Simone Braverman's Blog: IELTS-Blog.com, page 40

New IELTS questions from Australia – February 2024 (Academic Module)

Our student AK took IELTS in Australia and remembered the following questions from his exam:

Writing test

Writing task 1 (a report)

The charts below show the usage of coal, oil, hydropower, wind and renewable energy for fuel production, in 2002 and at present.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

* Note: this isn’t the actual chart given in the test, it was recreated for the purpose of demonstration.

Writing task 2 (an essay)

Some people think that students should study in their own city, however, many students prefer to study far away from their home. Do the advantages of studying away from home outweigh the disadvantages?

The post New IELTS questions from Australia – February 2024 (Academic Module) first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

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IELTS Speaking questions from Pakistan – February 2024

Our student took IELTS in Pakistan quite recently and remembered the following Speaking questions:

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– Can you tell me your full name, please?
– Where are you from?
– What do you like the most about your hometown?
– Are there any interesting places to visit in your hometown?
– Do you work or study?
– What kind of job do you have?
– If you could change anything about your current job, what would it be?
– If you had the opportunity, would you choose different work? Why?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Talk about a shopping experience you really enjoyed. You should say

– when it was
– where you went shopping
– what you bought

and explain why this shopping experience was particularly enjoyable for you.

Part 3 (Discussion)

– Do you usually enjoy shopping?
– Do you prefer to go shopping alone or with someone?
– In general, do you think people enjoy shopping or is it boring to them?
– Why do you think people consider shopping to be boring?
– Why do many people go shopping in big malls and only few go to small shops?
– Do you thing buying unnecessary things or gadgets can bring happiness?

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Scared of IELTS? Here Is How to Overcome Your Fear

Many of my students have told me they think of IELTS as this MONSTER that they are afraid to face.

Honestly, I can’t blame them. Some people are scared of failing and letting themselves down or disappointing their parents and families. Others had a previous bad experience where they froze up during the test and just couldn’t perform. Then there’s fear of the unknown, which can be terrifying. The cost of failure goes beyond money – it’s their future prospects, hopes and dreams that are at stake.

Zig Ziglar once said,

F-E-A-R has two meanings: ‘Forget Everything And Run’ or ‘Face Everything And Rise.’ The choice is yours.

And here’s your step-by-step guide to overcoming your fear:

Step 1: Understand the Beast
Start by familiarising yourself with the IELTS format. When you know what to expect, it makes the test much less scary and reduces your anxiety.

Step 2: Identify Your Fears
Think which sections of IELTS cause you the most stress. Is it the Speaking test, the time pressure of the Reading section, or something else? Once you know what scares you the most, you can tackle it head-on.

Step 3: Arm yourself with the right tools
Use strategy books and practice tests to work on your skills in listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Focus particularly on your weak spots identified in Step 2.

Step 4: Break It Down
Tackle your fears by breaking them into smaller, more manageable tasks. For example, if speaking is your weak point, practice speaking about a variety of topics with friends, or record yourself to gain confidence.

Step 5: Practice Relentlessly
Consistent practice builds confidence. Simulate exam conditions as much as possible to improve your time management and achieve both speed AND accuracy.

Step 6: Seek Feedback
Constructive criticism is your friend. Feedback from an IELTS expert is the fastest way to understand what you should do to raise your score, especially in the areas causing you fear, such as Speaking.

Step 7: Celebrate Progress
Acknowledge and celebrate your improvements, no matter how small. This motivates you to keep pushing forward!

Follow this method to conquer your fear and soon IELTS will become a milestone on your path to a better future.

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IELTS Speaking questions from Nepal – February 2024

Our student took IELTS in Nepal quite recently and remembered the following Speaking questions:

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– What is your full name?
– Do you come from, a city/ town or a village?
– Does your city have plenty of things for young people to do?
– Do you like any musical instruments?
– Did you learn to play that instrument when you were a child?
– Why didn’t you try to learn it later in life?
– Is it good for children to learn an instrument?
– Do you think school should provide music classes for children?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Talk about a person who have learned to speak your native language very well. You should say

– who this person is
– where he/she is from
– how he/she learned your language

and explain why this person learned your language.

Follow up question: Have you met this person in your real life?

Part 3 (Discussion)

– Do you think children can learn a language faster than adults?
– Why do adults find it harder to learn a new language?
– Do you think the country should protect the language of a minority of the population?
– What method can schools adopt to make learning a language easy?
– Are the schools in your country teaching any foreign languages?
– Is there a connection between the country’s culture and its language?

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IELTS test in Nepal – February 2024 (Academic Module)

Thanks to our kind subscriber A we are sharing the questions from the IELTS exam he took a couple of days ago in Nepal:

Listening test

Part 1. Telephone conversation between a person and online helpdesk about the caller’s back pain.
Questions: Note Completion.

Part 2. Information about a community hall.
Questions: Choose two options from what the speaker said; choose the correct letter (A-G), to complete a question.

Part 3. A conversation between two students and tutor regarding a presentation.
Questions: Multiple Choice, fill in the blanks.

Part 4. A monologue about American Salt Marshes.
Questions: Fill in the blanks, Multiple Choice.

Reading test

Passage 1. A text about crowding.
Passage 2. A text on agricultural changes in New Zealand.
Passage 3. Gerardus Mercator, cartographer.

Writing test

Writing task 1 (a report)

The chart below shows the percentage of people in the UK who ate five portions of fruit and vegetables per day between 2001 and 2008.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Read a Band 8 Model Answer Here

* Note: this isn’t the actual chart given in the test, it was recreated for the purpose of demonstration.

Writing task 2 (an essay)

When asked to choose between a life without work and working most of the time, most people would choose not to work. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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

The post IELTS test in Nepal – February 2024 (Academic Module) first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

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IELTS essay, topic: People are spending more and more time away from their families (reasons and effects)

This essay topic was seen in a recent IELTS test in the UAE.

People in many countries are spending more and more time away from their families.
Why is this happening? How does this affect people and their families?

Sample Band 8 Essay

The trend of individuals spending significantly less time with their families has become increasingly widespread and pronounced. I believe that this is mainly driven by career and academic endeavours and it has significant negative repercussions for both families and individuals.

One of the primary reasons for this phenomenon is the demanding and competitive nature of our modern professional lives. Due to this people find themselves working longer hours, to satisfy the requirements of their superiors and get ahead in their careers. In addition, the technology of today has made it possible to stay connected 24/7, and this often blurs the lines between work and personal life, leading to extended work hours. The ease of international travel for work and study has also significantly contributed to more people spending less time with their families. With the rise of global job and study opportunities, many relocate to different countries. For instance, the pursuit of higher education often requires studying in distant locations, causing young adults to spend years away from their families.

This increasing separation from family has profound negative effects on both individuals and families. On a personal level, a long absence from family can lead to feelings of isolation and stress, especially for young students who have never been away from home before. In terms of how this trend affects families, especially those with young children, lack of contact with a family member can impact emotional bonding and family dynamics. In the long run this could potentially cause a sense of detachment between certain family members that could be difficult to repair.

In conclusion, the growing trend of spending time away from family is driven by mainly professional and educational commitments. While this trend offers opportunities for professional growth and development, it challenges the traditional family structure and the emotional well-being of those separated from their loved ones.

Teacher’s feedback:

Overall, the essay is a good example of a Band 8 work.

Task Response: Band 8
The writer fully addresses the question, presenting a clear position throughout the response. He/she develops the argument with relevant, extended examples, such as the impact of global job and study opportunities on family time. The inclusion of specific examples, like the pursuit of higher education requiring relocation, enhances the argument by showing real-world implications of the trend.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 8
The essay is well-organized, with clear progression of ideas. The use of cohesive devices is sophisticated, effectively managing the relationship between sentences and paragraphs. For example, transitions like “In addition” and “For instance” smoothly guide the reader through the argument, enhancing the logical flow of ideas.

Lexical Resource: Band 8
The vocabulary is varied and appropriately used, with some less common words and phrases that are employed accurately. Terms such as “profound negative effects,” “emotional bonding,” and “sense of detachment” are used effectively to convey precise meanings. The essay demonstrates flexibility in language use without compromising clarity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 8
The essay showcases a wide range of sentence structures, from simple to complex, with accurate use of grammar. The correct use of complex grammatical constructions, such as conditional sentences and relative clauses, contributes to the overall clarity and sophistication of the writing.

Submit your essay for correction and find out how to improve your Writing score.

Click here to see more IELTS essays of Band 8

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IELTS Speaking questions from Australia – February 2024

Our student took IELTS in Australia quite recently and remembered the following Speaking questions:

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– What is your name?
– Do you have many friends?
– Do you like chatting with your friends?
– Do you prefer talking to your friends face to face or on the phone?
– Do you like sending or receiving text messages on your phone?
– Do you like sweets and cakes?
– What’s your favorite type of cake or sweet, and why?
– Have you ever prepared a cake by yourself?
– On what occasions do people in your culture usually prepare sweets or cakes?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Talk about a time you used a map. You should say:

– when it was
– where it was
– what kind of map you used

and explain how helpful the map was and why.

Part 3 (Discussion)

– Have you ever got lost somewhere?
– What would you do if you got lost in the city?
– Can getting lost have any positive outcomes? If so, what are they?
– Would you ask for help if you got lost?
– Why do you think some people won’t ask for help when they are lost?
– Do you think younger and older people behave differently when they get lost? Why?

The post IELTS Speaking questions from Australia – February 2024 first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

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Latest IELTS questions from Australia – February 2024 (Academic Module)

Our student from Australia (thank you, DK!) took IELTS very recently and remembered the following writing tasks:

Writing test

Writing task 1 (a report)

The chart below shows the proportion of survey respondents that showed interest in particular sports in three different years in the UK.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

* Note: this isn’t the actual chart given in the test, it was recreated for the purpose of demonstration.

Writing task 2 (an essay)

To improve children’s life, mothers and fathers should attend parenting and child development courses every year. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

The post Latest IELTS questions from Australia – February 2024 (Academic Module) first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

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IELTS Success Story: How Dilyara Scored 7.5 Despite Life’s Challenges

Do you know why so many people take IELTS and don’t get the score they need? Two main reasons:

Reason #1: They are taking the test before they are truly ready.
Reason #2 They don’t seek feedback and therefore don’t know how to improve.

Take my student Dilyara for example. She had to take IELTS for her university application as she intended to further her education.

Dilyara’s situation was anything but simple – she moved to Australia with her husband and a 15-month-old baby and didn’t have any extended family to help out. Those of you with young children know how much time they need, and how little of it is left for study or work, not to mention how tired and sleep-deprived you are most of the time.

But even with these obstacles Dilyara has been able to achieve Band 7.5 in her first attempt. She got scores of 7.5+ in almost all the skills except for one – more on that later!

Do you know why? Dilyara didn’t rush to take the test. She took the necessary time to prepare and worked in a structured way. She used preparation materials that are similar to the real test, she practiced every question type you can get in IELTS and she got her ears accustomed to a variety of accents you may hear in the IELTS listening tests. She also had her speaking assessed and learnt what score she could get in the real test, why, and what she needs to do to increase it.

Regular writing correction and feedback helped Dilyara learn what to work on in her essays – vocabulary and grammar, in her case. One thing she regrets is not practicing for writing task 1 enough. Dilyara concentrated on writing task 2 and neglected task 1, which lowered her total writing score in the real test.

When Dilyara took the test, there were no surprises for her. She got:

Listening 8.0, Reading 7.5, Writing 6.5, Speaking 7.5 – Overall Band 7.5

With her permission, I will share the email she sent me about her wonderful success. In her email Dilyara explains how she prepared for the test, showing the simple yet effective methods she used:

“Hello Simone,

Thank you and IELTS-blog for the help you provided during my IELTS preparation!

I decided to take this test so as to understand my level of English before applying for my second higher education. My overall score was 7.5. I wanted to share how I prepared for the test:

Listening

My band was 8. I purchased 3 books from the High Scorer’s Choice series by S. Braverman and R. Nicholson (Sets 4-6). I found the listening recordings very helpful as they had different accents and I felt they were challenging enough to get me prepared for the actual test.

Reading

My band was 7.5. Again, practice test books gave me an excellent preparation for the actual test. The tests were both interesting to read and quite difficult so as I could better understand how to get a score over 7.

Speaking

My band was 7.5. I believe that this section was one of the most challenging for me as I had no clue how to understand where I was in terms of my speaking abilities. I found IELTS-blog Speaking assessment method very helpful and convenient in my circumstances. Specifically, you can choose whatever test you want to do and record yourself at the convenient time. That was crucial to me as I have 15 months old baby so I was not available for any live speaking assessment.

Writing

I scored 6.5. I also used the writing correction service from IELTS-blog. I purchased three bundles and used all of them for writing task 2 and none for writing task 1. I believe that was my mistake as I didn’t understand my writing skills for writing task 1. For the future I will definitely have my writing task 1 marked too once I am ready for university application. My field of study requires minimum of 7 in this skill.

Obstacles

I faced a shortage of time for studying as I have 15 months old baby, who requires all my time. We have recently moved to Australia and I have no relatives to help out. I believe planning and tasks prioritisation helped a lot. For example, listening and reading I would do when he was asleep. However speaking would do while we were out for a walk, I would talk aloud to my baby. Finally, writing I would do while I am on the bus or waiting for a bus at a bus stop whilst baby is watching around and happy in the pram.

Thank you Simone and IELTS-Blog!

Kind regards,
Dilyara ”

Congratulations on your success, Dilyara!

The post IELTS Success Story: How Dilyara Scored 7.5 Despite Life’s Challenges first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

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IELTS Speaking questions from the UK – February 2024

Our student took IELTS in the UK quite recently and remembered the following Speaking questions:

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– What do you like about your hometown?
– Is your hometown a good place for young people?
– Do you like geography? Why or why not?
– Would you like to be a geography teacher?
– What is the most interesting geographical feature in your country?
– Have you ever visited a place that you learned about in geography class?
– Do you usually give people gifts?
– Have you ever given someone a handmade gift?
– What do you think makes a gift meaningful?
– In your culture, is there an occasion when people usually give each other gifts?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Describe someone who enjoys cooking for others. You should say

– who they are
– who they cook for
– why you think they like to cook for other people

and explain how you feel about this person.

Part 3 (Discussion)

– Do you think the dishes that people used to make in the past are the same as the dishes they make now?
– Do you think traditional dishes will be replaced by other dishes? Why?
– Why do you think people spend so much money on dishes for celebrations?
– Do you think dishes are important in celebrations? Why?
– How do you think global food trends influence local food traditions in your country?
– In what ways do you think food plays a role in cultural identity?

The post IELTS Speaking questions from the UK – February 2024 first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

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