IELTS Speaking
With Model Answers
Part
1
- Can you tell me your full name
Yes, my full name is Henry Gregor Marshall
- Please describe your apartment.
Ok, well, it’s new – I bought it around a year ago. It’s on the 4th floor of a new block, in a nice quiet neighborhood. It has three bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and dining room. There’s a small balcony, just big enough to sit out on and enjoy a nice cold beer. It’s light and airy generally although it gets a bit hot during the summer.
- What do you like about it?
What I like most about it is its location. It’s close to my work, to the shops and all the other things I need. My favorite room is the living room because of the big windows which let a lot of natural light come in - and the neighbors are really nice too.
- Is there anything you would like to change in the apartment?
Not really. I guess because it’s new there isn’t really much I would want to change. Maybe a little more space in the kitchen … you know… extend it a bit, but it’s not really important as I don’t do much cooking.
- Is color important when you buy things? Why?
Well that depends on the ‘thing’ I’m buying I suppose. If it’s something not really important then I don’t usually bother about color, but if we’re talking about clothes or a car or furniture for the apartment, then yes, color is important because you’re going to have it for a long time so it’s important that you like the color.
- Do you like dark or light colors? Why?
I guess that generally I prefer dark colors, although again it depends on the item. I don’t like light colors for cars or furniture for example – just not practical.
- How important were colors to you when you were a child?
Eh, I’m not sure about that – I never really thought about it. I don’t remember ever having a favorite color as a child, so I guess colors weren’t very important for me. Now it’s different though.
- Do you like your name?
Well, it’s my name, so yes – I do like it.
- Have you ever wanted to change your name?
No, well, I’ve never really thought about it too be honest. It’s only a name after all, but I’ve never felt the urge to change it.
- Who is the one that usually names a child in your country?
That would be the parents normally. Although I guess maybe family and friends could influence their choice of name.
- Tell me about the tradition of giving names in your country.
That’s an interesting one. I guess that traditionally children were named after their grandparents and parents and so on using the names from both sides of the family. Nowadays though, I’m sure that more parents name their kids after celebrities or characters in a movie or soap opera than following tradition.
Part 2
Talk about a character that you admire from your childhood. Please say
- Who was he/she?
- What was he/she like?
- What did he/she do?
- Explain why you admire this character.
Ok, so when I was a child I used to really love Tarzan … you know Tarzan of the jungle. I used to watch him on TV and read stories in comics about him. I thought he was great! He was always having adventures and saving people or animals and stuff like that … you know …all the time – he was really exciting. He was found in the jungle by some animals or something like that and they like adopted him and looked after him when he was a bay. That’s how he learned to speak to them and live with them. He was very athletic and could run, climb and swim really well, not to mention fighting crocodiles. He was my hero really. I used to really admire him because he lived in the jungle far away from everybody and just did his own thing… you know … he just lived in the jungle and had fun all the time with the animals, playing and swimming and running and so on. He didn’t have to work or go to school or anything like that … perfect! And when he had adventures he always beat up the bad guys and everybody loved him.
Part 3
- What types of characters do adults usually admire these days? Why?
Well, that depends on the individual adult I think. Everybody has their favorites … don’t they? I still think that guys tend to admire the hero type characters in movies and TV programs etc. and women are beginning to identify more and more with the strong independent type of women that appear in many films and TV series.
- Why do people still admire the character even if they know it’s not real?
I think it’s what the character represents really … I think most of us would like to be better than we are … or different in some way and these characters always seem to have such interesting lives or be involved in different situations. They make it all seem more exciting than it really is in real life. You know, it’s escapism … isn’t it? We would all like to be doing something else with our lives … something more interesting or exciting … or at least doing it in a different place or with different people. I guess we all like to fantasize a bit … even as adults.
- What are the characteristics of an actor that are widely admired?
Mmmm … well, some people respect and admire the quality of their acting, you now the technical side of it and all that. Some people simply like an actor because he or she is really good looking and sexy. Other actors are popular or loved because they can play many different parts well and portray many different qualities … which make the audience believe or feel more involved in the story they are telling.
- How much can a character from a movie affect our real life? Why?
Honestly, how much … I think depends on the age of the person. If you’re a child for example I think that the characters you see on TV, in movies or even in video games can affect you almost as much as a ‘real person’ like your parents or you uncles and aunts etc. Maybe as we get older the amount of influence is less – but it depends – sometimes a character or the character’s involvement in a story depicted in a movie can at least make us think about something, or maybe see something in a different way … I guess it all comes down to how closely we identify ourselves with the character in question.
- Can you tell me your full name
Yes, my full name is Henry Gregor Marshall
- Please describe your apartment.
Ok, well, it’s new – I bought it around a year ago. It’s on the 4th floor of a new block, in a nice quiet neighborhood. It has three bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and dining room. There’s a small balcony, just big enough to sit out on and enjoy a nice cold beer. It’s light and airy generally although it gets a bit hot during the summer.
- What do you like about it?
What I like most about it is its location. It’s close to my work, to the shops and all the other things I need. My favorite room is the living room because of the big windows which let a lot of natural light come in - and the neighbors are really nice too.
- Is there anything you would like to change in the apartment?
Not really. I guess because it’s new there isn’t really much I would want to change. Maybe a little more space in the kitchen … you know… extend it a bit, but it’s not really important as I don’t do much cooking.
- Is color important when you buy things? Why?
Well that depends on the ‘thing’ I’m buying I suppose. If it’s something not really important then I don’t usually bother about color, but if we’re talking about clothes or a car or furniture for the apartment, then yes, color is important because you’re going to have it for a long time so it’s important that you like the color.
- Do you like dark or light colors? Why?
I guess that generally I prefer dark colors, although again it depends on the item. I don’t like light colors for cars or furniture for example – just not practical.
- How important were colors to you when you were a child?
Eh, I’m not sure about that – I never really thought about it. I don’t remember ever having a favorite color as a child, so I guess colors weren’t very important for me. Now it’s different though.
- Do you like your name?
Well, it’s my name, so yes – I do like it.
- Have you ever wanted to change your name?
No, well, I’ve never really thought about it too be honest. It’s only a name after all, but I’ve never felt the urge to change it.
- Who is the one that usually names a child in your country?
That would be the parents normally. Although I guess maybe family and friends could influence their choice of name.
- Tell me about the tradition of giving names in your country.
That’s an interesting one. I guess that traditionally children were named after their grandparents and parents and so on using the names from both sides of the family. Nowadays though, I’m sure that more parents name their kids after celebrities or characters in a movie or soap opera than following tradition.
Part 2
Talk about a character that you admire from your childhood. Please say
- Who was he/she?
- What was he/she like?
- What did he/she do?
- Explain why you admire this character.
Ok, so when I was a child I used to really love Tarzan … you know Tarzan of the jungle. I used to watch him on TV and read stories in comics about him. I thought he was great! He was always having adventures and saving people or animals and stuff like that … you know …all the time – he was really exciting. He was found in the jungle by some animals or something like that and they like adopted him and looked after him when he was a bay. That’s how he learned to speak to them and live with them. He was very athletic and could run, climb and swim really well, not to mention fighting crocodiles. He was my hero really. I used to really admire him because he lived in the jungle far away from everybody and just did his own thing… you know … he just lived in the jungle and had fun all the time with the animals, playing and swimming and running and so on. He didn’t have to work or go to school or anything like that … perfect! And when he had adventures he always beat up the bad guys and everybody loved him.
Part 3
- What types of characters do adults usually admire these days? Why?
Well, that depends on the individual adult I think. Everybody has their favorites … don’t they? I still think that guys tend to admire the hero type characters in movies and TV programs etc. and women are beginning to identify more and more with the strong independent type of women that appear in many films and TV series.
- Why do people still admire the character even if they know it’s not real?
I think it’s what the character represents really … I think most of us would like to be better than we are … or different in some way and these characters always seem to have such interesting lives or be involved in different situations. They make it all seem more exciting than it really is in real life. You know, it’s escapism … isn’t it? We would all like to be doing something else with our lives … something more interesting or exciting … or at least doing it in a different place or with different people. I guess we all like to fantasize a bit … even as adults.
- What are the characteristics of an actor that are widely admired?
Mmmm … well, some people respect and admire the quality of their acting, you now the technical side of it and all that. Some people simply like an actor because he or she is really good looking and sexy. Other actors are popular or loved because they can play many different parts well and portray many different qualities … which make the audience believe or feel more involved in the story they are telling.
- How much can a character from a movie affect our real life? Why?
Honestly, how much … I think depends on the age of the person. If you’re a child for example I think that the characters you see on TV, in movies or even in video games can affect you almost as much as a ‘real person’ like your parents or you uncles and aunts etc. Maybe as we get older the amount of influence is less – but it depends – sometimes a character or the character’s involvement in a story depicted in a movie can at least make us think about something, or maybe see something in a different way … I guess it all comes down to how closely we identify ourselves with the character in question.
IELTS
common mistakes - when do I use the present simple tense?
Nowadays,
our bodies becoming 'old' much later than 100 yearsago. (incorrect)
Nowadays, our bodies become 'old' much later than 100 yearsago. (correct)
Children lost their freedom if they have too many responsibilities. (incorrect)
Children lose their freedom if they have too many responsibilities. (correct)
We use the present simple tense:
• to make general statements about our world: The earth moves around the sun.
• to show a pattern or general truth: People work in order to meet their basic needs.
• with adverbs of frequency: always, usually, often, sometimes, never: People who are too lazy to walk often use their cars instead.
• with expressions such as: nowadays, these days, today (with a general meaning):
Many students today do their research via computer rather than through books.
• for verbs showing opinions or feelings, e.g. believe, think, hope: I think that we should all do as much as we can to improve our environment.
Nowadays, our bodies become 'old' much later than 100 yearsago. (correct)
Children lost their freedom if they have too many responsibilities. (incorrect)
Children lose their freedom if they have too many responsibilities. (correct)
We use the present simple tense:
• to make general statements about our world: The earth moves around the sun.
• to show a pattern or general truth: People work in order to meet their basic needs.
• with adverbs of frequency: always, usually, often, sometimes, never: People who are too lazy to walk often use their cars instead.
• with expressions such as: nowadays, these days, today (with a general meaning):
Many students today do their research via computer rather than through books.
• for verbs showing opinions or feelings, e.g. believe, think, hope: I think that we should all do as much as we can to improve our environment.
IELTS
common mistakes - there is / there are
It
is a lovely park near my house. (incorrect)
There is a lovely park near my house. (correct)
There have very good restaurants and shops on board the ship. (incorrect)
There are very good restaurants and shops on board the ship. (correct)
We use there to say that something exists. We use there is with a singular subject and there are with a plural subject:
There is an oak tree in my garden. (not It is an oak tree or There have an oak tree)
There are some great movies on at the cinema. (not They are some greta movies)
We use there is and there are to give new information. We use it is or they are to talk about something that has already been referred to.
Compare:
There is a present for you on the table. (the first time the present has been mentioned)
Mary: What is that you're carrying?
John: It's a present for my sister. (it = what John is carrying)
We do not use the auxiliary verb 'do' to form questions and negatives with there is and there are:Are there any clean glasses in the cupboard? There isn't a map in the car.
There cannot be left out: There is a pan of soup and there are some bowls in the kitchen. (not There is a pan of soup and are some bowls in the kitchen.)
There is a lovely park near my house. (correct)
There have very good restaurants and shops on board the ship. (incorrect)
There are very good restaurants and shops on board the ship. (correct)
We use there to say that something exists. We use there is with a singular subject and there are with a plural subject:
There is an oak tree in my garden. (not It is an oak tree or There have an oak tree)
There are some great movies on at the cinema. (not They are some greta movies)
We use there is and there are to give new information. We use it is or they are to talk about something that has already been referred to.
Compare:
There is a present for you on the table. (the first time the present has been mentioned)
Mary: What is that you're carrying?
John: It's a present for my sister. (it = what John is carrying)
We do not use the auxiliary verb 'do' to form questions and negatives with there is and there are:Are there any clean glasses in the cupboard? There isn't a map in the car.
There cannot be left out: There is a pan of soup and there are some bowls in the kitchen. (not There is a pan of soup and are some bowls in the kitchen.)
IELTS
common mistakes - How do I choose between and, but and or?
To
really help the environment we need to change the way we think or
behave. (incorrect)
To really help the environment we need to change the way we think and behave. (correct)
Vegetarians don't eat meat and they get their protein from other foods. (incorrect)
Vegetarians don't eat meat but they get their protein from other foods. (correct)
We use and to join two similar ideas:
Would you like some tea and biscuits? (= you can have both of them)
We use but to show contrast between two different ideas:
I have tea but I don't have any coffee, I'm afraid. (I have tea = positive, I don't have any coffee = negative)
We use or to give an alternative:
Would you like some tea or coffee? (= you will choose only one of them)
Note: to join two negative ideas, we use or if the subject and the verb are the same:
I don't have tea or coffee. (not: I don't have tea and coffee.)
After if / whether, we can use or not to suggest the alternative idea:
We decided to go whether it was raining or not. (= whether it rained or whether it didn't rain)
To really help the environment we need to change the way we think and behave. (correct)
Vegetarians don't eat meat and they get their protein from other foods. (incorrect)
Vegetarians don't eat meat but they get their protein from other foods. (correct)
We use and to join two similar ideas:
Would you like some tea and biscuits? (= you can have both of them)
We use but to show contrast between two different ideas:
I have tea but I don't have any coffee, I'm afraid. (I have tea = positive, I don't have any coffee = negative)
We use or to give an alternative:
Would you like some tea or coffee? (= you will choose only one of them)
Note: to join two negative ideas, we use or if the subject and the verb are the same:
I don't have tea or coffee. (not: I don't have tea and coffee.)
After if / whether, we can use or not to suggest the alternative idea:
We decided to go whether it was raining or not. (= whether it rained or whether it didn't rain)
IELTS
daily vocabulary - tolerant / to tolerate
tolerant
(adjective) - Inclined to tolerate (verb) the beliefs, practices, or opinions
of others.
Example: He was very tolerant of their extreme views even though he didn't agree with them.
to tolerate (verb) - Put up with something or somebody unpleasant.
Example: She tolerated the terrible working conditions in her job for two years before resigning.
Example: He was very tolerant of their extreme views even though he didn't agree with them.
to tolerate (verb) - Put up with something or somebody unpleasant.
Example: She tolerated the terrible working conditions in her job for two years before resigning.
Can
you find 12 mistakes in this essay ... and correct them?
In
my country agriculture are1 very important. Each year our
farmers growing2 a wide variety of crops and this helped3
to reduce the amount of food we need to import, which also reduced4
the price of fresh food in the shops. Life is sometimes difficult for farmers
because their day begun5 very early and they often works6
until late at night. The weather also is making7 their
working conditions very difficult at times. What is more, many farmers are feeling8
that they do not receive a fair price for their products. We are9
need to encourage farmers to stay in this industry. Nowadays, big supermarket
chains taking10 a large amount of the profits that should go
to farmers. The government needed11 to address this situation
and make sure they protecting12 this vital industry.
IELTS
daily vocabulary - acquire
acquire
(verb) - To gain possession of.
Example: He acquired 100 shares of stock in the company.
acquire (verb) - To get by one's own efforts.
Example: After a lot of practice she acquired some proficiency in math.
acquire (verb) - To gain through experience; come by.
Example: She acquired a growing dislike of television sitcoms.
NOTE: sitcoms = situational comedies, a type of TV program.
Example: He acquired 100 shares of stock in the company.
acquire (verb) - To get by one's own efforts.
Example: After a lot of practice she acquired some proficiency in math.
acquire (verb) - To gain through experience; come by.
Example: She acquired a growing dislike of television sitcoms.
NOTE: sitcoms = situational comedies, a type of TV program.
IELTS
common mistakes - auxiliary verbs
Why
they think this? (incorrect)
Why do they think this? (correct)
I not agree with this idea. (incorrect)
I do not agree with this idea. (correct)
Do, be and have are called auxiliary verbs. This means that they help to change the main verb.
Do is used with the infinitive to make negatives or questions:
I don't agree. (not I not agree.) Do you agree? (not Are you agree?)
Do can be used with other question words: Why do you agree? (not Why you agree?l
Be is used with -ing verb forms to make the continuous tenses:
I am studying English in Cambridge. (not I studying English)
Have is used with the past participle of the verb to make the perfect tenses:
I have been here for three months. (not I am been here or I been here)
The auxiliary verb must agree with the subject of the verb: Does your mother drink tea? (not Do your mother drink tea?)
We make questions and negatives without do if another auxiliary verb is used:
Are you studying here? (not Do you are studying here?) (auxiliary verb be)
Why do they think this? (correct)
I not agree with this idea. (incorrect)
I do not agree with this idea. (correct)
Do, be and have are called auxiliary verbs. This means that they help to change the main verb.
Do is used with the infinitive to make negatives or questions:
I don't agree. (not I not agree.) Do you agree? (not Are you agree?)
Do can be used with other question words: Why do you agree? (not Why you agree?l
Be is used with -ing verb forms to make the continuous tenses:
I am studying English in Cambridge. (not I studying English)
Have is used with the past participle of the verb to make the perfect tenses:
I have been here for three months. (not I am been here or I been here)
The auxiliary verb must agree with the subject of the verb: Does your mother drink tea? (not Do your mother drink tea?)
We make questions and negatives without do if another auxiliary verb is used:
Are you studying here? (not Do you are studying here?) (auxiliary verb be)
IELS
common mistakes - How do I use modal verbs?
If
workers are sick, they must to stay home and rest. (incorrect)
If workers are sick, they must stay home and rest. (correct)
In this way children can learn from what they have done. (correct)
In this way children can learning from what they have done. (incorrect)
The following modal auxiliary verbs are followed by the infinitive without to: can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would:
When travelling, we should respect the customs of the countries we visit. (not should to respect; should respecting)
Modal verbs form questions and negatives without using do:
Can I help you? (not Do I can help you?)
Will you meet me when I arrive? (not Do you will meet me…)
You mustn't worry about me. (not You do not must worry about me.)
When we talk about obligation or necessity using have or need, we use to + infinitive:
I have to finish my assignment this weekend.
I need to talk to you.
In questions and negatives, have to and need to behave like normal verbs and we use do:
Do you have to pay extra for breakfast? (not have you to pay …)
They said I don't need to bring my own sleeping bag. (not I needn't to bring …)
If workers are sick, they must stay home and rest. (correct)
In this way children can learn from what they have done. (correct)
In this way children can learning from what they have done. (incorrect)
The following modal auxiliary verbs are followed by the infinitive without to: can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would:
When travelling, we should respect the customs of the countries we visit. (not should to respect; should respecting)
Modal verbs form questions and negatives without using do:
Can I help you? (not Do I can help you?)
Will you meet me when I arrive? (not Do you will meet me…)
You mustn't worry about me. (not You do not must worry about me.)
When we talk about obligation or necessity using have or need, we use to + infinitive:
I have to finish my assignment this weekend.
I need to talk to you.
In questions and negatives, have to and need to behave like normal verbs and we use do:
Do you have to pay extra for breakfast? (not have you to pay …)
They said I don't need to bring my own sleeping bag. (not I needn't to bring …)
There
are 14 mistakes in this essay - Can you find and correct them?
The
globalisation has had an enormous impact on many part of the world. Nowadays, even
in some of most remote parts of world, we can connect to internet and conduct
business. However, they is advantage and disadvantage to this. One
disadvantages, for example, is that the local culture and language can be
affected. It can also mean that local businesses has to reduce their prices to
compete with bigger overseas companies. However, there are advantages; for
example, globalisation can bring more business to a small area, which is good
for the local economy. It may also help to stop young person moving away from
more remote area. If a young person have the chance to run a business and be
successful no matter where he or she lives, then perhaps more people will
choose to stay in these smaller communities. It also means that news from
around the world are available to everyone, and this can also reduce the
feeling of isolation.
IELTS
speaking test in Sudan – June 2011 with answers
NOTE:
There re many possible ways to answer these questions. These are only some
ideas and should not be considered perfect answers.
Part 1
- What is your name?
My name is Henry Gregor Marshall
- May I see your ID please?
Of course, here it is.
- Do you work or study?
I’m working at the moment. I’m an Engineer in a local company here.
- Do you like your job?
Part 1
- What is your name?
My name is Henry Gregor Marshall
- May I see your ID please?
Of course, here it is.
- Do you work or study?
I’m working at the moment. I’m an Engineer in a local company here.
- Do you like your job?
Well… sometimes.
It’s really interesting, but it’s also very demanding. I don’t get a lot of
free time and I have to travel sometimes which means that I have to be away
from my family – that part I’m not so keen on, but on the whole it’s a good job
and I enjoy it.
- What is happiness according to your understanding?
That’s an
interesting question. I think everyone has their own interpretation of what
happiness is, depending on their culture, beliefs and their own personality.
For me, personally, it’s having the freedom and opportunity to do what I want.
I don’t need to have a lot of material things to be happy, but the freedom to
choose what I do, when I do it and how I do it is very important. That’s what
makes me happy.
- What do you think makes people happy?
That’s a
difficult question to answer without talking for hours on the topic. Basically
different things make different people happy. Some people think that buying a
lot of things or having a lot of money makes them happy. Others feel happy when
they have no stress in their lives or when they achieve something in their life
such as graduating from university or getting a good job, getting married or
starting a family and I guess that most people think that the idea of stopping
work eventually and retiring will make them happy.
- What do you do to remain happy?
Really … I just
try to always do the things I want to do. Sometimes I can do them immediately
and sometime I need to plan for them. I also try to avoid negative people as
much as possible. I’m not very materialistic, as I said before, so it doesn’t
really bother me or make me sad if I don’t have the latest or newest of
everything. As long as I’m doing what I want or working towards doping what I
want to do … I’m ok.
- Do you think money is important for achieving happiness in life?
Well … that
depends on how important money is for you as a person I guess. For some people
it’s everything … right. For others it’s
not so important. There are rich happy people and rich people that are not as
happy … as we all know. For sure having enough money to do what you want can
certainly make life easier, but that doesn’t automatically mean that you’ll be
happy. It’s a personal thing … although it’s clear that money isn’t always
necessary to be happy. Lots of people are happy but they don’t have a lot of
money. Would they really be any happier if they had more money? I don’t think
the relationship between money and happiness is that simple. For me personally
… yes, it’s important, but it’s not everything.
Part 2
Talk about fashion in clothes, please say:
- What type of clothes do you like?
- Why do you wear this type of clothes?
- How often do you go to markets/shops to buy new clothes?
- Do you spend a lot of money on new clothes? Why? / Why not?
- Explain the importance of clothes to you.
Well,
fashion is a strange thing isn’t it? I mean it’s a total invention by some
people who dictate what we should or shouldn’t be wearing at any time. Really,
it’s all a bit ridiculous because we’re allowing someone else to influence what
we wear rather than making our own choices. For me, it’s simple; I wear clothes
that are appropriate for the occasion or function. So, like, if I’m going to a
business meeting then I wear a suit and tie suitable for the occasion. If I’m
going out with friends, then something appropriate depending on where we’re
going. I don’t really follow fashion – in fact I usually make a point of not
buying the latest colors or styles, because they change so often and I can’t be
bothered shopping for clothes that much … it’s boring. I’d rather buy something
that I will be able to wear for years than have to be buying more clothes every
six months or so just to keep up with fashion. Anyway, not all fashions suit
all people, but many people wear clothes that just don’t suit them only because
they are in fashion and that’s just plain stupid. I generally only buy clothes
when I need them – I don’t like shopping for clothes, it’s a waste of time. So
I only go when I need something, sometimes it’s every couple of months but
sometimes it’s a lot longer. How much I spend on clothes depends on what I’m
buying. If it’s for a special occasion then I usually spend a bit more – but if
it’s for normal everyday use then I don’t spend as much. Brand names and stuff
like that don’t really impress me. If I like something then I like it – not
really important who made it. So fashion for me just isn’t really an important
thing in my life, clothes are something I need to cover my body in an
appropriate way depending on the situation and shopping for clothes or buying
clothes certainly doesn’t make me happy or anything like that. It’s just
something I have to do sometimes. Clothes for me are not really important.
Part 3
- Why do people dislike going to markets to buy new clothes?
Some
people love shopping for clothes in markets and other don’t. I guess those that
don’t … well, it’s because they don’t like the environment – too many people –
too busy, or the type of clothes available are not what they are looking for.
There could be many reasons. Maybe they don’t like going clothes shopping in
markets simply because their friends wouldn’t go there.
- Why do people spend more time choosing new clothes?
Well, like I said before… many things make different
people happy … and I know that many people, especially women, have a lot of fun
clothes shopping… it makes them happy checking out everything that is available
and trying them on. They can spend hours and hours looking for the perfect,
blouse, pants, or whatever it is they are looking for. It’s like a hobby or
pastime … it makes them feel good, it’s like a social activity as well for
them, especially if they go with a friend or their family. Of course some
people maybe spend a lot of time choosing clothes because they are indecisive and
can’t make their mind up which clothes they like best…sometimes there is just
too much choice … no .
- What is the importance of clothes / fashion in your country?
That’s a good one
– here people are very fashion conscious. I mean they spend so much time
shopping for clothes it’s incredible! Clothes here show who you are, they
define you and let other people know which social group you belong to. People
here worry a lot about what they look like so there is a lot of importance put
on clothes and your appearance and stuff like that. Brand names on clothes are
another important factor here … it’s important to wear the right ‘names’ to be
fashionable.
- What is the negative impact of fashion on young people in your country?
It’s difficult to
measure, not just here but anywhere, I guess it’s subliminal – they don’t
really realize how much their actions and decisions are influenced by external
forces but if they put as much effort into other areas of life as they do into
‘being fashionable’ it would be interesting to see what would happen. I mean
can you imagine fro a moment if they didn’t spend all that time and money on
buying clothes and shoes and fashion accessories and spent all that time, money
and energy on other things … that would be interesting to see. But of course,
society has taught us that to be accepted we have to follow certain norms and
most young people follow what their friends are doing so that they are accepted
by their peers or social group. I guess the worst impact for young people could
be the lack of ability to be a real individual in spite of what others might
think about their clothes or fashion sense. Putting too much importance on
being accepted socially could definitely have detrimental effects on young
people’s future way of thinking. After all … fashion isn’t real – it’s just an
industry … a way of making lots of money for a certain group of people.
- Do clothes reflect people’s personalities? Why? / Why not?
Uh, sometimes
they could, but then again maybe not. I guess … because everyone wears more or
less the same … don’t they. I think as you get older you maybe express your own
style a little bit more, but when you are young you generally follow what all
your friends are wearing and they can’t all have the same personality. If you
think about it – the fashion industry dictates what people should be wearing –
so how does that reflect people’s individual personality. Maybe the color has
more to do with expressing your personality than the style of clothes. You
know, dark colors mean that you’re serious and things like that. However, if we
all designed and made our own clothes then I guess that would definitely mean
that our clothes reflected our personalities, but as most clothes are mass
produced and people’s personalities are not … I don’t see how they can reflect
or show our personalities.
- Describe a fashion show that you attended.
Well, once I was
invited by a friend to attend one – not the sort of thing I would usually go to
- but it was interesting to see how it was. They did it in an old castle, which
was impressive … the way they had illuminated the walls etc. There were a lot
of people there all looking very fashionable of course. The models were
beautiful, the place was full of photographers and the atmosphere was all very
exciting and the music was very evocative too. Backstage everyone was
frantically working to get everything organized… it seemed a bit chaotic at
times, which was in total contrast to the perfectly executed cat walk parade
outside. I don’t think I would go again, because I don’t really like that sort
of thing, but it was interesting to see it once thanks to my friend.
IELTS
daily vocabulary - phrases with mind
to
bear in mind
- to hold in one's mind; remember
Example: Bear in mind the amount of time you need to prepare for the exam.
to broaden the mind - extend in scope
Example: Travel broadens the mind. His mind was broadened by living there for many years
to have something in mind - propose, plan, design, aim for, think, intend
Example: A: “Maybe we could celebrate tonight.” B: “Ok, what did you have in mind?”
to have something on your mind - in one's thoughts
Example: He has had trouble sleeping recently because he’s had so much on my mind.
it slipped my mind – to forget something
Example: “I’m sorry I forgot about your birthday - it completely slipped my mind.”
to keep/have an open mind - to wait until you know all the facts before having an opinion or making a judgment.
Example: Even though she studied History at university, Karen is keeping an open mind as she applies for jobs in many different fields. She is examining all the options available.
mind goes blank - if you are asked a question and your mind goes blank, you cannot think of anything to say.
Example: I was so nervous during the interview that when I was asked about my work experience, my mind went blank.
to put your mind at ease - to cause/make someone stop worrying.
Example: He chose his words carefully to put his mother's mind at ease.
Note: also used in the forms put someone's mind at rest and set someone's mind at rest:
Example: To put his mind at rest, I offered to make one final check of the equipment.
Example: Bear in mind the amount of time you need to prepare for the exam.
to broaden the mind - extend in scope
Example: Travel broadens the mind. His mind was broadened by living there for many years
to have something in mind - propose, plan, design, aim for, think, intend
Example: A: “Maybe we could celebrate tonight.” B: “Ok, what did you have in mind?”
to have something on your mind - in one's thoughts
Example: He has had trouble sleeping recently because he’s had so much on my mind.
it slipped my mind – to forget something
Example: “I’m sorry I forgot about your birthday - it completely slipped my mind.”
to keep/have an open mind - to wait until you know all the facts before having an opinion or making a judgment.
Example: Even though she studied History at university, Karen is keeping an open mind as she applies for jobs in many different fields. She is examining all the options available.
mind goes blank - if you are asked a question and your mind goes blank, you cannot think of anything to say.
Example: I was so nervous during the interview that when I was asked about my work experience, my mind went blank.
to put your mind at ease - to cause/make someone stop worrying.
Example: He chose his words carefully to put his mother's mind at ease.
Note: also used in the forms put someone's mind at rest and set someone's mind at rest:
Example: To put his mind at rest, I offered to make one final check of the equipment.
IELTS
essay - fill in the blanks
Fill
in each blank with one word. The words are all related to the recent
IELTS common mistakes posts;
- Which relative pronoun should I use?,
- How do I choose between and, but, or?
- Auxiliary verbs
- Which relative pronoun should I use?,
- How do I choose between and, but, or?
- Auxiliary verbs
Some
people believe that too much money is spent on protecting animals and endangered
species and that we should spend more money looking after the people on this
planet instead. What are your views?
Whether
you love animals (1).......... hate them, they play an important role in our
ecosystem. Losing even a tiny insect species could have a very large impact on
us all. For example, recent studies have shown that when there are
fewer
insects, there are also fewer birds. This means that crops will suffer because
birds play an important role in pollinating plants, (2).......... they also eat
insects that are harmful to plants.
Human
beings are said to be the most dangerous animal on our planet, (3).......... we
are also very vulnerable. If our crops fail, this could have disastrous
consequences for all of us. In other words, we are as dependent on the tiny
insects of this world as they are on us. They rely on us to protect them
(4).......... their environment. If we do not, their numbers could begin to
decline, (5).......... , even worse, they may become extinct altogether.
It
is true that some people are already doing (6).......... they can to protect
the environment, (7).......... this is not enough. Nowadays, people always want
to buy the newest and latest gadgets, (8) what happens to the 'old' mobile
phones, computers or toasters (9).......... are thrown away? We all need to
realise that our everyday actions can have an impact on whether (10)..........
not other animal species survive. We (11).......... need to stop buying new
things altogether; however, we do need to change both the way we think
(12).......... the way we behave.
IELTS
common mistakes - When do I use -ing or to + infinitive?
I
just managed to avoid hitting the car in front of me. (correct)
I just managed to avoid to hit the car in front of me. (incorrect)
I want telling you a little about myself. (incorrect)
I want to tell you a little about myself. (correct)
We use to + infinitive after the following verbs: ask, afford, decide, deserve, help, hope, learn, offer, prepare, promise, refuse, seem, want, would like:
Summer seems to arrive later and later these days.
Nowadays most people would like to have more money.
Learn how is also followed by to + infinitive:
I want to learn how to drive before I go to university.
After some verbs, we use -ing: avoid, carry on, consider, deny, enjoy, finish, give up, imagine, involve, keep, like, mind, practise, recommend, resist, suggest:
I really enjoy watching movies at the cinema. (not enjoy to watch)
Look forward to is also followed by -ing:
I look forward to hearing your reply. (not look forward to hear your reply)
We also use -ing after spend money and spend time:
We spent a lot of money buying CDs last month. We spent $200 buying CDs last month.
She spent a lot of time looking for information on the internet. She spent over three hours looking for information on the internet.
Note that like can be followed by - ing or to + infinitive.
I just managed to avoid to hit the car in front of me. (incorrect)
I want telling you a little about myself. (incorrect)
I want to tell you a little about myself. (correct)
We use to + infinitive after the following verbs: ask, afford, decide, deserve, help, hope, learn, offer, prepare, promise, refuse, seem, want, would like:
Summer seems to arrive later and later these days.
Nowadays most people would like to have more money.
Learn how is also followed by to + infinitive:
I want to learn how to drive before I go to university.
After some verbs, we use -ing: avoid, carry on, consider, deny, enjoy, finish, give up, imagine, involve, keep, like, mind, practise, recommend, resist, suggest:
I really enjoy watching movies at the cinema. (not enjoy to watch)
Look forward to is also followed by -ing:
I look forward to hearing your reply. (not look forward to hear your reply)
We also use -ing after spend money and spend time:
We spent a lot of money buying CDs last month. We spent $200 buying CDs last month.
She spent a lot of time looking for information on the internet. She spent over three hours looking for information on the internet.
Note that like can be followed by - ing or to + infinitive.
IELTS
common mistakes - Verbs after adjectives and prepositions
Young
children often feel shy to talk to adults. (incorrect)
Young children often feel shy talking to adults. (correct)
It is easy to understand why. (correct)
It is easy understanding why. (incorrect)
With feel + adjective we use the -ing form of the verb:
New students do not always feel comfortable speaking English to other people.
After be + adjective, too + adjective and adjective + enough, we use to + infinitive:
I was happy to see her when she arrived. (not I was happy seeing her)
The lecture was easy enough to understand. (not enough easy or easy understanding)
After all prepositions (about, by, from, for, in, of, without, etc.) we use the -ing form of the verb; we cannot use a clause (subject + verb):
They celebrated their anniversary by organising a big party.
Thank you for helping me so much with my studies.
He opened the door without thinking about what would happen next. (not without he thought)
Note that despite, in spite of and instead of are considered to be prepositions:
He did not get the job despite getting excellent grades. (not despite he got)
She went to the library instead of going straight home after school. (not instead of she went)
If the following verb is negative, we use not + -ing
He got a job despite not getting good grades.
Young children often feel shy talking to adults. (correct)
It is easy to understand why. (correct)
It is easy understanding why. (incorrect)
With feel + adjective we use the -ing form of the verb:
New students do not always feel comfortable speaking English to other people.
After be + adjective, too + adjective and adjective + enough, we use to + infinitive:
I was happy to see her when she arrived. (not I was happy seeing her)
The lecture was easy enough to understand. (not enough easy or easy understanding)
After all prepositions (about, by, from, for, in, of, without, etc.) we use the -ing form of the verb; we cannot use a clause (subject + verb):
They celebrated their anniversary by organising a big party.
Thank you for helping me so much with my studies.
He opened the door without thinking about what would happen next. (not without he thought)
Note that despite, in spite of and instead of are considered to be prepositions:
He did not get the job despite getting excellent grades. (not despite he got)
She went to the library instead of going straight home after school. (not instead of she went)
If the following verb is negative, we use not + -ing
He got a job despite not getting good grades.
IELTS
common mistakes - gerund or infinitive after allow, advise, make suggest?
My
school does not allow us taking holidays during term. (incorrect)
My school does not allow us to take holidays daring term. (correct)
Our teacher suggested me to buy a good dictionary. (incorrect)
Our teacher suggested I buy a good dictionary. (correct)
Some verbs are followed by -ing if there is no object and by to + infinitive if there is a direct object - advise, allow, forbid, permit:
The teacher allowed talking as long as it was in English. (no direct object)
The teacher allowed us to talk as long as it was in English. (us is the direct object)
Make is followed by the infinitive without to:
My boss made me wear a horrible uniform. (not made me to wear)
Note that the direct object must come between the verb and the infinitive:
She allowed her dog to sit in the front of her car. (not She allowed to sit her dog)
In the passive, these verbs are followed by to + infinitive: be advised, be allowed, be forbidden, be made, be permitted:
I was advised to contact my travel agent as soon as the plane landed.
Mary was made to swallow a large dose of medicine by the nurse.
Suggest can be followed by -ing without a direct object:
John suggested going to a movie.
If there is a direct object, you can use the infinitive without to, or a that clause:
John suggested we go to a movie. or: John suggested that we go to a movie.
My school does not allow us to take holidays daring term. (correct)
Our teacher suggested me to buy a good dictionary. (incorrect)
Our teacher suggested I buy a good dictionary. (correct)
Some verbs are followed by -ing if there is no object and by to + infinitive if there is a direct object - advise, allow, forbid, permit:
The teacher allowed talking as long as it was in English. (no direct object)
The teacher allowed us to talk as long as it was in English. (us is the direct object)
Make is followed by the infinitive without to:
My boss made me wear a horrible uniform. (not made me to wear)
Note that the direct object must come between the verb and the infinitive:
She allowed her dog to sit in the front of her car. (not She allowed to sit her dog)
In the passive, these verbs are followed by to + infinitive: be advised, be allowed, be forbidden, be made, be permitted:
I was advised to contact my travel agent as soon as the plane landed.
Mary was made to swallow a large dose of medicine by the nurse.
Suggest can be followed by -ing without a direct object:
John suggested going to a movie.
If there is a direct object, you can use the infinitive without to, or a that clause:
John suggested we go to a movie. or: John suggested that we go to a movie.
IELTS
common mistakes - gerund or infinitive after allow, advise, make suggest?
My
school does not allow us taking holidays during term. (incorrect)
My school does not allow us to take holidays daring term. (correct)
Our teacher suggested me to buy a good dictionary. (incorrect)
Our teacher suggested I buy a good dictionary. (correct)
Some verbs are followed by -ing if there is no object and by to + infinitive if there is a direct object - advise, allow, forbid, permit:
The teacher allowed talking as long as it was in English. (no direct object)
The teacher allowed us to talk as long as it was in English. (us is the direct object)
Make is followed by the infinitive without to:
My boss made me wear a horrible uniform. (not made me to wear)
Note that the direct object must come between the verb and the infinitive:
She allowed her dog to sit in the front of her car. (not She allowed to sit her dog)
In the passive, these verbs are followed by to + infinitive: be advised, be allowed, be forbidden, be made, be permitted:
I was advised to contact my travel agent as soon as the plane landed.
Mary was made to swallow a large dose of medicine by the nurse.
Suggest can be followed by -ing without a direct object:
John suggested going to a movie.
If there is a direct object, you can use the infinitive without to, or a that clause:
John suggested we go to a movie. or: John suggested that we go to a movie
My school does not allow us to take holidays daring term. (correct)
Our teacher suggested me to buy a good dictionary. (incorrect)
Our teacher suggested I buy a good dictionary. (correct)
Some verbs are followed by -ing if there is no object and by to + infinitive if there is a direct object - advise, allow, forbid, permit:
The teacher allowed talking as long as it was in English. (no direct object)
The teacher allowed us to talk as long as it was in English. (us is the direct object)
Make is followed by the infinitive without to:
My boss made me wear a horrible uniform. (not made me to wear)
Note that the direct object must come between the verb and the infinitive:
She allowed her dog to sit in the front of her car. (not She allowed to sit her dog)
In the passive, these verbs are followed by to + infinitive: be advised, be allowed, be forbidden, be made, be permitted:
I was advised to contact my travel agent as soon as the plane landed.
Mary was made to swallow a large dose of medicine by the nurse.
Suggest can be followed by -ing without a direct object:
John suggested going to a movie.
If there is a direct object, you can use the infinitive without to, or a that clause:
John suggested we go to a movie. or: John suggested that we go to a movie
IELTS
common mistakes - stop, try, forget and remember
People
should stop spending their money on the latest fashions. (correct)
People should stop to spend their money on the latest fashions. (incorrect)
The government tried stopping this plan but was not successful. (incorrect)
The government tried to stop this plan but was not successful. (corrcet)
Some verbs have a different meaning when they are followed by -ing or to + infinitive,
Stop + -ing = to stop an activity. Stop + to + infinitive = to stop a previously mentioned activity in order to do something else.
Compare:
The boys stopped playing.
The boys were playing and they stopped to watch a large truck go past. (= they stopped playing in order to watch the truck)
Try + -ing = to attempt to solve a problem by doing something. Try + to + infinitive = to attempt and fail to do something.
Compare:
I tried turning the tap but the water still poured out. (I managed to turn the tap)
I tried to turn the tap but it was too old and rusty. (I couldn't turn the tap)
Forget / remember + -ing = thinking back to a special/significant time in the past.
Forget / remember + to + infinitive = thinking about something that must be done in the future.
Compare:
I remember seeing a bull running down the High Street. (this happened in the past)
I must remember to watch the news tonight. (first I must remember, then I will do it)
People should stop to spend their money on the latest fashions. (incorrect)
The government tried stopping this plan but was not successful. (incorrect)
The government tried to stop this plan but was not successful. (corrcet)
Some verbs have a different meaning when they are followed by -ing or to + infinitive,
Stop + -ing = to stop an activity. Stop + to + infinitive = to stop a previously mentioned activity in order to do something else.
Compare:
The boys stopped playing.
The boys were playing and they stopped to watch a large truck go past. (= they stopped playing in order to watch the truck)
Try + -ing = to attempt to solve a problem by doing something. Try + to + infinitive = to attempt and fail to do something.
Compare:
I tried turning the tap but the water still poured out. (I managed to turn the tap)
I tried to turn the tap but it was too old and rusty. (I couldn't turn the tap)
Forget / remember + -ing = thinking back to a special/significant time in the past.
Forget / remember + to + infinitive = thinking about something that must be done in the future.
Compare:
I remember seeing a bull running down the High Street. (this happened in the past)
I must remember to watch the news tonight. (first I must remember, then I will do it)
IELTS
grammar - Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs
Fill
in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs.
get make practice show speak (x3) study waste
Welcome to our school. I am the principal of the college and I'd just like to say a few words while your teacher is preparing (1).......... you a short video about our lovely town. We are all very pleased that you have decided (2).......... at our college. Some of you are here for only a few weeks, so you can't afford (3).......... any time in your studies. Learning (4).......... any language involves (5).......... that language as much as possible. So from today, I recommend (6).......... only English. While you are here, you should consider (7)........... as many friends as possible from other countries so that you don't spend too much time (8).......... your own language. Well, I think the video is ready now. I hope (9).......... the opportunity to meet you all individually at lunch.
get make practice show speak (x3) study waste
Welcome to our school. I am the principal of the college and I'd just like to say a few words while your teacher is preparing (1).......... you a short video about our lovely town. We are all very pleased that you have decided (2).......... at our college. Some of you are here for only a few weeks, so you can't afford (3).......... any time in your studies. Learning (4).......... any language involves (5).......... that language as much as possible. So from today, I recommend (6).......... only English. While you are here, you should consider (7)........... as many friends as possible from other countries so that you don't spend too much time (8).......... your own language. Well, I think the video is ready now. I hope (9).......... the opportunity to meet you all individually at lunch.
IELTS
common mistakes - prepositions after adjectives and nouns
My
brother is good at sport but he is very bad at English. (correct)
My brother is good in sport but he is very bad in English. (incorrect)
The percentage in women attending university is increasing. (incorrect)
The percentage of women attending university is increasing. (correct)
Some adjectives are always followed by a specific preposition.
At. We say you are bad at, good at or surprised at something:
I was surprised at the number of people who came.
About and with. We say you are angry about or pleased about something but angry with or pleased with a person:
I am pleased about your new job. I was really angry with John.
After disappointed we use about or with; after worried we only use about:
She was pretty disappointed with / about her exam results.
I am worried about John. They are worried about the test.
Some nouns are always followed by a specific preposition.
In. We say decrease in, drop in, fall in, increase in, rise in:
There was an increase in attendance at this month's meeting.
Between. To contrast two things, we talk about the difference between them:
The main difference between the American and the Canadian accent is in the vowels.
Of. We say: advantage of, disadvantage of, example of, number of, percentage of, use of
The number of people in my class who smoke is incredible.
The advantage of the internet is you can find anything you want 24 hours a day.
Sushi is an example of traditional Japanese food.
The percentage of people working independently is increasing fast.
The use of good grammar and a wide range of vocabulary is essential to score well in the IELTS test.
My brother is good in sport but he is very bad in English. (incorrect)
The percentage in women attending university is increasing. (incorrect)
The percentage of women attending university is increasing. (correct)
Some adjectives are always followed by a specific preposition.
At. We say you are bad at, good at or surprised at something:
I was surprised at the number of people who came.
About and with. We say you are angry about or pleased about something but angry with or pleased with a person:
I am pleased about your new job. I was really angry with John.
After disappointed we use about or with; after worried we only use about:
She was pretty disappointed with / about her exam results.
I am worried about John. They are worried about the test.
Some nouns are always followed by a specific preposition.
In. We say decrease in, drop in, fall in, increase in, rise in:
There was an increase in attendance at this month's meeting.
Between. To contrast two things, we talk about the difference between them:
The main difference between the American and the Canadian accent is in the vowels.
Of. We say: advantage of, disadvantage of, example of, number of, percentage of, use of
The number of people in my class who smoke is incredible.
The advantage of the internet is you can find anything you want 24 hours a day.
Sushi is an example of traditional Japanese food.
The percentage of people working independently is increasing fast.
The use of good grammar and a wide range of vocabulary is essential to score well in the IELTS test.
IELTS
essay - fill in the blanks with answers
IELTS
essay - fill in the blanks
Fill
in each blank with one word. The words are all related to the recent
IELTS common mistakes posts;
- Which relative pronoun should I use?,
- How do I choose between and, but, or?
- Auxiliary verbs
- Which relative pronoun should I use?,
- How do I choose between and, but, or?
- Auxiliary verbs
Some
people believe that too much money is spent on protecting animals and
endangered species and that we should spend more money looking after the people
on this planet instead. What are your views?
Whether
you love animals or hate them, they play an important role in our
ecosystem. Losing even a tiny insect species could have a very large impact on
us all. For example, recent studies have shown that when there are
fewer
insects, there are also fewer birds. This means that crops will suffer because
birds play an important role in pollinating plants, and they also eat
insects that are harmful to plants.
Human
beings are said to be the most dangerous animal on our planet, but we
are also very vulnerable. If our crops fail, this could have disastrous
consequences for all of us. In other words, we are as dependent on the tiny
insects of this world as they are on us. They rely on us to protect them and
their environment. If we do not, their numbers could begin to decline, or
, even worse, they may become extinct altogether.
It
is true that some people are already doing what they can to protect the
environment, but this is not enough. Nowadays, people always want to buy
the newest and latest gadgets, but what happens to the 'old' mobile
phones, computers or toasters that are thrown away? We all need to
realise that our everyday actions can have an impact on whether or not
other animal species survive. We don't need to stop buying new things
altogether; however, we do need to change both the way we think and the
way we behave.
IELTS
speaking questions - describe the last time you were late for an important
appointment
Describe
the last time when you were last late for an important appointment. Please say
-
When did it happen?
- What was the meeting for?
- Why were you late?
- Explain the results of being late for that meeting.
Transcript
- What was the meeting for?
- Why were you late?
- Explain the results of being late for that meeting.
Transcript
Well
I’m not usually late for appointments, in fact quite the opposite I’m usually
very punctual and I don’t like it when people arrive late for appointments, but
the last time … the last time I was late for an important appointment was … I
guess about a month ago.
It
was, if I remember correctly, it was a Thursday morning and I was supposed to
go to a meeting with another consultant to discuss a particular project that we
were about to start working on.
It
was programmed for … I think about 8.30 in the morning, and one of the big
problems was … there was a lot of rain that day the traffic was really bad.
It
was a journey that I’d done several times before so I knew roughly how much
time the journey took, and I planned it as I would normally. However because of
the heavy rain and the heavy traffic it took a lot longer than normal.
I
think there were some road works and some construction going on at the time as
well, and I ended up being approximately 25 minutes late for the meeting.
It
didn’t really cause a big problem … the person that I was going to see had to
rearrange their schedule a little bit, I had to wait approximately 30 minutes -
so I had a cup of coffee - read a magazine - and then eventually we did do the
meeting as normal and really the – the only kind of negative consequence was
that it was a little bit inconvenient for the other person, but here that’s not
a big problem, and at the end of it all we did the meeting - we discussed the
things we needed to discuss, and we came up with the plan that we wanted.
The
IELTS monkey .... read this - it's important
The
Golden Rule is "Always give the monkey exactly what he wants".
If
a monkey asks for a banana, you must give him a banana and not an apple...or he
won't be happy! And he won't be your friend ...and he won't be nice to you ...
If
the IELTS examiners are the monkeys - then you need to know what an IELTS
banana looks like ... right! The first thing to do - before you start worrying
about studying grammar and vocabulary and things like that - is find out what
it's all about.
How
can you try to get an IELTS band 6 or IELTS band 7.5 if you don't know what it
consists of? And what is the difference between a band 6 or band 7.5 anyway?
What extra things do you have to do? Get the idea?
Check
out the band descriptors for speaking and writing and you will
understand which areas you need to concentrate on to improve your score in the
IELTS test.
Then
you can plan to study those particular things first ... right! Good luck!
IELTS
common mistakes - prepositions after verbs
The
company agreed for the pay rise. (incorrect)
The company agreed to the pay rise. (correct)
The man apologised for standing on my foot. (correct)
The man apologised to stand on my foot. (incorrect)
Some verbs must be followed by a specific preposition. Sometimes more than one preposition is possible and sometimes there is a difference in meaning depending on which preposition is used:
Agree. We say you agree with a person or an idea:
I totally agree with the governments decision.
But if you give your consent to something, we use agree to:
Both sides in the war have agreed to the ceasefire.
Apologise. We say you apologise to someone but you apologise for something:
Mum made me go and apologise to our neighbours for breaking their window.
Find out, know, learn, teach, think. These verbs can all be followed by about:
I need to find out about student visas for the UK.
He didn't know anything about the problem until I told him.
This semester I'm learning about macro economics at university.
Our teacher is trying to teach us about life in the olden days.
Think can be followed by about or of to talk about opinions or future plans:
What do you think about / of the new computer lab? (opinion)
I'm thinking about / of going back to university next year to finish my degree. (future plan)
Look. We use look at when we fix our eyes on something and look for when we mean searching for something:
Oh look at the sunset! Isn't it beautiful?
I've looked for my homework everywhere. Have you seen it?
The company agreed to the pay rise. (correct)
The man apologised for standing on my foot. (correct)
The man apologised to stand on my foot. (incorrect)
Some verbs must be followed by a specific preposition. Sometimes more than one preposition is possible and sometimes there is a difference in meaning depending on which preposition is used:
Agree. We say you agree with a person or an idea:
I totally agree with the governments decision.
But if you give your consent to something, we use agree to:
Both sides in the war have agreed to the ceasefire.
Apologise. We say you apologise to someone but you apologise for something:
Mum made me go and apologise to our neighbours for breaking their window.
Find out, know, learn, teach, think. These verbs can all be followed by about:
I need to find out about student visas for the UK.
He didn't know anything about the problem until I told him.
This semester I'm learning about macro economics at university.
Our teacher is trying to teach us about life in the olden days.
Think can be followed by about or of to talk about opinions or future plans:
What do you think about / of the new computer lab? (opinion)
I'm thinking about / of going back to university next year to finish my degree. (future plan)
Look. We use look at when we fix our eyes on something and look for when we mean searching for something:
Oh look at the sunset! Isn't it beautiful?
I've looked for my homework everywhere. Have you seen it?
IELTS
speaking questions - Talk about an exciting message that you have received by
email or phone
Talk about an exciting message that you
have received by email or phone, please say
-
who sent it to you,
-
what the message was about,
-
who you shared it with
Transcript:
Ok,
so an exciting message that I received – well yeah about two months ago
actually I received a message, an email to be exact – which was I guess pretty
exciting – it was a job offer from a large company located in Italy - to go and
do some coaching work with some of their executives there.
I
love Italy – I have to say - I’ve always wanted to live and work in Italy
- because I’ve always thought that it’s a really beautiful country - and
they have great food and wine there too. From what I’ve seen I like the Italian
culture and their way of life – it seems really attractive.
I've
got to say I was really surprised to hear from them because I hadn’t actually
contacted them directly myself - but apparently what had happened was someone I
had worked with before had contacted someone there in the company and they’d
recommended me - and that’s why they had gotten in contact with me – to see if
I was available – and to see if I’d be interested in going over there to work
with them.
The
message had all the usual information - about the terms and conditions of the
contract and explained all about the project they would be starting - what my
role would be in it – the length of time etc. and what they were hoping to
achieve by the end of it. As you can imagine it was a long message – with a lot
of detail.
I
didn’t really share the message or the email as such, you know I didn’t just
resend it as you do with some emails to all your friends – but I did tell a
coupe of friends about the job offer an the opportunity to see what they
thought about it - and you know - we decided that it was a really good
opportunity – even thought the big disadvantage would be that – my Italian is
really bad – you know it’s terrible – I haven’t used it in a long time – maybe
about 10 years ago was the last time – so for sure I’d have to
brush up my Italian skills before going there. But it is a once in a lifetime
opportunity – so I guess I’ll be taking it.
IELTS
common mistakes - prepositions of time and place
I
will start my course on June.(incorrect)
I will start my course in June. (correct)
I am going in London next year. (incorrect)
I am going to London next year. (correct)
We use in with a year, month or part of the day, but on with a day or date:
I came to Australia in 1988.
His birthday is in August.
We'll have the meeting in the afternoon.
We arrived on Thursday 1st October.
Christmas Day is on December 25. (= date)
We use at with a time and with the weekend and night:
Lets meet at the weekend. Are you free on Sunday at 8:00?
I usually study late at night.
We use for to talk about a length of time:
I have lived in Australia for 18 years.
The meeting lasted for 3 hours - it was too long.
We use in with cities, countries and places to say where something is or happened:
I met my husband in London.
My best friend lives in Switzerland.
We were in the park when the fire started.
We also use in with a book, newspaper, magazine, journal, film or TV programme to say where we read or saw something:
I read some interesting new research in this month's medical journal.
In the latest Harry Potter movie there are some amazing special effects.
We use at with school, college, university, work and home and to refer to a building:
'Where is dad?' 'He's at work.'
Shall we meet at the cinema? (= meet outside the building)
When I was at school I was really bored.
'Are you doing anything special tonight?' 'No, I'm just going to be at home.'
We use to with a place to show destination:
'Where are you going?' 'I'm just going to the library to do some work.'
This weekend I'm going to the lake.
We travelled from Chicago to Boston by car.
I will start my course in June. (correct)
I am going in London next year. (incorrect)
I am going to London next year. (correct)
We use in with a year, month or part of the day, but on with a day or date:
I came to Australia in 1988.
His birthday is in August.
We'll have the meeting in the afternoon.
We arrived on Thursday 1st October.
Christmas Day is on December 25. (= date)
We use at with a time and with the weekend and night:
Lets meet at the weekend. Are you free on Sunday at 8:00?
I usually study late at night.
We use for to talk about a length of time:
I have lived in Australia for 18 years.
The meeting lasted for 3 hours - it was too long.
We use in with cities, countries and places to say where something is or happened:
I met my husband in London.
My best friend lives in Switzerland.
We were in the park when the fire started.
We also use in with a book, newspaper, magazine, journal, film or TV programme to say where we read or saw something:
I read some interesting new research in this month's medical journal.
In the latest Harry Potter movie there are some amazing special effects.
We use at with school, college, university, work and home and to refer to a building:
'Where is dad?' 'He's at work.'
Shall we meet at the cinema? (= meet outside the building)
When I was at school I was really bored.
'Are you doing anything special tonight?' 'No, I'm just going to be at home.'
We use to with a place to show destination:
'Where are you going?' 'I'm just going to the library to do some work.'
This weekend I'm going to the lake.
We travelled from Chicago to Boston by car.
IELTS
common mistakes - the preposition 'of'
Our
standard of living is much better than in the past. (correct)
Our standard for living is much better than in the past. (incorrect)
Write a letter complaint to the manager. (incorrect)
Write a letter of complaint to the manager. (correct)
The preposition of is used in some common expressions: cost of living, letter of apology / complaint, etc., period of time, quality of life, standard of living:
My father is always complaining about the high cost of living nowadays.
For the period of time you are here - you will be expected to observe the rules.
The quality of life in most countries has not really improved much in recent years.
Of is also used after some nouns: government, group, importance, lack, leader, type:
People often underestimate the importance of friends and family.
During the government of the democratic party the economy improved dramatically.
The group of dissidents protested all day.
There is a distinct lack of leadership from the government at the moment.
The leader of the union presented their demands.
The type of food we eat in the future will be different from what we eat nowadays.
Of is used to talk about quantities with some words: amount, number, a lot, lots, plenty:
The government is hoping to persuade a large number of people to walk to work.
Of is used in some prepositions: in front of, instead of
He parked the car in front of the supermarket.
I decided to take the bus instead of the train.
Also after because and as a result when they are followed by a noun or gerund:
My cousin couldn't swim with us because of his bad leg.
The outdoor music concert was cancelled as a result of the weather being bad.
Our standard for living is much better than in the past. (incorrect)
Write a letter complaint to the manager. (incorrect)
Write a letter of complaint to the manager. (correct)
The preposition of is used in some common expressions: cost of living, letter of apology / complaint, etc., period of time, quality of life, standard of living:
My father is always complaining about the high cost of living nowadays.
For the period of time you are here - you will be expected to observe the rules.
The quality of life in most countries has not really improved much in recent years.
Of is also used after some nouns: government, group, importance, lack, leader, type:
People often underestimate the importance of friends and family.
During the government of the democratic party the economy improved dramatically.
The group of dissidents protested all day.
There is a distinct lack of leadership from the government at the moment.
The leader of the union presented their demands.
The type of food we eat in the future will be different from what we eat nowadays.
Of is used to talk about quantities with some words: amount, number, a lot, lots, plenty:
The government is hoping to persuade a large number of people to walk to work.
Of is used in some prepositions: in front of, instead of
He parked the car in front of the supermarket.
I decided to take the bus instead of the train.
Also after because and as a result when they are followed by a noun or gerund:
My cousin couldn't swim with us because of his bad leg.
The outdoor music concert was cancelled as a result of the weather being bad.
IELTS
speaking questions (Panama) - talk about a part of your city that is changing
Talk about a part of your city that is changing, please say
-
where is it?
-
how is it changing?
-
why is it changing?
-
how do you feel about that?
Transcript:
A
part of my city that’s changing at the moment – yeah, in the South of the city
– is changing quite rapidly and dramatically, it’s becoming more and more
developed residentially and commercially. There’s a lot of construction of
apartments and housing complexes, housing estates as well as commercial centres
with lots of shops and stores, restaurants, bars, entertainment places where
people can go at the weekends – things like that.
It’s
changing – it has been changing over the last couple of years - due to an
increase in demand for residential housing and obviously with more houses –
wherever people are living - they have a necessity for facilities and hence the
commercial development follows at the same time.
The
North of the city is quite crowded – the original part of the city – a lot of
traffic, it’s quite dirty, some people would say it’s quite dangerous as well
at sometimes - and therefore the South has become the more desirable part of
the city to live – especially for young families with children because it’s a
lot more open – there’s a lot more green areas – it’s quieter, less traffic,
less polluted and generally cleaner.
I
think it’s a natural development because of the growing population. I think
that the people who are moving to that particular part of the city have a
better quality of life - and generally I think it’s a good development for the
city – it’s a nice contrast to the older part of the city.
IELTS
speaking questions (Panama) - talk about a part of your city that is changing
Talk about a part of your city that is changing, please say
-
where is it?
-
how is it changing?
-
why is it changing?
-
how do you feel about that?
Transcript:
A
part of my city that’s changing at the moment – yeah, in the South of the city
– is changing quite rapidly and dramatically, it’s becoming more and more
developed residentially and commercially. There’s a lot of construction of
apartments and housing complexes, housing estates as well as commercial centres
with lots of shops and stores, restaurants, bars, entertainment places where
people can go at the weekends – things like that.
It’s
changing – it has been changing over the last couple of years - due to an
increase in demand for residential housing and obviously with more houses –
wherever people are living - they have a necessity for facilities and hence the
commercial development follows at the same time.
The
North of the city is quite crowded – the original part of the city – a lot of
traffic, it’s quite dirty, some people would say it’s quite dangerous as well
at sometimes - and therefore the South has become the more desirable part of
the city to live – especially for young families with children because it’s a
lot more open – there’s a lot more green areas – it’s quieter, less traffic,
less polluted and generally cleaner.
I
think it’s a natural development because of the growing population. I think
that the people who are moving to that particular part of the city have a
better quality of life - and generally I think it’s a good development for the
city – it’s a nice contrast to the older part of the city.
IELTS
common mistakes - how do I make a verb passive?
Using
passive verbs in your IELTS writing can show your ability to use a range of
grammatical structures effectively. It is commonly used to describe a process
or procedure and is often used in formal writing as it is considered more
impersonal.
Using
it correctly can improve your IELTS score. Here are some basic rules you need
to get started ...
My home is located in the western part of the city. (correct)
My home locates in the western part of the city. (incorrect)
These funds can be give to the poorer people to help them. (incorrect)
These funds can be given to the poorer people to help them. (correct)
The passive is formed with the verb to be + the past participle of the verb:
Nowadays, a great deal of money is spent on advertising.
The verb to be should be changed into the correct tense:
Tense Passive
present simple is spent
present continuous is being spent
simple past was spent
past continuous was being spent
present perfect has been spent
past perfect had been spent
To make the negative, we put not between the verb to be and the past participle:
We were not told that the rules had changed.
The passive can also be used in the infinitive form:
Children need to be taught the correct way to behave in public.
After modal verbs, we use the passive infinitive without to:
Some adults believe that children should be seen and not heard.
You will be paid on the last Friday of each month.
IELTS
letter of complaint
Complete
the letter using the information from the notes.
Problem Reason
rooms were noisy the hotel wasn't finished
couldn't use the pool the water was so dirty
son cut his foot he swam at the beach
trip to Mt Etna spoiled the weather was so bad
couldn't see the top of the mountain it was covered by cloud
missedpart of the show the bus broke down
wife sick she ate undercooked chicken
Dear Sir
I am writing to complain about a recent holiday I took with your company.
Problem Reason
rooms were noisy the hotel wasn't finished
couldn't use the pool the water was so dirty
son cut his foot he swam at the beach
trip to Mt Etna spoiled the weather was so bad
couldn't see the top of the mountain it was covered by cloud
missedpart of the show the bus broke down
wife sick she ate undercooked chicken
Dear Sir
I am writing to complain about a recent holiday I took with your company.
First,
our accommodation was terrible. It was very noisy as a result of (1)..........
, so builders were working on it day and night. Not only that, but we couldn't
use the pool because of (2).......... We would have liked to go to the beach
more often, but on the first day my son cut his foot badly as a result of
(3).......... in the sea there, and we discovered there was a lot of broken
glass in the sand.
Secondly,
we paid a great deal of money for two trips. The first one to Mt Etna was
ruined because of (4).......... In fact we couldn't even see the top of the
mountain because of (5).......... The second trip was to a show in the local
town. However, we missed the start of the show as a result of (6).......... on
the way there. Furthermore, my wife ended up in hospital as a result of
(7).......... at the restaurant there.
I would be grateful if you could refund the cost of our trip.
Yours faithfully
The IELTS Gorilla
IELTS
common mistakes - when do I use the passive?
Many
people have been died because of this disease. (incorrect)
Many people have died because of this disease. (correct)
This data took from 1982 and 1992.
This data was taken from 1982 and 1992.
With active verbs we usually use the following order: subject + verb + object.
We use the passive when we want to put the object of the verb first: object + verb.
Compare:
The teacher told the students to close their books. = active (subject + verb + object)
The students were told to close their books. = passive (object + verb)
We use the passive:
• when we want to make the object the focus of the sentence: The books were sold for a small profit at the school. (the focus is on the books, not the person selling them)
Note that the verb (were) agrees with the object (the books).
• when the context tells us who carried out the action: A law was introduced to help protect people in this situation. (we know that the government did this)
• when it is not important who carried out the action: In the factory, the shoes are cleaned and packed into boxes ready for sale. (we do not need to know who does this)
Note that we can include the 'subject' by adding by + the person/ group: A lot of waste materials could be recycled by large manufacturers.
Many people have died because of this disease. (correct)
This data took from 1982 and 1992.
This data was taken from 1982 and 1992.
With active verbs we usually use the following order: subject + verb + object.
We use the passive when we want to put the object of the verb first: object + verb.
Compare:
The teacher told the students to close their books. = active (subject + verb + object)
The students were told to close their books. = passive (object + verb)
We use the passive:
• when we want to make the object the focus of the sentence: The books were sold for a small profit at the school. (the focus is on the books, not the person selling them)
Note that the verb (were) agrees with the object (the books).
• when the context tells us who carried out the action: A law was introduced to help protect people in this situation. (we know that the government did this)
• when it is not important who carried out the action: In the factory, the shoes are cleaned and packed into boxes ready for sale. (we do not need to know who does this)
Note that we can include the 'subject' by adding by + the person/ group: A lot of waste materials could be recycled by large manufacturers.
Model
text
The graph shows information about the income trends of four cafés over the last year.
The graph shows information about the income trends of four cafés over the last year.
There
are two basic general trends: downward and upward. As regards the first, the
earnings for the Tea Room were down over the year, falling (1)………… from almost
$160,000 earnings a month to just under $50,000 in December.
By
contrast, the income for the other three cafes went up by varying amounts.
There was (2).......... In Café Cool’s sales over the first ten months,
followed by a sudden increase to $120,000. Furthermore, the income for both
Internet Express and the Wi-Fi Café (3).......... in December. The former
experienced (4).......... to June, but after that, income rose (5)..........
ending the year at approximately $130,000. Likewise, the trend for Wi-Fi was
upward. Between January and July, earnings (6).......... from $50,000 to nearly
$100,000, and (7).......... to around $190,000.
It
is noticeable that the income for the Tea Room is lower in the winter months
than for the other three cafés.
Try to complete the model text using the words /phrases below.
(a) steadily
(b) then rocketed
(c) doubled
(d) significantly
(e) also ended the year up
(f) a steady fall
(g) a rise
Model
text (with answers)
The
graph shows information about the income trends of four cafés over the last
year.
There
are two basic general trends: downward and upward. As regards the first, the
earnings for the Tea Room were down over the year, falling significantly
from almost $160,000 earnings a month to just under $50,000 in December.
By
contrast, the income for the other three cafes went up by varying amounts.
There was a rise In Café Cool’s sales over the first ten months,
followed by a sudden increase to $120,000. Furthermore, the income for both
Internet Express and the Wi-Fi Café also ended the year up in December.
The former experienced a steady fall to June, but after that, income
rose steadily ending the year at approximately $130,000. Likewise, the
trend for Wi-Fi was upward. Between January and July, earnings doubled
from $50,000 to nearly $100,000, and then rocketed to around $190,000.
It is noticeable that the income for the Tea Room is lower in the winter months
than for the other three cafés.
IELTS writing - passive verbs
Complete the following text using the information in the diagrams.
The diagrams show how a traditional canoe (1).......... . First, a suitable tree (2).......... and then the bark (3).......... off in one piece. Next, the bark (4).......... in a river so that it becomes soft and pliable. It (5).......... (then) over a fire but it should (6).......... (not) to burn. In order to shape the bark, it should (7)........... between two trees that are growing close together. Finally, once the bark has cooled, the edges (8).......... together. Your canoe (9).......... . These canoes (l0)........... for fishing.
IELTS common mistakes - what is register?
This
type of work attracts a greater % of men than women. (incorrect)
This type of work attracts a greater percentage of men than women. (correct)
Many old people believe that kids have too much freedom nowadays. (incorrect)
Many old people believe that children have too much freedom nowadays. (correct)
Register means using the right word in the right context. For formal essay writing, you must use a formal register. This means you should not use informal language.
You should not use:
• informal vocabulary: kids; ok; bucks; heaps. You should use a more formal equivalent instead: children; all right or acceptable; money; many or a great deal.
• symbols on their own in place of words: %; $; &; @. You should write the words in full: percent; money; and; at.
Note that % and $ should only be used with numerals. For smaller amounts we write $50 (not 50 dollars) and 75% (not 75 percent). The noun form of percent is percentage.
• abbreviations: m; yrs; kgs; no. You should write these words in full: million; years; kilos/kilograms; number.
• all capital letters: NOWADAYS PEOPLE THINK THAT ... You should use capital letters only when appropriate: Nowadays people think that...
Look at the following examples:
Companies waste heaps of bucks on advertising.
Companies waste a great deal of money on advertising.
In 1986 the % rose to 67.5.
In 1986 the percentage rose to 67.5.
Between the yrs 2001 and 2005, over 2m people died.
Between the years 2001 and 2005, over 2 million people died.
This type of work attracts a greater percentage of men than women. (correct)
Many old people believe that kids have too much freedom nowadays. (incorrect)
Many old people believe that children have too much freedom nowadays. (correct)
Register means using the right word in the right context. For formal essay writing, you must use a formal register. This means you should not use informal language.
You should not use:
• informal vocabulary: kids; ok; bucks; heaps. You should use a more formal equivalent instead: children; all right or acceptable; money; many or a great deal.
• symbols on their own in place of words: %; $; &; @. You should write the words in full: percent; money; and; at.
Note that % and $ should only be used with numerals. For smaller amounts we write $50 (not 50 dollars) and 75% (not 75 percent). The noun form of percent is percentage.
• abbreviations: m; yrs; kgs; no. You should write these words in full: million; years; kilos/kilograms; number.
• all capital letters: NOWADAYS PEOPLE THINK THAT ... You should use capital letters only when appropriate: Nowadays people think that...
Look at the following examples:
Companies waste heaps of bucks on advertising.
Companies waste a great deal of money on advertising.
In 1986 the % rose to 67.5.
In 1986 the percentage rose to 67.5.
Between the yrs 2001 and 2005, over 2m people died.
Between the years 2001 and 2005, over 2 million people died.
Talk about a family that you liked to
spend time with (other than your own family). You should say
-
who were they?
-
why did you like to spend time with them?
-
how did you meet them?
Transcript:
Oh
that’s easy - yeah, my girlfriend’s – well ex-girlfriend’s family – they were a
very big family.
They
were immigrants … probably three generations ago I think … and they were … they
were about three generations living together, in the family home.
It
was, as I say, a big family – a lot of different personalities within the
family, as you can imagine, the grandparents, the parents, the children etc.
…
I met them shortly after we met … I think a couple of months actually … and I
think one of the reasons I used to enjoy spending time with them was because
they were so different from any other family I’d met – maybe because of the
culture – maybe because three generations living together was not common where
I grew up.
…
and one of the favorite activities I think was the lunch or the dinner at
the weekend when typically all the family would come together … the
grandparents, the parents, the children, the cousins, boyfriends,
girlfriends, partners, husbands, wives - everybody basically,
and … the food they used to prepare was amazing … like a banquet almost …
and there was always a lot of alcohol - you know beer, wine, …
whisky, brandy … and some of the conversations were incredibly
interesting … especially the grandparents – they were very wise … and
they had a lot of … a lot of good advice that was very practical and – and very
up to date as well.
…
I think because of that I used to really enjoy those occasions when we all used
to get together and see the interaction as well between the different
generations.
It’s
… it was a very special family – and I still remember them very fondly.
IELTS
common mistakes - adjectives & adverbs
This difference can be explained quite easy. (incorrect)
This difference can be explained quite easily. (correct)
It is clearly that people without money do not have as much freedom. (incorrect)
It is clear that people without money do not have as much freedom. (correct)
Adjectives are used to describe a noun: Today life is very complicated. (complicated describes the noun life)
To describe a whole idea or situation, we can use:
It is + adjective + that-clause or It is + adjective + to + infinitive:
It is essential that you bring back all of your books before the end of term.
It is important to begin studying several weeks before the exam.
Adverbs can be used to describe a verb: We must act quickly. (quickly describes the verb act) or an adjective: This chart is significantly different. (not significant different)
(significantly is an adverb describing the adjective different).
We use adverbs such as unfortunately to show how we feel about something:
Unfortunately, he's not well. (unfortunately shows I feel this is a bad thing)
Some adverbs are irregular, e.g. fast, hard, well: He ran as fast as he could. (not fastly)
IELTS
common mistakes - danger/dangerous - noun or adjective?
Tourism can be very benefit to poorer areas. (incorrect)
Tourism can be very beneficial to poorer areas. (correct)
In my job, you need the confidence to address large groups of people. (correct)
In my job, you need the confident to address large groups of people. (incorrect)
Sometimes it is easy to confuse a noun with its adjective. Look at the following list of commonly confused nouns and adjectives:
Noun Adjective
danger dangerous
age aged
development developed
difference different
education educational
happiness happy
health healthy
maturity mature
nature natural
noise noisy
responsibility responsible
significance significant
silence silent
sport sports
truth true
value valuable
youth young
Note that invaluable means very valuable!
Men and women can only be used as nouns: More men than women work here.
Male and female are used as adjectives: The number offemale employees is increasing each year. (not women employees)
You should refer to either men and women or male and female. Do not use the two different terms together:
Male employees far outnumber the women. (incorrect)
IELTS
common mistakes - confusing verbs
I
don't know where the library is. (correct)
I don't understand where the library is. (incorrect)
Last summerI studied with you on the course. (correct)
Last summerI learned with you on the course. (incorrect)
Know is used to show that you have memorised something or that you are certain of something:
I know all of the irregular verbs.
Know describes a state, not an activity (not I am trying to know my irregular verbs.) and we cannot use it in the
continuous form (not I am knowing my irregular verbs.).
Learn describes an activity. We learn facts when we try to memorise them:
I am learning irregular verbs for the test.
We can also learn a skill:
I am learning to play the piano.
We cannot use learn by itself (not I am leaming for the test.)
Study is normally used to talk about a whole subject area rather than individual skills or facts:
My daughter is studying economics at university (not I am studying how to play the piano.).
We can use study by itself: I am studying for the test on Friday.
Note that we can say learn about but not study about:
We're learning about World War1 this semester. (not We're studying about World War1).
Take can be used in a similar way to study to refer to a subject area:
I am taking a course in marketing.
It is also used to refer to the individual subjects Within a course:
I have to take at least 3 marketing subjects to get the diploma.
Enroll is used to say that you are listed in the official records for a course:
I have just enrolled in an art course.
I don't understand where the library is. (incorrect)
Last summerI studied with you on the course. (correct)
Last summerI learned with you on the course. (incorrect)
Know is used to show that you have memorised something or that you are certain of something:
I know all of the irregular verbs.
Know describes a state, not an activity (not I am trying to know my irregular verbs.) and we cannot use it in the
continuous form (not I am knowing my irregular verbs.).
Learn describes an activity. We learn facts when we try to memorise them:
I am learning irregular verbs for the test.
We can also learn a skill:
I am learning to play the piano.
We cannot use learn by itself (not I am leaming for the test.)
Study is normally used to talk about a whole subject area rather than individual skills or facts:
My daughter is studying economics at university (not I am studying how to play the piano.).
We can use study by itself: I am studying for the test on Friday.
Note that we can say learn about but not study about:
We're learning about World War1 this semester. (not We're studying about World War1).
Take can be used in a similar way to study to refer to a subject area:
I am taking a course in marketing.
It is also used to refer to the individual subjects Within a course:
I have to take at least 3 marketing subjects to get the diploma.
Enroll is used to say that you are listed in the official records for a course:
I have just enrolled in an art course.
IELTS
common mistakes - confusing verbs - practice
Choose
the correct verb to complete the sentences below.
1. We're learning / studying about Politics this semester.
2. I've decided to enroll / learn in an Art History course this summer.
3. I can whistle the tune but I don't know / learn the words.
4. In high school you know / study many different subjects.
5. Before you can fly a plane, you need to learn / study how to land.
6. Jane is learning / studying in London this year.
7. Do you know / learn the telephone number for the school?
8. I can't go out on Friday. I have to learn / study for my end-of-year exams.
1. We're learning / studying about Politics this semester.
2. I've decided to enroll / learn in an Art History course this summer.
3. I can whistle the tune but I don't know / learn the words.
4. In high school you know / study many different subjects.
5. Before you can fly a plane, you need to learn / study how to land.
6. Jane is learning / studying in London this year.
7. Do you know / learn the telephone number for the school?
8. I can't go out on Friday. I have to learn / study for my end-of-year exams.
IELTS
common mistakes
Choose the correct words in the following text.
"It takes more than good qualifications to become a good teacher."
To what extent do you agree?
I
had a mixture of teachers when I (1) learned / studied at school.
Some were interesting and some were boring, some were (2) excellence
/ excellent and others were not so good. But what does it take to make a
good teacher?
One
of the best teachers I have ever had was when I (3) enrolled / took a
course in ancient history at university. I had never been very (4) interest
/ interested in history before, but this teacher managed to make the
classes so (5) entertainment / entertaining that it was never dull.
However, there is more to being a good teacher than personality. My history
teacher at school had only a limited knowledge of his subject and I don't think
that we (6) knew / learned a great deal from him. It is (7) clear /
clearly that good qualifications can also be important.
A
good teacher needs to use their (8) imagine / imagination to create
lessons that are (9) helping / helpful as well as (10) education /
educational. They also need to gain the (11) respect / respectful of
their students. Such teachers are usually (12) extreme / extremely
popular with students. It is (13) important / importantly for teachers
to be (14) genuine / genuinely interested in their students and their
job in order to do it well. Perhaps there would be fewer problem students in
schools if there were more 'good' teachers.
IELTS
common mistakes - confusing verbs 2
In
2010 the figure increased from 30% to 25%. (incorrect)
In 2010 the figure decreased from 30% to 25%. (correct)
The flow chart displays the quantity of electricity consumed each year. (incorrect)
The flow chart shows the quantity of electricity consumed each year. (correct)
Describing graphs & charts
Graphs and charts can show facts:
The two graphs show the number of people employed by the company in 1980 and 1990.
We use indicate when we want to draw a conclusion about the figures in the charts:
These figures indicate that the company is growing in size each year.
We use illustrate to refer to evidence or proof of something:
These figures illustrate the need for better management of our resources.
We do not use demonstrate, display or tell to describe a chart. Compare the following:
The salesman demonstrated the machine for us. (= show how something works)
Look at the figures displayed on the screen. (= show on a screen)
The girls' work was displayed for all to see. (= make sure it can be easily seen)
Did I tell you about my accident? (= give a verbal or written account of a story)
Describing figures
If figures go up, we use increase or rise:
Temperatures rose in May.
If the figures go down, we use decrease or fall:
The number of bats fell in 2004.
If the figures stay the same, we use remain steady or show little/no change:
The figures show little change since 2001.
In 2010 the figure decreased from 30% to 25%. (correct)
The flow chart displays the quantity of electricity consumed each year. (incorrect)
The flow chart shows the quantity of electricity consumed each year. (correct)
Describing graphs & charts
Graphs and charts can show facts:
The two graphs show the number of people employed by the company in 1980 and 1990.
We use indicate when we want to draw a conclusion about the figures in the charts:
These figures indicate that the company is growing in size each year.
We use illustrate to refer to evidence or proof of something:
These figures illustrate the need for better management of our resources.
We do not use demonstrate, display or tell to describe a chart. Compare the following:
The salesman demonstrated the machine for us. (= show how something works)
Look at the figures displayed on the screen. (= show on a screen)
The girls' work was displayed for all to see. (= make sure it can be easily seen)
Did I tell you about my accident? (= give a verbal or written account of a story)
Describing figures
If figures go up, we use increase or rise:
Temperatures rose in May.
If the figures go down, we use decrease or fall:
The number of bats fell in 2004.
If the figures stay the same, we use remain steady or show little/no change:
The figures show little change since 2001.
IELTS
common mistakes - (answers)
Complete
the sentences below using the correct form of one of the words.
benefit confident develop different health nature responsible significant
1. I didn't have the confidence to join the school debating team.
2. We hope this new source of power will lead to the development of new businesses in our area.
3. There is a great deal of evidence that a diet of fast food is not healthy.
4. If you make a mistake, it is important to take responsibility for your actions.
5. At first Joe didn't realise the significance of his discovery.
6. It was almost impossible to tell the difference between the twins.
7. In some ways, it is better to use natural ingredients like sugar and butter rather than manufactured foods.
8. Studies have shown that exercising three times a week is beneficial for the heart.
benefit confident develop different health nature responsible significant
1. I didn't have the confidence to join the school debating team.
2. We hope this new source of power will lead to the development of new businesses in our area.
3. There is a great deal of evidence that a diet of fast food is not healthy.
4. If you make a mistake, it is important to take responsibility for your actions.
5. At first Joe didn't realise the significance of his discovery.
6. It was almost impossible to tell the difference between the twins.
7. In some ways, it is better to use natural ingredients like sugar and butter rather than manufactured foods.
8. Studies have shown that exercising three times a week is beneficial for the heart.
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