Coronavirus Vocabulary Practice

This is useful practice lesson for vocabulary relating to Coronvirus. This vocabulary will be useful for your everyday life and in your Speaking Test for the topic of Health.

Questions 1-6:

Fill in the sentences with the correct words given in the box below. Tip: Pay attention to grammar – it will help you choose the correct word. Note: PPE = Personal Protective Equipment.

  1. Some people with Covid-19 are …………….. . They do not have any ………… at all.
  2. People working on ………………………….. should have adequate PPE.
  3. Whether people develop long term …………. after having had the virus is still debatable.
  4. In some countries ………………. measures are being eased gradually.
  5. The first human ………. for a vaccine are underway.
  6. At times like this, you really need to keep your ………… up.
  7. Some countries are deciding on …………… rules for people entering the country from abroad.
  8. While some countries are seeing ………………. go down, other countries are seeing an increase.
  9. This pandemic is revealing people’s ………………. traits.

Select words below to complete the sentences above.

without signs         symptom            asymptomatic            signs

symptoms          a front line            the front line           immunisation     

immunity             lockdown              lock down                 trail   

trial            trails              trials           head           nose             hands     

cheeks            chin         eyes        quarantine        quarantining

death numbers           death toll         death       fatalities      kindness

altruistic      care     thoughtfulness

Answers

The answers are available below:

CLICK HERE: ANSWERS TO THIS LESSON

All the best

Liz

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Model IELTS Essay June 2020

Below is a model IELTS essay for Writing Task 2 this year. It is estimated at band 9.

IELTS Essay Question June 2020

This essay question appeared in IELTS Writing Task 2 a couple of weeks ago. It is a challenging topic if you have not prepared for it. Although topics in Writing Task 2 are not repeated as often as in the Speaking Test, it is advisable to prepare for this topic by learning some of the ideas given below.

The advances in air travel are focused only in first class and this seems to have left others with no benefits at all. Do you agree or disagree?

IELTS Essay Answer June 2020

The essay below will help you understand flexibility linking and see how to explain main ideas. Notice how the thesis statement reflects the body paragraphs,.You can also learn some great vocabulary for the topic of air travel which you can use in your Speaking Test.

Model Answer:

Some people think that the only positive developments in air travel have been in first class leaving others with no advantages. In my opinion, while first class passengers certainly enjoy a premium service, most advances benefit all passengers.

It is true that developments in air travel can easily be seen in first class in terms of premium, private facilities and services. People travelling first class are now able to enjoy pull out beds and a private area where they can work with power outlets and wifi connections. Some airlines even offer first class passengers a suite including a personal in flight chef and private shower. Other companies offer lounges where premium passengers can mingle and network during the flight.

However, it cannot be said that the budget traveller has not benefited from the developments in commercial air travel. Although the seating area may still be cramped causing passengers discomfort, particularly on long haul flights, the developments have allowed them to also enjoy technological luxuries such as individual inflight entertainment options. Furthermore, the food offered to budget commercial travellers has vastly improved, although admittedly this is only available on long haul flights.

Finally, regardless of class, all people travelling by plane can now enjoy better security and safety on board the plane due to advanced technology in flying. For example, the number of fatal air crashes over the last couple of decades has fallen dramatically. Another benefit that can be appreciated by all is the speed at which modern jet planes are now able to reach their destinations making distant travel more frequent and faster.

In conclusion, even though first class enjoy some extra perks, the technological advances in air travel can be shared by everyone regardless of the price of their ticket.

Word 292

Note: I have put the word count for your benefit so you can see how long an essay ought to be. You do not need to write the word count in the real test.

Free IELTS Writing Task 2 Lessons & Tips

Click here: Free Writing Task 2

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IELTS Speaking: How Pronunciation is Marked

Pronunciation is part of the IELTS Speaking Test. The examiner who conducts your test will award you a score for Pronunciation as well as the other marking criteria. Together those scores are averaged to give you a final speaking band score.

This page explains about the marking of pronunciation and will help you understand what you can do to increase your score. You will also learn whether different accents are accepted in IELTS Speaking.

On this page, you will learn:

  1. Is IELTS a British English Test?
  2. Pronunciation Features & Marking
  3. Pronunciation Band Scores
  4. Accents in IELTS Speaking
  5. Pronunciation Advice

1) Is IELTS a British English Language Test?

IELTS is owned by Cambridge English Language Assessment, the British Council and IDP. This means that two of the owners are British and one is Australian. But it is not a test of British English or of Australian English. It is an INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEST = IELTS. This means that it tests international English, not just British or Australian English.

2) IELTS Speaking Pronunciation Marking Features

IELTS Speaking Marking Criteria: Pronunciation is one of four marking criteria for IELTS speaking:

  • Fluency = 25%
  • Vocabulary = 25%
  • Grammar = 25%
  • Pronunciation = 25%

Aspects of Pronunciation for Marking

There are a number of features of pronunciation that the speaking examiner will be assessing you on. Pronunciation features and how easy you are to understand are the two key aspects of IELTS Speaking Pronunciation. Below is a summary of some of the main features:

  1. Individual sounds – similar sounds (p/b  m/n d/t)  consonant clusters (sht / cht etc), length of vowels (sheep/ship etc), schwa (the lazy vowel sound that is never stressed – example – there are two schwas in “dangerous), silent letters.
  2. Strong and weak forms – example “and”  – this can be produced as “n” (fish and chips = fish “n” chips) or it can be pronounced at full length “and”. This depends on how and when you use this word.
  3. Word Pronunciation
  4. Word stress and syllables (sounds inside a word that carry the stress)
  5. Sentence stress (this links to chunking)
  6. Intonation (putting feeling and emphasis into your speaking which causes your tone to rise and fall)
  7. Linking sounds and words
  8. Chunking (putting parts of a sentence together into chunks to create stress and clarity within a sentence)
  9. Contractions (it is = it’s / my name is = my name’s /  I did not = I didn’t / I have been = I’ve bin / I’m going to = I’m gonna / I want to = I wanna)

3) Pronunciation Band Scores

Below is a brief summarised description of the Pronunciation Band Scores for IELTS Speaking based on the descriptors published by IELTS.

  • Band 5 = There are some miscommunications which might cause difficulty for the listener. The candidate attempts to control pronunciation features, but often does not succeed. The candidate may show some features of band 6.
  • Band 6 = The candidate uses a range of pronunciation features but the control is not consistent throughout the test. There might be mispronunciation of words or sounds which reduces the clarity. However, the meaning of what is being said is generally clear throughout the test.
  • Band 7 = shows all features of band 6 and only some of the positive features of band 8.
  • Band 8 = uses a wide range of pronunciation features throughout most of the test. Is easy to understand and the mother tongue does not affect clarity.
  • Band 9 = The candidate uses a full range of features with precision and subtlety. The candidate is effortless to understand.

Note: you can see in the band score descriptions above that using a range of features (linking sounds, contractions, intonation, word stress, chunking etc is key to a good score. Also how easy you are to understand is critical. 

To read the Official Speaking Band Score Descriptors click here: Official Speaking Descriptors 

4) Accents in IELTS Speaking

Does my accent need to be British English?

No, it doesn’t. IELTS is an international English test so you can have any accent you want. It does not need to be British. It is completely fine to have an American accent or Australian accent. Any accent is fine.

What if I have a mixed accent?

That is also fine. It is 100% normal for people these days to have a mixed accent. Even native speakers have mixed accents if they travel or have lived abroad. IELTS will accept a mixed accent for the speaking test. But you cannot mix your spelling for the writing test. See this page: Spelling in IELTS Writing

What about an accent from my own country?

It is normal for you to retain an accent from your own language. IELTS do not prohibit that or lower your band score for it. The question is “Does your accent cause difficulties for the listener? If your mother tongue accent is so heavy that your English pronunciation is difficult to understand, you will get a lower score. However, if your accent is very mild and English pronunciation is easy to understand, you can get a high band score. This means it depends on the effort that the listener has to make to understand you. The less effort is required to understand your pronunciation, the higher your score. However, always remember, you still need to demonstrate the features of pronunciation mentioned further up this page.

5) Pronunciation Advice

Pronunciation is something that takes time to change. This isn’t something you can fix with only a couple of weeks before your test. If you have time before your test, try listening to news channels, documentaries and soap operas. The English used in films can often be rushed or muffled by music so choose your films wisely.

You can only improve your pronunciation by practising to speak out loud. Get used to doing this on your own and record your speaking. Then listen back and check.

Online Dictionaries provide pronunciation of individual words with either UK or US accents. Use them to check your word pronunciation.

Free IELTS Speaking Lessons & Tips

To get free speaking lessons, topics, tips and model answers, click here: IELTS Speaking

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Answers to Matching Information – Carnivorous Plants Reading

Below you will find the answers to the reading lesson about Carnivorous Plants which focused on matching paragraph information questions.

If you have not completed this lesson, please do so before you look at the answers. To complete the lesson, click here: Reading Practice Lesson.

Answers

  1. D
    1. Question Statement: The plant preys on animals that live in water.
    2. Passage: “the waterwheel plant, is a fascinating rootless, carnivorous, aquatic plant. It generally feeds on small aquatic vertebrates,”.
  2. C
    1. Question Statement: The plant is able to tell the difference between prey and inedible items.
    2. Passage: “The plant is so advanced that it can tell the difference between live stimulus and non-living stimulus.”
    3. Remember, this isn’t about only matching word for word. This is about matching meaning. This whole passage is about how plants trap their prey (food). This means that “non-living stimulus” refers to something inedible.
  3. B
    1. Question Statement: Prey is known to die through submersion in liquid.
    2. Passage: “The trap contains fluid, produced by the plant, which is used to drown and digest the insects.”
  4. A
    1. Question Statement: Prey is drawn to the plant by its appearance.
    2. Passage: “Insects are attracted by colour, smell and a nectar-like secretion”
  5. D
    1. Question Statement: The plant is known for its speed in trapping prey.
    2. Passage: “The trap closes in only 10 milliseconds, making it one of the fastest examples of plant movement in the animal kingdom.”
  6. A
    1. Question Statement: The soporific effect of the nectar can cause prey to tumble into the plant’s trap.
    2. Passage: Slippery footings, aided in at least one species, by a narcotic drug lacing the nectar, causes insects to fall inside where they die and are digested.
  7. B
    1. Question Statement: The plant is capable of trapping creatures large than an average insect.
    2. Passage: “….some larger species, such as Nepenthes Rafflesiana and Nepenthes Rajah, have been documented to catch small mammals like rats.”

More Reading Practice Lessons

For tips and more reading lessons, click here: IELTS Reading Tips & Lessons

I hope you found this lesson useful.

All the best, Liz 🙂

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Determination and Success – My Story (by Liz)

Hi guys,

This is my personal story. I am sharing it with you to show how keeping positive, using time effectively and staying determined can change your life regardless of how difficult your situation might be right now. I hope my story will inspire you to be proactive and keep strong during the Coronavirus situation. Make a cup of tea, sit back and read about success through adversity 🙂

In 2013, my health collapsed. I became very seriously sick. I lost my job. I lost most of my money. I lost my friends. I lost my apartment. I lost my independence. I was too sick to go outside. I was locked in. I struggled to walk around the house and all basic actions (even washing my hair) were very difficult. At times, just sitting in a chair was incredibly painful and I had to return to my bed to lie in isolation, darkness and silence. I couldn’t get food for myself. I struggled to speak easily. I was sick and seriously disabled.

The doctors told me there was nothing they could do to help me. They said I would probably be sick for quite a long time, but they couldn’t say how long or even if I would ever recover. My situation was similar to the uncertain situation many of you face today with Coronavirus. Feeling you have no control over your lives or your future. Watching all your dreams and plans disappearing and there’s nothing you can do. Feeling worried and alone. The feeling of isolation from the world became normal for me when I was sick. But I wasn’t facing a few weeks or months without work, without income, without health, without friends, without freedom – I was facing years.

It took about a year of suffering for my health to improve enough for me to be able to sit on a sofa and use a laptop for 30 mins or 1 hour a day. I started making plans for a website to give people free lessons for IELTS. But I was still so sick. It was all very difficult. Even typing was hard because I struggled to use my arms. After 6 months, I was well enough to make video lessons in a spare bedroom. All my videos were made by myself while I was sick. My website and videos started to become popular in 2015.

I believe that each situation we face is a challenge. And many challenges have to be fought psychologically. Each day I woke up and decided – what single thing can I do today? I had little strength. But I did have determination, a strategic approach and a positive mindset to improve my life in small ways. My tips are:

  1. Never wake up and compare your life today to what you had before or what you don’t have anymore or what other people have.
  2. Try. Just because your dream seems distant or impossible right now, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. Trying is what it is all about. The more you try, the more doors open. You might just discover you have incredible hidden gifts that you didn’t know about 🙂
  3. Always find the positive in what you choose to do or what you must do. Your perspective matters. Smile and enjoy – it makes everything easier.
  4. Don’t listen to negative voices in your head or from others. If you are surrounded by negativity, drown it out by filling your mind and life with positive thoughts. It isn’t easy. It’s a challenge, but you can do it. 
  5. If things get hard for you, reach out to someone or find a solution. The very strongest and most success people are often those who have known what it feels like to struggle or suffer. Making wise choices at tough times is what it is all about. 
  6. Don’t delay. None of us know what is round the corner. Use the uncertainty you find yourself in to remind yourself that time matters.
  7. Life is a gift. Appreciate it. Like many gifts, there may be incredible surprises inside if you learn to use it well 🙂 Don’t presume life is just a box to open, it is an opportunity and you are responsible to make the most of it.

To continue with my story, in 2015 it looked like my life was going to get better at last. A successful website and improved health. It felt exciting. But on December 25th, 2015, my health collapsed again for a second time. This was the hardest time for me. I had already been fighting for 2.5 years and now I had to face more years in sickness and pain. I felt deep despair at this time. The support from my family started to fail. I ended up living completely alone while still being sick, disabled and unable to walk outside.

I have been living in considerable isolation since 2016. For these years, I have talked with a human being for only about 1 hour a week. There have been times when I have struggled, both physically and emotionally. Of course with the Coronavirus lockdown, I now do not see anyone at all. Worse still, during these years, I have rarely received any loving messages from my family to keep me strong and give me comfort.

When you face such situations on your own, I believe you must find strength, love and positivity within yourself. If other people don’t give you love, give it to yourself. If others are not a source of strength for you, find that strength within yourself or by reading about inspirational people. If you feel alone, connect to something within yourself that connects us all together and nourishes us. Surround yourself and give yourself what you need to survive and conquer. Never let fear, doubt or complacency stand in your way. Never let any situation or any person stop you from moving forward with your life. Achieving success is within us all.

The concept of “seize the day” is well known, but how many of us actually live this way? While I was sick, I wasn’t able to “seize the day” because I was unwell most of the day. But I did seize 15 mins, 30 mins, one hour or two hours when possible. With such little strength and such little time, I achieved great success. Small steps are not less valuable than large steps. They all lead somewhere. They can lead you to success. But many of us delay too long or give up too soon because we don’t get what we want quickly enough or because it was harder than we imagined. Be patient. Persevere. Trust in your future. Keep taking those small steps with a focused, clear mind. Don’t just take those small steps to achieve success, take those small steps because you love life and you love what you do. Your perspective will change everything.

I became successful by taking very small steps. I never gave up. I stayed determined, focused and positive no matter what life threw at me. My Youtube channel has now reached just over 1 million subscribers. My website is one of the biggest worldwide for IELTS preparation. I have just over 1,000 high band score results shared by successful IELTS candidates (Results Page) which keep me encouraged to continue my work. Knowing that I help people reach their future goals is a wonderful way to live. By working from a sofa whilst being sick at home, I have achieved all this.

I hope my story and my perspectives of how I created a bright future while in isolation, uncertainty and sickness will help you at this difficult time. I hope you will all find happiness and strength even though your lives are not as you wish them to be right now. There are so many positive things you can do even if they do not seem to have a direct impact on your future plans they will help indirectly in ways you can’t imagine right now.

Your life is not at a stand still because you are in lockdown. If you continue developing and being proactive each day, your life will be moving forward regardless of your geography.

Keep Positive! Stay Focused! Be Proactive! Continue taking those Small Steps 🙂

I am thinking of you all at this time.

All the best

Liz

Please feel free to share your own positive stories or thoughts in the comments box below 🙂

Thank you message from Liz: I would like to thank you all for your kind responses to my story. I apologise for not being able to answer each of your comments individually. However, I read each one carefully and was touched by them all. Your instinctive insight really affected me.

I have always had deep respect for anyone striving to change their lives for the better. It takes a certain type of person to do this. IELTS is a steppingstone to a new and hopefully better future for you all. While you have been striving to push past frustrations or disappointments, I have been in a similar situation but for a different reason. Maybe that is why this website has such positive vibes. We understand one another, respect one another and appreciate one another 😊

There are some of you out there who are struggling right now with extremely difficult situations, some much worse than mine. Take strength in my story and take those small steps whenever you are able. Changing your situation at this moment in time might not be possible, but you can still allow positive energy to come into your life regardless of your situation. From actively learning something new, developing a new skill or helping others to just simply appreciating the beauty of a flower, all these tiny positive thoughts and actions will help to gradually change life as you know it. For those of you who have survived past suffering, I hope you will also share your story one day. By sharing our stories, we remind ourselves and each other of what life is really about.

Behind a smile may be a painful past. Behind tears and weakness may be a hero. Never be too quick to judge.

Thank you all for your kindness and support. Good luck to you all !! 😊 All the best, Liz

FREE IELTS Lessons: This website contains hundreds of pages of free lessons, tips, model answers, topics etc. Go to the HOME page to access them.

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Countries and using “the” – Answers

Below are the answers and explanation for the lesson about using the article “the” when referring to countries and nationalities.

If you have not completed the test already, please do so now. To complete the test, click here: Articles & Countries Grammar Test

Country Names and THE

Almost all country names do not require the article “the”. We refer to France, England, Britain, Vietnam, Canada, China, India – all without “the”.

However, there are exceptions. Countries that are made up of a group of states or islands use “the”, such as the Philippines and the US. Any country that uses the words “states” or “united” or “republic” also use “the”, for example the UK, the US, the Republic of China.

Please note, the word “Britain” is not a synonym for England. Britain means the UK. Britain refers to the group of countries that make up the UK: England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. The word “Britain” actually means “Great Britain”.

Nationalities

We need to use the article “the” when referring to nationalities as a group of people: the British, the Americans, the Chinese, the Vietnamese, the English.

Do not confuse the rule of nationalities, above, with a different rule about using similar words as part of a noun phrase where it does not form the main noun. For example, the words “a British car” is a noun phrase and in that noun phrase the word “car” is the main noun, not the word “British”. So, the rule about using “the” with nationalities is only when referring to a group of people under the umbrella of their nationality – not when using the nationality as an adjective to another noun. One more example: “the hard-working British” is a noun phrase referring to the whole group of British people as a nationality and requires “the”. But we could say “a hard-working British man” – in this noun phrase, the word “man” is the main noun and can use any article depending on how the noun is used. To learn more about this, refer to two chapters in my Grammar E-book: the chapter on Articles and the chapter on Noun Phrases. Also note that when referring to “Americans”, it is possible to drop the article “Americans are friendly” and it is also possible to use “the” – “The Americans are friendly”.

I hope you found this useful. Rules about articles (a / an / the) can feel confusing. But you can learn them all simply and easily in my new Grammar E-book 🙂

Answers for the Grammar Test:

Number 3 “the America” is wrong. Number 4 “the Britain” is wrong. Number 8 “the England” is wrong.

Correct: the British, the UK, the English, the US, the Americans. Note it is also possible to say “Americans” without an article as noted on the page above.

Grammar E-book

My Grammar E-book is now available in my online store. There is a comprehensive chapter on Articles as well as over 200 pages of other grammar to push your English to a higher level. You will find content and details of the e-book given in my store. See below:

CLICK HERE: VISIT STORE

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Quick Grammar Test: Countries and use of “the”

Many people make mistakes using “the” when referring to countries. For example, we say “the Philippines” and “France” (without the). This can be confusing for many people.

Below is a short test to see if you can use the defined article “the” correctly in relation to countries and nationalities.

Question: Which of the following are wrong?

  1. the British
  2. the UK
  3. the America
  4. the Britain
  5. the English
  6. the US
  7. the Americans
  8. the England

Answers

You can find the answers by clicking below:

CLICK HERE: ANSWERS TO THIS TEST

All the best,

Liz

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Grammar E-book Now Available

Hi guys,

Below are some details of my new Grammar E-book.

Aims of Grammar E-book:

  1. English Language Development – to take your English to a higher level by learning complex grammar in easy steps.
  2. Writing Task 2 – tips and specific focus pages to help you increase your score through grammar.

There are over 300 pages of grammar tips, lessons, explanations and illustrations of complex grammar which also include a Workbook of exercises. This e-book is a great way to improve your English grammar and push your level up by learning complex grammar features. 

Do you want to know what is in this e-book?

Click below for a preview of the chapters and some extra details:

Would you like to get this e-book?

Payment

My online store accepts all major cards from almost all countries around the world. Or you can use Paypal.

All the best, stay safe & keep learning 🙂

Liz


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