Simone Braverman's Blog: IELTS-Blog.com, page 95
December 21, 2021
Rohit and Lucrezia did really well in IELTS because…
It makes all the sense in the world to learn from other test takers’ experiences, so why don’t more people do it? Today we are going to change that!
Everyone, meet Rohit and Lucrezia. Lucrezia got Band 7.5 in IELTS and Rohit – Band 8.5, and they were very kind to tell us about their exam preparation and share some helpful advice.
Lucrezia said,
“To the other candidates I would recommend practicing a lot using the online resources that IELTS offers and textbooks. I asked my sister, who is also learning English, to help me with the speaking and writing parts. She would ask me sample questions and read my essays. I recommend studying with other people who have the same purpose as yours.”
Rohit said,
“What I believe is that every candidate at the given time has a potential maximum band score depending upon his grasp on English language. But, no candidate will score that band on their own. One needs professional advice, coaching and hard work of at least 3-4 weeks to get that score.
To elaborate further, a candidate with maximum potential of Band 8 will never score 8 without proper guidance and will end up somewhere between 6-7. In simple words, this is the bare minimum one needs, just in order to achieve what one is already capable of.
Increasing the maximum potential band is a long journey and process of at least a year or two. It will involve reading all kind of books, watching news, documentaries and movies. It may sound strange but about 20 years ago, when I was really keen on improving my English, I used to watch English movies with English subtitles and that certainly helped me a lot.
During my prep I focused on my weaknesses, which were using too many hand gestures, too many ideas and excessive use of “you know”. I recorded videos of my mock tests and worked on these issues. On the Speaking test day, I was very relaxed and had a free-flowing conversation. You don’t need to lie or use imaginary events or experiences. I believe everyone’s real life is interesting enough to have a conversation, which is basically what Speaking test is all about.”
IELTS test in Taiwan – December 2021 (Academic Module)
The questions and topics below were shared by A.T. who recently took the IELTS test in Taiwan:
Writing test
Writing task 1 (a report)
We were given 3 diagrams on Solar Panels: one was the model, the other described heating the water and the last one – heating the air.
Writing task 2 (an essay)
Nowadays many families are rarely having meals together. Why is this happening? Is this a positive or a negative development?
Speaking test
Part 1 (Interview)
– What is your full name?
– Can I see your ID?
– Where are you from?
– Where is your hometown?
– Do you like your hometown?
– Do you like living in a rural area?
– Let’s talk about handwriting.
– Do you like writing by hand?
– Do you like your handwriting?
– What is the difference between writing by hand and typing?
Part 2 (Cue Card)
Describe a difficult decision you once made. Please say
– what the decision was
– when you made the decision
– how long it took you to make the decision
– and explain why it was difficult.
Part 3 (Discussion)
– Should important decisions be made by a single person or a group of people?
– Should people consider the consequences of their decisions that impact others, or only think of themselves?
– There were some more questions that A.T. couldn’t remember.
December 19, 2021
IELTS test in Pakistan – December 2021 (Academic Module)
A very kind IELTS test taker Y.F. remembered the following topics and questions from her recent Academic IELTS exam in Pakistan:
Writing test
Writing task 1 (a report)
We were given two bar charts. The first was describing the percentage of public transport punctuality, actual and target values, between 1999 and 2003. The second bar chart showed the number of complaints filed by passengers over the same period of time.
Writing task 2 (an essay)
Many doctors recommend that older people exercise regularly, but most patients do not follow any exercise routine. Why do you think it is happening? How can people be encouraged to exercise regularly?
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 did you grow up?
– Did you like that city?
– Would you like to live in the countryside in the future?
– Why or why not?
Part 2 (Cue Card)
Describe a creative person such as an artist, a painter or a singer whom you admire. Please say
– Who that person is
– Where and when you saw him/her
– How creative his/her work is
– And explain why you admire him/her.
Part 3 (Discussion)
– Are you a creative person?
– Do you think creativity is required in different fields of life?
– What will happen if there is no creativity around?
– Do you prefer writing by hand or typing?
– Why is that?
– Do you have to write by hand in certain situations?
– Do you think handwriting has changed, compared to the past?
December 17, 2021
IELTS Results competition winners in November 2021
November was a very productive month for many test takers, and in particular for the 7 high scorers who won in our IELTS results competition. One question we hear quite often is whether it is possible to get Band 9 in IELTS – and today we have solid proof that it is, because that is the score Sarthak Sachdeva got in his exam!
Here comes the complete list of winners:Academic Module
1st place – Alejandro Daniel Lifsitz from Argentina, Band 82nd place – Elisa Maria Fiorino from Italy, Band 7.53rd place – Sprem Verma from India, Band 6.5General Training Module
1st place – Sarthak Sachdeva from India, Band 92nd place – Rohit Kumar Thakur from India and Omolade Ruth Faminigba from Nigeria, both got Band 8.53rd place – Nisna Thirunilath from India, Band 8Congratulations! Now your lives are not on pause any more, and you are one step closer to your dreams. These great IELTS scores mean you are free to study or work in a country you have chosen, and give yourselves and your families a better future. To mark this happy occasion we are sending your certificates of achievement to your email addresses. Winning IELTS results will be displayed in the IELTS-Blog hall of fame – so if you won, please feel free to show them off to your friends!
How did they score so well?We’re always trying to find out from the winners how they did it. So far we discovered that Alejandro Lifsitz (Band 8) used many books from the “High Scorer’s Choice” series in his preparation, and Elisa Fiorino (Band 7.5) studied from the book we recommend, Target Band 7. It feels really good to be able to contribute to their success!
But what about all the other winners? Please be kind to the other test takers who are still preparing for their IELTS exams. Do share your stories and tell us how you studied, and what helped you do so well in IELTS. Any useful tips will be shared on IELTS-Blog.com, so everyone can use the same technique and get a better score in their own exam this month.
Did you know? IELTS results competition runs every month, and everyone is welcome to participate. Learn how to enroll here.
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December 15, 2021
IELTS Report, topic: Table and pie chart describing day and overnight stays in public and private hospitals in Australia (from IELTS High Scorer’s Choice series, Academic Set 2)
This is a model response to a Writing Task 1 topic from High Scorer’s Choice IELTS Practice Tests book series (reprinted with permission). This answer is close to IELTS Band 9.
Set 2 Academic book, Practice Test 8
Writing Task 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The table below shows the numbers of same day and overnight stays in public and private hospitals in 5 Australian states for last year. The pie chart below shows percentages of same day and overnight stays in public and private hospitals in the same 5 Australian states.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
You should write at least 150 words.
Sample Band 9 Report
The table and the pie chart both show last years’ visits to hospitals in Australia. The table shows the number of days that patients stayed at either public or private hospitals, while the pie chart shows the percentage of patients that stayed overnight or left the same day. Both charts present information for the same Australian states, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia.
The table shows the number of days patients stayed at general and psychiatric hospitals in the public and private sectors. The public general hospitals had far more patient days than public psychiatric hospitals for every state, with New South Wales having the highest general hospital patient stays at 5,816 days and South Australia having the fewest at 1,495 days. New South Wales also had the highest public psychiatric hospital patient stays at 281 days, although Victoria had the fewest at 59 days.
Patient days at private general hospitals were highest in Victoria (2,047 days) and lowest in South Australia (560 days). Patient days at private psychiatric hospitals were highest in New South Wales and Queensland at 213 days each, and lowest in South Australia (57 days).
Total numbers were highest for New South Wales (8,323 days) and lowest for South Australia (2,209 days), in line with their population sizes.
The pie chart divides the stays of the patients into overnight stays and same day stays for both private and public hospitals. From the chart it can be seen that the majority of the stays were in public hospitals both overnight and same day stays, both of these taking up 30% each of the hospital stays.
Go here for more IELTS Band 9 Reports
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December 14, 2021
IELTS test in Australia – December 2021 (Academic Module)
The questions below are from a recent IELTS exam in Australia. One of our users (thanks, R.F!) took the IELTS test and shared everything he could remember. He said, “I don’t remember all the questions, but I hope this will be useful for other candidates.”
Writing test
Writing task 1 (a report)
We were given a bar graph showing the number of kilometers traveled by 5 types of transportation, used by people in 1990 and 2000 in the UK.
Writing task 2 (an essay)
Some people say that high school students should study all the school subjects, while others think they should be allowed to choose subjects that they love or are good at. Discuss both views and give your 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?
– What kind of technology do you use at work?
– Where was your first school located?
Part 2 (Cue Card)
Describe an experience that left you feeling disappointed. Please say
– When it was
– What the reason you felt disappointed was
– How this affected your life
– And explain what you think of that experience now.
Part 3 (Discussion)
– What do you think of people who achieve success independently?
– When do you think people quit their efforts while trying to achieve a goal?
– What in young people’s opinion is the most important thing in school life?
December 13, 2021
IELTS Speaking test in India – December 2021
We have just heard from S.T. who took his IELTS test in India. Here are the questions he remembered:
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 kind of job do you have?
– What kind of technology are you using at work?
– Do you see your friends often?
– What do you do with your friends when you get together?
– How often do you keep in touch when you’re not meeting face to face with your friends?
Part 2 (Cue Card)
Talk about a person you admire the most. Please say
– who the person is
– what his/her age is
– how important he/she is in your life
– and explain why you admire this person.
Part 3 (Discussion)
– Do you feel comfortable working in a team?
– Have you ever worked in an international company?
– What are the advantages of working in an international company?
– What are the disadvantages?
– Can language barrier present a difficulty working in an international company?
– How can this problem be addressed?
– What could be some solutions to the language barrier problem?
December 12, 2021
IELTS test in Sri Lanka – December 2021 (Academic Module)
Our lovely friend R.C. took an Academic IELTS exam in Sri Lanka and remembered the questions below:
Writing test
Writing task 1 (a report)
We were given a current and a future redevelopment plan of a village. On the current plan it only had four-bedroom houses and a large forest area. On the redevelopment plan there were square-shaped parcels of residential land and a smaller forest area.
Writing task 2 (an essay)
Some people believe that students should acquire working experience during their gap year instead of traveling. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Give your opinion and include relevant examples.
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?
– Do you like BBQ parties?
– Did you have BBQ parties in your childhood?
– Where is the best place for a BBQ party?
– What type of food is the best for this occasion?
– Do you like to have such parties with friends or family?
Part 2 (Cue Card)
Describe a place where you would like to live in the future. Please say
– Where and what it is
– How you learned about it
– What you should do to make it happen.
Part 3 (Discussion)
– Do you think young and old people have different preferences for a place to live? Why?
– Do you think people will make holiday destinations in space or on other planets in the future?
– Is it possible to develop cities while maintaining harmony with the nature?
December 10, 2021
IELTS test in Iran – December 2021 (Academic Module)
Our wonderful friend S.R. took an Academic computer-based IELTS exam in Iran and remembered the questions below. The Writing Task 1 map was recreated based on the sketch S.R. drew for us.
Writing test
Writing task 1 (a report)
We were given a plan for a new town and asked to describe it. The plan was similar to the one below:
Writing task 2 (an essay)
Today different kinds of advertising influence our life. Do the negative effects of this development outweigh the positive?
Speaking test
Part 1 (Interview)
– What is your full name?
– Can I see your ID?
– Do you work or study?
– What is your major?
– What do you like the most about it?
– What is your favorite color?
– What color did you like as a child?
– Do you prefer to take notes on your mobile phone or on paper?
– When do you write notes on paper?
– Would your way of thinking be different when you are typing on a computer compared to when you are writing on paper?
Part 2 (Cue Card)
Describe a time when you had to wait for something. Please say
– What you were waiting for
– What happened
– What you did while waiting
– And explain how you felt while waiting.
Part 3 (Discussion)
– On what occasions do people have to wait every day?
– Do you think people who can’t wait invent new technologies?
– Why do people hate waiting?
– Do you think in the past people used to be more patient? Why?
– Are kids better at waiting than adults?
– Can patience be thought to kids? How?
December 8, 2021
IELTS essay, topic: Libraries are not a necessity anymore because of the digital resources available today (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 close to IELTS Band 9.
Set 5 General Training book, Practice Test 24
Writing Task 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
With the vast increase in online resources today, libraries with print books are not a necessity for today’s society.
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.
Sample Band 9 Essay
It is indeed true that digital resources today far outstrip what can be put and stored in print books. Almost any kind of book can now be accessed digitally and those that can’t be will soon be changed to a digital format. Some people, therefore, believe that libraries with print books are no longer needed.
If one looks at this issue dispassionately, it seems far more logical that people now should only read books digitally. It only requires a single computer or electronic reader and an individual can have access to the history of literature and works on all other fields. The costs involved with setting, typing, printing and distributing print books would practically disappear and this would make things more convenient and much cheaper. An actual library building would be totally unnecessary, as all one would need would be a ‘virtual library’ as a website and all works could be accessed through this portal. There would not even be any need to leave the house to gain access to anything one needed. This would seem to be the most logical way of proceeding.
Logic, however, is not always the best approach to everything. Print books have a long history with humanity and our relationship with real books is not something that can be changed overnight. Many people, including younger readers, feel that there is something special about having a book with real paper and needing to turn pages. There will therefore for the time being be a future for print books and libraries.
Libraries will continue to be especially important, as not all older people use computers and e-readers as much as the younger generation. They will still want to read print books and the library is a cheap and convenient place to find them. In addition, if only a few books in print are available in the future, libraries might be one of the few places where they might be accessed. Another purpose that libraries serve is acting as community centres that organise events, education and childcare. Ironically, libraries also provide computers and Internet access for people who cannot afford their own.
In spite of the seeming dominance to come of digital books, I feel that there is and will be a place for libraries with print books. This state of affairs might change in the future, but at present, they are important community resources.
Go here for more IELTS Band 9 Essays
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