IELTS Around The Corner

Deanship of Educational Services
English Language Unit
IELTS
Around the Corner
Student’s Book
Reading, Writing, Listening & Speaking
In the Name of Allah
the Most Gracious
the Most Merciful
Acknowledgement
The successful completion of a project owes to those minds that target not just meeting
the end, but also maintaining the quality.
We the compilers of this work would like to express our deepest appreciation, and convey
our gratefulness to all our respected colleagues for their excellent contributions towards
the completion of this anthology. We are thankful to each and every individual who
contributed in realizing the project regardless of the size and magnitude of their
contribution. We perceive the skills, knowledge and all the insightfulness that have been
shown throughout this process as very valuable component in the development of the
academic standards of the English Language Unit. Apart from that, most of us would
probably forget about who did what too soon, but we firmly believe that this is not just a
small contribution in a small project, but this shall ensure huge rewards for all
contributors even in the life hereafter.
Some of our esteemed colleagues went an extra mile forward and contributed a lot more
than what was required by them or what they initially were requested to contribute. For
that matter, we are highly indebted to these respected colleagues namely, Ms. Rubia Ejaz,
Ms. Anjum Babry, Ms. Numaira Khan, Mr. Randall J. Rick, and Mr. Andrei Davis for their
endeavours. We really acknowledge their dedication; they deserve our hearty gratitude
and applause.
We also acknowledge the efforts of our colleagues who proof-read the material
meticulously, and most importantly on a very short notice.
Lastly, Mr. Ghulam Murtaza, the director who envisioned and led the project made this
journey look easy. His vision and leadership need special gratitude of the composers and
compilers of the anthology.
Shafique Ahmad
Abdul Waheed
Shehbaz Hanif
Mudasser Mehmood
Muhammad Yar
Introduction
Here and there, some academics of the field of languages concede that language learning
should also concern itself with the physical framework in which the socio-economic life
of the community takes place. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, very rarely, however, does
the academic training provide today's university student with more than the vocabulary
of the subject and little other than a dilettante's smattering of knowledge. Indeed, in some
circles, to confess a serious interest in this subject is to brand oneself as a hopelessly
reactionary. However, times have changed now and we are already on the highway
towards accomplishing some things that were deemed near to impossible if not actually
impossible. Many endeavours are being put in the field of English language acquisition,
along with other disciplines, to keep pace with challenges of the modern times. This
compilation shall prove to be a milestone in that voyage.
The Deanship of Educational Services of Qassim University has been striving, ever since
its inception, in pursuit of those loftier and more imperialistic objectives of producing the
individuals that have the competitive capabilities for sharing their part in contributing
towards humanity, and a man-power that can easily be termed as ‘global vision-wise’, but
rooted deep in the local cultural settings.
The Dean, Dr. Khaled Bisher Al-Bisher, conceived this idea of introducing IELTS or
IELTS-like teaching material to be incorporated in the Preparatory Year Program’s
English courses. This was just one idea at the beginning, but after having discussed it with
Mr. Ghulam Murtaza, the Director ELU, and gone through a series of processes, this has
emerged as a novel, brilliant thought. When once the Dean came up with this idea, a team
started working out the frame-work of this entire project.
The project started with contributions from faculty members. These contributions were
only towards collecting various tasks as those on an actual IELTS test. In the next step,
our team of compilers started working on the physical components of this compilation i.e.
as to how to assimilate these actual IELTS test tasks with some classroom activities that
should lead one student to do these tasks. In concentrating on the physical components
of the anthology, these team members formed a link with the preceding books, Unlock
series that are taught in the early levels of the preparatory year. It was then that we were
only able to connect this material with students’ earlier linguistic abilities. In seeking this
connection, however, we didn’t compromise on quality and ingenuity, ensuring that
everything in this IELTS supplementary material remains flawless. Hence this
compilation effort emerged as a separate activity--perhaps something that could even be
called an authorship.
The Composers & the Compilers

Contents
Section 1 –Reading
Unit------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page
Unit 1--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1-13
Unit 2------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------14-25
Unit 3------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------26-36
Unit 4------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------37-47
Unit 5------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------48-60
Section 1 –Writing
Unit------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page
Unit 1--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1-12
Unit 2------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------13-25
Unit 3------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------26-36
Unit 4------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------37-50
Unit 5------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------51-56
Section 1 –Listening
Unit------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page
Unit 1--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1-15
Unit 2------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------16-29
Unit 3------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------30-46
Unit 4------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------47-62
Unit 5------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------63-77
Section 1 –Speaking
Unit------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page
Unit 1--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1-15
Unit 2------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------16-28
Unit 3------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------29-38
Unit 4------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------39-46
Unit 5------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------47-56
READING
Unit 1 Introduction to IELTS
IELTS Academic Reading Practice
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is the world's most popular high
stakes English-language test for study, work and migration, with more than 2.5 million tests taken
each year.
IELTS assesses all of your English skills - reading, writing, listening and speaking - and is designed
to reflect real life use of English - at study, at work, and at play.
Timing
60 minutes (no extra transfer time).
Reading Question Types
There are 40 questions. A variety of question types are used, chosen from the following:
1. Short Answer Questions
2. Multiple Choice
3. Summary Completion
4. Matching Sentence Endings
5. Sentence Completion
6. True, False, Not Given
7. Matching Headings
8. Labeling a Diagram
9. Matching Names
10. Matching Information to Paragraphs
1 Reading
Test Parts
There are 3 different passages. The total text length is 2,150 - 2,750 words.
Academic Reading
 Each section contains one long text.

 Texts are authentic and are taken from books, journals, magazines and newspapers.
They have been written for a non-specialist audience and are on academic topics of
general interest.
 Texts are appropriate, and accessible, to test-takers entering undergraduate or
postgraduate courses, or seeking professional registration.
 Texts range from descriptive and factual to the discursive and analytical.
 Texts may contain non-verbal materials, such as diagrams, graphs or illustrations.
 If texts contain technical terms, a simple glossary is provided.
Skills assessed
A wide range of reading skills are assessed, including:
• reading for gist
• reading for main ideas
• reading for detail
• understanding inferences and implied meaning
• recognising writer’s opinions, attitudes and purpose
• following the development of an argument.
Marking
Each correct answer receives 1 mark. Scores out of 40 are converted to the IELTS 9-band scale.
Scores are reported in whole and half bands.
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 9 8.5 8 7.5 7 6.5 6 5.5 5 4.5 4 3.5 3 2.5

Score
Score / 39- 37- 35- 33- 30- 27- 23- 19- 15- 13- 10- 8- 6- 4-
40 40 38 36 34 32 29 26 22 18 14 12 9 7 5
2 Reading
Five exam techniques for IELTS Reading
1. Skim-read quickly. Try to find the main idea of each passage and of each paragraph. Don’t
read all the supporting details. Ignore any unfamiliar words at this stage.
2. Identify key words. Scan the passage and the questions for words you know will be in the
passage such as names of people, names of places, and dates.
3. Identify paraphrase. Look for similar meaning between what the passage says and what the
question asks.
4. Manage time. Some questions will be extremely difficult so you should concentrate first on the
questions that are easiest for you to answer. Take no more than 60 seconds to consider your
answer before moving on to the next question.
5. Expand your vocabulary. You will find the academic module of IELTS Reading much easier
if you expand your academic vocabulary.
Key IELTS Reading Skills

Telling students that skimming and scanning are all you need to get a high score is wrong because
there are not the only key reading skills. On top of skimming and scanning you also need to perfect
the skill of ‘close reading.’
I would also say that vocabulary is an even more important skill. It could be argued that vocabulary
is more knowledge than skill, but the reading test is just one big vocabulary test in many ways and
you need to be aware of how your vocabulary is being tested and how to deal with it on test day.
For more information on vocabulary in the reading test.
Let’s look at each of the skills in more detail.
Skimming
This is when you read the whole text or a large part of the text, so that you understand the general
meaning. In other words, you read quickly to understand generally what it is about.
When I look at a newspaper I tend to do this, so that I can quickly understand what the stories are
about. In this way, I can read a whole newspaper in 5-10 minutes because I have not been reading
every word of each news, but instead just quickly finding out what the general meaning is.
Scanning
Scanning is when you look for a particular word or phrase. We normally use this skill when we are
trying to locate where the correct answer is. This skill alone does not give us the correct answer,
rather it tells us its correct location.
This skill is useful because it means we do not have to read the entire text to find the answer. In
that way, it is a time saving skill more than anything else.
3 Reading
Close Reading
This is probably the most important skill because it is the skill that helps us decide which answer
is correct. There is no point in just skimming and scanning without using this skill, because
skimming gives us general meaning and scanning gives us more specific information, neither of
which give us the correct answer.
Close reading is when we understand a whole sentence or paragraph, so that we know exactly
what it all means. In other words, you understand every word and the meaning of the whole
sentence. It takes time and concentration and requires you to think carefully about meaning.
How to Practice Reading

There are two kinds of reading practice- passive and active.
One of them is the most common, but least effective, but the other will increase your skills
dramatically in a much shorter period of time.
Passive reading means you simply read something, but you do not take any steps to think about
or learn from what you are reading.
Active Reading
Active reading means that instead of reading a full chapter for 30 minutes, you simply read one
paragraph, but think about the grammar and the function of each sentence. You would then try to
use the same grammar and functions in your own writing.
Active reading require you to think and do much more than simply sit back and hope that English
will magically be downloaded to your brain, but it will cut your preparation time and also lead to
huge improvements.
Examples of Active Reading

The most important things you can think about when practicing active reading are:
1. Vocabulary
2. Grammar
3. Structure
4. Idea development
Again, don’t do all four at once; start with the one you need the most help with.
This will really help you with your writing. Normally, the more someone reads, the better they are
at writing.
4 Reading
Vocabulary
When reading you should do the following things:
1. Underline or note any new words or phrases.

2. Read the section again and try to guess what that word/phrase means.
3. Check the meaning in a dictionary. Don’t skip step 2!
4. Write the new word/phrase in a special vocabulary note book.
5. Add the meaning, collocations, example sentences, synonyms etc. to help you remember the
word/phrase.
6. Review regularly.
After having read the text, you will have a large number of new words and phrases to use.
Grammar
When reading you should do the following:
1. Underline or note any sentences you do not fully understand.

2. Think about why the writer used that grammar structure.
3. Identify the grammar structure.
4. Check the structure in book or on website.
5. Try to use this structure when writing or in your speaking.
6. Review regularly.
Structure
1. Underline or note down any discourse markers (such as Firstly, however, although, for
example etc.)
2. Note the function of the sentences and how the writer used these words to structure what he
writes.
3. Try using these words yourself to structure your writing and speaking.
Idea Development
1. Underline the topic sentences.
2. Note how the writer develops this main idea with explanations and examples.
3. Use the same/similar technique when practicing Task 2 essays.
How Do I Use These Skills?

The most common advice is to 1) skim for general meaning first, 2) scan for the location of the
correct answer and then 3) use close reading to decide what the correct answer is.
So the general strategy would be:
Skim
Scan
Close Reading
All Strategies leading to the Correct Answer
This is bad advice because it is too simplistic and does not take into consideration the
requirements of the specific question or the ability of the student.
5 Reading
Every Question Is Different
There are over 10 different types of questions on the reading test and all of them require a different
strategy. Doing them all in the same way will waste a lot of time and will probably result in you
getting a lower score than you deserve.
I have watched many students skim the text for every question, despite them being fully aware
what the general meaning of the text is. When I asked why they were doing that, they normally
said ‘My teacher told me that skimming was important.’ The main reason why we skim a text is to
establish the general meaning. If we already know it because we have already skimmed the text,
then you can stop doing this.
I have also observed students scanning the whole text when they already know where the correct
is. Why? ‘Teacher told me to.’
Instead of skimming and scanning without thinking about the question, you should have a strategy
in place for each of the different question types.
Let’s take discuss strategies relating to Different Question Types.
Short Answer Questions

Learning Objectives: In this unit students will:
 look at example questions

 discuss the reading skills required
 discuss common problems
 get some tips and advice
 practice a strategy to use to answer short questions
These questions are often called ‘comprehension’ questions and they are very common in English
classrooms all over the world. Most students have answered these kinds of questions before and
for this reason most students tend to do quite well with them.
Despite this there are some common problems that cause students to make mistakes and throw
away marks.
Common Problems
1. Synonyms and paraphrasing are the biggest problem. Students who are unaware of these
tend to look for keywords in the text that directly match those in the questions. This wastes
lots of time and good time management is essential in the reading test.
2. Word limit can also cause people to throw away easy marks. If you write over the stated word
limit you will get the answer wrong.
3. You don’t have to read every word of the text. These questions test your ability to skim and
scan for specific information. You also won’t have time to read every word.
4. Students often see a word they don’t understand in the question or text and either panic or
spend too much time thinking about the meaning.
5. Some students try to write full sentences. Your answers don’t have to be grammatically
correct, so stay under the word limit.
6 Reading
What is required in the Task:
Answering questions regarding details in the passage.
Skills Tested
1. Ability to skim the passage quickly and understand the overall meaning.
2. Ability to scan for specific information.
3. Try to understand the question being asked.
4. Identify keywords.
5. Think of possible synonyms and paraphrases of keywords.
6. Locate information in the passage.
7. Understanding detail and specific information
Tips
1. The answers appear in the same order as the text.

2. Look at and understand the questions first before you start reading the text. What is the
question actually asking?
3. Identify the type of words you need for each answer i.e. noun, verb etc.)
4. Paraphrase vocabulary in the questions.
5. Scan the passage to locate information.
6. Check how many words you can use for the answers.
7. Answers come in order.
8. You will probably be given a word limit, for example ‘NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS
AND/OR A NUMBER.’ Make sure you don’t go over this limit.
9. As stated above, the answers do not need to be grammatically correct, just short answers.
10. Don’t give your opinion, just the answer in the text.
11. Keywords in the question will normally be nouns or noun phrases.
12. When you find your keywords always think synonyms and paraphrases.
Strategy
1. Read the instructions carefully and note the word limit.

2. Read and understand the questions. Think about the information you will need to find.
3. Underline any keywords in the questions.
4. Think about synonyms or paraphrases for these keywords.
5. Find part of the text question 1 relates to.
6. Read question again.
7. Read the section containing the answer carefully and identify answer.
8. Continue with next question and repeat until finished.
7 Reading
Exercise 1 - Questions 1 – 5
Answer the questions after reading the text below.

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the text for each
answer.
1. What has been found in some Fancy Foods products? __________________________
2. Where can you find the batch number on the jars? _____________________________
3. How much will you receive for an opened jar of contaminated Chicken Curry? _________
4. If you have eaten Chicken Curry from a jar with one of the batch numbers listed, whom
should you contact? ____________________
5. What is the maximum reward Fancy Foods is offering for information about who
contaminated their product? _____________________
IMPORTANT NOTICE: PRODUCT RETURN

Fancy Foods wishes to inform the public that pieces of metal have been found in some jars of
Fancy Foods Chicken Curry (Spicy). The batches of the jars involved have numbers from J6617
to J6624. The batch number is printed on the bottom of each jar.
If you have any jars with these batch numbers, please return them (preferably unopened) to
the supermarket where you purchased them. You can also return them to the factory (Fancy
Foods Retailers, Blacktown). Fancy Foods will pay $10 for each jar returned unopened and $5
for each jar already opened.
No payment will be made for empty jars, which do not need to be returned. However, the
Retailing Manager will be interested to hear from people who have consumed chicken curry
from any of the above batch numbers. In particular, it will be helpful if they can give information
about the place of purchase of the product.
Jars of Fancy Foods Chicken Curry (Coconut) and Fancy Foods Chicken Curry (Mango) have
not been affected and do not need to be returned.
REWARD
Fancy Foods will pay a reward of $10,000 to $50,000 for information which leads to the
conviction of any person found guilty of placing metal pieces in its products. If you have such
information, please contact the Customer Relations Manager, Fancy Foods Retailers,
Blacktown.
8 Reading
Multiple Choice Questions

 practice a strategy to use to answer multiple choice questions
On both the academic and general IELTS reading papers you are likely to be asked multiple choice
questions (MCQs).
Your job is to simply choose the correct answer from a list of possible choices.
In this example you have to choose one answer from four possible options and the question
requires you to complete the sentences.
9 Reading
Reading Skills
MCQs test your ability to understand the main ideas contained in a text and then look for specific
information.
You will need to quickly identify the main idea in order to locate the correct section of the text.
When you do this it will seem like two or three of the options could be the correct answer and you
therefore must read in much more detail to find the specific information that gives you the correct
answer.
Common Problems
Reading the text before the questions– If you do this you are reading ‘blind’ because you are
not sure what you are looking for. You also waste time because you will have to read the questions
and then read the text again, so you have just wasted your time on the first reading.
Not answering questions– This seems like an obvious one but it would shock you how many
people don’t answer the question at all.
Being tricked by the examiner– Examiners love to try and trick you with ‘distractors’. Distractors
are things that look like the correct answer but are actually incorrect. When you locate the correct
section in the reading text, there will appear to be two or three plausible correct answers. A very
common trick is matching lots of keywords from the question options to parts of the text. Just
because there are lots of matching keywords doesn’t mean it is the correct answer. Also look at
the context of the whole sentence and any qualifying words like most, all, always, sometimes.
Not reading the whole sentence– The first part of a sentence might look correct but the second
half of it might change the meaning. Words like but and however can change the meaning of a
whole sentence. Examiners know you are trying to get the answers as quickly as possible and will
try to trick you in this way.
Not reading the text carefully– Because there are so many ‘distractors’, some of the ‘correct’
answers will appear to ‘jump out’ at you. If you don’t read the text carefully, you will choose the
incorrect answer. Take some time to really understand the meaning of each sentence.
What is required in the Task?
Choose the correct answer to a question or the correct ending to a sentence from
usually 3 or 4 possible options.
10 Reading
Tips
1. Read the questions before you read the text.

2. You will often be able to eliminate 2 of the four answers and this leaves you with two
choices. Think about the difference in meaning between these two choices and this will
help you get the correct answers.
3. Paraphrase the information in the question and options.
4. Locate the precise information in the passage.
5. Answers come in order: answers are usually letters (A, B, C or D) – read the instructions
carefully to check.
6. If you are unsure of what the difference is between two or three sentences, it can help to
rephrase them in your own words.
7. If you are running out of time or you really don’t know the answer, have a guess. You will
not lose marks for wrong answers and you have a 25% chance of getting the correct answer
just by guessing.
8. Don’t be tricked by the examiner’s ‘distractors’ especially keywords from the questions that
look the same as the text.
9. If you don’t know anything about the topic, don’t panic. It is a reading test, not a test of your
knowledge.
10. Try to predict the correct answer before you read the text. This will help you find the correct
answer.
11. Before deciding on your answer, always go back and carefully read the questions before
making your final decision.
12. The answers will be in the same order as the text.
13. You might be asked about both facts and opinions. Facts are things that are always true or
cannot be disproved but opinions are just what people think.
Strategy
This is my suggested strategy. There are many different strategies and you should use the one
you feel comfortable with. You can also adapt this strategy to what suits you.
1. Read the questions carefully.

2. Skim the text to get the general meaning.
3. Scan for specific information.
4. Try to understand information in the passage.
5. Underline any keywords in the question and think about any synonyms that might appear
in the text.
6. Read the choices and underline any keywords. Think about the difference in meaning
between the different choices.
7. Predict the correct answer.
8. Read the text and using keywords and synonyms locate the part containing the answers.
9. Read that part of the text very carefully, thinking about the difference in meanings.
10. Think about not only which options are correct but how the other options are wrong.
11. Go back and read the question again and mark your final choice.
11 Reading
Exercise: 1
The Legend of Surabaya
A long time ago, there were two animals, Sura and Baya. Sura was the name of a shark and Baya
was a crocodile. They lived in the sea. Once Sura and Baya were looking for some food. Suddenly,
Baya saw a goat. “Yummy, this is my lunch,” said Baya. “No way! This is my lunch. You are
greedy”, said Sura. Then they fought for the goat.
After several hours, they were very tired. Tired of fighting, they chose to live in different places.
Sura lived in the water and Baya lived on land. The border was the beach, so they would never
fight again. One day, Sura went to the land and looked for some food in the river. He was very
hungry and there was not much food in the sea. Baya was very angry when he leaened that
Sura broke the promise. They fought again. They both hit each other. Sura bit Baya's tail. Baya
did the same thing to Sura. He bit very hard until Sura finally gave up and went back to the sea.
Baya was happy.
Questions (1-4)
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
1. What’s the purpose of the text above?
a. to entertain people
b. to retell a story
c. to describe a certain things of
d. to persuade readers’ things, animals, or places.
2. What type of text is it?

a. narrative text
b. descriptive text
c. recount text
d. explanation text
3. How did Sura feel after Baya claimed that it was his goat?
a. happy
b. mad
c. angry
d. furious
.
4. What’s the border between the places where they live?
a. water
b. swamp
c. lake
d. beach
12 Reading
Exercise: 2
Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.
A Short History of Natural Gas

Millions of years ago, the remains of animals and plants decayed and built up in thick layers. This
decayed matter from plants and animals is called organic material. Over millions of years, as the
soil and mud changed to rock, the organic material was trapped beneath it. Pressure and heat
then changed some of this organic material into coal, some into oil, and some into natural gas.
The main ingredient in natural gas is methane.
Many centuries ago the ancient people of Greece, India, and Persia discovered natural gas. These
ancient peoples were mystified by the fires created when natural gas leaked from cracks in the
ground and were ignited by lightning strikes. Occasionally they built temples around these burning
springs and worshipped the fire.
About 400 BC the Chinese put natural gas to work. They piped natural gas from shallow wells and
burned it under large pans to evaporate seawater to make salt.
Natural gas was first used to fuel street lamps in Baltimore, Maryland in 1816. In 1821, William
Hart dug the first successful natural gas well in Fredonia, New York. That first natural gas well was
only about 27 feet deep, shallow compared to today’s depth of 5,000 – 6,000 feet! Natural gas is
the third largest provider of energy in the United States. Petroleum and coal remain the largest
providers of energy in the U.S.
Questions (1-4)
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
1. The city of ________was the first city in the United States to use natural gas to fuel street
lamps.
a. Boston
b. Boise
c. Baltimore
d. New York
2. The ancient people some time built ________around burning springs created from natural
gas.
a. stadium
b. temples
c. gardens
d. streets
3. The successful natural gas well in America was in__________.
a. New Jersey
b. New York
c. New Hampshire
d. Bedfordshire
4. _____________ is the third largest supplier of energy in the United States.
a. Natural gas
b. Petroleum
c. Coal
d. Diamond
13 Reading
Unit 2 Question Types-Summary Completion

 practice a strategy to use in summary completion
In these kinds of questions you will be given a summary of information from the text and there will
be some gaps in that summary.
You will either be given a list of words to fill the gaps with or asked to find the answers in the
reading text.
Your job is to insert some of the words from the list into the gaps, or if asked, to fill the gaps with
words from the text.
There will be more words in the list than required to fill the gaps.
All of the information contained in the summary will also be contained in the reading text, but they
will use synonyms and paraphrasing, so don’t expect to see the same words.
This type of question tests your ability:

 to understand the general meaning of the summary
 to scan for the correct information in the text
 to be able to identify synonyms and paraphrases
Examples
Below is an example of a question that asks you to fill in the gaps with words from the reading
text.
14 Reading
Note: This part can include tasks asking you to choose the correct answer from a list of
options. You should notice that there are more options than answers.
Common Problems
This question does not expect you to have a detailed understanding of the text. Some students
lose lots of time reading the whole text and trying to understand everything. You don’t need to do
this, focus more on the summary in the question.
Some students read the summary and then look for the exact same words in the reading text. You
are unlikely to find these because the examiners use synonyms and paraphrasing.
A common mistake is to ignore grammar rules when completing the summary. If the sentence
does not make sense grammatically, then you have the wrong answer.
The examiners also try to trick you by putting a word from the text as one of the options. Some
students recognize this and think this is the correct answer. It is probably wrong because the
answer will normally be a synonym rather than a matching word.
Completing a summary by filling in the gaps using words from the passage or words
given in a box.
Tips
1. Try to predict the answers before you look at the options or the text. This will help you spot
the correct answer.
2. Identify the type of word needed for each gap (noun/verb/adjective etc.)
3. Locate the information in the passage in order to choose the right word.
4. If you choose words from the passage, check how many words can be used for each
answer.
5. Answers usually come in order.
6. The summary must be grammatically correct which can help you in choosing the right word
for the gap.
7. Should the gap be filled with a verb, noun, adjective or adverb? If your answer makes the
sentence grammatically wrong, then you have the wrong answer.
8. Look for synonyms and paraphrases in the text rather than words that directly match.
9. Don’t spend too much time looking for the answer to one question. If you can’t find it, mark
what you think it might be and move on. Focusing on the easier answers is a better use of
your time.
10. The answers normally come in the same order as the questions.
11. If you get a list of words, think about the ones that can’t be the correct answer because of
meaning or grammar. You can then eliminate these words.
15 Reading
Strategy
1. Read the question carefully. Note how many words you can write (normally one, two or
three) and if you should get the words from the reading text or a list.
2. Scan for specific information in the passage.
3. Try to understand ideas and supporting points.
4. Select appropriate words.
5. Skim the summary and try to understand the overall meaning.
6. Try to predict the answers before you look at the reading text. Also, think about the word
type (noun, verb, adjective) that should be included.
7. If you have a list of words, try to guess which 2 or 3 the answer might be. Pay attention to
words that collocate well with the words in the sentence.
8. Identify which part of the reading text the summary relates to. Scanning for synonyms from
the summary will help you do this.
9. Look at that part of the section more carefully and choose the correct answer. Remember
to be careful with synonyms.
10. Check to see if your word makes the sentence grammatically correct.
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Exercise: 1
Investigating Children’s Language

A) For over 200 years, there has been an interest in the way children learn to speak and
understand their first language. Scholars carried out several small-scale studies, especially
towards the end of the 19th century, using data they recorded in parental diaries. But detailed,
systematic investigation did not begin until the middle decades of the 20th century, when the tape
recorder came into routine use. This made it possible to keep a permanent record of samples of
child speech, so that analysts could listen repeatedly to obscure extracts, and thus produce a
detailed and accurate description. Since then, the subject has attracted enormous multi-
disciplinary interest, notably from linguists and psychologists, who have used a variety of
observational and experimental techniques to study the process of language acquisition in depth.
B) Central to the success of this rapidly emerging field lies the ability of researchers to devise
satisfactory methods for eliciting linguistic data from children. The problems that have to be faced
are quite different from those encountered when working with adults. Many of the linguist’s routine
techniques of enquiry cannot be used with children. It is not possible to carry out certain kinds of
experiments, because aspects of children’s cognitive development – such as their ability to pay
attention, or to remember instructions – may not be sufficiently advanced. Nor is it easy to get
children to make systematic judgments about language, a task that is virtually impossible below
the age of three. And anyone who has tried to obtain even the most basic kind of data – a tape
recording of a representative sample of a child’s speech – knows how frustrating this can be.
Some children, it seems, are innately programmed to switch off as soon as they notice a tape
recorder being switched on.
C) Since the 1960s, however, several sophisticated recording techniques and experimental
designs have been devised. Children can be observed and recorded through one-way-vision
windows or using radio microphones, so that the effects of having an investigator in the same
room as the child can be eliminated. Large-scale sampling programmes have been carried out,
with children sometimes being recorded for several years. Particular attention has been paid to
devising experimental techniques that fall well within a child’s intellectual level and social
experience. Even pre-linguistic infants have been brought into the research: acoustic techniques
are used to analyse their vocalisations, and their ability to perceive the world around them is
monitored using special recording equipment. The result has been a growing body of reliable data
on the stages of language acquisition from birth until puberty.
D) There is no single way of studying children’s language. Linguistics and psychology have each
brought their own approach to the subject, and many variations have been introduced to cope with
the variety of activities in which children engage, and the great age range that they present. Two
main research paradigms are found.
E) One of these is known as ‘naturalistic sampling’. A sample of a child’s spontaneous use of
language is recorded in familiar and comfortable surroundings. One of the best places to make
the recording is in the child’s own home, but it is not always easy to maintain good acoustic quality,
and the presence of the researcher or the recording equipment can be a distraction (especially if
the proceedings are being filmed). Alternatively, the recording can be made in a research centre,
where the child is allowed to play freely with toys while talking to parents or other children, and
the observers and their equipment are unobtrusive.
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F) A good quality, representative, naturalistic sample is generally considered an ideal datum for
child language study. However, the method has several limitations. These samples are informative
about speech production, but they give little guidance about children’s comprehension of what
they hear around them. Moreover, samples cannot contain everything, and they can easily miss
some important features of a child’s linguistic ability. They may also not provide enough instances
of a developing feature to enable the analyst to make a decision about the way the child is learning.
For such reasons, the description of samples of child speech has to be supplemented by other
methods.
G) The other main approach is through experimentation, and the methods of experimental
psychology have been widely applied to child language research. The investigator formulates a
specific hypothesis about children’s ability to use or understand an aspect of language, and
devises a relevant task for a group of subjects to undertake. A statistical analysis is made of the
subjects’ behaviour, and the results provide evidence that supports or falsifies the original
hypothesis.
H) Using this approach, as well as other methods of controlled observation, researchers have
come up with many detailed findings about the production and comprehension of groups of
children. However, it is not easy to generalise the findings of these studies. What may obtain in a
carefully controlled setting may not apply in the rush of daily interaction. Different kinds of subjects,
experimental situations, and statistical procedures may produce different results or interpretations.
Experimental research is therefore a slow, painstaking business; it may take years before
researchers are convinced that all variables have been considered and a finding is genuine.
Questions 1-5
Task: Complete the summary below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in spaces 1-5
Ways of investigating children’s language
One method of carrying out research is to record children’s spontaneous language use. This can
be done in their homes, where, however, it may be difficult to ensure that the recording is of
acceptable 1) ..................... Another venue which is often used is a 2) ...................., where the
researcher can avoid distracting the child. A drawback of this method is that it does not allow
children to demonstrate their comprehension.
An alternative approach is to use methodology from the field of 3)............................ In this case,
a number of children are asked to carry out a 4) .............................., and the results are subjected
to a 5) .........................
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Exercise: 2
Giving The Brain A Workout
Mental agility does not have to decline with age, as long as you keep exercising your mind, says
Anna van Praagh.
A Use your brain and it will grow – it really will. This is the message from neuropsychologist Ian
Robertson, professor of psychology at Trinity College, Dublin and founding director of the
university’s Institute of Neuroscience. His book, Puzzler Brain Trainer 90-Day Workout, contains
puzzles which he devised to stretch, sharpen and stimulate the brain. The puzzles, from 'memory
jogs' to Sudoku to crosswords to number games are all-encompassing, and have been specially
formulated to improve each and every part of the brain, from visual-spatial ability to perception,
attention, memory, numerical agility, problem-solving and language.
B Professor Robertson has been studying the brain for 57 years, in a career dedicated to changing
and improving the way it works. During this time there has been a remarkable paradigm shift in
the way scientists view the brain, he says. 'When I first started teaching and researching, a very
pessimistic view prevailed that, from the age of three or four, we were continually losing brain cells
and that the stocks couldn't be replenished. That has turned out to be factually wrong. Now that
we know that the brain is "plastic" – it changes, adapts and is physically sharpened according to
the experiences it has.'
C Robertson likens our minds to trees in a park with branches spreading out, connecting and
intertwining, with connections increasing in direct correlation to usage. He says that the “eureka”
moment in his career – and the reason he devised his ‘brain trainer’ puzzles – was the realisation
that the connections multiply with use and so it is possible to boost and improve our mental
functions at any age. 'Now we know that it’s not just children whose brains are "plastic",' he says.
'No matter how old we are, our brains are physically changed by what we do and what we think.'
D Robertson illustrates his point by referring to Dr. Eleanor McGuire’s seminal 2000 study of the
brains of London taxi drivers. That showed that their grey matter enlarges and adapts to help them
build up a detailed mental map of the city. Brain scans revealed that the drivers had a much larger
hippocampus (the part of the brain associated with navigation in birds and animals) compared with
other people. Crucially, it grew larger the longer they spent doing their job. Similarly, there is strong
statistical evidence that, by stretching the mind with games and puzzles, brainpower is increased.
Conversely, if we do not stimulate our minds and keep the connections robust and intact, these
connections will weaken and physically diminish. A more recent survey suggested that a 20-
minute problem-solving session on the Nintendo DS game called 'Dr Kawashima's Brain Training'
at the beginning of each day dramatically improved pupils’ test results, class attendance and
behavior. Astonishingly, pupils who used the Nintendo trainer saw their test scores rise by 50 per
cent more than those who did not.
E Robertson's puzzles have been designed to have the same effect on the brain, the only
difference being that, for his, you need only a pencil to get started. The idea is to shake the brain
out of lazy habits and train it to start functioning at its optimum level. It is Robertson’s belief that
people who tackle the puzzles will see a dramatic improvement in their daily lives as the brain
increases its ability across a broad spectrum. They should see an improvement in everything, from
remembering people’s names at parties to increased attention span, mental agility, creativity and
energy.
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F 'Many of us are terrified of numbers,' he says, 'or under-confident with words. With practice, and
by gently increasing the difficulty of the exercises, these puzzles will help people improve capacity
across a whole range of mental domains.' The wonderful thing is that the puzzles take just five
minutes, but are the mental equivalent of doing a jog or going to the gym. 'In the same way that
physical exercise is good for you, so is keeping your brain stimulated,' Robertson says. 'Quite
simply, those who keep themselves mentally challenged function significantly better mentally than
those who do not.'
G The puzzles are aimed at all ages. Robertson says that some old people are so stimulated that
they hardly need to exercise their brains further, while some young people hardly use theirs at all
and are therefore in dire need of a workout. He does concede, however, that whereas most young
people are constantly forced to learn, there is a tendency in later life to retreat into a comfort zone
where it is easier to avoid doing things that are mentally challenging. He compares this with
becoming physically inactive, and warns of comparable repercussions. ‘As the population ages,
people are going to have to stay mentally active longer,’ he counsels. ‘We must learn to exercise
our brains just as much as our bodies. People need to be aware that they have the most complex
entity known to man between their ears,’ he continues, ‘and the key to allow it to grow and be
healthy is simply to keep it stimulated.’
Questions 1 - 6
Task: Complete the summary below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Evidence supporting Robertson’s theory
Research was carried out using 1__________ in London as subjects.

It showed that their brains change, enabling them to create a 2__________ of London.
Tests showed that their3__________ increased in size as they continued in their job. There is also
evidence of a 4__________ kind. People playing a certain game involving 5__________ for a
period of time every day achieved significantly better 6__________
Matching Sentence Endings


 practice a strategy to use to match sentence endings
In this IELTS reading question you will be given a list of incomplete sentences with no endings
and another list with possible endings. Your job is to match the incomplete sentences with the
correct ending based on the reading text.
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You are being tested on your understanding of how the ideas in the sentences are connected to
the main ideas in the reading text.
Paraphrasing and Synonyms
In order to do well on the IELTS test you have to understand what paraphrasing and synonyms
are because Cambridge use them so much in the reading and listening tests and expect you to
use them in the writing and speaking tests.
Paraphrasing is simply rephrasing or saying the sentence again, so that it has the same meaning,
but with different words.
Example–
 Most men drive cars to work.

 The majority of males use automobiles to get to their jobs.
As you can see, both sentences mean exactly the same thing but I have used different words. I
have used mostly synonyms to do this, i.e. words with the same or similar meanings.
Examples–
most – majority drive – use
cars – automobiles work – job
Why is this important?
We have to understand how Cambridge actually make the IELTS reading tests in order to be
successful. The people who write the tests take a piece of writing and they then use paraphrasing
and synonyms to make many of the questions. Therefore if you don’t understand this, it is like
walking in the dark with no lights. If you understand that, then suddenly your world becomes
brighter.
21 Reading
Example Questions
As you can see above, there are a number of incomplete sentences and you must match them
with the correct endings. There will always be more options than you actually need.
In the exam there are normally 5-6 incomplete sentences and 8-9 optional endings.
Common Problems
Lots of people think that they can answer these questions by using logic and grammar and they
don’t look at the reading text. They think this will save them time and they can work out the answer
quickly just by looking at the answers and matching the sentences that make the most sense.
Don’t do this. It is a test of your understanding of the reading text more than a test of how
sentences generally go together.
22 Reading
The examiner will try and trick you by connecting ideas in the reading text to endings that are not
the correct answer. Remember that you are matching incomplete sentences to endings, not
endings to the text.
Many people look for the exact words contained in the question in the reading text. The examiners
will probably use synonyms and paraphrasing instead of exactly the same words. Don’t waste
your time looking for words that exactly match with the text, instead look for synonyms and
paraphrases.
For a more detailed look at paraphrasing and synonyms check out sentence completions tips.
Completing sentences by matching the start of the sentence with the correct
ending given in a list.
Tips
1. The answers are in the same order in the text as they are in the questions, so the answer
to question 2 will be after the answer to question 1 and so on. Locate question one first and
then you know where to begin.
2. Read through the sentences and then read through the possible endings.
3. Prepare paraphrases.
4. Find information in the passage.
5. Choose the best ending to match the information in the passage.
6. The completed sentence must be grammatically correct.
7. Sentence beginnings follow the order of information in the passage.
8. Answers are usually letters (A-G) – read instructions carefully to check.
9. There are usually more endings given than you need.
10. Try to predict how each sentence will end before you look at the endings.
11. Start with the incomplete sentences first before you look at the endings or the text. There
are more endings than required, so looking at all of these in detail is a waste of time.
12. Think of synonyms and paraphrases that the examiners could be using instead of exactly
the same words.
13. All of the sentence endings appear in the text, but you don’t need to read all of them, just
the ones that you decide to match with the incomplete sentences.
14. When highlighting keywords, it is often a good idea to highlight any names, including place
names, or dates. These are often easy to find in the reading text.
15. Don’t just match words. Make sure the meaning in the reading text matches.
16. Spend more time on the first question because this is the most difficult. You have lots of
different options for the first question and it will take you more time to work out the answer.
The last question should take you much less time because you have less options to choose
from.
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Strategy
This is one of the suggested strategies. There are many different strategies and you should use
the one you feel comfortable with. You can also adapt this strategy to what suits you.
1. Read the question carefully.

2. Locate information in the passage.
3. Try to understand information.
4. Read the incomplete sentences first and don’t look at the endings yet. Try to understand
what they mean and highlight any keywords especially names, places or dates.
5. Predict what the endings might be before looking at them. Think about what word type
(verbs, nouns, adjectives, adverbs) makes the sentence grammatically correct.
6. Look at the endings but not in too much detail. Try to see if there are any obvious answers.
7. Eliminate endings that definitely cannot match. Think about grammar, collocations and
meaning.
8. Match the endings you think might be correct. Write two or three options if necessary.
9. Find the correct part of the reading text for each incomplete sentence. Be careful with
synonyms and paraphrases.
Understand the meaning of that part of the text and choose the correct answer
Exercise 1
In the late 1920s, when commercial air travel began in Peru, people flying between Lima and
Arequipa began to see strange images on the desert floor below. Called the ‘Nasca Lines’ after
the native people of the region, their date, origin and purpose puzzled anthropologists and
archaeologists for generations. Numerous theories were put forward, including irrigation systems,
religious icons and even landing sites for space-craft. And, in fact, the drawings, made by clearing
sun-blackened rocks from the ground to reveal the paler, chalky dust beneath, can only be
completely viewed from above. They can even be seen on Google Earth on photographs taken
from a kilometre above the surface.
And a dry surface it is. The coastal plains of southern Peru and northern Chile are some of the
most arid on earth. The Atacama Desert, which has been desert for three million years, is to the
south of the region inhabited by the Nasca. They occupied a basin in the foothills of the Andes,
but their choice of home was far from accidental. Surrounded by desert, it was fed by ten rivers
which flowed down from the mountains. While some were dry for most of the year, there was
sufficient water for the Nasca to develop a riparian civilization, similar to that along the Nile
Delta. Water was never a certainty: in some years a high pressure system called the Bolivian
High drops southward and little rain reaches that stretch of the Andes. In years when it drifts
northward, the rivers flow – even today.
Despite the difficulties of this challenging landscape, the Nasca made it their home for 800
years. They developed from the Paracas culture, emerging around 200 BCE to settle in the river
valleys, growing cotton, corn, beans and fruit. The pottery they made is distinctive. They
perfected a technique of blending mineral pigments such as red ochre and burnt sienna into thin
washes of clay, so that the pots were baked with the colours embedded. Their capital was
Cahuachi, first excavated in the 1950s to reveal a complex maze of interconnecting stairways and
corridors, temples, wide squares and platforms, and even a pyramid made of adobe bricks. The
Nasca River which runs underground for fifteen kilometres from the foothills, reappears on the
surface at Cahuachi, and is almost certainly the reason for the city’s location. Water management
was a skill the Nasca perfected. As the land sloped down from the Andes, they constructed
24 Reading
horizontal wells, allowing the water trapped in aquifers beneath the mountains to flow gently down
into the surrounding villages.
Water was of such significance to the Nasca and their ancestors that researchers now believe that
the Nasca lines, and earlier drawings made by the Paracas, were related to water
worship. Evidence to support the theory comes from sites littered with ritual objects, often on top
of hills containing the name apu (the local word for a god or spirit). There are also trapezoidal
platforms at the edge of many of the drawings, which are similarly full of religious artifacts. One
of the most telling are Spondylus shells which only wash up on the coast during El Nino years -
the times most associated with heavy rainfall and agricultural abundance. In addition, analysis of
the underlying surface of the lines shows that they have been compacted over hundreds of years
by the tramp of human feet. Most of the drawings are formed by a single continuous line,
suggesting a processional pathway, which culminates in a trapezoidal mount or hilltop
path. Archaeologists have even found ritual burials, possibly meant to appease the water gods,
although in the end, the Nasca people’s prayers failed. As weather conditions grew steadily drier,
the desert crept further and further up the river valleys, to a height of nearly 2,000 metres, forcing
the Nasca into the territory of the mountain tribes – the domain of the Wari. By 600 CE, the Nasca
were gone.
Questions 1 - 5
Complete each sentence with the correct ending A-K.
1. Because of their location and means of construction, the Nazca lines

2. A basin in the Andes foothills, fed by ten rivers
3. Excavated in the 1950s, Cahuachi
4. The Paracas
5. Evidence of water worship includes
A. …………………………….was supplied by the Nazca River.
B. ……………………………became home to the Nazca people.
C. ……………………………worshipped water gods.
D. ……………………………provided sufficient water for an entire city city.
E. ……………………………grew cotton, corn, beans and fruit.
F. …………………………....is a complex pyramid of adobe bricks.
G. ……………………………sea shells and ritual burials.
H. ……………………………the domain of the Wari.
I. …………………………….can only be seen on Google Earth.
J. …………………………….were ancestors of the Nazca.
K. ……………………………are best viewed from above.
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Unit 3 Question Types-Sentence Completion
Learning Objectives: In this unit, students will:

 practice a strategy to use to do sentence completion
In this kind of question you will be given a number of sentences with gaps in them and asked to
complete the sentences with words from the reading text.
These questions are as much vocabulary tests as they are reading tests because they require you
to be aware of paraphrasing (using different words to repeat a sentence so that it has the same
meaning) and synonyms (words with the same or very similar meanings). More on these below.
Example Questions
Note that it says NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text for each answer. This means that
we can write one or two words only. If we write any more than this, we get the question wrong.
Also note that it says ‘from the text’. This means that we can’t change the words from the text.
Completing sentences by filling in the gap with words from the passage
Tips
1. Identify the type of word needed for each gap (noun/verb/adjective etc.).
2. Locate the information in the passage in order to choose the right word.
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3. The sentences must be grammatically correct which can help you in choosing the
right word for the gap.
4. Check how many words can be used for each answer.
5. Answers usually come in order.
Strategy
1. scanning for specific information
2. selecting appropriate words
3. understanding information in the passage
Exercise: 1
The Triune1 Brain
The first of our three brains to evolve is what scientists call the reptilian cortex. This brain sustains
the elementary activities of animal survival such as respiration, adequate rest and a beating heart.
We are not required to consciously “think” about these activities. The reptilian cortex also houses
the “startle centre”, a mechanism that facilitates swift reactions to unexpected occurrences in our
surroundings. That panicked lurch you experience when a door slams shut somewhere in the
house, or the heightened awareness you feel when a twig cracks in a nearby bush while out on
an evening stroll are both examples of the reptilian cortex at work. When it comes to our interaction
with others, the reptilian brain offers up only the most basic impulses: aggression, mating, and
territorial defense. There is no great difference, in this sense, between a crocodile defending its
spot along the river and a turf war between two urban gangs.
Although the lizard may stake a claim to its habitat, it exerts total indifference toward the well-
being of its young. Listen to the anguished squeal of a dolphin separated from its pod or witness
the sight of elephants mourning their dead, however, and it is clear that a new development is at
play. Scientists have identified this as the limbic cortex. Unique to mammals, the limbic cortex
impels creatures to nurture their offspring by delivering feelings of tenderness and warmth to the
parent when children are nearby. These same sensations also cause mammals to develop various
types of social relations and kinship networks. When we are with others of “our kind” – be it at
soccer practice, church, school or a nightclub – we experience positive sensations of
togetherness, solidarity and comfort. If we spend too long away from these networks, then
loneliness sets in and encourages us to seek companionship.
Only human capabilities extend far beyond the scope of these two cortexes. Humans eat, sleep
and play, but we also speak, plot, rationalise and debate finer points of morality. Our unique
abilities are the result of an expansive third brain – the neocortex – which engages with logic,
reason and ideas. The power of the neocortex comes from its ability to think beyond the present,
concrete moment. While other mammals are mainly restricted to impulsive actions (although
some, such as apes, can learn and remember simple lessons), humans can think about the “big
picture”. We can string together simple lessons (for example, an apple drops downwards from a
tree; hurting others causes unhappiness) to develop complex theories of physical or social
phenomena (such as the laws of gravity and a concern for human rights).
The neocortex is also responsible for the process by which we decide on and commit to particular
courses of action. Strung together over time, these choices can accumulate into feats of progress
unknown to other animals. Anticipating a better grade on the following morning’s exam, a student
can ignore the limbic urge to socialise and go to sleep early instead. Over three years, this ongoing
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sacrifice translates into a first class degree and a scholarship to graduate school; over a lifetime,
it can mean ground-breaking contributions to human knowledge and development. The ability to
sacrifice our drive for immediate satisfaction in order to benefit later is a product of the neocortex.
Understanding the triune brain can help us appreciate the different natures of brain damage and
psychological disorders. The most devastating form of brain damage, for example, is a condition
in which someone is understood to be brain dead. In this state a person appears merely
unconscious – sleeping, perhaps – but this is illusory. Here, the reptilian brain is functioning on
autopilot despite the permanent loss of other cortexes.
Disturbances to the limbic cortex are registered in a different manner. Pups with limbic damage
can move around and feed themselves well enough but do not register the presence of their
littermates. Scientists have observed how, after a limbic lobotomy2, “one impaired monkey
stepped on his outraged peers as if treading on a log or a rock”. In our own species, limbic damage
is closely related to sociopathic behaviour. Sociopaths in possession of fully-functioning
neocortexes are often shrewd and emotionally intelligent people but lack any ability to relate to,
empathise with or express concern for others.
One of the neurological wonders of history occurred when a railway worker named Phineas Gage
survived an incident during which a metal rod skewered his skull, taking a considerable amount of
his neocortex with it. Though Gage continued to live and work as before, his fellow employees
observed a shift in the equilibrium of his personality. Gage’s animal propensities were now sharply
pronounced while his intellectual abilities suffered; garrulous or obscene jokes replaced his once
quick wit. New findings suggest, however, that Gage managed to soften these abrupt changes
over time and rediscover an appropriate social manner. This would indicate that reparative therapy
has the potential to help patients with advanced brain trauma to gain an improved quality of life.
1 Triune = three-in-one
2 Lobotomy = surgical cutting of brain nerves
Questions 1 - 4
Task: Sentence completion
Use no more than two words from the passage for each answer.
1) A person with only a functioning reptilian cortex is known as...............
2) ............... in humans is associated with limbic disruption.
3) An industrial accident caused Phineas Gage to lose part of his...............
4) After his accident, co-workers noticed an imbalance between Gage’s ............... and higher-
order thinking.
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Exercise: 3
Understanding Bee Behaviour
At first, von Frisch thought the bees were responding only to the scent of the food. But what did
the third dance mean? And if bees were responding only to the scent, how could they also ‘sniff
down’ food hundreds of metres away from the hive*, food which was sometimes downwind? On a
hunch, he started gradually moving the feeding dish further and further away and noticed as he
did so that the dances of the returning scout bees also started changing. If he placed the feeding
dish over nine metres away, the second type of dance, the sickle version, came into play. But
once he moved it past 36 metres, the scouts would then start dancing the third, quite different,
waggle dance.
The measurement of the actual distance too, he concluded, was precise. For example, a feeding
dish 300 metres away was indicated by 15 complete runs through the pattern in 30 seconds. When
the dish was moved to 60 metres away, the number dropped to eleven.
Von Frisch noted something further. When the scout bees came home to tell their sisters about
the food source, sometimes they would dance outside on the horizontal entrance platform of the
hive, and sometimes on the vertical wall inside. And, depending on where they danced, the straight
portion of the waggle dance would point in different directions. The outside dance was fairly easy
to decode: the straight portion of the dance pointed directly to the food source, so the bees would
merely have to decode the distance message and fly off in that direction to find their food.
But by studying the dance on the inner wall of the hive, von Frisch discovered a remarkable
method which the dancer used to tell her sisters the direction of the food in relation to the sun.
When inside the hive, the dancer cannot use the sun, so she uses gravity instead. The direction
of the sun is represented by the top of the hive wall. If she runs straight up, this means that the
feeding place is in the same direction as the sun. However, if, for example, the feeding place is
40º to the left of the sun, then the dancer would run 40º to the left of the vertical line. This was to
be the first of von Frisch’s remarkable discoveries. Soon he would also discover a number of other
remarkable facts about how bees communicate and, in doing so, revolutionise the study of animal
behaviour generally.
* Hive – a ‘house’ for bees; the place where they build a nest and live
Task: Sentence completion
Questions 1 – 3
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text for each answer.
1) Von Frisch discovered the difference between dance types by changing the position of
the...................
2) The dance outside the hive points in the direction of the................
3) The angle of the dance from the vertical shows the angle of the food from the................
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True, False, Not Given

 practice a strategy to identify true, false, not given
True, False, Not Given’ questions requires you to identify if information in a text is true or not.
You will be given a number of factual statements and you have to check in the text if it they are
true or not.
This is probably the most difficult question on the reading paper.
Example Question
This sample is taken from ielts.org.
As you can see above, you will be given a number of factual statements and asked to look at the
text and decide if the statement is true, false or not given.
30 Reading
Common Problems
The biggest problem here is the ‘not given’ option. Most students are not used to answering
questions like this and it causes them lots of problems because they are not sure what to look for.
They also spend too much time making sure that it is ‘not given’ and this affects the rest of their
test.
Students also fail to understand exactly what each statement means and therefore cannot identify
if it is true or false. Many focus on keywords instead of understanding what the statement as
whole means.
Another common mistake is identifying keywords in the statements and then trying to find words
that exactly match them in the text. You can do this, but more often the words will be synonyms.
Finally, some students fail to understand exactly what true, false and not given actually mean and
get confused.
Now, let’s look at solving these common problems.
What do TRUE, FALSE and NOT GIVEN mean?
The most important thing to remember is what the words ‘true’, ‘false’ and ‘not given’ actually
mean; and therefore, what IELTS wants you to write.
 If the text agrees with or confirms the information in the statement, the answer is TRUE
 If the text contradicts or is the opposite to the information in the statement, the answer
is FALSE
 If there is no information or it is impossible to know, the answer is NOT GIVEN
True means that the meaning is the same. If it is just similar, then it is FALSE. Remember that
we are dealing with factual information so there is no room to say it is similar or nearly the same.
Lots of students have argued with me during practice and said the statement is true because it
‘kind of’ means the same. There is no ‘kind of’ with these questions, only facts.
Very important- Just because an answer is NOT GIVEN does not mean there are no words in
the statements that match words in the text. This is something that confuses people, if words
match then it must be TRUE or FALSE, right? Not really. This is not a good way to think about
these questions because there probably will be matching words for NOT GIVEN answers, they
just don’t have enough information to answer the question as a whole.
Decide if the information or writer’s opinion in the question statements can

be found in the passage.
31 Reading
Tips
1. Ignore anything you already know about the topic and don’t make assumptions. Base your
answers on the text only.
2. Try to understand the meaning of each answer.
3. yes / true = the same information is found in the passage
4. no / false = the opposite information is found in the passage
5. not given = the information is not found in the passage
6. Paraphrase the statements before trying to locate the answers.
8. Identify any words that qualify the statement, for example some, all, mainly, often, always
and occasionally. These words are there to test if you have read the whole statement
because they can change the meaning. For example, ‘Coca-Cola has always made its
drinks in the U.S.A.’ has a different meaning from ‘Coca-Cola has mainly made its drinks
in the U.S.A.’
9. Be careful when you see verbs that qualify statements, such as suggest, claim, believe and
know. For example, ‘The man claimed he was a British citizen,’ and ‘The man is a British
citizen’ mean two different things.
10. There will be at least one of all three answers. If you don’t have at least one ‘true’, ‘false’ or
‘not given’ you have at least one answer wrong.
11. Don’t skim and scan the text to find the final answer. You will have to read the appropriate
part of the text very carefully in order to understand what the author means.
12. Don’t look for words that exactly match those in the statements. You should also look for
synonyms. Remember that you are matching meaning, not words.
13. If you can’t find the information you are looking for, then it is probably ‘not given’. Don’t
waste time looking for something that is not there.
14. If you have no idea what the answer is put ‘not given’. You probably have no idea because
the answer is not there.
15. Answers are in the same order they appear in the text. Do not waste time going back. Keep
on reading.
16. YES/ NO/ NOT GIVEN questions are slightly different because they deal with opinion.
TRUE/ FALSE/ NOT GIVEN questions deal with facts.
Strategy
1. Always read the instructions carefully and make sure you know if it is a TRUE/FALSE/NOT
GIVEN or YES/NO/NOT GIVEN question.
2. identifying specific information in the passage
3. scanning and understanding information (T/F/NG questions)
4. understanding the opinions of the writer (Y/N/NG questions)
5. Read all the statements carefully, trying to understand what the whole sentence means
rather than simply highlighting keywords. Watch out for qualifying words such as some or
always.
6. Try to think of what synonyms might be in the text. This will help you identify the matching
part of the text.
7. Match the statement with the correct part of the text.
32 Reading
8. Focus on the statement again and then carefully read the matching part of the text to
establish if it is true or false. Remember the meaning should exactly match that of the
statement if it is true.
9. Underline the words that give you the answer, this will help you focus and you can check
back later. Again, be careful there are no qualifying words in the text.
10. If you can’t find the answer, mark it as ‘not given’ and move on to the next question.
11. If you are really unsure or can’t find the answer, mark it as ‘not given’.
Exercise: 1
Read the text below and answer Questions 1-8.
London to Brighton Bike Ride

The start
The bike ride starts at Clapham Common tube station.
• Your Start Time is indicated by the colour of your body number in this pack. It is also printed
on the address label of the envelope. Please arrive no earlier than 30 minutes before that
time.
• We allocate an equal number of cyclists for each Start Time to ensure a steady flow. Please
keep to the time you've been given so we can keep to our schedule and avoid delaying
other riders and prevent 'bunching' further down the route.
• An Information Point, toilets and refreshment stands will be open from very early in the day.
Ride carefully
We put together as many facilities as possible to help ensure you have a trouble-free day. But we
also rely on you to ride safely and with due consideration for other cyclists and road users.
Although many roads are closed to oncoming traffic, this is not always the case and you should
be aware of the possibility that there could be vehicles coming in the opposite direction. Please
do not attempt reckless overtaking whilst riding – remember it is NOT a race.
Follow all instructions
Every effort is made to ensure that the route is well signed and marshalled. Please obey all
directions from police and marshals on the route. If you hear a motorcycle marshal blow his/her
whistle three times, move left.
Wear a helmet
Every year we are delighted to see more riders wearing protective helmets, but we would like to
see every cyclist on the ride wearing one. More than half of reported injuries in cycling accidents
are to the head, and a helmet gives the best protection when the head hits the ground.
Attracting assistance
If you have an accident, ask a marshal for help; they are in contact with the
Support/emergency services. To call for help from our motorcycle marshals, give a 'thumbs down'
signal. The marshal will do all he/she can to help, providing he/she is not already going to a more
serious accident. If a motorcycle marshal slows down to help you, but you have just stopped for a
rest and don't need help, please give a 'thumbs up' signal and he/she will carry on. Remember –
thumbs down means 'I need help'. General Training Reading sample task – Identifying information
In case of breakdown
Refer to your route map and make your way to a Mechanics Point.
Mechanical assistance is free when you show your Rider Identity Card; you just pay for the parts.
Refreshment stops
Look out for these along the route. Most are organised by voluntary clubs and their prices give
you real value for money. They are also raising money for their local communities and the British
Heart Foundation, so please give them your support.
33 Reading
Rain or shine – be prepared
In the event of very bad weather, watch out for signs to wet weather stations en route. Good
waterproofs, like a cycle cape, are essential. Our first aid staff can only supply bin liners and by
the time you get one you may be very wet. However, the English summer is unpredictable – it may
also be hot, so don't forget the sun protection cream as well!
If you have to drop out
We will try to pick up your bike for you on the day. Call Bike Events (01225 310859) no more than
two weeks after the ride to arrange collection. Sorry, we cannot guarantee this service nor can we
accept liability for any loss or damage to your bike. Bike Events will hold your bike for three months,
after which it may be disposed of. You will be charged for all costs incurred in returning your cycle.
General Training Reading sample task – Identifying information
Questions 1 – 8
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text?
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
1 You should not arrive more than half an hour before your allocated starting time. _______
2 Your Rider Identity Card will be sent to you before the event. _______
3 Some roads may have normal traffic flow on them. _______
4 Helmets are compulsory for all participants. _______
5 Refreshments are free to all participants during the ride. _______
6 If you need a rest you must get off the road. _______
7 First aid staff can provide cycle capes. _______
8 Bike Events will charge you for the return of your bike. _______
34 Reading
Exercise: 2
Television Addiction
A The term "TV addiction" is imprecise, but it captures the essence of a very real phenomenon.
Psychologists formally define addiction as a disorder characterized by criteria that include
spending a great deal of time using the thing; using it more often than one intends; thinking about
reducing use or making repeated unsuccessful efforts to reduce use; giving up important activities
to use it; and reporting withdrawal symptoms when one stops using it.
B All these criteria can apply to people who watch a lot of television. That does not mean that
watching television, in itself, is problematic. Television can teach and amuse; it can be highly
artistic; it can provide much needed distraction and escape. The difficulty arises when people
strongly sense that they ought not to watch as much as they do and yet find they are unable to
reduce their viewing. Some knowledge of how television becomes so addictive may help heavy
viewers gain better control over their lives.
C The amount of time people spend watching television is astonishing. On average, individuals in
the industrialized world devote three hours a day to the activity – fully half of their leisure time, and
more than on any single activity except work and sleep. At this rate, someone who lives to 75
would spend nine years in front of the television. Possibly, this devotion means simply that people
enjoy TV and make a conscious decision to watch it. But if that is the whole story, why do so many
people worry about how much they view? In surveys in 1992 and 1999, two out of five adults and
seven out of ten teenagers said they spent too much time watching TV. Other surveys have
consistently shown that roughly ten per cent of adults call themselves TV addicts.
D To study people’s reactions to TV, researchers have undertaken laboratory experiments in

which they have monitored the brain waves, skin resistance or heart rate of people watching
television. To study behavior and emotion in the normal course of life, as opposed to the artificial
conditions of the laboratory, we have used the Experience Sampling Method (ESM). Participants
carried a beeper*, and we signaled them six to eight times a day, at random, over the period of a
week; whenever they heard the beep, they wrote down what they were doing and how they were
feeling.
E As one might expect, people who were watching TV when we beeped them reported feeling
relaxed and passive. The EEG studies similarly show less mental stimulation, as measured by
alpha brain-wave production, during viewing than during reading.
F What is more surprising is that the sense of relaxation ends when the set is turned off, but the
feelings of passivity and lowered alertness continue. Survey participants commonly reflect that
television has somehow absorbed or sucked out their energy, leaving them depleted. They say
they have more difficulty concentrating after viewing than before. In contrast, they rarely indicate
such difficulty after reading. After playing sports or engaging in hobbies, people report
improvements in mood. After watching TV, people's moods are about the same or worse than
before.
G Within moments of sitting or lying down and pushing the "power" button, viewers report feeling
more relaxed. Because the relaxation occurs quickly, people are conditioned to associate viewing
with rest and lack of tension. The association is positively reinforced because viewers remain
relaxed throughout viewing.
35 Reading
H Thus, the irony of TV: people watch a great deal longer than they plan to, even though prolonged
viewing is less rewarding. In our ESM studies the longer people sat in front of the set, the less
satisfaction they said they derived from it. When signaled, heavy viewers (those who consistently
watch more than four hours a day) tended to report on their ESM sheets that they enjoy TV less
than light viewers did (less than two hours a day). For some, a twinge of unease or guilt that they
aren't doing something more productive may also accompany and depreciate the enjoyment of
prolonged viewing. Researchers in Japan, the U.K. and the U.S. have found that this guilt occurs
much more among middle-class viewers than among less affluent ones.
I The orienting response is an instinctive reaction to any sudden or new, such as movement or
possible attack by a predator. Typical orienting reactions include the following the arteries to the
brain grow wider allowing more blood to reach it, the heart slows down and arteries to the large
muscles become narrower so as to reduce blood supply to them. Brain waves are also interrupted
for a few seconds. These changes allow the brain to focus its attention on gathering more
information and becoming more alert while the rest of the body becomes quieter.
Questions 1-5
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage?
YES if the statement agrees with the writer's claims

NO if the statement contradicts the writer's claims
NOT GIVEN if there is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
1) One purpose of the research is to help people to manage their lives better.
2) Watching television has reduced the amount of time people spend sleeping.
3) People's brains show less activity while watching television than when reading.
4) There is a relationship between the length of time spent watching TV and economic status.
5) Pleasure increases in proportion to the length of time spent watching TV.
36 Reading
Unit 4 Matching Headings

 practice a strategy to use to match headings
In the IELTS reading test you may be asked to match headings to sections of text. This type of
question tests your ability to understand the main idea of each paragraph.
Headings are short sentences that summarise the information in a paragraph. You have to pick
the one that best summarises the information in a paragraph.
Common Problems
Below is a list of common problems students tend to have. Have you experienced any of these
problems?
Later in the post we will look at tips to overcome these problems and a strategy for answering this
kind of reading question.
1. There is too much information to get through and not enough time.
2. Trying to match a word or words from the headings to a word in the text.
3. Some of the headings may appear to have the same meaning.
4. Some students only read the first sentence of each paragraph and do not understand the
main idea of the paragraph.
5. Spending too much time on one paragraph or heading.
6. Answers are not in the same order as the text.
Choose a heading from the list which matches a section or paragraph in

the passage.
Tips
1. Do this question first. By doing this you will be able to get the general meaning of the text
as a whole and this will help you with the rest of the question that requires you to take a
more detailed look at the text.
2. Read the headings before you read the passage.
3. There are often more headings than you need.
4. Analyse the headings before trying to match them to sections or paragraphs.
5. Answers are often numerals (i, ii, iii, iv etc.) – read instructions carefully to check.
6. Answers do not come in order.
37 Reading
7. You are not expected to read every word of the text. This will take too long and you don’t
have time for this. In this kind of question you are only expected to understand the main
idea of each paragraph. A good way to do this is to read the first one or two sentences and
the last sentence of the paragraphs. You can also briefly look at the rest of the paragraph
but you don’t have to read every word.
8. If there are words you don’t understand, don’t worry about this. Again, you should only
worry about the general meaning of the paragraph as a whole, not individual words. Even
native speakers will fail to understand every word in the IELTS reading test.
9. Be aware of synonyms. Many students look for words that match exactly with words in the
text and ignore synonyms. For example, a keyword in the heading might be ‘Beautiful’,
however the word you’re looking for could be many different synonyms of ‘beautiful’ like
‘attractive’, ‘pretty’, ‘lovely’ or ‘stunning’.
10. If there are two or three headings that are similar, write them beside the paragraph and try
to find out the difference between the two headings. What are the keywords? How does
this change the meaning? Which one matches the paragraph best?
11. If you still can’t decide which one suits best, move on and come back to it later. The answer
will normally be easier to find after you have matched some more headings.
12. Ignore anything you already know about the topic. You are being tested on the text only.
13. Don’t read too quickly. Some teachers advise that students should just ‘skim’ the text
because you don’t have much time. In my experience, this leads to students not
understanding most of the text and making mistakes. It is better to do this a little slower and
actually understand what is in front of you.
14. Don’t panic if you know nothing about the general topic of the reading text. The IELTS
reading test is not a knowledge test and you are not expected to have prior knowledge of
the topic.
15. Don’t look at the headings first. This will automatically make you look for specific words in
the text rather than the main idea. Remember it is your ability to find the main idea that is
being tested, not your ability to find specific information. Instead of reading the headings
first, ignore them and get the general meaning of each paragraph first by reading the first
and last sentences.
Strategy
1. If this type of question is on the test, do it first.

2. Don’t look at the headings.
3. Try to understand the aim of a section.
4. Identify the difference between a main idea and supporting points.
5. Try to understand aims of paragraphs and sections.
6. Try to understand general content of paragraphs or sections.
7. Read the first one or two sentences and the last sentence of each paragraph to understand
the general meaning of the paragraph. Don’t worry about highlighting keywords in the test.
Try to sum up the general meaning of each paragraph in one or two words.
8. Look at the headings and identify keywords within each heading.
9. Match any headings that are very obvious and you are sure about.
10. For the others, write 2 or 3 headings beside the paragraph. Identify the difference between
each of the headings. Establish if there are any synonyms in the paragraph to keywords in
the headings.
11. If you still can’t pick one, move one. The answer will often reveal itself later.
12. Repeat until finished.
38 Reading
Sample
Let’s look at an example question. Below are two paragraphs from an article called ‘Trees in
Trouble- What is causing the decline of the World’s giant forests?’
Match the two paragraphs with one of the following three headings:
1. How wildlife benefits from big tress

2. Factors that enable trees to grow to significant heights
3. How other plants can cause harm
Paragraph 1- Big tress are incredibly important ecologically. For a start, they sustain countless
other species. They provide shelter for many animals, and their trunks and branches can become
gardens, hung with green ferns, orchids and bromeliads, coated with mosses and draped with
vines. With their tall canopies basking in the sun, they capture vast amounts of energy. This allows
them to sustain much of the animal life in the forest.
Paragraph 2- Only a small number of tree species have the genetic capacity to grow really big.
The mightiest are native to Northern America, but big trees grow all over the globe, from the tropics
to the boreal forests of the high latitudes. To achieve giant stature, a tree needs three things: the
right place to establish its seedling, good growing conditions and lots of time with low adult
mortality. Disrupt any of these, and you can lost your biggest trees.
If you look at the above paragraphs you will see that they are full of difficult words like ‘bromeliads’,
‘basking’ and ‘stature’. If you try to read and understand every word you will get nowhere.
Instead we just look at the first and the last sentences and with some highlighting of keywords and
an awareness of synonyms it is apparent that the answers are:
Paragraph 1- How wildlife benefits from big tress
Paragraph 2- Factors that enable tree to grow to significant height
39 Reading
Exercise: 1
Questions 1 – 6
The text below has seven paragraphs, A-G.

Choose the correct heading for paragraphs A, B and D-G from the list of headings below.
Write the correct number, i-ix.
List of Headings
i Robots working together
ii Preparing LGVs for takeover
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: Paragraph C is ix
1 Paragraph A ________
2 Paragraph B ________
3 Paragraph C ___ix____
4 Paragraph D ________
5 Paragraph E ________
6 Paragraph F ________
7 Paragraph G __________
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 on many
other newspapers. An image setter at the printing centre delivers the pages as film. Each page
40 Reading
takes less than a minute to produce; however, four versions are created for colour pages, 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 aluminum 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 unauthorized 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 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 off line 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?”
41 Reading
Exercise: 2
The Keyless Society
A Students who want to enter the University of Montreal's Athletic Complex need more than
just a conventional ID card - their identities must be authenticated by an electronic hand scanner.
In some California housing estates, a key alone is insufficient to get someone in the door; his or
her voice print must also be verified. Soon, customers at some Japanese banks will have to
present their faces for scanning before they can enter the building and withdraw their money.
B All of these are applications of biometrics, a little-known but fast-growing technology that
involves the use of physical or biological characteristics to identify individuals. In use for more than
a decade at some high security government institutions in the United States and Canada,
biometrics are now rapidly popping up in every walk of life. Already, more than 10,000 facilities,
from prisons to day-care centres, monitor people's fingerprints or other physical parts to ensure
that they are who they claim to be. Some 60 biometric companies around the world pulled in at
least $22 million last year and that grand total is expected to mushroom to at least $50 million by
1999.
C Biometric security systems operate by storing a digitised record of some unique human
feature. When an authorised user wishes to enter or use the facility, the system scans the person's
corresponding characteristics and attempts to match them against those on record. Systems using
fingerprints, hands, voices, irises, retinas and faces are already on the market. Others using typing
patterns and even body odours are in various stages of development.
D Fingerprint scanners are currently the most widely deployed type of biometric application,
thanks to their growing use over the last 20 years by law-enforcement agencies. Sixteen American
states now use biometric fingerprint verification systems to check that people claiming welfare
payments are genuine. In June, politicians in Toronto voted to do the same, with a pilot project
beginning next year.
E To date, the most widely used commercial biometric system is the hand key, a type of hand
scanner which reads the unique shape, size and irregularities of people's hands. Originally
developed for nuclear power plants, the hand key received its big break when it was used to
control access to the Olympic Village in Atlanta by more than 65,000 athletes, trainers and support
staff. Now, there are scores of other applications.
F Around the world, the market is growing rapidly. Malaysia, for example, is preparing to
equip all of its airports with biometric face scanners to match passengers with luggage. And
Japan's largest maker of cash dispensers is developing new machines that incorporate iris
scanners. The first commercial biometric, a hand reader used by an American firm to monitor
employee attendance, was introduced in 1974. But only in the past few years has the technology
improved enough for the prices to drop sufficiently to make them commercially viable. 'When we
started four years ago, I had to explain to everyone what a biometric is,' says one marketing expert.
'Now, there's much more awareness out there.'
G Not surprisingly, biometrics raise thorny questions about privacy and the potential for
abuse. Some worry that governments and industry will be tempted to use the technology to
monitor individual behaviour. 'If someone used your fingerprints to match your health-insurance
records with a credit-card record showing you regularly bought lots of cigarettes and fatty foods,'
says one policy analyst, 'you would see your insurance payments go through the roof.' In Toronto,
42 Reading
critics of the welfare fingerprint plan complained that it would stigmatise recipients by forcing them
to submit to a procedure widely identified with criminals.
H) Nonetheless, support for biometrics is growing in Toronto as it is in many other communities.
In an increasingly crowded and complicated world, biometrics may well be a technology whose
time has come.
Questions 1-7
The above passage has eight paragraphs (A-H).

Choose the most suitable headings for paragraphs B-H from the list of headings below.
Write the appropriate numbers (i-x) next to questions 1-7
NB There are more headings than paragraphs, so you will not use all of them.
Example Answer
Paragraph A vi
List of Headings
i) Common objections
ii) Who's planning what?
iii) This type sells best in the shops
iv) The figures say it all
v) Early trials
vi) They can't get in without these
vii) How does it work?
viii) Fighting fraud
ix) Systems to avoid
x) Accepting the inevitable
Paragraphs Answers
1 Paragraph B _______
2 Paragraph C _______
3 Paragraph D _______
4 Paragraph E _______
5 Paragraph F _______
6 Paragraph G _______
7 Paragraph H _______
43 Reading
Matching Names

 practice a strategy to match names
In this type of question, you are asked to match someone’s name, normally an expert, researcher
or scientist, to a statement.
Example
As you can see below you will be given a number of statements and a number of names. You
must use the reading text to match each statement with the correct name. You will often be given
more names than required.
Common Problems
Some names will appear only once in the text and some will appear several times. The names
that occur several times will be harder to match than the names that appear only once because
you will have to look at several different parts of the text. Some students focus on the hardest
questions first. This is a problem for two reasons. First, you waste time looking at most of the text
and second, you are more likely to get the easier questions correct so they deserve more of your
attention.
44 Reading
Some of the difficult questions are there to separate band 8 from band 9 students. The vast
majority of people will not get a band 9 and you should not waste too much time on these very
difficult questions. If you were picking apples, would you pick the ones you can easily reach from
the ground or take time to climb up the tree and pick the ones at the top?
A common mistake is to read the whole text and try to find the names that way. You won’t have
time to do this and it is much better to find the names quickly by scanning for them.
Some students see the name, read that part of the reading text very quickly and then match the
name with the statement. When you find the name in the text you should spend time reading it in
more detail to really understand what it means before answering the question.
The most common error is trying to find words in the text that match exactly with words in the
statement. Instead it is more likely that you will find synonyms (words with the same or very similar
meanings).
Choose the correct option from a list of words, information or names. This
differs from multiple choice because the questions all relate to only one long
list of possible answers.
Tips
1. Focus on the easy questions first. If you can’t find the answer to a question, move on and
come back to it later.
2. Read through the list and prepare paraphrases.
3. Read through the questions and identify key words.
4. Locate the information in the passage.
6. Answers are usually letters (A-G) – read the instructions carefully to check.
7. Find the names in the text quickly by scanning for them and then underline them.
8. The names might be shortened to just a first or last name. For example, ‘John Jones’ might
appear as only ‘Jones’ in the text.
9. Think of synonyms that might appear in the reading text. For example, the phrase ‘intense
burst of energy’ could look like ‘explosive release of energy’ in the text.
10. Some of the names might be used more than once. Check the question for instructions on
this.
11. The questions do not follow the order of the text. You might have to go backwards and
forwards to find the correct answer. This is a very unnatural way to read and requires you
to use your scanning skills.
12. If you like to categorise things by colour, use different coloured pens to underline the
different names.
45 Reading
Strategy
1. Read the question carefully.

2. Focus on the names first. Read them and then scan for the names in the reading text and
underline them. Remember that some names will appear more than once and you should
underline them all.
3. Scan for information.
4. Try to understanding information in the passage.
5. Identifying ideas relating to others.
6. Focus on the names that appear only once first because these are the easiest.
7. Read around the name to see if their findings or research come before or after their name.
8. Read their research or findings and then go back to the statements in the question and
match. Be aware of synonyms.
9. When you find a statement that matches a name, delete the statement. Each statement
can only be used once.
10. Repeat for the rest of the names.
Exercise: 1
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 civilization. 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 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 a
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.
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
46 Reading
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 behavior of the rockets
in flight was less than predictable.
Questions 1 – 4
Look at the following items (Questions 1-4) and the list of groups below.
Match each item with the group which first invented or used them.
NB You may use any letter more than once.
A the Chinese
1 black powder B the Indians
2 rocket-propelled arrows for fighting C the British
D the Arabs
3 rockets as war weapons
E the Americans
4 the rocket launcher
47 Reading
Unit 5 Flow Chart

 practice a strategy to complete a flow chart
Common Problems
The main problem with these questions is that the students try to understand everything about the
chart. Charts of unfamiliar process can cause panic and lose you time. This is not a test of your
technical knowledge but a test of your reading skills. You should try to understand generally what
is happening in the process, but the relationship between the text and the flow chart is more
important.
Another big problem is failing to locate the paragraphs that contain the answers quickly and losing
time reading the whole text.
Students also lose marks in this section by writing the wrong number of words or spelling words
incorrectly.
Completing the flow chart using the correct words from the passage.
Tips
1. Check how many words you are supposed to write; it will tell you in the question. In the
example above you can only write ‘one or two words’; any more than this and you will lose
marks. Remember that numbers count as one word and hyphenated words like ‘state-of-
the-art’ count as one word.
2. Identify the type of word (noun, verb, adjective) you need. This will help you find the correct
answer.
3. Identify the type of word needed for each part of the flow chart.
4. Scan the passage for information.
5. Answers do not always come in order.
6. Use the direction of the arrows and boxes to follow the order of information in the chart.
7. Select the appropriate words from the passage.
8. Check the number of words that can be used for each answer.
9. The answers do not always come in the same order that the paragraphs are in.
10. Do the easiest questions first. You are more likely to get these correct. If you cannot find
the answer to a difficult question, move on and come back later.
11. Try to predict the answer before you read the text. This will help you find the correct answer.
Strategy
1. Check how many words you can write.

2. Study the diagram and try to understand generally what is happening. Don’t spend too
much time doing this.
3. Locate specific information in the passage.
4. Choosing appropriate words.
5. Try to understanding details and order of information.
48 Reading
6. Highlight keywords or labels.
7. Identify the types of words required and try to predict the answer.
8. Scan the text and identify where the information is located.
9. Read in more detail to find the answer.
10. Check spelling.
Exercise: 1
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 on many
other newspapers. An image setter at the printing centre delivers the pages as film. 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 aluminum 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 unauthorized 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 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
49 Reading
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 off line 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?”
Questions 1 – 8
Complete the flow-chart below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text above for each answer.
The Production Process
The newspaper is compiled at the editorial headquarters by the journalists.


The final version of the text is 1 ............... to the printing centre.

The pages arrive by facsimile.

The pages are converted into 2 …………….

3 …………… are made for use in the printing presses.
The LGVs are 4 …………… by computer.

The LGVs collect the reels of paper.

The LGVs remove the 5 …………… from the reel.

The reel is 6 …………….

The reel is trimmed and prepared by the 7 …………….

The reel is taken to the press. The reel is taken to the 8 ……….…
50 Reading
Labeling a Diagram

 practice a strategy to label a diagram
On the IELTS reading test, you might get a question that asks you to label a diagram.
Examples
There are three kinds of diagrams you might get: a technical drawing of a machine or invention,
something from the natural world, and a design or plan. Below is an example of a natural
process taken from a sample test at IELTS.org.
Below is an example of a technical drawing:
Common Problems
The main problem with these questions is students focus too much on the diagram and try to
understand everything about it. Unfamiliar diagrams can cause panic and lose you time. This is
not a test of your technical knowledge but a test of your reading skills. You should try to understand
generally what is happening in the diagram, but the relationship between the text and the diagram
is more important.
Another big problem is failing to locate the paragraphs that contain the answers quickly and losing
time reading the whole text.
51 Reading
Students also lose marks in this section by writing the wrong number of words or spelling words
incorrectly.
Label the diagram below. Choose ONE OR TWO WORDS from the Reading Passage
for each answer.
Tips
1. Check how many words you are supposed to write; it will tell you in the question. In the
example above, you can only write ‘one or two words’, any more than this and you will
lose marks. Remember that numbers count as one word and hyphenated words like ‘state-
of-the-art’ count as one word.
2. Identify the type of word (noun, verb, adjective) you need. This will help you find the
correct answer.
3. The answers do not always come in the same order that the paragraphs are in.
4. Do the easiest questions first. You are more likely to get these correct. If you cannot find
the answer to a difficult question, move on and come back later.
5. Try to predict the answer before you read the text. This will help you find the correct
answer.
Strategy
1. Check how many words you can write.

2. Study the diagram and try to understand generally what is happening. Don’t spend too
much time doing this.
3. Highlight keywords or labels.
4. Identify the types of words required and try to predict the answer.
5. Scan the text and identify where the information is located.
6. Read in more detail to find the answer.
7. Check spelling.
Exercise
1
Introducing dung beetles into a pasture is a simple process: approximately 1,500 beetles are
2
released, a handful at a time, into fresh cow pats in the cow pasture. The beetles immediately
disappear beneath the pats digging and tunneling. If they successfully adapt to their new
environment, the beetles 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.
52 Reading
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 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 multiply rapidly in early
spring, produce two to five generations annually. The South African ball-rolling species, being a
sub-tropical beetle, prefers the climate of northern and coastal New South Wales where it
commonly works with the South African tunneling species. In warmer climates, many species are
active for longer periods of the year.
Glossary
1. dung: the droppings or excreta of animals
2. cow pats: droppings of cows
53 Reading
Table Completion

 practice a strategy to complete a table
Completing the table using the correct word from the passage.
Tips
1. Read the column headings in the table.
2. Identify the type of word needed for each part of the table.
3. Scan the passage for information.
4. Answers are usually located in a specific part of the passage.
5. Check how many words you can use for the answer.
Strategy
1. locating specific information in the passage
2. choosing appropriate words
3. understanding details
Exercise: 1
Domestic travel
Have you ever travelled to another part of your country and stayed for a few days? Travel within
one's own country is popular throughout the world. And, according to a survey carried out in
Australia in 2002, travellers are spending more and more money on their holidays.
The Domestic Tourism Expenditure Survey showed that domestic travellers – those travelling
within the country – injected $23 billion into the Australian economy in 2002. As a result, domestic
tourism became the mainstay of the industry, accounting for 75 per cent of total tourism
expenditure in Australia. International tourism, on the other hand, added $7 billion to the economy.
Overall, in present dollar terms, Australians spent $7 billion more on domestic tourism in 2002
than they did when the first survey of tourist spending was completed in 1991.
Thus, tourism has become one of Australia's largest industries. The combined tourist industry now
accounts for about 5 per cent of the nation's gross domestic product, compared with agriculture
at 4.3 per cent and manufacturing at 8 per cent. Tourism is, therefore, an important earner for both
companies and individuals in a wide range of industries. For example, the transport industry
benefits from the extra money poured into it. Hotels spring up in resort areas to provide
accommodation, and the catering industry gains as tourists spend money in restaurants. The retail
sector benefits as well, as many tourists use their holidays to shop for clothes, accessories and
souvenirs.
54 Reading
In most countries, the land is divided into different political areas. Australia is divided into six states
and two territories. Since people travel for different reasons, there are significant differences in
the length of time people stay in different locations and in the amount they spend while there.
In 2002, Australian residents spent $8.4 billion on day trips and almost twice that amount on trips
involving at least one night away from home. In that year, a total of 45 million overnight trips were
made in Australia. Of these, 14.9 million were spent in New South Wales, 10.3 million were spent
in Queensland, and 9.2 million were spent in Victoria. Fewer nights were spent in the other states,
with 3.7 million in South Australia, 1.5 million in Tasmania and 5 million in Western Australia.
Despite the popularity of destinations such as, Ayers Rock and Kakadu National Park, only 0.4
million overnight stays were recorded in the Northern Territory.
New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria attracted the greatest tourism revenue, with $5.2
billion, $5.1 billion and $3.3 billion spent there respectively. The average expenditure for trips was
$395 per person, with accommodation the biggest expenditure, followed by meals and fuel. The
survey also showed that costs were higher for inter-state travellers, who each spent an average
of $812 per trip compared with $255 for those who travelled within one state. Trips to the Northern
Territory were the most expensive, followed by Queensland, with South Australia and Victoria the
least.
Comparing the costs of trips for different purposes, the survey found that business trips were the
most expensive because they were more likely to involve stays in commercial accommodation.
Trips taken for educational reasons – to visit universities, museums etc. – were also expensive,
especially as they usually required inter-state plane tickets. Family holidays lay in the medium
range, with transport and fares contributing to the cost, but adventure parks being the major
expense. But while visits to friends and relatives were the least expensive – due to lower
accommodation, food and transport costs – these travellers spent most on shopping.
The survey also estimates that Australians made 253 million day trips in 2002, visiting parks,
beaches and city attractions. The largest expenses were petrol costs (averaging $10 per day trip),
followed by meals, souvenirs and entry fees. Day trips tended to cost the most in the Northern
Territory, while South Australia was the cheapest. Overall, the survey found that men travelling
alone spent more than any tourist group. In particular, men spent more on transport and meals.
Women travelling alone spent the most on clothes, while souvenirs were bought more often by
families than by other tourists.
The challenge for the tourism industry now is to encourage Australians to continue spending
money on travel and, if possible, to increase the amount they spend.
Questions 1-3
Complete the table below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text for each answer.
Industries That Benefit from Tourism

Transport
1)...............................
2)...............................
3)...............................
55 Reading
Matching Information to Paragraphs

 practice a strategy to match information to paragraphs
In this kind of question, you are asked to match statements to paragraphs in the reading text.
The statements could be reasons, descriptions, summaries, definitions, facts or explanations. What
they are doesn’t really matter. You are not expected to have specialist knowledge in the reading test.
You do not need to understand what the whole paragraph is about, just find specific information in the
paragraph and match it to one of the statements. The answer will normally be contained in a whole
phrase or sentence, rather than a single word.
Example:
Decide which category the information belongs to from a list.
56 Reading
This question is taken from an academic sample paper. As you can see, you are given a number
of statements and you are required to match these to the correct paragraphs in the reading text.
The paragraphs in the reading text are labelled a, b, c, d and so on. Your answer will be the letter
of the paragraph, not the words or phrases in the paragraph.
There will normally be more paragraphs than questions, so don’t worry if some of the paragraphs
do not contain the information you are looking for. Also, don’t worry if you find more than one
answer in one paragraph.
The answers do not appear in the same order as the questions.
Reading Skills
You will first have to be able to skim the reading text to get a general meaning of each paragraph.
You will also have to scan for specific words within the paragraphs. It is more likely that you will
be looking for synonyms (different words that mean the same or nearly the same) and paraphrases
rather than keywords from the question statements.
When you have found the words or phrases you think might give you the correct answer, you have
to read very carefully in order to fully understand the meaning to be able to decide if it is really the
correct answer.
Common Problems
The biggest problem is the fact that you need to look at the whole text. The answers could be
anywhere in the text and they do not come in order, so it takes time.
Also, the answers might not be the main idea of each paragraph. Normally paragraphs contain
one main idea and reading the first and last lines of the paragraph can help you understand this.
With these questions, the answer could be in any part of the paragraph and you cannot, therefore,
just quickly skim to find it.
There is also lots of irrelevant information that you do not need to consider. The strategy below
will help you ignore much of this irrelevant information.
Finally, as stated above, not all paragraphs contain an answer and some paragraphs contain more
than one answer.
Matching the information given in the question with information found

in one of the paragraphs in the passage.
57 Reading
Tips
1. Do this question at the end. If you do other questions first, you will become familiar with the
passage and this will help you identify the correct information more quickly and easily.
2. Try to find names, place names and numbers in the questions. These are often easier to
find in the text.
3. Paraphrase the information in the question
4. Find the information in the passage
5. Answers do not come in order
6. The answer is often a letter (A, D, C, D…) – read instructions carefully to check not all
paragraphs may be used
7. Be aware that there may be synonyms. For example, you might see ‘34%‘ in the question
but it might say ‘just over a third‘ or ‘about a third‘ in the text.
Strategy
1. Read the instructions carefully.

2. Guessing meanings from the context
3. Read the questions first. Think about synonyms and how you could paraphrase the
statements. This will help you identify the answer. Saying each statement in your own words
can help do this.
4. Quickly skim the reading text to try to understand the general meaning of the text.
5. Read the question statements again and predict which paragraph contains the answer.
6. Scan the text paragraphs you think might contain the answer for synonyms. If you find a
possible answer underline it.
7. Check back with the question statement and mark answer if correct. If not, move on to other
paragraphs.
We look at:
 What ‘meaning from context’ means.

 Why it is so essential.
 How to improve this skill.
Exercise: 1
Helium’s Future Up in the Air
A) In recent years, we have all been exposed to dire media reports concerning the impending
demise of global coal and oil reserves, but the depletion of another key non-renewable resource
continues without receiving much press at all. Helium – an inert, odourless, monatomic element
known to lay people as the substance that makes balloons float and voices squeak when inhaled
– could be gone from this planet within a generation.
B) Helium itself is not rare; there is actually a plentiful supply of it in the cosmos. In fact, 24 per
cent of our galaxy’s elemental mass consists of helium, which makes it the second most abundant
element in our universe. Because of its lightness, however, most helium vanished from our own
58 Reading
planet many years ago. Consequently, only a miniscule proportion – 0.00052%, to be exact –
remains in earth’s atmosphere. Helium is the by-product of millennia of radioactive decay from the
elements thorium and uranium. The helium is mostly trapped in subterranean natural gas bunkers
and commercially extracted through a method known as fractional distillation.
C) The loss of helium on Earth would affect society greatly. Defying the perception of it as a novelty
substance for parties and gimmicks, the element actually has many vital applications in society.
Probably the most well-known commercial usage is in airships and blimps (non-flammable helium
replaced hydrogen as the lifting gas du jour after the Hindenburg catastrophe in 1932, during
which an airship burst into flames and crashed to the ground killing some passengers and crew).
But helium is also instrumental in deep-sea diving, where it is blended with nitrogen to mitigate
the dangers of inhaling ordinary air under high pressure; as a cleaning agent for rocket engines;
and, in its most prevalent use, as a coolant for superconducting magnets in hospital MRI (magnetic
resonance imaging) scanners.
D) The possibility of losing helium forever poses the threat of a real crisis because its unique
qualities are extraordinarily difficult, if not impossible to duplicate (certainly, no biosynthetic ersatz
product is close to approaching the point of feasibility for helium, even as similar developments
continue apace for oil and coal). Helium is even cheerfully derided as a “loner” element since it
does not adhere to other molecules like its cousin, hydrogen. According to Dr. Lee Sobotka, helium
is the “most noble of gases, meaning it’s very stable and non-reactive for the most part … it has a
closed electronic configuration, a very tightly bound atom. It is this coveting of its own electrons
that prevents combination with other elements’. Another important attribute is helium’s unique
boiling point, which is lower than that for any other element. The worsening global shortage could
render millions of dollars of high-value, life-saving equipment totally useless. The dwindling
supplies have already resulted in the postponement of research and development projects in
physics laboratories and manufacturing plants around the world. There is an enormous supply
and demand imbalance partly brought about by the expansion of high-tech manufacturing in Asia.
E) The source of the problem is the Helium Privatisation Act (HPA), an American law passed in
1996 that requires the U.S. National Helium Reserve to liquidate its helium assets by 2015
regardless of the market price. Although intended to settle the original cost of the reserve by a
U.S. Congress ignorant of its ramifications, the result of this fire sale is that global helium prices
are so artificially deflated that few can be bothered recycling the substance or using it judiciously.
Deflated values also mean that natural gas extractors see no reason to capture helium. Much is
lost in the process of extraction. As Sobotka notes: "[t]he government had the good vision to store
helium, and the question now is: Will the corporations have the vision to capture it when extracting
natural gas, and consumers the wisdom to recycle? This takes long-term vision because present
market forces are not sufficient to compel prudent practice”. For Nobel-prize laureate Robert
Richardson, the U.S. government must be prevailed upon to repeal its privatisation policy as the
country supplies over 80 per cent of global helium, mostly from the National Helium Reserve. For
Richardson, a twenty- to fifty-fold increase in prices would provide incentives to recycle.
F) A number of steps need to be taken in order to avert a costly predicament in the coming
decades. Firstly, all existing supplies of helium ought to be conserved and released only by permit,
with medical uses receiving precedence over other commercial or recreational demands.
Secondly, conservation should be obligatory and enforced by a regulatory agency. At the moment
59 Reading
some users, such as hospitals, tend to recycle diligently while others, such as NASA, squander
massive amounts of helium. Lastly, research into alternatives to helium must begin in earnest.
Questions 1 –5
Reading passage 3 has six paragraphs, A–F.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
1. a use for helium which makes an activity safer

2. the possibility of creating an alternative to helium
3. a term which describes the process of how helium is taken out of the ground
4. a reason why users of helium do not make efforts to conserve it
5. a contrast between helium’s chemical properties and how non-scientists think about it
60 Reading
WRITING
Unit 1 THE FORMAT OF IELTS ACADEMIC WRITING TEST
Task 1: In task one, the participants are asked to describe a graph, a diagram, a map or a chart. They have to
summarize the information presented in the diagram in their own words. They might be asked to identify the
main features or describe the stages of a process. They have to write at least 150 words for this task, just like
the writing task in the general training. It’s best to spend no more than 20 minutes on Task 1 to leave
enough time for Task 2.
Task 2: In the second task, candidates are asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument
or problem. The topics are usually suitable for people at university level, and the candidates have to write in
an academic and formal style. They need to use at least 250 words and must support the argument with
applicable examples. The task 2 is worth twice as much as task 1.
Tips to Prepare for and Pass the IELTS Writing Test

Before the Exam
1. If possible, ask people who have already passed the test for advice on areas to focus on and the topic
trends of the exam. You can also get past IELTS Writing Test questions to familiarize yourself with the
test. Also, try to get IELTS self-study books or attend a course.
2. Try to focus more on making what you write understandable. If the examiner fails to understand your
writing, then you have not communicated your ideas and that can deprive you from getting a high score.
3. You need to use words and phrases efficaciously to score high. You won’t score high if you use them
obscurely or unusually or if you place them wrongly.
4. Try to imagine and develop different kinds of ideas and opinions on all the common topics in former
tests. Study your course book, read newspapers, watch videos on YouTube, listen to news and make
ideas book.
5. You need to memorize a lot of vocabulary items to score high. Find some useful words / phrases and
familiarize yourself with them until you are able to use them meaningfully in your writings. Also, make
sure you are using them correctly. Then keep at it and try more words.
During the Exam

1. One golden rule you need to follow is “Do not spend more than 20 minutes on task 1”. You need to have
enough time for task 2 in order to score high. This is because Task 2 carries more weight.
2. Sometimes, you might not fully understand the question. If this happens, do no panic. Just make sure you
read the question again and again. If you really, really, really find it difficult to understand the question,
be calm still. Just take the most reasonable guess you have reached and clarify yourself in the
introduction. It will be easier for the reader to understand and he/she will get where you are coming from.
If you write a very good piece, you will get a nice score.
3. To get a good score, try and scribble your main ideas. Make a very quick plan on how you are going to
write the essay. This will make your writing look more organized and you will easily express yourself.
There are many marks awarded for neat and organized work. It will be very hard if you try to plan while
writing.
4. When you reach the end of your writing, and you immediately think of a very good idea that you should
have put in, say the second paragraph, don’t try and put everything in the conclusion. In order to get the
mark for the idea, after writing the conclusion, leave a space and then put down your awesome idea.
After putting it down, link the separate idea with a long arrow to where it’s supposed to be in the essay.
1 Writing
5. Take time to study well and rest when necessary. You can take a break once in a week to avoid being
bored. Also, absorb English whenever you can, watch videos, TV, and listen to radios; and you will
surely get a good score.
Exercise 1
1. You have to answer two tasks in the writing test. True False
2. There are more marks for Task 1 than there are for Task 2. True False
3. You should spend more time on Task 1 than Task 2. True False
4. In Task 1, you have to write about a graph or a diagram. True False
5. In Task 2, you may give your own opinion. True False
6. You have to write more for Task 1 than you do for Task 2. True False
Tips for the Academic Writing test - Task 1

 Read the question carefully and make sure you understand the graph, chart, table, diagram or map. Be
clear about what you are describing.
 Write a short introduction by paraphrasing the question (i.e. rewrite the question in your own words).
 Be sure to give a summary (i.e. look at the big picture – what’s happening overall. There’s no need to
mention any numbers in this part.)
 Try to use a variety of sentence structures and vocabulary.
 Separate your paragraphs.
 Choose the key information to describe or compare.
 Make comparisons where you can. Avoid simply stating what is in the question.
 Describe specific details. Use the numbers in the chart, table or graph to help you describe the ideas..
 Divide your main description into 2 paragraphs. This will help you to have a clear structure and
organization; especially important when the question has two separate diagrams, tables or maps.
A couple of things to avoid:

 You don’t need to mention every single detail and a lot of numbers.
 Giving reasons or sharing your opinions - the question will not ask you to do this.
2 Writing
Exercise 2 – Task 1 or Task 2
Decide whether these sentences come from Task 1 or Task 2 questions.
1. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons
where relevant. a. task 1 b. task 2
2. The graphs below give information about computer ownership as a percentage of the population
between 2002 and 2010. a. task 1 b. task 2
3. Write at least 250 words. a. task 1 b. task 2
4. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? a. task 1 b. task 2
5. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or
experience. a. task 1 b. task 2
6. You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. a. task 1 b. task 2
IELTS Task 1
How to Write an Overview
An overview is simply a summary of the main or most important points in a graph, chart, process or
map. It is normally 2-3 sentences long (by picking out 3-4 of the most significant things) and should be the
second paragraph you write in your essay. Here you do not have to support anything you see with data from
the graph or chart. It also influences what you write in the rest of your essay. An overview is one of the first
things an examiner looks for because it shows them that you can identify the most important information
from the graph or chart and clearly identify overall trends and comparisons.
Question for Task 1:

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where
relevant.
Look at the example:
Overall, we notice that there

are 7 regions. Europe, Asia-
Pacific and North America
make up the majority, with
North America being the
largest. Africa, India, Latin
America and China make up
a very small proportion.
3 Writing
We can then include the information in the Read Me box in an overview paragraph.
‘The pie chart is comprised of 7 regions in total with Europe, Asia-Pacific and North
America making up the vast majority of global wealth. North America has the single biggest
share and Africa, India, Latin America and China combined, only make up a small
proportion.’
As you can see, individual fractions or percentages are not included. In fact, no features are supported with
data. Instead, we can just report what we can see visually in general terms, without looking closely at the
data.
Look at another example:
As you can see, the graph is dynamic because it shows data over a period of time. We should, therefore,
look at the general trend over the time period.
First, we should look at what happened from the start (2011) to the end (2014). From the start to the end
both lines increased. Then we should look at any other general trends for each of the two lines. We can see
the blue line (women) goes up until 2013 and then goes down a little. The green line (men) goes up slightly
and then has a very large increase between 2012 and 2014.
If we look at the official marking scheme, we can see that the word ‘overview’ is mentioned three times:
Task Achievement
Band 5 Band 6 Band 7
Recounts detail mechanically with Presents an overview with Presents a clear overview
no clear overview; there may be no information appropriately of main trends, differences
data to support the description. selected or stages
4 Writing
This means that, to get at least a 5 for task achievement, candidates must give some kind of overview. If
they do not give any overview, they will always get below a 5. If they select the appropriate data to include
in their overview, they get a score of 6 and if it is ‘clear’, they get a 7 for this part of the exam.
How to Write an Overview / How do I select the correct features?
There are generally two different kinds of charts and graphs: dynamic and static. Dynamic charts show
data over time and static charts show data at just one point in time. This will affect the type of data we
select.
Let’s look at the dynamic chart above:
The graph is dynamic because it shows data over a period of time. We should, therefore, look at the general
trend over the time period.
First, we should look at what happened from the start (2011) to the end (2014). From the start to the end,
both lines increased. Then we should look at any other general trends for each of the two lines. We can see
the blue line (women) goes up until 2013 and then goes down a little. The green line (men) goes up slightly
and then has a very large increase between 2012 and 2014.
Let’s put this most striking or most obvious information into sentences:
‘Over the entire time period, the number of men and women reading books increased.
Women saw a steady increase between 2011 and 2013 before declining in
2014, while men increased gradually at first before rocketing up in the last two years.’
When we are looking at dynamic graphs we should be looking out for:
 What the data does from the start to the finish.
 Whether they generally go up or down or whether they fluctuate.
 Any significant difference from the general trend.
 Overall increase/decrease?
 Peaks/lows?
Now let’s look at a static chart:
This chart is different from the last one because there are no dates to look at; it is data from just one point in
time. We cannot, therefore talk about general trends over time.
Instead we are more concerned about comparing the data between the different sources. In this case, we will
be comparing the data between countries.
5 Writing
The first thing we notice is that all countries are below 400k, except two of them. Switzerland and Australia
are the biggest and Singapore and the U.K. are the smallest. Switzerland has almost double the average.
There isn’t a significant amount of difference between the bottom 6 countries.
Now turn the information into an overview:
‘The graph compares eight countries, with only a small amount of difference between
the bottom 6. Australia and Switzerland have the highest average
wealth, with Switzerland averaging nearly double the value of the two bottom
countries.’
When we look at static graphs we should be looking for:
 What the highest/lowest values are.
 What the most noticeable differences are.
 Any similarities?
 Any significant exceptions?
How does an overview fit into the rest of my essay?
 The overview should be the second paragraph of a four paragraph structure:
 Paragraph 1- Paraphrase Sentence
 Paragraph 2- Overview
 Paragraph 3- Details
 Paragraph 4- Details
Task 1 Structure
IELTS Writing Task 1 Graph
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The line graph below shows changes in the amount and type of fast food consumed by Australian
teenagers from 1975 to 2000.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons
where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
6 Writing
There are three basic things you need in order to structure an IELTS writing task 1.
1. Introduce the graph 2. Give an overview 3. Give the detail
1. Introduce the Graph

You need to begin with one or two sentences that state what the IELTS writing task 1 shows. To do this,
paraphrase the title of the graph, making sure you put in a time frame if there is one.
Here is an example for the above line graph:
The line graph illustrates the amount of fast food consumed by teenagers in Australia between 1975
and 2000, a period of 25 years.
You need to write the same thing as the title, but in a different way.
2. Give an Overview
You also need to state what the main trend or trends in the graph are. Don’t give detail such as data here –
you are just looking for something that describes what is happening overall.
One thing that stands out in this graph is that one type of fast food fell over the period, whilst the other two
increased, so this would be a good overview. Here is an example:
Overall, the consumption of fish and chips declined over the period, whereas the amount of
pizza and hamburgers that were eaten increased.
This covers the main changes that took place over the whole period.
You may sometimes see this overview as a conclusion. It does not matter if you put it in the conclusion or
the introduction when you do an IELTS writing task 1, but you should provide an overview in one of these
places.
3. Give the Detail

You can now give more specific detail in the body paragraphs.
The key to organizing your body paragraphs for an IELTS writing task 1 is to group data together where
there are patterns.
To do this, you need to identify any similarities and differences.
Look at the graph – what things are similar and what things are different?
As we have already identified in the overview, the consumption of fish and chips declined over the period,
whereas the amount of pizza and hamburgers that were eaten increased.
Therefore, it is clear that pizza and hamburgers were following a similar pattern, but fish and chips were
different. On this basis, you can use these as your ‘groups’, and focus one paragraph on fish and chip and
the other one on pizza and hamburgers.
Here is an example of the first paragraph:
In 1975, the most popular fast food with Australian teenagers was fish and chips, being eaten 100
times a year. This was far higher than pizza and hamburgers, which were consumed
approximately 5 times a year. However, apart from a brief rise again from 1980 to 1985, the
consumption of fish and chips gradually declined over the 25 year timescale to finish at just
under 40 times per year.
As you can see, the focus is on fish and chips. This does not mean you should not mention the other two
foods, as you should still make comparisons of the data as asks the question.
7 Writing
The second body then focuses on the other foods:
In sharp contrast to this, teenagers ate the other two fast foods at much higher levels. Pizza
consumption increased gradually until it overtook the consumption of fish and chips in 1990.
It then leveled off from 1995 to 2000. The biggest rise was seen in hamburgers, increasing
sharply throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s, exceeding fish and chips consumption in 1985. It
finished at the same level that fish and chips began, with consumption at 100 times a year.
Exercise 3.
Comparing and Contrasting
In Task 1, it is useful to use language which signposts your explanation (i.e. lets the reader know what you
are describing).
Choose the correct words or phrases to complete the signposting sentences which are making a
comparison or showing contrast.
Q 1.Giving an overview
The overall trend of the graph shows that there are _____ women than men studying engineering. (TWO
CORRECT ANSWERS)
a. more b. fewer c. few
Q 2. Introducing the main details
Starting with Table 1, it can be seen that a _____ number of cars was driven by people in the USA than
in Brazil.
a. higher b. high c. highest
Q 3. Comparing two details using numbers
In the year 2006, the number of road users in the USA and Switzerland were 153 million and 7 million
_____.
a. respectively b. separately c. in respect
Q 4. Giving contrasting data
It is noticeable that the 60-75 age group reads more than 3 times the amount per day than the 20-30 age
group. _____, the 20-30 age group spends 4 times more time than the 60-75 age group on the internet.
(TWO CORRECT ANSWERS)
a. By contrast b. However c. In contrast
Q 5. Describing a major trend
A major point of interest is that walking was _____ than cycling.
a. popular b. more popular c. most popular
Q 6. Moving on to another point
Turning to transport, it can be seen that the _____ popular mode of transport out of all those shown in the
pie chart was buses.
a. less b. lesser c. least
8 Writing
Q 7. Noting a significant detail
The year 2013 has _____ the highest amount of rainfall.
a. by far b. far c. farthest
Q 8. Comparing maps
In 2009, considerable changes took place in the park with a (n) _____ number of tennis courts than
before.
(TWO CORRECT ANSWERS)
a. greater b. larger c. increase
Task 1 Vocabulary
Verb Tense: The Simple Present Tense (Subject + Verb1):
We use the Simple Present to talk about general, permanent, repeated actions or habitual action e.g.
The data shows that higher levels of education correspond to higher levels of computer ownership.
The Simple Past Tense (Subject + Verb2): We use the Simple Past Tense to show past actions that
have no connection with the present. In order to describe trends shown in graphs or charts, you may need
to use the past simple quite a lot because in this part you report on situations that happened in the past.
Look at the following examples:
There were also considerable increases….
Graduates proved to have the greatest level of ownership in 2010.
Exercise 4: Use the Present Simple Tense or the Past Simple Tense in the following sentences.
1. Between January and March, the profit__________________ (rise) by 10%.
2. I _______________(exercise) every other day, but I ____________(not like) going to sports
competitions.
3. They _________________ (produce) twice the amount of cars in June.
4. The graphs ___________(show) how the total number of students __________(change) in the past 5
years.
5. Hungary _________________ (account for) 10% of the students involved in the competition.
6. Alan was watching a movie when I _________________________ (arrive).
Examples: The consumption of fish and chips declined over the period.
This was far higher than pizza and hamburgers…
The consumption of fish and chips gradually declined over the 25 years…..
Pizza consumption increased gradually until it …… The biggest rise was seen in hamburgers.
Discourse Markers: However, and, also, but, whereas, both
9 Writing
Differences & Similarities:
Exercise 5:
a. Match the words (1-10) with their meanings (a-j)
Words Meaning Words Meaning
1. show ____a. considerable 6. increase ____f. unimportant
2. steady ____b. illustrate 7. fall ____g. minor
3. significant ____c. gradual/ regular 8. small ____h. decline
4. respectively ____d. important 9. slight ____i. rise
5. substantial ____e. correspondingly 10. insignificant ____j. a bit / a little
b. Match the words that go together (collocation).
1. considerable ____a. recovery 6. computer ____f. level
2. fell ____b. steadily 7. educational ____g. percent
3. rose ____c. increase 8. college ____h. ownership
4. slight ____d. dramatically 9. 15 ____i. Two percentage points
5. increased ____e. significantly 10. interest rate fell ____j. education
10 Writing
Date, month & year related Vocabulary
 Between ...(year/ month)... and ...(year/ month)...
 From ...(year/ month/ day/date)... to ...(year/ month/day/date)...
 In ...(year/ month)...
 On ...(day/ day of the week/ a date)...
 At ......, In ......, By ......
 During ... (year)...
 Over the period/ over the century/ later half of the year / year...
 Over the next/ past/ previous ........ days/ weeks/ months/ years/ decades...
11 Writing
Exercise 6: IELTS WRITING TASK 1

The graphs below give information about computer ownership as a percentage of the population
between 2002 and 2010, and by level of education for the years 2002 and 2010.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons
where relevant.
(Write at least 150 words.)
12 Writing
Unit 2 TASK 2-QUESTION TYPES AND ESSAY STRUCTURES
The essay structures and its sentences vary depending on the type of question. A four-paragraph
structure is the most common, and the easiest to adapt to different questions. The most common IELTS
Writing Task 2 structures are outlined below.
The five most common IELTS Writing Task 2 questions are:
1. Opinion (Agree or Disagree)
2. Advantages and Disadvantages
3. Problem and Solution
4. Discussion (Discuss both views)
5. Two-part Question
Before you take the test, you need to practice using the structure, so you can plan your essay quickly on the
day of the test. Here are some possible question types and four-paragraph structures to match:
Examples and Structures for each Type of Question
1. Opinion Questions (Agree or Disagree)
Typical Question Words – What is your opinion? Do you agree or disagree? To what extent do you
agree or disagree?
Example Question: Some people believe that unpaid community service should be a compulsory part
of high school programs (for example working for a charity, improving the neighborhood or teaching
sports to younger children). To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement??
Structure
Introduction
Sentence 1- Paraphrase Question
Sentence 2- Thesis Statement (It is agreed…/It is disagreed…/This essay agrees/disagrees…)
Sentence 3- Outline Sentence (This essay will discuss….)
Main Body Paragraph 1
Sentence 1- Topic Sentence (Why you agree)
Sentence 2- Explain Topic Sentence
Sentence 3- Example
Sentence 1- Topic Sentence (Why you disagree)
Sentence 2- Explain Topic Sentence
Sentence 3- Example
Conclusion
Sentence 1- summarize your argument / opinion
Note: when the question asks ‘to what extent’, you can agree or disagree in both main body paragraphs.
13 Writing
Exercise 1. Read the essay below and underline the paraphrased question, the thesis statement, the
outline sentence, the topic sentences in body paragraphs and the examples.
Sample Answer
It is argued that volunteering should be made part of the school curriculum. This essay agrees with that
suggestion completely because of the benefits it brings to pupils. The essay will first look at how voluntary
work can help students develop soft skills and then discuss how these extracurricular activities are valued by
universities and employers.
Education should not be limited to strictly academic pursuits and those in education should also develop life
skills. For example, they should learn teamwork, empathy and self-discipline, and one of the best ways to
hone these aptitudes is through community service. Serving those less fortunate than ourselves teaches us
many lessons including how to work with people from other backgrounds and the value of hard work. For
example, I personally volunteered to spend 6 weeks in Africa teaching disadvantaged children and this led
to a much higher work ethic when I returned to my studies.
Many colleges and companies are also increasingly looking for this type of experience. Most school leavers
have the same grades and charitable works can help set you apart from the herd. For example, Cambridge
and Oxford receive thousands of applications from straight-A students every year and can only accept a
small percentage of applicants. What you have done outside the classroom is often the thing that
differentiates you from everyone else and gets you that coveted spot.
In conclusion, teenagers should be made to partake in unpaid work as part of their schooling because it will
help them learn things they wouldn’t ordinarily learn from their teachers. It will also boost their chances of
getting into third level education.
2. Advantages and Disadvantages Questions
Typical Question Words: Discuss the advantages and disadvantages. Discuss the advantages and
disadvantages and give your own opinion.
Example Question: Computers are being used more and more in education. Discuss the advantages and
disadvantages and give your own opinion.
Structure
Introduction
Sentence 2- Thesis Statement
Sentence 2- Outline Sentence
Sentence 1- State Advantages
Sentence 2- Expand/Explain Advantage
Sentence 3- Example
Sentence 4- Result
Sentence 1- State Disadvantages
Sentence 2- Expand/Explain Disadvantage
Sentence 3- Example
Sentence 4- Result
Conclusion
Sentence 1- Summarize your opinion in a different way from the introduction
Sentence 2- Opinion
14 Writing
outline sentence, the topic sentences in the body paragraphs, the examples and the result sentence.
Sample Answer
It is argued that technology is playing an ever increasing role in schools and universities. Some people have
claimed that this is highly beneficial, while others think it has many negative aspects that can be dangerous
to teenagers. This essay will, firstly, discuss student freedom as one of the main advantages of this and
secondly, outline decreasing levels of face to face contact as one of the main disadvantages.
One of the principle advantages of an increase in the use of electronic devices in education is the autonomy
it provides students. Students have the freedom to focus on whatever topic or subject they want and study in
depth through the internet. A prime example of this is the amount of online university courses available to
students, covering a myriad of subjects, that up until recently were unavailable to most learners. This has
resulted in more people studying third level degrees than ever before, at a pace and schedule that suits them.
The main disadvantage associated with increasing use of technology in education is the decrease in face to
face interaction between students. Students spend more time looking at computer screens by themselves
than interacting with each other. For instance, the recent explosion in smart phone use has been at the
expense of genuine human interaction. This results in soft skills, such as verbal communication and
empathy, being affected.
In conclusion, the benefits technology brings to education, such as student autonomy, must be weighed
against the drawbacks e.g. negative effects on human interaction. Overall, the educational benefits outweigh
the disadvantages because human beings will always want human contact and most people will not solely
use IT for education.
3. Problem and Solution Questions
Typical Question Words: Problem and solution / Cause and solution
Example Question: Students are becoming more and more reliant on computers. What are some of the
problems associated with reliance on computers, and what are some of the possible solutions?
Structure
Introduction
Sentence 1- State Problems
Sentence 2- Explain problems
Sentence 3- Result
Sentence 4- Example
Sentence 1- State Solutions
Sentence 2- Explain Solutions
Sentence 3- Example
Conclusion
Sentence 1- Summary
Sentence 2- Recommendation or Prediction
15 Writing
4. Discuss Both Views Question (Discussion Essay)
Typical Question Words: Discuss both points of view and give your opinion.
Example Question: 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 sides of this
argument and then give your own opinion.
Structure
Introduction
Sentence 1- Paraphrase Question and/or state both view points.
Sentence 1- State the first viewpoint
Sentence 2- Discuss the first viewpoint
Sentence 3- Reason why you agree or disagree with a viewpoint
Sentence 4- Example to support your view
Sentence 1- State the second viewpoint
Sentence 2- Discuss the second viewpoint
Sentence 3- Reason why you agree or disagree with a viewpoint
Sentence 4- Example to support your view
Conclusion
Sentence 1- Summary
Sentence 2- State which one is better or more important
Exercise 3. Read the essay below and underline the paraphrase question, the thesis statement, the
outline sentence, the topic sentences in the body paragraphs, the reasons for agreeing and disagreeing
and examples.
Sample Answer
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, while 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.
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.
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.
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 these new phenomena 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.
16 Writing
5. Two-Part Questions
Typical Question Words

There will normally be a statement and they will then ask you to answer to separate questions.
Example Question: As most people spend a major part of their adult life at work, job satisfaction is an
important element of individual wellbeing. What factors contribute to job satisfaction? How realistic is the
expectation of job satisfaction for all workers?
Structure
Introduction
Sentence 2- Outline Sentence (give an overall answer to both questions / mention both questions)
Sentence 1- Answer first question directly
Sentence 2- Explain why
Sentence 3- Further explain
Sentence 4- Example
Sentence 1- Answer second question directly
Sentence 2- Explain why
Sentence 3- Further explain
Sentence 4- Example
Conclusion
Sentence 1- Summarize both answers
outline sentence, the topic sentences in the body paragraphs, and the examples.
Sample Answer
As the majority of adults spend most of their time at work, being content with your career is a crucial part of
a person’s health and happiness. There are various factors that affect job satisfaction, but it seems difficult
to make all the workers happy. This essay will first discuss which elements lead to job satisfaction and it
will then address the question of how likely it is that everyone can be happy with their job.
The two most important things that lead to someone being satisfied at work are being treated with respect by
managers and being compensated fairly. If those more senior than you respect you as a person and the job
you are doing then you feel like you are valued. A fair salary and benefits are also important considerations
because if you feel you are being underpaid you will either resent your bosses or look for another job. There
two factors came top of a recent job satisfaction survey conducted by Monster.com, that found that 72% of
people were pleased with their current role if their superiors regularly told them they were appreciated.
With regards to the question of happiness for all workers, I think this is and always will be highly unlikely.
The vast majority of people fail to reach their goals and end up working in a post they don’t really care
about in return for a salary. This money is just enough to pay their living expenses which often means they
are trapped in a cycle of disenchantment. For example, The Times recently reported that 89% of office
workers would leave their jobs if they did not need the money.
17 Writing
In conclusion, being satisfied with your trade or profession is an important part of one’s wellbeing and
respect from one’s colleagues and fair pay can improve your level of happiness; however, job satisfaction of
all workers is an unrealistic prospect.
Can One Get a Band 8 or 9 Following these Structures?
Nobody can give you a structure that guarantees you a high score. Your score is dependent on
how good your grammar and vocabulary is and how well you answer the question. A good
structure will help you answer the question to some extent and boost your score for coherence
and cohesion, but you must use relevant ideas and use these ideas well to answer the question.
Practice
Exercise 5. Here is a sample answer but the sentences are mixed up. Can you match the sentences
below to the structure above? This exercise will help you understand the structure.
1. In conclusion, while the benefits of technology, particularly the internet, allow students to tap into
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. __________________
2. There is an ever increasing use of technology, such as tablets and laptops, in the classroom. ___________
3. It is clear that the internet has provided students with access to more information than ever before. _____
4. 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.____________________
5. However, many disagree and feel that technology deprives people of real human interaction.
___________
6. Human interaction teaches people valuable skills such as discourse, debate and empathy. _____________
7. Despite this, human interaction is still possible through the internet and this essay disagrees technology
should be dismissed for this reason. ________________
8. This essay agrees that an increase in technology is beneficial to students and teachers. This essay will
discuss both points of view. ____________________
9. For instance, Skype and Facebook make it possible for people to interact in ways that were never before
possible. ___________________
10. Wikipedia is a prime example, where students can simply type in any keyword and gain access to in-
depth knowledge quickly and easily. _________________
11. However, as long as we are careful to keep in mind the importance of human interaction in education,
the educational benefits are clearly positive. _________________
12. It is often argued that this is a positive development, whilst others disagree and think it will lead
to adverse ramifications. ________________________
18 Writing
How to Understand and Analyze an IELTS Writing Task 2 Question
One of the main reasons students fail to get the score they deserve in writing task 2 is not analyzing the
question effectively. If you have great grammar and vocabulary but you do not read and analyze the
question properly, you may lose the track and get low score. It is very important to read carefully to
understand what the examiner wants you to write.
Students sometimes misunderstand the question because they do not recognize which type of question it is.
The five most common IELTS Writing Task 2 questions are:
1. Opinion (Agree or Disagree) 3. Problem and Solution 5. Two-part Question

2. Advantages and Disadvantages 4. Discussion (Discuss both view)
These 3 easy steps are simply identifying three easy things:
1. The topic words 2. The micro-topic words and 3. The instruction words
What do questions normally look like?

It is a good idea to at least have a look at the different types of questions that normally come up in this part
of the exam. The question will always start off with one or two statements. It will then give a set of
instructions that will differ from question to question.
1. Identify the Topic Words
Each essay will be about a general topic and we must identify this first. Look at an example question:
The internet allows us to stay connected with each other no matter where we are. On the other hand,
it also isolates us and encourages people not to socialize.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answers and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or
experience.
The topic word here is obviously ‘The Internet’. Many students will simply write generally about the topic
and this is how you lose marks. It is fine to write about the topic, but it is must be linked to the rest of the
question. This is where ‘micro-topic’ words come in.
2. Identify Micro-Topic Words
These words define the question and tell you which particular part of the main topic the question would like
you to discuss and what the examiner is looking for. They often give an opinion or qualify the statement in
some way. Look at the example question again:
it also isolates us and encourages people not to socialize. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
19 Writing
experience.
We should only include things in our essay that are relevant to the words underlined above. If we discuss
anything else, such as how the internet helps us study, how it is dangerous for children, the history of the
internet or how the internet is used for entertainment, then you are not being relevant.
3. Identify Instruction Words
The next stage is looking to see what the examiner wants us to do. They could ask us to give an opinion, or
evaluate the advantages and disadvantages or present problems and solutions. Let’s look at our
example question again:
it also isolates us and encourages people not to socialize.
experience.
We can clearly see that this is ‘an agree or disagree’ question and we therefore must follow this format or
we will lose marks. We should also give reasons and include some relevant arguments backed up by
examples and supporting information. This will also keep you focused throughout the essay and you
should refer back to it from time to time to make sure you are staying within what the question asks.
20 Writing
Exercise 6. Have a look at this example question below and identify the following:
1. The topic words; 2. The micro-topic words and 3. The instruction words
Question: Women and men are commonly seen as having different strengths and weaknesses. Is it
right to exclude males or females from certain professions because of their gender?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or
experience.
Topic Words: __________________________________________________________________________
The Micro-topic Words: ________________________________________________________________
The Instruction words: __________________________________________________________________
Exercise 7. Do you think the examiner wants you to discuss men and women’s strengths and
weaknesses or something else? Comment below with your answers.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
IELTS Writing Task 2 How to Write an Introduction

Common Problems
1. Talking too Generally about the Topic: Most of these essays start off with ‘Nowadays……’ or ‘In
modern life….’ followed by general information about the topic. In my opinion, this is the worst start you
can possibly make. Remember that you are supposed to answer the question not write generally about the
topic.
2. Not Including a Thesis Statement: This is the most important sentence in the essay. Not including one
will make you lose marks in several different ways.
3. Not Outlining What You are Going to Do: If you don’t include a sentence outlining what your essay
will say, the examiner doesn’t really know what you are going to write about in the rest of your essay. This
will also make you lose marks.
4. Trying to Write a ‘Hook’ or Be Entertaining: Remember this is an IELTS exam, not a university
essay. There are no extra points for being interesting. This will help you avoid ‘flowery’ language.
5. Using an Informal Style: Know your audience. You are expected to write in an academic style.
Good and Bad Examples

Question: There is a good deal of evidence that increasing car use is contributing to global warming
and having other undesirable effects on people’s health and well-being.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
21 Writing
Good Introduction
Rising global temperatures and human health and fitness issues are often viewed as being caused by the
expanding use of automobiles. This essay agrees that increasing use of motor vehicles is contributing to
rising global temperatures and certain health issues. Firstly, this essay will discuss the production of
greenhouse gases by vehicles and secondly, it will discuss other toxic chemicals released by internal
combustion engines.
Bad Introduction
Nowadays, cars are a very popular way of getting around. Day by day many more people drive cars around
but others feel that they cause global warming. Global warming is one of the most serious issues in modern
life. They also affect people’s health and well-being which is also a serious issue.
As you can see the bad example talks about the topic very generally, copies words and phrases from the
question and doesn’t include a thesis statement or outline statement.
Structure of a Good Introduction
An IELTS writing task 2 opinion essay should have three sentences and these three sentences should be:
1. Paraphrase question 2. Thesis statement 3. Outline statement
1. Paraphrase Question: Paraphrasing means stating the question again, but with different words, so that it
has the same meaning. We do this by using synonyms and flipping the order of the sentences around.
Paraphrase: Rising global temperatures and human health and fitness issues are often viewed as being
caused by the expanding use of automobiles.
The synonyms used are:
Word Synonym Word Synonym
increasing expanding global warming- rising global temperatures
car use use of automobiles people’s health and well-being- human health and fitness
2. Thesis Statement: A thesis statement is the most important sentence that contains the main idea of the
essay. It is put forward for consideration, especially to be discussed or analyzed. A thesis statement is part
of the introduction and each introduction should have one; along with a paraphrase of the question and an
outline statement.
A thesis statement is your main idea and how you feel about the whole issue in one sentence. It tells the
examiner that you have understood the question and will lead to a clearer; more coherent essay.
Let’s look at an example of a thesis statement:
and having other undesirable effects on people’s health and well-being. To what extent do you agree
or disagree?
22 Writing
Thesis statement: This essay agrees that increasing use of motor vehicles is contributing to rising global
temperatures and certain health issues.
As you can see, this sentence makes it absolutely clear to the examiner how you feel about the question. The
rest of your essay should support this statement. You will have to practice summing up your opinion in one
sentence. It should also address the micro-keywords and not the topic in general.
You should start your thesis statement with:
This essay agrees that….. or this essay disagrees that….. (Opinion essays)
The main cause(s) of this issue is….. (Causes and solutions)
The principal advantage(s) is (xxxx) and the main disadvantage is (xxxxx).(Advantage and disadvantages)
For a discussion (of two points of view) essay, you should state both points of view clearly.
3. Outline Statement
Here you will tell the examiner what you will discuss in the main body paragraphs. In other words, you will
outline what the examiner will read in the rest of the essay. This should be one sentence only.
Example:
Outline statement: Firstly, this essay will discuss the production of greenhouse gases by vehicles and
secondly, it will discuss other toxic chemicals released by internal combustion engines.
The outline tells what the main body paragraphs will contain. You should have only one main idea per
paragraph. In this essay, there will be two main body paragraphs, so only two things are mentioned in the
outline statement.
Main body paragraph 1- production of greenhouse gases by cars.
Main body paragraph 2- toxic chemical produced by car engines.
For ‘advantages and disadvantages’ essays and ‘problem and solution essays’, you could write something
like this:
Advantages and disadvantages: This essay will first discuss the (main advantage(s)) followed by an
analysis of the (main disadvantage(s)).
Problem and Solution: This essay will analyze the principal problem(s) and offer solutions to this issue.
Final Example - Introduction

Question: Learning to manage money is one of the key aspects to adult life. How in your view can
individuals best learn to manage their money?
Good answer: One of the keys to adulthood is appreciating how to budget your finances. It is clear that the
best way someone can learn this, is by managing money during childhood. Firstly, the essay will discuss the
importance of parental involvement during childhood and secondly, the essay will look at the importance of
having a part time job during childhood.
23 Writing
Language for Suggestions / Possibility / Obligation
Modal verbs such as must, should, ought to, have to will can and could are often used to make suggestions
for solving a problem.
Governments must/have to/need to take action to tackle global warming. (strong obligation)
Parents should/ought to stop their children from watching too much television. (Strong suggestion)
Individuals could recycle more. (possibility)
Hypothetical Situations: It is common to use would and could to discuss hypothetical situations.
If the government spent more money on hospitals, people would be healthier.
Exercise 8. Complete the sentences with suitable modal: must (not), have to, should, will, can and
could.
1. Individuals and governments ______________ work together to improve their citizens' diet and fitness.
2. People ___________________ do regular exercise to reduce the risk of heart disease.
3. You __________ buy a ticket before you get on the plane.
3. People _______________prepare their own foods, and consume more fruit and vegetables.
4. They _______________ also choose to walk up stairs instead of taking the lift.
5. These simple changes ______________________ lead to a significant improvement in fitness levels.
5. Governments __________ also implement initiatives to improve their citizens' eating and exercise habits.
6. This essay ________ discuss the reasons the government __________ take to decrease waste production.
7. According to university rules, students _______________ use mobile phones in exam rooms.
12. You _______________ arrive on time, or the teacher will mark you absent.
13. You _______________ do your homework every day.
14. The government ________________ spend more money on education.
15. The government ___________ also make some rules to reduce waste.
Conditional 1: If + S + V1 (the Present Simple) – S +will/can + V1 (the Future Simple)
If the government invests to educate people, they will handle this problem
Present Perfect: S + have / has + V3
If the past actions have no connection with the present, we use the simple past. However, if the action
happened in the past but it has some kind of impact on the present, or if it continues into the present,
we need to use the present perfect.
I haven’t eaten breakfast yet. I’m starving. The use of plastic items has become very common.
(These are past actions but they have an obvious impact on the present e.g. the speaker is now hungry.)
Present Perfect Continuous: S + have / has + been + V-ing e.g. I have been waiting here since 10 a.m.
This is the Present Perfect Continuous because the action started in the past but is continuing into the
present, when the speaker is still waiting.
24 Writing
IELTS TASK 2
Making an Outline:
Q 9. Read the question below and make an essay outline and then write about 250 words.
Nowadays, we are producing more and more waste. What are the causes of this? What can be
done to help reduce the amount of waste?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or
knowledge.
You should write at least 250 words.
Introduction
Sentence 1- Paraphrase Question __________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Sentence 1_____________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Sentence 2 ____________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Sentence3______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
Sentence 4 _____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
Sentence 1_____________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Sentence 2 ____________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Sentence3______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
Sentence 4 _____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
Conclusion
Sentence 1_____________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
25 Writing
Unit 3 IELTS WRITING TASK 1: CHARTS (TYPES OF CHART)
Describing Charts (another common kind of task 1)

Learning Objectives
 learn about different types of chart
 practice getting information from charts
 learn to recognize static and dynamic charts
 review simple verb tenses for describing charts
IELTS WRITING TASK 1: Charts (Types of Chart)
Exercise 1.
Numbers and statistics can be shown in many different types of chart. Don’t worry too much if you are not
used to reading charts. The charts in the test are usually not complicated. However, you do need to know
how to read and understand these basic chart types:
1. Bar chart 2. Proportional bar chart 3. Pie chart 4. Line graph
a. Match the four types of chart with the charts shown below.
b. Which of the charts show(s)…..?
1. the situation at one point in time. 2. change over time.
3. how a total figure is divided into parts. 4. comparisons for different groups.
5. how one value changes over time. 6. how several values change over time.
Other types include: (1) table (2) comparison diagram (a diagram or map that compares things) and
(3) process diagram (a diagram or map that shows steps in a process).
26 Writing
Understanding Charts
When you attempt IELTS task 1, you should always…
1. read the question twice very carefully, and
2. look at the table or chart very carefully until you are sure what it shows and what it doesn’t show.
There are three important things to look at in a chart before you write:
1. the title of the chart this will tell you what is being shown overall, and it usually gives the time period that
it represents (e.g. 19802000),
2. the titles of the vertical and horizontal axes these will tell you what the units of measurement are (e.g.
centimeters, kilos, Euros) and what groups are being compared, and
3. the key or legend (if there is one) this will tell you what groups or time periods are shown.
[Tip: The titles and labels on the chart also give you useful vocabulary to use in your description]
Exercise 2. Look at this chart and decide if the statements below are true (T) or false (F) according to
the information shown, or if it is impossible to tell (I).
1. The chart shows how many Australians travelled abroad for work between 1992 and 2001. T /F/ I
2. The chart shows the numbers of workers immigrating into Australia between 1992 and 2001. T /F/ I
3. The total number of immigrants into Australia in 1992 was about 54 thousand. T /F/ I
4. The chart compares two types of foreign worker. T /F/ I
5. 40 percent of foreign workers who came to Australia in 1992 were permanent settlers. T /F/ I
6. The total number of permanent foreign workers in Australia in 1995 was about 34 thousand. T /F/ I
7. Just under 15 thousand temporary foreign workers entered Australia in 1992. T /F/ I
8. In 2001 fewer temporary workers arrived than workers who were permanent settlers. T /F/ I
27 Writing
Exercise 3. Understanding Charts
Describing a chart is similar in lots of ways to describing a table of figures. Remember that you have to do
the following when you first look at a table:
1. check dates to see what the time period is 2. check what the units of measurement are
3. decide what the most important information is 4. decide what details are not so important
5. make comparisons between important figures 6. round figures up or down when possible
You should do the same things when you study a chart.
a. Look at the pie chart below and look for all the things in the list above.
b. Now complete the text with phrases, words and numbers from the box.
1991 a fifth a tenth four majority second largest smaller smallest the third largest
three (x2) two thirds
The chart shows the different nationalities that made up the immigrant work force in Australia in 1………...
It’s clear from the chart that there were 2………. main groups of workers: Europeans, Asians and New
Zealanders. Only a relatively small number of workers were from other regions.
The 3…………. of foreign workers came from Europe. In fact, nearly 4…………. of all immigrant workers
were of European origin. The 5………….. group of foreign workers in the labour force were Asians. They
represented just under 6………….. of the immigrant labour force. New Zealanders, who made up almost
7………… of the foreign workforce in that year, were 8………… group.
The number of workers from other nationalities was much 9……………. Workers from North Africa and
the Middle East, for example, were only 10………….. per cent of the whole foreign labour force. The
11………….. nationality group, however, were Americans. These represented only 12………….. per cent
of all foreign workers in Australia in 1991.
28 Writing
Exercise 4. Static and Dynamic Charts
The pie chart in activity 3 showed the situation at one point in time. This kind of chart is called a static
chart. When you describe a static chart, you only need to use simple tenses (present simple or past simple,
for example).
a. Look again at the description you completed in Activity 3 and underline all the verbs in past
simple.
Now look at the chart below. It compares the size of the immigrant workforce in Australia 1991 with that of
2001. In other words, it shows change over time. This kind of chart is sometimes called a dynamic chart. To
describe dynamic charts, you need to use a variety of tenses, such as:
 Simple Past: Between 1991 and 2001, the population increased.
 Past Perfect: By 2001, the population had increased
b. Now complete the description of the chart below by putting the verbs in the correct tense.
The bar chart compares how the immigrant labor force in Australia 1………… (change) between 1991 and
2001. The first thing to note is that the total number of immigrant workers 2………… (increase) over this
period by about 200,000. However, there 3………… (be) other important changes in the makeup of the
immigrant workforce. By 2001, for example, the number of European immigrant workers 4………… (fall)
by almost 200,000. In contrast, the number of all other nationalities in the workforce 5………… (rise). In
1991 the number of Asian workers, for instance, 6………… (stand) at around 380,000. Ten years later, this
figure 7………… (go) up to over 580,000.
29 Writing
More about Dynamic Charts and Verb Tenses
Some dynamic charts, like the one in Activity 4, show a change in values from one time in the past to
another time in the past. Other charts, however, may compare the past with the present.
Occasionally, charts even show predictions about the future. In each case, you need to make sure that you
are using the correct verb tenses to describe the chart. For example, you could use…
Present perfect: The price of oil has risen by €0.10 every month since January.
Present perfect continuous: Average temperatures have been increasing since the beginning of the
century.
Future perfect: The population will have reached sixty million by 2030.
a. Remember that it is important to use the correct time phrases with the tense you are using.
Exercise 5. a. Choose the phrases which can go in the gaps (there may be more than one):
1. ………. prices fell. 3. ………. prices have fallen 5. ………. prices will have fallen.
A. In 2005 A. In 2005 A. In 2015
B. By 2005 B. By 2005 B. By 2015
C. After 2005 C. After 2005 C. After 2015
D. Since 2005 D. Since 2005 D. Since 2015
2. ……prices had fallen. 4. …… prices have been falling.
A. In 2005 A. In 2005
B. By 2005 B. By 2005
C. After 2005 C. After 2005
D. Since 2005 D. Since 2005
b. Now look at the chart below and complete the description with the correct verb tense.
The chart 1……….. (show) the ratio of the population aged 65 and over to the labor force of twelve
different countries, and how this 2……….. (change) by 2020.
It is clear from the chart that in 2000 some countries already had a high ratio. In Italy, for example, the
population aged 65 and over 3……….. (be) over 40% of the size of the working population. Hungary also
30 Writing
4……….. (have) a high ratio in 2000. Its retired population was over 30% the size of its working
population. However, the figure varied a lot between countries. In Turkey and Korea, for example, it
5……….. (be) only just over 10%.
The chart also 6……….. (make) predictions about how this ratio 7……….. (change) in the future. It is
clear that all the countries shown have an aging population. Hungary 8……….. (have) the biggest change.
By 2020 the ratio of retired people to workers9……….. (reach) almost 60%. This is an increase of almost
25%. Even in Korea the ratio 10……….. (increase) to over 30% by 2020.
Language for the Pie Chart

The key language when you write about pie charts is proportions and percentages. You should not keep
repeating the same structures. Common phrases to see are "the proportion of…" or "the percentage of…"
However, you can also use other words and fractions. Here are some examples:
A large number of people over a quarter of people a small minority

A significant number of people less than a fifth
This table presents some examples of how you can change percentages to fractions or ratios:
Percentage Fraction Percentage Fraction

80% fourth-fifth 35% more than a third
75% three-quarter 30% less than a third
70% seven in ten 25% a quarter
65% two-thirds 20% a fifth
60% three-fifths 15% less than a fifth
55% more than half 10% one in ten
45% more than two fifth 5% one in twenty
40% two-fifths
If the percentages are not exact as above, then you This table presents some examples of how you can
can use qualifiers to make sure your description change percentages to other phrases
remains accurate. Here are some examples:
Percentage Qualifier Percentages Proportion/ number/ amount
77% just over three quarters 75% -85% a very large majority
77% approximately three quarters 65% - 75% a significant proportion
49% just under a half 105 – 15% a minority
49% nearly a half 5% a very small number
32% almost a third
31 Writing
32 Writing
IELTS Writing Task 1 Charts Checklist
You should ask yourself 10 quick questions before you write your answer to IELTS writing task 1.
1. What kind of chart is it? (Line, pie, bar)
2. What does the title say about the chart? (Read it carefully)
3. What information is contained on both axes?
4. What are the units of measurements? (Age, %, amount etc.)
5. What groups are compared?
6. What is the time period? (Past, present or future)
7. What is the most obvious thing that the data shows you? (General increase or decrease?)
8. What is the most important or significant piece of information displayed?
9. Can any comparisons be made? (Between groups or charts if more than one)
10. Is it a static chart or dynamic chart? (Static- one time period. Dynamic- over a period of time)
Evaluation Criteria: The examiners are looking for:
1. Task achievement / 2. Coherence and 3. Lexical resource 4. Grammatical range

Task response cohesion and accuracy
Task 1 example: Let’s look at an answer to a Task 1 question on the Academic paper.
For this task, students looked at a bar chart showing changes in average house prices in a number of cities
over time. They were asked to summarize the information and make comparisons.
Here’s the answer:
The illustration presents data on shifts in average home worths between 1990 and 2002 in five various
cities. It is contrasted with the average house prices in 1989. It is clear that there is an erratic pattern of
variation between these periods.
On the average, there is a negative deflection of prices from 1990 to 1995. Sixty percent of the five cities
shows a lower than zero percentage change from the 1989 prices. The involved areas are New York,
London and Tokyo. On the positive side, Madrid and Frankfurt gained an above zero change.
From 1996 to 2002, most of the cities have an average house price above zero. The peak percentage change
was reached with more than ten percent of the marks. Tokyo was the only city with a negative deflection in
this time period.
Among the five places, two cities showed a consistent positive change in the average house prices. On the
other hand, Tokyo remained below negative in a twelve year period. This comprises 10% of the total areas.
In conclusion, the average house prices in the period for 1990 to 2002 is varied. The percentage changes
also differ in comparison from the 1989 prices.
33 Writing
Exercise 6. What do you think about this answer? Look at the criteria below and write your
comments below.
IELTS TASK 1 Writing band descriptors (public version)
Band Task Achievement Coherence and Cohesion Lexical Resource Grammatical Range and
fully satisfies all the uses cohesion in such a uses a wide range of Accuracy
uses a wide range of
requirements of the task way that it attracts no vocabulary with very natural structures with full
9 clearly present a fully attention skillfully and sophisticated control of flexibility and accuracy;
developed response manages paragraphing lexical features; rare minor rare minor errors occur
errors occur only as ‘slips’ only as ‘slips’
covers all requirements ƒ sequences information ƒ uses a wide range of uses a wide range of
of the task sufficiently and ideas logically vocabulary fluently and structures the majority of
ƒ presents, highlights and manages all aspects flexibly to convey precise sentences are error-free
illustrates key of cohesion well uses meanings skillfully use makes only very
features/bullet points paragraphing sufficiently uncommon lexical items but occasional errors or
8 clearly and appropriately and appropriately there may be occasional inappropriacies
inaccuracies in word choice
and collocation produces rare
errors in spelling and/or word
formation
covers the requirements logically organizes uses a sufficient range of uses a variety of complex
of the task (Academic) information and ideas; vocabulary to allow some structures produces
presents a clear overview there is clear progression flexibility and precision uses frequent error-free
of main trends, throughout uses a range less common lexical items sentences has good
7 differences or stages of cohesive devices with some awareness of style control of grammar and
(General Training) appropriately although and collocation may produce punctuation but may make
presents a clear purpose, there may be some under- occasional errors in word a few errors
with the tone consistent /over-use choice, spelling and/or word
and appropriate clearly formation
presents and highlights
key features/bullet points
but could be more fully
extended
addresses the arranges information and uses an adequate range of uses a mix of simple and
requirements of the task, ideas coherently and there vocabulary for the task complex sentence forms
presents an overview is a clear overall attempts to use less common makes some errors in
with appropriately; there progression uses cohesive vocabulary but with some grammar and
may be inconsistencies devices effectively, but inaccuracy makes some punctuation but they
6 in tone presents and cohesion within and/or errors in spelling and/or word rarely reduce
adequately highlights between sentences may formation, but they do not communication
key features/ bullet be faulty or mechanical impede communication
points but details may be may not always use
irrelevant, inappropriate referencing clearly or
or inaccurate appropriately
34 Writing
generally addresses the task; the presents information uses a limited range of uses only a limited range
format may be inappropriate in with some organization vocabulary, but this is of structures attempts
places (Academic) recounts detail but there may be a lack minimally adequate for the complex sentences but
mechanically with no clear of overall progression task may make noticeable these tend to be less
overview; there may be no data to makes inadequate, errors in spelling and/or accurate than simple
support the description (General inaccurate or over- use word formation that may sentences may make
5 Training) may present a purpose of cohesive devices may cause some difficulty for frequent grammatical
for the letter that is unclear at be repetitive because of the reader errors and punctuation
times; the tone may be variable and lack of referencing and may be faulty; errors can
sometimes inappropriate presents, substitution cause some difficulty for
but inadequately covers, key the reader
features/bullet points; there may be
a tendency to focus on detail
attempts to address the task presents information and uses only basic vocabulary uses only a very limited
but does not cover all key ideas but these are not which may be used range of structures with
features/bullet points; the format arranged coherently and repetitively or which may only rare use of
may be inappropriate (General there is no clear be inappropriate for the subordinate clauses some
Training) fails to clearly explain progression in the task has limited control of structures are accurate but
4 the purpose of the draft; the tone response uses some word formation and /or errors predominate, and
may be inappropriate may confuse basic cohesive devices spelling; errors may cause punctuation is often
key features/bullet points with but these may be strain for the reader faulty
detail; parts may be unclear, inaccurate or repetitive
irrelevant, repetitive or inaccurate
fails to address the task, which does not organize ideas uses only a very limited attempts sentence forms
may have been completely logically may use a very range of words and but errors in grammar
misunderstood presents limited limited range of cohesiveexpressions with very and punctuation
3 ideas which may be largely devices, and those used limited control of word predominate and distort
irrelevant/repetitive may not indicate a formation and/or spelling the meaning
logical relationship errors may severely distort
between ideas the message
answer is barely related to the task has very little control of
uses an extremely limited cannot use sentence
organizational features range of vocabulary; forms except in
2 essentially no control of memorized phrases
word formation and/or
spelling
answer is completely fails to communicate any can only use a few isolated cannot use sentence
1
unrelated to the task message words forms at all
0 does not attend; does not attempt the task in any way; writes a totally memorized response
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
35 Writing
Now look at the comments by the teacher.
A Teacher's View of Task 1
This academic task one looks at changes in house prices in a number of cities over a defined period of time.
This task calls for you to write at least 150 words, and this example comes in at 197 words in total, which is
fine. Now let's look at the marking criteria that were described earlier. First of all, let's look at task
achievement. The text does highlight a number of details from the graph provided, but they're not really
pulled together to give a clear and comprehensive overview of the data. As you can see in some places, the
data to support the description is quite vague or is missing altogether.
Mentioning lower than 0 or above 0 is not really enough detail, and this would certainly result in a lower
score in this area. Now if we move on to look at the question of coherence, the information which is
presented is well organized, with a clear overall progression together with some good use of linking devices,
so that's a positive. The next area to consider is lexical resource and the range of vocabulary and how
accurately it's used. Here, the range of vocabulary is certainly appropriate to the task, and there are several
attempts to use less common vocabulary.
However, there are some inaccuracies in how this vocabulary is used, such as average home worths rather
than values as an alternative to prices in the original question, or this repeated example of a negative
deflection. This is a term commonly used in science and medicine, but not appropriate in this context. Other
examples are differ in comparison from the 1989 prices rather than in comparison with, or on the average
rather than on average, but the attempt to use this language is a strong positive.
Finally, if we look at grammatical range and accuracy with reference to the band descriptors, we can see
that, while there are examples of both simple and complex sentences, they're mainly simple sentences and
the text could have been improved by making more use of complex sentences. There are occasional slips in
grammar, such as 60% of the five cities shows, but these really don't cause any problem for the reader.
Did the feedback match what you expected? Were you surprised by anything you heard?
Exercise 7. Task 1 - Describing an IELTS Pie Chart

The pie charts show the main reasons for migration to and from the UK in 2007.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words
36 Writing
Unit 4 TASK 2-ESSAY ORGANIZATION
Using Examples in Writing Task 28 COMMENTS

Every Paragraph has a main idea and it is stated in the topic sentence which is usually the first sentence. In
order to get a band 9 you must present a fully developed position in answer to the question with
relevant, fully extended and well supported ideas. You should learn how to ‘fully extend and support’
your main ideas using examples. Examples, if used properly, not only help you get higher marks for ‘Task
Response’ but also for ‘Coherence’. Examples should be part of any good academic paragraph. They
support the main idea make your writing easier to understand by illustrating points more effectively. They
are also easy to write because it is much simpler to use an example than to try and explain a complex issue.
However, this does not mean that you can insert any example and hope that it will get you high marks; each
example must be relevant if it is to be effective.
Paragraph Structure
A paragraph should have only one main idea. You get higher marks for developing that idea with
explanations and examples. You don’t get any extra marks for just listing lots of ideas.
Let’s look at an example question:
Today people are traveling more than before. Why is this the case?
Supporting Paragraph A
I think more people are traveling because people are earning more money these days, and they can afford to
travel. Additionally, flights are much cheaper than they were in the past. Moreover, people have very
stressful lives these days and need to go on holiday. Furthermore, children expect to be taken on holiday
when they are off school during the summer. Finally, it is good for the family to spend time with one
another.
The candidate who wrote the above paragraph thinks that the way to get a high score is to list as many ideas
as possible and show the examiner how much they know about the topic. This is actually one of the worst
things you can do because Task 2 is not a test of your knowledge; it is a test of your academic writing
ability. The paragraph above is simply a list, not a coherent, cohesive paragraph that takes ideas and fully
develops them.
Supporting Paragraph B
In the past, air tickets were only for the rich and famous because most salaries could not cover the price of
a flight to a foreign country. This meant that the majority simply stayed at home or took their holidays
domestically; however, this has all changed with the creation of budget airlines. Low-cost carriers, such as
Ryanair in Europe or Tiger Air in Asia, have meant that anyone can save up and travel to a new country,
with prices starting as low as $1.
37 Writing
The paragraph has only one main idea- that air travel is cheap. The author of this paragraph has stated
their main point in the first sentence, then explained what this means and how it relates to the question and
then used a specific example to illustrate their point. This is exactly what the examiners are looking for and
you should try to use the following structure to help you write your supporting paragraphs:
1. Topic sentence (state your main point)
2. Explanation (What does your main point mean? Why have you included it? How does it answer
the question?)
3. Example (A specific example that illustrates your main point)
Vocabulary for Giving Examples:
For example, …. For instance, …. This is illustrated by….
…such as…. ….namely….
You are only going to have time to include 2 or 3 examples in Task 2 and you have enough new vocabulary
to learn already without trying to learn ten different ways to say ‘For example,’.
Below are some examples to show you how they are used in a sentence:
For example, thousands of Palestinians and Israelis have joined the same online groups that show support
for peace and solidarity, something that would have been impossible 25 years ago.
For instance, Cambridge University found in a recent study that 62% of men and women who paid for an
annual gym membership failed to go entirely after just one month.
This is illustrated by the fact that in the United States you must complete four years of higher education
before you can study law.
Many sports brands, such as Adidas and Nike, pay professional athletes millions of dollars to endorse their
products.
There are now a few low cost airlines in the UK, namely Ryanair and Easyjet, that offer very affordable
flights.
Creating or thinking of Examples
If you cannot think of an example that supports your point, make them up, or in other words, create
them. Just make sure they are plausible and from a reliable sources. The examiners will never check your
examples for authenticity. They do not care if your example is real or not, just that you know how to write
one. It is always better to write about a real example, but if you can’t think of one, use one of the
examples below:
1. The University Study
Universities do research all the time and you can use this to invent a study that supports your main point.
Let’s say your main point is that using iPads and iPhones increases literacy among young children. You
could say:
For example, a recent study by Queen’s University found that regularly using smart phones or tablets
increased literacy rates by 28%.
38 Writing
2. A Government Opinion Poll
Governments often ask their citizens their opinion on various issues and you can use this to support your
main points. Let’s say you get a question on whether it is better to educate children in mixed or single-sex
schools. You could say:
For instance, a recent poll by the UK Government found that 68% of people who attended single sex
schools would have preferred to have gone to a mixed school.
3. A Newspaper Report
It is also very easy to use newspaper stories to support your view. Say your question asked you to discuss
whether you think violent video games are to blame for rising levels of youth crime.
The New York Times reported in March 2015 that violent crimes committed by under 15 year olds, such
as assault, murder and rape, were linked to playing violent video games.
4. Personal Experience
You can also use experience from your own life to illustrate a point. In general you shouldn’t use personal
pronouns in Task 2, but it is fine to do it here. Say you are given a question about solutions to traffic jams.
You could say:
In my local city, they have installed bike lanes and places where you can safely park your bike and this
has encouraged thousands of people to stop using cars.
Avoiding Generalizations / Being Specific
You should learn to avoid overgeneralization (being too general) when using examples. If you give specific
examples, it will authenticate your main idea and strengthens your arguments. You can make your examples
more specific by including dates, names, places and statistics. Below we will look at a question asking why
women should receive equal pay. Our main point is that women achieve higher grades than men at
university.
Let’s look at three examples:
1. For example, women achieve more than men at university.
This is a very general statement and does not really support our main point and because it is so general, it
sounds like we are just repeating the main point again.
2. For instance, most women on my university course did better than men.
This is a little better because the author has been a little more specific about which university and which
course, but there are no details so it is still a little vague.
3. For example, at Queen’s University in 2009 32% of female law graduates achieved First Class
Honors, while only 8% of males achieved the same.
This is a very specific example because it includes a time, place and specific numbers. By being as
specific as possible we can add weight to our argument and give a more academic answer.
You can make your example more specific by adding:
 dates  names of people
 place/business/university names  statistics
You don’t have to add all of these things, only one or two are required to make it more specific.
39 Writing
How to Write Effective IELTS Conclusions for Task 2
The conclusion is the easiest paragraph to write because in many ways you are just using ideas you have
already mentioned in your introduction and main body paragraphs. However, this is the last thing the
examiner will read and it is therefore crucial that you finish strongly.
You will probably not have much time remaining when you are writing your conclusion, so it is very
important that you practice them and learn how to write them quickly.
IELTS Conclusion Quick Tips

1. Never write any new ideas in your conclusion: A conclusion should always simply restate the ideas
you have in the rest of the essay. New ideas should be in the main body and not in the conclusion.
2. Make sure you answer the question in the conclusion. The conclusion should state what you think
about the question and make it clear how you feel about the issue.
3. Vary your language. Just because you are restating the ideas you have in the rest of your essay, doesn’t
mean you use the same language. Instead you show the examiner you have a wide vocabulary
by paraphrasing.
4. Don’t try to include everything. You are not required to go into detail; you have already done that in
your main body paragraphs. Instead you will just summarize your main points.
5. Always write one. It is very difficult to get a good score in task 2 if you haven’t finished your essay
with a conclusion. Even if you are running out of time, make sure you write one.
6. Two sentences are enough.
Linking Phrases: First, you should start with a linking phrase, but some phrases are better than others. Here
are some examples:
 Finally  In general  To conclude
 In a nutshell  In conclusion
Finally isn’t really suitable because it indicates that you are making a final point and therefore a new
idea. Finally belongs in the main body of your essay, not the conclusion.
In a nutshell is too informal and we should never use it in IELTS conclusions.

In general tells the reader you are going to talk generally about a topic. This is not what we are going to do
in our conclusion and we should therefore not use it.
In conclusion and to conclude are the two linking phrases you should use to start your conclusion. They tell
the reader exactly what the paragraph is about and they are formal.
How to Write a Good Conclusion

There are two elements to a good conclusion:
1. Restating the main points of your essay
2. Varying your vocabulary by paraphrasing
40 Writing
Let’s look at some examples:
Question: Practical skills such as money management should be taught in high school. Do you agree
or disagree? Give your opinion and real life examples.
Introduction
It is argued that students should be taught real life skills, like how to look after money. This essay
agrees that they should be part of the curriculum. The essay will first discuss how everyday
competencies benefit people later in life and then talk about the dangers of not being taught how to
manage money at an early age.
This is an effective introduction that includes three things:
1. Paraphrasing the question 2. Stating opinion / thesis statement
3. Outlining what the writer will talk about in the rest of the essay or in other words, the main
points to support the opinion.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this essay supports the idea that teenagers ought to be taught functional subjects like
financial planning because it helps them in adulthood and a lack of education related to these topics
can have serious consequences.
Here you are required to restate your opinion and include your main supporting points. However, you must
not simply copy the words; you need to use synonyms and paraphrasing to vary your language.
Look at the paraphrasing:
 This essay agrees - This essay supports
 should - ought to
 students - teenagers
 real life skills - functional subjects
 look after money- financial planning
 later in life - adulthood
 dangers - serious consequences
Let’s look at another example:

Question:
Modern technology has a big impact on our environment. Some say that people should adopt a simple
lifestyle to solve this problem, while others argue that technology itself should provide a solution.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
41 Writing
Introduction
Contemporary advances have a serious effect on the planet. While I appreciate that critics may hope
that people will shun the latest developments, I believe that technology itself can give us an answer.
This essay will first discuss how not using electronics is unfeasible, followed by a discussion of how
science is now coming up with ways to reverse global warming and pollution.
This introduction does three basic things:
1. Paraphrases the question
2. States opinion
3. Outlines what the essay will discuss
Conclusion
In conclusion, this essay acknowledges that technological progress does jeopardize the planet, but
cutting-edge discoveries can actually halt and even heal this destruction.
Adding a Prediction or Recommendation to Our Conclusion
Start your recommendations or predictions with:
 It is recommended….
 It is predicted…….
This is totally optional. Students should learn how to write these because it allows them to write
something at the end of the essay if they are worried about not making it to 250 words.
Here are my two previous conclusions with one added sentence:
In conclusion, this essay supports the idea that teenagers ought to be taught functional subjects like
financial planning because it helps them in adulthood and a lack of education related to these topics can
have serious consequences. It is recommended that governments make this a compulsory part of the
education system.
In conclusion, this essay acknowledges that technological progress does jeopardize the planet, but cutting-
edge discoveries can actually halt and even heal this destruction. It is predicted that climate change will
be successfully tackled with such inventions.
Task 2 Developing an Argument

Analyzing the Question
In part 2 of the IELTS writing test, you may be asked to express your opinion about a controversial issue or
debate; in other words, a subject for which people tend to have strongly opposing opinions.
Here’s an example:
Present a written argument or case to an educated reader with no special knowledge of the following topic.
Relying on fossil fuels such as oil and coal for our energy needs is becoming increasingly impractical.
The rising cost and decreasing supply of these fuels, along with concerns about the global warming they
cause, means we must find an alternative. The only realistic alternative is nuclear energy.
You should use your own ideas, knowledge, and experience and support your arguments with examples
and relevant evidence.
42 Writing
As always, before you start writing, spend a few minutes thinking about what the question asks, and what
the best way to answer is.
Exercise 1. Read the example question above one more time, and then decide whether the statements
below are true or false.
1. The question asks whether or not fossil fuels are impractical. T/F
2. You should give a detailed description of how fossil fuels cause global warming. T/F
3. The question asks whether nuclear energy is a good alternative to fossil fuels. T/F
4. You should discuss the arguments for and against nuclear energy. T/F
5. You should discuss the arguments for and against fossil fuels. T/F
6. You should mention other alternative energy resources. T/F
7. You should give detailed historical accounts of nuclear disasters. T/F
8. You should only mention your opinions. T/F
9. You should express your opinions, but show awareness of others. T/F
10. You should include relevant facts that help to support your opinions. T/F
Exercise 2. Getting Ideas
The example question you saw in the previous activity invites you to express your opinion about nuclear
energy. One way to do this is to discuss arguments for and against this energy source.
a) Take a few minutes to jot down arguments for and against the use of nuclear power.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
b) Here are some ideas we may think of. Which of these points are for and which against? Write F
(for) or A (against) next to each point.
All waste is contained instead of going directly into the atmosphere. ____________
The mining of uranium causes environmental damage. ____________
Modern nuclear power stations are designed with many safety features. ____________
There is always a danger that human error or negligence could cause an accident. ____________
Nations that have no oil or gas reserves can produce their own energy independently. ____________
Nuclear power stations could be targeted by terrorists. ____________
Nuclear power is a much more economical way to produce energy. ____________
Safely disposing of radioactive waste is expensive. ____________
There are other alternatives to fossil fuels, such as wind and solar power, which pose fewer risks. ________
Nuclear power offers an almost limitless supply of energy. ____________
Nuclear power stations are safer places for people to work than coal fired power stations. ____________
43 Writing
There is the danger of a huge environmental disaster. ____________
Nuclear power stations do not produce greenhouse gases. ____________
Radioactive waste poses a danger for centuries. ____________
Coherence and Cohesion / Cohesive Devices / Conjunctions / Linkers / Connectors
Cohesive devices, sometimes called linking words, linkers, connectors, discourse markers or transitional
words, are one of the most misunderstood and misused parts of IELTS Writing.
44 Writing
Cohesive devices are words like ‘for example’, ‘in conclusion’, ‘however’, ‘despite’, and ‘moreover’.
Together with coherence, cohesion provides 25% of your marks in both parts of the writing test. However,
most students have not been taught how to use them effectively. They are quite formal and are used more in
academic writing than informal speech. You gain marks for using these under the ‘coherence and
cohesion’ section of the marking scheme. These words ‘stick’ the other words together and lend continuity
to sentences and paragraphs. If you do not include discourse markers in your IELTS writing, your answer
will appear illogical and it is more difficult to understand.
However, this does not mean that you should try to insert as many of these words in to your writing as
possible. This is a common mistake in IELTS writing. Using too many of them, or using them
inappropriately, can make your writing sound too heavy and unnatural. They are important, but must only
be used at the appropriate time.
Practice
Exercise 3: Underline any discourse markers in the essay below. How many can you find?
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.
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.
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.
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.
Exercise 4. Organizing a Balanced Discussion

One way to organize a balanced discussion is simply to divide the arguments for and the arguments against
into two separate central paragraphs. You would need to connect ideas using words and expressions such as
firstly, secondly.
a. Connect the ideas in the example paragraph below with words from the box.
As a result, Finally, First of all, Furthermore, Instead, Secondly
What are the factors in favor of nuclear power as an energy source? [1]…………., it is an economical
source of energy. The power generated by nuclear power stations costs much less to produce than from coal
or oil fired stations. [2]…………., unlike traditional power stations, nuclear power plants do not pollute the
atmosphere with their waste. [3]…………., the waste is stored in safe containers deep underground.
45 Writing
[4]…………., a move to nuclear power will reduce greenhouses gases that are responsible for global
warming in the atmosphere. [5]…………., statistics show that nuclear power stations are actually safer
places for people to work than coal fired power stations. [6]…………., nuclear power can potentially supply
all our energy needs for many centuries to come.
However, another effective way to organize your discussion is to match argument with counterargument in
the same paragraph. This can often be a more persuasive way to present your views.
You demonstrate awareness of others’ opinions, but at the same time you show why these are mistaken.
Again, connecting words and phrases help to hold the paragraph together.
b. Connect the ideas in the example paragraph below with words from the box.
causing despite for instance more importantly moreover while
The claims made by those in favor of nuclear power do not stand up to close examination. It is often said,
[1]…………., that nuclear power does not damage the environment. [2]…………. it is true that greenhouse
gases are not produced, mining for uranium causes real damage to the environment.
[3]…………., many reactors use rivers for cooling. This raises temperatures in the river water,
[4]…………. harm to life in and around those rivers. It is also argued that the technology of modern
reactors makes accidents almost impossible. [5]…………. these claims, accidents have happened, most
famously at Chernobyl. No amount of technology can prevent human error, carelessness or laziness. All of
these can cause deadly accidents. [6]…………., nuclear power plants could become the target of terrorist
attacks. Technology could do very little to prevent such an attack, and the consequences are unthinkable.
More about Conjunctions
We use words called conjunctions, like and, or, but, because and although, to join two parts of
sentences. Conjunctions can be used to give more information, give alternatives, give reasons, give
results or give unexpected information.
We use and, or and but to connect two parts of sentences which are similar in grammatical status.
Do you want chocolate, strawberry or vanilla? (joining words)
Amy's dad is taking us on Saturday morning, and he's offered to bring us home again on Sunday. (joining
clauses)
We use and for adding information, or for giving alternatives and but for unexpected or different
information.
I am eating with my friends, and I'm having a wonderful time.
She’d like to go but she can’t.
There are a lot more conjunctions which we use to connect one clause with another clause. For
example: because, for giving reasons, so, for talking about results or purposes, and although, for
unexpected or different information.
46 Writing
I want to study English because it can help find a good job.(the second clause explains the reason why I
want to learn English)
Although he doesn’t like camping, he goes to lots of festivals in the desert.
We can put the clauses in a different order:
He goes to lots of festivals in the desert although he doesn’t like camping. (the speaker thinks
it’s unusual to go to festivals if you don’t like camping)
It's one of those cars for seven people, so there's plenty of room. (the second clause shows the result of the
first clause)
We need to arrive early so (that) we can get a good place. (the second clause shows the purpose of the
first clause; that is optional)
C. Read the instructions for each question below and then answer the questions.
47 Writing
3. Put the words in the correct order.
Exercise 6. Developing a More Formal Style The

The Passive Voice
The passive voice can be used whenever you want to sound more formal and impersonal. You can use
the passive voice in both writing tasks in the IELTS exam, particularly in reports where a more formal
tone is needed.
How to Form the Passive:
The Present Simple: is / am / are + Verb3
The Past Simple: was / were + Verb3
48 Writing
Examples:
Almost 50% more courses were chosen in the second semester as compared to the first one.
More research needs to be done before choosing a certain supplier. (“do” is used in the passive voice in the
infinitive, with the verb “be” used in the infinitive and the past participle of the verb “do”).
a. Now try using the verbs in parentheses in the right passive voice form.
1. It can ______________________ (see) from the figures that the number of first year students decreased
dramatically in the last five years.
2. As ____________________ (show) in the diagram, there was a marked increase in the number of
students driving their own cars to school.
It is often said….
It is also argued that… (This is one way to give your writing a more formal style.)
b. Rewrite each of these sentences by putting the main verb in the passive.
1. People say that wind power turbines are completely harmless.
It is said that wind power turbines are completely harmless.
2. There are people who argue that solar power will never replace fossil fuels.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
3. Experts predict that very soon China will be the world’s leading economic and political power.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
4. Many people regard the Internet as a great force for democracy and freedom of speech.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
5. Researchers hope that they will soon find a vaccine for avian flu.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
6. Everyone knows that heart disease is the highest cause of death.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
There are a number of other ways to make your writing more formal in style. As a general rule, remember
that formal writing is different from spoken language, and your composition shouldn’t sound too chatty.
Here are a number of things you should avoid:
c. Match the rules on the left with the examples on the right.
1. Do not use contractions ___ a. Of course, we all know what big nature- lovers car manufactures
are.
2. Avoid using phrasal verbs ___ b. Nobody wants war, do they?
3. Avoid using idioms ___ c. It isn’t only the government who are to blame.
4. Do not use tag questions ___ d. If you ask me, what we should do is…
5. Do not use irony or sarcasm ___ e. If we keep on like this, we will have used up all our resources.
6. Avoid conversational style ___ f. There are loads and loads of reasons why this will not work.
7. Avoid exaggeration ___ g. That idea is just a pipe dream.
49 Writing
d. Now rewrite the sentences from exercise c in a more formal style.
a. ________________________________________________________________________________
b. ________________________________________________________________________________
c. ________________________________________________________________________________
d. ________________________________________________________________________________
e. ________________________________________________________________________________
f. ________________________________________________________________________________
g. ________________________________________________________________________________
Exercise 10. Example Question
Now try to put what you have learned into practice.
 Read the example question below twice to make sure you know what it is asking (and isn’t asking).
 Brainstorm ideas and opinions and organize them into a ‘for’ and ‘against’ list.
 Decide how you want to organize the whole composition and make a paragraph plan.
 Write only one paragraph, but use the ‘argument and counterargument’ format.
 Check that your paragraph uses appropriately formal language and style.
 When you’ve finished, compare your paragraph with the example answer in the answer key.
Present a written argument or case to an educated reader with no special knowledge of the following topic.
The teaching of Information Technology (computers) has become a standard part of the curriculum in
most secondary schools. The same is now happening in primary schools, where children as young as six
are learning how to use computers. However, there is a danger that IT skills are being taught at the
expense of more basic skills.
You should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with examples and
relevant evidence.
Exercise 11. Task 2 - University Education

Write about the following topic:
Some people believe the aim of university education is to help graduates get better jobs. Others
believe there are much wider benefits of university education for both individuals and society.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or
knowledge.
You should write at least 250 words.
50 Writing
Unit 5 GENERAL vs. ACADEMIC ENGLISH & THE RUBRIC
When we chat with our friends or write on social media, we generally use an informal style of English, but
in certain situations, we need to change to a more formal style. When we study for a formal qualification,
for example, at university, we generally need to read the material that is written in a particular style and the
essays we are required to write are expected to be written in a similar or formal style. This kind of English
that we study for academic purposes is called academic English.
Academic English still needs to be clear and easy to follow, but it does tend to use more complicated
vocabulary and less personal grammar forms. Compare these two sentences. They have similar meanings,
but one is more appropriate for an academic context.
 The scientific consensus holds that humankind bears a significant responsibility for the extent of climate
change.
 Most scientists say that a lot of climate change is mostly our fault.
General: Most scientists say that...

Academic: The scientific consensus holds that...
General: ...is mostly our fault.

Academic: ...humankind bears a significant responsibility for...
General: ...a lot of...

Academic: ...the extent of...
Features of Academic English
Here are some general guidelines for academic English writing.
Contractions: Avoid using contractions in academic English writing.
 The results won't be released until they've been verified.
 The results will not be released until they have been verified. (Better for academic writing)
Personal pronouns and passive: Using the personal pronoun ‘I’ is not forbidden in academic writing, but
when expressing opinions in objective contexts, such as scientific subjects, it is discouraged.
It is also good practice to avoid the use of ‘you’ to refer to the reader. The use of the passive is very
common in academic texts, and it makes it easier to avoid the use of personal pronouns.
 I completed the experiment as I was told to.
 The experiment was completed as instructed. (Better for academic writing)

 As you can see, the experiment was successful.
 As can be seen, the experiment was successful. (Better for academic writing)
Multi-word (phrasal) verbs: Multi-word verbs are a feature of informal English. Many multi-word verbs
have a single word alternative. In academic contexts it is generally advised to use the more formal single
word instead of the multi-word verb.
 It was difficult to get hold of the raw material.
 It was difficult to obtain the raw material. (Better for academic writing)
51 Writing
Slang, colloquial language and subjective descriptors: It is usually inappropriate to use slang
expressions, colloquial language and subjective adjectives and adverbs in an academic context.
 There was like loads of awesome stuff made before the factory closed.
 Before its closure the factory manufactured a large variety of popular goods. (Better for academic
writing)
Vocabulary with Latin or French origin: English words which come from Latin or French are generally
more formal than those with Anglo-Saxon roots. For speakers of languages such as Arabic, Japanese and
Chinese that do not share similar roots with English, this is more difficult. Usually more formal vocabulary
is longer, with more syllables.
 China makes a lot of steel.
 A large amount of steel is manufactured in China. (Better for academic writing)
Exercise 1.
1. Which sentence is more appropriate for academic English?
A. You might find it tricky to spot the answer. B. It may be difficult to identify the solution.
2. Which sentence would be most appropriate in an academic situation?
A. The topic of dark matter is far from understood within the scientific community.
B. Scientists understand hardly anything about dark matter.
3. ______ the results were disappointing.
A. At first B. Initially
4. ______ it was not possible to reach a conclusion.
A. As I said before B. As stated above
5. It was a ______ achievement.
A. considerable B. big
Evaluation Criteria: The examiners are looking for:
1. Task achievement / 2. Coherence and 3. Lexical resource 4. Grammatical range

Task response cohesion and accuracy
Here’s the answer:

Task 2 example: Now look at an answer to a Task 2 question. In this question learners were asked to
talk about job satisfaction. What does job satisfaction mean to the individual and what does it mean
in a wider context?
Here’s one student’s answer:
As adults, many people find they have less time on their hands to spend on themselves. This usually occurs
in adulthood because people tend to spend most of their time on working on their career. With all the hours
put into building a career, it is important to have a job that can cater to a person’s needs.
There are several factors that contribute to job satisfaction. First and foremost, it is important that there is
a healthy work place environment. This is essential for keeping a person in a good state of mind and body. It
52 Writing
is also vital for a person to love his or her job, whether it is writing for a newspaper or walking on the
moon. When people are passionate about what they do, they will not have to work a day in their lives.
However, it is important to keep in mind that money does matter. Though it would be idial to have a
wonderful job and high salary, it is not always the case. It is important for these two elements to meet in the
middle to have a truly satisfying job.
Having job satisfaction can easily be achieved if a person remembers those three ideas. As long as a person
has the right credentials, there will always be an opportunity to find a job he or she will love. Reaching job
satisfaction is not impossible if a person shows great interest in his or her work, receives a good salary and
has a good environment having a satisfying job is easy to do.
Exercise 2. What do you think about this answer? Read the marking criteria and then write your
comments below.
IELTS TASK 2 – Writing: band descriptors (public version)
Band Task Achievement Coherence and Cohesion Lexical Resource Grammatical Range and
Accuracy
fully addresses all parts of uses cohesion in such a way uses a wide range of uses a wide range of
the task; presents a fully that it attracts no attention; vocabulary with very structures with full flexibility
developed position in skillfully manages natural and sophisticated and accuracy; rare minor
9 answer to the question paragraphing control of lexical features; errors occur only as ‘slips’
with relevant, fully rare minor errors occur
extended and well only as ‘slips’
sufficiently
supported ideasaddresses all sequences information and uses a wide range of uses a wide range of
parts of the task; presents a ideas logically; manages all vocabulary to convey structures; the majority of
well-developed response to aspects of cohesion well; uses precise meanings skillfully; sentences are error-free
the question with relevant, paragraphing sufficiently and uses uncommon lexical makes only very occasional
extended and supported appropriately items but with occasional errors or inappropriacies
8
ideas inaccuracies in word choice
and collocation; rare errors
in spelling and/or word
formation
addresses all parts of theƒ logically organizesƒ uses a sufficient range of uses a variety of complex
task; presents a clear information and ideas; there vocabulary to allow some structures; produces frequent
position throughout the is clear progression flexibility and precision; error-free sentences; has good
response; presents, extends throughout; uses a range of uses less common lexical control of grammar and
7 and supports main ideas, but cohesive devices items with some awareness punctuation but may make a
there may be a tendency to appropriately although there of style and collocation; few errors
over-generalize and/or may become under-/over-use; may produce occasional
supporting ideas may lack presents a clear central topic errors in word choice,
focus within each paragraph spelling and/or word
formation
53 Writing
addresses all parts of the arranges information and uses an adequate range of uses a mix of simple and
task although some parts ideas coherently and there is a vocabulary for the task; complex sentence forms;
may be more fully covered clear overall progression; attempts to use less makes some errors in
than others; presents a uses cohesive devices common vocabulary but grammar and punctuation but
relevant position although effectively, but cohesion with some inaccuracy; they rarely reduce
6
the conclusions may within and/or between makes some errors in communication
become unclear or sentences may be faulty or spelling and/or word
repetitive; mechanical; may not always formation, but they
ƒ presents relevant main ideas use referencing clearly or do not impede
but some may be appropriately; uses communication
inadequately developed/ paragraphing, but not always
unclear logically
addresses the task only presents information with uses a limited range of uses only a limited range of
partially; the format may be some organization but there vocabulary, but this is structures; attempts complex
inappropriate in places; may be a lack of overall minimally adequate for the sentences but these tend to
expresses a position but the progression; makes task; may make noticeable be less accurate than simple
development is not always inadequate, inaccurate or over errors in spelling and/or word sentences; may make
5
clear and there may be no use of cohesive devices; may formation that may cause frequent grammatical errors
conclusions drawn; be repetitive because of lack some difficulty for the reader and punctuation may be
presents some main ideas of referencing and faulty; errors can cause some
but these are limited and substitution; may not write in difficulty for the reader
not sufficiently developed; paragraphs, or paragraphing
there may be irrelevant may be inadequate
detail
responds to the task only in presents information and ideas uses only basic vocabulary uses only a very limited
a minimal way or the but these are not arranged which may be used range of structures with
answer is tangential; the coherently and there is no repetitively or which may be only rare use of subordinate
format may be clear progression in the inappropriate for the task; clauses; some structures are
inappropriate; presents a response; uses some basic has limited control of word accurate but errors
4
position but this is unclear; cohesive devices but these formation and/or spelling; predominate, and
presents some main ideas may be inaccurate or errors may cause strain for punctuation is often
but these are difficult to repetitive; may not write in the reader faulty
identify and may be paragraphs or their use may be
repetitive, irrelevant or not confusing
well supported
ƒ does not adequately does not organize ideas uses only a very limitedƒ attempts sentence forms
address any part of the logically; may use a very range of words and but errors in grammar and
3 task; does not express a limited range of cohesive expressions with very punctuation predominate
clear position; presents devices, and those used maylimited control of word and distort the meaning
few ideas, which are not indicate a logical
formation and/or spelling
largely undeveloped or relationship between ideas errors may severely distort
irrelevant the message
barely responds to the task; has very little control of uses an extremely limited cannot use sentence forms
2 does not express a position; organizational features range of vocabulary; except in memorized
may attempt to present one essentially no control of phrases
or two ideas but there is no word formation and/or
development spelling
answer is completely fails to communicate any can only use a few isolated cannot use sentence forms at
1 unrelated to the task message words all
- does not attend
0 - does not attempt the task in any way
- writes a totally memorized response
54 Writing
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Now look at the comments by the teacher.
A Teacher's View of Task 2
This Academic Task 2 essay looks at the question of job satisfaction, and what that means both to the
individual and in a wider context. This task requires you to write at least 250 words. And this essay, at a
little over 260, is an ideal length. This is an extremely well-written, well-argued, and well-constructed essay,
which would certainly score highly in all four of the criteria measured. In terms of task response, the essay
comprehensively deals with all aspects of the tasks, and presents a well-developed response with a
number of relevant supporting ideas. As far as cohesion and coherence go, it's paragraphed
appropriately. The information is sequenced and presented logically and clearly. And a number of cohesive
devices are used effectively.
The vocabulary range shown is appropriate to the task, and is handled confidently and fluidly throughout.
There are one or two slips, such as the spelling of ideal, and the slightly confused closing sentence. But
these are not serious issues. Finally, in terms of grammar, the majority of the sentences are error-free. And
taken together, all four criteria indicate a very successful essay.
Exercise 3. Matching Examiner’s Comments to Assessment Criteria

Q 1. ‘The information is not always presented in a logical order.’ Here the examiner is looking at the way
information is ordered, which comes under the heading Task Achievement. True False
Q 2. ‘The writer does not use the figures from the charts to support the statements.’ Here the examiner is
checking that the writer uses the information in the charts. This is important for Task Achievement for
Task 1. True False
Q 3. ‘… more linking words and phrases could be used in the answer.’ Here the examiner is commenting
on Grammatical Accuracy. True False
Q 4. ‘The main ideas are relevant.’ Here the examiner is commenting positively on the way the points
made by the candidate relate to the question. This is important for Task Response for Task 2.
True False
55 Writing
Q 5.‘The word ‘another’ is followed by a plural word when it should be singular.’ Here the examiner is
commenting on the writer’s grammatical range. True False
Q 6. ‘Spelling is generally accurate with one or two minor mistakes.’ Here the examiner is checking
Grammatical Accuracy. True False
Q 7. ‘The writer shows knowledge of the way that words combine together in phrases: for example
“family network”. Here the examiner is commenting on Coherence and Cohesion. True False
Q 8. ‘What are the advantages and disadvantages of this development?’ This Task 2 question asks the
writer to agree or disagree with an opinion. True False
Q 9. ‘The chart below shows the number of men and women in further education in Britain in three
periods…’ This comes from a Task 1 question. In Task 1 you only have to describe charts and graphs.
True False
Exercise 4.
Q 1 . In Writing Task 1, you are given visual information and asked to summarize it. Which academic
skill do you need to show here?
a. evaluating a claim
b. identifying more and less important information
c. expressing a stance
Q 2. In Writing Task 2, the question will sometimes ask you: ‘To what extent do you agree or
disagree?’ To answer this type of question, which of the following skills will you need to use?
a. distinguishing fact from opinion
b. expressing a stance
Q 3. The following sentences are from a Writing Task 2 answer. Which sentence shows that the writer
is ‘expressing a stance’?
a. In my view, parents and schools are equally responsible for educating children.
b. It is often argued that schools are responsible for all aspects of education.
c. On the other hand, parents have much more contact with their children.
Q 4. Which of these phrases are you most likely to use in Writing Task 2 if you are building an
argument?
a. First, the mixture is heated …
b. One example of this is …
c. In summary, the chart shows …
56 Writing
LISTENING
Lesson 1
Unit 1 Tips for Attempting Questions
IELTS Listening Question Types
1. Form / Note completion 2.Summary completion

3. Sentence completion 4.multiple choice 5.diagram labelling
6. Map labelling 7. Table completion 8. Flow chart 9. Matching Exercise
1. Form / Note Completion
In this specific task of the listening section, your ability to predict information that
could be used to complete notes and tables will be tested.
When you have to complete notes and tables:
1. Read each question carefully and predict what kind of word or phrase you will
need (e.g. number, name).
2. Remember that when listening for numbers, you should be quick to decide
whether to include the unit of measurement or abbreviation (e.g. km, cm, years).
3. You should write what you hear as your answer. Never change the word,
phrase or number you hear to try to make it fit
4. The information you will hear will be said in the same order as the questions.
You can use this to predict whether you should read across or down the table to
answer the questions.
5. Always remember the word limit.
1 Listening
SECTION 1. QUESTIONS 1-10
Questions 1-5
Complete the information below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A
NUMBER for each answer.
City Library
Head Librarian Example: Mrs. Phillips
Hours (1) to 4:30
Books
Ground floor (2) _______
Second floor Adult collection
Third floor (3) _______

Book carts
Brown cart books to re-shelve
Black cart books to (4)
White cart books to (5) _______
Questions 6-10
Complete the library schedule below.
Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Activity Location Day and Time

Story Time Children's Room (6) _______ at 11:00
(7) _______ Reference Room Saturday at (8) _______
Lecture Series (9) _______ Room Friday at (10) _______
2 Listening
Questions 11-15
Choose FIVE letters, A—I. Which FIVE activities are available at Golden Lake
Resort?
A. swimming
F. golf
В. boating
G. horseback riding
С. waterskiing
H. hiking
D. fishing
I. arts and crafts
E. tennis
Questions 16-20
Complete the schedule below. Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD for each
answer.
Night Activity
Sunday (16)______
Monday Dessert night
Tuesday (17) ______ night
Wednesday (18) ______
Thursday (19) ______
Friday Talent show
Saturday (20) ______
3 Listening
Questions 21-23
Choose THREE letters, A-F. Which THREE things are the students required to
submit to their professor?
A. a written summary В. Maps С. a case study D. charts and graphs
E. a list of resources used F a video
Questions 24 and 25
Answer the questions by completing the gaps below. Write NO MORE THAN
THREE WORDS for each answer.
24. What two sources of information will the students use when preparing their
presentation?
_______________________and____________________________
25. What will the students show during their presentation?
_____________________________________________________
Questions 26-30
Choose the correct letter, A, B, or C to complete the speakers' advice.
26. Only rescue birds that are_________________.
A. all alone. B. obviously hurt. C. sitting on the ground.
27. Protect yourself by wearing______________.
A. gloves. B. a hat. C. protective glasses.
28. Put the bird in a___________________.
A. cage B. box C. bad
29. Keep the bird calm by______________________.
A. petting it B. talking to it C. leaving it alone
30. When transporting the bird__________________.
A. speak quietly B. play music C. drive very slowly
4 Listening
Questions 31-33
Complete the information about the Great Barrier Reef.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
The Great Barrier Reef is made up of 3,000 (31) ____________ and 600
(32) ________. Over 400 kinds of (33) ____________ can be found there.
Questions 34-38
Choose FIVE letters, A-I. Which FIVE оf these binds of animals inhabiting the
Great Barrier Reef are mentioned?
A sharks В starfishes С seahorses D clams E whales
F dolphins G sea turtles H crocodiles I frogs
Questions 39 and 40
Answer the questions below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each
answer.
39. What causes coral bleaching?
____________________________________________
40. What has been one response to this problem?
____________________________________________
5 Listening
Lesson 2
Tips for Attempting Questions

2. Summary completion
When you get to university or start working, two of the key skills you will have to
use are summarizing and paraphrasing. These skills are tested in summary
completion questions.
You will be given a list of sentences that summarize the clip you will listen to. IELTS
have taken text from the clip and used paraphrasing to change these sentences so
that they have same meaning, but different words. They have also summarized the
listening by choosing a number of phrases that sum up the key points. In other
words, you should be able to read the sentences before listening and have a very
good idea about what you are going to hear.
6 Listening
Questions 1-4
Complete the form below.
Example: Global Bicycle Tours

Tour name: River Valley tour. Tour
month: (1)___________
Customer Name: (2)__________ Schmidt
Address: P. O. Box (3)_____________
Manchester
Bicycle rental __Yes _☑_No
required?
Dietary restrictions: (4)_________________
Questions 5 -7
Choose the correct letters, A, B, or C.
5. What size deposit does the caller have to pay?
A. 5 percent. B. 30 percent. C. 50 percent.
6. When does the deposit have to be paid?
A. Two weeks from now. B. Four weeks from now. C. Six weeks from now.
7. How will the luggage be carried?
A. By bus. B. by bicycle. C. by van.
Questions 8-10
Choose THREE letters, A-F.
Which THREE things should the caller take on the tour?
A. raincoat В. spare tire С. maps D. water bottle
E. camera F. guide book
7 Listening
Questions 11-15
What change has been made to each part of the health club?
Write the correct letter, A-F next to questions 11—15.
HARTFORD HEALTH CLUB Part of the health club
A installed a new floor 11. swimming pools__________
В repainted 12. locker rooms____________
С moved to a new location 13. exercise room___________
D rebuilt 14. tennis court____________
E enlarged 15. club store_______________
F replaced the equipment
Questions 16-18
Complete the sentences below.
16. Tomorrow, _________ for adults and children will start.
17. On Wednesday, there will be a ____________.
18. A _____________ is planned for next weekend.
Questions 19 and 20
Answer the questions below. Choose the correct letter, A, B, or C.
19. How many months did it take to complete the renovation work?
A. Three. B. Nine. C. Twelve.
20. What project is planned for next year?
A. An indoor pool.
B. An outdoor tennis court.
C. An outdoor pool.
8 Listening
Questions 21-25
Choose FIVE letters, A-I. What FIVE things will the students do during their
museum internship?
A. art conservation B. administrative duties C. guide tours

D. attend board meetings E. give classes F. research
G. write brochures H. plan a reception I. meet artists
Questions 26-30
Complete the notes below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
City Art Museum
The main part of museum was built in (26) _____________ ..
The (27) _________________ was built sixty years later.
Collections: modern art, works by (28) ___________________ , sculpture,

European art.
Classes: (29) __________________ classes for adults
Arts and crafts workshops for children
Weekly (30) __________________ in the fall and winter
Questions 31-35
Choose the correct letter, A, B, or С.
31. The tomato originally came from________________.
A. Mexico B. Spain C. Peru

9 Listening
32. The original color of the tomato was_____________.
A. red B. green C. yellow
33. The Aztec word for tomato means_______________.
A. golden apple B. plump thing C. small fruit
34. In the 1500s, people in Spain and Italy____________.
A. enjoyed eating tomatoes B. used tomatoes as ornamental plants
C. made medicine from tomatoes
35. In the 1600s, the British_____________________.
A. saw tomatoes as poisonous B. published tomato recipes
C. ate tomato sauce daily
Questions 36-40
Complete the timeline with information about the history of the tomato in the
United States.
1806 - Tomatoes were mentioned as food in a (36) __________________.
1809 - Thomas Jefferson (37) _______________ at his home in Virginia.
1820 - A man proved that tomatoes were not poisonous by eating

them (38) _____________________.
1830s - (39) ______________ appeared in newspapers and magazines.
1930s - People began to eat (40) _____________________ .
10 Listening
Lesson 3

3. Sentence completion
1. You should follow the instructions for the number of words.

2. Wrong spelling will cost you a point.
3. Consider the grammar of the question you are completing.
4. The part of the sentence you are given on the question paper will probably not
be exactly the same as you hear in the recording. It is commonly a paraphrase or
rephrase of what you are given. However, the actual answer is exactly what you
hear.
5. Always write the word or words exactly as you hear them on the recording. For
example, don’t change words you hear into plural forms.
6. The final tip for this question type is that you should always read the completed
sentence again after you have added your answer.
11 Listening
Questions 1-4
Example: Grandview Hotel

Arrival date: (1) __________ 13th. Number of nights: 2
Number of guests: (2) _____________
Guest name: Roxanne (3) ______________
Credit card number: (4) _____________
Questions 5-7
Choose THREE letters, A-G.
Which THREE places will the caller visit?
A art museum B science museum C shopping mall D monument
E post office F restaurant G park
Questions 8-10
8. When will the caller arrive at the airport?
A. In the morning. B. In the afternoon. C. At night.
9. How will the caller get to the hotel?
A. Subway B. Bus C. Taxi
10. What time does the hotel front desk close?
A.10:00 B. 12:00 C. 2:00.
12 Listening
Questions 11 and 12
Complete the information below. Write ONE NUMBER for each answer.
City Tours
Fare Information
Adult All-Day Pass: (11) $ ___________
Children ages 5-12 All-Day Pass: (12) $ ________________
Children under age 5: Free
Questions 13-15
5th stop: (15)

Label the map below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO
WORDS for each answer. ____________
4th stop:
Shopping District
Starting point: 1st stop: 2nd stop: 3rd stop:
Tour Bus office (13) Fishing Docks (14)
__________ ______________
13 Listening
Questions 16-20
Complete the chart below. Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD for each
answer.
Place Activity
First stop Enjoy the (16) ________ of the bay
Second stop Look at the (17) _____________
Third stop (18) _________ fish
Fourth stop Purchase (19) _____________
Fifth stop Visit the (20) ______________
Questions 21-23
Answer the questions below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A
NUMBER for each answer. Do NOT write articles.
21. When is the research project due? _______________
22. Where will the students conduct the interviews? ______________
23. How many interviews will they complete all together? __________
Questions 24-30
Complete the outline showing the steps the students will take to complete
their projects. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer. Do NOT
write articles.
A. Read (24) _________________________

B. (25) ______________________________
C. Get (26) ___________________________
D. (27) ______________________________
E. Get together to (28) _________________
F. Prepare (29) _______________________
G. Give (30) __________________________
14 Listening
Complete the timeline below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR
A NUMBER for each answer.
1832 - Alcott (31) _______________.
In her teens Alcott worked to (32) ______________.
At age 17 Alcott wrote her (33) ________________.
(34) _______________ Alcott enlisted as an army nurse.
(35) _______ Alcott published her letters in a book called Hospital Sketches.
(36) ________________ Alcott returned from her trip to Europe.
(37) _______________ Alcott published Little Women.
1879 (38) _________________ died.
(39) ______________ Alcott set up a home for her family in Boston.
1888 - Alcott (40) ________________________.
15 Listening
Lesson 4

4. Multiple choice
1. When given three choices, like above, you are likely to hear the speaker talking
about all three options. Just because you hear it mentioned, doesn’t make it
correct. You must select the correct answer, not the first one you hear.
2. The answers will normally come in the form of synonyms or paraphrases. Don’t
just listen for exact matches; think about how the answer could be expressed
using synonyms or paraphrasing.
3. The three choices often look similar in meaning and it may be difficult for you
to tell the difference. Look for keywords in the different options that allow you to
tell the difference between the different options.
4. This is not just a test of your listening skills but also your reading skills. There
is much more to read in multiple choice questions, so practice underlining the
keywords in the questions and quickly understanding the difference between the
different options.
5. Don’t spend too much time on one question. If you didn’t get the answer or
you are unsure, make an educated guess and move on.
6. Be careful if you hear words like ‘but’ or ‘however’. This often means that the
speaker is going to qualify a previous statement.
16 Listening
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Example: Clear Point Telephone Company

Customer Order Form
Order taken by: Ms. Jones
Name: Harold (1) ____________
Address: (2)_________ Fulton Avenue, apartment 12
Type of service: (3) ________
Employer: Wrightsville Medical Group
Occupation: (4) ______________
Work phone: (5) ______________
Time at current (6) ______________
job:
Special (7) _____________ (8) ______________
services:
Installation Day (9) ___________________
scheduled for: Time of the day (10) ________________
Questions 11-14
11. The fair will take place at the_____________.
A. Fairgrounds B. Park C. School
12. The fair will begin on Friday______________.
A. Morning B. Afternoon C. Evening Morning
13. The fair will begin with a_________________.
A. Parade B. Dance performance C. Speech by the major
14. There will be free admission on__________________.
A. Friday B. Saturday C. Sunday

17 Listening
Questions 15-20
Complete the chart below.
Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD for each answer.
Day/Time Event
Saturday afternoon (15) ___________ show
(16) __________ by the lake
Saturday evening
(17) ____________ contest
Sunday afternoon
(18) ____________ food
All weekend (19) ____________ for children
(20) ____________ for sale
Questions 21-23
Complete the information below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each
answer.
How you get academic credit for work experience
First, read the (21) ____________. Find courses that match your work
experience. Then write (22) _____________ of your work experience. Submit
that together with a letter from your (23) _____________ to the university
admissions office.
Questions 21-23
Where can the items listed below be found?
A. admissions office B. counseling center C. library
Write the correct letter, A, B, or C, next to questions 24-28.
24. university catalog _______________
25. application for admission form ______________
26. requirements list ________________________
27. recommendation forms ______________________
28. job listings _______________________________

18 Listening
Questions 29 and 30
29. What are full-time students eligible for?
A. Discounted books.
B. The work-study program.
C. A free bus pass.
30. How can a student get financial assistance?
A. Speak with a counselor.

B. Apply to the admissions office.
C. Make arrangements with a bank.
Questions 31-35
Complete the chart with information about the black bear.
Range Lives in (31) ___________ of North America

Diet Ninety percent of diet consists of (32) ______. Also
eats (33) __________________.
Cubs Baby bear cubs are born in (34) ______________.
Life Black bears live for about (35) ________ in the wild.
span
Questions 36-40
Which characteristics fit black bears and which fit grizzly bears?
Write A if it is a characteristic оf black bears. Write В if it is a characteristic of

grizzly bears.
(36) Has a patch of light fur on its chest _______
(37) Weighs 225 kilos __________
(38) Has a shoulder hump __________
(39) Has pointed ears __________
(40) Has shorter claws ___________
19 Listening
Lesson 5

5. Diagram Labelling
The main problem with these questions is students focus too much on the diagram
and try to understand everything about it. Unfamiliar diagrams can cause panic and
lose you time. This is not a test of your technical knowledge but a test of your
reading skills. You should try to understand generally what is happening in the
diagram, but the relationship between the text and the diagram is more important.
When the time is given to look at the questions, locate exactly where the questions
are because sometimes the questions are randomly distributed all across the page
with the diagram. Also find the keywords and underline them, focus on the two
consecutive questions at one time.
20 Listening
SECTION 1: Questions 1-5
Complete the information below. Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD OR A

Apartment for rent

Street Bridge street
Street № (1) ___________
Included Gas, heat, water, (2) _____ , phone
utilities
Not included (3) ___________
utilities
Public transport Underground, (4) ___________
Tenant’s name John (5) _________________
Questions 6-8
Choose THREE letters, A-F.
Which THREE things should the caller bring to the meeting?
A. Driving license
B. Passport
C. Tax bill
D. Employment contract
E. Reference from a friend or colleague
F. Reference from an employer
Questions 9-10
9. What time do the caller and apartment manager decide to meet?
A. 5:30 PM B. 6:00 PM C. 6:30 PM
10. Where do they decide to meet?
A. Near the manager’s apartment

B. At the caller’s future apartment
C. At the office
21 Listening
SECTION 2 : Questions 11-16
Ticket type Ticket cost

Adult’s ticket (11) ______ pounds
Child’s ticket
(12) _______ pounds
(for children between 5
and 15 years)
*Children
free
under (13) ______ years
Reduced tariff
(14) ________ pounds
(for full-time students and
disabled visitors)
(15) _____________
55 pounds
(can be used by up to 2
adults and 3 children)
Annual membership (16) __________ pounds
Questions 17-20
Complete the information about ordering tickets below. Write NO MORE THAN
TWO WORDS for each answer.
 The easiest way, is to buy your tickets (17) _____________.

 Make sure that you receive a (18) ____________ of your booking!
 The second way is to book your tickets (19) ________________.
 If you don’t want to plan your visit in advance, you can simply purchase the
tickets (20) ________________ in ticket kiosks.
22 Listening
Questions 21-23
Complete the information below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for
each answer.
21. The total course duration is ____________________.
22. During the final project students will work in teams of ____________.
23. The professor told that the key thing in marketing strategy is to _______.
Questions 24-28
Choose FIVE letters, A-I. What FIVE modules does the course include?
A. Marketing
B. Design of custom logos
C. Product management
D. Branding
E. E-commerce
F. Advertising
G. Analytics
H. Customer attraction
I. Business strategies
Questions 29-30
answer.
29. The next lecture is in the big classroom on the __________________.
30. Students need to take their last week _________________________.
Questions 31-35
31. Initially, the Great Wall was built to
A. prevent invaders from entering China

B. function as a psychological barrier
C. show country’s enduring strength
23 Listening
32. The construction of the Great Wall started
A. in third century B.C.

B. in 220 B.C.
C. in 390 A.D.
33. The Chinese name of the monument is
A. the Great Wall

B. the Big Wall
C. the Long Wall
34. The wall as it exists today was constructed mainly by
A. Qin dynasty
B. Northern Wei dynasty
C. Ming dynasty
35. During the Ming dynasty, the wall’s main purpose was
A. to be a military fortification
B. to protect caravans traveling along the trade routes
C. to contribute to the defense of the country
Questions 36-40
Complete the timeline with information about the history оf the tomato in the
United States.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
36. Before the use of bricks, the Great Wall was mainly built from stones, wood
and _____________________________________________________.
37. Many western sections of the wall are constructed from mud and thus are
more ____________________________________________________.
38. A part of the wall in Gansu province may disappear in the next 20 years, due
to ___________________________________________________.
39. To see the wall from the Moon would require superhuman ____________.
40. The Great Wall is generally recognized as one of the most

impressive ______________________________ in history.
24 Listening
Lesson 6

6. Map Labeling
Pay attention to any other clues in the map - for example, you are given a
compass icon telling you where ‘North’, ‘South’, ‘East’ and ‘West’ are. This means
it is likely that these phrases will be used to direct you. Common Language of
Location
There can be various phrases to explain where things are, but below are listed
some of the most common you'll need for IELTS listening map labelling or
diagram labelling.
Make sure you understand them all.
• At the top / at the bottom
• On the left / on the right
• Left hand side / right hand side
• South / North / East / West
• Southeast / Southwest / Northeast / Northwest
• To the north / to the south / to the east / to the west
• Opposite / in front of / behind
• In the middle / in the center
• Above / below
• Inside / outside
25 Listening
• Just beyond / a little beyond / just past
• Next to / alongside / adjoining (= next to or joined with)
Questions 1-5
Complete the information below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS OR A

Tour information
Destination Sydney
Tour type (1) ____________
Tourist attractions The Harbour Bridge
The Opera House
The Queen Victoria (2) ____________
Timetable From 7 am to (3) ___________ pm

Closest stop (4) ____________ metres out from here,
at the front of the (5) _______________
Questions 6-10
Complete the booklet of ticket types below. Write ONE WORD OR A NUMBER for
each answer.
Ticket types
minimal (6) ________ $ Valid during (7) ___________ hours
(8) _______ 30$ Lasts all day
Lasts all day
premium (9) _________ $
free drinks and snacks (10) __________
Questions 11-15
Choose FIVE letters, A—I. Which FIVE group fitness programs are available at
Fitness Land?
A yoga В pilates
С step dance D aerobics
E belly dance F barbell classes
G kickboxing H zumba
I stretching
26 Listening
Questions 16-20
Complete the timetable of group activities below. Write NO MORE THAN TWO
WORDS for each
answer.
Day Activity name

Monday (16) ___________
Tuesday (17) ___________
Wednesday (18) ___________
Thursday (19) ___________
Friday (20) ___________
Questions 21-25
21. Why do people experience pain?
A. It preserves good health condition

B. It prevents us from damaging ourselves
C. Continuous pain is useful for humans
22. What parts of our body are responsible for feeling pain?
A. Receptors and nerves

B. Some part of our brain
C. Pain is a complex process, which involves various parts of our body
23. How many people in the UK suffer from pain?
A. 31%
B. 37%
C. 40 million
24. Is chronic pain different from pain we feel when we knock our knee?
A. No, all kinds of pain have evolved as survival mechanisms

B. Yes, there is an enormous difference
C. We don’t have much insight into that
27 Listening
25. Professor John Wood compares pain perception to
A. Beauty
B. Continuousness
C. Anesthesia
Questions 26-28
26. How do scientists block pain nowadays?
A. By blocking activity of nerves that send electrical signals

B. By understanding mechanisms of pain perception and altering them
C. By threating the central nervous system
27. When do patients experience “phantom limb” pain?
A. After the operation

B. While their wounds heal
C. After the amputation
28. Are peripheral nerves involved in process of feeling pain?
A. No, pain has nothing to do with peripheral nerves

B. Yes, peripheral nerves are required to feel pain
C. Scientists don’t know much about pain perception nowadays
Questions 29 and 30
answer.
What’s happening in a case of phantom limb?
Pain can create a (29) __________ of itself. The same way listening to music can
take you to a certain point in time, some sort of stimulation can cause
a (30) _________________ to be re-experienced.
Questions 31-33
31. Psychologist Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic says, “If narcissism is fire, then
Facebook is _____________”.
28 Listening
32. People have a desire to broadcast their lives to reinforce their self-
concept, ____________ and self-centered needs.
33. According to the recent research, the more time you spend on the various
social networks, the more ________________ you become.
Questions 34-36
Choose the correct letter, A, B, or C.
34. Social networks may cause depression because:
A. People have to portray themselves in a positive way

B. People spend too much time on social networks
C. People compare themselves to others and feel miserable
35. What is the biggest problem of children and teenagers who spend too much
time online?
A. They don’t develop their social and intellectual skills

B. They grow isolated
C. They don’t spend enough time on education
36. If children spend their time looking at screens instead of looking out, what
consequences it may cause?
A. Their adaptation to the world is more technologically mediated

B. They encounter difficulties in interacting with other people
C. They experience deficit in social and emotional skills
Questions 37-40
37. Psychotherapist Gillian Isaacs Russell discovered that there are some distinct
differences between working on the screen and working ___________ in the
room.
38. Therapies like CBT are appropriate for online use because they
are ________________.
39. Psychotherapists have to pay attention to ___________ , non-verbal part of

relationship, as it makes 60% of our communication.
40. There are some risks related to treatment at distance, because therapists
can’t see the whole body and a lot of ___________ things that are going on.
29 Listening
Lesson 7

7. Table Completion
First try to understand the layout of the table. This is something you must
do before you listen. Any headings will tell you how the talk is organized. You
know that question 2 always comes before question 3.
Ask yourself these questions:
 Look at the headings in this table. What four main sections does it have?
 Look at the question numbers. What are you going to hear first?
30 Listening
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
NOTES ON SOCIAL PROGRAMME

Example Number of trips per month Answer 5
Visit places which have:
 historical interest
 good 1. ___________
 2. _______________
Cost: between 5.00 pounds and 15.00 pounds per person
Note: special trips organised for groups of 3. ___________ people
Time: departure – 8.30 a.m. and return – 6.00 p.m.
To reserve a seat: sign name on the 4. _______ 3 days in advance
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
WEEKEND TRIPS
Place Date Number of seats Optional extra
St Ives 5. ________ 16 Hepworth Museum
London 16th February 45 6. ___________
7. ________ 3rd March 18 S.S. Great Britain
Salisbury 18th March 50 Stonehenge
Bath 23rd March 16 8. __________
For further information:
Read the 9. ___________ or see Social Assistant: Jane 10. ____________

Questions 11-13
RIVERSIDE INDUSTRIAL VILLAGE
11. Riverside Village was a good place to start an industry because it had water,
raw materials and fuels such as __________ and ___________ .
31 Listening
12. The metal industry was established at Riverside Village by __________ who
lived in the area.
13. There were over ____________ water-powered mills in the area in the
eighteenth century.
Questions 21 and 22
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
21. Melanie says she has not started the assignment because
A. she was doing work for another course.

B. it was a really big assignment.
C. she hasn’t spent time in the library.
22. The lecturer says that reasonable excuses for extensions are
A. planning problems.
B. problems with assignment deadlines.
C. personal illness or accident.
32 Listening
Questions 23-27
What recommendations does Dr Johnson make about the journal articles?
Choose your answers from the box and write the letters A–G next to
questions 23–27
A must read
B useful
C limited value
D read first section
E read research methods
F read conclusion
G don’t read
Jackson: 23. ____________
Roberts: 24. ____________
Morris: 25. _____________
Cooper: 26. _____________
Forster: 27. ____________
Questions 28-30
Label the chart below.
Choose your answers from the box below and write the letters A-H next to
questions 28-30.
33 Listening
Population studies.
Reasons for changing accomodation.
Possible reasons
A uncooperative landlord B environment C space D noisy neighbours

E near city F work location G transport H rent
28. ________________
29. ________________
30. ________________
34 Listening
THE URBAN LANDSCAPE

Two areas of focus:
 the effect of vegetation on the urban climate
 ways of planning our 31. __________ better
Large-scale impact of trees:
 they can make cities more or less 32. ____________
 in summer they can make cities cooler
 they can make inland cities more 33. ____________
Local impact of trees:
 they can make local areas
 more 34. ______________
 cooler
 more humid
 less windy
 less 35. ______________
Comparing trees and buildings
Temperature regulation:
 trees evaporate water through their 36. ________________
 building surfaces may reach high temperatures
Wind force:
 tall buildings cause more wind at 37. _____________ level
 trees 38. _______________ the wind force
Noise:
 trees have a small effect on traffic noise
 39. ______________ frequency noise passes through trees
Important points to consider:
 trees require a lot of sunlight, water and 40. _____________ to grow
35 Listening
Lesson 8

8. Flow Chart
1. Like in the previous tips, prediction of the missing information would help you
with this question type.
2. When you see diagrams, just keep in mind that they visually represent an
object or an idea. On the other hand, flow charts show visually the steps in a
certain process.
3. Study the words and phrases in the chart
4. Look at how the chart is organized. Look at any boxes and arrows on the chart
and ask yourself what they represent
5. When describing a process (so that you can fill in the flow chart), the speaker
will use various sequencing words such as; ‘first of all’, ‘then’, ‘after x has been
done’, ‘finally’ etc.
6. The verb tenses usually used are present/present perfect simple when
describing a process and verbs are often used in the passive voice.
7. Flow charts follow the organization of the recording you hear. This means that
the answers you have to write are in the same order as the information on the
recording.
36 Listening
A Japanese girl and a housing officer are talking about her homestay family.
QUESTIONS 1-5
The housing officer takes some details from the girl. Complete the following form
with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
PERSONAL DETAILS FOR HOMESTAY APPLICATION

First name 1. _________
Family name Yuichini
Gender Female
Age 28
Passport number 2. __________
Nationality Japanese
Course enrolled 3. __________
Length of the course 4. __________
Homestay time 5. __________
Question 6
Mark TWO letter that represent the correct answer.
6. Which kind of family do the girls prefer?

A A big family with many young children
В A family without smoker or drinkers
С A family without any pets
D A family with many animals or pets
Question 7-10
Fill in the blanks with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
7. Although the girl is not a vegetarian, she doesn't eat a lot of meat. Her favorite
food is __________.
8. The girls has given up playing handball. Now, she just play ___________ with
her friends at weekends.
9. The girl does not like the bus because they are always late. She would
rather ________________.
10. The girl can get the information about the homestay family that she
wants _________________.
37 Listening
You will hear a talk by a tour guide about travel to Enzia.
Complete the notes by filling in the blanks with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS
AND/OR NUMBER for each answer.
Notes
VISAS
Now Eznina visas are needed by almost all nationalities.
Normal visas last 11. ____________
You need to pay 12. ____________ for the visa.
Price may change from time to time
Some Enzian consulates neighboring countries require you to provide a letter to
13. _________________
You can get information of major embassies on 14. _____________ of the
student handbook.
If you want to re-enter Eznia, you must get a multi-entry visa.
SOME MISCELLANEOUS GENERAL ADVICE
If you carry a lot of money, you need to complete a 15. _________
Remember to declare all your items, especially expensive items, on

a 16. ___________
You are advised to carry a health certificate. The one you need is
the 17. ______________
NOTES FOR STUDENTS
If you wish to get a youth fare card, you should show

your 18. _____________________
Due to the bureaucracy in Eznia, you are advised to take at

least 19. ____________ passport photos with you.
CURRENCY
Pounds and US dollars are not very useful now in Eznia, so you should
take 20. ___________ or______________ with you .
Credit cards are not acceptable because of fraud scandals.
38 Listening
You will hear a discussion about shopping habits.
Questions 21-24
Complete the sentences below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS

AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
21. The woman being interviewed is now working in the bank. Her occupation
is ____________________.
22. The woman usually spends about ___________ when she goes shopping.
23. The woman often goes to ________ because she finds them convenient.
24. According to the woman, _______ is/are her most difficult thing(s) to buy.
Questions 25-27
Fill in the blanks with ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
50% of the people being interviewed spend

25. ____________ a month.

26. ______________ a month.

27. ________________ a month.
39 Listening
Questions 28-30
Mark THREE letter that represent the correct answer.
Most of the people being interviewed think that _________ is/are most difficult to
buy.
A Books В Study materials С Foods D Trousers E Shoes

F Sportswear
Questions 31-40
Choose the correct letter, A, B, С or D.
31. What does the lecturer provide for those who are interested in doing extra
reading?
A. Personal consultation sessions.

B. Extra materials, such as a booklist.
C. Mid-term examination.
D. Free glasses.
32. In the past, time management meant you needed to
A. reduce your stress.

B. plan for every hour of the week.
C. own a good watch.
D. set goals and try to achieve these goals.
33. Today, wise time management means you need to
A. set goals and work in a systematic way.

B. work faster.
C. set an overview of your assignment.
D. make a list, plan for everything and try to stick to this plan.
34. In this college, students are assigned ____________ at the end of each
semester.
A. team projects.
B. final term examinations.
C. essays.
D. time management courses.
40 Listening
35. One sign he lecturer mentions that students feel under pressure is
A. library books go missing.

B. students get angry for no reason.
C. lower class attendance rates.
D. trouble at the library.
36. What kind of suggestion does the lecturer give to the students?
A. Making a very detailed plan of their daily activities.

B. Not being so stressed just because thre is an assignment.
C. A regular one-hour session in their personal timetables.
D. Wearing comfortable shoes.
37. According to the lecturer, there are three kinds of planners. They are:
A. one weekly planner, one daily planner and one hour planner.
B. one yearly planner, one weekly planner and one daily planner.
C. one term planner, one monthly planner and one weekly planner.
D. one term planner, one weekly and one daily planner.
38. If you want to set an overview of your time, you should need at least
A. one week.
B. half a week.
C. one month.
D. one term.
39. The daily planner of time is mainly concerned with
A. the detailed planning.

B. how to plan all available time.
C. TV shedules.
D. an overview of everything you need to do for several days.
40. According to the lecturer, wise time management may have the following
benefit:
A. having more time to spend on relaxation and other activities.

B. improving your performance in the final term assignment.
C. helping you write better essays.
D. improving your memory.
41 Listening
Lesson 9

9. Matching
1. Before starting to listen, carefully read the numbered and lettered lists.
2. The numbered list would always be in the same order as you would hear it in
the recording.
3. The ideas in the lists might not be expressed in the same way as those in the
recording.
4. In this type of question, you should listen for ideas; never listen for particular
words or phrases.
5. When you've chosen something from the list, put a line through it so you won't
get to use it again.
42 Listening
Example: Name Robert Goddard

Destination: Melbourne
Total number of visits: (1) ________
Best thing about the city: (2) ___________
Favorite attraction: (3) _________
Best thing about the (4) __________
destination's dining options:
Method of transport to by (5) __________
destination:
Age group: (6) ________
Income level: (7) ___________
Purpose of visit: - on business
- (8) _________
Occupation: - (9) __________
- writer for a travel

magazine
Opinion of cost of - (10) __________
accommodation:
43 Listening
Questions 11-15
Lable the map below.
Writethe correct letter, A-E, next to questions 11-15.
11. Science Museum _____ 12. National History Museum _____
13. Car Park _______ 14. Shopping Mall _______
15. Primary School ______
Questions 16-20
What is the improvement of each main point of interest in the area?
Choose FIVE answers from the box and write the correct letter, A-G, next to
questions 16-20.
A New entrance B Free lunch provided C Free information provided
D Increase in size E Additional signs F New exhibitions
G New structure
16. Car Park ______ 17. Primary School _____ 18. Science Museum ______
19. National History Museum ________ 20. Shopping Mall ________

44 Listening
Questions 21-23
21. The proposal will
A. be reviewed by two examiners.

B. be added to the final grade.
C. be returned with feedback.
22. The proposal will consist mostly of
A. topics.
B. methods.
C. results.
22. For the practice paper, the tutor has directed the students to make sure to
A. pay attention to time limits.

B. write at least 6,000 words.
C. keep on topic.
Questions 24-30
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
24. There is no need to _______________ lots of people.

25. Pay attention to the ____________ of the final report.
26. Prepare _______, one for the teacher, another for the students themselves.
27. The deadline of the final paper is ____________.
28. The students can _________ their topics before the beginning of April.
29. Students deciding to change topics must deliver a _______ to the research in
advance.
30. At the beginning ot the report, the hypothesis and an outline of
the _______________ are needed.
45 Listening
ADVERTISING EFFECT
The important factor to consider
 The 31. _________ customers must travel affects the probability that they
will buy the product.
Methods of communication
 Advertising slogans are easier to remember if there is

a 32. ________ played with them.
 Mandy's Candy Store appeals to people's sense of 33. _______________ to
draw in customers.
 To an ad campaign for digital products, it is 34. ____________ that is
extremely important.
Effect on your product sales
 The customer's 35. __________ after he or she experiences the ad is most

important.
Marketing strategies
 On international flights, it is wise for the advertisement to be displayed in

the common 36.__________ of most passengers.
 Very few young people buy 37. ________________.
 The UNESCO website would be a good place to advertise for companies
aiming to improve the 38.________________.
 One good location to place ads for sunscreen is the 39. _______________.
 A good scene for a water purification commercial would
be 40. _______________.
46 Listening
Unit 4 Lesson 10
Common IELTS Spelling Mistakes in the Listening Exam

This list of common IELTS spelling mistakes includes some of the words most likely
to appear in the test. Try to master these basic rules in order to minimize poor
spelling in IELTS.
Single and double consonants

Spelling mistakes are common when single or double consonants occur nearby in
a word.
A single consonant is followed by a double consonant:

Across, Process, Harass, Disappoint, Recommend, Tomorrow, Professor,
Necessary
A double consonant is followed by a single consonant:

Parallel, Apparent, Exaggerate, Occasion, Occur (but Occurred), Commit (but
Committed)
Some common words with two pairs of consonants:

Success, Possess, Access, Assess, Address, Accommodation, Embarrass,
Millennium
47 Listening
PHONE INTERVIEW
Name John Murphy
Example: Position applying for Lifeguard
Street address: 45 (1) ________ Court
Contact phone number: (2) ______________
Current part-time job: (3) _____________
Previous job at Ridge Mont High (4) _____________
School
Additional relevant work (5) _____________
experience:
Relevant skills/qualifications: CPR certification
& (6) _________
CPR certification expiration date: (7) _______________
Preferred weekly shift: (8) ___________
Time available to start work: (9) ____________
Advertisement source: (10) ____________
Questions 11—20
11. The lecture was organised by___________
A. City of Nottingham.
B. University of Nottingham Students' Union.
C. Nottingham Police Department.
12. The majority of crime on campus is_____________
A. drugs and alcohol.

B. violence.
C. theft.
13. The campus crime rate has ____________ so far this year.
A. increased.
B. decreased.
C. stayed the same.
48 Listening
14. Why is there added concern about crime?
A. Exaggeration in media.
B. Crime TV shows.
C. Factual news articles.
15. Carlos says if you are the victim of crime, you should
A. run away.
B. resist.
C. seek help.
16. What is the primary method for increasing safety?
A. Informing students and staff of safety precautions.

B. Offering free self-defense courses to students.
C. Reminding students to carry a mobile phone at all times.
17. If a student must work late, it is most important to
A. not return home until the morning.

B. go back with a friend.
C. bring a mobile phone.
18. It is dangerous to
A. drive home late at night.

B. carry a knife.
C. carry pepper spray.
19. Students who complete self-defense course are
A. more aware of dangers.

B. mentally tougher.
C. walking more confidently.
20. A university is
A. not surrounded by walls.

B. patrolled by military.
C. completely safe.
49 Listening
Questions 21-23
21. Information on the test is from
A. the teacher.
B. a class.
C. a handout.
22. This assignment is important because
A. it will become a permanent record.

B. it is a must for passing 11th grade English.
C. it will affect the English level next year.
23. Bobby chooses football as project topic because
A. he often plays football.

B. his father loves football.
C. he is interested in football.
Questions 24-30
What problems do the speakers identify for this project?
Choose SEVEN answers from the box and write the letters A-H next to
questions 24-30.
Problems
A too vague B too factual C too unreliable D too noisy
E too long F too short G too complicated H too simple
24. Background sounds __________25. Answer of questions ______________

26. One of the questions ___________ 27. Time of answering _____________
28. Recording equipment ____________ 29. Topic of
project ________________
30. Report on project _________________
50 Listening
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
GIVING A SPEECH
Reasons for nervousness
 Lecturers often feel more nervous if a speech is 31. ___________ .
 Many think that the ability to make a good public speaking is 32. ________,
while in fact it is a skill that can be learned by anyone.
How to prepare a quality speech
 The audience will only remember the 33. __________ sentence of speech.
 Ensure that your speech is 34. _____________ .
Do's and Don'ts
 Don't start your speech until audience is 35. _____________ .

 You can make your main ideas or notes on cards or a 36. __________ .
 You do not need to write down the 37. ______________ speech.
 You can just write 38. ______________ ideas.
 Remember to 39. ____________ yourself to see how long your speech will
be.
 Don't just 40. _____________ a script.
51 Listening
Lesson 11
spelling in IELTS.
Weak Vowel Sounds

Some words are difficult to spell because they contain the schwa or [ə], a weak
vowel sound. It is almost impossible to know how to spell such words from their
sound alone.
Examples of words containing more than one schwa include:
Separate (adj.), Definite, Desperate, Temperature, Literature,
General, Relevant, Category
Other problematic schwa words include:

Describe, Decline, Despite; but Dispute, Discrete, Display
Capable, Achievable, Understandable; but Possible, Visible, Accessible
Performance, Attendance, Ignorance; but Independence, Sentence, Existence
Sometimes the schwa sound conceals a barely-pronounced [r]:

Opportunity, Pursue, Persuade, Surprise
Schwa or [ə] is also considered

the shortest sound in English.
52 Listening
REGISTRATION FORM
Example: Type of crime report Answer: Robbery
Name: Anna (1) __________
Date of birth: (2) ___________
Address: 4 (3) ___________ St.
Post code: (4) ____________
Nationality: Grenadian
Number of previous burglaries: (5) ______________
Time of apartment tenancy: (6) ______________
Number of occupants: (7) ____________
Entry point of burglar: (8) _____________
Details of lost property:

- Serial number of lost computer: (9) _____________
- Material of stolen purse: (10) _____________
Questions 11-14
11. What is the project that Mark and gina want to start?
A. Business school requirements.

B. Directions to the business school.
C. Explaining the business school experience.
12. Who is the target audience?
A. Business students.
B. Business school applicants.
C. Summer school attendees.
53 Listening
13. How will they convey the information?
A. Summer course lecture.

B. Informational video.
C. Pamphlet in the mail.
14. They want to do this project because
A. students worry about their studies.

B. they want to obtain a good grade.
C. they want to attract future business school applicants.
Questions 15-20
Topic Time
Academics
7 minutes
- (15) ____________
(16) ____________
- cafeteria 6 minutes
- (17) __________
Social activity
- (18) ________ 8 minutes
- (19) _____________
Conclusion nearly (20) ________
54 Listening
Questions 21-26
21. The subjects in questionnaire are
A. tourists in the hotel in this area.

B. local residents.
C. people who are living in this area.
22. The results of the questionnaire should be
A. directly entered into the computer.

B. scored by hand.
C. submitted directly to Professor Curran.
23. Why should John give a copy of plans to the professor?
A. To receive a good grade.

B. To get advice.
C. To earn high praise.
24. How will the instructions be presented?
A. Given by a group representative.

B. Given by all members of the group.
C. Given by the professor.
25. What does Dani suggest to John when those subjects receive the
questionnaire?
A. Divide into 2 part to argue.

B. Focus on the opinion of the interviewees.
C. Take consideration of both sides.
26. Why is this project particularly important to John?
A. To earn respect from professors in the department.

B. To raise his grade.
C. To impress his professor.
55 Listening
Questions 27-30
What prois the source of each one below in this survey?
Choose FOUR answers from the box and write the letters A-F next to
questions 27-30.
A radio B council meeting C the

television D newspaper E journal
F the Internet
27. Map ___________ 28. Photo ___________ 29. Budget _____________
30. Comment ___________
Questions 31-35
Choose the correct letter, A, B, or C.
31. Why did the lecturer choose to focus on the Pleasanton Town Market?
A. It was the first ever Town Market.

B. It has been covered extensively in local history classes.
C. It is often mentioned in some literature of the library.
32. The Town Market originally made a large profit selling
A. handcrafts.
B. vegetables.
C. animals.
33. The money that the marketers made contributes to local
A. reconstruction.
B. development.
C. defense.
34. Market sales plummeted due to lack of viable
A. agriculture.
B. transport.
C. city planning.
56 Listening
35. Major John C. Wiley decided the Clock tower would be used as a _________
in the early stages of the uprising.
A. clock
B. grounds for battle
C. jail
Questions 36-40
Write ONLY ONE WORD for each answer.
Research Methods Objects Problems

reference section 36. __________ there is too much
information
37. _________ Rebellion bias makes it 38. _____
39. __________ Jim Wiley the information is
insufficient
newspaper archives 40. _______________ more detail is needed
57 Listening
Lesson 12
spelling in IELTS.
Changes of Spelling When Words Change Form

A consonant can change when a noun becomes an adjective:
Benefit > Beneficial; Influence > Influential; Circumstance > Circumstantial
A vowel can change or be lost when a verb becomes a noun:

Maintain > Maintenance; Pronounce > Pronunciation, Argue > Argument
A vowel may double when a noun becomes a verb:

Success > Succeed; Excess > Exceed; Process > Proceed
A final consonant is often doubled when a verb changes form:

Occur > Occurred; Refer > Referred; Begin > Beginning
58 Listening
PLAN FOR SHARING ACCOMODATION
Example: Answer:
The discussion topic lease for next year
The total rent: Peter £110 & Jim

£ (1) ______
Car parking: in the (2) ___________
A place to buy things: (3) ____________, because

Jim works there
The fees they should share: (4) ____________ fees
The appliances needed: - The landlord will provide

the microwave
- The (5) ____________ is

needed in the kitchen
- Peter will bring some dining

room and living room
furniture
- Jim will buy

a (6) _________ at the
store
Location of the telephone: in the (7) _____________
Move-in date: (8) ______________
Watching the game together: (9) ______________
What Jim needs to do before the take (10) _____________ in

move-in: the morning
59 Listening
Questions 11-12
Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
11. The program is made for travelers to make ___________ .
12. The program operates in cooperation with _____________ .
Questions 13-16
What is the internship stipulation of each country below?
Choose FOUR answers from the box and write the correct letter, A-F, next to
questions 13-16.
Internship Stipulation
A. home stay B. no summer program C. minimum time requirement
D. formal report required E. specific time period F. agriculture
Country
13. USA _________ 14. Australia _________ 15. South Africa __________
16. India _______________
Questions 17-20
17. What should you do to get the Global Traveling Certificate?
A. Record activity every day.

B. Formal report.
C. Talk the experience with the assessor.
18. You can apply for the certificate
A. only after you come back.

B. while on the trip.
C. before you leave.
60 Listening
19. When should you pay the final installment?
A. The day before you leave.

B. One month before you return.
C. Before you can get your plane ticket.
20. Before your application, you need
A. to take a health check.

B. to attend the workshop.
C. to meet people with whom you will work.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR NUMBER for each answer.
Topic Information source
21. ________ check at the 22. __________
Views on 23. _______ interview the manager of 24. ______
Practice of 25. ________ find relevant information from the 26. ____
How to deliver the plan: as an 27. ____________
Date of giving the presentation: on 28. ___________
Schedule of items due: First Phase: 29. __________
Final Phase: Group 30. __________
61 Listening
Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
The Gherkin Building
Commissioned by: 31. _______ firm called Foster and Partners.
The features of its appearance:
 Its shape is like a 32. _____________ .
 It can reduce the carbon 33. ____________ of the city.
 It lets 34. _______ pass through the building, both reducing heating costs
and brightening up the workspace.
 One false story claims that the exterior of the building is partly made
of 35. ______________ .
Architectural concept:
 links 36. ___________ with the workplace.

 relies less on 37. ____________ for temperature control than other similar
buildings.
The features of its interior:
 The atria that let fresh air pass through the interior are know
as 38. ________________ .
 There is a place for entertainment called the 39. _____________ at the top
of the building.
The future of urban planning and architecture:
 It is likely that the entire 40. __________ will be designed with more
similarly eco-friendly buildings in future.
 A new building will be constructed aiming to produce zero waste and
remove carbon dioxide from us as much as possible.
62 Listening
Lesson 13
Unit 5
Listening Skills for IELTS Test
You don’t have to listen to every word and understand everything on the IELTS
Listening test.
There are 3 different listening skills and you only use one of them on the IELTS:
 Listening for detail: Listening for every word that the professor says and
taking notes on everything they say. You might do this when you watch a
movie and you need to hear every line. You don’t need to do this on IELTS.
You do listen for details but you don’t listen to every word.
 Listening for gist: Listening for the main idea. You don’t do this on the
IELTS exam.
 Listening for specific information: This is the skill that you need for the
IELTS Listening test. This is a test strategy. On the test you look at the
question, underline key words and then listen for those specific key words
and the answer that is right next to them.
When you use these listening activities you should approach it the same way you
would on the test.
That means that you should read the questions before you listen. Focus on the
key words like names, numbers, special verbs and nouns.
Also, predict an answer. Know what to listen for- is it an adjective or a verb to go

before one particular word.
63 Listening
Section One - Questions 1-10
Complete the notes. Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
64 Listening
Section Two - Questions 11-20
Complete the notes below. Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each
answer.
There are many kinds of bicycles available:

• racing
• touring
• (11) ..............................................
• ordinary
They vary in price and (12) ................................................ .
Prices range from $50.00 to (13) ......................................... .
Single speed cycles are suitable for (14) ................................ .
Three speed cycles are suitable for (15) ................................. .
Five and ten speed cycles are suitable for longer distances, hills
and (16) ................... .
Ten speed bikes are better because they are (17) ............................ in price
but (18) .......................... .
Buying a cycle is like (19) ................................. .
The size of the bicycle is determined by the size of the (20) ............................ .
65 Listening
Section 3
Questions 21-24
Circle the correct answer.
21. At first Fiona thinks that Martin’s tutorial topic is

A. inappropriate.
B. dull.
C. interesting.
D. fascinating.
22. According to Martin, the banana

A. has only recently been cultivated.
B. is economical to grow.
C. is good for your health.
D. is his favourite food.
23. Fiona listens to Martin because she

A. wants to know more about bananas.
B. has nothing else to do today.
C. is interested in the economy of Australia.
D. wants to help Martin.
24. According to Martin, bananas were introduced into Australia from

A. India.
B. England.
C. China.
D. Africa.
66 Listening
Questions 25-30
Complete Martin’s notes Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
Commercially grown banana plant
Each banana tree produces (25) ………………………… of bananas.

On modern plantations in tropical conditions a tree can bear fruit
after(26) ......................................... .
Banana trees prefer to grow (27) .........................................
and they require rich soil and (28) ..................................... .
The fruit is often protected by (29) ............................................. .
Ripe bananas emit a gas which helps other (30) .......................................... .
Questions 31 and 32
Circle the TWO correct boxes.
67 Listening
SECTION 4
Section Four - Questions 33-41
Questions 33-35
Circle the correct answer
According to the first speaker:
33. The focus of the lecture series is on

A. organising work and study. C. coping with homesickness.
B. maintaining a healthy lifestyle. D. settling in at university.
34. The lecture will be given by

A. the president of the Union. C. a sports celebrity.
B. the campus doctor. D. a health expert.
According to the second speaker:
35. This week’s lecture is on

A. campus food. C. sensible eating.
B. dieting. D. saving money.
Questions 36-39
Complete the notes. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
A balanced diet
A balanced diet will give you enough vitamins for normal daily living.
Vitamins in food can be lost through (36) ............................................... .
Types of vitamins:
(a) Fat soluble vitamins are stored by the body.
(b) Water soluble vitamins - not stored, so you need
a (37) ......................................................... .
Getting enough vitamins

Eat (38) .................................................................... of foods.
Buy plenty of vegetables and store them in
(39) .................................................................................. .
68 Listening
Questions 40-41
Complete the diagram by writing NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS in the boxes
provided.
69 Listening
Lesson 14
Before & On the IELTS Test
Before the test
Improve your general listening skills
The goal of IELTS Listening section is to test your listening skills. Don't use practice
tests to improve your score: it's not enough! They will help you to become familiar with
the test, but won't much improve your listening abilities. It is much more effective to
do various listening exercises, listen to general listening materials (radio reports, TV-
shows, documental programs etc.) and only after that do IELTS Listening practice
tests.
Polish your topic vocabulary
Section 3 is almost always about education. For example, students and a tutor talking
about an assignment. Learn all the vocabulary you can about studying at university.
This way you will understand this section better.
On the test
Word types
Skip over the questions and decide which type of word fits in each gap. Is it a noun,
verb, adverb or adjective? Write 'N' for noun, 'V' for verb and so on. This will help you
to focus on the specific word forms while listening.
"Plug in" the situation
Try to get an idea of the situation. Before each part you will be given a short
introduction: 'Now, you will hear a dialogue between…' or 'you will hear a lecture on…'
This information is not written on the question paper, so be attentive. Note: who are
the speakers, why are they speaking and where are they. This will make understanding
the rest of the recording much easier.
Don't lose attention
Remember, you will only hear the audio once. So if you didn't hear some words and
passed over some questions, don't worry! Leave them blank and focus on the actual
part. Review those questions at the end of the section, otherwise, you will only miss
more questions and tangle in the recording. You will need to read, write and listen all
at the same time.
70 Listening
Watch out words-indicators
Listen for words-indicators, such as however, but, then, finally. They help you to
anticipate what the speaker will say.
Don't write answers too quickly
A lot of students fall into this trap: as soon as they hear the needed information, they
take it for the correct answer. But sometimes this information is repeated or corrected
further in the section. Example:
Sam: Thank you! I've received your email. So it is loren-hanson@gmail.com.
Loren: No-no! You have mistaken, it is loren-hamson@gmail.com, spelled with M.
Sam: Oh, I'm sorry...
Check for silly mistakes
After each section you have 30 seconds to check your answers. It is important to check
spelling, plurals and word forms. Remember that only correctly written answers will
gain points.
Transfer answers accurately
At the end of the listening test you will have 10 minutes for transferring your answers
into the answer sheet. And quite often students get confused in the numeration! As
you write down your answers, check that they fit into the correct numbered space. In
other words, make sure that answer for question 7 goes into space number 7.
Don't leave any blank answers!
You won't lose marks for incorrect answers, so even if you don't know the answer it is
better to write something in the answers box. Read the question again and make a
guess!
71 Listening
SECTION 1
Section One - Questions 1-12

You will hear a number of different recordings and you have to answer questions
on what you hear. There will be time for you to read the instructions and questions
and you will have a chance to check your work.
All the recordings will be played once only. The test is in 4 Sections. At the end of
the test, you will be given 10 minutes to transfer your answers to an answer
sheet.
Questions 1-4
Circle the appropriate letter-
1. What are the parking regulations on campus?

A. undergraduate parking allowed
B. postgraduate parking allowed
C. staff parking only allowed
D. no student parking allowed
2. The administration office is in

A. Block B.
B. Block D.
C. Block E.
D. Block G.
3. If you do not have a parking sticker, the following action will be taken:
A. wheel clamp your car.
B. fine only.
C. tow away your car and fine.
D. tow away your car only.
72 Listening
4. Which picture shows the correct location of the Administration office?
Questions 5-10
Complete the application form using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS.
Application for parking sticker
Name (5) ...........................................................................................
Address (6) Flat 13 .............................................................................
Suburb (7) ..........................................................................................
Faculty (8) ..........................................................................................
Registration umber (9) ..........................................................................
Make of car (10) .................................................................................
Questions 11-12
11. Cashier’s office opens at A 12.15 B 2.00 C 2.15 D 4.30
12. Where must the sticker be displayed?
...................................................................
73 Listening
SECTION 2
Section Two- Questions 13-23
Complete the notes below using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each
answer.
74 Listening
SECTION 3
Section Three - Questions 24-32
Questions 24-27
Circle the correct answer
24. Mark is going to talk briefly about

A. marketing new products.
B. pricing strategies.
C. managing large companies.
D. setting sales targets.
25. According to Susan, air fares are lowest when they

A. include weekend travel.
B. are booked well in advance.
C. are non-refundable.
D. are for business travel only.
26. Mark thinks revenue management is

A. interesting.
B. complicated.
C. time-consuming.
D. reasonable.
27. The airline companies want to

A. increase profits.
B. benefit the passenger.
C. sell cheap seats.
D. improve the service.
Questions 28-32
Complete the notes using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer
Two reasons for the new approach to pricing are:
(28) ..........................................................................
and (29) .......................................................................... .
In future people will be able to book airline tickets (30) .......................... .
Also being marketed m this way are (31) ................................................
and (32)................................................................. .
75 Listening
SECTION 4
Section Four - Questions 33-42
Questions 33-37
Complete the table. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer
76 Listening
Questions 38-42
Label the diagram. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
77 Listening
SPEAKING
Lesson 1
Unit 1 Short Answers
In Part 1 of the IELTS speaking exam, you will be asked questions on familiar topics. These topics will be
related to your personal experience, hobbies and everyday life.
Exercise 1
1. Brainstorm: personal/everyday topics (group activity) (5 mins)

2. Share your answers with the class (class activity) (5 mins)
When answering questions on these topics, it is important that you give short answers. However, the
answers shouldn’t be too short.
Exercise 2 (pair work) (10 mins)
Read the questions and answers below. Then discuss which answers (a, b or c) are good or bad,
and Why.
Do you come from a small family or a large family?
a) Large. There are my parents, me, and my 2 brothers and 2 sisters.

b) Large.
c) Large. There’s my mother, Fatima. She’s a teacher. My father, Adam, is an engineer. I have 2
older brothers, Nawaf and Ibrahim. They’re at university. And then my 2 younger sisters, Miriam
and Zainab. They’re still at school.
What is the area like where you live?
a) It’s boring. There isn’t anything to do. There are no shops, or parks, or cinemas, or restaurants, or
discos or sports centres.
b) It’s boring.
c) It’s quite boring. There isn’t much to do – no shops or cinemas or anything.
What do you find most difficult about learning English?
a) The grammar, especially the tenses. Sometimes I don’t know the right one to use.
b) The grammar. The tenses are very difficult and I don’t know when to use the present perfect or
the past tense or when to use the continuous or simple, or when to use ‘will’. Very difficult.
c) The grammar.
1 Speaking
Exercise 3 (class activity) (5 mins)
Share your answers with the class
Note:
 give natural replies, neither too long nor too short
 do not list things
 focus on demonstrating fluency by answering without hesitation. Remember, you'll speak more
fluently if you keep your part 1 answers short and simple.
 do not use difficult grammar or vocabulary
 do not memorise answers
Reasons and Examples
There are two ideal ways to answer Part 1 questions.
1. Provide a direct answer to the question, and then explain your answer by giving reasons.
For example:
I like my job because it’s varied and it gives me the opportunity to travel.
2. Provide a direct answer to the question, and then give reasons and examples.
For example:
I like my job because it’s varied and it gives me the opportunity to travel. For example, I
went to Dubai last month to attend a conference. I really enjoyed my time there.
Useful Language
Giving reasons Giving examples

because for example
because of for instance
due to such as
as like / as
since another example / way is
2 Speaking
Connecting Ideas
In order to get higher marks in the fluency and coherent criteria, connecting ideas between sentences is
vital.
Exercise 4 (2 mins)
Read the sentences below. Match the phrases in bold (1-3) to their function (a-c).
1. Our university is based outside the city so deliveries always take a few days.
2. You never feel like you can relax. What’s more, I was studying medicine, which is an especially
difficult subject.
3. It’s a real challenge studying here. On the other hand, we all love it.
a. giving extra information

b. comparing and contrasting
c. explaining a result
Exercise 5 (3 mins)
Complete the tables below with the titles (a-c) from Exercise 1, and the words and expressions from the
box below.
as a result Moreover Furthermore In addition,

Even so Nevertheless therefore
____________________
What’s more,
You never feel like you can I was studying medicine,
really relax --------------------------------- which is an especially difficult
subject.
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
_____________________
It’s a real challenge studying On the other hand, we all love it.
here.
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
_____________________
so
Our university is located --------------------------------- deliveries always take a few
outside the city, days.
---------------------------------
3 Speaking
IELTS Speaking Task (Pair work) (10 mins)
Now, ask and answer the following IELTS Part 1 questions. Use the appropriate words and expressions
from the previous pages. Remember to provide short answers.
1. What subjects are you studying?

2. Why did you choose these subjects?
3. Would you say you are good at that subject?
4. What do you like most about your studies?
5. Do you get along with your classmates?
6. What is your university like?
7. Why did you choose (to attend) this university?
8. How long will you continue studying here?
9. Do you prefer to study in a quiet environment or in a place that has some noises (or sounds)?
10. Do you study better in the mornings or in the afternoons? (Why?)
11. What was your high school like?

12. What was your favourite subject at high school?
13. Was there any high school subject that you didn't like?
14. What are you going to (or, planning to) do in the future?
4 Speaking
Lesson 2
In Part 2 of the IELTS speaking exam, you will be given a cue card on a particular topic, similar to the one
below.
Describe a time when you were really busy.
You should say:

- when this was
- why you were so busy
- how you managed the situation
and explain how you felt at the time.
The cue card includes key points that you should talk about. As you can see from the cue card above, you
are given the:
Main Topic: Describe a time when you were really busy

3 suggestions: You should say:
- when this was
- why you were so busy
- how you managed the situation
Opinion: and explain how you felt at the time
Once you receive the cue card, you will have 1 min to make notes and then you will be asked to speak for
1-2 mins. The examiner will not talk during this time.
Note:
It is essential that you read the cue card carefully and understand what is required. You should also think
about the vocabulary and grammar required for the task by relating it to the main topic.
5 Speaking
Transport
Exercise 1 (2 mins)
Write the words under the correct pictures.
Train Car Ship Fire engine Taxi Bicycle Bus

Ambulance Plane Police car Motorbike Helicopter
1._______________ 2._______________ 3._______________ 4._______________
5._______________ 6._______________ 7._______________ 8._______________
9._______________ 10._______________ 11._______________ 12._______________
6 Speaking
Exercise 2 (Private or Public) (3 mins)
Write the nouns from Exercise 1 in the correct column of the table below.
Private Public
Exercise 3 (3 mins)
Match the verbs to the definitions.
1. Depart a. travel on a bicycle or motorbike
2. Take off b. get to a place
3. Ride c. arrange to have a seat on a plane, train, etc.
4. Land d. show your ticket at an airport
5. Check in e. leave a place
6. Take f. travel somewhere by bus, train, car etc.
7. Board g. use a specific kind of transportation
8. Go by h. the action of a plane arriving on the ground after flying
9. Arrive i. begin to fly
10. Reserve j. get on a train, boat, bus or plane
7 Speaking
Exercise 4 (3 mins)
Complete the sentences using the verbs from Exercise 2.
1. John can ____________ a bicycle.

2. You should ____________ a seat on the train.
3. The train ____________ at platform 1.
4. The plane ____________ from Manchester at 8:30.
5. Do you like to ____________ by train?
6. You must ____________ the boat. It’s going to depart.
7. Do you ____________ the bus to school?
8. You must show your ticket and your passport when you ____________ at the airport.
9. I don’t like flying, especially at the start when the plane ____________.
10. I feel happy at the end of the flight when the plane ____________.
Grammar
8 Speaking
Exercise 5 (3 mins)
Write the correct infinitive form next to these irregular past simple verbs.
1. ___________ (was/were) 4. ___________ (made) 7. ___________ (put)
2. ___________ (did) 5. ___________ (took) 8. ___________ (went)
3. ___________ (had) 6. ___________ (could) 9. ___________ (came)
Exercise 6 (2 mins)
Write the verbs in the brackets in the past simple.
1. It ____________ (be) a very good journey.
2. His family ____________ (go) to the airport to pick him up.
3. My brother ___________ (wash) his car.
4. They ____________ (walk) to the shops.
5. My friends __________ (arrive) very late.
6. My dad __________ (fix) his old bike.
9 Speaking
Pronunciation
Exercise 7 (2 mins)
Write the correct heading / t / , / d / or / id / in the table below. Say the words out loud to help you.
10 Speaking
IELTS Speaking Task
Read the cue card below and make notes. (15 mins)
Describe a journey you took using public transportation.
You should say:

 Where you were going
 Who you were travelling with
 What the purpose of your journey was
And what was enjoyable about it
Use the table to make notes.
Where you were going
Who you were travelling with
What the purpose of the journey was
What was enjoyable about it
Now, describe the journey to your partner. (Pair work) (5 mins)

11 Speaking
Lesson 3
In Part 3 of the IELTS speaking exam, you will be asked a range of general questions related to the topic
discussed in Part 2. These are in the form of the following common question types.
1. Opinion Your opinion, i.e. explain and give reasons for something
2. Agree or disagree What you think about someone else’s opinion
3. Future What you think will happen in the future
4. Cause and Effect What caused ‘this’ and what effects it has had
5. Compare The difference and/or similarities between two things
6. Past and present Comment on how things were in the past and how they’ve
changed.
When answering these questions, you are expected to give more detailed answers than in
Part 1. Therefore, you should try to develop your answers as much as possible.
Long Answers
One way of giving long answers is by:
 Answering the question directly

 Giving a reason
 Giving an example
 Explaining the alternative / opposite
Look at the IELTS Part 3 example below to see how this is done.
Question
Do you think there are too many game shows on TV nowadays? Why?
Answer
Yes, there are far too many game shows on TV for my liking. (reason) I suppose the channels show these
programmes because they are popular, and they must be very profitable. (example) A good example is
‘Who wants to be a millionaire?’ which has been sold to TV channels across the world. (alternative)
Personally, I’m not a fan of game shows, and I’d much rather watch a film or a drama series.
12 Speaking
Parties
Exercise 1 (3 mins)
Match the words in the box with the pictures.
1. Party hats 2. Clown 3. Balloons 4. Cupcake 5. Pop Corn

6. Cracker 7. Decorations 8. Party game 9. Card 10. Friends
11. Candles 12. Gift 13. Cake 14. Ice Cream
13 Speaking
Exercise 2 (15 mins)
Read the following IELTS Part 3 question.
Question
Do people in your country go to parties?
Now, write your answer in the space below. Remember to:
 Answer the question directly

 Give a reason
 Give an example
 Explain the alternative / opposite
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Now share your answer with a partner. (2 min)
14 Speaking
IELTS Speaking Task (Pair work) (20mins)
Use the vocabulary in Exercise 1, and the method used in Exercise 2, to help you answer the following
questions.
 Do people in your country go to parties?

 How often do they go?
 What do they usually do at these parties?
 Who attends the parties?
 What activities, if any, do people take part in?
 Is special food made for these parties or is it the usual?
 Why do some people dislike parties?
 Who do you think likes parties more, young people or old people?
 In your opinion, what are the benefits of parties?
15 Speaking
Lesson 4
Unit 2 Common Topics
In Part 1 of the IELTS speaking exam, you will be asked questions on three familiar topics. The first topic
will be about your studies, work or where you live. These are the most common topics in this part of the
exam. Therefore, it’s essential that you prepare ideas and practice answering questions related to these
topics.
Look at the example IELTS Part 1 question and answer below.
Question
What is your favourite room?
Answer
My favourite room is my study because it’s the only room where I can get peace and quiet. When I’m in
there, my wife knows I’m working so she leaves me alone and I can concentrate on my work.
Exercise 1 (5 mins)
Read the question:

What would you change about your home?
Now write your answer with a reason and an example.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Exercise 2 (Pair work) (2 mins)
Share your answer. Take turns to ask and answer the question in Exercise 1.
16 Speaking
IELTS Speaking Task (Pair work) (10 – 15 mins)
Ask and answer the following IELTS Part 1 questions about your home. Remember to expand your answers
by giving a reason and an example where possible.
 Do you live in a house or a flat?

 Do you like your flat/house?
 How long have you lived there?
 Where did you live before? [if you have only lived there a short time]
 Who do you live with?
 Can you describe your home a little?
 Where is your home?
 Are there many rooms in your home?
 What is your favourite room?
 Do you plan to live there in the future?
 What facilities are there near your home?
 What is your neighbourhood like?
 Do most people live in houses in your country?
Negative Answers
In Part 1 of the speaking exam, you may be asked questions that do not interest you. For these questions,
it is totally acceptable to give negative answers. In addition, try to explain why you are not interested.
Look at the example IELTS Part 1 question & answer below.
Question
What type of photos do you like taking?
Answer
Well, I don't usually take photos to be honest. I prefer to enjoy whatever I'm doing, rather than stop to
take a photograph. Taking photos is not really that popular in my country.
17 Speaking
Useful Language
Explanation and Examples
Expressing a lack of If you really have nothing to say, it is better to express a lack of opinion
opinion and wait for the next question than to keep silent.
Example
I'm afraid I've never been interested in football.
I'm afraid I'm not very keen on art.
I'm afraid I don't know much about art.
I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with that topic.
I'm sorry, I'm completely unfamiliar with that topic.
I haven't really thought about that. (then try to give your best answer)
Exercise 3 (5 mins)
Read the question:

What would you change about your home?
Now write a negative answer. Try to explain why.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Share your answer. Take turns to ask and answer the question in Exercise 3.
18 Speaking
Ask and answer the IELTS Part 1 questions below. Give negative answers.
Note: Remember to keep your answers short. Provide an answer with a reason and/or an example.
Photos
1. What do you do with photos you take?
2. When you visit other places, do you take photos or buy postcards?
3. Do you like people taking photos of you?
Books
1. What kind of books do you like to read?
2. Do you read the same kind of books now that you read when you were a child?
3. When do you think is the best time to read?
Flowers
1. Do you like flowers?
2. What kind of plants do you have at home?
3. When was the last time you bought a plant?
4. On what occasions do you buy flowers in your country?
19 Speaking
Lesson 5
In Part 2 of the speaking exam, you may be asked to describe an object, a person or even a personal
experience. The aim is to develop your ideas and use relevant vocabulary and grammar.
Describe an object
When describing an object, there are many things that should be considered e.g. what it looks like and
what it is used for.
Exercise 1 (3 mins)
The following words and phrases are used to describe a TV. Write them in the table below.
plastic large flat expensive heavy black

to provide entertainment glass rectangular internet display
to provide information high definition 1m wide
Television (TV)
Colour Shape Size Features
1. 2. 4. 6. Internet display
3. 5. 7.
Weight Price Materials Functions
8. 9. 10. 12.
11. 13.
20 Speaking
Read the description of the ‘laptop’ below.
A laptop is a portable computer. It weighs from 2 to 10 pounds. It has a screen size ranging from 14 to 16
inches. The depth is usually around 11 inches. It is usually black. The laptop has two parts shaped like
rectangles. One part is a keyboard and the other is a high-quality LCD screen. Laptops are usually made of
plastic and metals. An external monitor or a projector can be connected to it. The laptop is used to do
office work. It is also used for multimedia i.e. to listen to audio tracks and watch movies. It is not expensive.
Exercise 2 (5 mins)
Complete the table with the correct words and phrases from the description above.
Laptop
Colour Shape Size Features
Weight Price Materials Functions
21 Speaking
Exercise 3 (5 mins)
Discuss and write the advantages and disadvantages of the laptop in the table below.
(Group or pair work)
advantages disadvantages
Useful Language
You can use the following to describe an object.
To start the talk: Shape:

I'm going to describe … It is shaped like a ...
It is square/round/rectangular in shape
Structure:
It consists of ... If something isn’t clear:
It contains … It looks like a ...
Describe the laptop to your partner using the words and phrases in ‘exercise 2’, and the information in
‘exercise 3’.
22 Speaking
IELTS Speaking Task
Read the cue card, and make notes in the table below. (15 mins)
Describe an object that you often use.
You should say:

 What it looks like
 What it is used for
 What it is made of
And its advantages and disadvantages
Name of the object
What it is made of
The different parts of the object
What it is used for
Advantages
Disadvantages
Now, describe the object to your partner. (Pair work) (5 mins)

23 Speaking
Lesson 6
Opinions
In Part 3 of the speaking exam, you will be asked for your opinion. In order to gain a high score, you
should not start every sentence with ‘I think…’ or ‘In my opinion…’ You must use as many different
opinion phrases as possible when answering the questions.
There are strong opinion phrases for when you feel very strongly about something, weak opinion
phrases for when you are less sure about your opinion, and neutral phrases.
Exercise 1 (3 mins)
Write the following opinion phrases in the correct place in the table below.
I guess I’m absolutely convinced If you ask me I’d say I’m sure
I'm convinced I’m reasonably sure I imagine I suppose
I'm certain As I see it I’m fairly certain In my view I reckon
Neutral opinions Strong opinions Weaker opinions
To introduce your personal opinion, you can use the phrases above. In addition, you can use phrases
which introduce a that clause:
 I think that …
 It seems to me that …
 I tend to think that …
 My personal opinion is that …
However, if you want to introduce another person’s opinion, you can use:
 According to …
24 Speaking
Look at the example IELTS Part 3 questions & answers below.
What do you think about the transportation in your city?
In my view, one of the biggest problems of transportation is traffic jams in my city. It has become common
to see passengers and drivers having to wait in long lines of buses and cars moving at a snail's pace on the
streets during the rush hours. There are several reasons for this problem. First, the number of vehicles is
increasing much more rapidly than the building of roads. Second, there seem to be too many private cars
and not enough public buses. Third, many people, including drivers, pedestrians and cyclists do not obey
traffic rules properly, especially at busy intersections.
What are some of the ways people can help others in the community?
As I see it, there are many ways one can help the needy, but the best way is by making charitable donations.
People can choose a charity and simply donate a sum of money and leave it to them to help others in need.
For instance, I recently gave money to an orphanage. I don’t have time to help them personally, so I’ll leave
it up to them to use the money as they see fit.
Use the opinion phrases in Exercise 1, and the method below to help you answer the following IELTS Part
3 questions. Try to use a range of different phrases to express your opinions.
 Answer the question directly.

 Give a reason.
 Give an example.
 Explain the alternative / opposite.
Shopping
 Is shopping a popular activity in your country?
 How have shopping habits changed over recent years?
 To what extent do you think advertising affects the way people shop?
 Do you think shopping habits are likely to change in the future?
Sports
 What types of sports are popular in your country?
 What are the benefits of playing a sport?
 Do you think the types of sport that are popular will change in the future?
 How can sports bring people from different countries closer together?
25 Speaking
Agree or Disagree
In Part 3 of the speaking exam, you will also be asked whether you agree or disagree with someone else’s
opinion. You must use the appropriate expressions when answering the questions.
Exercise 2 (group work) 10–15 minutes
Think of expressions that are used to agree or disagree. Write them in the table below.
Expressions to agree Expressions to disagree

I completely/totally agree (that…) I (really) don’t think that…
Exercise 3 (5 mins)
Share your answers with the class.
26 Speaking
Exercise 4 (5 mins)
Write the following words and phrases in the correct place in the table below.
but actually, It looks like but in fact However, Some people say
The truth of the matter is it may seem The fact of the matter is
Many people think that It seems as if In reality, We take it for granted that
introducing a statement expressing a contrasting opinion
Exercise 5: Speaking Activity (Pair work) (3 mins)
Take turns in using the words and phrases from exercise 4 to contrast the opinions below.
statement contrasting opinion

IELTS is a waste of time and money. It’s beneficial for students who want to work
or live in an English speaking environment.
The new BMW sports car is very popular. Many people have opted for another car
because of its price.
My brother wasted a lot of money on the It was actually a gift from a friend.
painting in the living room.
They spend a lot of money on clothes. They go shopping when the sales are on.
27 Speaking
Some people say that people helped others more in the past than they do now. Do you agree or
disagree?
I don’t think so. When it comes to my parent’s generation I think they are quite sceptical about helping
other people in the community, but my generation are regularly doing things to improve it, such as
volunteering for various environmental and charitable organisations. Young people are actively encouraged
to help out in the community and I don’t think this happened in the past, so I’m afraid I’d disagree.
Use the ‘agree’ or ‘disagree’ expressions in Exercise 2 to answer the following IELTS Part 3 questions. Try
to use a range of different expressions to express your opinions.
Remember:
 Give a reason
 Give an example
1. Some people say that people will work from home more in the future, rather than travelling to
their place of work? Do you agree or disagree?
2. Do you agree that it is better to phone someone than speak to them face-to-face?
3. Many people believe that it is more convenient to buy clothes on the internet rather than in a
shop. Do you agree?
4. Many people prefer to buy a house or flat (apartment) rather than rent one. Do you agree that
this is a good idea?
5. It is better to live at home with your parents when you are studying at university. To what extent
do you agree with this statement?
6. People usually say that it is better to receive a gift rather than give one to another person? What’s
your opinion on this?
7. Some people say that people have more free time now than in the past? Do you agree?
8. Many people are worried about the future of the natural environment. Do you think that this is a
waste of time?
9. I have heard people say that families will continue to eat together in the future in your country?
Do you agree or disagree?
10. Do you agree that modern technology helps us to save time rather than waste time?
28 Speaking
Unit 3 Lesson 7
Idioms-The Natural Expression
In order to get a high score in the IELTS speaking exam, it’s extremely important to speak naturally. The
more natural you sound, the higher the score you’ll achieve. One way to sound natural is by using
expressions that native speakers often use.
Idioms are expressions that are often used in spoken English. The meaning of an idiom can’t always be
understood from looking at its individual words. You need to look at the whole expression.
For example: ‘give me a hand’ = ‘help me’
Exercise 1 (3 mins)
Match the idioms in bold (1-8) to the definitions (a-h).
Idioms Definitions
1. chip on his shoulder a. Happening very rarely
2. an arm and a leg b. Doing or starting something too early
3. once in a blue moon c. Extremely happy
4. I see what you mean d. Very easy
5. over the moon e. Something positive that isn’t

recognized until later
6. piece of cake
f. Very expensive
7. a blessing in disguise
g. Feeling inferior or having a grievance
8. jumping the gun about something
h. I understand
29 Speaking
Exercise 2 (3 mins)
Complete the sentences with the correct idiom from Exercise 1.
1. I don’t really see him much. He comes round to see me ___________________.

2. I heard your IELTS test is next week. Aren’t you ___________________? You’ve only just started
studying.
3. I was ___________________when he asked me to marry him.
4. Now that you’ve explained it clearly, ___________________.
5. I don’t think David and I are going to get on. He’s got a ___________________.
6. I reckon getting a band 6 in IELTS will be a ___________________! I’m very good at English.
7. Getting a low score the first time I took IELTS was ___________________. It forced me to study
extremely hard so I got a much better score the next time.
8. It cost me ___________________ to take my trip to Turkey.
30 Speaking
Delaying your Answer
In Part 1 and Part 3 of the IELTS speaking exam, you may be asked difficult questions for which you might
need some time to think about your answers. In this situation, it is important to use words and structures
that allow you to buy time to think so that your fluency score is not affected. These words and structures
are called time fillers.
Look at the following time filler techniques.
Explanation and Examples

Conversation fillers are simple words and phrases like hmm, umm, well,
Use conversation let's see, difficult question, interesting question, basically.
fillers Example
Hmm...difficult question. Well, basically I think that sport can help us to
live a much healthier lifestyle.
Just repeat the examiner's question.
Repeat the question Example
Examiner: What different types of food do people eat in your country?
Candidate: Okay, so you would like to know what kinds of food people
eat in my country?
Examiner: How does television influence children?
Candidate: Hmm...how does television influence children? Well, ...
You can simply ask for time. This is a technique that everybody uses in
Ask for time normal conversation.
Example
Can I think about it for a minute?
Can you give me a moment to think about it?
If you are asked for your opinion on something, you can begin your
Express a lack of answer by expressing a lack of opinion.
opinion Example
Examiner: What does success mean to you?
Candidate: Hmm...I haven't really thought about that. ...
If you need a lot of time, use a few techniques together.
Combine techniques Example
Examiner: What different types of food do people eat in your country?
Candidate: Hmm...so you would like to know what kinds of food people
eat in my country. Hmm...interesting question. Can I think about it for a
moment? Well, I guess our traditional cuisine is still popular.
31 Speaking
Ask and answer the following IELTS Part 1 and Part 3 `difficult' questions. Try to buy yourself time to
think before beginning your answers.
 What are the benefits of travel?

 What are your plans for the future?
 What do you like about your town?
 What was it like growing up in your hometown?
 What do you enjoy about your work?
 How do you think your neighbourhood could be improved?
 How have eating habits changed over recent years?
 Do you think long-distance transport will improve in the future?
 How healthy is your country's cuisine?
 Should parents choose their child's future profession or should children be free to make their own
decisions?
 Why do you think that some parents choose to educate their children at home? Is this a good
thing?
 Why do you think people go to restaurants when they want to celebrate something?
 Do people take as much exercise as in the past?
 Why is exercise good for you?
 What are the advantages and disadvantages of public transportation?
 Which part of your country would you recommend to tourists?
 What are the main health problems in your country?
 Do you think computer games can make children violent?
 What is the most difficult aspect of learning English?
 Which country would you really like to visit?
32 Speaking
Lesson 8
Describing a Picture or Photograph

In Part 2 of the speaking exam, you may be asked to describe a picture or photograph. Make sure that the
picture you are thinking about is clear in your mind before you start describing it.
Grammar
Exercise 1
Complete the sentences.
There’s a There’s There are
________________ football stadium in the photograph.

________________ people in the café.
________________ black clouds in the sky.
________________ white car in the desert.
________________ snow on the mountains.
________________ trees in the garden.
33 Speaking
Exercise 2
Correct the mistakes in the sentences.
1. There are a park. 2. It’s sun in the photograph.
3. There’s a windy. 4. This are a river in the photograph.
5. There’s a cars by the houses. 6. There’s a mountain big.
7. They’s a big tree there. 8. There snow on the mountains.
9. The people happy. 10. It’s a rain day.
Exercise 3
Use the phrases in the box to describe the picture below. (Pair work) (10 mins)
This is a picture of … You can see … It’s a … day.

There’s … / There’s a … / There are …
34 Speaking
More Useful Language
You can also use the following to describe a photograph or picture.
To start the talk: Say what is happening with the present

I'm going to describe … continuous:
Where in the picture? The man is ...ing

The people are ...ing
At the top/bottom of the picture ... It’s raining.
In the middle of the picture ...
On the left/right of the picture ... If something isn’t clear:
next to
It looks like a ...
in front of It might be a ...
behind He could be ...ing
near Maybe it’s a ...
on top of
under
35 Speaking
IELTS Speaking Task
Read the cue card below and make notes. (15 mins)
Describe a photo that you have in your house.
You should say:

 What is in the photo?
 Who is on that photo?
 Where and when was it taken?
 Why is it important to you?
 Why was the photo taken?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Present your talk to the class. (15 mins)
36 Speaking
Lesson 9
Celebrations, Events & Festivals
In Part 2 of the speaking exam, you may be asked to describe a personal experience at a celebration, event
or festival.
Brainstorm: Think about celebrations, events and festivals that take place in Saudi Arabia.
Exercise 2 (1 min)
Read this IELTS Part 2 statement:
Describe a celebration/event/festival you attended
Now choose one from the board.
Exercise 3 (15 mins)
Make notes in the table below regarding the celebration/event/festival you have chosen.
Type of event Ideas

festival
Time and place Food and drink Activities Sights, sounds,
and smells
37 Speaking
Exercise 4 (10 - 15 mins)
Write sentences using the notes from the table in Exercise 3.
I am going to talk about ______________________________ [write the type of

celebration/event/festival]
It takes place in ______________________________ [Place] in __________________ [month].
At the event/festival, you can ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________ [activities].
You can eat ___________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________.
You can drink __________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________.
You can see ___________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________.
You can hear __________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________.
You can smell __________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________.
Exercise 5
Talk about your chosen celebration/event/festival. (Pair work) (5mins)
Exercise 6
Now present it to the class. (10 mins)
38 Speaking
Lesson 10
Unit 4
Linking Words
In Part 1 and 3 of the speaking exam, the use of linking words allows you to gain higher marks in fluency
and coherence. Linking words and phrases are used for various reasons e.g. explaining a sequence of ideas,
adding another idea, introducing reason, etc.
Exercise 1 (Pair work) (5mins)
Below are two extracts of dialogues from an IELTS Speaking Part 1 exam. Complete the candidate’s
answers with phrases from the box (a – d).
Dialogue 1
Examiner: Which relatives did you see most often when you were a child?
Candidate: I used to see my grandparents four or five times a week because ____ but
_____. Actually, _______ so ______ .
a. I’m planning to go round more often in the future

b. I don’t see them as often now
c. I miss their company a lot
d. I went there after school when my parents were still at work
Dialogue 2
Examiner: What kind of films do you like?
Candidate: It depends, _______, but ______. Actually, ______ I guess ________!
a. I chose to watch a comedy last night so

b. yesterday was a hard day
c. if I want some excitement I’ll see a horror movie
d. if I’ve had a hard day, I might watch a comedy
39 Speaking
Exercise 2 (3 mins)
Which linking word in bold in Exercise 1 is used:
1. To link together two different (or opposite) ideas? _____________
2. To introduce your opinion (like I think)? _____________
3. To introduce a reason for something? _____________
4. To introduce the result of something? _____________
5. To say that something is not certain – it is decided by something else? __________
6. To introduce a fact / idea which may be surprising or unusual? _____________
Exercise 3 (5mins)
Here are some more linking words. Add them to the table below.
to begin with first of all secondly however overall

in comparison the other hand as well as also and
what’s more next all in all despite that finally although
in contrast to sum up in addition but firstly
explaining a comparing and adding another idea summarizing ideas

sequence of ideas contrasting ideas
To begin with
Exercise 4 (3 mins)
Circle the best words/phrases below to complete the sentences.
1. In my opinion, nuclear energy is safe. Also / Although, its cheap and clean.
2. Firstly / However, I think that nuclear power plants look ugly and destroy the landscape. What’s more
/ Finally, they don’t always provide jobs for the local people.
3. Solar energy is an unlimited source of energy. On the other hand / In addition, its safe and
environmentally friendly.
4. Wind turbines don’t destroy the landscape. Despite that / What’s more, they can be dangerous for
birds.
5. There are many reasons why we should build a solar power plant. In addition / To sum up, solar
energy is affordable and safe.
40 Speaking
IELTS Speaking Task (Pair work)
Use linking words to answer the IELTS Part 1 and Part 3 questions below.
IELTS Part 1 questions Remember: give short answers. (10 mins)
Free time
 What do you do in your free time?
 Are you an active person?
 Do you have any hobbies or spare time interests?
 What are good hobbies and what are bad hobbies?
 Do you think it is important to have outside interests in life?
 Would you like to learn a new skill?
 Have your leisure activities changed since you were a child?
 Do you prefer to spend your free time alone or with other people?
 Do you prefer to spend your free time at home or outside the house?
 What do you do when you have some free time and you're at home?
 Would you like to have more spare time to spend at home in the future?
IELTS Part 3 questions Remember: give longer answers. (10 mins)
Opinions
 What kinds of organisations want to find out about people’s opinions?
 Do you think that questionnaires or surveys are good ways of finding out people’s opinions?
 What reasons might people have for not wanting to give their opinions?
 Do you think it would be a good idea for schools to ask students their opinions about lessons?
 What would the advantages for schools be if they asked students their opinions?
 Would there be any disadvantages in asking students’ opinions?
 Do you think schools should ask children for their opinions about lessons?
41 Speaking
Lesson 11
Planning an event
In Part 2 of the speaking exam, you may be asked to plan/organise an event.
Brain storm: Different types of events
Choose an event from the board.
Now plan/ organise the event.
You need to:

 Discuss and decide what your event will be about
 Decide when you would run it e.g. winter / summer
 Identify who you would invite and how e.g. advertising / private invitations
 Explain where the event will be and what the venue is like
 Outline the activities you will include
 Discuss possible problems and solutions
Make notes below.

What it’s about
When you’d run it and why
Who you’d invite and how
Where it’ll be held and what the venue is like
Which activities will be included
Possible problems and solutions
42 Speaking
Exercise 3 (10 - 15 mins)
Present your plan to the class.
IELTS Speaking Task (10 mins)
Read the cue card below, and then make notes. Make sure you think about the points in Exercise 2.
Describe how you would organize a surprise party for your friend.
You should say:
 Where it is going to be held

 How you would do it
 What arrangements would need to be done for the party
and explain why would you do that.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Now, tell your partner about the event (Pair work) (5 mins)
43 Speaking
Lesson 12
Complex Sentences
Using complex sentences in the IELTS speaking exam are extremely important in order to get a high score.
Conditional sentences are examples of complex sentences.
conditional clause result clause
If + present tense will / can

If + past tense would / could
Exercise 1 (3 mins)
Choose the correct verb form

1. If I meet / met my friend later, we will / would go to the cinema.
2. If I meet / met the president or leader of my country, I won’t / wouldn’t know what to say.
3. If I speak / spoke perfect English, I will / would be very proud.
4. If I lose / lost my phone, I will / would have to buy a new one.
5. If the weather is / was good tomorrow, I will / would go out.
6. You can / could travel into space if you have / had enough money.
44 Speaking
Expanding answers
Remember, it is also important to expand your answers. For Part 3 of the speaking exam, always give your
opinion with reasons, examples and alternatives to convey your message.
Exercise 2 (Pair work) (10 min)
Read the following IELTS Part 3 question.
Do you think teenagers should have credit cards?
In pairs, make a list of the advantages and disadvantages of giving teenagers credit cards.
Advantages Disadvantages
Exercise 3 (5 mins)
Work alone. Decide whether you agree or disagree with giving teenagers credit cards. Write examples to
support your reasons.
Exercise 4 (group work) (5 mins)
Discuss whether teenagers should have credit cards. You should give your opinion, reasons and examples
to support your reasons.
45 Speaking
Ask and answer the following IELTS Part 3 questions using complex sentences.
Remember:
 Give a reason
 Give an example
Money
1. Do you think it's easy for (young) people to save money?
2. Do young people nowadays believe in saving money?
3. In your opinion, why do many people derive pleasure from spending money?
4. What do young people in your country save money for?
5. Who do you think places more importance on saving money, men or women?
6. Why do some people find it hard to save?
7. Which do you think is better for the economy of a country or area, people saving money or people
spending money?
46 Speaking
Unit 5 Lesson 13
Cause and Effect
In Part 3 of the IELTS speaking exam, a common question type is cause and effect. In this type of question,
you will be asked to discuss what has caused a certain situation and what effects it has had.
To talk about cause and effect, you can use expressions such as:
…because of… …leads to…. …causes… …means that….

…due to…. …therefore… …because… …as a result (of)…
…results in… …as a consequence… …causes by… … so …
Exercise 1 (3 mins)
Write the cause and effect for each sentence.
1. Sam forgot his English book at home, which means that he couldn’t do any work in class.
Cause: _________________________________________________________________
Effect: _________________________________________________________________
2. Fatimah was hungry as a result of her skipping lunch.
Cause: _________________________________________________________________
Effect: _________________________________________________________________
3. Badr’s car had a flat tire. Therefore, he called a tow truck.
Cause: _________________________________________________________________
Effect: _________________________________________________________________
4. Ziyad studied really hard. As a consequence, he got an A on the test.
Cause: _________________________________________________________________
Effect: _________________________________________________________________
47 Speaking
How does advertising influence what people choose to buy?
I think advertising has a big influence on what people purchase and often leads to them always sticking with
the same brand. For example, I always drink Coca Cola and I believe this is because I grew up watching all
those ads on TV and I instinctively buy it as a result. I mean, why would companies spend so much money
on adverts, unless it led to more sales?
Ask and answer the IELTS Part 3 questions below. Make sure you use a range of expressions from the
previous page.
Remember:
 Give a reason
 Give an example
1. Which environmental problems are people most concerned about in your country?
2. What are the main causes of these environmental problems?
3. Do you think it is the responsibility of governments alone to protect the environment?
4. What measures can individuals take to protect the environment?
5. Do you think large companies and business organisations should be more environmentally
friendly? Why? How?
6. How can we teach children about the importance of protecting the environment?
48 Speaking
Future
In Part 3 of the speaking exam, you are often asked how things will change in the future. For future
predictions, we usually use the simple structure ‘will + verb’. However, to obtain higher marks, you must
show that you have the ability to use more complex structures.
Some complex structures to predict the future are:
 I think, in the future….  I envisage….

 X plans to…..  I doubt that…
 It is predicted that….
 X intends to….  will / won’t
 I foresee…..  will definitely / definitely won’t
 It is foreseeable….  will probably / probably won’t
 It is likely that…  might (not) / may (not) / could
Some people say that working from home will be quite common in the future. Do you agree?
It is foreseeable that more people will work from home in the future. If the internet becomes faster and
there are more programs, such as Skype, that allow people to work from home more easily, I’d predict that
more people will stay at home. If you think about it, most people don’t need to be physically present to do
their jobs and I envisage that face to face meetings will be a thing of the past.
To talk about the future, we can also use verbs that imply something will happen without
having to use a future tense. For example:
 We hope to finish the job on time
 We envisage building something modern.
Some other verbs are: anticipate / intend / promise / expect / plan / can arrange / become
Note: Remember to always explain why you think this will happen in the future, give an example, and
then an alternative if possible.
49 Speaking
Ask and answer the IELTS Part 3 questions below. Make sure you use a range of complex structures.
Remember:
 Give a reason
 Give an example
1. What types of leisure activities may become more popular in the future?
2. What changes do you think will happen in the classroom in the near future?
3. How may eating habits change in the coming decades?
4. Do you think problems with the cleanliness of water will improve in the future?
5. How do you think homes in the future will be decorated (and furnished)?
6. What do you think young people will be most influenced by in the future?
7. In the future, do you think the differences between men's and women's personality traits will
continue to be the same as today?
8. Do you think shopping habits are likely to change in the future?
9. Do you think the types of sport that are popular will change in the future?
10. Do you think transport is likely to continue to improve in the future?
50 Speaking
Lesson 14
IELTS Speaking Task (10min)
Read the following Part 2 statement, and then make notes.
Describe a thing that is important to you
You should think of the following when making notes.
 What it looks like- colour, size, shape etc

 What it sounds like
 What it smells like
 What it can be used for
 What you usually use it for
 Its good points
 Its bad points
 Why it is important to you
 Why you chose this thing to speak about
 How you got it
 Where it is/ where you keep it
 Strongest memories associated with it
 How long you’ve had it
 How long you think you will continue to use it
 Things it is similar to
Exercise 2: (Pair work) (5 min)

Describe the important thing you have chosen using your notes.
Exercise 3: (20 min)

Now, stand in front of the class and talk about it.
51 Speaking
Lesson 15
Past and the Present
In Part 3 of the speaking exam, you are often asked to comment on how things were in the past and how
they have changed.
Grammar
In order to answer these questions, you can use the following tenses:
Tense Description Structure and Example
Present perfect to talk about something that started has/have + been + verb-ing
continuous in the past and continues up until the
present. E.g. They have been developing
the city centre for the past year.
Used to + infinitive to talk about past habits or states E.g. people used to work long
that are now finished. hours for pennies.
Would + infinitive to describe past habits E.g. They would travel far and
wide.
Past simple to talk about things you did in the verb + ed

past that you no longer do or are no
E.g. They finished the work two
longer true.
years ago.
Past continuous to talk about the background of a was/were + verb-ing

story or how you felt at a particular
E.g. There were building a school.
time.
Past perfect to say something happened before had + past participle

something else in the past.
E.g. When they arrived, we had
finished.
52 Speaking
How has teaching changed in your country over the past few decades?
In the past, teachers simply lectured students and the students just listened to what they said. We were
given lots of facts to learn and there was no room for creativity or freedom of expression. I remember
learning lots of things without thinking about the theory behind it. Now, there’s been a movement
towards students thinking for themselves.
Useful Language
talking about the past talking about the present
In the past… Nowadays,

At one time… These days,
X years ago… Now,
When I was / my parents were young… Currently / Presently
At the moment,
Ask and answer the following IELTS Part 3 questions. Make sure you use a range of tenses.
Remember:
 Give a reason
 Give an example
1. Are the types of leisure activities that are popular today the same as those that were popular when
your parents were young?
2. Has the way people travel changed much in the last few decades?
3. How are the eating habits now in your country different from eating habits in the past?
4. How have shopping habits changed over recent years?
5. What kinds of improvement have there been in transport in your country in recent years?
6. Have the types of transport people use changed much over the last few decades?
7. How are education priorities today different from those in the past?
53 Speaking
Compare and Contrast
Another common question type in Part 3 of the speaking exam is compare and contrast. This type of
question asks you to compare two things.
Useful language
There are many differences … Comparative structures:

 taller than
The main difference is…  more special
 less healthy
whereas / while  not as unhealthy as…
(x is …..…while / whereas y is……..)  etc.
Do you think primary school children should learn a second language or should they wait until
secondary school?
It’s obvious that the earlier children start a language the easier it becomes in later life. However, some
parents might think that subjects like maths are more important than languages at primary level. They may
also think that a foreign language is less important than their first language and this should be prioritised.
54 Speaking
Ask and answer the following IELTS Part 3 questions.
Remember:
 Give a reason
 Give an example
1. Do you think that transport problems are worse in urban or rural areas?
2. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of living in a high-rise apartment.
3. How do buildings in different parts of your country differ from each other? For example, how
are buildings in the south different to those in the north?
4. Do people prefer to live in a flat (= apartment) or a house? [Why?]
5. What are the differences in the houses that rural people live in with the flats (apartments) that
most city people live in.
6. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of living in a newly-built home and living in an old
one.
7. Why are some activities more popular than others?
8. What's the difference between leisure centres and places for entertainment for the whole
family?
9. What are the differences between recreational facilities in big cities and in the countryside
(i.e., in villages and small towns)?
10. What are the differences between people's leisure activities in big cities and in the
countryside?
11. In general, do you think men and women have (innately) different personality traits?
12. Do you think that people from different countries have "national" personality traits?
13. Do you think people generally choose to make friends with others with similar personality
traits, or with people who are different?
14. Compared to other countries, do you think people in your country are happier or less happy?
15. Do you think people need to spend more time (than they do now) on exercising?
16. What types of sport do you think is better, team sports or individual sports?
55 Speaking
Lesson 16
Role-Play
The teacher will provide the instructions for the ROLE-PLAY.
56 Speaking

IELTS Around The Corner

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IELTS Around The Corner

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Deanship of Educational Services

English Language Unit

The Composers & the Compilers

IELTS Academic Reading Practice

60 minutes (no extra transfer time).

Reading Question Types

1. Short Answer Questions

4. Matching Sentence Endings

6. True, False, Not Given

10. Matching Information to Paragraphs

 Each section contains one long text.

A wide range of reading skills are assessed, including:

• reading for gist

• reading for main ideas

• reading for detail

• understanding inferences and implied meaning

• recognising writer’s opinions, attitudes and purpose

• following the development of an argument.

IELTS Academic Reading marking schemes

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

Key IELTS Reading Skills

Let’s look at each of the skills in more detail.

How to Practice Reading

Examples of Active Reading

1. Underline or note any new words or phrases.

1. Underline or note any sentences you do not fully understand.

How Do I Use These Skills?

Let’s take discuss strategies relating to Different Question Types.

Short Answer Questions

 look at example questions

Answering questions regarding details in the passage.

1. The answers appear in the same order as the text.

1. Read the instructions carefully and note the word limit.

Answer the questions after reading the text below.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: PRODUCT RETURN

 look at example questions

What is required in the Task?

1. Read the questions before you read the text.

1. Read the questions carefully.

The Legend of Surabaya

2. What type of text is it?

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

A Short History of Natural Gas

 look at example questions

This type of question tests your ability:

What is required in the Task?

Investigating Children’s Language

Giving The Brain A Workout

Task: Complete the summary below.

Evidence supporting Robertson’s theory

Research was carried out using 1__________ in London as subjects.

Matching Sentence Endings

 look at example questions

Paraphrasing and Synonyms

 Most men drive cars to work.

most – majority drive – use

cars – automobiles work – job

Why is this important?

What is required in the Task:

1. Read the question carefully.

Complete each sentence with the correct ending A-K.

1. Because of their location and means of construction, the Nazca lines

A. …………………………….was supplied by the Nazca River.

1. show a. considerable 6. increase f. unimportant

2. steady b. illustrate 7. fall g. minor

3. significant c. gradual/ regular 8. small h. decline