IELTS Simon

IELTS Reading: keyword review

Here's a quick review of the keywords in the last four reading lessons here on the blog. As usual, the similar words in the questions and in the passage are what led us to the correct answers.

IELTS Advice: 'tighten up' your writing

I often use the phrasal verb 'tighten up' when I'm talking about improving essays. Here's what I mean when I use this verb:

- Make your writing clear, concise and succinct
- Remove anything that is irrelevant or vague
- Avoid unnecessary repetition
- Check that each sentence follows on logically from the sentence before it
- Make sure that your sentences move your paragraphs forward

Think about the job of an editor (for a newspaper, magazine or book publisher). Editors check other people's writing and "tighten it up" so that it's easier to read. This is what you should try to do with your own writing.

IELTS Grammar: lowest, least, minimum

Look at this sentence from Thursday's lesson:

"The lowest number of attendances was recorded in the 5 to 15 age group."

Can you explain why we can't use "least" or "minimum" instead of "lowest" in this sentence? Note: there's a different problem with each of these two words.

IELTS Speaking Part 2: 'art' topic

We looked at some part 1 questions about 'art' in last Friday's lesson, so let's look at the same topic in part 2 of the speaking test.

Describe a piece of art (a painting, drawing, sculpture or decorative object) that you like. You should say

- what the piece of art is
- where and when you saw it
- what it looks like or what it shows
- and explain why you like this piece of art.

Tip:
Maybe you're worried that you don't like art or you don't have any ideas for this topic. But the task doesn't tell you to describe a famous piece of art. It would be fine to describe a picture that you drew yourself, or perhaps something that a child (a family member) drew at school.

IELTS Writing Task 1: 'hospital attendances' bar chart

The chart below shows figures for attendances at hospital emergency care departments in Northern Ireland by age group in December 2016 and December 2017.

Attendances at emergency care departments per 1000-population

(Source: health-ni.gov.uk)

Use the chart above to fill the gaps in the sentences below.

1. The rate of hospital emergency care attendances in Northern Ireland _____ for all age groups between December 2016 and December 2017.
2. In both of the months shown, the highest number of emergency care visits was recorded for those _____ _____ _____ _____.
3. The _____ number of attendances was recorded in the 5 to 15 age group.

IELTS Writing Task 2: example-led paragraph

One way to write a main body paragraph is by starting (or 'leading') with an example. I call this an example-led paragraph.

Here's a paragraph that I wrote in this way. Notice that I bring in the examples in the second sentence, straight after the topic sentence.

Paragraph topic: employers should not care how employees dress

On the one hand, many employers have stopped telling their staff how to dress, and I see this as a positive trend. Some of the most successful companies in the world, including technology giants like Google and Facebook, are famous for the relaxed office environments that they try to create. Employees are encouraged to dress casually, and even the company executives and leaders are rarely seen wearing anything other than T-shirts and jeans. However, while managers and programmers are free to dress how they like, they are expected to produce work of outstanding quality. It is clear from the performance and global dominance of such companies that strict dress codes are completely unnecessary in the technology sector.

IELTS Listening: multiple choice tips

Last Tuesday I asked you to think about how to deal with difficult multiple choice exercises, particularly in section 3 of the listening test. People shared some great tips in the comments area below the lesson, and I'll try to summarise their advice (and mine) here.

First, some general practice tips (when practising at home, not in the test)

1. Do as much multiple choice practice as you can.
2. Practise multiple choice questions in isolation. In other words, when you're working on multiple choice exercises, don't do any other type of question; work ONLY on multiple choice.
3. Create your own collection of multiple choice exercises. For example, if you have several of the Cambridge IELTS books, you could photocopy all of the multiple choice sections and put them together in one document. This will make it easier to follow tip 2 above.

Analyse your performance very carefully

1. Listening, understanding and following: Try listening to each multiple choice recording without looking at the questions. Stop the recording any time you don't understand something or feel that you're not really following what the speaker is saying. Before you worry about the questions, it's a good idea to assess your own listening ability in this way; perhaps your ability to understand and follow fast speech needs work.
2. If you have problems when you listen without the questions (point 1 above), you need to increase the amount of general listening practice that you do. In other words, your brain needs more exposure to the English language.
3. If you don't have a problem with understanding and following (point 1 above), you can start doing the practice exercises below.

Add variety to your practice. Here are some possible practice exercises:

1. Do multiple choice sections without any preparation time at all, and see how well you do.
2. Try the opposite of exercise 1: give yourself plenty of time to read and fully understand each question and all of the choices.
3. Allow yourself to underline only one key word in each question and in each choice. See if you can get the answers by focusing on those key words only.
4. Allow yourself to listen to the recording more than once. Did you get the right answers the second time or the third time?
5. After each exercise, analyse any difficulties that you had, and identify the exact points where you went wrong.

Finally, here are some test tips (i.e. what to do during the exam)

1. Try to get ahead of time. Several people commented that they start reading the section 3 multiple choice questions during the breaks in sections 1 and 2. If you're really confident with the first two sections, this is a good idea.
2. Underline or circle just one or two key words in each question and in each choice. When listening, try to focus only on those key words.
3. Remember to listen for synonyms and paraphrasing. You won't always hear the exact words from the questions or choices.
4. Have the next question in mind. Keep an eye on the key words for the question below the one that you're trying to answer.
5. Keep your mind on the task, and make sure you're following the recording.
6. Touch your pen on any key words that you hear, and keep confirming that you are in the right place.
7. If you miss something, move on and find your place as quickly as possible by listening for a key word.

Quick summary: do lots of practice, experiment with exam techniques, and analyse everything!

IELTS Reading: 'short answer' questions

I haven't made many lessons about 'short answer' questions. They are not very common in the reading test, and I think they are quite easy. Try the example exercise below, and watch this video lesson if you want some more help and practice.

Read the following passage about humour.

Many theories exist about what humour is and what social function it serves. The prevailing types of theories attempting to account for the existence of humour include psychological theories, the vast majority of which consider humour-induced behaviour to be very healthy; spiritual theories, which may, for instance, consider humour to be a "gift from God"; and theories which consider humour to be an unexplainable mystery, very much like a mystical experience.

Answer the question below using ONE word only.

Which group of theories about humour describe it as being good for us?

IELTS Advice: opposite answers

Have another look at the negative answers that I gave in Friday's lesson. What would the opposite (positive) answers be? For example:

Question
Did you enjoy doing art lessons when you were a child?

Negative answer
No I didn't. I was never very good at drawing or painting, and I found art lessons quite slow and boring. I preferred language and science lessons.

Opposite answer (positive)
Yes I did. I was always quite good at drawing and painting, and I found art lessons enjoyable and fascinating. Art was one of my favourite subjects.

Practice tip:
Look through some more sample answers, and see if you can give the opposite answer or express the opposite opinion. The ability to see both sides could be really useful in the speaking and writing tests.

Language Learning Advice: immersion and culture

Here are two things to consider if you're trying to improve your English:

Immersion

You'll almost certainly learn English more quickly if you "immerse" yourself in it, and the easiest way to do this is by living in a country where English is spoken. If you can't move abroad, try to spend time with English native speakers on a regular basis. If that isn't possible either, there are ways to create your own English environment, perhaps at home or online. For example, you could spend an hour each day watching online videos in English, or reading books and articles in the language.

Immersion is about the environment in which you put yourself. Surround yourself with English and your brain will be forced to adapt to your new environment.

Culture

Language and culture go hand in hand. I believe that you'll learn English faster if you take an active interest in some aspect of the culture of English native speakers. For example, if you're studying business, you might find it interesting to immerse yourself in American business culture; you could watch videos and read books about business leaders like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs or Warren Buffett, and you could try to assimilate their ideas and copy the language that they use.

Here's an even simpler example: When I taught 'normal' English lessons (before I became an IELTS teacher), I used to choose a weekly English TV programme and ask my students to watch it. This gave us a shared interest, and it encouraged my students to 'step into' the local culture.

IELTS Speaking Part 1: 'art' topic, negative answers

Have a look at my answers to the four questions below. My aim was to demonstrate that it's fine to give negative answers in part 1 of the speaking test.

1. Did you enjoy doing art lessons when you were a child?

No I didn't. I was never very good at drawing or painting, and I found art lessons quite slow and boring. I preferred language and science lessons.

2. Do you ever draw or paint pictures now?

No, I don't draw or paint these days, because there's never any need for me to create art at work, and I still don't enjoy art as a hobby.

3. When was the last time you went to an art gallery or exhibition?

I honestly can't remember the last time I went to any kind of art exhibition; I'm not much of an art fan, and I tend to go to music concerts, the cinema or the theatre instead of art shows.

4. What kind of pictures do you like having in your home?

I don't have any paintings or artistic images in my home, but I do have photos of family members and some nice photos of landscapes on the walls to brighten the place up.

IELTS Writing Task 1: avoid common mistakes

Here's some advice to help you avoid common mistakes in IELTS writing task 1:

1. Don't copy the question for your introduction. You should paraphrase the question (i.e. rewrite it using some different words).
2. Don't forget to separate your paragraphs clearly.
3. Don't forget to write a good summary/overview of the information. A quick one-sentence conclusion is not good enough. I prefer to put the overview straight after the introduction, and I try to write 2 sentences describing the information in general. You won't get a high score if you don't write a good overview.
4. Don't describe items separately (e.g. 2 lines on a graph). You should always try to compare things if it is possible to do so. Instead of describing 2 lines separately, compare the 2 lines at key points.
5. Don't try to describe every number on a chart or graph (unless there are only a few numbers). A key skill in task 1 is being able to select the key information and describe or compare it well. I usually mention around 6 or 7 numbers in my main paragraphs.
6. Don't spend longer than 20 minutes on task 1. Practise spending 5 minutes on each of your 4 paragraphs. Stop yourself after 20 minutes; remember that task 2 is worth more marks.

IELTS Writing Task 2: 'dress code' essay skeleton

Here's my 'essay skeleton' for the question below.

Question
Some people think that employers should not care about the way their employees dress, because what matters is the quality of their work. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Introduction (balanced opinion)
In the modern workplace, dress codes are changing as employers focus more on results than on the rules that employees must follow. While I agree that the way people dress should be seen as irrelevant in many work contexts, I believe that dress codes still exist for good reason in certain professions.

Topic sentence, paragraph 2
On the one hand, many employers have stopped telling their staff how to dress, and I see this as a positive trend.

Topic sentence, paragraph 3
However, I would also argue that rules regarding employees' clothing are still relevant or necessary in other work situations.

Conclusion
In conclusion, I support the trend towards relaxed dress codes for workers, but I do not see it as applicable to all occupations or sectors of the economy.

IELTS Listening: section 3, multiple choice

A couple of weeks ago, in this lesson, I said that section 4 was the most difficult part of the listening test. But several people wrote comments below the lesson telling me that they found section 3 to be the most difficult.

The problem with section 3 is that it often contains a big multiple choice exercise. Here are a few reasons why multiple choice questions are so tricky:

• There's so much information to read. You might not have time to read all of the questions and choices before the recording starts.
• It's easy to get 'lost' as you listen to the recording and try to assess the different choices for each question. Your brain is doing too much multitasking!
• Sometimes the choices are very similar, and you will probably hear at least one key word from each choice. Unless you listen very carefully, you might be 'tricked' into making the wrong choice.
• The speaker may say something but then contradict it in the next sentence (another type of 'trick').

So how can you deal with all of these problems? How can you train yourself to be better at the multiple choice questions in section 3?

Feel free to share ideas or ask questions in the comments area below this lesson. I'll read the comments, take the best tips, and add my own advice; I'll give you my multiple choice training tips next Tuesday.

IELTS Reading: gap-fill and keywords

Here's part of an exercise from Cambridge IELTS book 12 (test 5, passage 2). The exercise is quite easy, but it contains some good 'keywords'.

Collecting as a hobby

Many collectors collect to develop their social life, attending meetings of a group of collectors and exchanging information on items. This is a variant on joining a bridge club or gym, and similarly brings them into contact with like-minded people.

Another motive for collecting is the desire to find something special, or a particular example of a collected item, such as a rare early recording by a particular singer. Some may spend their whole lives in a hunt for this. Psychologically, this can give a purpose to a life that otherwise feels aimless.

Complete each sentence below with ONE word from the passage.

1. Collectors’ clubs provide opportunities to share ………. .
2. Collectors’ clubs offer ………. with people who have similar interests.
3. Collecting sometimes involves a life-long ………. for a special item.
4. Searching for something particular may prevent people from feeling their life is completely ………. .

Which 'keywords' in the questions and in the passage helped you to get the answers?

IELTS Advice: 10 study tips

I first published the following video in 2014, but as the first tip in the video is "you need a method" (the same tip that I gave in yesterday's lesson), I thought it would be a good time to repost it.

These are still my top ten study tips, four years after I recorded them:
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And here's an audio recording in case you can't see the video:

Click here to listen

IELTS Advice: the first thing that I say

When people ask me for general advice about how to improve their IELTS scores, the first thing that I say to them is: you need a method for everything.

Do you have a method or a way of approaching every part of the test? If you don't have a method, you're not as well prepared as you could be.

IELTS Speaking Part 1: 'art' topic

How would you answer the following questions, which come from Cambridge IELTS book 12 (test 8)?

1. Did you enjoy doing art lessons when you were a child?

2. Do you ever draw or paint pictures now?

3. When was the last time you went to an art gallery or exhibition?

4. What kind of pictures do you like having in your home?

Remember: One sentence is enough. Just give a direct answer and a reason.

IELTS Writing Task 1: don't describe lines separately

I've given this advice before, but I think it will be useful to look at an example of what happens when you describe lines separately.

In the first comment below last week's lesson, a student called Beyonce tried describing the three lines on this graph separately. Here are Beyonce's main paragraphs:

..........

In 1997, the top spending category (at $260) was business visitors. It rose by about a third to peak in 2002/3, and then dropped by nearly half. In the decade to 2015, it fluctuated wildly but the trend remained flat.

Spending by those visiting friends or relatives began much lower and also peaked in the early 2000s and then, after falling back to around its original figure, recovered slowly but comparatively steadily, to end the period as the highest spending category at $250 per day, significantly more than its original value, and $40 above the final business figure.

The last cohort, people visiting friends or relatives, remained in third place throughout, and, apart from doubling early on, showed much less variability in general, trailing away in from its peak to a $140 endpoint.

..........

Analysis:

In a later comment below last week's lesson, Beyonce agreed that her description seemed "mechanical": most of her sentences seem to follow an "It did this, then it did this" format. And of course, the main problem is that there aren't any true comparisons between the three categories in her paragraphs.

Looking at Beyonce's writing, I can see that her level of English is very good. But if she experiments like this in her test, she's likely to get a lower score than she deserves. There's no need to experiment; just follow my advice and try to write like this.

IELTS Writing Task 2: make your 'position' clear

If you want to get a band 7 or higher for 'task response' (which is 25% of your task 2 score), your "position" needs to be clear "throughout the response".

The means that you need to answer the question clearly and directly in your introduction, explain and support your answer in the main body paragraphs, and repeat (paraphrase) or summarise your answer in the conclusion.

Look at the three introductions below. Do all three of them present a clear "position"? Which introduction would you prefer to use?

Here's the question again:
Some people think that employers should not care about the way their employees dress, because what matters is the quality of their work. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Introduction 1
In the modern workplace, dress codes are changing as employers focus more on results than on the rules that employees must follow. There are strong arguments for both points of view.

Introduction 2
In the modern workplace, dress codes are changing as employers focus more on results than on the rules that employees must follow. I completely agree with the view that workers should be judged on their work alone, and that they should be allowed to dress however they want.

Introduction 3
In the modern workplace, dress codes are changing as employers focus more on results than on the rules that employees must follow. While I agree that the way people dress should be seen as irrelevant in many work contexts, I believe that dress codes still exist for good reason in certain professions.

IELTS Listening: multiple choice keywords

For multiple choice questions in the listening test, try to underline just one or two keywords in each choice before the recording starts. It's much easier to focus on the difference between each choice if you've underlined the right keywords. Here's an example (from Cambridge IELTS 10):

Question:

What helped Rob to prepare to play the character of a doctor?

A) the stories his grandfather told him
B) the times when he watched his grandfather working
C) the way he imagined his grandfather at work

Transcript of Rob speaking:

I have to write about the role I played, the doctor, how I developed the character. My grandfather was a doctor before he retired, and I just based it on him. He must have all sorts of stories, but he never says much about his work. I'd visualise what he must have been like in the past, when he was sitting in his consulting room listening to his patients.

Answer?

Notice that all three choices (A, B and C) are about the grandfather, so the keywords that I underlined are stories, watched and imagined. Which is the right answer?

IELTS Reading: paragraph headings exercise

Match two of the following headings with the paragraphs below. I'll reveal the correct answers tomorrow.

1. Rapid sales of printing presses.
2. The revolutionary impact of the printing press.
3. New information and ideas.
4. The printing boom.

From a single point of origin, Mainz, Germany, printing spread within several decades to over two hundred cities in a dozen European countries. By 1500, printing presses in operation throughout Western Europe had already produced more than twenty million volumes. In the 16th century, with presses spreading further afield, their output rose tenfold to an estimated 150 to 200 million copies. The operation of a press became so synonymous with the enterprise of printing that it lent its name to an entire new branch of media, the press.

In Renaissance Europe, the arrival of mechanical movable type printing introduced the era of mass communication which permanently altered the structure of society. The relatively unrestricted circulation of information and ideas transcended borders and threatened the power of political and religious authorities. The sharp increase in literacy broke the monopoly of the literate elite on education and learning and bolstered the emerging middle class.

IELTS Vocabulary: collocations and phrases

There were some really good collocations and phrases in the letter that I wrote last Sunday. Note them down, even if you're not doing the General Training test.

• recommend someone for something
• work closely with someone
• provide a reference
• highly qualified
• have significant (sales, teaching, management) experience
• to be given a post / job / position
• demonstrate skills
• exceptional skills
• organisation skills
• team building skills
• describe someone as (dedicated, hard-working, enthusiastic)
• professionalism in (e.g. in the classroom, in her job, in the workplace)
• commitment to something
• the perfect candidate ('ideal candidate' is another common collocation)
• If you have any further questions
• do not hesitate to contact me

IELTS Advice: 3 hours!

A student called Wanda left a really good piece of advice in the comments area below Wednesday's lesson. I think it's worth repeating the advice so that more people read it.

Here's what Wanda wrote:

"The IELTS exam takes three hours, so to my mind you should be used to spending at least this long thinking in English every day. Anything less, and your mind will be exhausted with the effort on exam day."

So, ask yourself this question: Are you regularly using English or thinking in English for three hours each day?

IELTS Speaking Part 3: "For example..."

In part 3 of the speaking test, you should try to give longer, more detailed answers. A great way to do this is by giving an example.

However, I've noticed that students often forget to give an example, even when I've just told them to answer using the three steps: 1) direct answer 2) explain 3) give an example.

Here's the solution to this problem: when answering in part 3, force yourself to say the words "for example". When I force my students to say these words, they always manage to find an example, and the result is that they always give better answers. Try it: just force yourself to say the words "for example", and see what happens.

IELTS Writing Task 1: 'range' and 'flexibilty'

If you look at the band 7 description for 'lexical resource' (vocabulary), you'll see the words 'range' and 'flexibility'. You need to use a range of vocabulary in a flexible way.

But how can we demonstrate 'range' in such a short piece of writing? And what does 'flexibility' really mean in this context?

Let's look at two aspects of my most recent line graph answer.

1) Paraphrasing:

• average daily expenditure / daily spending / spent... per day
• types of traveller / international visitors / travellers / people visiting / those visiting
• holidaymakers / tourists / vacationers
• friends or relatives / relations or friends / loved ones

2) Repetition:

• spent the most
• spent the least
• spent an average of
• spent around
• spent less than
• spent roughly
• spending was at its highest
• spending increased dramatically
• spending suddenly fell
• spending had risen to approximately

For me, paraphrasing is probably the best way to demonstrate 'range' and 'flexibility'. You are using a range of vocabulary items and your English is 'flexible' because you are able to describe the same thing in a number of different ways.

Repetition is interesting, especially because most IELTS students see it as a bad thing. This is not always true!

If you're describing a graph that shows spending, it's almost impossible to avoid repetition of the words 'spent', 'spending' and 'expenditure'. However, if you use these key words in a variety of contexts (i.e. with different words around them), I think you are demonstrating 'flexible use'. You are showing that you are able to use the same word in a number of different ways. I would also argue that you are demonstrating 'control' or 'precision' if you can do this without making mistakes; repetition is not necessarily as easy as it looks!

IELTS Writing Task 2: 'employee dress code' topic

Last week I asked you to think about how we could give a balanced answer to the question below.

Some people think that employers should not care about the way their employees dress, because what matters is the quality of their work. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Here's my suggestion: start by thinking of real examples.

• Are there any companies that allow employees to dress casually or wear whatever clothes they want? Yes. Technology companies like Google and Facebook are famous for their relaxed dress codes. They aim to create an informal, fun and creative environment.
• Now let's think about the opposite: In which jobs would casual clothes seem strange or inappropriate? Perhaps we could write about doctors, lawyers, teachers or even sales people. We usually expect these people to dress in a smart and professional manner.

I think these examples help us to see that the way employees dress depends on the type of company or job. This is a good way to give a balanced answer.

IELTS Listening: section 4

Section 4 is the most difficult part of the listening test for the following reasons:

• There is no break in the middle of the 10 questions
• You hear one speaker giving a fairly long talk or lecture
• The speaker will speak quite quickly
• A wider range of vocabulary is used, compared to the other sections

Here's my tip: Don't worry too much about this section. Spend most of your time practising sections 1, 2 and 3.

Try to get as many points from the other three sections as you can, and this will allow you to lose points in section 4. Remember that you can make 10 mistakes and still get a band 7.

IELTS Reading: true, false, not given

Read the following passage and try the quick exercise below it.

Hell Creek is heaven for paleontologists. The Montanan wildlife refuge is rife with clay and stones that hold clues to our prehistoric past. It was in Hell Creek that researchers from the University of Kansas recently stumbled on the remains of a young Tyrannosaurus rex—they think.

Fossils from various periods have been found there, and this isn't the first T. rex fossil to be found, but University of Kansas scientists think it could be one of the most intact. The entire fossil remains of the upper part of the dinosaur's jaw, with all its teeth, was found. Paleontologists dug up parts of a skull, foot, hips, and backbones. If the remains do in fact belong to a T. rex, that would make them around 66 million years old. Adding to the rarity of the find is the fact that the fossils may belong to a juvenile.

Further work will determine whether the team actually has a T. rex on their hands, or possibly a Nanotyrannus, a tiny genus of tyrannosaur that's a matter of scientific debate. Many paleontologists think that so-called Nanotyrannus fossils are actually juvenile T. rex specimens.

(Source: news.nationalgeographic.com)

Are the following statements true, false or not given?

1. Researchers have discovered a new fossil in Hell Creek, Montana.
2. It is thought that the unearthed bones belong to a mature Tyrannosaurus rex.
3. Some paleontologists doubt whether the Nanotyrannus actually existed.

IELTS General Writing: 'job reference' answer

Here's my band 9 model answer for the 'job reference' task in last Sunday's lesson:

Notes:
- We could also begin this letter with "To whom it may concern".
- We don't really need to include the job title "Director, Sheffield English Academy", but I've included it to make the letter seem a little more realistic.
- Notice that I chose to write about a job that is familiar to me (English teacher). I imagined writing a reference for a real ex-colleague of mine, and I simply changed a few names.
- There are some good words, collocations and phrases in the letter. Note them down and try to use them yourself.