IELTS Listening Practice Lesson: Job Application

by 68 Comments

This listening practice lesson is based on IELTS Listening Section 1. The topic is a Job Application which is a very common topic in the listening test. Section 1 requires you to listen for specific information and is the easiest section in the listening test, which means you should aim to get at least 90% or, if possible, 100% right (for people aiming for a high band score).

This listening lesson focuses on two different types of IELTS listening questions i) form completion  ii) multiple choice. It is usual to get more than one type of question in one section of the listening test. In the real test, you will get 10 questions in section 1, but not all at the same time. IELTS usually break the questions into groups to make it easier. However, with my listening practice below, I’ve put them all together.

Instructions:

  1. Read through ALL questions from 1 to 10 so that you are prepared.
  2. Tip:
    1. Be ready for different accents
    2. The first question might be tough to answer but keep listening because the answer will be repeated again.
    3. Always keep calm, never panic and keep track of the questions
  3. Listen to the recording only once and note down your answers.
  4. Post your answers in the comments box at the bottom of the page.
  5. I’ll post the answers later this week with the transript.

Listening Section 1 Practice – Job Application

Questions 1- 3: Complete the notes below using no more than two words.

  1. Job Title Enquiry: (1) ……………
  2. Name: (2) ………………….
  3. Current Occupation: (3) ………………….

Questions 4-6: Choose the correct letter.

4. What work days will there be?

  • a) all week days plus one full weekend day
  • b) Monday to Friday only
  • c) all week days and half a day on weekends

5. How many hours will the job actually require in reality?

  • a) 40 hours
  • b) over 40 hours
  • c) 50 hours

6. What is the overall income per annum?

  • a) £2,000
  • b) £25,000
  • c) over £25,000

Questions 7-10: Complete the notes below using no more than two words and/or numbers.

7. Job Reference Number: ……………

8. First interview date: ………………..

9. HR contact: ……………….

10. Start date: ……………..

Audio Recording

.

ANSWERS & TRANSCRIPT

Click below to reveal the answers and the transcript. The transcript is provided by me so you can check your answers whilst listening to the recording and reading the transcript. It’s a great way to improve your listening skills and develop your English. You won’t be given the transcript in the real test.

ANSWERS
  1. SALES REP
    1. This was tricky when you first heard it, but the answer was repeated twice more in the recording which should have given you a chance to get this right. A sales rep means a sales representative of a company.
  2. RACHEL / RACHAEL JONES
    1. You need both first name and last name for a correct answer.
    2. IELTS will often spell out names, but Rachael is a common name and you can find a list of common names with pronunciation in the Vocabulary section of this website.
  3. RECEPTIONIST
  4. c / C
    1. “Well, from Monday to Friday it’s 9am to 5pm and you’ll also have to work either a morning or an afternoon, which is about four hours, on either Saturday or Sunday.”
  5. b / B
    1. “…while the job is advertised as the standard 40 hours per week, it’ll go beyond that because of the weekend work”
    2. This question is testing your ability to differentiate between advertised hours and actual hours. The real hours will be more than 40 because of weekend work.
  6. c /  C
    1. “… you’ll get a guaranteed income of £2,000 per month which works out more or less at about £25,000 each year, but as you’ll definitely be earning commission as well, you can add that on top …”
    2. This question is testing your ability to hear the difference between guaranteed income and overall income, which means everything together.
    3. It is very common in IELTS to be given one answer but then more information comes along which changes the answer. This is something to be ready for in IELTS listening.
  7. A76401
  8. 3rd AUGUST / AUGUST 3rd
    1. “,,,to the initial round of interviews which are being held on August 3rd.”
    2. The other dates mentioned were for second and third interviews. The applicant first had to get through the first interview on Aug 3rd in order to do the other interviews.
  9. Bob Castor
    1. You need both names spelled correctly.
  10. AUGUST 30th
    1. “…we hope to get the lucky candidate signed up by 30th August”
    2. The following dates were about induction and training which happens after a person joins the company.
    3. This means the official start date for the job is August 30th. A start date for a job is when you sign a contract and become part of the company.

Please note that answers can be written using small or lower case letters. If you are taking the paper based test, writing in capitals for listening and reading answers will help the person marking to read your answer clearly.

These practice lessons are not about getting it all right. It’s about learning and developing. Make a note of which answers you got wrong and why you think you got them wrong. This way, you will improve next time.

All listening exercises on ieltsliz.com have been written by myself to help you prepare for your IELTS test.   

Liz 

TRANSCRIPT
  • B: Hello, XDM Sales, how can I help you?
  • A: Hi, I’m calling to apply for the job that you advertised this morning for a sales rep.
  • B: Certainly. First, I’ll need to take some details. Could you give me your full name?
  • A: Yes, it’s Rachel Jones.
  • B: Thank you. Are you working at the moment?
  • A: Yes, I’m working as a receptionist for a large multinational company.
  • B: And you’re interested to change your position? It’s quite a change to go from working as a receptionist to a sales rep.
  • A: I’m ready for a change. I want to do something more challenging. I feel my work as a receptionist has given me a lot of insight into customers and how to approach them. So, I think I’ll be well suited to work as a sales rep. Although, I would like to know a bit more about the position if that’s ok.
  • B: Of course. What would you like to know?
  • A: Could you tell me more about how many days and hours a week it involves.
  • B: Well, from Monday to Friday it’s 9am to 5pm and you’ll also have to work either a morning or an afternoon, which is about four hours, on either Saturday or Sunday. I know it isn’t ideal to have to give up part of your weekend, but it won’t be every weekend and you can apply for the occasional weekend off.  As for hours, while the job is advertised as the standard 40 hours per week, it’ll go beyond that because of the weekend work. Luckily, it isn’t likely to be as many as 50 hours per week.
  • A: OK. That sounds fine. How about the salary?
  • B: Well, you’ll get a guaranteed income of £2,000 per month which works out more or less at about £25,000 each year, but as you’ll definitely be earning commission as well, you can add that on top to make a nice bit extra over the course of the year.
  • A: That’s not bad, but I guess it depends how much commission I’ll earn. Still, I’d like to apply. Could you let me know the application procedure?
  • B: Yes, of course. You’ll find an application form to download on our website. Put both the job title and reference number: A76401 on the form. Then fill it in and email it to the applications department. Applications will be collected over the next five days. We’ll let you know if you’ve made it through to the initial round of interviews which are being held on August 3rd. For applicants making it through the first round, there will be two more sets of interviews on August 10th and August 21st. After that the final selection is made. If you don’t hear back from us regarding your application, please get in touch in case your application has ended up in spam or been misplaced.
  • A: Who should I call in that situation?
  • B: Call the senior HR manager, Bob Castor (that’s C A S T O R ), you’ll find his contact details on our website. He’ll let you know if you’re through to the interview round or not.
  • A: Great. Can you let me know when the job is due to start and whether there will be an induction or not?
  • B: Of course. As I said, the first set of interviews will be in early August and we hope to get the lucky candidate signed up by 30th August.  Once the sales rep officially becomes part of the team, there will be an induction period from August 30th to September 7th during which time the new sales rep will learn more about the company, products and sales procedures. After that, the new sales rep will shadow one of our more successful reps for 10 days to pick up extra tips.
  • A: That all sounds very exciting. I’ll get my application off today. Thanks.
  • B: Not at all. Best of luck with your application. Bye.

.

Recommended

For more free IELTS Listening Practice Lessons with Liz, click here: IELTS Listening Tips & Practice

Get my free lessons by email

Subscribe for free to get my new IELTS lessons sent to your email inbox.

Filed Under: IELTS Listening Tagged With: ,

IELTS Bar Chart Model Answer for Change over Time

by 88 Comments

An IELTS bar chart and model answer which shows change over time. The IELTS bar chart below was reported in IELTS writing task 1 (Academic) in 2023 and is likely to be repeated in following years. I’ve created a model answer lesson which has a useful language focus for you.

While this task 1 is in bar chart form, it actually shows change over time which means you will be also using language that is typically used for describing line graphs. It is different from the usual bar charts you see in IELTS which show comparisons of categories. This means it is more similar to a line graph than a normal bar chart. For this reason, I like to call such bar charts: bar charts of change over time. These types of bar charts do appear in IELTS writing task 1 quite regularly so look out for them.

IELTS Bar Chart for 2023

Note that the chart depicted above was sent to me from an IELTS candidate.

Model Answer for 2023 Bar Chart

Instructions: Fill in the model answer using the language options presented below:

The bar chart illustrates how much energy was produced by wind in four countries (India, Denmark, Germany and the United States) in four years (1985, 1990, 1995 and 2000). Units are measured in megawatts.

Overall, the US produced the most wind energy over the period given except in the final year when Denmark produced the most. India, Denmark and Germany witnessed 1) ……….. over the years in the amount of energy they generated, whereas the US showed 2) ………. followed by a slight decline.

In terms of the US, energy production stood at 1200 megawatts in 1985. It peaked in 1990 at just over 1600 before 3) ……….. around 100 to 1500 in the final year.

On the other hand, the energy generated in Denmark was just over 200 megawatts in 1985 and then 4) …………. over the years 5) …………  just over 1600 in 2000. India also saw 6) …………. in energy generation, starting at 200 and ending at 1200. Lastly, Germany saw 7) ………….. , only doubling over the period to reach just over 800.

Fill in the gaps with the following words:

  • A.   a significant rise
  • B.   falling by
  • C.   to peak at
  • D.   a steady climb
  • E.   a much lower growth rate
  • F.   an initial increase
  • G.   rose almost eight-fold

ANSWERS

Click below to show the answers:

ANSWERS

Answers:

  1. D
    • This refers to all three countries (Denmark, India and Germany). Some countries had significant increases but not all. So, using the word “steady increase” is a better description to use for all three.
    • Having D in this gap will then allow the use of “a significant rise (A) for gap number 6 which relates to India only, which definitely was significant in energy growth.
  2. F
    • We can see that the only country with a growth rate that happened only in the first year was the US.
    • The answer can’t be G because an eight-fold rise means it grew from, for example, 100 to 800 (8 times in growth) – this isn’t true.
    • The answer can’t be D because the word “steady” refers to an even rise over a period of time as shown in the chart – the chart only shows a rise from one single column to the next, not over all columns.
    • It can’t be E because the growth rate wasn’t slower than other countries at the time.
  3. B
    • Nearly all of you got this right. Well done!
  4. G
    • Most of you got this one right too. Well done!
    • The answer can’t be A because it would be incorrect grammar. The sentence is “the energy generated was X number and then …..”. This gap requires a verb to follow the word “and”.
  5. C
    • Most of you got this right. Well done!
    • The final year for Denmark is significant because it is a special peak in the whole chart. Nearly all charts showing change over time will have one special peak that you should mention.
  6. A
    • This rise is significant. We can also say “considerable”. It rose from 200 to 1200 – that’s a huge rise.
    • Certain we could describe this as a steady rise (D) because it was consistent in growth over the period. But this doesn’t highlight how big the rise was which is the main point and also, we used option D already. So, the answer must be A.
  7. E
    • Most of you got this right. Well done !
    • This final paragraph is about Demark, India and Germany. From those three countries, Germany definitely showed the slowest growth rate over the period.

Don’t use this model answer only as a gap fill exercise. Notice the structure, organisation and content of paragraphs. Notice the grammar used. Notice the paraphrasing used.

 FULL MODEL ANSWER

The bar chart illustrates how much energy was produced by wind in four countries (India, Denmark, Germany and the United States) in four years (1985, 1990, 1995 and 2000). Units are measured in megawatts.

Overall, the US produced the most wind energy over the period given except in the final year when Denmark produced the most. India, Denmark and Germany witnessed a steady climb over the years in the amount of energy they generated, whereas the US showed an initial increase followed by a slight decline.

In terms of the US, energy production stood at 1200 megawatts in 1985. It peaked in 1990 at just over 1600 before falling by around 100 to 1500 in the final year.

On the other hand, the energy generated in Denmark was just over 200 megawatts in 1985 and then rose almost eight-fold over the years to peak at just over 1600 in 2000. India also saw a significant rise in energy generation, starting at 200 and ending at 1200. Lastly, Germany saw a much lower growth rate only doubling over the period to reach just over 800.

.

I hope you found this lesson useful, Liz 

……………………………………………………………….

Free Subscribe to get New Posts by Email

Get my free lessons by email

Subscribe for free to get my new IELTS lessons sent to your email inbox.

Filed Under: IELTS Writing Task 1 Tagged With: ,

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Topic: Concentration

by 42 Comments

IELTS Speaking Topic: Concentration – Questions, Model Answer and Vocabulary. The topic of Concentration is common in IELTS speaking and can appear in part 1, part 2 and part 3.  Below you will find a list of Cue Cards about this topic for Speaking Part 2 followed by useful vocabulary and a model answer. I’ve also added questions for part 1 and part 3 as well so that you can prepare fully for this topic.

Concentration Cue Cards for IELTS Speaking Part 2

Something that helps you concentrate at work or in your studies

You should say:

  • what it is
  • how you use it
  • how it helps you concentrate
  • how you feel about it

 

A method that helps you focus

You should say:

  • what it is
  • when you use it
  • how it helps you
  • whether you like it or not

 

Something that helps you remember things

You should say:

  • what it is
  • how often you use it
  • how effective it is
  • how you feel about it

 

A time when you struggled to concentrate

You should say:

  • when it was
  • what happened
  • how you reacted
  • how you felt about the incident

 

A time when you forgot something important

You should say:

  • when it happened
  • what happened
  • how you responded
  • how you felt about it

 

Someone you know who is very focused

You should say:

  • who it is
  • how you know this person
  • in what way they are focused
  • what you think of the person

 

A job that requires a high level of concentration

  • what the job is
  • what tasks are involved in it
  • why concentration is so important
  • and whether you think this is a useful job

Ideas & Vocabulary for Concentration Topic

In Speaking Part 2, it can be difficult to decide what to talk about for your topic. It’s important that you choose something easy to talk about that you are familiar with. This way, you will easily be able to expand your talk with extra details from your own memory or feelings. Below are a list of ideas and vocabulary of what to talk about for the topic of a method of concentrating or something that helps you concentrate. I’ve underlined useful language for you.

  1. Ear plugs or noise cancelling headphones
    1. Many people find that using ear plugs helps them focus on the task in hand without being distracted by surrounding noise.
  2. Eliminate distractions
    1. Getting rid of things that distract you from concentrating, such as closing down unused programs or personal social media on your laptop, removing files from your desk, clearing away mess etc. Some people are more easily distracted by such things than others.
  3. Go for a walk or take a break
    1. Taking some time out often helps clear brain-fog. It can give you a fresher perspective and more energy.
  4. Create an hourly plan
    1. Sometimes having a schedule can help you concentrate and get things done on time. Being more focused usually leads to higher levels of concentration.
  5. Set an alarm
    1. Setting regular notifications on your phone to ping helps remind you of what you are supposed to be focusing on.
  6. Distraction blocker apps or focus apps
    1. These apps can block incoming calls, messages pinging and prevent you accessing any website pages until the time you set has expired. Focus apps are designed to reward you if you focus on one task and give punishment if you switch to other apps or tasks during the time period set.
  7. Have a to-do list
    1. Having a clear list of tasks you must complete will help you focus as you tick them off one by one. This way you will be less preoccupied with things hanging over you and can work through them systematically.
  8. Multitasking
    1. Many people find doing more than one task at a time can save time, but others find it lowers their performance and ability to concentrate.
  9. Set deadlines for yourself
    1. Doing this gives you the drive to get things done and not fritter your time away.
  10. Avoid social media
    1. Time seems to disappear when people go on to social media and can lead to shorter attention spans in the long run.
  11. Drink water
    1. One of the main reasons people start to struggle with concentration is because they are dehydrated. Drinking water refreshes your mind and helps you focus. It is usually more effective than drinking caffeine.

Model Answer for Concentration Topic: IELTS Cue Card

The model answer below offers you another option for tackling the topic of concentration problems. I’ve again underlined useful language. Notice how I use a range of tenses and even manage to add some past tense and future forms even though the cue card is in the present – this is a very good way to boost your grammar score.

A method you use to concentrate

You should say:

  • what it is
  • when you use it
  • how it works
  • and how you feel about it

Model Answer

One great way that I ensure I can concentrate at work is by taking some time out for mindfulness. I know it probably sounds strange, but it really works. I find that my concentration starts flagging usually around 3pm after having eaten lunch and I also struggle to focus sometimes when I am overloaded with work. When I first started my job, my performance at work really dropped at those times. But having just a short break of just 15 mins to revitalises my body and mind through mindful breathing and creating a bit of peaceful space around me works wonders. Other people at work seem to take a break and spend their time gossiping, eating junk food or just stressing about unfinished tasks. But I use my short break to go for a short walk alone to clear my head and do some deep calm breathing. With a fresh mind, I can return to my work and tackle things in a more logical order without getting flustered.

Another aspect of mindfulness is having a clear work space. The more cluttered my desk is, the more overwhelmed I feel with tasks. It’s like everything gets on top of me. So, I make sure to take time to regularly clear my desk, check my task list and keep things organised. This creates a peaceful work environment which helps keep my mind focused on the task in hand.

But I know that everyone has their own methods. My friends says that the best way to focus in a busy office is to use noise cancelling ear plugs which help cut out ambient noise that can be very distracting. Another friend of mine found that by improving their sleeping and eating habits, they increased their ability to concentrate and were more attentive to smaller details. So, I guess everyone is different and you need to find what works best for you.

Model Answer Feedback

This answer doesn’t necessarily tackle each of the prompts on the cue card one by one. That’s ok and is acceptable in IELTS speaking part 2. It also offers multiple methods which isn’t asked for in the cue card. It also introduces methods used by others rather than just the speaker. This is all 100% fine and it’s a great technique for lengthening your talk. IELTS Speaking part 2 talks can be adapted as long as you stick to the main topic which in this case is “concentration”.  This model answer is packed with incredibly natural, high band score vocabulary and expressions. It also contains a lot of topic based vocabulary which is important for the examiner to hear. Whatever your topic, the examiner will be looking for vocabulary relevant to that topic. This answer also contains various grammar tenses, a comparative statements, superlatives and a wide range of sentence structures.

IELTS Speaking Part 1 Concentration Questions

  1. Do you ever struggle to concentrate?
  2. How do you improve your concentration?
  3. Did you struggle to concentrate at school? Why?
  4. What kinds of things makes it hard to concentrate?
  5. Do you think older people struggle to concentrate more than younger people?

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Concentration Questions

  1. Do you think technology has impacted our concentration?
  2. Do you think people concentrate better now than in the past?
  3. Do you think modern technology can be intrusive?
  4. What methods are there to improve someone’s concentration?
  5. How could employers help their employees concentrate more?
  6. Are there any jobs that require more concentration than others?
  7. Can exercise impact concentration?
  8. Why do some children struggle to concentrate in class?
  9. Can teachers do anything to help children concentrate better?

I hope you found this page useful. If you wish to learn more about IELTS Speaking, go to the main Speaking page on this website for tips, topics and model answers: IELTS Speaking Main Page. All main sections of this website are found using the RED Menu Bar at the top of the website.

All the best

Liz

…………………………………………………..

Free Subscribe to get New Posts to your Inbox

Get my free lessons by email

Subscribe for free to get my new IELTS lessons sent to your email inbox.

Filed Under: IELTS Speaking, Vocabulary

IELTS Candidate Tips for an Overall Band 8.5

by 29 Comments

Below are IELTS Tips for Band Score 8.5 from a successful IELTS candidate. These tips are written by Esha who is happy to share her experiences of the IELTS test and her exam preparation with you all. I have added some extra essential tips for the writing test at the bottom of the page to help you guys push your score to band 7 and above.

IELTS Candidate Tips for Overall Band 8.5

I am Esha Chaugule. I recently took IELTS and scored more than I expected. Firstly, I’d like to say a huge THANK YOU. I diligently scoured through every section of this website. They were all tremendously helpful, and I owe my score to you, Liz. I secured 8.5 overall band in my IELTS Test. I would like to share my tips with you, so that you can post them up on the website and hopefully, my tips might help students in the future. (I’ve attached my score card below).

Esha’s IELTS Results

  • L 9
  • R 9
  • W 6.5
  • S 8.5

Here are my tips…

Listening Band 9

Initially, I practised online from various websites, but later realised that these are not accurate, are unnecessarily high level, and the answers are sometimes wrong. I realised the only source I can trust is the official IELTS Cambridge books. These are curated exactly like the official IELTS Exams, and thus, provide the most accurate formats and practise questions (comment from Liz – these books are past papers published by IELTS). My biggest tip for Listening would be to read the questions ahead of time. The IELTS exam format gives you time to read questions beforehand, but it might not always be enough (eg. in the last section). Along with the reading time, I would advice to use the “introduction of the section” time and the “answer checking” time as well. Reading questions ahead gives you an idea of what to expect for an answer (i.e., a number, a street name, an adjective, etc.). Focus and concentration play a crucial part of course. Practicing gets you equipped with the Listening test format, accents and your focus increases as well.

  • Tricky part: when the answer to a blank comes way before in the audio, than we expect it to. Thus, we need to keep close attention to everything that’s being said in the audio.

Or

  • Phrases are rephrased in the audio, so reading questions beforehand, to get the gist of what is going to be said, gives you a heads up on when an answer to a blank might be coming up.

Eg. The audio might say: There’s a lot of litter on the beach. This might be harmful for children playing or adults walking on the beach. So, we need people to clean this up from the beach.

The test might have the question: “making sure the beach does not have ________ on it.”

The word “litter” is never repeated after the first time it’s said. Thus, we need to keep close attention to the audio and concentrate to find answers even if the sentences are paraphrased.

Reading Band 9

Again, use only Cambridge Tests for practise. I would advice to read a couple questions first, and try to LOCATE the answers to those questions, by skimming through the passage. Try to identify a particular word or couple words in the question that are unique, and find those in the passage. Begin from the first paragraph, because 90% of the questions come in order.

Tricky parts:

  1. True/False/NG or Yes/No/NG: When not sure about False/NG or No/NG, rephrase the question with the exact opposite meaning, and try to find if that opposite meaning is given in the passage. If it’s given, the answer is False/No. If it’s not given, the answer is NG.
  2. Matching Information/Matching Headings: Read the paragraph in it’s ENTIRETY, get the gist of what it’s trying to convey, match. Sometimes the answer lies in one sentence, other times, you need to read the entire paragraph. When it’s confusing and taking too long, skip, and come back to the question after you’re done with the rest of the questions.

Writing Band 6.5

Not a great score, but I can give my tips. I went through ALL the sections of IELTS Liz Writing. Kept in mind specific words like slightly, marginally, rose, dropped and phrases like “number stood at X”, “number witnessed a peak of X” and “number accounted for X% of the total”. This was for part 1 of course.

Apart from this, just follow Liz’s tips, and you’ll be good to go to score at least 6. I knew I wouldn’t be able to score more than 6.5 in Writing, so I focused more on the other three sections. (Comment from Liz – I’ve added useful tips for Writing Task 2 at the bottom of this post.)

Speaking Band 8.5

I actually completely forgot everything that I had prepared for the Speaking test. I had prepared to incorporate a few high vocab words and complex phrases into my speaking test. But what came out at the time, was a natural conversation and genuine thoughts. I just tried to speak as much as possible, without any pauses. I never ended my answers by myself in section 2 and 3, the examiner did that for me, I just kept speaking while maintaining a coherent logic of my thoughts. I remember using a couple high vocab words, but the rest of it is a blur to me, so I don’t know what kind of grammar I used. Have a strong (but not loud) voice and be confident. A smile goes a long way! (Comment from Liz – here’s a link to my free tips for IELTS speaking)

Lastly

PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE!

You’ll get comfortable with the format of these tests, and with the level of questions as well. You’ll know what to listen for during Listening and know what to locate during Reading much easier only with practise.

Liz’s site helped a lot. If you follow only her website diligently and practise from the official Cambridge Tests, you’ll be good to go!

All the best!

Comments from Liz

Well done, Esha! A great overall score and some very useful tips for all future IELTS candidates. I want to stress how important your tip is about using the authentic listening and reading test materials. The only full tests you should use are ones directly offered by IELTS in their books, not ones you find on other websites. I also want to commend your listening tips regarding answers that appear before keywords are given – very well spotted. These questions are so challenging!

EXTRA WRITING TASK 2 TIPS from Liz (Target band 7 plus)

Task Response in writing task 2 is 25% of your marks. Each main point must be relevant to the topic given. Each sentence should be 100% relevant to the main point in the paragraph. Your essay should not contain any padding. So, aim for a focused and highly relevant essay. For all Writing Task 2 tips, click here: Writing Task 2. For writing task 1, it is about task achievement for both Academic reports and GT letters. See this page for tips: Writing Task 1 Tips

Coherence and Cohesion is 25% of your marks and many we forget to focus on this. Using a range of linking devices is crucial. Click: key linking words. You should have an introduction, conclusion and either two or three body paragraphs. This is the easiest marking criterion to get a high score in as long as you plan paragraphing and check your linking words.

Grammar is 25% of your marks. Do not over-complicate your sentences. A complex sentence does not mean a complicated sentence. Just one clause can change a simple sentence to a complex sentence for IELTS tests. Use a range of grammar features, such as noun phrases and noun clauses, and also aim for accuracy with articles (a/the/plurals), word order and prepositions. See this video lesson: Adding a Clause to your Sentence. Remember that too many errors means a lower score.

Vocabulary is 25% of your marks. Don’t try to push fancy, flowery words into your essay because the essay must be in formal style. Words should be suitable, appropriate to the topic and conveying precise meaning. Use phrasal verbs, rather than idioms (which are mostly too informal). Don’t try to over-paraphrase as it’ll lead to too many errors. Spelling counts.

Band Scores – learn more about them. Know the requirements of the band score you are aiming for and what causes your score to go up or down. Click here: IELTS Writing Task 2 Band Scores Explained

Note to Other Successful IELTS Candidates: if you wish to share your tips as Esha has done above, please email me: liz@ieltsliz.com. I can’t promise to post all candidate tips but any that are posted will be deeply appreciated.

FREE Subscribe to get New Posts to Your Email

Free Subscribe to Get New Tips and Posts by Email

Enter your email address below.

Filed Under: Tips from Successful IELTS Candidates

New IELTS Essay Topics for 2023

by 89 Comments

Below are new IELTS essay topics in 2023 for Writing Task 2. I’ve also included useful ideas for each topic so that you can prepare for your test more quickly.

The majority of essay questions you will get in IELTS writing task 2 will be recycled topics from previous years. This is because there are so many common topics to choose from. However, occasionally new topics are introduced which reflect our changing world and new current issues in society. I haven’t put the precise wording for the essay questions as IELTS often rephrase their essay questions using different wording.

To prepare fully for your test, you must also prepare ALL common essay questions. Please click here: 100 IELTS Essay Questions

In addition, please note that all the topics below can also appear in the speaking test as well (part 3).

2023 New IELTS Essay Topics with Useful Ideas 

These essay questions could appear in both the IELTS Academic and GT writing task 2 test. Please remember, these are topics with ideas so that you can use them and adapt them to the question in the test because questions will usually be paraphrased and tasks will vary from test to test.

  1. Essay Topic: Poor concentration due to social media
    • Short attention spans can affect us by not focusing on detail and poor performance at school or work
    • Pop up ads are intrusive and interrupt our focus
    • Temptation to chat on social media cuts into people’s concentration
    • Social media encourages a shorter attention spam with short punchy media, such as on TikTok and Instagram
    • Social media is all about excitement and pleasure viewing. Due to this we are training ourself to switch off from anything that isn’t offering pleasure and this impacts our ability to focus on work tasks.
      • Note: I’ll post a page with useful language for the topic of concentration in a few weeks as this topic is very common in the speaking test. 

2. Essay Topic: Children learn how to grow vegetables or farming

    • Growing vegetables and caring for livestock is part of essential life skills for a healthy future
    • As a species we should never forget our basic life skills for future survival
    • Homegrown vegetables have more nutrition which children should learn about
    • Vegetables can be grown on balconies as well as patios
    • It allows children to reconnect to nature which is important in a world where they are so focused on gadgets
    • This might encourage children to also take an interest in cooking, which is another essential life skill

3. Essay Topic: Taking risks in personal and professional life

    • + New challenges to keep people on their toes
      • “to keep people on their toes” – idiom – keep people alert and prepared for potential problems (an idiom suitable for WT2)
    • + Risks help us grow and learn new skills
    • + Life is always changing and full of risks so people should embrace this aspect of life rather than try to avoid it
    • – Risk can lead to negative consequences for individuals and families
    • – It is better to be safe than sorry
    • – Avoiding risk is the responsible thing to do
      • (note: this topic is very similar to the topic about “people who like change vs people who do not like change in their life” – that topic has been used for years by IELTS

4. Essay Topic: Streaming Films Online vs cinema

    • Streaming online is cheaper and more accessible
    • Streaming online is more enjoyable at home
    • Streaming online offers a wider choice of options
    • Cinema has better sound systems and bigger screens
    • Cinema allows you to share emotional responses with an audience
    • Cinema is a special experience for groups and couples

5. Essay Topic: Children & active or passive leisure activities

    • Active activities: sport, photography, hiking, camping
    • These activities help children get fresh air, build physical health, learn new skills and engage in socialising with others face to face.
    • Passive activities: reading, watching TV, social media
    • These activities help children gain insight, can be educational or inspirational, help children develop creativity and technological skills.

6. Essay Topic: Men’s and women’s sports shown on TV and social media

    • Traditionally most sports were male based so audiences are historically more attracted to male sports
    • Women’s sports are just as exciting as male sports
    • Women’s sports don’t often get the same amount of sponsoring from companies which impacts their sport
    • Women’s football already has large followings on social media

7. Essay Topic: Truth in people’s communication is most important

    • + Truth helps people develop honest, meaningful relationships
    • + Truth develops open communication instead of repressed relationships
    • + Without truth, there is only deceit which is toxic to relationships and erodes trust
    • + Truth leads to trust
    • – Social media encourages people to present a version of truth rather than the whole truth in order to impress others and create a particular impression – this can lead to misconception and lead others in the wrong direction
    • – Sometimes the truth can be hurtful and needs to be approached step by step rather than directly
    • – Some people are not ready to hear the whole truth
    • – Truth may be something that needs time to emerge in cases such as abuse or where someone may be at risk
    • – Truth sometimes has to be edited for children

8. Essay Topic: Sense of Community

    • + People used to know their neighbours well and have a sense of community
    • + Community meant that people took care of each other and looked out for one another
    • +/- Doctors and teachers used to live in the community and become leaders of the community but now they often live in other areas and play little part in the community as a whole
    • – Social media does not encourage relationships with neighbours but rather between people at a distance
    • – Online shopping means fewer people socialise whilst shopping locally
      • Note: a similar essay topic is one such as “adults should be required to do obligatory community service for a period of time”. That essay leans towards the benefits of community service vs time and obligation.

9. Essay topic: Graffiti on city walls

    • + Freedom of expression
    • + Some graffiti can be a work of art
    • + It creates a colourful environment in a drab urban setting (drab = dreary, dull, lifeless)
    • + Graffiti can stimulate creativity in others
    • + Graffiti can be cultural which benefits society
    • – It is often unregulated art
    • – Graffiti could contain indecent or violent images or words
    • – It could incite racism, hatred or political unrest

10. Vaping and Children (Predicted Topic)

    • Vaping was originally introduced to help smokers quit, but now vaping is becoming popular amongst people who never previously smoked.
    • Vaping can be addictive and their use has grown dramatically in the last five years, particularly in high school children
    • E-cigarettes are less harmful than normal cigarettes, but they do still contain harmful ingredients such as nicotine, flavourings and other chemicals
    • Vaping could lead to increase in asthma
    • Could lead to people choosing to take up smoking normal cigarettes later on
      • While this is only a predicted topic, it is something you can easily introduce into essays or into your speaking test as it is a current world issue

11. Organised Tours to Remote Places (Tourism)

    • + Travellers get to see places that are largely untouched by the modern world
    • + Remote places are steeped in culture and interest
    • + Remote places can benefit from a boost in their economy
    • – The culture in such places will be altered by so many tourists
    • – Such tourism can have a negative impact on the local eco system
    • With tourism comes the threat of pollution

12. Museums should focus on local works of art

    • + Focusing on local art exhibits means local artists are supported and encouraged
    • + Part of the task of a museum is conserving local history and culture so this should be their primary goal
    • + This is a way of promoting local culture and history to tourists which could benefit the economy of the country
    • – Many museums have international collections of art that people travel from around the world to see
    • – The history of some countries is interconnected with other countries and other cultures – history is not always confined within a boarder
    • – We now live in a global world and museums should reflect that

13. Values from family and parents play a greater role in future success than skills and knowledge from schools

  • + from parents we can learn discipline and the meaning of hard work which are vital for future success
  • + from family we can learn the value of determination and never giving up
  • – schools provide the building blocks of knowledge upon which our future hangs, such as reading, writing, comprehension, maths etc
  • – without education, most people would be reduced to menial work and success would be much harder to attain
  • – some careers require specific education and training without which success would be impossible

Useful Links:

Click Below:

100 Essay Questions

Writing Task 2 Model Essays and Tips

Writing Task 1: Model Answers and Tips

Note: IELTS do not use topics based on religion or politics because IELTS is non-political and non-religious . IELTS tests tend to aim for topics that reflect the world we live in by focusing on social issues and everyday issues that are more familiar and less emotional for people to write or speak about. So, please pay attention to which resources you use online when you prepare for your test and make sure you aren’t wasting your time preparing for topics that definitely won’t appear.

Free Subscribe to Receive New Lessons by Email

Enter your email address below.

Filed Under: IELTS Writing Task 2

Update: On the Day IELTS Test Tips

by 10 Comments

Hi guys,

This is to let you know that I’ve add more last minute tips to the “On the day tips” page.

The “On the Day Tips” page is a run down of vital tips for all parts of the test and other aspects of the test that you really need to remember before you step into the exam room. It also reminds you what you should take with you on the day.

I’ve tried to add as many tips for you without overwhelming you as I want you to remain calm and focused on the day of your test. I hope the On the Day Tips page will help you.

Wishing you lots of luck as always,

Liz

Filed Under: Uncategorized

IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topics for 2023

by 64 Comments

Below are predicted topics for IELTS Speaking Part 1 in 2023. The majority of the topics are recycled from topics that have been previously used. New topics are often related in some way to well known main topics. Even though part 1 is the easiest part of the IELTS  speaking test, make sure you start on the right foot by preparing comprehensively.

IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topics 2023

Below is a list of likely topics that will appear during 2023. While you should be preparing all these topics, please do not ignore the common topics which are also likely to appear (there’s a link at the bottom of this post). During part 1, you will be given about 3 topics with a total of around 12 questions. This part lasts for 4-5 mins. See further down the page for typical questions for part 1, common topics, tips and useful links.

  1. Appearance: hair styles & cuts, sloppy or tidy appearance, first impressions, importance of appearance
  2. Animals: pets & wild animals, zoos
  3. Art: museums, galleries, photos, paintings, drawing
  4. Books & Reading: magazines, newspapers, articles, internet, children’s stories, novels
  5. Celebrations & Festivals
  6. Clothes & Fashion: casual/comfortable/formal/work/traditional clothes, accessories (bags, sunglasses, shoes, jewelry), particular articles of clothing such as trousers, shirts
  7. Colours
  8. Dancing
  9. Family & Friends
  10. Food & Cooking: meals, family meals, snacks, desserts & sweets, fast food, restaurants, cooking skills, cooking in schools
  11. Happiness & Laughing
  12. Health
  13. Home – this is a main topic and frequently asked
  14. Hometown – this is a main topic and frequently asked
  15. Housework
  16. Internet: website, surfing, shopping, socialising, apps (learning, useful, fun, maps, calendars, photos)
  17. Music: songs, concerts, singers
  18. Name: your name meaning, choosing names
  19. Nature: parks, gardens, flowers, trees, environment
  20. Noise: types of noise in everyday life, noise pollution, noise avoidance, silence, peace, mental health
  21. Planning & Organising
  22. Remembering: diaries, schedules, calendars, remembering numbers, concentration, phone apps for planning and remembering
  23. Security: passwords, keys, alarms
  24. Shops & Shopping: local shops, things to buy, first purchases, online shopping
  25. Sky or Space: sci-fi films, space travel, planets , school learning about space, star gazing, night sky, clouds, weather signs, seasons
  26. Sport & Exercise: team games, individual games, keeping fit, places for exercise
  27. Study or Work – this is a main topic and frequently asked
  28. Taking photos: types of photos, equipment, apps, family photos, holiday photos
  29. Travel & Holidays
  30. Teachers, School & Subjects: your childhood teachers, memorable teacher, lessons, art, drawing, science, calculations (maths), languages, sport, school rules
  31. Weekends & Free Time
  32. Work or Study – this is a main topic and frequently asked

What about the Questions?

All the topics above will most likely include the following question types: your favourite, your childhood memories, your childhood likes/dislikes, key past memories, first times, recent events in your life, your abilities, your opinions, your country, popular choices in your country, your future hopes, descriptions, how often you do something, how long you’ve been doing something, how something could be improved.

Lets see an example of applying those question types to a predicted topic: Appearance (Hair)

  • Do you have a favourite hair style?
  • What kind of hair style did you have as a child?
  • Did you like that hair style?
  • Is there a hair style you have had that you particularly remember?
  • Have you recently changed your hair style? 
  • When did you last have your hair cut?
  • Can you cut your own hair or do you go to a hairdresser or barber?
  • Do you think it’s important to have a fashionable hair style?
  • What kinds of hair styles are popular for women or men in your country?
  • Do you plan to change your hair style?
  • How often do you get your hair cut?
  • How long have you had your current hair style?
  • If you could change anything about your appearance, what would it be?

As you can see, it is possible to easily predict the questions you will be asked by following the list I’ve given you. So, for each topic listed above, prepare all those possibilities. Remember this isn’t about your knowledge of a topic, it’s about your life and your country in part 1.

Important Tips for Speaking Part 1

Tip 1: DO NOT memorise your answers when you prepare topics and questions. Just refresh your memory relating to each topic based on the possible questions and prepare key vocabulary that you think will help you answer. In the actual test, your answers must come naturally. Tip 2: Always answer directly. Don’t dance around the question, just be direct. Then add a bit more detail to explain. These are short answer questions which means the answer ought to be between 2-3 sentences long. Some answers might be slightly shorter and some longer. Tip 3: The examiner might interrupt your answer. This is normal. Let the examiner decide when it’s time to move on to the next question. Be prepared for that and just focus on the next question. Tip 4: You can ask for the question to be repeated. It won’t affect your score and could give you a bit of thinking time. Tip 5: Be natural, be open, be chatty in your speaking test. It is an informal chat with the examiner covering a range of topics. Tip 6: You can’t ask for the topic to be changed. Even if you don’t like the topic or don’t have much knowledge, you can still answer questions about your first memories, your opinions, your childhood, popular opinions etc. IELTS is not a test of knowledge. Each question is just a chance to chat and show your English. Tip 7: Also prepare from the list of common topics for speaking part 1. Click here:  COMMON SPEAKING PART 1 TOPICS

Useful Links:

Click below to open the useful pages for IELTS Speaking Part 1 exam preparation:

Good luck in your test. Let me know how it goes.

All the best, Liz

……………………………………………..

Free Subscribe to Receive my New Posts by Email

Filed Under: IELTS Speaking

Inspiration for a High Score

by 54 Comments

Hi guys,

I thought you would like a bit of inspiration for a high IELTS score. It’s now 2023 and each New Year brings new chances to change your future. Below are useful links to inspiration that will help build your determination to do well.

1.  High Band Score Results

This page will show you comments from people posting their results. They have shared their results as a way to say thank you but also as a way to inspire others. If you scroll down the comments, you’ll see a couple of lengthy comments which contain really useful tips for you.  Click here: IELTS Results Page.

2. Tips from band 8.5 IELTS candidates

These pages were written a couple of years ago by candidates who wanted to share their results and also give you all loads of tips for success. At the bottom of each page, you’ll find a list of useful links to more resources and also links to other high band score candidates who have published their tips on my website. Click here: 8.5 Band Score Candidate One and 8.5 Band Score Candidate Two

3.  The requirements for a high score

This page will help you understand more about the two factors that influence your final score. Take your time to read it carefully because there are lots of useful tips and links for you to learn from. While this page isn’t very inspirational, it is important to know about. Click here: High Score Requirements

4. Know the test in detail

You won’t do well until you know as much as you can about the IELTS test. The more you know and understand, the more confident you will feel. For this reason, I created the FAQ page. It provides answers to loads of queries and concerns people have about the test. Of course, all the main pages of my website are useful, but the FAQ page is a Must Read page. Click here: IELTS Test FAQ

5. Understand the band scores

Learn about the band scores in IELTS. This page will give you an overview of the main band scores for each part of the test: IELTS Band Scores. These pages will give you more a more detailed understanding of the band scores for writing task 1 and writing task 2, as well as how to increase your score: Writing Task 1 Band Scores Explained and Writing Task 2 Band Scores Explained

Notice:

My Health Update: As many of you know, I’m currently battling a serious long term illness. Last year, 2022, turned out to be a really tough year for me when I faced a lot of difficult times. I am hoping that 2023 will be a kinder year to me. I will try to continue posting here on my website, but please be patient. I don’t have a lot of strength and I can only do a small amount of work. But with luck that will change this year.

Wishing you all the best

Liz

……………………………………..

Free Subscribe to Get New Posts by Email

Get my new posts by email

Subscribe for free to get my new IELTS lessons sent to your email inbox.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized
error: Content is protected !!