IELTS ADDITIONAL BOOK With Oxana Additions

Version 1.
2 | 2019-2020
Index:
Topic Page No.
The IELTS Band Scores 1
IELTS Reading Passage Strategy 2
Common IELTS Reading Question Types 3-4
Academic Reading Practice 5-28

General Reading Practice 29-43
Skimming Practice for Reading 44-48

IELTS Writing Introduction and Scoring 49-53
Academic Writing Task 1 52-96
General Writing Task 1 97-111

IELTS Writing Task 2 112-125
Writing Task 2 Activity 126-127

IELTS Speaking Structure and Scoring 128-129
Speaking Part 1 Main Topics 130-132

Types of Questions in IELTS Speaking 138-142
English Idioms 143
IELTS Grammar Band Descriptor 144-145

Grammar Rule: Articles 145-146
Sentence Types 147-151

Model verbs 151-154
Subject Verb Agreement 155-158
Present Simple Tense 159-160

Auxiliary Verbs 161-163
Coordinating Conjunction 164-165
Prepositions 166-168
Gerunds or Infinitives 169

Passive Voice 170-171
Topic Page No.
Parallelism and Verb Tense 172
Grammar Exercises 173-174
IELTS Review 175-176
Helpful Vocabulary 177-180

Vocabulary Activity 181-190
Answer Key IELTS Reading 191-194

Answer Key Writing 195-201
Grammar Answer Key 202-203
Vocabulary Answer Key 204-205

The IELTS Band Scores
Multi-level
IELTS is a multi-level exam. You get a score between 1 and 9 for each section. Half scores such as 6.5 are
possible. Universities often demand an IELTS score of 6 or 7. They may also demand a minimum score in
each of the 4 sections.
IELTS Listening marking schemes
For the listening test, which contains 40 questions, the approximate band scores can be calculated using
this table.
Band Score 9 8.5 8 7.5 7 6.5 6 5.5 5 4.5 4 3.5 3 2.5

Score / 40 39-40 37-38 35-36 32-34 30-31 26-29 23-25 18-22 16-17 13-15 10-12 8-10 6-7 4-5
IELTS General Reading marking schemes
For the general reading test, which contains 40 questions, the approximate band scores can be
calculated using this table.
Band Score 9 8.5 8 7.5 7 6.5 6 5.5 5 4.5 4 3.5 3 2.5

Score / 40 40 39 37-38 36 34-35 32-33 30-31 27-29 23-26 19-22 15-18 12-14 9-11 6-8
IELTS Academic Reading marking schemes
For the academic reading test, which also contains 40 questions, but is more difficult, the
approximate band scores can be calculated using this table.
Band Score 9 8.5 8 7.5 7 6.5 6 5.5 5 4.5 4 3.5 3 2.5

Score / 40 39-40 37-38 35-36 33-34 30-32 27-29 23-26 19-22 15-18 13-14 10-12 8-9 6-7 4-5
Source: Examenglish.com
1
IELTS Reading Passage Strategy
1. Start by previewing the questions. Underline and circle any key terms in each question.
As you do this, pay attention to the question types. Certain questions are answered in order of the
passage, while others are answered in random order. If the questions follow the order of the passage,
you only need to preview the first 1-2 questions so you know exactly what you’re looking for when
you begin reading the passage. Preview the following questions as you go. Otherwise, if the questions
are in random order, you should preview all the questions before you begin reading. See below for
information on question order.
2. Then, begin reading the passage, looking for the keywords that you underlined in the questions as
well as their synonyms. If you spot a keyword, return to the question where it was mentioned, and
double-check what the question was asking. Then, return to the passage to locate the answer.
3. If you’re having trouble locating a particular answer, skip the question and return to it at the end. If
you never find the answer, write a guess. Don’t spend more than 1.5-2 minutes on any one question.
Otherwise, you may miss out on getting to an easier question.
The following question types follow the order of the passage, so before reading you should preview the
first 1-2 questions, and preview later questions as you go.
• True/False/Not given and Yes/No/Not given
• Fill in the blank (with or without answer choices)
• Multiple choice (preview question, but do not read answer choices until you have an answer in
mind)
• Open response
• Flow chart
• Matching sentence endings
• Complete the table
The following question types do not follow the order of the passage, so before reading you should
preview all the questions (unless otherwise noted).
• List of researchers/people/authors
• Which section/paragraph contains the following
• Which arguments are mentioned by writer
• Writer’s purpose (multiple choice; do not preview answer choices)
• Label the diagram
• List of headings*
*Do not preview List of Headings options. Instead, as you read the passage, jot down notes in the
margins stating in a few words the main idea of the paragraph. Then, after answering the other
questions, do your best to select the appropriate headings.
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Common IELTS Reading Question Types:
3
4
Academic Reading Practice
Passage 1
A Remarkable Beetle
Some of the most remarkable beetles are the dung beetles, which spend almost their
whole lives eating and breeding in dung’.
More than 4,000 species of these remarkable creatures have evolved and adapted to
the world’s different climates and the dung of its many animals. Australia’s native
dung beetles are scrub and woodland dwellers, specialising in coarse marsupial
droppings and avoiding the soft cattle dung in which bush flies and buffalo flies breed.
In the early 1960s George Bornemissza, then a scientist at the Australian

Government’s premier research organisation, the Commonwealth Scientific and
Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), suggested that dung beetles should be
introduced to Australia to control dung-breeding flies. Between 1968 and 1982, the
CSIRO imported insects from about 50 different species of dung beetle, from Asia,
Europe and Africa, aiming to match them to different climatic zones in Australia. Of
the 26 species that are known to have become successfully integrated into the local
environment, only one, an African species released in northern Australia, has reached
its natural boundary.
Introducing dung beetles into a pasture is a simple process: approximately 1,500

beetles are released; a handful at a time, into fresh cow pats 2 in the cow pasture.
The beetles immediately disappear beneath the pats digging and tunnelling and, if
they successfully adapt to their new environment, soon become a permanent, self-
sustaining part of the local ecology. In time they multiply and within three or four
years the benefits to the pasture are obvious.
Dung beetles work from the inside of the pat so they are sheltered from predators
such as birds and foxes. Most species burrow into the soil and bury dung in tunnels
directly underneath the pats, which are hollowed out from within. Some large species
originating from France excavate tunnels to a depth of approximately 30 cm below
the dung pat. These beetles make sausage-shaped brood chambers along the tunnels.
The shallowest tunnels belong to a much smaller Spanish species that buries dung in
chambers that hang like fruit from the branches of a pear tree. South African beetles
dig narrow tunnels of approximately 20 cm below the surface of the pat. Some surface-
dwelling beetles, including a South African species, cut perfectly-shaped balls from
the pat, which are rolled away and attached to the bases of plants.
For maximum dung burial in spring, summer and autumn, farmers require a variety
of species with overlapping periods of activity. In the cooler environments of the state
of Victoria, the large French species (2.5 cms long) is matched with smaller (half this
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size), temperate-climate Spanish species. The former are slow to recover from the
winter cold and produce only one or two generations of offspring from late spring until
autumn. The latter, which multiplies rapidly in early spring, produce two to five
generations annually. The South African ball-rolling species, being a subtropical
beetle, prefers the climate of northern and coastal New South Wales where it
commonly works with the South African tunnelling species. In warmer climates,
many species are active for longer periods of the year.
Dung beetles were initially introduced in the late 1960s with a view to controlling
buffalo flies by removing the dung within a day or two and so preventing flies from
breeding. However, other benefits have become evident. Once the beetle larvae have
finished pupation, the residue is a first-rate source of fertiliser. The tunnels
abandoned by the beetles provide excellent aeration and water channels for root
systems. In addition, when the new generation of beetles has left the nest the
abandoned burrows are an attractive habitat for soil-enriching earthworms. The
digested dung in these burrows is an excellent food supply for the earthworms, which
decompose it further to provide essential soil nutrients. If it were not for the dung
beetle, chemical fertiliser and dung would be washed by rain into streams and rivers
before it could be absorbed into the hard earth, polluting water courses and causing
blooms of blue-green algae. Without the beetles to dispose of the dung, cow pats would
litter pastures making grass inedible to cattle and depriving the soil of sunlight.
Australia’s 30 million cattle each produce 10-12 cow pats a day. This amounts to 1.7
billion tonnes a year, enough to smother about 110,000 sq. km of pasture, half the
area of Victoria.
Dung beetles have become an integral part of the successful management of dairy
farms in Australia over the past few decades. A number of species are available from
the CSIRO or through a small number of private breeders, most of whom were
entomologists with the CSIRO’s dung beetle unit who have taken their specialised
knowledge of the insect and opened small businesses in direct competition with their
former employer.
Glossary
1. dung: - the droppings or excreta of animals
2. cow pats: - droppings of cows
6
Questions 1-5
Do the following statements reflect the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 1?
In boxes 1-5 on your answer sheet write:
YES if the statement reflects the claims of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
1. Bush flies are easier to control than buffalo flies.

2. Four thousand species of dung beetle were initially brought to Australia by the
CSIRO.
3. Dung beetles were brought to Australia by the CSIRO over a fourteen-year
period.
4. At least twenty-six of the introduced species have become established in
Australia.
5. The dung beetles cause an immediate improvement to the quality of a cow
pasture.
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Question 6-10
Complete the table below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS OR A NUMBER from Reading
Passage 1 for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 6—10 on your answer sheet.
Species Size Preferred Complementary Start of Number of

Climate species active generations
period per year
French 2.5 cm Cool Spanish Late 1-2
spring
Spanish 1.25 (6) (7) (8)
cm
South (9) (10)
African
ball roller
6.____________ 9.___________
7.___________ 10.___________
8.___________
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Passage 2
BAKELITE: The birth of modern plastics
In 1907, Leo Hendrick Baekeland, a Belgian scientist working in New York,

discovered and patented a revolutionary new synthetic material. His invention,
which he named 'Bakelite', was of enormous technological importance, and
effectively launched the modern plastics industry.
The term 'plastic' comes from the Greek plassein, meaning 'to mould'. Some plastics
are derived from natural sources, some are semi-synthetic (the result of chemical
action on a natural substance), and some are entirely synthetic, that is, chemically
engineered from the constituents of coal or oil. Some are 'thermoplastic', which
means that, like candlewax, they melt when heated and can then be reshaped.
Others are 'thermosetting': like eggs, they cannot revert to their original viscous
state, and their shape is thus fixed forever. Bakelite had the distinction of being the
first totally synthetic thermosetting plastic.
The history of today's plastics begins with the discovery of a series of semi-synthetic
thermoplastic materials in the mid-nineteenth century. The impetus behind the
development of these early plastics was generated by a number of factors - immense
technological progress in the domain of chemistry, coupled with wider cultural
changes, and the pragmatic need to find acceptable substitutes for dwindling
supplies of 'luxury' materials such as tortoiseshell and ivory.
Baekeland's interest in plastics began in 1885 when, as a young chemistry student

in Belgium, he embarked on research into phenolic resins, the group of sticky
substances produced when phenol (carbolic acid) combines with an aldehyde (a
volatile fluid similar to alcohol). He soon abandoned the subject, however, only
returning to it some years later. By 1905 he was a wealthy New Yorker, having
recently made his fortune with the invention of a new photographic paper. While
Baekeland had been busily amassing dollars, some advances had been made in the
development of plastics. The years 1899 and 1900 had seen the patenting of the first
semi-synthetic thermosetting material that could be manufactured on an industrial
scale. In purely scientific terms, Baekeland's major contribution to the field is not so
much the actual discovery of the material to which he gave his name, but rather the
method by which a reaction between phenol and formaldehyde could be controlled,
thus making possible its preparation on a commercial basis. On 13 July 1907,
Baekeland took out his famous patent describing this preparation, the essential
features of which are still in use today.
The original patent outlined a three-stage process, in which phenol and

formaldehyde (from wood or coal) were initially combined under vacuum inside a
large egg-shaped kettle. The result was a resin known as Novalak, which became
soluble and malleable when heated. The resin was allowed to cool in shallow trays
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until it hardened, and then broken up and ground into powder. Other substances
were then introduced: including fillers, such as wood flour, asbestos or cotton, which
increase strength and. moisture resistance, catalysts (substances to speed up the
reaction between two chemicals without joining to either) and hexa, a compound of
ammonia and formaldehyde which supplied the additional formaldehyde necessary
to form a thermosetting resin. This resin was then left to cool and harden, and
ground up a second time. The resulting granular powder was raw Bakelite, ready to
be made into a vast range of manufactured objects. In the last stage, the heated
Bakelite was poured into a hollow mould of the required shape and subjected to
extreme heat and pressure; thereby 'setting' its form for life.
The design of Bakelite objects, everything from earrings to television sets, was
governed to a large extent by the technical requirements of the moulding process.
The object could not be designed so that it was locked into the mould and therefore
difficult to extract. A common general rule was that objects should taper towards
the deepest part of the mould, and if necessary the product was moulded in separate
pieces. Moulds had to be carefully designed so that the molten Bakelite would flow
evenly and completely into the mould. Sharp corners proved impractical and were
thus avoided, giving rise to the smooth, 'streamlined' style popular in the 1930s.
The thickness of the walls of the mould was also crucial: thick walls took longer to
cool and harden, a factor which had to be considered by the designer in order to
make the most efficient use of machines.
Baekeland's invention, although treated with disdain in its early years, went on to
enjoy an unparalleled popularity which lasted throughout the first half of the
twentieth century. It became the wonder product of the new world of industrial
expansion -'the material of a thousand uses'. Being both non-porous and heat-
resistant, Bakelite kitchen goods were promoted as being germ-free and sterilisable.
Electrical manufacturers seized on its insulating: properties, and consumers
everywhere relished its dazzling array of shades, delighted that they were now, at
last, no longer restricted to the wood tones and drab browns of the prepfastic era. It
then fell from favour again during the 1950s, and was despised and destroyed in
vast quantities. Recently, however, it has been experiencing something of a
renaissance, with renewed demand for original Bakelite objects in the collectors'
marketplace, and museums, societies and dedicated individuals once again
appreciating the style and originality of this innovative material.
10
Questions 1-3
Complete the summary.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 1-3 on your answer sheet.
Some plastics behave in a similar way to (1 )......................... in that they melt under
heat and can be moulded into new forms. Bakelite was unique because it was the first
material to be both entirely (2) ........................ in origin, and thermosetting.
There were several reasons for the research into plastics in the nineteenth century,
among them the great advances that had been made in the field of (3 )........................
and the search for alternatives to natural resources like ivory.
11
Questions 4-8: Complete the flow-chart
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
12
Questions 9-10:
Write your answers in boxes 9 and 10 on your answer sheet.
NB Your answers may be given in either order.
Which TWO of the following factors influencing the design of Bakelite objects are
mentioned in the text?
A the function which the object would serve

B the ease with which the resin could fill the mould
C the facility with which the object could be removed from the mould
D the limitations of the materials used to manufacture the mould
E the fashionable styles of the period
Questions 11-13
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2?
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
11 Modern-day plastic preparation is based on the same principles as that patented

in 1907.
12 Bakelite was immediately welcomed as a practical and versatile material.
13 Bakelite was only available in a limited range of colours.
13
Passage 3
Effects of Farming
Questions 1-5
Reading Passage 3 has six sections A-F.
Choose the most suitable headings for sections A-D and F from the list of headings
below. Write the appropriate numbers i-ix
List of Headings
(i) The probable effects of the new international trade agreement
(ii) The environmental impact of modern farming
(iii) Farming and soil erosion
(iv )The effects of government policy in rich countries
v Governments and management of the environment
vi The effects of government policy in poor countries
vii Farming and food output
viii The effects of government policy on food output
ix The new prospects for world trade
1. Section A _________
2. Section B _________
3. Section C _________ Section E vi
4. Section D _________ 5. Section F _________
Section A:
The role of governments in environmental management is difficult but inescapable.
Sometimes, the state tries to manage the resources it owns, and does so badly.
Often, however, governments act in an even more harmful way. They actually
subsidise the exploitation and consumption of natural resources. A whole range of
policies, from farm price support to protection for coal-mining, do environmental
damage and (often) make no economic sense. Scrapping them offers a two-fold
bonus: a cleaner environment and a more efficient economy. Growth and
environmentalism can actually go hand in hand if politicians have the courage to
confront the vested interest that subsidies create.
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Section B:
No activity affects more of the earth’s surface than farming. It shapes a third of the
planet’s land area, not counting Antarctica, and the proportion Is rising. World food
output per head has risen by 4 per cent between the 1970s and 1980s mainly as a
result of increases in yields from land already in cultivation, but also because more
land has been brought under the plough. Higher yields have been achieved by
increased irrigation, better crop breeding, and a doubling in the use of pesticides
and chemical fertilisers in the 1970s and 1980s.
Section C:
All these activities may have damaging environmental impacts. For example, land
clearing for agriculture is the largest single cause of deforestation; chemical
fertilisers and pesticides may contaminate water supplies; more intensive farming
and the abandonment of fallow periods tend to exacerbate soil erosion; and the
spread of mono-Culture and use of high-yielding varieties of crops have been
accompanied by the disappearance of old varieties of food plants which might have
provided some insurance against pests or diseases in future. Soil erosion threatens
the productivity of land in both rich and poor countries. The United States, where
the most careful measurements have been done, discovered in 1982 that about one-
fifth of its farmland as losing topsoil at a rate likely to diminish the soil’s
productivity. The country subsequently embarked upon a program to convert 11 per
cent of its cropped land to meadow or forest. Topsoil in India and China is vanishing
much faster than in America.
Section D:
Government policies have frequently compounded the environmental damage that
farming can cause. In the rich countries, subsidies for growing crops and price
supports for farm output drive up the price of land. The annual value of these
subsidies is immense: about $250 billion, or more than all World Bank lending in
the 1980s.To increase the output of crops per acre, a farmer’s easiest option is to use
more of the most readily available inputs: fertilisers and pesticides. Fertiliser use
doubled in Denmark in the period 1960-1985 and increased in The Netherlands by
150 per cent. The quantity of pesticides applied has risen too; by 69 per cent in
1975-1984 in Denmark, for example, with a rise of 115 per cent in the frequency of
application in the three years from 1981.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s some efforts were made to reduce farm subsidies.
The most dramatic example was that of New Zealand, which scrapped most farm
support in 1984. A study of the environmental effects, conducted in 1993, found that
the end of fertiliser subsidies had been followed by a fall in fertiliser use (a fall
compounded by the decline in world commodity prices, which cut farm incomes). The
removal of subsidies also stopped land-clearing and over-stocking, which in the past
had been the principal causes of erosion. Farms began to diversify. The one kind of
subsidy whose removal appeared to have been bad for the environment was the
subsidy to manage soil erosion.
15
In less enlightened countries, and in the European Union, the trend has been to
reduce rather than eliminate subsidies and to introduce new payments to encourage
farmers to treat their land in environmentally friendlier ways, or to leave it follow.
It may sound strange but such payments need to be higher than the existing
incentives for farmers to grow food crops. Farmers, however, dislike being paid to do
nothing. In several countries, they have become interested in the possibility of using
fuel produced from crop residues either as a replacement for petrol (as ethanol) or
as fuel for power stations (as biomass). Such fuels produce far less carbon dioxide
than coal or oil, and absorb carbon dioxide as they grow. They are therefore less
likely to contribute to the greenhouse effect. But they die rarely competitive with
fossil fuels unless subsidised - and growing them does no less environmental harm
than other crops.
Section E:
In poor countries, governments aggravate other sorts of damage. Subsidies for
pesticides and artificial fertilisers encourage farmers to use greater quantities than
are needed to get the highest economic crop yield. A study by the International Rice
Research Institute Of pesticide use by farmers in South East Asia found that, with
pest-resistant varieties of rice, even moderate applications of pesticide frequently
cost farmers more than they saved. Such waste puts farmers on a chemical
treadmill: bugs and weeds become resistant to poisons, so next year’s poisons must
be more lethal. One cost is to human health, every year some 10,000 people die from
pesticide poisoning, almost all of them in the developing countries, and another
400,000 become seriously ill. As for artificial fertilisers, their use worldwide
increased by 40 per cent per unit of farmed land between the mid-1970s and late
1980s, mostly in the developing countries. Overuse of fertilisers may cause farmers
to stop rotating crops or leaving their land fallow. That, In turn, may make soil
erosion worse.
Section F:
A result of the Uruguay Round of world trade negotiations Is likely to be a
reduction of 36 percent In the average levels of farm subsidies paid by the rich
countries in 1986-1990. Some of the world’s food production will move from Western
Europe to regions where subsidies are lower or non-existent, such as the former
communist countries and parts of the developing world. Some environmentalists
worry about this outcome. It will be undoubtedly mean more pressure to convert
natural habitat into farmland. But it will also have many desirable environmental
effects. The intensity of farming in the rich world should decline, and the use of
chemical inputs will diminish. Crops are more likely to be grown p the
environments to which they are naturally suited. And more farmers in poor
countries will have the money and the incentive to manage their land in ways that
are sustainable in the long run. That is important. To feed an increasingly hungry
world, farmers need every incentive to use their soil and water effectively and
efficiently.
16
Questions 6-9
Complete the table below using the information in sections B and C of Reading
Passage 3.
Choose your answers A-G from the box below the table
Agricultural practice Environmental damage that may

result
• 6……… • Deforestation
• 7………… • Degraded water supply
• More intensive farming • 8……..…
• Expansion of monoculture • 9…………
A Abandonment of fallow period

B Disappearance of old plant varieties
C Increased use of chemical inputs
D Increased irrigation
E Insurance against pests and diseases
F Soil erosion
G Clearing land for cultivation
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Passage 4
Less Television, Less Violence and Aggression
Cutting back on television, videos, and video games reduce acts of aggression among
schoolchildren, according to a study by Dr. Thomas Robinson and others from the
Stanford University School of Medicine. The study, published in the January 2001
issue of the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, found that third- and
fourth-grade students who took part in a curriculum to reduce their TV, video, and
video game use engaged in fewer acts of verbal and physical aggression than their
peers. The study took place in two similar San Jose, California, elementary schools.
Students in one school underwent an 18-lesson, 6-month program designed to limit
their media usage, while the others did not. Both groups of students had similar
reports of aggressive behavior at the beginning of the study. After the six-month
program, however, the two groups had very real differences. The students who cut
back on their TV time engaged in six fewer acts of verbal aggression per hour and
rated 2.4 percent fewer of their classmates as aggressive after the program.
Physical acts of violence, parental reports of aggressive behavior, and perceptions of

a mean and scary world also decreased, but the authors suggest further study to
solidify these results.
Although many studies have shown that children who watch a lot of TV are more
likely to act violently, this report further verifies that television, videos, and video
games actually cause the violent behavior, and it is among the first to evaluate a
solution to the problem. Teachers at the intervention school included the program in
their existing curriculum. Early lessons encouraged students to keep track of and
report on the time they spent watching TV or videos, or playing Video games, to
motivate them to limit those activities on their own. The initial lessons were
followed by TV-Turnoff, an organization that encourages less TV viewing. For ten
days, students were challenged to go without television, videos, or video games.
After that, teachers encouraged the students to stay within a media allowance of
seven hours per week. Almost all students participated in the Turnoff, and most
stayed under their budget for the following weeks. Additional lessons encouraged
children to use their time more selectively, and many of the final lessons had
students themselves advocate reducing screen activities.
This study is by no means the first to find a link between television and violence.
Virtually all of 3,500 research studies on the subject in the past 40 years have
shown the same relationship, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Among the most noteworthy studies is Dr. Leonard D. Eron’s, which found that
exposure to television violence in childhood is the strongest predictor of aggressive
behavior later in life—stronger even than violent behavior as children. The more
violent television the subjects watched at age eight, the more serious was their
aggressive behavior even 22 years later. Another study by Dr. Brandon S.
18
Centerwall found that murder rates climb after the introduction of television. In the
United States and Canada, murder rates doubled 10 to 15 years after the
introduction of television, after the first TV generation grew up.
Centerwall tested this pattern in South Africa, where television broadcasts were
banned until 1975. Murder rates in South Africa remained relatively steady from
the mid-1940s through the mid- 1970s. By 1987, however, the murder rate had
increased 130 percent from its 1974 level. The murder rates in the United States
and Canada had leveled 1 off in the meantime. Centerwall's study implies that the
medium of television, not just the content, promotes violence and the current study
by Dr. Robinson supports that conclusion. The Turnoff did not specifically target
violent television, nor did the following allowance period. Reducing television, in
general, reduces aggressive behavior. Even television that is not “violent” is more
violent than real life and may lead viewers to believe that violence is funny,
inconsequential, and a viable solution to problems. Also, watching television of any
content robs us of the time to interact with real people. Watching too much TV may
inhibit the skills and patience we need to get along with others without resorting to
aggression. TV, as a medium, promotes aggression and violence. The best solution is
to turn it off.
Questions 1-7
Complete the summary using words from the box below. Write your answers in
boxes 1-7 on your Answer Sheet.
A study that was published in January 2001 found that when children (1)
....................less, they behaved less (2).................... Students in a California
elementary school participated in the study, which lasted (3).................... By the end
of the study, the children’s behavior had changed. For example, the children’s (4)
....................reported that the children were acting less violently than before. During
the study, the children kept a record of the (5) ....................they watched TV. Then,
for ten days, they (6) ...................Near the end of the study, the students began to
suggest watching (7)....................
Parents Watched TV Eighteen days Number of hours
Teachers Scared Classmates Favorites Programs
Six months Less TV Nonviolent program
Violently Avoided TV Time of the day
19
Questions 8-11
Do the following statements agree with the information in Reading Passage 4?
TRUE if the statement is true according to the passage.

FALSE if the statement contradicts the passage.
NOT GIVEN if there is no information about this in the passage.
8. Only one study has found a connection between TV and violent behavior.
9. There were more murders in Canada after people began watching TV.
10. The United States has more violence on TV than other countries.
11. TV was introduced in South Africa in the 1940s.
Questions 12 and 13
For each question, choose the correct letter A-D
12. According to the passage,

A) only children are affected by violence on TV.
B) only violent TV programs cause violent behavior.
C) children who watch too much TV get poor grades in school.
D) watching a lot of TV may beep us from learning important social skills.
13. The authors of this passage believe that

A) some violent TV programs are funny.
B) the best plan is to stop watching TV completely.
C) it’s better to watch TV with other people than on your own.
D) seven hours a week of TV watching
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Passage 5
What's so funny?
John McCrone reviews recent research on humour
The joke comes over the headphones: ' Which side of a dog has the most hair? The
left.' No, not funny. Try again. ' Which side of a dog has the most hair? The outside.'
Hah! The punchline is silly yet fitting, tempting a smile, even a laugh. Laughter has
always struck people as deeply mysterious, perhaps pointless. The writer Arthur
Koestler dubbed it the luxury reflex: 'unique in that it serves no apparent biological
purpose'.
Theories about humour have an ancient pedigree. Plato expressed the idea that
humour is simply a delighted feeling of superiority over others. Kant and Freud felt
that joke-telling relies on building up a psychic tension which is safely punctured by
the ludicrousness of the punchline. But most modern humour theorists have settled
on some version of Aristotle's belief that jokes are based on a reaction to or
resolution of incongruity, when the punchline is either a nonsense or, though
appearing silly, has a clever second meaning.
Graeme Ritchie, a computational linguist in Edinburgh, studies the linguistic

structure of jokes in order to understand not only humour but language
understanding and reasoning in machines. He says that while there is no single
format for jokes, many revolve around a sudden and surprising conceptual shift. A
comedian will present a situation followed by an unexpected interpretation that is
also apt.
So even if a punchline sounds silly, the listener can see there is a clever semantic fit
and that sudden mental 'Aha!' is the buzz that makes us laugh. Viewed from this
angle, humour is just a form of creative insight, a sudden leap to a new perspective.
However, there is another type of laughter, the laughter of social appeasement and
it is important to understand this too. Play is a crucial part of development in most
young mammals. Rats produce ultrasonic squeaks to prevent their scuffles turning
nasty. Chimpanzees have a 'play-face' - a gaping expression accompanied by a
panting 'ah, ah' noise. In humans, these signals have mutated into smiles and
laughs. Researchers believe social situations, rather than cognitive events such as
jokes, trigger these instinctual markers of play or appeasement. People laugh on
fairground rides or when tickled to flag a play situation, whether they feel amused
or not.
Both social and cognitive types of laughter tap into the same expressive machinery
in our brains, the emotion and motor circuits that produce smiles and excited
vocalisations. However, if cognitive laughter is the product of more general thought
processes, it should result from more expansive brain activity.
21
Psychologist Vinod Goel investigated humour using the new technique of 'single
event' functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRl). An MRI scanner uses
magnetic fields and radio waves to track the changes in oxygenated blood that
accompany mental activity. Until recently, MRI scanners needed several minutes of
activity and so could not be used to track rapid thought processes such as
comprehending a joke. New developments now allow half-second 'snapshots' of all
sorts of reasoning and problem-solving activities.
Although Goel felt being inside a brain scanner was hardly the ideal place for
appreciating a joke, he found evidence that understanding a joke involves a
widespread mental shift. His scans showed that at the beginning of a joke the
listener'$ prefrontal cortex lit up, particularly the right prefrontal believed to be
critical for problem solving. But there was also activity in the temporal lobes at the
side of the head (consistent with attempts to rouse stored knowledge) and in many
other brain areas. Then when the punchline arrived, a new area sprang to life -the
orbital prefrontal cortex. This patch of brain tucked behind the orbits of the eyes is
associated with evaluating information.
Making a rapid emotional assessment of the events of the moment is an extremely

demanding job for the brain, animal or human. Energy and arousal levels may
need, to be retuned in the blink of an eye. These abrupt changes will produce either
positive or negative feelings. The orbital cortex, the region that becomes active in
Goel's experiment, seems the best candidate for the site that feeds such feelings into
higher-level thought processes, with its close connections to the brain's sub-cortical
arousal apparatus and centres of metabolic control.
All warm-blooded animals make constant tiny adjustments in arousal in response to

external events, but humans, who have developed a much more complicated
internal life as a result of language, respond emotionally not only to their
surroundings, but to their own thoughts. Whenever a sought-for answer snaps into
place, there is a shudder of pleased recognition. Creative discovery being
pleasurable, humans have learned to find ways of milking this natural response.
The fact that jokes tap into our general evaluative machinery explains why the line
between funny and disgusting, or funny and frightening, can be so fine. Whether a
joke gives pleasure or pain depends on a person's outlook.
Humour may be a luxury, but the mechanism behind it is no evolutionary accident.

As Peter Derks, a psychologist at William and Mary College in Virginia, says: 'I like
to think of humour as the distorted mirror of the mind. It's creative, perceptual,
analytical and lingual. If we can figure out how the mind processes humour, then
we'll have a pretty good handle on how it works in general
22
Questions 1-7
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 5?
1 Arthur Koestler considered laughter biologically important in several ways.

2 Plato believed humour to be a sign of above-average intelligence.
3 Kant believed that a successful joke involves the controlled release of nervous
energy.
4 Current thinking on humour has largely ignored Aristotle's view on the subject.
5 Graeme Ritchie's work links jokes to artificial intelligence.
6 Most comedians use personal situations as a source of humour.
7 Chimpanzees make particular noises when they are playing.
Questions 8-11
Complete each sentence with the correct ending A-G below.
8 One of the brain's most difficult tasks is to

9 Because of the language they have developed, humans
10 Individual responses to humour
11 Peter Derks believes that humour
A react to their own thoughts.

B helped create language in humans.
C respond instantly to whatever is happening.
D may provide valuable information about the
operation of the brain.
E cope with difficult situations.
F relate to a person's subjective views.
G led our ancestors to smile and then laugh.
23
Passage 6
THE ROCKET - FROM EAST TO WEST
A The concept of the rocket, or rather the mechanism behind the idea of propelling
an object into the air, has been around for well over two thousand years. However,
it wasn’t until the discovery of the reaction principle, which was the key to space
travel and so represents one of the great milestones in the history of scientific
thought, that rocket technology was able to develop. Not only did it solve a problem
that had intrigued man for ages, but, more importantly, it literally opened the door
to the exploration of the universe.
B An intellectual breakthrough, brilliant though it may be, does not automatically

ensure that the transition is made from theory to practice. Despite the fact that
rockets had been used sporadically for several hundred years, they remained a
relatively minor artefact of civilization until the twentieth century. Prodigious
efforts, accelerated during two world wars, were required before the technology of
primitive rocketry could be translated into the reality of sophisticated astronauts. It
is strange that the rocket was generally ignored by writers of fiction to transport
their heroes to mysterious realms beyond the Earth, even though it had been
commonly used in fireworks displays in China since the thirteenth century. The
reason is that nobody associated the reaction principle with the idea of traveling
through space to a neighbouring world.
C A simple analogy can help us to understand how a rocket operates. It is much

like a machine gun mounted on the rear of a boat. In reaction to the backward
discharge of bullets, the gun, and hence the boat, move forwards. A rocket motor’s
‘bullets’ are minute, high-speed particles produced by burning propellants in a
suitable chamber. The reaction to the ejection of these small particles causes the
rocket to move forwards. There is evidence that the reaction principle was applied
practically well before the rocket was invented. In his Noctes Atticae or Greek
Nights, Aulus Gellius describes ‘the pigeon of Archytas’, an invention dating back to
about 360 BC. Cylindrical in shape, made of wood, and hanging from string, it was
moved to and fro by steam blowing out from small exhaust ports at either end. The
reaction to the discharging steam provided the bird with motive power.
D The invention of rockets is linked inextricably with the invention of ‘black

powder’. Most historians of technology credit the Chinese with its discovery. They
base their belief on studies of Chinese writings or on the notebooks of early
Europeans who settled in or made long visits to China to study its history and
civilisation. It is probable that, sometime in the tenth century, black powder was
first compounded from its basic ingredients of saltpetre, charcoal and sulphur. But
this does not mean that it was immediately used to propel rockets. By the
24
thirteenth century, powder propelled fire arrows had become rather common. The
Chinese relied on this type of technological development to produce incendiary
projectiles of many sorts, explosive grenades and possibly cannons to repel their
enemies. One such weapon was the ‘basket of fire’ or, as directly translated from
Chinese, the ‘arrows like flying leopards’. The 0.7 metre-long arrows, each with a
long tube of gunpowder attached near the point of each arrow, could be fired from a
long, octagonal-shaped basket at the same time and had a range of 400 paces.
Another weapon was the ‘arrow as am flying sabre’, which could be fired from
crossbows. The rocket, placed in a similar position to other rocket-propelled arrows,
was designed to increase the range. A small iron weight was attached to the 1.5m
bamboo shaft, just below the feathers, to increase the arrow’s stability by moving
the centre of gravity to a position below the rocket. At a similar time, the Arabs had
developed the ‘egg which moves and burns’. This ‘egg’ was apparently full of
gunpowder and stabilised by a 1.5m tail. It was fired using two rockets attached to
either side of this tail.
E It was not until the eighteenth century that Europe became seriously interested
in the possibilities of using the rocket itself as a weapon of war and not just to
propel other weapons. Prior to this, rockets were used only in pyrotechnic displays.
The incentive for the more aggressive use of rockets came not from within the
European continent but from far-away India, whose leaders had built up a corps of
rocketeers and used rockets successfully against the British in the late eighteenth
century. The Indian rockets used against the British were described by a British
Captain serving in India as ‘an iron envelope about 200 millimetres long and 40
millimetres in diameter with sharp points at the top and a 3m-long bamboo guiding
stick’. In the early nineteenth century, the British began to experiment with
incendiary barrage rockets. The British rocket differed from the Indian version in
that it was completely encased in a stout, iron cylinder, terminating in a conical
head, measuring one metre in diameter and having a stick almost five metres long
and constructed in such a way that it could be firmly attached to the body of the
rocket. The Americans developed a rocket, complete with its own launcher, to use
against the Mexicans in the mid-nineteenth century. A long cylindrical tube was
propped up by two sticks and fastened to the top of the launcher, thereby allowing
the rockets to be inserted and lit from the other end. However, the results were
sometimes not that impressive as the behaviour of the rockets in flight was less
than predictable. Since then, there have been huge developments in rocket
technology, often with devastating results in the forum of war. Nevertheless, the
modern day space programs owe their success to the humble beginnings of those in
previous centuries who developed the foundations of the reaction principle. Who
knows what it will be like in the future?
25
Questions 1-4
Reading passage 6 has six paragraphs labelled A-F.
Choose the most suitable headings for paragraphs B-E from the list of headings
below.
Write the appropriate numbers (i-ix)
List of Headings
i How the reaction principle works
ii The impact of the reaction principle
iii Writer’s theories of the reaction principle
iv Undeveloped for centuries
v The first rockets
vi The first use of steam
vii Rockets for military use
viii Developments of fire
ix What's next?
Example Answer
Paragraph A ii
1. Paragraph B
2. Paragraph C
3. Paragraph D
4. Paragraph E
Questions 5 and 6
Choose the appropriate letters A-D
5 The greatest outcome of the discovery of the reaction principle was that
A. rockets could be propelled into the air.
B. space travel became a reality.
C. a major problem had been solved.
D. bigger rockets were able to be built.
6 According to the text, the greatest progress in rocket technology was made
A. from the tenth to the thirteenth centuries.
B. from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries.
C. from the early nineteenth to the late nineteenth century.
D. from the late nineteenth century to the present day.
26
Questions 7-10
From the information in the text, indicate who FIRST invented or used the items in
the list below.
Write the appropriate letters A-E
NB You may use any letter more than once.
Example Answer
rockets for displays A
7 black powder
8 rocket-propelled arrows for fighting
9 rockets as war weapons
10 the rocket launcher
FIRST invented or used by

A the Chinese
B the Indians
C the British
D the Arabs
E the Americans
Questions 11-14
Look at the drawings of different projectiles below, A-H, and the names of types of
projectiles given in the passage, Questions 11-14. Match each name with one
drawing. Write the appropriate letters A-H
Example Answer
The Greek ‘pigeon of Archytas’ C
11 The Chinese ‘basket of fire’
12 The Arab ‘egg which moves and burns’
13 The Indian rocket
14 The British barrage rocket
27
28
General Reading Practice
Passage 1
STUDENT LOANS
The Government has been funding a loans scheme for students in Higher Education
since September 1990.
These loans are available as a ‘top up’ to the standard grant. Although the loan is
intended to supplement the grant for living costs, eligibility for a student loan is not
restricted to those who receive a maintenance grant. The decision whether or not to
take the loan is yours.
Eligibility
You are eligible for a student loan if you are a UK resident and are attending a full-
time Higher Education course, below postgraduate level, or a Postgraduate
Certificate in Education course, provided you start your course before your 50th
birthday. Full-time courses last at least one academic year and include sandwich
courses which combine time at college with time spent in a workplace.
Eligible courses are offered by colleges, universities, the Scottish grant-aided

colleges and other publicly funded institutions providing Higher Education courses.
In general, eligible courses include first-degree courses or their equivalents and any
other courses for which your Local Authority will pay your tuition fees.
Your financial circumstances

Students who want loans are not ‘means tested’ or ‘credit vetted’ - all those eligible
will obtain a loan. This means that:
• The amount of your maintenance grant or tuition fees does not matter.
• Other income, if any, is not taken into account.
• Any previous student loans are not taken into account.
• The income of your parents, spouse, partner or other relatives is not taken into
account.
• Your previous financial record is not a consideration.
When to apply for a loan

If you would like more information on how to apply for a student loan in readiness
for your entry to Higher Education in Autumn 2003, then you should contact The
Student Loans Company from June 2003 onwards. Once in Higher Education, you
can apply for a loan at any time in the academic year.
29
Questions 20-27
It is possible for some students in Higher Education in Britain to borrow money
through a government scheme. These loans are called ‘student loans’ and are
described in the passage 1.
Read the passage and answer the questions 1-8 below.
Write:
Y if the answer to the question is ‘yes’
N if the answer to the questions is ‘no’
NG if the information is not given in the passage
1. I’m taking a month’s cookery course at a local college. It’s a private catering
college. I’m going a couple of evenings a week, after work. I get a diploma at the
end of it. Can I get some help with a student loan?
2. I’m starting a foundation course in September. It’s full time and after a year I
hope to get on to a degree course. The fees for the actual course are being paid
for by my Local Authority. Am I eligible for a student loan?
3. I finish my first degree in July. I’ve got a place on a Postgraduate Certificate in

Education course to start in September. Will the Local Authority pay the tuition
fees for this course?
4. Now all her children are grown up my mother says she’d like to finish the
studies she was forced to give up earlier in life. She’s 48 now and her course is
full-time for a year. Is she too old to get a student loan?
5. I’ve already been given a small scholarship to cover some of my tuition fees. Can
I still get a student loan?
6. I’m actually staying with my aunt while I’m at college. Will the Student Loans
Company want to know how much she earns?
7. I owed the bank rather a lot of money a few years ago. It’s all paid back now but
they won’t lend me anymore. Will this disqualify me from getting a student loan?
8. I took a course a couple of years ago, got a student loan, but had to withdraw
half-way through. I’ve kept up all my payments on my loan. Am I eligible for a
second loan?
30
Passage 2
ROBOTS AT WORK
A The newspaper production process has come a long way from the old days when
the paper was written, edited, typeset and ultimately printed in one building with
the journalists working on the upper floors and the printing presses going on the
ground floor. These days the editor, subeditors and journalists who put the paper
together are likely to find themselves in a totally different building or maybe even
in a different city. This is the situation which now prevails in Sydney. The daily
paper is compiled at the editorial headquarters, known as the prepress centre, in
the heart of the city, but printed far away in the suburbs at the printing centre.
Here human beings are in the minority as much of the work is done by automated
machines controlled by computers.
B Once the finished newspaper has been created for the next morning’s edition, all
the pages are transmitted electronically from the prepress centre to the printing
centre. The system of transmission is an update on the sophisticated page facsimile
system already in use in many other newspapers. An imagesetter at the printing
centre delivers the pages as films. Each page takes less than a minute to produce,
although for colour pages four versions, once each for black, cyan, magenta and
yellow are sent. The pages are then processed into photographic negatives and the
film is used to produce aluminium printing plates ready for the presses.
C A procession of automated vehicles is busy at the new printing centre where the
Sydney Morning Herald is printed each day. With lights flashing and warning
horns honking, the robots (to give them their correct name, the LGVs or laser
guided vehicles) look for all the world like enthusiastic machines from a science
fiction movie, as they follow their own random paths around the plant busily getting
on with their jobs. Automation of this kind is now standard in all modern
newspaper plants. The robots can detect unauthorised personnel and alert security
staff immediately if they find an “intruder”; not surprisingly, tall tales are already
being told about the machines starting to take on personalities of their own.
D The robots’ principal job, however, is to shift the newsprint (the printing paper)
that arrives at the plant in huge reels and emerges at the other end sometime later
as newspapers. Once the size of the day’s paper and the publishing order are
determined at head office, the information is punched into the computer and the
LGVs are programmed to go about their work. The LGVs collect the appropriate
size paper reels and take them where they have to go. When the press needs
another reel its computer alerts the LGV system. The Sydney LGVs move busily
around the press room fulfilling their two key functions to collect reels of newsprint
either from the reel stripping stations or from the racked supplies in the newsprint
storage area. At the stripping station, the tough wrapping that helps to protect a
31
reel of paper from rough handling is removed. Any damaged paper is peeled off and
the reel is then weighed.
E Then one of the four paster-robots moves in. Specifically designed for the job, it
trims the paper neatly and prepares the reel for the press. If required the reel can
be loaded directly onto the press; if not needed immediately, an LGV takes it to the
storage area. When the press computer calls for a reel, an LGV takes it to the reel
loading area of the presses. It lifts the reel into the loading position and places it in
the correct spot with complete accuracy. As each reel is used up, the press drops the
heavy cardboard core into a waste bin. When the bin is full, another LGV collects it
and deposits the cores into a shredder for recycling.
F The LGVs move at walking speed. Should anyone step in front of one or get too
close, sensors stop the vehicle until the path is clear. The company has chosen a
laser guide function system for the vehicles because, as the project development
manager says “The beauty of it is that if you want to change the routes, you can
work out a new route on your computer and lay it down for them to follow”. When
an LGV’s batteries run low, it will take itself offline and go to the nearest battery
maintenance point for replacement batteries. And all this is achieved with absolute
minimum human input and a much reduced risk of injury to people working in the
printing centres.
G The question newspaper workers must now ask, however, is, “how long will it be
before the robots are writing the newspapers as well as running the printing centre,
churning out the latest edition every morning?”
32
Questions 1-6
The Reading Passage 2 has seven paragraphs (A-G). Choose the most suitable
headings for paragraphs A-B and D-G from the list of headings below.
Write the appropriate numbers (i-ix)
NB There are more headings than paragraphs: so you will not use all of them.
List of Headings
i Robots working together
ii Preparing LGVs for take-over
iii Looking ahead
iv The LGVs' main functions
v Split location for newspaper production
vi Newspapers superseded by technology
vii Getting the newspaper to the printing centre
viii Controlling the robots
ix Beware of robots!
Example Answer
Paragraph C ix
1. Paragraph A
2. Paragraph B
3. Paragraph D
4. Paragraph E
5. Paragraph F
6. Paragraph G
33
Passage 3
DINING OUT
34
Questions 1-7
Look at the three restaurant advertisements. Answer the questions below by
writing the letters of the appropriate restaurants (A—C)
Example Answer
It stops serving lunch at 2.30 pm. B
1 It is open for breakfast.
2 It is open every night for dinner.
3 It is only open for lunch on weekdays.
4 It has recently returned to its previous location.
5 It welcomes families.
6 It caters for large groups.
7 It only opens at weekends.
NEW ELECTRICITY ACCOUNT PAYMENT FACILITIES AVAILABLE FROM'

JULY 1998
After 1 July 1998, you may pay your electricity account in any of the following ways:
1. Payments via mail:

(A) No receipt required:
Mail payments to: Coastside Power
Locked Bag 2760
Southport NSW 3479
(B) Receipt required:
Mail payments to: Coastside Power
PO Box 560
Northbridge NSW 3472
2. Agency payments (payments directly to the bank): Payments can be made at any
branch of the Federal Bank by completing the deposit slip attached to your account
notice.
NB: This facility is no longer available at South Pacific Bank branches.
3. Payments directly to Coastside Power Office: Payments can be made directly to

Coastside Power Office at 78-80 Third Avenue, Northbridge. Office hours are
Monday to Friday, 8.30 am to 4.30 pm.
Payment may be by personal cheque, bank cheque or cash.
Note: Payments cannot be made by phone.
35
Questions 8-13
Read the information given in 'New Electricity Account Payment Facilities' and look
at the statements below (Questions 8-13).
Write:
TRUE if the statement is true
FALSE if the statement is false
NOT GIVEN if the information is not given in the passage
Example Answer
You must pay your account by mail. FALSE
8 If you want a receipt, you should send your payment to the Southport address.
9 You may pay your account at branches of the Federal Bank.
10 You must pay the full amount, instalments are not permitted.
11 The Coastside Power Office is open on Saturday mornings.
12 You may pay your account by phone using your credit card.
13 There is a reduction for prompt payment.
36
Passage 4
THE TOTARA LANGUAGE INSTITUTE NEW ZEALAND
The Totara Language Institute is part of the University of Waikato in the city of
Hamilton, in New Zealand’s North Island. Intensive English classes are taught in
four-week blocks throughout the year and students may enrol for as many blocks as
they wish. Classes are for 5 hours each day, Monday to Friday, and include
preparation for several international English language examinations. All the
courses are taught by highly qualified teachers, many of whom also teach on
Language Institute graduate programmes in second language teaching and applied
linguistics. Classes are small, usually from 10-12 students with a maximum number
of 15, and normally contain a mix of students from a wide range of countries.
Students who study English at the Language Institute become international
members of the Waikato Students’ Union. The option is available to move on to
university study if students meet the English language and academic entry levels
for their choice of programme. The Language Institute provides student support,
welfare and activities services. Students are met at Auckland airport on arrival and
accommodation is provided with local families or in University Halls of Residence
with New Zealand students.
Hamilton, one of New Zealand’s fastest growing cities, is ideally located for a wide
range of leisure and cultural activities. The Waikato river, the longest river in New
Zealand, flows through the centre of the city, providing a picturesque and park-like
setting of riverside walks and gardens. The Waikato region is a diverse agricultural
area, rich in historic sites, arts and crafts, hot springs, native forests, mountains
and rivers. Within easy reach is an unspoilt coastline; the wild and rugged west
coast beaches famous for surfing, and the more peaceful east coast resorts are only a
short drive from Hamilton. Further afield the mountains of the central North
Island, 3 hours’ drive away, provide superb ski facilities in winter and hiking
country in summer.
The Language Institute activities coordinator can assist students to arrange any
sport and leisure activities. Assistance is also available for ongoing travel
arrangements for students. Students on a visitor visa or work permit may study for
a maximum of 3 months. Courses of longer duration require a student permit which
is issued for the length of study only.
37
Questions 1-7
Read the information on the Language Institute
Complete the summary of information below:
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR NUMBERS from the

passage for each answer.
Example Answer
Overseas students who study at Totara Language Institute may choose to spend
more of their free time
SUMMARY
With local students by applying for a room in the ......1............. Places are available
here even for students enrolled on the minimum length course of ......2....................
Class sizes for each course range from ......3....................... Students and all the class
teachers are well qualified; many of them teach on graduate programmes in areas
such as applied linguistics. As a member of the Language Institute, you will
automatically be able to join the ......4................ . Hamilton can offer students a wide
range of social activities. The city itself lies on either side of the ......5.............. which
results in some very ......6................... views and enjoyable walks in the gardens. The
Institute employs an activities coordinator who can help you organise your free time
and you may also wish to make use of this service for planning your ......7.........when
you leave New Zealand. Remember that a student permit is not valid when you
have finished your studies.
38
Passage 5
The Earth
(A) The Earth is the third planet from the Sun and it is the only planet known to
have life on it. The Earth formed around 4.5 billion years ago. It is one of four rocky
planets on the inside of the Solar System. The other three are Mercury, Venus, and
Mars.
(B) The large mass of the Sun makes the Earth move around it, just as the mass of
the Earth makes the Moon move around it. The Earth also turns round in space, so
different parts face the Sun at different times. The Earth goes around the Sun once
(one "year") for every 365¼ times it turns all the way around (one "day").
(C) The Moon goes around the Earth about every 27⅓ days, and reflects light from
the Sun. As the Earth goes round the Sun at the same time, the changing light of
the Moon takes about 29½ days to go from dark to bright to dark again. That is
where the idea of "month" came from. However, now most months have 30 or 31
days so they fit into one year.
(D) The Earth is the only planet in our Solar System that has a large amount of
liquid water. About 71% of the surface of the Earth is covered by oceans. Because of
this, it is sometimes called the "Blue Planet".
(E) Because of its water, the Earth is home to millions of species of plants and
animals. The things that live on Earth have changed its surface greatly. For
example, early cyanobacteria changed the air and gave it oxygen. The living part of
the Earth's surface is called the "biosphere".
(F) The Earth is part of the eight planets and many thousands of small bodies that
move around the Sun as its Solar System. The Solar System is moving through the
Orion Arm of the Milky Way Galaxy now, and will be for about the next 10,000
years.
(G) The Earth is generally 150,000,000 kilometers or 93,000,000 miles away from
the Sun (this distance is named an "Astronomical Unit"). The Earth moves along its
way at an average speed of about 30 km or 19 mi a second. The Earth turns all the
way around about 365¼ times in the time it takes for the Earth to go all the way
around the Sun. To make up this extra bit of a day every year, an additional day is
used every four years. This is named a "leap year".
(H) The Moon goes around the Earth at an average distance of 400,000 kilometers
(250,000 mi). It is locked to Earth, so that it always has the same half facing the
Earth; the other half is called the "dark side of the Moon". It takes about 27⅓ days
for the Moon to go all the way around the Earth but, because the Earth is moving
39
around the Sun at the same time, it takes about 29½ days for the Moon to go from
dark to bright to dark again. This is where the word "month" came from, even
though most months now have 30 or 31 days.
Questions 1–8
Reading Passage 5 has eight paragraphs A-H. Which paragraph contains the
following information? Write the correct letter, A–H,
1. Earth’s natural satellite _____________
2. Distance between Earth and Sun ______________
3. General information about Earth ______________
4. The Solar System ____________
5. Length of most moths ________________
6. Another name for Earth _____________
7. The living part of the Earth's surface ______________
8. The movements of Earth around the Sun __________________
Questions 9-13
Complete the sentences below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text for each answer.
9. Apart from Earth, other rocky planets in our Solar Systems are Venus, Mars and
_______________.
10. Moon_______________ from the Sun on Earth.
11. There are millions of ________________ of plants and animals that inhabit Earth.
12. Now the Solar System is travelling through ____________________.
13. The dark side of the Moon is the side, which ____________________ faces Earth
40
Passage 6
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
Revised July 2011
This applies to all persons on the school campus
In cases of emergency (e.g. fire), find the nearest teacher who will: send a messenger
at full speed to the Office OR inform the Office via phone ext. 99.
PROCEDURE FOR EVACUATION

1. Warning of an emergency evacuation will be marked by a number of short bell
rings. (In the event of a power failure, this may be a hand-held bell or siren.)
2. All class work will cease immediately.
3. Students will leave their bags, books and other possessions where they are.
4. Teachers will take the class rolls.
5. Classes will vacate the premises using the nearest staircase. If these stairs are
inaccessible, use the nearest alternative staircase. Do not use the lifts. Do not run.
6. Each class, under the teacher’s supervision, will move in a brisk, orderly fashion
to the paved quadrangle area adjacent to the car park.
7. All support staff will do the same.
8. The Marshalling Supervisor, Ms Randall, will be wearing a red cap and she will
be waiting there with the master timetable and staff list in her possession.
9. Students assemble in the quad with their teacher at the time of evacuation. The
teacher will do a head count and check the roll.
10. Each teacher sends a student to the Supervisor to report whether all students
have been accounted for. After checking, students will sit down (in the event of rain
or wet pavement they may remain standing).
11. The Supervisor will inform the Office when all staff and students have been
accounted for.
12. All students, teaching staff and support personnel remain in the evacuation
area until the All Clear signal is given.
13. The All Clear will be a long bell ring or three blasts on the siren.
41
14. Students will return to class in an orderly manner under teacher guidance.
15. In the event of an emergency occurring during lunch or breaks, students are to
assemble in their home-room groups in the quad and await their home-room
teacher.
Questions 1-8
Complete the sentences below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text for each answer.
1. In an emergency, a teacher will either phone the office or __________
2. The signal for evacuation will normally be several __________
3. If possible, students should leave the building by the _________
4. They then walk quickly to the _______
5. ________ will join the teachers and students in the quad.
6. Each class teacher will count up his or her students and mark__________
7. After the __________, everyone may return to class.
8. If there is an emergency at lunchtime, students gather in the quad in ___________

and wait for their teacher.
Read the texts below and answer Questions 9–14

Community Education
SHORT COURSES: BUSINESS

Business Basics
Gain foundation knowledge for employment in an accounts position with
bookkeeping and business basics through to intermediate level; suitable for anyone
requiring knowledge from the ground up.
Code B/ED011
16th or 24th April 9am–4pm
Cost $420
Bookkeeping
This course will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of
bookkeeping and a great deal of hands-on experience.
Code B/ED020
19th April 9am–2.30pm (one session only so advance bookings essential)
Cost $250
42
New Enterprise Module
Understand company structures, tax rates, deductions, employer obligations, profit
and loss statements, GST and budgeting for tax.
Code B/ED030
15th or 27th May 6pm–9pm
Cost $105
Social Networking – the Latest Marketing Tool
This broad overview gives you the opportunity to analyse what web technologies are
available and how they can benefit your organisation.
Code B/ED033
1st or 8th or 15th June 6pm–9pm
Cost $95
Communication
Take the fear out of talking to large gatherings of people. Gain the public-speaking
experience that will empower you with better communication skills and confidence.
Code B/ED401
12th or 13th or 14th
July 6pm–9pm
Cost $90
Questions 9–14
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text?
Write:
9. Business Basics is appropriate for beginners.
10. Bookkeeping has no practical component.
11. Bookkeeping is intended for advanced students only.
12. The New Enterprise Module can help your business become more profitable.
13. Social Networking focuses on a specific website to help your business succeed.
14. The Communication class involves speaking in front of an audience.
43
Skimming Practice for Reading
Activity 1
It is almost impossible to write of the Arts in Australia without mentioning the
building that first put the country firmly on the world cultural map - the Sydney
Opera House. Completed in 1973 after 14 years of much heated discussion and at a
cost of almost £60 million, it is not only the most well-known Australian building in
the world but perhaps the most famous design of any modern building anywhere.
Its distinctive and highly original shape has been likened to everything from the sails
of a sailing ship to broken eggshells, but few would argue with the claim that the
Opera House is a major contribution to world architecture. Set amidst the graceful
splendour of Sydney Harbour, presiding like a queen over the bustle and brashness
of a modern city striving to forge a financial reputation in a tough commercial world,
it is a reminder to all Australians of their deep and abiding love of all things cultural.
Find the single words in paragraphs above which mean the following:
1. Pleasing/ Attractive _______________
2. Characteristic_____________
3. Angry ___________
4 (to) advance steadily _____________
5. Excited activity __________
6. Trying harder. ___________
7. Permanent/ lasting ___________
8. Rashness __________________
44
Activity 2
The Opera House was designed not by an Australian but by a celebrated Danish
architect, Jorn Utzon, whose design won an international competition in the late
1950s. However, it was not, in fact, completed to his original specifications. Plans for
much of the intended interior design of the building have only recently been
discovered. Sadly, the State Government of the day interfered with Utzon's plans
because of concerns about the escalating cost, though this was hardly surprising - the
building was originally expectedto cost only £5.5 million. Utzon left the country before
completing the project and in a fitof anger vowed never to return. The project was
eventually paid for by a State-run lottery.
The size of the interior of the building was scaled down appreciably by a team of
architects whose job it was to finish construction within a restricted budget.
Rehearsal rooms and other facilities for the various theatres within the complex were
either made considerably smaller or cut out altogether, and some artists have
complained bitterly about them ever since. But despite the controversy that
surrounded its birth, the Opera House has risen above the petty squabbling and is
now rightfully hailed as a modern architectural masterpiece. The Queen officially
opened the building in 1975 and since then, within its curved and twisted walls,
audiences of all nationalities have been quick to acclaim the many world-class
performances of stars from the Australian opera, ballet and theatre.
Find the words in paragraphs above which mean the following:
1. Meant -----------------
2. Meddled with-----------------
3. Made smaller ---------------------
4. Limited -------------------
5. Known as---------------------
6. Considerably-----------------
7. (to) promise-------------------
8. Unimportant----------------------
9. (to) applaud loudly--------------------
10. Money plan----------------------
45
Activity 3
When was the last time you saw a frog? Chances are, if you live in a city, you have
not seen one for some time. Even in wet areas once teeming with frogs and toads, it
is becoming less and less easy to find those slimy, hopping and sometimes poisonous
members of the animal kingdom. All over the world, even in remote jungles on the
far side of the globe, frogs are losing the ecological battle for survival, and biologists
are at a loss to explain their demise. Are amphibians simply over-sensitive to changes
in the ecosystem? Could their rapid decline in numbers be signaling some coming
environmental disaster for us all?
This frightening scenario is in part the consequence of a dramatic increase over the
last quarter century in the development of once natural areas of wet marshland; home
not only to frogs but to all manner of wildlife. Yet, there are no obvious reasons why
certain frog species are disappearing from rainforests in the Southern Hemisphere
which are barely touched by human hand. The mystery is unsettling to say the least,
for it is known that amphibian species are extremely sensitive to environmental
variations in temperature and moisture levels. The danger is that planet Earth might
not only lose a vital link in the ecological food chain (frogs keep populations of
otherwise pestilent insects at manageable levels), but we might be increasing our
output of air pollutants to levels that may have already become irreversible. Frogs
could be inadvertently warning us of a catastrophe.
1. Appearing in great numbers _______________
2. Death _________________
3. Disturbing ______________
4. Deterioration _________________
5. Unintentionally _________________
6. Branch of biology (adj.) ___________________
46
Activity 4
An example of a bizarre occurrence regarding a species of frog dates from the summer
of 1995, when ' an explosion' of multi-coloured frogs of the species Rana klepton
esculenta occurred in the Netherlands. Normally these frogs are brown and greenish-
brown, but some unknown contributory factor is turning these frogs yellow and/or
orange. Nonetheless, so far, the unusual bi- and even tri-coloured frogs are
functioning similarly to their normal-skinned contemporaries. It is thought that frogs
with lighter coloured skins might be more likely to survive in an increasingly warm
climate due to global warming.
One theory put forward to explain extinct amphibian species that seems to fit the
facts concerns the depletion of the ozone layer, a well-documented phenomenon which
has led to a sharp increase in ultraviolet radiation levels. The ozone layer is meant
to shield the Earth from UV rays, but increased radiation may be having a greater
effect upon frog populations than previously believed. Another theory is that
worldwide temperature increases are upsetting the breeding cycles of frogs.
1. no longer in existence ____________
2. (beings) existing at the same time ________________
3. Remarkable occurrence ____________________
4. Strange, weird, odd __________________
5. Assisting ________________
6. (to)protect ___________________
Activity 5
Almost everyone with or without a computer is aware of the latest technological
revolution destined to change forever the way in which humans communicate,
namely, the Information Superhighway, best exemplified by the ubiquitous Internet.
Already, millions of people around the world are linked by computer simply by having
a modem and an address on the 'Net', in much the same way that owning a telephone
links us to almost anyone who pays a phone bill. In fact, since the computer
connections are made via the phone line, the Internet can be envisaged as a network
of visual telephone links. It remains to be seen in which direction the Information
Superhighway is headed, but many believe it is the educational hope of the future.
47
The World Wide Web, an enormous collection of Internet addresses or sites, all of
which can be accessed for information, has been mainly responsible for the increase
in interest in the Internet in the 1990s. Before the World Wide Web, the 'Net' was
comparable to an integrated collection of computerized typewriters, but the
introduction of the 'Web' in 1990 allowed not only text links to be made but also
graphs, images and even video. A Web site consists of a 'home page', the first screen
of a particular site on the computer to which you are connected, from where access
can be had to other subject related 'pages' at the site and to thousands of other
computers all over the world. This is achieved by a process called 'hypertext'. By
clicking with a mouse device on various parts of the screen, a person connected to the
'Net' can go travelling, or 'surfing' through a web of pages to locate whatever
information is required.
1. Certain to become______________________
2. Complete change __________________
3. A machine _______________________
4. Given as an example ______________________
5. Found everywhere ________________________
6. Location (of activity) __________________________
7. Interconnected group_________________________
8. Vast, huge_________________________
48
IELTS Writing
The IELTS writing test is designed to assess a wide range of writing skills,
including how well you
• write a response appropriately
• organize ideas
• use a range of vocabulary and grammar accurately
Academic Writing
60 minutes
Topics are of general interest to, and suitable for, test takers entering
undergraduate and postgraduate studies or seeking professional registration.
There are two tasks:
 Task 1 - you will be presented with a graph, table, chart or diagram and
asked to describe, summaries or explain the information in your own
words. You may be asked to describe and explain data, describe the stages
of a process, how something works or describe an object or event.
 Task 2 - you will be asked to write an essay in response to a point of view,

argument or problem. Responses to both tasks must be in a formal style.
Format Write in a formal style in the IELTS Academic Writing

test.
In Task 1 you will be presented with a graph, table,
chart or diagram. You will be asked to describe,
summarize or explain the information in your own
words. This might involve describing and explaining
data, describing the stages of a process or how
something works, or describing an object or event.
In Task 2 you will be asked to write an essay in
response to a point of view, argument or problem. You
should find the issues interesting and easy to
understand.
Timing The IELTS Writing test takes 60 minutes. Spend 20

minutes on Task 1, and 40 minutes on Task 2. You will
need to manage your own time, so make sure you move
on to Task 2 after 20 minutes.
49
Number of 2 questions
Questions
Task Types Two tasks: Task 1 and Task 2. You will be asked to
write at least 150 words for Task 1 and at least 250
words for Task 2
Marks Your Writing test will be marked by a certificated

IELTS examiner. Task 2 is worth twice as much as
Task 1 in the IELTS Writing test. Scores are reported
in whole and half bands
Test format – General Training Writing

60 minutes
Topics are of general interest. There are two tasks:

 Task 1 - you will be presented with a situation and asked to write a
letter requesting information, or explaining the situation. The letter
may be personal, semi-formal or formal in style.
 Task 2 - you will be asked to write an essay in response to a point of

view, argument or problem. The essay can be fairly personal in style.
Format The topics used in the IELTS General Training

Writing test are of general interest.
In Task 1 you will be presented with a situation and
asked to write a letter requesting information or
explaining the situation. You can write the letter in a
personal, semi-formal or formal style.
In Task 2 you will be asked to write an essay in

response to a point of view, argument or problem. You
can use a fairly personal style.
50
Timing The IELTS Writing test takes 60 minutes. Spend 20
minutes on Task 1, and 40 minutes on Task 2. You will
need to manage your own time, so make sure you move
on to Task 2 after 20 minutes.
Number of 2 questions
Questions
Task Types Two tasks: Task 1 and Task 2. You will be asked to
write at least 150 words for Task 1 and at least 250
words for Task 2
Marks Your Writing test will be marked by a certificated

IELTS examiner. Task 2 is worth twice as much as
Task 1 in the IELTS Writing test. Scores are reported
in whole and half bands
Marking and assessment:
Each task is assessed independently. The assessment of Task 2 carries more

weight in marking than Task 1. Both IELTS Academic and IELTS General
Training versions and are based on the following criteria.
Task 1 responses are assessed on:
 Task achievement
 Coherence and cohesion
 Lexical resource
 Grammatical range and accuracy.
Task 2 responses are assessed on:
 Task response
 Coherence and cohesion
 Lexical resource
 Grammatical range and accuracy.
51
Performance descriptors
Task 1
Task achievement:
This assesses how appropriately, accurately and relevantly the response fulfils
the requirements set out in the task, using the minimum of 150 words.
Coherence and cohesion:

This concerns overall clarity and fluency: how the response organizes and
links information, ideas and language. Coherence refers to the linking of ideas
through logical sequencing. Cohesion refers to the varied and appropriate use
of cohesive devices (for example, logical connectors, pronouns and
conjunctions) to assist in making the conceptual and referential relationships
between and within sentences clear.
Lexical resource:
This refers to the range of vocabulary used and its accuracy and
appropriateness in terms of the specific task.
Grammatical range and accuracy:

This refers to the range and accurate use of grammar as manifested in their
sentence writing.
Task 2
Task response:
In both IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training versions, Task 2
requires test takers to formulate and develop a position in relation to a given
prompt in the form of a question or statement. Ideas should be supported by
evidence, and examples may be drawn from the test takers’ own experience.
Responses must be at least 250 words in length. Scripts under the req uired
minimum word limit will be penalized.
Coherence and cohesion:

This assesses the overall clarity and fluency of the message: how the response
organizes and links information, ideas and language. Coherence refers to the
linking of ideas through logical sequencing. Cohesion refers to the varied and
appropriate use of cohesive devices (for example, logical connectors, pronouns
and conjunctions) to assist in making the conceptual and referential
relationships between and within sentences clear.
Lexical resource:
This criterion refers to the range of vocabulary used and its accuracy and
appropriateness in terms of the specific task.
52
Grammatical range and accuracy:
This assesses the range and accurate use of grammar, as manifested in their
test takers’ writing at sentence level.
Academic Writing Task 1: Structure
To get the highest score, you should follow

this answer structure:
1. Introduction
2. General overview
3. Specific features
Example:
The line graph below shows the household
recycling rates in three different countries between 2005 and 2015. Summarize the
information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons
where relevant.
53
1. Introduction
The first paragraph you need to write is your introduction. For the introduction you
need simply to paraphrase the information from your topic (make sure that
you mention what your graph shows and for what period of time). It shouldn't be
longer that 2 sentences.
(The line graph illustrates the regional household recycling rates in the UK, France
and Germany from 2005 to 2015.)
2. Overview
When giving a general overview, you shouldn’t state any specific details, you should
simply write what’s happening on the graph overall. It's a good technique to write
'Overall,' before giving an overview.
(Overall, the recycling rates of the UK and Germany showed a steady but significant
rise over the period, while the percentage of recycled waste in France experienced a
downward trend.)
3. Specific features
After you've given the overview, you should group data by some feature and give
specific details. In this line graph you can group data in two ways:
A. by country:
Describe each country’s recycling rates in a separate paragraph
B. by similar trend:
As you can see, the UK and Germany followed a similar trend: their recycling
rates were increasing throughout the period, while recycling rates of France
experienced a fall.
So you can describe an “increase pattern” in the first paragraph and a
“decrease pattern” in the second paragraph.
(In 2005 the recycling rates of the UK and Germany were nearly 35% and 20%
respectively. Germany's rate increased sharply throughout the period, exceeding
France's rate in 2009 and reaching almost 60% in the end of the period. In the
meantime, the percentage of recycled waste in the UK grew to 40% in 2007, and then
remained steady until 2009. During 2009-2011 it experienced a rapid surge to more
than 50% and continued with a gradual increase to 60% in 2015.
In early 2005 the recycling rate of France (50%) was the highest among these three
countries. However, it dramatically declined to 30% in 2013. Then, there was a
growth of 10% in 2015, but France's recycling rate was the lowest in the end of the
period.)
54
Academic Writing Task 1: Vocabulary
Introductory expressions:
The graph/chart/table/diagram
 gives information about/on

 provides information about/on
 shows
 illustrates
 represents
 depicts
 gives reason why (only if graph provides reasons for something)
 explains why (only if graph provides explanation for something)
 compares (only if several items are compared)
Comparison:
 Compares “X” in terms of “Y”
the charts compare two cities in terms of the number of employed
people.
 Compares “X” in year1 and year2
the graph compares the population in 2000 and 2013.

Examples:
 “The pie charts provide information on the proportion of males and

females working in agricultural sector.” OR “The pie charts show the
proportion of males and females working in agricultural sector.”
 “The table compares five companies in terms of the number of
employees.” OR “The table illustrates the number of employees in five
companies.”
55
1. Paraphrasing
You can rewrite a phrase by using the word how:

o shows the number of people ... = shows how many people ...
o depicts changes in spending on ... = depicts how much changed
spending on ...
You can rewrite a phrase by using synonyms:
o number of = quantity of (not interchangeable with amount of)
o spending = expenditure
o rate = percentage
o ratio = proportion
o information = data
o change can be sometimes replaced by increase, decrease or variation
o share = portion
o place = site
2. Time periods
o from 1985 to 1995 = between 1985 and 1995
o in 1985 = in the year 1985
o in 1985 and 1995 = in 1985 and 1995 respectively = in the years 1985
and 1995
Examples:
o The table shows consumption rates from 2001 to 2004.

o The graph shows consumption rates in 2012 and 2015 respectively.
56
Example:
See how the topic was paraphrased to

make a very good task 1 introduction
(picture on the right).
Change:
 Show is changed to compare

 Percentages added
 Different added
 In 2007 and 2009 → In the years
2007 and 2009
As you see, you don't have to make up a

completely new introduction. Just take the
given topic as a base, and change/add
some details.
Introduction Practice. Choose the correct options:

1.
A. The table shows the amount of students who study abroad in 2001 and 2011.
B. The table shows the number of students who study abroad in 2001 and 2011.
2.
A. The graph illustrate China's annual growth rate of exports of goods.
B. The graph illustrates China's annual growth rate of exports of goods.
3.
A. The line graph shows how many Finnish people went to the cinema between
June and October 2014.
B. The line graph shows how much Finnish people went to the cinema between
June and October 2014.
4.
A. The pie charts compare the world population of 1900 with 2000.
B. The pie charts compare the world population in 1900 and 2000.
57
Types of changes
Nouns:
a rise (of)
an increase (of)
a growth (of)
a peak (of)
a surge (of)
Example: a rise of prices
Verb:
to rise
to increase
to surge
to grow
to peak
Large rises:
to rocket
to soar
to leap (->leapt)
Nouns:
a fall (in)
a decrease (in)
a decline (in)
a dip (in)
Example: a fall in prices
Verb:
to fall
to decrease
to decline
to dip
to dive
to plunge
Large falls:
to plummet
to peak
58
Nouns:
a fluctuation (of)
a variation (in)
Example: a fluctuation of
prices
Verb:
to fluctuate
to vary
Description of changes
Adverbs:
Sharply
Suddenly
Rapidly
Abruptly Description of changes
Dramatically
Significantly
Considerably
Markedly
Wildly
Example: the prices rose
sharply
Adjectives:
Sharp
Sudden
Rapid
Abrupt
Dramatic
Steep
Significant
Considerable
Marked
Substantial
Spectacular
Example: there was a
considerable growth
59
Adverbs:
Slightly
Gently
Gradually
Steadily
Modestly
Marginally
Example: the prices increased
modestly
Adjectives:
Slight
Gentle
Gradual
Steady
Consistent
Modest
Marginal
Example: there was a gradual
decline
Useful phrases:
o a small fraction, a small number, a small minority

o a large portion, a significant majority
o nearly a fifth, almost 10%, in region of 40%, more than a half, over a quarter,
around two thirds, more or less three quarters, exactly one in ten,
approximately a third
60
IELTS Academic Writing Task 1. Practice 1 (Pie Chart)
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The pie graphs below show the result of a survey of children's activities. The first
graph shows the cultural and leisure activities that boys participate in, whereas the
second graph shows the activities in which the girls participate.
Write a report describing the information shown in the two pie graphs.
Write at least 150 words.
How to answer this task?

1. Introduce the pie charts. Write what they summarize.
2. Write a general overview. Write in brief the main trends.
3. Describe the first chart. Write about the activities on the boys' chart and
their popularity.
4. Describe the second chart. Write about the activities on the girls' chart
and their popularity.
61
IELTS Academic Writing Task 1. Practice 2 (Line graph)

The graph below shows the area of land from which grain was harvested.
Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information in the graph.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.
You should write at least 150 words.
World grain harvested area, 1950 – 96
First Step- Analyze:

1. what does the 'X' axis represent?
2. What does 'Y' axis represent?
3. What is the questions asking to do?
62
Second Step- Collecting data/ information:
1. Time:
2. Theme:
3. Place and Position:
4. Main Point:
5. General Trend:
6. Effects & Result:
Conclusion: (Not necessary)
Third Step- Report Planning:
A) Writing Introduction:
What does the given line graph shows?
What does the 'X' axis and the 'Y' axis shows?
B) Writing General Trend:

What is the overall trend?
C) Writing Detailed Description:

What are the main features?
D) Writing the conclusion

(Not necessary.)
63
IELTS Academic Writing Task 1. Practice 3 (Bar Graph)
The chart shows the number of mobile phones and landlines per 100 people in
selected countries.
Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information given.
1. Writing Introduction:
2. Writing General Trend:
3. Writing Detailed Description:
64
Tips for answering this writing question:
1. The graph does not mention any year from past so your answer should be in
present tense. Example: Around 70% German people use mobile phones whereas
the land phone users of this country are 60%.
2. Notice the fact that, in USA, Canada and Denmark, the number of land phone
users is higher than the mobile phone users. In other four European countries, the
opposite trends can be observed where cell phone users are more than the land
phone users.
3. The data are given in percentage so mention them as percentages, not in an

absolute value.
4. No past year is mentioned in the illustration, so use the present tense to present
your writing. Example: 90% Italian people use cell phone whereas only 41% of them
use the landlines.
5. Mention which countries have the highest and lowest land phone and cell phone
using percentage in your answer as these are two important facts are present in the
graph. For instance: The highest percentage of cell phone users are Italian whereas
their percentage of using the land phone is lowest among the given countries. On
the contrary, Denmark has the highest percentage of land phone users and this
percentage is lowest in Canada.
Summary of the bar graph:
The given graph compares the percentages of land phone and cell phone users in 7
different European and American countries. As is given in the illustration, the
numbers of cell phone users are higher than the land phone users are in Italy,
Sweden, UK and Germany. On the contrary, the land phone users are higher than
cell phone users are in Canada, US and Denmark. Also, Italy has the highest
percentage of mobile phone users and also the lowest land phone users. Finally,
Denmark has the highest percentage of landline users and Canada has the lowest
percentage of land phone users among the given 7 countries.
65
IELTS Academic Writing Task 1. Practice 4 (Table)
The table below gives information about the underground railway systems in six
cities. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and
make comparisons where relevant.
Underground Railways Systems
City Date opened Kilometers of Passengers per year

route (in millions)
London 1863 394 775
Paris 1900 199 1191
Tokyo 1927 155 1927
Washington DC 1976 126 144
Kyoto 1981 11 45
Los Angeles 2001 28 50
Try:
66
IELTS Academic Writing Task 1. Practice 4 (Flow chart)
The diagram below shows how the Australian Bureau of Meteorology collects up-to-
the-minute information on the weather in order to produce reliable forecasts.
Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below.
Try:
67
INTRODUCTORY EXPRESSIONS
1) The graph shows/ indicates/ illustrates/ represents + that or shows what? the growth …;
provides information about/ provides details about
2) It is clear from the graph + that
3) It can be seen from the graph + that
4) As the graph shows, + sentence started with N
5) As can be seen from the graph, + sentence started with N
6) As is illustrated by the graph, + sentence started with N
7) From the graph is clear + that
INDICATION OF APPROXIMATE FIGURES

over: (just) over 20%
under: just under 100
around/ about: around/ about 50%
approximately: approximately 25%
slightly: slightly over 40%, slightly more than half
almost: almost exactly twice as many
nearly: nearly $10 000
PER
per year = per annum = annually and annual + N, each/ every year
per week = weekly = each/every week
per day = daily = each/ every day
per head = per capita = for each person
Age groups (18-24)

The 18-24 age group The 18-24 year-olds
The 18-24 age range The youngest / the oldest age group
68
Describing trends
fell steadily = a steady fall
rose gradually = a gradual rise
fluctuated wildly, but the trend was upward

= a wild fluctuation
fluctuated remarkably, and the trend was downward

= a remarkable fluctuation
dropped slightly = a slight drop
fell/ decreased and then levelled off
rose gradually and then climbed sharply
declined dramatically = a dramatic decline

dropped suddenly = a sudden drop
Variety of structures
1. Verb + adverb: The consumption of the chocolate fell steadily.
2. There was a + adj. + N: There was a steady fall in the consumption of chocolate.
3. There has been a + adj. + N: There has been a steady fall in the consumption of chocolate.
the ... of : the consumption of chocolate, the production of films
N + N: chocolate consumption, film production
69
The graph provides information about the income trends of four cafes (The Tea Room, Internet
Express, Wi-Fi Café, and Café Cool) over the last year in New York. Units are measured in
thousands of dollars.
It can be seen that the earnings for The Tea Room were down over the year, falling ________
from almost $160,000 earnings per month to just under $50,000 in December.
By contrast, the income for the other three cafes went up by varying degrees. There was
____________ in Café Cool’s sales over the ten months, followed by a sudden increase to
approximately $120,000. Furthermore, the income for both Internet Express and the Wi-Fi Café
_____________ in December. The former experienced _______________ to June, but after
that, income rose ____________ ending the year at around $130,000. Likewise, the trend for Wi-
Fi was upward. Between January and July, earnings _____________ from $50,000 to nearly
$100,000 and ____________ to around $190,000.
It is noticeable that the income for The Tae Room is lower in the winter months that for the other
three cafes.
Match options a-g with gaps in the text.
a) steadily
b) then rocketed
c) doubled
d) significantly
e) also ended the year up
f) a steady fall
g) a rise
70
The charts below show the average bed use in three typical hospitals internationally and the
proportion of hospital budgets allocated to in-patient care before and after day-surgery was
introduced in 2003.
peak impact clear occupancy trend details marked reduction

falling significantly rise experienced
The graph provides (1) ___________about average beds in use each year in three similar
hospitals before and after the introduction of day-care surgery.
Day-care surgery seems to have had an (2) ____________ on bed use in all three hospitals. At
the French hospital, the figures show an upward (3) ____________ over the period from 40 beds
to 46. However, in 2003 bed (4) ____________ had reached a (5) ___________of just under 70
beds, before (6) ___________ back. A similar pattern was repeated for the Ukrainian hospital,
except that the decline in bed use after 2003 was not so (7) ______________ (76 beds in 2003 as
against 71 in 2006).
The Chinese hospital, by comparison, (8) _______________ a continual (9) ____________ in
bed between 1997 and 2006, 71 and 93 respectively. However, we see that after 2004 the rate of
increase was (10) __________________slower than in previous years.
It is (11) ____________ that the fall in bed use coincides with the (12) _______________in the
average budget at the three hospitals for in-patient care (35% compared to 27 per cent) between
2002 and 2006.
71
Pie charts are frequently used to summarize data. Therefore, they can often be used as the
basis for concluding statements. Match each of the following sentences to one of the pie charts.
a) It is evident that opinions are split almost equally between the three opinions as regards the
benefits of joint cultural ventures.
b) It would seem that the vast majority of people think that the development of trade links has the
greatest impact on international relations.
c) Overall, only a small minority of people felt that the language barrier would prevent the
development of cultural links.
d) Just under half the people surveyed are of the opinion that China would be the biggest cultural
influence in the world by 2030.
e) About half of the holiday-makers visited Italy because they were interested in the art and
culture, whereas the food and the climate were named as the most important factors by
approximately equal numbers of the remaining tourists in the survey.
Match the equivalents:

1 87% nearly a third
2 63% the vast majority
3 11% just under half
4 47% a tiny minority
5 32% nearly two-thirds
72
The pie charts below show the number of journal articles read per week by all students, PhD
students, and junior lecturers at an Australian university.
The three pie charts illustrate how many articles from academic journals are read weekly by PhD
students and junior lecturers compared to other students at an Australian university.
It is noticeable that the overwhelming majority of those studying doctorates read at least 12
articles per week in comparison with the average student. The figures are 80 per cent and 12 per
cent respectively. Furthermore, only 5 per cent of PhD level students read between 1 and 5
articles, whereas the average for all students in this category is a massive 67 per cent.
Meanwhile, for junior lecturers the pattern appears to be slightly different. Most read 6 or more
articles per week (75%); however, out of this total 24% read 12 or more, which is almost a third
of the corresponding figures for PhD level students.
It is clear that those who are researching for a PhD read more articles than either junior lecturers
or other students. (154 words)
73
Talking about the proportions
26% 33% 48% 75%
just over a quarter one third almost/ nearly half three quarters
adjective-noun collocations
very big the vast majority / the overwhelming majority
very small a tiny minority
very big (used before numbers) massive / hefty : a hefty 85 per cent
very small (used before numbers) modest / mere: a mere 12 per cent
Percentage/ proportion
Talking about pie charts we are talking about percentage or proportion (used more broadly),
whereas percent means for every hundred.
a high/ low, a significant, a great, a large percentage / proportion
By far the greatest proportion of electricity was generated by oil, at 72%

(but not big/ little %) as big is not a formal word - large
not “a little number” , but “ a small number”.
Mathematic expressions
noun verb adjective
half halve equal
triple treble threefold
double double partial
quarter average
total total
Exports doubled, to reach 80% of imports in 2016.

The number of users halved.
The number of customers increased fivefold.
Avoid starting your sentence with “and”, “but”, “so”.
74
Task 1
The pie charts below show the number of hours spent in a British university library by
undergraduates, postgraduates, and the total student population
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons
where relevant.
75
It is clear from the pie chart that in
Electricity generation in 2016/17by the far greater proportion of
Australia by fuel type, 2016/17 electricity was generated by oil, at 59%.
Less than a half as much, namely 26%, was
produced from brown coal. Black coal and
Oil - 59%
gas together accounted for another 14% of
Brown coal - 26% generation, leaving hydropower at only
1%. In other words, virtually 100% of
Black coal - 10% electricity generation in Australia at the
time came from fossil fuels, and only the
Gas - 4%
insignificant amount of just 1% came from
Hydro - 1% a renewable energy source.
The table below shows the age profile of tourists on

backpacking holidays and guided tours in New Zealand in 2014,
Satisfaction and the pie chart gives the satisfaction rating of their stay.
rating Age profile Backpacking Guided tours
18-30 62% 7%
Yes - 83% 31-40 23% 24%
41-50 10% 57%
Other 5% 14%
No - 10%
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main

Not sure - 7%
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
The table provides a breakdown by selected age group of those on backpacking and guided tours
in New Zealand in 2014, with the pie chart indicating whether they enjoyed their holiday.
As can be seen from the table, the age profile of people on the two different types of holiday
varies considerably. For example, the majority (62 per cent) of those on backpacking holidays
belong to the 18-30 age range, meanwhile the same age group accounts for a small proportion (7
per cent) of those on guided tours. However, the pattern is the complete reverse when it comes
to 41-50 year-olds. These people make up 57 per cent of those on guided tours, despite
accounting for only 10 per cent of backpackers. By contrast, the profiles for both backpacking
and guided tours include roughly equal proportions from the 31-40 age group: 23 and 24 per cent
respectively.
It is clear from the pie chart that New Zealand is rated as a popular destination among the
majority of all holiday-makers, with a massive 83 per cent from both groups stating they enjoyed
their holiday. (183 words)
76
77
THE BAR CHART
The chart shows the results of a survey about the
most important inventions in the last 300 years.
1) What is the most striking feature of the chart?
2) What voting patterns can you see for females?
3) What voting patterns can you see for males?
A. COMPARISON
- more + N + than: More males than females chose the TV.
- fewer + N + than: Fewer females than males chose the TV.
- more/ less + adj + than: The TV was more popular among males than females.
- the most/ least + adj: The most popular form of communication was the Internet.
NOTE: more and fewer are followed by countable nouns in the plural.
Common measurement terms
a grater number
larger proportion
higher percentage
smaller
lower
as many … as (when the numbers are very close) or not as many …as :
As many females as males chose the computer.
Not as many females as males chose the radio.
B. SYNONYMS
choose – select – pick; female – women , male – men
More women than men selected the bicycle.
C. ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE
The bicycle was chosen by more females than males.
The mobile phones were selected by fewer males than females.
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D. ADVERBS OF COMPARISONS
You can add adverbs of comparisons to make them more precise.
a) Significantly more people voted for bicycle than the other inventions.
b) In the past, considerably more people lived in the countryside than towns.
c) Substantially less time is now spent doing housework than before.
d) Slightly more women than men voted for bicycles.
e) The exhibition about cinema attracted far fewer visitors than expected.
f) Nearly as many children as adults watch programmes about ancient history.
g) Sports programmes are watched by practically as many people now as in previous years.
Which adverbs above mean:
just a few
almost
a lot
E. Comparing and contrasting

The chart provides
information about
how two age groups
participate in several
clubs at a centre for
adults.
1) In general, the 20-30 year-olds are more actively involved in societies compared with/to the
older group.
2) Only 25 people from the younger age group are members of the historical society, while the
figure for 45-65 year olds is about 50.
3) The keep fit and social clubs attract a broader range of people in comparison with the
historical society.
4) The keep fit and social clubs have slightly more members in the younger age bracket,
although they are fairly popular with both age groups.
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Task 1
a) What do you think the bar chart provides information about?

b) What could the numbers on the left relate to?
c) What do you think the words along the bottom of the chart relate to?
d) What could be numbers in the box refer to?
e) Is there a time reference for the graph?
The chart provides information about how two age groups participate in several clubs at a center
for adults.
It can be seen from the bar graph that the archaeological, keep fit, and social clubs are popular
with both older and younger people. However, the historical and arts and crafts societies clearly
appeal more to one of the age groups. In the historical society, 50 of the members are between 45
and 65, while there are only 25 from the younger age group.
For the arts and crafts society, the pattern is reversed. There are about 60 members aged between
20 and 30, whereas in comparison with the number of people in the 45 to 65 age group is
considerably lower. The keep fit and social clubs are popular with both age groups, although
there are slightly fewer older people. Membership of the archaeological society stands at 45 for
both groups.
In general, the younger age groups are noticeably more involved in the various societies than the
45-65 year-olds. (168 words)
80
The bar chart below shows the number of overseas students enrolled in a second year Graphic
Design course at a college in the south of England.
Write a report for a university lecture describing the information shown.
It can be seen from the bar chart that students from four European countries (Sweden, Spain,
France and Germany) and one Middle Eastern country (Syria) are taking Graphic Design at the
college. Some students are enrolled in the Computer-Aided Design (CAD) core option; the
others are taking Photography.
Overall, Sweden has the largest number of enrolled students (17) and Syria the smallest (5).
France and Spain both have 12 students; Germany has 11. It is noticeable that France and
Germany have similar profiles.
Students from all five countries are enrolled in CAD, but more males are taking this option than
females (21 and 9 respectively). For each nationality the males taking CAD outnumber the
females, except in case of the Syrians with 3 females to 1 male. Sweden has the most students
studying CAD (9); Spain is the next 7, while France has 6. Germany and Syria have 4 CAD
students each.
As for the photography option, more females than males are enrolled from every country apart
from Syria. In fact, no female Syrian students are taking Photographic Design. Only 1 male from
each country is enrolled in Photography, except for 2 males from Spain.
81
Task 1
The chart above shows sources of funding for research and development (R&D) in the UK from
1999 to 2001. The table below shows the percentage of national income spent on R&D for a
range of countries.
Proportion of national income allocated to R&D (1999)
the UK the USA Germany France Italy Japan EU average
1.82% 2.75% 2.4% 2.3% 1.1% 2.9% 1.81%
rose contributed (x2) was overtook was spent is shown came provides
The chart 1) ____________information about the main sources of funding for scientific research
and development (R&D) in the UK. The proportion of national income spent on R&D by country
2) ______________in the table.
Between 1999 and 2001, the amount of funding allocated from each source 3) ____________
very slightly. Approximately half of all investment throughout the period 4) ______________
from business, while the government consistently 5) ______________ around 17 per cent. It is
also noticeable that in 1999 overseas spending on R&D in the UK was comparable to the
government’s, at around 17 per cent. However, for the last two years it 6) ______________
government spending in this area.
As regards the proportion of national income allocated to R&D, the highest percentage (2.9%) 7)
______________ by Japan, followed closely by the USA (2.5%). By contrast, Italy 8)
______________the smallest amount of national income to R&D, only 1.1%, significantly below
the EU average of 1.81%.
It is interesting to note that although the UK’s spending on R&D 9) ______________ above the
EU average in 1999, it is considerably behind other close trading partners France and Germany.
82
Task 1
The graph below shows the contribution of three sectors – agriculture, manufacturing, and
business and financial services – to the UK economy in the twentieth century.
where relevant.
83
Fill in the gaps using one of the words from the box. Decide whether you need to add the.
Rank Country Number of people accessing

the internet per 100,000 people
#1 New Zealand 79,306

#2 Iceland 76,027
#3 Sweden 75,539
#4 Malta 75,527
#5 Faroe Islands 68,140
#6 Greenland 67,406
#7 Korea, South 64,925
#8 Australia 64,709
#9 Finland 62,914
#10 United Kingdom 62,209
Faroe Islands Internet largest list Malta number one same Sweden table
United Kingdom United States world
(1) _____________ provides the information about the top ten countries in terms of internet usage.
(2) _____________ country is New Zealand, which has (3) _____________ number of internet users. (4)
_____________ is at the bottom of (5) _____________ . Surprisingly, (6) _____________does not
feature in the top ten at all. However, a little-known group of islands called (7) _____________ is ranked
fifth in (8) _____________ . (9) _____________ and (10) _____________ are ranked third and fourth.
Both have almost (11) _____________number of users, with over 75,500 people per 100,000 accessing
(12) _____________ .
84
The maps below show changes that took place in Youngsville in New Zealand over a 25-year
period from 1980 to 2005.
The maps maps illustrate the developments which occurred in the coastal town of Youngsville
between 1980 and 2005.
In 1980, the town was a much greener residential area with a large number of trees and
individual houses, but during the next 25 years the town experienced a number of dramatic
changes. The most noticeable is that all of trees south of the River Alanah were cut down, with
all the houses along the railway line being knocked down and replaced by skyscrapers.
Moreover, a new industrial state with factories and warehouses sprang up around the airport and
school.
Only a few trees north of the river remained. The woodland was cleared to make way for a park,
a golf course, and a car parking facilities. Further developments were the construction of a
stadium near the north-east corner of the lake and a new stretch of railway from the river running
directly north. A marina was also built at the mouth of the river.
Overall, a comparison of the two maps reveals a change from largely rural to a mainly urban
landscape.
85
PRESENT PAST FUTURE
SIMPLE am/is/are + past was/were + past will be + past participle
participle participle
CONTINUOUS am/is/are being + past was/were being + past ___________________
participle participle
PERFECT have/has been + past had been + past will have been + past
participle participle participle
PERFECT __________________ __________________ ____________________
CONTINUOUS
1. From Active to Passive Voice

The block of flats _______________ (turn) into a hotel.
The block of flats was turned into a hotel.
1) The factory _______________ (convert) into a gallery.
2) The forest _________________ (cut down) to build a railway.
3) The row of houses ________________ (knock down) to make way for a road.
4) The sports complex _________________ (construct) in the suburbs.
5) The row of old terraced houses in the city ______________ (replace) by a block of flats.
6) The whole centre of the town ______________ (transform) by new developments.
2. Answer the questions using the phrases in the box.

south of the river beside the railway line in the south-west of the town north of the
skyscrapers south of the golf course south-west of the stadium north-east of the lake
a) Where are the skyscrapers? They are …

b) Where is the stadium? It is…
c) Where is the lake? It is…
d) Where is the hospital? It is…
e) Where is the railway station? It is…
f) Where is the airport? It is…
g) Where is the school? It is…
86
Task 1
The maps below show the changes that have taken place at the seaside resort of Templeton
between 1990 and 2005.
where relevant.
87
The purpose of a diagram is normally to show a process, how a piece of equipment works, or the
operational structure of a system. The vocabulary will mostly be closely related to the special
subject matter being shown.
Note 1
Natural processes are often described using the active form.
Ex: When warm air reaches high ground, it is forced to rise, and, as a result, it cools.
Manufacturing processes are usually described using the passive form.
Ex: Limestone is the main ingredient of cement. Firstly, it is extracted from the ground. Then, at
the factory, it is heated to a high temperature with other ingredients.
Note 2
Some diagrams require descriptions using past tenses.
The diagram shows the process by which coal was
formed over a period of millions of years.
First of all, large plants lived in enormous
swamps a long time ago. These died and dropped
to the bottom of the water. Over the years, the
dead plants formed a layer, which became deeper
and deeper. More and more earth and dirt built up
on top of this layer. Subsequently, this layer was
covered by rocks and dirt, and so the energy of the
dead plants was trapped underneath. As the
pressure and the heat grew over time, the layer of
dead plants turned into coal. Seams of coal were
formed, and coal is now mined.
1) Phrases that help put ideas in sequence. You need to use a variety of connectors showing
stages or time.
NOTE: Do not simply use firstly, secondly, thirdly or then (at the beginning), BETTER use:
In the first/ second stage … or First of all… Next… The process continues with… After this…
2) Describing a natural process involves active voice, but the same time it is very important to
make some sentences with passive voice.
3) Description was made using Past Tense; however, the last part was in Present Tense.
88
The diagram shows how energy is produced from coal.
The diagram shows the various stages in the production of clean energy from coal.
First of all, the coal is mined in deep pits underground and then carried to the surface. After
that, it is carried along a conveyor belt to a power plant, where it is burned in a large furnace to
which oxygen is added. From this, raw syngas is produced. At the next stage of the process,
harmful substances like carbon dioxide, mercury, and sulphur are removed. Following that, the
purified gas is used to drive a gas turbine. The turbine in turn powers a generator, producing
electricity. The gas turbine also produces hot exhaust gases. These are then piped to a heat
recovery steam generator, which converts the heat into steam. The steam is subsequently used to
power a steam turbine, which again is used to generate electricity.
The energy is clean because harmful products are removed and the coal is not transported to
another site to produce electricity.
Usage of then: The water is then transported. The water is then purified.
Variety: The water is then purified. = The purification of water is the next stage.
89
PRACTICE
Put the verbs in present active, present passive, or infinitive (to)
Part 1
store react filter distribute extract blend
Firstly, plant seeds are crushed _____________ the oil. This oil then __________ to take out the
impurities. Next, hydrogen is added to it under high pressure. This hydrogen __________ with
the oil and makes it hard. Following this, the oil _______ with other vegetable oils. Finally, the
margarine ___________ in tubs until it ___________ to the shops.
Part 2
fix carry grow fall spread
A seed _________ from a tree to the forest floor or _________ along by the wind, or by a bird or
other animal. Lying dormant until the arrival of spring, the seed then sprouts roots _________ it
to the ground. The seed begins ___________ and in time develops into a fragile sapling.
Eventually, the sapling grows into a tree, whose seeds in turn ___________ by the wind.
NOTE:
1) If you have to describe a cycle, you can use this sentence as the closing one:
“The cycle then repeated itself all over again”.
2) If it is one end process you can write:
“The (liquid) is then put into storage and the distribution process is ready to begin”.
90
The diagram below shows the production of steam using a gas cooled nuclear reactor.
Write a report for a university lecture describing the information shown below.
The diagram illustrates the various stages in the steam production with a usage of a gas-cooled
nuclear reactor.
Overall, a gas-cooled nuclear reactor consists of the reactor itself and a heat exchanger.
The reactor contains uranium fuel elements which are surrounded by graphite moderators and
topped by charge tubes for loading fuel elements, and boron control rods. The whole reactor is
contained in a pressure vessel surrounded by a concrete shield with two holes for the pipes.
From the reactor the hot gas flows through a duct into the heat exchanger. There a pipe brings in
water which is heated to steam, and this then flows out to the turbo-alternator. Meanwhile the hot
gas sinks to the bottom of the heat exchanger and passes through a gas blower which in turn
pushes it into a cool gas duct and back to the reactor where the cycle repeats itself all over again.
(151 words)
91
The diagram below shows career paths in the travel industry.
Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below.
The diagram illustrates the possible professional advancements in the travel sector.
Overall, to progress in the travel industry there are two career paths that can be followed.
Beginning as either a travel sales assistant or a travel clerk, an employee can first become a travel
consultant for domestic operations and then be promoted to international operations. From there
it is possible to move in three directions. Travel consultants can become senior travel consultants,
but from that position there is no further direct promotion. They can also choose to move either
in the direction of the commercial private sector, or tourism and the public or specialised domestic
sector. In the private sector the next step is to travel sales supervisor and from there to small
agency manager or branch manager. In the tourism sector one can either be promoted to travel
administration manager or marketing manager. While both small agency managers and marketing
managers can move up to CEO level directly, for branch managers and travel administration
managers there is still another stage, that of senior manager, to go through before reaching the
top.
(183 words)
92
Writing Task 1 might ask you to describe how a machine or object works, or how it is used for a
particular purpose.
The bicycle is a relatively recent invention. It is by far the most economical and
environmentally-friendly mechanical mode of transport yet invented.
Describe how the illustrated two-wheeled bicycle below functions, and be sure to mention
in your description the machine’s environmentally-friendly feature.
How to approach a task

1) It is necessary to describe the function that the machine or object is designed to perform.
Although it be quite obvious what the function is, your job when writing a description is to be as
informative as possible; you are not completing the task if you fail to tell the reader what the
machine or object actually does. You should assume that the reader knows nothing at all about
the machine or object you are looking at.
2) Inform the reader of the parts that make up the machine or object.
3) After drawing attention to the parts that make up the machine or object, the next step is to
describe how those parts function together. To do this, it is advisable to use the Passive Voice,
since it avoids the use of unnecessary references to whom it refers or what is using the machine
or object. However, it is sometimes necessary to refer to the person or thing using the machine at
least once, usually at the beginning of the description of how it is being used.
93
How to approach a task
1. Some ways to begin describing the function of a machine or object:
a) The illustration is of a ____________ which is designed to (do something).

b) A ___________ is a ______________ designed for the purpose of (doing something).
c) The function of a ______________ is to (do something).
2. Ways to describe the component parts of a machine or object:

A ___________ is made up of (How many?) main parts. / :
consists of a number of distinct sections. / :
comprises separate
You can place a colon and then list the parts by separating them with commas as follows:
… parts/ sections : a _________, a __________, and a ____________ .
Alternatively, you may start a new sentence after the full stop:
First, there is the ________ . Then the __________ , the ________ , and the __________ .
3. Ways to refer to the active participant(s) of the machine or object:

YOU First, you put your …………… on the …………….. .
WE First, we put our …………… on the …………….. .
THE (USER) First, (the cyclist) puts his or her …………… on the …………….. .
ONE First, one puts one’s …………… on the …………….. .
Note that it is not usually a good idea to refer to the active participant as “we”. It is less formal.
On the other hand, the use of “one” can be rather too formal. The best way is to use a single
individual (the cyclist, the operator etc.) to refer to all users. This problem is avoided with use of
the Passive Voice.
94
Complete the description of the bicycle by filling in the gaps. Choose from the box and insert the
names of the various parts of the machine as labelled in the illustration.
Note: not all the words and phrases in the box or in the illustration may be placed in this text.
is connected cyclist are located you are filled
one is driven is linked is balanced are moved
are attached we driver are pushed is seated
A bicycle is a machine designed to transport a person by means of his or her own physical effort.
It is, therefore, almost entirely environmentally-friendly. Since the amount of friction generated
is much reduced, it is also extremely efficient.
It consists of four main sections: the two spoked wheels, a set of handlebars, and a revolving cog,
held together by a metal frame. The (1) _______________ , who (2) ______________ on the top
of a (3) ____________ covered by a soft (4) _____________ , leans forwards and grips the (5)
______________ , pushing down with his or her feet on the (6) ___________ which rotate up
and down. They drive a certain (7) ___________ which (8) ____________ by a (9)
____________ to the back (10) ___________ . Alternative gear positions are available by
operating a (11) ___________ at hand level. In addition, on the handlebars is the (12)
__________ which (13) ___________ by a (14) ____________ to a (15) __________ on the
back wheel.
Accessories include an (16) ____________ , with which the (17) __________ (18) ________
periodically with air, a (19) ___________ , and a (20) ___________ for use at night.
95
Task 1
The diagram below shows how salt is removed from sea water to make it drinkable.
where relevant.
96
General Writing Task 1: Structure
In this task you will be presented with a situation and asked to write a letter
requesting information or explaining the situation. You can write the letter
in a personal, semi-formal or formal style.
Think about the given situation. The situation is imaginary and you often have to
make up explanations and inquiries for your letter.
Once you have thought out your answer, you should write a letter with the following
structure:
Briefly give reasons for
First paragraph
writing a letter.
Issue 1
Write about each issue
Middle Issue 2
you were given in a task.
Issue 3
Write a polite letter
Last paragraph
closing.
Vocabulary to write letters

Letter structure
How to start and end the letter?
A. Formal letter
When you don't know the recipient’s name:
o Dear Sir … Yours faithfully
o Dear Madam … Yours faithfully
o Dear Sir or Madam … Yours faithfully
When the recipient’s name is known:

o Dear Mr. Green … Yours sincerely
o Dear Mrs. Green … Yours sincerely
o Dear Miss Green … Yours sincerely
o Dear Ms. Green … Yours sincerely
B. Semi-formal letter
When you are writing to a good friend or colleague:
o Dear John … Best wishes/ Best regards
o Dear John ... Many thanks
97
C. Informal letter
When you are writing to a good friend or colleague:
o Hello John … Best wishes/ Best
o Hi John … See you/ Missing you/ Love
When you are writing to someone you love:

o Dear Mary … Yours always/ Lots of love
Letter openings
The letter's first paragraph is letter opening. In your first paragraph you should:
1. Introduce yourself
2. State the purpose of the letter.
Examples of formal letter openings:

 I am writing to enquire about …
 I am writing to request ...
 I am writing to explain why ...
 I am writing to express interest in ...
 I am writing to inform you that/about…
 I am writing to complain about (the fact that I)…
 After having seen your advertisement in …, I would like to…
 After having received your address from … , I …
 Thank you for your letter regarding/about …
 In reply to your letter of 18 June, …
Examples of informal letter openings:

 Hi! My name is Noah and I've been assigned your drama coach…
 Hello, my name is Julia and I'm volunteer conducting student excursions…
 Hi there, I hope you're enjoying your holidays/ trip/ college year/
honeymoon…
 Hello, thanks very much for asking me to visit you ...
Letter closings
You may need a letter closing to express gratitude, to repeat an apology, to offer
help etc.
Examples of formal letter closings:

 If you require any further information, feel free to contact me.
 I look forward to your reply.
 I look forward to hearing from you.
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 Once again, I apologize for any inconvenience.
 I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter.
 I would deeply appreciate it if you could ...
 Thank you in advance!
 Thanking you for your assistance in advance, I look forward to hearing from
you.
Examples of informal letter closings:

 Anyway, I‛ve got to go now. Write again if you need any more information.
 Well, let me finish here. I am eagerly waiting for your reply to this letter.
Linking structures
Using a wide range of vocabulary will help you to gain higher score at IELTS.
Listing as follows:
firstly, that is
secondly, in this case
thirdly
namely
first,
furthermore, in other words
finally
to begin, to Generalizing
conclude in general
next generally
Reinforcement on the whole
also as a rule
furthermore for the most part
moreover in most cases
what is more Stating the obvious
in addition obviously
besides clearly
above all naturally
as well (as) of course
not only ... but also
as can be expected
Giving examples surely
for example after all
for instance
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Similarity Reformulation
equally in other words
likewise rather
similarly Deduction
correspondingly then
in other words
in the same way
in that case
Result/consequence
otherwise
so
this implies that ...
therefore
Expressing an alternative
as a
result/consequence alternatively
accordingly rather
consequently on the other hand
because of this/that the alternative is
thus Contrast
hence instead
for this/that reason conversely
so that on the contrary
in that case in contrast
under these
circumstances Summary
Transition to new point in conclusion
now, to conclude
in brief
as far as x is concerned
to summarize
with regard/reference to Overall
as for ... Concession (something
it follows that unexpected)
even though
Highlighting however
in particular however much
particularly nevertheless
especially still
mainly yet
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IELTS General Writing Task 1. Practice 1
You are a current student of Loren Brusque University, studying Business

Administration. You want to apply for the post of Quality Assurance Manager you
have recently seen on the university's notice board.
Write a letter to Mr. Walker, and
Give your reason for writing
Tell about your education
Describe your work experience and explain why you would be suitable for the job.
1. Introduce yourself and state your reason for writing.

Start letter in a formal style (it's a job application letter!) and dedicate first
paragraph to the letter opening.
2. Write body paragraphs.

Tell about your education and work experience in separate paragraphs. Make
some details if you need
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3. Write a polite letter closing.
Thank your future employer for his consideration and mention that you are
ready for the interview.

You are an alumnus (alumna) of a Bluegill University, registered in a volunteer

program to conduct informal interviews with prospective students. Recently, an
entrant has been assigned to you to have an interview.
Write a letter to the entrant. In your letter:

 state your reason for writing
 briefly describe the interview and inform the entrant of a possibility to cancel
it
 propose a convenient time for an interview
You do NOT need to write any addresses. Write at least 150 words.
1. Start a letter in a semi-formal or an informal style.

It is written in the task that you're conducting informal interviews, so the
letter should maintain the same style.
2. Introduce yourself and state the reason for writing.
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3. Make up the details and write about each stated in the task issue.
It is an imaginary letter, so don't be afraid of inventing interview description,
convenient time and other details.
4. Write a polite letter closing.
You would like to participate in a work-related seminar in another country. Write a

letter to the person in charge of the seminar and ask for detailed information
regarding the dates, program, accommodation and cost.
You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam,
Try:
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You took your family to a nearby restaurant. You were disappointed with the meal
and wish to complain to the manager.
Write a letter to the manager of the restaurant. In your letter,
explain why you were at the restaurant

describe the problems
write about the action you want the manager to take
Try:
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Ten things NEVER to do in an IELTS GT Task 1 letter – and how to do them
correctly.
1 Never begin a letter with ‘Dearest Peter/My Dear Friend/Dear Friend/ Dear
Colleague/Dear Boss or Dear Principal,’ or something similar.
People can begin letters like this in many other languages, but English is different.
A formal letter should begin with ‘Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms Smith’ or ‘Dear Sir or Madam.’
A personal letter should begin with ‘Dear + first name.’
2 Never end a letter with ‘Your friend/ Your brother Pierre/Your angry passenger Ms
Kennedy/Your devoted student Ahmed/ Susanna (a student since 2014)’
A formal letter should finish with a call to action (‘I look forward to + -ing’) and ‘Kind
Regards + your first name + your last name.’ For example
I look forward to receiving your cheque for this amount before the end of the week.
Kind Regards,
Peter Williams
Use ‘Yours Sincerely/Yours Faithfully’ if you wish, as an alternative to ‘Kind Regards.’
A personal letter should finish with a friendly comment and ‘All the best + your first name.’
For example:
Drop me a line in the week if you have time.
All the best,
Anna
Alternatives for ‘All the best’ in personal letters are ‘Very best wishes/Take care/See you
soon/Thinking of you/Keep in touch.’
3 Never include too many complicated details or lists of facts about the situation. For
example, if the writer includes something like: ‘The motorbikes are large Honda machines
with 1100cc engines and 75cm wheels’ then the examiner would consider this to be ‘padding’
and would reduce your score.
‘Padding’ means adding unnecessary details to make it longer, without creating genuine
content or using language effectively (the verb is ‘to pad your writing.’) The IELTS
examiners will reduce your mark if they think you are doing this.
4 Never use personal phrases in a formal letter (and vice-versa.) For example ‘Drop me a
line’ can only be used in a personal letter to a friend or relative. It cannot be used to request
information from a person you don’t know.
Other phrases only for personal letters are:
Why don’t we . . . Phrases only for formal letters are:
If I were you, I’d . . . I am writing regarding . . .
Do you remember when we . . . As you will appreciate, this is . . .
Here’s an idea! May I suggest that . . .
The thing/ the problem is that . . . I therefore request that you . . .
I’m really sorry that . . . I look forward to receiving your reply
Looking forward to seeing you on Tuesday promptly. . .
(Not ‘I look forward,’ which is formal.)
5 Never use contractions in a formal letter.

Contractions (‘can’t, won’t’ etc) are only for personal letters. Remember that the full form of
‘can’t’ is ‘cannot’ (one word) and never ‘can not’ (two words.)
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6 Avoid using idioms, clichés, proverbs, slang or text abbreviations in any type of letter.
Idioms It’s possible that your English teacher has taught you about traditional idioms such as
‘raining cats and dogs’ or ‘as cool as a cucumber.’ They are never used in formal letters, and
rarely in personal letters.
Clichés A clichés is a phrase which is annoying or meaningless because it is used too often.
In IELTS GT, using a cliché runs the risk of reducing your score. Typical clichés to avoid
are:
At the end of the day
Last but not least
Second of all
To cut a long story short
Proverbs These are advice phrases such as ‘A rolling stone gathers no moss’ or ‘Too many
cooks spoil the broth.’ Try to explain yourself clearly without using such proverbs.
For example:
Too many cooks spoil the broth.
In a formal letter you could say ‘I am worried that the team is too large and so the decision-
making is slow.’
In a personal letter you could say ‘There are too many people involved these days, and so not
much is really getting done.’
Slang These words are too informal to be acceptable to an IELTS examiner, even in a GT
personal letter. For ex: ‘my friend is a nerd/a geek/a creep’ or ‘the party was cool/wicked/
sick.’ Don’t risk losing marks by using these words, either in writing or speaking.
Text abbreviations This means sets of letters such as LOL or CU etc. Again, these letters are
too confusing to be acceptable to IELTS examiners.
7 Never write less than 150 words or write more than 250 words. In the exam, you should
count the words by lines, to make sure you are on track to reach between 200 and about 220
words. Check the time on the clock when you do this too, and be clear how much time you
have left. You must finish Task 1 in 20 minutes, or Task 2 will be almost impossible to finish.
8 Never include your opinions or ideas about topics or trends in society in a GT Task 1 letter.
In the GT Task 2 essay, you will give your thoughts about a situation in society, including
whether this is a good or bad trend, or the possible reasons and consequences of the situation.
In Task 1 you should only follow the content ideas and the situation details given in the Task.
For example, the Task 1 asked you to complain about a phone bill. You should not include
your thoughts on why large companies give poor customer service, or the social trend
towards using mobile phones in certain ways and so on.
9 Make sure that your handwriting is very clear to read. Many strong candidates lose marks
because the examiner finds it difficult to read their writing; unfortunately, the examiners
won’t spend a lot of time trying to read words which are unclear.
10 Never spend more than 20 minutes on Task 1. Remember – at the end of each paragraph,
you should count the words you have written and check the time remaining. You should
allow a few minutes inside the 20 minutes to check your letter. Task 2 will always require 40
minutes work, and of course it carries more marks, so you must spend at least the 40 minutes
on the second Task.
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WRITING TASK 1 (Informal Style)
You are living in a city in a foreign country, and a friend from your home country is
soon coming to visit you for several days.
Write an email to your friend,
 asking him or her to bring some things from home which you need
 saying why you need them
 making arrangements to meet
Recipient The imaginary recipient is obviously a friend.

Style The style should be personal, so you can use contractions (‘don’t’ etc), short words,
phrasal verbs and friendly, personal phrases. In a personal letter, begin with ‘Dear + the
friend’s first name only.’ Never write their first name + surname, and never write ‘Dear
friend.’
Content The task is asking you for: requesting, explaining and suggesting (ask for the things
you need, explain why you need them, suggest a meeting time/place.)
WRITING TASK 1 – Model Answer
Dear Peter,
I’m so glad that you’re coming to Montreal next week, as it seems ages since we last saw
each other. I hope your family and girlfriend are all well. I actually have a favour to ask you,
and I hope you don’t mind. The fact is that I need a few things from my parents’ house, and
I’d be so grateful if you could bring them along in your suitcase.
The first thing is the book of maths calculations which I had at high school – don’t worry, it’s
only a small book. I need this because it has all the material I studied for my exams, and I
can’t get another copy here in any of the bookshops or on the Internet. The second thing is a
packet of those biscuits from the bakery in my old street. I’ve told everyone here how
delicious they are, and my new friends are very keen to try them!
I do hope that is manageable for you, as it won’t take up much space at all. In the meantime,
I’m very excited about seeing you again at the airport on Monday at midday. I’ll be in the
arrivals hall, wearing my blue jacket.
I can’t wait to see you then.
All the best,
Simon
(213 words)
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Why is this a band 9 letter?
Recipient The candidate has addressed the letter and finished it in a suitable way, with a
friendly phrase and ‘All the best’ at the end + his first name only. He refers to the fact that he
knows the recipient well and has not seen him for some time, which people often do in letters
to friends.
Style The candidate has used a personal style, with contractions and short, simple words in
some cases (eg ‘seems ages/small/ thing/keen to try/my old street.’) This vocabulary works
well here, but would not be suitable in a formal letter.
Phrasal verbs are used naturally (‘Bring them along/take up space’) instead of formal
versions that would be ‘convey them/occupy space.’
The candidate has used typical personal structures in a realistic way (‘I’m so glad/I’m so
grateful/I do hope/I’m very excited’) to show his feelings.
Where the candidate uses formal words (eg ‘material, delicious, excited’) this is done because
certain formal words are often used like this, even in personal letters.
The candidate uses one exclamation mark (‘very keen to try them!’) to make a small joke It is
fine to use one such mark in a personal letter. Don’t use more than one, because that would
be annoying to the recipient.
Content The candidate has separated the three content ideas into three clear paragraphs. He
has invented some details of the imaginary situation (the books, biscuits, the blue jacket)
which are convincing and seem like real life. He expresses his request with consideration to
the possible inconvenience for his friend, and he thanks the friend for the help.
WRITING TASK 1 (Formal Style)
You are living in a University residence, and you have a problem with the high levels of
noise from a new campus restaurant which is open late at night.
Write a letter to the governor of the University. In your letter,

 Complain about the situation
 Say why this is a problem
 And propose ways to reduce the noise
Recipient: In this imaginary situation, the recipient is a person you probably don’t know. In
reality, you would certainly know the Governor’s name, but it’s very unlikely that you would
know them personally, although they might be a professional contact.
Style: Because of this, the letter should be in a formal style. The Governor may be a contact,
but is not a friend; he/she is probably older than you, and certainly higher in authority.
108
Because this is a formal style letter, and you know the name of the recipient, you should
begin ‘Dear Mr Smith’ or ‘Dear Mrs Smith’ or ‘Dear Ms Smith.’ In this situation, you would
certainly not begin ‘Dear Sir or Madam,’ because it would be rude not to know the
Governor’s surname.
Content: The Task is asking you to create content for: complaining, explaining and
suggesting. (Complaining about the noise, explaining the problem, and suggesting ways to
reduce it.) It is not asking you to apologise for anything, or to request anything.
Dear Mr Smith,
I am writing regarding the amount of noise coming from the new canteen which has just
opened near my University residence. Although I am pleased that we have this facility, the
restaurant remains open up to midnight each night, and as a result there is considerable
talking, shouting and the sound of motorbikes continuing until about 12.30 each night.
This causes me and my neighbours in the residence a serious problem, because at that time
we are either trying to sleep, or in some cases trying to study in our bedrooms. In both cases,
the noise and commotion disturbs us, making us tired in the mornings or affecting the
progress of our studies. I am sure you will appreciate that this is a very worrying situation for
us all.
I would like to suggest that the campus authorities restrict the canteen’s opening to 11pm at
the latest on weekdays, leaving it at midnight during the weekend. I propose that we also put
up some signs reminding users to be considerate and to keep their noise to an absolute
minimum. These are simple steps which would make us all very grateful indeed.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Kind Regards,
Claudia Maggioni
(207 words)
Why is this a Band 9 letter?
Recipient: The candidate has understood that the recipient is a more senior person. She has
used a greeting (‘Dear Mr Smith’) and an ending (‘Kind Regards’) which are appropriate and
realistic for this recipient.
Style: The English used is formal in style, with formal words such as ‘regarding, remains,
considerable, commotion, appreciate, restrict.’ There are no contractions (eg ‘don’t, can’t’
etc) and no informal phrases (eg ‘drives me crazy’ or ‘keeps me up all night.’)
The candidate has used some classic formal phrases to make her point, especially:
‘I am writing regarding . . .’
‘I am sure you will appreciate that . . .’
‘May I suggest that . . .’
‘Thank you for your attention to this important matter.’
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The candidate has written in a calm and professional way, and has also made a positive
comment (‘Although I am pleased that we have this facility . . .’) which is a feature of formal
writing in English.
Content: This candidate has answered all the points in the task; she has complained about the
noise, explained why it’s a problem, and suggested some ways to reduce it.
The three content ideas are separated into three paragraphs, making it clear for the examiner
to see the three ideas at work.
The candidate has invented a few details of the situation (the motorbikes, the students trying
to sleep or study); these details are realistic, relevant and not too complicated or dramatic.
In the ‘suggesting’ paragraph, the candidate’s suggestions are realistic (meaning they could
be agreed in real life.) The letter is over 150 words, but not excessively.
WRITING TASK 1 (Semi-formal Style)
You recently attended a party, where you saw one of the guests being rude to a
neighbour in the next house.
Write an email to the guest,
 Complaining about their behaviour
 Suggesting that the guest apologises to the neighbour
 Asking them not to behave like this again
Recipient This is a person whom you know personally (from the party) but the suggestion in
the Task is that they are not a friend (the Task says ‘the guest.’) You would certainly know
their first name.
Style In this imaginary situation, you know the recipient socially, but you are unhappy with
them and you want to make them aware of this. A semi-formal style in a social context is
suitable, combining personal and formal.
Remember that personal and formal letters are much more common in IELTS GT than semi-
formal letters, so you should practise them more.
Content The Task asks you for complaining (about the behaviour), suggesting (the apology)
and requesting (that the behaviour is not repeated.)
Dear Peter,
I think I need to write to you because of your behaviour at the party last week. This was
meant to be a relaxed and friendly occasion, but I must say that you spoiled it by the way you
spoke to the neighbour, Mrs Smith. This lady is much older than you, and deserves to be
treated with respect by all of us. We were all pretty shocked when you refused to turn down
the music when she asked you to.
I do feel that you should go to see Mrs Smith, and apologise for being so impolite. If you’re
embarrassed to do so, then you should at least write her a note saying that you’re sorry, and
saying that you hope she was not too offended or upset by your actions.
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I also think that you need to make a greater effort to control your temper, and not I also think
that you need to make a greater effort to control your temper, and not to speak to people
without thinking first of the way your words might be received. There’s another party coming
up next weekend, and I hope that you’ll be there to show us all how well you can behave
when you really want to.
Best wishes,
Aftab Geleit
(215 words)
Why is this a Band 9 letter?
Recipient The letter is addressed and concluded in a suitable way. ‘Dear + first name’ is the
personal greeting; ‘best wishes’ + first name + family name’ at the end is more formal, but
still achieving a personal tone.
Style The letter combines personal and formal elements effectively.
The personal elements are:

Using contractions in four cases
Using informal vocabulary (‘pretty shocked/ turn down/sorry/ another party coming up/really
want to’) at times. Using some personal letter phrases (‘I think I need to/I do feel that/ I hope
that you’ll be there.’)
The more formal elements are:
Using formal phrases to make criticism and proposals:
‘I must say that’
‘deserves to be treated with respect’
‘apologise for being so impolite’
‘make a greater effort to control your temper’
Using formal language for criticism and proposals is done in English to emphasise the
writer’s serious attitude and sense of concern; this is effective in this letter. The use of the
‘first name + family name’ at the end (rather than just the first name) emphasises this
seriousness again.
Content The candidate has used three logical paragraphs to organise the three content ideas,
and these are very clear to see. The three sections are roughly the same length, so the letter
feels well balanced. The invented details are simple and relevant.
Remember: when you’re in the exam, don’t waste time thinking of names! Have a simple,
common English first name and family name in your mind, so that you are ready to write
either a personal, semi-formal or formal letter. Use your real name at the end; there’s no
reason to invent a name for yourself.
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IELTS Writing task 2 - Essay
Here you can find all the essential information about IELTS Writing essay.
IELTS Writing task 2 (or IELTS essay) is the same task for Academic and
General IELTS. You will be presented with a specific topic and asked to write a 250-
word essay about it. You should normally spend 40 minutes on IELTS Writing task
2.
IELTS Writing task 2 IELTS Essay Structures

Knowing how to structure your IELTS Writing Task 2 essay is an essential skill
that can make the difference between the getting and not getting the band score you
deserve.
Nearly all of my Task 2 essays follow this basic structure:
Paraphrase the topic and briefly

Introduction
give your opinion.
Develop your point, giving
reasons and supporting them
Body
with appropriate examples.
Write 2 or 3 paragraphs.
Sum up what you have written
and give your final thoughts on
Conclusion the problem. They should not
differ from those in the
introduction.
Your response will depend on what type of question you get

The five most common IELTS Writing Task 2 questions are:
1. Opinion (Agree or Disagree)

2. Problem and Solution
3. Advantages and Disadvantages
4. Discussion (Discuss both views)
5. Two-part Question
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IELTS Writing Task 2 - Giving opinion:
This type of questions is very similar to agree/disagree questions: it states two

opposite views and asks you to give your opinion.
Topic:
Some people believe that violence on television and in computer games has a
damaging effect on the society. Others deny that these factors have any significant
influence on people's behavior. What is your opinion?
Strategy:
Step 1: Choose your opinion & generate arguments
For the task above, you need to choose from these opinions:
1. violence in media has a damaging effect on the society

2. violence in media doesn’t have a damaging effect on the society
Figure out some supporting points for each of the given opinions
 violence in media has a damaging effect on the society

o people often copy actions they see on TV
o violent video games teach people that aggressiveness is normal in
everyday life
o there are example of the connection between violence in media and
social violence
o (another point)________________________________________________
 violence in media doesn’t have a damaging effect on the society

o people act from their motives, regardless what they see on the
television
o video games and television can reduce social violence by providing a
safe outlet for aggressiveness
o there has never been the connection between violence in media and
social violence
o (another point)_________________________________________________
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Step 2: Answer this task:
1. Introduction
Sentence 1: Paraphrase the statement
Sentence 2: give your own opinion
Example: These days, the amount of violence in media is growing. While

some people argue that this trend will undoubtedly lead humans to dangerous
future, others claim that it has no damaging effect on the society. I believe that
in most cases media violence doesn't affect people's behavior.
2. Body paragraphs
1. Describe each argument to support your opinion in a separate paragraph.
2. Your essay should have 2-3 body paragraphs.
3. Use linking words to connect ideas
Example:
Para 1: Firstly, I think that people act from their motives, regardless what
they see on the television. That is to say, if someone intends to do harm to
somebody, that is not because of watching TV or playing computer games, but
due to that person's character and education. Although it is generally
considered that violent media accustoms viewers to cruelty, I doubt this
opinion. In my view, reasonable and intelligent people treat others humanely
irrespective of what they see or hear in fictional stories.
Para 2: Moreover, video games and television may even reduce social violence
by providing a safe outlet for aggressiveness. In other words, truculent people
may fight in virtual reality instead of evincing their combative spirit in real
world. This may not only help those people, but also reduce the level of social
violence in long-term perspective.
Para 3: Finally, despite many claims and assumptions about negative effects
of television and computer games I have never seen any proven connection
between violent media and illegal activities in social life.
Conclusion
1. Briefly summarize what you have written and restate your opinion:
Example: Taking everything into consideration, I would say that violence in

contemporary media has no substantial influence on people's behavior.
Television and computers are not the main factors that shape personal
character, and they can even be useful in reducing the level of violence.
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IELTS Writing Task 2 – Cause-solution
Some students work while studying. This often results in lacking time for education
and constantly feeling under pressure.
What do you think are the causes of this?

What solutions can you suggest?
Answer the task:
1. Introduction:
Restate your topic and write that the given problem has causes and can be
solved.
Example: Nowadays, there are a lot of students who work while studying.
Although this tendency may lead to negative results, the number of young people
who sacrifice education for work is growing. I believe that this problem has
certain causes and can be solved by taking special measures.
2. Body Paragraphs
1. Describe each cause of the given problem, shortly explaining it.
2. Propose some solutions and say why they should work.
3. Use linking words to connect ideas.
Example:
Para 1: It is apparent that most of the students who work have many financial
expenses to meet. One common cause is high cost of education. As many colleges
and universities set high tuition fees, some families cannot fully afford the higher
education for their children. Consequently, these students have to work to pay
university and college fees. The other cause is living expenses. Many students
study away from hometown, and have to pay for accommodation, food,
entertainment etc. As it is often hard to cover these expenses, students are forced
to earn money to afford their living. I think that the problem of students working
during their studies results in lower quality of education and has no benefits at
all. Thus, it should be solved on the governmental level.
Para 2: I can suggest two possible solutions to this problem. Firstly, the
government could make higher education free. For instance, this result can be
achieved by financing educational establishments from the country’s budget. Not
only will it make universities and colleges accessible for everyone, but it will also
reduce the number of working students. The second solution is promoting unpaid
e-learning. Such form of distance education doesn’t require a lot of resources to be
maintained. What’s more, students don’t have to leave their homes and can plan
their schedules the way they prefer.
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Conclusion:
1. Briefly summarize what you have written.
Example: In conclusion, I believe that mainly lack of financial resources causes

students to work, but this problem can be solved by lowering the amount of financial
expenses students have to meet.
IELTS Writing Task 2 –Problem and solution essay
Despite a large number of gyms, a sedentary lifestyle is gaining popularity in the

contemporary world.
What problems are associated with this?
What solutions can you suggest?
Step 1: Planning
Problems associated with sedentary lifestyle:
 obesity
 problems with backbone (osteoporosis, scoliosis)
 (another Problem)___________________________
Solutions:
 promote walking and cycling as safe and attractive alternatives to motorized
transport
 promote visiting gyms and doing exercises
 (Another solution)____________________________
Step 2: Answer the task:
Introduction
Sentence 1 - paraphrase the statement
Sentence 2 - say what you’ll write about in your essay:
Example: These days a sedentary lifestyle is becoming more and more popular
despite a big number of sport facilities. This essay will discuss the main problems
associated with this epidemic and propose some possible solutions to avoid them.
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Body paragraph 1- problems
 Sentence 1 - summarize the main problems of inactive lifestyle

 Sentences 2-3 - state and explain the first problem in detail.
 Sentences 4-5 - describe the second problem in detail.
Example: The main problems caused by inactive lifestyle are obesity and
various spine disorders. A growing number of body research shows that long
periods of physical inactivity raise a risk of becoming overweight. This is
because people burn fewer calories and easily gain weight. What’s more, a lot
of studies show that so-called ‘sitting disease’ often results in posture and
backbone problems. Due to constant sitting, person loses muscle tissue and
curves spine, developing numerous spinal diseases. For example, it has been
proven that about 80% of people experience backache at least once a week.
Body paragraph 2 - solutions
 Sentence 1 - briefly state the main solutions

 Sentences 2-3 - write the first solution and explain it
 Sentences 4-5 - describe the second solution
In my opinion, the best solution to this problem is promoting active lifestyle.

Firstly, millions of people stay less active because they use cars instead of
walking. Therefore, an effective way to make people more active is to advertise
walking and cycling as safe and attractive alternatives to motorized transport.
Moreover, inactive lifestyle is gaining popularity because nowadays a lot of
people prefer passive rest to workouts in the gym. And the best way to avoid
the hazards of unhealthy living is to obtain a regular dose of physical activity.
Thus, promoting gyms and regular exercising would increase the level of
activity.
Conclusion
Summarize the problems and solutions you’ve written in your body paragraphs:
In conclusion, leading a sedentary lifestyle causes a lot of health problems, including

obesity and spinal diseases. The most effective solution is to increase the level of
fitness among the society by advertising physical activity.
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IELTS Writing Task 2 –Advantages and Disadvantages
Some people advocate death penalty for those who committed violent crimes. Others
say that capital punishment is unacceptable in contemporary society.
Describe advantages and disadvantages of death penalty and give your opinion.
Step 1: Understanding the task: you are asked about:
1. Advantages of capital punishment

2. Disadvantages of capital punishment
3. Your opinion about it
Step 2: Planning: Decide what your opinion is and then choose your arguments to
describe pros and cons of death penalty.
Some of the possible arguments:
1. Disadvantages of capital punishment:

o we have no rights to kill other humans
o innocent people can be killed because of unfair sentences
o even criminals deserve a second chance
o (Another point)_______________________________________
2. Advantages of capital punishment:
o it prevents major crimes
o it restores equilibrium of justice
o it lessens expenses on maintenance of prisoners
o (Another point)_______________________________________
Answer the task:
Introduction: Rephrase the topic and state your opinion.
Example: Many people believe that death penalty is necessary to keep security
system efficient in the society. While there are some negative aspects of capital
punishment, I agree with the view that without it we will become more vulnerable to
violence.
Body paragraphs:
1: Write disadvantages of death penalty

2: Write advantages of death penalty
3: Use linking words to connect ideas.
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Example:
Para 1: Death penalty can be considered unsuitable punishment for several reasons.
The strongest argument is that we have no rights to kill other humans. Right to live
is the basic right of any human being, and no one can infringe this right, irrespective
of the person’s deeds. Moreover, innocent people can face wrongful execution. Such
unfair sentences take away lives of innocent people and make other citizens lose faith
in law and justice. And besides, sometimes criminals repent of their acts. In this case
they should be given a second chance to improve themselves.
Para 2: However, I believe that capital punishment is necessary in the society.

Firstly, it is an effective deterrent of major crimes. The best method to prevent a
person from committing crime is to show the consequences of his or her actions. For
example, the government of Pakistan has controlled the rate of terrorism by enforcing
death penalties for the members of terrorist organizations. Secondly, the
governments spend large sums of national budget on maintenance of prisoners.
Instead, this money can be used for the development of the society and welfare of the
people.
Conclusion:
1. Sum up the ideas from body paragraphs and briefly give your opinion.
Example: To sum up, although capital punishment has some disadvantages, I think
that it proves to be the best way of controlling criminals, lessening governmental
expenses and preventing other people from doing crimes.
Useful vocabulary
1. Capital punishment = death penalty
2. To commit a crime - to do a crime
3. Deterrent of major crimes - something that prevents big crimes
4. To face wrongful execution - to be mistaken for a criminal and killed for that
5. To infringe someone’s right - restrict someone’s right, hurt someone’s interests
6. Innocent people - people who are not guilty or responsible for crimes
7. To repent of something - to feel sorry for something
8. Right to live is basic right of any human being
9. Unfair sentence - not fair judgement
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IELTS Writing Task 2 – Two-part Question
Some parents buy their children whatever they ask for, and allow their children to
do whatever they want. Is this a good way to raise children? What consequences
could this style of parenting have for children as they get older?
Step 1: Analyzing the question
Question 1: Permissive parents – parents who give their children too much or who
give in to their child’s demands _ let their children do whatever they want. Is this
good or not
Question 2: the second question talks about the consequences – not for the parents,
but for the children. How will this type of parenting affect children?
Step 2: Answering the task
Introduction:
1. Paraphrase the topic
2. Say what you’ll write about in your essay:
Example: In today’s society, some parents are becoming increasingly permissive.

They do not impose sufficient discipline on their children, and in some cases buy
them too many things. This essay will explore why this is not a good way to raise
children and why it will have negative impacts upon them in future.
Body paragraph 1: Answer the 1st question
While it is understandable that parents want to give their children expensive toys
and let them run freely in the streets, this is actually not really an appropriate
method of parenting. Having too many toys encourages children to be materialistic
and does not offer them the same change to develop social skills like sharing.
Furthermore, when children have asked for the toys, it gives them a sense of
entitlement and even power over their parents. As for giving children too much
freedom, there are obviously a great many dangers in this world from which they
need to be kept safe. Children also need rules and boundaries to encourage them to
develop into mature and responsible adults.
Body paragraph 1: Answer 2nd question
If parents insist on this permissive style of parenting, their children will grow up
with very different values from those of stricter parents. Children who were never
forced to study will end up with poorer grades in school, and those who were given
everything they wanted as children will expect everything to come easily as adults. In
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short, they will lead difficult and disappointing lives, in contrast with what their
parents hoped.
Conclusion: Summarize your points

In conclusion, although it is tempting to give children whatever they want, parents
ought to set rules and boundaries, and to be careful with how they reward children.
If parents fail to impose a basic level of discipline, children may grow up with a poor
attitude that will cause them and others to suffer.
IELTS Writing Task 2 – Discussion (discuss both views)
Computers are being used more and more in education. Some people say that this is
a positive trend, while others argue that it is leading to negative consequences.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Introduction
Sentence 1- Paraphrase Question
Sentence 2- State Both Points of View
Sentence 2- Thesis Statement
Sentence 3- Outline Sentence
Example: There is an ever increasing use of technology, such as tablets and

laptops, in the classroom. It is often argued that this is a positive development,
whilst others disagree and think it will lead to adverse ramifications. This essay
agrees that an increase in technology is beneficial to students and teachers. This
essay will discuss both points of view.
Body Paragraph 1
Sentence 1- State first viewpoint
Sentence 2- Discuss first viewpoint
Sentence 3- Reason why you agree or disagree with viewpoint
Sentence 4- Example to support your view
Example: It is clear that the internet has provided students with access to more
information than ever before. Moreover, learners have the ability to research and
learn about any subject at the touch of a button. It is therefore agreed that technology
is a very worthwhile tool for education. Wikipedia is a prime example, where
students can simply type in any keyword and gain access to in-depth knowledge
quickly and easily.
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Body Paragraph 2
Sentence 1- State second viewpoint
Sentence 2- Discuss second viewpoint
Sentence 3- Reason why you agree or disagree with viewpoint
Sentence 4- Example to support your view
Example: However, many disagree and feel that technology deprives people of real
human interaction. Human interaction teaches people valuable skills such as
discourse, debate and empathy. Despite this, human interaction is still possible
through the internet and this essay disagrees technology should be dismissed for this
reason. For instance, Skype and Facebook make it possible for people to interact in
ways that were never before possible.
Conclusion
Sentence 1- Summary
Sentence 2- State which one is better or more important
Example: In conclusion, while the benefits of technology, particularly the internet,

allow students to tap in to limitless sources of information, some still feel that people
should be wary of this new phenomenon and not allow it to curb face to face
interaction. However, as long as we are careful to keep in mind the importance of
human interaction in education, the educational benefits are clearly positive.
122
Some people believe that there should be fixed punishments for each crime. Others,
however, argue that the circumstances of an individual crime, and the motivation for
committing it, should always be taken into account when deciding on the punishment.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion
Although there is no doubt that crime must be punished, it is important to consider which type
of penal system is most appropriate. While some believe that a system of fixed sentences should
be adopted, I support the view that punishment should be based on motives and circumstances.
Those who advocate implementing a judicial process of set punishments may argue that this
would make criminal trials more efficient. For instance, once a jury has decided a particular
defendant is guilty of murder, the judge need only refer to the “punishment for murder” to
sentence that person to life imprisonment. The benefit of this is that a huge amount of time
would be saved in court, thus leading to significant financial savings. As a result, more money
could be spent on healthcare, education and welfare.
However, I would argue that the above system is too rigid, and a process of “flexible”
punishments is much fairer. The latter punishment system, which many countries use, leaves
more room for compassion toward offenders who have been blackmailed or manipulated. For
example, under this system, if a thief is able to prove that he had been bullied into committing
his crime, he should be sentenced to less prison time than a thief who had been motivated by
greed. If, instead, fixed punishments were implemented, this sense of fairness and morality
would be lost.
In conclusion, while a legal system of fixed punishment might be more cost-effective and
efficient, a procedure of assessing crimes based on circumstances and motives is more just, and
justice, in my view, is paramount.
263 words
123
Essay checklist
1 Does the introduction have a general statement, an opinion (if needed) and
a plan presented to the reader?
2 Is essay written in paragraphs?
3 Does each body paragraph have a clear topic sentence?
4 Does the conclusion effectively summarise the ideas in the body

paragraphs?
5 Do the ideas flow logically from the introduction to the body paragraphs?
6 Is there good cohesion between sentences and paragraphs?
7 Is there a good variety of the topic-related vocabulary?
8 Is vocabulary advanced enough?
9 Are there any spelling mistakes?
10 Is there a good variety of the grammatical structures?
11 Are there any mistakes in grammar or punctuation?
12 Are there not less than 250 words?
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categories examples
synonyms/antonyms
parts of the speech
linking words and

phrases
(conjunctions)
how the opinion

was presented
collocations /
advanced topic-
related vocabulary
passive voice
conditionals
(0, 1, 2, 3)
words with hyphen
compound words
avoiding over-
generalization
Referencing
Punctuation
Variety of Tenses
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Writing Task 2: Activity 1
Add linking and sequencing words from the list:
A. therefore G. secondly
B. however (x2) H. even though
C. although I. but
D. in general J. in the first place
E. also K. not only
F. furthermore
Studying a language in a country where it is widely spoken has many advantages. It

is (1) _________________ a good idea to study English in a country such as Britain.
(2)__________________, I believe it is not the only way to learn the language.
(3)___________________, most students in non- English-speaking countries learn

English at secondary school and sometimes at university nowadays. (4)___________
their spoken English is not usually of very high standard, their knowledge of
grammar is often quite advanced. This is certainly useful when students come to an
English-speaking country to perfect the language.
(5)____________________, studying the basics of English at secondary school is less

stressful than learning the language while overseas. This is because students living
at home do not have to worry about problems such as finding accommodation, paying
for their study and living costs, and trying to survive in a foreign country where day
to day living causes much stress.
(6)________________, there are obvious advantages of learning English in Britain.

Every day there are opportunities to practice listening to and speaking with British
people. (7) , students can experience the culture first-hand, which is a great help when
trying to understand the language. This is especially true if they choose to live with
a British family, as exchange students for example. (8)_________________, if students
attend a language school full-time, the teachers will be native speakers. In this case,
(9) _______________will students speaking and listening skills improve, (10)
attention can be given to developing reading and writing skills as well.
(11)____________________ , (12)_________________ it is preferable to study English in

an English-speaking country, a reasonable level of English can be achieved in one's
own country, if a student is gifted and dedicated to study.
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Writing Task 2: Activity 2
Add the missing articles where necessary to the following sentences:
Studying (1) _____ language in (2) ___ country where it is widely spoken has many
(3) ____advantages. It is therefore (4) ___good idea to study (5) ____ English in (6)
country such as (7) ____ Britain. However, I believe it is not (8) ____ only way to
learn (9) _____language.
Secondly, do» studying (11) _____basics of (12) ____English at (13) ____ secondary
school is less stressful than learning (14) ____ language while overseas.
Every day there are us) opportunities to practice (16) ____listening to and (17) _____
speaking with (18) ____ British people. Also, (19) ____ students can experience (20)
____ culture first-hand, which is (21) _____great help when trying to understand
(22) ____ language.
In general, even though it is preferable to study (23) ____ English in (24) ____ English-
speaking (25) _____ country, (26) _____ reasonable level of (27) _____ English can be
achieved in (28) _____ one's own country, if (29) ______ student is gifted and dedicated
to (30) _____ study.
127
IELTS Speaking: Structure & Procedure
The Speaking test is an oral interview between you and the examiner. The purpose
of the Speaking test is to determine how effectively you can communicate in English.
IELTS Speaking test is divided into 3 parts. Each part is different in terms of the
given tasks and how you and the examiner will communicate.
Part Interaction Task and language

The examiner greets you and
then introduces himself (herself) to
Part 1 Introduction & Interview you. The examiner checks you’re ID.
4-5 minutes
The examiner asks you some questions
about topics that are familiar to you.
The examiner gives you a card with a

topic written on it and some prompts to
help you with your answer.
Part 2 You are also given a pencil and a piece

3-4 minutes of paper to make notes if you wish. You
Individual long turn have one minute to think about the topic
and prepare your answer.
Then, you must speak about the

topic for one to two minutes. The
examiner may stop you if you speak
longer than this.
The examiner asks you some

questions to involve you in a
Part 3 Two-way discussion discussion.
4-5 minutes
The questions the examiner asks have
the same theme as Part 2.
128
IELTS Speaking Scoring
IELTS Speaking scores are calculated using 4 criteria:
1. Fluency and coherence: how clear and structured is your speech.
Tips:
 connect your sentences by linking words and sign points
 extend your answers, add all the relevant details
 speak smoothly and continuously
 use pausing correctly
2. Lexical Resource: how good is your vocabulary
Tips:
 use a wide range of vocabulary
 discuss different topics freely, using appropriate words
 speak formally or semi-formally
 choose words accurately
 use idiomatic language
3. Pronunciation: how naturally you sound.
Tips:
 pronounce words as clearly as possible
 record your speech and work on the words that you spell incorrectly
 stress words and sentences correctly
 use correct intonations
 try to be easily understood by the examiner
4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy: how good is your grammar?
Tips:
 avoid grammatical mistakes
 try to use more advanced grammatical structures
(Passive voice, direct speech, different tenses and conditional sentences etc.)
129
Main Topics of IELTS Speaking Part 1
Hometown Studies
I’d just like to ask you some questions I’d just like to ask you some questions
about your hometown. about your studies.
1. Where is your hometown? 1. What are you studying?

2. What was it like growing up 2. Why did you choose that
there? particular course?
3. Has it changed much since you 3. What is your favourite subject?
were a child? 4. Are you friends with many other
4. What do you like most about students on your course?
living there? 5. What job would you like when you
5. What kinds of things can visitors have completed all your studies?
to your hometown go and see? 6. Will you have to do further studies
6. Do you think you will live there in the future?
when you are older?
Home Work
I’d like to ask you some questions I’d just like to ask you some questions
about your home. about your work.
1. Do you live in an apartment or a 1. What work do you do?

house? 2. What do you enjoy most about
2. Is it a large apartment/house? your work?
3. Who do you live there with? 3. What are your main duties?
4. What is your favourite room in 4. Is there any other work you would
your apartment/house? like to do in the future?
5. Is it a quiet or noisy place to live? 5. What do you normally do when
6. What can you see from the you finish work everyday?
windows in 6. Will you have to do more training
your apartment/house? for your work in the future?
7. If you could change anything
about your apartment/house, what
would you change?
130
Free Time Food
I’d like to move on and ask you some Moving to a new topic, I’d like to
questions about your free time discuss cooking and meals with you.
1. What type of activities do you like 1. Do you enjoy cooking?

to do in your free time? 2. What type of things can you cook?
2. How long have you been 3. What kinds of food are popular in
interested in these activities? your country?
3. Do you like to do these activities 4. Is it an important part of your
alone or with other people? (Why)? culture to have dinner parties?
4. Do you think people have enough 5. Do you prefer to eat with other
free time? people or on your own?
Family Mobile Phones
I’d like to move on and ask you some Now let’s talk about mobile phones.
questions about your family.
1. Do you have a mobile phone?
1. How many people are there in 2. At what age did you first get a
your family? mobile?
2. Do you all live in the same house? 3. What do you most use it for?
3. What things do you like doing 4. Is it a nuisance if people use
together? mobiles in public places such as
4. Who is your favourite family trains and buses?
member?
Neighbours Television
Let’s change the topic and talk about We'll now talk about television.
your neighbours
1. How many hours a day do you
1. Do you know the people who live spend watching television?
next door to you? 2. What type of television programs
2. How often do you see each other? do you like to watch?
3. What kind of relationship do you 3. Do you think children in your
have? country watch too much
4. How can neighbours be helpful? television?
5. What kind of problems can people 4. Do you think television is useful
have with their neighbours in a for education in schools?
big city?
131
The Weather Books
Now we'll move on to talk about the Now let's move on to talk about
weather. books.
1. Do you like reading books?
1. What kind of weather do you like 2. What kinds of books do you like to
the most? read?
2. Does the weather affect the way 3. What is the best book you've ever
that you feel? read?
3. Do people like the weather in your 4. Is reading books a popular activity
country? in your country?
4. Do the kinds of outside activities 5. Do you think that electronic books
people do in your country change / eReaders are better than real
when the weather changes? books?
Public Transport The internet
Now we'll move on to talk about public We'll now talk about The Internet.
transport
1. Do you use The Internet?
1. What kinds of public transport do 2. Are children allowed to use The
they have in your country? Internet at school in your
2. What kinds of public transport do country?
most people use? 3. Do you think that The Internet is
3. What is your favourite type of useful for study?
public transport? 4. Have you ever used The Internet
4. What do you do when you are to buy something?
travelling on public transport? 5. Are there any dangers of buying
5. How could public transport in things online?
your country be improved?
Daily Routine
Sport
We'll now talk about daily routines.
Now we'll move on to talk about sport.
1. What is the most popular type of 1. Tell me about your daily routine?
sport in your country? 2. Has your daily routine changed
2. Is there a lot of sport on television since you were a child?
in your country? 3. Is your daily routine different at
3. What sports do children normally the weekend to during the week?
do at school? 4. What would you like to change
4. Do you think people do enough about your daily routine?
sport these days? 5. Do you think it's important to
have a daily routine?
6.
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- Cue Cards
A Person You Know Memories
Describe an old person that you know. Describe a happy childhood event.
You should say: You should say:

 What your relationship is to this  When it happened
person  Who was involved
 How often you see them  How you felt at the time
 What people think about this Explain why you remember this
person particular occasion.
Explain why you like them.
.
Presents or Gifts
Food
1. Describe a present or gift you have
given someone. Describe a meal that you had that you
remember well.
You should say:
 Who you gave it to You should say:
 What kind of present it was  Where the meal was
 How it compared to other  Why you had the meal
presents you have given  Who you went with
Explain why you decided to give this Explain why you remember this
particular gift. particular occasion.
2. Describe a present or gift someone Music

gave you that you really liked.
Describe your favourite song.
You should say:
 What kind of present it was You should say:
 Who gave it to you  What is the name of the song
 Why you were given it  What the song is about
Explain why you liked it.  When you first heard the song
Explain why it is your favourite song.
133
Sport and Exercise Travel
1. Describe a sporting event you 1. Describe a country you would like to

attended. visit in the future that you haven't been
to yet.
You should say:
 What kind of sport is was You should say:
 How it compared to other events  Which country it is
you’ve been to  Where it is located in the world
 How often it takes place  What you could see there
Explain why you consider this event to Explain why this country is would be
be of interest. such a good place to visit.
2. Describe a type of exercise that you 2. Describe a lake, a river or a sea you
like to do. have visited.

 What the exercise is  Where the lake is
 When you do it  How often you have visited it
 Where you do it  What activities you do there
Explain why you like this particular Explain why you like this particular
exercise. place.
Entertainment 3. Describe a holiday that you recently

went on that you enjoyed.
Describe a TV show that you enjoy.
You should say:
You should say:  Where you went
 What type of show it is  Who you went with
 How often it is on  What you did
 How popular it is with other Explain why this holiday was
people in your country enjoyable.
Explain why you like it.
134
Buildings News
Describe a building that you Describe some good news that you
particularly like. recently received.

 Where the building is  What the news was
 What it looks like  How you got the news
 What you can do there  Who else you told about it
Explain why you like this building. Explain why this was good news.
Reading Daily Routine
Describe your favourite book. Describe your favourite part of the day.
You should say:
You should say:
 When you read the book  What time of day this is
 What the book is about  What you like to do at this time
 Why you read it  Who you are usually with
Explain why this book is your Explain why this is your favourite part
favourite. of the day.
135
Eating habits
Influence of television
1. Tell me about the types of food
1. How popular is watching
that people eat in your country.
television in your country?
2. How are the eating habits now in
2. Tell me about the types of
your country different from eating
programme that are generally on
habits in the past?
television in your country.
3. How healthy is your country’s
3. Why do people like watching
food?
television?
4. Why do you think different
4. Do you think state or private
cultures have different table
television is better?
manners?
5. What effects can watching
5. How may eating habits change in
television have on children?
coming decades?
Education Influences on the young

1. How are education priorities today 1. What type of people influence the
different from those in the past? young in your country?
2. What is your opinion on the way 2. Why it is important to have role
languages are taught in schools? models?
3. How can the type of school you go 3. Do you think the education system
to affect career success? in your country influences young
4. What changes do you think will people’s behavior?
happen in the classroom in the 4. What type of person (parents,
near future? teachers, friends etc) are best to
influence young people’s behavior?
Environment 5. What do you think young people
will be most influenced by it the
1. Is water pollution a problem in future?
your country?
2. What are some of the causes of
water pollution?
3. What can individuals do to try and
ensure water is kept clean?
4. Do you think problems with the
cleanliness of water will improve
in the future?
136
Leisure activities Sports
1. What types of leisure activities are 1. What types of sports are popular
popular in your country? in your country?
2. Why it is important for people to 2. What are the benefits of playing a
have time for leisure activities? sport?
3. Why are some activities more 3. Do you think the types of sport
popular than others? that are popular will change in the
4. Are the types of leisure activities future?
that are popular today the same 4. how can sports bring people from
as those that were popular when different countries closer together?
your parents were young?
5. What types of leisure activities
may become more popular in the
future?
Transport
Shopping
1. How do most people travel long
1. Is shopping a popular activity in
distances in your country?
your country
2. Have the types of transport people
2. How have shopping habits
use changed much over the last
changed over recent years?
few decades?
3. To what extent do you think
3. What kinds of improvement have
advertising affects the way people
there been in transport in your
shop?
country in recent years?
4. Do you think shopping habits are
4. Do you think transport is likely to
likely to change in the future?
continue to improve in the future?
137
7 types of the questions for the 1st part of the speaking test:
1) Basic description: Tell me about your hometown. Tell me about your studies or job.
2) Liking: Do you like animals? What food do you like?
3) Disliking: Is there anything you don’t like about your town? What’s the worst about
shopping?
4) Types of: Tell me about different types of public transport/restaurants in your city.
5) Yes/No: Is healthy eating important? Can you play musical instruments?
6) Wh-/How often: How often do you go to the cinema? When do you listen to music?
7) Would: Would you like to live near the sea? What would you like to change about your city?
What’s your favourite colour?
1) My favourite colour is white.
2) Well, to be quite honest, I don’t really have an actual favourite colour, but I guess that if I
were buying clothes, then I’d usually go for something like blue or grey – you know, kind of dull
colours, nothing too bright.
Do you like animals?
1) No, I don’t like animals.
2) Well to be quite honest, in general I would say that I’m actually quite keen on animals, but in
particular I would probably have to say that I’m really into domestic pets like dogs. I guess the
reason why I’m a fan of dogs is because I adore their loyalty and companionship. In addition to
dogs I suppose I’m also pretty passionate about endangered species, especially dolphins and
things like that and this is due to the fact I feel some degree of responsibility towards wildlife
protection.’
CONVERSATION FILLERS
well, actually, ah, okay, like, um, right, so, you know, you see, basically, seriously, really, I
mean, something/ anything like that, at the end of the day, and so on, and so on an so forth…
“English is like, totally fun to learn, you know?”

“At the end of the day, we’re all just humans, and we all make mistakes.”
138
LIKING
I’m really into… DISLIKING
I (simply) adore… I dislike…
I admire… I don’t really like….
I love… I really don’t like…
I really like… I hate …
I enjoy… I can’t stand…
I am (pretty) keen on… I’m not a big fan of…
I’m (quite) a (big) fan of… I’m not really enthusiastic about…
I’m (quite) enthusiastic about…
I’m (quite/pretty) fond of…
I’m (totally) mad/crazy about…
I’m (quite) passionate about…
1) What food do you like? 1) Is there anything that you don’t like about
your school/studies?
2) Do you like reading?
2) Is there any food you don’t like?
3) Do you like listening to music?
3) What’s the worst thing about shopping?
4) Do you like shopping?
4) What type of weather do you dislike?
5) What do you like about your studies/job?
5) Is there anything you don’t like about
your hometown?
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Kinds of
1. What types of shops can be found in your local area?

2. What types of thing do people collect in your country?
3. What types of TV programs are popular in your country?
4. What hobbies are common in your country?
Yes/No questions
1. Is watching TV a popular activity in your country?

2. Do you think it is important to play sports/do physical exercise?
3. Is fast food popular in your country?
4. Is healthy eating important?
5. Can you play a musical instrument?
6. Do you think it’s important for children to learn to play a musical instrument?
7. Is food expensive in your country?
8. Is education free in your country?
9. Do you think you are an ambitious person?
10. Is crime a problem in your city?
11. Do people in your country often keep pets?
12. Is it always good to be ambition?
13. Do you think that it is important to spend time alone?
‘Wh-/How Often’ questions
1. How often do you go to the cinema?

2. Where do you usually buy your clothes?
3. When do you listen to music?
4. At what time of day do you usually read?
5. Who do you spend your weekends with?
6. When do you usually read?
7. How often do you do sports?
8. How often do you eat out in restaurants?
‘Would’ questions
1. Would you like to learn another foreign language?

2. Would you like to be in a film?
3. What would you like to change about your city?
4. What would you like to change about your school (school in the past)?
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In PART II the examiner gives the candidate a topic card.
The most obvious categories are as follows:
1) Experiences/ Past events

2) Objects/ Material possessions
3) People
4) Places
5) Media related
6) Others (anything that doesn’t fit into these 5 categories)
Example:
Describe your childhood home.
You should say:
 What type of house/flat it was

 Where it was located
 What you liked about it
 Whether you still live in this house/flat.
Ex.: Right then, I’d like to start by saying that when I was born my parents were living in a
spacious rural cottage in a mountain area; there I have spent at least 5 years of my life. I do
not remember much, but the thing I know for sure that it was a single-storey building with
three bedrooms and a huge backyard.
As I have mentioned we were living in a rural area near a range of mountains. Actually, it
was quite isolated – the nearest town was about 10 km away and the roads were quite bumpy,
so each time we were in need to do a major shopping, the travel time, preparation and
shopping itself were taking the full day. On the other hand, you can imagine how picturesque
the landscapes were with all the magnificent beauty that makes you feel so unique by having
a chance to live in that breathtaking surrounding.
I would like to mention that I loved that house not only because of its location, but also
because of the lovely neighborhood. There were around a dozen of the same style buildings
and people living there were really friendly and helpful. I used to play with other kids of the
same age as I was.
Finally then, if there’s any time left, I would like to mention that we left that house when I
was about 5 years old and we moved to Doha where me and my family have been living till
now.
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PART THREE
Possible question types
1 Comparing
Are houses nowadays the same as houses 50 years ago in your country?
2 Predicting
What will houses be like in the future?
3 Why questions
Why do some people want to be famous?
4 Advantages
What are the advantages of travelling by train?
5 Disadvantages
What are the disadvantages of train travel?
6 Problems
What problems are caused by the increase in use of private cars?
7 Solutions
If the examiner asks a ‘problem’ question, it will normally be followed by a ‘solution’ question.
How could these problems be solved?
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English Idioms
These idiomatic expressions are helpful and impressive tools to use on the speaking section of your
IELTS exam.
A piece of cake: very easy

The exam was a piece of cake.
His job seems like a piece of cake.
You can’t judge a book by its cover. It’s wrong to judge on appearances.
At first, he looked impatient, but then again, you can’t judge a book by its cover.
A dime a dozen: very common

Expats in Qatar are a dime a dozen.
In this football stadium, fans of Egypt are a dime a dozen.
Every cloud has a silver lining. There’s a positive side to everything.

I failed the exam, but now I know what to study to prepare for the final. Every cloud has a silver lining.
In the nick of time: at the perfect moment

Sheila dropped the vase, but Bruno caught it in the nick of time.
It seemed as though the speaker wouldn’t come, but he arrived in the nick of time.
Once in a blue moon: very rarely

I want to go to the concert. Beyonce only comes to the Middle East once in a blue moon.
Only the tip of the iceberg: a small piece of a larger problem

Cell phone use in class is only the tip of the iceberg; the students misbehave in many ways.
All’s well that ends well. The result is all that matters.
The trip seemed to be a disaster when our car broke down, but we finally made it to Baltimore. All’s well
that ends well.
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IELTS GRAMMAR
There is no actual grammar test section in the IELTS test, but you are still graded
on this by the examiner in the speaking test and writing test.
These are specifically what you are graded on in each test:
Writing: Speaking:
 Task Achievement / Response  Fluency and coherence
 Coherence and Cohesion  Lexical Resource
 Lexical Resource  Grammatical Range and Accuracy
 Grammatical Range and Accuracy  Pronunciation
Grammar makes up 25% of each test.
Writing Band Descriptors for Grammar
Band Lexical Resource Grammatical Range & Accuracy

 Uses a wide range of structures with full
Sophisticated control of lexical
9 flexibility and accuracy; rare minor errors
features; rare minor 'slips' occur
occur only as slips.
 Uses a wide range of structures
Produces rare errors in spelling
8  The majority of sentences are error-free
and / or word formation
 Makes only very occasional errors
 Uses a variety of complex structures
Occasional errors in word
 Produces frequent error-free sentences
7 choice, spelling, and / or word
 Has good control of grammar and
formation
punctuation but may make a few errors
 Uses a mix of simple and complex sentence
Some errors in spelling and / or forms
6 word formation, but they do not  Makes some errors in grammar and
impede communication punctuation but they rarely reduce
communication
 Uses only a limited range of structures
 Attempts complex sentences but these tend
Noticeable errors in spelling
to be less accurate than simple sentences
and / or word formation that
5  May make frequent grammatical errors and
may cause some difficulty for
punctuation may be faulty; errors can cause
the reader
some difficulty for the reader

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 Uses only a very limited range of structures
Limited control of word
with only rare use of subordinate clauses
formation and / or spelling;
4  Some structures are accurate but errors
errors may cause strain for the
predominate, and punctuation is often
reader
faulty
 Attempts sentence forms but errors in
Errors may severely distort the
3 grammar and punctuation predominate and
message
distort the meaning
Essentially no control of word  Cannot use sentence forms except in
2
formation and / or spelling memorized phrases
1 Can only use a few isolated words  Cannot use sentence forms at all
It is important to be:
 Getting your word forms right

 Understanding how to write complex sentences
 Expanding your range of grammatical structures you can use
 Using grammar accurately (i.e. minimizing your error density).
Grammar Rules:
Articles: “A”, “An” and “The”
Use “a” and “an” only with a single noun:
1. When you talk about a noun for the first time: I saw a movie yesterday.
2. When you talk about non-specific things (a building, a sea, a president, a
country, an office).
Use “the” with both single and plural nouns:
1. When you use the noun you mentioned before: I saw a movie yesterday. The
movie was fantastic.
2. When you talk about something specific:
o specific gallery - the National Gallery of Art,
o specific university - the University of Madras,
o specific tower - the Eiffel Tower.
3. With cardinal numbers (the first, the second)
4. With superlatives (the best, the biggest)
5. When the noun is only one in the world (the earth, the internet, the sun)
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6. With countries that have plural names (the UK, the United States, the
Netherlands)
7. In phrase the same as.
Don't use any articles:
1. When you talk in general

o we believe in love,
o woman is often responsible for child care (in general),
2. With a single country or place (China, Fourth Street, Paris, Africa).
Articles-Practice. Choose the correct sentence in each pair:

1.
a. Wildlife in Africa is very diverse.
b. Wildlife in the Africa is very diverse.
2.
a. The moon travels around the earth.
b. Moon travels around the earth.
3.
a. You should give more examples in a second paragraph of your essay.
b. You should give more examples in the second paragraph of your essay.
4.
a) Susy loves the children.
b) Susy loves children.
5.
a. We bought a new cupboard.
b. We bought the new cupboard.
6.
a. The table shows the number of marriages in Australia.
b. The table shows number of marriages in Australia.
7.
a. I think that people should protect environment.
b. I think that people should protect the environment.
8.
a. The number of cars on the roads is increasing.
b. Number of the cars on the roads is increasing.
9.
a. In my opinion, the movies are more entertaining than the computer games.
b. In my opinion, movies are more entertaining than computer games.
10.
a. London is capital of UK.
b. London is the capital of the UK.
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Sentence: A sentence is the group of words that comes between two full-stops and
it must be a complete thought that makes sense.
Sentence Types
There are four types of sentence:
1. Simple
2. Compound
3. Complex
4. Compound-Complex
1. Simple Sentences
A simple sentence is one clause with a subject and verb.
Computers are important in the modern world.

However, it can have more than one subject and verb:
Two subjects:
Computers and other technological devices are important in the modern world.
Two Verbs:
I search for information and play games on my computer.

Two subject and two verbs:
My brother and I search for information and play games on our computers.
2. Compound Sentences
A compound sentence consists of 2 or 3 clauses. It is when simple sentences are

joined together.
Using coordinating conjunctions:
F = for
A = and
N = nor
B = but
O = or
Y = yet
S = so
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The word 'fanboys' is an easy way to remember the different conjunctions that make
compound sentences. Obviously the most common are 'and', 'but', 'or' and 'so'.
For examples:
Computers are important, but they can be dangerous too.

Computers are important, but they can be dangerous too, so we must
be careful.
Using semicolons
There is an instance when you can have a compound sentence structure without a
coordinating conjunction, and this is when you join two clauses with a semicolon. It
is used when two ideas are related.
For example:
Computers are used widely in most countries; they are a sign of progress.
3. Complex Sentences
This type of sentence structure is important for IELTS because to get awarded a
band 6 or higher for your 'grammatical range and accuracy', you need to
demonstrate that you are able to use them.
The more varied and the more accurate your complex sentences are, the higher
the band score for this.
Complex sentences are two (or more) clauses joined together, but they are not joined
by 'fanboys' (coordinating conjunctions). They are joined by subordinating
conjunctions.
Subordinating conjunctions:
after even if unless

although even though until
as if when
as if in order to whenever
as long as in case whereas
as much as once where
as soon as since wherever
as though so that while
because that
before though
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For example:
People take natural health supplements even though they may not have been
tested.
Our children may not be properly educated if we don't spend more on schools.
I went to bed as soon as he left because I was tired.
In this case, a comma is needed in the middle.
Even though they may not have been tested, people take natural health
supplements.
If we don't spend more on schools, our children may not be properly educated.
As soon as he left, I went to bed because I was tired.
4. Compound-Complex Sentences
Compound-complex sentences are the same as complex sentences but they also have
a simple (or compound) sentence before or after the 'complex' part.
For example:
I ate a lot when I got home, but I was still hungry.

The part that is underlined is the complex sentence. As you can see, it also has a
simple sentences connected to it. It can also have a full compound sentence attached
to it:
I ate a lot when I got home, but I was still hungry, so I went shopping to buy some
more food.
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Sentence Structure Quiz
Identify what type of sentence each is.
1. I was late for work.
A. Simple
B. Compound
C. Complex
D. Compound-complex
2. He failed the test because he did not study hard enough.
A. Simple
B. Compound
C. Complex
D. Compound-Complex
3. Even though pollution is widespread, people are doing little to prevent it.
A. Simple
B. Compound
C. Complex
D. Compound-Complex
4. Animals should not be killed for their fur, but this is still occurring, so action
must be taken.
A. Simple
B. Compound
C. Complex
D. Compound-Complex
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5. I came to study in the UK because I wanted to improve my English, so I talk to
as many English people as possible.
A. Simple
B. Compound
C. Complex
D. Compound-Complex
Modal Verbs
Modal Verbs are used commonly in English to add further information to the main
verb. They are auxiliary or 'helping' verbs, which means they cannot be used on
their own but must be used with the main verb.
You are likely to use these a lot in your academic writing for task 2, particularly if
you are writing an essay which needs to give solutions to a problem.
Modal Verbs Main Verb Sentence Examples

(Bare Infinitive)
May
Might
Can  She can swim
Could  Can she swim?
go  She cannot swim
Shall
Should
Will
Would
Must
‘Semi’ Modal Verbs (Infinitive) Sentence Examples
 She has to go
Ought
 Does she have to go?
Need
to go  She doesn’t have to
Have
go
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These verbs are used with a main verb and are not followed by “to”.
The exceptions are ‘ought’,’ need’ and ‘have’ which are followed by “to”.
Common Use in IELTS Task 2
Three important functions of modal verbs when you are writing or speaking for
IELTS are:
1. Discussing degrees of certainty

2. Making suggestions.
3. Hypothetical situations
1) Degrees of Certainty
Will, may, might and could are common to make logical deductions about a
situation or the future, which you often need to do in task 2:
Example:
 Children with no father as a role model will become criminals. (100%)

 Children with no father as a role model may become criminals. (Possible)
 Children with no father as a role model could become criminals. (Possible)
Which of these sentences do you think is incorrect?
Hopefully you worked out that the first one is wrong. This is a common mistake to
see in IELTS essays. The grammar is ok, but it is not possible to conclude
that all children with no father as a role model will become criminals!
Be careful when you are making assessments in this way.
2) Suggestions
Must/ should/ ought to/ have to and could are often used to make suggestions
for solving a problem. It is common in task 2 to get a question asking you to discuss
a problem and suggest solutions.
 Governments must/have to/need to take action to tackle global warming.

(strong obligation)
 Parents should/ought to stop their children watching too much television.
(Strong suggestion)
 Individuals could recycle more (possibility).
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3) Hypothetical Situations
It is common to use would and could to discuss hypothetical situations.
If something is hypothetical, this means in effect it has not happened. You are
discussing an unreal situation in the future or imagining something.
For example:
 If the government spent more money on hospitals, people would be healthier.
It is something that has not happened and you don't know if it will.
Model Verbs Activity 1
Global warming is one of the most serious issues that the world is facing today.
What are the causes of global warming and what measures can governments and
individuals take to tackle the issue?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own
experience or knowledge.
Sample Answer: Identify Model Verbs in this essay
Probably the most worrying threat to our planet at the present time is global
warming. This essay will examine the reasons why global warming is occurring and
discuss some possible solutions.
The predominant factors resulting in the warming of the earth are the emissions of
CO2 and deforestation. CO2, which damages the ozone layer, comes from several
sources, but the most problematic are those coming from the burning of fossil fuels
from power plants. This releases thousands of tons of CO2 into the atmosphere every
year. Another cause of these emissions is the burning of gasoline for transportation,
which continues to grow because of our demand for cars and also our increasing
worldwide consumption, resulting in an escalating need to transport goods. Also,
forests store large amounts of carbon, so deforestation is causing larger amounts of
CO2 to remain in the atmosphere.
Nevertheless, there are potential ways to solve these problems, or at least reduce the
effects. Firstly, governments need to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and
promote alternatives. Plant-derived plastics, biodiesel, wind power and solar power
are all things that are a step in the right direction, but governments need to enforce
the limits on CO2 emissions for the polluting industries in their countries for these
to be effective. Also, individuals can play a part by making lifestyle changes. People
should try to buy cars with the best fuel economy, and only use their car when really
necessary. They can also switch to energy companies that use renewable energy
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rather than fossil fuels. Finally, small things like buying energy efficient light bulbs,
turning off electricity in the house, and planting trees in the garden can help.
To conclude, although global warming is a serious issue, there are steps that
governments and individuals can take to reduce its effects. If we are to save our
planet, it is important that this is treated as a priority for all concerned.
Model Verbs Activity 2
As people live longer and longer, the idea of cloning human beings in order to
provide spare parts is becoming a reality. The idea horrifies most people, yet it is no
longer mere science fiction.
To what extent do you agree with such a procedure?
Have you any reservations?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own
experience or knowledge.
Sample Answer: Identify Model Verbs in this essay

The cloning of animals has been occurring for a number of years now, and this has
now opened up the possibility of cloning humans too. Although there are clear
benefits to humankind of cloning to provide spare body parts, I believe it raises a
number of worrying ethical issues.
Due to breakthroughs in medical science and improved diets, people are living much
longer than in the past. This, though, has brought with it problems. As people age,
their organs can fail so they need replacing. If humans were cloned, their organs could
then be used to replace those of sick people. It is currently the case that there are
often not enough organ donors around to fulfil this need, so cloning humans would
overcome the issue as there would then be a ready supply.
However, for good reasons, many people view this as a worrying development. Firstly,
there are religious arguments against it. It would involve creating another human
and then eventually killing it in order to use its organs, which it could be argued is
murder. This is obviously a sin according to religious texts. Also, dilemmas would
arise over what rights these people have, as surely they would be humans just like
the rest of us. Furthermore, if we have the ability to clone humans, it has to be
questioned where this cloning will end. Is it then acceptable for people to start cloning
relatives or family members who have died?
To conclude, I do not agree with this procedure due to the ethical issues and dilemmas
it would create. Cloning animals has been a positive development, but this is where
it should end.
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Subject Verb Agreement
It is important to understand subject verb agreement for IELTS.
The Basic Rules
The subject is the noun that is “performing” the verb. The verb must agree with the
subject in number. Singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take
plural verbs.
 Your cat bites me. (singular)

 Your cats bite me. (plural
Sometimes multiple subjects perform the verb together. This is called a compound
subject. A compound subject is joined together by the word ‘and’, and takes a
plural verb.
 Tony and I went to the store.
 Peter and Hiro travelled together through time.
Subject-Verb Agreement quiz

Reminders: Each, everyone, everybody, and one are singular pronouns.
Directions: Choose the option that corrects an error in the underlined portion(s).
1. In the cabinet is/are the tools that you will need to unclog the bathroom sink; I
have/has found that a plunger and a prayer often do/does the trick.
2. Here are/is the books that Thomas and Darlene need for their research, and here
is/are the earplugs that you’ll require once they both doze/dozes off in boredom
and start snoring.
3. Jasmine and Rodney have/has decided to double the number of cupcakes that
they are/is baking since everyone love/loves moist cake and chocolate frosting.
4. Not only those students but also their professor look/looks forward to the final
exam; everyone has/have exciting vacation plans that start/starts next Monday.
5. At the pet store, each iguana, mouse, and gerbil try/tries to climb the walls of its
glass cage while humans hover/hovers outside like giant predators who are/is
ready to strike.
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6. Tyrone, as well as his cousins, hope/hopes that Grandma brings/bring her
famous brownies and peach pie that drip/drips with generous scoops of vanilla
ice cream.
7. Either the dogs or the cat sleep/sleeps on the bed while everyone is/are out;
Lorraine always finds/find an indentation in the center of her comforter.
8. Meryl, together with her friends Beatrice and Laverne, plans/plan a daily trip
for ice cream, for these women have/has discovered that the calories is worth
seeing Theo scoop/scoops their servings with his muscular arms.
9. The scissors are/is sharp, so neither the cousins nor Timmy is/are allowed to play
with them, even when the boys needs/need to finish a school project.
10. Each fork, spoon, and knife are/is scarred from the disposal since Drew
refuses/refuse to check the drain before he throws/throw the switch.
Countable and uncountable nouns:
Countable nouns stand for things we can count with numbers (apples, books, pieces
etc.). And uncountable nouns are for things we cannot count (water, food, money,
advice, safety, time, knowledge, love, traffic etc.).
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Countable nouns can be used
•in both plural and singular forms
•with phrases many / a lot of / a few / number of
Uncountable nouns are used

•only in the singular form
•only with a singular verb (is, was)
•with phrases much / a lot of / some / amount of / a little
You can never use uncountable nouns with

•a number (five advices - an advice, three furnitures - a furniture). But you can use
a piece of instead (a piece of advice, a piece of furniture)
•phrases many / a few / number of (many foods - a lot of food, a few knowledges -
some knowledge)
Countable and uncountable nouns: Quiz
Practice. Choose the correct sentence in each pair:
1.
A. I don't have many time to wait you!
B. I don't have much time to wait you!
2.
A. Food was really delicious in that restaurant.
B. Food were really delicious in that restaurant.
3.
A. So many people is wasting their time on playing computer games!
B. So many people are wasting their time on playing computer games!
4.
A. A big number of people are wasting their time on playing computer games!
B. A big number of people is wasting their time on playing computer games!
5.
A. There are many problems with your plan.
B. There are much problem with your plan.
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6.
A. The old pond was full of fish.
B. The old pond was full of fishes.
7.
A. Although a lot of people are obsessed with cash, I think that money are not
the most important thing in our life.
B. Although a lot of people are obsessed with cash, I think that money is not the
most important thing in our life.
8.
A. The number of cars on the roads is increasing.
B. The number of cars on the roads are increasing.
9.
A. There are a lot of different furnitures being sold.
B. There are a lot of different furniture being sold.
10.
A. A little electricity is produced by wind power stations.
B. A few electricity is produced by wind power stations.
11.
A. There are so much animals on our planet!
B. There are so many animals on our planet!
12.
A. This news rejoiced everyone.
B. These news rejoiced everyone.
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Present simple tense
Present simple tense is formed with the base form of the verb. To form the third
person singular you need to add -s or -es at the end of the verb. Verb to have
changes to has in the third person singular form.
I speak, I watch We speak, we watch

You speak, you watch They speak, they watch
He/she/it speaks, he/she/it watches
The only exception to this rule is the verb to be.

I am We are
You are They are
He/she/it is
Important note: if the verb ends in -y, the third person changes to -ies (fly -> flies,
cry -> cries etc.) BUT if there is a vowel before y, we write “s” at the end (play ->
plays)
We also use present simple tense with

 Adverbs, such as: often, always, never, rarely, usually etc (He is always busy,
she never listens to me),
 Expressions like: nowadays, this day, today, every day etc (Nowadays people
spend a lot of time on the Internet).
Present simple tense quiz

Practice. Choose the correct sentence in each pair:
1.
A. He have a good taste.
B. He has a good taste.
2.
A. He flies in the helicopter every week.
B. He flys in the helicopter every week.
3.
A. They is very nice people!
B. They are very nice people!
4.
A. He play tennis and I play football.
B. He plays tennis and I play football.
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5.
A. He is a great musician.
B. He are a great musician.
Fill the gaps using the words in brackets:
6. We ------------------ TV every day. (to watch)
7. He ------------------ basketball every day. (to play)
8. Animals ------------------- their freedom, if they are kept in caves. (to lose)
9. I don't like living here, because it always ------------------------. (to rain)
10. Don't worry, everything------------------ fine. (to be)
11. He------------------ to complete his work in a few days, but I am sure he won't
be able to. (to hope)
Auxiliary verbs (do, have, be)

Do, be, and have are called auxiliary verbs. In other words, they help us to change
the main verb.
Do is used with the infinitive to make questions:

 Do you agree? (Not are you agree.)
 Why does he think so?
 Did you write a message to me?
Negatives:
 I don’t agree with this statement.
 I didn’t find you at the party last night.
 Do can also be used to make an emphasis:
I do think that animals should be protected (= I really think ...)
Be is used with -ing verbs to make the continuous tenses:
 Sam is drinking tea.

 I was walking along the road, when a heavy rain started to fall.
Have is used with the past participle to make the perfect tenses:
 I have never been to Sydney.

 Has Sam already prepared the dinner?
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Avoid these common mistakes:
The auxiliary verb must agree with the main verb:
 Does your boyfriend smoke? (Not Do your boyfriend smoke?)

 Did you see the film yesterday? (Not Do you see the film yesterday?)
Auxiliary verbs (do, have, be): Quiz

Complete sentences using a correct auxiliary verb (if needed):
1. ______________ you agree with me?
2. What _____________your mother tell you yesterday?
3. Why _______________ people believe in aliens?
4. I _______________been to a theatre this week.
5. _______________she talking on the phone right now?
6. ________________ you love snakes?
7. Where _____________he going?
8. Where_____________ you been? I ______________been waiting here for ages!
9. When __________you going to renew your driver’s license?
10. ___________worry, everything will be alright!
Choose the correct options:
11. I ....... agree with this idea

A. am not
B. do not
C. am
D. have
12. ....... you going to the cinema today?

A. Do
B. Were
C. Have
D. Are
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13. Sandy has a very strange hairstyle, but she ....... care what people think.
A. isn't
B. don't
C. didn't
D. doesn't
14. Why ....... he leave the party last night?

A. has
B. does
C. did
D. didn't
15. ....... you studying here?

A. Are
B. Do
C. Do are
D. Is
Coordinating conjunctions: and, but, or, so, yet.
Coordinating conjunctions play a key role in structuring your essay and making
your writing coherent.
Functions:
And - to join two similar ideas:
 My favorite fruits are apples and oranges. (you like both of them)
 I'm against crime and violence in media.
But - to contrast:
 I eat apples, but I don't eat oranges. They are too sour for me.
(apples - positive, oranges - negative)
 The number of electric cars showed a steady growth during 2005-2010, but
then it suddenly decreased in 2011.
Or - to give an alternative:
 Would like some water or juice? (you choose only one of them)
 In my opinion, if children play computer games or watch TV instead of
reading books, they will grow small-minded.
162
Or is also used to join two negative ideas
 There was no laptops or phones in Medieval Ages.
So - to show a result of something:
 He was very thirsty, so he drank a lot of water.

(Thirsty → drank a lot of water)
 Higher education is often expensive, so many students work while studying.

Yet - contrast, despite something (=but still)
 Some people complain about social networks, yet continue to use them.
 He's overweight, yet he eats a lot of fast food.
Coordinating conjunctions: and, but, or, so, yet: Quiz
Fill in the blanks with and / but / or / yet / so:
1. I have a notebook with me ____________due to the slow Internet connection I

can't send you an e-mail.
2. To help the environment, we need to change the way we think_________ behave.
3. People were throwing a lot of rubbish on the street _________the government

decided to impose a heavy fine on littering.
4. My hometown is very small: it has no university ____________college.
5. Laure claims to lead a healthy lifestyle ___________she smokes every day!
6. A lot of people use steroids to build muscle ____________I prefer traditional

training.
7. In order to reduce traffic jams, more roads should be built _________more

underground stations should be opened.
8. He didn't know whether he wanted to be a scientist __________a physician.
9. I equally like cats ________________ dogs.
10. The amount of pollution was steadily decreasing during 10 years _________ then
it rose sharply by 200%!
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Prepositions
A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a word in the

sentence and the word that is the object of the preposition.
Examples:
 I will arrive on Monday.

 She'll be here between 13:00 and 14:00.
Prepositions can be divided into three groups: prepositions

of time, place and other prepositions.
1. Prepositions of time: on, in, at, since, from, ago, before etc.
This diagram explains how to use prepositions on, in, at for describing time:
Examples:
 This shop works since 1970s.

 I've been working here for 5 years.
 We'll meet on April 7th.
118
164
2. Prepositions of place: in, at, on, beside, under, below, above etc.
This diagram explains how to use prepositions on, in, at for describing locations:
This diagram explains how to use prepositions of place:
Examples:
 Your bag is in the living room.

 Meet me at the bus station.
3. Other prepositions: by, about, off, with, without, as, for, per etc.
Examples:
 We were talking about him.

 We travelled by car.
 This car's speed is 180 kilometers per hour!
 I took off my coat.
 John can't live without Susan - he loves her!
 I don't want to dinner as I have just eaten a lunch.
 Jack wanted to learn English. He started studying hard for that purpose.
119
165
Prepositions Quiz: Choose the correct sentence in each pair:
1.
A. Pick me up at 10:00.
B. Pick me up in 10:00.
2.
A. You should have no problems on this material.
B. You should have no problems with this material.
3
A. I travelled in train.
B. I travelled by train.
4.
A. See you on Monday.
B. See you in Monday.
Fill the gaps using the words in brackets:
5. There was an interesting show ___________the TV.
6. I was waiting for 1 hour __________the bus station!
7. He prevented me ___________coming to the party.
8. David lives ___________Madrid.
9. The automobile turned __________and went the other way.
10. You should always be prepared __________the test.
166
Gerund or Infinitive?
A gerund is a verb with its -ing form that functions as a noun that names an
activity. You can make a gerund with any action verb.
(Running is his hobby. My friend quit smoking 2 years ago)
An infinitive is a verb form that acts as other parts of speech in a sentence. It is

formed with to + base form of the verb.
(You promised to do your homework today. I want to call her now)
Some of the verbs are followed either by the gerund:

avoid enjoy allow suggest
consider explain confess admit
deny risk finish advise
enjoy resume forgive delay
recommend omit complete involve
miss permit practice imagine
For example: I enjoy playing football.
Other verbs are followed by infinitive:

ask agree refuse choose
afford seek seem elect
help hurry wait manage
learn dare say learn
offer demand deserve hesitate
hope pay claim fail
Passive voice
The passive voice is formed with the verb to be + the past participle of the verb:
Many new roads were built during the last years in my hometown.
The verb to be should always be changed into the correct tense to make passive
voice. Let's consider the verb to eat, look how it changes in passive voice:
 The soup is eaten every day (present simple)

 The soup is being eaten right now (present continuous)
 The soup has been eaten this week (present perfect)
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 The soup was eaten yesterday (past simple)
 The soup was being eaten for 1 hour yesterday (past continuous)
 He told me the soup had been eaten the day before (past perfect)
To make the negative, we need to put not between the verb to be and the past
participle: I was taught not to litter.
After modal verbs we use the passive infinitive without to: Do not worry, it can be
done.
With active verbs we usually follow this pattern: subject + verb + object (Parents told
children to stop playing). But when we use passive, we want to put the object of the
verb first: The children were told to stop playing. (object + verb).
We use the passive voice:
1. When we want to focus on the object of the sentence:
My car was cleaned today.

(The focus is on the car in this situation)
2. When we know from the context who carried out the action:
A law was proposed to protect the rights of the people.

(We know that the government proposed it)
3. When it is not important who carried out the action:
Fresh food is brought to the supermarkets everyday.

(We don't care who brings it)
Note:
We can include the subject by adding "by + the person/group of people" when we
need to do so. For example: We were told to do so by our parents. In most cases,
however, it is omitted.
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Parallelism and Verb Tense
Parallelism:
When items are listed (such as when “and” is used), they should all be in the same
form. Here are some examples.
Wrong: I enjoy playing basketball, swimming, and to go to the beach.

Right: I enjoy playing basketball, swimming, and going to the beach.
Wrong: People should stop littering and to leave trash places.

Right: People should stop littering and leaving trash places.
Wrong: Each morning, I wake up, eat breakfast, and leaving the house at 7 a.m.
Right: Each morning, I wake up, eat breakfast, and leave the house at 7 a.m.
Wrong: Throwing food away is wasteful, selfish, and you should keep it instead.
Right: Throwing food away is wasteful and selfish. You should keep it instead.
Wrong: I brought a fork, a knife, and left the house.

Right: I brought a fork and a knife before I left the house.
Verb tense:
When describing something that occurred at a specific time in the past, you should
use the simple past tense. Here are some examples.
Wrong: Yesterday, I have been to the grocery store.

Right: Yesterday, I went to the grocery store.
Wrong: I have been to Turkey last year.

Right: I went to Turkey last year.
When describing an event that may or may not occur, you should use the
conditional tense.
Wrong: If we decreased the price of public transportation, more people are using it.
Right: If we decreased the price of public transportation, more people would use it.
Wrong: Life will be better without phones. We will spend more time with the
people around us.
Right: Life would be better without phones. We would spend more time with the
people around us.
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Grammar Exercise 1: Correct the mistakes:
1.
A. I love listening music.
B. I love listening to music.
2.
A. I'm afraid to the dark.
B. I'm afraid of the dark.
3.
A. I don't dance good.
B. I don't dance well
4.
A. Where did you went yesterday?
B. Where did you go yesterday?
5.
A. When did you born?
B. When were you born?
6.
A. There is a much noise here.
B. There is a lot of noise here.
7.
A. I have a son. I am too.
B. I have a son. I do too.
8.
A. Everything went good today.
B. Everything went well today.
9.
A. I don't have no resources.
B. I don't have any resources.
10.
A. Unfortunately, I still do many mistakes.
B. Unfortunately, I still make many mistakes.
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Grammar Exercise 2
Directions: Choose the right answer for each item below.
1. Even though we warned Jake not to eat a hole/whole pie at one sitting, he sat/set
at the kitchen table and proceeded/preceeded to consume slice after slice.
2. Give Jerrod a compliment/complement because his shoe laces

complement/compliment the colors in his plaid shirt. His fashion since/sense is
gradually improving.
3. If you go by/buy the supermarket, buy/by a package of hotdog buns. Than/Then

we can grill the sausage for dinner.
4. Heed my advice/advise, and don’t loose/lose your receipt. The college bookstore
will not accept/except any excuse if you need to return those books.
5. The heard/herd of gazelle leaped through/threw the air as the animals tried to
elude/allude the cheetah.
6. When there/their are fewer/less students in a class, the professor has less/fewer
worries that everyone is getting individual attention.
7. We were/we’re successful baking 300 cupcakes for the charity event, but today
we’re/were exhausted after spending all night preparing the desserts/deserts.
8. Gregory passed/past his chemistry final, so now he won’t loose/lose his

scholarship. As he walked past/passed the diner, he rewarded himself with a
milkshake.
9. Mr. Ramos hopes to except/accept the bid on the house. He has agreed with many
of the buyer’s conditions, except/accept retiling the master bathroom since/sense it
would be too much work.
171
IELTS REVIEW
Listening:
- Before listening:
o Check what kind of word answer is (i.e. number, time, place, ect.)
o Underline keywords
o If number, pay attention to special words (max, start, ect.)
- While listening:
o Move quickly
o If you miss an answer, move on
o Write abbreviations and don’t worry about spelling
- After listening:
o Check spelling
o Check number of words
o Make sure phrase fits in blank
Reading:
- In order:
o True/False/Not Given
o Multiple Choice
o Fill-in-blank
- Not in order:
o Headings (low scoring students leave for end)
o Which paragraph contain information (low scoring students leave for
end)
o Matching with list (A, B, C, D, etc.)
- All Questions:
o Look for NB
o Check number of words
o Underline keywords
o Skim & Scan
o
Writing:
Task 1:
- Decide on simple organization
- Pay attention to tense (past, present, future)
- Change vocabulary and types of sentences
172
Task 2:
- Pay attention to question
o Agree or disagree
o Discuss both views/advantages and disadvantages
o 2 Questions
o Cause/Solution
- Follow correct organization making sure you answer all questions
Task 2 Organizations:
Agree/Disagree Discuss both/Adv. 2 Questions Cause/Solution

& Dis
P1 P1 P1 P1
Introduce topic Introduce topic Introduce topic Problem
Opinion Opinion Opinion Causes
Solutions
P2 P2 P2 P2
Firstly, Firstly, Firstly, Firstly,
Reason Reason Reason Cause 1
Explain Explain Explain Explain
Example Example Example Example
Solution 1
Explain
P3 P3 P3 P2
Moreover, Moreover, Moreover, Moreover,
Reason Reason Reason Cause 2
Explain Explain Explain Explain
Example Example Example Example
Solution 2
Explain
P4 P4 P4 (nothing)
Finally, On the other Finally,
Reason hand, Reason (2nd
Explain Reason (other Quest.)
Example side) Explain
Explain Example
Example
P5 P5 P5 P5
In conclusion, In conclusion, In conclusion, In conclusion,
Opinion Opinion Opinion Summary of
Personal Personal Personal essay
note/advice note/advice note/advice
173
Speaking:
Part 1:
- Complete sentences
- Say 3-4 sentences
- Don’t give lists
- Expand: who, what, when, where, why, how, ect.
Part 2:
- Take simple notes
- Make sure you answer all questions
- Organize ideas
- Pay attention to tense (past, present, future)
- Try not to pause
Part 3:
- Complete sentences
- Say 5-8 sentences
- Don’t give lists; give 1 reason/advantage/disadvantage
- Expand: who, what, when, where, why, how, ect.
174
50 Helpful Vocabulary Words for Writing and Speaking
1. accompany (accompanies, accompanying, accompanied) VERB If you

accompany someone, you go somewhere with them. [FORMAL]
2. analyse (analyses, analysing, analysed) VERB If you analyse something, you
consider it carefully or use statistical methods in order to fully understand it.
[US analyze]
3. assert (asserts, asserting, asserted) VERB If someone asserts a fact or belief,
they state it firmly. [FORMAL]
4. bar chart (bar charts) NOUN A bar chart is a graph which uses parallel
rectangular shapes to represent changes in the size, value, or rate of
something or to compare the amount of something relating to a number of
different countries or groups, [mainly UK; US bar graph]
5. benefit (benefits) NOUN The benefit of something is the help that you get
from it or the advantage that results from it.
6. century (centuries) 1 NOUN A century is any period of a hundred years.
7. challenge (challenges) NOUN A challenge is something new and difficult
which requires great effort and determination.
8. commuter (commuters) NOUN A commuter is a person who travels a long
distance to work every day.
9. comparable ADJECTIVE Something that is comparable to something else is
roughly similar, for example in amount or importance.
10. congestion UNCOUNTABLE NOUN If there is congestion in a place, the
place is extremely crowded and blocked with traffic or people.
11. decade (decades) NOUN A decade is a period of ten years, especially one
that begins with a year ending in 0, for example 1980 to 1989.
12. decline (declines, declining, declined) VERB If something declines, it
becomes less in quantity, importance, or strength.
13. define (defines, defining, defined) VERB If you define a word or expression,
you explain its meaning, for example in a dictionary.
175
14. depict (depicts, depicting, depicted) If a graph or diagram depicts something,
it is shown there in the form of lines, shapes, or figures.
15. destination (destinations) NOUN The destination of someone or something
is the place to which they are going or being sent.
16. diagram (diagrams) NOUN A diagram is a simple drawing which consists
mainly of lines and is used, for example, to explain how a machine works.
17. distinct ADJECTIVE If something is distinct from something else of the
same type, it is different or separate from it.
18. drawback (drawbacks) NOUN A drawback is an aspect of something or
someone that makes them less acceptable than they would otherwise be.
19. employer (employers) NOUN Your employer is the person or organization
that you work for
20. evidence UNCOUNTABLE NOUN Evidence is anything that you see,
experience, read, or are told that causes you to believe that something is true
or has really happened.
21. flexible ADJECTIVE Something or someone that is flexible is able to change
easily and adapt to different conditions and circumstances
22. flow chart (flow charts) NOUN A flow chart or a flow diagram is a diagram
which represents the sequence of actions in a particular process or activity.
23. generation (generations) NOUN A generation is all the people in a group or
country who are of a similar age, especially when they are considered as
having the same experiences or attitudes.
24. idealistic ADJECTIVE If you describe someone as idealistic, you mean that
they have ideals, and base their behaviour on these ideals, even if this may
be impractical.
25. identical ADJECTIVE Things that are identical are exactly the same.
26. immigrant (immigrants) NOUN An immigrant is a person who has come to
live in a country from some other country.
27. inhabitant (inhabitants) NOUN The inhabitants of a place are the people
who live there.
176
28. intense ADJECTIVE Intense is used to describe something that is very great
or extreme in strength or degree.
29. investigate (investigates, investigating, investigated) VERB If you
investigate something, you study or examine it carefully to find out the truth
about it.
30. itinerary (itineraries) NOUN An itinerary is a plan of a journey, including
the route and the places that you will visit.
31. journey (journeys) NOUN When you make a journey, you travel from one
place to another.
32. line graph (line graphs) NOUN A line graph is a diagram that shows the
relationship between two sets of changing numbers or measurements.
33. modify (modifies, modifying, modified) VERB If you modify something, you
change it slightly, usually in order to improve it.
34. obesity UNCOUNTABLE NOUN Someone suffering from obesity is
extremely fat.
35. object (objects, objecting, objected) VERB If you object to something, you
express your dislike or disapproval of it.
36. overcome (overcomes, overcoming, overcame) VERB If you overcome a
problem or a feeling, you successfully deal with it and control it.
37. pie chart (pie charts) NOUN A pie chart is a circle divided into sections to
show the relative proportions of a set of things.
38. predict (predicts, predicting, predicted) VERB If you predict an event, you
say that it will happen.
39. profound ADJECTIVE You use profound to emphasize that something is
very great or intense.
40. proof (proofs) NOUN Proof is a fact, argument, or piece of evidence which
shows that something is definitely true or definitely exists.
41. represent (represents, representing, represented) VERB If a sign or symbol
represents something, it is accepted as meaning that thing.
177
42. resident (residents) NOUN The residents of a house or area are the people
who live there.
43. rural ADJECTIVE Rural means relating to country areas as opposed to large
towns.
44. sibling (siblings) NOUN Your siblings are your brothers and sisters.
[FORMAL
45. spouse (spouses) NOUN Someone’s spouse is the person they are married to.
46. table (tables) NOUN A table is a written set of facts and figures arranged in
columns and rows.
47. theory (theories) NOUN A theory is a formal idea or set of ideas that is
intended to explain something.
48. transform (transforms, transforming, transformed) VERB To transform
something or someone means to change them completely and suddenly so
that they are much better or more attractive.
49. vary (varies, varying, varied) VERB If things vary, they are different from
each other in size, amount, or degree.
50. vulnerable ADJECTIVE Someone who is vulnerable is weak and without
protection, with the result that they are easily hurt physically or emotionally.
178
Vocabulary Activity
Activity 1: Class Room related Vocabulary
179
Activity 2: Emotions related Vocabulary
180
Activity 3: Environment and Nature related Vocabulary
181
Activity 4: Health related Vocabulary
182
183
Activity 5: Work, Success, and Failure related Vocabulary
184
Activity 6: Relationships related Vocabulary
185
Activity 7: Personality related Vocabulary
186
Activity 8: Travel and Transportation related Vocabulary
187
Activity 9 : Social and Topical issues related Vocabulary
188
Academic Reading Practice: Answer Key
Passage 1: A Remarkable Beetle
1. Not Given Passage 3: Effects of Farming
2. No
3. Yes 1. V
4. Yes 2. vii
5. No 3. ii
6. Temperate 4. iv
7. Early spring 5. i
8. Two to five/2-5 6. G
7. C
9. Sub-tropical
8. F
10. South African
9. B
tunneling/tunnelling
Passage 2: BAKELITE: The birth

of modern plastics Passage 4: Less Television,
1. Candlewax Less Violence and Aggression
2. Synthetic 1. Watched Tv
3. Chemistry 2. Violently
4. Novalak 3. 6months
5. Fillers 4. Parents
6. Hexa 5. Number of hours
7. Raw 6. Avoided Tv
8. Pressure 7. Less Tv
9. B 8. False
10. C 9. True
11. True 10. Not Given
12. False 11. Not given
13. False 12. D
13. B
189
Passage 5: What’s so funny? Passage 6: The Rocket- From
1. False east to west
2. Not Given 1. iv
3. True 2. i
4. False 3. v
5. True
4. vii
6. Not Given
5. B
7. True
6. D
8. C
9. A 7. A
10. F 8. A
11. D 9. B
10. E
11. B
12. E
13. F
14. G
General Reading Practice: Answer Key
Passage 1: Student Loan Passage 3: Dining Out

1. N 1. C
2. Y 2. B
3. NG 3. C
4. N 4. A
5. Y 5. A
6. N 6. A
7. N 7.C
8. Y 8. False
Passage 2: Robots at work 9. True
1. v 10. Not Given
2. vii 11. False
3. iv 12. False
4. i 13. Not Given
5. vii
6. iii
190
Passage 4: Totara Language 12. The Orion Arm
institute New Zealand 13. Never
1. (University) Halls of Residence
2. 4 /four weeks Passage 6: emergency
3. 10 to/-l 5 // ten to fifteen procedures
4. (Waikato) Students’ Union
5. (Waikato) river 1. Send a messenger
6. Picturesque 2. Short bell rings
7. (ongoing) travel (arrangements) 3. Nearest staircase
4. Quadrangle
5. Support staff
Passage 5: The Earth 6. The roll
7. All clear signal
1. H 8. Home-room groups
2. G 9. True
3. A 10. False
4. F 11. Not given
5. C 12. Not given
6. D 13. False
7. E 14. True
8. B
9. Mercury
10. Reflects light
11. Species
Skimming Practice Answers
Activity 1 Activity 2
1. Graceful 1. Intended
2. Distinctive 2. Interfered
3. Heated 3. Scaled down
4 (to) forge 4. Restricted
5. Bustle 5. Hailed
6. Striving 6. Appreciably
7. Abiding 7. Vow
8. Brashness 8. Petty
9. Acclaim
10. Budget
191
Activity 3 5. Contributory
6. Shield
1. Teeming
2. Demise
3. Unsettling
4. Decline Activity 5
5. Inadvertently
6. Ecology 1. Destined
2. Revolution
3. Modem
Activity 4
4. Exemplified
1. Extinct 5. Ubiquitous
2. Contemporaries 6. Site
3. Phenomenon 7. Network
4. Bizarre 8. Enormous
Academic Writing Task 1

Introduction Practice: Answers
1. B
Note that students are countable.
2. B.
Look at the verb that follows the word graph. Hmm, the graph should be singular,
so illustrates is the correct option.
3. B
You can say how much water or how much effort (these nouns are uncountable). But
people are countable, so you should use how many in this case.
4. B
You should use phrase in + year, not of + year or at + year. Moreover, it seems like
you compare population with year in the first sentence.
Academic Writing Task 1. Practice 1
Model answer
The two pie charts draw the conclusion of a survey of boys' and girls' cultural and
leisure activities.
Overall, equal quantities of both sexes enjoyed listening to music, but a dramatically
larger number of girls liked reading. There were also many differences in terms of
the children's preferred sports.
192
Turning to the first chart, we can observe that boys prefer playing computer games
(34% participation rate) than taking other activities. Playing basketball comes as the
second most popular leisure, practiced by almost a third of male children. Basketball
is followed by soccer, which is exercised by 17%. Skateboarding and listening to music
are less preferable activities, chosen by 11% and 10% of boys respectively. Reading,
the least popular cultural activity among boys, represents only two percent.
Taking a closer look at the second chart, we can see that girls' most preferred activity
is dancing, being 27% of the total. In contrast to the boys' preferences, reading is
chosen by more than a fifth of all girls. Although percentage of female children who
play computer games is roughly twice less than that of boys (16%), this activity is
third most popular on the girls' chart. With a slight difference between computer
games and netball, the latter is practiced at 15% rate. Similarly to skateboarding
popularity among boys, 11% of girls go in for gymnastics. Listening to music comes
as the least popular leisure, with a proportion of 10%, equal to those on the first chart.
Practice 2
First Step- Analyze:

The given presentation is a line graph. Here 'X' axis represents the time and 'Y' axis
represents the area in million hectares where grain was harvested. The question is
asking to summarize the main features and to make comparisons where relevant.
Second Step- Collecting data/ information:

1. Time: Past (1950 to 1996).
2. Theme: Total land in millions of hectares where grains were harvested.
3. Place and Position: All around the world.
4. Main Point: World grain harvested area.
5. General Trend: Amount of land increased from1950 to 1980 and then this
amount decreased.
6. Effects & Result: Virgin land program, doubling the price of grain,
Retrenchment.
7. Conclusion: Not necessary.
Third Step- Report Planning:

A) Writing Introduction:
The given line graph shows the total grain harvested area around the world in
millions of hectares from 1950 to 1996 and the reasons why the amount changed.
193
Here the 'X' axis represents time and the 'Y' axis shows the land area in millions of
hectares.
B) Writing General Trend:
As is observed from the graphs, total grain harvested area increased until 1980, at
which point there was a reduction due to retrenchment.
C) Writing Detailed Description:
According to the given illustration,
E) Writing the conclusion
Not necessary.
Practice 3
Model Answer
The supplied bar graph shows data on the number of cell phone and land phone users
in seven countries in the Europe and the American regions. As is observed from the
presentation, the number of landline users in Denmark, USA and Canada are higher
than the number of cell phone users in these countries. On the contrary, in Italy,
Sweden, Denmark and Germany the cell phone users are higher in number than that
of land phone users.
In Italy, Sweden, UK and Denmark almost 80-90 percent people use the cell phone.
Among these six countries, Italian people are highest in percent in terms of cell phone
usages whereas the highest percentages of land phone users are found in Denmark
which is almost 90%. The difference between cell phone and land phone users is
highest in Italy and in Denmark. The lowest number of land phone users can be found
in Canada.
In summary, North America has more land phone users than their cell phone users
and most of the European people prefer to use mobile phones over land phones.
(Approximately 187 words)
Practice 4
Model Answer
The supplied table gives data on underground railway system in six metropolitan
cities namely: London, Paris, Tokyo, Washington DC, Kyoto and Los Angeles. As is
observed, London railway system is the oldest among six and has the longest rail
route and the most recent railway system in Los Angeles having a small route and
fewer passengers using the railway system each year.
London railway system was opened in 1863 and has a total of 394 km. route. Paris
railway system was started in 1900 and has 199 km. route but has a far larger
194
passenger (1191 million per year) than the London railway (775 million passengers
per year). Again, Tokyo railway has the largest passengers using the system and this
railway station was started in the year 1927.
Two most recent railway stations are Kyoto and Los Angeles those started in the year
1981 and 2001 consecutively and have 11 and 28 km. of routes only. The 11 km. route
of Kyoto railway station is the smallest route among the mentioned six cities.
(Approximately 171 words)
Practice 4
Model Answer
The given diagram shows how the weather information is collected by Australian
Bureau of Meteorology to provide accurate and updated weather forecasting. As is
observed from the given illustration, the weather information collection is done via
satellites, radars and drifting buoys and then analyzed before broadcasting them to
the public.
As is presented in the diagram, the weather information is collected using three

different types of sources namely, satellites, radars and drifting buoys. The raw
data collected from satellites is basically satellite photos while radar information is
observed from the radar screens and the synoptic charts are yielded from the
drifting buoys and these three types of data are fed into a computer system to
analyze and prepare the weather news for broadcasting.
After that, the weather, the news is broadcasted in different public media like
televisions, radios and telephones. The final information regarding the weather is
provided to the public via TV news, radio broadcasting and as a recorded
announcement in devices like telephones.
195
General Writing Task 1
Practice 1: Model answer
Dear Mr. Walker,
I am writing to apply for the post of Quality Assurance Manager, which was
advertised on the Student Affairs Office notice board on 2 September 2016. I believe
that my qualifications, personal character and work experience make me a perfect
candidate for this job.
Currently I am studying on M.B.A. program at the Loren Brusque University,
graduating in 2017. I’m studying subjects that are relevant to the offered post.
Moreover, I constantly perfect my management skills by taking various additional
courses.
During my studies I have held the post of Junior Executive at «Hansel's
Corporation» and improved my leadership skills, communication competences and
ability to work in a team. While leading and supervising subordinates, I gained a
valuable experience for the post of Quality Assurance Manager.
I am available for interview at any time. You can contact me most easily by the
mobile phone number given above.
Thank you for your consideration of my application. I look forward to meeting you in
the nearest future.
Yours sincerely,
Paul Carter
(172 words)

Hello Alice,
My name is Jessica Halley (Bluegill class of 2013), and I am a volunteer conducting
alumni interviews for the University of Bluegill Admissions Office. You've been
registered in the university system and I'm writing to set an interview with you.
The alumni interview is a relaxed, informal conversation where you can tell me
something about yourself, and I can answer any questions you have about our
university. The interview is optional and if you wish to cancel it, just let me know.
Ideally, we should talk sometime in the next two weeks. I am usually free during
the weekends. Would Saturday, January 10th, 8pm GMT +2 work for you? If not,
we can also chat the weekend after, January 17th or 18th. It will also have to be a
remote interview. Can we skype? I can also call your phone if that's more
convenient for you.
Looking forward to hearing from you, and thank you for your interest in Bluegill
University!
Best wishes,
Jessica
(166 words)
196
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am Rona Lyn Olivar, an ICU Nurse at the Urdaneta City Sacred Heart Hospital,
located in the province of Pangasinan in the Philippines. I have learned from a
colleague that you will conduct an Electrocardiogram Training in Singapore. I am
writing to ask for some specific information regarding the seminar schedule,
program details, accommodation arrangement and the cost.
Firstly, with regards to dates and time, what will be the seminar schedule and what
time would it begin and end each day? Secondly, please notify me of the topics and
speakers of the program. I am wondering if there is any special consideration for the
registered nurses who will be attending the seminar. And finally, I would also like
to know about the accommodation and the cost. Would the accommodation be
arranged by you or should an individual be responsible for that? What would be the
approximate cost to attend and successfully finish the seminar?
I am very much interested in attending the seminar and your reply would help me
plan for it in advance. So, I am looking forward to hearing from you soon regarding
my concerns.
Yours faithfully,
Rona Olivar

Dear Sir or Madam,
I am Rona Lyn Olivar, a regular customer of your Cozy Place Restaurant, writing to
complain about the sickening meals and desserts we were served last Sunday. I am
hoping that you would maintain your food standard and probe into the event that
ruined our evening.
I, along with my husband and children, went to your restaurant at around 7:00
o'clock on 27th July to celebrate my husband's promotion in office. It was supposed
to be a happy and memorable night because we were commemorating a special
event as a family in one of our favourite restaurants. But we have had a frustrating
experience.
We ordered lamb steak, spuds and toasted sandwiches as our main course, but the
steak was salty, raw and hard. On top of that, our sandwiches were served cold!
Though we complained about our food to the waitress, she did not mind us and
instead told us to complain to the manager. The ice-cream that we ordered came
without any marshmallow and strawberry on top, despite their mention in the
menu. This was utterly annoying.
I demand a full refund that I paid for the meal and your steps towards making your
staff behaviour more professional and cordial. Otherwise, consider me as a lost
customer.
I look forward to your immediate response regarding this.
Yours faithfully,
Rona Olivar
197
Writing Task 2: Activity 1 Writing Task 2: Activity 2
1. therefore 1. a
2. however / (but) 2. a
3. in the first place 3. –
4. although / (even though) 4. a
5. secondly / (furthermore) 5. –
6. however 6. a
7. also / (in the first place) 7. –
8. furthermore / (secondly) 8. the
9. not only 9. a
10. but 10. –
11. in general 11. the
12. even though / (although) 12. –
13. a
14. a
15. –
16. –
17. –
18. –
19. _
20. the
21. a
22. the
23. _
24. an
25.-
26. a
27._
28._
29.a
30._
198
IELTS GRAMMAR: Answer Key
Articles-Practice. 9. are, is, need
10. is, refuses, throws
1. A
2. A
Countable and uncountable
3. B
4. B nouns: Quiz
5. A
6. A 1. B
7. B 2. A
8. A 3. B
9. B 4. B
10. B 5. A
6. A
Sentence Structure Quiz 7. B
8. A
1. A
2. C 9. B
(because makes it a complex 10. A
sentence) 11. B
3. C 12. A
(even makes it is complex)
4. B Present simple tense quiz
(the coordinating conjunctions (but,
so) tell you it is compound. There is
1. B
no subordinating conjunction so it
cannot be complex or compound- 2. A
complex. 3. B
5. D 4. B
(the sentence has a subordinating
5. A
conjunction (because) and a
coordinating conjunction (so). 6. watch
7. plays
Subject-Verb Agreement quiz 8. lose
1. are, have, do
9. rains
2. are, are, doze
10. is
3. have, are, loves
4. looks, has, start 11. hopes
5. tries, hover, are
6. hopes, brings, drip
7. sleeps, is, finds
8. plans, have, scoops
199
Auxiliary verbs (do, have, be) Quiz Prepositions Quiz:
1. A
1. Do 2. B
2. did 3. B
4. A
3. do
5. on
4. have
6. at
5. Is 7. from
6. Do 8. in
7. is 9. around
8. have, have 10. for
9. are
Grammar Exercise 1
10. Don’t
1. B
11. B 2. B
12. D 3. B
13. D 4. B
14. C 5. B
15. A 6. B
7. B
Coordinating conjunctions: 8. B
9. B
and, but, or, so, yet: Quiz
10. B
1. but
2. and
Grammar Exercise 2.
3. so 1. whole, sat, proceeded
4. or 2. compliment, complement, sense
5. yet
3. by, buy, then
6. but
4. advice, lose, accept
7. and 5. herd, through, elude
8. or
6. there, fewer, fewer
9. and
7. were, we’re, desserts
10. but 8. passed, lose, past
9. accept, except, since
200
Vocabulary Activity: Answer key
Activity 1: Class Room related Vocabulary
1. g 6. o 11. b
2. i 7. l 12. j
3. a 8. d 13. n
4. m 9. k 14. c
5. f 10. e 15. h
Activity 2: Emotions related Vocabulary
Activity 3: Environment and Nature related Vocabulary
Activity 4: Health related Vocabulary
201
Activity 5: Work, Success, and Failure related Vocabulary
Activity 6: Relationships related Vocabulary
Activity 7: Personality related Vocabulary
Activity 8: Travel and Transportation related Vocabulary
Activity 9: Social and Topical issues related Vocabulary
202
203
IELTS TASK 1 Writing band descriptors (public version)
Band Task Achievement Coherence and Cohesion Lexical Resource Grammatical Range and Accuracy
9 fully satisfies all the uses cohesion in such a way that it uses a wide range of vocabulary uses a wide range of structures with full
requirements of the task attracts no attention with very natural and sophisticated flexibility and accuracy; rare minor
clearly presents a fully skilfully manages paragraphing control of lexical features; rare errors occur only as ‘slips’
developed response minor errors occur only as ‘slips’
8 covers all requirements of the sequences information and ideas uses a wide range of vocabulary uses a wide range of structures
task sufficiently logically fluently and flexibly to convey the majority of sentences are error-free
presents, highlights and manages all aspects of cohesion well precise meanings makes only very occasional errors or
illustrates key features/bullet uses paragraphing sufficiently and skilfully uses uncommon lexical inappropriacies
points clearly and appropriately items but there may be occasional
appropriately inaccuracies in word choice and
collocation
produces rare errors in spelling
and/or word formation
7 covers the requirements of the logically organises information and uses a sufficient range of uses a variety of complex structures
task ideas; there is clear progression vocabulary to allow some flexibility produces frequent error-free sentences
(Academic) presents a clear throughout and precision has good control of grammar and
overview of main trends, uses a range of cohesive devices uses less common lexical items punctuation but may make a few errors
204
differences or stages appropriately although there may be with some awareness of style and
(General Training) presents a some under-/over-use collocation
clear purpose, with the tone may produce occasional errors in
consistent and appropriate word choice, spelling and/or word
clearly presents and highlights formation
key features/bullet points but
could be more fully extended
6 addresses the requirements of arranges information and ideas uses an adequate range of uses a mix of simple and complex
the task coherently and there is a clear overall vocabulary for the task sentence forms
(Academic) presents an progression attempts to use less common makes some errors in grammar and
overview with information uses cohesive devices effectively, but vocabulary but with some punctuation but they rarely reduce
appropriately selected cohesion within and/or between inaccuracy communication
(General Training) presents a sentences may be faulty or mechanical makes some errors in spelling
purpose that is generally may not always use referencing clearly and/or word formation, but they do
clear; there may be or appropriately not impede communication
inconsistencies in tone
presents and adequately
highlights key features/bullet
points but details may be
irrelevant, inappropriate or
inaccurate
Page 1 of 2
5 generally addresses the task; presents information with some uses a limited range of vocabulary, uses only a limited range of structures
the format may be organisation but there may be a lack of but this is minimally adequate for attempts complex sentences but these
inappropriate in places overall progression the task tend to be less accurate than simple
(Academic) recounts detail makes inadequate, inaccurate or over- may make noticeable errors in sentences
mechanically with no clear use of cohesive devices spelling and/or word formation that may make frequent grammatical errors
overview; there may be no may be repetitive because of lack of may cause some difficulty for the and punctuation may be faulty; errors
data to support the description referencing and substitution reader can cause some difficulty for the reader
(General Training) may
present a purpose for the
letter that is unclear at times;
the tone may be variable and
sometimes inappropriate
presents, but inadequately
covers, key features/bullet
points; there may be a
tendency to focus on detail
4 attempts to address the task presents information and ideas but uses only basic vocabulary which uses only a very limited range of
but does not cover all key these are not arranged coherently and may be used repetitively or which structures with only rare use of
features/bullet points; the there is no clear progression in the may be inappropriate for the task subordinate clauses
format may be inappropriate response has limited control of word some structures are accurate but errors
(General Training) fails to uses some basic cohesive devices but formation and/or spelling; predominate, and punctuation is often
clearly explain the purpose of these may be inaccurate or repetitive errors may cause strain for the faulty
205
the letter; the tone may be reader
inappropriate
may confuse key
features/bullet points with
detail; parts may be unclear,
irrelevant, repetitive or
inaccurate
3 fails to address the task, does not organise ideas logically uses only a very limited range of attempts sentence forms but errors in
which may have been may use a very limited range of words and expressions with very grammar and punctuation predominate
completely misunderstood cohesive devices, and those used may limited control of word formation and distort the meaning
presents limited ideas which not indicate a logical relationship and/or spelling
may be largely between ideas errors may severely distort the
irrelevant/repetitive message
2 answer is barely related to the has very little control of organisational uses an extremely limited range of cannot use sentence forms except in
task features vocabulary; essentially no control of memorised phrases
word formation and/or spelling
1 answer is completely fails to communicate any message can only use a few isolated words cannot use sentence forms at all
unrelated to the task
0 does not attend
does not attempt the task in any way
writes a totally memorised response
Page 2 of 2
IELTS TASK 2 Writing band descriptors (public version)
Band Task Achievement Coherence and Cohesion Lexical Resource Grammatical Range and Accuracy
9 fully addresses all parts of the uses cohesion in such a way that it uses a wide range of vocabulary uses a wide range of structures with full
task attracts no attention with very natural and flexibility and accuracy; rare minor errors
presents a fully developed skilfully manages paragraphing sophisticated control of lexical occur only as ‘slips’
position in answer to the features; rare minor errors occur
question with relevant, fully only as ‘slips’
extended and well supported
ideas
8 sufficiently addresses all parts sequences information and ideas uses a wide range of vocabulary uses a wide range of structures
of the task logically fluently and flexibly to convey the majority of sentences are error-free
presents a well-developed manages all aspects of cohesion well precise meanings makes only very occasional errors or
response to the question with uses paragraphing sufficiently and skilfully uses uncommon lexical inappropriacies
relevant, extended and appropriately items but there may be
supported ideas occasional inaccuracies in word
choice and collocation
produces rare errors in spelling
and/or word formation
7 addresses all parts of the task logically organises information and uses a sufficient range of uses a variety of complex structures
206
presents a clear position ideas; there is clear progression vocabulary to allow some produces frequent error-free sentences
throughout the response throughout flexibility and precision has good control of grammar and
presents, extends and uses a range of cohesive devices uses less common lexical items punctuation but may make a few errors
supports main ideas, but there appropriately although there may be with some awareness of style
may be a tendency to some under-/over-use and collocation
overgeneralise and/or presents a clear central topic within may produce occasional errors
supporting ideas may lack each paragraph in word choice, spelling and/or
focus word formation
6 addresses all parts of the task arranges information and ideas uses an adequate range of uses a mix of simple and complex
although some parts may be coherently and there is a clear overall vocabulary for the task sentence forms
more fully covered than others progression attempts to use less common makes some errors in grammar and
presents a relevant position uses cohesive devices effectively, but vocabulary but with some punctuation but they rarely reduce
although the conclusions may cohesion within and/or between inaccuracy communication
become unclear or repetitive sentences may be faulty or mechanical makes some errors in spelling
presents relevant main ideas may not always use referencing clearly and/or word formation, but they
but some may be or appropriately do not impede communication
inadequately uses paragraphing, but not always
developed/unclear logically
Page 1 of 2
5 addresses the task only presents information with some uses a limited range of uses only a limited range of structures
partially; the format may be organisation but there may be a lack of vocabulary, but this is minimally attempts complex sentences but these
inappropriate in places overall progression adequate for the task tend to be less accurate than simple
expresses a position but the makes inadequate, inaccurate or over may make noticeable errors in sentences
development is not always use of cohesive devices spelling and/or word formation may make frequent grammatical errors
clear and there may be no may be repetitive because of lack of that may cause some difficulty and punctuation may be faulty; errors can
conclusions drawn referencing and substitution for the reader cause some difficulty for the reader
presents some main ideas but may not write in paragraphs, or
these are limited and not paragraphing may be inadequate
sufficiently developed; there
may be irrelevant detail
4 responds to the task only in a presents information and ideas but uses only basic vocabulary uses only a very limited range of structures
minimal way or the answer is these are not arranged coherently and which may be used repetitively with only rare use of subordinate clauses
tangential; the format may be there is no clear progression in the or which may be inappropriate some structures are accurate but errors
inappropriate response for the task predominate, and punctuation is often
presents a position but this is uses some basic cohesive devices but has limited control of word faulty
unclear these may be inaccurate or repetitive formation and/or spelling; errors
presents some main ideas but may not write in paragraphs or their may cause strain for the reader
these are difficult to identify use may be confusing
and may be repetitive,
irrelevant or not well
supported
207
3 does not adequately address does not organise ideas logically uses only a very limited range of attempts sentence forms but errors in
any part of the task may use a very limited range of words and expressions with grammar and punctuation predominate
does not express a clear cohesive devices, and those used may very limited control of word and distort the meaning
position not indicate a logical relationship formation and/or spelling
presents few ideas, which are between ideas errors may severely distort the
largely undeveloped or message
irrelevant
2 barely responds to the task has very little control of organisational uses an extremely limited range cannot use sentence forms except in
does not express a position features of vocabulary; essentially no memorised phrases
may attempt to present one or control of word formation and/or
two ideas but there is no spelling
development
1 answer is completely fails to communicate any message can only use a few isolated cannot use sentence forms at all
unrelated to the task words
0 does not attend
does not attempt the task in any way
writes a totally memorised response
Page 2 of 2
IELTS Speaking band descriptors (public version)
Band Fluency and Coherence Lexical Resource Lexical Resource Pronunciation
9 speaks fluently with only rare uses vocabulary with full flexibility and uses a full range of structures uses a full range of pronunciation features
repetition or self correction; precision in all topics naturally and appropriately with precision and subtlety
any hesitation is content- uses idiomatic language naturally and produces consistently accurate sustains flexible use of features throughout
related rather than to find accurately structures apart from ‘slips’ is effortless to understand
words or grammar characteristic of native speaker
speaks coherently with fully speech
appropriate cohesive features
develops topics fully and
appropriately
8 speaks fluently with only uses a wide vocabulary resource uses a wide range of structures uses a wide range of pronunciation
occasional repetition or self- readily and flexibly to convey precise flexibly features
correction; hesitation is meaning produces a majority of error-free sustains flexible use of features, with only
usually content-related and uses less common and idiomatic sentences with only very occasional lapses
only rarely to search for vocabulary skilfully, with occasional occasional inappropriacies or is easy to understand throughout; L1
language inaccuracies basic/non-systematic errors accent has minimal effect on intelligibility
develops topics coherently uses paraphrase effectively as required
and appropriately
208
7 speaks at length without uses vocabulary resource flexibly to uses a range of complex shows all the positive features of Band 6
noticeable effort or loss of discuss a variety of topics structures with some flexibility and some, but not all, of the positive
coherence uses some less common and idiomatic frequently produces error-free features of Band 8
may demonstrate language- vocabulary and shows some sentences, though some
related hesitation at times, or awareness of style and collocation, grammatical mistakes persist
some repetition and/or self- with some inappropriate choices
correction uses paraphrase effectively
uses a range of connectives
and discourse markers with
some flexibility
6 is willing to speak at length, has a wide enough vocabulary to uses a mix of simple and uses a range of pronunciation features
though may lose coherence at discuss topics at length and make complex structures, but with with mixed control
times due to occasional meaning clear in spite of limited flexibility shows some effective use of features but
repetition, self-correction or inappropriacies may make frequent mistakes this is not sustained
hesitation generally paraphrases successfully with complex structures, though can generally be understood throughout,
uses a range of connectives these rarely cause though mispronunciation of individual
and discourse markers but not comprehension problems words or sounds reduces clarity at times
always appropriately
Page 1 of 2
5 usually maintains flow of manages to talk about familiar and produces basic sentence forms shows all the positive features of Band 4
speech but uses repetition, unfamiliar topics but uses vocabulary with reasonable accuracy and some, but not all, of the positive
self-correction and/or slow with limited flexibility uses a limited range of more features of Band 6
speech to keep going attempts to use paraphrase but with complex structures, but these
may over-use certain mixed success usually contain errors and may
connectives and discourse cause some comprehension
markers problems
produces simple speech
fluently, but more complex
communication causes
fluency problems
4 cannot respond without is able to talk about familiar topics but produces basic sentence forms uses a limited range of pronunciation
noticeable pauses and may can only convey basic meaning on and some correct simple features
speak slowly, with frequent unfamiliar topics and makes frequent sentences but subordinate attempts to control features but lapses are
repetition and self-correction errors in word choice structures are rare frequent
links basic sentences but with rarely attempts paraphrase errors are frequent and may mispronunciations are frequent and cause
repetitious use of simple lead to misunderstanding some difficulty for the listener
connectives and some
breakdowns in coherence
3 speaks with long pauses uses simple vocabulary to convey attempts basic sentence forms shows some of the features of Band 2 and
has limited ability to link personal information but with limited success, or some, but not all, of the positive features of
simple sentences has insufficient vocabulary for less relies on apparently memorised Band 4
209
gives only simple responses familiar topics utterances
and is frequently unable to makes numerous errors except
convey basic message in memorised expressions
2 pauses lengthily before most only produces isolated words or cannot produce basic sentence speech is often unintelligible
words memorised utterances forms
little communication possible
1 no communication possible
no rateable language
0 does not attend
Page 2 of 2

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Version 1.

Academic Reading Practice 5-28

Skimming Practice for Reading 44-48

General Writing Task 1 97-111

Writing Task 2 Activity 126-127

Speaking Part 1 Main Topics 130-132

IELTS Grammar Band Descriptor 144-145

Sentence Types 147-151

Present Simple Tense 159-160

Gerunds or Infinitives 169

Helpful Vocabulary 177-180

Answer Key IELTS Reading 191-194

Vocabulary Answer Key 204-205

IELTS Listening marking schemes

Band Score 9 8.5 8 7.5 7 6.5 6 5.5 5 4.5 4 3.5 3 2.5

IELTS General Reading marking schemes

Band Score 9 8.5 8 7.5 7 6.5 6 5.5 5 4.5 4 3.5 3 2.5

IELTS Academic Reading marking schemes

Band Score 9 8.5 8 7.5 7 6.5 6 5.5 5 4.5 4 3.5 3 2.5

In the early 1960s George Bornemissza, then a scientist at the Australian

Introducing dung beetles into a pasture is a simple process: approximately 1,500

1. Bush flies are easier to control than buffalo flies.

Species Size Preferred Complementary Start of Number of

In 1907, Leo Hendrick Baekeland, a Belgian scientist working in New York,

Baekeland's interest in plastics began in 1885 when, as a young chemistry student

The original patent outlined a three-stage process, in which phenol and

A the function which the object would serve

TRUE if the statement agrees with the information

11 Modern-day plastic preparation is based on the same principles as that patented

Agricultural practice Environmental damage that may

• 7………… • Degraded water supply

• More intensive farming • 8……..…

• Expansion of monoculture • 9…………

A Abandonment of fallow period

Physical acts of violence, parental reports of aggressive behavior, and perceptions of

Parents Watched TV Eighteen days Number of hours

Teachers Scared Classmates Favorites Programs

Six months Less TV Nonviolent program

Violently Avoided TV Time of the day

TRUE if the statement is true according to the passage.

12. According to the passage,

13. The authors of this passage believe that

Graeme Ritchie, a computational linguist in Edinburgh, studies the linguistic

Making a rapid emotional assessment of the events of the moment is an extremely

All warm-blooded animals make constant tiny adjustments in arousal in response to

Humour may be a luxury, but the mechanism behind it is no evolutionary accident.

1 Arthur Koestler considered laughter biologically important in several ways.

8 One of the brain's most difficult tasks is to

A react to their own thoughts.

THE ROCKET - FROM EAST TO WEST

B An intellectual breakthrough, brilliant though it may be, does not automatically

C A simple analogy can help us to understand how a rocket operates. It is much

D The invention of rockets is linked inextricably with the invention of ‘black

FIRST invented or used by

Eligible courses are offered by colleges, universities, the Scottish grant-aided

Your financial circumstances

When to apply for a loan

3. I finish my first degree in July. I’ve got a place on a Postgraduate Certificate in

NEW ELECTRICITY ACCOUNT PAYMENT FACILITIES AVAILABLE FROM'

1. Payments via mail:

3. Payments directly to Coastside Power Office: Payments can be made directly to

Note: Payments cannot be made by phone.