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IELTSBlog.com presents:

How to get a higher IELTS score

by building a positive image in the examiner’s mind This series of lessons was prepared by Donna Millen especially for the eaders of r IELTS‐Blog.com. The lessons are brilliant and will do amazing hings for your IELTS score if you study and implement them. t

You will learn:

Lesson #1: ositive, psychological impression on your How to create a pIELTS assessors.

Lesson #2: How to write a Task 1 report that will impress your assessors (Academic Module).

Lesson #3: r that will impress your assessors How to write a Task 1 lette(General Training Module)

Lesson #4: l influence your assessors How to write a Task 2 essay that wilpositively (Academic and General).

esson #5

L : test score by How to improve your Speaking connecting with your assessor.

Lesson #6: How to optimize your performance in the Listening and Reading

tests.

Donna Millen, co‐author of the Centre for English Language in the University of South Australia’s IELTS on Track series of books (ieltsontrack.com) talks about what may create a positive psychological impression on assessors who may be scoring the Writing and Speaking (interview) components of your IELTS test.

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More recommended resources The following books are a great source of practice material across the four test skills plus a variety of hints and strategies, and grammar and vocabulary exercises to help with IELTS Writing.

IELTS On Track Test Practice Academic (with audio CD) Visit IELTS on Track website to view details and order:

http://www.ieltsontrack.com/product.php?category=11

IELTS On Track Test Practice General Training (with audio CD) Visit IELTS on Track website to view details and order: http://www.ieltsontrack.com/product.php?category=12

To learn more about Donna Millen and her co-author, a former university professor and IELTS researcher Stephen Slater, visit ieltsontrack.com.


Lesson #1: How to create a positive, psychological impression on your IELTS assessors

Imagine these IELTS test situations:

Situation 1 You are sitting outside the IELTS interview room. It is hot, the air conditioning is not orking properly, the IELTS assessor has already interviewed 10 candidates, and ou are number 11. You are tired of waiting; the interviewer is tired too. wy

Situation 2 Your IELTS Writing Test paper with your responses on it is at the bottom of a pile of thers. There are 20 in the pile. The assessor has just had to spend 30 minutes ooking for a parking space. ol

Situation 3 An IELTS assessor is giving test scores to a candidate they have just interviewed. The assessor is reading the assessment criteria but is still very undecided and is aving great difficulty deciding which way to jump on two of the criteria – go up to 7 r leave the scores at 6? ho Although the actual IELTS assessment criteria are confidential, the official IELTS website does give some indication of what they contain. What the official IELTS ebsite doesn’t contain, however, is any sense of those aspects of a candidate’s test w

performance that have some impact on the assessor psychologically. In other words, what can candidates do to make an assessor feel more positive towards them. This may be important, because if the assessor is in any serious oubt about your score, the more positive they feel towards you psychologically, the dmore they may choose the higher score.

et’s try to identify one or two possible, general factors. L

http://www.ielts-blog.com/ielts-preparation-tips/speaking-tips/ielts-speaking-what-to-expect-interview/

http://www.ielts-blog.com/ielts-preparation-tips/writing-tiphttp:/www.ielts-blog.com/ielts-preparation-tips/writing-tips/ielts-writing-2-task-explained/s/ielts-writing-2-task-explained/

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IELTS WRITING TEST – TWO general factors

Handwriting and layout

The first thing the assessor sees is your handwriting. If your writing is difficult to read, has many things crossed out, no paragraphs or punctuation to create a sense of organisation and structure, then immediately the assessor knows that your writing is going to be more challenging to read, and that you have not shown that you value the assessor (your reader), and have not valued the reader‐writer relationship.

Maturity of expression and ‘voice’ There is a difference between writing simple, clear English and writing English that s too simple. The IELTS test requires writing that reflects a mature way of thinking, iso if your writing seems ‘babyish’, then the assessor can’t view it so positively. What makes writing ‘babyish’? Of course, if you don’t know many expressions and can’t control the grammar very well then this may be part of the problem. Another eature of this babyish writing, however, is writing which is not very precise or with deas that are not developed enough. fi C

ompare these sentences:

1) People should do less work and spend more time with their family. It is better. 2) It would perhaps improve the quality of family life if people with busy,

emanding jobs could find ways to spend more of their non-work time with embers of their family, especially with children or elderly parents.

dm


Perhaps it is difficult for you to achieve the level of English grammatical complexity n sentence 2 under the pressure of time in a test, but in IELTS you might try to

ng in that direction in order to make it seem more mature. imove your writi In other words, try to make your writing contain more detailed and more precise expression of thoughts and ideas. This precision and evidence of thought are communicated in a psychologically positive way to the assessor, not just because of correct grammar but also because they reflect an adult way of thinking, a way hat knows that understanding and discussing life issues in the social world is

an simple. tcomplex rather th At the same time, if you can be more detailed and precise, then you create your own written ‘voice’, which means your own unique style of writing. This means that the assessor can feel you as a real individual, not just as another IELTS answer. This helps to connect the assessor to you, and creates a significant relationship between reader and writer, which is usually a positive thing.


IELTS Interview –TWO general points

Every meeting between two people creates a relationship

Imagine you are in a coffee shop and a pleasant person at the next table starts to talk to you. You will probably see yourself as equal to that other person – because you are both in a coffee shop and both drinking something. This helps your confidence nd helps you to feel in control both of your emotions, and of what you choose to ay. as When you enter the IELTS interview room it’s a good idea if you can create that same feeling – it is a meeting and you have an opportunity to connect with the assessor as a person, at the same time as doing the interview. If you connect with the assessor and present as a pleasant, confident adult, rather than as a school tudent sitting with a teacher, this helps the assessor both to see you positively as n equal, and to relate to you more positively. sa You are an equal not an IELTS victim. Your body language needs to be natural and relaxed, not stiff, you should make eye contact pleasantly and confidently. You can choose to talk at a relaxed speed, rather than too fast. You can try to use ntonation to show how you feel about what you are saying – this communicates our personality, your uniqueness. iy You might try to find the rhythm and timing of each section of the test and reflect it back to the assessor – this shows the assessor you are cooperating in making their job of getting through the test sections in 11‐14 minutes easier, almost like you are the assessor’s co‐worker. All these things communicate your personality and create a positive social atmosphere. This makes the assessor feel more comfortable psychologically too.

http://www.ielts-blog.com/ielts-preparation-tips/ielts-speaking-test-the-perfect-example/


Help the assessor to get a stronger sense of YOU and your personality.

In the IELTS interview there are many opportunities to talk about your own life and culture. Even if the assessor’s questions seem a bit mechanical, you can still try to nswer them as if they are part of a friendly conversation in which you are helping he assessor to know you and your country a little better. at You can be a sort of teacher, a window on your life and culture. This shows confidence and helps you to emerge as a real person, a unique person, not a tereotypical voice of your own language and culture, repeating just a set of rdinary answers. so Just like you, the assessor is hoping to meet a unique and memorable individual, and hoping to get a sense of your uniqueness, even though they are also formally assessing your spoken language. YOU can help the assessor to see you positively as a person and can help the assessor to feel comfortable with you. You have some control over the relationship that is created in that situation and can hus influence the psychological wellbeing of the assessor. But, it must feel and be atural, not forced. tn

http://www.ielts-blog.com/ielts-preparation-tips/speaking-tips/ielts-speaking-what-else-to-expect/


To summarise Life is essentially a social experience. Taking IELTS is part of that social life. Even though it may not seem that way, you are in brief social relationships with assessors when you do the IELTS Writing and when you are interviewed for the IELTS Speaking test. It is important for you to manage those relationships as ell as you can, in order to influence the assessor’s psychology positively, even if his is not officially a component of the stated assessment criteria. wt Influencing an assessor positively but genuinely and naturally may lead to better scores when an assessor is in doubt and is weighing up whether to give you a higher or a lower score. If you are viewed by your assessor as a mature, professional adult with a pleasant , natural and unique personality, and as someone who can inform the assessor about interesting things in a careful, precise way then this may leave a positive impression of you, in contrast to some of the other twenty or so candidates with whom the assessor may have interacted that day, and who may have either faded quickly and anonymously away, or worse, left the assessor with a feeling of frustration or irritation. NEXT TIME, I’ll talk about some of the specific things that may influence IELTS assessors when they read and score your answer to the Task 1 report in the IELTS Academic Writing test.

© 2009 Donna Millen and ieltsontrack.com

This article is copyright to ieltsontrack.com, and may not be reproduced or copied without the permission of ieltsontrack.com

The design and layout of this series of lessons are copyright to IELTSBlog.com and may not be reproduced or copied without the permission of IELTSBlog.com


Lesson #2: How to write a Task 1 report that will impress your assessors (Academic Module).

Before beginning Lesson #2, here is a short summary of what we learned last week. Summary of Lesson #1.

ower to: In the IELTS Writing and Speaking tests you have some p • i ession that you make on the assessor b ychological impression in the assessor’s mind of the sort of nfluence the impruild a positive, psperson YOU are.

•

In the IELTS Writing test you can impress the assessor by:

well‐organised way turely and with precision

• presenting your writing neatly and in a writing sentences that express ideas ma avoiding ‘babyish’ simple expressions. •• In the IELTS Speaking test you can impress the assessor by: • behaving as an equal • e a friendly and open way • t things about your life and culture xpressing your personality inelling the assessor interesting(when it is relevant to do so). N ow let’s move on to Lesson #2.

Important background issues

efore looking specifically at this week’s lesson on IELTS Academic Writing Task 1, et’s explore one or two important background issues in the Writing test. Bl

Don’t become a ‘clock victim’

The IELTS Academic Writing test puts every candidate under a great deal of time pressure. Candidates know that they have to respond to two tasks by writing a 150‐word, and then a 250‐word answer in only one hour. Under such conditions, it is easy for candidates to see themselves as powerless ‘clock victims’.

What is an IELTS ‘clock victim’? andidates who spend too much time either counting words, clock watching or being over‐nxious about time can be described as ‘clock victims’. Ca Cut down on word counting Avoid losing time by counting words too frequently. Instead, work out the approximate, average number of words you normally write on a line, count the number of lines you have ritten and multiply them together. A full IELTS Answer page has about 20 lines. If you ormally write about 10 words on each line you will write about 200 words on a full page. wn What to do to prevent feeling so anxious in the IELTS writing test To you need to:

can increase your ability to control this help to manage feelings of anxiety

• see yourself in a more positive way so that youchallenging writing test situation. beco e better at organising your written text. • m

OW? H


Create a suitable ‘test persona’ for the IELTS writing test It is important for test takers to create a suitable ‘test persona’ (a sort of test identity) with which both to manage their test performance and to build the confidence to connect positively with and make a positive impression on the assessor. Being a ‘panicky test taker’ is not a suitable test persona.

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What might be a suit

magine this context:

able ’test persona’ for the IELTS Academic Writing test? I

You are working with a senior, university lecturer on some social research. This lecturer has asked you to present them with a brief report on some data and to give some outline views on a social issue as background material to be taken to a twoday, academic seminar overseas. The lecturer is flying overseas for that seminar at lunchtime.

Time is important also in this imaginary context, but it is important in this case because of your colleague’s schedule, so you are helping someone. Also an academic context is a professional context in which you would be expected to write in a mature, considered, clear, precise and professional manner. This ‘professional and academic test persona’ is a more suitable one for you to imagine yourself in than just being a ‘test candidate’; it establishes a much stronger ense of relationship between writer and reader, and this gives your writing a stronger ocial purpose. ss But I’m taking an IELTS language test, not working for a university…. erhaps this is what you are thinking right now. Perhaps you think this idea of a P‘professional, academic test persona’ is a little bit crazy. OK, then think about it this way. Even if you are not trying to do so, or not aware of doing so, almost everything you write to another person carries an impression of YOU within it. If, for example, your writing is disorganised, looks messy, is off the point, offers inaccurate information, then all of these features tell the reader something negative about YOU (the writer) as a person. The reader starts to imagine what YOU are like from how you write, not just from what your language is like grammatically. This means your writing has the power to influence the impression you make in many different ways. So you need to try to ommunicate positive impressions of yourself in your writing. c How else can anxiety or panic be managed?

Planning before writing

Often candidates receive their IELTS writing test paper and then begin writing their answers almost immediately. Why?

Because they are so scared of time.

A professional person, in contrast, learns how to plan and manage time in the most effective way in order to achieve the goals they have established for writing. Planning is essential to a professional approach in working life. If you go to meet a business lient you prepare the night before so that you are clear about what you want to achieve cand the best way to achieve it. The same is true in IELTS Writing. One of your prime goals is to get a better IELTS score by building a positive impression in the assessor’s mind. In IELTS, planning time (even 2‐3 minutes) is effective because it elps you to develop a systematic and well organised answer, and this creates a rofessional impression of YOU in the mind of the assessor. hp Imagine this: Let’ sa two people of the same Eng sh

s y you did some research and made a video recording of riting task 1 BUT:

planning the answer li level answering the same IELTS W– one person spent about 3 minutes– the other spent no time planning.

My guess is that when you play back the video of the one who didn’t plan, it will show that his candidate stops to think, or stops to cross something out, more often during the

than the candidate with a plan…….perhaps even 3 minutes more! ttwenty minutes In other words, it may be just test anxiety which causes you to think that every ossible second has to be used as writing time. It may also be a mistake to believe that he best Task 1 answers are from candidates who have written non‐stop for 20 minutes. pt

are aboriting

Someone who plans and organises well is showing that they c being systematic about organising the content of what they are w•

ut:


• helping the reader of their work to read it as easily as possible. his act of planning demonstrates an important basic validation of the reader‐writer elationship, which is important even in a language test situation. Tr

http://www.ielts-blog.com/ielts-preparation-tips/tips-by-ielts-examiner/

Creating a good impression in your WRITING –

ACADEMIC Writing task 1 Academic Writing task 1 involves responding to a graph, chart, table or other diagram. The assumption is that you are writing a sort of summarising report which draws out and compares key features and presents them in a clear and professional manner. To build a positive impression in the mind of the assessor there are many things you can do when choosing the language to use while building your Task 1 response.

7 Tips to Writing a Successful Report 1. Take care with the accuracy of information Whatever lly nd look at ely

the material and data presented to you in Task 1, you need to study it carefu each category or number carefully so that you report on them accurat

hy do it? Accuracy creates a good impression of you as a iter. professional report wraW 2. Write about the most important patterns and trends not about everything hy do it? An appropriate selection of key information shows evaluation skills, and this is professional style. Wa 3. Avoid ‘shopping list’ writing, which means just listing obvious figures one after another. In t stead, try to identify key trends and compare and contrast patterns, don’just repeat lists of facts hy do it? Comparing/contrasting shows more mature evaluation of material, which is W

more professional. Remember, too, that language used to connect ideas at the beginning of a sentence can signal this comparative writing nicely. For example: ‘Similarly’, ‘Conversely’, ‘An exception to this trend is…’, Compared to…’, This pattern changed from…… to….’)(‘

4. Don’t make personal comments about the statistical material Why do it? Being professional when you report on data requires you to be factual and objective.


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5. Use a systematic layout Have an introduction to your report on the data and include in it perhaps a very general statement about the most dominant trend in the data. Create and arrange other paragraphs logically. Why do it? Remember in terms of your ‘test persona’, an academic colleague might not ave very much time to read your report and needs to find and classify report information asily) he 6. Use a professional writing style and formal tone This is not easy to achieve if your level of English is not very high. Nevertheless it is still possible to shape your tone (which means your attitude to the content that the reader gets rom your Task 1 writing and how appropriate that tone is both to the genre (type) of riting, and to the expectations that the reader has of a report of this type.

fw You can try to achieve an appropriate formal, professional report style by:

• avoiding lazy language expressions (eg ‘etc’, or ‘and so on’ – they are not professional, are used more in spoken language, and suggest the writer doesn’t care enough to finish a sentence

properly)

• avoiding informal expressions (eg ‘a lot’, ‘was OK’ ‐ they are not professional enough for a report s

tyle)

• avoiding repetition ( too boring and makes the writer sound very limited. Use appropria e synonyms, or referencing language (eg ‘this’, ‘it’ w ossible)

t herever p

• avoiding (where possible) over use of general expressions that lack precision (eg ‘thing’, ‘do’, ‘is’, ‘big’, ‘nice’)

7. Reduce simple grammar mistakes Of course, anyone taking the IELTS test is likely to make numerous grammar mistakes. However, some mistakes create a more negative impression than others when read by a native speaker. If you can reduce the number of these you can help a positive impression to spread to other parts of your writing.


4 Types of Grammar Mistakes That Annoy an Assessor the Most

Mistake Type #1 VERB TENSE

a) Talking about the data Usually IELTS Task 1s use data from particular year dates. You must use the PAST tense when describing information from the past. Similarly if the information is about the future, use appropriate FUTURE tense forms. b) Talking about the actual graph or diagram you can see in front of you on the test paper You use the PRESENT tense forms to say ‘The graph/chart/table shows…/ indicates… / reports on…. because the graph itself is always the same and always in the present. Mistake Type #2 SUBECT/VERB agreement In English, we say: ‘The graph shows… ; ‘The statistics show…’ ; ‘The population of the hree Asian countries t is changing…’ ; ‘The number of people who sit IELTS is increasing…’ the head nouns ‘ population’ and ‘number’ control the verb agreement); ( Mistake Type #3 WORD FORMS Adjective/Noun/Adverb

andidates need to control and manage effectively the English word forms they use. C Look at these 4 s: example


e is some • Ther oubtfuld about the d oun form d

• The the figures is at ( n ee ed)

accuracy ofa X – ‘doubt’ n

doubt (X – a oubtful’ ) djective ‘d needed• It is doubtfully that the figures are accuracy (XX – adjectives ‘doubtful’ & ‘accurate’ needed)

increased • The population rapid during 2000 (X – adverb ‘rapidly’ needed) In simple terms, errors that relate to basic rules of English grammar leave a more negative impression than other kinds of mistakes because the assessor may assume

you learnt about these basic rules when you were young and have had plenty of time arn to use them corr

thatto le ectly since that time. So, if you still make these basic errors you give the impression of being like an immature schoolchild, even if your own native language causes you to make the errors

because its verb system is much simpler than the English verb system, or its translated word forms are less varied than those in English. The assessor forms an impression of you from your writing and isn’t influenced by such complexities as ‘first language interference’. he IELTS test, remember, is based ultimately on comparing performance with a native nglish speaker equivalent. TE Mistake Type #4 – Sentence BOUNDARIES and OMISSIONS from sentences Candidates need to build sentences carefully and respect what a sentence is and what the parts of a sentence are, otherwise the reader has to keep reading and re‐reading the

them. This leaves a negative impression on the examiner sentences to try to understand because: a) it is frustrating and boring, b) it damages the relationship between writer and reader. Look at these 2 examples: 1) The figures show the food preferences of men and women they are in two tables.

. 2) The table shows the population. In the Asian countries rose a lot in the ten‐year period fter you read each example above, it is difficult not to re‐read each of them because they

unicate either clearly or effectively. Now look at these improved versions: Adon’t comm Example 1

o tables. • The figures show the food preferences of men and women. They are in twOR, more simply,

o tables. • The figures show the food preferences of men and women in twR, even more simply,

ables show the food preferences of men and women. O• The two t Example 2 • The table shows that the population in the Asian countries rose significantly in the ten‐ar period.


yeOR • According to the table, the population in the Asian countries went up markedly in the ten‐year period.


Remember, all these examples represent just a small sample of possible grammatical or other errors in language use, but they are ones that may significantly affect the psychological impression that your answer has on the examiner.

To summarise

With the IELTS Academic Writing test Task 1 it is important to: • try to be a confident manager of time not a clock victim. • p• clan before you write to help your answer to be well‐organised. reate an IELTS test persona for the Writing test that helps you more easily to see yourself as writing for a professional purpose to an academic colleague, not as a panicky test candidate.

You can help to create a positive impression in Writing Task 1 if

gories of information

you:

tics or cate skilfully

• are accurate when reporting statis• select and compare key information• resist making personal comments • c al style and tone r mar mistakes that assessors might think are from your early days of reate a professioneduce those gramlearning English.

•

In the next, shorter lesson I’ll look at creating a positive impression when writing your response to IELTS General Training Task 1. H

ope you’ll join me for Lesson #3.



The design and layout of this series of lessons are copyright to IELTSBlog.com and may not be reproduced or copied without the permission

of IELTSBlog.com


Lesson #3: How to write a Task 1 letter that will impress your assessors (General Training Module)

Before beginning Lesson #3, here is a short summary of what we learned last week. Summary of Lesson #2.

t’s important not become a ‘clock victim’ in the IELTS Writing test. I A ‘clock victim’ wastes time by: • too much clock watching • too much word counting building up too much anxiety about time

ly, without thinkin •• writing immediate g about how to organise the response

est situation by: This is not helpful. Manage your time and yourself in the t

ofessional test persona’ constructing an ‘academic and pr•• taking time to plan your answer

hese give you more control of, and more feeling for, the reader‐writer relationship. T In your Academic Writing Task 1 response, a positive impression can be made on the assessor by:

ion,

ormattion,

• taking care with accuracy of infa• focussing on important inform

• comparing rather than listing, avoiding personal comments presenting a systematic layout •• It’s also important to:

elementary • write in a style and tone that is formal and professional. • reduce those grammar mistakes that assessors may consider• construct sentences that have clear and correct boundaries. Now let’s move on to Lesson #3.

Important background issues

http://www.ielts-blog.com/ielts-preparation-tips/writing-tips/ielts-academic-test-tips-for-writing-task-1/

n the IELTS General Training I Writing Task 1 you are asked to write a letter, and are sked to include in your letter 3 different, listed pieces of information. a

Read the task parts

The assessor will be impressed if your letter offers balanced consideration of all three arts of the letter, meaning that your paragraphs contain similar amounts of information

carefully

pabout each of the three parts of the letter. hey will be much less impressed if you leave out one of the three parts because you spent oo much time writing about the other two parts and came to the end of your time. Tt


Think carefully about the key purpose of the letter

when the letter is written. Ask yourself: ‘Why am I Make sure that this purpose is clear writing this letter?’ Do I… :

omething to be done? • …want someone to do something?

d ask for something?

• …want to complain about something an …want to give reasons why I can’t do s•• …want to invite someone to an event? hatever the central purpose of the letter, it helps if that purpose is clear in the letter you rite.

Ww

A ‘test persona’ for General Training Writing Task 1 We have suggested that a ‘test persona’ is an expression referring to the importance of aving a writing identity that enables you to imagine writing authentically to a real person, hrather than seeing yourself as just a ‘test taker’ writing to get a score. A ‘test persona’ for Task 1 is much easier to create as the type of letter immediately creates a clear writer–reader relationship. The task tells you who you are writing to and why, so you can really be more or less yourself and write realistically as if really in that situation.

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Creating a good impression in your WRITING – GENERAL TRAINING Writing task 1

In some ways a letter is an easy context in which to write and in which to impress the assessor since the situation for the content and the relationship of letter writer – letter receiver are clear. Also you have more freedom to choose what to say than in the Academic Writing task 1. Even so, there are still numerous ways in which you can create an even better impression through your writing:

8 Tips to Writing an Impressive Letter 1. Use real experiences ou may be asked to write a letter to a friend to discuss a holiday or a visit; you may be

plain about some problems in your apartment. Yasked to write to a landlord to com Whatever the nature of the letter, try to connect it to some actual experience from your own life, if that is possible. This helps the context of the situation to seem more real and may make your written communication appear more convincing and realistic to the ssessor. It also means that then you don’t need to struggle to think of so many new deas. ai 2. Write ‘in good faith’ Even though this is a test of English and you are not in fact writing an actual letter to a real person, try not to turn the letter into a sort of ‘joke letter’ by writing things like, ‘Dear Mickey Mouse, … ‘ or ending your letter with something like, ‘Yours sincerely, Mr. Bean’. You may feel like being playful in the letter but it’s much better to ‘act in good faith’ by writing the letter in a straightforward and authentic way. This is more likely to impress he assessor. t 3. Choose the appropriate tone You will impress the assessor if you are able to choose a style of English expression that fits the type of letter and fits the relationship between you, the letter writer and the receiver.


So, for example, if you are writing to an organisation and to someone you don’t know there, your language will be formal not chatty. Conversely, if you are writing to a close friend you will naturally use informal styles of English in order to reflect the closeness of the relationship. It would seem strange to write to a friend in cold, formal language (For xample: ‘Similarly’, ‘Conversely’, ‘An exception to this trend is…’, Compared to…’, ‘This attern changed from…… to….’) ep 4. Use suitable language. Your assessor will be impressed if you: • Choose lan or formaExample 1: I am writing to you to report the loss of my suitcase on ….. (formal) xample 2: How are things with you? I’m writing to see if you want to come over to my place or a dinner party on Saturday. (informal)

guage that reflects the appropriate tone – informal l

Ef

variation in verb tense en require a skilful mix of verb tense and modal use

• ManageLetters oftExample: I was travelling on your bus but I left my suitcase on it. …. I should be very rateful if you would return it to me…. I can arrange to collect it from your office…. I shall in the city on Monday…Please let me know if this is a suitable time….

gbe • Use variety of suitable linking language between the sentences in your letter In letters, it is appropriate occasionally to use expressions that suggest the attitude or udgment of the writer, especially adverbs like, ‘Obviously’, ‘Clearly’, ‘Fortunately’,

ly’, j‘Unfortunate Examples: Unfortunately, I can’t come to your party……

Obviously, I expect to be reimbursed for the damage caused to my…. Fortunately, I have been able to change my travel plans

5. Try not to be too repetitive A letter is an opportunity to show command of synonym and range of formal or informal expression. Richness of vocabulary use gives your written style more personality’ and this gives a stronger impression of you (the writer) to your ssessor. Being over‐repetitive reduces the colour and texture of your letter. ‘a


6. Try to use interesting expressions and vocabulary Especia authentic English idiomatic and ph

lly in informal letters to friends there is scope for some rasal verb forms. But, it’s NOT a good idea to: • translate idioms from your own language into English • use idioms unless you are really confident that they are currently used, and

hen and how they are used confident about precisely w

xample from an informal letter: E I can’t come to the office do with you on Saturday as I’ve run out of cash and my car’s. nyway, I’m trying to stop being such a party animal……. A 7. Give any explanations in your letter economically and clearly ometimes the letter will ask you to explain something or give reasons. Try not to be oo detailed in case the explanation becomes too long, too confusing and unclear. St 8. Use an appropriate way of drawing the letter to a close Every letter has to be drawn to a close smoothly. There are various expressions that an work well, but of course it depends not just on tone (formal or informal) but

purpose of the letter calso on the Examples: Formal

– I’ll look forward to hearing from you –– I trust you will give this matter due consideration and respond at your

earliest convenience

I should be grateful if you would reply to my letter with some urgency.

Informal

– Hope to hear from you soon –

e end of the letter you can use various suitable options

Looking forward to hearing from you

Right at th

xamples: E


Your faithfully, / Yours sincerely, (formal) All the best, / Best wishes, (informal)

5 Simple Rules for a Good Looking Letter Even though these days most people write letters on their computers, try to make our letter look attractive and neat so that it seems a little like the ‘look’ of a omputer‐generated letter. This care with presentation will impress the assessor. yc

How? 1. After starting your letter with ‘Dear…. (plus name of person to whom you are writing – Mr/Ms + family name, for formal letters; first name only, for friends)..,’ eave an empty line before starting the content of the letter. (Remember, you don’t

rite any addresses in the letter) lneed to w

xample: E “Dear Mrs Smith, I am writing to inform you…” . Use paragraphing clearly so that the letter has sections, preferably one for each ask part. Leave an empty line after each paragraph. 2t

. Try to write lines of about the same, even length, like a computer does. 3 . Leave one line space after the end of the letter before writing, ‘Yours sincerely’ more formal), or ‘All the best’ (more informal) 4( 5. Leave another line before signing your name. Remember to just use your given ame if you are writing to a friend, but use your full name if you are writing to an rganization or to someone you don’t know. no



To summarise

With the IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 it is important to: • read the task parts carefully think about the purpose of the letter think before you write to help your answer to be well‐organised. •• You can help to create a positive impression in General Training Writing Task 1, if you:

th ideas for your letter • use real experiences from your life to help you wi• write ‘in good faith’ • choose the appropriate tone for the type of letter

e which successfully controls varied verb forms needed, uses • choose appropriate languagvariety of vocabulary, and occasional adverbial linking expressions

d endings to your letter • try not to be too repetitive choose appropriate formal or informal beginnings an set out the letter neatly and in a well‐organised way •• In the next lesson I’ll look at creating a positive impression when writing your response to the longer 250word IELTS Academic and General Writing Task 2. Hope you’ll come back and join me for Lesson #4.




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Lyesson #4: How to write a Task 2 essay that will influence our assessors positively (Academic and General) B efore beginning Lesson #4, here is a short summary of what we learned last week.

S

ummary of Lesson #3.

In the IELTS Writing Task 1 General Training letter it is important to

:

• read the letter‐writing task and the 3 required parts of the letter clearly

ituation • make sure you establish a clear purpose for your letter write the letter realistically and ‘in good faith’ as if you are really in the s write about the same amount of information for each of the three parts •• You can create a good impression on the assessor by:

e • using actual situations from your own life if they are relevant in order to make th

• u our letter seem more real se the appropriate level of formality (informal, or formal) consistently in y

writer and letter letter’s language to reflect the relationship between letterreceiver.

• manage the variation of verb use as accurately as you can • try not to be too repetitive; use range of vocabulary to add colour and ‘personality’

to your letter • u nings and endings for the type of letter and the receiver of it • s parts of your letter neatly and clearly in paragraphs for se appropriate beginet out and space thecareful presentation

Now let’s move on to Lesson #4.

Creating a good impression in your WRITING – ACADEMIC and GENERAL TRAINING Writing task 2

The second task involves writing about a social issue. Again, you should try to see yourself in your ‘professional persona’ as offering a formal and reasoned viewpoint on the issue for resentation to a colleague. Try not to see yourself as just a person who is having to take a ifficult test. pd

3 Steps when planning your writing

1. Study the words in the IELTS Writing Task 2 The same issues apply to Task 2 as to Task 1. You need to read the task carefully and make sure you know what the topic is and what precise aspect of the topic you have to give your view on. This will help your answer to be relevant. EXAMPLE Imagine this is an IELTS Task 2 question: ‘Many people keep pets in small apartments. To what extent do you consider that this is cruel?’ The topic is keeping pets. To stay relevant, you would need to focus your discussion of ts on: pe

• types of pet (The expression ‘pets’ covers many types of living creature, so you shouldn’t over‐generalise) and, where the pets are kept • (specifically in this essay, in small apartments)

• how cruel this is and why (You need to offer a clear, precise point of view)


How can I decide o clear of view? Imagine a line with ‘It’s cruel’ ________ not cruel’ at the other end.

n a point

__at one end, and________ ‘It’s

Where on the line would you stand to show your point of view and why?

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2. Decide upon a clear and precise point of view This can be achieved by offering enough detail to explain why you have that opinion. In the Task 2 essay, having a clear and precise point of view on the task topic enables he assessor to feel more connected to the strength of your writing ‘voice’. t EXAMPLE

et’s use the same Task 2 example about keeping pets: L a‘) An unclear and not very precise point of view might be: It is sometimes cruel to keep pets in apartments but sometimes it is not cruel’. his point of view sounds as though the writer doesn’t clearly know what their oint of view is about cruelty, and so it is less convincing, less powerful. Tp b) A clear and more precise point of view might be: ‘mIt is cruel to keep pets in small apartments if the pets are large and need more space, ore attention or a different environment in order to be happy and healthy’

This point of view gives a more precise point of view because it gives the precise onditions in which the writer thinks it is cruel (that is, the writer says it is cruel, if ets are large and if they can’t be hcp ealthy and happy in small apartments) A clear and precise point of view gives additional direction to your essay’s introduction as you will be developing the supporting reasons for that point of view in the other paragraphs. It tells the assessor more. and so it gives the assessor a more detailed impression of you and of what the essay might contain.


3. Make a quick plan of the paragraphs you will write and the topic of each paragraph. Remember that the first sentence in each paragraph (often called the ‘topic sentence’) tells the reader what the paragraph is about so if the topic sentence is clear, it gives a positive impression to the assessor, because it means the ssessor can predict the content of the paragraph more easily. An important art of reading someone’s essay easily is being able to predict what will come next. ap In your Task 2 plan: show an introduction which contains your viewpoint on the essay task’s stated •opinion, • then list 2 or 3 paragraph headings each with a key reason connected to your own iewpoint, which you will discuss in each paragraph, plus one or two examples to vsupport that reason

shown. • and show a concluding paragraph that will summarise what your essay has If you write the plan in the IELTS Answer book, just put a line through it and nderline it to show that it is not part of your actual answer. Then begin the actual ssay. ue Remember What we said about Task 1 Academic in Lesson 2 is also important here. A few minutes spent planning your Task 2 response will help you to write more systematically and more smoothly, and in clearer paragraphs; it is not wasted time.


3 tips for organising your writing

1. Try to develop each paragraph by developing each point that supports the topic entence. (Don’t just state one point and then move on to an entirely new point as this eems mechanical and prevents you from developing a point in more detail) ss 2. Try to use a variety of linking words between sentences, rather than just the simpler ‘shopping list’ style links such as: firstly, secondly, thirdly, finally . Make sure you leave a line between each of your paragraph when you write your essay, o that the assessor can see the way your essay is organised 3s EXAMPLE R ead this mini paragraph:

Keeping pets such as large dogs in small apartments can easily lead to unintended cruelty. An obvious example of this is that limited space makes large animals frustrated because they can’t use enough of their physical energy. This may result in possible aggression. Linked to this lack of exercise is the issue of health. A dog that has insufficient space and lacks exercise can easily become obese which, in turn, may shorten a dog’s life.

The linking words in bold type show how writers direct their thoughts and express relationships between the content as they move from sentence to sentence. This also helps the assessor to connect with a point of view that is developing, which builds a positive impression of sophisticated thought. Test candidates who just list one point after another without any development, and without any subtle linking expressions may seem less natural and less mature in the mind of the assessor.


8 rules for appropriate language 1. Avoid generalisations that are too simplistic simplistic generalisations seem too unsubtle, and too strong; they don’t reflect a mature pproach to the topic ) (a EXAMPLE

mpare the generalisations below, which are written in pairs: C o

1) All dogs like people. 2) Most dogs are sociable and seem to enjoy human companionship, if they are looked after with care and kindness. 1))Those who live alone in apartments, particularly the elderly, may benefit from a suitable et which is able to offer companionship and a greater sense of security. 2p

It is good to have pets in an apartment and they stop loneliness.

W dhich viewpoint in each pair is less simplistic an more considered? The answer is: the SECOND sentence in each pair.

ably needs to be expressed in a sentence that is: So, a more considered view prob• longer • more grammatically complex. • more detailed and therefore more precise • written with ‘cautious’ language forms (e.g. ‘may’, ‘possibly’, ‘perhaps’, ‘seem’) . Avoid using idioms or sayings which either state the obvious or seem out of place in an

re a formal viewpoint is being systematically developed. 2essay whe

xamples: ‘Every coin has two sides’. ‘Every cloud has a silver lining’. E


3. Avoid

xample: With most pets, what you see is what you get.

using clichés, as they can communicate too much informality. E 4. Avoid using informal expressions in this formal type of writing.

Examples: Less formal More formal Keeping pets is a very hot topic Keeping pets is a significant issue P etroldriven cars are past their sell by date ……are fast becoming obsolete

. Avoid using ‘lazy expressions’ to complete sentences, especially ones that belong

oken conversation. 5more to sp

xamples: etc; ‘…and so on’; ‘…and things like that; ‘…that sort of thing’ E 6. Avoid imprecise general expressions that m Example: Compare these expressions in a) and b)

ake views sound too simple.

a) Walking a dog is a good thing and… b) Walking a dog is a necessary daily activity and …….

ining what the walking dogs? Which one is more precise in expla writer thinks aboutExample b) offers more precision (necessary, daily) than example a) (good) 7. Come to some conclusion about your point of view in a concluding paragrap t helps to round off your answer if you can offer a short conclusion, with sentence eginnings like:

h

Ib It can be concluded from the point of view presented in this response that………. Or, more simply: Overall then, the point of view developed in this response is that…….. Or, for a different type of essay question, To sum up, the solution to this problem might best involve…. (There are many other ways of starting a conclusion – so remember that these are just a few suggestions)


8. Make a quick check of your grammar The last minute or two will be well spent if you read your essay quickly and try to

ess assesuld be ‘Pets are…’);

find those elementary grammar mistakes which do not impr sors (For example: ’Pet are…’ (should be ‘Pets are...) or, ‘Pets is…(sho‘Keep pets in small apartments is sometime cruelty.’ (should be ‘Keeping pets in small apartments is sometimes cruel’)

To summarise

TGo build a good impression in the assessor’s mind in both Academic and eneral Training Writing task 2:

Before writing • read the task carefully and establish your own clear point of view (to make sure your writing is relevant)

2 or 3 paragraph d viewpoint

• plan before writing by writing a clear overall point of view and headings each with a different, main reason to support your state(to make your writing more relevant, organised and systematic) In your written response to Task 2: • develop ideas in separate paragraphs which support and link to reasons for the main point of view in your introduction

tences to show .

• build your paragraphs with connecting expressions between senhow your viewpoint is being supported and developed; don’t just list your points• write a short, concluding paragraph to round off your response

precise • show maturity of thought; don’t just make lists of separate points or im

ions over‐simplified opinions. • write in a formal tone and avoid clichés, idioms, and ‘lazy’ express• avoid over‐general vocabulary expressions • search your essay at the end for any elementary grammar errors


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Hope you’ll come back and join me for Lesson #5. We’ll take a look at how you can ‘sing and dance’ to the music of the Speaking test and how you can become a good ‘dance partner’ who impresses the assessor and akes a good ‘cooperative connection’ as you both move through each section of that est. mt




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Lesson #5: How to improve your Speaking test score by connecting with your assessor

B efore beginning Lesson #5, here is a short summary of what we learned last week.

S

ummary of Lesson #4.

To build a good impression in the assessor’s mind in both Academic and eneral Training G Writing task 2, it’s important to:

Before writing

elevant • read the task carefully and establish your own, clear opinion, one which is r

• bto what the question asks you to do

rting it

efore writing, make a plan stating your overall opinion clearly, and 2 or 3 paragraph headings, each with a reason for your opinion + examples suppo‐ this makes your task response more relevant, organised and systematic.

When you write

• develop ideas in separate paragraphs which support and link to reasons for youropinion; leave a line space between each paragraph.

• build your paragraphs with connecting expressions between sentences to showhow your opinion is being supported and developed; don’t just list your points.

• w ith your stated opinion to round off your response precise

rite a short, conclusion w• show maturity of thought; don’t just make lists of separate points or im

ions over‐simplified opinions.

• write in a formal tone and avoid clichés, idioms, and ‘lazy’ express• avoid over‐general vocabulary expressions • search your essay at the end for any elementary grammar errors

Now let’s move on to Lesson #5.

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Background issues

How does the assessor view the Speaking test?

The IELTS Speaking test lasts for 11‐14 minutes and is in three, clear sections. The assessor has to manage the test sections by asking set questions, giving the

follow‐up discussion. All this has to be candidate a topic to talk about, and steering adone inside a strict sequence of timing: • 4 ‐ 5 minutes for section 1 (set questions), 3 ‐ 4 minutes for section 2 (talk on a topic) 4 ‐ 5 minutes for section 3. (discussion of issues) •• Imagine this: Let’s imagine your assessor has only 6 months’ experience as an IELTS assessor, but n that six months has already interviewed over 100 candidates before you come nto eii

th room. How does that assessor probably feel?

) the assessor probably feels part of a ‘pattern’ of timed, programmed 1interaction, and expects you, the next candidate, to follow this pattern.

2) the assessor feels a little bit ‘mechanical’ because each test has to be done in

a standard way and the assessor doesn’t have much room for personal comment or reaction or for normal interaction.

3) The assessor has to be a ‘clock‐watcher’ because each interview has to follow kept to.

strict timing. So the assessor can get anxious if the ‘test rhythm’ is not

4) If the assessor is assessing 10 candidates, tiredness is bound to occur

towards the end of the assessor’s candidate list.

5) he assessor feels keen to make it a pleasant enough time for you to do your est – she or he is on your side!

Tb

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How does th the Speaking test? e testtaker view

here are two basic types of IELTS test‐taker: T

1) ‘First timers’ First‐time test takers are usually more nervous because everything feels ‘unknown’. Nervousness is a personal feeling but it makes it more difficult for the speaking test xperience to feel relaxed and ‘shared’. The assessor can usually sense both ervousness and, occasionally, its opposite – over‐confidence! en

2) ‘Old timers’ Test takers who have taken the test several times are less nervous about the general situation but are often caught up in anxiety about particular aspects of their performance and their wish to improve on known weaknesses from their previous tests, or to improve previous scores. They can become a little ‘distant’ or preoccupied as a result.

The basic social task The main social task in the IELTS speaking test is to bring both the assessor and candidate closer together, in a sense of ‘cooperative connection’. This means that each should try to help the other to make the situation a comfortable, friendly, shared experience, where the candidate can feel all right and can therefore do their est , and the assessor can manage the speaking test sections correctly, without any dditional stress being caused by the candidate. ba So, the Speaking test is a little like a ‘song and dance’ routine. o help to describe this process of ‘cooperative connection’ a little more, let’s use he analogy of singing and dancing. Tt



The song of the Speaking test – singing the same song he assessor is going to feel more comfortable, the more you are able to make your

language that native speakers are used to – Tspoken English like the music of the

unds • good stress on the right so

low • not too fast, not too s

• appropriate pausing

rrection • very little hesitation or self co

• neither too loud nor too soft

• good rhythm and flow of sound

• clear and accurate, individual sounds

• good grouping of ‘chunks’ of meaning.

• trying to mirror the ‘music’ of the assessor’s speech a little ( by using a similar

speaking speed, similar volume and similar feeling of friendliness in the ‘notes’)

Silence is NOT golden!

lish that says, ‘Silence is golden’. In the IELTS Speaking test here is a saying in EngTSilence is NOT golden. Why? • Silence causes strain for the assessor and breaks flow and connection.

• I understand t is a sign of either: trouble finding the right word, or trouble trying to

what is required, or trouble trying to explain something successfully.

• I ced as more threatening than it is in n western cultures, silence is often experien

some cultures – Asian cultures, for example.

• S ilence takes up a lot of time so it may put pressure on the assessor to try to fit too

many questions into a small amount of remaining time, especially in the first part

of the Speaking test.

• In the Speaking test, you can’t get a good score for what you don’t say!


The dance of the Speaking test – ‘It takes two to tango!’ he interviewer knows the 3‐section ‘dance’ of the Speaking test better than you do utTb

you can help your assessor by being a ‘good dance partner’. How?

• ime, moving through each section of the test and each question in appropriate t

• being responsive to your assessor, while being taken through the ‘dance’s’

sections or when receiving instructions

• showing yourself in a positive light, thus…

• …making your assessor happy that you are their 11‐14 minute ‘dance partner’.

As a dance partner you need to be responsive, which means not trying to ominate your partner but being a cooperative equal; it means not changing the ance or the music, but keeping in step and staying in time. dd Finding an appropriate and active way of relating to the assessor Another important aspect of ‘cooperative connection’ in this short Speaking test is to feed the brief relationship between yourself and the assessor, so that it is friendly, balanced, productive, mutually appropriate and mutually respectful. You can play a arge part in this – you don’t have to be passive in this relational aspect of the ncounter. le For the 1114 minutes with the assessor, you should act like an

equal who is:

• offering yourself as a memorable, unique and interesting person

• informing about your life and culture with a real interest in doing so

• u ontact to communicate interest and connection but sing body language and eye c

not frustration or aggression

charm, pride, respect and friendliness • treating the relationship with sensitivity,

• trying to make the assessor’s task easier

• u oo informal) sing language that is not too distant (too formal) nor too familiar (t

so your aim is to use language that is polite but friendly at all times.

• listening carefully and politely to everything the assessor tells you or asks you. • reacting and responding with good energy, and a sense of motivated involvement

How to connect with the assessor at each stage of the Speaking Test

Connecting during the Introduction to the Speaking test When the assessor invites you into the room, mak• e sure you put your passport or

test ID on the table so that it is ready. nd • Don’t try to say much while you getting seated, just smile and look pleasant a

respond to anything the assessor asks or says (Sometimes test candidates try to chat to the assessor by saying things like, ‘How

the assessor just wants to get on with the are you today?’ at this point but really interview efficiently). • The assessor isn’t a police officer, so when you say your name, say it in a

If your name is really difficult for repeat friendly way. assessors to identify orproperly, give them a short or simple first name to call you during the interview. • While seated, look interested and connected, not nervous or tired. Make eye contact and be polite when asked for your passport, and when it is returned to you.

Connecting in PART 1 of the Speaking test: Do’s and Don’ts Part 1 of the Speaking test consists of three general topics from everyday life. Each opic has about 4 or 5 questions each of which the assessor reads out from a sort of nterview script. You have to answer each question. ti 1. Keep in step; keep in time n average about 15 seconds is an appropriate length for each of your answers in O

order to ‘keep in step’ with the rhythm of this section. • If you take a long time answering (either because of hesitation or going into too

me much detail) then the assessor feels the pressure because there is not enough tito ask all the questions. Similarly, if your answers are too short, the assessor will get to the end of the uestions before the minimum time is up for the 3 topics (4 minutes). •q By keeping in step with the time boundaries of this section you will make the assessor more comfortable


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2. Don’t use memorised material at any stage.

answers and try to use them in this part of the test Sometimes candidates memorise This is not a good idea. Why not? It is very easy for the assessor to

ch time • they often take up too murecognise memorised answers. Also:

• frustrate the assessor create a bad impression. t the same time you are not interacting in a real way, you are being false. •A 3. Don’t be frightened to ask for a question to be repeated The assessor has to read the questions from a printed page so if you don’t nderstand the question the assessor can’t explain it to you. You can ask for the

e repeated, however. This is much better than remaining silent. uquestion to b ou can say: Y‘ Sorry, I didn’t quite catch that. Could you repeat the question, please?’ If you still don’t understand the question after it is read to you again, just be polite and say: ‘I’m sorry but I still don’t quite follow the question.’ he assessor will simply move on to the next question.

T 4. Try to extend your answers a little until you have used about 15 seconds. Why? This makes you seem more interesting, more friendly, less robotic, less like a test‐taking machine. Before the test, practice with a watch to gain a sense of what 15‐second time interval feels like, and of the ‘rhythm’ of a question + a 15‐second aresponse. Remember, though, 15 seconds is just an average length for a response in Part 1, and gives you a sense of a safe Question/Answer time interval relative to the total number of questions and overall time available for this section of the test – you don’t have to practice until you are a precise, 15‐second robot! Study this example:


Example: Assessor’s : Were you a good student at school? questionAnswer A: Yes… I was a good student…. at school…yes Comment : This answer is too brief, repeats the question words, and has an unusual pattern of ‘mini‐pauses’ Answer B: Most of the time I was, yes, …especially at primary school, ..but at high school… I had a period when I was a bit rebellious… and occasionally I got into trouble for not doing my homework… and arriving late. Comment: This answer is much better as it sounds natural, is extended fluently, is personalised, is in ‘chunks’ (that is ‘blocks of meaning’ each with a tiny pause before he next block), is in polite, conversational style and is about 15 seconds long t 5. Sing the same song As native speakers, assessors will probably ‘sing the song’ of English by using rising and falling intonation to add interest and show a positive attitude. Remember to try to mirror or echo this by using rising and falling intonation in a natural and appropriate way to show how you feel about the answers you are ffering. If you are talking about something exciting or interesting let your ntonation show this. If you are surprisoi ed, show this. Add ‘personality’ to your language. Flatness of spoken English suggests to the ssessor that you are not interested, and ma aybe not interesting! Don’t speak too quietly, nor too loudly. Try to ‘mirror’ the assessor when you speak, in terms both of the volume of your voice (not too quiet, not too loud) and of the use of gentle eye contact (to maintain relationship and connection) – these help

their attention and interest in what you are assessors to feel comfortable, and keep saying.


6. Be yourself The interview is testing your ability at spoken English but that English is spoken by YOU, so don’t forget to be yourself and not be too frightened or too ‘hidden’.


7 tips for connecting in PART 2 of the Speaking test As part 1 finishes, your assessor will give you a topic card and you have one minute to plan your short 1‐2 minute talk on that topic. D uring the oneminute planning/notemaking t

1. When you receive the topic card, make sure you go through ALL the points listed. Use the listed points to structure your notes (or thoughts).

ime

2. If you want to start before the one minute has finished just politely say, ‘ I think I’m ready to start now’

During the talk 3. When you give your talk try to talk about each of the points on the topic card ‐ many talks lack structure and are not organised and the candidate just ends up trying to fill the time often becoming repetitive or going off the point. If you plan ystematically you can usually avoid this. Being systematic connects with the s essor’s expectations. sa s 4. Try to make your talk fluent, personal and varied Again, your talk is a chance for connection, not just using English. Connection is mproved by adding variety and by Try to communicate and connect with the ssessor, by using your voice to add interest. ia 5. Use eye contact to connect he little talk is a great opportunity to connect with your eyes and to build the

t seems a bit rude or shy. Trelationship with the assessor. Don’t stare at your notes – i 6. If you have finished before the two minute period is up, signal that to the ssessor with a simple phrase like, ‘I think that’s all’ or ‘That’s the end of my talk’.

oubt. aDon’t let silence create d 7. The assessor will ask a ‘rounding off’ question connected to your talk, just answer this fairly briefly as the assessor will want to move into the final part of the interview. Don’t go on for too long or the assessor may get a little impatient

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9 ideas for connecting in PART 3 of the Speaking test he assessor will move the test into the T final stage by starting to discuss general uestions connected broadly to the topic of your talk. q 1. You should see this part as a more natural type of interaction because the assessor may react to your responses and share the discussion a little, not just move from one question to the next like in part 1 of the Speaking test; however, the ssessor will be careful not to take up too much time talking as the aim is to assess our spoken abilities in this part. ay 2. See yourself as an equal. Try to imagine that you are having a discussion in a coffee shop with a colleague who is interested in your detailed views on certain things. 3. Try to develop your answers using varied sentence connectors to build flow; try not to talk in short, staccato sentences as this gives the impression that you on’t want to build a relationship or enjoy a discussion, but just want to finish the est as quickly as you can. dt EXAMPLE Assessor’s question: Do you think weddings are really necessary in the modern world? Answer A: (too short, not fluent) Weddings are necessary. Weddings are a tradition; they make parents happy.

Answer B (longer, but still too staccato); ‘Yes. They are necessary. Your family needs to follow traditions. It is a bad thing not to get married. It brings shame. It shows you are not serious about your life. You need to please your parents. Weddings help you do this’.


Answer C ( longer and more fluent): ‘They seem to be important even though they may not be completely necessary these days, because, for a start, they enable a couple to show a public commitment to each other in front of their family and friends, which helps them to feel supported when making such a big decision, and furthermore, the couple can feel they are part of a long and honourable tradition in their society, while at the same time, of course, pleasing their parents.’

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. If you can’t quickly think of a response to a question, there are various ore thinking time:

4strategies you can use to give yourself m — you can use ‘holding’ expressions like, ‘Mm that’s an interesting question but not asy to answer quickly……’ or ‘There are different ways of responding to that equestion and it depends very much on your ….’ — you can ask the assessor to paraphrase the question by seeking clarification, as n; ‘Do you mean, are weddings legally necessary or just socially necessary? I’m not ure exactly what that question is getting at.’ is


5occasiona Example

. It can be useful and adds variety to give examples from your own life lly if that makes it easier for you to communicate your viewpoint.

‘ I’ll give you an example from my own experience. One of my close friends and his partner are not married and have never had a wedding, and because of this, I don’t think they feel as connected to their family.’ Occasional examples from your life, culture and country will make you more onfident and may be interesting for the assessor. Amusing examples are a way to dd to the sense of connection with the assessor but they must feel natural. ca 6. Try not to be either too formal or too informal during this part of the interview. You should be a little more relaxed because you know the assessor just a little better. It’s the part of the test in which you can be a little more friendly and allow your fluency and intonation to communicate this. Avoid long silences or long hesitations.

7. Try to build precision into your explanations of words or ideas. How?

rich ‐ Display variety in your use of sentence types and in vocabulary use to en

its precision

explanations. ‐ Avoid repetition as this rarely adds something new and lim‐ Build precision also by using expressions which introduce opportunities for

to paraphrase and extend an idea or viewpoint. you Example: I’m a bit antiweddings. By saying this I suppose I mean that I’ve seen many of my friends’ marriages fail and this has made me a little pessimistic about expensive, ‘showy’ ceremonies and what they have come to represent. In other words, today there seems to my mind to be too much emphasis on display and perhaps not enough ttention to deep meaning. a . But, it’s also OK to use ‘vague’ language very occasionally as this can sound

ral. 8more natu Examples i) ‘…that sort of thing’; ‘…and things like that; (These are used at the end of sentences and should only be used very occasionally) ii) ’She’s some sort of…..; ‘I’m not sure exactly, but I think he’s…’; I have a feeling that it’s something to do with…’; I kind of sense that in the future…. will become more or less…. (These are used at the front end of sentences and can be used a little more often) . If your assessor offers a comment, respond to it (i

natural and increases the sense of connection. n an appropriate way)


9as this is Example Assessor; sounds as though you don’t really trust the idea of marriage. It Candidate: Does it? Maybe you’re right. I think it’s definitely true that marriage seems more risky these days, as in this type of society people are more selfish, more independent and less respectful of tradition and so they may not feel so deeply connected to any promises they make.


DISconnecting at the end of the Speaking test • When the intervi ew ends, just thank the assessor and say goodbye politelyand briefly. Don’t be too polite as this may not seem genuine (ie the interviewer may sense that you are doing it to gain a favourable impression, rather than because you mean it) So, be polite, but genuine. Be brief because assessors are busy, and under time pressure to get through their list of candidates. • Don’t ask questions about your performance after the interview is finished The assessor cannot discuss this and will not be impressed by your question, but mbarrassed as it seems inappropriate. It may damage the cooperative connection ou have built up in the previous 11‐14 minutes. ey

To summarise

To build a good impression in the assessor’s mind in the Speaking test Think about:

d • making a ‘cooperative connection’ with your assessor by working together anelationship

ing the features of native speaker speech building a friendly r• singing the ‘song’ of the test by echoas much as you can • being active ‐ silence is not golden! • dancing the ‘dance’ of the Speaking test by following the rhythm of each part of the test and being sensitive to the time pressures that the assessor has to manage and how you might add to this pressure. • relating to the assessor in a friendly, polite but mutually respectful way To impress and connect with the assessor during the Speaking test: At the beginning • Get your passport or test ID ready. • Don’t say much unless asked; just smile and look pleasant.

ne to use • Look interested and connected, not tired. • If your first name is difficult to say, offer the assessor a simpler o• Be friendly and polite, when asked for your name and passport.

http://www.ielts-blog.com/ielts-preparation-tips/how-to-get-a-higher-band-for-ielts-speaking/


In Part 1 • Keep in step with the time (max. 15 seconds per answer) and rhythm of your response to each question to make the assessor feel comfortable. • Don’t use memorised answers – they are easy to spot and don’t sound natural • Don’t be frightened to ask for a question to be repeated if you don’t understand it

and ‘mirror’ the volume and ‘music’ of the assessor’s voice – don’t just ‘echo’ the words in the question in a brief reply

• Put ‘life’ into your voice• Extend your responses• Be natural, be yourself In Part 2 • Use the listed points on the topic card to structure your notes (or thoughts). • Be systematic by talking about each of the points on the topic card – the assessor expects this. • Make your talk fluent, personal and varied; use your voice and eyes well – connect! • If you finish before the two minute period is up, signal this to the assessor • Respond to the ‘rounding off’ question fairly briefly so the assessor doesn’t feel time pressure before Part 3. In Part 3

he assessor • See yourself as an equal and use a natural style of interaction because tmay respond to your responses and share the discussion a little • Develop your answers using varied sentence connectors to build flow.

you aren’t interested ur opinions fluently

• Don’t discuss in short, staccato sentences – it sounds like you to extend yo• Use examples from your own life if they help

• Be neither too formal nor too informal, but stay friendly • Avoid long silences or constant hesitations. • Build precision into your explanations of words or ideas. • ns. • al. Use opportunities to paraphrase and extend your ideas or opinioUse ‘vague’ language very occasionally – it can sound more natur

• If your assessor offers a comment, be friendly and respond to it.


At the end • Just thank the assessor and say goodbye politely and briefly. • Don’t be too polite – it may seem false • Be brief, because assessors are busy and under time pressure. • Don’t ask questions about your performance after the interview is finished. Are you starting to feel more in control of your IELTS situation now? I really hope so! Come back next time and join me for our final Lesson #6. Together, we’ll take a look at a few little ‘tips’ and ‘tricks’ which may make a significant difference to your IELTS cores, especially in the other parts of the IELTS test – Listening and Reading. s




of IELTSBlog.com


Lesson #6: How to optimize your performance in the Listening and Reading tests

B efore beginning Lesson #6, here is a short summary of what we learned last week.

Summary of Lesson #5. To build a good impression in the assessor’s mind in the Speaking test Think about:

on’ with your assessor • making a ‘cooperative connecti• singing the ‘song’ of the test (mirror the assessor’s spoken style)

ive to assessor’s time pressures • being active; avoiding silence. • dancing the ‘dance’ of the test by being sensit• being friendly, polite but mutually respectful At the beginning of the Speaking test: • Get your passport or test ID ready. • Don’t say much unless asked; just smile and look pleasant and interested • If your first name is difficult to say, offer the assessor a simpler one to use In Part 1 (the interview)

to each question • Keep in step with the time and rhythm of your response

wers • Don’t use memorised ans• Don’t be frightened to ask for a question to be repeated

o your voice h response (average 15 seconds or so) – not just ‘Yes’ or ‘No’

• Put ‘life’ int• Extend eac• Be natural In Part 2 (the talk) • Use the listed points on the topic card to structure and organise your talk • Be systematic ‐ talk about each of the points on the topic card • Make your talk fluent, personal and varied; use your voice and eyes well – connect! • If you finish early, signal this to the assessor • Respond to the assessor’s ‘rounding off’ question briefly



In Part 3 (the discussion) • See yourself as an equal; use a natural style of interaction

ow. ested

• Develop your answers using varied sentence connectors to build flren’t inters fluently

• Don’t use short, staccato sentences – it sounds like you aur opinion• Use examples from your own life to extend yo

• Be neither too formal nor too informal, but stay friendly tions. • Avoid long silences and constant hesita

• Build precision into the expression of ideas and opinions. • • re natural. Paraphrase and extend your opinions. Use ‘vague’ language very occasionally – it can sound mo

• If your assessor offers a comment, respond to it politely When the test has finished • Just thank the assessor and say goodbye politely and briefly. • Don’t be too polite – it may seem false • Don’t ask questions about your performance Now let’s move on to Lesson #6.

Tips for the LISTENING TEST

Background considerations You listen only ONCE to the recordings in the IELTS Listening Test. You have to answer 40 questions in fo e speakers who are in ifferent situat nised and not to panic.

ur sections, and each section involves one, two or morions. This puts pressure on you to be systematic, orgad

Key question: How can you manage your test performance calmly? Part of the pressure of the Listening test is that you have to understand each listening task from written words and then complete the task while listening to spoken English. This is a cognitively complex task (Most normal listening situations in any language don’t require

ual skilsuch ‘d l’ complexity). ey question: How can you reduce the pressure of having to read and listen at the same K

time? Let’s try to find a few answers ‐ BEFORE listening, WHILE listening, and WHEN transferring your answers to the Answer Sheet.

7 tips for getting ready before you listen.

http://www.ielts-blog.com/ielts-preparation-tips/listening-tips/listening-a-skill-not-a-gift/


Get ready to listen to the recording. You are given some time (15 to 20 seconds) to look t each group of around 4 or 5 questions before listening to each corresponding part of the e ording. Use this time well. ar c 1. Make sure you try to work out in what situation the speakers will be talking (eg Is it a group of students in a classroom, someone talking to an official in an office, a lecture?) and their possible relationship (strangers?, friends? colleagues?). Relationship affects tyle of language chosen (more formal or less formal) and this may help you to expect ssible types of s onym (more conversational or idiomatic perhaps, or more technical)

spo yn 2 Check the task. Are you expected to complete a form?, fill in some missing words? Choose from 3 multiple choice options A/B/C, select words or items from a list? Make sure you are clear about the rules of the task ‐ eg maximum number of words you an write, which box or column to focus on, what kinds of word will fit in any answer space (adjective, verb, noun?), what type of information is being requested – number?, easurement of some sort? weight? (Be careful to note any units of measurement e uired in an answer ‐ g kilos, metrmr q e es, dollars) 3. Look for key words or headings that might be expressed with a synonym on the recording (using different words of similar meaning is one of the most common ways of riting test questions as it stops the written text from just repeating the spoken input , ich is too easy.

wwh 4. Make sure you are clear about categories and headings in any table, map or diagram. f it is a map be clear about where you are situated at the beginning (before the recording s you where to move to on the map)

Itell . Be clear about what the task requires and any task rules (for example the maximum. 5number of words you can use for an answer) . Look at any examples that may be given as sample answers and remind yourself not to oose the same answer as an example answer for any of the test questions

6ch 7 Decide which answers look more likely than others before listening, if the task asks

ne answer from several possibilities, in a multiple choice type task, or a task of possible answers, for example.

you to choose otype with a list To summarise; your main management job in the time BEFORE listening to each section is to reduce uncertainty about each answer task type and its requirements in as many ways as you can so that the audio input is not overwhelming and you are already

cs

arrying predictive ‘shapes’ in terms of what to listen out for specifically and what the peakers might be likely to talk about in what way and with what level of formality.

WHILE Listening – 2 KEY HINTS

HINT 1. Stay on task As you listen to the audio recording for each section, remain active but try to ‘listen out for’ key expressions; don’t try to follow every word. Remember, even in your native anguage listening is always a process of selection and sampling of input. In other

ding to our listening purpose. lwords, we always listen accor

onsider these two examples: C Example 1 You are in a lift and there is a ticking bomb on the floor. You phone for help. A bomb expert ays he will give you precise, step by step instructions for how to make the bomb safe. istening purpose? Survival! You listen to almost everything! sL Example 2 A parent is giving you a long talk about how to succeed in life, how to find a good life partner, how to improve your attitudes, and how to improve your university grades. Listening purpose? Escape from the speaker! While the parent is talking (unless you are a very special son or daughter!) you just might be thinking of something else and perhaps not listening to much of the input, especially if you’ve heard it all before! In the IELTS listening, your purpose is always and only linked to task completion, nothing else. Don’t be sidetracked too much by things on the recording that aren’t connected to the particular needs of particular test questions and the answer required.



HINT 2. Don’t get left behind.

his is a golden rule of the T IELTS Listening test. Keep up with the recording! How do candidates get left behind and what are the solutions? Problem A andidates spend too mu. C ch time on the answer to a tricky question

SOLUTION: Leave a ‘holding answer’ or maybe two possible answers on the question paper and mark the question for more attention later. You can come back to it at the end of the section and/or at the end of the test, when you have time to transfer answers to the Answer Sheet. Remember to ‘manage’ the situation, don’t just panic and lose control. Try not to leave an answer ‘empty’ if you can avoid it – it’s better to put two possible answers to return to later for a final choice. Problem B. Candidates allow themselves to be ‘derailed’, and switch from listening for answers to thinking about something too specific. Perhaps a particular expression in the recording or in the question text is not quite heard/understood, or only half recalled, and candidates get caught up in trying to work out what this particular item was or what it means. Then, suddenly they realise that the recording has moved on but they are no longer ‘in synch’ with the written questions and the recording.

SOLUTIONS #1: Focus on what the questions require. Practice more before the test so that you get used to linking what you hear on the recording to task completion and then you will become more and more confident to let some words pass by, even if you are baffled or intrigued by them. Because they don’t seem to link to what’s specifically needed for the actual task, they will seem less relevant to your specific, listening purposes.

SOLUTION #2: Find the ‘rhythm’ of the IELTS Listening test. After one question’s key information has been heard on the recording, there is usually some time before the next question’s key input is heard, so you know that key words/expressions needed for two or three consecutive answers will not usually be heard all at once – there are regular, time gaps between key answer words for one question and the next, even though the voices on he ecording may be talking most of the time. t

r

http://www.ielts-blog.com/ielts-preparation-tips/listening-tips/listening-the-right-way-to-answer/

You can’t escape PRACTICE –

4 tips for getting ‘fit’ for the test The only real way to get better at IELTS Listening is to practice. Even a native speaker would have some difficulty with the IELTS Listening test if they sat down with absolutely o idea of how it works or of the task types and how they function. SO, as a nonnative peaker, you need to: ns . Practice every listening task type so that you know exactly how each task type perates an how to respon1o d d to each type optimally 2. Practice complete tests so that you learn how to be flexible and how to deal with unexpected situations calmly across a complete test event. Panic is the enemy of performance in the Listening test. It’s often a good idea to do the same practice test several times with a day or two in between repeats. This repeating of tests reduces input pressure (ie pressure of the amount and difficulty of spoken input on the recording) and nables you to focus on other aspects of test performance.(eg task types and test tricks, uilding your test management steb rategies) . Practice IELTS ‘trick spotting’. The IELTS Listening test often contains little spoken

catch you out. A common example is the adjusting or correcting of information. 3‘tricks’ to Example: The listening task might involve completing an application form, and one question might require you to write a phone number. The recording might say: ‘My phone number is 85403519, …erm.. oh, sorry I mean 15, so it’s t the end, not 9’.

5’

3515 a


You would have to spot this ‘trick’ and respond by writing ‘8540351 as your answer. Practice enables you to identify and then spot the tricks quickly and become more aware f any changes in the speaker’s voice tone, pitch or emphasis, which can help you o ate the nswer information. Practicol c a e enables you to be less and less confused. 4. Practice building predictive skills. Listening usually involves predicting what might be said next, based on what you have already heard and what you have come to expect from your previous experience of what is said in similar situations. The more you can effectively predict what the speaker will say next or how the conversation will develop, the more relaxed you are as you sample audio input, and the more you can comfortably connect written task needs to the input language you hear.

WHEN transferring your answers 10 minutes for Answer Transfer You have 10 minutes after the final part of the Listening test recording has ended to transfer your answers from the Question paper to a special Answer Sheet. You need to stay focused and be systematic during this stage, even though it is tempting to relax and let our mind wander after the stress of the actual test. Remember, you are your answer y‘manager’! Impressing your assessor is not possible in the IELTS Listening and Reading tests for the simple reason that these tests are clerically marked. This means that they are marked by specially trained clerical workers who have an answer sheet and are instructed precisely bout what they can and can’t accept as a correct answer. o, a key question becomes: How can I impress my marker? aS

2 BIG ISSUES to WATCH OUT FOR! 1. Avoid the ‘worst disaster’! The worst disaster is when you transfer your answers from the question paper to the Answer Sheet but put your answers next to the wrong question number without realising it! So always check that the answer is being transferred to the correct question number on the Answer Sheet. Often an ‘empty’ answer causes this problem of ‘answer in the wrong place’ so that is why having an answer of some sort to each of the 40 questions is helpful at this final stage. hat should I do if I get to the end of transferring my answers and suddenly find that some f my answWo

ers are in the wrong place?

• Don’t panic! Don’t start crossing things out and making a mess! • Draw an arrow from the answer to the correct number so that it is clear that the

answer is pointing to the question number you want it to belong to.


2. ‘Mind the Gap(s)’! n the Metro stations in London you often see a sign which says ‘Mind the Gap’. This means Idon’t fall in the gap between the platform and the train. In IELTS Listening, we could reasonably say, ‘Mind the Gaps’! in the context of the IELTS Listening or Reading test this means that during the transferring of answers you must try to fill in any answers that you left undecided or blank while you were actually listening to the recording. Don’t leave ‘empty answers’. Even a guess has more chance than an empty space. Also if you have left two possible answers on your question paper, you have to nd too long on this final decision making. W

decide which one to choose. Don’t spe

• hy? you only have 10 minutes transfer time

• by returning to think about questions and answers for an extended period you may lose concentration and focus for transferring answers accurately alongside the correct number and place on the Answer Sheet.

9 hints for transferring your answers accurately 1. Write clearly. Often answers require letters of the alphabet. It can sometimes be difficult for markers to tell the difference between an ‘A” and an ‘H’ if the top of the ‘A” is not joined together. ‘D’ and ‘O’ can sometimes be confused, or even ‘C’ and ‘E’, if lower case ‘c’ and ‘e’ are used instead of upper case (capital letters). Numbers ‘1’ and ‘7’ can occasionally be difficult to distinguish. 2. Change answers cleanly and clearly If you decide to change an answer do it clearly, erase the answer you no longer want and write the new answer clearly. Avoid any messy crossing out which may leave doubt about which answer is the one you want, or which words are actually part of the answer. 3. Don’t use abbreviations if they are not common ones

ws ‘kg’ or ‘$’ but some abbreviated forms are not well known and s a correct answer. Be cautious and use full forms if in doubt.


Nearly everybody knomay not be accepted aSpell them correctly.

4. Use correct word forms It is very easy either to write a singular when a plural is needed in the answer or vice versa, or to write a verb form without an‘s’. Sometimes the problem is just the result of carelessness; sometimes it is because the candidate didn’t hear the final ‘s’ sound on the ecording. Be clear about whether the answer requires you to write the noun, gerundive, djectival or adverbial form of a word ra Eaxam ssible co ut the fo require swer ple of po nfusion abo rm of a word d in an anccess (noun), accessing (gerund) , accessible (adjective) , accessibly (adverb) Solution: If you are in doubt, use your common sense or grammatical knowledge in order to come to a decision. Compare these 3 examples of word form problems linked to final ‘s’ Example A ) Global Warming 2) Global Warmings (‘warming‘ is not usually a count noun so no ‘s’; nswer 1 is correct) 1A Example B ) Three trend 2) Three trends (plural number used, so‘s’ needed; Answer 2 is probably orrect) 1c Example C 1) Planting tree 2) Planting trees (usually ‘tree planting’ means planting many trees; also if

ct) it were one tree it would be ‘Planting a tree’, so‘s’ probably needed; Answer 2 is corre ven if you didn’t hear the word clearly on the recording you can still come to a good ecision on final forms Ed 5. Use correct word order

put answers requiring 2 or more words in the correct order as meaning can Be careful tochange when word order changes Examples Compare ‘answer key’ (list of answers)_ with ‘key answer’ (main answer) ‘management style’ (a style or approach used for managing employees) with style management’ (the management of style)


‘ 6. Check the maximum number of words you can use in an answer.

If the question says ‘NO MORE THAN 3 WORDS’ or ‘WITH A WORD TAKEN FROM THE PASSAGE’ (used sometimes in the reading test) your answer should respect these rules. If you write four words you won’t get a point; if you use words from your head, not from the Passage, you won’t score a point. 7. Spell correctly Incorrect spelling can sometimes cause loss of marks. The good news is that American spelling forms are usually accepted, as well as British forms of spelling. Confusing sound of words with sight of word can lead to spelling inaccuracy when sound differences are slight. Examples a) Princes Street / Princess Street b) wild / wide; sheep / ship; key / keen; launch / lunch

different Even similar sounding words (homophones) can have different spelling andmeaning, as in: c) vein / vain; reel / real; meat / meet; I scream / Ice cream; tale / tail What’s the solution to spelling problems? There is no easy solution to this type of problem other than checking spellings in your answers carefully and deciding if the word you have written as your answer makes good sense in the context of the topic being talked about. 8. Copy words accurately If you use words in your answer that also appear in the question, copy them accurately. If you are focused on the task, there is no excuse really for inaccurate copying of a word that is provided. 9. Keep an eye on the time.

if you are not systematic or get d on a particular


10 minutes to transfer your answers seems generous butsidetracked for too long by constantly changing your min answer you may have a problem. So, keep an eye on the time and only allow yourself a set, maximum time for making final decisions about particular answers. Don’t be forced into a panic scenario, as for example when you spend 5 minutes deciding on a couple of answers and then find you have only one minute left to transfer another 20 answers. Panic causes errors and inaccuracy.

Tips for the Reading Test


Many of the tips for the IELTS Listening test apply also to the IELTS Reading Test, specially the need to practice and to become familiar with all the different types of etask that are used within the 40 questions. It is also important to realise that in the Reading Test you don’t have an extra 10 minutes or transferring your answers to the Answer Sheet so this has to be done carefully during he 60 minutes available for the test overall. ft

2 differences between the IELTS Reading and Listening tests

1. You have more control in the Reading test and can make more personal decisions about how to deal with the test material. The Reading tests (Academic or General Training) involve three sections (General Training) or three passages (Academic). For the eneral Training Reading test the level of difficulty increases as you move through the Gsections and the individual texts for reading become longer and more complex. or the Academic Reading test the three passages are on different topics and are broadly of imilar lengths so differences of difficulty are less easy to establish. Fs You have control of the order in which you answer ‐ There is nothing to prevent candidates from attempting Passage 2 before Passage 1 or passage 3 before either 2 or 1 if preferred. A candidate with good knowledge on one of the passage topics might prefer to do that first, even if it is Passage 3, because it may be ssumed that greater familiarity may mean easier understanding. This is one example of athe increased control that a candidate has. ‐ Similarly a candidate can start by answering an easier type of task type before a more difficult one even if they are in a different order. It all depends on how confident each candidate is at taking control of the situation and how each candidate believes they can most effectively increase their final score. 2. All the material (texts and questions) is in written form in the Reading Test so there is no problem of moving to and fro from spoken to written text. The only problem can be that the questions and text will be on different pages so there is some need to move etween pages efficiently. It may help to mark the contents of the passage if that helps to ocate and relocate particular areas of text more effectively. bl

7 Tips for becoming a good manager of your 60minute Reading test

http://www.ielts-blog.com/ielts-preparation-tips/reading-tips/a-few-academic-reading-tips/

1. Have your own time management plan for the test

It’s poor strategy to just ‘go with the flow’ in the reading test. You need a time management plan. Many candidates don’t finish the IELTS Reading test which is evidence of how

it is. challenging

are 5 n: things you can do to form a time management plan. You need to decide o

• s

Here

a maximum time for quickly ‘over‐viewing’ the whole paper – 2‐3 minuteperhaps

• a period of time to spend on each test section or on each passage. Some can e’ of time allocation, such as: didates prefer a ‘sliding scalo 15‐16 minutes (Section 1) o 19‐20 minutes (Section 2) o 22‐24 minutes (Section 3)

This sliding scale seems to suit the General Training Reading test more than theAcademic Reading test.

• a time strategy for tricky questions. Perhaps you might opt for no more than 2 to a minutes on any tricky question (Remember you may be able to come back

tricky question if you can’t make a good choice inside the time) • an amount of time to save at the end to ‘quick check’ the accuracy of your

answers on the Answer Sheet (1‐2 minutes perhaps). • an emergency strategy if you get into difficulties (for example, 5 minutes left but

10 questions still to answer). If there are two types of question still to do, you might choose to answer, say, the multiple choice questions rather than paragraph heading questions, as you can often complete multiple choice type questions more quickly. You will then have to put guesses for the remaining paragraph heading type questions by quick skimming topic sentences of each paragraph.

2. Overview the overall test contents – each set of questions and each text ‘Over‐viewing’ here basically means getting a general impression. It’s part of the progressive build up of meaning as you go from general understanding to specific meanings. It helps to know what the topics are for each text, the subtopics of paragraphs and the type and focus of each question group. This is done by a form of quick reading called ‘skimming’ – letting the eyes run quickly over particular locations in texts and questions. 3. Start with the questions then move to the text


As with the Listening test you need to stay ‘on task’. There is no time to read the passages slowly and thoroughly without a clear purpose, so you need to know in advance what you are trying to find in the passage in order to answer the questions. By reading the questions before getting too deeply into the passage, you become more aware of what you need to search for. 4. Analyse the structure of each text or passage As you begyou need t

in to move to and fro from question to text and from text to question, o take control of the passage by analysing it or marking it. How?

• ces by dividing the passage into sections based on paragraphs and topic senten(usually the first sentence in each paragraph)

• by circling people’s names, numbers, key words (words that appear in the questions and the passage)

• scanning the passage for synonyms (remember that test questions are often devised by using one expression in the question but a different expression in the passage which is a synonym (has a similar meaning)

5. Remember common test patterns It is quite common for the final test questions on a passage to relate to material located in the latter parts of the text, and for earlier questions to relate to material in the earlier paragraphs of the text. Being aw e of possible patterns can save you ‘scanning’ time ar 6. Guess meaning from context Guessing is necessary when reading complex texts. Don’t be thrown by words that you don’t know. If they are located in zones you need to focus on for particular answers, use surrounding words to help your guesses. 7. Leave no empty answers If you are running out of time and can see that you won’t’ finish. All the 40 questions, leave one or even two minutes at the end to make quick guesses. You will have to judge which use of time has the best chance of increasing your score, but logic suggests that ‘empty nswers’ score no points by definition, while quick guesses at least have a chance of being orrect. Maximise your chances. ac


Fitness training for the IELTS Reading test

As with the Listening test, practice before the test is really important.

http://www.ielts-blog.com/ielts-preparation-tips/reading-tips/ielts-reading-test-how-to-practice-smarter/


Here’s an example of a quick, intensive weekly program for busy test takers: Days 1, 2, 3

Academic or ‐ Choose one different passage or section from 1 complete, practice IELTS General Reading test daily for three days. Check the time it took to finish the passage each time (max. 20 minutes). Check the answers each time and work out why any answer was incorrect. ‐‐ Day 4 On day 4 repeat with the text you used on Day 1 but complete the reading in 5 minutes less time than when you did it for the first time. This repeated practice helps you to get the eeling of doing a test section faster and more easily; you need to feel this as it will motivate ou and increase confidence to complete things under time pressure. fy ays 5 and 6 n days 5 and 6 repeat passages (or sections) 2 and 3 from days 2 and 3. DO Day 7 On day 7 do the whole Reading test, 60 minutes maximum ‐ either Sections 1, 2 and 3 of he General Training test, or Passages 1, 2 and 3 of the Academic test you have been using n days 1‐6. ti Another week Start a new sequence of practice with new test material and gradually remove the repeat lement until finally you do a complete Reading test previously unseen in 60 minutes with eno break. • Make sure you practise all the major reading task types. Most IELTS test practice books IELTS on Track for example) will include examples of most of these. Work out how each ask type functions, what each task type demands and its difficult aspects. (t


Let’s briefly summarise this final lesson:

Hints for the IELTS Listening test

ou need to deal with this test calmly and in an organised way

Y Before listening to any section

here the speakers • Read the listening task for a group of questions in order to establish w

have synonyms in the recording, are and their relationship

ds that mightequirements

• be clear about keywor r

• check headings, task look at any examples spot likely answers. •• While listening to each section • Stay on task Don’t get left behind – don’t get sidetracked by particular words you don’t understand Find the ‘rhythm’ of the test (ie the time gap between keywords needed for each answer) ••

When transferring answers to the Answer Sheet

pty answer gaps – even a guess has a chanceto its correct number

• Don’t leave em• Make sure you put each answer next • Write clearly.

and clearly if they are not common ones

• Change answers cleanly • Don’t use abbreviations • Use correct word forms

ber of words you can use in an answer.

• Use correct word order• Check the maximum num Copy words accurately Keep an eye on the time. ••

practice:

ning test, task type

Before the Liste• every listening • complete tests ‘trick ‘spotting predictive skills ••


Hints for the IELTS Reading test

tening

• You can take more control of what you do and in what order than with LisReading test • Have your own time management plan for the

• Over‐view the overall test contents – each set of questions and each text to the text r passage – paragraphs and topic sentences

• Start with the questions then movetext orns

• Analyse the structure of each atteext

• Remember common test p Guess meaning from cont Leave no empty answers •• Practice before taking the IELTS Read• Become familiar with every task type • Start with single passages Repeat the same passage + questions several days later to build speed and confidence Then practice whole tests

ing test

•• Well this is the end of our sixth lesson together. I do hope that these lessons have made you feel more connected to the IELTS test situation and more empowered to achieve a high score. I hope especially that you now understand more fully the perspective of the assessor and how you can become a collaborator in the test situation, and a professional manager of your test performance, not a test victim. Know the test, increase your sense of your own power, take responsibility, practice and you will increase your score! Good luck! Hope to see you again with some other lessons. Let me know what other types of lesson would help you. Best wishes, Donna Millen


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