxing and educational, walks in the fresh air, may never have seen before, offer this opportunity, life outside the city
• Interesting grammar: adding information using 'especially', use of semicolon to expand on one idea, first conditional sentence to imagine the alternative

Can you analyse answer 2 in the same way?

IELTS Advice: always analyse!

Did you analyse yesterday's sample answers carefully, perhaps by copying or printing them, highlighting certain ideas, or taking notes? Or did you simply read them once and then forget them?

Obviously you'll learn much more if you spend the time to study sample answers carefully. For example, how many sentences did each of my answers in yesterday's lesson contain? What was the job of each sentence? Did I use any nice phrases that you could 'steal'?

IELTS Writing Task 1: recycling chart

Following on from yesterday's task 2 topic, let's look at a task 1 bar chart about recycling and waste management.

The chart below compares levels of recycling, as well as some less environmentally friendly forms of waste management, in fifteen European countries.

Landfill: burying waste in the ground
Incineration: disposal of waste by burning
Composting: using decayed organic waste as fertiliser

IELTS Writing Task 2: 'recycling' topic

A few people have asked me to look at the question below, from Cambridge IELTS book 11.

Some people claim that not enough of the waste from homes is recycled. They say that the only way to increase recycling is for governments to make it a legal requirement.

To what extent do you think laws are needed to make people recycle more of their waste?

Before we start, what would your opinion be?

IELTS Grammar: instead of 'rules'

Instead of trusting the grammar 'rules' that you find in a book, why not do your own investigating to see exactly how a word or phrase is used by native English speakers?

This is what I was encouraging you to do in yesterday's lesson about the word "alike". Instead of explaining the grammar rules, I simply showed you some correct sentences that contained the word. I gave you a 'model' or 'pattern' that you can use to make your own sentences.

Click here to see another example of a lesson in which I used 'model' sentences instead of rules to show how a word is used.

IELTS Grammar: copy sentence 'patterns'

In last Saturday's lesson I suggested that you write a sentence using the word 'alike'. I gave you a model sentence, so you only needed to follow the 'pattern' of that sentence. Let's look at some examples.

1. Model sentence:
Video cameras make cities safer for inhabitants and visitors alike.

2. New sentence following exactly the same pattern:
Teaching assistants make lessons easier for students and teachers alike.

3. New sentence with the same basic pattern:
The school website can be used by students, teachers and parents alike.

Can you see how I used exactly the same sentence pattern in number 2, and that I made a few changes in number 3?

IELTS Writing Task 2: you don't need to use an eraser

A Japanese student wrote to me about an interesting cultural difference:

"In Japan, students are told to correct their work using an eraser. They are not allowed to insert words or cross words out."

This is not true in the IELTS exam. You don't need to waste time using an eraser. Your writing needs to be clear, but it doesn't have to be perfect.

IELTS Reading: collecting vocabulary

Whenever you read something in English, it's a good idea to write useful vocabulary in a notebook. But don't just write individual words, write the related words too. For example, do you know which verb is usually used with the noun "commitment"?

As an example, read the following short text:

A New Year’s resolution is a commitment that an individual makes to a personal goal, project, or the reforming of a habit in the coming year. Some examples include resolutions to lose weight, learn something new, or give up a habit such as smoking.

Recent research shows that while 52% of participants in a resolution study were confident of success with their goals, only 12% actually achieved their goals. A separate study in 2007 at the University of Bristol showed that 78% of those who set New Year’s resolutions fail.

Men achieved their goal 22% more often when they engaged in goal setting, a system where small measurable goals are set, while women succeeded 10% more when they made their goals public and got support from their friends.

Here is some key vocabulary from the text:

• make a commitment to something
• give up a habit
• be confident of something
• set measurable goals
• make something public
• get support from

Remember: understanding the meaning of a word is not the same as being able to use it correctly.

IELTS Grammar: mistakes with 'alike'

Several people wrote sentences below yesterday's lesson, but some of them contained mistakes. Can you correct the sentences below?

1. The two teachers had alike ideas about using technology in education.
2. My three children had received an academic reward alike at the end of the term.
3. The profits gained from the selling of bouquets of flowers are given for the sellers and the poor alike.
4. CCTV footage confirm your safety, prevent losing of precious items from footpath,shopping mall and alike.

IELTS Grammar: 'alike'

1) The word 'alike' can be used as an adjective, meaning 'similar'.

e.g. The two brothers look alike.

2) It can also be an adverb meaning 'in the same way'.

e.g. The brothers often dress alike.

3) But did you notice how I used 'alike' in last week's essay?:

Video cameras make cities safer for inhabitants, workers and visitors alike.

Task:
Can you write a sentence using 'alike' in the way that I used it in point 3 above?

IELTS Speaking Part 2: 'countryside' answer

Describe an enjoyable day out in the countryside that you had.
You should say

- where you went on this day out
- who you were with
- what you did
- and explain why you enjoyed the day

Here's my sample answer for the task above. I've tried to use most of the phrases from this lesson.

I’m going to describe a recent trip to a lovely place called the Tissington Trail. The Tissington Trail is a path or track that follows the route of a former railway line through beautiful countryside in the county of Derbyshire, here in the UK. The old railway line was taken up many years ago, and it was transformed into a recreational trail that is ideal for walkers, cyclists and horse riders.

I went to the Tissington Trail because we had some family members, my brother and sister-in-law and their daughter, staying with us over the weekend. They had come up to Manchester from London, and they wanted my wife and me to take them somewhere where they could breathe in some fresh countryside air and get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

To reach the trail we had to park in Tissington itself, which is a charming, picturesque village. We hired some bicycles there and set off along the trail. It was an easy ride because the trail is mostly flat, with just a few gentle dips and inclines, and we were able to enjoy the stunning scenery as we passed through areas of woodland, a dramatic limestone ravine, and grassy meadows that were covered with colourful wild flowers.

The part of the day that I enjoyed the most was when we cycled through a historic railway tunnel on our bicycles. The tunnel has been fitted with a sound installation that plays eerie steam train noises as you pass through it; we all loved the idea that the sounds transport you back in time, and that you feel like you’re on an old steam train with its whistles and clunking machinery. It was a really nice day out, and we all enjoyed relaxing in the village tearoom at the end of our bike ride.

IELTS Writing Task 2: band 7-9 vocabulary

Let's look at the 'band 7-9' vocabulary from last week's essay:

• video surveillance
• has become commonplace
• an invasion of privacy
• reasons why people might disapprove of
• The first objection is that
• we are constantly being watched by the authorities
  
• private security firms
• intrusive
• a form of state control
• curtails their individual freedom
• the proliferation of CCTV cameras
• police officers patrolling the streets
• to monitor public areas
• to deter criminals
• petty criminals like shoplifters and pickpockets
• less likely to operate in parts of cities
• video evidence to catch and prosecute offenders
• offer valuable support to police officers
• make cities safer for inhabitants, workers and visitors alike
• we gain more than we lose
• the enhanced security that CCTV cameras bring

Note:
Only one phrase in the list above is a linking / organising phrase. Can you see it? All of the other items on the list are what I call "topic vocabulary".

IELTS Reading: recent keywords

Here's another keyword table, showing vocabulary from the three most recent reading lessons here on the blog.

Note:
Did you notice that the word "weed" appears twice in this table? In the first row of the table, "weed" is a noun, but in the sixth row it becomes part of the phrasal verb "weed out", which means "eliminate" or "remove".

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IELTS Grammar: verb tenses in general writing

Have another look at the letter that I shared last Sunday (even if you're not doing the General test), and you'll see that I used a variety of verb tenses.

Can you name the verb tenses in the phrases below?

1. I'm just writing to offer you
2. I won't be able to use
3. I told you I was going to a gig
4. there's a guitarist who's playing this Saturday
5. you'll be blown away
6. the concert starts at 7pm
7. I've been asked to visit a client
8. if you're free on Saturday
9. he'll be going to the gig