Hi guys,

Below you will find useful contact links for updated information from ielts.org and from the British Council and IDP regarding the situation of the Coronavirus. Find out if your test has been suspended and when it is likely to be rescheduled.

Please remember that this situation is changing week by week and even day by day in some places. No one can predict what will actually happen which is why test centres cannot give you guarantees of dates – see keep checking the links given below. Also make sure you make sensible decisions for yourself and your family. Most test centres are offering for people to cancel their test date and get a refund if they are worried about being in close contact with others. This is something you can consider. The British Council and IDP will always follow official advice when it comes to the decisions they make about suspending their services. This is not a situation to be angry or upset about, it is just a consequence of the worldwide situation and we must accept it with calm and with a positive mindset. Meanwhile, use this time to continue preparing for your future. Learn English and develop your IELTS skills. See my IELTS Liz HOME Page for useful links.

Official Page of Suspended Tests & Reschedule Dates

If you go to the official page, you will see information and a list of countries and test centres affected by the Coronavirus outbreak. It will list country by country and city by city which tests are suspended and when they will start again. CLICK HERE: OFFICIAL LIST OF SUSPENDED IELTS TESTS WORLDWIDE. Check this official page regularly because the situation in different countries and cities is frequently changing.

However, you might also want to check with your test centres in the country where you are. See below for BC and IDP links.

British Council

If you click on this page: BC Cornoavirus Response, you will be taken to the British Council official page for their response to this outbreak. Select your country from the drop down box on that page and then read any update information about what the BC is doing in your country regarding tests and lessons. If you are in further doubt, contact them on the BC Facebook Page and ask a question specific to your country and the city where your test centre is.

IDP

If you registered for your test with IDP, see the following page: IDP Coronavirus Notice. On that page you will find general information about their response and also a link to “contact your local IDP office”. If that doesn’t give you the information you need, send a message via FB: IDP IELTS Facebook Page. Remember, they might been getting a high volume of messages so be patient waiting for a response.

Keep Learning and Stay Positive

I will continue to post lessons each week to help you continue to develop your English and your skills – subscribe below to get them. Next week, I will post vocabulary relating to the Coronavirus to help you read official WHO advice more easily.

Below are some useful links to FREE lessons.

For Free Listening Lessons, click here: Listening Practice

For Free Reading Lessons, click here: Reading Practice

For Free Writing Task 1 and Task 2, click here: Task 1 and Task 2

For Free Speaking, click here: Speaking Topics, Answers & Tips

For Free Vocabulary: Vocabulary Lists

Ideas for Topics E-book & Advanced Lessons

This is a good time for you to prepare ideas and vocabulary for topics. Even if the Coronavirus has disrupted IELTS test dates, it should not disrupt your development of English and IELTS. My Ideas for Essay Topics E-book will help you learn both English and ideas for IELTS while you are at home. The Advanced Lessons will teach you techniques to push your score above to band 7 and above.

All the best and stay safe!

Liz

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Many of you wrote to let me know that your tests have been suspended. For others, there is still uncertainty about what will happen next. However, one thing will not change. You can still continue to learn and develop.

I will continue posting lessons each week so that you have a chance to develop your English in preparation for your future, which I’m sure will still be bright, regardless of our current situation.

Here are links to common topics for IELTS. Start preparing for them. Click below to open:

• Speaking Part 1 Topics
• Speaking Part 2 Topics
• Speaking Part 3 Topics
• Free Speaking Tips, Model Answers & Lessons
• 100 Essay Questions
• Free Writing Task 2 Tips, Model Answers & Lessons

If you need ideas and vocabulary for essay topics, get my Ideas E-book. Click here: IELTS Liz Store. 

My new Grammar E-book will soon be ready. Hopefully in about 6 weeks. It is a great e-book which will really help you all. It focuses on all the aspects of grammar you need to be able to create complex language with accuracy. If you want to study from home, it will be the perfect e-book for you and comes with a Workbook full of exercises. I’ll let you know when it’s ready.

I’ll post a free practice lesson on Thursday for you all. I really hope that by continuing to post lessons, it will help you all keep positive during this difficult time.

All the best

Liz

Hi guys,

Has your test been suspended? When will tests start again? Here in the UK, more and more steps are being taken to protect the public from the Coronavirus (Covid-19). Some European countries are already in lockdown. This will have an impact on some IELTS tests. Some countries around the world have already seen IELTS tests suspended. This page was last updated March 20th.

Has my IELTS Test been Suspended?

Click on the following link to learn which places have IELTS Tests Suspended. It is a link to an Official IELTS list of test dates around the world showing which ones have been suspended. Make sure you check that link regularly because the situation is changing daily: CLICK HERE: IELTS OFFICIAL UPDATES ON SUSPENDED TESTS.

When will IELTS Tests start again in My Country?

On the official link above, it will show not only which countries and cities have tests cancelled but also when IELTS tests are likely to start again in those areas. So, click on the link above to check.

HOWEVER, please note that due to the uncertainty surrounding the Covid-19 situation, no dates are set in stone (this means no dates are 100% guaranteed). The date the tests are set to continue are an estimate and will depend on what happens with the virus in your area. This is not the fault of IELTS. This means, as I stated before, you need to keep checking that page for updates. Do not be disheartened. Aim to prepare for the new date given, but also be ready for further delays. These are uncertain times and we must all adapt from day to day with as much positivity as possible. See the links to free lessons below to keep positive and keep learning.

Your Concerns of IELTS Test Cancellation

Share your experiences and concerns. Feel free to post your comments.

1. Have you had your IELTS test suspended or are worried about your test being suspended? Do you have new dates for another test?
2. Has this changed your plans for your future?
3. How are you all feeling about this situation?
4. Are you concerned about Coronavirus in your area?

Free Lessons to Study at Home

If you are in lockdown or your IELTS test has been cancelled due to Coronavirus, I hope you are using your time to improve your English language and develop your IELTS skills. Below are some useful links to FREE lessons.

For Free Listening Lessons, click here: Listening Practice

For Free Reading Lessons, click here: Reading Practice

For Free Writing Task 1 and Task 2, click here: Task 1 and Task 2

For Free Speaking, click here: Speaking Topics, Answers & Tips

For Free Vocabulary: Vocabulary Lists

Ideas for Topics E-book & Advanced Lessons

This is a good time for you to prepare ideas and vocabulary for topics. Even if the Coronavirus has disrupted IELTS test dates, it should not disrupt your development of English and IELTS. My Ideas for Essay Topics E-book will help you learn both English and ideas for IELTS while you are at home. The Advanced Lessons will teach you techniques to push your score above to band 7 and above.

All the best and stay safe!

Liz

A band score 9 model essay for IELTS writing task 2. The essay question below was reported in the IELTS test in February 2020.

IELTS Essay Question 2020

Some people think that mobile phones are harmful for children, while others disagree. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

IELTS Essay Model Answer 2020

Note: The essay below is longer than most of you will aim for. It’s fine for a band 9 candidate. For others, try to aim for between 270 and 290 words. Aim for accuracy and quality rather than length.

People hold different views as to whether mobile phones are detrimental to children or not. In my opinion, this depends very much on how the phones are used and how that use is supervised as to whether they are harmful for children or not.

On the one hand, some people think children can be harmed by using mobile phones mainly because the games and apps found on phones, which are mostly not educational, can easily become addictive. This results in children engaging less in healthy physical activities and spending less time on homework, both of which can have dire consequences in the long run. Furthermore, using mobile phones exposes children to unmonitored social media platforms where predators might be lurking in wait by taking advantage of the anonymity offered online.

On the other hand, mobile phones can actually protect children by allowing parents to track their geographical location and contact them immediately if necessary. Never before have parents been able to know the exact whereabouts of their child minute by minute. In addition, the instant communication provides essential security for children in times of crisis. Lastly, mobile phones do allow access to educational apps specifically created for children which, if used wisely, can further their education.

Finally, I believe that if parents monitor how the smart phone is being used by their child, it can be beneficial for a child’s development. By blocking certain social media sites, parents can be sure their child is safe whilst being online. Moreover, by setting time limits on how long their child can use the phone means that it will not interfere with a child’s educational development and will avoid any form of addiction.

In conclusion, children are only at risk when using a mobile phone if they are not being supervised and are not given strict guidelines to follow which are set by their parents.

Comments: This essay presents a clear opinion which is fully explained. Both sides have been clearly discussed. Ideas are extended and supporting points relevant. Ideas are organised logical and a good range of linking words have been used. Grammar is both complex and accurate. Vocabulary is topic related and less common items are used.

See more model essays and lessons , click here: Writing Task 2 Answers, Lessons & Tips.

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Below you can find the answers to the reading practice lesson about Butterflies. If you have not completed this lesson, please do so before looking at the answers. Click here to go to the lesson: Butterfly Reading Practice

Below check the questions and answers.

Questions

1. About 50% of Monarch butterflies migrate.
2. Migration skips only one generation.
3. Migration paths are innately known in Monarchs.
4. Monarch butterflies feed on milkweed.
5. Milkweed dense zones are popular breeding spots.
6. Monarch butterflies are toxic to predators.
7. The Monarch butterfly is widely distributed in Canada.
8. Monarch butterflies are driven to the Pacific coast in order to survive.
9. Monarchs are able to survive icy weather under certain conditions.

Answers

1. NOT GIVEN
   1. No information exists in the passage to confirm or deny a percentage of Monarchs migrating.
2. FALSE
   1. The passage tells use that “several summer generations will have lived and died” before it is time for migration. 
3. TRUE
   1. This information is found here: “new generations are born to know the way, and follow the same routes their ancestors took”
4. FALSE
   1. The passage shows that the caterpillars feed on milkweed and the butterflies (adults) feed on nectar.
   2. “monarch caterpillars feed almost exclusively on milkweed and as adults get their nutrients from the nectar of flowers”
5. TRUE
   1. The information is found here: “monarch will always return to areas rich in milkweed to lay their eggs upon the plant.”
6. FALSE
   1. The passage shows that the butterflies are not toxic. Toxic means that the butterflies kill the predator when eaten. However, the passage shows that the butterflies only taste bitter.
   2. “the monarch butterfly taste so terrible to predators”
   3. The information in the passage is about the milkweed is a toxin which is stored in their bodies. This does not indicate that the butterfly is actually toxic to the predator – only that their bodies contain toxins. These toxins are what make them taste bitter.
   4. This question really tests your attention to detail.
7. FALSE 
   1. The monarch is widely distributed across North American, but in Canada, it is only found in the south.
8. NOT GIVEN
   
   1. We know they are spread in area with milkweed, but the passage says nothing about whether it is for survival. 
9. TRUE
   1. Monarchs can survive icy weather if they are dry. But they can’t survive icy weather if they are wet. This means they can survive icy weather under certain conditions, which means in specific situations.

I hope you enjoyed this reading lesson. The TFNG questions can be challenging, but if you pay attention to detail and make sure you understand the fully meaning of the statement before looking for the answer, you can conquer 🙂 If you got some answers wrong in this lesson, I hope the explanation above will help you understand why and help you improve 🙂

For more reading lessons, see this page: IELTS Reading Practice & Tips

All the best

Liz

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This is a reading exercise to practise the TFNG questions that appear in the IELTS test. This exercise is slightly easier than an IELTS reading passage but still useful practice for both academic and GT students. To see IELTS reading tips and a TFNG free video lesson, see this page: IELTSliz Reading Main Page

IELTS TFNG Practice Lesson

Passage: Monarch Butterflies

Only monarchs born in late summer or early fall make the migration, and they make only one round trip. By the time next year’s winter migration begins, several summer generations will have lived and died and it will be last year’s migrators’ great grandchildren that make the trip. Yet somehow these new generations are born to know the way, and follow the same routes their ancestors took—sometimes even returning to the same tree.

In their larval stage monarch caterpillars feed almost exclusively on milkweed and as adults get their nutrients from the nectar of flowers. The monarch will always return to areas rich in milkweed to lay their eggs upon the plant. The milkweed they feed on as a caterpillar is actually a poisonous toxin and is stored in their bodies. This is what makes the monarch butterfly taste so terrible to predators – it is nature’s deterrent. Wherever there is milkweed there will be Monarch butterflies. The monarch is widely distributed across North America, from Central America northwards to southern Canada, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts.

It is predicted that one of the many effects of climate change will be wetter and colder winters. If they are dry, monarchs can survive below freezing temperatures, but if they get wet and the temperature drops they will freeze to death.

Notice: This reading passage is from the website: defenders.org. To see the full article , please visit this page: http://www.defenders.org/monarch-butterfly/basic-facts. Learn about conservation – protect our planet!

Questions

Decide if the following statements are True, False or Not Given according to the information in the passage above.

1. About 50% of Monarch butterflies migrate.
2. Migration skips only one generation.
3. Migration paths are innately known in Monarchs.
4. Monarch butterflies feed on milkweed.
5. Milkweed dense zones are popular breeding spots.
6. Monarch butterflies are toxic to predators.
7. The Monarch butterfly is widely distributed in Canada.
8. Monarch butterflies are driven to the Pacific coast in order to survive.
9. Monarchs are able to survive icy weather under certain conditions.

Answers

Click below to see the answers to this reading lesson:

Click here: Answers to Butterfly Reading Practice

For more reading practice, click here: IELTS Reading Exercises & Tips

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Hi guys.

I’ve posted a detailed answer about using umm’s and aahh’s in IELTS Speaking back on the original page, click here: IELTS Speaking Ummm’s

I’m glad I posted this short lesson because I see that some of you have mixed understanding about the marking criterion of Fluency and some of you also have mixed understanding about what “fillers” are. Hopefully my explanations will help you 🙂

All the best

Liz