Map Listening Practice: Farm Layout

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Below you will find a map listening practice lesson which has been created to help you practise for your IELTS listening test. This is based on the layout of a farm.

Instructions for map listening

  • Review the map
  • Pay attention to the position of the answers
  • Note words already given on the map
  • Locate north
  • Listen to key words and follow the order of information
  • Questions come in order

Please note, these are not IELTS tests. These are free listening lessons which I have created for you.

Map Listening: Farm Layout

The Farm

Questions 1 – 4: Complete the diagram using no more than two words.

Recording Audio

In the IELTS listening test, you can listen only once.

Answers & Transcript

Click to reveal the transcript, answers and a list of keywords. I suggest you use the transcript first to listen and read before checking your answers.

Click below:

Transcript

As you drive up the driveway you will immediately arrive in the parking area. You will see to your left the farmhouse where the farmer lives as you drive up and directly to the left of the parking area is the main shed. There are a number of smaller sheds located around the main shed which are not currently labelled on the map. In the northwest corner of the farm is a pasture area which is a wide grassy expanse. It provides rich organic grass for our cows and, along with other types of feed, gives us our organic status and key selling point.  From the parking area, you go east through the milk house, which is used daily, and then into the barn. This is where the cows are often sheltered. On the other side of the barn is the manure storage. To the north you will find the calf hutches which are located just beyond the maternity pens. Only 30% of our cows are used for breeding. In the bottom left corner of the barn is the loading chute. To the south are two circular areas, one of which is the feed storage and the other the deadstock area. We hope you will enjoy looking around our farm and learning about how we manage our cows.

Answers
  1. pasture area
  2. milk house
  3. maternity pens
  4. feed storage
Keywords

Knowing keywords for maps and building plans is essential for success in IELTS listening.

  • You will see to your left…
  • directly to the left of ….
  • located around
  • which are not currently labelled on the map
  • In the northwest corner
  • From the parking area, you go east
  • On the other side
  • To the north you will find
  • which are located just beyond….
  • In the bottom left corner of the barn
  • To the south are two circular areas

Adapted from royal.gov.uk

Recommended for IELTS Listening

Click here: ALL IELTS LISTENING FREE LESSONS & TIPS

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Filed Under: IELTS Listening

Subtitles or Dubbing: Film Question for IELTS Speaking

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Recent I posted a list of questions for the topic of Film that appears frequently in IELTS speaking part 1, part 2 and part 3. You can see the full list of questions for film on this page: Film IELTS Questions

The question below is one of the common  questions and some students asked me to offer a model answer for it.

Question:

  • Is it better for a foreign film to be dubbed or subtitled?

Meaning:

Dubbing: to replace the original language of the film and use voice actors of the country viewing it

Subtitles: to have a translation of the foreign film written on the screen throughout the movie, but keep the original language of the movie.

Model Answer

I think subtitles are best for documentaries and slow paced movies, but fast paced action movies should be dubbed because it is too distracting to read the subtitles and watch the action at the same time.

Further Points:

Dubbed Films

  1. Films that are dubbed help you learn a foreign language.
  2. Changing the language also means altering the experience of the film.
  3. Some times the voice actors for dubbed movies do not match how the character looks.
  4. Dubbing can be annoying to see the actors’ lips moving at a different pace to the words spoken by the voice actor.
  5. Cartoons and animated films can easily be dubbed.
  6. subtitles sometimes take up too much of the screen so you can’t see everything.

Subtitling

  1. If you are reading the script of the movie, you miss the expressions of the actors and the dramatic scenes.
  2. Not all countries can afford to pay voice actors to dub all films. Subtitles are cheaper.
  3. It is good to hear the real voices of the actors in the movie.
  4. Children can lose interest in a film that has subtitles and can’t read fast enough.

Your Opinion

  1. Do you think foreign films should be dubbed or subtitled?

Answers

Feel free to post your answers below in the comments box below.

Sharing ideas is one way to help you all develop.

All the best

Liz

 

Filed Under: IELTS Speaking

Answer to Understanding IELTS Lesson

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How much do you understand about the IELTS test and about writing your answers?

Questions 1 to 6

  1. Will IELTS listening accept 25th MARCH or 25 MARCH?
  2. Can you write 9am or 9.00am?
  3. Will IELTS writing accept American spelling?
  4. Can you ask for extra paper to plan your essay in IELTS writing?
  5. Can I use a highlighter pen in IELTS reading?
  6. Can I use body language in the speaking test?
  7. Are my ideas marked in IELTS speaking?
  8. Are my ideas marked in IELTS writing?

ANSWERS to Questions 1-6

Click below to see the answers to questions 1-6. Keep reading to find the answers to questions 7&8.

CLICK HERE Q1-6: IELTS FAQ Answers.

The IELTS FAQ page contains over 130 answers to your concerns about IELTS. Quick answers: 1) both, 2) both 3) yes but don’t mix it with UK English 4) no, use the question paper to plan, 5) no 6. yes – be natural, but remember body language isn’t marked.

Answers to Questions 7 & 8

  • 7. Are my ideas marked in IELTS speaking?
  • 8. Are my ideas marked in IELTS writing?

I am glad I asked these questions because many of you seem confused about how your speaking and writing are marked. If you don’t understand the marking system, you will struggle to get a good score.

Lets look more closely and understand the marking criteria.

IELTS Speaking Marking

You are marked on your spoken English only. Criteria:

  1. Fluency – ability to speak at length with few pauses, hesitations or repitition
  2. Vocabulary – range and accuracy of your words for a variety of topics
  3. Grammar – range and accuracy of your grammar (particularly tenses)
  4. Pronunciation – the pronunciation of sounds & words, and intonation and sentence stress etc

As you can see, your ideas are NOT marked. There is no marking criteria for ideas or being on topic. Only the language you produce is marked.

IELTS Writing Marking

You are marked on your English and IELTS essay writing skills. Criteria for task 2:

  1. Task Response – your answer, your extension of ideas, your ability to complete a task, relevancy of ideas
  2. Coherence & Cohesion – paragraphing, organising, linking, logical flow of information
  3. Vocabulary – range and accuracy including spelling
  4. Grammar – range and accuracy including basic punctuation

As you can see, your ideas ARE marked. If your ideas are not valid OR are off topic OR contain irrelevant information or you don’t complete your task – you will get a lower score.

Your essay writing skills which are specific to IELTS pay a LARGE role in your marks. This is not about being able to write an academic essay for university or other types of writing, it is specifically about IELTS Writing and the marking criteria for IELTS.

I hope this has been helpful. Again, the IELTS FAQ Information is an essential read to understand more about the IELTS test.

All the best

Liz

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Checking your Understanding

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Questions to check your understanding of the IELTS test.

  1. Will IELTS listening accept 25th MARCH or 25 MARCH?
  2. Can you write 9am or 9.00am?
  3. Will IELTS writing accept American spelling?
  4. Can you ask for extra paper to plan your essay in IELTS writing?
  5. Can I use a highlighter pen in IELTS reading?
  6. Can I use body language in the speaking test?
  7. Are my ideas marked in IELTS speaking?
  8. Are my ideas marked in IELTS writing?

Answers

You can find the answers to the above questions here:

CLICK FOR ANSWERS: ANSWERS FOR UNDERSTANDING IELTS

 

All the best

Liz

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Post your Exam Questions Reminder

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Hi guys,

This is a reminder to post your recent exam questions on the following page: Recent Exam Questions.

We need up dates on topics for June 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th & 18th – and any date coming this month. Older dates are not needed.

Topics for all parts of the test: speaking, writing, listening and reading are welcome.

Sharing is caring 🙂

Thanks

Liz

Filed Under: Uncategorized

IELTS Essay Questions & Answer: School Subjects

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Questions and Model Essay for Education: School Subjects.

Below you will find:

  1. IELTS essay question for education
  2. Model Essay Answer
  3. List of more practice essay questions
  4. Tips for Writing Task 2 Preparation

Take your time to read through this page and make the most of the tips and links.

Please note: these are past essay questions which have been used this month. They are not predictions. To prepare for IELTS writing task 2, you should prepare ideas for recent questions and common questions. See below for recent questions and here is a link to common essay questions: 100 IELTS Essay Questions

IELTS Essay Question: School Subjects

Some people think that the teenagers should concentrate on all subjects at school. Others believe that teenagers should focus on the subject they are best at or they are most interested in. To what extent do you agree?

Model IELTS Essay

While it is thought that adolescents ought to focus on a broad range of school subjects, others feel it would be better for them to concentrate only on chosen subjects. I believe the number of subjects they study should depend on their age.

One reason adolescents from around the age of 13 to 15 ought to focus on learning as many different subjects as possible is that they are not mature enough to make serious decisions regarding their education that could affect their future. Therefore, by studying various subjects, they will gain a broad foundation education and also develop a clearer understanding of their individual skills and interests, which often change as a child ages. Secondly, teenagers need to vary what they learn to help them develop into well rounded adults. For example, they need sport to encourage health, they need maths to be able to perform simple arithmetic in life, and they need languages to help them learn communication skills. At a young age they are not mature enough to be responsible for their own development by selecting only what they enjoy learning.

However, by the age of 16, most adolescents know not only what subjects they most enjoy or excel at, but also which subjects are most useful for their future prospects in life. For this reason, from the age of 16, children should focus on those specific subjects that they need to eventually enter the degree course or work they would like to aim for. Furthermore, older teenagers have the capacity for concentration, unlike those of a younger age, which enables them to study only a few chosen subjects in depth. Lastly, older adolescents have the ability to manage their own schedule to continue certain subjects in their own time, such as sport and art, without having these subjects made compulsory.

To conclude, younger teenagers are not ready to specialise and require a broad framework of subjects to help them develop, but at the age of 16, this is no longer the case and focused learning is more beneficial for them.

More IELTS Essay Questions To Practice

  1. Nowadays, people move from one country to another for work. Some people think children of these families suffer because of this, while others think it is helpful for them. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
  2. Adults do less exercise these days. Some people think that showing sports events on the television such as the Olympics and international tournaments is the best way to encourage adults to do exercise. Others believe there are more effective ways to do so. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
  3. Some parents, specially mothers, stay at home instead working, and some people think that they should receive monetary compensation from the government. Do you agree or disagree?
  4. Some people use technology to take advice for their medical problems rather than seeing a doctor. Why this is so? It is positive or negative development according to you?
  5. Although more and more people are reading the news on the internet, most people still prefer reading the news in a newspaper. What are your views?
  6. EDUCATION ESSAY QUESTIONS: Collection of Essay Questions on Education

VOCABULARY FOR THIS TOPIC: Word List for Education Topic

How to Prepare for IELTS Writing Task 2

  1. Prepare ideas for topics. You can do this by googling online. Here is a list of common essay questions and topics for IELTS writing task 2: 100 Essay Questions
  2. Make sure you have learned your list of linking words which must be used flexibly: Linking Words for IELTS WT2
  3. Learn about essay length and paragraphing:
    1. essay length
    2. structure and importance of conclusions
  4. Learn how to add examples to your essay: Adding Examples Language

All the best

Liz

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Filed Under: IELTS Writing Task 2

Answers to Cue Card Meaning

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Hi guys,

I’ve posted the answers to yesterday’s lesson about asking the examiner the meaning of the cue card. Go back to original page to see my answers. click here: Cue Card Meaning

All the best

Liz

Filed Under: Uncategorized

IELTS Cue Card Meaning

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IELTS Speaking Part 2: Cue Card Topics

Many students have written to me about whether or not they can ask the examiner to explain the cue card topic in IELTS speaking part 2. Other students ask if they can change the topic of the cue card.

Understanding IELTS Cue Cards

  1. Do you think you can change the cue card topic?
  2. Can you ask the examiner to explain the topic if you don’t understand?

Answers

The examiner will give you the cue card with the main topic and prompts underneath. Here is an example:

An outing that didn’t cost anything. You should say:

  • when it was
  • where you went
  • who was with you
  • what you did
  • how you felt about it

You will also be given a piece of paper and a pencil to make notes. You will have one minute to prepare. During that 1 min, the examiner will remain silent. At the end of 1 min, the examiner will ask you to start speaking. You should aim to speak for 2 mins.

Can you change the cue card?

No, you can’t. You are given the IELTS cue card and then you start preparing. There is no chance to change it.

Can you ask the examiner to explain it?

No, you can’t. The examiner is not allowed to help you at this time. The cue card is given to you for your preparation time and also for your talking time. At no point, can the IELTS examiner explain in part 2 speaking.

What if you don’t understand?

  1. Then you must try to speak about something you think is similar. You can explain your choice when you start speaking. Also follow the prompts so that the examiner doesn’t think you are trying to change the topic completely.
  2. Most cue cards are simple topics. They rarely contain language that is complicated. Common cue card topics: a meal you enjoyed, a book you read, an item of clothing you like, your favourite season, a place near water etc. Very easy to understand.
  3. You are not marked on your choice of subject. If you get “a place near water”, you could talk about a place near the sea, a place near a river or just a place near a swimming pool. It really doesn’t matter. The examiner is only interested in your spoken English.
  4. The topic above “an outing that didn’t cost anything” is similar to “an activity that was free”. This is about leisure time activities that do not cost money (no fee was paid) – going to the park, having a picnic, playing badminton in the garden, going to the beach etc.

All the best

Liz

 

Filed Under: IELTS Speaking
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