Can you use quotes or idioms in your IELTS essay?

by 93 Comments

Idioms, quotes and proverbs are often used inappropriately in IELTS Writing Task 2 essays. Read below to learn whether you should or should be using them in your IELTS writing task 2 essay.

Will I get a higher score using idioms in my IELTS essay?

The answer is clear – no. Idioms are mostly informal because they are descriptive. Idioms such as “it cost an arm and a leg” are too informal to use in a formal IELTS writing task 2 essay for both Academic IELTS and General Training IELTS.. However, there are some idioms which are suitable but they are not always suitable for the topic you might be given so don’t necessarily aim as a strategy to use them. Such suitable idioms are: in the long run / the key to this issue / give rise to / bridge the gap / shed light on / pave the way etc. If your essay topic and aims allow you to use these idioms, that’s great. But such idioms are still not actually required for a high score in Vocabulary because there are other options.

The marking criteria for Vocabulary which relates to idiomatic language is not just about idioms. Idioms are just one type of idiomatic language and as I explained above, not necessarily the best type. Phrasal verbs, on the other hand, are often great to use in your essays, such as to look up / to look after /  to look down on /  to bring about / bring up / bring forward / bring up etc. All these phrasal verbs are examples of idiomatic language that can be used in your IELTS essays to boost your score.

Using Quotes in IELTS Essays

Regarding quotes, the examiner will give you a score based on your own level of English language, not the words you remember from another person. While quotes are suitable for academic essays at university, they will not help your band score for IELTS. Instead, use the idea from the quote and write it in your own words. Your essay should be written using your own language, not memorised phrases or sentences from other people.

What about proverbs in IELTS writing?

I would also recommend avoiding proverbs as well. Most proverbs are not appropriate for academic writing. Here’s an example of an inappropriate proverb in writing “all that glitters is not gold”. While the meaning might be perfect for your essay, it would be better to write “people should not be deceived by appearances because they can be deceptive” The latter sentence has a much better variety of appropriate vocabulary for a high score and each word has clearly been chosen by you to demonstrate your own level of English.

Can I use quotes, idioms or proverbs in my IELTS speaking test?

Proverbs and quotes are not usually academic and for that reason are better suited to speaking. However, don’t lose your fluency score because you are trying to remember an idiom. You get a high score when you use appropriate, natural language in the right context. So, don’t try to fill your answers with idioms or proverbs. Using quotes is not really suitable for IELTS because they are not your own words.

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU

ALL MODEL ESSAYS & TIPS FOR IELTS WRITING TASK 2

ALL MODEL ANSWERS & TIPS FOR IELTS SPEAKING

FREE SUBSCRIBE

Subscribe to get new lessons & tips by email.

.

Filed Under: IELTS Writing Task 2 Tagged With:

Maths: IELTS Speaking Topic

by 27 Comments

Maths is a topic that can appear in IELTS Speaking Part 1. This topic can also be called Calculations or Numbers. This has been a reported topic since 2015, appearing regularly in the IELTS speaking test.

Below are some questions with useful vocabulary so that you can prepare this topic.

IELTS Speaking Part 1 Questions: Maths

When you prepare at home, don’t write your answers down. Instead, speak your answer out loud and record them on your phone. This way you are practicing more naturally and you can listen back to check your pronunciation and other aspects of language.

  • Are you good at maths?
  • Did you like mathematics when you were at school?
  • What was your teacher like?
  • What kinds of things did you learn in maths?
  • Did you use a calculator when learned maths?
  • Do you find it difficult to do calculations?
  • How do you calculate difficult sums?
  • Do you think maths is an important subject for children to learn?
  • Why do you think children should learn maths?

Useful Language for Maths Topic

  • calculate numbers / data / figures
  • adding up / addition (2 + 4 = 6)
  • subtraction / taking away (6 – 2 = 4)
  • multiplication  / multiplying numbers (multiplying = 2 x 3 = 6)
  • the multiplication table
  • division / dividing (dividing = 6 / 3 = 2)
  • long division (12,000 / 1,500 = 8)
  • estimating powers and roots for positive numbers
  • learning about decimals and fractions (decimal = 0.333 & fraction =  1/3)
  • algebra = learning about using letters and symbols in formulas
  • geometry = calculating angles in triangles or relationships between points on graphs or maps
  • proportions and rates of change
  • maths teaches people how to solve problems
  • maths teaches people how to interpret and understand data
  • maths teaches people how to do simple and complex calculations needed for everyday life

Model Answers

  • Question: Did you like maths when you were at school?
  • Answer: Yes, I did. I enjoyed it at the beginning when we were doing just simple sums but I went off it as we progressed on to complex calculations, like complex algebra and things like that.
  • Question: Did you use a calculator at school for studying maths?
  • We weren’t allowed a calculator for doing sums or long division and things like that. But we were allowed to use one for geometry and other complex calculations.

Speaking part 1 answers are not long. They are quite short, but you should still aim for at least two complex sentences for your answer. Your answer is likely to be shorter for a simple question and longer for a more complex question. In part 3, all your answers will be longer because the questions are more complex.

You can also see that language is very relaxed and natural. This is perfect for IELTS Speaking which is an informal test of your natural spoken English.

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU 

FREE SUBSCRIBE

Subscribe to get new lessons & tips by email.

.

Filed Under: IELTS Speaking Tagged With: ,

Lack: vocabulary and sample sentences

by 9 Comments

This lesson looks at the word “lack” and gives the meaning with sample sentences. Many IELTS students make mistakes using this word. Although many students understanding the meaning, they make mistakes with how to use it accurately. The more mistakes you make, the lower your score will be. So, make sure you read this lesson carefully.

Word Form and Meaning

  • lack (n) = being without / not having enough
  • lack (vb) = being without / being deficient
  • synonyms = shortage, scarcity, loss, shortfall
  • antonyms = sufficiency, enough, abundance, plenty

Please remember that a synonym has a similar meaning but may not always be used in the exactly the same way. You must learn both meaning and how to use words to avoid mistakes in IELTS.

About the word “lack”

  • Students mainly confuse verb and noun as well as how to use prepositions: “a lack of” (n) or “it is lacking in” (vb).
  • This word can be used for both IELTS speaking and writing task 2.

Sample Sentences with “lack”

  1. Due to the lack of employment opportunities in the countryside, a large number of workers are moving to cities to find work.
  2. Under developed countries are often lacking the adequate infrastructure needed for the development of the economy.
  3. Many children are struggling with weight problems due to the lack of physical exercise and a diet rich in fat and sugar.
  4. Many modern films have a lot of special effects but are lacking in quality dialogue and character development.
  5. One of the benefits of living in the countryside is the lack of noise.
  6. Lack of sleep can really affect my mood. It sometimes makes me impatient and irritable.

Error Correction

Find the mistakes in the sentences below for the word “lack”. This exercise will help you develop the accuracy needed to use this word correctly.

  1. Some people lacking the imagination needed to become a good writer of children’s books.
  2. Many major cities have lacking of public transport which can result in more people using their own private vehicles.
  3. Young leaders are often lack of the experience needed to make the right decisions for successful companies.
Answers

Here are some possible options for how to write the above sentences correctly.

  1. Some people lack the imagination needed to become a good writer of children’s books. / Some people are lacking the imagination needed to become a good writer of children’s books.
  2. Many major cities lack public transport which can result in more people using their own private vehicles. / Many major cities have a lack of public transport which can result in more people using their own private vehicles.
  3. Young leaders often lack the experience needed to make the right decisions for successful companies. / Young leaders are often lacking in the experience needed to make the right decisions for successful companies.

 

Never memorise sentences to use in your IELTS test. 

Recommended

Get my free lessons by email

Subscribe for free to get my new IELTS lessons sent to your email inbox.

Filed Under: Vocabulary Tagged With:

Listening Practice for Addresses

by 105 Comments

IELTS listening practice for addresses. It is common to be asked to write down addresses in IELTS listening section 1. This exercises offers you a chance to practice.

Listening Practice: 10 Addresses

  • Listen to 10 addresses
  • Write down what you hear
  • Not all addresses will be spelled
  • Only street names which are difficult will be spelled

Before you listen, do you know the different types of streets in England? For example, road, lane, street, avenue… How many do you know? Be prepared for addresses that might be new for you.

 

Answers
  1. 150 Church Street
  2. 68C Bridge Lane
  3. 52 Burlington Road
  4. 3 West Street
  5. 94A Notts Way
  6.  Flat 2, 24 Sleet Street
  7. 63 Green Avenue
  8. 54 Station Road
  9. 102 Seaview Crescent
  10. 41 Drummond Square

See this page about using capital letters and for other test information: IELTS Exam FAQ

 

Recommended Listening Lessons

Main IELTS Pages

Develop your IELTS skills with tips, lessons, free videos and more.

 

Get my free lessons by email

Subscribe for free to get my new IELTS lessons sent to your email inbox.

 

 

Filed Under: IELTS Listening

IELTS Complaint Letter: Error Correction

by 14 Comments

Below are sentences written by students for an IELTS complaint letter for writing task 1 (General Training Paper). Can you re-write the sentences correctly? The more errors you have in your writing, the lower your score will be for grammar and vocabulary.

Complaint Letter Sentences: Find the Mistakes

  1. Last week I bought a TV from your store but from the first day it is not working properly.
  2. I called so many times to the customer services but they ignored the request.
  3. I request to the store manager to find the solution for TV, he told me that he will send the technician to fix the problem, but he didn’t.
  4. I am very disappointed from the services of your company.
  5. I need that someone from you fix the TV problem or replace the current TV to the new one within one or two days.
Answers
  1. Last week I bought a TV from your store but from the very first day it did not work properly.
  2. I called many times to customer services but I was either put on hold for over 30 minutes or they put the phone down on me. This is completely unacceptable.
  3. I requested that the store manager find a solution for the TV and he told me that he would send a technician to fix the problem. However, he failed to do this and I have been waiting for over one week now with no positive outcome.
  4. I am very disappointed with the services of your company. / I am exceedingly disappointed with the customer services that your company provides.
  5. I expect someone from your company to fix this problem or replace the current TV  within one to two days. (Please note that using “I expect…” is when you want to show annoyance, otherwise just use “I would like …”)

 

Recommended

Get my free lessons by email

Subscribe for free to get my new IELTS lessons sent to your email inbox.

Filed Under: IELTS Writing Task 1 Tagged With:

Which part of IELTS speaking is most important?

by 293 Comments

Are all the parts of the IELTS speaking test equally important?

The IELTS speaking test is graded by your performance in all parts of the test. The examiner will check your English language using the 4 marking criteria for each part of the test.

Speaking Part 1

If you are strong in speaking part 1 but not in the other parts, then you will not get a good score. You must do well in all parts to get a good score.

Most of the questions are quite easy in part 1 and are about yourself or your country. So, doing well in this part is expected for high level students. If you give very short answers, for example “Yes, I do” or “No, I don’t”, you are not providing the examiner with a good range of language to assess. So, that means your potential score is not high when you enter part 2 and it will affect your overall score.

Speaking Part 2

In speaking part 2, the examiner has a chance to sit and listen to your English without interrupting. So, giving a short speech of only 1 minute gives you less chance to demonstrate the level of your English and less chance to show fluency. It is still possible to get a good score with only 1 mins or 1.5 mins speech but only if the language you use is very good  and your fluency is very strong during that time.

By the end of speaking part 2, the examiner has a rough idea of your band score. Adding more information and details to each prompt is a way of offering the examiner a broader range of your language ability. Description offers the examiner more vocabulary and fluency. Talking with feeling can offer better intonation. Explaining in detail can offer better sentence structures and grammar. Giving examples of the past and ideas for the future can offer more grammar tenses. Try to find ways to showcase your English in part 2.

Speaking Part 3

In speaking part 3, it is a chance for the examiner to ask more in depth questions which will require more skill in English to answer. The questions are abstract and about the world rather than yourself. This requires a better level of English to answer well.

This is a chance for you to boost your score by providing the examiner with a better range of vocabulary, grammar, fluency and pronunciation. Giving examples and detailed explanations of your ideas naturally produces better language which will help your score.

Will the examiner decide my score in the test or later on?

Your score will be decided by the examiner who conducts the test and the score will be given at the end of the test. By the end of speaking part 3, the examiner will have decided your score.

Does the examiner have model answers?

No, there are no model answers used for assessing you in the IELTS speaking test. Each student will use different English and give different answers. Your score is only calculated on the English language you produce – the level and range of your English and the accuracy of your English.

If I don’t answer one question, will it affect my score?

If you perform well and produce good English in the other questions, you can still get a good score. Struggling with only one question while the others are fine, should not affect your score adversely.

Will I get a low score if I can’t think of many ideas?

The IELTS speaking test only assess your English language, not your ideas. This is very different to the IELTS writing test. IELTS writing assesses your ideas, your answers, how you develop the ideas and how you present them. IELTS speaking only tests your vocabulary, grammar, fluency and pronunciation. See below for the band score descriptors.

Recommended for IELTS Speaking

FREE SUBSCRIBE

Subscribe to get new lessons & tips by email.

.

Filed Under: IELTS Speaking Tagged With:

Detrimental: vocabulary and sample sentences

by 21 Comments

The word “detrimental” is a very useful word for IELTS. It is a word that could be used in listening, reading, writing task 2 and speaking.

Word Form and Meaning

  • detrimental (adj) = causing damage, harm or injury
  • detrimentally (adv)
  • detriment (n)
  • synonyms = damaging, destructive, harmful, adverse
  • antonyms = beneficial

Please remember that a synonym has a similar meaning but may not always be used in the exactly the same way. You must learn both meaning and how to use words to avoid mistakes in IELTS.

About the word “detrimental”

  • It is suitable to use in both IELTS writing task 2 and IELTS speaking.
  • It is a word that can appear in many topics.

Sample Sentences with “detrimental” and “detriment”

  1. Smoking is known to be detrimental to people’s health.
  2. Pressure from parents can be detrimental to their child’s academic progress.
  3. It is a detriment to the environment that more people are not aware of the harm that needless energy consumption can have.
  4. Prison sentences can have a detrimental impact on a criminal’s ability to reform.
  5. Shopping online has had a detrimental effect on local communities because people no longer go to town centers to do their shopping resulting in the closure of many small, local businesses.
  6. Using inappropriate idioms in formal essay writing can be detrimental to your score in the criterion of vocabulary in your IELTS writing task 2.

Never memorise sentences to use in your IELTS test. 

Recommended

Get my free lessons by email

Subscribe for free to get my new IELTS lessons sent to your email inbox.

Filed Under: Vocabulary Tagged With:

IELTS Reading Tips: How can I improve my score

by 245 Comments

Below are some IELTS reading tips about how you can improve your score. The tips include developing both IELTS reading exam skills and also improving your English level. Even if your English language is at a native speaker level, you still need to get used to the test and be familiar with it in order to succeed.

IELTS Reading Tips: How to Increase your Score

Below are many ways you can boost your IELTS reading score. Take a look at the list and see which things you need to focus on for your IELTS reading preparation.

Develop skills for each type of question in IELTS reading

There are around 14 different types of IELTS reading questions and you need to find a strategy to tackle each one. Some question types have answers that come in order and others do not. This type of information will help you not only save time but also locate the right answers. Follow the link to learn about the IELTS reading question types. Most students struggle with True False Not Given questions, see this IELTS TFNG video to learn how to approach this type of question. You can find free practice reading lessons for different types of questions on this page: IELTS Reading Practice Lessons & Tips

Skimming and Scanning Reading Skills

You should be able to skim and scan passages to do well in IELTS. Skimming is reading a passage to get a general idea of the content. This is recommended to do before you tackle the questions. All types of questions, except one, are given after the passage because it is recommended to skim read the passage before the questions. This does not mean you try to understand the passage. It’s just a chance to get a sense of the topic and layout. You should skim read the full passage in 2 to 3 minutes – not longer. At the same time, you should underline any key words you see. The only types of questions which comes before the passage is matching headings, for those, you don’t need to read the passage first. Scanning is your ability to locate information quickly and has no relation to comprehension of the passage.

Develop your speed reading skills.

IELTS has a strict time limit which will really challenge your ability to complete the questions in time. You must develop speed reading skills to be able to find your answers quickly. This means you must be able to scan the passage quickly to locate information. Always keep your eye on the clock in the test. For the paper test, there’s be a clock on the wall, for the computer test it is given at the top of the screen.

Don’t try to understand the full passage

Your task is to locate answers only. Most questions test your ability to locate specific information given to you and then to comprehend the sentence or sentences which contain that information. There are only two types of questions which will require a more detailed understand of the whole passage – matching headings and choosing a title. All other questions are based on locating information. For more tips about reading techniques for IELTS, follow the link.

Developing vocabulary

This is one of the key reasons why students don’t get the score they need. Learning vocabulary is not just about learning the meaning of a word, it is about learning when you can and can’t use a word. It is also about what collocations can be used with words, for example verbs and match nouns.  You should write words lists that include common paraphrases and also any problems you had finding the answer. You can do this by learning vocabulary from practice reading passages. There is not set vocabulary list to learn for IELTS reading, unlike IELTS writing and speaking. For IELTS Reading, it is about broadening your vocabulary by reading on many different topics and learning to navigate through different language.

Keywords

Each IELTS reading question will have keywords to help you locate the information in the passage and to spot the right answer. You should learn to spot keywords and use them correctly. You should also check whether the keywords can be paraphrased. You will soon learn to use keywords correctly when you review your answers in practice reading lessons. Some keywords are obvious, for instance names, dates, numbers, places etc. Other keywords are more subtle.

Grammar

Question types such as summary completion and sentence completion require that the sentence is grammatically correct when you have put the answer in. This means that grammar can help you to spot the right answer. Many students post question on this blog asking me why one answer is correct and the other is not – the reason is often grammar related. You will see this when you do practice reading lessons.

More Tips to Improve your IELTS Reading

  1. Practice makes perfect. Unless you practice regularly, you won’t improve. Here’s a link to all my reading lessons for IELTS. The lesson are useful for students taking both the GT test and academic test because they are aimed at building skills, understanding of question types and also vocabulary.
  2. Getting used to difficult passages. If you have time before your test, you should be widening your reading skills and familiarity of complicated passages on a range of topics.  read the bbc news, the new scientist, the economist etc. Here’s a link to a page with useful websites for IELTS which includes links to websites useful for reading.
  3. IELTS Practice Reading Tests. You can find practice tests online for free (see my useful website page for links)or you can buy the IELTS Cambridge Test books (number 10 is the most recent). You should use IELTS practice reading tests for two purposes:
    1. To develop your skills, practice different types of questions and enhance your vocabulary
    2. To test yourself under exam conditions to check your score and check if you have developed or no
  4. GT Test. The first two passages in the GT test are different to the academic test but the third passage is similar. To practice the first two types of reading passages, you can practice reading materials such as instruction manuals, schedules and employment terms. You can find practice tests in the IELTS Cambridge books. The same skills and question types apply to both the GT test and academic test so all lessons on this blog will be useful to Gt students.
  5. Know your weaknesses. Unless you know your weaknesses, you won’t know how to improve. You must check the reasons why you are getting your answers wrong or right. If you are getting answers wrong due to your understanding of the passage, then you know you must improve your English language. If you are getting your answers wrong because your couldn’t find the information or you didn’t understand the question or you ran out of time, then the problem is your technique and strategies. Spend time reviewing your performance.
  6. Be realistic. If your level of English is not strong, don’t expect to get band score 7.
  7. Plan your training for IELTS reading. You should spend time
    1. developing vocabulary and paraphrasing awareness through broad reading practice
    2. practicing particular question types
    3. developing speed in locating information
    4. doing practice test not under exam conditions so you can work on skills
    5. doing practice tests under exam conditions to test your score and improvement
  8. You must prepare. Like all tests, you need to prepare. Even native speakers need to prepare by learning about the different types of questions and developing the right skills.

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU FOR IELTS READING

……………………………………………………………………

FREE SUBSCRIBE

Subscribe to get new lessons & tips by email.

.

Filed Under: IELTS Reading Tagged With:
error: Content is protected !!