Hi guys,

I’ve posted the answers to the prepositions lesson on the original page. Click here: Prepositions Lesson with Answers

All the best

Liz

Questions, Answers & Transcript: Blue-footed Bird Listening Practice

Do not look at the answers until you have finished the listening lesson.

If you have not finished this listening lesson, please click here: Blue-footed bird listening practice

Transcript:

These boobies live off the western coasts of Central and South America. The Galápagos Islands population includes about half of all breeding pairs of blue-footed boobies. They are aptly named, and males take great pride in their fabulous feet. During mating rituals, male birds show off their feet to prospective mates with a high-stepping strut. The bluer the feet, the more attractive the mate.

All half-dozen or so booby species are thought to take their name from the Spanish word “bobo.” The term means “stupid,” which is how early European colonists may have characterized these clumsy and unwary birds when they saw them on land—their least graceful environment.

Below are the questions and answers for the lesson on linking words this month. I hope you found this lesson useful 🙂

Questions 

1. ……………. the government building more homes in city centres, there is still a lack of housing.
   1.  A) Although   B) Despite   C) So
2. ………….. the government is increasing the amount of money spent on dealing with environmental pollution, individuals must still play their part.
   1.  A) But    B) Although  C) Despite
3. People should eat a balanced diet …………….. avoid serious health problems.
   1. A) due to    B) so     C) in order to
4. …………… there are children who may not find it easy to live abroad, for others it can be an experience that helps them mature and become more independent.
   1. A) While  B) In spite of  C) Even so
5. ………………….. more and more people moving to the city to find jobs, housing has become a serious problem in city centres.
   1. A) Consequently   B) As a result  C) As a result of  D) Owing to

Answers

1. B
   1. Despite the government building more homes in city centres, there is still a lack of housing.
   2. It is not possible to have “Although” in this sentence. The meaning is correct, but the grammar is wrong. If you wanted to use “Although”, you would need to change the sentence: ” Although the government is building more homes in city centres, there is still a lack of housing.”
2. B
   1. Although the government is increasing the amount of money spent on dealing with environmental pollution, individuals must still play their part.
3. C
   1. People should eat a balanced diet in order to avoid serious health problems.
4. A
   1. While there are children who may not find it easy to live abroad, for others it can be an experience that helps them mature and become more independent.
   2. The linking words “in spite of” have the right meaning, but can’t be used in this sentence. If you want to use “in spite of” you need to change the grammar structure of the sentence: “In spite of some children not finding it easy to live abroad, for others it can be an experience that helps them mature and become more independent.
5. C & D
   1. As a result of more and more people moving to the city to find jobs, housing has become a serious problem in city centres.
   2. Owing to more and more people moving to the city to find jobs, housing has become a serious problem in city centres.
   3. It is not possible to have “Consequently”. The meaning is fine, but the grammatical structure of the sentence makes it impossible to use. Using “consequently” = More and more people are moving to the city to find jobs and, consequently,  housing has become a serious problem in city centres.
   4. The linking word “as a result” must have the proposition “of” with it for this sentence. Using “as a result” without “of” = More and more people are moving to the city to find jobs and, as a result, housing has become a serious problem in city centres.

To use linking words correctly, you must understand both their meaning and the correct grammatically way to use them in a sentence. See a full list of linking words for your essay: IELTS Linking Words List.

Below are the answers to yesterday’s lesson about counting words in IELTS writing. See the qustions and answers below. Also notice I have added some extra links with more information so you can learn more about how words are counted in IELTS.

1. Are small words counted such as “a” and “the”?
   1. Yes, they are counted. All words are counted. If you write “a man walked into a shop” = 6 words.
2. Is “15%” counted as one word or two?
   1. It is one word. If you write “15 percent” = two words.
3. Is this one word or two: “good-looking”?
   1. It is one word.
4. Are commas counted as a word?
   1. No punctuation is not counted as a word.
5. Does the examiner count all the words in your essay or does the examiner guess the word count?
   1. The examiner will see if your writing doesn’t look long. In that case, the examiner will count every single word. Each individual word must be counted precisely by the examiner.

Learn More

1. Another exercise to test your understanding of word counting. Click here: Practice Counting Words
2. Rules about how words are counted in IELTS. Click here: How Words are Counted in IELTS
3. Using the writing answer sheet and counting your own words: How to Use the Answer Sheet Correctly
4. Learn about deleting words in IELTS Writing. Click here: Deleting Words
5. Learn about Essay Word Length: How Long Should My IELTS Essay Be?

All the best

Liz

Hi,

I have had many IELTS test takers asking me about how words are counted in IELTS writing. Let’s check your understanding:

1. Are small words counted such as “a” and “the”?
2. Is “15%” counted as one word or two?
3. Is this one word or two: “good-looking”?
4. Are commas counted as a word?
5. Does the examiner count all the words in your essay or does the examiner guess the word count?

Answers

To find the answer, click here:

Answers to Counting Words Practice

All the best

Liz

Hi guys,

I’ve put the answers, transcript and a list of key words for the Map Listening Exercise about a Farm on the original page. Click here: Farm Listening Lesson with Answers

Hope this was useful 🙂

All the best

Liz

How much do you understand about the IELTS test and about writing your answers?

Questions 1 to 6

1. Will IELTS listening accept 25th MARCH or 25 MARCH?
2. Can you write 9am or 9.00am?
3. Will IELTS writing accept American spelling?
4. Can you ask for extra paper to plan your essay in IELTS writing?
5. Can I use a highlighter pen in IELTS reading?
6. Can I use body language in the speaking test?
7. Are my ideas marked in IELTS speaking?
8. Are my ideas marked in IELTS writing?

ANSWERS to Questions 1-6

Click below to see the answers to questions 1-6. Keep reading to find the answers to questions 7&8.

CLICK HERE Q1-6: IELTS FAQ Answers.

The IELTS FAQ page contains over 130 answers to your concerns about IELTS. Quick answers: 1) both, 2) both 3) yes but don’t mix it with UK English 4) no, use the question paper to plan, 5) no 6. yes – be natural, but remember body language isn’t marked.

Answers to Questions 7 & 8

• 7. Are my ideas marked in IELTS speaking?
• 8. Are my ideas marked in IELTS writing?

I am glad I asked these questions because many of you seem confused about how your speaking and writing are marked. If you don’t understand the marking system, you will struggle to get a good score.

Lets look more closely and understand the marking criteria.

IELTS Speaking Marking

You are marked on your spoken English only. Criteria:

1. Fluency – ability to speak at length with few pauses, hesitations or repitition
2. Vocabulary – range and accuracy of your words for a variety of topics
3. Grammar – range and accuracy of your grammar (particularly tenses)
4. Pronunciation – the pronunciation of sounds & words, and intonation and sentence stress etc

As you can see, your ideas are NOT marked. There is no marking criteria for ideas or being on topic. Only the language you produce is marked.

IELTS Writing Marking

You are marked on your English and IELTS essay writing skills. Criteria for task 2:

1. Task Response – your answer, your extension of ideas, your ability to complete a task, relevancy of ideas
2. Coherence & Cohesion – paragraphing, organising, linking, logical flow of information
3. Vocabulary – range and accuracy including spelling
4. Grammar – range and accuracy including basic punctuation

As you can see, your ideas ARE marked. If your ideas are not valid OR are off topic OR contain irrelevant information or you don’t complete your task – you will get a lower score.

Your essay writing skills which are specific to IELTS pay a LARGE role in your marks. This is not about being able to write an academic essay for university or other types of writing, it is specifically about IELTS Writing and the marking criteria for IELTS.

I hope this has been helpful. Again, the IELTS FAQ Information is an essential read to understand more about the IELTS test.

All the best

Liz

Questions to check your understanding of the IELTS test.

1. Will IELTS listening accept 25th MARCH or 25 MARCH?
2. Can you write 9am or 9.00am?
3. Will IELTS writing accept American spelling?
4. Can you ask for extra paper to plan your essay in IELTS writing?
5. Can I use a highlighter pen in IELTS reading?
6. Can I use body language in the speaking test?
7. Are my ideas marked in IELTS speaking?
8. Are my ideas marked in IELTS writing?

Answers

You can find the answers to the above questions here:

CLICK FOR ANSWERS: ANSWERS FOR UNDERSTANDING IELTS

 

All the best

Liz