Simone Braverman's Blog: IELTS-Blog.com, page 136

IELTS test in Astana, Kazakhstan – October 2019 (General Training)

A. took the IELTS test in Kazakhstan and remembered the following topics and questions:

Listening test

Section 1. A dialogue about a photography course.

Section 2. About international photographers who were featured in a photo gallery.

Section 3. A discussion between two students about their trip to Bolton Island.

Section 4. A lecture about African nomadic tribes such as Berbers, Tuaregs, Timbuktu.

Reading test

Passage 1. There were five short texts, summaries of films, and the task was to answer 9 questions on the given texts.

Passage 2. How to get a promotion at a workplace.

Passage 3. About employee’s recruitment process. There was a flow-chart with missing words, which we had to fill in.

Passage 4. About the importance of flax plant in New Zealand.

Writing test

Writing task 1 (a letter)

You are attending a course at the evening school. Write a letter to the director of the school with a complaint about the course. In your letter

– Describe the course you are taking.

– Explain what you do not like about the course.

– What should be done about it, in your opinion?

Writing Task 2 (an essay)

Nowadays most people are not fit and active enough, compared to the past. What are the main causes of this situation? Suggest some possible solutions.

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IELTS test in Nigeria – October 2019 (Academic Module)

Our friend N. remembered the following IELTS Writing and Speaking questions from a recent test in Nigeria:

Writing test

Writing task 1 (a report)

We were given two pie charts showing energy consumption for five different industrial sectors in a country for a period of two years. We had to write a report, compare and contrast where necessary.

Writing task 2 (an essay)

Nowadays media should include more good news in their publications. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– What is your full name?

– Can I see your ID?

– Where are you from?

– Do you work or study?

– What work do you do?

– Do you like your job?

– Why did you choose this job?

– How did you find out about this job?

– Is there anything about your job you don’t like? Why?

– What do you think about making friends through the social network sites?

– Is it a good or bad thing?

– What do you think will happen in the future?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Describe a vacation that you have taken recently. You should say

– When and where did you go?

– Who did you go there with?

– What did you do during the vacation?

– Did you enjoy the holidays or not? Why?

Part 3 (Discussion)

– What is your opinion about eco-tourism?

– Do you think more people in your country are travelling because of this?

– What effects will this have on your country’s ecosystem, in your opinion?

– How can these effects be controlled?

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IELTS Band 9 essay, topic: Increases in fuel prices are the only way to reduce world consumption of fuel (agree/disagree)

This is a model response to a Writing Task 2 topic from High Scorer’s Choice IELTS Practice Tests book series (reprinted with permission). This answer is likely to score IELTS Band 9.

Set 1 Academic book, Practice Test 3

Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Although the prices of fuels have greatly increased over the last decade or two, it is argued that further increases in fuel prices are the only way to reduce world consumption of fuel and lessen pressure on the world’s fuel resources.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Answer

Oil, gas and coal are all non-renewable resources. This is known worldwide, as well as the fact that society lives above its demands. Even though fuel prices have increased significantly over the last decade, consumption will still cause these resources to run out eventually. It has been argued that the only way to decrease the usage of fuel is to further increase the prices.

Currently, most people think in the present and do not consider the future enough. Therefore, to affect people in their everyday lives, fuel prices ought to be raised. It is theorised that this will significantly decrease fossil fuel usage, as economic impact will be forced onto current users. It is necessary that fuel prices are high enough to immediately decrease the wealth of a family and make more people switch to public transport. Critics of this would argue, however, that society’s fossil fuels, such as petrol for cars, have an inelastic price and that price hikes would have no effect other than increasing tax and oil company revenues.

In addition, a significant increase in prices would not only impact each individual, but also a whole economy. Fuel prices are not only linked to transport, but also to food production, home heating and entertainment. A rise in prices in all these areas would seriously affect the standard of living of families with limited income and would mean the poorer parts of society would become even poorer.

In conclusion, while raising fuel prices is one of the most commonly-discussed solutions to fuel usage problems, this answer includes too many negative variables. Certainly, increasing fuel prices would create a small reduction of transport usage, but the far-reaching effects would be unfair and unsustainable.  

Go here for more IELTS Band 9 Essays

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IELTS Speaking test in Kazakhstan – October 2019

Our friend N. took the IELTS test in Kazakhstan and remembered the following Speaking questions:

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– What is your full name?

– Can I see your ID?

– Where are you from?

– Do you work or study?

– What do you do for a living?

– Do you find your job interesting?

– Can you describe it?

– Do you need to concentrate during your working day?

– When do you find it hard to concentrate during the day?

– Do you think it is hard to do a few tasks at the same time?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Talk about a place you have visited that was very colourful. Please say

– What is the place?

– When did you visit it?

– What did you do there?

Part 3 (Discussion)

– Who did you go there with?

– What kind of feelings do you have about that place now?

– What colours are popular in home décor nowadays? Why?

– Do you think men and women tend to choose similar colours for their homes?

– Do you think the colour of a person’s room can affect him/her?

– Do you think it is important to choose the right colour every time?

– Do you think the colour of food is important? Why?

– Is it appropriate in business to wear bright clothing? Why?

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IELTS test in Vietnam – October 2019 (Academic Module)

Our friend N. took the IELTS test in Vietnam and remembered the following questions:

Listening test

Section 1. About national parks.

Section 2. A map description of a fitness centre and information about the use of fitness machines.

Section 3. Books about insects.

Section 4. A lecturer talked about a website that should help students with their project.

Reading test

Passage 1. How the structures of houses around the world affect the environment.

Passage 2, 3. Don’t remember.

Writing test

Writing task 1 (a report)

We were given a map showing the changes of a park from 1986 to its current shape in 2015.

Writing task 2 (an essay)

Fossil fuels are the main source of energy around the world. However, people are being encouraged to use alternative energy sources such as wind energy, solar energy and so on. Do you think this is a positive or negative development? Why?

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– What is your full name?

– Can I see your ID?

– Where are you from?

– Where do you live now?

– Is there anything you do not like about that place?

– Have you ever spent a lot of money on something?

– Do you like to wear jeans?

– Do people like to wear jeans nowadays? Why?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Describe a day in the near future that would be the best day of your life. Please say

– what would happen on the day

– where this would happen

– how this would make you feel

Part 3 (Discussion)

– Do you think people celebrate things differently now, compared to the past?

– Why do people spend a lot of money on celebrations?

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6 test takers reveal how they got IELTS scores ranging from 7.5 to 8.5

Success and generosity go hand in hand, and the winners of our IELTS results competition have proved it yet again! Within less than 24 hours they contributed these powerful tips that you can use to start increasing your score right away. Here is what they said:

Karen from Singapore, Band 8.5

“Regarding tips and strategies, I’d say go through the IELTS Success Formula book. Flag out pages that are useful and go through them again the night before. Work on your weaknesses (for me it was reading and writing), so I did a lot of practice tests. Remember the writing style and format for letter writing and essay, and try to use some words and phrases which demonstrate a higher level of English ability to get a better score.”

Behtash from Iran, IELTS Band 8

“To be brief, I would advise everyone to improve their language proficiency enough before they start preparing for IELTS. Also, the materials found in IELTS-blog.com, especially the sample questions and answers, are extremely beneficial. Additionally, to really increase the Speaking Module score, one needs to have a minimum of 2 hours a day speaking practice on daily routine topics during the 6 months leading to the test.”

Esther from India, IELTS Band 8

“I’m glad to hear that I have won the competition, thank you. My advice to those taking the IELTS is to practice each and every module. The more practice tests we do at home, the easier it becomes when we take the test.”

Jasur from Uzbekistan, Band 8

“My best advice would be for listening (as I got 9 in the Listening section) to listen to more British songs by Ed Sheeran and James Arthur. What is more, TED radio podcasts are very useful too. For my speaking, I was just speaking out loud to myself and recording that to the voice recorder. Later I was listening to my speaking and spotting my mistakes.”

Benjemen from India, Band 7.5

“For the third time, I took my IELTS General Training exam last week and I successfully secured 7.5 in Writing. I have been attempting to score at least 7 in Writing which will significantly boost my score for Canadian immigration.

I would like to thank you for assessing and evaluating my essay through the writing correction service. Your correction services has enabled me to identify my weaknesses and work on them.”

Prince from India, Band 7.5

“It feels really good to be the winner. I am really grateful for the people behind this. The study material, as well as the tips and suggestions that were given was very much useful to me to get this score. Practice makes things perfect and IELTS-blog.com is one such aid to excel at this exam.”

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IELTS test in Sri Lanka – October 2019 (General Training)

A. shared the following IELTS test questions after a recent exam in Sri Lanka:

Listening test

Section 1. A phone conversation about music course enrollment.

Section 2. Description of a park.

Questions: map labelling.

Section 3. Two teachers discussed some mathematical concepts.

Section 4. A lecture about payment tools and methods available on the market today.

Reading test

Passage 1. An information leaflet about a library and its services.

Passage 2. About different types of apartments.

Questions: match apartment types to paragraphs.

Passage 3. About an employment agency.

Questions: True/False/Not Given.

Passage 4. A lecture about Sea Turtles.

Questions: filling in blanks, True/False/Not Given, match headings to paragraphs.

Writing test

Writing task 1 (a letter)

You have stayed at a friend’s house last weekend and lost your watch. Write a letter to your friend and say

– Thank him/her for a good time you had.

– Describe your watch.

– What would you like him/her to do with it?

Writing Task 2 (an essay)

Some think that teenagers should follow older people’s rules. Others thinks that it is natural for them to challenge what older people say. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

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IELTS test in Malaysia – October 2019 (General Training)

Our friend N. took the IELTS test in Malaysia and remembered the following questions from the Writing and Speaking sub-tests:

Writing test

Writing task 1 (a letter)

You have an English-speaking friend. You want to invite him/her to see a movie. Write a letter to your friend and say

– Describe the movie you want to see together.

– Why do you think he/she will be interested in it?

– Suggest where and when to meet before the movie.

Writing Task 2 (an essay)

Some people believe that elderly employees are more useful to a company, while others believe that young employees are better. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– What is your full name?

– Can I see your ID?

– Where are you from?

– Where do you live now?

– Do you live in a house or an apartment?

– What room in your house do you like the most?

– Do you work or study?

– What do you do?

– Do you smile a lot?

– When do you usually smile?

– What impact does a smile have on people?

– When do people laugh more?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Describe a person you know who speaks a few foreign languages fluently. Please say

– Who is that person?

– What languages does he/she speak?

– How does he/she use this ability?

Part 3 (Discussion)

– Where and when did he/she learn those languages?

– Do you agree that English will become an international communication tool in the near future?

– Do you think people should learn a foreign language? Why?

– Do you like travelling?

– Would you like to have a job that requires a lot of travelling?

– What are the main challenges when visiting a new country?

– Does culture have any impact on a foreign language?

– Do people need to learn English?

– Is English easier to learn today, compared to the past?

– Some countries don’t encourage use of the English language.

– Do you think it can affect their development?

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16 Best IELTS Results in September 2019

Steve Jobs once said, “If you really look closely, most overnight successes took a long time”. Years passed since, but the saying remains true, and we are just to introduce to you 16 people whose experience proves this yet again. They spent quite a long time preparing for their overnight IELTS success – but it’s the result that matters!

Let’s put our hands together for the winners of September 2019:

Academic Module – 1st place

Tania Sandhu from India, Band 8.5

Academic Module – 2nd place

Jasur Asliev from Uzbekistan, Band 8
Esther Peter from India, Band 8

Academic Module – 3rd place

Catherine James from India, Band 7.5
Jocelyn Maquinto from Philippines, Band 7.5
Behtash Javidsharifi from Iran, Band 7.5
Areshdeep from India, Band 7.5
Prince Binu Joseph from India, Band 7.5

General Training Module – 1st place

Karen Chow from Singapore, Band 8.5

General Training Module – 2nd place

Soroush Karimi Abar from Iran, Band 8
Behtash Javidsharifi from Iran, Band 8
Obinna Obika from Nigeria, Band 8
Sangeeta Variyani from India, Band 8

General Training Module – 3rd place

Pooja Bajaj from India, Band 7.5
Lata Asrani from India, Band 7.5
Nitika Bhatia from India, Band 7.5
Benjemen Elengovan from India, Band 7.5

Congratulations to the winners! To celebrate these wonderful achievements we are sending some special certificates to our winners’ emails. The winning IELTS results will be displayed in the IELTS-Blog hall of fame – if you won, please feel free to show off to your family and friends!

How did they score so well?

We are expecting responses from our winners and as soon as we get their tips, we will post them on IELTS-Blog.com. In the meanwhile, we are delighted to share that Karen (Overall Band 8.5) studied with our book ‘IELTS Success Formula‘, and that Pooja and Benjemen (both received Band 7.5) used our writing correction service in their exam preparation.

When we held the very first IELTS results competition 11 (!) years ago, we did that with a goal to connect successful test takers with everyone else preparing for IELTS. Winners have obviously done a lot of things right, and by sharing their tips, ‘secrets’ and advice they are helping thousands of others achieve great results in IELTS. IELTS-Blog.com is proud to be the channel for the experience and wisdom of high scorers to reach every IELTS test taker in the world!

So if YOU got a high score in IELTS, no matter when – this month, last month, a few months ago – we want to hear from you! We would like to extend our warm invitation to everyone who is happy with their IELTS score. Take part in our IELTS results competition today, and share your IELTS tips when you win!

Learn how to enroll here.

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IELTS test in India – October 2019 (General Training)

Our friend C. took a General Training IELTS test in India and below are the Writing and Speaking questions he remembered:

Writing test

Writing task 1 (a letter)

Write a letter to a book store manager who is living in another city. Ask him/her to make available a book that you are interested in. Include the following in your letter:

– What book are you looking for?

– Why do you need this book?

– How are you going to purchase the book?

Writing Task 2 (an essay)

Television Sport shows such as the Olympics are a good source of motivation for our youths who do not like to exercise much. Do you agree or disagree? Include relevant examples in your answer and provide your own opinion.

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– What is your full name?

– Can I see your ID?

– Where are you from?

– Do you work or study?

– What do you do?

– Where do you live now?

– What do you do on your job?

– Have you ever considered before working in this field?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Talk about a person who motivated you in your life. Please say:

– Who was he/she?

– How did he/she motivate you?

– Where and when did he/she motivate you?

Part 3 (Discussion)

– Do you like perfume?

– How much you can spend on perfume?

– Have you ever bought perfume as a gift for someone?

– Who can motivate children better to achieve their goals, parents or teachers?

– Why do you think so?

– How can a person motivate children?

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