Simone Braverman's Blog: IELTS-Blog.com, page 63
April 13, 2023
IELTS Speaking test in Vietnam – April 2023
Thanks to the kind efforts of A.K. from Vietnam, today we are sharing the questions from his recent Speaking test:
Speaking test
Part 1 (Interview)
– What is your name?
– Where are you from?
– What do you like about the area where you live?
– Do you prefer to wake up early in the morning or late? Why?
– Do you like to do house chores? If not, why?
– What house chore do you dislike the most? Why?
– Did you do housework when you were a child?
– What chores did you do as a child?
Part 2 (Cue Card)
Talk about a popular sports venue (such as a stadium) that you like. You should say:
– why it is popular
– what sports are played there
– whether or not you visited it
– and explain why you like this sports venue.
Part 3 (Discussion)
– Should children do sports, in your opinion? Why or why not?
– Do you think physical education should be mandatory in school? Why or why not?
– Should governments fund athletes who want to compete abroad?
– Is it important for a country to have athletes to represent it on the world stage? Why or why not?
– Is it a good idea for a country to hold a major sports event, such as the World Cup?
– What are the advantages of holding an international sports event for the host country?
– What are the disadvantages?
April 12, 2023
IELTS Letter, topic: writing to recommend a friend for a job at a summer school camp
The topic of this letter appeared in a recent IELTS exam in Vietnam. Below is a sample response that is likely to score Band 8 or above in IELTS.
One of your friends wants to apply for a job at a summer school camp as a sports trainer. Write a letter to the camp manager to recommend your friend. In your letter,
– Say how well you know your friend
– Describe the qualifications and experience that your friend has
– Explain why your friend would be suitable for this job.
Answer
Dear Camp Manager,
I am writing to recommend Nathan Lowe for the sports trainer position at your summer school camp. I have known Nathan for several years and can attest to his skills and passion for sports.
Nathan has a bachelor’s degree in physical education and has also completed several coaching courses. He has volunteered as a coach with the local soccer club and has worked with children of primary and secondary school age. Nathan has experience in a range of sports, including soccer, basketball, and volleyball, and an excellent ability to teach new skills and techniques.
I believe that Nathan would be a good fit for the sports trainer position at your summer camp. He has a great ability to connect with students and has a positive and enthusiastic teaching style that motivates students to participate and enjoy sports. Additionally, Nathan is patient, friendly, and responsible, which makes him an ideal mentor and role model for the children attending the camp.
Thank you for considering my recommendation.
Faithfully yours,
Andrew Bale
Click here to see more IELTS letters of band 8
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IELTS test in Vietnam – April 2023 (General Training)
Our kind subscriber A.K. took the IELTS test in Hanoi, Vietnam, and remembered the following questions:
Writing test
Writing task 1 (a letter)
One of your friends wants to apply for a job at a summer school camp as a sports trainer. Write a letter to the camp manager to recommend your friend. In your letter,
– Say how well you know your friend
– Describe the qualifications and experience that your friend has
– Explain why your friend would be suitable for this job.
Writing task 2 (an essay)
Today in many countries, in order to find work people have to move away from their friends and family. Do the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages?
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IELTS essay, topic: Young people don’t communicate with older people as much as they used to (reasons and solutions)
This essay topic was seen in a recent IELTS tests in Canada.
Nowadays in many countries, young people don’t communicate with older people as much as they used to. Why is this happening? How could this situation be improved?
Sample Band 8 Essay
In this day and age, a large number of nations are grappling with the phenomenon that younger generations no longer communicate as frequently with their elders as they used to. There are various reasons why this situation has arisen and several solutions can be implemented in order to improve it.
Firstly, one of the main factors causing this communication gap between young people and older generations is the ever-increasing technology usage among young generations. Many young people spend their time on devices like computers, smartphones or tablets, which provide them with platforms for social interaction without real-life physical contact or communication with other people. Older people, on the other hand, prefer the old-fashioned ways to communicate, which means there are fewer opportunities for contact between the generations.
Another possible reason behind the lack of communication among members of different age groups is the cultural values that have been instilled throughout history; for instance, in many countries, children are taught from an early age to respect and obey their elders without questioning them. As a result, when younger generations become adults, they may find it difficult to have meaningful conversations with older people where opinions can be freely shared and discussed.
In order to improve this situation several steps can be taken. For example, schools can incorporate classes focusing on inter-generational dialogue so that students could learn how to communicate effectively across all ages by discussing topics such as politics or culture in a respectful manner. Additionally, families could encourage younger members of the family to spend more time talking with their grandparents and uncles/aunts, either in person or on the phone, instead of just spending their free time online. This could help create stronger bonds between different generations within a family.
To sum up, it is clear that raising awareness about this issue is key, since it carries significant implications for our society’s future development if left unresolved. Thus, everyone should take action towards promoting inter-generational dialogues so that our young and old can learn from each other’s experiences and create better connections within our societies moving forward.
Click here to see more IELTS essays of Band 8
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Latest IELTS test in India – March 2023 (Academic Module)
The questions below were shared by our subscriber A. from India, after a very recent IELTS exam:
Writing test
Writing task 1 (a report)
The charts below give information on the average protein and calorie intake of people in different parts of the world.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
* Note: these aren’t the actual charts given in the test, they were recreated for the purpose of demonstration.
Writing task 2 (an essay)
People in senior positions should be compensated with significantly higher salaries than people in lower positions in the same company. Do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
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New IELTS test in Egypt – March 2023 (General Training)
One of our subscribers from Egypt recently took a General Training IELTS test and shared the following questions:
Writing test
Writing task 1 (a letter)
You have recently moved to a different city for work, but you want to maintain contact with a friend from your previous workplace. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter,
– describe the city you moved to
– tell him/her about your new job
– invite him/her to visit you
Writing task 2 (an essay)
Some people think that water is the most important natural resource, while other believe that other resources such as oil and gold are more important. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Speaking test
Part 1 (Interview)
– What is your name?
– Do you work or study?
– Do you enjoy doing puzzles?
– What kind of puzzles do you like to do?
– Do you prefer doing puzzles alone or with others?
– How often do you use technology in your daily life?
– What kind of technology do you use the most?
– Do you think technology has improved your life? Why or why not?
Part 2 (Cue Card)
Talk about a problem you faced while shopping. You should say:
– what the problem was
– when and where it happened
– how you dealt with the problem
and explain how you felt about this problem.
Part 3 (Discussion)
– How do people’s emotions affect their shopping behavior?
– What are some common strategies that retailers use to encourage people to make impulse purchases?
– Does social status influence people’s shopping behavior? In what way?
– Do you think people are more likely to buy products that are recommended by a celebrity or an influencer? Why or why not?
– What effect does the packaging of a product have on people’s decision to buy it?
– How does the layout of a store affect people’s shopping behavior?
April 5, 2023
IELTS essay, topic: Many people do not exercise enough and eat an unhealthy diet (reasons and solutions)
This essay topic was seen in a recent IELTS tests in Nigeria.
Nowadays, many people do not exercise enough and eat an unhealthy diet. Why is this happening? What can be done to help them improve their lifestyle?
Sample Band 8 Essay
The popularity of fast food and prevalence of sedentary lifestyles makes it easy to understand why so many people today don’t get enough physical activity or consume nutritious meals. Unfortunately, this is often compounded by a lack of education regarding proper nutrition and exercise habits.
Convenience has become a major issue in today’s society, with quick and easy processed foods becoming increasingly more prevalent. People have become accustomed to reaching for convenient, unhealthy snacks when they are feeling hungry instead of making healthier choices. Similarly, busy schedules have become a typical, common excuse for not exercising regularly. The ease of ordering in food or eating out also contributes to this problem; take-away meals are usually high in calories and contain large amounts of fat that could cause long-term health issues if not monitored carefully.
Fortunately, there are measures we can take to help those who do not exercise enough or eat an unhealthy diet improve their lifestyle habits. One important step is to educate people on nutrition; teaching them which foods offer more nutritional value than others and why it is essential for us to choose them in order to stay healthy should be encouraged at all levels of schooling. Furthermore, public awareness campaigns regarding the benefits of regular physical activity should be targeted at those who might not understand just how beneficial it can be for both our mental and physical wellbeing. Providing this information could go a long way towards helping them adopt healthier life habits.
Ultimately, through adequate education regarding nutrition along with actionable advice on how individuals may integrate healthy habits into their everyday lifestyles, we can promote greater health awareness amongst all population groups. This will provide those who are prone to bad dietary decisions with an opportunity to improve wellbeing through sustainable means.
Click here to see more IELTS essays of Band 8
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New IELTS test in India – March 2023 (Academic Module)
Thanks to the lovely J.S. from India, today we are sharing the questions that he remembered from his recent IELTS exam:
Reading test
Passage 1. The text was about shops and supermarkets. The question types were fill in the blanks, matching headings to paragraphs, and multiple choice.
Passage 2. The text was on the topic of biology. The question types were summary completion with options provided, multiple choice, and matching information.
Passage 3. The question types were multiple choice, summary completion, and True/False/Not Given.
Writing test
Writing task 1 (a report)
The graph below provides information on waste collection in four countries in 2017.
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)
Nowadays parents in many countries give their children more freedom than in the past. Is this a positive or a negative trend?
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?
– Are you working or studying?
– What kind of work do you do?
– Is this a popular job in your country?
– What are your responsibilities at work?
– Do you think people work more now than in the past?
– Do you feel like your workload has increased recently?
– How do you manage your workload?
Part 2 (Cue Card)
Talk about a time when you had to find some information. You should say
– when it was
– what information you needed
– where you looked for it
– and explain why you needed that information.
Part 3 (Discussion)
– In your opinion, what is a good way to find and collect information?
– Is it better to look for information online or in a library?
– Should people still use libraries nowadays? Why?
– Is television a good source of information? Why or why not?
– Is online information reliable? Why or why not?
– Are there any disadvantages to using the Internet as a source of information?
April 3, 2023
IELTS Speaking Test, Part 3 questions with model answers (Talking to strangers)
Here are some high-scoring Part 3 model answers for the Speaking Test that was shared by a student from Nigeria. The answers below show a good way to respond to these questions. You can find the answers in the other parts here: Part 1, Part 2.
NEW! In this podcast episode you can LISTEN to all the questions and answers. It’s great to improve your pronunciation, intonation and overall fluency!
Or you can listen on YouTube (turn subtitles on):
Speaking test
Part 3 (Discussion)
We’ve been talking about conversations with strangers, and now, in the third part of the test, I would like to ask you a few more questions related to this.
1. Is there a difference between discussions with friends and strangers?
Yes, I think there is a fundamental difference between conversations with friends and conversations with strangers. When we talk to our friends, the conversation is usually more relaxed and we feel more comfortable, because we already have a bond of familiarity and trust. We can open up more freely to our friends, compared to talking to someone we don’t know. On the other hand, talking to someone you don’t know takes an effort to feel comfortable with each other, and find some common ground for conversation.
2. What do you think is a typical topic of discussion between strangers?
Well, I think this can range from light-hearted topics, such as hobbies or travel plans, to more serious issues, like news headlines or politics. Depending on how well two people get along, they may also discuss their families or past experiences that are relevant to current circumstances. It is also possible that strangers will touch on contentious topics, such as religion or government policies, if they feel strongly about them, or want to learn more about each other’s beliefs and opinions.
3. What do you think are the benefits of being able to have a conversation with a stranger?
Thinking about this, there could be several benefits. For starters, engaging in dialogue with people we just met can help break down barriers caused by shyness and awkwardness. Also, meaningful dialogue encourages us to become more open-minded towards different perspectives and new information, and it does that by exposing us to fresh ideas and viewpoints that we may not have encountered before.
4. During a debate, can people with contrary views come to an agreement?
From personal experience, people engaged in heated debates often find it difficult to agree when there are differences of opinion. When those differences are rooted deeply in ideology or history, agreeing becomes even harder. Still, I think it is possible to reach an understanding, if the opponents enter the debate well informed and willing to listen thoughtfully, instead of just trying to win over the other person’s point-of-view at any cost.
5. Do you think it is hard for motivational speakers to talk to strangers?
My guess would be that due to their vast experience coaching people and talking to large crowds, they probably don’t have much trouble speaking to new people. However, I do believe that they might face some challenges when speaking to unfamiliar audiences, because they need to create rapport quickly, if they want to deliver their message effectively.
6. What is a good way to overcome nervousness when giving a speech?
I wish I knew the answer to this. Unfortunately, public speaking is something that I have always struggled with. I’ve found that it helps to be well prepared. I make little cards with bullet points, and I practice my speech multiple times before I actually have to deliver it. Another trick that I’ve found useful in the past, is to focus on friendly faces in the crowd.
7. What type of personality is best suited, to become a public speaker?
Public speaking requires strong interpersonal skills and self-confidence, so people who are outgoing and energetic should be a good fit. I also think that anyone can become a public speaker, if they are passionate enough about the subject that they need to talk about.
Read more model answers on the VIP Club website
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IELTS test in India – March 2023 (General Training)
One of our subscribers, J.P. from India, recently took a General Training IELTS test and remembered the following questions:
Writing test
Writing task 1 (a letter)
Your local newspaper wants to reward people who have contributed a lot to the community. Write a letter to the editor of the newspaper recommending someone in your community. In your letter
– explain who the person is and how you know them
– describe their contributions to the community
– explain why you think they deserve the reward
Writing task 2 (an essay)
Some people say that no one should work after the age of 65, others say that anyone should be able to continue working for as long as they wish. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Speaking test
Part 1 (Interview)
– What is your full name?
– Where is your hometown?
– How long have you lived there?
– What do you like most about your hometown?
– Do you think your hometown has changed much since you were a child?
– Do you like sharing things with others?
– How do you feel when someone refuses to share with you?
– In your country, is sharing a common practice?
– What is the most valuable thing you have ever shared with someone?
– Would you share with a stranger, or only with a friend?
Part 2 (Cue Card)
Describe a piece of good news you heard from others. You should say:
– what it was
– when you heard the news
– how you received the news
– and explain why you feel it was good news.
Part 3 (Discussion)
– How do people share good news?
– Why do you think people like to hear good news?
– How does social media affect the way people share and receive good news?
– What kind of good news people wouldn’t share on social media?
– Can you think of a type of good news that is widely celebrated or enjoyed in your country or society?
– How does good news affect people’s emotions and well-being?
– Can good news sometimes have a negative impact on people? In what way?
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