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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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:

• Click here: PREVIEW FOR GRAMMAR E-BOOK

Would you like to get this e-book?

• CLICK HERE: Visit IELTS Liz Store

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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Below you will find some predicted IELTS Speaking Part 3 questions for the topic of Health & Coronavirus. As you know, IELTS like to use current world issues for their topics and this will no doubt appear at some time in one form or another.

Questions will probably be phrased carefully to avoid you having to talk about deeply emotional or disturbing aspects of the virus. They will also avoid political questions.

IELTS Speaking Part 3: Health & Coronavirus

Predicted questions for this new topic. I do not usually predict topics or questions because I feel it is not required due to the large number of known recycled topics. However, I do think now is the time to predict this topic and help you prepare.

1. Do you think health is important? Why?
2. What types of activities do you think help people stay healthy?
3. What is the difference between physical health and mental health?
4. What difficulties did some people face with social distancing and lockdown at the time of the Coronavirus outbreak?
5. What did some people do to stay positive at that time?
6. What useful technology helped us combat the Coronavirus?
7. During the Coronavirus crisis, some people did courageous deeds. Can you give an example of one from your country?
8. What do you think could have been done better to deal with the Coronavirus outbreak?

Model Answers: Health & Coronavirus Topic

Below you will find a link to model answers with list of useful vocabulary and an audio to help you with word pronunciation.

CLICK HERE: MODEL ANSWERS

All the best

Liz

Useful Coronavirus Vocabulary

CLICK HERE: CORONAVIRUS VOCABULARY

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Below are the questions and answers to the lesson I posted yesterday which focused on Articles (a /the) in English grammar.

Did you feel it was a difficult lesson? This might be because you need to learn more rules about using a and the. You also need to learn about using no article.

The other problem is that there are irregular nouns that never use articles when used in a particular way, such as prison, hospital etc. I’ve explained below. However, you should consider getting my New Grammar E-book which lists the rules very clearly. The e-book is written for you to learn on your own at home.

Model Essay: Click here to see a full model essay for this topic: Crime & Punishment Model Essay

Questions & Answers

• The reason for most first-time offenders committing crimes again, once they have been released from prison / the prison, is due to lack of / the lack of rehabilitation.
  • Answers: prison the lack of
  • Correct Sentence: The reason for most first-time offenders committing crimes again, once they have been released from prison, is due to the lack of rehabilitation.
  • Tips:
  • a) usually a singular countable noun would require an article (a / the). However, there are exceptions to this rule. Words such as “prison, hospital, school etc” are referring to a function. Such nouns never use an article (no “a / the”) when used in this way.
  • Example: He went to hospital.
  • In the above sentence, we are not referring to one particular hospital (a hospital or the hospital), we are referring to hospital as a function.
  • Here is a typical dialogue:
  • i) “My wife went into hospital last night.”
  • ii) “Really? Was she very seriously ill?”
  • i) “No, not very. But we didn’t want to take a chance.”
  • ii) “Which hospital did she go to?”
  • i) “Oh, you know, the hospital on the corner of Dower Street.”
  • In the dialogue above, you can see the first use of hospital is general and not specific. The second use of hospital is specific.
  • As I said, these words “hospital, prison etc” are irregular.
  • My new Grammar E-book gives you lists of irregular words and use of articles like this.
  • b) “lack” in this sentence is a noun. As explained above, nearly all singular countable nouns will require an article. We use “the lack of ” because we are referring to a specific lack. When we refer to something specific we use “the”. This is a common error with this noun.
  • “lack” is also a verb: “The NHS are currently lacking sufficient PPE in the UK.”

• Repeat offending is also owing to the difficulty that people / the people with a criminal record have of finding employment / the employment.
  • Answers: people / employment
  • Correct Sentence: Repeat offending is also owing to the difficulty that people with a criminal record have of finding employment.
  • Tips:
  • a) we only use “the” (as explained above) when we refer to something or someone specific. In this case, it is not a specific group of people. It is people in general. 
  • When we have a plural noun that is speaking in general, we do not use an article at all. 
  • Example: Cars are the most common form of transport.
  • In the above sentence, the word “cars” is plural and also non-specific (general). We are not talking about a particular group of cars, we are talking about cars in general. When we speak in general with a plural noun, we do not use an article.
  • b) employment is an uncountable noun and in this sentence, we are referring to employment in general (it is not specific). This means it does not require an article at all.

• Ensuring that people serving prison sentence / a prison sentence learn useful skills will help them find jobs / the jobs when they are released.
  • Answers: a prison sentence     jobs
  • Correct Sentence: Ensuring that people serving a prison sentence learn useful skills will help them find jobs when they are released.
  • Tips:
  • a) In this sentence, although we are referring to people, each person only serves one prison sentence at one time. This means we talking about people serving “a sentence”. It means one sentence that is not specific and this means we use “a”.
  • b) jobs is a plural noun referring to all jobs in general. This means we do not use an article at all. In this sentence, it would also be possible to have “a job”. This means a non-specific job – any job.

• When offenders are released from prison / the prison and can find employment / the employment, it helps them reintegrate back into society / the society.
  • Answer:  prison     employment    society
  • Correct Sentence: When offenders are released from prison and can find employment, it helps them reintegrate back into society.
  • Tips:
  • a & b) see above.
  • c) the word “society” is another irregular noun. When we write about society in general rather than one specific society, particular society, we never use an article. “Society should take care of the vulnerable.” In this case, we are referring to society as a whole – in general. Or you could also say “A society that does not take care of its vulnerable people is a bad society.” – we are referring to one society which is non-specific.

• Harsh prison sentences deter people / the people from considering crime / the crime.
  • Answers:    people     crime
  • Correct Sentence: Harsh prison sentences deter people from considering crime.
  • Tips
  • a) explained above.
  • b) the word “crime” is another irregular noun. Normally a singular countable noun would require an article. However, “crime” is irregular and does not require one when we are referring to crime in general rather than a specific crime.

I know this was difficult, but I hope you also found it a useful lesson. If you have problems in this area, now is the time to fixed those problems.

All the best

Liz

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Below you can find the answers and transcript to the listening practice lesson about a sponsored walk. If you have not completed this lesson, please do so before looking at the answers. Click here: Listening Practice Lesson

I have posted the audio under the transcript so that you can listen and read together. I also recommend that you use the audio to practise your pronunciation.

Transcript

Army veteran Tom Moore did a sponsored walk at the age of 99 years old to raise money for the NHS (the National Health Service in the UK). His aim was to raise £1,000. This was an ambitious walk of 1.6 miles in his back garden given that he had recently been treated for a broken hip and skin cancer.

As he began his sponsored walk, he was surprised to see the response from the British public as donations started pouring in. By the end of this sponsored walk, he had raised not £1,000 but a staggering £21 million. Many around the country are now calling for Tom Moore to be knighted for his remarkable fund-raising efforts.

Tom Moore has stated that he was “overwhelmed by this sum of money” that was donated. His praise for the NHS struck a chord with many around the country today as the population watch doctors, nurses, other hospital staff and all front-line workers put themselves in harms way to save lives as they battle against the coronavirus crisis. This story truly is an example of how a humble, unambitious person can stir the nation and effect incredible change. Surely we should all be doing more in one way or another. As the saying goes “Every little helps” and who knows whether your modest attempt to help might not also create a flame of support throughout your own country.

Audio

.

Answers

The answers are highlighted in bold below.

1. Does Tom serve in the army?
   1. NO
2. How much does he hope to raise?
   1. £1,000
   2. You do not need the comma, but it is recommended to use it because it is easier for the person marking.
3. Where was his sponsored walk to take place?
   1. GARDEN
   2. back garden is two words and not a possible answer.
4. Tom eventually raised a …………. £21 million.
   1. STAGGERING
5. Many hope that Tom will be ……….. for his efforts.
   1. KNIGHTED
   2. This is a high band score answer and people who are around band score 6 level will probably not get this right.
   3. to be knighted means to be given a special award by the Queen of a knighthood and from that moment on that person would use the title “Sir” instead of “Mr”.
6. Tom’s aims to support the NHS have struck a ……… with many people in the UK.
   1. CHORD
   2. This is a high band score answer and people who are under band score 8 probably might not get it right.
   3. The spelling must be correct or the answer is marked wrong.
   4. The “h” is a silent letter for pronunciation.
   5. “to strike a chord” means:
      1. a) to say or do something that other people agree or approve of.
      2. b) to say or do something that causes emotions to rise or triggers memories in another person.
      3. This is idiomatic.
7. Tom has shown how a single person can ……….. the nation.
   1. STIR
   2. “to stir someone”  means to awaken strong feelings. 
   3. Please be careful because there is a phrasal verb which is “to stir someone up” and this means to “awaken bad feelings in someone – to bother them”. Don’t confuse these two idiomatic expressions.
8. Every ……. helps.
   1. LITTLE
   2. This expression (every little helps) means that even small deeds or small amounts of money will help.

I hope you find this both useful and inspiring 🙂

All the best

Liz

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Great news! IELTS has set up a new method of taking the IELTS test in your own home. The test is called IELTS Indicator. It is an IELTS test online which you can take at home on your laptop or desktop. Please read all information on this page carefully to get an idea if this is for you or not.

This online test from your home has been designed by IELTS to help people in countries where the Coronavirus has delayed tests. The IELTS Indicator test is an Official IELTS Test. At the moment, it is only for Academic IELTS, not GT. However, this is early days. All organisations world wide are adapting to this new situation and possibly the GT test might be available at some point.

This page will give you information and answer the following about the new IELTS Indicator test.

1. Which countries and how much?
2. Does this test have four skills?
3. Difference between IELTS and Indicator IELTS tests
4. Can it be used for immigration?
5. What you need at home to take the test – technology & conditions
6. Speaking Test Info
7. How to Book IELTS Indicator test

BE CAREFUL

Read this page very very carefully before you jump at this new test. You need to check that it is suitable for you.

1) Which Countries and How Much?

This new IELTS test is only available in some countries where the Coronavirus has caused tests to be suspended. The countries where this test will be available will be released on April 22nd when booking opens. It is only available for a limited time!! FEES: IELTS will release information about the fees on April 22nd as well.

2) Does this Test have all Four Skills?

Yes, it does. It will be the same as the Computer Based IELTS test and will cover all 4 skills. If you are unfamiliar with the computer based test, read this page: IELTS Computer Test Pros and Cons. You can also find practice questions to get used to using a computer for your test on the IELTS BC website for free.

The results for the IELTS Indicator test will arrive within 7 days.

As with a normal IELTS test, each section of the test will be strictly timed. For example, you will have one hour for reading, not more and not less.

Official IELTS examiners will mark the IELTS Indicator test in the same way and with the same marking criteria as the normal IELTS test.

3) Difference between an IELTS Test and an IELTS Indicator Test?

For the test format and difficulty level, IELTS Indicator is the same as any other IELTS test.

However, there is a difference. The IELTS test is well known and accepted by organisation and educational institutions around the world. The IELTS Indicator Test has been created only for this current period of global difficulties. Not all organisations or institutions will accept it.

This means you must contact the university or organisation that you are applying to before you book the test. You must get confirmation from them (in writing preferably) that they will accept these results.

4) Can I use it for Immigration?

No, you can’t. This new Indicator IELTS test is for those wishing to enter Higher Education, according to IELTS Official. However, as I mentioned above, we need to keep checking this information as things might change later this month or next month.

5) What you Need at Home to Take the Test

You need to have:

• a guaranteed quiet space for the length of the test. Once the LR&W sections begin, you can’t take a break. The test will run and you can’t stop it or pause it. Any unwanted interruption in your home and you will lose time and lose marks.
• Laptop or Desktop (Mac or PC). Not a tablet or phone.
• Strong, reliable internet connection. If your internet connection is not stable, you shouldn’t take this test.
• Good quality headphones to listen to the listening test. Do a volume check before you start your test. Make sure it’s all working properly.
• Download SEB (Safe Exam Browser) on your laptop successfully. You can find out details of install it here: SEB from IELTS
• Computer with a web cam.
• Zoom application should also be downloaded on your laptop.
• Computer with microphone for your speaking test.

6) IELTS Speaking Test Online

The IELTS Indicator test does have all four sections including IELTS Speaking. You will do the IELTS Speaking test with an examiner over your computer using a microphone and with video call. This means it is still face to face, but over the internet using a video call. Make sure it is a good microphone and that you have previously checked that the volume controls. Have your pen and paper ready for when you need to make notes in part 2.

7) How Can I Book IELTS Indicator?

As long as you are sure that this test will be accepted by the university or organisation you are applying to and you are sure you have everything you need for the test at home (see the above list), you can plan to book this test.

Bookings for this new test are now open. Click below:

CLICK HERE TO BOOK: IELTS Indicator Official Test.

You will also find the above information confirmed and more FAQs to help you understand more. Check to see if this test is available in your country.

NOTE

Please read this page again carefully. Do not make the mistake to pay for this test until you are 100% sure it is for you.

Will this be the Future of IELTS?

Who knows. It is a great way for IELTS to see how well it works. We might see more similar test options in the future. It would certainly make things easier for many candidates if this option would remain open after the Coronavirus situation has been resolved.

All the best

Liz

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IELTS Grammar E-book for Writing Task 2 – AVAILABLE NOW!

It can be purchased in my online store. Click here: Visit Store

Details

Complex Grammar Made Easy! This e-book is aimed to push your English to a higher level with a better range of grammar and less errors. It will help you improve your English language. This e-book also provides great tips and advice to boost your IELTS essay score. It is a great study at home e-book.

It has just over 250 pages explaining essential English grammar and a Workbook which has 65 pages of exercises. It is downloaded as pdf files. For more information and more answers to questions, download the preview: Grammar E-book PREVIEW

I have finished IELTS. Will this e-book help me improve my English? Yes, definitely. The aim is to take your English language to a higher level by improving your English grammar. You will learn complex grammar in simple steps. This e-book will be your teacher helping you achieve Advanced English.

I want a higher band score in IELTS Writing Task 2. Will this e-book help? Yes, the target is grammar band score 7, 8 and 9. You will learn what grammar skills and features to showcase in your essay and help you develop more accurate grammar. The examiner will be testing you on each of the grammar features explained in the chapters of this e-book.

HOW CAN I PURCHASE THIS E-BOOK

This e-book is now available in my online store, click below:

Click here: Visit Store 

All the best

Liz

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Below are the answers with explanation for the reading lesson called “The History of Pasta”. This lesson was based on Matching Headings.

If you have not completed this lesson, please do so before looking at the answers. Click here: History of Pasta Reading Lesson

Tips:

1. Matching Headings questions are not the same as Matching Paragraph Information questions. You are not looking for specific information in the paragraph, you are looking for a title that sums up the aims of the paragraph.
2. Writing answers. In IELTS, the answer you write on your answer sheet should be the number only, for example vi or iii. You can also write them in capitals, for example VI or III. But you can’t write words and you can’t write E = VI. Remember this tip if you want to have your answer marked correct.

Answers to Matching Headings

The answers below are written in a way to take you step by step through logical thought to find the right answers.

1. A = ?
   • You would immediately notice that a few headings might be possible for this paragraph. Heading i) “A Theory Dismissed” seems a possible choice because the paragraph does show that the idea of pasta being Italian is challenged. Heading iii) “Is Pasta Really Italian” seems possible because this is all about whether pasta is Italian as presumed. Heading v) “The real origins of pasta” is not possible because no real origin is given. Heading vii) “The common belief of the origin of pasta” also seems possible. This leaves us with three possible headings. As a result, you should not decide the heading for paragraph A until you decide on the other paragraphs.
   • You need to be logical and strategic. Tick the possible headings and do not make a choice. As you know there is more than one possible heading, you will decide later.
   • If you don’t do this, you might choose the wrong heading for paragraph A which might cause you to choose wrong headings for the other paragraphs as well. This means you would lose more than one mark from this mistakes.
   • So, for the answer to Paragraph A ……. keep reading.
2. B = ??
   • This paragraph is all about the popular theory of the origin of pasta. This popular idea is that Marco Polo brought noodles from China. This is not about any theory, but about the most common theory.  Popular – common. Remember synonyms need to be understood from context.
   • The answer to Paragraph B must be vii
   • The common belief is specific with detail and it is specific about the origin and gives detail about the origin.
   • The heading ii) “Marco Polo in China” is wrong because this isn’t just about him being in China – it isn’t about his travels and experiences in China. It is specific about the common belief that he brought pasta from China and that is the origin.
   • The heading v) “China is the origin” is also wrong. The topic sentence is about a theory and the paragraph explains that the theory is about Marco Polo and the origin of pasta. The writer does not belief the origin is China. The final sentence provides only extra information about Chinese noodles which is actually unnecessary information for the theory being discussed.
   • Remember this is not about matching words or finding information. Matching Headings are about the aims of the paragraphs.
3. C = ??
   • The topic sentence provides the main clue here. This is all about a theory with problems. You should immediately spot heading i) A Theory Dismissed. 
   • Every sentence after the topic sentence provides evidence of why the common belief about the origin (the main theory) is wrong.
   • This means the answer to Paragraph C = i
   • This also means the answer to Paragraph A is not i
   • For Paragraph A, we are now only left with two choices.
4. D = ??
   • The key to this answer is about the aim of the paragraph, not about matching words or finding specific information.
   • Heading vi) “How Arabs cooked pasta” – is this a possible heading? 
   • There is information in the paragraph about the method of cooking. It says Arabs boiled pasta. However, is this the main aim of the paragraph. Has the writer written this paragraph because they are focusing on cooking methods or they are slowly drawing your attention towards cooking methods? The answer is NO. Cooking methods are briefly mentioned to add interest. It is additional information, not an aim, not a focus and can’t be a heading. This is a typical way IELTS will test you. Can you understand the difference between extra information and an aim.
   • The paragraph aim is to present a theory that holds water (this means is valid and seems to be proven) presented by food historians about the origin of pasta. The whole paragraph is aimed at introducing you to the “real origins of pasta” as shown by this theory that the writer is supporting.
   • The answer to Paragraph D = v
   • This means the answer to Paragraph A = iii

Answers summarised:

1. iii
2. vii
3. i
4. v

I hope you have found it useful to be taken step by step though logical thoughts to arrive at the answers. All the best, Liz

NOTICE: NEW Grammar E-book coming soon

I will post a notice when the Grammar E-book is ready. This is a fantastic Grammar E-book which helps you learn complex grammar in easy steps at home.

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