IELTS speaking and writing guide september 2015

IELTS Speaking and Writing Guide – September 2015 Mark Griffiths Smashwords Edition Copyright 2015 Mark Griffiths Discover other titles by Mark Griffiths at Smashwords Smashwords Edition, License Notes Thank you for downloading and reading this free book You are welcome to share it with your friends under the following conditions Although this is a free book, it remains the copyrighted property of the author and may not be reproduced, copied, and/or distributed for commercial purposes This book may be reproduced, copied, and/or distributed for non-commercial purposes provided the book remains in its complete, undivided, original form and full credit is given solely to the author wherever and whenever it is used, publicly or privately In other words You MAY send the complete document to anyone you like as many times as you like, whenever you like In fact, I hope you do! Thank you! You MAY NOT divide this document into smaller parts or edit any part of it for any purpose The material stays together in its original form You MAY NOT distribute any part or parts of this document, in whole or in part, without crediting me as the author of this material You MAY NOT sell this material to anyone or any organisation Thank you for understanding I sincerely hope you find the materials useful and wish you the best of luck with IELTS ALL BOOKS CAN ALSO BE ORDERED DIRECT FROM THE AUTHOR USING PAYPAL PLEASE SEE THE END OF THE BOOK (AUTHOR) FOR MORE DETAILS General Introduction This book has sections Section is ‘The IELTS Descriptors Decoded’, a book giving a basic idea about what is needed to achieve various IELTS Speaking and Writing band scores This section also contains my 'Top Twelve Tips for the Speaking/Writing Test' These tips are a little 'old and simple' but many candidates still find them useful Section is a showcase of my other books, both for IELTS candidates and for general students of English as a foreign language For each book, I have included the cover, a few sample pages of the book, and hyperlinks that allow you to find the book online The books can also be ordered direct from the author using PayPal Please see the end of the book (Author) for more details Section features some IELTS Speaking and Writing topics Some of these topics and questions are new – some not so new For each speaking test question there are suggestions on how to create suitable answers For each writing task there is a model answer The topics are a compilation of those from earlier guides with some new ones added specially for this edition Table of Contents Section – The IELTS Descriptors Decoded Introduction I need to get band in my speaking test But I need to get band 5.5! I need to get band in my speaking test But I need to get band 6.5! I need to get band in my speaking test But I need to get band 7.5! Top Twelve Tips for the Speaking Test I need to get band in my writing test But I need to get band 5.5! I need to get band in my writing test But I need to get band 6.5! I need to get band in my writing test But I need to get band 7.5! Top Twelve Tips for the Writing Test Section - Samples from other books 60 Topics for IELTS Speaking (with model answers) 101 Tips for the IELTS Speaking Module IELTS Speaking: A Comprehensive Guide IELTS Writing: A Comprehensive Guide 51 Letters for IELTS General Training Writing Task 101 Model Answers for IELTS Writing Task (Academic) 101 Model Answers for IELTS Writing Task (sets and 2) 101 Model Answers for Part of the IELTS Speaking Module 101 Model Answers for Part of the IELTS Speaking module 101 Model Answers for Part of the IELTS Speaking Module 101 Vocabulary Problems 101 Grammar Exercises 101 Connectives 101 Conversation Phrases 101 Phrasal Verbs (sets and 2) 101 Proverbs and Sayings (sets and 2) 101 Slang Terms (sets and 2) Section – Recent IELTS Topics Speaking Part Topics Speaking Parts and Topics Task - Academic Task - General Training Writing Task About the author Section – The IELTS Descriptors Decoded So, you’ve decided to take IELTS You’ve found out what band score you need to achieve in the speaking and writing parts of the test (almost certainly it’s between and 7.5) and you are now asking yourself a very simple, yet very important, question ‘What I need to to get that band score?’ I’ve been involved in IELTS since first qualifying as an IELTS examiner at the beginning of 2001 Let me tell you an interesting fact Many newly-qualified IELTS examiners are asking a similar question ‘What does a candidate need to to get that band score?’ That’s what this short book began life as It was originally a guide for examiners who felt that the IELTS examiner training had not provided them with the essential pointers that they needed in order to give accurate band scores to candidates The starting points for this short book are the public band descriptors for speaking and writing, as published by the organisations that administer IELTS Therefore, this book is divided into two parts – speaking and writing Each of those parts is then subdivided into three sections – bands and 5.5, bands and 6.5, and bands and 7.5 In IELTS speaking and writing, the differences between band and band 5.5 are less significant than those between band 5.5 and band It’s the same with bands 6, 6.5 and Think of moving from to as a small step and from to as a bigger step If you want to get band 6.5, and you are in a desperate hurry, feel free to skip the sections relating to bands and 5.5 and bands and 7.5 However, I strongly recommend that you read those other sections, if only for comparison purposes Please remember that the points and tips made in this book are by no means exhaustive This is only an introductory guide There is no single fixed way to achieve a particular band score However, there are certain things that every candidate needs to bear in mind Those things are presented here To achieve band or higher, you almost certainly need more than this book can offer in terms of detailed information and skills Check out the samples of my other books Four of my books contain up-to-date detailed information for candidates 60 Topics for IELTS Speaking 60 Topics for IELTS Speaking with Model Answers IELTS Speaking: A Comprehensive Guide IELTS Writing: A Comprehensive guide The English 101 Series contains useful information and exercises for candidates aiming for band or higher Let’s begin back to top I need to get band in my IELTS speaking test Band – Fluency and Coherence What does the band descriptor say? Usually maintains flow of speech but uses repetition, self-correction and/or slow speech to keep going May overuse certain connectives and discourse markers Produces simple speech fluently, but more complex communication causes fluency problems What does that mean? You can create long answers, but in order to so you repeat your points word-for-word, correct your own mistakes and/or speak a little slowly By repeating your points, you are not developing the answer or giving details Self-correction ‘breaks up’ your speech Slow speech can send the examiner to sleep! Connectives are words like ‘and’ and ‘however’ Discourse markers are words like ‘well’ at the start of a sentence You only need a limited number of these to achieve band for fluency and coherence, but don’t use a few repeatedly Your fluency may be fine when you are making simple sentences or talking about familiar topics (e.g your hobbies), but you have fluency problems when you make more complex sentences or talk about less familiar topics Band – Lexical Resource What does the band descriptor say? Manages to talk about familiar and unfamiliar topics but uses vocabulary with limited flexibility Attempts to paraphrase but with mixed success What does that mean? You can talk about any topic in the IELTS speaking module, but you are not able to give many details and you often use the same words in different topics You may reword points, but sometimes the rewording makes them hard to understand Band – Grammatical Range and Accuracy What does the band descriptor say? Produces basic sentence forms with reasonable accuracy Uses a limited range of more complex structures, but these usually contain errors and may cause some comprehension problems What does that mean? You don’t make too many mistakes when using short, simple sentence structures, such as the present simple You use a few complex structures, such as those containing clauses or conditionals, but they are not accurate and the examiner may not clearly understand what you are trying to say Band – Pronunciation What does the band descriptor say? Shows all the positive features of band and some, but not all, the positive features of band What does that mean? The band descriptors for pronunciation are less helpful than the others Pronunciation ‘features’ are frequently mentioned but not explained Basically, for band 5, the examiner can understand you much of the time, but you are not using intonation and/or you are not clearly making the sounds of English (particularly vowel sounds) Often, this is a result of you first language (L1) pronunciation influencing the way you pronounce words in English So, to summarise, what I to get band 5? You make answers that are longer than a few short sentences Some repetition, self-correction or slow speech is acceptable, but avoid these problems when giving answers on easy topics (especially in part 1) Use a variety of connectives and discourse markers Avoid using a few again and again Make sure you can say something about every topic in the test, even if it is limited to a few simple sentences or points This book has sections Section is ‘The IELTS Descriptors Decoded’, a book giving a basic idea about what is needed to achieve various IELTS Speaking and Writing band scores This section also contains my 'Top Twelve Tips for the Speaking/Writing Test' These tips are a little 'old and simple' but many candidates still find them useful Section is a showcase of my other books, both for IELTS candidates and for general students of English as a foreign language For each book, I have included the cover, a few sample pages of the book, and hyperlinks that allow you to find the book online The books can also be ordered direct from the author using PayPal Please see the end of the book (Author) for more details Section features some IELTS Speaking and Writing topics Some of these topics and questions are new – some not so new For each speaking test question there are suggestions on how to create suitable answers For each writing task there is a model answer The topics are a compilation of those from earlier guides with some new ones added specially for this edition Table of Contents Section – The IELTS Descriptors Decoded Introduction I need to get band in my speaking test But I need to get band 5.5! I need to get band in my speaking test But I need to get band 6.5! I need to get band in my speaking test But I need to get band 7.5! Top Twelve Tips for the Speaking Test I need to get band in my writing test But I need to get band 5.5! I need to get band in my writing test But I need to get band 6.5! I need to get band in my writing test But I need to get band 7.5! Top Twelve Tips for the Writing Test Section - Samples from other books 60 Topics for IELTS Speaking (with model answers) 101 Tips for the IELTS Speaking Module IELTS Speaking: A Comprehensive Guide What does the band descriptor say? Uses a mix of simple and complex structures, but with limited flexibility May make frequent mistakes with complex structures, though these rarely cause comprehension problems What does that mean? You use complex structures like clauses or conditionals, but you don’t use a wide variety of them Although your complex structures contain mistakes, the examiner knows what you mean Band – Pronunciation What does the band descriptor say? Uses a range of pronunciation features with mixed control Shows some effective use of features but this is not sustained Can generally be understood throughout, though mispronunciation of individual words or sounds reduces clarity at times What does that mean? The band descriptors for pronunciation are less helpful than the others Pronunciation ‘features’ are frequently mentioned but not explained Basically, for band 6, the examiner can understand almost every word you say You are using some intonation and you are clearly making the correct sounds of English (particularly vowel sounds) First language (L1) pronunciation influences the way you pronounce words in English, but this does not create a problem for the listener (i.e the examiner) So, to summarise, what I to get band 6? You make answers that are quite long and contain good points A little repetition, self-correction or slow speech is still acceptable, but avoid these problems when giving answers on easy topics (especially in part 1) Use a wide variety of connectives and discourse markers Avoid using a few again and again You might make vocabulary mistakes, but the examiner knows what you mean Your basic grammar should be good Avoid making numerous basic mistakes Use complex structures often and don’t worry about making mistakes with them As long as the examiner can understand you, you’re okay With regard to pronunciation, make sure that the examiner can understand you clearly Make sure that you use intonation and get sounds right But I need to get band 6.5! To get band 6.5, you need to achieve band in two of the four criteria Most candidates this by getting band for pronunciation, lexical resource or fluency and coherence, so check out those sections below back to top I need to get band in my IELTS speaking test Band – Fluency and Coherence What does the band descriptor say? Speaks at length without noticeable effort or loss of coherence May demonstrate language-related hesitation at times, or some repetition and/or self-correction Uses a range of connectives and discourse markers with some flexibility What does that mean? You can create long answers without any major problems Minor fluency problems will not adversely affect your score Connectives are words like ‘and’ and ‘however’ Discourse markers are words like ‘well’ at the start of a sentence You can use many of these kinds of words Band – Lexical Resource What does the band descriptor say? Uses vocabulary resource flexibly to discuss a variety of topics Uses some less common and idiomatic vocabulary and shows some awareness of style and collocation, with some inappropriate choices Uses paraphrase effectively What does that mean? You can talk about any topic in the IELTS speaking module and you are able to give details using a variety of words You can use some specialised words, idioms, sayings and perhaps even slang terms You are able to create collocations like ‘deep blue sea’ You are good at rewording points Band – Grammatical Range and Accuracy What does the band descriptor say? Uses a range of complex structures with some flexibility Frequently produces error-free sentences though some grammatical mistakes persist What does that mean? The most common argument against such experiments is that they are cruel Cruelty suggests that the animals used in the experiments undergo some kind of pain, discomfort or deformity This is understandably upsetting to many, who imagine the rabbit, mouse or frog that they had and cared for as a child having to endure such things Most experiments that were carried out on animals not now require a live animal for realistic results Results and conclusions can be arrived at using tissue grown from cells or, in the case of genetic experiments, using hair or blood samples, which can be gained with little or no discomfort Another argument used by opponents of animal experiments relates to the type of experiment I find myself in complete agreement with them with regard to experiments for cosmetic purposes I cannot think of a single item of toiletry which would justify pain or death to an animal However, there are some medical experiments which need to be done on animals prior to being introduced for humans In such cases, I believe that the life of the human is more valuable than the life of a lab rat Personally, I am for experiments on animals only for medical reasons where alternative sources of material for the experiments are inappropriate or useless Scientists should take care to conduct experiments with due care and regard for the animals they are using Ideally, there should be a body to monitor such experiments, paid for by the companies and organizations conducting them (302 words) NEW! – 51 Letters for IELTS General Training Writing Task – NEW! Available at: Apple iTunes/iBooks Kindle (Amazon) they would probably still lack the professional direction of teachers Some children might focus on developing other useful skills Others would drop out of education altogether and either work (probably in poorly-paid jobs) or spend the day playing computer games A small minority might even turn to crime There are potential disadvantages of the government paying for children's education One of these is that the government might be tempted to indoctrinate them with propaganda This might include a biased or false view of history, the encouragement of blind nationalism or teaching the children that the government is always correct North Korea is an extreme example of this, but there are many other governments which it to a significant extent Overall, however, I think that the benefits of the government financing education for children is far greater than the potential drawbacks 307 words It is important for all cities to have large public spaces such as squares and parks Do you agree or disagree with this statement? I agree with the idea that all cities should have large public spaces, like squares and parks and shall outline my reasons below First of all, I think most people would agree that large public spaces often help to make cities more attractive, both to residents and to visitors Many people who live in and go to London are pleasantly surprised by the amount of greenery that can be found in the centre of one of the world's largest cities Cities that are full of buildings may look businesslike or commercially successful, but few people just want to be surrounded by them Secondly, parks and squares can be used to host displays or exhibitions Tiananmen Square in Beijing is, for most of the year, just a large grey open space in the centre of the city However, when there is a celebration or big event, such as when Beijing hosted the Olympics, the square is decorated with flower displays and looks lovely Third, there are other environmental factors Large parks often have flora and fauna Obviously, they are unlikely to contain large animals, but people often like to be reminded of nature and children can learn something about animals and flowers when they spend time in parks In addition, parks might help to reduce pollution levels and water features such as lakes have a cooling effect on their immediate vicinity – useful in cities with hot climates Some people argue that these large public spaces would be better used for housing or municipal buildings Whilst it is certainly true that many cities are in desperate need of more buildings, I think that the result is bland cityscapes that few people enjoy To conclude, I believe that all cities should enhance their beauty by having some big public spaces, for instance parks and squares 303 words Some children can learn better by watching TV Therefore children should watch TV regularly at home and at school To what extent you agree or disagree? In this short essay, I shall explain why I believe that we should be careful about recommending that children should watch TV regularly at home and at school The fact that some children can learn better through watching TV does not mean that all children – or even most of them – can learn better from it It is well-known that different children learn better using a variety of differing methods For instance, some learn better by making things and others learn better by listening to their teachers This means that schools should employ a variety of teaching methods in order to give all children a fairly equal opportunity to learn So, watching TV regularly at school could disadvantage those children who not learn well via this method Watching TV regularly at home or at school could also mean that children are not engaging in other activities which may be more beneficial to their education and overall development, such as reading books, playing sports or learning to play a musical instrument Of course, there is one major problem with allowing or encouraging children to watch TV regularly at home and at school, and that is that it might succeed, resulting in children watching too much TV, including programmes that are not educational, such as cartoons or soap operas At school, children are almost certainly going to watch TV with their teachers, but at home parental supervision may be non-existent and is likely to be intermittent at best To conclude, certain TV programmes can help educate children, but I doubt that we need to actually encourage children to watch TV regularly at home or at school 276 words Some people think that introducing new technology can improve people’s quality of life in developing countries Others think that free education should be offered instead Discuss both views and give your own opinion In my opinion, introducing new technology to developing countries is likely to provide a greater boost to people's quality of life than free education In this short essay, I shall explain why First of all, I would like to make it clear that providing free education to people in developing countries is a wonderful idea that would greatly enhance the potential of people in those countries to develop better lives for themselves and for their children By increasing their knowledge of business they could learn how to make more money By learning about health, they could reduce sickness and extend their lifespans However, providing them with new technology would probably have an even greater effect They could use modern communications technology to learn specifically about those things which would have the biggest impact on their quality of life, rather than relying on a more general education which may not In addition, the provision of modern technology, such as that for improving health or producing food, is likely to have a more immediate impact, effectively kick-starting whole communities and societies by removing obstacles to their development and to improvements in the quality of life Of course, there are many other things that can be done to raise the quality of life for people in developing countries, such as the removal of trade barriers, better transportation links and a reduction in the red tape and corruption that often plagues developing countries Out of the two options – new technology and free education – however, I think that the introduction of technology would be more beneficial 263 words Government funding for universities should only be used to provide scholarships for the best students The rest of the funding for university education should come from student fees and private organisations To what extent you agree or disagree? I strongly disagree with the suggestion that government financial support for universities should only cover scholarships for the best students, with the remainder coming from student fees and private organisations In most countries, the overwhelming majority of the best students are either from families which have the financial resources to support them at university (because they have already received higher quality education at private schools) or have access to scholarships This means that those students who are already advantaged would either not be affected or would only be disadvantaged to a limited extent The introduction of student fees would cause problems for students from less wealthy backgrounds They would have to decide whether the cost of going to university outweighed the possible future benefits Many people argue that this is reasonable If the cost of going to university is not worth it, then people shouldn't go Thus, universities would be able to focus on students and courses that are worth the financial investment However, this argument does not take into account important points First of all, it might be extremely difficult or even impossible to calculate the financial benefits of a particular student taking a particular university course Secondly, there may be hidden benefits that are not taken into account, such as social mobility By limiting social mobility, we could condemn intelligent, hard-working people to poorer lives than they might otherwise lead To conclude, I believe that there are strong reasons for disagreeing with the idea of limiting government funding of universities I understand the need to cut costs, and I think there are good ways of doing this, but I doubt that this particular way would be a net benefit for society 283 words Some people think that it is not necessary to go to other countries to learn about their culture We can learn about it from books, films and the internet To what extent you agree or disagree? I believe that, nowadays, we can learn a lot about the culture of foreign countries without stepping foot inside that country, but actually going there provides us with better opportunities to experience it and learn more about it In my experience, the idea that you can only learn about a foreign culture by going to that place is often used as a defensive argument when people not share your view of that culture In other words, if you complement, for instance, Chinese culture but have never been to China, Chinese people will generally automatically say that you have learnt a lot about it However, if you say something negative and have never been there, you will frequently be told that your opinion is worthless The fact is that you can learn about a culture without experiencing it You not need to travel to the USA to know that it is a country that places great emphasis on individual freedom or that Thanksgiving and Christmas are major festivals there You not need to go to Australia to know that sport is a big part of Aussie culture This is information that you can find very easily in books, see in films or find out from the internet Having said that, I think that actually experiencing a culture is more rewarding, interesting and informative than simply reading about it or watching it in films By experiencing it, we can challenge our preconceptions and whatever we have learnt second hand Clearly, many people agree with this point of view, as they travel to foreign countries at least partly in order to find out more about foreign cultures To summarise, I not agree that it is necessary to go to a foreign place to learn about the culture there, but I believe that such trips afford us a better opportunity to learn more about it 316 words It is better for people to be unemployed than to be employed doing jobs they not enjoy To what extent you agree or disagree? I completely agree with the idea that it is better for people to jobs that they not enjoy instead of being unemployed and will outline my reasons in this short essay First of all, what exactly we mean when we say “doing jobs that they not enjoy”? Enjoying your job is rarely a case of loving it 100% of the time or hating every moment of it The ups and downs of a job are a normal experience I enjoy my job, but I can think of other jobs that I might like more That doesn't mean that I would be better off quitting my current job and being unemployed Being unemployed is far worse than being in a job you dislike, in my opinion, because by working you are demonstrating worth, to yourself, to your family and to society Future employers are far more impressed by someone who did a job they didn't like than with someone who had no job By doing a job, you almost inevitably develop a work ethic For most people, the job they is not the job they would like to However, it is a stepping stone to getting the job they want For example, I meet lots of students who want to be CEOs of top international companies They usually fully understand that they need to work their way up the corporate ladder Therefore, they are motivated to work hard, to study and develop their skills Being unemployed would not help them at all To conclude, the advantages of doing a job that you not enjoy far outweigh being unemployed, unless you are a genuine layabout and can find someone or something to fund your laziness 290 words Some people think that crime is a result of social problems and poverty whilst others think that it is due a person’s bad nature Discuss both views and give your own opinion It is often suggested that solving social problems and reducing poverty will result in dramatic decreases in crime levels Other people believe that crime will always be with us as it is an inseparable part of human nature When I was at university, I frequently heard people claim that people only turned to crime because they were victims of social problems and/or poor I always found this a patronising argument It claims that poor people automatically lose their moral compass People who become homeless are simply forced by circumstances to turn to crime It doesn't seem likely to me My own experience is that poor people or those who have suffered as a result of social problems are generally honest, hard-working individuals The argument also ignores the very obvious point that many rich people commit crimes Tax dodging is as much a crime as theft and many people would consider the nonpayment of millions of dollars in tax to be a far worse crime than stealing a DVD player from a shop Even worse, it is often the case that rich people commit crimes even though they have no need for the extra money they gain This leads me to believe that crime is more about human nature than poverty or social issues Greed and the desire for large amounts of money to increase status seem to be more common motives than the need to eat or get shelter Of course, social problems account for certain crimes It is well-known that drug addicts frequently need to steal in order to fund their habits It may be worth dealing with the social problem rather than constantly punishing the victims of it The motives for committing crimes vary, but I strongly believe that a person's personality and nature has more to with them than their financial status, though some social problems may be involved 346 words In some countries, online shopping is replacing shopping in stores (shops) Do you think this is a positive or negative development? In Britain and many other countries, there is trend towards shopping online instead of going shopping in shops, supermarkets and shopping centres In general, I think that this is a positive development, though it can have some negative consequences For me, and for many other people, the advantages of online shopping are that it is often cheaper, it is easier to compare and it is frequently more convenient It is usually cheaper because you can go to certain websites, such as Amazon, and find the same product offered by several sellers who are competing for your custom Moreover, many online sellers not have the extra rental overheads of large premises or additional staff It is also easy to sit at home and compare the features of, say, mobile phones Furthermore, when you order online, you don't have to go to the shop or arrange for (often costly) the transport of large items However, these advantages for individual shoppers can be overshadowed by the negative effects the rise of online shopping might have on communities If people buy more things online, then it is likely that they are buying less from shops in their area In Britain, there has been a trend towards fewer small community shops, partly as a result of online shopping This can lead to less of a community spirit and local unemployment Having said that, there are examples of small shops that have found a niche online and expanded their revenue as a consequence To summarise, online shopping has several advantages over traditional shopping and I believe that it should therefore be viewed as generally positive However, online shopping does not automatically mean the end of traditional shops and may even be an opportunity for more entrepreneurial shop owners, as it has for large supermarket chains, for instance 302 words Kobo Flipkart Barnes and Noble Smashwords Cover Photograph by Mark Griffiths: A lake at Earlswood, a village to the south of Birmingham Please note that some (about 25%) of the letters in this book are taken from ‘IELTS Writing: A Comprehensive Guide’! You have been offered a place at a university and wish to find suitable accommodation Write a letter to the accommodation officer including the following information: the type of accommodation you wish to find some details about yourself any special requirements you may have and any other relevant information Dear Sir or Madam, I recently received confirmation that I have gained a place on the M.Sc Microbiology course at your university, starting this September, and am writing to you with regard to arranging for accommodation My student registration number is 123456 I understand that you offer accommodation both on and off campus, the latter costing between £15 and £30 per week I would prefer to live off campus in a house with two or three other students, each student having his/her own room, ideally within a 30-minute walk of the university I have budgeted for rent of £20 per week If possible, I would like to remain in the same accommodation for the entire duration of my course, i.e two academic years I not have any special requirements, but would prefer to share the accommodation with students my age (I am 25) who are actively interested in sport I myself am a keen rugby player I not mind whether the other students are on a similar course to me or not I would be grateful if you could send me details of two or three choices at your earliest convenience Yours faithfully, Andrew Scott On the other hand, there is the possibility that the use of famous people to develop awareness of an international issue could 'cheapen' it This may happen if the celebrity involved comes across as crass or self-serving Bono, lead singer of the highly successful Irish band U2, seems to lend his name so many international issues that many people wonder whether he is publicising himself or the cause Bob Geldof, who co-founded Band Aid, trod a fine line between being offensive and being straightforward when he famously used profanities to encourage people to donate It worked for him, but could easily backfire To conclude, I think that famous people should beware of supporting too many international (or local or national) issues The general public could tire of it or attribute selfish motives to the celebrities However, the fact is that increased public familiarity with an issue usually has positive effects 295 words Some people think that a high salary is the most important thing when finding a job Others think that the working atmosphere is more important Discuss both points of view and give your own opinion When people are looking for a job, they consider a variety of factors Two of the most frequently mentioned are salary and the atmosphere at work I think that, of these two factors, salary is the more important When a person attends a job interview, they usually get to experience something of the atmosphere at the company they may work at However, they cannot really know what the atmosphere is like until they have worked there for a while, unless they already know someone working there who has given them the low down on what it is like Therefore, although the 'feel' may be right to the applicant, they are unlikely to be able to make an informed decision based on the atmosphere This is only really going to happen after a while On the other hand, the salary being offered provides applicants with something more definitive, even if the salary offered before or during an interview is given as a range They can easily weigh this up against the salaries offered by other firms or organisations, something that is not so easily done with 'atmosphere' Besides, a lot of people consider salary to be the most important factor, because it is seen as an indication of their personal worth to the company If a company doesn't show it values them by paying a lot of money, then perhaps they should work elsewhere Naturally, there are numerous other factors that people consider when choosing a job (location, company reputation) but from these two criteria – salary and atmosphere – I would choose salary unless I could be sure that the atmosphere was truly special 275 words Some people think that the increasing use of computers and mobile phones is having a detrimental effect on young people's reading and writing skills To what extent you agree or disagree? I have seen many studies suggesting that the increased use of mobiles and computers by young people has a negative effect on their reading and writing abilities Although I have no expertise in this field, it seems likely to me that these studies are correct, though there may also be other contributing factors It is suggested that the propensity of young people to text and, in particular, to use short forms of words and phrases whilst texting, may be having a detrimental effect on their literacy I certainly believe that it has a negative effect on their spelling, though admittedly English spelling has never been easy to master, even for native English speakers! Another factor could be the repetitive use of a certain kind of language, involving an ever-increasing amount of 'street' language, a lot of which has entered mainstream language (and subsequently dismissed and replaced by those who speak 'street') This means that young people are not using a such a variety of language in a range of social interactions Associated with this point is the fact that young people are not learning so much about reading and writing skills at school, at least in Britain There has been a trend towards changing the English curriculum because it is not considered 'relevant' to young people Moreover, the curriculum fails to teach many basic skills, such as spelling and how to write a variety of types of letters To conclude, I think that mobiles and computers probably have a detrimental effect on young people's reading and writing skills, but that it is unlikely that this is the only factor contributing to the decline in these skills in recent years, at least in the UK 285 words Many older people are now competing with younger people for jobs in the work force What are some of the problems caused by this and what are some solutions to the problems? People of different generations have always competed with each other in the work force However, there is a perception that, nowadays, the competition between the older and younger generations is greater, leading governments to introduce policies to reduce the negative effects of this competition One problem caused by this supposed increase in competition is that certain stereotypical views have come to the fore Amongst them are the ideas that young people lack the experience necessary to a variety of jobs and that older people are not healthy enough to succeed in many occupations Very often, these stereotypes fail to take into account major changes in the modern world Many young people are interested in jobs involving new technologies Here, they usually have more experience and better skills than most older workers, so intergenerational competition is not as great The idea that older people are unhealthy ignores the obvious fact that people in most countries live longer, healthier lives than ever In fact, younger people are much more likely to have to compete with other younger people than older people for jobs As pointed out above, people of different generations often seek different jobs Often, companies force them to so by requiring higher levels of experience for positions For example, a company hiring accountants might be happy to take on fresh graduates, but the post of senior accountant at that company is extremely unlikely to be given to one Having said that, governments can help both younger and older people of working age get jobs They can make it easier for people to set up their own businesses This might help older people who have niche skills that are less in demand It is a much better solution than forcing older workers to retire, sometimes to a life of relative poverty To conclude, I think that the idea of younger and older people being engaged in tough competition with each other for jobs is frequently an illusion In situations where there is genuinely a lot of competition, it is generally the result of governments failing to provide the social opportunities for people to participate in the work force 359 words At many schools, only students who achieve high scores win prizes for their results Some people think that students who improve the most should also win prizes To what extent you agree or disagree? I completely agree with the suggestion that students who improve the most at school should get prizes in addition to those who get high scores in examinations In my opinion, only giving prizes to the students who perform best can dissuade other students who know that they are unlikely to achieve the best results School children generally like to win prizes and knowing that there is only one way to win and that you are almost certainly without a chance of success can be emotionally damaging Therefore, having other prizes that the highest scoring students are much lees likely to win is, I think, a good idea In addition, our schools should be places where hard work is rewarded After all, one of the main aims of schools should be to instil students with a strong work ethic Hence, I believe that it is a good idea to recognise the efforts of students who show the most noticeable improvement I know from my own experience at school that the best students are often naturally very good at certain school subjects and frequently not need to put much effort into their school work Finally, I think that it may not even be necessary to reward the students who score the highest marks as these students are generally rewarded in other ways For example, the best secondary school children are probably going to be offered places at top universities, possibly with scholarships Those who well at university have an advantage when applying for jobs Students who work hard but fail to get the best scores are often forgotten in comparison To summarise, I think that giving prizes to students who demonstrate impressive improvements at school should be rewarded just as much as those who get the highest scores – if not more! 202 words Some people think that high school students should be given less homework and allowed to use the time to develop non-academic skills Discuss both sides and give your own opinion In my opinion, giving high school students less homework, thereby allowing them to develop other, non-academic, skills is a great idea and I will outline my reasons below Some people think that students at secondary schools should be given (even more!) homework because it will help them to pass the various exams that they face when they are 18 and leave school, perhaps to continue with tertiary education Given that a couple of marks can make the difference between a good university and a top one, this may seem perfectly reasonable In some cases, I am sure that it is However, there are – at least in the majority of cases – strong arguments against this First of all, we have the large number of students who are less interested in academic studies and more interested in developing other skills These could range from playing sport to practical (and socially useful) skills such as carpentry, plumbing and car mechanics Giving these students more homework about Tudor Britain is hardly going to have a great beneficial impact on their lives Then there are the students who want to continue their education but would benefit from having a wider range of skills I know so many people of my age who, when they see someone with non-academic, practical, skills say that they wish they could that I’m one of them! To summarise, it seems to me that the argument in favour of plenty of homework is predicated on the assumption that all secondary school students want to go to university and that a university education is the only way to make a successful life Anyone who thinks that really needs to get acquainted with the reality of the modern world 287 words 197 words You have recently moved to a different house Write a letter to an English-speaking friend In your letter: explain why you have moved describe the new house invite your friend to come and visit Dear John, I’m writing to let you know that I and my family have moved to a new house The previous one was too small for us now that we have another child The new one has three bedrooms and a larger garden for us to relax in The attic has also been converted for use as storage space, which my wife is very happy about because it means there is somewhere convenient to put my collection of books Downstairs, there is a large living room and the kitchen and dining room are combined into one Now, I have to spend some time on redecorating, but I should be able to finish that in about a month Why don’t you come to visit us during the summer, when I have finished? The area is very nice and as we are on the outskirts of town it is easy to get to the country I’m sure you would enjoy yourself We all look forward to seeing you soon Best wishes, David 165 words 101 Model Answers for IELTS Writing Task (Academic) Once we understand why people don’t visit their local museums so often, we can come up with ideas to change the situation Museums should make sure that they vary their exhibitions regularly, perhaps asking local people what they would like to see there Another possibility that is often suggested is to have two-tier pricing (for locals and for tourists) However, I am not in favour of two-tier pricing in principle as it could easily lead to similar pricing schemes at restaurants and hotels, causing tourists to feel that they are being fleeced I think that a better idea is to encourage locals to visit more often by offering low-priced annual passes, which tourists would not buy To summarise, I think that encouraging more local people to visit museums in their area is simply a matter of using a little imagination and making locals feel that their museums really have something to offer them 304 words back to top About the author Mark Griffiths began teaching English in 1990 and has worked mainly in the Czech Republic and China He first qualified as an IELTS examiner in 2001 and has had several IELTS books published in China with total sales exceeding 200,000 copies Some of his books, such as this one, are about the IELTS speaking and writing modules Others are part of the English 101 Series – a range of books published in the first half of 2013 Some of these books are specific to IELTS whereas others are of use to all people studying English as a foreign language Mark can be found presenting or participating in the pub quiz at ‘The Orient’ near his home in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday evenings http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/markgriffiths (My Smashwords author page.) https://www.facebook.com/ieltsbookmark (A page about my books.) https://www.facebook.com/groups/610056515743734/ (A group dedicated to current IELTS speaking and writing questions.) https://www.facebook.com/pages/IELTS-Questions/654108384647546?ref=hl (A page for general questions about IELTS.) How to order books using Paypal If you have access to PayPal, you can order books directly from the author! Please contact me via my Facebook groups to this back to top [...]... band descriptors for speaking and writing, as published by the organisations that administer IELTS Therefore, this book is divided into two parts – speaking and writing Each of those parts is then subdivided into three sections – bands 5 and 5.5, bands 6 and 6.5, and bands 7 and 7.5 In IELTS speaking and writing, the differences between band 5 and band 5.5 are less significant than those between band... subdivided into three sections – bands 5 and 5.5, bands 6 and 6.5, and bands 7 and 7.5 In IELTS speaking and writing, the differences between band 5 and band 5.5 are less significant than those between band 5.5 and band 6 It’s the same with bands 6, 6.5 and 7 Think of moving from 0 to 5 as a small step and from 5 to 0 as a bigger step If you want to get band 6.5, and you are in a desperate hurry, feel... lives? IELTS Writing: A Comprehensive Guide To achieve band 6 or higher, you almost certainly need more than this book can offer in terms of detailed information and skills Check out the samples of my other books Four of my books contain up-to-date detailed information for candidates 60 Topics for IELTS Speaking 60 Topics for IELTS Speaking with Model Answers IELTS Speaking: A Comprehensive Guide IELTS Writing: ... a guide for examiners who felt that the IELTS examiner training had not provided them with the essential pointers that they needed in order to give accurate band scores to candidates The starting points for this short book are the public band descriptors for speaking and writing, as published by the organisations that administer IELTS Therefore, this book is divided into two parts – speaking and writing. .. (sets 1 and 2) 101 Model Answers for Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking Module 101 Model Answers for Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking module 101 Model Answers for Part 3 of the IELTS Speaking Module 101 Vocabulary Problems 101 Grammar Exercises 101 Connectives 101 Conversation Phrases 101 Phrasal Verbs (sets 1 and 2) 101 Proverbs and Sayings (sets 1 and 2) 101 Slang Terms (sets 1 and 2) Section 3 – Recent IELTS. .. between band 5 and band 5.5 are less significant than those between band 5.5 and band 6 It’s the same with bands 6, 6.5 and 7 Think of moving from 0 to 5 as a small step and from 5 to 0 as a bigger step If you want to get band 6.5, and you are in a desperate hurry, feel free to skip the sections relating to bands 5 and 5.5 and bands 7 and 7.5 However, I do strongly recommend that you read those other sections,... Comprehensive guide The English 101 Series contains useful information and exercises for candidates aiming for band 6 or higher Let’s begin back to top I need to get band 5 in my IELTS speaking test Band 5 – Fluency and Coherence What does the band descriptor say? Usually maintains flow of speech but uses repetition, self-correction and/ or slow speech to keep going May overuse certain connectives and discourse... does the band descriptor say? Uses a limited range of vocabulary, but this is minimally adequate for the task May make noticeable errors in spelling and/ or word formation that may cause some difficulty for the reader IELTS Writing: A Comprehensive Guide 51 Letters for IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 101 Model Answers for IELTS Writing Task 1 (Academic) 101 Model Answers for IELTS Writing Task... But I need to get band 7.5! So, you’ve decided to take IELTS You’ve found out what band score you need to achieve in the speaking and writing parts of the test (almost certainly it’s between 5 and 7.5) and you are now asking yourself a very simple, yet very important, question ‘What do I need to do to get that band score?’ I’ve been involved in IELTS since first qualifying as an IELTS examiner at the... get band 7.5! To get band 7.5, you need to achieve band 8 in two of the four criteria Candidates should consult with an expert to see which of the four criteria they can most easily achieve this in, since moving up from a band 7 to a band 8 in any single criteria generally requires a lot of focussed work Twelve Tips for the IELTS Speaking Module Here are some tips to help you improve your IELTS Speaking ... sections – bands and 5.5, bands and 6.5, and bands and 7.5 In IELTS speaking and writing, the differences between band and band 5.5 are less significant than those between band 5.5 and band It’s... sections – bands and 5.5, bands and 6.5, and bands and 7.5 In IELTS speaking and writing, the differences between band and band 5.5 are less significant than those between band 5.5 and band It’s... speaking and writing Each of those parts is then subdivided into three sections – bands and 5.5, bands and 6.5, and bands and 7.5 In IELTS speaking and writing, the differences between band and