Extra Materials, All PDFs

ielts-simon.
com How to Teach IELTS Extra materials 1
Summary of what to cover when teaching IELTS
One of the reasons why I like teaching IELTS is that the “scope” of our teaching is quite easy to define. In
other words, we know what we need to cover in our lessons. The outline below shows the key areas that I try
to cover when teaching IELTS. I’ll look at each area in more detail in future newsletters.
Listening
Reading (General and Academic)
• What to expect in each of the four sections

• Question types: gap-fill, T/F/NG, multiple
• Three question types: gap-fill, multiple
choice, matching paragraphs to headings or
choice, matching information
information, matching names, short
• “Tricks” e.g. the speaker gives an answer
answers, matching sentence endings
and then changes it
• Suggestions about “method” e.g. go straight
• Noticing the use of synonyms and
to the first question, underline key words
paraphrasing (when comparing questions
• Noticing the use of synonyms and
with the recording)
paraphrasing (“keyword technique”)
• Spelling
Writing Task 1 (Academic)

Speaking
• Question types: line graph, bar chart, pie
• What to expect in each of the three parts chart, table, comparison diagram / map,
• Part 1: practise giving short answers with a process diagram, more than one chart
reason • Introductions: paraphrasing
• Part 2: prepare for six main topics (describe • Summarising main / general points
a person, place, object, activity, event, • Selecting key information
favourite book/film/website) • Describing numbers
• “Theme” vocabulary for the six topics • Making comparisons
• Part 3: four-step answer technique (answer, • Describing trends
explain, example, alternative) • Process diagrams: using the passive
• Verb tenses in part 3, comparing past with
present or making future predictions
Writing Task 2 (Academic & General)
• Question types: opinion, discussion,

Writing Task 1 (General) problem / solution, 2-part question
• The main topics to expect (see this list)
• Beginning and ending letters • Planning ideas and essay structure
• Formal vs informal conventions and • Introductions and conclusions:
language paraphrasing, stating your position
• Using bullet points from the question to • Main paragraphs: five sentences, “firstly,
structure the letter secondly, finally” structure vs “idea, explain,
example” structure
• Coherence, flow of ideas
• Topic vocabulary vs linking and organising
• Error correction to highlight and address
grammar points / problems
ielts-simon.com How to Teach IELTS Extra materials 2
IELTS Quiz
Can you answer the following questions about the different parts of the IELTS test?
IELTS Listening
1. How many sections and how many questions are there?

2. Do the sections become more difficult as you go through the test?
3. How many speakers will you hear in each section?
4. Which accents are you likely to hear in the recordings?
5. Why are you given an extra 10 minutes at the end of the test?
6. Will any of the answers be contracted words (e.g. “don’t” instead of “do not”)?
7. Can you write answers in capital letters?
8. How many marks do you need in order to get a band 7?
IELTS Academic Reading
1. How many questions are there in total, and how much time do you have?
2. How many passages will you have to read?
3. Do the passages become more difficult as you go through the test?
4. Do you get any extra time to transfer answers to the answer sheet?
5. Can you write answers in capital letters?
6. What are the different types of question that you might find in the test?
7. What is the difference between ‘false’ and ‘not given’ answers?
8. How many marks do you need in order to get a band 7?
IELTS Speaking
1. How long does the speaking test last?

2. What happens in part 1 of the test?
3. Is it a good idea to try to give long answers in part 1?
4. What happens in part 2?
5. Can you name any common topics that appear in part 2?
6. Can you ask for a different question if you don’t like the part 2 task?
7. What happens in part 3?
8. Do eye contact and body language matter in the speaking test?
IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
1. How much time are you supposed to spend on this task?

2. Is there a minimum and maximum number of words that you should write?
3. What might you be asked to describe in this task?
4. Should you write a conclusion in task 1? Explain why or why not.
IELTS Writing Task 2 (Academic and General)
1. How much time are you supposed to spend on this task?

2. Is there a minimum and maximum number of words that you should write?
3. What types of question might you be asked?
4. What percentage of your score does grammar account for?
5. Is it better to answer the question in your introduction or save your answer for the conclusion?
6. What proportion of your writing score does task 2 give you?
Here are the correct answers:
IELTS Listening
1. 4 sections, 40 questions
2. Yes. Section 1 is the easiest and sections 3 and 4 are the hardest
3. Section 1 = 2 speakers, section 2 = 1 speaker, section 3 = 2 main speakers, section 4 = 1 speaker
4. A range of accents including British, Australian, New Zealand, American and Canadian
5. To transfer answers to a separate answer sheet
6. No, contracted words are not tested
7. Yes
8. 30 marks out of 40
IELTS Academic Reading
1. 40 questions in 1 hour
2. 3
3. No. Sometimes passage 1 is the hardest, sometimes 2, sometimes 3
4. No
5. Yes
6. Gap-fill, multiple choice, true / false / not given, yes / no / not given, matching paragraphs to headings or
information, matching names to information, matching sentence endings, short answers
7. False = a different answer is true. Not given = we don’t have the necessary information to give an
answer
8. 30 out of 40
IELTS Speaking
1. 11 to 14 minutes
2. About 10 short interview questions in 4 to 5 minutes
3. No. The examiner will interrupt you if you try to give long answers in part 1
4. The ‘long turn’ - the candidate has to speak for up to 2 minutes about a given topic
5. Describe a person / place / object / activity / event / favourite
6. No
7. Longer discussion questions. Usually between 3 and 6 questions in 4 to 5 minutes
8. No
IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
1. 20 minutes
2. Minimum 150 words, no maximum
3. A line graph, bar chart, pie chart, table, diagram or map that compares things, diagram showing a
process
4. No. A conclusion is a final opinion, but no opinions should be given in writing task 1. Write an ‘overview’
or summary instead.
IELTS Writing Task 2 (Academic and General)
1. 40 minutes
2. Minimum 250 words, no maximum
3. Give your opinion about an issue, discuss two different views, explain a problem and suggest solutions
4. 25%
5. Answer in the introduction, then support your answer in the rest of the essay
6. Two thirds
Checklist: exam techniques and practice
How many ticks can you put next to the points on the checklist below?
Tick (✓)
IELTS Listening
I’ve done at least four full practice tests
I know what to expect in each of the four sections
I’ve seen at least one example of a ‘trick’ in the test
IELTS Reading
I know what the ‘keyword technique’ is, and I’ve practised using it
I know how to do ‘paragraph matching’ questions
I understand the difference between ‘false’ and ‘not given’
IELTS Speaking
I know how to answer part 1 questions
I know what the six main topics are in part 2, and I’ve prepared ideas for them
I've practised answering part 3 questions using the 3-step (or 4-step) answer technique
IELTS Writing Task 1 (Academic)
I know how to write a one-sentence introduction
I know what an ‘overview’ paragraph should include
I've practised describing and comparing numbers, and describing trends
I know how to describe a process
I’ve written at least four task 1 reports and had them marked
IELTS Writing Task 2
I know how to write a two-sentence introduction, and what it should contain
I can write a 5-sentence paragraph using a “firstly, secondly, finally” structure
I can write a 5-sentence paragraph using an “idea, explain, example” structure
I know how to write a one-sentence conclusion, and what it should contain
I’ve written at least four task 2 essays and had them marked
Notes:
- “four full practice tests”: I use four because there are four tests in each of the Cambridge IELTS books
- “listening tricks”: for example, the speaker gives an answer and then changes it
- “keyword technique”: I’ll explain this in detail in a future newsletter, but you can find lessons about it on my
blog
- “paragraph matching questions”: I recommend doing these last
- “six main topics in speaking part 2”: describe a person, place, object, activity, event, your favourite book /
film / website
- “3-step (or 4-step) answer technique in speaking part 3”: answer, explain, example, alternative
IELTS Writing Task 1 (Academic)
The charts below show reasons for travel and the main issues for the travelling public in the
US in 2009.
Model answer:
The bar chart and pie chart give information about why US residents travelled and what travel
problems they experienced in the year 2009.
It is clear that the principal reason why Americans travelled in 2009 was to commute to and from
work. In the same year, the primary concern of Americans, with regard to the trips they made, was
the cost of travelling.
Looking more closely at the bar chart, we can see that 49% of the trips made by Americans in 2009
were for the purpose of commuting. By contrast, only 6% of trips were visits to friends or relatives,
and one in ten trips were for social or recreation reasons. Shopping was cited as the reason for
16% of all travel, while unspecific ‘personal reasons’ accounted for the remaining 19%.
According to the pie chart, price was the key consideration for 36% of American travellers. Almost
one in five people cited safety as their foremost travel concern, while aggressive driving and
highway congestion were the main issues for 17% and 14% of the travelling public. Finally, a total
of 14% of those surveyed thought that access to public transport or space for pedestrians were the
most important travel issues.
IELTS Writing Task 2 (Academic & General)
In many cities the use of video cameras in public places is being increased in order
to reduce crime, but some people believe that these measures restrict our individual
freedom.
Do the benefits of increased security outweigh the drawbacks?
Model answer:
It is true that video surveillance has become commonplace in many cities in recent years.
While I understand that critics may see this as an invasion of privacy, I believe that the
benefits do outweigh the drawbacks.
There are two main reasons why people might disapprove of the use of video cameras in
public places. The first objection is that these cameras invade our privacy, in the sense
that we are constantly being watched by the authorities or by private security firms. Many
people find this intrusive and feel that the recording of their movements is a form of state
control that curtails their individual freedom. The second argument against the proliferation
of CCTV cameras is that they are being used as an alternative to police officers patrolling
the streets. If this is indeed happening, then it is unlikely that members of the public will
feel safer.
In spite of the drawbacks mentioned above, I believe that the use of video cameras to
monitor public areas is a positive measure. The key objective of video surveillance is to
deter criminals and to prevent crime. For example, petty criminals like shoplifters and
pickpockets are less likely to operate in parts of cities where they know that they are being
watched. At the same time, when crimes are committed, the police can use video evidence
to catch and prosecute offenders. Therefore, in my view, video cameras offer valuable
support to police officers, and they make cities safer for inhabitants, workers and visitors
alike.
In conclusion, it seems to me that we gain more than we lose from the enhanced security
that CCTV cameras bring to our cities.
According to the text, are the following statements TRUE, FALSE or NOT GIVEN?
1. Most Britons think that the Government wants to change people’s behaviour.
2. By the year 2050 the Government will have imposed higher green taxes.
3. The survey predicts that it will be difficult to change people’s dependence on cars.
4. The Prince of Wales believes that most businesses are not sustainable.
5. The Government promises that Britain will be one of the leading countries in a
technological revolution.
CHECK YOUR ANSWERS ON THE NEXT PAGE.
Green Tax Revolt
The majority of Britons are opposed to increases in green taxation.
72 per cent of people are not willing to pay more in green taxes like the congestion charge.
More than seven in ten voters insist that they would not be willing to pay higher taxes in
order to fund projects to combat climate change, according to a new poll.
The survey also reveals that most Britons believe “green” taxes on 4×4s, plastic bags and
other consumer goods have been imposed to raise cash rather than change our behaviour,
while two-thirds of Britons think the entire green agenda has been hijacked as a ploy to
increase taxes.
The findings make depressing reading for green campaigners, who have spent recent
months urging the Government to take far more radical action to reduce Britain’s carbon
footprint. The UK is committed to reducing carbon emissions by 60 per cent by 2050, a
target that most experts believe will be difficult to reach. The results of the poll by Opinium, a
leading research company, indicate that maintaining popular support for green policies may
be a difficult act to pull off and attempts in the future to curb car use and publicly fund
investment in renewable resources will prove deeply unpopular.
The findings were released as the Prince of Wales yesterday called on Britain’s business
leaders to take “essential action” to make their firms more sustainable. Speaking in central
London to some of the country’s leading chief executives, Prince Charles said: “What more
can I do but urge you, this country’s business leaders, to take the essential action now to
make your businesses more sustainable. I’m exhausted with repeating that there really is no
time to lose.”
Hilary Benn, the Environment Secretary, said: “The Government is committed to building a
low-carbon economy, here and around the world. That means a complete change in the way
we live and an economic transformation that will put Britain at the forefront of a technological
revolution in the way we use and source our energy.”
The Independent, 2nd May 2008

ANSWERS:
1. FALSE
2. NOT GIVEN
3. TRUE
4. NOT GIVEN
5. TRUE
ENVIRONMENT TOPIC VOCABULARY:
to introduce a congestion charge

to increase green taxation
to impose (green) taxes on 4×4s, plastic bags and other consumer goods
to combat climate change
to reduce Britain’s carbon footprint
to reduce carbon emissions
to support green policies
to curb car use
to invest in/use renewable resources
to make businesses more sustainable
to build a low-carbon economy
to change the way we use and source our energy
VOCABULARY FOR A VARIETY OF TOPICS:
to fund investment in (+noun)

to fund projects
to take (radical) action
to raise cash
to be at the forefront of (+noun)
to change (our, their, people’s etc.) behaviour
to reach a target
a target that will be difficult to reach

a complete change in the way we live
an economic transformation
a technological revolution in (+noun)
increases in (+noun)
The majority of (+noun)

The results indicate that…
Practice questions for IELTS Speaking Part 1
1. Do you like reading?

2. Do you think it's important that children read regularly?
3. Do you prefer to spend your free time at home or outside the house?
4. What do you do when you have some free time and you're at home?
5. What kind of music do you listen to?
6. Has the music that you listen to changed since you were young?
7. Which room do you like most in your house?
8. Is there anything about your house that you would like to change?
9. What type of photos do you like taking?
10. Do you like people taking photos of you?
11. Do you like mathematics?
12. Is it necessary for everyone to learn mathematics?
13. What kind of music did you listen to when you were young?
14. When was the last time you went to a concert?
15. Do you like walking?
16. Do you think walking in the countryside is better than walking in the city?
17. Do you prefer to study alone or with others?
18. Where do you prefer to go when you need to study?
19. Do you like giving presentations?
20. Why do some people feel nervous about giving presentations?
21. Who did the cooking in your family when you were a child?
22. Do you think that it's important to know how to cook well?
23. Have you ever collected anything as a hobby?
24. Why do you think people collect certain objects?
25. What is your favourite colour?
26. Do you think that different colours can change the way we feel?
27. How often do you visit parks?
28. Why are parks an important part of many towns and cities?
29. What games are popular in your country?
30. Do you think it's important for people to play games?
Sample answers for IELTS Speaking Part 3
1. What do you think are the most important qualities for friends to have?
(Answer) Maybe the most important things are that friends need to share common interests and be honest
with each other. (Reason) Friends are people we spend a lot of time with, so it definitely helps if they enjoy
doing the same activities or talking about the same topics as we do, and of course we need to be able to
trust our friends, so honesty is vital for a good friendship. (Personal example) I think I would struggle to
become friends with someone who didn’t have anything in common with me, or who wasn’t reliable or
trustworthy.
2. How important do you think it is for a person to spend some time alone?
(Answer) I’d say that it’s essential to spend a bit of time alone, even if it’s just a few minutes a day. (Reason)
When you have a few minutes to yourself, it’s a chance to take stock and reflect on things. Most of us live
such busy lives that our brains need time to catch up every now and then. (Personal example) Personally, I
try to have a bit of “me time” every day; I’ll go for a coffee or find a quiet place to sit and read the newspaper.
(Opposite) If I never had any time alone, I think I’d go mad!
3. Do you think there are too many game shows on TV nowadays?
(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 an original drama
series.
4. Do you think that visits to the countryside should be something that schools offer to their
children?
(Answer) Yes, I think it’s a great idea for schools to take children on trips to the countryside, especially if
those children live in a large town or city. (Reason) A visit to the countryside can be both relaxing and
educational; (Example) children can go for walks in the fresh air, and at the same time see animals and
plants that they may never have seen before. (Opposite) If schools don’t offer this opportunity, some
children will never see life outside the city.
5. Do you think that it's better to have clear aims for the future, or to take each day as it comes?
(Answer) I think it’s best to have a good idea of what you want to do with your life, especially in terms of
studies and career. (Reason) Having aims allows you to plan what you need to do today and tomorrow in
order to achieve longer-term objectives. (Example) For example, if you want to become a doctor, you need
to choose the right subjects at school, get the right exam results, and work hard at university. (Opposite)
Without a clear aim, it would be impossible to take the necessary steps towards a career in medicine, or any
other profession.
Note: We might not expect students’ answers to be as good as these. The answers above should be seen
as models that demonstrate the ‘steps’ method and show students what to aim for.
Top tips for IELTS Listening:
1. Concentrate - It's really easy to miss the answers if you lose concentration, even
for a moment.
2. Read ahead - It's more important to be ready for the next section than to check the
questions you have already done (check them at the end when you have 10
minutes to transfer your answers).
3. Predict - When reading ahead, try to predict what type of word you need (is it going
to be a noun, verb etc?). It might help to write notes on the question paper, in your
own language if you prefer.
4. Have the next question in mind - When you're listening for the answer to a
question, be ready for the next question as well. It's easy to miss several answers if
all of your focus is on one question.
5. Expect 'tricks' - The speaker may confuse you by mentioning more than one
possible answer, or by correcting himself / herself (e.g. The meeting is on Monday.
Sorry, no, this week’s meeting is a day later than usual.”).
6. Know the exam - Do you know what kind of questions to expect in each section?
7. Spelling - As well as testing your understanding and vocabulary, IELTS Listening is

also a spelling test. Keep a list of your spelling mistakes and the correct spelling of
each word in your notebook.
8. Difficult questions - Don't worry if some questions seem really difficult. The exam
needs to have questions that separate band 8 from band 9. If you are worrying too
much, you might miss the easier questions that could give you a band 7.
Using ‘trigger’ words instead of grammar terms
Examples from writing task 1
1) Compare items using a “while” sentence:
While the number of people who travelled by train increased gradually, the number of bus
passengers fell steadily.
2) Compare items using “respectively”:
Austria and Belgium are the most environmentally friendly of the fifteen countries,
recycling around 60% and 50% of their waste respectively.
3) Use “saw” to describe a trend:
Britain saw a dramatic increase in CD sales in the 1980s.
Examples from writing task 2
1) Compare and contrast opinions using “although”:
Although early technologies certainly changed the lives of normal people, I believe that
recent breakthroughs have had an even greater impact.
2) Write a “rather than” sentence to suggest a better idea:
It would be far more effective to put education rather than punishment at the centre of a
recycling campaign.
3) Write an “if” sentence to imagine a solution to a problem:
If schools banned junk food, they would help to reduce the problem of childhood obesity.
Note:
You’ll find several “complex structures” in the sentences above e.g. a second conditional,
complex sentences, and various types of sentence clause.
However, instead of worrying about grammar terms, it seems much easier to look at the
way certain key words are used (i.e. the trigger words).
ielts-simon.com
Common writing task 2 topics - vocabulary list
It is impossible to make a complete or perfect list of all words and phrases that could help
you to get a band 7 or higher.
However, if you can use the vocabulary in the list below, you will increase your chances of
getting a high score.
Advertising and Money
provide jobs
create employment
better quality of life
global economy
earn money
wealth
success
achievement, achieve goals
manipulate people
persuade us to buy
brands, fashions, trends
consumerism
status symbols
materialistic
target children
harmful
junk food, cigarettes
Cities
job opportunities
high standard of living
leisure, entertainment
success, prosperity
access to facilities
high cost of living
expensive housing
gap between rich and poor
stressful
traffic congestion, social problems, crime
lack of community
ielts-simon.com
Crime
fines, punishment
prison sentences, imprisonment
capital punishment
the death penalty
criminals, offenders
commit a crime
re-offend
a criminal record
a threat to society
protect members of society
crime prevention
responsibility of parents, schools
rehabilitation
reform offenders
community service
crime rates
a deterrent, deter criminals
Education
increase your knowledge

learn skills
gain qualifications
look for a job
find employment
earn a high salary
contribute to society
better job opportunities
do research
study at your own pace
use technology
the Internet can enhance learning
online resources
literacy and numeracy
invest in schools
schooling
encourage children to study
knowledge-based economy
practical skills, social skills
make progress
lack of discipline
disruptive students
lenient parents
parental support
positive working atmosphere
motivation
self esteem
ielts-simon.com
Environment
the greenhouse effect

global warming
human activities
gas emissions
exhaust fumes
air pollution
have an impact on
have a negative effect on
rising temperatures, floods, droughts
extreme weather conditions
natural resources
fossil fuels
wildlife habitats
extinction
renewable energy
green taxes
recycling
protect wildlife
reduce waste
recycle household waste
biodegradable packaging
cleaner fuels
reduce carbon emissions
Family
raise children
bring up children
parents work full-time
less contact with children
spend time together
a positive influence on children
peer pressure
children’s upbringing
set a good example
positive role models
divorce rate
single-parent families
a negative effect on children
family members
have a responsibility to
take responsibility for
be responsible for
ielts-simon.com
Gender
equal opportunities
discriminate, discrimination
access to education and jobs
pursue a career
equal salaries
abilities, qualifications, experience
traditional roles
a woman’s role
a man’s role
bring up children
the breadwinner
in the modern world
roles are changing
share responsibilities
Global Issues
developing countries
developed / industrialised countries
healthcare, medicines
life expectancy
literacy and numeracy
infrastructure
poverty
education, employment, housing
investment
create jobs
improve the standard of living
immigration
a better life
better prospects / opportunities
contribute to the economy
cultural diversity
open-minded, tolerant
unemployment rates
multi-cultural societies
visas, work permits
immigrant workers
exploit, exploitation
cheap labour
global economy
global trade / business
multi-national companies
globalisation
ielts-simon.com
Government and Society
play an important role in

provide public services
impose taxes
campaigns
introduce laws
influence people’s habits
create jobs
provide resources
healthcare
improve our quality of life
Health
balanced diet
unhealthy diet
fast food, junk food
overweight, obese
regular exercise
sedentary lifestyle
active lifestyle
do sport, take exercise
prevent disease
treat illnesses
stress
lack of sleep
over-worked
regular holidays
time to wind down
Television, Internet, Phones
relax, wind down

entertaining, enjoyable
informative, educational
news from around the world
documentaries
have an impact on society
have an influence on people
violence
behaviour
advertising
marketing
passive activity
a waste of time
addictive
control what children watch
the Internet revolution
online services and entertainment
ielts-simon.com
communication
keep in touch
email, video messaging
access to information
search engines
social networks
mobile phones
portable
text messages
surf the Internet
take photos
music libraries
fashion accessories
Tourism and Travel
go on holiday, go abroad, travel abroad

experience different cultures, lifestyles
opens our minds
the tourism industry
local businesses
rely on tourism
employment, income
effect on the environment
destroy wildlife habitats
spoil natural areas
pollution, waste
lose local traditions
higher cost of living
higher prices
Work
working life
career
prospects
employer, employee, employment
salary, income, wage
promotion
gain experience
vocational training
professional development
teamwork, work as part of a team
set up a company
start a business
make a profit
make / earn money
unemployment
jobless, without work
poverty
ielts-simon.com
homeless, homelessness
unemployment benefits
claim benefits
earn a living
flexible working hours
work from home
work online
via email
video conferencing
globalised world
work overtime
provide childcare facilities
job satisfaction
IELTS Writing Task 2: writing a model essay
Question
Nowadays many students choose to study abroad at university level. Discuss the
advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad, and give your own opinion about
whether it is a good idea.
Planning
What is the topic of the question? ____________________
What is the question asking you to do? (question type) ____________________
What is your overall opinion? ____________________
Advantages of studying abroad (write your ideas below)
Disadvantages of studying abroad (write your ideas below)

Our model essay
Write the full essay that we create together in the space below. Make sure that you copy it
carefully and that you separate paragraphs clearly.
How many paragraphs and sentences does the essay contain?

IELTS Writing Task 2: writing a model essay
Question
Planning
What is the topic of the question? - studying at university abroad
What is the question asking you to do? (question type) - discuss advantages and
disadvantages, and give my opinion
What is your overall opinion? - studying abroad is a good idea
(1) Advantages of studying abroad (write your ideas below)
(2) study at a prestigious institution

(3) better job opportunities
(4) e.g. a degree from Harvard or Oxford could lead to a top job
(5) personal benefits - broaden horizons, new friends, network, new perspectives
Note: The numbers 1 to 5 shown in red refer to the sentences that we will aim to write.
(1) Disadvantages of studying abroad (write your ideas below)
(2) Foreign language problems, understanding lectures and writing assignments

(3) e.g British student in Germany - need extra German lessons or help with editing
(4) Cultural differences - social and academic
(5) homesickness, living away from family and friends
Our model essay
Write the full essay that we create together in the space below. Make sure that you copy it
carefully and that you separate paragraphs clearly.
How many paragraphs and sentences does the essay contain?

- 4 paragraphs, 13 sentences
It is true that more and more students are choosing to study at university in a foreign
country. While there are certainly some drawbacks for students who make this decision, I
believe that studying abroad is beneficial overall.
On the one hand, there are several difficulties that overseas students may experience.
Firstly, they may find it necessary to improve their language skills in order to understand
lectures and complete assignments in a foreign language. For example, a British student
studying in Germany may need to take extra German lessons or seek help from a native
speaker when it comes to editing written work. Secondly, international students may
struggle to cope with cultural differences, both socially and in terms of academic
conventions. Finally, living away from family and friends can be a daunting prospect, and
some students may feel lonely or homesick.
On the other hand, attending a university course abroad can be extremely rewarding. The
main benefit for many overseas students is the opportunity to gain a qualification from a
prestigious institution in the foreign country. A degree from such an institution may improve
a graduate’s job prospects, opening the door to a successful career in his or her chosen
field. For example, a degree from Harvard or Oxford University is likely to impress potential
employers and put graduates in a great position to secure a job in one of the world’s best
companies. The other advantage of studying abroad is more personal; it can help to
broaden students’ horizons, introduce them to a new network of friends, and give them
new perspectives on life.
In conclusion, I believe that the trend towards studying overseas is a positive one,
especially if students are able to overcome the difficulties that they are likely to face.
(294 words)
Note: I changed the order of the main body paragraphs (compared to the plan) because it
seems more logical to present the view that we favour after giving the opposite view.
So the order is: introduction, disadvantages, advantages (our view), conclusion.
Here’s the full essay again, with ‘organising’ language (i.e. linking / structuring words /
cohesive devices) highlighted:
Note: It’s worth highlighting words like ‘this’ and ‘such’ because they refer back to previous
ideas and therefore help with cohesion between sentences. You could also highlight the
use of ‘and’, ‘but’ and ‘or’ because the importance of these words is often overlooked.
Here’s the full essay once again, with some examples of paraphrasing and the best topic
vocabulary highlighted:
Finally, here’s one more copy of the essay, this time with the ‘essay skeleton’ highlighted:
IELTS Writing Task 2: introductions and conclusions
Here are four different task 2 questions plus my introductions and conclusions. You’ll also find
some suggestions for exercises that students could do on the final page.
1) “Discussion” question
My introduction and conclusion
2) “Opinion” question
When choosing a job, the salary is the most important consideration. To what extent do
you agree or disagree?
Many people choose their jobs based on the size of the salary offered. Personally, I
disagree with the idea that money is the key consideration when deciding on a career,
because I believe that other factors are equally important.
In conclusion, while salaries certainly affect people’s choice of profession, I do not believe
that money outweighs all other motivators.
3) “Problem and Solution” question
The problem of litter on the streets of many towns and cities is getting worse. Why are we
seeing more litter on our streets, and what can be done about it?
It is true that increasing amounts of rubbish can be seen in many public places. There are
various causes of this problem, and I would argue that education is the solution.
In conclusion, litter is predominantly caused by packaging, the lack of bins and careless
people, and I believe that campaigns to educate people are the best way to solve the
problem.
4) “Two-part” question
These days more fathers stay at home and take care of their children while mothers go out
to work. What could be the reasons for this? Do you think it is a positive or a negative
development?
It is true that men are increasingly likely to take on the role of househusband, while more
women than ever are the breadwinners in their families. There could be several reasons
for this, and I consider it to be a very positive trend.
In conclusion, the changing roles of men and women in the family are a result of wider
changes in society, and I believe that these developments are desirable.
Here are some possible exercises that students could do, using the introductions
and conclusions above.
1) Underline all of the ‘organising’ vocabulary that is used e.g. It is true that…, In
conclusion,…
2) Underline all examples of paraphrasing that you find when comparing the question, the
introduction and the conclusion e.g. study abroad = study in a foreign country =
studying overseas.
3) Underline any good ‘topic vocabulary’ that you find.
And perhaps the most important task:
4) After reading and analysing the sample introductions and conclusions, hide them and
try to write your own introductions and conclusions for the four questions.
When you finish, compare your versions with the samples. Was there anything that you
found difficult, or anything that you learnt by comparing your paragraphs with the
samples?
IELTS Writing Task 2: main body paragraphs
Here are two essays that each contain a firstly, secondly, finally style paragraph and one idea
paragraph.
Some people believe that school children should not be given homework by their
teachers, whereas others argue that homework plays an important role in the
education of children. Discuss both of these views and give your own opinion.
People’s opinions differ as to whether or not school children

should be given homework. While there are some strong
arguments against the setting of homework, I still believe that it
is a necessary aspect of education. Main body sentence comments:
(1) The topic sentence tells us

There are several reasons why people might argue that
that the paragraph will contain
homework is an unnecessary burden on children. Firstly, there “several reasons”.
is evidence to support the idea that homework does nothing to (2) First reason.
improve educational outcomes. Countries such as Finland, (3) A named example to support
where school children are not given homework, regularly top the first reason.
(4) Second reason. This is a new
international educational league tables and outperform nations
idea; it’s not building on the first
where setting homework is the norm. Secondly, many parents reason.
would agree that the school day is already long enough, and (5) Final reason. Again, this is a
leaves their children too tired to do further study when they separate idea.
return home. Finally, it is recognised that play time is just as This is a typical ‘firstly, secondly,
finally’ paragraph, and could be
beneficial as study time from the perspective of brain
used as a good model.
development.
In spite of the above arguments, I support the view that (1) The topic sentence makes the
homework has an important role to play in the schooling of opinion clear.
(2) The main reason for the
children. The main benefit of homework is that it encourages
opinion.
independent learning and problem solving, as children are (3) “In doing so” is a nice phrase
challenged to work through tasks alone and at their own pace. because it refers back to the
In doing so, students must apply the knowledge that they have previous idea and leads us on to
learnt in the classroom. For example, by doing mathematics a result or consequence.
(4) An example helps to make the
exercises at home, students consolidate their understanding of
reasoning even clearer.
the concepts taught by their teacher at school. In my view, it is (5) The final sentence gives a
important for children to develop an independent study habit further reason to conclude the
because this prepares them to work alone as adults. argument.
This is typical ‘one idea’
paragraph.
In conclusion, homework certainly has its drawbacks, but I
believe that the benefits outweigh them in the long term.
Some people claim that not enough of the waste from homes is recycled. They say
that the only way to increase recycling is for governments to make it a legal
requirement. To what extent do you think laws are needed to make people recycle
more of their waste?
It is true that we do not recycle enough of our household waste.

Although I accept that new legislation to force people to recycle
could help this situation, I do not agree that a recycling law is
Main body sentence comments:
the only measure that governments should take.
(1) Topic sentence. This
In my view, a new recycling law would be just one possible way paragraph is about one idea: a
to tackle the waste problem. Governments could make it a legal recycling law.
obligation for householders to separate all waste into different (2) Explain who would make this
law and what it would mean.
bins. There could be punishments for people who fail to adhere
(3) Explain what would happen if
to this law, ranging from a small fine to community service, or people broke this law.
even perhaps prison sentences for repeat offenders. These (4) Explain the effect of these
measures would act as a deterrent and encourage people to measures.
obey the recycling law. As a result, the improved behaviour of (5) Explain the result of the effect
described in sentence 4.
homeowners could lead to a clean, waste-free environment for
This paragraph developed one
everyone. idea in increasing detail.
However, I believe that governments should do more than (1) Topic sentence. “Should do
simply introduce a recycling law. It might be more effective if more” suggests that this
paragraph could contain several
politicians put education, rather than punishment, at the centre
ideas.
of a recycling campaign. For example, children could be taught (2) The first idea is “education
about recycling in schools, and homeowners could be informed instead of punishment”.
about the environmental impact of household waste. Another (3) An example to support the
tactic that governments could use would be to create stricter idea in sentence 2.
(4) “Another tactic” is used to
regulations for the companies that produce the packaging for
introduce a completely new idea.
household products. Finally, money could also be spent to (5) “Finally” introduces another
improve recycling facilities and systems, so that waste is new idea.
processed more effectively, regardless of whether or not people This is a ‘firstly, secondly, finally’
separate it correctly in the home. paragraph, but I chose to link my
ideas in a slightly less obvious
way.
In conclusion, perhaps we do need to make recycling a legal
requirement, but this would certainly not be the only way to
encourage people to dispose of their waste more responsibly.
Task 2 vocabulary: range and flexibility
Look at the essay below and the vocabulary analysis on the following page.
Some people believe that school children should not be given homework by their teachers,
whereas others argue that homework plays an important role in the education of children.
Discuss both of these views and give your own opinion.
People’s opinions differ as to whether or not school children should be given homework. While
there are some strong arguments against the setting of homework, I still believe that it is a
necessary aspect of education.
There are several reasons why people might argue that homework is an unnecessary burden on
children. Firstly, there is evidence to support the idea that homework does nothing to improve
educational outcomes. Countries such as Finland, where school children are not given homework,
regularly top international educational league tables and outperform nations where setting
homework is the norm. Secondly, many parents would agree that the school day is already long
enough, and leaves their children too tired to do further study when they return home. Finally, it is
recognised that play time is just as beneficial as study time from the perspective of brain
development.
In spite of the above arguments, I support the view that homework has an important role to play in
the schooling of children. The main benefit of homework is that it encourages independent learning
and problem solving, as children are challenged to work through tasks alone and at their own pace.
In doing so, students must apply the knowledge that they have learnt in the classroom. For
example, by doing mathematics exercises at home, students consolidate their understanding of the
concepts taught by their teacher at school. In my view, it is important for children to develop an
independent study habit because this prepares them to work alone as adults.
In conclusion, homework certainly has its drawbacks, but I believe that the benefits outweigh them
in the long term.
1) First let’s look at the “range” of vocabulary in the essay.

Here is a list of the good topic vocabulary that it contains:
• the setting of homework

• a necessary aspect of education
• an unnecessary burden on children
• improve educational outcomes
• regularly top international educational league tables
• outperform
• homework is the norm
• just as beneficial as study time
• from the perspective of brain development
• an important role to play in
• the schooling of children
• encourages independent learning
• problem solving
• challenged to work through tasks alone
• at their own pace
• apply the knowledge
• consolidate their understanding
• the concepts taught
• develop an independent study habit
Note: There aren’t many ‘big’ or ‘impressive’ individual words in the list above, but there are
plenty of good collocations (words used well together). Using collocations and phrases correctly is
more impressive than using ‘big’ individual words.
2) Next let’s look at “flexible use” of vocabulary.

Here are two key words from the essay that are repeatedly used and also paraphrased.
Homework: Children:
- should be given homework - school children should be given

- the setting of homework - burden on children
- homework is - children are not given
- homework does - leaves their children too tired
- are not given homework - the schooling of children
- setting homework - children are challenged
- homework has - important for children to develop
- further study when they return home - students

- study time - they
- exercises at home - them
- independent study
Note: Repetition isn’t always a bad thing! Repetition can help us to build a coherent and connected
argument, whilst also demonstrating “flexibility” as we use the same words in different contexts.
Exercise:
Analyse the ‘recycling’ essay below in the same way.
1) First list all of the good topic vocabulary, which demonstrates “range”.
2) Then find examples of repetition and paraphrasing, which demonstrate “flexible use” of
vocabulary.
Some people claim that not enough of the waste from homes is recycled. They say that the
only way to increase recycling is for governments to make it a legal requirement. To what
extent do you think laws are needed to make people recycle more of their waste?
It is true that we do not recycle enough of our household waste. Although I accept that new
legislation to force people to recycle could help this situation, I do not agree that a recycling law is
In my view, a new recycling law would be just one possible way to tackle the waste problem.
Governments could make it a legal obligation for householders to separate all waste into different
bins. There could be punishments for people who fail to adhere to this law, ranging from a small
fine to community service, or even perhaps prison sentences for repeat offenders. These
measures would act as a deterrent and encourage people to obey the recycling law. As a result,
the improved behaviour of homeowners could lead to a clean, waste-free environment for
everyone.
However, I believe that governments should do more than simply introduce a recycling law. It might
be more effective if politicians put education, rather than punishment, at the centre of a recycling
campaign. For example, children could be taught about recycling in schools, and homeowners
could be informed about the environmental impact of household waste. Another tactic that
governments could use would be to create stricter regulations for the companies that produce the
packaging for household products. Finally, money could also be spent to improve recycling
facilities and systems, so that waste is processed more effectively, regardless of whether or not
people separate it correctly in the home.
In conclusion, perhaps we do need to make recycling a legal requirement, but this would certainly
not be the only way to encourage people to dispose of their waste more responsibly.
IELTS Writing Task 1: line graph model answer
Before we analyse a model answer, look at the line graph task below and think about the following
questions.
1. Can you think of a different way to say the phrase “the proportion of the population”?
2. How long is the total period shown on the graph?
3. Looking only at the beginning and the end of the period (the first and last years), what happens
to the population of each country?
4. Is there a common trend for all three countries?
5. If you only had time to describe the figures for three of the years shown on the graph, which
three years would you choose?
6. Can you find an example of a similarity between countries, and an example of a big difference
or contrast?
7. Can you write a sentence describing just one number on the graph (e.g. the USA in 1940)?
The graph below shows the proportion of the population aged 65 and over between 1940
and 2040 in three different countries.
(Cambridge IELTS 5, test 1)

Now read the model answer, and answer the “analysis questions” below it.
Model answer:
The line graph compares the percentage of people aged 65 or more in three countries over a
period of 100 years.
It is clear that the proportion of elderly people increases in each country between 1940 and 2040.
Japan is expected to see the most dramatic changes in its elderly population.
In 1940, around 9% of Americans were aged 65 or over, compared to about 7% of Swedish people
and 5% of Japanese people. The proportions of elderly people in the USA and Sweden rose
gradually over the next 50 years, reaching just under 15% in 1990. By contrast, the figure for
Japan remained below 5% until the early 2000s.
Looking into the future, a sudden increase in the percentage of elderly people is predicted for
Japan, with a jump of over 15% in just 10 years from 2030 to 2040. By 2040, it is thought that
around 27% of the Japanese population will be 65 years old or more, while the figures for Sweden
and the USA will be slightly lower, at about 25% and 23% respectively.
(178 words, band 9)
Analysis questions:
1. How many paragraphs and sentences does the answer contain?

2. What examples of paraphrasing can you find in the introduction (when you compare it with the
question statement)?
3. Why do you think the present tense (“increases”) is used in the first sentence of paragraph
two?
4. Which two main trends are described in the second paragraph? Highlight those trends on the
graph.
5. Which years are mentioned in paragraphs 3 and 4? Underline the years. Why do you think
those years were chosen?
6. How many specific numbers (percentages) are mentioned in the answer? Underline them.
7. Which verb tenses are used in paragraphs 3 and 4? Why are those tenses used?
8. Can you find any words or phrases that are used to compare or contrast information?
9. Can you find any words or phrases that are used to describe how the percentages changed?
Answers to analysis questions:
1. 4 paragraphs, 8 sentences (usually we try to write 9 sentences, but the final sentence in this
answer is particularly long).
2. graph = line graph
shows = compares
the proportion of the population = the percentage of people
aged 65 and over = aged 65 or more
between 1940 and 2040 = over a period of 100 years
3. When describing a period that includes past, present and future years, we need to use the
present simple.
4. First, the overall trend in all three countries over the whole period.
Second, the country with the biggest changes.
5. 1940, 1990, early 2000s, 2030, 2040
The years chosen were the beginning and end of the period, plus a few key years in the
middle.
6. Nine specific percentages were mentioned.
7. Paragraph 3 is in the past simple (e.g. were, rose, remained)
Paragraph 4 is about the future (e.g. is predicted, will be)
8. the most dramatic, compared to, and, by contrast, while, respectively
9. the proportion increases, is expected to see the most dramatic changes, rose gradually,
reaching just under, remained below, a sudden increased is predicted, with a jump of, will be
slightly lower
IELTS Writing Task 1: “follow the instructions” exercise
Let’s write a simple description of the line graph below. Our description will contain nine sentences,
following the instructions below the graph.
The graph shows changes in the proportion of Internet users in three different countries
from 1999 to 2009.
Write ONE sentence for each instruction below.
1. Write an introduction sentence that paraphrases the question statement above the graph.
2. Begin a new paragraph. Write a sentence that describes the general trend in all three
countries over the whole of the period.
3. Say which country saw the fastest growth in Internet usage and which country had the lowest
proportion of users.
4. Begin a new paragraph. Write a sentence describing the figure for the USA in 1999.
5. Describe the figures for Canada and Mexico in 1999.
6. Say what happened in 2002 (Canada overtook the USA…).
7. Begin a new paragraph. Say what happened to the figures for Internet use in each country in
the year 2005 (i.e. compare all three countries in that year).
8. Say which country had the highest proportion of Internet users in 2009.
9. Give the figures for all three countries in 2009.
Here’s a sample answer, following the instructions above.
Note: I probably wouldn’t show the following answer to students - I would use and edit their
sentences instead. Just use my sample as a guide.
The line graph compares the percentage of people in three countries who used the Internet
between 1999 and 2009.
It is clear that the proportion of the population who used the Internet increased in each country
over the period shown. Canada experienced the fastest growth in Internet usage, whereas Mexico
remained the country with the lowest proportion of people who accessed the Internet.
In 1999, the proportion of people using the Internet in the USA stood at about 20%. By contrast,
the figures for Canada and Mexico were significantly lower, at around 10% and 5% respectively.
However, in the year 2002, Canada overtook the USA in terms of the proportion of its citizens who
went online.
In 2005, Internet usage in both the USA and Canada rose to around 70% of the population, while
the figure for Mexico reached just over 25%. Four years later, in 2009, the percentage of Internet
users was considerably higher in Canada than in the other two countries. In that year, almost 100%
of Canadians used the Internet, compared to about 80% of Americans and only 40% of Mexicans.
Scroll down to the next page for bar chart, pie chart and table questions.
Bar chart question:
The chart below shows global sales of the top five mobile phone brands between
2009 and 2013.
Pie chart question:
The charts below show household spending patterns in two countries between 1980
and 2008.
Table question:
The table below gives information about the problems faced by children in two
primary schools in 2005 and 2015.
IELTS Writing Task 1: tasks with more than one chart
Model answer 1: Two completely different charts
Notice that the overall ‘theme’ of the two charts below is the same (travel in the US in 2009), but each chart
shows very different information. We can therefore write a separate sentence about each chart in the
overview, and a separate paragraph about each one in the second half of the description.
The charts below show reasons for travel and the main issues for the travelling public in the US in
2009.
The bar chart and pie chart give information about why US residents travelled and what travel problems they
experienced in the year 2009.
It is clear that the principal reason why Americans travelled in 2009 was to commute to and from work. In the
same year, the primary concern of Americans, with regard to the trips they made, was the cost of travelling.
Looking more closely at the bar chart, we can see that 49% of the trips made by Americans in 2009 were for
the purpose of commuting. By contrast, only 6% of trips were visits to friends or relatives, and one in ten trips
were for social or recreation reasons. Shopping was cited as the reason for 16% of all travel, while unspecific
‘personal reasons’ accounted for the remaining 19%.
According to the pie chart, price was the key consideration for 36% of American travellers. Almost one in
five people cited safety as their foremost travel concern, while aggressive driving and highway congestion
were the main issues for 17% and 14% of the travelling public. Finally, a total of 14% of those surveyed
thought that access to public transport or space for pedestrians were the most important travel issues.
Model answer 2: Three closely related charts
Notice that the three pie charts below all show the same information (the only difference is the ‘region’). We
should therefore attempt to compare and contrast the data in all three pie charts in every paragraph that
we write.
The pie charts below compare water usage in San Diego, California and the rest of the world.
The pie charts give information about the water used for residential, industrial and agricultural purposes in
San Diego County, California, and the world as a whole.
It is noticeable that more water is consumed by homes than by industry or agriculture in the two American
regions. By contrast, agriculture accounts for the vast majority of water used worldwide.
In San Diego County and California State, residential water consumption accounts for 60% and 39% of total
water usage. By contrast, a mere 8% of the water used globally goes to homes. The opposite trend can be
seen when we look at water consumption for agriculture. This accounts for a massive 69% of global water
use, but only 17% and 28% of water usage in San Diego and California respectively.
Such dramatic differences are not seen when we compare the figures for industrial water use. The same
proportion of water (23%) is used by industry in San Diego and worldwide, while the figure for California is
10% higher, at 33%.
Model answer 3: An exception to our normal ‘rule’
The task below presents us with a line graph and a bar chart (two different charts), so if we followed our
normal ‘rule’ we would describe each one separately. However, I think the information in this case is all very
closely related, and we should therefore try to compare and contrast the data throughout our answer.
Another way to look at this type of task is to simply see it as ‘one chart’ rather than two.
The climograph below shows average monthly temperatures and rainfall in the city of Kolkata.
The chart* compares average figures for temperature and precipitation over the course of a calendar year in
Kolkata.
It is noticeable that monthly figures for precipitation in Kolkata vary considerably, whereas monthly
temperatures remain relatively stable. Rainfall is highest from July to August, while temperatures are highest
in April and May.
Between the months of January and May, average temperatures in Kolkata rise from their lowest point at
around 20°C to a peak of just over 30°C. Average rainfall in the city also rises over the same period, from
approximately 20mm of rain in January to 100mm in May.
While temperatures stay roughly the same for the next four months, the amount of rainfall more than doubles
between May and June. Figures for precipitation remain above 250mm from June to September, peaking at
around 330mm in July. The final three months of the year see a dramatic fall in precipitation, to a low of
about 10mm in December, and a steady drop in temperatures back to the January average.
*I’m describing this as one chart, not two separate charts

IELTS Writing Task 1: diagrams and maps
Look at the following ‘diagram’ tasks, and decide which type each one is (using the names listed
below).
A) Comparison diagram
B) Comparison map
C) Process diagram (man-made)
D) Natural process diagram
E) Process map
1) The diagrams below show some principles of house design for cool and for warm
climates.
2) The diagram below shows the life cycle of a salmon, from egg to adult fish.
3) The map below is of the town of Garlsdon. A new supermarket (S) is planned for the
town. The map shows two possible sites for the supermarket.
4) Chorleywood is a village near London whose population has increased steadily since the
middle of the 19th century. The map below shows the development of the village.
5) The diagram below shows how the Australian Bureau of Meteorology collects up-to-the-
minute information on the weather in order to produce reliable forecasts.
All questions and diagrams taken from Cambridge IELTS books, except for ‘salmon’ diagram
(origin unknown).
IELTS Writing Task 1: diagrams and maps
Here are my model answers for the five tasks shown in ‘Extra materials 22’:
1) Comparison diagram (about house designs)
The diagrams show how house designs differ according to climate.
The most noticeable difference between houses designed for cool and warm climates is in the
shape of the roof. The designs also differ with regard to the windows and the use of insulation.
We can see that the cool climate house has a high-angled roof, which allows sunlight to enter
through the window. By contrast, the roof of the warm climate house has a peak in the middle and
roof overhangs to shade the windows. Insulation and thermal building materials are used in cool
climates to reduce heat loss, whereas insulation and reflective materials are used to keep the heat
out in warm climates.
Finally, the cool climate house has one window which faces the direction of the sun, while the
warm climate house has windows on two sides which are shaded from the sun. By opening the two
windows at night, the house designed for warm climates can be ventilated.
(162 words)
2) Natural process diagram (salmon life cycle)
The diagram illustrates the stages in the life of the salmon, from birth to maturity.
It is clear that there are six main stages as the salmon develops from egg to mature adult. We can
also see that salmon spend time in three distinct locations during the cycle, moving from river to
estuary to ocean and then back upstream.
Salmon begin their lives in rivers where the adult fish lay and incubate their eggs. After emerging
from eggs, the young salmon spend the next stage of their lives being reared in freshwater areas.
Then, at some point in their development, the fish swim downstream to river estuaries where
rearing continues.
Following the estuary rearing period, the maturing salmon migrate to the ocean, where they
eventually become fully grown adults. Finally, the adult fish travel back upstream to spawning
areas of rivers; here they reproduce and lay their eggs, and the life cycle begins anew.
(154 words)
3) Comparison map (about possible supermarket locations)
The map shows two potential locations (S1 and S2) for a new supermarket in a town called
Garlsdon.
The main difference between the two sites is that S1 is outside the town, whereas S2 is in the town
centre. The sites can also be compared in terms of access by road or rail, and their positions
relative to three smaller towns.
Looking at the information in more detail, S1 is in the countryside to the north west of Garlsdon, but
it is close to the residential area of the town. S2 is also close to the housing area, which surrounds
the town centre.
There are main roads from Hindon, Bransdon and Cransdon to Garlsdon town centre, but this is a
no traffic zone, so there would be no access to S2 by car. By contrast, S1 lies on the main road to
Hindon, but it would be more difficult to reach from Bransdon and Cransdon. Both supermarket
sites are close to the railway that runs through Garlsdon from Hindon to Cransdon.
(171 words)
4) Process map (showing development of a village)
The map shows the growth of a village called Chorleywood between 1868 and 1994.
It is clear that the village grew as the transport infrastructure was improved. Four periods of
development are shown on the map, and each of the populated areas is near to the main roads,
the railway or the motorway.
From 1868 to 1883, Chorleywood covered a small area next to one of the main roads.
Chorleywood Park and Golf Course is now located next to this original village area. The village
grew along the main road to the south between 1883 and 1922, and in 1909 a railway line was built
crossing this area from west to east. Chorleywood station is in this part of the village.
The expansion of Chorleywood continued to the east and west alongside the railway line until
1970. At that time, a motorway was built to the east of the village, and from 1970 to 1994, further
development of the village took place around motorway intersections with the railway and one of
the main roads.
(174 words)
5) Process diagram (about weather forecasting)
The figure illustrates the process used by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology to forecast the
weather.
There are four stages in the process, beginning with the collection of information about the
weather. This information is then analysed, prepared for presentation, and finally broadcast to the
public.
Looking at the first and second stages of the process, there are three ways of collecting weather
data and three ways of analysing it. Firstly, incoming information can be received by satellite and
presented for analysis as a satellite photo. The same data can also be passed to a radar station
and presented on a radar screen or synoptic chart. Secondly, incoming information may be
collected directly by radar and analysed on a radar screen or synoptic chart. Finally, drifting buoys
also receive data which can be shown on a synoptic chart.
At the third stage of the process, the weather broadcast is prepared on computers. Finally, it is
delivered to the public on television, on the radio, or as a recorded telephone announcement.
(170 words)
WRITING TASK 1: Band Descriptors (public version)
Band Task achievement Coherence and cohesion Lexical resource Grammatical range and accuracy
9 • fully satisfies all the requirements of the task • uses cohesion in such a way that it attracts no attention • uses a wide range of vocabulary with very natural and • uses a wide range of structures with full flexibility and
• clearly presents a fully developed response • skilfully manages paragraphing sophisticated control of lexical features; rare minor errors accuracy; rare minor errors occur only as ‘slips’
occur only as ‘slips’
8 • covers all requirements of the task sufficiently • sequences information and ideas logically • uses a wide range of vocabulary fluently and flexibly to • uses a wide range of structures
• presents, highlights and illustrates key features/ bullet • manages all aspects of cohesion well convey precise meanings • the majority of sentences are error-free
points clearly and appropriately • uses paragraphing sufficiently and appropriately • skilfully uses uncommon lexical items but there may be • makes only very occasional errors or inappropriacies
occasional inaccuracies in word choice and collocation
• produces rare errors in spelling and/or word formation
7 • covers the requirements of the task • logically organises information and ideas; there is clear • uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow some • uses a variety of complex structures
• (A) presents a clear overview of main trends, differences or progression throughout flexibility and precision • produces frequent error-free sentences
stages • uses a range of cohesive devices appropriately although • uses less common lexical items with some awareness of • has good control of grammar and punctuation but may
• (GT) presents a clear purpose, with the tone consistent and there may be some under-/over-use style and collocation make a few errors
appropriate • may produce occasional errors in word choice, spelling
• clearly presents and highlights key features/bullet points and/or word formation
but could be more fully extended
6 • addresses the requirements of the task • arranges information and ideas coherently and there is a • •uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task • uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms
• (A) presents an overview with information appropriately clear overall progression • attempts to use less common vocabulary but with some • makes some errors in grammar and punctuation but they
selected • uses cohesive devices effectively, but cohesion within inaccuracy rarely reduce communication
• (GT) presents a purpose that is generally clear; there may and/or between sentences may be faulty or mechanical • makes some errors in spelling and/or word formation, but
be inconsistencies in tone • may not always use referencing clearly or appropriately they do not impede communication
• presents and adequately highlights key features/ bullet
points but details may be irrelevant, inappropriate or
inaccurate
5 • generally addresses the task; the format may be • presents information with some organisation but there may • uses a limited range of vocabulary, but this is minimally • uses only a limited range of structures
inappropriate in places be a lack of overall progression adequate for the task • attempts complex sentences but these tend to be less
• (A) recounts detail mechanically with no clear overview; • makes inadequate, inaccurate or over-use of cohesive • may make noticeable errors in spelling and/or word accurate than simple sentences
there may be no data to support the description devices formation that may cause some difficulty for the reader • may make frequent grammatical errors and punctuation
• (GT) may present a purpose for the letter that is unclear at • may be repetitive because of lack of referencing and may be faulty; errors can cause some difficulty for the
times; the tone may be variable and sometimes substitution reader
inappropriate
• presents, but inadequately covers, key features/ bullet
points; there may be a tendency to focus on details
4 • attempts to address the task but does not cover all key • presents information and ideas but these are not arranged • uses only basic vocabulary which may be used repetitively • uses only a very limited range of structures with only rare
features/bullet points; the format may be inappropriate coherently and there is no clear progression in the or which may be inappropriate for the task use of subordinate clauses
• (GT) fails to clearly explain the purpose of the letter; the response • has limited control of word formation and/or spelling; • some structures are accurate but errors predominate, and
tone may be inappropriate • uses some basic cohesive devices but these may be • errors may cause strain for the reader punctuation is often faulty
• may confuse key features/bullet points with detail; parts inaccurate or repetitive
may be unclear, irrelevant, repetitive or inaccurate
3 • fails to address the task, which may have been completely • does not organise ideas logically • uses only a very limited range of words and expressions • attempts sentence forms but errors in grammar and
misunderstood • may use a very limited range of cohesive devices, and with very limited control of word formation and/or spelling punctuation predominate and distort the meaning
• presents limited ideas which may be largely those used may not indicate a logical relationship between • errors may severely distort the message
irrelevant/repetitive ideas
2 • answer is barely related to the task • has very little control of organisational features • uses an extremely limited range of vocabulary; essentially • cannot use sentence forms except in memorised phrases
no control of word formation and/or spelling
1 • answer is completely unrelated to the task • fails to communicate any message • can only use a few isolated words • cannot use sentence forms at all
0 • does not attend
• does not attempt the task in any way
• writes a totally memorised response
(A) Academic │(GT) General Training IELTS is jointly owned by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge English Language Assessment. Page 1 of 1
‘Benchmark’ phrases
Page 1 of 1 IELTS Writing Band Descriptors: Task 2 (public version)
Band Task Response Coherence and Cohesion Lexical Resource Grammatical Range and Accuracy
9 ! fully addresses all parts of the task ! uses cohesion in such a way that it attracts no attention ! uses a wide range of vocabulary with very natural ! uses a wide range of structures with full flexibility
! presents a fully developed position in answer to the ! skilfully manages paragraphing and sophisticated control of lexical features; rare and accuracy; rare minor errors occur only as ‘slips’
question with relevant, fully extended and well minor errors occur only as ‘slips’
supported ideas
8 ! sufficiently addresses all parts of the task ! sequences information and ideas logically ! uses a wide range of vocabulary fluently and flexibly ! uses a wide range of structures
! presents a well-developed response to the question ! manages all aspects of cohesion well to convey precise meanings ! the majority of sentences are error-free
with relevant, extended and supported ideas ! uses paragraphing sufficiently and appropriately ! skilfully uses uncommon lexical items but there may ! makes only very occasional errors or inappropriacies
be occasional inaccuracies in word choice and
collocation
! produces rare errors in spelling and/or word
formation
7 ! addresses all parts of the task ! logically organises information and ideas; there is clear ! uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow some ! uses a variety of complex structures
! presents a clear position throughout the response progression throughout flexibility and precision ! produces frequent error-free sentences
! presents, extends and supports main ideas, but ! uses a range of cohesive devices appropriately ! uses less common lexical items with some ! has good control of grammar and punctuation but
there may be a tendency to over-generalise and/or although there may be some under-/over-use awareness of style and collocation may make a few errors
supporting ideas may lack focus ! presents a clear central topic within each paragraph ! may produce occasional errors in word choice,
spelling and/or word formation
6 ! addresses all parts of the task although some parts ! arranges information and ideas coherently and there is ! uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task ! uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms
may be more fully covered than others a clear overall progression ! attempts to use less common vocabulary but with ! makes some errors in grammar and punctuation but
! presents a relevant position although the ! uses cohesive devices effectively, but cohesion within some inaccuracy they rarely reduce communication
conclusions may become unclear or repetitive and/or between sentences may be faulty or mechanical ! makes some errors in spelling and/or word
! presents relevant main ideas but some may be ! may not always use referencing clearly or appropriately formation, but they do not impede communication
inadequately developed/unclear ! uses paragraphing, but not always logically
5 ! addresses the task only partially; the format may be ! presents information with some organisation but there ! uses a limited range of vocabulary, but this is ! uses only a limited range of structures
inappropriate in places may be a lack of overall progression minimally adequate for the task ! attempts complex sentences but these tend to be
! expresses a position but the development is not ! makes inadequate, inaccurate or over-use of cohesive ! may make noticeable errors in spelling and/or word less accurate than simple sentences
always clear and there may be no conclusions devices formation that may cause some difficulty for the ! may make frequent grammatical errors and
drawn ! may be repetitive because of lack of referencing and reader punctuation may be faulty; errors can cause some
! presents some main ideas but these are limited and substitution difficulty for the reader
not sufficiently developed; there may be irrelevant ! may not write in paragraphs, or paragraphing may be
detail inadequate
4 ! responds to the task only in a minimal way or the ! presents information and ideas but these are not ! uses only basic vocabulary which may be used ! uses only a very limited range of structures with only
answer is tangential; the format may be arranged coherently and there is no clear progression repetitively or which may be inappropriate for the rare use of subordinate clauses
inappropriate in the response task ! some structures are accurate but errors
! presents a position but this is unclear ! uses some basic cohesive devices but these may be ! has limited control of word formation and/or spelling; predominate, and punctuation is often faulty
! presents some main ideas but these are difficult to inaccurate or repetitive errors may cause strain for the reader
identify and may be repetitive, irrelevant or not well ! may not write in paragraphs or their use may be
supported confusing
3 ! does not adequately address any part of the task ! does not organise ideas logically ! uses only a very limited range of words and ! attempts sentence forms but errors in grammar and
! does not express a clear position ! may use a very limited range of cohesive devices, and expressions with very limited control of word punctuation predominate and distort the meaning
! presents few ideas, which are largely undeveloped those used may not indicate a logical relationship formation and/or spelling
or irrelevant between ideas ! errors may severely distort the message
2 ! barely responds to the task ! has very little control of organisational features ! uses an extremely limited range of vocabulary; ! cannot use sentence forms except in memorised
! does not express a position essentially no control of word formation and/or phrases
! may attempt to present one or two ideas but there is spelling
no development
1 ! answer is completely unrelated to the task ! fails to communicate any message ! can only use a few isolated words ! cannot use sentence forms at all
0 ! does not attend
! does not attempt the task in any way
! writes a totally memorised response
The scoring system: ‘benchmark’ phrases
Here’s a recent essay that I shared on my blog. I gave it a band 9, but let’s ignore that score for
now. Instead, try the task shown below the essay.
Some people claim that not enough of the waste from homes is recycled. They say that the
only way to increase recycling is for governments to make it a legal requirement.
To what extent do you think laws are needed to make people recycle more of their waste?
It is true that we do not recycle enough of our household waste. Although I accept that new
legislation to force people to recycle could help this situation, I do not agree that a recycling law is
In my view, a new recycling law would be just one possible way to tackle the waste problem.
Governments could make it a legal obligation for householders to separate all waste into different
bins. There could be punishments for people who fail to adhere to this law, ranging from a small
fine to community service, or even perhaps prison sentences for repeat offenders. These
measures would act as a deterrent and encourage people to obey the recycling law. As a result,
the improved behaviour of homeowners could lead to a clean, waste-free environment for
everyone.
However, I believe that governments should do more than simply introduce a recycling law. It might
be more effective if politicians put education, rather than punishment, at the centre of a recycling
campaign. For example, children could be taught about recycling in schools, and homeowners
could be informed about the environmental impact of household waste. Another tactic that
governments could use would be to create stricter regulations for the companies that produce the
packaging for household products. Finally, money could also be spent to improve recycling
facilities and systems, so that waste is processed more effectively, regardless of whether or not
people separate it correctly in the home.
In conclusion, perhaps we do need to make recycling a legal requirement, but this would certainly
not be the only way to encourage people to dispose of their waste more responsibly.
(279 words)
Task:
- Open the document entitled ‘Extra materials 25.1’.

- Analyse the above essay using ONLY the highlighted phrases from the band descriptor
document.
- Which of the highlighted phrases describe my essay? For example, does the essay present a
clear position? Are the majority of sentences error free?
- Underline parts of the essay that achieve the highlighted ‘benchmarks’.
Score this essay!
Click on the link below to tell me what scores you would give the following essay (written by a student of
mine). Your answers will be anonymous! I’ll share the results of this survey and tell you my scores next week.
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/HJHPH3K
In some countries, it is now illegal for employers to reject job applicants because of their age. Is this
a positive or negative development?
Nowadays, younger and older people have been declining in a range of job applications, leading
governments to introduce laws to illegalise employers distinguish applicants by their ages. I believe that it is
a positive development in terms of equality in our society even there may be some drawbacks.
It is convinced that taking measures to ageing discrimination in the labour market is beneficial in some
perspectives. Firstly, it is increasingly important to protect aged people to avoid being discriminated against.
Many old people, especially those who work in certain areas such as engineering and schooling, have long
periods of professional experiences, hence they should continue to work for a period if they want. This can
highly benefit to themselves as well as to the community. In addition, younger adults should also have the
same access to job opportunities as other people. They can learn knowledge in a faster pace, and employers
should give them practical chance to improve themselves. As a result, younger adults may become more
useful for society.
On the other hand, there are some drawbacks of illegalising ageing discrimination. Since the regulation of
ageing discrimination, employers may recruit many child labours to do repetitive works with lower salaries.
This should be prohibited by setting new laws. Apart from this, some workaholic have a tendency of working
all their lives when they are old. They appreciate the new regulation and do not want to retire even if their
doctors insist on it. This can cause more healthy problems, which is worse for both their families and society.
In conclusion, I agree that anti-discrimination is a positive development for both individuals and society,
though there are several small drawbacks. If governments introduce more regulations for child abuse and
the elder’s health, it would be perfect.
(297 words)
Follow these scoring steps, looking closely at the band descriptors as you work through them.
1. Task response: Does the essay address all parts of the task? Does the student have a clear position
(i.e. give a clear answer to the question)? How well are ideas developed and supported?
2. Coherence and cohesion: Is there a clear central topic in each paragraph? Is there a sense of overall
organisation and progression? How about progression within each main paragraph? Underline the
cohesive devices that are used to organise and connect ideas. Don’t forget to look for words like ‘this’
and ‘which’, as well as the obvious words/phrases like ‘Firstly’ and ‘In addition’.
3. Grammar: Go through the essay sentence by sentence. How many sentences are completely error-
free? Can you see a mix of long and short sentences? Can you find any connectives (which tell you that
the sentence is ‘compound’ or ‘complex’)?
4. Vocabulary: Highlight any word, collocation or phrase that is specific to the ‘job application / age
discrimination’ topic. Perhaps you’ll then notice collocations and paraphrasing. How much of this ‘topic
vocabulary’ is used, and how accurately is it used?
Targeted essay checking
Here are my tips for making essay checking / correction more interesting and effective.
1. Prepare your students
It’s important to set students’ expectations by explaining to them exactly what kind of feedback
they will receive when you check their written work. They need to understand that you aim to
work on one aspect of writing at a time, and that you won’t be correcting grammar mistakes
unless the specific aim of the homework / writing exercise is to work on grammar.
I recommend that you really “sell” this approach to your students. Explain how effective it can
be to improve just one aspect of writing at a time. It might help to show them an example to
illustrate the kind of highlighting and feedback that they should expect.
2. Make it relevant to your lessons
If you haven’t been working on verb tenses or prepositions in recent lessons, why would you
point out problems with tenses and prepositions on your students’ homework? Wouldn’t it be
better to set written tasks that are directly related to the work you’ve done in the classroom,
and then only provide relevant and related feedback?
For example, if you’ve been working on ideas for a specific IELTS writing topic, you could set
an essay task as homework and provide feedback on ‘topic vocabulary’ only. When checking
essays, ignore everything except for vocabulary (lexical resource).
3. Focus on the overall essay writing ‘method’ first
Before you even start work on the four criteria, I recommend that you check that your students
are using your ‘method’ properly.
For example, you should already know that I teach my students to write 4 paragraphs and 13
sentences (2, 5, 5, 1) every time they write a task 2 essay. There’s no point checking grammar
or vocabulary if a student isn’t even following my basic method.
If you’ve taught your students to write in a certain way, with a certain number of paragraphs
and sentences, set them a homework to see if they are able to put your method into practice.
When it comes to giving feedback, you should only underline, highlight and comment on the
students’ adherence to the basic method. Count the number of paragraphs and sentences, and
point out where a sentence may be added, removed, lengthened or shortened in order to make
the essay look like one of your models. Show your students that you are serious about
ensuring that they follow your overall approach.
4. Work on one scoring criterion at a time
I’m sure you’ll find your own system, but here are some suggestions to get you started:
Task response: Underline in green pen all parts of the essay that give the student’s ‘position’.
Underline in red pen any part of the essay that seems irrelevant or off-topic. A first action point
could be to rewrite any parts of the essay that are underlined in red. A second action point
could be to focus on the green underlining: identify the position, and strengthen it by adding
more detailed explanation and/or examples.
Coherence and cohesion: Underline cohesive devices in one colour and referencing in
another colour. Comment on whether you can see a ‘clear central topic’ in each paragraph. Set
action points accordingly.
Lexical resource: Underline all the examples of good topic vocabulary in green pen, and
underline any vocabulary problems in red pen. Comment and set action points accordingly.
Grammatical range and accuracy: Underline the error-free sentences in green. Count how
many there are, and write this number below the essay (e.g. only 3 out of 13 sentences are
error-free). Find and underline, in red pen, another two or three sentences that could easily be
corrected and improved, then set the student an action point to rewrite only those two or three
sentences.
Remember to give the essay a score, but this score should be for the individual criterion that
you are targeting only.
5. Achievements and shortcomings
Make sure you feed back on strengths as well as weaknesses when you check an essay. Point
out what the essay achieves, with reference to the band descriptors, and then comment on
what is needed for the essay to reach the next band. Set follow-up tasks to work on the
shortcomings.
6. Target even more specifically
You may find it useful to set even more specific aims for your students and give even more
focused feedback. For example, you might decide to focus on just one aspect of ‘task
response’ (e.g. the ‘position’) or just one aspect of grammar (e.g. longer sentences with
connectives).
IELTS Writing Task 1: task achievement
Look at the following task and a student’s answer below it.
(Materials are taken from the official IELTS DVD, which is available from ielts.org)
Score the answer above for “task achievement” only.
- Does the answer contain an overview of the “big picture” (a summary of the overall trend for
cinema attendance by age group)?
- How clear is the overview, where is it, and what exactly does it cover?
- Is the answer format appropriate?
- Are details recounted mechanically, or are they grouped and compared?
- Is there any irrelevant, inappropriate or inaccurate detail?
- Are any key details missing?
- Are numbers (data) provided?
- Overall, how well does the answer address and cover the requirements of the task?
Page 1 of 1 IELTS Writing Band Descriptors: Task 1 (public version)
Band Task Achievement Coherence and Cohesion Lexical Resource Grammatical Range and Accuracy
9 ! fully satisfies all the requirements of the task ! uses cohesion in such a way that it attracts no ! uses a wide range of vocabulary with very natural ! uses a wide range of structures with full flexibility and
! clearly presents a fully developed response attention and sophisticated control of lexical features; rare accuracy; rare minor errors occur only as ‘slips’
! skilfully manages paragraphing minor errors occur only as ‘slips’
8 ! covers all requirements of the task sufficiently ! sequences information and ideas logically ! uses a wide range of vocabulary fluently and flexibly ! uses a wide range of structures
! presents, highlights and illustrates key features/ ! manages all aspects of cohesion well to convey precise meanings ! the majority of sentences are error-free
bullet points clearly and appropriately ! uses paragraphing sufficiently and appropriately ! skilfully uses uncommon lexical items but there may ! makes only very occasional errors or inappropriacies
be occasional inaccuracies in word choice and
collocation
! produces rare errors in spelling and/or word
formation
7 ! covers the requirements of the task ! logically organises information and ideas; there is ! uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow some ! uses a variety of complex structures
! (Academic) presents a clear overview of main clear progression throughout flexibility and precision ! produces frequent error-free sentences
trends, differences or stages ! uses a range of cohesive devices appropriately ! uses less common lexical items with some ! has good control of grammar and punctuation but
! (General Training) presents a clear purpose, with the although there may be some under-/over-use awareness of style and collocation may make a few errors
tone consistent and appropriate ! may produce occasional errors in word choice,
! clearly presents and highlights key features/bullet spelling and/or word formation
points but could be more fully extended
6 ! addresses the requirements of the task ! arranges information and ideas coherently and there ! uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task ! uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms
! (Academic) presents an overview with information is a clear overall progression ! attempts to use less common vocabulary but with ! makes some errors in grammar and punctuation but
appropriately selected ! uses cohesive devices effectively, but cohesion some inaccuracy they rarely reduce communication
! (General Training) presents a purpose that is within and/or between sentences may be faulty or ! makes some errors in spelling and/or word formation,
generally clear; there may be inconsistencies in tone mechanical but they do not impede communication
! presents and adequately highlights key features/ ! may not always use referencing clearly or
bullet points but details may be irrelevant, appropriately
inappropriate or inaccurate
5 ! generally addresses the task; the format may be ! presents information with some organisation but ! uses a limited range of vocabulary, but this is ! uses only a limited range of structures
inappropriate in places there may be a lack of overall progression minimally adequate for the task ! attempts complex sentences but these tend to be
! (Academic) recounts detail mechanically with no ! makes inadequate, inaccurate or over-use of ! may make noticeable errors in spelling and/or word less accurate than simple sentences
clear overview; there may be no data to support the cohesive devices formation that may cause some difficulty for the ! may make frequent grammatical errors and
description ! may be repetitive because of lack of referencing and reader punctuation may be faulty; errors can cause some
! (General Training) may present a purpose for the substitution difficulty for the reader
letter that is unclear at times; the tone may be
variable and sometimes inappropriate
! presents, but inadequately covers, key features/
bullet points; there may be a tendency to focus on
details
4 ! attempts to address the task but does not cover all ! presents information and ideas but these are not ! uses only basic vocabulary which may be used ! uses only a very limited range of structures with only
key features/bullet points; the format may be arranged coherently and there is no clear repetitively or which may be inappropriate for the task rare use of subordinate clauses
inappropriate progression in the response ! has limited control of word formation and/or spelling; ! some structures are accurate but errors predominate,
! (General Training) fails to clearly explain the purpose ! uses some basic cohesive devices but these may be errors may cause strain for the reader and punctuation is often faulty
of the letter; the tone may be inappropriate inaccurate or repetitive
! may confuse key features/bullet points with detail;
parts may be unclear, irrelevant, repetitive or
inaccurate
3 ! fails to address the task, which may have been ! does not organise ideas logically ! uses only a very limited range of words and ! attempts sentence forms but errors in grammar and
completely misunderstood ! may use a very limited range of cohesive devices, expressions with very limited control of word punctuation predominate and distort the meaning
! presents limited ideas which may be largely and those used may not indicate a logical formation and/or spelling
irrelevant/repetitive relationship between ideas ! errors may severely distort the message
2 ! answer is barely related to the task ! has very little control of organisational features ! uses an extremely limited range of vocabulary; ! cannot use sentence forms except in memorised
essentially no control of word formation and/or phrases
spelling
1 ! answer is completely unrelated to the task ! fails to communicate any message ! can only use a few isolated words ! cannot use sentence forms at all
0 ! does not attend
! does not attempt the task in any way
! writes a totally memorised response
IELTS Writing Task 1: task achievement
Look at the following description of a line graph (go down to page 3 if you need to see the graph).
I’ve highlighted / underlined three key aspects of the answer that relate to “task achievement”, and
you’ll find my full analysis on page 2 below.
Score the answer above for “task achievement” only.
Does the answer contain an overview of the “big picture” (a summary of the overall trend for cinema
attendance by age group)?
I’ve highlighted in yellow the parts of the answer that might be considered an “overview”. I’m being quite
generous here, because the first two sections that I highlighted are part of the student’s “details” description.
The only attempt at a specific, stand-alone summary is the final paragraph. The presence of a short, simple
overview means that the examiner is likely to look at band 6, but we’ll need to look at the other points below
before making our final decision regarding the task achievement score.
How clear is the overview, where is it, and what exactly does it cover?
It is a very basic overview, and it gives us a simple idea of one overall trend. It is in an appropriate place in
the report (at the end). However, the sentence doesn’t give us a very accurate picture of the trends. For
example, the use of the word “more” suggests that the graph may show numbers rather than proportions.
Also, we are not told about the trend for cinema attendance over the time period (i.e. did going to the
cinema become a more or less popular activity?). Finally, there is no information about just how popular the
cinema was among any of the age groups (e.g. did the majority of people in all age groups go to the cinema
at least once a year?). In short, the overview is too simple for us to consider band 7 or higher.
Is the answer format appropriate?
We can see an introduction, three paragraphs that describe details, and a short summary at the end.
However, let’s look more closely at the three paragraphs that I’ve marked with red lines (see below).
Are details recounted mechanically, or are they grouped and compared?
The problem here is that an examiner is likely to judge the “details” paragraphs as somewhat “mechanical”.
The student writes separate paragraphs about the “youngest” and “oldest” people, and the comparisons
made in the “middle age groups” paragraph are very general - no percentages are compared directly.
Is there any irrelevant, inappropriate or inaccurate detail?
No.
Are any key details missing? Are numbers (data) provided?
Key details are missing. There is a real lack of data (highlighted in green) in the first two “details” paragraphs:
“90%” and “60% to 80%” are general or approximate figures for the whole period; no specific figures are
given in these two paragraphs. Also, there is not even one true comparison between figures for cinema
attendance among two or more age groups in the whole answer.
Overall, how well does the answer address and cover the requirements of the task?
For me, the answer just about gets a band 6 for task achievement. If I read the answer through from start to
finish, it does basically address the requirements of the task, in the sense that it gives me a general idea of
what the graph shows, and it provides a few key details that help me to understand the trend in cinema
attendance for each age group.
This student could easily improve his/her answer with the right guidance.
(Question taken from the official IELTS DVD, which is available from ielts.org)
IELTS Reading: start with easy questions
The following questions come from General Reading Test A in Cambridge IELTS book 3 (near the
back of the book).
Exercise 1: TRUE, FALSE or NOT GIVEN?

CORRECT ANSWERS:
9. False
10. True
11. False
12. Not given
13. True
Keyword table showing how we found the answers above:
Keywords in the questions Similar words in the text
not re-opened until Monday (false) closed from Saturday to Sunday
open as far as Little Street (true) closed between Little Street and…
work will continue each weekend (false) work will be completed at this time, without further disruption
temporary traffic lights not mentioned
bus services to the university (true) services will operate between… and the university
IELTS Reading: one more easy exercise
The following questions come from the General Reading tests in Cambridge IELTS book 3 (near
the back of the book).
Easy exercise: Match the paragraph headings

CORRECT ANSWERS
14. iii
15. ix
16. viii
17. iv
Keyword table showing how we found the answers above:
Keywords in the headings Similar words in the paragraphs
Film Appreciation Society love of movies… this club is for those people
United Nations Student Club international organisation, build a model of the UN
Debating Club debating, weekly debates
Drama Society club where interesting theatre is created

Reading: gap-fill and ‘short answer’ questions
The following passage and questions come from Cambridge IELTS book 4.
Note: This is one of the easiest academic reading sections that you’ll find in the Cambridge books.
CORRECT ANSWERS and KEYWORD TABLE
15. taste buds

16. baleen
17. forward
downward
18. freshwater dolphin(s)
19. (the) water
20. (the) lower frequencies
21. bowhead
humpback
22. touch / sense of touch

23. (the) freshwater dolphin(s)
24. airborne flying fish
25. clear water(s) / clear open water(s)
26. (the) acoustic sense
Keywords in the questions Similar words in the passage
smell - toothed species - ability - no toothed species are unable to smell
smell - baleen species - ability - not certain ?
taste - some types ?
nerves linked to ?
underdeveloped ?
vision - ability - yes ?
probably have (stereoscopic vision) ?
vision - exceptional ?
hearing - ability - yes ?
usually use (lower frequencies) ?
song-like ?
involved in mating part of the courtship ritual
swims upside down while eating ?
what can dolphins follow from under the water? ?
habitat related to good visual ability ?
which sense is best developed? ?

Reading: gap-fill and ‘short answer’ questions
Note: This is one of the easiest academic reading sections that you’ll find in the Cambridge books.
Keywords from
first line of table
15
22
16
17
23
18
19
24
25
26
20
21
CORRECT ANSWERS and KEYWORD TABLE
15. taste buds

16. baleen
17. forward
downward
18. freshwater dolphin(s)
19. (the) water
20. (the) lower frequencies
21. bowhead
humpback
22. touch / sense of touch

23. (the) freshwater dolphin(s)
24. airborne flying fish
25. clear water(s) / clear open water(s)
26. (the) acoustic sense
smell - toothed species - ability - no toothed species are unable to smell
smell - baleen species - ability - not certain baleen species - it is not known whether…
taste - some types some cetaceans have taste buds
nerves linked to nerves serving
underdeveloped rudimentary
vision - ability - yes can apparently see moderately well
probably have (stereoscopic vision) suggests that they have (stereoscopic vision)
vision - exceptional extremely keen vision
hearing - ability - yes well-developed acoustic sense
usually use (lower frequencies) primarily use (the lower frequencies)
song-like song-like
involved in mating part of the courtship ritual
swims upside down while eating swims upside down while feeding
what can dolphins follow from under the water? it watches and tracks airborne flying fish
habitat related to good visual ability vision useful to species inhabiting clear open waters
weaknesses (in other senses) are compensated for by

which sense is best developed?
well-developed acoustic sense
IELTS Reading: problem diagnosis sheet for students
After doing a reading test, check your answers and then focus on your mistakes. Use the
questions below to diagnose your problems and understand why you made those
mistakes.
Method
1. Did you underline keywords in the questions and in the passage?

2. Did you read at normal speed when searching for the answers?
3. Did you run out of time because you got stuck on one particular question?
Language
1. Did you give any wrong answers because of language problems?

2. Was it an individual word that caused you problems, or was it a longer phrase or even
a whole sentence?
Locating answers
1. Did you make any mistakes because you got your answer from the wrong place in the
passage? What made you focus on this wrong place?
2. Were there any answers that you simply could not find?
3. What did you miss that stopped you from getting the right answer? Was it a synonym
or some paraphrasing that you didn’t notice?
Tricks
1. Did any of the questions or any parts of the passage trick you into choosing the wrong
answer? How were you tricked?
Now put your mistakes into two groups:
1) “Nowhere near” mistakes: the question or relevant part of the passage was just too
hard for you, and you were nowhere near to getting the right answer. You still feel
confused about these mistakes.
2) “Nearly got it” mistakes: you made a silly mistake, or you almost got the right
answer, or the correct answer now seems obvious or quite easy. Work on these
mistakes first!
Reading: do ‘matching headings’ sections last
Note: This is my favourite ‘matching headings’ passage to use with a new group of students.
CORRECT ANSWERS
1. iii
2. v
3. ii
4. YES
5. YES
6. NO
7. YES
8. NO
9. NOT GIVEN
10. cheese
11. tourism / tourist / tour
12. pottery
13. jewellery / jewelry
KEYWORD TABLE
Fill the gaps in the right hand column of the keyword table below.
low financial cost of setting up
ecologically and culturally fragile
operates throughout the year
fall in the amount of food produced locally
traditional food-gathering
distributed evenly over the year
handouts do more damage than tourism
revived production of
operate businesses
produce and sell
reasons for the expansion of tourism
disruptive effects of wilderness tourism
local communities own needs

Multiple choice questions (listening and reading)
Use the multiple choice exercises below to focus on these exam techniques:
- identifying key differences between answer choices
- minimal underlining of keywords in the questions and choices
Lesson ideas:
Ask students to read the questions and choices, identify clear differences between answer choices,
and then underline a minimal number of keywords. They can then look for the answers in the text
excerpts (transcriptions are given for listening exercises). The correct answers are on the final
page below.
Exercise 1 (listening)
The following question comes from Cambridge IELTS 9, page 85:
The exact proportion of land devoted to private gardens was confirmed by
A) consulting some official documents

B) taking large-scale photos
C) discussions with town surveyors
Here's what the speaker says:
The first thing we did was to establish what proportion of the urban land is taken up by private
gardens. We estimated that it was about one fifth, and this was endorsed by looking at large-scale
usage maps in the town land survey office.
Exercise 2 (listening)
Here are two questions from Official IELTS Practice Materials 2:
1. Why does Marco's tutor advise him avoid the Team Management course?
A) It will repeat work that Marco has already done.

B) It is intended for students at a lower level than Marco.
C) It may take too much time to do well.
2. Why does Marco want to do a dissertation?
A) He thinks it will help his future career.

B) He would like to do a detailed study.
C) He has already done some work for it
This is what you hear on the recording:
Tutor: The trouble is that because of changes in the content of various courses, Team
Management overlaps with the Introduction to Management course you took in your first year. So
what you'd learn from it would be too little for the amount of time you'd have to spend on it.
Marco: I'll drop that idea then. Have you had a chance to look at the outline of my finance
dissertation?
Tutor: Yes. Why exactly do you want to write a dissertation?
Marco: Well, I'm quite prepared to do the extra work, because I'm keen to investigate something in
depth, instead of just skating across the surface. I realise that a broader knowledge base may be
more useful to my career, but I'm really keen to do this.
Exercise 3 (reading)
Read the following passage about 'learning styles’.
The term ‘learning styles’ refers to a variety of ways of learning. The ‘learning styles’ theory is
based on the observation that most people prefer an identifiable method of interacting with, taking
in, and processing stimuli or information. The idea of individualised ‘learning styles’ originated in
the 1970s, and acquired enormous popularity. Proponents say that teachers should assess the
learning styles of their students and adapt their classroom methods to best fit each student's
preference.
The basis and efficacy of these proposals are extensively criticised. Although children and adults
express personal preferences, there is no evidence that identifying a student's learning style
produces better outcomes, and there is significant evidence that the hypothesis (that a student will
learn best if taught in a method deemed appropriate for his or her learning style) may be invalid.
Choose the best answer (A, B, or C) for questions 1 and 2 below.
1. The idea that people should learn according to their preferred learning style
A) has influenced all teachers.

B) became popular around 40 years ago.
C) has never been disputed.
2. There is no evidence that
A) people have learning preferences.

B) the hypothesis might be wrong.
C) it is beneficial to identify students’ preferred learning styles.
Exercise 4 (reading)
Read the following passage about the physicist Richard Feynman.
Physicist Richard Feynman returned over and over to an idea that drove his groundbreaking
discoveries. His approach was documented by his Caltech colleague David Goodstein in the book
Feynman’s Lost Lecture about physics classes Feynman taught in the 1960s:
Once, I said to him, “Dick, explain to me, so that I can understand it, why spin one-half particles
obey Fermi-Dirac statistics.” Sizing up his audience perfectly, Feynman said, “I’ll prepare a
freshman lecture on it.” But he came back a few days later to say, “I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t reduce
it to the freshman level. That means we don’t really understand it.”
Feynman didn’t mean all human knowledge must be distilled into an introductory college course.
His point was that we need to build our grasp of science and technology from the ground up if we
are to master it, not to mention reimagine how it works. Feynman was famous as a student for
redoing many of physics’ early experiments himself to build a foundational understanding of the
field. By mastering these first principles, Feynman often saw things that others did not in quantum
mechanics, computing, and nuclear physics, earning him the Nobel Prize in 1965.
Choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) for questions 1 and 2 below.
1. When asked to explain a difficult concept, physicist Richard Feynman
A) immediately replied that he could not

B) replied that he had already prepared a lecture on it
C) said that he did not understand the concept either
D) promised to give his answer in an introductory lesson
2. Feynman believed that
A) scientists should master basic scientific principles first

B) early physics experiments need to be redone
C) most science students do not have a good foundation in physics
D) his knowledge of first principles earned him a Nobel Prize
CORRECT ANSWERS:
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
1. A
2. B
Exercise 3
1. B
2. C
Exercise 4
1. D
2. A
More multiple choice questions
Here two examples of multiple choice exercises that I made myself. Try making your own simple
exercises in the same way.
Exercise 1
Read the following text and answer the multiple choice questions below.
In linguistics, a corpus (plural corpora) is a large and structured set of texts (now usually
electronically stored and processed). A corpus may be used to help linguists to analyse a
language, or for the purpose of dictionary writing or language teaching. The British National Corpus
(BNC) is a 100-million-word text corpus of samples of written and spoken English from a wide
range of sources. The corpus covers British English of the late twentieth century from a wide
variety of genres with the intention that it be a representative sample of spoken and written British
English of that time.
1. What is a corpus?
A) A type of large dictionary.

B) A single written text.
C) A tool for language analysis.
2. Why was the BNC compiled?
A) For the purpose of language teaching.

B) To document written and spoken English from a particular period in time.
C) To document the history of the English language.
(Answers: C, B)
Exercise 2
Read the following passage and complete the multiple choice exercise below it.
The Suzuki method is an internationally known music curriculum and teaching philosophy dating
from the mid-20th century, created by Japanese violinist and pedagogue Shinichi Suzuki (1898–
1998). The method aims to create an environment for learning music which parallels the linguistic
environment of acquiring a native language. Suzuki believed that this environment would also help
to foster good moral character.
As a skilled violinist but a beginner at the German language who struggled to learn it, Suzuki
noticed that children pick up their native language quickly, and even dialects adults consider
"difficult" to learn are spoken with ease by children at age five or six. He reasoned that if children
have the skill to acquire their native language, they have the necessary ability to become proficient
on a musical instrument.
Suzuki believed that every child, if properly taught, was capable of a high level of musical
achievement. He also made it clear that the goal of such musical education was to raise
generations of children with "noble hearts", as opposed to creating famous musical prodigies.
Which THREE of the following statements are correct?
A) Suzuki saw similarities between learning languages and music.

B) He learnt German using his own method.
C) He found it easy to learn German.
D) He believed that all children have musical potential.
E) His aims went deeper than simply teaching music.
F) He hoped to create the next generation of famous musicians.
(Answers: A, D, E)
The exercises on the following pages come from the official IELTS website ielts.org.
Academic Reading sample task – Multiple choice
[Note: This is an extract from an Academic Reading passage on the subject of

government subsidies to farmers. The text preceding this extract explained how
subsidies can lead to activities which cause uneconomical and irreversible changes
to the environment.]
All these activities may have damaging environmental impacts. For example, land clearing
for agriculture is the largest single cause of deforestation; chemical fertilisers and pesticides
may contaminate water supplies; more intensive farming and the abandonment of fallow
periods tend to exacerbate soil erosion; and the spread of monoculture and use of high-
yielding varieties of crops have been accompanied by the disappearance of old varieties of
food plants which might have provided some insurance against pests or diseases in future.
Soil erosion threatens the productivity of land in both rich and poor countries. The United
States, where the most careful measurements have been done, discovered in 1982 that
about one-fifth of its farmland was losing topsoil at a rate likely to diminish the soil's
productivity. The country subsequently embarked upon a program to convert 11 per cent of
its cropped land to meadow or forest. Topsoil in India and China is vanishing much faster
than in America.
Government policies have frequently compounded the environmental damage that farming
can cause. In the rich countries, subsidies for growing crops and price supports for farm
output drive up the price of land. The annual value of these subsidies is immense: about
$250 billion, or more than all World Bank lending in the 1980s. To increase the output of
crops per acre, a farmer's easiest option is to use more of the most readily available inputs:
fertilisers and pesticides. Fertiliser use doubled in Denmark in the period 1960-1985 and
increased in The Netherlands by 150 per cent. The quantity of pesticides applied has risen
too: by 69 per cent in 1975-1984 in Denmark, for example, with a rise of 115 per cent in the
frequency of application in the three years from 1981.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s some efforts were made to reduce farm subsidies. The
most dramatic example was that of New Zealand, which scrapped most farm support in
1984. A study of the environmental effects, conducted in 1993, found that the end of
fertiliser subsidies had been followed by a fall in fertiliser use (a fall compounded by the
decline in world commodity prices, which cut farm incomes). The removal of subsidies also
stopped land-clearing and over-stocking, which in the past had been the principal causes of
erosion. Farms began to diversify. The one kind of subsidy whose removal appeared to
have been bad for the environment was the subsidy to manage soil erosion.
In less enlightened countries, and in the European Union, the trend has been to reduce
rather than eliminate subsidies, and to introduce new payments to encourage farmers to
treat their land in environmentally friendlier ways, or to leave it fallow. It may sound strange
but such payments need to be higher than the existing incentives for farmers to grow food
crops. Farmers, however, dislike being paid to do nothing. In several countries they have
become interested in the possibility of using fuel produced from crop residues either as a
replacement for petrol (as ethanol) or as fuel for power stations (as biomass). Such fuels
produce far less carbon dioxide than coal or oil, and absorb carbon dioxide as they grow.
They are therefore less likely to contribute to the greenhouse effect. But they are rarely
competitive with fossil fuels unless subsidised - and growing them does no less
environmental harm than other crops.
Questions 10 – 12
Choose the appropriate letters A, B, C or D.
Write your answers in boxes 10-12 on your answer sheet.
10 Research completed in 1982 found that in the United States soil erosion
A reduced the productivity of farmland by 20 per cent.

B was almost as severe as in India and China.
C was causing significant damage to 20 per cent of farmland.
D could be reduced by converting cultivated land to meadow or forest.
11 By the mid-1980s, farmers in Denmark
A used 50 per cent less fertiliser than Dutch farmers.

B used twice as much fertiliser as they had in 1960.
C applied fertiliser much more frequently than in 1960.
D more than doubled the amount of pesticide they used in just 3 years.
12 Which one of the following increased in New Zealand after 1984?
A farm incomes
B use of fertiliser
C over-stocking
D farm diversification
Answers:
10 C
11 B
12 D
Listening sample task – Multiple choice (to be used with IELTS Listening Recording 2)
SECTION 1
Questions 9 and 10
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
9 Type of insurance chosen
A Economy
B Standard
C Premium
10 Customer wants goods delivered to
A port
B home
C depot
Tapescript for IELTS Listening Recording 2
(A customer has been arranging with a shipping agent to send a large box overseas.
This is the last part of the conversation.)
A OK right. Now obviously insurance is an important thing to consider and

our companies are able to offer very good rates in a number of different
all-inclusive packages.
B Sorry, could you explain a bit more?
A Yes, sorry, um. There’s really three rates according to quality of insurance
cover – there’s the highest comprehensive cover which is Premium rate,
then there’s standard rate and then there’s economy rate. That one will
only cover the cost of the contents second hand.
B Oh I’ve been stung before with economy insurance so I’ll go for the
highest.
A Mh’hm and can I just check would you want home delivery or to a local
depot or would you want to pick it up at the nearest port?
B The port’d be fine – I’ve got transport that end.
A Fine and will you be paying by credit card?
B Can I pay by cheque?

Answers:
9 C
10 A
SPEAKING: Band Descriptors (public version)
Band Fluency and coherence Lexical resource Grammatical range and accuracy Pronunciation
9 • speaks fluently with only rare repetition or self-correction; • uses vocabulary with full flexibility and precision in all • uses a full range of structures naturally and appropriately • uses a full range of pronunciation features with precision
• any hesitation is content-related rather than to find words topics • produces consistently accurate structures apart from ‘slips’ and subtlety
or grammar • uses idiomatic language naturally and accurately characteristic of native speaker speech • sustains flexible use of features throughout
• speaks coherently with fully appropriate cohesive features • is effortless to understand
• develops topics fully and appropriately
8 • speaks fluently with only occasional repetition or self- • uses a wide vocabulary resource readily and flexibly to • uses a wide range of structures flexibly • uses a wide range of pronunciation features
correction; hesitation is usually content-related and only convey precise meaning • produces a majority of error-free sentences with only very • sustains flexible use of features, with only occasional
rarely to search for language • uses less common and idiomatic vocabulary skilfully, with occasional inappropriacies or basic/non-systematic errors lapses
• develops topics coherently and appropriately occasional inaccuracies • is easy to understand throughout; L1 accent has minimal
• uses paraphrase effectively as required effect on intelligibility
7 • speaks at length without noticeable effort or loss of • uses vocabulary resource flexibly to discuss a variety of • uses a range of complex structures with some flexibility • shows all the positive features of Band 6 and some, but not
coherence topics • frequently produces error-free sentences, though some all, of the positive features of Band 8
• may demonstrate language-related hesitation at times, or • uses some less common and idiomatic vocabulary and grammatical mistakes persist
some repetition and/or self-correction shows some awareness of style and collocation, with some
• uses a range of connectives and discourse markers with inappropriate choices
some flexibility • uses paraphrase effectively
6 • is willing to speak at length, though may lose coherence at • has a wide enough vocabulary to discuss topics at length • uses a mix of simple and complex structures, but with • uses a range of pronunciation features with mixed control
times due to occasional repetition, self-correction or and make meaning clear in spite of inappropriacies limited flexibility • shows some effective use of features but this is not
hesitation • generally paraphrases successfully • may make frequent mistakes with complex structures sustained
• uses a range of connectives and discourse markers but not though these rarely cause comprehension problems • can generally be understood throughout, though
always appropriately mispronunciation of individual words or sounds reduces
clarity at times
5 • usually maintains flow of speech but uses repetition, self • manages to talk about familiar and unfamiliar topics but • produces basic sentence forms with reasonable accuracy • shows all the positive features of Band 4 and some, but not
correction and/or slow speech to keep going uses vocabulary with limited flexibility • uses a limited range of more complex structures, but these all, of the positive features of Band 6
• may over-use certain connectives and discourse markers • attempts to use paraphrase but with mixed success usually contain errors and may cause some comprehension
• produces simple speech fluently, but more complex problems
communication causes fluency problems
4 • cannot respond without noticeable pauses and may speak • is able to talk about familiar topics but can only convey • produces basic sentence forms and some correct simple • uses a limited range of pronunciation features
slowly, with frequent repetition and self-correction basic meaning on unfamiliar topics and makes frequent sentences but subordinate structures are rare • attempts to control features but lapses are frequent
• links basic sentences but with repetitious use of simple errors in word choice • errors are frequent and may lead to misunderstanding • mispronunciations are frequent and cause some difficulty
connectives and some breakdowns in coherence • rarely attempts paraphrase for the listener
3 • speaks with long pauses • uses simple vocabulary to convey personal information • attempts basic sentence forms but with limited success, or • shows some of the features of Band 2 and some, but not
• has limited ability to link simple sentences • has insufficient vocabulary for less familiar topics relies on apparently memorised utterances all, of the positive features of Band 4
• gives only simple responses and is frequently unable to • makes numerous errors except in memorised expressions
convey basic message
2 • pauses lengthily before most words • only produces isolated words or memorised utterances • cannot produce basic sentence forms • Speech is often unintelligble
• little communication possible
1 • no communication possible
• no rateable language
0 • does not attend
IELTS is jointly owned by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge English Language Assessment. Page 1 of 1
An example of speaking band 9
Here’s a speaking part 2 task, with a transcription of a band 9 answer below it.
Describe something healthy you enjoy doing.

You should say
what you do
where you do it
who you do it with
and explain why you think doing this is healthy.
I’m going to describe a really healthy activity that I do, currently, which is swimming. I used
to swim a lot when I was younger, but I’ve recently taken it up again, and I go a couple of
times a week now.
I go swimming in a gym that I joined, which has a nice swimming pool. I tried going to my
local public pool, but it was too busy and you couldn’t really swim up and down in
lanes there. So, I found a gym that has a pool, and it’s usually quite empty, and I can have
a lane to myself and swim up and down.
As I said, I do this hobby or activity alone. I don’t go there with anyone; it’s a solitary
sport really, and I’m doing it for my own health reasons. Obviously, of course, there are
other people in the pool when I’m there; sometimes you have to share a lane with another
person or a couple of people. But, basically, I’m in there, focused, on my own,
concentrating on my own swimming stroke and technique, and trying to improve my
endurance and stamina as well.
And the reason I think this is a healthy sport… well, I think it’s widely accepted that
swimming is really healthy. It’s a good all-over body workout; it’s great cardiovascular
exercise; it’s a low-impact sport, so you’re not expected to get any injuries as you might
do if you were running, where there’s impact on the joints - with swimming you don’t
have that. So I think it’s really good for the body, but it’s also good for the mind. When I
get into the swimming pool, as soon as I hit the water it clears my mind; I’m focused
only on one thing, which is my stroke, my technique, the breathing - it makes you think
about your breathing as well, which is good. And I think it rejuvenates and reinvigorates
you to be in the water. It’s a really relaxing experience.
Scoring the answer above:
Note: examiners don’t score each part of the speaking test separately; they score the test as a
whole. However, I do think it can be useful to score part 2 as if it were representative of a student’s
overall level.
- Pronunciation: Even though I’ve only given you the written transcript of what I said, please
assume that my pronunciation is at band 9 level — I’m a native speaker.
- Grammar: I can’t see any grammar mistakes, and this in itself is likely to mean that an examiner
would award me a band 9. I’ve also used connectives to create longer sentences, as well as
various different verb tenses.
- Fluency and coherence: I’ve transcribed exactly what I was able to say in 2 minutes. My
answer is fluent, appropriate and fully developed. Band 9.
- Lexical resource: I’ve highlighted in bold italics the words and phrases that an examiner might
consider to be ‘less common’, idiomatic, examples of natural collocations etc. It is the amount of
such phrases (not the ‘difficulty’ of each individual phrase) that takes my answer up to band 9
level.
ielts-simon.com How to Teach IELTS Extra materials 43.1
Speaking Part 3: transcript of a ‘band 8’ candidate
Here’s my transcription of the audio that you can hear if you open ‘Extra materials 43.2’.
According to the official IELTS DVD (from ielts.org, 2006 version*), this candidate performed at
band 8 level.
Look at the transcript and think about why this candidate might deserve a band 8.
1. What do you think are the most popular types of hobby in Germany?
For male Germans it’s probably football, and for females it might be shopping, I don’t know! It could
be shopping, but many people are actually doing sports, so they would go jogging in their spare
time.
2. Why do you think these hobbies are so popular?
Because I think you need balance in life. The working life is quite hard, and nowadays in Germany,
with the economic situation etc., everybody needs an anchor point or a balance to their struggle
during their working hours. So I guess, just to have relaxation and to calm down and as a stress
relief, I think sport is a good way to do so, and I think that’s why many Germans are doing it. It’s
probably worldwide the case.
3. You mentioned that the work-leisure balance is out of balance. Can you tell me more
about that?
Yeah, I mean the regular working hours would be eight or nine hours a day, but nowadays
competition is quite big because of the unemployment, so everybody’s really putting a lot of
overtime in their work, and most of the time probably don’t get paid for it. And leisure time is
increasingly, of course, getting less and less, and so people are definitely looking forward to their
holidays or their weekends to enjoy family life. But I think family life isn’t that what it was before,
because everybody’s so focused on their careers, and to keep their jobs and have a good income,
and survive, basically, in the system.
4. Do you think this will continue in the future?
Well, probably the next ten years till the economy again (is) picking up, and our social welfare
system is getting better again, because it was quite good years ago, but the last ten years, I would
say, it really declined a bit.
5. What do you think are the social benefits of having a hobby?
Well, it’s depending on what your hobby is. If, you would, for example, do a hobby where you don’t
meet anybody, if you’re hiking or climbing alone, there’s not a big social effect on that, I would say.
But if you do it in a community, like for example soccer or rugby or whatever, then you in a way
share time with people and have the opportunity to get to know each other better and closer, and
exchange ideas and opinions. So I think for that reason a hobby is very very important, because
usually you find that people who are not at your working environment, they are not part of your
family, so they come from different backgrounds, and so I think you get a quite good insight into
other people’s opinions.
**So you get to know them in a different way?
Yeah, in a different way because everybody’s also relaxed. In your working environment, for
example, I mean everybody’s quite formal and tries to do the proper(est?) thing, obviously, but if
you are doing sports together, it’s more casual and I think you would open up yourself more to the
other person.
**So you think it influences the way we behave at work subsequently?
Erm, it could be, but I don’t think that it necessarily has to. It could be, if you would have a hobby
— I mean it’s just hypothetical now — but it could be, if you have a hobby and have good
experience with other people and are quite relaxed with other people, that it would have a good
influence on you in your work, in the relationships you hold at your working place. But that’s quite
hypothetical now from my point of view.
6. Do you think there are any dangers in spending too much time on hobbies?
Er, if you would neglect your family, yes. If the hobby is more important that your family life and
your working life maybe, then yes there could be a danger that you lose track with what is going on
in your relationship, with your partner and children etc.
*Nothing has changed in the scoring system since 2006, so this recording is still valid.
**It seems that the examiner added two questions of his own to ‘push’ the candidate a little harder.
There are only 6 standard questions.
How to help a ‘band 8’ candidate
Here’s the transcription of a ‘band 8’ performance that I used with the previous newsletter. This time, I’ve
highlighted the weak points or things to improve. Below the transcript, you’ll see my advice about how we
might help this candidate to improve her English and her IELTS score.
Here’s a quick guide to the colours I’ve used when highlighting:
Green = The candidate’s “answer method” could be improved

Red = Language problem (grammar, vocabulary, collocation, appropriateness)
Purple = The answer is losing coherence. We need to work on alternative ways to keep the answer going.
1. What do you think are the most popular types of hobby in Germany?
For male Germans it’s probably football, and for females it might be shopping, I don’t know! It could
be shopping, but many people are actually doing sports, so they would go jogging in their spare
time.
2. Why do you think these hobbies are so popular?
Because I think you need balance in life. The working life is quite hard, and nowadays in Germany,
with the economic situation etc., everybody needs an anchor point or a balance to their struggle
during their working hours. So I guess, just to have relaxation and to calm down and as a stress
relief, I think sport is a good way to do so, and I think that’s why many Germans are doing it. It’s
probably worldwide the case.
3. You mentioned that the work-leisure balance is out of balance. Can you tell me more
about that?
Yeah, I mean the regular working hours would be eight or nine hours a day, but nowadays
competition is quite big because of the unemployment, so everybody’s really putting a lot of
overtime in their work, and most of the time probably don’t get paid for it. And leisure time is
increasingly, of course, getting less and less, and so people are definitely looking forward to their
holidays or their weekends to enjoy family life. But I think family life isn’t that what it was before,
because everybody’s so focused on their careers, and to keep their jobs and have a good income,
and survive, basically, in the system.
4. Do you think this will continue in the future?
Well, probably the next ten years till the economy again (is) picking up, and our social welfare
system is getting better again, because it was quite good years ago, but the last ten years, I would
say, it really declined a bit.
5. What do you think are the social benefits of having a hobby?
Well, it’s depending on what your hobby is. If, you would, for example, do a hobby where you don’t
meet anybody, if you’re hiking or climbing alone, there’s not a big social effect on that, I would say.
But if you do it in a community, like for example soccer or rugby or whatever, then you in a way
share time with people and have the opportunity to get to know each other better and closer, and
exchange ideas and opinions. So I think for that reason a hobby is very very important, because
usually you find that people who are not at your working environment, they are not part of your
family, so they come from different backgrounds, and so I think you get a quite good insight into
other people’s opinions.
So you get to know them in a different way?
Yeah, in a different way because everybody’s also relaxed. In your working environment, for
example, I mean everybody’s quite formal and tries to do the proper(est?) thing, obviously, but if
you are doing sports together, it’s more casual and I think you would open up yourself more to the
other person.
So you think it influences the way we behave at work subsequently?
Erm, it could be, but I don’t think that it necessarily has to. It could be, if you would have a hobby
— I mean it’s just hypothetical now — but it could be, if you have a hobby and have good
experience with other people and are quite relaxed with other people, that it would have a good
influence on you in your work, in the relationships you hold at your working place. But that’s quite
hypothetical now from my point of view.
6. Do you think there are any dangers in spending too much time on hobbies?
Er, if you would neglect your family, yes. If the hobby is more important that your family life and
your working life maybe, then yes there could be a danger that you lose track with what is going on
in your relationship, with your partner and children etc.
Go to the next page for analysis and comments.

Here are some ideas with regard to how we might help the candidate to improve:
1. Answer method
The candidate gives spontaneous answers, and it is clear that she has no ‘answer method’. In
other words, she doesn’t have a mental model that she can consciously apply when answering;
she doesn’t follow a set of steps or a routine. Of course, in ‘real life’ we speak spontaneously, but
if we’re in an exam or job interview situation, it helps to have a more conscious, deliberate
approach.
So, for example, the candidate’s first answer could be improved if she used a simple “answer,
explain, example” routine:
(answer) For male Germans, it’s probably football, and for females it might be shopping. (explain)
I say this because football seems to be everywhere; it’s on TV all the time, and most newspapers
dedicate their back pages to this one sport. At the same time, I don’t have any female friends who
are football fans; they all prefer shopping. (example) One of my best friends is a good example.
She goes shopping every Saturday while her husband plays 5-a-side football with his friends.
If you look through the candidate’s other answers, you’ll notice that she never gives a personal
example. She never talks about her own life. This is why I have highlighted the last part of
several answers in green. A real / personal example could really bring these answers to life.
For example, perhaps she could add something like this to the end of answer 6:
I actually had a work colleague who ended up getting divorced because he was spending too much
time away from home playing golf. His wife was obviously fed up of him putting his hobby before
the family.
Of course, I’m inventing these examples, but if I had time to work with this candidate, I would push
her to think of real examples from her own life. I would train her to add something personal
whenever possible. This would become part of her answer routine.
Note: Personal examples don’t need to begin with the words “For example”. We can suggest other
possibilities to students at this level e.g. My friend is a good example, I remember a time when, In
my case, I actually had / went / experienced / saw… etc.
2. Language problems
Most of the phrases highlighted in red are slightly wrong in some way. Instead of simply correcting
these phrases (e.g. “to have relaxation” should be “to relax”), I would say something like this to the
student:
What do you mean by “everybody needs an anchor point or a balance to their struggle”? This
sounds a little strange in English. Why did you describe a hobby as an anchor point?
Hopefully we can lead the student towards a more natural and simple way to express this idea.
For example:
We all need to find a balance in life between work and leisure, and I think hobbies can be
something that we look forward to at the end of the working day.
We can then spend some time thinking of other ways to express the idea of “relaxation”:
wind down, release tension, recharge our batteries…
Instead of adding the sentence “It’s probably worldwide the case” (which should be: “This is
probably the case worldwide”), a personal example would be a much better way to end this
answer.
I won’t go through all of the parts in red — I’m sure you can see what the problems are. However,
there are two grammar issues that this student needs to focus on:
1. Overuse of present continuous. For example:

“until the economy is picking up” should be “until the economy picks up”
“it’s depending on” should be “it depends on”
2. Some incorrect conditionals. For example:

“if you would have a hobby” should be “if you had a hobby” or “if you have a hobby”
“if you would neglect your family” should be “if you neglect your family”
Finally, it’s worth drawing the student’s attention to collocations e.g. we don't “hold” relationships,
and we don’t lose track “with” something.
We “have” relationships and we lose track “of” things.

3. Losing coherence
Notice that question 4 is asking about the future, and that the candidate misses the opportunity to
talk about the future properly. Instead of talking about the work-life balance in the future, she gets
stuck talking about the economy in the past.
A teacher should spot this issue and work with the student on imagining the future.
Remember the idea of “trigger” words. As soon as the examiner uses the words “in the future”,
our students need to be thinking in terms of “what WILL happen”. A question about the future
should trigger phrases like “I think we will…”
In the final part of the candidate’s fifth answer, she gets lost in the “this is hypothetical” idea. She
needs to be taught to keep her answers simple and direct. For example:
Yes, I do think a hobby can have a positive influence on our working relationships. If a group of
work colleagues get together outside work on a regular basis, it’s likely that their relationships will
improve, and this could carry over into the workplace. For example, in a previous job I used to play
indoor football with a group of colleagues every Friday afternoon. The experience definitely brought
us together and made for a really positive working environment.
I hope the above analysis shows what can be done with a student who is already at band 8 level.
IELTS Speaking Part 2: describe a place
Describe a river, lake or sea which you like.

You should say
what the river, lake or sea is called

where it is
what the land near it is like
and explain why you like this river, lake or sea.
Here’s my example description from the video lesson. It took me exactly 2 minutes, and I simply
followed the points above. I’ve highlighted the good language that I think an examiner would
notice.
I’m going to describe the best known river in England, the river Thames.
The river Thames is in the south of England, and it’s famous because it flows right through the
centre of London. It goes winding through all of the most iconic, famous tourist attractions
and landmarks of the city. For example, it goes past the London Eye, the Houses of Parliament,
with Big Ben, and it goes under Tower Bridge, probably the most famous bridge in London.
So the land around this river, or on either side of this river is hectic, thriving, city-centre London.
It’s right in the heart of the city, and of course it’s a cosmopolitan mix of cultures, business,
tourism all around. It’s where everyone goes to do sightseeing in the centre of the capital, and it’s
got a lot of the history and heritage of London based around that area, in close proximity to the
river itself.
The reason I like this river, the river Thames, is because it’s such an iconic location. It’s a great…
it’s a backdrop to these great landmarks of the city: the historic buildings and famous tourist
sites in the city. And I’ve got good memories of being there on a New Year’s Eve one year
recently. In London, New Year’s Eve celebrations are all focused on the river, with the river and
some of the landmarks as the backdrop to a big fireworks show. And so the river’s all lit up,
and there’s a spectacular fireworks display put on, and lots of tourists and local people all watch
it there together. That was really an unforgettable experience, and the river was central to it.
Notice that here is a lot of ‘content’, but I don’t worry about linking. Your focus should be on the
task: describing the place using good ideas and vocabulary. Examiners are not impressed by
memorised linking phrases.
With regard to grammar, I’m not trying to use any ‘special’ structures. My focus is on answering the
question. But of course we should try to avoid making grammar mistakes!
Notice also that I tell a story in the last paragraph. This helps me to keep speaking for the full 2
minutes.
Here’s the second question from the video lesson:
Describe a restaurant that you enjoyed going to.

You should say
where the restaurant was

why you chose this restaurant
what type of food you ate
and explain why you enjoyed eating in this restaurant.
Here’s my example description from the video lesson. Again, it took me exactly 2 minutes, and I
followed the points above. I’ve highlighted the language that I think an examiner would like.
I’m going to describe a restaurant that I went to quite recently for the birthday party of a friend of
mine.
The restaurant that we went to was right in the heart of London, overlooking the river Thames.
It was quite near to Tower Bridge, the famous bridge in London, and we had a great view from our
vantage point above the river; we had a great view of all the famous London landmarks in that
area.
My friend chose the restaurant because of this location, because of the great backdrop; out of the
window of the restaurant we could see all of these iconic places in London, and he thought it
would be a good place to have a celebration, a place that would be memorable for everybody.
But also, we’d heard that the food in this restaurant was delicious, and that the staff were warm
and welcoming, and the service and the quality was all round really good.
The type of food that we ate there, well, it was a fusion restaurant I think they called it, which
meant that there was a variety of food choices from all over the world. There were Mexican food
choices, Mediterranean, Persian, but also hamburgers and pizzas, that kind of thing. I think I
actually had a pizza with various toppings on it myself, and it was really nice - it was a fantastic
meal.
The reason I enjoyed eating in this restaurant: Firstly, it was a great chance to get together with
friends and chat about what we’d been up to, and catch up with some of my good friends. But
also, the restaurant itself really did make the night special. The service was fantastic, the waiters
and the staff really made us feel at home, they were thoughtful and attentive to all of our
needs, and we were really surprised at the end when they brought us a cake to celebrate my
friend’s birthday.
Note:
The description above is not true. I invented it to show that we can use our ‘theme’ ideas and even
adapt ideas that we have prepared for a different question.
Notice also that I’m speaking naturally, so it’s often difficult to tell when my sentences begin or end
because the ideas flow and merge together. This is normal in spontaneous, spoken language.
Simon’s video lessons: opinion essay
Here’s the question and the full essay that you saw in the lesson:
The money spent by governments on space programmes would be better spent on

vital public services such as schools and hospitals.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Governments in some countries spend large amounts of money on space exploration

programmes. I completely agree with the idea that these are a waste of money, and that
the funds should be allocated to public services.
There are several reasons why space programmes should be abandoned. Firstly, it is
extremely expensive to train scientists and other staff involved with space missions, and
facilities and equipment also come at a huge cost to the government. Secondly, these
programmes do not benefit normal people in our daily lives; they are simply vanity projects
for politicians. Finally, many missions to space fail completely, and the smallest
technological error can cost astronauts their lives. The Challenger space shuttle disaster
showed us that space travel is extremely dangerous, and in my opinion it is not worth the
risk.
I believe that the money from space programmes should go to vital public services instead.
It is much cheaper to train doctors, teachers, police and other public service workers than
it is to train astronauts or the scientists and engineers who work on space exploration
projects. Furthermore, public servants do jobs that have a positive impact on every
member of society. For example, we all use schools, hospitals and roads, and we all need
the security that the police provide. If governments reallocated the money spent on space
travel and research, many thousands of people could be lifted out of poverty or given a
better quality of life.
In conclusion, my view is that governments should spend money on services that benefit
all members of society, and it is wrong to waste resources on projects that do not improve
our everyday lives.
(275 words, band 9)
Analyse the essay by completing the following tasks:
1. Count the sentences in each paragraph. Did I use my normal approach, writing 2
sentences for the introduction, 5 sentences for each main paragraph and 1 sentence for
the conclusion?
2. Highlight the linking words in each main paragraph. Which method did I use in each
one: ‘firstly, secondly, finally’ or ‘idea, explain, example’?
3. Underline the good vocabulary that I mentioned at the end of the video lesson.
Answers:
1. I did use my normal approach: 2 sentences, 5 sentences, 5 sentences, 1 sentence.

2. Linking in paragraph 2: firstly, secondly, finally, and, these, they
Linking in paragraph 3: furthermore, for example, and
Paragraph 2 has a ‘firstly, secondly, finally’ structure because we had 3 separate ideas.
Paragraph 3 contains one main idea, so we explained it in detail and gave an example.
3. See the video lesson.
Simon’s video lessons: task 1, two different charts
The bar chart below shows the numbers of men and women attending various evening
courses at an adult education centre in the year 2009. The pie chart gives information about
the ages of these course participants.
Here’s the report that I wrote in the video lesson:
The bar chart compares the numbers of males and females who took four different evening classes
in 2009, and the pie chart shows the age profile of these attendees.
It is clear that significantly more women than men attended evening classes at the education
centre. We can also see that evening courses were much more popular among older adults.
According to the bar chart, drama, painting and language courses all attracted more women than
men to the education centre in 2009. Language classes had the highest number of participants
overall, with 40 female and 20 male students, while painting was a popular choice among both
genders, attracting 30 female and 25 male attendees. The only course with a higher number of
males was sculpture, but this course was taken by a mere 15 people in total.
Looking at the age profile pie chart, we can see that the majority of people attending evening
lessons were over 40 years of age. To be precise, 42% of them were aged 50 or more, and 26%
were aged between 40 and 49. Younger adults were in the minority, with only 11% of students
aged 20 to 29, and only 5% aged under 20.
(200 words, band 9)

Note: word count includes all numbers
Analysis task:
1. Underline examples of paraphrasing in the introduction, comparing it with the question.

2. Look again at the 2 main points that I chose for the overview (paragraph 2).
3. How did I divide the information into two ‘details’ paragraphs (3 and 4)?
4. Was it necessary to compare the bar chart with the pie chart?
5. Underline the numbers that I mentioned in paragraphs 3 and 4. How many numbers did I
mention in total?
6. Underline examples of ‘comparing’ language in the report.
7. Why didn’t I use any ‘change’ language (e.g. increase, decrease)?
8. How many sentences did I write in each paragraph?
Vocabulary task:
Watch the video lesson again. Near the end of the lesson, find the list of good vocabulary.
Underline those phrases in the full report on page 1 of this worksheet.
Extra task:
Try to write your own report about the same two charts using what you remember from the lesson
(but without looking at my answer).
Compare your finished report with mine, and look for areas where you could improve.
Video lessons: GT writing task 1, formal letter
Example question shown in the video lesson:
You recently organised a party for your company at a hotel.
Write a letter to the hotel manager. In your letter
• describe the party and how it went

• explain why you were pleased with the hotel’s service
• suggest some improvements that the hotel could make
Here’s the model answer shown in the video lesson.
Task: underline the “less common” vocabulary mentioned in the video
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing with regard to the party that my company held at your hotel last weekend.
The event commemorated our company’s 20th anniversary, and all two hundred staff
members from across the country were invited. I am pleased to say that everything went
according to plan and it was a thoroughly enjoyable and memorable evening.
We were particularly impressed by the hotel personnel on the night, including waiters, bar
staff and members of the events team. They were friendly, welcoming and attentive, and
they ensured that the party ran smoothly.
Perhaps I could make one or two suggestions for future events. First, a little more care
could have been taken with decorations in the events room; for example, it would have
been nice to see more balloons. Second, a few people struggled to find the events room
when they arrived, so you might consider improving your signage in the hotel.
On behalf of all of my colleagues, I would like to thank you and your team for hosting such
a special event.
Yours faithfully,
John Smith
(181 words, band 9)

Video lesson: IELTS Reading, “which paragraph contains?”
Food Preservation
A Food preservation usually involves preventing the growth of bacteria, fungi or other micro-
organisms, as well as retarding the oxidation of fats that cause rancidity. Food preservation may
also include processes that inhibit visual deterioration, such as the enzymatic browning reaction in
apples after they are cut.
B Often, several food preservation methods are used together. Preserving fruit by turning it into jam,
for example, involves boiling, to reduce the fruit’s moisture content and to kill bacteria, sugaring,
to prevent re-growth of bacteria, and sealing within an airtight jar, to prevent recontamination.
Maintaining or creating nutritional value, texture and flavour is an important aspect of food
preservation, although, historically, some methods drastically altered the character of the food
being preserved. In many cases these changes have come to be seen as desirable qualities –
cheese, yogurt and pickled onions being common examples.
C Drying is one of the oldest techniques used to hamper the decomposition of food products. As
early as 12,000 B.C., Middle Eastern and Oriental cultures were drying foods using the power of
the sun. Vegetables and fruit are naturally dried by the sun and wind, but in the Middle Ages, "still
houses" were built in areas that did not have enough sunlight for drying to take place. A fire would
be built inside the building to provide the heat to dry the various fruits, vegetables and herbs.
D The earliest cultures also used sugar as a preservative, and it was commonplace to store fruit in
honey. In northern climates without sufficient sun to dry foods, preserves were made by heating
the fruit with sugar. Sugar kills microbes by drawing water from them and leaving the microbial
cells dehydrated. In this way, the food remains safe from microbial spoilage. Sugar is used to
preserve fruits, either in an anti-microbial syrup with fruit such as apples, pears, peaches, apricots
and plums, or in crystallised form where the preserved material is cooked in sugar to the point of
crystallisation and the resultant product is then stored dry. This method is used for the skins of
citrus fruit.
E Salting, or curing, is another ancient food preservation technique, involving the use of salt to draw
moisture from meat through the process of osmosis. There is evidence of a trade in salt meat
across ancient Europe. For example, the Gauls exported salt pork each year to Rome in large
quantities, where it was sold in different cuts and used to feed Roman armies. In the 18th century,
salt meat was one of the main foods for sailors on long voyages.
F While traditional methods of food preservation are still very much in use, a range of modern
industrial techniques are employed by commercial food producers. Perhaps the most well known
of these is pasteurisation, which was invented by the French chemist Louis Pasteur in 1862. To
remedy the frequent acidity of the local wines, Pasteur found that it is sufficient to heat a young
wine to only about 50–60 °C for a brief time to kill microbes, and that the wine could subsequently
be aged without sacrificing the final quality. Today the process of pasteurisation is used in the
dairy and food industries for microbial control, most notably in the production of milk. Other
modern methods of food preservation include vacuum packing, using artificial additives,
irradiation, electroporation and high pressure preservation.
G Most of the food that we buy in shops and supermarkets has been preserved and made safe for
consumption using at least one of the traditional or modern techniques. However, all foods are
susceptible to spoiling, and food poisoning is still extremely common. In fact, recent research
puts the figure for cases of food poisoning in the UK at more than 500,000 per year.
Questions 1 to 5
The reading passage above has seven paragraphs, labelled A to G.
Which paragraph contains the information in the five statements below? Write the letter of the
correct paragraph.
NB. You may use the same letter more than once.
1. A technique that was originally used to preserve wines.

2. Examples of foods whose appeal derives from how they are preserved.
3. Spoiled food continues to cause illness.
4. Preserved food eaten by soldiers.
5. An example of different preservation techniques working together.
Questions 6 to 9
According to the passage, are the following statements TRUE, FALSE or NOT GIVEN?
6. Several methods are employed to prevent bacterial contamination of jam.

7. Drying was only used in places with sufficient sunlight.
8. Sugar was the most valued preservative in ancient times.
9. The Romans imported salted meat because of its high quality.
Correct answers:
1. F
2. B
3. G
4. E
5. B
6. TRUE
7. FALSE
8. NOT GIVEN
9. NOT GIVEN
Here’s my keyword table for the “which paragraph contains?” answers:
Keywords in question statements Similar words in paragraphs

1) a technique to preserve wines F) heat wine to kill microbes
2) examples of foods B) cheese, yoghurt… common examples
appeal seen as desirable
how they are preserved methods… the food being preserved
3) spoiled food continues to cause G) foods are susceptible to spoiling…
illness food poisoning is still common
4) preserved food eaten by soldiers E) salt pork… to feed Roman armies
5) example of different preservation B) preserving jam, for example, involves
techniques working together boiling… sugaring… sealing
The opposite of what I teach!
The essay below was posted on my blog by a student. First, read the message that the
student wrote, then have a look at the essay, and then read my response to the student on
the next page.
The student’s message:
Hi Simon,
While you keep placing importance on not using memorised phrases, I keep seeing essays that
received a band score 7 in which lots of memorised phrases can be found. Take a look at this
essay below.
Some psychologists believe that to overcome stress, it is important to spend some time
doing nothing productive. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Being one of the most proliferated known psychic issues of modern societies, anxiety is a topical
debate in numerous scientific gatherings. Some specialists subscribe to the belief that pausing any
productive activity for a while during a day, is of paramount importance to remedy this situation. I,
for one, opine that this approach, although plausible, may not be beneficial for everybody.
Admittedly, it is correct to assume that in many cases what leads to stress is being overly
obsessed with one’s occupation and duties. Thus, occasionally taking a break from those may
mend the sufferer’s mind and body. Not only this approach has proven to be of use in many cases,
but also there is an essay written by Bertrand Russell, one of the most distinguished sociologists of
the 19th century, arguing that this method may even increase an individual's capacity during work-
hours.
On the other hand, this is not to be prescribed for everybody due to the diversity which reigns the
society. Ignoring people's divergences is an utter mistake when it comes to facing psychological
disorders. In some cases, doing absolutely nothing fruitful is what aggravates anxiety issue, taking
it to more complicated levels. In this case, numerous studies have stated that perfectionists feel the
urge to do something productive even during their leisure time, otherwise they may experience
guilt and unease. So for this fraction of population we may seek other solutions. It is also worth
noting that doing nothing puts a person behind his schedule piling his tasks,resulting in even more
mental pressure and anxiousness when coming back to chores.
To recapitulate, personally I believe an occasional pause of all preoccupations during the day, may
be a plausible cure to stress for certain people, while insisting that in another group this may trigger
even more sever types of anxiety. As a result, I think of this approach as a partly effective one and
not applicable to the whole society.
(324 words)
Here’s the response that I wrote:
I've seen essays like that one before. I imagine it was written by a English teacher, but not a native
speaker - a native English speaker would never write like that.
If that essay was given a band 7, it achieved that score in spite of the memorised phrases, not
because of them. The person who wrote that essay could probably get an even higher score if he
or she stopped showing off! I could easily take that essay, simplify it, remove the memorised
phrases, update some of the archaic vocabulary that it contains, and turn it into a band 9!
My advice to IELTS teachers:
Please don’t teach students to write essays like this. I hope you can see that it is full of unnatural
language and (probably) memorised phrases, and that the aim is obviously to ‘show off’ rather than
to develop a reasoned answer to the question.
Besides, I doubt that many students would be able to replicate this style in an exam - an ‘exam
version’ of this essay would probably be far worse!

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ielts-simon.

com How to Teach IELTS Extra materials 1

Summary of what to cover when teaching IELTS

• What to expect in each of the four sections

Writing Task 1 (Academic)

Writing Task 2 (Academic & General)

• Question types: opinion, discussion,

1. How many sections and how many questions are there?

IELTS Academic Reading

1. How long does the speaking test last?

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1

1. How much time are you supposed to spend on this task?

IELTS Writing Task 2 (Academic and General)

1. How much time are you supposed to spend on this task?

Here are the correct answers:

IELTS Academic Reading

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1

IELTS Writing Task 2 (Academic and General)

Checklist: exam techniques and practice

I’ve done at least four full practice tests

I know what to expect in each of the four sections

I’ve seen at least one example of a ‘trick’ in the test

I know how to do ‘paragraph matching’ questions

I understand the difference between ‘false’ and ‘not given’

I’ve done at least four full practice tests

I know how to answer part 1 questions

I’ve done at least four full practice tests

IELTS Writing Task 1 (Academic)

I know how to write a one-sentence introduction

I know what an ‘overview’ paragraph should include

I've practised describing and comparing numbers, and describing trends

I know how to describe a process

IELTS Writing Task 2

I know how to write a two-sentence introduction, and what it should contain

I can write a 5-sentence paragraph using a “firstly, secondly, finally” structure

I can write a 5-sentence paragraph using an “idea, explain, example” structure

I know how to write a one-sentence conclusion, and what it should contain

IELTS Writing Task 1 (Academic)

IELTS Writing Task 2 (Academic & General)

CHECK YOUR ANSWERS ON THE NEXT PAGE.

Green Tax Revolt

The majority of Britons are opposed to increases in green taxation.

The Independent, 2nd May 2008

ENVIRONMENT TOPIC VOCABULARY:

to introduce a congestion charge

VOCABULARY FOR A VARIETY OF TOPICS:

to fund investment in (+noun)

a target that will be difficult to reach

The majority of (+noun)

Practice questions for IELTS Speaking Part 1

1. Do you like reading?

Sample answers for IELTS Speaking Part 3

3. Do you think there are too many game shows on TV nowadays?

Top tips for IELTS Listening:

7. Spelling - As well as testing your understanding and vocabulary, IELTS Listening is

Using ‘trigger’ words instead of grammar terms

Examples from writing task 1

1) Compare items using a “while” sentence:

2) Compare items using “respectively”:

3) Use “saw” to describe a trend:

Britain saw a dramatic increase in CD sales in the 1980s.

Examples from writing task 2

1) Compare and contrast opinions using “although”: