Essay Ideas: Celebrations and Family

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Happy New Year to those of you who celebrate New Year on January 1st. Here is an IELTS essay question relating to festivals and celebrations.

Most traditional festivals and celebrations are losing their meaning as they become more commercial with the emphasis on buying presents and spending money on parties. Some people think that traditional festivals are a waste of time and money.

To what extent do you agree?

Always spend time thinking about the essay title and planning your answer. You should spend a minimum of 5 minutes thinking, analysing and planning before you start writing your essay. Here are some questions to help you consider the above essay.

Questions for Analysis

1. How do most people celebrate traditional festivals?

2. Do most people who spend money not recognise the meaning behind the festival?

3. Is it possible to spend lots of money on celebrations and still recognise their meaning?

4. Are people more interested in the traditional meaning of festivals or on having a good time  celebrating?

5. How important are traditional festivals in keeping a culture alive?

6. What would happen if we get rid of all traditional festivals?

7. Do you think the money spent on festivals could be better used?

Now plan how you will use your ideas to answer the question given in the IELTS essay question. After you have decided your plan, check the ideas below. Remember that there is no right or wrong in IELTS. These ideas offer one possible options for the content of body paragraphs.

Body Paragraph Content

Below is an example of body paragraph content for a partial agree essay ( a balanced view).

  • Body Paragraph A: Many traditional festivals are becoming more commercial as people use them as an opportunity to treat themselves or others to expensive luxury goods.
  • Body Paragraph B: This money could certainly be better used as it is not necessary to spend so much money to enjoy festivals and respect traditions.
  • Body Paragraph C: Regardless of the commercial aspect that is developing around many festivals, they are still vitally important in keeping traditions alive and teaching the younger generation about their own culture.

Happy 2018 🙂

Liz

 

Filed Under: IELTS Writing Task 2 Tagged With: ,

IELTS Essay Ideas: Is Art a Waste of Time?

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Art is a common topic to get in IELTS writing task 2. Below is a sample essay question with ideas.

While some people think that art if an important subject for children to study, others think it is a waste of time.

Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

Ideas

Art is Useful

  • art is a means of expression
    • children need to learn to express their thoughts and feelings
    • it is often easier for young children to draw pictures than to express complex feelings in words
  • art is a creative form
    • creative thinking should be developed
    • creative thinking is beneficial later in life

Art is A Waste of Time

  • there are other more important subjects that would benefit children for their future life
    • the importance of technology, sciences and languages
  • studying art does not lead to a successful career
    • most artists struggle to make a living from selling their art

Opinion

  • art is a valuable subject but should not be a main focus on any curriculum or detract from other more important subjects
    • having a balance of subjects is the best way to help children develop a balanced character in life

Recommended

Essay Ideas: Littering in Cities

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IELTS Listening Practice: Nadiya Hussain

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This IELTS listening practice exercise is about a woman called Nadiya Hussain. It contains both short answer questions and sentence completion questions.  You can find more useful links for listening and vocabulary at the bottom of the page.

Tips: As you will hear this only once, make notes. In the IELTS test, you can make notes all over your question paper. It might help you find an answer that you have missed.

You can find more IELTS tips for each part of the test at the bottom of the page.

ielts-listening-nadiya-hussain

Read the questions from 1 to 5 before listening to the audio. Play the audio only once. In IELTS, you will hear the recording only once so get used to practising. When you finish listening, make a note of common paraphrases.

IELTS Listening Practice: Mixed Question Types

Nadiya

Questions 1 – 2: Write no more than one word and/or number.

  1. How many children does Nadiya have?
  2. In what year did she enter The Great British Bake Off?

Questions 3 – 5: Write no more than two words and/or a number.

  • 3. She was launched into her career by winning a UK ………………………….
  • 4. The BCC documentary followed her around Bangladesh on a ……….. tour.
  •  5. She also writes as a ……………… for the Times magazine.

Recording:

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Answers and Transcript

Click below to open the answers and see the transcript.

Answers
  1. 3 (three)
  2. 2015
  3. baking competition
    1. Did you remember to read the instructions? The instructions change each time the question type changes. If you thought you could only write one word, go back and look at the instructions for Questions 3-5.
  4. culinary
  5. columnist
Transcript

Nadiya Hussain was born into a British Bangladeshi family in the south of England. Both a wife and mother of three, she entered The Great British Bake Off in 2015. Her ability to produce amazingly creative, tasty bakes earned her the title of Champion in the biggest baking competition in the UK. This launched her career. Later, she was asked to bake a cake for Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday. And then she went on to film the Chronicles of Nadiya, a BBC documentary of her culinary journey around Bangladesh. She is also a columnist for the Times magazine presenting mouth watering recipes for baking.

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IELTS Writing Task 1 Sample Answer Bar Chart & Pie Charts

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Below is model answer for an IELTS bar chart and pie chart together for Writing Task 1. The sample answer is estimated at about band score 8.  The sample answer contains some grammar errors – can you find them? Answers below. This is a typical multiple chart task that continues to appear in the test every year (updated 2024).

IELTS Writing Task 1: Multiple Charts

ielts multiple charts bar chart pie charts

Sample Answer

Estimated at band score 8. It contains a few mistakes which is why it isn’t band 9.

Can you find the mistakes?

The bar chart and pie charts illustrate the percentage of people in Glasgow having three levels of education (university, school and those with no qualifications) in 2010. Information is divided into five age groups in the bar chart and by gender in the pie charts.

Overall, the majority of people with university education were in younger age groups, while in the oldest age group most people did not have any qualifications. The proportions of men and women were similar and showed little different between the levels of education.

The percentage of people with university education was up to 76% in the younger three age groups compared to only 50% in those ages 50 to 75 and just 25% in those over 75. This trend was reversed in those with no qualifications (9% in younger people rising to 72% in the oldest age group). The figure for those with school education was relatively constant at around 20% but was as low as 3% in the over 75’s.

The proportion of men and women in each level of education was around one third with only a slightly difference of 3% in university graduates as well as those who didn’t have educational qualifications.

Words = 198

There are a few grammar mistakes in this writing. Can you find them? Answers provided below

Answers

Answers to Grammar Mistakes in the above sample answer – click below to open:

ANSWERS TO SPOT THE MISTAKES ABOVE

Paragraph 2: in younger age groups = in the younger age groups

Paragraph 2: little different = little difference

Paragraph 3: in those ages 50 to 75 = in those aged 50 to 75

Paragraph 4: a slightly difference = a slight difference

Paragraph 4: didn’t = did not

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Writing Task 1 Reported Dec 2016

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The IELTS writing task 1 was reported this month (December 2016) in the IELTS test in Azerbaijan and also in the UK. This task is a vertical bar chart and two pie charts. The task was kindly reported and created by a student called Ruzigar in Baku, Azerbaijan and also reported by Mary, in the UK.

You can download a free copy of this task below.

IELTS Writing Task 1 for December 2016

ielts-writing-task-1-reported-dec-2016

Download: ielts-writing-task-1-december-2016

You can find practice charts for IELTS on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-sample-chart-for-writing-task-1/

You can find tips, model answers and practice for IELTS Writing Task 1 on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/

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Is Cursive Writing Recommended for IELTS?

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Many students have been asking me about cursive handwriting and the best style of handwriting to use in the IELTS test. So, I want to explain to you what the examiner is looking for in your essay and how your handwriting will affect your score.

Can you use cursive script in IELTS writing?

Yes, you can use any style of handwriting you want. It is completely your choice.

Is it better to use cursive writing?

It is neither better nor worse. It makes no difference to your score.

HOWEVER, if your writing is difficult to read, you might lose points. If the examiner can’t read it, he or she won’t be able to give you a high score. Your writing MUST be clear and easy to read at all times!!

More Hand Writing Tips:

See the following link for Tips on Using Pen or Pencil. If you want to learn about practicing your hand writing on the answer sheet for IELTS writing, see this link: Official IELTS Writing Task 2 Paper & Tips. 

Should you indent your paragraphs? See this page to learn about indenting or leaving an empty line between paragraphs:

You can find more tips and model essays for writing task 2 on the Main Writing Task 2 Page.

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Nov 2016 IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topic: Chocolate

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Below is an IELTS speaking part 1 topic currently being used in the IELTS test this month. It is a new topic and has been taken from the main topic of Food.

I’ve listed the questions and provided some model answers and vocabulary. You can find more current speaking part 1 topics listed below.

Chocolate: IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topic

Questions with model answers:

  1. Do you like chocolate?
    1. Yes, I do. I like both blocks of plain chocolate as well as chocolate bars, such as Mars bars.
  2. Do you often eat chocolate?
    1. Unfortunately, yes I do. I eat it everyday even though I know I shouldn’t.
  3. Is chocolate popular in your country?
    1. Yes, it’s extremely popular, almost everyone eats chocolate. It’s probably the most common snack for children and adults, and certainly much more popular than fruit.
  4. Did you eat chocolate when you were a child?
    1. Yes, I did but I didn’t eat it as often as I do now as an adult. My parents were careful to ration the chocolate to twice a week only.
  5. Are there any occasions when people give chocolate as a present?
    1. Yes, there are a number of times in the year when that might happen. Some people give chocolates to each other on Valentine’s Day, while other’s give it at birthdays. Easter is also a common date to give a chocolate egg as a gift.
  6. Do you think it is healthy to eat chocolate?
    1. Not really. I’ve heard that if the chocolate is plain, without added milk or sugar, it is fine to eat a small amount each day but it’s certainly unhealthy to eat the quantities and types of chocolate that most people eat today.

Other Current Speaking Part 1 Topics

  • Colour
  • Hats
  • Mobile Phones
  • Weather
  • Art
  • Gifts
  • Walking
  • Flowers
  • Singing
  • Advertisements
  • Phototgraphy
  • Transport

Also check the common Speaking Part 1 Topics which are also being used:

Speaking Part 1 Topics Commonly Used

You can get more tips for IELTS Speaking and more Model Answers on the Main IELTS Speaking Page of this site.

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Writing Task 2 Topics Oct 2016

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Below are IELTS writing task 2 topics reported in the test this month. Which do you think is the most difficult?

October Writing Task 2 Essay Questions

  1. The advantages of English spreading as a global language will continue to outweigh the disadvantages. To what extent do you agree or disagree.
  2. The range and quality of food we can buy has changed due to technological and scientific advances. Some people believe the range and quality of food has improved while others consider it may be harmful. Discuss both points of view and give your opinion.
  3. Do you think the care for elderly relatives should be with family or professional care?. Give your opinion.
  4. Some people think university education is important for success while others disagree.Discuss both views and give your opinion.
  5. Nowadays people research their family history, some people say this is useless and we should instead focus on present and future generations. Share your opinion.
  6. Major countries nowadays face traffic problems. Describe the situation in your country and discuss possible ways to overcome it. (GT test)
  7. In many countries, people are not taking care of their elderly relatives but seeking help of professionals to look after them. Do you think this is a positive or a negative development ? (GT test)
  8. It is generally discussed among the public that extreme sports such as sky diving and rock-climbing should be banned. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

To see more essay questions and speaking topics for October, see this page: IELTS Recent Exam Questions. Click, for the main page of writing task 2 tips.

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