IELTS Listening Multiple Choice Pictures

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IELTS listening multiple choice pictures is when you need to choose the correct answer from a selection of pictures. It is one of the most difficult types of listening questions in your IELTS listening test. This particular listening lesson below is similar to the type of question you might get in Section 4 – the most difficult section in the IELTS listening test. However, picture multiple choice questions can come in any section of the listening test.

The listening practice below is mainly aimed at students who are band score 7 and above.  For students under band score 7, you can use this listening exercise to improve your vocabulary and listening technique.

Prepare both question and picture options before listening and choosing the answer. Answers are available below the audio.

Picture Multiple Choice Listening Question

Mammoths

Question 1: Choose the correct letter

1. Which type of mammoth is this lecture going to focus on?

mammoth picture

 Picture from Sunday Times Magazine, 20/04/2014.

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ANSWER & TRANSCRIPT

Click below to reveal vocabulary, transcript and answer:

VocabBuilder
mammoth = prehistoric animal now extinct similar in shape to an elephant
physiology = make-up / structure
prominent = major / outstanding
parts of an elephant and mammoth = tusks, trunk, large ears
huge / colossal = enormous / extremely large
Transcript
There is evidence of much change and development in the mammoth. We can see the Ambelodon 20 million years ago, the Stegodon 12 million years ago and finally the Stegotetrabelodon which existed somewhere between 7.5 to 4.5 million years ago. There seem to have been a number of changes in the physiology of the mammoth, the most prominent were in the height, the size of the ears and the shape of the head and tusks. Today, I’m going to be focusing, on the one most of us associate with the ‘so-called’ classic shape and size of a mammoth and which is most known for its huge curving tusks and colossal size.
Answer
B
‘Today, I’m going to be focusing on….. which is most known for its huge curving tusks and colossal size.’

More Listening Lessons

Click here: IELTS Listening Practice and Tips

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IELTS Diagram Paragraphs and Organisation

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IELTS writing task 1 diagrams must be clearly organised with logical paragraphs. This is part of the marking criteria of Coherence and Cohesion which is 25% of your marks. Most IELTS diagrams show a type of process which is divided into stages or given as a cycle. Also remember that writing task 1 is a report, not an essay.

You must organise your IELTS diagram into different paragraphs. Look at the process below and then answer the questions to learn about organising information.

IELTS Water Cycle Diagram:

IELTS_Writing_Sample_Task_1_Water_Cycle

Source: Diagram not designed by IELTS Liz.

Questions 

Learn to analyse and organise your IELTS diagram by answering the following questions:

  1. How many paragraphs would you have in your report?
    1. Tips: Never have only one body paragraph.
  2. What information would you put in each paragraph?
    1. Tip: Use the arrows and always organise the information logically.

Answers

Read the answers very carefully and look at each point given in the diagram. Click below to reveal the answers:

Answers

1. There should be 4 paragraphs for this report.

2. You should put the following information in each paragraph:

  • Introduction: You need to introduce the content of the diagram (the process of the water cycle).
  • Overview: Put the key stages in this statement (a continual cycle of evaporation, cloud formation, rain and water returning to the sea).
  • Body paragraph A: Water in the ocean, evaporation, condensing water vapour and cloud formation.
  • Body Paragraph B: Precipitation, rain or snow, lakes, surface run off, ground water, impervious layer and salt water intrusion. You also need to note that at the water cycle starts again as the water returns to the ocean.
    • For the body paragraphs, you need to describe each stage in detail using full sentences linked together. You should divide the body into two or three paragraphs for all diagrams.

Example Introduction and Overview

The diagram illustrates the key stages in the water cycle.

Overall, the water cycle is a continual process of water evaporating and forming clouds which then return the water to the land and sea in the form of rain.

  • Note: You can see that the introduction is short and brief. You can see that the overview contains the key words as well as the key stages in summary.
  • It is possible to put these two sentences into one paragraph.

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IELTS Writing Task 1

For writing task 1 model answers and more tips, see this page: IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answers & Tips

All the best

Liz

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Answers for Bird Migration Synonyms Practice

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Below are the answers to the lesson about Migrating Birds Synonyms. If you haven’t finished this lesson, please do so by clicking here: Bird Migration Synonyms Lesson

  1. breeding sites = nesting locations
  2. relatively = fairly
  3. developed gradually = evolved
  4. include = incorporate
  5. departed from an established course = deviation
  6. on their own = independently
  7. distinct feature noticeable from a distance = landmark

I hope you found this lesson useful 🙂

If you want more reading practice, click here: Reading Practice Lessons. If you want to see more vocabulary for topics, click here: Vocabulary for IELTS

All the best

Liz

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Migrating Birds: IELTS Synonyms Practice

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Finding Synonyms: In IELTS reading, you need to develop the skill of spotting synonyms in the reading passage.

This lesson helps you develop this skill. There is no specific question like this in the IELTS reading test, but all question types require this skill. So, I have made this lesson to help you practice spotting paraphrases.

Bird Migration Synonyms Practice

Birds migrate to move from areas of low or decreasing resources to areas of high or increasing resources. The two primary resources being sought are food and nesting locations.

While short-distance migration probably developed from a fairly simple reason such as for food, the origins of long-distant migration patterns are much more complex. They’ve evolved over thousands of years and are controlled at least partially by the genetic makeup of the birds. They also incorporate responses to weather, geography, food sources, day length, and other factors.

Migrating birds can cover thousands of miles in their annual travels, often travelling the same course year after year with little deviation. First-year birds often make their very first migration independently. Somehow they can find their winter home despite never having seen it before, and return the following spring to where they were born.

The secrets of their amazing navigational skills aren’t fully understood, partly because birds combine several different types of senses when they navigate. Birds can get compass information from the sun, the stars, and by sensing the earth’s magnetic field. They also get information from the position of the setting sun and from landmarks seen during the day. There’s even evidence that sense of smell plays a role, at least for homing pigeons.

Notice: This article has been adapted from this page: The Basics of Bird Migration. It is always useful to read original articles.

Find the Synonyms

Find the word(s) in the reading passage above that have the same meaning as the words below. Answers will come in the order of the questions. This means you find the answer to question 1 first and the other answers will follow in order.

  1. breeding sites
  2. relatively
  3. developed gradually
  4. include
  5. departing from an established course
  6. on their own
  7. distinct feature noticeable from a distance

Answers

Click below to reveal the answers:

Answers

  1. breeding sites = nesting locations
  2. relatively = fairly
  3. developed gradually = evolved
  4. include = incorporate
  5. departed from an established course = deviation
  6. on their own = independently
  7. distinct feature noticeable from a distance = landmark

 

I hope you found this lesson useful 🙂

All the best

Liz

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I want a higher score in IELTS: Tips & Techniques

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Tips to get a higher score in IELTS

Some students take the test again and again  and do not take the time to understand what they need to do to get a better score. This page is a brief overview to help you understand your responsibilities to ensure a higher score. Read this page VERY carefully.

What affects your Score?

There are two main things that determine your IELTS score.

  1. Your level of English
  2. Your understanding, techniques and skills in IELTS

Below are tips and information to help you tackle both of these areas.

1. Your Level of English

If you want a high score, you must have the right level of English for your aims. Some candidates repeatedly get band 6 or 6.5 when they are aiming for band 7. Doing the test again and again won’t help if your English isn’t good enough. And tips will help maximise your score, not alter your level of English. If you are making frequent errors in your English and have limited accuracy, you will struggle to get a high score. It is time for you to be honest with yourself about the level of your own English. You don’t really need a teacher to tell you this. You should know for yourself if your English is accurate and flexible or not.

IELTS is a language test and your band score is based on your level of English. This means if you want a higher score, you need to improve your English. It also means that “tips and techniques” won’t guarantee a big increase in your score. If your English is not strong enough, you won’t get a high score in IELTS.

You can gain awareness of your own level of English in many ways. Here is one way:

Go to the following link in this paragraph which contains vocabulary and an exercise about Crime and Punishment topic. How many words do you know from the lists given? Is your pronunciation accurate? Do you know the spelling? When you do the exercise, do you get many wrong or many right?  If you get some wrong, look at the reason why. If the reason is because you didn’t know enough English – that tells you a lot. Band 9 students will know about 90-100% of the words. Band 8 will probably know about 80-90% (these are rough estimates). See this page: Crime & Punishment Vocabulary Start becoming more aware of your own English language.

Each lesson on this website will help you gain insight into your own English and the mistakes you make. Mistakes are a good way of judging your level:

  • band 8 = most sentences are error free
  • band 7 = few errors
  • band 6 = some errors
  • band 5 = frequent errors

Some mistakes will be made because you didn’t know what the question wanted you to do – this is about technique (explained below). But some of your mistakes will be because you didn’t know enough English. Always review the reason you get answers wrong.

Can tips increase your score?

Tips will only help you if your English is strong enough. If your English is strong, but you are not getting a good score, you will need to review your IELTS exam techniques and your understanding of IELTS.

If your English isn’t strong enough, tips won’t make a big difference. If your English is about band 5.5, then you will probably get between band 5 and 6 in your test.

IELTS Liz E-books

I do have two e-books which can help you. My Grammar for Writing Task 2 is a great e-book which helps you develop your grammar and take your English to a higher level. It is packed with useful tips for IELTS as well. I also have an Ideas for Topics e-book which focuses on ideas for topics and vocabulary. You can get these e-books in my online store: Liz’s Store.

2. IELTS Exam Techniques

Yes, of course they can. Techniques are about how to tackle different types of questions and strategies for approaching questions. The more you understand about IELTS questions, IELTS marking criteria, IELTS band score requirements and how to avoid mistakes, the better you will do. Techniques will help you reach your potential. If you have good English, but are not scoring well, techniques will help you push your score higher.

However, techniques are of limited use if the problem is your English language. So, make sure you review your English and have realistic expectations.

Essential Preparation for IELTS

All students should work on two areas:

  1. English language – review your English and try improve it if you have time. Focus on these areas:
    1. paraphrasing – the correct use of synonyms and when not to paraphrase
    2. vocabulary – appropriate to topic
    3. grammar – accurate with a good range
    4. avoiding errors – aiming for accuracy and not aiming to impress
    5. listening practice – bbc, videos, documentaries etc
    6. reading practice – articles, magazines, books (develop speed reading)
    7. speaking practice – topics, pronunciation, explaining ideas
    8. writing practice is best done only in relation to IELTS requirements
  2. IELTS Exam Skills –
    1. review techniques & review strategies for each and every question type
    2. learn to identify keywords and issues
    3. develop skimming and scanning skills for reading
    4. learn to focus on identifying answers in listening
    5. prepare topics:
      1. for speaking, prepare your past memories, hopes, opinions
      2. for writing, prepare world issues based on common and recent topics
    6. learn to manage time
    7. learn about the requirements of the test
    8. learn about marking for speaking and writing
    9. practice full IELTS tests under exam conditions at home
    10. take responsibility for your own training

Useful IELTS Links & Tips

Below is a list of useful links to help you prepare for IELTS.

Good luck in your test !!

Liz 🙂

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Answers to word count questions

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Yesterday I posted a list of words and numbers. I asked you to decide how they were counted by IELTS. Check the answers below.

You can also find useful links about word count information in IELTS using the links below.

How are words counted – Answers

The answers below show how these words and numbers are counted in IELTS writing and IELTS listening. The reading test uses the same system as the listening test.

  1. fair-haired
    1.  This is counted as one word. It is a compound noun but it is connected by a hyphen to make one word.
  2. 55%
    1. This is counted as one word in writing and as one number in listening. 
  3. 1960’s
    1. This is counted as one word in writing and one number in listening.
  4. 21st July
    1. This is counted as two words in writing and in listening is it one number and one word.
  5. can’t
    1. This is counted as one word. Although it has a meaning of two words, the words are contracted to make one word.
  6. blackboard
    1. This is counted as one word only.
  7. 9am
    1. This is counted as one word in writing. In listening, it is counted as one number only. The “am” does not count as a word on its own.
  8. up-to-date
    1. This is counted as one word because it is a compound noun joined with hyphens.
  9. at school
    1. This is counted as two words.
  10. $19.17
    1. This is counted as one word in writing and in listening it is counted as one number. Symbols do not count at all.

Useful Links to Learn more about IELTS

Learn how all words are counted in IELTS

Learn about how many words to write for your essay

IELTS Test Information & Tips: over 100 questions answered

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Answer to Prepositions Lessons Sept 2018

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Hi guys,

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

All the best

Liz

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Prepositions Practice Sept 2018

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Complete the sentences below using the following prepositions.

Prepositions:

  • A = down
  • B= for
  • C = on
  • D = with
  • E = over
  • F = in
  • G = no preposition required

Questions 1-6

Which of the above options can be used to complete these sentences.

  1. Smaller family units have become more common ………. recent decades.
  2. One of the main reasons ………. family units becoming smaller is finances.
  3. There has been a fall ……….. in the number of families with more than four members.
  4. Many children do not have a close relationship ………… their grandparents.
  5. Nowadays, less emphasis is placed ……….. close relationships between the generations.
  6. Children of working parents are often left alone ……. extended periods of time.

Answers

Click below to reveal the answers:

Answers

  1. F = in
    1. Smaller family units have become more common in recent decades.
  2. B = for
    1. One of the main reasons for family units becoming smaller is finances.
  3. G = no preposition needed
    1. There has been a fall in the number of families with more than four members.
  4. D = with
    1. Many children do not have a close relationship with their grandparents.
  5. C = on
    1. Nowadays, less emphasis is placed on close relationships between the generations.
  6. B = for
    1. Children of working parents are often left alone for extended periods of time.

 

All the best

Liz

Filed Under: Vocabulary
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