IELTS Speaking Part 1: Clothes

by 26 Comments

Here are some questions for a common topic in IELTS speaking part 1 – clothes.

  1. Do you often buy clothes?
  2. Are clothes important to you?
  3. What kinds of clothes do you prefer to wear?
  4. What kinds of clothes do you wear most days?
  5. Would you ever spend a lot of money on clothes?
  6. Do you think men and women have the same view of clothing?

Model Answer

  • Question: What kinds of clothes do you prefer to wear?
  • Answer: If I could choose, I’d wear casual clothes everyday. I feel much more comfortable wearing jeans and a t-shirt or a jumper. Unfortunately, my work forces me to wear formal clothes like a suit or trousers with a smart shirt which I really don’t like so I only get to wear casual clothes on my days off.

Get my free lessons by email

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

Filed Under: IELTS Speaking Tagged With: , ,

Sample Answers for Travel and Transport in Speaking Part 1

by 43 Comments

Below are sample answers for the the topics of travel and transport for part 1 of the IELTS speaking test.

Travel

Q. Do you often travel abroad?

A. Not much, to be honest. I don’t get many days off in a year but when I do have time off, I mainly spend that time with my family in my hometown.

Q. When is the best season to travel in your country?

A. I guess it would be spring. That’s when the weather starts warming up and all the flowers start blossoming. It’s a really beautiful season and most places are at their best at that time. Unfortunately, it’s a busy time for tourists as well but that still doesn’t diminish the beauty of the countryside.

Q. Where would you recommend a foreign to visit in your country?

A. Without doubt, London. Not only is it our capital, but it also has some of the most iconic buildings in our country. I don’t think any visit to England is complete without seeing the Tower of London, London Bridge or Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. They really are very impressive pieces of architectural work and can’t be missed.

Transport

Q. How did you get here today?

A. I came by bike because the roads are pretty congested at this time and a bike is quicker. It only took me about 15 minutes to get here.

Q. Do you often use public transport?

A. Yes, I do. I use the bus almost everyday. It’s the cheapest way to get around even though it’s really overcrowded and not particularly punctual.

Q. How could the transportation system be improved in your country?

A. Well, I think the first step to improvement would be to widen the roads and build to overpasses and underpasses to help traffic flow more freely which would reduce the congestion in the city center. Also, it would help if the bus service was improved to make it run more frequently which would help with the overcrowding in rush hour. I think those are the two main changes that need to happen.

Recommended

Speaking Part 1 Topic of Sleep with a Sample Answer and Vocabulary

Filed Under: IELTS Speaking Tagged With: , ,

Improving Sentences: E-books and paper books

by 15 Comments

Improve your academic writing skills for IELTS writing task 2.

In recent years, more and more people are choosing to read e-books rather than paper books.

Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

The statements below are taken from a student’s essay and contain some mistakes. Can you re-write these sentences so that they are not only correct but also higher band score?

  1. In my point of view, reading digital books have more advantages compared with printed books.
  2. First and foremost, E-book is been accessed, nowadays, easily by the people in a fraction of seconds through the advanced modern communication technologies.
  3. Secondly, buying an electronic version books are easier than the printed paper books.
  4. On the other hand, People health will affect when they spend more time to read books by using the modern gadgets such as laptop, mobile phones and tablets.
  5. In conclusion, in my view, electronic version books bring more pleasure and easily to access.

Try writing the sentences for yourself before you check the answers.Answers

  1. In my opinion, reading digital books has more advantages compared to printed books. (“reading digital books” is the subject and it is actually singular so the verb must be “has” not “have”)
  2. First and foremost, e-books can be easily accessed by people in only a fraction of a second through the use of advanced modern technology. ( The phrase “a fraction of a second” can’t be plural and must be written as it is. It’s a nice phrase to use and can be used for academic writing – just make sure you write it correctly)
  3. Secondly, buying electronic books online is easier for the consumer than purchasing printed paper books.
  4. On the other hand, spending too much time reading e-books on bright screens from gadgets such as laptops or tablets, can have an adverse effect on people’s health.
  5. In conclusion, I think that e-books are more accessible to both read and buy for the consumer than conventional paper books.

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 2 Tagged With: ,

IELTS Two Line Graph: Sample Answer & Exercise

by 39 Comments

Here is an IELTS line graph sample answer describing two lines. You must fill in the gaps to complete the model writing task 1. Answers are given below. If you wish to learn more vocabulary for a line graph, follow the link.

The line graph below shows radio and television audiences throughout the day in 1992.

Source: Graph below was not designed by IELTS Liz. Source unknown.


two line graphs

Line Graph Sample Answer

Fill in the gaps to complete the sample answer for the above line graph. You can use more than one word in each answer.

The line graph illustrates the (1) ………………………… of people listening to the radio and watching TV who were over the age of 4  in (2) …………………… period, in the UK from October to December 1992.

Overall, the (3)…………………….. of people listened to the radio in the morning while (4)………………. people watched TV in the evening. Over the 24 hour period, there were more people watching TV than there were listening to the radio.

(5)……………………. the TV, at 1am there were under 10% of people watching TV. This (6)…………………………… remained relatively (7)…………….. until 11am when there was a (8)……………. increase in people watching TV before (9)………….. at approximately 45% at around 9pm. After that time, there was a (10)…………… drop in viewers to under 20% by midnight.

Similarly, the percentage of listeners to the radio also began low at under 5%. After continuing at under 5%, the figure then rose (11)……………… to a (12) …………. of almost 30% at about 8am. From that point, the proportion of audience (13) ………………. in a gradual (14)……………… trend to 5% at the (15) ………. of the day.

Answers
  1. proportion / percentage
  2. a 24 hour
  3. majority
  4. most
  5. Regarding / With regard to / In regard to
  6. figure
  7. stable / constant
  8. steady / gradual
  9. peaking
  10. sharp / rapid / dramatic / sudden / considerable / significant
  11. sharply / rapidly / dramatically / suddenly / considerably / significantly
  12. peak / high
  13. fluctuated
  14. downward
  15. end

 

Recommended

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 Writing Penalty for Being Under Words

by 316 Comments

“Under the word count” penalty update for IELTS Writing Task 2 

As you see on the page below, previously you would have a fixed penalty of band score 5 for Task Response in IELTS writing task 2 if you wrote under the word count which is 250 words. This rule has now been removed.

Does this mean you can now write under the word count?

The answer to this is yes and no. Let me explain. It is possible to write under the word count and you will get no fixed penalty. But will it impact your score?

Writing a short essay which is under 250 words will definitely impact your score and not in a good way. The requirements of good band score are that you develop your ideas sufficiently. This means you must have enough words to develop your main points. A short essay doesn’t do this. Take a look below at the requirements of Task Response regarding this:

  • Band 5 = ideas are limited and not sufficiently developed
  • Band 6 = ideas might be inadequately developed
  • Band 7 = extends main ideas
  • Band 8 = presents well-developed response with extended ideas
  • Band 9 = fully extended ideas

As you see, developing and extending your main points is crucial to increase your score. You cannot develop your ideas properly if your body paragraphs are too short. Certainly, a long paragraph is no guarantee of a well-developed idea, but a short paragraph will ensure it is not developed enough. So, you need two things: 1) body paragraphs that are long enough to be considered developed.  2) body paragraphs containing sentences that are focused and relevant. Basically, the right length and focused.

What word limits do you recommend for paragraphs?

  • Your introduction is a functional paragraph of just two statements usually about 40-50 words.
  • Each body paragraph MUST be sufficiently developed for a high score. If you have two body paragraphs, it’ll be about 95 words per paragraph and about 65 words for three body paragraphs. Having less might put you at risk of not having sufficiently developed main points.
  • The conclusion is also a functional paragraph of about 30-40 words.

In total, your essay should be around 270 – 290 words in length. If you write less, your ideas might not be developed enough for a high score. If you write more, your ideas might lack focus and sentences might lack relevancy. See my model essays on this page: IELTS Writing Task 2 Lessons & Tips

Word count Rules Previously Used by IELTS Before

There used to be a fixed penalty in IELTS writing if you wrote under the word count which is 150 words for writing task 1 and 250 words for writing task 2.  You would automatically get only band 5 in Task Response which counts for 25% of your marks.

Other things affecting your score

  1. Your handwriting – if the examiner has problems reading your handwriting, your band score can be seriously affected.
  2. Memorised answer – if your essay answer is memorised, it will not be accepted and could result in a 0 band score.
  3. Limited answer – if you fail to answer the whole question and only answer half of it, you will not get above band score 5 in task response.

Is there a penalty for writing too much?

No, there is no upper limit. However, writing too many words does not mean you will get a better mark. In fact, it might cause problems.  It might include sentences that are less relevant and less focused. People often like to add “padding” to their essays but this only lowers your score. See this page: How Many Words is Recommended for Writing Task 2

Recommended

For more answers to questions about IELTS writing task 2, follow the link.

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, IELTS Writing Task 2 Tagged With:

Sentence Completion Questions in IELTS Reading

by 74 Comments

When you get sentence completion questions you must fill in the miss word or words with an appropriate word(s) taken from the reading passage. The completed sentence must be grammatically correct. This is a common type of question in IELTS reading. Below is a reading exercise for these types of questions, it is not an IELTS test paper. The passage is a similar level to academic reading.

Skim read the passage below and then spend time reading through the sentences in each question. Preparing paraphrased for words and think about what type of word you need to find to fill in the gap. Remember that answers do come in order.

Water Pollution

Clean and plentiful water provides the foundation for prosperous communities. We rely on clean water to survive, yet right now we are heading towards a water crisis. Changing climate patterns are threatening lakes and rivers, and key sources that we tap for drinking water are being overdrawn or tainted with pollution. NRDC experts are helping to secure safe and sufficient water for people and the environment by:

  • Promoting water efficiency strategies to help decrease the amount of water wasted;
  • Protecting our water from pollution by defending the Clean Water Act and advocating for solutions like green infrastructure;
  • Helping prepare cities, counties and states for water-related challenges they will face as a result of climate change; and
  • Ensuring that waterways have enough water to support vibrant aquatic ecosystems. Qs
    Complete the sentences below with the correct word(s) taken from the passage. Use no more than three words and/or a number.
    1. The keystone to any thriving society is to have ………………. water.
    2. It can be said that a ………………. is currently imminent.
    3. One way to help keep water clean is by the construction of …………………..
    4. Dirty water can be a ………………. as chemicals and other pollutants enter the water supply.
    5. Due to a lack of ……………….., some of our water resources are at risk of pollution.

Dirty water is the world’s biggest health risk, and continues to threaten both quality of life and public health in the United States. When water from rain and melting snow runs off roofs and roads into our rivers, it picks up toxic chemicals, dirt, trash and disease-carrying organisms along the way. Many of our water resources also lack basic protection, making them vulnerable to pollution from factory farms, industrial plants, and activities like fracking. This can lead to drinking water contamination, habitat degradation and beach closures. NRDC is working to protect our water from pollution by:

  • Drawing on existing protections in the Clean Water Act, and working to ensure that the law’s pollution control programs apply to all important waterways, including headwater streams and wetlands, which provide drinking water for 117 million Americans;
  • Improving protections to reduce pollutants like bacteria and viruses, which threaten Americans’ health and well being; and
  • Establishing new pollution limits for top problem areas, such as sources of runoff and sewage overflows.

Questions 1-5

Complete the sentences below with the correct word(s) taken from the passage. Use no more than three words and/or a number.

  1. The keystone to any thriving society is to have ………………. water.
  2. With the increase in water pollution a ………………. is imminent.
  3. One way to help keep water clean is by the construction of …………………..
  4. Dirty water can be a ………………. as chemicals and other pollutants enter the water supply.
  5. Due to a lack of ……………….., some of our water resources are at risk of pollution.

Answers

Click to reveal the answers below:

Answers
  1. clean and plentiful
    1. In this question, you require the word “and” because it is not given in the sentence. Always check whether it is required or not.
  2. water crisis / crisis
  3. green infrastructure
  4. health risk
  5. basic protection /protection
    1. In answer keys, optional answers are usually written like this – (basic) protection. The use of brackets shows the option or options for extra words in the answer. You cannot do this in your test. You must choose one answer only.

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

Liz

Vocab Builder
  • foundation = keystone / bedrock
  • prosperous = thriving / flourishing
  • key = vital / critical / major
  • tainted = contaminated / polluted  / fouled / spoiled
  • advocating = backing / supporting
  • vibrant = alive / energetic
  • toxic = lethal / deadly / poisonous

Recommended

[jetpack_subscription_form title=”Get free lessons by email” subscribe_text=”Subscribe for free to get my new IELTS lessons sent to your email inbox.”]
Filed Under: IELTS Reading Tagged With: ,

IELTS Essay Ideas: Banning Mobile Phones

by 19 Comments

A recent essay question reported on Jan 31:

Some people think that the use of mobiles (cell) phones should be banned in public places such a in libraries and shop and on public transport. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Ideas

Reasons for Banning Mobile Phones in Public Places

  • Phones can be intrusive. (uninvited noise to others)
  • Phones can disturb others when they are concentrating, for example in a library.
  • They are antisocial as people are too busy sending messages to talk to the people in front of them, for example in a shop when they are being served.
  • The signal can cause problems in some public places, such as hospitals, by interfering with delicate instruments or equipment.
  • In some public place, such as libraries, music halls or galleries, phones can annoy and ruin the experience for others.

Reasons for Not Banning Mobiles Phones in Public Places

  • Mobiles do not need to be intrusive as they can easily be turned to silent or vibrate.
  • Phones can be useful in case of emergencies, for instance accidents in public places.
  • Phones can provide entertainment when travelling on tedious journeys, particularly on public transport.
  • Phones are multi-functional and can be used as recording devices or cameras so shouldn’t be banned in public.
  • They are useful for families overseas to get in touch with each other.
  • They provide a safety for youngsters as parents can easily get in touch with them wherever they are.

Concessions

  • mobile phones should be banned in places where they interfere with equipment, interrupt a service or break rules, such as in a library, but in all other public places they should be allowed as long as they are used with respect to others

Recommended

Please note that some of the above ideas are not connected to the exact essay question (for example, they include ideas about banning phones in hospitals or museums – these are ideas just to help you with the general topic rather than the exact essay question)

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 2 Tagged With:

IELTS Map Listening Practice

by 124 Comments

This lesson is to practice Map Completion Questions for IELTS listening. First, there are some sentence completion questions and then you must fill in the gaps in the map given.

Tips for Maps

  1. Check the location of each number on your map
  2. Think of language that might be used to describe that location
  3. Look for any arrows on the map
  4. Answers to questions will come in order (the answer for question 1 will come before the answer for question 2 in the recording)
  5. Most map recordings are similar to a guided tour which follows a logical order
  6. Don’t be distracted by extra information
  7. Don’t forget that each time the question type changes, the instructions will change as well. Always pay attention to the word count in the instructions.

IELTS Map Listening Practice: The Taj Mahal 

Questions 1-2: Complete the sentences below using no more than one word and/or a number.

  1. The Taj Mahal was completed in ……………..
  2. Around ………… labourers were used in its creation.

Questions 3-7

Label the map below using no more than two words and/or a number.

building map ielts listening

Recording:

 

.

Transcript and Answers

Click below to reveal the transcript and answers to this lesson:

Transcript

Welcome to the Taj Mahal. This is one of the most famous monuments to love in the world. It was built between 1631 and 1653 in the city of Agra by the Mughal Emperor Shah as a mausoleum for his wife. The construction involved some 20,000 workers and incorporated materials from China, Tibet, Sri Lanka and Arabia.

We are here at the Outer Gate and directly in front of us is the forecourt. On the left hand side of the forecourt, you will see some subsidiary tombs and opposite that are the tomb attendants’ quarters. If you go straight ahead, you will come to the Great Gate and beyond that is the formal gardens. The gardens are divided into 4 sections by paths which represent the 4 rivers of paradise. Midway, where the paths intersect, is a marble pond, in which the mausoleum is beautifully reflected. Walking through the gardens, past the pond, you will come to the mausoleum itself which has a marble dome, 35m high. Each side of the building has archways which are framed by carefully chosen verses from the Qur’an in beautifully stylised calligraphy. To the left of this, is the mosque and to the right you can find a guesthouse. Now I’ll give you some time to wander round and see this marvel for yourself.

 Answers
  1. 1653
  2. 20,000
  3. forecourt (you must have the correct spelling)
  4. Great Gate (capital letters not important – see IELTS Exam FAQ page)
  5. pond / marble pond
  6. mausoleum
  7. guesthouse / guest house

 

IELTS Listening: Free Practice and Tips

Click to see IELTS Listening Tips 

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: ,
error: Content is protected !!