(Luận văn thạc sĩ) an investigation into how to use linking words in the development of speaking and writing skills for the IELTS examination

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST - GRADUATE STUDIES **0** LÝ QUỲNH TRANG AN INVESTIGATION INTO HOW TO USE LINKING WORDS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPEAKING AND WRITING SKILLS FOR THE IELTS EXAMINATION (Nghiên cứu việc sử dụng từ nối việc phát triển kỹ nói viết phục vụ loại hình thi IELTS) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field:English Linguistics Code: 60.22.15 HANOI - 2010 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST - GRADUATE STUDIES **0** LÝ QUỲNH TRANG AN INVESTIGATION INTO HOW TO USE LINKING WORDS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPEAKING AND WRITING SKILLS FOR THE IELTS EXAMINATION (Nghiên cứu việc sử dụng từ nối việc phát triển kỹ nói viết phục vụ loại hình thi IELTS) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Linguistics Code: 60.22.15 Supervisor: Assoc.Prof.Dr.Võ Đại Quang HANOI - 2010 v TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION BY CANDIDATE i CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iii ABSTRACT iv TABLE OF CONTENTS v LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS viii LIST OF TABLES ix LIST OF FIGURES ix INTRODUCTION 1 Rationale Aims of the study Scope of the study Significance of the study Methodology 5.1 Approaches 5.2 Methods Design of the study CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 Text versus Discourse 1.2 Cohesion versus coherence 10 1.2.1 Cohesion 10 1.2.2 Types of cohesion 11 1.2.3 Coherence 11 1.3 Linking words 12 vi 1.3.1 The notion of linking words 12 1.3.2 Types of linking words 13 1.3.3 Conjuncts and Conjunctions 13 1.3.4 Semantic categories of linking words 15 1.4 IELTS 21 1.4.1 General Information of IELTS 21 1.4.2 IELTS writing test and writing assessment criteria 22 1.4.3 IELTS speaking test and speaking assessment criteria 24 1.5 Summary 26 CHAPTER 2: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 27 2.1 Frequency of linking words in IELTS Speaking and Writing 27 2.2 Distribution of semantic categories 28 2.3 Summary 34 CHAPTER 3: PEDAGOGICAL IMPLICATIONS 36 3.1 In terms of coherence and cohesion in IELTS writing 36 3.2 In terms of fluency and coherence in IELTS speaking 39 3.3 Summary 44 CONCLUSION 45 Recapitulation 45 Concluding remarks 45 Suggestions 47 REFERENCE 49 APPENDIX I 1.1 Speaking Sample Answers I Sample I vii 1.2 Sample III 1.3 Sample VI 1.4 Sample IX 1.5 Sample XII Writing Task Sample Answer XIV 2.1 Sample XIV 2.2 Sample XIV 2.3 Sample XV 2.4 Sample XVI 2.5 Sample XVI Writing Task Sample Answer XVI 3.1 Sample XVII 3.2 Sample XVII 3.3 Sample XVIII 3.4 Sample XIX 3.5 Sample XIX viii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS EAP: English for Academic Purpose ESL: English as Second Language IDP: International Development Program IELTS: International English Language Testing System P-E-E: Point – Explanation - Examples T1: Task T2: Task ix LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Semantic categories codes of Linking words Table 2: Enumerative Linking Words 16 Table 3: Additional Linking Words 16 Table 4: Transitional Linking Words 17 Table 5: Summation Linking Words 18 Table 6: Appositive Linking Words 18 Table 7: Cause and Result Linking Words 19 Table 8: Inferential Linking Words 19 Table 9: Contrasting Linking Words 21 Table 10: IELTS Speaking Format 24 Table 11: Frequency of linking words 27 Table 12: Semantic categories Distribution in T1 29 Table 13: Semantic categories Distribution in T2 31 Table 14: Semantic categories Distribution in Speaking 34 Table 15: Cautious Language 42 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Pattern of Cautious Language Usage 43 INTRODUCTION Rationale Language is functioned as means to maintain and set up social relations; people in all circumstances get involved in expressing their feeling, attitudes and opinions Therefore, nowadays, when globalization is a worldwide tendency and especially after Vietnam joined WTO, Vietnamese find English - the international language more important and necessary to learn than ever before Over the decades, there have been a growing number of English learners wishing to study at tertiary level in English speaking countries As a result, many English as Second Language (ESL) students are enrolled in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses which provide the opportunity to acquire essential skills for their prospective studies in English-medium universities (i.e., courses taught in English at universities in Anglophone or non-Anglophone countries) Besides acquiring academic skills, EAP courses have other aims, such as to support non-native English speaker students to go through English language tests such as the International English Language Testing Systems (IELTS), which is widely recognized as a language requirement for entering universities mainly in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand and many other countries around the world Academic essay-writing and speaking are two of the four skills which international students must acquire both for their prospective studies in English-mediated university courses and for obtaining the requiring score in the writing and speaking section of the IELTS Linking words are crucial in writing and speaking in that they help readers / listeners recognize the relationships between ideas and follow the thread of messages that the writer wants to convey By connecting individual clauses, sentences and paragraphs into a single theme, linking words make obvious and visible the writers / speakers‘ ―line of thought‖ However, during my process of teaching IELTS for my students, I come to realize that the students lack the adequate linguistic knowledge to convey their ideas when writing or speaking and they have difficulties in choosing a link word that appropriately expressess the logical relations between ideas and thus the whole message of their text is vague, unlogical and incoherent As a result, this obstacle affect their IELTS band score and limit their opportunities of further study Apart from things mentioned above, it is the fact that a lot of researches have been conducted on linguistics and discourse analysis, yet few of them are in reference to IELTS or linking words Also, on the way to master English, students even haven‘t made enough effort or spent sufficient time comprehend the use of linking words Concequently, these two sections should deserve more attention to be studied and discussed because of the great importance of lingking words and the increasing popularity of IELTS in Vietnam İn conclusion, from all the considered reasons, I find it necessary and useful to carry out a study on linking words and their application in IELTS writing and speaking İ hope that English learners and I myself would be more clear about the use of link words to express our ieads correctly and effectively Aims of the study This study is targeted at presenting an investigation in the use of linking words in IELTS writing and speaking İt attempts: - to provide a systematic and comprehensive overview of cohesion and linking words as one type of cohesive device - to compare the frequencies of different semantic categories of linking words occurrences in IELTS writing task 1, IELTS writing Task and IELTS speaking task with a view to clarifying the typical categories for each task - to suggest some implications for teaching and learning linking words in order to express our ideas precisely and comprehensibly as well as to improve students‘ IELTS band score Scope of the study Within the limited time and knowledge, it is not my ambition to mention all issues of discourse analysis The study is mainly focused on the use of linking words as one type of cohesive device at clausal and sentence levels in the two skills tested in IELTS academic module: writing and speaking within seven main categories in 15 sample answers, that is: Listing, Transition, Summation, Apposition, Cause / Result, Inference and Contrasting Finally, the study will not try to propose all possible solutions to cohesion teaching and learning but only suggest some implication which is expected to help English users in general and IELTS examinees employ linking words more precisely and effectively Significance of the study In terms of theoretical significance, the study brings with it the task to verify the correctness and significance if linguistic theory by working on IELTS speaking and writing samples It is hoped to improve the existing ideas on linking words to satisfy the individuals‘ questions İn terms of practical significance, this research gives out some applications such as combining linguitis theory and practice in analyzing English spoken and written discourse of IELTS İn addition, the study suggest some implication for English teachers and learners to gain effective use of linking words in expressing ideas and then they would be able to raise their IELTS band score as well as their English competence Methodology 5.1 Approaches So as to achieve the objectives of the study, we have to follow both qualitative and quantitative approaches, which are strategic methods in the study However, quantitative approach is exploited most of the time to search for the frequency of linking words occurrence and their semantic categories distribution in the two skills IELTS speaking and writing Qualitative study is also useful for us to work out if there are links among clauses and sentences in IELTS speaking and writing answers, and how we can apply the discourse analysis of linking words in 15 samples to improve the IELTS writing and speaking cohesive and coherence band score The research questions explored in this study are as follows: What are the occurrence frequencies of linking words in IELTS Speaking and Writing? Is there any difference between speaking and writing T1 and T2? What are the most common semantic categories of linking words used in writing T1 and T2 and speaking? What are the possible implications of the study? VI really helped was MTV which started in the early 1990s (56)This is when Indians began hear different kinds of rock and metal music (57)This music is popular in the big cities like Delhi and Mumbai And what are your plans after you graduate from college? (58)My dream is to finish studying here and then move back home and start my own band I wish you lots of luck Thank you! That is the end of the test 1.3 Sample I'd like you to tell me something about how you spend your spare time Is that okay? What are your hobbies? (1) Well, I enjoy reading and playing the guitar, and for exercise I enjoy swimming and football too (2) I don't have much free time but when I I like to spend it with friends What benefits you think you get from these activities? (3) Swimming and football keep me fit and healthy (4) The reading I enjoy whether I am doing so for my studies or whether I am on holiday and reading a book for relaxation (5) I also play the guitar just for fun (6) I'm not very good but I think it makes me a calmer person How you usually spend your evenings? (7) Sometimes I go out with my friends and we might go for a pizza and a drink or just have a coffee (8) If I have an essay to write or work to do, then I might stay in the library and some reading or writing (9) Otherwise I stay at home with my family and watch TV or read When you have vacations from work/study, you like to travel abroad? (10) My family has always taken holidays in Spain (11) We pack our clothes and put our things into the car and drive to a village near Valencia for our summer vacation (12) We like it there (13) It is not commercial with lots of facilities but we can relax and swim and meet old friends who live there (14) It's a tranquil place where I can forget all the stresses and pressures of my studies Is there an activity you have always wanted to but have never had the chance? (15) I've always wanted to go parachuting (16) I don't know why but it looks a bit like flying I know you are falling very fast but it is as if you are floating or hovering in mid air (17) It must be very exciting to step out of the plane with nothing but a piece of silk to support you (18) I believe there are some clubs you can join where you spend a weekend learning to parachute and then you get your first jump (19) One day I'll try it I'm going to give you a subject to talk about You have to talk about it for about two minutes Before you start talking I'll give you about one minute to think and to write down some notes Do you understand what you are going to do? VII (20) Yes, I understand Here's a pen and some paper to write on.This is your subject I'd like you to talk about a meal you might prepare for a feast or a special occasion in your country (pause for one minute) You only have a short time to speak so I will stop you after a while Don't worry about that You can start talking now (21) We now celebrate Halloween even year in our village (22) I don't think this is a traditional feast exactly (23) I think we got the celebration from the American Air Base which was nearby (24) Every year towards the end of October we get pumpkins to make lanterns and cut out faces so we can put candles inside (25) We dress children as witches or skeletons (26) The children are given a lot of sweets, of course, and we always make pumpkin soup to eat in the evening (27)We use the flesh of the pumpkin and my mother mixes it with lentils and puts it all in a liquidiser and adds salt and pepper (28) I think that's all the ingredients but maybe other people use different things (29) Then at night when the children have been out in their costumes, we come back and heat up the soup and we eat it with bread (30) Usually we like the heavy rye bread popular in Germany (31) The children on this day also play a game called 'trick or treat' where they go round to friends and neighbours (32) They knock on the door and if the neighbours don't give them a treat - biscuits or sweets or something - then they have a trick played on them (33) I don't remember playing that when I was small (34) I think that maybe that is something else we've taken from the Americans Thank you Do people really enjoy these foods? (35) I don't think so really (36) The area of Germany I come from is really famous for cooked sausages (37) White and black sausages made from different kinds of meat (38) And we are famous for different kinds of cakes known as strudel (39) They'd prefer to eat these foods rather than pumpkin soup What other foods are particularly popular where you come from? (40) We are famous for our cured meats and especially the cold sausage you can buy in the shops (41) These aren't really cooked but are usually dried and smoked and covered in herbs and spices (42) I think it was a way of preserving meat to eat during the winter in the past (43) The tourists love to try these things because they are different from the things they eat at home You've been telling me about the food you prepare for a special occasion (1) I'd like to ask you some more questions about food Do you think traditional foods will retain their popularity? VIII (44) I'm not sure about this (45) The older people still eat traditional foods but the younger generation has been influenced by America and they like to eat fast food - you know, pizzas and hotdogs (46) Still, I think they'll continue to eat traditional dishes on celebration days Compare your country's traditional foods with more modern cuisine (47) These days we like more cosmopolitan cuisine (48) So many people travel that they come back from their holidays wanting to cook food from the places they've visited (49) Even in supermarkets these days you can get ready made food from abroad - you know, from Greece, China and India Does traditional cooking have more benefits than modern cooking? (50) Yes and no (51) Traditional cooking tends to use fresh ingredients but has rich, creamy sauces which are not so healthy because of the high fat content (52) Modern cooking is often lighter, you know, lots of salads (53) And meat and fish is usually grilled - much better for you than the fried food we favour in our traditional dishes Describe what you think would be your ideal healthy diet (54) Well, for me, I think I need a light diet (55) I don't get much exercise (56) I'm a student and I sit reading and studying all day (57) So something like salad and fruit would be the biggest part of my ideal diet with some lean meals and a little bread (58) And that would mean I could go out and eat something less healthy occasionally like pizza, which I love! How healthy is your regular diet? (59) I think I like convenient foods too much (60) My friends and I often go out for a meal and like to eat Chinese food which is rather fatty (61) But I always start the day with a good breakfast, you know, fruit and cereal and I don't drink much coffee so I don't think my diet is too bad To what extent are people healthier these days? (62) Actually, we should be healthier these days (63) We're given lessons in schools on nutrition and the supermarkets are full of low calorie or low fat products but statistics show we are getting fatter and fatter (64) I suppose people who look after themselves are healthier and we're so lucky that nowadays we can have summer vegetables and fruit all the year round (65) At one time salad was just eaten for a few months a year (66) Now we can enjoy it every day What is the ideal body shape in your country? (67) I think for girls they admire the supermodels who are tall and thin (68) And I think that men like this style too (69) I believe tall men who have athletic figures are the ones most girls prefer How has the ideal body shape changed in recent years? IX (70) I'm sure this has changed in the last 50 years (71) My grandfather used to point to big, quite fat, people and say that person had a fine figure (72) These people looked good to him maybe because they ate all the strudel we talked about earlier (73) Now we see healthy people who are leaner and suntanned so that is different (74) I think we changed our ideas in the 1960s when we started seeing really skinny people who were actresses and models (75) They became the role models of the generation and being thin became the ideal shape Do you think this body shape will continue to be fashionable? (76) Unfortunately, I think so (77) Models are still stick thin and fashion designers make clothes that only seem to suit these ultra thin people (78) I don't believe fatter people will ever become fashion icons! Thank you The Speaking Test is now finished 1.4 Sample I'd like you to tell me something about how you travelled to the test today Is that okay? How did you travel here? (1) Today? (2) I came to the exam centre by bus How long did the journey take? (3) It took about half an hour; I was lucky as there was so little traffic today How was your journey today different from the way you travel to school/work? (4) Normally I walk to my language school, it is about 15 minutes away, but if it is raining then I might take a bus (5) That only takes about three minutes but it is better than getting wet What is the longest, most interesting journey you've made? (6) Probably that would be the trip to the USA I went on with my family two years ago (7) We visited Sew York and looked at the Empire State Building and all the sights (8) Then we went on to Las Vegas, which is another very modern city in the middle of a desert (9) We were very suprised at that (10) The food was so different from home (11) In fact, everything was different (12) It was great Is there anywhere you would like to travel to? Why? (12) I think I'd like to visit somewhere cold and snowy (13) Where I come from it is always hot and it can be very wet but we never see snow (14) When we flew to Las Vegas we flew over the Rocky Mountains and they were covered in snow and I thought they looked so beautiful (15) So I'd like to visit a mountainous country in Europe, maybe Switzerland X I'm going to give you a subject to talk about You have to talk about if for about two minutes Before you start talking I'll give you about one minute to think and to write down some notes Do you understand what you are going to do? (16) Yes, I know what I have to Here's a pen and some paper to write on This is your subject I'd like you to talk about the technology that you use to help you learn English.(pause for one minute) You only have a short time to speak so I will stop you after a while Don't worry about that You can start talking now (17) When I started learning English I was very young, in China, we only had the most basic types of equipment (18) We had books to write in, pens and pencils (19) The teacher used chalk and a blackboard (20) All of this was fine and we learned English quite successfully, I think (21) I remember when the teacher brought in her own portable tape recorder and we could listen to the tapes which came with the course books (22) We thought it was absolutely wonderful at the time (23) We so looked forward to the lessons where the teacher would let us record our own voices speaking English and play it back so we could hear ourselves (24) At college I think the technology was much the same (25) Then, when I got a scholarship to study in Britain, we used different technology (26) We had laboratories to practice speaking and for listening we had video and television in class (27) Some of the students didn’t like these classes (28) They felt that watching television was like playing games and wasn’t really serious, but I always liked them (29) I'd borrow the tapes with the news on and listen again and again to them and imitate the news readers (30) I wanted to develop a good accent and sound more natural and I thought this was a good way of learning to this (31) And then we also had computers (32) We some, grammar practice on computers and that is okay but I think it is the same as doing it on paper except you don't get to practice writing (33) But I enjoy the projects we using the Internet (34) There is so much to read and find out, I've learned so many new words from this (35) I'm sure it is improving my English a lot Why you think some forms of technology work better than others? (36) I think it depends what you want to use your English for (37) If you want to be able to speak English really well and speak to Englishmen and Americans, then using the language laboratory and listening to the news on the radio is really useful (38) But if you only need to read books for study, then I think it is not so useful (39) I believe that anything which makes learning interesting will be effective technology What other types of learning technology would you like to try? (40) I have heard that there are some new computer programs being developed where you can type in an essay and the program compares it to a native speaker's writing and it can give you a mark (41) That sounds interesting I'd like to try it XI You've been telling me about the technology you have used in learning English, and about computers I'd like to ask you some more questions about computers and technology Describe the earliest types of computer you remember using (42) I never used computers before I came here but I remember seeing pictures of early computers (43) They filled whole rooms with lots of tapes going round and flashing, coloured lights (44) I remember being very surprised when I visited the USA and sat next to someone on the plane using a portable computer the size of a book (45) I didn’t know what it was before he told me and showed me what it could How have computers changed since then? (46) Size is the most obvious feature that has changed (47) They are now so much smaller (48) But my friends who know more than me tell me that they are much faster so calculations which would have taken hours can now be done very quickly, and they are also more powerful so they can make many calculations all at the same time Do you think computers will ever replace teachers? (49) I don't think you can compare the two (50) Computers are just one of the tools a teacher can use to help learners acquire knowledge, like a tape recorder or a book (51) The teacher is the person who organises the learners and encourages them and provides reassurance when things aren't going so well (52) A computer can never all of that, so I think we'll always be taught by teachers Describe how computers and technology have changed our lives (53) I think you find computers in everything you these days (54) There are small computers in your car and in the washing machine as well as at work and at school (55) Computers can even build these, cars and washing machines (56) Without computers I don't think we would have all these luxuries and there would be more people doing the boring assembly work which computers now Compare the abilities of computers and humans (57) I think computers can simple, repetitive things very well, and they always them right (58) And many people are bad at this (59) They get bored and make mistakes (60) But computers cannot think properly (61) Any job that needs thinking or judgement will need a person because a computer does not have the ability to this Evaluate the changes computers have made to our lives (62) I'm sure it is better that we have washing machines and computers to dull, routine jobs (63) They make life much easier (64) But there is a bad side to computers (65) The people who used to work in the car industry are now being replaced by computers and may not have jobs any more, and that is bad Tell me which household appliance you couldn't live without XII (66) Before I came to England to study I would have said the TV but now I have to take care of myself I think I would choose the washing machine (67) It saves me so much time and it uses less water than washing by hand (68) Plus, it washes the clothes so well (69) I just don't know how my grandmother raised six children without a machine How is life better today than fifty years ago? (70) Of course, some people would disagree with this but personally, I feel that great improvements have been made both to the quality of life as well as the status of certain sectors of society (71) I mean, most people enjoy a lifestyle unimaginable fifty years ago, you know, holidays abroad, several cars per family, plenty of money to have a full social life (72) And think how women have progressed (73) It's not unusual to see women in high positions - they are often in charge of huge companies or ministries, which would have been very rare half a century ago Will environmental pollution still exist in the future? (74) Unfortunately, yes (75) I can't see this problem disappearing altogether (76) We have known about the destruction of the environment for years but we continue to the same harmful things like cutting down the rain forests and polluting the planet with toxic waste (77) Until we can re-educate people and make them more responsible as individuals towards conservation, then I don't hold out much hope for the future Thank you The Speaking Test is now finished 1.5 Sample Hello, my name is Can you tell me your name, please? (1)My name is Can you show me your I.D., please? Thank you First, I'd like to ask you a few general questions about yourself Do you live in a city, a town or in the country? (2)I live in a small village not far from this city, about a 30-minute drive from here Is it a good place to live for young people? (3)I don't think so (4)There aren't many places to go out to, just one bar and a pier which has got some shops and a cinema (5)There isn't much night life there (6)Most young people move to the city once they finish school (7)I liked growing up there, though, and I went back when I finished my university degree (8)It’s a great place for families with kids, but not if you're young and like going out often Now, let's talk about television Do you like watching television? (9)I don't watch TV that much, really (10)I prefer to pick up a book (11)I watch DVDs every now and then, though XIII What kind of TV programmes did you like to watch when you were a child? (12)I liked programmes about nature—animals and plants, that sort of thing (13)I still do, but I don't watch them as often as I would like to (14)They're very informative, especially for kids Now, let's talk about sports Do you play any sports? Which ones? (15)No, I don't (16)I'm terrible at sports (17)I've always been bad at sports; I guess it's got something to with my poor eyesight (18)I'm simply hopeless at any kind of ball sport (19)It doesn't bother me much, though (20)I like watching sports, especially winter sports Now in this part, you should talk about a topic for one minute You can take a minute to make some notes before you speak Here is a pencil and some paper for you, and the topic card, I would like you to describe a skill, for example, driving, speed reading, or any other skill you have learned successfully (Candidate makes notes) Now, you have one minute to talk about the topic I will tell you when to stop (21)I'll talk about driving, which I think is the most important skill I've learnt (22)I've been driving for about ten years now, and I learnt how to drive when I was 16 (23)As I've told you, I lived and grew up in a small village not far from here, and you need a car to go anywhere, so it was essential to drive if you didn't want to feel isolated (24)My father taught me how to drive, but I didn't get a driving license until I was 20 (25)I also failed my first driving test, and had to a course with a driving instructor to learn how to drive properly in the city (26)I've had a car for over six years and I drive every day, but I think it was the formal course and the driving test I had to that helped me become a good driver Could you teach this skill to anyone else? (27)I actually have (28)I've taught my sister to drive Now in this part, I would like to ask you a few more general questions about the topic you've talked about What qualities does a good trainer need to have? Hmm (29)let me think (30)Well, I suppose one of the most important qualities is to be able to explain and to be patient if one doesn't get it the first or even the tenth time (31)Another important characteristic is to like helping people learn (32)These are the most important qualities, in my opinion Why you think many companies invest a lot of money in training? (33)Well, I think those companies that want to stay competitive need to invest in training their staff (34)Businesses are changing so fast nowadays that it’s essential to provide employees with the training necessary for them to their jobs efficiently (35)Another reason might be that people like to feel valued, and giving them training is one way for a company to show that (36)The company I work for invests a lot in training, and I see it as one of the major benefits I XIV receive, as it will help me become more employable in the future should I choose to change jobs Do you think schools and universities prepare young people well for future employment? (37)I don't think so (38)In most schools and universities, the students' heads are crammed with useless information which helps them pass a test or an exam (39)I believe people start learning when they leave school and start working (40)I'm not saying theoretical knowledge isn't important—I'm just saying that a lot of what kids are taught at school won't be very useful for them in the future (41)There are vocational schools and colleges, however, where young people learn skills for a specific job, for example, welding or carpentry (42)These prepare young people for future employment, in my opinion Thank you That's the end of the test Writing Task Sample Answer 2.1 Sample (1)According to the results of the labour-force research published recently, the following conclusions can be drawn from it: (2)In March, 1993, United States had seven percent of their workforce which might not seem disastrous until compared with Japan, where 2.5% were unemployed (3)However, the unemployment rate in United States began declining slowly since March 1993 and reached 5% mark in the middle of 1996 (4)Japan turned out to be less lucky, as their unemployment rate doubled in three years (5)From then on, the percentage of unemployed workforce in United States remained roughly the same — about 5% until March 99, although there were minor falls and rises in the unemployment rate (6)As for Japan, the percentage of unemployed fell rapidly by 0.5—0.6% after March 1996, but from summer 1996 and onwards it grew steadily and without any falls to reach 5.0% boundary in March 1999 (7)The major conclusion that I've drawn using the graph, is that number of unemployed in USA decreased by about 2.0% in the course of six years, while in Japan it actually increased by 2.5% percent (8)As a result, in March 99, both Japan and US had about 5% of their work force unemployed 2.2 Sample (1)According to statistical information, the main reason for traveling abroad is holidays, business, and visits to friends and relatives (2)Indeed, there is a steady increase in the number of holiday makers; while in 1996 there were about 17,596 of the sample in 1995 there were 20,700 of them (3)Moreover, with the introduction of more countries within the EC market, XV travelling for business has also increased (4)Although there is not a big decrement 3,957 traveled abroad for business during 1998 compared with 3,249 in 1996 (5)Finally, traveling abroad for visiting friends and relatives shows a steady increase over the period 1994—1998 (6)While there were about 2,625 travelers in 1995 the number increased to 3,151 in 1998 (7)Consequently, there is a steady increase in three main reasons for travelling abroad: holidays, business, or to visit relatives and friends (8)In addition, there is also an increased change in the destinations which people tend to prefer for travelling (9)The area which appears to be more popular among travelers is Western Europe (10)Indeed, while in 1994 only 19,371 of the sample preferred to spend their holiday (or other reasons) in that main region, there was an increase to 24,519 in 1995 (11)North America and other areas appeared also favourable (12)In 1996, there were 1,167 going to North America and 1,905 to other areas (13)These numbers increased to 1,523 and 2,456 accordingly (14)Statistical figures prove that Western Europe seems to be the most favourable place for holiday makers while North America and other areas follow behind 2.3 Sample (1)The diagram illustrates the environmental issues by a product over its lifetime (2)According to the diagram, the first step for the life cycle of a product is product planning and design which is the most significant step for customers as an appearance (3)Secondly, suppliers have to prepare all of the materials which they need to use for the product (4)It would appear that most of the people are more likely to concern about the materials that are used during the production because of the quality (5)After the process of procurement of the material is reached, life cycle is followed by production step (6)As long as a product is ready to sell, initial step carries on with packaging, printing and physical distribution (7)In addition to this step, there is variety of ways how to make the product more impressive and demanding in the competitive market (8)That’s why, perhaps, the most important process is sales, however good quality of materials was used (9)While suppliers are trying to sell any kind of product, they should persuade customers for either its quality or function as a whole (10)In the case of sales, a large proportion of people use varieties of techniques how to affect customers in the market even with exaggeration (11)From customers’ point of view, they invariably focus on what they need (12)So, another essential point for suppliers is to meet customers’ need (13)Consequently, products are started to be used by customers whether they’re satisfied or not (14)Unless they are satisfied, it’s more likely for the product to be given back to the service XVI 2.4 Sample (1)This table describes global Internet use based on statistics from nine different countries in 2007 (2)It includes three current parameters (3)The first is the number of Internet users for each country (4)The second is the percentage this comprises of the country's population (5)The third is the percentage of each country's Internet users in the world (6)According to this table, the United States has the highest number of Internet users in the world, making up 18% of the world's users (7)However, Australia has the highest percentage of users in its population, with 71.9% of Australians online (8)Another country that has a high percentage of users is the United Kingdom, with 62.3% of its population using the internet (9)Although only 12.3% of China's population is Internet users, they make up 13.0% of world Internet users (10)Both Australia and the United Kingdom have a high percentage of Internet users (11)However, their mark on the world numbers is very small, under 3.5% India, with 3.6% of the world's users is third in line after the US and China (12)In conclusion, from the table it is clear that although Internet usage is prevalent worldwide, the percentage of users is low and hasn't even reached a quarter of the world's population 2.5 Sample (1)For this university course an essay is completed in six stages (2)The first stage is a private tutorial in which the task and topic are fully discussed with the tutor (3)A reading list should be obtained, detailing useful resource material (4)The second stage involves conducting suitable research (5)Notes are taken from available literature at the library, and data collected from questionnaires, interviews and surveys (6)Writing the first draft is the third stage (7)First, it is necessary to organise the content of the essay, and produce a brief outline (8)Next, the draft is written in the acceptable formal academic style, and checked for appropriate language (9)Stage number four is another tutorial or study group discussion, during which problem areas are analysed, and further ideas and suggestions are noted (10)The fifth stage includes reading the resource material again, before writing a second draft using suggestions from stage four (11)Once completed, all quotations should be checked for errors (12)The sixth stage consists of writing the final draft of the essay (13) A spell check is required, before adding a title page and compiling a bibliography (14)The essay should then be submitted before the deadline for completion Writing Task Sample Answer XVII 3.1 Sample (1)In recent years, travelling by plane has become a very common means of transport for many people mainly because it’s practical, quick and easy, but it also became incredibly cheap and accessible for all (2)Consequently, people are highly encouraged to choose it and air traffic is increasing rapidly (3)Although taxing flight tickets more heavily could enable to reduce air traffic considerably, this decision could also lead to many drawbacks (4)First of all, if plane tickets become more expensive, many people might reconsider their way of travelling (5)Therefore this would certainly encourage more of them to take a train to travel short distances, from a European country to another, for example (6)As a result of this, air traffic could decrease and new airport construction could not be needed (7)On the other hand, to me it is obvious that people will choose to travel using a car or a coach as an alternative way (8)Therefore, this would lead to lots of noise and pollution on the roads, mostly during holidays (9)Moreover, economically, the choice of taxing flight tickets heavily could be seen as discrimination as travelling abroad could only be afforded by wealthy people (10)Finally, high costs flying might simply disadvantage tourism as it would slow down cultural and economic exchanges between countries (11)To sum up, when bearing in mind the consequences of heavy taxes on plane tickets, it does not seem to be an appropriate solution against noise or pollution (12)Besides, travelling by plane is needed and important to maintain good exchanges, tourism communication, technology developments… 3.2 Sample (1)Whether workers like doctors and teachers are undervalued or not is a debatable issue (2)However, I believe that workers such as teachers and doctors should be paid more money for a countless reasons (3)First of all, in my opinion, workers like teachers are more important for the society than actors (4)Therefore, they should be paid large sums of money to keep them educating people (5)Education is very essential for any society to progress and develop (6)Therefore teachers play an important role for performing this necessary aspect of development (7)Without teachers it will be impossible to know the basic levels of education, so teachers build students progress socially, intellectually and educationally (8)As a consequence of this teachers should be valued according to this very essential role for the society (9)Secondly, I personally believe that film actors/actresses not play the same role as doctors (10)Doctors protect people from spread of infectious diseases which could damage not only the health of the general public, but also can deteriorate all aspects of our life.(11) Without doctors, many well educated and productive people may be killed by diseases (12)Therefore, the doctors are very useful in health and progress which are necessary for any XVIII nation in the world wide (13)As a result of this position they should be paid some more money to keep the general public health and productive (14)Thirdly, I largely disagree that film actors/actresses are important (15)I think they not take part in developing a nation's health and progress (16)Although they receive huge sums of money, they not achieve any significant development for the society (17)I believe that their job is not as essential as health, economic progress and technological achievement (18)In contrast, progress and technological development as well as health of the nation depend mostly on teachers and health care works (19)Therefore, the latter should be more respected and paid to them the amount of money they deserve (20)To sum up, I strongly believe that works such as teachers and doctors are more important than film actors/actresses (21)Therefore, the former should be considered more than the latter and paid to them accordingly to this essential role they for the society 3.3 Sample (1)The relative importance of natural talent and training is a frequent topic of discussion when people try to explain different levels of ability in, for example, sport, art or music (2)Obviously, education systems are based on the belief that all children can effectively be taught to acquire different skills, including those associated with sport, art or music (3)So from our own school experience, we can find plenty of evidence to support the view that a child can acquire these skills with continued teaching and guided practice (4)However, some people believe that innate talent is what differentiates a person who has been trained to play a sport or an instrument, from those who become good players (5)In other words, there is more to the skill than a learned technique, and this extra talent cannot be taught, no matter how good the teacher is or how frequently a child practices (6)I personally think that some people have talents that are probably inherited via their genes (7)Such talents can give individuals a facility for certain skills that allow them to excel, while more hard-working students never manage to reach a comparable level (8)But, with all questions of nature versus nurture, they are not mutually exclusive (9)Good musicians or artists and exceptional sports stars have probably succeeded because of both good training and natural talent (10)Without the natural talent, continuous training would be neither attractive nor productive, and without the training, the child would not learn how to exploit and develop their talent (11)In conclusion, I agree that any child can be taught particular skills, but to be really good in areas such as music, art or sport, then some natural talent is required XIX 3.4 Sample (1)Recent decades have seen huge advances in technology on various levels (2)Unsurprisingly an increasing number of people think that the printed media as we know it shape- and formwise, such as books and magazines will soon be history (3)However, there are still those who believe that the familiar forms of media such as this material that you are handling now, will never die out (4)Or, at least, it will live for generations to come (5)Those who believe that media in its current shape and form will inevitably disappear have many reasons for that (6)For example they argue that everything is now changing rapidly and there is no reason why the media as it exists today should be an exception, because it cannot remain static in a changing world (7)Technology is affecting every aspect of our lives and therefore publishers have to follow the trend to keep up with other fields by producing electronic books; otherwise, they will find themselves out of business (8)Customers and readers in this case will also be looking for a more convenient, more reliable, more affordable and more modern services (9)Technology is undoubtedly proving day after day its capability to offer all these desirable qualities in one package to satisfy them (10)In the other camp, there are those who believe that the existing form of media is going to last forever (11)They argue that in addition to the cost involved of accessing and using ebooks, there are other factors to be taken into consideration like the sentimental relation between the reader and the book or newspaper itself (12)The feeling of turning the pages of a novel while you are lying on the bed or sitting on a long distance train journey (13)These things will never be easy for technology to replace no matter how far it can go (14)In my opinion, sooner or later, e-books will replace the books and newspapers as we have known it since our first experience with the printed word (15)How long will it take before this becomes a reality? (16) It is really very difficult to predict 3.5 Sample (1)Nowadays many adults have full-time jobs and the proportion of their lives spent doing such jobs is very high (2)So feelings about one's job must reflect how an individual feels about his or her life as a whole, and because of this, job satisfaction is indeed very important for the wellbeing of that person (3)Employees get job satisfaction in a number of ways (4)Firstly, a person needs to feel that they are doing valued and valuable work, so positive feedback from superiors is very important in this respect (5)A sense of fulfillment is also encouraged if a worker feels the job is worth doing because it contributes to the society or the economy as a whole (6)Secondly, when someone feels they are improving or developing their skills through training opportunities, for XX example, then there is a sense of progression and purpose that rewards a worker (7)The sense of belonging to a team or a working community also contributes to job satisfaction because colleagues help each other to enjoy their working lives (8)Satisfaction is also increased by a sense of responsibility for and loyalty to a team (9)Of course not everyone enjoys their work Hard economic realities mean that many people have little choice in the kind of job they can get (10)In some cases an employee is working in a job that suits neither their skills nor their personality (11)Some jobs are repetitive and boring, and labour relations may be poor and lead to resentment and insecurity rather than to job satisfaction (12)However, even though it is unlikely that all workers feel happy in their work, I think it is not unrealistic to promote more job satisfaction in any job (13)If the factors identified above are implemented, then any job can be improved and more workers can feel greater degrees of job satisfaction ... frequencies of linking words in IELTS Speaking and Writing? Is there any difference between speaking and writing T1 and T2? What are the most common semantic categories of linking words used in writing. .. suggestions for better learning and teaching linking words in general and for better use of linking words in IELTS speaking and writing in particular The following implications are based on the theoretical... Speaking and Writing In finding the frequency of linking words used in IELTS spoken and written texts, some small efforts were made to calculate the number of sentences containing linking words and