Coronavirus Vocabulary Practice

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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

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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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Can you Tell Lies in IELTS Speaking? Advice & Tips

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Is it ok to lie in IELTS speaking? Is it ok to make up a story and tell the examiner? 

Many students ask me if they can tell lies in their IELTS test and if they will get a lower band score if they are found lying in their IELTS speaking test.

Is it possible to lie in IELTS Speaking?

Yes, you can lie. It won’t affect your score. But it isn’t necessary. It’s better to tell the truth.

Telling the truth has advantages.

Why lying isn’t necessary in IELTS Speaking

  1. There is no reason to lie. Lying will not increase your score.
  2. If you don’t have a clear answer – just say so. You are marked on your ability to communicate in English, not on your knowledge or ideas for IELTS speaking. Below are some examples:
    • Q) What is your favourite museum?  
    • A) I don’t have one. I don’t have much interest in history or culture and I think the last time I went to one is when I was a child.
      • Comments: The above answer is excellent. It answers directly and explains more. I also uses both present simple and past simple grammar tenses.
    • Q) Do you like cooking?
    • A) No, actually I don’t. My mother has always cooked for me. To be honest, I find it incredibly tedious and a waste of my time, and anyway I’d rather use my time more productively.
      • Comments: This is a full answer which offers different grammar tenses and a range of language features.
  3. Lying requires imagination – it is better just to focus on your language rather than trying to be creative at the same time.
  4. When you say the truth, you usually have better intonation which will help your pronunciation score. Matching your meaning with your tone of voice is very important for your pronunciation score.
  5. It’s hard to add extra details when you lie. It requires too much effort to add all the extra details to a lie.
  6. Under exam pressure, it is hard to lie and create an answer at the same time. Sticking with the truth is easier. 

Adapting the Truth

Adapting the truth is easier than a huge creative lie.

If you are asked to talk about a book you recently read, instead you can talk about a book you read one year ago but say it was recent. It is a “white lie” but all details you will give will be truthful – this will make it easier for you to talk about. However, even in this situation, you can still tell the truth – see below:

  • I’d like to talk about a novel I read about a year ago. To be honest, I’ve been so busy during this last year with work that I haven’t had time to read any books. So, I’m going to tell you about one I remember very well from about one year ago. …..
    • Comments: This is a great start to your talk. There are quite a few different grammar tenses used already at the start of the talk. The answer also show that you can communicate clearly and easily in English by giving precise meaning to what you want to say. As long as you stick to the main topic “A book”, you can adapt it as you like. By explaining your choices for the topic, the examiner will be satisfied. It doesn’t affect your score to do this.

ID Check & Facts: Don’t Lie!

Before the recording device is switched on, the examiner will ask you four questions to check your ID. Do NOT lie at this point. The information you provide must match the information given on your ID card.

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IELTS Speaking: How Pronunciation is Marked

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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

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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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IELTS Reading – Matching Paragraph Information Questions

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IELTS reading matching paragraph information questions are quite common in IELTS reading. They can appear in both GT and Academic reading tests. They are not the same as matching headings questions.

  • Matching headings = match the title to the aim of the paragraph – requires deeper understanding
  • Matching paragraph information = locate the information in the paragraph – requires only to find information

The passage below is Academic level which means it is harder that GT reading passages. However, GT candidates can still benefit from the practice as the techniques for these questions are the same for both tests. This topic of carnivorous plants and their trapping mechanisms did appear in the IELTS reading test.

This type of question is really testing your ability to scan. Scanning means to move your eyes over the passage to locate specific information. Always remember that the information you are looking for might be paraphrased. So, always prepare the possible paraphrases before you start scanning for the answer. The lesson below is not an IELTS test. It is just a free practice lesson to help you develop skills and awareness.

  1. skim read the passage for gist
  2. read & analyse the questions
  3. tackle the questions in any order
  4. prepare paraphrases for the statement questions
  5. scan the passage to locate the information
  6. write a letter as your answer

Passage: Carnivorous Plants

A) Sarracenia, or the North American Pitcher plant, is a Genus of carnivorous plants indigenous to the eastern seaboard, Texas, the great lakes and south eastern Canada, with most species being found only in the southeast states. It is a plant with a pitfall trap. The plant’s leaves have evolved into a funnel, with a hood like structure growing over the opening to prevent rain water from diluting the digestive juices. Insects are attracted by colour, smell and a nectar-like secretion on the lip of the pitcher. 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.

B) Nepenthes, tropical pitcher plants or monkey cups, are another genus of carnivorous plants with pitfall traps. There are about 130 species that are wide spread, and can be found in China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Madagascar, Seychelles, Australia, India, Borneo and Sumatra. The nickname “monkey cups” comes from the fact that monkeys have often been observed drinking rain water from them. The trap contains fluid, produced by the plant, which is used to drown and digest the insects. Most of these plants are small and tend to trap only insects, but some larger species, such as Nepenthes Rafflesiana and Nepenthes Rajah, have been documented to catch small mammals like rats.

C) Dionaea Muscipula, more commonly known as a Venus flytrap, is probably the most well-known carnivorous plant and it feeds mainly on insects and arachnids. The Venus flytrap is a small plant that has 4-7 leaves that grow from a short subterranean stem. The plant is so advanced that it can tell the difference between live stimulus and non-living stimulus. The lobes snap shut in about 0.1 seconds. They are fringed by stiff thorn-like protrusions or cilia, which mesh together and prevent large prey from escaping. Once prey is unable to escape and the inner surfaces of the lobes are continuously being stimulated, the edges of the lobes grow or fuse together, sealing the trap and creating an enclosed “stomach” in which digestion and absorption can take place.

D) Aldrovanda vesiculosa, also known as the waterwheel plant, is a fascinating rootless, carnivorous, aquatic plant. It generally feeds on small aquatic vertebrates, using a trap mechanism called a snap trap. This is a very fast growing plant and can reach 4-9mm per day, in some instances even producing a new whorl every day. The traps basically consists of two lobes which fold together to make the snap traps. The openings of the trap point outwards, and are covered in a fine coating of trigger hairs, which will cause the trap to snap shut around any prey that comes too close. The trap closes in only 10 milliseconds, making it one of the fastest examples of plant movement in the animal kingdom.

Source: this passage was sourced online. I can’t find the original source but if anyone knows please let me know so I can put a link to it.

Questions 1-7

Which paragraph contains the following information? Write the correct letter, A-D, as answers. Note, you may use any letter more than once.

  1. The plant preys on animals that live in water.
  2. The plant is able to tell the difference between prey and inedible items.
  3. Prey is known to die through submersion in liquid.
  4. Prey is drawn to the plant by its appearance.
  5. The plant is known for its speed in trapping prey.
  6. The soporific effect of the nectar can cause prey to tumble into the plant’s trap.
  7. The plant is capable of trapping creatures large than an average insect.

Answers for Reading Passage

You can find the answers by clicking below:

Click here: Answers to this Lesson

All the best

Liz

More IELTS Reading Lessons & Tips

For more free reading lessons and tips, please click here: IELTS Reading

If you want free lessons for the other sections of the test, please go to the HOME page or use the RED MENU BAR to access those sections.

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Predicted IELTS Speaking Topics May-Aug 2020

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Below are predicted IELTS Speaking Topics for May, June, July & August 2020. Please read all this page carefully so that you prepare properly for your IELTS Speaking Test.

Note:

  • Below are predicted topics for part 1 and part 2 speaking
  • Part 3 questions are based on your part 2 topic
    • Example:
    • Part 2: A skill
    • Part 3: learning, practical skills, technology, skills for business & work, children learning skills etc
  • Do you want topics for IELTS Writing Task 2?

Preparing Speaking Topics

IELTS do not release their list of questions for IELTS Speaking. This is to ensure that you don’t memorise answers and the test fairly checks your natural level of English. But you can prepare predicted and common topics. By preparing as many topics as possible, you will hopefully be better prepared. The list below is predicted list of topics for this period that are due to be recycled. Also prepare other common topics, click here: Speaking Section.

Do not memorise whole answers. Prepare ideas and useful vocabulary that you can use naturally in your test. Remember to be natural and chatty – not rehearsed or repeating from memory.

IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topics May-Aug 2020

The list below shows topics that could appear in IELTS Speaking Part 1. This part lasts from 4-5 mins in length. Answer directly and then add one or two sentences more. Be prepared for the examiner to take the lead and interrupt your answers. Can you find more common topics here: Common Part 1 Topics which will likely appear in your test.

  1. Work/Study
  2. Your home or your house
  3. Where you come from originally
  4. Friends, friendship and socialising
  5. Family (people in your family and relationships)
  6. Diet – types of food, meals, places to eat
  7. Plants, flowers and places in nature (beauty spots)
  8. School, subjects, homework and teachers
    1. languages, history, geography (maps), cookery, art
    2. science, maths, technology, social sciences
    3. note: IELTS do not use political or religious topics.
  9. Holidays, places to stay, activities, journey
  10. Health and exercise (including gentle exercise)
  11. Leisure time
  12. Sport – types of sport
  13. Animals – types of animals, your experience of animals
  14. Visitors to your home
  15. Bags, Shoes and Accessories
  16. Shops & Purchases & Money
  17. Routine – your day and night routines – changing routines
  18. Gifts and special occasions
  19. Cars, buses, trains and planes
  20. Music, songs and singing
  21. Bread and rice: staple foods
  22. Films & TV
  23. Writing – letters, emails, messages
  24. Happiness, enjoyment and fun
  25. Museums and Galleries
  26. Weather

May-Aug IELTS Speaking Part 2 Predicted Topics

Use your 1 mins planning time to think about language as well as ideas that you want to use in your talk. Try to speak for 2 mins. I will add to this list as more topics are reported. Part 3 will last for between 4 and 5 mins. Part 3 is the discussion where the examiner might challenge your answers and push you for more detail – give as much as you can in your answers.

The examiner will have many topics to choose from in part 2. So, I’ve put some predicted topics and also common topics that are frequently used.

The bullet points below are the usual directions that part 3 can take. Part 3 is a discussion so be prepared for the examiner to interrupt and challenge you.

  1. An animal
    • Part 3 questions about:
    • Pets, Zoos, Vegetarianism
  2. A healthy activity
    1. keeping healthy, types of exercise and sport
    2. dangerous sports, bad lifestyles, hobbies
  3. A family member
    1. spending time with family, older generations, family roles
  4. A successful business
    1. local products, success in business, skills for success, family run business, international/local business, business in your area (shops), famous brands
  5. A quiet or crowded place
    1. places to relax, crowds, stress, health concerns around other people, mental health, balanced life style
  6. An old person you admire
    1. retirement, taking care of the elderly
  7. A charity
    1. volunteer work, helping people, types of problems in society
  8. A book
    1. types of books, books & real life stories, films, children stories, learning, e-books etc.
  9. A meal
    1. healthy eating, restaurants, home cooking, food allergies, the food industry
  10. A famous Person
    1. TV or music stars, role models, how media influences people

Usual Types of Part 2 Topics

The topics below are divided into common types. These are the usual types of topics you get in part 2 which are based on everyday life. Remember, IELTS Speaking Part 2 is not about knowledge, it is just a chance to speak at length on a topic that touches everyone’s life.

A person

  • old or young people
  • famous people or people you wish you could meet
  • professions and jobs in society and that help the environment
  • family, friends and strangers
  • children and teenagers

Place

  • to relax, to have fun, to learn, to meet people
  • quiet place, busy place, crowded place, interesting place, colourful place
  • in nature,
  • cities, towns, parks
  • hotels, restaurants, libraries, shops
  • a house, your neighbourhood, 
  • a foreign country and place you wish you could visit
  • a place from your childhood or a recent place you have visited

Objects

  • films, books, newspapers
  • clothes, furniture, recently bought items
  • gifts, art, a souvenir
  • a device, a toy, a game
  • animal, bird, plant, flower, garden park
  • a meal
  • a charity, a business, an organisation

Abstract objects

  • websites, skills (learned and innate), a language, useful advice, information
  • holidays, travel, journeys – recent or didn’t go as planned
  • future goals, dreams
  • routine, hobby, activity 
  • something that hindered you, something that helped you
  • weather, seasons, sky, stars, climates, environmental problem
  • professions and jobs 

A time when

  • you were happy, sad, bored, exited, worried, embarrassed, disappointed, confused
  • you helped someone, someone helped you, you got advice, you gave advice etc, you got news, you told someone good news
  • you got lost, you found something, you learned something, you achieved something, you forgot something, you remembered something important

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For tips, free video lessons and model answer for speaking, go to the HOME page of this site and read how to access them.

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Just a reminder that my Ideas for Topics E-book and my Grammar E-book are available in my store. Both will help improve with your level of English. Click here: Visit Store

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May 2020 IELTS Speaking Topic: Colours

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Colours is a topic currently being used in IELTS Speaking Part 2 and Part 3. Below you will find the cue card being used with a model answer and some Part 3 questions that might follow. This topic will probably run from May – August 2020. I’ll update more topics as they are reported. Meanwhile, make sure you prepare from previous topics which will no doubt be recycled this month. Click here: IELTS Speaking Topics so far in 2020.

Below you will find:

  1. IELTS Speaking Cue Card “Colourful Place” with Model Answer
  2. Review Questions & Tips
  3. Speaking Part 3 Questions
  4. Speaking Part 1 Questions
  5. Vocabulary for Colours
  6. Thank you message from Liz

1) Colours: IELTS Speaking Part 2

Below you will find a cue card and model answer for the Speaking Part 2 Topic: A Colourful Place. This topic frequently appears in IELTS Speaking.

Cue Card: Describe a colourful place that you have visited.

  • where it was
  • when you went there
  • what you did there
  • why you thought it was colourful

Model Answer for “A Colourful Place”

The model answer below is a band 9. Answer:

It isn’t easy to decide on just one colourful place to talk about because I have been to so many. But I’d like to talk about somewhere in Vietnam where the colour is a type of beauty beyond anything I have seen before. It’s a place that I will never forget.

The name of the place is Hoi An. It’s a small town located in central Vietnam not far from the sea. It is a UNESCO heritage site known for it’s stunning buildings, which were mainly one or two storey high, and it’s amazing colours. The first time I went there was about 8 years ago when I was travelling through Vietnam on vacation on my own. Since then, I’ve visited a number of times and I’m sure I’ll return again one day.

From the moment I arrived I was struck by the incredible colour of the traditional houses. They were nearly all painted a soft pastel yellow with tropical flowers and plants growing around them. In the daylight it was stunning but as evening came, the glow from the setting sun turning everything golden. The colours were almost ethereal. I’m really not surprised it’s a UNESCO heritage site and extremely popular with photographers. When I was there, I only had a basic camera. But if I had known how lovely it was, I would have taken my best camera with me.

I can’t say I did very much there. It was possible to get clothes made by tailors, travel down the river to the sea, take a cookery course to learn Vietnamese cuisine and learn about lantern making. However, all I wanted to do was mainly soak in the sites and the gentle, inspiring colours. I admit I did enjoy the food in the local restaurants and the seafood was the most delicious I’ve had. I can’t remember ever having eaten any squid as tender or any mackerel as tasty. 

The whole atmosphere made me feel lucky to be alive. Even now when I’m stuck at home, I can recall those sites and I remember the wonderful feeling I had at that time. It helps me remember that we live in a remarkably colourful world.

2) Review Questions & Tips

Questions about Language Content

This cue card is a past tense topic about a place you have been to before. Staying true to the past tense is important. You need to show the examiner you can speak in the past tense for 2 mins. However, it is also very important to showcase other tenses and grammar features.

  1. Can you spot a third conditional statement?
  2. Can you spot a future tense?
  3. Can you spot a present perfect?
  4. Can you spot a present simple?
  5. Can you spot a superlative?
  6. Can you spot any useful descriptive language?
  7. Can you spot any particular language about colour?

Using first, second and third conditional statements is a great way to showcase your grammar skills and boost your score. Part 2 is the best time to use conditional statements because you have 1 mins to plan what to include in your talk. Showcasing a range of grammar tenses and showing the ability to change from one tense to another is essential for a high score. Description is also something you need to think about and plan in part 2.

Cue Card Tips

  • Use your 1 min planning time to plan not only ideas, but also language you wish to showcase.
  • Use the prompts. They will help you build a structure to your talk.
  • Go beyond the prompts. Add rich description – paint a picture.
  • Even if all you did was “walk around”, talk about what other options of activities there were. Add more. Showcase your English. You can mention both what you did and what you didn’t do.
  • Showcase a range of grammar tenses and other features as explained above.
  • Keep talking. You can also add recommendations, suggestions, opinions, other people’s opinions etc.
  • Don’t worry about time, the examiner will control the time and stop you when 2 mins is up.
  • You do not need to conclude your talk.

What else could you talk about with the topic “colourful place”?

  • someone’s house
  • a garden or a park
  • a street, town or city
  • a market (for clothes, food or spices)
  • an art gallery

Similar Cue Cards about Colour:

  1. Describe your favourite colour
  2. Describe a colourful event you have attended

3) Colours: IELTS Speaking Part 3 Questions

  1. Do colours affect our mood? In what way?
  2. Do you think the colours a person chooses to wear illustrates something about their character? OR – Are certain colours connected to particular character traits?
  3. Do you think men and women like to wear similar colours?
  4. How are colours used in advertising? OR – Do you think colour plays an important role in marketing and advertising?
  5. Do you think colour is important for company uniforms?
  6. Is there any particular colour that is symbolic in your country?
  7. Are there any colours that are connected to festivals in your country?
  8. Are there any specific colours used to decorate homes in your country?
  9. Are there any colours in your country that are considered lucky or unlucky?
  10. Do you think colour is important in text books?
  11. Do you think children should be given colourful storybooks to read?

4) Speaking Part 1 Colours

Although this topic isn’t being used as a part 1 topic at the moment, it can appear in part 1. As you will see below, some questions overlap with Speaking Part 3. However, in part 1, you are expected to give shorter answers.

  1. What is your favourite colour?
  2. Are there any colours you dislike?
  3. Is there any colour you would never wear?
  4. Do you prefer dark or light colours?
  5. What colours do you have in your home or on the walls of your home?
  6. Were colours important to you when you were a child?
  7. Do you think the colour people like changes as they grow older?
  8. Do you think colour shows us things about people’s character?
  9. Do you think men and women like different colours?
  10. Are there any popular colours in your country?

5) Vocabulary for Colours

  • vivid
  • bright
  • deep
  • rich
  • soft
  • pastel
  • harsh (this can be used to describe very bright, unpleasant colours)
  • loud (to describe very bright colours that you can’t ignore)
  • neutral
  • multicoloured
  • vibrant

Don’t just say “it was blue” – describe the blue:

  • deep blue, sky blue, soft blue, pastel blue, navy blue, aquamarine, midnight blue
  • If you can’t remember the exact words, paraphrase – it was a blue that reminded me of a gentle summer’s day / the blue was darker than the sky just before nightfall. 

6) Thank you from Liz

I just want to say thank you to all of you who responded to my post last week called “My Story”. I have posted a message to you all back on the original page at the end of my story. Needless to say, I was deeply touched by your comments. To read my thank you message and return to My Story Page, click here: Liz’s Personal Story

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