Communication: Practice Exercise

This is a common topic for IELTS speaking part 3. How good is your vocabulary for the topic of body language which is one part of communication?

Fill the gaps of these sentences with the suitable words:

1. I had no idea what she was talking about. Then suddenly she asked a question that I couldn’t understand so I just ………….. my shoulders and walked away.

2. My boss always tells tall stories. Yesterday he came to work with another unbelievable story but the only response I could give was to ……….. my eyebrows.

3. If there’s one thing I hate, it’s being late. Once I was in a really long meeting at work and by the time we finished I was late to meet my friend. During the meeting, I could feel myself getting impatient and my foot started ……………. on the floor.

4. I can’t stand watching films at the cinema because you can’t relax like you can in private, particularly when watching an action movie full of surprises and shocks. When there is a really sudden unexpected scene, my eyes ………. and my mouth ……… open which I find really embarrassing in public.

5. I remember once I was late for an appointment. When I arrived, which was over 1 hour late, I ………….  deep red and stammered an apology.

What words would you use to fill in the gaps above?

Answers: Follow this link for the answers: Body Language Vocabulary

IELTS Writing Task 1: Life Cycle Diagram

IELTS writing task 1 life cycle diagram model with two diagrams. This lesson focuses on the use of plural and singular nouns as well as using the correct verb form. You will also see how to write an introduction and overview for a diagram report.

IELTS Life Cycle Diagram with Two Diagrams

IELTS Lady Bird Diagram

Source: Each diagram above was sourced from google and compiled to create this diagram for IELTS practice.

IELTS Diagram Model Answer & Practice

This gap fill gives the first two paragraphs of the above IELTS practice diagram.

Use the words listed to fill in the gaps. You may need to alter the form of the word to ensure the sentence is grammatically correct, for example singular or plural nouns or verb form. Not all words are used.

wing     fix     spot    remain     hatch      end     behind      stage      emerge      eggs       lay         structure        elytra      finish     curl      over      

The first diagram illustrates the (1)……………. in the life of a lady bird, while the second diagram shows its body (2)……………………………

Overall, there are four stages in the life cycle of a lady bird from (3)………………….. to adult insect. The lady bird’s anatomy is characterised by colourful (4)………………. of red with black dots that cover its abdomen.

Initially, eggs are (5)…………………. on the underside of a leaf and (6) …………………. there for between two to five days. After this, larvae (7)……………… from the eggs and continue in that form for 21 days. At the end of the three weeks, the pupa stage begins where the larvae pupate by (8)……………… into a pupa on the backside of a leaf and this lasts for 7 days. At the (9)…………… of this stage, an adult lady bird emerges and the life cycle starts again.

The second diagram shows that the lady bird has bright red elytra with black (10)…………….. that cover both the wings and the abdomen. It also has six legs in total, three on each side. On its head, it has eyes and antennae, while just (11)……………. the head there is the pronotum.

ANSWERS

Answers
  1. stages
  2. structure
  3. egg
  4. elytra
  5. laid
  6. remain
  7. emerge
  8. curling
  9. end
  10. spots
  11. behind

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IELTS Listening Practice: Sports Festival

IELTS summary completion and sentence completion practice for listening about the topic of sport.

Tips

  • Spend time reading through the questions for the summary and sentence completion because the audio will cover all questions.
  • Pay attention to the title and key words in the questions.
  • Predict the type of answer you will need to listen for (grammar will help you).
  • Notice that the instructions (word count) changes as the type of question changes – pay attention to this.
  • Be ready to move from one set of questions to another. Identify a key word that will help you to know when to move questions.
  • Remember that some key words can be paraphrased.

Mongolian Sports Festival

Questions 1 – 3

Complete the summary using no more than one word and/or a number.

Naadam is a festival of three sports in Mongolia: (1)……………….. horse racing and archery. This festival is traditionally for men and takes place during (2)……………….. Previously, women were unable to (3)………………. in the festival but now they can take part in two out of the three sports.

Questions 4 – 6

Complete the sentences using no more than two words and/or numbers.

  • 4) Historically, this festival was used to generate ………………….
  • 5) People don ……………………………… for the festival.
  • 6) Each year the celebration is held between ……. and ……………….

Answers & Vocabulary

Click below to see answers:

Answers
  1. wrestling
  2. midsummer (one word)
  3. participate / compete (two possible options)
  4. warriors / skilful warriors (must be plural) / skilful men
  5. colourful clothes / traditional clothes/ distinctive clothes
    • three possible options but no more than two words possible for the answer
  6. 11 13 July / 11th 13th July
    • you must have both numbers and the month.
 Transcript

Naadam is a traditional games festival in Mongolia comprising of three sports: Mongolian wrestling, horse racing and archery. It is otherwise known as “the three games of men” because traditionally men were the only ones who could compete.  It is held over midsummer throughout the country. Nowadays, women are able to participate in archery and horse racing but not wrestling. The name “Naadam” means “festival or feast of sports”.

In ancient times, the Mongolian great kings and military generals used to train their warriors and the warriors’ main battle tool, horses, through this competition. While competing and feasting, those three manly traditional sports have been used to create skilful men for centuries.

During the festival, Mongolians dress in colourful and distinctive traditional clothes and ride their most beautiful horses. Official festival celebrations take place throughout the country between 11th and 13th July annually.  The Naadam celebration in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, is the most marvellous.

Useful Vocabulary
  • comprising of = made up of / consisting of
  • wrestling – a sport of holding and throwing an opponent to the ground
    • mongolia_naadam_10
  • archery – using a bow and arrow to hit a target
    • Naadam_women_archery
  • compete = participate / take part in
  • to be held / to take place
  • in ancient times = historically
  • manly = activities suited to a man
  • generate = create
  • to dress = to don (this is formal verb)
  • marvelous = spectacular (this synonym is used only in this context)

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I hope you enjoyed this lesson. Let me know if there any special customs or celebrations in your country that you wish me to make a lesson for. Liz

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Essay Ideas: Should libraries invest in technology or books?

Ideas for and against libraries invest more in technology than books. This topic of libraries was reported in the IELTS writing task 2 test and can also appear in speaking. Here are some ideas to help you answer this essay question.

IELTS Essay Question

Libraries should provide more books rather than invest in new technology such as computers and e-books. To what extent do you agree?

Ideas for this topic:

Libraries should invest in books

  • Not all books are available on digital format which means some specialised books are still in paper form.
  • Paper books are not easily lost unlike e-books which can be deleted accidentally or malfunction. Paper books are more reliable.
  • Libraries should be responsible for keeping paper books as one day the internet may not exist. It is a known fact that paper books are the only reliable and safe source of information.
  • Paper books help people focus and concentrate. They are not easily distracted. Reading online tempts people to search for new books, visit websites, and look up links rather than focus on the book they are reading.
  • Children should be given paper books to read rather than allowing them to read online which opens them up to uncensored sites.
  • Seeing a shelf full of books and topics is inspiring and stimulates the imagination.

Libraries should invest in technology

  • Technology, such as e-books, allow the same information to be stored in a fraction of the space. This is more cost effective than paper books because they need more storage space.
  • Computers allow users to locate information more quickly, providing better customer service.
  • Looking for and using books online is user friendly. This means people don’t need to leave their seat in order to find one or more books they want.
  • Technology is the way forward for all companies and services.
  • Providing more technology makes more services available as people can access the internet for more information than that provided solely by the library.

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How to Put Examples in Your Essay

Learn the best way to add examples to your essay to support your ideas. You need to use a range of linking words in your essay and also use them flexibly in different locations in the sentence. See below for a list of useful linking words with sample sentences:

Linking Words for Giving Examples

  • for example
  • for instance
  • to illustrate
  • as an illustration
  • to give a clear example
  • take, for example,
  • such as
  • namely

Video Tutorial: How to Add Examples in an Essay

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Sample Sentences with Supporting Examples

Please note that the linking words do not need to be at the start of the sentence. You can use them more flexibly by changing their location.

Global warming should be taken more serious as it can result in a number of disastrous consequences. To give a clear example, the melting polar ice caps have not only caused a loss of habitat for polar bears but are also threatening seas levels worldwide.

More and more women are choosing to start a family later in life. 20% of women giving birth to their first child, for instance, are over the age of 30 in the UK.

Crimes should not have the same punishment. Minor crimes, such as pick pocketing and traffic offences, should not have the same penalty as major crimes, namely murder and manslaughter.

Children often learn behaviour from the adults around them subconsciously. To illustrate, around 50% of children who are brought up by aggressive parents often use aggression to solve their own problems later in life.

Parents should be responsible for teaching their children right and wrong. If, for example, they see their child using bad language, they should spend time explaining to their child the serious consequences that can result from this type of behaviour.

More and more people are leading sedentary life styles due to work conditions. Take for example office workers in the UK who spend at least 8 hours a day, 5 days a week  sitting in front of their computers.

All Linking Words for Essay Writing

You can find a list of all linking words that can be used in essay writing: Linking Words for Writing.

IELTS Essay Questions

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Crime and Punishment Vocabulary with Pronunciation

The most common crime and punishment vocabulary with audios for pronunciation. This word list covers crimes, criminals, punishment, court proceedings and other useful words to write and talk about the topic of crime. Practice the words with the vocabulary exercise at the bottom of the page.

Types of Crime: Major & Minor Crime Vocabulary

These crimes are divided into crimes which are considered serious and those that are not.

Major Crimes

The list of crimes below are all nouns.

  • abduction = taking someone against their will (kidnapping)
  • arson = setting fire to a property
  • assault = a physical attack
  • burglary = illegal entry to a building with an intent to commit a crime
  • child abuse = maltreatment of a child
  • drug trafficking = importing illegal drugs
  • false imprisonment = imprisoning a person against their will and without legal authority
  • fraud = deception for personal or financial gain
  • hacking = unauthorised access to data in a computer system
  • hijacking = illegally getting control of an aircraft or vehicle
  • human trafficking = illegally transporting people, usually for slave labour or commercial sexual exploitation
  • murder (homicide USA)
    • premeditated murder = murder that is intentional (planned before hand)
    • unpremeditated murder – murder that is not intentional (not planned)
    • manslaughter – unintentional murder (synonym for unpremeditated murder)
    • attempted murder = planning to kill another person
    • patricide = killing one’s own father
    • genocide = systematic killing of a race or religious group
    • euthanasia = killing someone for their benefit
  • organised crime = crime by an organised gang or organisation
  • smuggling = illegal import or export
  • terrorism = unlawful violence or threat with political aims
  • white collar crime = financially motivated non-violent crime by a worker

Minor Crimes / Offences

  • pick pocketing = taking from another person’s pockets
  • shoplifting = taking products from a shop without paying for them
  • traffic offences =breaking the rules of the road and driving
    • drunk driving = driving whilst under the influence of alcohol
    • jay walking = crossing the road at an undesignated spot
    • running a red light = going through traffic lights when they are red
    • speeding = driving over the speed limit
  • vandalism = deliberate destruction or damage to a building

Vocabulary for Criminals

This list shows the person relating to the crime (the perpetrator of the crime).

  • crime = criminal
  • murder = murderer
  • theft = thief
  • trafficking = trafficker
  • hijacking = hijacker
  • terrorism = terrorist
  • smuggling = smuggler
  • shoplifting = shoplifter
  • vandalism = vandal
  • teenage criminal/ juvenile delinquent

Types of Punishment Vocabulary

  • the death penalty (capital punishment) = punishment of death
  • a prison sentence (imprisonment) = imprisonment
    • life in prison
    • 10 years
    • 6 months
  • a suspended sentence = delaying of a sentence
  • forfeiture = property is taken away (confiscated)
  • hospital order = to confine someone to hospital under arrest
  • a fine = to pay money as a punishment for an offence
  • house arrest = imprisoned in one’s own house rather than in prison
  • to suspend a license = withholding a person’s right to use their driving license for a period of time
  • to revoke a license = to take away someone’s driving license
  • non-custodial sentence = a sentence which is not done in prison
    • community service = punishment by doing community work

Other Types of Punishment

This refers to punishment commonly used by schools and parents.

  • detention = to stay in school after hours for punishment
  • to give lines = punishment where a child must write the same sentence again and again
  • isolation = to be kept apart from others as a punishment
  • grounding = to be unable to go outside home as a punishment
  • scolding = an angry reprimand
  • corporal punishment = physical punishment from a teacher or headteacher at school

Court Language

  • judge = the person who controls the court proceedings
  • jury = a group of independent people who decide whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty
  • justice = fairness or court law
  • trial = legal proceedings to judge whether someone is guilty of a crime
  • court = the place where the trial is held
  • defendant = the accused person: the individual or group being accused in court of a crime
  • prosecutor = the lawyer against the accused person
  • defense = the lawyer protecting the accused person
  • witness = a person who sees an event happen
  • evidence = facts or information supporting the truth
  • proof = evidence supporting a claim
  • hearsay = rumour / unsubstantiated information
  • guilty = not innocent as judged by a court of law
  • innocent = found not guilty of a crime
  • to be found guilty = the court decided that the person did commit the crime
  • conviction / verdict = formal sentence of a court
  • circumstances of the crime = a condition or situation relating to a crime
  • extenuating circumstances = a condition that makes the crime or mistake less serious and more understandable
  • take into consideration = should be thought about carefully
  • circumstantial evidence = something that connects a person indirectly to the crime (for example, a finger print at a crime scene but no actual hard evidence or witness)
  • maximum / minimum sentence = highest penalty / lowest penalty
  • a harsh punishment = hard, strict penalty
  • penalty / punishment are synonyms but penalty is often used for both minor offences and major crimes.

Other Useful Crime & Punishment Vocabulary

  • crime is prevalent = there is a lot of crime
  • armed police = police who carry guns
  • to deter (n = deterrent) = to put someone off from doing something
  • discrimination = unjust treatment
  • to be soft on crime = not to have harsh or strict punishments
  • repeat offender = a person who has committed a crime or offence more than once
  • serial criminals = criminals who repeatedly commit the same crime
  • diminished responsibility = when someone is not in a state to be considered responsible for their own actions
  • rehabilitation = to restore someone through education or therapy
  • reintegrate back into society = help someone return into society
  • peer pressure = pressure from friends or colleagues
  • role models = people whose behaviour should be copied and respected
  • mimicking violent behaviour = to copy aggressive actions

Practice Exercises with Crime Vocabulary

Complete the sentences using one or more words either from the above lists or from other vocabulary relating to this topic. The sentence must be grammatically correct once you have added the right word(s).

  1. The ………………. is the strongest deterrent against crime.
  2. The number of ……………….. is on the rise due to the impact of peer pressure at school and violent movies shown on TV. Teenagers are prone to ……………. aggressive behaviour.
  3. All people accused of a crime should be given a fair ……………. in a ………… of law.
  4. People who are convicted a murder from only ………………………. evidence should not receive the death penalty.
  5. The motives of a crime should always be taken into consideration. For example. there is a significant difference in the character of a person who commits ……………… murder and one who commits accidental murder.
  6. A ………….. sentence is more humane than capital punishment.
  7. Punishment should be the last resort. Instead criminals should be  …………………….
  8. People who commit ……….. crimes, such as traffic offences, should have their ……………….. revoked.
  9. Famous people, such as movie stars, should set a good ………… and ensure that they are good …………….. for young people to follow.
  10. …………… and the right to a fair ……………. should be the right of all citizens.
  11. Parents who inflict ……………… punishment on their children are showing children that …………….. is an acceptable way to deal with problems.
  12. Prison does not rehabilitate criminals, it only …………. them from society.   …………….. service and rehabilitation is a better way to avoid criminals becoming ………………….
Answers
  1. death penalty (the answer can’t be “capital punishment” because it doesn’t use the article “the”)
  2. juvenile delinquents / mimic
  3. trial / court
  4. circumstantial
  5. premeditated
  6. life
  7. rehabilitated
  8. minor / licenses
  9. example / role models
  10. Justice / trial
  11. corporal / violence
  12. removes / Community / repeat offenders

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IELTS Line Graph and Bar Chart Model Answer (Band 9)

An IELTS line graph and bar chart model answer with examiner comments. Describing two charts together for IELTS writing task 1 academic paper is easy when you know how. Dual charts like the one below are very common in IELTS Writing Task 1 and appear each year.

IELTS Line Graph & Bar Chart

The line graph shows visits to and from the UK from 1979 to 1999. The bar chart shows the most popular countries visited by UK residents in 1999.

ielts-Line-and-bar-graph

Source: IELTS Cambridge English Test Books

Line Graph & Bar Chart Model Answer

The line graph illustrates the number of UK residents going abroad from the UK and overseas residents visiting the UK between 1979 and 1999. The bar chart gives information about how many UK residents travelled to five of the most popular countries in 1999. Units are measured in millions of people.

Overall, there was an increase in the number of visits to and from the UK and there were more visits abroad by UK residents than visits to the UK by overseas residents over the period given. Furthermore, the most popular country to visit by UK residents was France in 1999.

According to the line graph, the number of UK residents visiting overseas  began at just under 15 million in 1979 and rose significantly to reach over 50 million in 1999. Around 10 million overseas residents visited the UK in the first year before climbing steadily to just under 30 million by the final year.

Regarding the bar chart, in 1999, the two most popular countries were France and Spain (visited by 10 million UK residents and approximately 9 million respectively). The USA and Greece had about 4 million and 3 million visitors. The least popular country visited was Turkey, which had only about 2 million UK residents going there.

Examiner Comments

This IELTS writing task 1 report describing both a chart and a graph is organised into logical paragraphs. The introduction introduces both charts and the overview contains the key features of both chart. Detail in the body paragraphs is supported by data. The right language is used for the line graph and there are a range of sentence structures used throughout.

Paraphrasing

  • shows = illustrates / gives information about
  • the number = how many
  • visits abroad by UK residents = UK residents going abroad = UK residents travelling to…
  • from 1979 to 1999 = between 1979 and 1999 = over the period given
  • rose = climbed
  • about = approximately = around

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Linking Words for IELTS Speaking: Word List & Tips

Here is a list of linking words for your IELTS speaking with tips and models. For speaking you need some simple linking words and natural phrases to help the examiner follow your ideas and stories. These linking words  and signposts are simple and informal on the whole. IELTS writing is different and requires the use of a wide range of linkers.

IELTS Speaking Linking Words – Why are they important?

Why are they important for IELTS Speaking if there is no marking criterion for Coherence and Cohesion, like there is in IELTS writing? Well, the marking criterion of Fluency is actually Fluency & Coherence and that means you are marked on being well understood. While the linking words themselves are not marked, you are marked on being easy to understand by making the direction of your ideas clear – and that requires linking words which signpost the direction of what you are saying. So, these linking words will help your score for Fluency and Coherence, which counts for 25% of your marks.

Types of Linking Words for IELTS Speaking

Adding more information

  • and
  • also
  • as well as
  • another reason is

Time Phrases

You should use signposts to help the listening understand when you are talking about the past or the present. This is crucial in IELTS Speaking where you will be asked questions that are related to the past, to the present and to the future.

  • now
  • at the moment
  • at present
  • right now
  • these days
  • nowadays
  • in the past
  • before
  • then
  • at that time
  • years ago
  • when I was younger
  • in the future
  • in a few decades
  • looking ahead

Expressing ideas

  • I think one important thing is
  • I guess one difference is
  • I suppose the main difference between X and Y is

Causes and Solutions

  • I guess it’s because
  • The main reason is
  • It was caused by
  • Because
  • I suppose the best way to deal with this problem is
  • I reckon the only answer is to
  • The best way to solve this is

Giving Examples

These connective devices are for giving examples in your answers. The most common and natural to use is “like”. Please note that “like” can’t be used as a linking device in IELTS writing.

  • for example
  • for instance
  • such as
  • like

Being Clear

You use these simple, natural expression to explain your point again more clearly or get your answer back on track.

  • What I mean is
  • What I want to say is
  • As I was saying

Contrasting and concessions

Use these connecting words to compare and contrast or give concessions. You will often be asked a comparison question in the IELTS Speaking test. These questions can come in speaking part 1, part 2 or part 3. So, make sure to use these linking words for your statements.

  • but
  • on the other hand
  • while
  • although
  • or
  • in comparison
  • on the other hand
  • by contrast

Free PDF Download: Linking words for IELTS Speaking

Examples of Linking Words in IELTS Speaking

Look at the following questions and answers from the speaking test and see what linking words are contained in the answers. You’ll see that the use of linking words is very common in most answers you will give.

Q. Do you eat much fruit?

A. Yes, I do. I love tropical fruit like mangoes and pineapples. I just can’t get enough of them. I’d eat them with every meal if I could.

Comments: We would not use “for example” in this type of sentence which relates to our everyday life and instead we use “like” which is very informal. We can use “like” as a linking word in the speaking test, but never in the writing test, which is formal.

Q. Do you think fast food is bad?

A. Yes, I do. If it is eaten too often, it can cause problems such as heart disease or diabetes. Also, it can lead to weight problems which are really common nowadays.

Comments: You could use “such as” or “for example” in this sentence because the content is more serious. Please note that we don’t use “furthermore” or “in addition” for speaking, instead we use “also” or “and”.

Q. Do children play similar games today that they played in the past?

A. No, I don’t think they do. Before, children used to play simple games like hide and seek or they used to play with simple handmade toys. But, these days, kids tend to prefer computer games and their toys are battery operated. 

Comments: This answer contained time phrases for the past and present “before” and “these days”. It also had an example “like”. “Like” is the main example linking word for speaking and can be repeated again and again. This answer also uses a contrasting linking word “but”. “But” is the main contrasting linking word in speaking and can be repeated many times.

Mistakes with Linking Words in Speaking

The example below will help you understand how not to answer a question with linking words when you answers questions in your IELTS Speaking test.

Q. Do you like going out with friends?

A. Yes, I do. Firstly, it gives me a chance to relax. Secondly, I can catch up on their news. Last but not least, it allows me the opportunity to visit new places.

Comments: The method of linking is too formal for IELTS Speaking, which is informal. It is inappropriate to speak in a formal style in such an informal test. It won’t help your score.

See below what the answer should be:

A. Yes, I do. It’s great being able to chill out and catch up with their news. Also we often go out to new places which I really enjoy.

Comments: This answer was more natural and would be marked higher in IELTS speaking. The linking words are used appropriately (and / also). You are being marked on your natural use of English in an informal speaking test.

Tips for Linking Devices in IELTS Speaking

  • Don’t use formal linking words for simple questions about yourself and your life.
  • Don’t worry about repeating linking words. This is different to IELTS writing and repetition in the speaking test is more usual and not marked down.
  • The most common linking words for speaking are: and, but, because, also, like (for giving examples). This means you will probably use them a lot and repeat them often – that’s fine for the speaking test.
  • “Like” is only used as a linking word to give examples in speaking NOT in writing.
  • You do not get a higher score because you used a range of linking devices.
  • Linking words in speaking are just to help the examiner understand better and that will boost your score.
  • Linking words are used naturally not formally in IELTS speaking.
  • Linking words are part of the criterion of “Fluency and Coherence” which is 25% of your marks.

Linking Devices for IELTS Writing

The following link will provide you with a list of Essential Linking Words for Writing Task 2. For IELTS writing, you MUST use a range of formal linking words in your essay to get a high score. This is applicable to both GT and academic students.

IELTS Speaking Questions & Topics

IELTS speaking common questions and topics to practice for your test.

IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topics

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Topics

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Topics

IELTS Speaking Model Answers and Tips:

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