IELTS Academic course from British Council School

Task 1

Time: 20-minutes

Words (minimum): 150

Summary: The Writing Task 1 of the IELTS academic test requires you to write a summary of at least 150 words in response to a particular graph (bar, line or pie graph), table, chart, or process (how something works, how something is done). This task tests your ability to select and report the main features, describe and compare data, identify significance and trends in factual information, or describe a process.

Possible graphs/charts to describe: You will need to analyse one of the following graphs or charts. You do not choose which one so you must prepare for all possibilities.

• Line graphs

• Bar graphs

• Pie charts

• Tables

• A process

• Maps

How the writing is scored:
Points in this task are awarded in 4 areas (task achievement, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource and grammatical range and accuracy).

Task achievement
This assesses how appropriately, accurately and relevantly the response fulfils the requirements set out in the task, using a minimum of 150 words. Academic Writing Task 1 is a writing task which has a defined input and a largely predictable output. It is basically an information-transfer task that relates narrowly to the factual content of an input diagram and not to speculative explanations that lie outside the given data.

Coherence and cohesion
This concerns overall clarity and fluency: how the response organises and links information, ideas and language. Coherence refers to the linking of ideas through logical sequencing. Cohesion refers to the varied and appropriate use of cohesive devices (for example, logical connectors, pronouns and conjunctions) to assist in making the conceptual and referential relationships between and within sentences clear.

Lexical resource
This refers to the range of vocabulary used and its accuracy and appropriacy in terms of the specific task.

Grammatical range and accuracy
This refers to the range and accurate use of grammar as manifested in their sentence writing.

What the scores mean:

9.0

C2

Expert User

8.5

Very Good User

8.0

C1

7.5

Good User

7.0

6.5

B2

Competent User

6.0

5.5

Modest User

5.0

B1

4.5

Limited User

0.0 – 4.0

A2 and A1

Extremely Limited/Intermittent/Non-Use

UNIT DESCRIPTION - Writing task 1

Line graphs

This area of the self-study guide focuses on 1 of the possible graphs that you might be presented with on the day of your test, a line graph.

-Video lesson given by Jemma Greening - This lesson is 20 minutes and describes in detail how to answer a line graph writing task from start to finish. This lesson is divided into the following areas:

1. Analysing the question carefully and what to look for in the graph

2. Structure - how to write an introduction,

3. Structure - how to write a main body / describe increases and decreases

4. Writing a conclusion (optional)

5. Review and put everything together (model answer)

*Please note - some of the slides and writing is occasionally blocked by Jemma’s video but you can find all of the material from the lesson in the “review slides” section.

-Review slides - All of the material used in Jemma’s video lesson can be found here

-Line Graph grammar exercise - Here is a short multiple-choice grammar exercise which focuses on comparatives and superlatives. You should do some more practice and revision of this grammar before taking your test.

-Line Graph vocabulary exercise - All of the vocabulary questions in this section are specifically related to line graphs and how to describe specific areas such as increases, decreases and fluctuations.

-Line Graph Model answer exercise - Here is a gap-fill exercise to complete with some words missing from a model answer. In this section, you need to put everything you have learnt into practice to complete the model answer accurately. This answer (after you complete the missing words) would score 8.5 / 9.0 and you should be aiming to produce a piece of writing similar to this in your test to achieve a high band score (7.0+).

UNIT DESCRIPTION - Writing task 1

Pie Charts

This area of the self-study guide focuses on 1 of the possible graphs that you might be presented with on the day of your test, a pie chart.

-Video lesson given by Jemma Greening - This lesson is 20 minutes and describes in detail how to answer a pie chart writing task from start to finish. This lesson is divided into the following areas:

1. Analysing the question carefully and what to look for in the chart

2. Structure - how to write an introduction

3. Structure - how to write a main body/overview and write more detailed descriptions of the data, including figures.

4. Writing a conclusion (optional)

5. Review and put everything together (model answer)

*Please note - some of the slides and writing is occasionally blocked by Jemma’s video but you can find all of the material from the lesson in the “review slides” section.

-Review slides - All of the material used in Jemma’s video lesson can be found here

- Pie chart grammar exercise - Here is a short multiple choice grammar exercise which focuses on future tenses as you will often have a number of pie charts that reflect data at future moments in time. Therefore, you must be able to use the appropriate grammar to describe future predictions if data is presented as a prediction of a time in the future. You should do some more practice and revision of this grammar before taking your test.

- Pie chart vocabulary exercise - All of the vocabulary questions in this section are specifically related to prepositions and how to use the correct prepositions with numbers, increases decreases and specific percentages given in pie charts.

- Pie chart model answer exercise - Here is a gap-fill exercise to complete with some words missing from a model answer. In this section, you need to put everything you have learnt into practice to complete the model answer accurately. This answer (after you complete the missing words) would score 8.5 / 9.0 and you should be aiming to produce a piece of writing similar to this in your test to achieve a high band score (7.0+).

UNIT DESCRIPTION - Writing task 1

A process/diagram

This area of the self-study guide focuses on 1 of the possible graphs that you might be presented with on the day of your test, a process/diagram.

-Video lesson given by Jemma Greening - This lesson is 20 minutes and describes in detail how to answer a diagram writing task from start to finish. This lesson is divided into the following areas:

1. Analysing the question carefully and what to look for in the diagram

2. Structure - how to write an introduction to the task

3. Structure - how to write a step-by-step account of how something is made using sequencing words and passive structures

4. Writing a conclusion (optional)

5. Review and put everything together (model answer)

*Please note - some of the slides and writing is occasionally blocked by Jemma’s video but you can find all of the material from the lesson in the “review slides” section.

-Review slides - All of the material used in Jemma’s video lesson can be found here

-A process grammar exercise - Here is a short multiple-choice grammar exercise which focuses on passives. The reason why you should focus on passives for this area of the test is that we are often describing how something is made. For this task you need to look in detail at the action that happens to something and therefore, passive structures are the most appropriate way to structure your sentences in this example. You should do some more practice and revision of this grammar before taking your test.

-A process vocabulary exercise - All of the vocabulary questions in this section are specifically related to a process and words related to this task. Here you can find some good synonyms for words that are often repeated and some sequencing words.

-A process model answer exercise - Here is a gap-fill exercise to complete with some words missing from a model answer. In this section, you need to put everything you have learnt into practice to complete the model answer accurately. This answer (after you complete the missing words) would score 8.5 / 9.0 and you should be aiming to produce a piece of writing similar to this in your test to achieve a high band score (7.0+).

UNIT DESCRIPTION - Writing task 1

Bar graphs

This area of the self-study guide focuses on 1 of the possible graphs that you might be presented with on the day of your test, a bar graph.

-Video lesson by Craig Miles- This lesson is 20 minutes and describes in detail how to answer a bar graph writing task from start to finish. This lesson is divided into the following areas:

1. Analysing the question carefully and what to look for in the graph

2. Structure - how to write an introduction

3. Structure - how to write a main body / the most striking aspect and group data together when presented with a lot of information

4. Writing a conclusion (optional)

5. Review and put everything together (model answer)

*Please note - some of the slides and writing is occasionally blocked by Craig’s video but you can find all of the material from the lesson in the “review slides” section.

-Review slides - All of the material used in Jemma’s video lesson can be found here

- Bar Graph grammar exercise - Here is a short multiple-choice grammar exercise which focuses on comparatives and superlatives and prepositions again. You encountered these topics in previous units and here is some more practice as these are an important part of writing task 1. You should do some more practice and revision of this grammar before taking your test.

-Bar Graph vocabulary exercise - All of the vocabulary questions in this section are specifically related to line graphs and how to describe specific areas such as increases, decreases and fluctuations.

-Bar Graph Model answer exercise - Here is a gap-fill exercise to complete with some words missing from a model answer. In this section, you need to put everything you have learnt into practice to complete the model answer accurately. This answer (after you complete the missing words) would score 8.5 / 9.0 and you should be aiming to produce a piece of writing similar to this in your test to achieve a high band score (7.0+).

UNIT DESCRIPTION - Writing task 1

Tables

This area of the self-study guide focuses on 1 of the possible graphs that you might be presented with on the day of your test, a table.

-Video lesson by Jemma Greening - This lesson is 20 minutes and describes in detail how to answer a table writing task from start to finish. This lesson is divided into the following areas:

1. Analysing the question carefully and what to look for in the table

2. Structure - how to write an introduction,

3. Structure - how to write a main body / how to identify areas to focus on /

4. Writing a conclusion (optional)

5. Review and put everything together (model answer)

*Please note - some of the slides and writing is occasionally blocked by Jemma’s video but you can find all of the material from the lesson in the “review slides” section.

-Review slides - All of the material used in Jemma’s video lesson can be found here

- A table grammar exercise - Here is a short multiple-choice grammar exercise which focuses on some different tenses that can often be used when describing tables of data. You should do some more practice and revision of this grammar before taking your test.

-A table vocabulary exercise - All of the vocabulary questions in this section are specifically related to tables and how to write fractions and proportions in words and not just numbers. This topic of vocabulary is useful for all task 1 possibilities and you should do some more practice outside of this guide.

-A table model answer exercise - Here is a gap-fill exercise to complete with some words missing from a model answer. In this section, you need to put everything you have learnt into practice to complete the model answer accurately. This answer (after you complete the missing words) would score 8.5 / 9.0 and you should be aiming to produce a piece of writing similar to this in your test to achieve a high band score (7.0+).

UNIT DESCRIPTION - Writing task 1

Maps

This area of the self-study guide focuses on 1 of the possible graphs that you might be presented with on the day of your test, Maps.

-Video lesson by Jemma Greening - This lesson is 20 minutes and describes in detail how to answer a table writing task from start to finish. This lesson is divided into the following areas:

1. Analysing the question carefully and what to look for in the table

2. Structure - how to write an introduction,

3. Structure - how to write a main body / how to identify areas to focus on / identifying the main changes that have taken place

4. Writing a conclusion (optional)

5. Review and put everything together (model answer)

*Please note - some of the slides and writing is occasionally blocked by Jemma’s video but you can find all of the material from the lesson in the “review slides” section.

-Review slides - All of the material used in Jemma’s video lesson can be found here

- Maps grammar exercise - Here is a short multiple-choice grammar exercise which focuses on prepositions of place. This topic is important as you will need to accurately describe the positions of different places on the maps and if they have been moved/changed. You should do some more practice and revision of this grammar before taking your test.

- Maps vocabulary exercise - All of the vocabulary questions in this section are specifically related to maps and how to write directions using a compass. This exercise requires you to fully label a compass.

- Maps model answer exercise - Here is a gap-fill exercise to complete with some words missing from a model answer. In this section, you need to put everything you have learnt into practice to complete the model answer accurately. This answer (after you complete the missing words) would score 8.5 / 9.0 and you should be aiming to produce a piece of writing similar to this in your test to achieve a high band score (7.0+).

Task 2

Time: 40-minutes

Words (minimum): 250

Summary: The second task is more demanding. You are expected to produce a written argument on a given topic and to organise your answer clearly, given some examples to support your points. You will have to write at least 250 words and, as Task 2 is longer than Task 1, you are advised to spend approximately 40 minutes on this task and 20 minutes on the first task.

* Remember, writing task 2 is worth more points than writing task 1, so make sure you keep track of your time and you don’t spend more than 20-minutes on writing task 1.

Possible types of question: You will need to answer one of the following essay question types. You do not choose which one so you must prepare for all possibilities.

• Essay - Opinion (agree or disagree)

• Essay - Advantages and disadvantages

• Essay - Problem and solution

• Essay - Discussion

• Essay - Two part question onion (agree or disagree)

How the writing is scored:

Points in this task are awarded in 4 areas (task achievement, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource and grammatical range and accuracy).

Task achievement

This assesses how appropriately, accurately and relevantly the response fulfils the requirements set out in the task, using the minimum of 250 words. Things you must remember here are as follows:

• Answer the actual question asked (i.e. don’t just write generally about the topic).

• Answer all parts of the question.

• Clearly express your opinion and support it with well-developed ideas and, ideally, examples.

Coherence and cohesion

Cohesion and Coherence are your ability to organise and present your ideas so that your essay is easy to read and understand. To score well for Cohesion and Coherence, you must do 4 things:

• Write an essay with clear ideas that are easy to understand.

• Organise ideas and information logically.

• Progress clearly from one idea to another.

• Use cohesive devices to link ideas, sentences and paragraphs.

Vocabulary / Lexical resource

This refers to the range of vocabulary used and its accuracy and appropriateness in terms of the specific task. “Lexical Resource” means “vocabulary” so it refers to the words and phrases you use in your essay.

To score well for Lexical Resource you must:

• Use a wide range of vocabulary.

• Use it correctly and appropriately.

• Use topic-specific vocabulary.

Grammatical range and accuracy

This refers to the range and accurate use of grammar as manifested in their sentence writing. Grammar refers to your ability to use a range of grammatical structures and to use them accurately. To score well for Grammar you must:

• Use complex sentences

• Produce error-free sentences

• Use a good variety of appropriate sentence structures

What the scores mean:

9.0

C2

Expert User

8.5

Very Good User

8.0

C1

7.5

Good User

7.0

6.5

B2

Competent User

6.0

5.5

Modest User

5.0

B1

4.5

Limited User

0.0 – 4.0

A2 and A1

Extremely Limited/Intermittent/Non Use

UNIT DESCRIPTION - Writing task 2

Essay - Agree / Disagree question
This area of the self-study guide focuses on 1 of the possible essay questions that you might be presented with on the day of your test, agree or disagree.

-Video lesson by Jemma Greening - This lesson is 20 minutes and describes in detail how to answer an agree/disagree essay writing task 2 from start to finish. This lesson is divided into the following areas:

1. Planning and analysing the question carefully

2. Structure - how to write an introduction

3. Structure - how to write the main paragraphs -

paragraph 1 with reasons why you agree and paragraph 2 looking at the other side of the argument (disagree) and giving reasons and examples to support your argument)

1. Writing a conclusion

2. Review and put everything together (model answer)

*Please note - some of the slides and writing is occasionally blocked by Jemma’s video but you can find all of the material from the lesson in the “review slides” section.

-Review slides - All of the material used in Jemma’s video lesson can be found here

- Agree / Disagree essay grammar exercise - Here is a short multiple-choice grammar exercise which focuses on how to use adjectives which can have “ed” or “ing” endings in your writing. You should do some more practice and revision of this grammar before taking your test.

- Agree / Disagree essay vocabulary exercise - All of the vocabulary questions in this section are specifically related to crime. How to prevent and the reasons for crimes is a topic that can come up in your test and it is therefore important to know the correct terminology as “vocabulary” is one of the marking criteria in the test.

Agree / Disagree essay Model answer exercise - Here is a gap-fill exercise to complete with some words missing from a model answer. In this section, you need to put everything you have learnt into practice to complete the model answer accurately. This answer (after you complete the missing words) would score 8.5 / 9.0 and you should be aiming to produce a piece of writing similar to this in your test to achieve a high band score (7.0+).

UNIT DESCRIPTION - Writing task 2

Essay - Advantages/disadvantages question

This area of the self-study guide focuses on 1 of the possible essay questions that you might be presented with on the day of your test, advantages/disadvantages.

-Video lesson by Jemma Greening - This lesson is 20 minutes and describes in detail how to answer an advantages/disadvantages essay writing task 2 from start to finish. This lesson is divided into the following areas:

1. Planning and analysing the question carefully

2. Structure - how to write an introduction

3. Structure - how to write a main paragraph (paragraph 1 with reasons why you agree and paragraph 2 looking at the other side of the argument (disagree) and giving reason and examples to support your argument)

4. Writing a conclusion

5. Review and put everything together (model answer)

*Please note - some of the slides and writing is occasionally blocked by Jemma’s video but you can find all of the material from the lesson in the “review slides” section.

-Review slides - All of the material used in Jemma’s video lesson can be found here

- Agree / Disagree essay grammar exercise - Here is a short multiple-choice grammar exercise which focuses on how to use “gerunds & infinitives” in your essay. This area is important for both your writing and your speaking as we use these structures in many of the sentences commonly written or spoken. You should do some more practice and revision of this grammar before taking your test.

- Agree / Disagree essay vocabulary exercise - All of the vocabulary questions in this section are specifically related to work/jobs. Work is a big area of life and as a result, is one of the possible topics for an essay you may get in your real test. It is therefore important to know the correct terminology as “vocabulary” is one of the marking criteria in the test.

Agree / Disagree essay Model answer exercise - Here is a gap-fill exercise to complete with some words missing from a model answer. In this section, you need to put everything you have learnt into practice to complete the model answer accurately. This answer (after you complete the missing words) would score 8.5 / 9.0 and you should be aiming to produce a piece of writing similar to this in your test to achieve a high band score (7.0+).

UNIT DESCRIPTION - Writing task 2

Essay - Problems and Solutions question

This area of the self-study guide focuses on 1 of the possible essay questions that you might be presented with on the day of your test, problems and solutions.

-Video lesson by Jemma Greening - This lesson is 20 minutes and describes in detail how to answer problems and solutions to essay writing task 2 from start to finish. This lesson is divided into the following areas:

1. Planning and analysing the question carefully

2. Structure - how to write an introduction

3. Structure - how to write a main paragraph (paragraph 1 - highlighting the main problems addressed in the question and paragraph 2 - identifying the possible solutions to the problems highlighted in paragraph 1)

4. Writing a conclusion

5. Review and put everything together (model answer)

*Please note - some of the slides and writing is occasionally blocked by Jemma’s video but you can find all of the material from the lesson in the “review slides” section.

-Review slides - All of the material used in Jemma’s video lesson can be found here

- Problems and solutions essay grammar exercise - Here is a short multiple choice grammar exercise which focuses on “linking words” which are also known as discourse markers in your essay. This area is arguably the most important grammar topic to study for writing task 2. Using linking words correctly will help you to achieve a high score in many areas of the marking criteria. You should do some more practice and revision of this grammar before taking your test.

- Problems and solutions essay vocabulary exercise - All of the vocabulary questions in this section are specifically related to health and a healthy lifestyle. Healthcare is another big area of life and as a result, is one of the possible topics for an essay you may get in your real test. It is therefore important to know the correct terminology as “vocabulary” is one of the marking criteria in the test.

Problems and solutions essay model answer exercise - Here is a gap-fill exercise to complete with some words missing from a model answer. In this section, you need to put everything you have learnt into practice to complete the model answer accurately. This answer (after you complete the missing words) would score 8.5 / 9.0 and you should be aiming to produce a piece of writing similar to this in your test to achieve a high band score (7.0+).

UNIT DESCRIPTION - Writing task 2

Essay - Discussion question

This area of the self-study guide focuses on 1 of the possible essay questions that you might be presented with on the day of your test, a discussion essay.

-Video lesson by Jemma Greening - This lesson is 20 minutes and describes in detail how to answer problems and solutions to essay writing task 2 from start to finish. This lesson is divided into the following areas:

1. Planning and analysing the question carefully

2. Structure - how to write an introduction

3. Structure - how to write the main paragraphs (paragraphs 1 & 2 of the body - writing about both sides of an argument equally and giving reasons and examples for why people may hold certain views on the topic. Paragraph 3 - giving your opinion on the topic)

4. Writing a conclusion

5. Review and put everything together (model answer)

*Please note - some of the slides and writing is occasionally blocked by Jemma’s video but you can find all of the material from the lesson in the “review slides” section.

-Video slides - All of the material used in Jemma’s video lesson can be found here

- A discussion essay grammar exercise - Here is a short multiple-choice grammar exercise which focuses on “conjunctions”. This area of grammar helps you to form more complex sentences and as a result, add more detail and depth to your response. You should do some more practice and revision of this grammar before taking your test.

- A discussion essay vocabulary exercise - All of the vocabulary questions in this section are specifically related to wildlife and the environment. This is another big area of life and has been a particular area of focus in the media over the past decade. As a result, it is one of the possible topics for an essay you may get in your real test. It is therefore important to know the correct terminology as “vocabulary” is one of the marking criteria in the test.

A discussion essay Model answer exercise - Here is a gap-fill exercise to complete with some words missing from a model answer. In this section, you need to put everything you have learnt into practice to complete the model answer accurately. This answer (after you complete the missing words) would score 8.5 / 9.0 and you should be aiming to produce a piece of writing similar to this in your test to achieve a high band score (7.0+).

UNIT DESCRIPTION - Writing task 2


Essay - 2-Part Questions

This area of the self-study guide focuses on 1 of the possible essay questions that you might be presented with on the day of your test, a 2-part question essay.

-Video lesson by Jemma Greening - This lesson is 20 minutes and describes in detail how to answer a 2-part question essay from start to finish. This lesson is divided into the following areas:

1. Planning and analysing the question carefully

2. Structure - how to write an introduction

3. Structure - how to write the main paragraphs (paragraph 1 - answering the first question in detail giving relevant examples to support your answer. Paragraph 2 - Answer the second question in detail giving relevant examples to support your answer.

4. Writing a conclusion

5. Review and put everything together (model answer)

*Please note - some of the slides and writing is occasionally blocked by Jemma’s video but you can find all of the material from the lesson in the “review slides” section.

-Video slides - All of the material used in Jemma’s video lesson can be found here

- A 2-part question essay grammar exercise - Here is a short multiple choice grammar exercise which focuses on “1st and 2nd conditionals”. This area of grammar can be very useful when writing conclusions to your essay and also when describing the results of certain actions. You should do some more practice and revision of this grammar before taking your test.

- A 2-part question vocabulary exercise - All of the vocabulary questions in this section are specifically related to education. This is another big area of life (hence the reason you are reading this) and as a result, it is one of the possible topics for an essay you may get in your real test. It is therefore important to know the correct terminology as “vocabulary” is one of the marking criteria in the test.

A 2-part question essay Model answer exercise - Here is a gap-fill exercise to complete with some words missing from a model answer. In this section, you need to put everything you have learnt into practice to complete the model answer accurately. This answer (after you complete the missing words) would score 8.5 / 9.0 and you should be aiming to produce a piece of writing similar to this in your test to achieve a high band score (7.0+).

IELTS Reading Techniques

In this unit

-Video lesson given by Jemma Greening - This is a 20-minute lesson which explains how to skim, scan and read for detail in the test. These are key skills which must be practised repeatedly before taking the test. Below is the main information that can be found in the video lesson and the slides.

Skimming

Skimming means quickly reading the text to get the main idea. To skim effectively, you need to read only a part of the material. You have probably already encountered skimming: when reading a long chapter of a book, or doing research on a long article. In such cases, you would probably read the first sentences of each paragraph, dropping down to the end of the paragraph.

How to skim - Read the first paragraph attentively to get an idea of what will be discussed in the text. Read the first (and sometimes the second) sentence of each paragraph - they give the main idea of the paragraph. After you have read the first sentences, your eyes should drop down to the end of the paragraph, looking for important pieces of information, such as dates and names. Read the last paragraph attentively as it may contain the summary.

Scanning - Scanning means searching for specific phrases in the text to answer some questions. Underline keywords. The questions on the IELTS Reading test often include dates, names, numbers, new terms or other keywords. So it’s a very good idea to underline those keywords while reading, so you could find the answers in the text more easily.

How to scan - Underline the important information while reading the text (dates, numbers, names etc.) When you read the question, identify the keyword and scan the text for it. This way you’ll find the answer more quickly.

*Please note - some of the slides and writing is occasionally blocked by Jemma’s video but you can find all of the material from the lesson in the “review slides” section.

-Review slides - All of the material used in Jemma’s video lesson can be found here

UNIT DESCRIPTION

IELTS Reading Module 1

In this unit you will find the following:

1. A video lesson given by Jemma Greening - This is a 20-minute lesson on how to answer particular question types in the IELTS academic reading the areas she focuses on in this video are as follows:

Identifying information / True, False or Not Given / Yes, No or Not Given

For this style of question, you will be given a number of statements and asked: ‘Do the following statements agree with the information in the text?’ They are then required to write ‘true’, ‘false’ or ‘not given’ in the boxes on their answer sheets. It is important to understand the difference between 'false' and 'not given'.

'False' means that the passage states the opposite of the statement in question;

'not given' means that the statement is neither confirmed nor contradicted by the information in the passage.

Students need to understand that any knowledge they bring with them from outside the passage should not play a part when deciding on their answers.

*Please note - some of the slides and writing is occasionally blocked by Jemma’s video but you can find all of the material from the lesson in the “review slides” section.

1. Lesson review slides - All of the material used in Jemma’s video lesson can be found here

2. A video lesson given by Jemma Greening - This is a 20-minute lesson on how to answer particular question types in the IELTS academic reading the areas she focuses on in this video are as follows:

Multiple choice/classification questions

For these types of questions, you are required to choose the best answer from four alternatives (A, B, C or D), or the best two answers from five alternatives (A, B, C, D or E), or the best three answers from seven alternatives (A, B, C, D, E, F or G). You need to write the letter of the answer they have chosen on the answer sheet. The questions may involve completing a sentence, where they are given the first part of a sentence and then choose the best way to complete it from the options or could involve complete questions; with the test takers choosing the option which best answers them. The questions are in the same order as the information in the text: that is, the answer to the first question in this group will be located in the text before the answer to the second question, and so on. This task type may be used with any type of text.

*Please note - some of the slides and writing is occasionally blocked by Jemma’s video but you can find all of the material from the lesson in the “review slides” section.

4) Lesson review slides - All of the material used in Jemma’s video lesson can be found here

Here you can find a recorded video lesson by your teacher.

UNIT DESCRIPTION

IELTS Reading Module 2

In this unit, you will find the following

1. A video lesson given by Jemma Greening - This is a 20-minute lesson on how to answer particular question types in the IELTS academic reading the areas she focuses on in this video are as follows:

Multiple choice/classification questions (continued from module 1)

For these types of questions, you are required to choose the best answer from four alternatives (A, B, C or D), or the best two answers from five alternatives (A, B, C, D or E), or the best three answers from seven alternatives (A, B, C, D, E, F or G). You need to write the letter of the answer they have chosen on the answer sheet. The questions may involve completing a sentence, where they are given the first part of a sentence and then choose the best way to complete it from the options or could involve complete questions; with the test takers choosing the option which best answers them. The questions are in the same order as the information in the text: that is, the answer to the first question in this group will be located in the text before the answer to the second question, and so on. This task type may be used with any type of text.

Matching headings

Task type and format: Test takers are given a list of headings, usually identified with lower-case Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, etc,). A heading will refer to the main idea of the paragraph or section of the text. Test takers must match the heading to the correct paragraphs or sections, which are marked alphabetically. Test takers write the appropriate Roman numerals in the boxes on their answer sheets. There will always be more headings than there are paragraphs or sections, so some headings will not be used. It is also possible that some paragraphs or sections may not be included in the task. One or more paragraphs or sections may already be matched with a heading as an example for test takers. This task type is used with texts that contain paragraphs or sections with clearly defined themes.

*Please note - some of the slides and writing is occasionally blocked by Jemma’s video but you can find all of the material from the lesson in the “review slides” section.

- Lesson review slides - All of the material used in Jemma’s video lesson can be found here

IELTS Reading Module 3

In this unit, you will find the following

1. A video lesson given by Jemma Greening - This is a 20-minute lesson on how to answer particular question types in the IELTS academic reading the areas she focuses on in this video are as follows:

Summary, note, table, flow-chart completion

When you see these styles of questions, you are given a summary of a section of the text with some words missing and are required to complete it with information drawn from the text. The summary will usually be of only one part of the passage rather than the whole. The given information may be in the form of: several connected sentences of text (referred to as a summary), several notes (referred to as notes), a table with some of its cells empty or partially empty (referred to as a table), a series of boxes or steps linked by arrows to show a sequence of events, with some of the boxes or steps empty or partially empty (referred to as a flow-chart). The answers will not necessarily occur in the same order as in the text. However, they will usually come from one section rather than the entire text.

There are two variations of this task type. Test takers may be asked either to select words from the text or to select from a list of answers.

Where words have to be selected from the passage, the instructions will make it clear how many words/numbers test takers should use in their answers, e.g. ‘NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage’, ‘ONE WORD ONLY’ or ‘NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS’. If test takers write more than the number of words asked for, they will lose the mark.

Numbers can be written using figures or words. Contracted words are not tested. Hyphenated words count as single words. Where a list of answers is provided, they most frequently consist of a single word. Because this task type often relates to precise factual information, it is often used with descriptive texts. Here you need to be aware of the type of word(s) that will fit into a given gap (for example, whether a noun is needed, or a verb, etc.) so it’s also a test of your grammar and ability to form accurate sentences which make grammatical sense.

Diagram label completion

The rules and information for these questions are almost identical to the questions described above and in the lesson by Jemma. The diagram may be of some type of machine, of parts of a building or of any other element that can be represented pictorially. This task type is often used with texts describing processes or with descriptive texts.

Diagram label completion assesses the test takers’ ability to understand a detailed description, and to relate it to information presented in the form of a diagram.

*Please note - some of the slides and writing is occasionally blocked by Jemma’s video but you can find all of the material from the lesson in the “review slides” section.

- Lesson review slides - All of the material used in Jemma’s video lesson can be found here

IELTS Speaking Test

Time: Approximately 25-minutes

Summary of the test

Part 1 – Introduction and interview

In this part, the examiner introduces him/herself and checks the test takers' identity. They then ask the test taker general questions on some familiar topics such as home, family, work, studies and interests. To ensure consistency, questions are taken from a script.

Part 1 lasts for 4–5 minutes.

This part of the test focuses on the ability to communicate opinions and information on everyday topics and common experiences or situations by answering a range of questions.

Part 2 – 2-minute speaking topic

Part 2 is the individual long turn or 2-minute speaking topic. The examiner gives the test takers a task card which asks the test takers to talk about a particular topic, includes points to cover in their talk and instructs the test takers to explain one aspect of the topic. Test takers are given one minute to prepare their talk, and are given a pencil and paper to make notes.

The examiner asks the test takers to talk for 1 to 2 minutes, stops the test takers after 2 minutes, and asks one or two questions on the same topic.

Using the points on the task card effectively, and making notes during the preparation time, will help the test takers think of appropriate things to say, structure their talk, and keep talking for 2 minutes.

Part 2 lasts 3–4 minutes, including the preparation time.

This part of the test focuses on the ability to speak at length on a given topic (without further prompts from the examiner), using appropriate language and organising ideas coherently. It is likely that the test takers will need to draw on their own experience to complete the long turn.

Part 3 – Discussion

In Part 3, the examiner and the test takers discuss issues related to the topic in Part 2 in a more general and abstract way and, where appropriate, in greater depth.

Part 3 lasts 4–5 minutes.

This part of the test focuses on the ability to express and justify opinions and to analyse, discuss and speculate about issues.

What you will find in the speaking section of this self-study guide

For all 3 sections of the speaking test, we have created some useful vocabulary and grammar questions designed to help you answer the examiners questions to the best of your ability. There are also lessons given by Jemma Greening which give some fantastic tips and advice on what you should and shouldn’t do during each section of the test. Make sure you are speaking in English as much as possible in the week leading up to your test and try to limit the amount of time you are speaking in your native tongue.

How the speaking test is scored

Fluency and coherence

This refers to the ability to talk with normal levels of continuity, rate and effort and to link ideas and language together to form coherent, connected speech. The key indicators of fluency are speech rate and speech continuity. The key indicators of coherence are logical sequencing of sentences, clear marking of stages in a discussion, narration or argument, and the use of cohesive devices (e.g. connectors, pronouns and conjunctions) within and between sentences.

Lexical resource (vocabulary)

This criterion refers to the range of vocabulary used and the precision with which meanings and attitudes can be expressed. The key indicators are the variety of words used, the adequacy and appropriacy of the words used and the ability to circumlocute (get round a vocabulary gap by using other words) with or without noticeable hesitation.

Grammatical range and accuracy

This refers to the range and the accurate and appropriate use of the test takers' grammatical resource. The key indicators of grammatical range are the length and complexity of the spoken sentences, the appropriate use of subordinate clauses, and the range of sentence structures, especially to move elements around for information focus. The key indicators of grammatical accuracy are the number of grammatical errors in a given amount of speech and the communicative effect of error.

Pronunciation

This criterion refers to the ability to produce comprehensible speech to fulfil the Speaking test requirements. The key indicators will be the amount of strain caused to the listener, the amount of the speech which is unintelligible and the noticeability of L1 influence.

What the scores mean:

9.0

C2

Expert User

8.5

Very Good User

8.0

C1

7.5

Good User

7.0

6.5

B2

Competent User

6.0

5.5

Modest User

5.0

B1

4.5

Limited User

0.0 – 4.0

A2 and A1

Extremely Limited/Intermittent/Non Use

UNIT DESCRIPTION - Speaking section 1

Speaking - Section 1

This area of the self-study guide focuses on the first part of the speaking test. The speaking test is usually the final part of the test after your listening, reading and writing tests. You also may have the option to do this part of the test on a different day.

-Video lesson given by Jemma Greening - This lesson is 20 minutes and describes in detail how to answer questions in the first part of the listening test from start to finish. This lesson is divided into the following areas:

1. What to expect in the test and what type of questions and topics to expect

2. Do’s - A list of things you should make sure you do in the test to get a good score

3. Good vocabulary to use and synonyms for commonly used words

4. Don’ts - Things you should not do in the test and mistakes that students often make that lead to a low score in the test

5. What to do if you make a mistake

*Please note - some of the slides and writing is occasionally blocked by Jemma’s video but you can find all of the material from the lesson in the “review slides” section.

-Review slides - All of the material used in Jemma’s video lesson can be found here

Present simple and continuous grammar exercise - Here is a short multiple choice grammar exercise which focuses on present simple and present continuous. This grammar is commonly used in the first part of the test as the examiner will ask you about hobbies and habits which require you to use these tenses. You should do some more practice and revision of this grammar before taking your test.

-Vocabulary exercises - All of the vocabulary questions in this section are specifically related to speaking about your hometown, hobbies and interests. You are almost guaranteed to be asked questions about where you are from, your hometown and what you like to do in your free time so you should prepare some nice vocabulary to use when the examiner asks you where you are from.

UNIT DESCRIPTION - Speaking section 2

Speaking - Section 2

This area of the self-study guide focuses on the second part of the speaking test. This part of the test requires you to speak for 1-2 minutes, without stopping, about a topic that the examiner gives you. Before you start speaking, you have 1-minute to plan your response. You should speak until the examiner stops you.

-Video lesson given by Jemma Greening - This lesson is 20 minutes and describes in detail how to speak about a number of possible topics you might be asked to speak about. The lesson explains the following things:

1. What happens in section 2 of the speaking test

2. Common topics to prepare that have come up in past tests

3. Things you should do in this section of the test

4. How to use the 1-minute planning time

5. Things should not do in this section

6. A model answer for this part of the test

*Please note - some of the slides and writing is occasionally blocked by Jemma’s video but you can find all of the material from the lesson in the “review slides” section.

-Review slides - All of the material used in Jemma’s video lesson can be found here

-Pronouns grammar exercise - Here is a short multiple-choice grammar exercise which focuses on pronouns. This grammar is commonly used in the second part of the test as the examiner may ask you about another person, and this grammar is useful for referring to other people. You should do some more practice and revision of this grammar before taking your test.

-Vocabulary exercises - Many of the vocabulary questions in this section are specifically related to speaking about people, a specific item or a period of time. These topics are very commonly given in this section of the speaking test so it is worth doing some practice speaking about a person, a place, a thing or a time in your life.

UNIT DESCRIPTION - Speaking section 3

Speaking - Section 3

This area of the self-study guide focuses on the third and final part of the speaking test. In this part of the test, the examiner will ask you some longer questions, which are often related to the topic in section 2, and you will need to give your opinions on different things. This part of the test will assess how well you are able to think and answer on the spot about unfamiliar topics without preparation.

-Video lesson by Jemma Greening - This lesson is 20 minutes and describes in detail how to speak about a number of possible topics you might be asked about. The lesson explains the following things:

1. What happens in section 3 of the speaking test

2. Common topics to prepare that have come up in past tests

3. Things you should do in this section of the test

4. Things should not do in this section

*Please note - some of the slides and writing is occasionally blocked by Jemma’s video but you can find all of the material from the lesson in the “review slides” section.

-Review slides - All of the material used in Jemma’s video lesson can be found here

Modal verbs grammar exercise - Here is a short multiple-choice grammar exercise which focuses on modal verbs. This grammar is commonly used in the third part of the test as the examiner may ask you about your opinions on certain issues, and modal verbs can be used for this. You should do some more practice and revision of this grammar before taking your test.

-Vocabulary exercises - Many of the vocabulary questions in this section are specifically related to giving opinions on different topics. We have decided to add some practice questions about the media and food as these are topics that have come up quite a lot in our experience.

IELTS Academic Listening test

Time: 30 minutes (plus 10-minutes to transfer your answers)

Total number of sections: 4

Total number of questions: 40

Summary: You will listen to four recordings of native English speakers and then write your answers to a series of questions.

Recording 1 – a conversation between two people set in an everyday social context.

Recording 2 – a monologue set in an everyday social context, e.g. a speech about local facilities.

Recording 3 – a conversation between up to four people set in an educational or training context, e.g. a university tutor and a student discussing an assignment.

Recording 4 – a monologue on an academic subject, e.g. a university lecture.

Modules in this self-study guide

• 20-minute video lessons (Jemma Greening) - Tips and strategies for the listening test

• Lesson slides - All of the PDF notes from the video lesson by Jemma

• Practice test - Listening section 1

• Practice test - Listening section 2

• Practice test - Listening section 3

• Practice test - Listening section 4

Possible question types: A variety of question types are used which are as follows:

• multiple choice (a,b,c, or d)

• table or note completion

• Matching questions

• diagram label completion

• Sentence completion

• flow-chart completion

• Diagram / map labelling

• short-answer questions
  
  

  How the listening is scored: Each question is worth 1 mark and the total points available are 40. Here is a breakdown of how your scores out of 40 to the IELTS level:

  
  

  
  

UNIT DESCRIPTION

Listening Section 1

What is the first section in IELTS listening?

In the first section, there is a conversation between two speakers. For example - a conversation about travel arrangements, booking accommodation, or decisions on a night out.

You will often be asked to fill in information and you will hear the speaker say the answers.

You will often be asked to spell something, maybe a name or a place. It may sound easy, but spelling can be tricky for many students, especially vowels (a,e,i,o,u) so make sure you practice. If you spell anything wrong, even one letter, it is marked as wrong.

There are usually telephone numbers you need to write down quickly

The answers come in order (first question 1 and last question 10)

What is in this module

Section 1 – test practice

*We recommend using youtube.com to find more practice listening tests. Alternatively, the British Council website also has a number of free practice tests available.

UNIT DESCRIPTION

Listening Section 2

What is the second section in IELTS listening?

In the second section In section 2 you will hear someone talking by themselves about a non-academic subject (e.g. TV or radio presenter).

Students are required to listen to a general monologue (one person talking) in an everyday social situation.

It could be someone giving a guided tour around a museum, or someone simply talking about a particular interest of theirs. Often a diagram or map has to be labelled by test takers.

Studying the map/diagram/picture carefully, including any labels already provided, can help predict the questions and help you prepare to listen.

Think about where anything not labelled actually is, in relation to where known/labelled items are. This is often how the non-labelled items will be identified or described.

Recordings may make use of synonyms/paraphrases to test candidates.

What is in this module

Section 2 – test practice

*We recommend using youtube.com to find more practice listening tests. Alternatively, the British Council website also has a number of free practice tests available.

UNIT DESCRIPTION

Listening Section 3

What is the third section in IELTS listening?

In the third section, you hear two, three or four people talking about an academic topic. They may be students or teachers. They could be talking about a particular course assignment or project, or a more general academic topic, such as study skills.

What is in this module

Section 3 – test practice

*We recommend using youtube.com to find more practice listening tests. Alternatively, the British Council website also has a number of free practice tests available.

UNIT DESCRIPTION

Listening Section 4

What is the fourth section in IELTS listening?

In the fourth section, you listen to an academic talk or lecture. There is only one speaker. You are given time, in the beginning, to look through the questions, but there is no pause in the middle of the recording. Because of this, it is particularly important to follow the stages of the lecture.

The answers to the question come in the order you hear them and all the questions will be fill-in-the-gap questions. You will hear the speaker say the words that you need to write in the given space.

What is in this module

Section 4 – test practice

*We recommend using youtube.com to find more practice listening tests. Alternatively, the British Council website also has a number of free practice tests available.