IELTS

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Part Speaking

Секреты успешной сдачи (от преподавателя British Council)

IELTS Scores             IELTS Speaking Criteria         Speaking Score        

                           Topics for speaking (Part 1)

Speaking Part 1 lasts between 4-5 minutes and you will be asked questions about familiar topics.
Tips:
  • Develop topics fully (2-3 sentences long for part 1).
  • You shouldn't give very short answers and instead fully support your answers with explanations and examples (!) when appropriate.
  •  Part 2 requires you to speak for between 1-2 minutes 
  • Part 3 answers are normally 3-4 sentences long. To extend your answers in part 3, make sure you answer the question and then explain your main points and give relevant examples to support your main points.
  • Talk a natural speed and not very quickly.
  • Don't use formal phrases. The phrases on the left side are too formal for the Speaking test and the phrases on the right should be used instead.
  • It is said that….People say that….
    It is agreed that….I agree….
    It is necessary for me to….I’ve got to…..
    In my opinion….I think…
    In my view…I guess….
    There is much…There is lots of….
    WhilstWhile
    Moreover…As well as that….
    In addition…What’s more….
    Additionally…Another thing is….
    In consequence….So…
    Therefore…So….
    Hence…So….
    In conclusion…All in all…
    Firstly….To begin with…
    Thereafter…After that….
    However…Still….
    Nevertheless….Mind you….
    Incidentally….By the way….
    Regarding….As for….
    On the other hand….While…..
    It is true….Of course….
    In modern life…These days…..
    Nowadays…Today…
    As a matter of fact….Actually….
  • Spoken English is normally much less formal than academic written English, so it is fine to use idioms in the speaking test.
Common Idioms 
Over the moon– to be extremely pleased or happy.I was over the moon when I passed my speaking test. Once in a blue moon– happens very rarely.
A student will get a 9 in the IELTS writing test once in a blue moon. 
A piece of cake– very easy. Getting a band 6 in the speaking test will be a piece of cake.
A drop in the ocean– a very small part of something much bigger.
Just learning idioms is a drop in the ocean when it comes to preparing for the speaking test.
Actions speak louder than words– it is better to actually do something than just talk about it.
Lots of people have great business ideas but do nothing about them. Actions speak louder than words, just do it.
Back to the drawing board– when you attempted to do something but failed and have to try again.
I got 4.5 in reading! Oh well, back to the drawing board. Put all your eggs in one basket- put all your money or effort into one thing.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. You should apply to lots of different universities.
The in thing– something fashionable. The new iPhone is really the in thing at the moment.
The real McCoy– genuine or not fake. I don’t think her new handbag is the real McCoy.
Off the top of my head– saying something without thinking first. Off the top of my head, I’d say about 2 or 3.
Run of the mill– average, ordinary Apple phones are very run of the mill these days.
Soul mate– someone you trust very deeply. My husband is not just my lover, he’s my soul mate.
Down in the dumps– sad. I was really down in the dumps after my dog died.
Found my feet– to become comfortable doing something. Moving to a new city was difficult as first, but I soon found my feet.
Set in their ways– not wanting to change. My parents are quite traditional and set in their ways.
Go the extra mile– do much more than is required. I decided to go the extra mile and move to England to really perfect my English.
A hot potato– a controversial topic. Abortion and capital punishment are hot potatoes in my country at the moment.
Miss the boat– miss an opportunity. I sent my application in late and I think I missed the boat. 
Costs an arm and a leg– really expensive. Those shoes must have cost an arm and a leg.
Sit on the fence– to be undecided. I haven’t made my mind up about that issue, I’ll have to sit on the fence.
1. Work
2. Study
3. Hometown   
8. TV
9. Sport
10. Hobbies
11. Family

Part 3 

Writing IELTS

Writing Task 1                                                                        

5 Common Task 1 Mistakes That Stop You Getting Over a Band 

Writing Task 2          

Criminal Justice 

(you may read the text first) 

Some people that there should be fixed punishments for each type of crime. Others, however, argue that the circumstances of an individual crime, and the motivation for committing it, should always be taken into account when deciding on the punishment./     Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

 Some people believe that capital punishment should never be used. Others, however, argue that it should be allowed for the most serious crimes.                     Discuss both views and give your opinion.

 Some people believe the purpose of prison is to punish, while other would argue that rehabilitation is its primary role.      Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

 Some people feel unsafe when they are in public and at home.       What are the possible causes for this and what are some possible solutions?

 Some people say that excessive noise should be a criminal offence, while others say they should be free to make noise without limitation.        Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

 Health

Some people say that the best way to improve public health is by increasing the number of sports facilities. Others, however, say that this would have little effect on public health and that other measures are required.      Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.


 In some countries levels of health and fitness are decreasing and average weights are increasing.  What do you think are the causes of these problems and what are some possible solutions?

 Research indicates that the characteristic we are born with have much more influence on our personality and development than any other experiences we may have in our life.   Which do you consider to be the major influence?

 Schools should do more to teach students about their health and wellbeing. Do you agree or disagree?

 More and more schools allow fast food restaurant to sell their products to their students. Is it a positive or a negative development?
 Education

 University students must pay all tuition fees, because it benefits mostly them individually, rather than the society as a whole. Do you agree or disagree?

 Some say that music, art and drama are as important as other school subjects, especially at the primary level. Do you agree or disagree?

 Some people believe that studying history is very important and we must study the past to understand the present. Others say that it is useless and should not be studied at all. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

 Some teachers tend to reward students who achieve high academic results. Others, however, support and reward students that show the most improvement.      Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

 Giving lectures in halls to large numbers of people is an outdated method of teaching. With the technology available today there is no justification for it, and everything should be done online. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

 In most universities students focus on specialised subjects, however some people believe that universities should encourage students to study a wider variety of subjects. To want extent you agree or disagree?

 It is generally believed that some people are born with certain talents, for instance for sport or music, and other are not. However, it is sometimes claimed that any child can be taught to become a good sports person or musician.   Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

 Some people think that universities should provide graduates with the knowledge and skills needed in the workplace. Others think that the true function of a university should be to give access to knowledge for its own sake, regardless of whether the course is useful to an employer.  What, in your opinion, should be the main function of a university?

 Some parents think that childcare centres provide the best services for children of pre-school age. Other working parents think that family members such as grandparents will be better carers for their kids. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

 Governments should spend more money on education than on recreation and sports. Do you agree or disagree?

 Some people believe that unpaid community service should be a compulsory part of high school programmes (for example working for a charity, improving the neighborhood or teaching sports to younger children). To what extent do you agree or disagree?

 Some people think that it is better to educate girls and boys in separate schools. Others, however, believe that boys and girls benefit more from attending mixed schools. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

 Some people think that parents should teach children how to be good members of society. Others, however, believe that school is the place to learn this. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

 Universities should accept equal numbers of male and female students in every subject. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

 In some countries young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between finishing high school and starting university. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?

 Some people think that a sense of competition in children should be encouraged. Others believe that children who are taught to co-operate rather than compete become more useful adults. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

 Some people believe that children are given too much free time. They feel that this time should be used to do more academic work.   How do you think children should spend their free time?

 In many countries schools have severe problems with students behaviour.What do you think are the causes of this?What solutions can you suggest?

 University students should pay in full for their own education instead of the society funding their studies. The reason is that individuals tend to benefit after graduation more than the society.To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give your own opinion.

 Some people believe that students should be allowed to evaluate and criticise their teachers to improve the quality of education. Others think this is disrespectful to teachers.Discuss both views, give your opinion and include relevant examples.

 Youth Crime

Nowadays many young people deliberately damage public places. What are the causes and solutions?

 Some people believe that a person’s criminal record should be removed when they reach the age of 18.To what extent do you agree or disagree?

 More and more young people are using drugs and alcohol and as a result, breaking the law.What are the causes of this problem?What are some possible solutions?

 Children should never be put in prison with adults no matter how serious their crime.To what extent do you agree or disagree?
 Celebrity

 Being a celebrity- such as a movie star or professional athlete- brings problems as a well as benefits. Do you think that being a celebrity brings has more benefits or drawbacks?

 Some people feel that entertainers (e.g. film stars, pop musicians or sports stars) are paid too much money.Do you agree or disagree?Which other types of job should be highly paid?

 Successful sports professionals can earn a much more money than people in other important jobs. Some people think this is fully justified while others think it is unfair.Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
 Environment

 There is a growing demand for fresh water nowadays and this is becoming a global problem.What are the causes and solutions?

 Many people think that too much attention and resources are given to protection of wild animals and birds.Do you agree or disagree?

 Increasing the price of petrol is the best way to solve growing traffic and pollution problems.To what extent do you agree or disagree?What other measures do you think might be effective?

 Nowadays we are producing more and more waste.What are the causes of this?What can be done to help reduce the amount of waste?

 Many people believe that companies and individuals should pay to clean up the environment in proportion to the amount of pollution they have produced.Do you agree or disagree?

 Global warming is the biggest threat we face today. what extent do you agree or disagree?

Technology

 Children today are too dependent on computers and electronic entertainment. It would be better to encourage them to spend more time outside playing sports and games. Do you agree or disagree?

 Some people say that public libraries are an important public resource and should be free, others say that they are just a waste of public money? Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

 Some people think that excessive use of smart phones badly affects teenagers’ literacy skills.Do you agree or disagree?

 The internet contains a lot of information that can help people, however, sometimes the information is inaccurate or wrong. Do you agree or disagree?

 Nowadays the way many people interact with each other has changed because of technology. In what ways has technology affected the types of relationships people make? Has this become a positive or negative development?

 Computers have made the world a better place to live. Do you agree or disagree?

 Some people believe that the use of mobile phones in public is as annoying as smoking and should be banned. Do you agree or disagree?

Employment

 Most high-level positions in companies are filled by men even though the workforce in many developed countries is more than 50 percent female. Companies should be required to allocate a certain percentage of these positions to women. Do you agree?

 Nowadays more and more people have to compete with young people for the same jobs.What problems does this cause? What are some possible solutions?

 Women and men are commonly seen as having different strengths and weaknesses. Is it right to exclude males or females from certain professions because of their gender?

 As most people spend a major part of their adult life at work, job satisfaction is an important element of individual wellbeing. What factors contribute to job satisfaction? How realistic is the expectation of job satisfaction for all workers?

 Some people think that people in senior positions alone should make decisions in a business, while others think that employees should be involved in the decision-making process too. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

 Nowadays many people work part or full time from home. Some people say that working from home has many benefits while others disagree. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

 For some people a high salary is the most important criterion when choosing a new job while others are satisfied if the job contributes to society. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
 Globalisation

 In many places traditional food has been replaced by international fast food. This has adverse effects on individuals and society. Do you agree or disagree?

 More and more people are visiting historic site and sometimes tourists may damage these ancient sites. The number of people visiting these places should be strictly limited. Do you agree or disagree?

 Shopping has developed from a necessary activity to a kind of entertainment. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

 Many small businesses are being forced to close because they are unable to compete with multinational corporations.What problems does this cause and how can those problems be solved?

 Multinational companies are becoming increasingly common in developing countries.What are the advantage and disadvantages of this?
 Government Spending

 People prefer to watch foreign films rather than locally produced ones.Why do you think this happens? Should the government support local film makers financially?

 Some people think that governments should invest more in public services instead of wasting money on arts such as music and paintings. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

 Some people believe that the government should pay for and offer housing to people who lost their homes or cannot afford them. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

 Some people think that the government should fund music, dance and arts lessons for children. Others think that they should be funded by private businesses or by children’s families.Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

 Many people think that the government should spend money to explore outer space, while others think that it’s a waste of public money. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

 Some people think that mothers should spend most of their time raising their family, and therefore the government should support them financially. Do you agree or disagree?
 Development

 In some countries the numbers of children aged 15 and younger are increasing dramatically. What are the current and future effects of an ever increasing population?

 A recent study showed people in developed countries are not as happy as they were before development. What are the causes of this and what are some possible solutions?

 Sometimes celebrities get invited to international aid events. Do you think that such events deviate from their main purpose by inviting famous people?

 Some people believe that richer countries should give poorer countries more financial assistance. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

 Some people believe that no aid should be given to developing countries that have poor human rights records. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Public Transport

 Some people think that a car is the best way to travel in cities while others believe a bicycle is a better way to commute. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

 Many cities have serious problems with traffic congestion. What are the causes of these problems and what are some possible solutions?

  Growing numbers of cities are making their centres pedestrian-only zones. What are the advantages and disadvantages?

 Some people believe that the best way to reduce traffic congestion is to increase the price of petrol. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
 Society

 Every year several languages die out. Some people think that it is not important because life will be easier if there are fewer languages in the world. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

 It is becoming increasingly popular for people to travel to tourist destinations during public holidays.What problems does this cause? What solutions are there to these problems?

 Today, the high sales of popular consumer goods reflect the power of advertising and not the real needs of the society in which they are sold. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

 Some people believe that visitors to other countries should follow local customs and behaviour. Others disagree and think that the host country should welcome cultural differences. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

 At present the media affects people’s lives significantly. What impact does this have on society? Is it a negative or positive development?

 Young people say that traveling to different countries benefits them and society. Do you agree or disagree? Give your opinion.

 These days more fathers stay at home and take care of their children while mothers go out to work. What are the main reasons for this? Do you think this is a positive or a negative development?

  • 2015 Essay Topics were the following:

  1. Traditional Culture
  2. Government Spending
  3. Technology
  4. Technology
  5. Education
  6. Health
  7. Technology
  8. Traditional Culture
  9. Education
  10. Health
  11. International Aid
  12. The Environment
  13. Economics
  14. Education
  15. !!!!Health Technology, Health, Education and the Environment are important topics and will feature regularly in the future. Reading within these topics will help you and you will also pick up vocabulary just by reading about them.         

Agree or Disagree Sample Essay  (band score 9) 

It is argued that governments should levy a tariff on junk food because the number of health risks associated with consuming this kind of food is on the rise. It is agreed that a higher rate of tax should be paid by fast food companies. Firstly, this essay will discuss the fact that alcohol and tobacco companies already pay higher taxes and secondly, discuss how higher taxes would raise prices and lower consumption, followed by a reasoned conclusion.
Higher excise on liqueur and cigarettes has proven to be successful at curbing the harm caused by these substances. This revenue has been used to treat health problems associated with these products, has proven useful in advertising campaigns warning people about the dangers of alcohol and tobacco abuse and tax from fast food could be used in the same way. The United Kingdom is a prime example, where money from smokers is used to treat lung cancer and heart disease. However, some may argue that alcohol and tobacco are addictive substances and fast food should not be treated in the same way. 
Increasing taxes would raise prices and lower consumption. Fast food companies would pass on these taxes to consumers in the form of higher prices and this would lead to people not being able to afford junk food. For instance, the cost of organic food has proven prohibitively expensive for most people. Despite this, people in many developed countries, where the problem is most acute, can afford price hikes and will continue to eat high fat meals.
In conclusion, junk food should be taxed at a higher rate because of the good precedent set by alcohol and tobacco and the fact that the increased cost should reduce the amount of fast food people buy. Finally, it is predicted that with the ever increasing health problems associated with obesity, governments are sure to introduce some kind of ‘fat tax’ in the near future.
 320 words (band score 9)     

Exercise 1- Question Analysis

The threat of nuclear weapons maintains world peace. Nuclear power provides cheap and clean energy. The benefits of nuclear technology far outweigh the disadvantages. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample Answer

It is often argued that nuclear arsenals keep the world safe and that nuclear energy is an inexpensive and environmentally friendly source of power. This essay totally disagrees that these benefits outweigh the drawbacks because the downsides are the eradication of mankind and the destruction of the planet.
Believing that major powers having nuclear warheads pointed at one another is a good thing because it ensures super powers will not go to war is foolish. This is because it only takes one mistake or a rogue commander to trigger a nuclear conflict and this is a conflict most of us would not survive. For example, during the Cuban Missile Crisis the United States and the USSR came extremely close to launching their missiles and this demonstrates that they are not actually the ultimate deterrent and nuclear war is possible.
The idea that nuclear fission is a clean source of energy has been dispelled by numerous high profile accidents at nuclear power plants. These disasters show just how harmful and long lasting a leak of nuclear material can be and the contamination is not worth it when other sources of energy are available. For example, the Fukushima disaster has polluted huge parts of the Pacific Ocean and it has been reported that fish as far away as California have dangerous levels of radiation. To make matters worse, solar and wind energy could replace nuclear energy tomorrow if there was the political will to do so.
In conclusion, this essay disagrees with the opinion that nuclear technology is beneficial rather than dangerous because the consequences of using nuclear energy in the wrong way are so catastrophic to both our species and the Earth itself.
Other sample essays (you should study carefully).

  Part  Reading 

                                                        

3. Tips to pass the exam successfully

4. How to write an informal letter

5. http://ieltsadvantage.com/2016/01/21/my-ielts-test-is-next-week-what-should-i-do/(советы по подготовке за 1-3 месяца)


                                    Part Listening

Information about t this Part

                                                      


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