INTRODUCTION TO THE IELTS TEST IELTS test has two forms: the
Academic test (or module) and the General Training test (or
module). The module that you t:',,:k(, depends on the reason that
you are taking it for. Generally speaking, the Academic Module is
for those people who are to gain entry onto undergraduate or
postgraduate education courses or for professional reasons. The
General Training ,', f, ,liE: is for those people who wish to join
some kinds of vocational or training courses, secondary schools or
for immigration [:C'>:'" and General Training modules try and
reflect real life situations to test whether a candidate would
survive in [",gii:;1: speaking social and academic environments.
For example, the Part 2 section of the speaking asks candidates to
talk, after 1 minute's preparation, for 1 to 2 minutes on a given
general topic. This would test General Training candidates to see
if Hu:;y c;juki give a "work related presentation" to fellow work
colleagues and, would test Academic candidates if they can give a
"university style presentation" to fellow students, It tests
whether candidates have the English language capability to perform
t;',(:s!'; under some kind of pressure. JELl'':', ti"'st (both
Academic and General Training modules) is divided into four parts:
reading, writing, listening and n,(: listening and speaking tests
are exactly the same for the Academic andGeneral Training modules
but the c;;"j writing tests are different. Thus the test appears
like this (in the order that you will take the different parts):
ACADEMIC GENERAL TRAINING Listening 4 sections; 40 questions. 30
minutes 4 sections; 40 questions. 30 minutes 3 sections; 40
questions 3 long texts 1 hour 3 sections; 40 questions 3 long texts
1 hour 2 tasks 1 hour 2 tasks 1 hour sections 1 14 minutes
3-5eGtkms-" 11 - 14 minutes 1 IELTS ACADEMIC WRITING TEST - TASK 1
TUTORIAL The IELTS Academic Task 1 Writing is not an easy part of
the exam. Describing a graph well in 20 minutes is not something
most people can do straight away whether they are English speakers
or not. The fact that it is in a foreign language for you as well
doesn't help. Practice is the magic word though. Even good English
users need practice for the IELTS exam and it could mean all the
difference between pass and fail. There is limited practice
available and it's quite expensive. That's why we would recommend
you download our practice material. You will get more practice for
less money. Go to the Home Page to find more information about our
Practice Tests and other Practice Tests available. The Task
Basically The IELTS Academic Task 1 Writing is an information
transfer task related to the factual content of an input text(s),
graph(s), table(s) or diagram(s). It can be combinations of these
inputs. Usually you will have to describe the information given in
1, 2 or 3 three inputs but sometimes you have will have to describe
a process shown in a diagram. Marking for the IELTS Academic Task 1
Writing The IELTS Academic Task 1 Writing will be marked in three
areas. You will get a mark from 1 to 9 on Task Fulfillment,
Coherence & Cohesion and Vocabulary and Sentence Structure.
Your final band for task 1 will be effectively an average of the
three marks awarded in these areas. Task 1 writing is less
important than task 2 and to calculate the final writing mark, more
weight is assigned to the task 2 mark than to task l's mark. To get
a good overall mark for The IELTS Academic Task 1 Writing though,
both tasks have to be well answered so don't hold back on task 1 or
give yourself too little time to answer it properly. Task
Fulfilment This where you can really make a difference through
careful preparation. This mark grades you on basically "have you
answered the question". Cohesion and Coherence These two are
interrelated which is why they are done together. Cohesion is how
your writing fits together. Does your writing with its ideas and
content flow logically? Coherence is how you are making yourself
understood and whether the understands what you are saying. An
example of bad coherence and cohesion would be as follows: 1 We
went to the beach because it was raining. Probably the writer of
this sentence does not mean "because" as people don't usually go to
the beach when it is raining. The writer should have written: 2 We
went to the beach although it was raining. Sentence 1 has made a
cohesion and coherence error (as well as a vocabulary one).
"Because" does not join the ideas of the sentence together
correctly and, as a result, the reader does not understand what the
writer wants to say. This is an exaggerated example but it shows
what I mean. Vocabulary and Sentence Structure This area looks at
the your grammar and choice of words. The marker will look at
whether the right grammar and words are used and whether they are
used at the right time in the right place and in the right way.
Many people are worried about their grammar but, as you can see,
grammar is only half of one section of three used to grade your
writing. IELTS is much more interested in communication rather than
grammatical accuracy. Paragraphing for the IELTS Academic Task 1
Writing Tilis is a very easy thing to do but it can have an
enormous effect on the intelligibility of your writing. Very often
people use no paragraphing in The IELTS Academic Task 1 Writing and
the examiner is faced with a "sea" of writing with no breaks from
start to finish. For me, the best writings are those where there
are paragraphs separated by an empty line and also indented. In
this way your ideas are separated clearly. It shows and gives
organization to your writing and makes it more readable. For teh
IELTS Academic Task 1 Writing, you should have a paragraph for your
small introduction, a paragraph for each graph that you are
describing and a paragraph for your ending. If there's only one
graph to be described, then you should split your writing into 2 or
maybe 3 paragraphs for the one graph. For a longer section on
paragraphing and how useful it can be, see Academic Writing Task 2
Tutorial. Scales for the IELTS Academic Task 1 Writing What I mean
by the scale is whether the graphs are marked in hundreds,
thousands, millions, pounds, dollars (US, Canadian, Australian, New
Zealand, etc.), kilograms, tons, metres, kilometres, percent and so
on. It's important for you to make clear what your numbers mean for
an accurate report of the graph. Don't just say that something cost
1000 for instance. Say it cost 1000 US dollars. You can either
specify the scales at the start in your introduction so the reader
knows it for the whole report or you can use the scale each time
you quote a detail in the report. 2 Writing the Task for The IELTS
Academic Task 1 Writing The Introduction You don't need much here.
You only have 150 words to fully answer the question and this is
not much. So, you need 1 or 2 sentences describing the following:
The type(s) of graph you are describing The titles of the graph(s)
The date of the graph(s) The scale (see the paragraph above) You
might not have all this information but you should report what you
do have. So, for example, your beginning could look like this: In
this report I am going to describe 2 graphs. The first one is a bar
chart showing the relationship between age and crime and the second
is a pie chart showing the types of reported crime in the UK in
2002. (This example gives an introduction to the Academic Writing
Task 1 in Test 3 from ieltshelpnow.com.) Describing Graphs for The
IELTS Academic Task 1 Writing What you need to do here is factually
describe the graphs. You don't need to analyse the data, For
example you don't need to give reasons for why figures are high or
low. Sometimes, when there is more than 1 graph, there is a
relationship between the two and you can bring in some comparison
but more than this is not necessary. In the same way, no
specialised knowledge of your own is needed or wanted nor your
opinions. Remember the function of many graphs is to describe a
trend so be sure that you describe the trends. A trend is how
values change generally over time and it is important to describe
the changes along with some of the individual values. We will look
dt trends'abil: later under line graphs. One important issue with
The IELTS Academic Task 1 Writing is how much detail to include in
your report. This depends really on how much detail there is in the
question. If there is only 1 graph and it doesn't have much
numerical data in it, then you will be expected to include all or
nearly all of the numerical detail. If, however, you have 2 graphs,
both of which are very complicated with lots of values, you will
not be expected to include everything as you only have 150 words to
do the job. What you will have to do is to include a selection of
what you feel is the most important and significant detail that
needs to be included to accurately describe the graph. You must
always have some numerical detail though. Now let's look
individually at the types of graph that you are likely to meet in
the exam and how to describe them. Bar Charts for The IELTS
Academic Task 1 Writing Hopefully you will have described the title
of the bar chart in your introduction so you can go straight into
the description. Basically, with a bar chart, you need to describe
the bars and their values. When describing a bar chart you first
have to decide in what order to describe the bars, highest value to
lowest value or lowest value to highest value. It may be a mixture
of this. If there are very many bars, you can sometimes group
together for description 1 or 2 or 3 bars which have similar or the
same values. If there are very many and you can't group them, then
just describe the ones that are the most Significant. Pie Charts
for The IELTS Academic Task 1 Writing Pie charts are relatively
straightforward as they only usually have a few sections though
this is not always the case. You need to describe the segments and
their values. If there are very many then just describe the ones
that are the most significant. The values are often expressed in
percentages but not always so be careful what scale you are using.
Tables for The IELTS Academic Task 1 Writing These can sometimes be
tricky as they provide a lot of information and it is often awkward
and difficult to describe every piece of information. You have to
decide and describe the values and sections that are the most
significant. Line Graphs for The IELTS Academic Task 1 Writing The
function of a line graph is to describe a TREND pictorially. You
therefore should try and describe the trend in it. If there are
many lines in the graph(s), then just generally describe the trend.
If there is only one or two, then use more detail. So, 3 describe
the movement of the line(s) of the graph giving numerical detail at
the important points of the line. To describe the movement, there
is some language which will always be useful. Below is a list of
language you can use. Check with your dictionary words that you
don't understand and practice using the words/phrases so you use
them in the right way. As you will see, there are a number of words
which are similar in meaning. This means that you will be able to
use a variety of vocabulary which gives a good impression to the
examiner who will read and mark your writing. The words below are
particularly useful for line graphs but they can also be used where
appropriate to describe the other types of graph. Expressing the
Movement of a Line Rise (to) Increase (to) Go up to Grow (to) Climb
(to) Boom Peak (at) Fall (to) Decline (to) Decrease (to) Dip (to)
Drop (to) Go down (to) Reduce (to) Level out No change a rise an
increase growth a climb a boom (reach) a peak (at) a fall (of) a
decline (of) a decrease (of) a dip (of) a drop (of) a red uction
(of) A slump a leveling out no change Remain stable (atr ---Remain
steady (at) Stay (at) Stay constant (at) Maintain the same ~ e v e
l Dramatic dramatically Sharp sharply Huge hugely Enormous
enormously Steep steeply Substantial substantially Considerable
considerably Significant Significantly Marked markedly Moderate
moderately Slight slightly Small Minimal minimally Describing the
Speed of a Change Agjectives Rapid rapidly Quick quickly Swift
swiftly 4 Sudden suddenly Steady steadily Gradual gradually Slow
slowly The Ending for the IELTS Academic Task 1 Writing You do not
need a long and analytical conclusion for The IELTS Academic Task 1
Writing, but I do feel that you need to write something to end the
report for reasons of structure. All you need to do is to write:
This ends my report. This is all you need to end your Task 1; I
think it's important to do this as it rounds off the report for the
reader. Describing a Process for the IELTS Academic Task 1 Writing
We have looked at the various types of graph that you might be
asked to describe but you also might have to describe a diagram
representing a process, First of all, the introduction and the
ending should be more or less the same. Then, work out the various
stages of the process. Take each one separately (it's only probably
gOing to have a limited number of stages) and describe them fully.
Fully is the important word as reaching the word limit has proved
harder in this task, If you have this problem, don't be afraid to
use your imagination to add to detail about the process, Other
Hints for the IELTS Academic Task 1 Writing DON'T copy any part of
the question in your answer. This is not your own work and
therefore will be disregarded by the examiner and deducted from the
word count. You can use individual words but be careful of using
long "chunks" of the question text. Don't repeat yourself or the
same ideas. This gives a bad impression and the examiner realises
that it isn't adding to the content of your report. If you are weak
at English grammar, try to use short sentences. This allows you to
control the grammar and the meaning of your writing much more
easily and contributes to a better cohesion and coherence mark,
It's much easier to make things clear in a foreign language if you
keep your sentences short! Think about the tenses of your verbs. If
you're writing about something that happened in the past, your
verbs wHl need to be in the past tenses, If you're describing the
future, you will need to use the future tenses. If it's a habitual
action, you'll need the present simple tense and so on, If you have
time, a quick check of your verbs at the end of the exam can help
you find errors. For describing graphs you will probably need past
tenses whereas, for describing a process, you will probably need
the present simple. Think about the verbs while practising and then
it will become easier when you do the exam. As I just said, if you
have finished the exam with time to spare, DON'T just sit there!!
Check what you have done. If you have time after the check, check
again. And so on .... Don't be irrelevant. Although you can use
your imagination to expand on your answer, if any part of your
report is totally unrelated to the question and put in to just put
up the word count, then the examiner will not take it into account
and deduct it from the word count, If you want to improve, there's
no secret. Practice, Practice, Practice. You won't get better
sitting and doing nothing. Even good English users need practice
for the IEL TS exam. It could make all the difference between your
getting the band that you need, and getting half a band less than
you need and having to wait 3 months to do the exam again. Finally,
there are no correct answers or methods. Here I've given you some
ideas to guide you and hopefully to help you but the questions can
be answered well in different ways. Good luck with the IELTS
Academic Task 1 Writing. I hope that this free tutorial has helped
you! Below are links to the other free IEL TS academic tutorials,
While taking this test, many non native english speakers do not
properly join 2 small sentences. The proper use of connectives
mentioned below will be helpful. Try to use them in your sentences.
Familiarity with these words would be useful in all IELTS test
modules. Common connective words indicating: Addition Sequence II
Consequence ContrastI II II I however on the other in addition
first(ly) initially hand despite in spite of as a result thus and
similarly second(ly) etc.to though although but so therefore
likewise as well as on the contrary begin with then
consequentlybesides further more otherwise yet instead next
earlier/later it follows that also moreover and then after
this/that thereby oftoo not only ..; but following this/that rather
whereas eventuallyeven besides this/that afterwards nonetheless
even admittedly then in that case though compared with in contrast
alternatively ,I Certainty II Condition II Definition II Summary I
certainly is refers to in conclusion in plainly of course if unless
whether means that is provided that for summary lastly finally
undoubtedly consists of so that whether to sum up to conclude
depending on to recapitulate in short Example ReasonI II II Time II
I for instance one smce as so before since as example for example
because (of) until meanwhile pust as in particular due to owing to
at the moment such as namely the reason why when whenever to
illustrate in other words -." .as soon as just as leads to cause 6
Writing: Task 2 Name: Date: Topics Issues Positive Needs attention
Topic / Task Main Issues identified at beainnina Clear, justified
paragraph structure Topic sentence in each paraaraoh Ideas in
supporting sentences: ,!i10,; Ideas and ,/ Relevant supporting ,/
Consistent, easy to understand arguments ,/ Clearly presented,
sufficiently developed ,/ Give adequate attention to all aspects of
topic ~ , Conclusion: " " ~ ,/ Summarises main points - . - - ~ - .
- ~ ,/ Indicates argument ended Essay right length Register
appropriate Ideas relevant to topic Text:, " , , Clarity of ,/ Easy
to understand message ,/ Logically organised ,/ Contains
appropriate paragraphing ,/ Contains relevant cohesive devices
Errors have minimal effect on message Varied and accurate set of
vocabulary including: " > " -, ,/ Word formation ,/ Phrasal
verbs ,/ Idiomatic expressions ,/ Collocations ,/ Fixed expressions
Varied and accurate use of structures including: ' , % . Vocabulary
,', ;,.,., ,/ Verb constructions and syntax ,/ Relative clauses ,/
Sentence types ,/ Active and passive voice ,/ Conditionals ,/
Infinitives and gerunds ,/ Prepositions ,/ Articles Other 7 June 1
2002 Soon people who cannot work with computers will be
disadvantaged. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this
idea? Sep 12 2002 Task 1: Write a letter to a bus company saying
you have left something valuable on the bus and tell them what to
do if they [md it. Task 2: Nowadays, radio is being replaced by TV
and the Internet. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this
idea? ? These days, schools introduce behaviour of what is 'right'
or 'wrong'. This responsibility is not only parents'. To what
extent do you agree or disagree? 13 Feb 2003 Education is a
lifelong task. Do you agree or disagree? 14 Feb 2003 Young people
are encouraged to travel or work for one year after high school and
before university studies. Write the advantages and disadvantages
of this matter. OR Young people are encouraged to travel or work
for one year after high school and before university studies. Do
you think it is a good idea to do so? March 3 2003 Task 1: You have
recently moved to a new house. There has been damage after you have
moved into the house. Write a letter to your landlord explaining
what has happened and ask him what you can do. Task 2: Nowadays,
people care about their appearance more than before. Do you agree
or disagree? 7 March 2003 Governments should spend more money on
education than on recreation and sports. Do you agree or disagree?
9 March 2003 Technology has facilitated our lives so much and given
us a lot of freedom. Some people, however, believe that it has
caused more problems for us. What is your opinion? (ai p p g . co
m) April 25 2003 (General) Task 1: You have asked for accommodation
to do a course in a country; your plan has changed and you would
like to ask for new accommodation. Write the agency and explain
your situation and ask for your new accommodation. Task 2: Shopping
has become a :favourite pastime among young people. Why do you
think it is like that, and do you think they must be encouraged to
do other things rather than shopping? 8 April 23 2003 Task I: Write
a letter to a company you worked for and say what you think about
good or weak points of the company; say whether you think some
changes should be made. Task2: Nowadays, some people still prefer
to ride bicycles. To what extent do you think this will help us in
today's life? May 8 2003 Academic Task 2: Governments have to place
the same number of men and women in different fields of study in
universities. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this
statement? May 18,2003 People's character is influenced by
environment rather than genetics. Do you agree or disagree? May 21
2003 Task 1- a table showing difference between two African
countries was given, and it was asked to compare them from
different points of view. Task 2- in the 21 st century, there is no
use to pay expenses for wild animals protection. What's your idea
about this matter? 31 May 2003 Task 2: Is technology time-consuming
or does it save time? Task 2: The elderly people of over 50 years
of age should be retired and be replaced by the young. Do you agree
or disagree? 30 May (Abu Dhabi) First task: write a letter to the
sports center manager complaining about some problems you face when
you go to his sports center. Second task: write whether you support
that employees' salaries are. not enough to make them happy.
Benefits like health insurance etc. shou1d be given to make them
happier. 7 June 2003 Task 1: You have been going to a sport club.
Recently there are some problems with the club. Write a letter to
the club, mention the problems and make suggestions. Task 2: In the
world today, how can the companies keep their employees happy?
Express your idea and bring reasons, for example how salary, health
care and holiday can make employees happy. Task One: A company has
invited you for a job interview, but the train that you have taken
was delayed. Write a letter to the railway company and explain the
situation. Write what they can do for you. (What you want them to
do for you?) Task Two: People follow interests and have hobbies
(e.g. collecting or making things) Do you think it is pointless?
How can people learn from hobbies? 14th June 2003 (Academic)
Smoking tobacco like other dangerous drugs should be made illegaL
Agree or disagree? 15 June 2003 (Academic) Task one: A table
comparing economic and social features of two Indian Ocean
countries. 9 Task two: Wild animals have no place in the 21st
century and trying to preserve these animals is a waste of
resources. To what extent do you agree or disagree? July 62003 Task
1: A friend has written you a letter and offered you help in your
forthcoming trip to a foreign country. He has offered you to help
you find suitable accommodation. Write him a letter and tell him
what you have in mind for accommodation. Task 2: Education is
sometimes considered as something for the y o u t h ~ Some people,
however, consider it as a lifelong task. What is your opinion? Give
reasons and support your ideas with specific supports. Task 2: It
is good for school and university students to take part in
part-time jobs. Do you agree or disagree? 20 July 2003 (Academic)
Task 1: A graph comparing the value of videos for sale and rental
in the u.s and ED between 1992 and 2000 (It consisted of 4 graphs
in one). Task 2: Some people argue that governments should spend
money only on medicine and education and that things like theaters
and sports stadiums are luxurious. Agree or disagree? 25 July 2003
(Academic) Task 1: A diagram about some forest which has burnt out
and started fo grow again. After 50, 100, 150, and 300 years of
time, the forest has reached its pre-fire status. Task 2: Nowadays,
the gap between countryside and cities has increased in many
countries. Is it the same in your country? What can governments do
to reverse this? OR There is a gap in standards of living between
countryside and cities. How true is this in your country? What
measures should be taken to reduce this gap? 28 July 2003
(Academic) Task 1: Rainfall and temperature changes in .two
different countries (Nigeria and Brazil) _ the graph included in
the group files. Task 2: Young people are encouraged to travel or
work for one year after high school and before university studies.
Write the advantages and disadvantages of this matter. 9 Aug 2003
Task 1: You are invited for a job interview recently, but the train
that you have taken delayed. Write a letter to the railway company
and a. Explain your journey b. Write what you want them to do Task
2: Some people follow interests have hobbies (collection, making
things), but some people think that it is pointless. Why do people
need hobbies? How can they learn from hobbies? 9 Aug 2003
(Academic) Task one: A table showing the increasing number of
elderly aged more than 100, by gender in UK in four consequent
different years in 20th century. Task two: With the advent of
computers the role of teachers are going to be faded in classrooms.
Agree or Disagree? OR 10 Task1: A table with 12 numbers giving
information about UK residents who are aged over 100 between 1941
and 2001. Task2: As computers are more and more used in education,
some people argue that in future there will be no role for
teachers. Agree or disagree? 16 Aug 2003 (Academic) Language and
culture are respected less in comparison with the past. Do you
agree or disagree? 28 Aug 2003 (Academic) Task 2: Ki1ling animals
and using their flesh for food is not right. Do you agree or
disagree? 30 Aug 2003 (General) Task 1: You have just fmished a
two-day course in a college. Write a letter and explain the details
of the course. Give suggestions to make the course better. Task 2:
Riding bicycles ... 30 Aug 2003 (General) Task 1: You are going to
do a course in another country; your plan has changed. Write to the
agency, explain the situation and ask them for new acconunodation.
Task 2: Young people nowadays would like to go shopping in their
free times. Why do people do this? Is it good or should it be
substituted by other activities? 30 Aug 2003 (General) Task1: you
took a two-day course. You are asked to send your conunents. Write
a letter and: Say details about this course which part of course
was useful? Give your suggestions Task2: in spite of modem
technologies for transport, many people believe bicycle is the best
vehicle for transportation. OR In the present world, how bicycle is
effective on everyday life? 13 Sep 2003 (General) Task 1: You have
broken your leg and are staying at home for a few weeks. Your
classmates have sent you so many presents and cards. Write a letter
to them and describe how you spend your time and tell them about
your recovery. Task 2: Nowadays, children have a lot of homework to
do. Some people, however, believe that less homework means less
stress for children, so they will be able to learn other useful
skills, too. What is your opinion? 20 Sep 2003 (General) Taskl: One
ofyour pen friends wants to come to your country and you ha ve
never seen himlher. You will be late at the airport. Write a letter
to himlher and *Explain why you will be late *Tell a place in order
to find him so easily *How you should recognize himlher T ASK2:
Should mass media publish details of people's private lives or
should they be controlled? 11 20 Sep 2003 (Academic) Task 2: The
British police do not cany guns. Do you think it is good or bad? 25
Sep 2003 (General) Task 1: You have purchased a camera from the
duty free shop. There has been something wrong with the camera.
Write a letter to the shop and describe what you felt when you
found out about the problem. Tell them what you expect them to do.
Task 2: Nowadays, many people from different nationalities and
cultures get married together. What do you think are the advantages
and disadvantages of this? 4 Oct 2003 (Academic) Task 1: Two charts
comparing the number of UK households across 2 different years:
1981,2001. Task 2: Nowadays environmental problems are too big to
be managed by individual persons or individual countries. In other
words, it is an international problem. To what extent do you agree
or disagree? 12 Oct 2003 (Academic) Task 2: Juvenile delinquents
should undertake such punishments as cleaning the streets or such
rather than be imprisoned. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
18 Oct 2003 (General) Some people
believe----':-ith-a--:-t-u-m-=-versities are responsible for
preparation of young people for employment. Others believe
universities have other responsibilities. What do you think about
the responsibility of universities? 12 Plague words or phrases for
IElTS Examination Avoid problems created by these words or phrases:
1. And also nris is often redlU1dant. 2. And/or Outside of the
legal world, most of the time this construction is used, it is
neither necessary nor logical. Try using one word or the other. 3.
As to whether The single word whether will suffice. 4. Basically,
essentiaJly, totally These words seldom add anything useful to a
sentence. Try the sentence without them and, almost always, you
will see the sentence improve. 5. Being that or being as These
words are a non-standard substitute for because. Being that Because
I was the youngest child, I always wore hand-rue-downs. 6.
Considered to be Eliminate the to be and, unless it's important
who's doing the considering, try to eliminate the entire phrase. 7.
Due to the fact that Using this phrase is a sure sign that your
sentence is in trouble. Did you mean because? Due to is acceptable
after a linking verb (The team's failure was due to illness among
the stars.); otherwise, avoid it. 8. Each and every One or the
other, but 9. Equally as Something can be equally important or as
important as, but not equally as important. 10. Etc. This
abbreviation often suggests a kind of laziness. It might be better
to provide one more example, thereby suggesting that you could have
written more, but chose not to. 11. He/she is a convention created
to avoid gender bias in writing, but it doesn't work very well and
it becomes downright obtrusive if it appears often. Use he or she
or pluralize (where appropriate) so you can avoid the problem of
the gender-specific pronolU1 altogether. 12. Firstly, secondly,
thirdly, etc. Number things withfirst, second, third, etc. and not
with these adverbial forms. 13. Got Many writers regard got as an
ugly word, and they have a point. If you can avoid it in writing,
do so. I Hff'/e got to must begin studying right away. I have get
two pairs of sneakers. 14. Had ought or hadn't ought. Eliminate the
auxiliary had. You Ha6B!t ought not to pester your sister that way.
15. Interesting One of the least interesting words in English, the
word you use to describe an ugly baby. If you show us why something
is interesting, you're doing your job. 16. In terms of See if you
can eliminate this phrase. 17. Irregardless No one word will get
you in trouble with the boss faster than this one. (A I P PG . com)
18. Kind of or sort of. These are OK in informal situations, but in
formal academic prose, substitute somewhat, rather or slightly. We
were pleased with the results. 19. Literally Ibis word might be
confused with literarily, a seldom used adverb relating to authors
or scholars and their various professions. Usually, though, if you
say it's "literally a 13 jungle out there," you probably
meanjiguratively, but you're probably better off without either
word. 20. Lots or lots ofIn academic prose, avoid these
colloquialisms when you can use many or much. Remember, when you do
use these words, that lots of something countable are plural.
Remember, too, that a lot of requires three words: "He spent a lot
of money" (not alot of). 21. Just Use only when you need it, as in
just the right amount. 22. Nature See if you can get rid of this
word. Movies of a violent nature are probably just violent movies.
23. Necessitate It's hard to imagine a situation that would
necessitate the use of this word. 24. Of Don't write would of,
should of, could of when you mean would have, should have, could
have. 25. On account of Use because instead. 26. Only Look out for
placement. Don't write "He only kicked that ball ten yards" when
you mean ''He kicked that ball only ten yards. " 27. Orientate The
new students become oriented, not orientated. The same thing
applies to administrate -- we administer a project. 28. Per Use
according to instead. We did it per your instructions? Naah. (This
word is used frequently in legal language and in teclmical
specifications, where it seems to be necessary and
acceptable.)----29. Plus Don't use this word as a conjunction. Use
and instead. 30. Point in time Forget it! At this time or at this
point or now will do the job. 31. Previous as in "our previous
discussion." Use earlier or nothing at all. 32. So as to Usually, a
simple to will do. 33. Suppose to, use to. The hard "d" sound in
supposed. to and used. to disappears in pronunciation, btt it
shouldn't disappear in spelling. "We used to do that" or "We were
supposed to do it this way." 34. The reason why is because. Deja vu
all over again! 35. Thru This nonstandard spelling of through
should not be used in academic prose. 36. 'Til Don't use this word
instead of until or till, even in bad poetry. 37. Try and Don't try
and do something. Try to do something. 38. Thusly Use thus or
therefore instead. 39. Utilize Don't use this word where use would
suffice. (Same goes for utilization.) 40. Very, really, quite (and
other intensifiers) Like basically, these words seldom add anything
useful. Try the sentence without them and see if it improves. 14
What should a government do for a country to become successful?
Should sports classes be sacrificed in High School so students can
concentrate on Academic subjects? Nowadays doctors can become very
rich. Maybe they should not focus on profitable activities such as
plastic surgery or looking after rich patients and concentrate more
on patients health, no matter how rich they are? Will modern
technology, such as the internet ever replace the book or the
written word as the main source of information? Discuss the
advantage and disadvantage of giving international Aid to poor
countries. Should criminals be punished with lengthy jail terms or
re-educated and rehabituated, using community service programs for
instance, before being reintroduced to society? Computers can
translate all kinds of languages well so our children don't need to
learn more languages in the future? The following are the topics of
previous IELTS Writing test: June 1 2002 Soon people who cannot
work with computers will be disadvantaged. To what extent do you
agree or disagree with this idea? SeD 122002 Task 1: Write a letter
to a bus company saying you have left something valuable on the bus
and tell them what to do if they find it. Task 2: Nowadays, radio
is being replaced by TV and the Internet. To what extent do you
agree or disagree with this idea? These days, schools introduce
behaviour of what is 'right' or 'wrong'. This responsibility is not
only parents'. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 13 Feb 2003
Education is a lifelong task. Do you agree or disagree? 14 Feb 2003
Young people are encouraged to travel or work for one year after
high school and before university studies. Write the advantages and
disadvantages of this matter. OR Young people are encouraged to
travel or work for one year after high school and before university
studies. Do you think it is a good idea to do so? March 3 2003 Task
1: You have recently moved to a new house. There has been damage
after you have moved into the house. Write a letter to your
landlord explaining what has happened and ask him what you can do.
' Task 2: Nowadays, people care about their appearance more than
before. Do you agree or disagree? 15 7 March 2003 Governments
should spend more money on education than on recreation and sports.
Do you agree or disagree? 9 March 2003 Technology has facilitated
our lives so much and given us a lot of freedom. Some people,
however, believe that it has caused more problems for us. What is
your opinion? April 25 2003 (General) Task 1: You have asked for
accommodation to do a course in a country; your plan has changed
and you would like to ask for new accommodation. Write the agency
and explain your situation and ask for your new accommodation. Task
2: Shopping has become a favourite pastime among young people. Why
do you think it is like that, and do you think they must be
encouraged to do other things rather than shopping? April 23 2003
Task 1: Write a letter to a company you worked for and say what you
think about good or weak pOints of the company; say whether you
think some changes should be made. Task2: Nowadays, some people
still prefer to ride bicycles. To what extent do you think this
will help us in today's life? May 82003 Academic Task 2:
Governments have to place the same number of men and women in
different fields of study in universities. To what extent
doyouallree-or disagree with this statement? May 18,2003 People's
character is influenced by environment rather than genetics. Do you
agree or disagree? May 212003 Task 1- a table showing difference
between two African countries was given, and it was asked to
compare them from different points of view. Task 2- in the 21st
century, there is no use to pay expenses for wild animals
protection. What's your idea about this matter? 31 May 2003 Task 2:
Is technology time-consuming or does it save time? Task 2: The
elderly people of over 50 years of age should be retired and be
replaced by the young. Do you agree or disagree? 30 May (Abu Dhabi)
First task: write a letter to the sports center manager complaining
about some problems you face when you go to his sports center.
Second task: write whether you support that employees' salaries are
not enough to make them happy. Benefits like health insurance etc.
should be given to make them happier. 7 June 2003 Task 1: You have
been going to a sport club. Recently there are some problems with
the club. Write a letter to the club, mention the problems and make
suggestions. Task 2: In the world today, how can the companies keep
their employees happy? Express your idea and bring reasons, for
example how salary, health care and holiday can make employees
happy. 16 Task One: A company has invited you for a job interview,
but the train that you have taken was delayed. Write a letter to
the railway company and explain the situation. Write what they can
do for you. (What you want them to do for you?) Task Two: People
follow interests and have hobbies (e.g. collecting or making
things) Do you think it is pointless? How can people learn from
hobbies? 14th June 2003 (Academic) Smoking tobacco like other
dangerous drugs should be made illegal. Agree or disagree? 15 June
2003 (Academic) Task one: A table comparing economic and social
features of two Indian Ocean countries. Task two: Wild animals have
no place in the 21st century and trying to preserve these animals
is a waste of resources. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
July 62003 Task 1: A friend has written you a letter and offered
you help in your forthcoming trip to a foreign country. He has
offered you to help you find suitable accommodation. Write him a
letter and tell him what you have in mind for accommodation. Task
2: Education is sometimes considered as something for the youth.
Some people, however, consider it as a lifelong task. What is your
opinion? Give reasons and support your ideas with specific
supports. Task 2: It is good for school and university students to
take part in part-time jobs. Do you agree or disagree? 20 July 2003
(Academic) Task 1: A graph comparing the value of videos for sale
and rental in the U.S and EU between 1992 and 2000 (It consisted of
4 graphs in one). Task 2: Some people argue that governments should
spend money only on medicine and education and that things like
theaters and sports stadiums are luxurious. Agree or disagree? 25
July 2003 (Academic) Task 1: A diagram about some forest which has
burnt out and started to grow again. After 50, 100, 150, and 300
years of time, the forest has reached its pre-fire status. Task 2:
Nowadays, the gap between countryside and cities has increased in
many countries. Is it the same in your country? What can
governments do to reverse this? OR.. There is a gap in standards of
living between countryside and cities. How true is this in your
country? What measures should be taken to reduce this gap? 28 July
2003 (Academic) Task 1: Rainfall and temperature changes in two
different countries (Nigeria and Brazil) _ the graph included in
the group files. Task 2: Young people are encouraged to travel or
work for one year after high school and before university studies.
Write the advantages and disadvantages of this matter. 9 Aug 2003
Task 1: You are invited for a job interview recently, but the train
that you have taken delayed. Write a letter to the railway company
and a. Explain your journey b. Write what you want them to do Task
2: Some people follow interests have hobbies (collection, making
things), but some people think that it is pOintless. Why do people
need hobbies? How can they learn from hobbies? 17 WRITING WRITING
TASK 1 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The charts
below show the results ofa survey ofadult education. The first
chart shows the reasons why adults decide to study. The pie chart
shows how people think the costs ofadult education should be
shared. Write a report for a university lecturer, describing the
information shown below. You should write at least 150 words.
Interest in subject To gain qualifications Helpful for current job
To improve prospects of promotion Enjoy leaming/studying To able to
change jobs To meet people 10 % 20 30 40 Individual 40% How the
costs of each coul"se should be shal"ed Taxpayer 25% Employer 35%
18 WRITING TASK 2 You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Present a written argument or case to an educated reader with no
specialist knowledge ofthe following topic: There are many
different types ofmusic in the world today. Why do we need music?
Is the traditional music ofa country more important than the
Internarional music that is heard everywhere nowadays? You should
write at least 250 words. Use your own ideas, knowledge and
experience and support your arguments with examples and relevant
evidence. 19 WRITING WRITING TASK 1 You should spend about 20
minutes on this task. The diagram below shows how the Australian
Bureau ofMeteorology collects up-to-the-minute information on the
weather in order to produce reliable forecasts. Write a report for
a university lecturer describing the information shown below. You
should write at least 150 words. INCOMING INFORMATION ANALYSIS
& FORECASTING P R E ~ A R I N G THE BROADCAST BROADCAST 20
WRITING TASK 2 You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Present a written argument or case to an educated reader with no
specialist knowledge of the following topic. Should wealthy nations
be required to share their wealth among poorer nations by providing
such things as food and education? Or is it the. responsibility
ofthe governments ofpoorer nations to look after their citizens
themselves? You should write at least 250 words. Use your own
ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with
examples and with relevant evidence. 21 WRITING WRITING TASK 1 You
should spend about 20 minutes on this task The chart below shows
the amount Qf moneyper week spent on fast foods in Britain. The
graph shows the trends in consumption offast foods. Write a report
for a university lecturer describing the infonnation shown below.
You should write at least 150 words. Expenditure on fast foods by
income groups Pnnce prJ! ~ } ( ; ( : ~ ; ( ! n ppr 40 :30 20 15 10
5 Hlghlncom0 Consumption of fastfoods 1970 -1990 graMme;:; 22
WRITING TASK 2 You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Present a written argument or case to an educated reader with no
specialist knowledge of the following topic: News editors decide
what to broadcast on television and what to print in newspapers.
What factors do you think influence these decisions? Do we become
used to bad news? Would it be better ifmore good news was reported?
You should write at least 250 words. Use your own ideas, knowledge
and experience and support your arguments with examples and
relevant evidence. 23 WRITING WRITING TASK 1 You should spend about
20 minutes on this task. Chorleywood is a village near London whose
population has increased steadily since the middle ofthe nineteenth
century. The map below shows the development ofthe village. Write a
report for a university lecturer describing the development ofthe
village. You should write at least 150 words. Omfll.'lywood Parl{
i;lI\i..l Golf GIJ'Jn1e 1883 1022 .. - _. Fmifway (bl"ilt 1QOG) 24
WRITING TASK 2 You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Present a written argument or case to an educated reader with no
specialist knowledge of the following topic: The idea ofhaving a
single career is becoming an old fashioned one. The new fashion mil
be to have several careers or ways ofearning money and further
education will be something that continues throughout life. You
should write at least 250 words. Use your own ideas, knowledge and
experience and support your arguments with examples and relevant
evidence. . 25 PRACTICE WRITING TEST Writing Task 1 You are advised
to spend a maximum of 20 minutes on this task. The flowchart below
shows the process involved in writing a formal academic essay for a
particular university course. Describe the stages ofthe process in
a reportfor a university lecturer. You should write at least 150
words. - G> First Private Tutorial - Topic: discuss task and
topic with tutor 1 - Reading List; obtain list of resources -
books, articles G> Research 1 - Library: read literature, take
notes - Field work: give questionnaires, interviews, surveys G>
First Draft .. Plan: organise essay content, produce brief outline
- First Draft & Check: use formal check G> Second Private
Tutorial OR Study Group Discussion - Analysis: discuss first draft
problem areas - Advice: Ask for further ideas, ... G> Second
Draft 1 - Input Revision: read resource material again - Second
Draft &Check: include check 0- Final Draft - Final Draft &
Check; do final rewrite, spellcheck + compile bibliography * + add
title page SUBMIT BY DEADLINE Preparation and Writing of a Formal
Essay.I* bibliography -list of books referred to Writing Task 2 You
are advised to spend a maximum of 40 minutes on this task. Write an
essay for a tutor on the following topic: The world is experiencing
a dramatic increase in population. This is causing problems
notonlyforpoor, undeveloped countries, butalsofor industrialised
and developing nations. Describe some of the problems that
overpopulation causes, and suggest at least one possible solution.
You should write at least 250 words. You are required to support
your ideas with relevant information and examples based on your own
knowledge and experience. 26 Writing module (1 hour) - - " : Tip
Strip Read the ques1ion very carefully. The instructions state that
you should 'describe'the information in the graph. You should NOT
speculate about the reasons for the data or give reasons for it.
Look carefully at the labels. What do the diagrams represent? Take
a minute to plan how you will describe the information. Are there
any significant features? Can you compare or contrast any of the
data? Think of how best to group the information in the diagram.
Write one or two paragraphs, making sure that you cover all the
important points. Read through your answer when you have finished
and check grammar. spelling and punctuation. Check that you have
linked your points together well. Make sure you have written enough
words. You will not be penalised for writing too much but keep an
eye on the time: you will need. to leave about 40 minutes for Task
2.. You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The graph below
shows how money was spent on ofentertai11lnent over afive-year
period. Write a reportfor a unh'el'sity lecturer describing the
informatiol1 shown below. You should write at least ISO words.
Cinema 250Video Fun Money Music World entertainment markets 200
Publishing 150 100 Television 50 1995 2000 Asia United States
SOlllce: Booz AUen & Hamilton Figures are in $ billion 1995
2000 7 Tip Strip Read the question very carefully. Underline key
points in the question and make sure your answer is relevant to
these. Consider your personal view on the topic. Do you agree,
disagree or have an impartial view? Take a minute to plan what you
are going to say in your answer. Think of the main idea you will
include in each paragraph, then think of some supporting points.
Before you start writing, think about how you will introduce the
topic. DO NOT copy the question. Include some arguments that are
relevant to your own society or personal experience. Clearly state
your conclusion. Make sure that you address the question. Read
through your answer when you have finished and check grammar,
spelling and punctuation. Check that you have linked your points
together well. Make sure you have written enough words. You will
not be penalised for writing more than 250 words but you will not
gain extra marks either. You should spend about 40 minutes on this
task. Present a written argument or case to an educated
non-specialist audience on the following topic: Under British
andAustraliull laws ajll1Y ill a criminal case has no access to
information about the defendant's past criminal record. This
protects tlte person who is being accused ofthe crime. Some lawyers
have suggested that this practice should be changed and that a jury
should be given all the pastfacts before they reach their decision
about the case. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your
answer. You should write at least 250 words. You should use your
own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with
examples and relevant evidence. 28 Writing module (1 hour) 'WRITING
TASK 1 < ~ " ~ You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The graphs below show the types o/music albums purchased by people
in Brit"in according to sex and age. Write a report/or a university
lecturer describing the in/ontUition shown below. You should write
at least 150 words. Percentage of people 50, who buy Pop Music 40
Percentage of people who buy Rock Music 01 percentage of people 25
who buy Classical Music OJ male I female 016-24 2534 D 35-44 . ~
rQjmale ., II[HH,-24 female i' 25-34. in .3544d045+ . 29 WRITING
TASK 2 w .",,___ ___ You should spend about 40 minutes on this task
Present a written argument or case to an educated non-specialist
audience on the followingtopic: Some employers reward members
ofstaff for their contribution to the company by giving them extra
money. This practice can act as an incentive for some but may also
have a negative impact on others. To what extent is this style
ofmanagement effective? Are there better ways ofencouraging
employees to work hard? You should write at least 250 words. You
should use your own ideas, know ledge and experience and support
your arguments with examples and relevant evidence. 30 Writing
module (1 hour) QYou should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The graphs below show the number ofmen and women infit/!
andpart-time employmel11 in Australia between 1973 and 1993. Write
a report/or a university lecturer describing the information sh01vn
below. You should write at least 150 words. 15-19 25-29 35-39 45-39
55-59 65+ Age group (years) Age group (years) Part-llmemBieli
Part-time females Full-time females 15-19 25-29 35-39 45-39 55-59
65+ 25 'JI> ::;0': . 15 '0 , " '""""':(' o 15-19 25-29 35-39
45-39 55-59 65+ 15-19 25-29 35-39 45-39 55-59 65' Age group (years)
Age group (years) Source: labour Force Survey 31 You should spend
about 40 minutes on this task. Present a written argument or case
to an educated non-specialist audience on the following topic: In
the past, sporting champions used to be motivated primarily by the
(lesire to win a match or to break world records. These days, they
are more likely to be motivated by prize money and the opportunity
to befamolls. What message does this send to young people and how
does this altitude to sport affect the sports themselves? Give
reasonsforyour answers. You should write at least 250 words. You
should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support
your arguments with examples and relevant evidence. 32 Writing
module (1 hour) You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The
diagrams below show the development ofthe horse over a period of40
million years. Write a report for a university lecturer describing
the information shown below. You should write at least 150 words. \
I Eohippus - 40 million years ago \ r t / Mesohippus - 30IIlillion
years ago Mcrychippus - 15 million years ago Horse" modern TM
eVolution. ojthehorse,withpl1r/ieularernPliasis the changJngfoot
strUctUre 33 You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. ,
Present a written argument or case to an educated non-specialist
audience on the following topic: 'Failure is proofthat the desire
wasl1 't strong enough.' To what extent do YOll agree with this
statement? Give reasons for yoIll' answer. You should write at
least 250 words. You should use your own ideas, knowledge and
experience and support your arguments with examples and relevant
evidence. Writing module (1 hour) ;VVRIT)NG TASK ;.'" ,--"", - ..
-You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The graph andpie
chart below give information on in-house training courses in a
large financial company. Write a reportfor a university lecturer
describing the information shown below. You should write at least
150 words. Training - hours per year EJ Technical Career
development LI Healh and safety Interpersonal skills Office
Workers' Attitude to Training Waste of valuable time Important for
job Good for networking . Good excuse for achange % o 90 [J Manager
Li Secretary 35 I;WRITING TASk"'2 1 .. You should spend about 40
minutes on this task. Present a written argument or case to an
educated non-specialist audience on the following topic: To be
label/ell II 'Work ofArt', a painting, sculpture or other artform
should (lispia)' certain qualities that are IInique. However, over
the past centwy there has been a (lecline in the quality of
prize-winning artwork and it is now possiblefor quite ordinary
pieces ofart to be labelled 'masterpieces' whilst true works ofart
pass unnoticed. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasol1sforyour
answer. You should write at least 250 words. You should use your
own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with
examples and relevant evidence. 36 PRACTICE WRITING TEST Writing
Task 1 You are advised to spend a maximum of 20 minutes on this
task. The table below summarises some data collected by a college
books hop for the month ofFebruary 2000. Write a report describing
the sales figures ofvarious types ofpublications, based on the
information shown in the table. You shOuld write at least 150
words. Non- Book Club Members Book Club Members Total College Staff
College Students Members of Public Fiction ' Non-fiction Magazines
44 29 332 31 194 1249 -122 82 76 942 33 151 1287 1696 Total 40S
1474 204 1051 3134 Writing Task 2 You are advised to spend a
maximum of 40 minutes on this task. Your college tutor has asked
you to write an essay on the following topic: Studying the English
language in an Ellglish-speakingcountry is the best but not the
only way to learn the lallguage. Do you agree or disagree with this
statement? You should write at least 250 words. You are required to
support your arguments with relevant information and examples based
on your own ideas, knowledge and experience. 37 PRACTICE WRITING
TEST Writing Task 1 You are advised to spend a maximum of 20
minutes on this task. The bar chart below shows the number
ofoverseas students enrolled in a second year Graphic Design course
at a college in the south ofEngland. Write a report for a
university lecturer describing the information shown. You should
write at least 150 words. KEY titii.l Enrolled in CAD core option I
M Male students Enrolled in Photography core option F - Female
students 10 Sweden 8 France Germany No. of enrQlled 6 students from
4 abroad 2 0 M F M F M F M F M F It CAD - Computer-Aided Design
Writing Task 2 You are advised to spend a maximum of 40 minutes on
this task. Write an essay for a university lecturer on the
following topic: People in all modern societies use drugs, but
today 's youth are experimenting with both legal and illegal drugs,
and at an increasingly early age. Sotire sociologists claim that
parents and other members ofsociety often set a bad example..
Discuss the causes and some effects ofwidespread drug use
byyoungpeople in modern day society_ Make any recommendations
youfeelare necessary to help fight youth drug abuse. You should
write at least 250 words. You are required to support your
arguments with relevant information and examples based on your own
ideas, knowledge and experience. 38 PRACTICE WRITING TEST Writing
Task 1 You are advised to spend a maximum of 20 minutes on this
task. The graph below shows the montMy profits of3 British
companies in the car retail industry for the 2000 financial year.
Write a report for a university lecturer comparing the peifonnallce
of Acme Sports Cars and Branson Motors for the period given. You
should write at least 150 words. End of 1st Quarter: End of 2nd
Quarter: End of 3rd Quarter: End of Financial Profit Introduction
of tax Oil Media reports boost Year: (in 1()()()s) luxury goods in
economy Writing Task 2 You are advised to spend a maximum of 40
minutes on this task. Write an essay for a university lecturer on
the following topic: We have been living in the nuclear age IlOWfor
overhalfa century. Since the first atomic bombs were developed,
nuclear technology has provided government:f with the ability to
totally destroy the planet. Yet the technology has been put to
positive use as an energy source and in certain areas of medicine.
To what extent is nuclear technology a danger to life on Earth?
What are the benefits and risks associated with its use? You should
write at least 250 words. You are required to support your
arguments with relevant information and examples based on your own
ideas, knowledge and experience. 80 60 40 20 o "Y "Y Acme Sports I
1. /'.Cars /' /' Branson Motors \j ..--:" ............ /,,/,.-11",0
_ _ a 1""'- I -..... ).t1l-Con.'U1t _ \,J1OU1 e_..colubanl price, $
199& 97 98 99 2000 01 model answer: The pie chart shows the
worldwide distribution of sales of CocaCola in the year 2000 and
the graph shows the change in share prices between 1996 and 2001.
In the year 2000, Coca-Cola sold a total of 17.1 billion cases of
their fizzy drink product worldwide. The largest consumer was North
America, where 30.4 per cent of the total volume was purchased. The
second largest consumer was Latin America. Europe and Asia
purchased 20.5 and 16.4 per cent of the total volume respectively,
while Africa and the Middle East remained fairly small consumers at
7 per cent of the total volume of sales. Since 1996, share prices
for Coca-Cola have fluctuated. In that year, shares were valued
atapproximately $35. Between 1996 and 1997, however, prices rose
significantly to $70 per share. They dipped a little in mid-1997
and then peaked at $80 per share in mid-98. From then until 2000
their value fell consistently but there was a slight rise in
mid-2000. 40 2 The chart below gives information about global sales
of games software, CDs and DVD or video. Write a report for a
university lecturer describing the information. have -changed $bn
_Games , software lli.0' D\/Dlvideo model answer: -,--The chart
shows the changes in the sales of video material / DVDs, games
software and CDs around the world in billions of dollars over a
three-year period. It can be seen that the sales of videos / DVDs
and games software have increased, while the sales of CDs have gone
down slightly. Between 2000 and 2003, the sale of videos and DVDs
rose by approximately 13 billion dollars. In 2000, just under 20
billion dollars worth of these items were sold, but 'in 2003, this
figure had risen to a little over 30 billion dollars. The sales of
games software also rose during this period, but less sharply.
Sales increased from about 13 billion dollars in 2000 to just under
20 billion dollars three years later. By contrast, during the same
time period, the sale of CDs fell from 35 billion dollars in 2000
to about 32.5 billion dollars in 2003. 41 3 The graphs below show
the types of music albums purchased by people in Britain according
to s3x and age. Write a report for a university lecturer describing
the information shown below. Percentage of people% Who buy Pop
Music '.mali; female .16-24 825-34 .35-44 .45+ Percentage ofpeople%
who buy Rock Music mala female .16-24 .25-34.3544 1145+
-,._--------------------....., Percentage of people Who buy
Classical Music II male . f W n . l ~ .16-'24 .2S>34 IISSM
11145+ 42 model answer: The three graphs provide an overview of the
types of music people purchase in the UK. At first glance we see
that classical music is far less popular than pop or rock music.
While slightly more women than men buy pop music, the rock market
is dominated by men with 30% buying rock, compared to 17% of women.
From the first graph we see that interest in pop music is steady
from age 16 to 44 with 20% of the population continuing to buy pop
CDs after the age of 45. The interest in rock music reaches its
peak among the 25 to 34 year aIds, though it never sells as well as
pop. Interest also drops off after the age of 35 with an even
sharper fall from age 45 onwards, a pattern which is the opposite
to the classical music graph. 4 You should spend about 20 minutes
on this task. The graphs below show the numbers of male and f e m a
l e ~ workers in 1975 and 1995 in several employment sectors of the
republic of Freedonia. Write a report for a university teacher
describing the information shown. 43 Employment in Freedonia by sex
in 6 sectors, 1975 Finanve!banklll9 WhOleSaleS, retail tl'ade
Pubtll> (non..aehmce) pubflc sector ---------------.. t-----_..
}---.--. ---_. .... 1---------____-- ----. II Women Men
\-------------..__ .-- _.- e o 200 400 600 eoo 1000 Number of
emplo)'ees (1000) Employment in Freedonia by sex in 6 sectom, 1996
!leommun!caUOJl$ 1-----..--.4..--_._-------.! Women eM(!ln I
J---------liIJ. 1---........------.......
1-------------4..._--..--. o 200 400 600 600 1000 Number of
employees (1000} model answer: The two decades between 1975 and
1995 brought significant changes in the representation of women in
Freedonia's work force, according to the graphs. In 1975, for
example, some 300 000 men and 250 000 women worked in the
communications sector. Twenty years later, though the number of men
remained unchanged, the number of women rose to 550 000. A similar
situation was seen in the wholesale and retail trade sector, where
the number of women rose from about 550 000 in 1975 to almost 800
000 two decades later. The number of men in 44 5 this sector
remained stable over the period, at around 700 000. Women also made
gains in both the finance jbanking industries and in the
defence-related public sector. Whereas some 125 000 women worked in
finance and banking institutions in 1975, the number increased to
450 000 by 1995. The number of men grew only marginally from 425
000 to 480 000 over the same period. In defence, the number of men
declined from 225 000 to 200 000, while the number of women rose
from 25 000 to over 100 000. Two sectors that retained stable
employment numbers for both men and women were manufacturing, which
had about 300 000 women and 650 000 men in both surveyed years, and
the public sector (non-defence), which employed 650 000 women and
850 000 men. Thus, women appear to have made gains in the
Freedonian work force but not at the expense of men. (243 words)
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. Eating sweet foods
produces acid in the mouth, which can cause tooth decay. (High acid
levels are measured by low pH values) Describe the information
below and discuss the implications for dental health. 45 Atid in
molJl:h from consumption of sugars/honey 7 at whicn IO'Jlh tlecay
is ,/l'llik-elyaClaieverai wni';; iooih"Oica;"oCCUrs ,,_,_ Fftllt
sugar Cane sugar Hoooy Moment 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 eaten minutes
mjlluWs minutes minutes minutes minutes minutes mlnllles 11111&
maf>SCI:."C ... >-)' . it's the sense of space and freedom
that people people come from so many oiher cities. Perhaps
peopJearetoo busy dreari)iiig ......'..' iiltl!irig,
Water;isalwriyi:; I!earby, and the bllroqur is
mostbeiiutiftl(siiWilf. :_:.,- ... ?'. The answer is given in
fairly simple English you should avoid giving a complex answer with
difficult vocabulary. It contains all the points written in
note-fonn on the previous page, and is approximately the right
length for a good answer. Ofcourse, the speed at which you speak
will also determine how much you are able to say. Increase your
speaking speed by practising 'topic talking' daily and by improving
your pronunciation, Use the sample cards below and in the Speaking
Test Game on page 152 to practise writing out an answerofsimilar
length, and ask a teacher to check your work. Then try giving a
spoken answer from the notes you have made, It is fine to memorise
an answer for practice if it helps to speed up your English, but do
not waste your time memorising large pieces of English to speak in
the test. The examiner will not be fooled by this approach!
Besides, you would be very lucky to guess your topic before the
test. .You might be able to make your talk sound more interesting
by "lifting" your voice a little higher than when you speak
normally More Sample Topic Cards t::\ r----------------- Talk about
a holiday you have taken recently or at some time in the past. You
should include in your answer: where you went on your holiday why
you went to this particular place what you did aOd with whom .. and
why you enjoyed your holiday or not Describe a health problem you
once had (or talk about someone else's problem). You should
mention: the nature of the health problem why the problem. occurred
what you (or the other person) could not do because of the problem
." what you (or the other person) had to do to get better 92 e Part
3 - Practice Topics for Discussion: Since you cannot know what
topic you will be asked to talk about in Part 2 of the Speaking
Subtest, it follows that you cannot know in advance any particulars
about the wider topic area that is discussed in Part 3. The
following possible discussion topics are for practice only:
Problems that affect your country Financial success and how to
achieve it Poverty and hunger in the Thield World Crime and
punishment Fashion and design Public transport Youth and the
problems they face The role of television and radio in society The
influence of the print media Current affajrs The changing nalure of
family life Nuclear energy World economic solutions Diet, health
and exercise The consequences of global warming Recreational
facilities in modem cities Future energy resources The relevance of
school examinations Materialism and the consumer Space travel Modem
medicine Censorship and the Internet Types of governments in the
world today Women in the workplace The qualities and skills of a
good company manager The necessity of a strong defence force The
advantages of an international language The design of modern cities
The influence of sport'in society Street protests and individual
rights Religion and the church in the modern world " The pros and
cons of living in a foreign country The meilJ)ing of happiness
Living together, marriage and divorce When you first practise
speaking about these topics, try it in your own language. Think
about the situation as it might have been in the past, the way
things are now, and how things might become in the future.
Ma.kecomparisons, give opinions, aridtrytosound authoritative. Then
practise in English! f) Suggested Phrases for Speaking About The
Future I'm certain that ... (something will/is going to happen)
Most probably ... (something will/is going to happen) It's (always)
possible that ... (something might happen) I hope that ...
(something happens or doesn't happen) There's j- migbteven :,.
(h(j.ppen),c,,;., (something) wiH eVen .. , (happen) coul0!Uway;
(htlppen), especially if a good a 50-50 a reasonable little not
much cbance that ... (something will happen) possibly I (may) er or
not .,. Note the inclusion of first conditional "if clauses", which
can be useful when asked to speculate about the possibility of
something happening in the future. 93 CONCLUDING THE INTERVIEW e
Requirements When the examiner has finisQed the discussion in Part
3, the Speaking Sub-test has come to an end. The examiner will
thank you for talking and the interview is concluded. remember to
thank the examiner for his or her time and say goodbye. as you
leave the room, don't forget to remain positive the examiner might
not have yet completely made up his or her mind about your score,
and the final impression you make is important. Ifyou have
questions about the test itse.lf, such as when the results will
become available, talk to the person in charge ofthe day
sproceedings _ What To Do and What Not To Do ./ x Relax and remain
in control right up until Do not tell the examiner how relieved you
the moment you leave the interview room. are the test is over, and
there is no need to comment on your performance! 2 Shake hands
confidently, ifyou are invited to do so, and thank the examiner for
his or 2 Do not overdo your friendliness at the end . her time. .
Be glad you did your best, smile and leave the room. 3 Simply say:
3 Do not ask the examiner for your Band "Thank you very much for
your time. I Score. He or she is unable to give you that enjoyed
talking with you. Goodbye." information . ... or a similar
concluding sentence or two . of your own. A FINAL WORD . IELTS is a
demanding and challenging examination. Because the Band Score you
receive is probably of great importance to your future you should a
make a 'serious effort RIGHTNOW to achieve the level ofEnglish you
require. Don't wait until tomorrow - tomorrow never comes. Think
deeply about what you can achieve with your life ifyou score well.
Think about what you will be able to do later. Well-placed effort
is always rewarded. The hard work you do now will eventually make
your life easier. A little pain now for a lot ofgain later. That is
the secret ofsuccess - perhaps the secret of living itself - for
learning never ends. The fIrst time you take any test you are
unfamiliar with the way in which it is conducted and will naturally
feel slightly nervous. Many candidates take the IELTS test the
first time for practice - to get an accurate assessment of their
level and to familiarise themselves with the process - before
takingit a second or even third time. Each time you must wait for
three months before being allowed to take the test again. It takes
at least that period oftime to increase your overall Band Score by
one Band, and requires intensive daily study. Good luck ... and
remember the Golden Rule 94 PRACTICE SPEAKING TEST Practise
answering the questions below, giving answers that are at least one
or two sentences long (ifnot more). Ifpossible, practise with
another person - taking it in turns to answer the same question -
and compare your responses. (Please note that the following
questions are only a guide to the type ofquestions you might be
asked in the actual test.) Part 1 Please enter and take a seat.
Yes, just here. First, I need to see your passport . ... it's only
for security purposes. Thank you. My name is (interviewer's name).
And yours is ... ? So, I see you are from (your country). Can you
tell me about the town you come from? Has your family always lived
in (your town)? Where are you living now? How often do you contact
your parents? Do you have any brotbersand sisters? Can you teU me
what you are studying or where you are working at the moment? What
do you like about the work or study you are doing? Describe your
school or workplace. What is ( or was) your favourite subject at
school? Why? Whatbobbies do you have ifany? Why do you enjoy this
activity (these activities)? What do you do and where do you go
when you get together with your friends? What kind of holidays do
you like? What sports do you play or like to watch? 95 Part 2 Thank
you. Now I'd like you to take this card. I want you to speak for
one or two minutes about the topic written on this card. Follow the
instructions. I will give you one minute to prepare before I ask
you to give your talk. Talk about a library that you belong to or
have visited. You should say: where it is located and how the
library is organised who visits the library and why people go there
when and why you last visited the library ... and what rules the
library has. Part 3 (begins after one or two follow-up questions on
the talk above) Please hand me the card. Thank you. Libraries have
always been very important to the community and especially to
students. As well as lending books to borrowers, what other
services are provided by a good library? Does a library serve any
other function in the communinty? How has access to infonnation
changed over the last hundred years or so? What are the advantages
of using the Internet over visiting a library? Are there any
advantages of using a library in preference to searching the
Internet? Do you think that the Internet disadvantages some people
over others? In what way? Many people cannot read or write well in
their own language. How can this be solved? People are reading less
and less these days.; why do you think this is? How can people be
encouraged to read more? What about electronic books - do they have
a future? That is the end of the Thank you and goodbye. 96 Speaking
SPEAKING CANDIDATE'S CUE CARD Task 1 UNIVERSITY CLUBS AND
ASSOCIATIONS You have just arrived at a new university. It is
orientation week and you want to know about the different clubs and
associations you can join. Your examiner is a Student Union
representative. Ask the examiner about: types of clubs meeting
times benefits costs 97 Speaking SPEAKING CANDIDATE'S CUE CARD Task
2 ASKING FOR AN EXTENSION You have to give in a piece of work to
your lecturer next Wednesday. You need two more weeks to prepare
the assignment because you have had difficulty obtaining the
reference books. Your examiner is your lecturer. Find out if you
can have an extension . . Ask the examiner about: regulations
regarding late work possibility of having more time different
sources for books/information assistance with writing for overseas
students 98 SPEAKING CANDIDATE'S CUE CARD Task 3 THE PUBLIC HOLIDAY
There will soon be a public holiday in the country your examiner
comes from. You want to find out about the holiday. Ask the
examiner about: the name of the public holiday the significance of
tQe holiday availability of services on the day
(banks/shops/cinemas) things for visitors to do how shelhe plans to
spend the day 99 SPEAKING CANDIDATE'S CUE CARD Task 4 THE EXCURSION
The Overseas Students' C1ub is organising an excursion to a local
tourist spot. You are thinking of joining the exursion. Your
examiner is one of the organisers. Ask the examiner about:
destination means of transport length of excursion cost meals
clothing/equipment 100 Speaking module (10-15 minutes) Tip Strip
The examners want you to ptskxrn to the best of your afaCty and the
test is designed to give you every opportunity to speak, but.
examiners can only rate what they hear from you. So make sure you
speak up and use the time as effectively as possible. In Part 1, if
the examiner asks you a question which can be answered by 'Yes' or
'No', try to give some extra information to extend your answer.
YeslNo questions in English are often an invitation to say more.
Make sure you answer the question you are asked. Do not come to the
interview with a learned talk. PART 2-- .. - ~ . .. Tip Strip In
Part 2, try to make your talk as interesting as possible. You have
a minute to prepare what you are going to say and you can make some
notes. Write dowhsome .keywords or ideas only. Do not write out .
everything you are goingto say. Look carefully at the . prompt card
on this page. think of a city which . impressed you. .Think of2 or3
things you really remember about the city. Try to interest the
eXfliTlinerin wl'!at you say. The examiner will ask you questions
about yourself, such as: /tVhat s your name? Where do you live?
What/amily members do you live with? 1hat are you studying? What do
you like about your studies? What do you like about learning
English? How often do you use English? The topic for your talk will
be written on a card which the examiner will hand you. Read it
carefully and then make some brief notes. you have visited - - - -
- - ~ - - ..~ - - - . - ~ - ~ " .."..- - - - ~ - - 1 II
INSTRUCTIONS I i Please read the topic below carefully. You will be
asked to talk about it for I,I to 2 minuteS; IIYou have one minute
to think about what you're going to.say. I You can make some notes
to help you ifyou wish. L---,---------__~ - - - - ~ ~ - - - - -
..-..------,,---...c- '.. -.-'Describe a city you have visited
which has impressed you. You should say: where it is situated why
you visitedjt what you likedabo.ut it At the end of your talk, the
examiner will ask one or two brief questions to signal that it is
time to stop talking. For example, he or she mIght ask you: .. . .
. .. . Do you like cities generally? .'. . ........ .. '. .Wouidyou
like to live iiitheciiy,Yijit:ijJiJkeabout?. ,....... ..,. Tip
Strip Look at the discussion ideas for Part 3 on this page. See how
they are broadly linked to the topic of Part 2. Make a few notes in
response to each of the prompts given here. The discussion could
take any of these directions. Try to think of at least five other
interesting ideas linked to this topic. Remember! You can take the
discussion in a direction of your choice, if it is appropriately
linked. Don't be afraid to take the initiative in Part 3 of the
speaking test. This is your chance to show your fluency, your
ability to give and support an opinion and your range of
grammatical forms a,!d vocabulary. Once your talk in Part 2 is
over, your examiner will ask you further questions related to the
topic in Part 2. The examiner may ask you to speak about tllese
points. A city you have visited advantages ofliving in a big cJIY
negative aspects o.fcrowded cities architectural design payingfor
the transport 102 Speaking module (10-15 minutes) l;PART" 1 l ' ~
,", _ The examiner will ask you questions about yourself, sllch as:
What s your name? What nationality are you? What part of your
countr}' do you come Fom? Can you describe your home town/village'!
What do you like doing il1 yourfree time? Why? Are there any new
hobbies that you would like to take up? Why? The topic for your
talk will be written on a card which the examiner will hand you.
Read it carefully, then make some briefnotes. INSTRUCTIONS Please
read the topic below carefully. You will be asked to talk about it
for I to 2 minutes. You have one minute to think about what you're
going to say. can make some notes to help you ifyou wish. Describe
a competition (or contest) that you have entered. You should say:
when the competition took place what you had to do how well you did
it Describe how you felt about the competition. PART 3 ~ ~ , At the
end ofyonr talk, the examiner will ask one ortwobriefquestions to
signal that it is time to stop talking. For example, he or she
might askyou: Do you enjoy entering competitions? Have you entered
any other competitions? Once your talk in Part 2 is over, your
examiner will ask you f1:u'merquestions related to -~ the topic in
Part 2. The exaimer may ask you to speak about these points .. '
Competition , COTIJp ctition at a young age '. the psychology
of(:ornpeting <