Reading Practice: Procrastination

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This reading lesson is based on Sentence Completion questions that are very common in IELTS reading, both GT and Academic.

Reading Exercise: Procrastination

Procrastination refers to the voluntary postponement of an unpleasant task, often against one’s better judgement (Steel, 2007). There are a few reasons for procrastination. One reason is the lack of imposed direction that’s become common in the workplace. People tend to dawdle in completing a task when they are not given set deadlines and goals. The most significant predictor of procrastination is a task that’s considered unpleasant, boring, or uninteresting. The less people are interested in their task, the less effort they put into completing it. Furthermore, avoidance is a well-known form of coping with anxiety. Procrastinators may postpone getting started because of their doubts and a fear of failure. Finally, when difficulties arise, people with weak self-confidence easily develop doubts about their ability to accomplish the task at hand, while those with strong beliefs are more likely to continue their efforts. When low self-confidence causes people to avoid activities, they miss opportunities to acquire new knowledge and skills. All these reasons are typical of procrastination. However, there is one other reason not mentioned so far and that is passive aggressive behaviour. These people use avoidance tactics to express their anger in a non-confrontational way by purposely not completing their task which they know might cause problems for others.

Source: Adapted  from psychologytoday.com. Parts of this passage have been altered from the original to suit the lesson.

Questions 1-5: Complete the sentences using no more than two words and/or a number.

  1. People may procrastinate if they are not given clear aims and …………………
  2. Without an interest in what they are doing, people might not put enough …………. into it.
  3. People may delay beginning their task because of a ………..of …………
  4. Some people avoid learning new skills due to  ………………
  5. Passive aggressive people procrastinate to convey ………..

Answers

Click below to reveal the answers:

Answers
  1. DEADLINES / SET DEADLINES
    1. The answer cannot be “goals” because that is already paraphrased in the question as “aims”.
  2. EFFORT
    1. This should be singular. This is not usual in IELTS and is specifically for this lesson only. The question I have written requires you to change the noun.
  3. FEAR FAILURE
    1. It is not necessary to use punctuation in any listening answers. You can just write two words only. If you use a comma, it is fine – but not necessary.
    2. Your answer will be marked wrong if you wrote “of”. This word is given in the question and you do not repeat it. Your task is to write what it missing.
    3. Some people struggled with this one. They thought the answer was “doubt fear. For example, “People may delay beginning their task because of a doubt of fear.” = this is 100% wrong.
    4. The term “a fear of failure” is an expression which is well known. It cannot be written as “a doubt of fear”.
    5. In the passage, it said that people procrastinate because of doubt AND a fear of failure. As you see “doubt” and “fear of failure” are two different things. You can have “doubt and fear”, but you can’t have “doubt of fear” – the question had the word “of”, it did not have the word “and”.
    6. So this question really tests your understanding of language. I hope this explanation will help you understand if you got that question wrong.
  4. LOW SELF-CONFIDENCE / WEAK SELF-CONFIDENCE
    1. If you wrote only “self-confidence” it would be marked wrong. This is not about self-confidence, it is specifically about LOW self-confidence.
    2. You must decide when to add the extra word and when not to. This will always depend on meaning. To miss the word “low” changes the meaning.
  5. ANGER
    1. You should not use “their”. It is not necessary to include the pronoun, only the noun.
Useful Vocabulary
  • postponement
  • against one’s better judgement
  • procrastination / procrastinate
  • dawdle
  • deadlines
  • predictor
  • avoidance
  • a fear of failure
  • low self-confidence
  • acquire knowledge
  • passive aggressive behaviour
  • avoidance tactics
  • non-confrontational

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I hope you enjoyed the topic. Procrastination is a common problem for many people – don’t let that happen with your IELTS preparation 🙂

All the best

Liz

Filed Under: IELTS Reading

Answers for My University Listening Practice

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Below are answers with tips for the practice listening lesson about My University. If you have not done this lesson, please click here: My University Listening,before looking at the answers.

Answers

  1. 19
    1. Some of you have difficult hearing the difference between 19 and 90. Try this lesson to improve your listening with these types of numbers: Numbers listening video
  2. 1879
    1. The listening recording says “Thomas Holloway founded the college in 1879.” The question was “The college was established in…” The word “established” is a synonym for “founded”.
    2. The preposition “in” in the question means you should listen for a date or a place. As you listen for the synonym keyword, you find it is a date.
  3. 8,000
    1. You do not need to use a comma in the number, but it helps the person marking if you do.
    2. The recording actually says “Today, Royal Holloway is a thriving co-educational community of some 8,000 students…”. The word “some” means “about”. You do not need to write it in your answer.
  4. SECLUDED
    1. The question is clearly asking for you to write an adjective “… feels like a peaceful, …… place …”.
    2. The audio says “…. like the campus is enjoying a peaceful, secluded existence right in the heart of the British countryside.”
    3. It is always best to write your answers using capital letters.
    4. The spelling must be correct or the answer will be marked wrong.
  5. 19 MILES
    1. The question asks for a distance “is located … from X”.
    2. The audio says “it is only 19 miles from the centre of London”.
    3. Always check if the question gives the word “miles”. If the word is given in the question, you do not repeat it in the answer.
    4. In this case, if you wrote only 19 without the word “miles”, your answer would be marked wrong.
  6. HISTORY SOCIAL SCIENCES
    1. If you wrote “and” in your answer, it would be marked wrong. The word “and” was written in the question and you do not need to repeat it. This only applies when you are completing sentences as a task because the sentence must be grammatically correct once you have completed it.
    2. You must have “s” with the word “sciences”. If you didn’t write the “s”,  your answer would be marked wrong.
    3. You do not need to write a comma between the words. If you want to write a comma, you can. But it isn’t necessary. Punctuation is not needed in your answers for listening.
    4. Many people struggled with this question because they understand “social sciences”. Examples of social sciences are: anthropology, Geography, Sociology, Psychology, Linguistics, Law etc. Take a look online if you are unsure. This term usually applies to university subjects rather than school subjects.

I hope you enjoyed this listening lesson. I now recommend you go back to the original listening lesson and listen again to the video.

Did you like my university? I, personally, think it is a beautiful building. I actually lived for one year in the main castle building 🙂

All the best

Liz

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Listening Practice: My University

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This listening practice is with a video rather than an audio recording. It is a video of Royal Holloway, University of London, which is actually where I completed my BA Hons degree. I thought you would enjoy seeing it. The main building is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen for a university and I was lucky enough to live in the castle for one year.

The listening exercise is not difficult so I expect you all to get at least 5 out of 6 correct 🙂

Listening Practice: My University

Read the questions first and then listen to the video below and answer the questions.

Questions 1 – 6: no more than three words and/or a number

  1. The University of London is made up of ………. different institutions.
  2. The college was established in ………..
  3. Nowadays, the university has ………… students from over 100 countries.
  4. The campus feels like a peaceful, ……….. place in the countryside.
  5. Royal Holloway is located ………… from the centre of London.
  6. There are three world class faculties: the arts faculty, …………….and ……………………, and the science faculty.

Liz’s University: Royal Holloway, University of London

Listen to the video and answer the questions above. Please note that in the IELTS test, you won’t be given a video with music to listen to. I have created this lesson to be enjoyable, to learn about the university I went to and also to practice sentence completion questions, which are very common in the IELTS listening test.

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Answers

Click here: Answers for My University Listening Lesson

All the best

Liz

…………………………

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IELTS Writing Task 1: Pie Chart Model Score 9

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How to compare two pie charts in IELTS writing task 1. This sample answer illustrates the method of organising the report as well as useful language and sentence structures to get a band score 9.

IELTS Pie Charts

The pie charts below show the comparison of different kinds of energy production of France in two years.

ielts pie chart comparison

Source: Above pie charts not created by IELTS Liz.

Pie Chart Sample Answer

The two pie charts illustrate the proportion of five sources of energy production (coal, gas, nuclear, petrol and other sources) in France in two years (1995 and 2005). 

Overall, in both years coal and gas accounted for over half of all energy production, while the least was other energy sources. There was only a very minimal increase in production from gas and coal, whereas nuclear and other sources almost doubled. Petrol was the only energy source to decrease over the period.

Energy produced by coal comprised of 29.80% in 1995 and by 2005, it increased by about 1% to 30.9%. Likewise, the amount of energy generated by gas went up by approximately 1% from 29.63% in the first year to 30.1% by the final year. The use of nuclear power rose significantly from 6.40% in 1995 to 10.10% in 2005. Other sources of energy production accounted for 4.90% but then climbed to 9.10%.

Petrol, on the other hand, produced 29.27% of all energy in 1995 but 10 years later only 19.55% of energy came from this source. 

Words = 177

IELTS Pie Chart Tips

  • Introduction paragraph should introduce all aspects of the task.
  • The overview must contain all key features of all pie charts. This is the most important paragraph and should not be only one sentence. You must identify the key features of both charts and present them as an overview. You are being marked on the content of this paragraph.
  • Always highlight the largest and smallest proportions in the overview. 
  • Note whether the pie charts show change over time or comparison of categories divided by gender or in a similar way. Not all pie charts are the same. Depending on the information given, you’ll use different language and organise things differently.
  • If there are two pie charts in different time periods, then you must highlight the key changes / trends.
  • Use pie chart language – accounts for / comprises of / represents.
  • The phrase “Units are measured in …” should be used when the units have not been stated in the previous sentence.

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Do I need an overview for an IELTS Diagram?

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There is a simple answer to this question. YES!

For IELTS writing task 1 (academic paper), the overview is the most important paragraph. It is the paragraph that contains all the key features to help the reader grasp the main information contained in the diagram.

You need to look at the stages and summarise them into one statement (max two statements). It is important that the examiner finds your overview quickly and easily, so always start with “Overall, …”.

The overview is part of the marking criterion of Task Achievement. See below how it affects your score:

  • Band 5 = no clear overview
  • Band 6 = an overview is presented
  • Band 7 = a clear overview of main trends or stages

You can see how important this overview is. Even when you are given a diagram, you must give details of the main stages in your overview.

To see a model answer for a diagram and other useful tips for writing task 1 academic, click here: http://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/

For anyone taking the IELTS GT test, you will be asked to write a letter. Always follow the order of the prompts given. Each prompt will be one paragraph. Add more detail to each paragraph from your imagination to make the letter realistic. Make sure you understand who the letter is to and what the purpose of the letter is. This will help you decide your tone and style. See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/

All the best

Liz

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Positive or Negative Development: IELTS Model Essay

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An IELTS model essay for positive or negative development questions. It is common in IELTS writing task 2 to be asked to choose either something is a positive or negative development/trend. Your task is to answer the question in the introduction and explain your answer in the body paragraphs.

These instructions are asking for your opinion so it is important that you give it clearly. If you fail to present a position of your own (a view point), you will have failed to complete the task and that will affect your score.

IELTS Positive Negative Essay Question

Nowadays, more people are choosing to socialise online rather than face to face. Is this a positive or negative development?

IELTS Model Essay: Positive or Negative Development?

An increasing number of people meet and talk to their friends online instead of in person. In my opinion, this is a negative development which can lead to isolation, potentially harmful situations and also problems later on in life.

One serious problem that can arise from people socialising online is that it can lead to isolation. Before the internet, people would frequently go out to meet friends, for example in cafes, bars or restaurants, whereas now people prefer to stay at home alone, chatting online. As a result, people are starting to spend the majority of their time alone at home in their room without meeting others. Isolation of this kind is not healthy and can sometimes lead to depression and other issues.

Another issue is that meeting people online can be risky. In other words, people can assume fake identities online as well as hide their true characteristics. This is particularly concerning for teenagers who are impressionable and can easily be led into dangerous situations. Furthermore, as this interaction is online, parents have no way of monitoring it and protecting their children.

Finally, socialising online can end in difficulties years later as conversations and shared photos that had been forgotten reappear. This situation is currently critical for many people, again especially for teenagers who do not think carefully before posting online. That is to say, information which is put online can remain there forever and while people may share intimate communications with close friends, these words can then resurface later on leading to much embarrassment.

In conclusion, although it has become more popular for people to socialise through the internet, it has brought about too many problems for this to be considered a positive trend.

Examiner’s Comments: This essay provides a clear answer to the essay question. The position is clearly presented in the introduction and also explained and supported throughout the essay. Linking devices are well used and ideas are organised logically. Language is flexible and accurate. This would reach band 9. (Word count = 286)

More IELTS Model Essays:

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IELTS Essay Questions Jan & Feb 2019

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Below is a list of IELTS essay questions reported 2019 (Jan & Feb). These essay questions are not prediction. They are essay questions that IELTS candidates reported in their tests. Topics are often repeated with essay questions reworded and with a different focus.

You should use these essay questions to prepare ideas for topics. Your aim is NOT to memorise an essay. You cannot use memorised sentences or paragraphs in your essay.

IELTS Essay Questions Jan & Feb 2019

  1. People sleep less than before in many countries. Why do people sleep less? What effect does it have on an individually and  on society?
  2. Some people think that government is wasting money on the arts, and that this money could be spent elsewhere. To what extent do you agree with this view?
  3. Many people try to look younger than their age. What are the reasons people do this. Do you think this is a good thing or a bad thing?
  4. Some countries spend a lot of money to make bicycle usage easier. Why is this? Is this the best solution to traffic congestion?
  5. Plastic shopping bags contribute to the pollution of land and sea. Some people think they should be banned. Do you agree or disagree?
  6. Some people think that watching sport is a waste of leisure time. Do you agree or disagree?
  7. If a product is sold and people buy it, then advertising is not necessary and can be considered a kind of entertainment. Do you agree or disagree with this?
  8. Economic growth is the only way to end world poverty. However, some people says it leads to environment damage and should be stopped. To what extent do you agree?
  9. Eating too much sugar is harmful for our health. Some people think that it is government responsibility to limit people’s sugar consumption, while others think that it is an individual’s responsibility to limit the amount of sugar they eat. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
  10. Nowadays, many people spend less and less time at home.
    What are the causes of this? What are the effects of this on individuals and on society.
  11. Some people believe that children should be given lessons on how to manage money in the school. Do you agree or disagree?
  12. Some people think that a good diet and exercise are not necessary for a health and long life. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

  13. Some people say that schools do not do enough to teach young people about health. Do you agree or disagree?

  14. Some people believe that in order for a hobby to be enjoyable, it needs to be difficult in some way. Do you agree or disagree?
  15. Some people say that holding sport competitions can cause problems for the host country. Others disagree. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
  16. Some people think that public libraries are no longer important, while others disagree. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
  17. The government should make people take responsibility for their actions to the environment. To what extent do you agree?
  18. Some people think watching movies is a waste of time. Do you agree or disagree?
  19. Recently, it is common for people not to know their neighbours. What is the cause of this problem?  What can be done to solve this problem?
  20. Some people believe that the museums and historic sites should be open for free for children under 18. Do you agree or disagree?
  21. Some parents think that advertisements are misleading for children, while advertisers claim that they provide knowledge. Give your opinion.
  22. Films and games can be accessed at any time from mobile devices, like smartphones, tablets and laptop computers. Do the advantages of such developments outweigh the disadvantages?
  23. The gap between rich and poor is increasing. What problems does it cause? What solutions can you suggest?
  24. Some people prefer to buy local products, while others prefer international products. What is your opinion of this?
  25. Many people are choosing to find information online rather than in books. Is this development positive or negative?
  26. Some people say that children given pocket money every week will have fewer money problems when they become adults. Do you agree or disagree?
  27. Some people say that family is the most powerful influence in a child’s development. Other’s say that other factors such as ( television friends music etc. ) play a greater role today. Discuss both views and give your opinion
  28. Most people prefer ready to eat ready meals rather than homemade food these days. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?
  29. For many people, the reason they work hard is to earn money. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
  30. Many people believe that advertising can have negative effects on customers. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
  31. Some young people are leaving the countryside to live in cities and towns, leaving only old people in countryside? What problems does this cause? What can be done to solve this problem?
  32. Some people think high-end technology can prevent and cut down the rate of committing crime. Do you agree or disagree?
  33. People should be responsible for the pollution problems caused by transportation, while others think the government should be held accountable. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
  34. People doing different jobs enjoy different amount of holiday time. Should people have the same amount of holiday time? Give your opinion.
  35. Some people say students of different age groups in school should be put in same class.What is your opinion?
  36. Some people feel that teacher training courses can make anyone a teacher, while others feel an excellent teacher cannot be made by pursuing a course. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
  37. Money should be spent on creating new public buildings, such as museums and town halls, rather than renovating existing ones. To what extend do you agree or disagree?
  38. Some people think the money spent in developing technology for space exploration is not justified. There are more beneficial ways to spend this money. To what extend do yo agree or disagree?
  39. Some people think that the best way to learn is from a newspaper. Others think that the best way to learn is through media.
    Discuss each views and your opinion.
  40. Some people said that with the help of parenting and child development courses parents can improve the life of children.
    To what extent do you agree or disagree?
  41. Today people are living longer so they should have to work longer. Do you agree or disagree?
  42. Many people think that we have to focus on the extinction of certain animal species, while others think that we should pay attention to the problem of human beings. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
  43. Some people think that a high salary is important when choosing a company to work for, while others think that a good working atmosphere is more important. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
  44. Lots of people are throwing away food. What are the reasons for this and how can food wastage be reduced?
  45. Sometimes people think that young people should be encouraged to leave their family at certain age, while others think that it’s better for them to remain with their families. What is your view?
  46. Employers should focus on personal qualities over qualifications and experience when choosing someone for a job. To what extent do you agree with this?
  47. An increasing number of people are buying what they need online. What are the advantages and disadvantages.

Topics Review

Below you will find the list of topics relating to the questions above. You can see that some topics appear more than once in the IELTS writing task 2 test. This means topics can be repeated, but the essay question is phrased differently. 

  1. People x 3
  2. Art
  3. Transport
  4. Buildings 
  5. Environment x 3
  6. Sport x 2
  7. Advertising x 2
  8. World Issues & Society x 3
  9. Food x 3
  10. Society x 3
  11. Health x 2
  12. Money & Business x 3
  13. Leisure Time x 2
  14. Reading & Books
  15. Media x 3
  16. Tourism 
  17. Technology x 2
  18. Work x 5
  19. Crime
  20. Education x 2
  21. Space 
  22. Family x 2
  23. Animals

All the best

Liz

 

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IELTS General Training Reading: Information & Tips

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Learn about the IELTS General Training Reading Test. The IELTS GT reading is different to the academic reading in a number of ways but mainly due to the language and difficulty level of the texts. Similar to the academic reading, the general training reading test is 60 minutes in length and has 40 questions.

General Training Reading Sections

There are three sections in the IELTS GT reading. However, sections one and two might have more than one text. The sections get increasingly difficult.

Section 1

: This section is based on one, two or three texts about English life and could be, for example, an advertisement for a hotel,  sports center facilities or educational courses. The texts are not long and are factual rather than descriptive.

Section 2

: This section may also consist of more than one text and often relates to work about pay schemes, work conditions or machinery instructions.

Section 3

: The final section is usually one text which is quite long and it is the hardest.

IELTS General Training Reading Band Scores

Below is a list of the scores from band 2 to 9 for the GT reading test. The scores are not the same as the academic reading test. Click on the table to enlarge.

general training reading scores

IELTS Reading Question Types for General Training

The types of questions you will be asked in the GT reading test are the same as the academic test. Here is a list:

  • matching headings
  • true false not given / yes no not given
  • matching paragraph information
  • summary completion
  • sentence completion
  • short answer questions
  • table / flow chart completion
  • diagram labeling
  • multiple choice / list selection
  • choosing a title
  • categorisation
  • matching sentence endings

You can click here for: Tips on the Different Types of Reading Questions. You can find free practice lessons for most of these types of questions in the reading section:  IELTS Reading Lessons. However, must practice exercises are on the level of section 3. Also learn: How to Improve your IELTS Reading. For one full GT IELTS practice reading tests, please visit the BC IELTS page of practice tests.

GT writing. For information about GT writing, see this page: GT Writing Information

IELTS True False Not Given Questions

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