IELTS Apology Letter for General Training

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It is common to be asked to write an IELTS apology letter for General Training writing task 1. You might be given a formal or informal apology letter. You must use the correct style and tone to get a high band score. Always decide what type of letter you must write before you start planning. Students taking the academic test, do not write letters for task 1 writing.

Below you will find:

  • an informal apology letter: question and model answer
  • a formal apology letter: question and model answer
  • link to essential tips for IELTS letter writing

Note the difference in tone, content and also language between formal and informal apology letters.

IELTS Informal Apology Letter

This letter was in the IELTS test, October 2017.

Write a letter to a friend. You have borrowed something from your friend and it got damaged.

  1. Apologize for damaging the product
  2. Explain what happened
  3. Say how are you going to fix the issue

IELTS Model Answer Apology Letter – Informal

Dear Emily,

Sorry it’s taken me so long to write to you but at last I put pen to paper to explain why I haven’t returned that DIY book I borrowed from you.

To be honest, I’ve been feeling so guilty that I delayed writing to you. I have to own up that I damaged the book accidentally. I’m so very sorry. I know how important that book is to you as it was passed down from your late father.

What happened is that I had been reading up on the chapter about DIY plumbing when I knocked over my cup of coffee which splashed all over the book. Most of the stain is on the pages that were open at the time.

I’ve sent the book away to be repaired. I didn’t realise that was even possible until I researched it. Anyway, it should be as good as new when I get it back next week and then I’ll send it on to you.

Again, I’m so sorry for the delay in telling you. I hope you can forgive me.

Best wishes

Sarah

(184 words)

IELTS Formal Apology Letter

Write a letter to your boss apologising for the recent meeting you missed at work.

  1. Apologise for missing the meeting.
  2. Explain what happened.
  3. Say what you will do to compensate.

Model Answer for an IELTS Formal Apology Letter

Dear Mr Drummond,

I am writing to apologise for the meeting I missed on October 20th about development plans for the company.

I am sincerely sorry for not being able to attend this meeting. I am aware of the importance of the meeting but, unfortunately, my absence was unavoidable.

The reason for not attending this meeting was that I had a car accident on the way to work that day. Although the accident was not serious, I was taken to hospital for a check up and not allowed to leave until I had been given the all clear from a doctor.

I understand how crucial this meeting was and, therefore, I have asked one of my colleagues, Sandra Brown, to review the meeting with me after work today. We will go over all development plans and also people’s roles and responsibilities. By the end of today, I will be up to speed with all plans.

I hope you will forgive my absence and be assured of my commitment to this company and its future.

Yours sincerely,

Richard Brollend

(178 words)

Note: Although I have put the word count at the bottom of each letter, this is just for your convenience. It is not something you should do in your test. Most writing task 1 letters should be between 170 and 190 words on average.

Useful Link

You can find essential tips for IELTS letters on this page: IELTS GT Letter Writing Tips

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How Heather got IELTS Overall Band Score 8.5

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Heather scored overall 8.5 in IELTS and below are her tips for success 🙂

Heather’s IELTS Story

I re-wrote the IELTS general training exam and I got my writing band score increased from 6.5 to 7.5 with an OBS of 8.5, all thanks to you. 🙂 I have attached my TRF.

Overall Band Score = 8.5 (L 9 / R 9 / W 7.5 / S 8.5)

I would like to thank you, Liz, from the bottom of my heart for your wonderful lessons which helped me a lot. I thought of sharing how I overcame my weaknesses and rectified my mistakes this time.

Heather’s IELTS Tips

Here are some of my tips and tricks for before the exam and during the exam.

Before the exam:

Listening & Reading:

  1. Practice all the listening and reading tests from Cambridge IELTS books.
  2. Make sure you take printed copies of the tests and answer sheets and practice it within the time limit.
  3. While practicing,try to get all answers for listening in 30 mins and spend 5 mins checking whether all your answers make proper grammatical sense.
  4. Try to complete reading in 45 minutes and spend 15 minutes going over each question making sure you selected the right answers. (especially true or false questions).
  5. Keep practising until you are able to score between 38-40 right answers.

 (This is if you want to score a band score 9)

I think the listening and reading sections are the easiest and they give us the added advantage because the answers are already given to us in an indirect form. So if we can focus and scrutinise the available data, we can easily score a 9, unlike the writing and speaking sections where you have to completely develop the answer on your own.

Writing:

I thought I was pretty okay at English writing but came to know that I am terrible at “ielts writing” which I realized after my first test. I always thought I have been writing stories and poems and blogs since school days, so I assumed writing would be a piece of cake. But to be honest, IELTS writing is  something quite different and they definitely don’t want you to ramble on for pages. I would say the approach to this section should be “focussed writing”.

The second time I wrote the test I took expert advice from none other than Liz and made changes to the way I wrote.

  1. Purchase Liz’s advanced videos, they are amazing and a must do before you attempt to write.
  2. View all of Liz’s videos on YouTube, they teach a lot of important tips.
  3. Plan your essay. You just need 2 primary points to write two main body paragraphs of 90 words each.
  4. State your opinion (only when asked) in the introduction and continue to support your opinion in the body paragraphs. Do not deviate from your opinion.
  5. Introduction and conclusion are very important and I personally took time to write 2 lines roughly for each before I started the essay.
  6. Make sure to write fast but in legible handwriting. Use a pen if you can write faster with it. We all haven’t used a pencil in ages and it can be quite difficult to write fast with it.
  7. Go through Liz’s 100 ielts questions and jot down points or arguments you could use at the time of exam. (Just get ideas, don’t learn lines by heart).
  8. Go through Liz’s recent ielts questions for the month you are taking your exam. Chances are quite high that one of those questions might get paraphrased and asked again.
  9. Write the essay first, as it has twice the weight as the letter. I wrote letter in the last 10 minutes of my writing test.
  10. Allot one paragraph to clearly answer each question in the essay/ letter.

Speaking :

  1. Go through Liz’s recent ielts questions to get an idea of the latest topics and prepare to speak about them.
  2. Practise speaking in front of the mirror to improve your confidence.
  3. Go through the blog “52 speaking part 2 topics 2017” which really helped me.
  4. Take the simulation test by Liz on YouTube, it really helps you to time your answers.
  5. Have discussions with friends or family about the topics you need to prepare. They can really help boost your morale.
  6. The importance is on how you can speak fluently and communicate with ease, not on making intelligent arguments. So relax and just have a fun conversation with the examiner.

On Exam day :

I don’t know about IDP but if you are taking the British council test , I have some tips to share.

  1. Exam is usually scheduled for 1pm but you have to report at 11.30am for registration, which means you’ll have to skip lunch and write the exam on an empty stomach which can make you lose focus while you write.
  2. Registration takes a long time and you’ll end up waiting impatiently till 1.30pm (the exam never starts at sharp 1pm) in the exam hall, if you register first.
  3. You are not allowed to take washroom breaks after you register and during the exam , unless, of course, at your own risk of losing time.
  4. Reach the venue on time for registration but do NOT get registered immediately. Wait outside.
  5. Carry energy bars, bananas or chocolates that you can munch on before you enter for registration.
  6. 12.30pm is a good time to register and make sure to use the washroom just before this.
  7. Limit the amount of water you drink after you get into the exam hall.
  8. Take 2 sips of water after you complete each section to feel fresh and start the next section with a clear mind.
  9. Try not to use the washroom during the writing section ( I saw one candidate who could not complete the essay)
  10. Wear warm and comfortable clothes, the exam hall can be quite cold.( I took my hoodie jacket)
  11. Raise your hand and inform the exam conductors if  your audio is not loud enough during the audio testing.
  12. Carry pencils, pens, eraser and a sharpener. (I saw someone come into the exam hall unaware that we have use to pencil for L&R)
  13. Try to focus all your energies into the exam. Don’t be stressed, stay relaxed.

 

Useful IELTS Links Recommended by Heather

Good luck everyone! Thank you Liz. If someday I get to meet you, I would really love to buy you lunch 🙂 Love & Regards, Happy Heather 🙂
Thanks Heather, lunch sounds good some day 🙂 Well done 🙂 Liz

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Paraphrasing Exercise 2 Answers

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Find answers to paraphrasing exercise number 2 about coal miners. Make sure you finish the lesson before looking at the answers: paraphrasing exercise 2

I hope you found the lesson useful for spotting synonyms.

Answers

Click below to reveal the answers.

Answers
  1. preferred = favoured
  2. gradually stop using = phase out
  3. substitute = replace
  4. employed since way back = long-serving
  5. existence = presence
  6. portable = hand-held
  7. bird (canary) = yellow feathered friend
  8. ultimately = in the long run

 

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Reading Skills for IELTS: Paraphrasing Exercise 2

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This lesson is to help you develop the reading skill of paraphrasing which is an essential skill in IELTS reading. This is not a IELTS reading test. This is a lesson for spotting paraphrases – identifying synonyms (words with similar meaning).

Passage 

More than 200 canary birds are being phased out of Britain’s mining pits, according to new plans by the government. Modern technology is being favoured over the long-serving yellow feathered friend of the miner in detecting harmful gases which may be present underground.

New electronic detectors will replace the bird because they are said to be cheaper in the long run and more effective in indicating the presence of pollutants in the air otherwise unnoticed by miners. The gas detectors will be hand-held and carry a digital reading which appears on a screen alerting miners to the extent of the gases.

Notice: This passage comes from news.bbc.co.uk. You can read the full article on this page: BBC On the day: Coal Mines

Spot the paraphrases:

Choose a word or words from the passage above which are synonyms for the words below. Answers do not come in order.

  1. preferred
  2. gradually stop using
  3. substitute
  4. employed since way back
  5. existence
  6. portable
  7. bird (canary)
  8. ultimately

Remember that a synonym is a word that has exactly OR nearly the same meaning. This means a synonym may not be 100% the same – it may be only very similar in meaning.

Answers

The answers can be viewed on this link. Click to open: Answers for paraphrasing exercise 2

 

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IELTS Writing Task 2: Addressing the Task

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You will get a lower score in IELTS writing task 2 if you don’t fully address the task in the essay question. This means you need to check your essay plan before you start writing your essay.

Your plan must address all issues in the question.

I hope you find this lesson useful 🙂

IELTS Essay Question

  • The main topic is: how children spend their leisure time
  • The IELTS essay question below has two issues that need addressing: homework and sport

Essay Question:

Some people think that children should spend their free time doing homework, while others believe it would be better for children to participate in sports activities instead. What is your opinion?

One Sided Opinion

If you agree with one side, for example that sport is more important, then you must still address both issues.

Plan 1:

BP1 – I believe that sport is the best way for children to spend their leisure time because it promotes health.

BP2 – I also think sport is good because students can avoid stress and enjoy their free time.

Comments: This plan is WRONG!!!!! If you agree with one side ( that sport is important), you can’t ignore the issue of homework. Your opinion must address both sport and homework – in the body paragraphs as well as the introduction. This essay would get a low score for Task Response, which is 25% of your marks.

Plan 2:

BP1 – I believe that sport is the best way for children to spend their leisure time.

BP2 – other people think that homework is more important

Comments: This plan is WRONG!!!!! This is an opinion essay, it is not a discussion. This means the instructions are asking for YOUR opinion, not other people’s opinions. Writing a full body paragraph about other people’s opinions is irrelevant to the instructions and will lower your score.

Plan 3:

BP 1 – I believe that sport is the best way for children to spend their leisure time as it promotes health and reduces stress.

BP 2 – I think children should not do homework in their free time because they already spend six hours a day studying and should not do more educational work.

Comments: This is correct. Your opinion has been given on both issues. But personally, I wouldn’t take this approach to this essay question. See below:

Partial Agreement (Balanced View)

For this essay question, I would recommend a balanced view (a partial agreement). This does not mean you agree with both sides equally. It means you present a specific view which is quantified.

Plan

Thesis Statement =  In my opinion, while some homework is useful, the amount should be limited and children should spend more time playing sport instead.

BP 1 = children should spend only a small amount of their free time doing homework and the length of time should limited to avoid pressure and stress.

  • homework is an essential part of educational development
  • homework should be limited to avoid stress which has an adverse effect on school performance
  • parents and schools should help children limit this time

BP 2 = the main focus of children’s leisure time should be on sport because ….

  • children need to enjoy life outside their educational studies for their own welbeing
  • children can benefit through improved health
  • having an interest outside school helps reduce stress and encourages them to meet new people

Comments: There is a clear opinion which has been fully explained and addresses all issue.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Tips & Models

You can find writing task 2 tips and model essays on this page: IELTS Writing Task 2 Main Page. All my writing task 2 lessons are for GT and Academic students.

 

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Is this essay plan good?

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Lets take a look at a plan for an IELTS opinion essay.

Below you will find an essay question, an essay plan and also questions for you.

IELTS Essay Question

Some people think that children should spend their free time doing homework, while others believe it would be better for children to participate in sports activities instead. What is your opinion?

 

IELTS Essay Plan

Below are notes for an essay plan. The notes show what the content of each paragraph will be.

Introduction:

People have different views as to whether children should spend their free time doing homework or playing sport. In my opinion, children should be encouraged to take part in sport and exercise.

BP 1:

Sport is good for children because it benefits their health. Add supporting details.

BP 2:

Children can also benefit in other ways from playing sport by learning to unwind and meeting new people. Add supporting details on each point.

Conclusion:

Restate opinion.

Question for You

Think about the essay question and the essay plan, then answer the questions below.

  1. Is this a good plan?
  2. How do you think it can be improved?

Answers

Post your answers in the comments box below.

I will post my comments on Wednesday. That gives you all two days to post your comments 🙂

Liz

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Speaking Answers for Topic of Change

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Speaking Part 3 Questions for the Topic of Change:

This topic is currently being used: Oct – Dec 2017.

  1. Why do old people not accept change?
  2. Why do some people keep changing their jobs?
  3. What changes have occurred in your country in the last few decades?

Sample Answers

Why do old people not accept change?

  1. Answer 1: I guess one of the main reasons they don’t accept change is because they have spent the last few decades living a life of routine. For that reason, they find it difficult to alter that routine in order to accept changes. For example, old people who have been used to going to into the bank to do transactions find it difficult to change this habit and bank online. I think new technology must be really challenging for them.
  2. Answer 2: I think some old people are afraid of change. I mean, they find it difficult to understand and learn new ways of doing things and this makes them feel afraid. They don’t want to expose their age or their weaknesses so they try to resist change.

Why do some people keep changing their jobs?

  1. Answer 1: Well, I think some people change their jobs frequently for no other reason than they can’t find a permanent position. But other people choose to change jobs. I mean, they want to try difficult jobs in order to learn new skills, have new experiences and enjoy the opportunities that life has to offer.
  2. Answers 2: It’s not easy to say why people change their jobs but I suppose that career growth is one of the reasons. There are so many people trying for the same jobs or trying to get promotion that people need to show a range of skills and the ability to adapt. So, by changing jobs frequently, they can develop their CV and hopefully have a better chance of a better job.
  3. Answer 3: I don’t think people have much choice these days. It’s really hard to find a long term job that offers good job security. So, people have no choice but to move from one job to another. But it’s also a good way to develop new skills in different fields and hopefully land a better position.

What changes have occurred in your country in the last few decades?

  1. Answer 1: There have been so many changes it’s hard to choose which one to talk about. I think there have been big changes in education, mainly university education. When I was younger, all students had access to free university education but now they have to pay which means they leave university with greater debt but with less job opportunities at the end of it.
  2. Answer 2 posted from a student: In Nigeria here, some changes has taken place over the past few decades. We the Nigerians have witnessed how a small religious sect metamorphosed into a full blown globally recognized terrorist group. Indeed, our once peaceful country changed into a war zone where the lives and properties of her citizens aren’t secured. We also witnessed a great change in the political arena where for the first time ever, an incumbent president contested and lost the presidential elections to the opposition party.

More IELTS Speaking Model Answers

You can find more model answers and speaking tips on my main speaking page: IELTS Speaking Main Page

 

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Answers to Museum Listening

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Below are the answers to the listening practice about the Natural History Museum.

Make sure you have finished the listening practice before you see the answers. You can find the listening practice on this page: Museum Listening

Most students got about 4 answers correct. That’s great. For students who got all 5 correct – very well done 🙂

Transcript and Answers

Click below to view the transcript and answers:

Transcript

The Natural History Museum in London is a museum of natural history that exhibits a vast range of specimens from various segments of natural history. The museum is home to life and earth science specimens comprising some 80 million items within five main collections: botany, entomology, mineralogy, paleontology and zoology. The museum is particularly famous for its exhibition of dinosaur skeletons and ornate architecture—sometimes dubbed a cathedral of nature—both exemplified by the large Diplodocus cast that dominated the vaulted central hall before it was replaced in 2017 with the skeleton of a blue whale hanging from the ceiling. The skeleton is some 25 m long and weighing 10 tons.

Notice: This information was from wiki. You can read more about the Natural History Museum on this page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_History_Museum,_London

Answers
  1. 80 million
  2. zoology (the spelling must be correct)
  3. vaulted central hall / central hall / hall
  4. blue whale
  5. 10 tons

 

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