IELTS Simon

Message from Simon: I'm on holiday

I'm taking just over a week off work, for a short holiday, and I won't be updating my blog or answering emails while I'm away.

My ebook, video course, writing course, and teacher training newsletters are still available as normal.

My next blog post will be on Thursday 1st August. See you then!

IELTS Reading: keep to a time schedule

A student asked me the following question:

"In the reading test I always spend too much time on the first two sections and never reach passage 3. How can I change this habit?"

I think the student already knew what my answer would be:

"You need to be more disciplined and force yourself to keep to a time schedule in the test."

Remember:

- Spend 20 minutes on each passage.
- Miss any questions that seem too difficult.
- Move on if a question is taking you too long.
- Get to the end of the test, and return to the questions you missed.

IELTS Advice: you can't prepare everything!

Many students write to me because they are worried about strange or difficult questions they have found (usually for writing task 2).

I think you need to remember that it's impossible to prepare for every topic or question that might appear in the exam. You will go mad if you try to do this!

The solution is to make sure you "know what you know". Focus on the common topics that appear regularly, not the strange topic that your friend found on a website.

IELTS Grammar: errors vs complex structures

Too many students (and teachers) waste time worrying about the 'complex structures' aspect of the grammar score in the writing test.

From what I've seen when marking essays, 99% of students are able to write sentences with more than one clause, using words like and, but, because, while, which, if... to connect ideas. Therefore, they are able to meet the requirement for 'complex structures'.

On the other hand, many of the same students are not able to produce frequent error-free sentences (band 7), and it's rare for me to see essays in which the majority of sentences are error-free (band 8).

So, if people can't produce error-free sentences, why are they worrying about complex structures? In most cases, the key to a high grammar score is fewer mistakes, not more complex sentences.

IELTS Speaking Part 2: making 'difficult' questions easy

Sometimes the part 2 task looks difficult but there's an easy way to answer. Here are three examples:

1) Describe something that you collect.

Most students panic because they don't collect anything. But this question is easier than you think. If your hobby is listening to music or reading books, just tell the examiner that you collect CDs or novels. You could talk about your "collection" of clothes or shoes. Everyone has a collection of something, even if you don't call yourself a collector.

2) Describe an important decision that you made.

Easy. Just talk about the subject you chose to study or the career you decided to pursue. If you moved to live/study in a different country, you could talk about that.

3) Describe an important letter you received.

Use the answer you gave for number 2 (with a few small changes). Talk about the letter you received confirming your place on a university course, or confirming a successful job application.

IELTS Writing Task 1: three types of linking

Here are three types of linking (cohesive devices) with some examples from last week's 'maps' answer for types 2 and 3.

1) The 'normal' linking words that everyone learns

and, but, because, while, whereas, by contrast, however, furthermore etc.

2) Using pronouns and determiners to refer to a previous idea

- three main modifications were made... These involved
- there were three bus stops... These were
- the addition of a bus station... This bus station
- the car park, which was situated... this original car park

3) Using synonyms or paraphrasing to connect ideas

- some changes were made... three main modifications... the changes
- the hospital's transport infrastructure... the hospital's vehicle access
- at the intersection... at the junction
- parking facilities... parking areas... car park... area for parking
- public... visitors... members of the public

IELTS Writing Task 2: 'small families' essay skeleton

Let's return to the 'small families' question below:

In many countries today, people in cities either live alone or in small family units, rather than in large, extended family groups. Is this a positive or negative trend?

Here's my essay skeleton (using the plan that I wrote here):

..........

Introduction
It is true that cities are seeing a rise in smaller families and one-person households, while the extended family is becoming a rarity. In my opinion, this is a negative development.

Paragraph 2, topic sentence
As families become smaller, the traditional family support network is disappearing, and this can have a negative impact on children as they grow up.

Paragraph 3, topic sentence
The trend towards people living alone is perhaps even more damaging because of the psychological effects of reduced human interaction.

Conclusion
In conclusion, I believe that individuals thrive when they are part of larger family groups, and so it is worrying that many people are choosing to live alone or in such small family units.

..........

Note:
It's a good idea to practise writing essay 'skeletons' because they force you to produce a very clear, coherent essay structure.

IELTS Listening: answers with dates

The following situation often confuses people:

• The question asks you for a date
• The speaker gives a day, month and year (e.g. 16th July 2019)
• But the instruction tells you to answer with one word and/or a number

I agree that this is confusing. However, my advice is simple: write 16th July as your answer, without the year. This is the answer that the IELTS people want.

So, make sure you write the day (number) and the month. Only put the year if the question asks for it (e.g. which year...?) or if the instruction allows you to include more than one number.

IELTS Reading: choose the title

Read the following passage and choose the best title.

The modern English alphabet is a Latin alphabet consisting of 26 letters, each having an upper- and lower-case form. It originated around the 7th century from the Latin script.

English is the only major modern European language that requires no diacritics for native words. Diacritic marks mainly appear in loanwords such as naïve and façade. Informal English writing tends to omit diacritics because of their absence from the keyboard, while professional copywriters and typesetters tend to include them.

As loanwords become naturalised in English, there is a tendency to drop the diacritics, as has happened with many older borrowings from French, such as hôtel. Words that are still perceived as foreign tend to retain them; for example, the only spelling of soupçon found in English dictionaries uses the diacritic. However, diacritics are likely to be retained even in naturalised words where they would otherwise be confused with a common native English word e.g. résumé rather than resume. Rarely, they may even be added to a loanword for this reason, as in maté, from the Spanish yerba mate but with the é to distinguish from the English word 'mate'.

(Source: wikipedia.org)

Choose the best title from the list below.

A)  The English alphabet
B)  The use of diacritics in written English
C)  Disappearing diacritics in the English language
D)  How loanwords have entered the English language

Note: Did you work out what the word 'diacritic' means?

IELTS General Writing: formal letter mistakes

Here are some sentences that people wrote in the comments area below last Saturday's lesson. Can you find and correct the mistakes?

1. I wanted to say you some informations is not correct.
2. The festival holds on the 24th of December every year.
3. I ask you to correct this article and be reposted for your next magazine.
4. At on onset, I would thanks to you that you published a article.
5. I suggest you employ staff from all over the world. Because native well know about their country.

IELTS Vocabulary: from yesterday's answers

You don't really need to impress the examiner with 'less common' vocabulary in part 1 of the speaking test. However, without trying to show off, I used some nice words and phrases in the answers that I shared yesterday:

• I'd like to think that = I hope
• in ten years' time = ten years from now
• I can't imagine changing profession (imagine + ing)
• essential
• field of work
• research is being done
• is published in English
• see more of the world (see the world = travel to many countries)
• it would be nice to
• travel extensively
• at some point
• when I'm retired
• make progress
• in terms of my home life
• what technologies come along (come along = appear / emerge)
• in the next decade or two

Notice that I tend to highlight collocations (groups of words) rather than individual words e.g. "make progress" (verb + noun collocation) instead of just "progress".

IELTS Speaking Part 1: 'future' answers

Here are my sample answers to the questions that I showed you last Friday. I've pretended to be a scientist instead of an English teacher!

1. What job would you like to have ten years from now?

I’d like to think that I’ll be doing the same job in ten years’ time. I like being a scientist, so I can’t imagine changing profession.

2. How useful will English be for your future?

English is essential in my field of work; most of the research that is being done in this area is published in English, so I read articles and papers in English every day.

3. How much travelling do you hope to do in the future?

I’d like to see more of the world, so it would be nice to be able to travel extensively at some point, maybe when I’m retired.

4. How do you think your life will change in the future?

Hopefully I’ll make progress in different areas of my life, for example at work and in terms of my home life. I’m also interested to see what new technologies come along in the next decade or two.

IELTS Writing Task 1: 'maps' answer

Here's the map task that we've been looking at, with my band 9 sample answer below it.

(Cambridge IELTS 13)

The maps illustrate some changes that were made to a city hospital's transport infrastructure between the years 2007 and 2010.

It is noticeable that three main modifications were made to the hospital’s vehicle access. These involved the building of a new bus station, new roundabouts and new parking facilities.

Looking at the changes in more detail, we can see that in 2007 there were three bus stops on either side of Hospital Road. These were no longer present in 2010, and instead we see the addition of a bus station on the west side of Hospital Road. This bus station is accessed via two new roundabouts; the first roundabout is at the intersection of City Road and Hospital Road, while the second is at the other end of Hospital Road, at the junction with the hospital ring road.

The two maps also show that changes were made to public and staff parking areas. In 2007, staff and visitors used the same car park, which was situated to the east of Hospital Road and accessed via the ring road. However, by 2010 this original car park had become a designated area for staff parking only. A new car park, located on the east side of the ring road, provided parking for members of the public.

IELTS Writing Task 2: 'band 9' linking

If you look at the official band descriptors for writing task 2, you'll find this phrase in the band 9 description for 'coherence and cohesion':

"uses cohesion in such a way that it attracts no attention"

So how do you connect your ideas (cohesion) without attracting too much attention? I think there are 2 possible ways:

1. Explain your ideas in a logical order so that you don't need many linking words. This is probably what you do when writing in your own language.
2. Use easy linking and referencing words like and, but, because, which, that, this, while, for example. These are so common that they attract almost no attention.

IELTS Listening: diagram gap-fill

Questions 23 to 25
Complete the notes on the diagram below. Write no more than three words and/or a number for each answer.

Click here to listen

(Source: official IELTS DVD)

IELTS Reading: easy 'General Reading' example

I tell my students to do both academic and general reading practice tests. The general reading tests are easier, but this allows you to work on your exam technique without having such long passages to worry about.

Here's part of a general reading exercise from Cambridge IELTS 14.

Relevant part of the passage:

Transition care is provided in your own home or in a ‘live-in’ setting. This setting can be part of an existing aged-care home or health facility such as a separate wing of a hospital.

If you’re already receiving subsidised residential care in an aged-care home, but you need to go somewhere else for transition care, your place in the aged-care home will be held until you return.

Are the following statements true, false or not given?

1. Transition care at home is only available for patients who live alone.
2. Transition care may be given on a hospital site.
3. You may lose your place in a care home if you have to leave it to receive transition care.

IELTS Vocabulary: collocations

I keep seeing comments and questions from students that include the following sentences:

- I gave the test on Saturday.
- I gave my IELTS exam last week.

Both of the sentences above are wrong! You don't "give" a test or exam. This is the wrong verb + noun collocation.

Here are some correct collocations with the words test or exam:

- I took the test / exam.
- I sat the test / exam.
- I did the test / exam.
- I passed the test / exam.

It's important to use the right collocations. Getting them wrong makes your English sound strange. "I gave the test" sounds completely wrong.

IELTS General Writing: formal letter task

I haven't done a lesson about General Writing task 1 for a while, so here's a task from Cambridge IELTS 14:

Tip: Choose something very simple for this task. For example, you could say that the magazine gave the wrong dates for a special festival. It would be easy to explain how this mistake could affect tourists, accommodation, the success of the festival etc.

IELTS Speaking Part 1: 'future' topic

Here's a useful part 1 topic from Cambridge IELTS book 14:

Let's talk about the future...

1. What job would you like to have ten years from now?
2. How useful will English be for your future?
3. How much travelling do you hope to do in the future?
4. How do you think your life will change in the future?

How would you answer these questions? Remember to give a direct answer and then explain it with a reason.

IELTS Writing Task 1: 'maps' introduction and overview

Here are my first two paragraphs (introduction and overview) describing the maps below.

The maps illustrate some changes that were made to a city hospital's transport infrastructure between the years 2007 and 2010.

It is noticeable that three main modifications were made to the hospital’s vehicle access. These involved the building of a new bus station, new roundabouts and new parking facilities.

IELTS Writing Task 2: topic sentences

The first sentence of a main body paragraph is often called the 'topic sentence'.

There's a simple reason why topic sentences are important in IELTS essays: Examiners want to see a "clear central topic within each paragraph" (band 7 descriptor for coherence and cohesion). So if you start your main paragraphs with a topic sentence, you can make sure that the "central topic" of each one is clear.

Task:
Have another look at the essay plan that I wrote for last week's lesson. Can you write a topic sentence for each of the two main paragraphs?

IELTS Listening: interesting lecture

I was searching for a video related to yesterday's reading passage, and I found the following lecture. It's a presentation about how to improve your English accent, so I'm sure that many of you will find it interesting and useful.

Tip: if you want to learn more about sentence stress in English, skip to minute 28.30 and you'll see a good illustration.

IELTS Reading: which paragraph contains...?

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

Language rhythms

A) When analysing the rhythm of spoken languages, some languages are referred to as syllable-timed, whereas others are commonly defined as stress-timed.

B) In a syllable-timed language, every syllable is perceived as taking up roughly the same amount of time. Syllable-timed languages tend to give syllables approximately equal prominence and generally lack reduced vowels. French, Italian, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Icelandic, Cantonese, Mandarin Chinese and Turkish are commonly quoted as examples of syllable-timed languages. This type of rhythm was originally metaphorically referred to as "machine-gun rhythm" because each underlying rhythmical unit is of the same duration, similar to the transient bullet noise of a machine-gun.

C) In a stress-timed language, syllables may last different amounts of time, but there is perceived to be a fairly constant amount of time (on average) between consecutive stressed syllables. Consequently, unstressed syllables between stressed syllables tend to be compressed to fit into the time interval. English, Thai, German, Russian, Danish, Swedish, Catalan, Norwegian, Faroese, Dutch, European Portuguese, and Persian are typical stress-timed languages.

D) There can be varying degrees of stress-timing within the different standards of a language. English, a stress-timed language, has become so widespread over the globe that some standards tend to be more syllable-timed than the British or North American standards, an effect which comes from the influence of other languages spoken in the relevant region. Indian English, for example, tends toward syllable-timing.

E) A better-documented case of these varying degrees of stress-timing in a language comes from Portuguese. European Portuguese is more stress-timed than the Brazilian standard. The latter has mixed characteristics and varies according to speech rate, sex and dialect. At fast speech rates, Brazilian Portuguese is more stress-timed, while in slow speech rates, it can be more syllable-timed.

(Source: wikipedia.org)

Which paragraphs contain the following information?

1. How one language’s stress rhythm can change according to how quickly the language is spoken.
2. Examples of languages that give more prominence to certain syllables during speech.
3. How stress-timing in one language may be affected by the rhythm of a different language.