family planning essay ielts

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Family Values Essay

This is an IELTS family values essay, centered around the belief that families are not as close as in the past.

If you look at the question carefully, you will see that there are two tasks. Firstly, you have to explain why (give  reasons ) families are not so close. The second task is to state whether you think this more of a  negative  or  positive  trend.

Take a look at the question:

Nowadays, families are not as close as in the past and a lot of people have become used to this.

Why is this happening?

Do the advantages of this trend outweigh the drawbacks?

So this essay is a mix of causes, advantages and disadvantages .

Be careful in noting that it is partly an opinion essay as you have to give your opinion as to whether the advantages outweigh (i.e. more advantages) the disadvantages.

Take a look at the question and the model answer:

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge.

Write at least 250 words.

Family Values Essay Model Answer

There has been a trend over recent decades for families to become less close than they were in the past and this situation is largely accepted in society. This essay will discuss the reasons for this and examine the benefits and drawbacks of this development.

One of the first reasons for a decline in the closeness of families is connected to the busy lifestyles that we now lead. Most people are having to work longer hours and often both parents work, so they simply do not have as much time to spend with each other as they did in the past. Another factor is the materialistic and consumer driven culture we now live in, which has led to less value being placed on family relationships. Modern technology also means that people are more interested in their online life than interacting with their family in their free time.

It could be argued that this has benefits. If people are not so close with their family, they are free to pursue their own dreams and aspirations, and to focus on improving their own lifestyle. However, I believe that there are far more negative outcomes. The most important factors leading to a fulfilled and happy life are emotional security and comfort. Without these we are in danger of feeling lost. It is a difficult world we live in and we need the support of people close to us to cope with modern life. We are seeing a rise in mental health problems in many countries and this may well be a factor in this.

To conclude, busy modern lifestyles, changing cultural values and modern technology are causing families to become less close. We should try to halt this trend as it has more negative than positive outcomes.

(294 Words)

This family values essay would merit a high IELTS score.

The essay is organized clearly . The introduction introduces the topic and the thesis clearly sets out the contents of the essay.

Each body paragraph has a clear central idea - the first paragraph is about the reasons and the second paragraph examines the advantages and disadvantages . This paragraph also makes it clear that the writer believes the drawbacks outweigh the benefits .

It would also be possible to have presented a separate body paragraph, each with the advantages and disadvantages, but you would need to be careful not to write too much and possibly run out of time.

The conclusion then summarises the main points made in the essay and again clarifies the opinion .

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In your opinion should government intervene in the rights of the individual with regard to family planning? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

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• Structure your answers in logical paragraphs
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• Use cohesive linking words accurately and appropriately
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• ? Present relevant ideas
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IELTS Discussion Essay Sample 4 – Family and Children

In this post, we will look at a discussion essay  example from the IELTS writing task 2 test. Students often ask if the questions are repeated year after year and the answer is no, but the topics are. There are so many questions written each year, you may find your practise answering various questions on different topics. For example, you could write essays to answer questions about education or the environment, which benefits you because you learn vocabulary associated with those topics and develop ideas that can help you in your writing test.

Practising writing IELTS task 2 essays  on a range of topics is a great way to learn new vocabulary for those topics, but also to practice your essay structures . You begin to develop your ideas around those topics, thinking of examples and giving your opinions.

If you would like to purchase a 34  page PDF download that is easy to read and print out please take a look at the bookshop >

If you would like to learn how to structure a discussion essay  please click the button below >

HOW TO WRITE A DISCUSSION ESSAY

Take a look at the IELTS essay example  below >>

Many people choose to ask their parents to assist them in taking care of their sons and daughters while others think that they need to nurture their own offspring.  This essay believes that parents and grandparents should work together to raise their family. Firstly, this essay will discuss the benefits of raising the children with their grandparents and secondly, the advantages of nurturing your own child.

On the one hand, parents nowadays find it difficult in balancing the time between work and taking care of their families. They seek the help of the grandparents to assist them in taking care of the kids because they need to work hard in order to provide the monetary needs of their family. This also can boost the confidence and give energy to the grandparents since they know that they are still needed, even if they are old. For instance, an article in the Manila Bulletin in 2017 revealed that grandparents are more likely to live longer while raising their grandchildren versus grandparents who live alone.

On the other hand, most parents would want to raise their children by themselves. They want to be there to assist their child in every step of the way for they believe that nurturing is very important in order to raise a responsible individual.  This practice can also strengthen the ties between family members, for they know that they will support each other no matter what.  Children raised by their parents are more likely to become more caring and have a positive outlook on life. For example, a study by the Child Psychology of the Philippines in 2015 revealed that children raised by their parents are happier and healthier versus children raised by nannies.

In my opinion, I believe that parents should raise their children with the help of their grandparents. They need to work together, for bringing up a child is a difficult job and they need each other in order to withstand the hindrances and problems that they can encounter. Children need a strong support system to help them conquer fears and reach their aspirations. To know that there are a lot of people who support and love you is a good weapon to survive the demanding world.  For example, in my own experience, I spent my childhood with both of my parents and grandparents and this made me a better person because I know that there will always be people who will love and accept me no matter what.

In conclusion, parents and grandparents should help one another in raising a child. They need the love, care and support in order to help mould them into a better and wiser individual someday.

(Word count – 447 / Band score 8)

• Task Achievement  – The essay provides an answer to the question asked, supported by relevant examples.
• Coherence and Cohesion  – The answer has been divided into clear logical paragraphs and each main body paragraph only has one main idea. There are cohesive links between the main body paragraphs .
• Lexical Resource  – There is evidence of a wide range of vocabulary, with no errors in the text.
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy  – The answer has no grammatical errors. The sentences have a wide range of structures. 

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Family: IELTS speaking part 1 sample questions and answers

IELTS speaking part 1 sample questions and answers: Topic: Family

Content of the post

• The article contains sample questions and answers for IELTS speaking part 1 topic Family .
• It also contains the band 7+ word used in this topic plus words useful for the topic.
• Further the article contains the links of cue card and part 3 related to topic family .

  IELTS speaking part 1 sample  questions.

Topic: Family

How many members are there in your family?

Do your grandparents live with you?

Do your family members get along with each other?

• Do you think family’s support is important for getting ahead in life?

Who is the closest to you among your family members?

Do you think living in a joint family is better than living in a nuclear family?

What are the advantages of living in a nuclear family?

Do you think families in the past were closer than nowadays?

IELTS speaking part 1 sample questions and answers:

There are 4 members in my family. I, mom, dad and one sweet younger sister.

My father is a government employee. He has been doing his job for 20 years. He is a hard worker and honest person. My mother is a housewife with a very compassionate heart and workaholic mind. My sister is studying in 12 th standard.

No, I wish they would live with me. However, they prefer noise free and serene environment of village. So, they live in my hometown. But I visit them whenever I get time in the vacation. Sometimes they come to our place to give us some time. We enjoy their company a lot especially my grandfather.

Yes, definitely. We are very much close to each other. We care for each other.  There is a respect for elders and love for Youngers in my family. My father always respects my grandfather and mother and so do I.

We are emotionally attached to each other. There is a strong sense of responsibility in my family. I feel privileged to have such a family.

Do you think family’s support is important for getting ahead in life?

Certainly, family support is the first thing required in getting ahead in life. Family helps in taking good decision either for study or business. It also fulfills the financial requirements. The most important thing which family gives us the moral support.  We never get tired of fighting the world if our family is in support.

Well, all members of my family are close to my heart. But I feel my mom has same mindset and personality as I. in that sense I am having more conversation and spending more time with my mom as compared to any other members of my family.

Of course, living in joint families is far better than living in a nuclear family . There are numerous reasons. Usually there is more emotional support in a joint family. We can share our problems with other family members. By that way we can feel relaxed, and our problems will also get sorted out.

Well according to me, one should not live in a nuclear family unless and until some circumstances arise. But that’s what I believe.  There are myriad people who are in favor of living in a nuclear family.

There are some benefits of living in a nuclear family. First of which is a privacy. Some people give utmost importance to privacy specifically the people of today’s generation. One more benefit we can enlist here is the less conflict between members. As there are fewer members in nuclear family. The chances of dispute are also less.

It is actually debatable whether the families in the past were closer or todays. As far as I believe families in the past were closer than today’s families. The very first reason I see is the overuse of technology in today’s generation.

Nowadays, every family member is bust in his mobile. He does not get time even to look from his mobile. It is actually an addiction. In the past mobiles were not there so families had plenty of times together. They talked frequently.

Vocabulary: IELTS speaking part 1: topic family

Compassionate: pitiful

Workaholic: Extremely hardworking

Serene: beautiful and calm

Privileged: lucky

Nuclear family: family in which small numbers of people  live.

Circumstances: situations

Myriad: many

Utmost: greatest

Conflict: dispute

IELTS speaking cue card related to family. 

Describe a friend of your family you remember from your childhood.

• Ebooks & Courses
• Practice Tests
• Family Vocabulary

It’s important to learn a good range of family vocabulary as there’s a high chance you’ll get questions about your family in Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking test.

The topic could also come up in Parts 2 and 3 as well as being the subject of the Writing, Listening or Reading tests.

Here are a few things you could be asked about:

• Facts about your family
• Details of family relationships
• Family activities & celebrations
• A family member you admire 
• Changes in family roles
• The generation gap
• Parental responsibility
• The future of the family

This page includes over 100 common words and phrases related to the family. I’ve added an explanation for each one and a sample sentence to show it in context where needed. This will help you to learn how to use this family vocabulary correctly.

Don’t try to learn them all. Look at my suggestions below as to the best way to use this list.

To ensure that you’re well prepared to answer any family-related question, I’ve included four things here:

• IELTS-style questions on the topic of the family
• Sample answers
• A list of common family vocabulary with definitions & sample sentences
• Links to online reading and listening resources

You’ll find PDF downloads of both the questions and sample answers and the family vocabulary list at the bottom of the respective sections.

The questions relate to the Speaking test because this part of the exam offers the broadest range of possible questions on this topic. They give the best opportunity for me to demonstrate the vocabulary and for you to practise using it.

I’ve included IELTS-style questions and answers for all three parts of the Speaking test. I've highlighted keywords and phrases in  bold .

You'll find these words and phrases, and many others, in the vocabulary list beneath. The list also includes the explanations and sample sentences and there’s an audio to listen to the pronunciation.

The vocabulary list contains words and phrases relevant to all parts of the IELTS exam.

Finally, at the bottom of the page, I've added links to topical articles, short videos and podcasts that will help you to improve both your family vocabulary and your reading and listening skills.

IELTS-Style Speaking Test Questions and Answers

Common family vocabulary is highlighted in  bold .

1) How many people are there in your immediate family?

Four people make up my immediate family – my dad, my sister and my two bothers . They all live close to me except for my youngest brother who moved away because of his work.

2) Do you get along well with your family?

Most definitely. I used to argue with my brothers and sister a lot when we were. It was sibling rivalry I guess but we get on really well now.

3) Which member of your family are you closest to?

I’d have to say my sister but we’re a close-knit family and we all get along just great.

4) How much time do you spend with your family?

We used to go to my parent’s house for Sunday tea every few weeks but since my mother died, my oldest brother , my sister and I take turns to spend time supporting our father . This means that we don’t all get together so often. However, we still have family gatherings on special occasions.

5) When did you last have a family party?

Just a few weeks ago. It was for my father’s birthday. We had a get-together at his house and we all took along cakes and snacks to share.

Describe a family celebration that you attended.

You should say:

• where this celebration was held
• why it was held
• what you did at the event

and explain what you enjoyed about the celebration.

One of the most memorable family events of recent years was my father’s 80 th birthday. We wanted to have a special celebration for him but decided to keep it a secret so as to surprise him on the day.

My youngest brother , who lives two and a half hours drive away from the rest of my immediate family , told Dad that he’d come down with his family so we could all go out for a meal together. What we actually did was to invite members of our extended family to come as well without my father knowing. Most of them live a long way away, like in London or Scotland, so we don’t see them very often. They came down the day before and stayed in local hotels.

There was a lot to arrange and it was difficult to sort everything without Dad guessing what we were up to. There were several times when I thought he must know something was going on but was just playing along and pretending he didn’t.

We booked a table at a local restaurant and on the day, my sister decorated it with balloons and other party bits and pieces. It looked amazing. It was a very long table as in the end there were more than twenty family members at the meal. So, as well as my parents and my siblings , there were also nieces , nephews , aunts , uncles and cousins . I think it was probably the biggest family gathering we’d ever had.

We arranged for Dad and Mum to be the last to arrive so that everyone else could be seated at the table waiting for them. I’ll never forget Dad’s face when he walked into the restaurant. He hadn’t guessed what we were arranging and it was a real surprise to him to see everyone there.

We had a lovely meal together but the best thing was spending time with all our relatives . It made me realize what a close-knit family we are even though we don’t see each other very often. I think that Dad enjoyed it too and I hope it showed him how much he means to our whole family .

1) In what ways can people in a family be similar to each other?

Both immediate and extended family members often have a lot of similarities. For example, they can look alike . My brother Steve is the spitting image of our cousin Peter, while my sister takes after our mother in the way she both looks and talks.

Also, relatives may be good at the same things or do similar types of work. Most of my extended family are either teachers or scientists.

Specific interests often run in the family . In my family , we all love the outdoors and nature, particularly the older generation . Younger family members do like to go out walking as well but now that my nieces and nephews are all teenagers , they spend a lot of time on their electronic gadgets.

The final way that people in a family can be alike is in their personality, and especially in their sense of humour.

2) In terms of personality, are people influenced more by their family or by their friends?

In my opinion, personality is mostly hereditary . I think that the main traits of a person’s character are passed down from parents to their offspring . Some people are more like their father , others more like their mother but most of us can recognise characteristics of both parents in our own personality. For example, I’m quiet like my dad and have my mum’s creativity.

How children are raised also affects the way they think, feel and behave as they grow up. Kids from a happy, stable family background generally have a normal personality. However, an unhappy childhood , which may include some form of abuse, will definitely affect a child’s mental development and their character later in life.

This suggests that personality can change so it’s probably true that the people we spend time with as friends and colleagues also influence the way we think, feel and behave. However, I don’t think that they alter our deepest character.

So in conclusion, I’d say that an understanding of personality is quite complex and involves both hereditary and social factors.

3) How has the role of elderly people in the family changed in recent times?

In the past, the older generation was highly respected in most cultures. They were considered to be wise because of all the things they’d learnt in their long lives. Elderly family members would have been family leaders, teachers and spiritual guides to the younger generation . They helped to maintain the structure and stability of the family .

One of their most important roles was to pass on the old traditions and to maintain traditional culture. The other vital job they did, especially the grandmothers , was to provide childcare for their grandchildren . They would certainly have played an important role in their upbringing .

In my country, most of this changed when it became normal for adult children to move away to study and get better jobs. Family ties are no longer so strong and elderly people aren’t respected as they once were. Grandparents aren’t the people we usually go to for advice these days. To be honest, many elderly people don’t have a significant role in most families any more. However, many do still look after the grandchildren if they live close to them.

Click this link to get a PDF download of these practise questions & sample answers.

Download PDF Now

* Important

• Do  not  try and learn this list of family vocabulary.
• Identify the vocabulary you find useful for answering practise questions about the family.
• Record these in your vocabulary notebook and practise using them regularly.

I recommend that you create your own answers to the Speaking questions on this page. You will find many other IELTS-style practise questions by searching online. 

For help on how to learn vocabulary, what to learn and how to record it, visit these pages:

How to Learn Vocabulary for IELTS

Top 6 Types of IELTS Vocabulary & Topic Word Lists

Family Vocabulary – Common Words & Phrases

Family Vocabulary Set 1: Types of Family

family – a group of people who are related to each other

- Mohit was very nervous when he met his girlfriend’s family for the first time.

immediate family – your closest relations, such as your parents, children, husband or wife

- My immediate family are my dad, mum and two sisters.

nuclear family – parents and their children

- The average nuclear family in the US is made up of parents and two children.

extended family – a family unit that includes grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, and uncles, etc. in addition to parents and children

- I have a large extended family with many nieces, nephews and cousins.

dysfunctional family – a family that is not behaving or working normally, where there is conflict, misbehaviour, etc.

- Cynthia came from a dysfunctional family and could often be seen wandering the street on her own when she was young.

Family Vocabulary Pronunciation

Family Vocabulary Set 2: Family Members - General Terms

family member – someone who belongs to a specific family

- I have family members living all over the world.

to be related to – to belong to the same family as

- I’m related to many people in my village as my family has lived here for generations.

a relative   – someone who is part of your family

- We are going to visit relatives who live on the coast for our holiday this year.

blood relative – someone you are related to through birth rather than marriage

- Aunty Sylvia is my blood relative but Uncle George, her husband, is only related to me by marriage.

distant relative – generally, a relative who is a third cousin or greater, or a great aunt or uncle, especially when you have little or no involvement with him or her.

- A member of my family died last week but they were a distant relative and I didn’t know them very well.

next of kin – the person or group of people you are most closely related to

- When you apply for a passport, you have to name your next of kin in case there is an emergency while you are away travelling.

descendants – a person who is related to you and who lives after you, such as your child or grandchild, and all future generations

ancestors – family members from past generations

- I’m writing my autobiography so that my descendants will know what life was like for one of their ancestors .

household – all the people who live in one house

- There are now only three people in my household as my older brother has gone away to university.

Family Vocabulary Set 3: Immediate family

father – a man in relation to his child or children

mother –  a  woman in relation to her child or children

parent – father or mother

husband – the male partner in a marriage; a married man

wife – the female partner in a marriage; a married woman

spouse – a husband or wife

son – a person’s boy child

daughter – a person’s girl child

brother – a male who has the same parents as another person

sister –  a female who has the same parents as another person

big brother / older brother (or sister) – older than you

little sister / younger sister (or brother) – younger than you

- I have two younger sisters but I do wish I had an older brother .

sibling – a brother or sister

- I have three  siblings , two brothers and a sister.

twin – either of two children born to the same mother on the same occasion

- My sister has just given birth to twins , a boy and a girl.

identical twins – twins who look exactly the same

- I have an identical twin brother and even our parents find it difficult to tell us apart.

an only child – a child who doesn’t have any brothers or sisters

- It can be lonely being an only child as you don’t have siblings to play with.

Family Vocabulary Set 4: Extended family

uncle – the brother of your mother or father

aunt – the sister of your mother or father

nephew – the male child of your brother or sister

niece – the female child of your brother or sister

cousin – a child of your uncle or aunt

grandparents – the parents of your parents

grandfather – the father of your mother or father

grandmother – the mother of your father or mother

grandchildren – the children of your children

grandson – the son of your son or daughter

granddaughter – the daughter of your son or daughter

Family Vocabulary Set 5: In-laws

in-laws  – the relatives of your husband or wife

- When we were first married, we couldn’t afford a place of our own so lived with the in-laws .

mother-in-law – mother of your spouse

- Many people don’t get on with their mother-in-law but mine is really nice.

father-in-law – father of your spouse

- My father-in-law offered me a job in the family business so he is also my boss.

son-in-law – the husband of your daughter

- I didn’t like Amir when I first met him but he’s a great son-in-law and helps me out whenever I need it.

daughter-in-law – the wife of your son

- We are very happy that our son has decided to marry Zehra and look forward to her becoming our daughter-in-law .

brother-in-law – the husband of your sister

- My brother-in-law is lazy and not a very good husband to my sister.

sister-in-law – the wife of your brother

- I often help my sister-in-law to look after my baby niece.

Family Vocabulary Set 6: Stepfamilies

step – in the context of family relationships, ‘step’ means that you are related to the person because of one of your parents marries one of their parents

stepmother – the wife of your father, but not your biological mother

stepfather – the husband of your mother, but not your biological father

stepson –  the son of your new wife or husband, but not your biological son

stepdaughter – the daughter of your new wife or husband, but not your biological daughter

stepsister – the daughter of your stepmother or stepfather

stepbrother – t he son of your stepmother or stepfather

half-brother – a brother you have only one parent in common with

half-sister – a sister you have only one parent in common with

Family Vocabulary Set 7: Parenting

parent – a person's father or mother

- I’m glad that my parents live close by as it’s easy to visit them.

motherhood – the state of being a mother

- I’d like to have children one day but I’m not ready for motherhood yet.

fatherhood – the state of being a father

- Sakda is taking the responsibilities of fatherhood seriously and now only goes out drinking with his friends once a month.

to start a family – to have children

- Billy and I are planning to start a family as soon as we get married.

to give birth – to have a baby

- It was a special moment in Cesar’s life when he saw his wife giving birth to their first child.

offspring – a person's child or children

- My two sisters are coming over later with their offspring so the house is going to be very noisy.

family man – a man who enjoys being at home with his wife and children

- Deepak used to love partying but now that he has kids he’s become a real family man .

family life – the kind of life a person normally leads when they are married and have children 

- My husband and I enjoy doing lots of activities with our children and we all have a great family life together.

to raise (a child) – to take ​care of a child until they become an adult 

- It’s a big responsibility raising children but I love being a parent.

to bring up (a child) – to raise a child

- When Jae-min’s husband died, she was left to bring up the children on her own.

upbringing – the way in which you are treated and educated when young, especially by your parents

- I was fortunate to have a good upbringing but not all children have caring parents who look after them well and teach them the right way to behave.

to support (a family) – to have enough money to be able to look after a family

- Egor earned very low wages and had to work two jobs to support his family.

breadwinner – the member of a family who earns most of the money that the family needs

- In many countries, men are expected to be the breadwinner  in a family.

dependant – someone who depends on you for financial support, such as a child or family member who does not work

- I‘m working hard to get a promotion and earn more money now that I’m a husband and a father and have dependants who rely on me.

to adopt – to legally take another person's child into your own family and take care of them as your own child

- Paul and Siri were unable to have children of their own and decided to adopt a baby.

to foster – to take care of someone else’s child, usually for a limited time, without becoming the child's legal parent

- Even though I’m an only child, I always had other boy’s and girl’s to play with when I was growing up as mum and dad often used to foster other children.

over-protective parents – a parent who protect their child too much

- Overprotective parents can prevent their children from building confidence and independence.

spoilt child – a child who shows bad behaviour because they have been allowed to do or have anything they want

- I don’t like playing with the girl next door because she’s a spoilt child and gets in a temper if I don’t let her win all the games.

single parent – a person bringing up a child or children without a partner

- My sister is a single parent now that her husband has left her.

stay at home parent / stay at home mum – a parent who stays at home  to take care of their children rather than going out to work

- These days, it’s far more usual for men to be a stay-at-home parent than when I was young when it was always the mother who looked after the kids.

to look after – to take care of

- I’m going to look after my daughter’s children on Saturday while she has a day out with her friends.

childcare – the care of children, especially by a crèche, nursery or childminder while parents are working

- Childcare is a big problem for many working parents and they are lucky if their own parents can help out.

strict – strongly limiting someone's freedom to behave as they wish, or likely to severely punish someone if they do not obey

- My parents are very  strict  with me and I have to finish all my homework before I’m allowed to play or watch TV.

authoritarian – demanding that people obey completely and refusing to allow them the freedom to act as they wish

- My father was very  authoritarian  when I was growing up and I was terrified of him.

Family Vocabulary Set 8: The Generations

generation – all the people of about the same age within a society or within a particular family

- It’s hard to believe how much everyday life has changed for my grandparent’s generation .

older generation – people of middle-age and older

younger generation – young adults, teenagers and children

- The older generation are often stuck in their ways, while the younger generation welcome change.

generation gap – a difference of opinions between one  generation  and another regarding beliefs and attitudes, often leading to a lack of understanding between them

- It’s a skilled politician who can bridge the generation gap .

teenager – a person aged between 13 and 19 years

- My lovely little boy turned into a rebellious monster when he was a teenager but now he’s a lovely young man.

adolescent – a young person who is developing into an adult

- Many adolescents  develop emotional problems as they try to find their place in the world.

Family Vocabulary Set 9: Other vocabulary

sibling rivalry – the feeling of competitiveness that often exists between brothers and sisters 

- There was huge sibling rivalry between my two brothers and they were always fighting but they are the best of friends now that they’re adults.

run in the family – a common feature in a family; something which is passed from parents to children

- Artistic ability seems to run in the family .

hereditary – passed from the genes of a parent to a child

- Diabetes is hereditary in our family so I make sure that I eat healthily and keep fit to lessen my chances of getting it.

childhood – the time when someone is a child

- Many children in the world do not have a happy childhood .

family background – the details of a person's  family regarding education, social status, etc.

- We want our son to marry a girl from a good family background .

family gathering / family get-together – an informal event where family members meet up

- We’re having a family get-together to celebrate my mother’s birthday.

close-knit – involving groups of people in which everyone supports each other

- We’re a close-knit family and know that we can rely on each other when one of us needs help.

family ties – the sense of connection between family members

- Family ties aren’t as strong as they used to be in my country because relatives often live many miles apart and even in different countries.

to care for – to provide the things someone needs, especially someone who is young, old, or ill

- In my country, sons and daughters are expected to care for their elderly parents.

a widow – a woman whose husband has died

- Her husband died young and she has been a widow for almost thirty years now.

a widower – a man whose wife has died

- My mother died last year so my father is now a widower .

to desert – to leave someone without help or in a difficult situation and not come back

- My father deserted us when I was young and my mother has brought me up on her own.

Family Vocabulary Set 10: Idioms

There are many idioms about the family but I’ve chosen just a few that might prove a useful addition to your family vocabulary. Pick only one or two to learn and make sure that you know how to use them 100% or they won’t make sense.

If you’re unsure about them, give them a miss rather than risking sounding silly.

get on with / get along with – to like someone and have a friendly relationship with them

- I used to fight with my siblings when we were young but I get on with them really well now that we’re adults.

to fall out with / to have a falling out – to have a disagreement which ruins a relationship with that person

- I fell out with my sister when she started dating my boyfriend.

- The two brothers had a falling out over the broken toy.

on speaking terms – friendly enough to talk

- My parents had a big argument and are not on speaking terms at the moment.

to look alike – to look very similar to someone else

- My twin sister and I look alike and people often call us by each other’s names.

to take after (someone) – to be very similar to an older family member

- Mila was excellent at drawing. She took after her mother who was a famous artist.

a chip off the old block – the person is very similar (in character and personality) to one of their parents

- Sanjay is always cracking jokes, just like his father. He’s a real chip off the old block .

to follow in someone’s footsteps – to do the same thing as someone else did previously, especially someone in your family

- I want to follow in my father’s footsteps and become a doctor like he is.

spitting image  – to look extremely similar to someone

- Cher is the spitting image of her mother.

wears the trousers – to be the person in a family who holds the authorit y and makes decisions

- My dad likes to thinks that he’s in charge but it’s my mother who wears the trousers in our house.

black sheep (of the family) – someone who brings shame to their family by being different or doing something wrong

- My brother first started getting into trouble with the police when he was a teenager and he’s become the black sheep of the family.

Click this link to get a PDF download of this list of family vocabulary.

Ways to Improve Your Family Vocabulary

One of the best ways to improve your family vocabulary is through reading. Watching topic related YouTube videos and listening to podcasts is also hugely beneficial.

Here are some online resources I recommend.

Articles About the Family

Australian Institute of Family Studies

Raising Children – The Australian Parenting Website

The Independent - Family

The New York Times - Family

I love TED Talks. They are short videos with a powerful message and are generally very interesting. They’re ideal for improving your vocabulary and give valuable listening skills practise.

Search TED Talks - The Family  & TED Talks - Parenting to help you improve your family vocabulary.

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IELTS Writing Task 2: Essay Planning Tips

IELTS essay planning tips. Learn how to plan your IELTS essay successfully. Learn how to use your time to plan ideas and paragraphs as well as other essential aspects of your IELTS essay.

Should I spend time planning my essay?

Yes, you should. 50% of your marks as based on your ability to answer the essay question directly, present relevant ideas, have clear supporting points to extend the main ideas, to organise your ideas and have logical paragraphing. So, spending time planning is essential for any student aiming for band score 6, 7, 8 or 9.

When you get to writing task 2, you will be tired. You will already have done the listening test, reading test and writing task 1. This means your concentration and energy levels will be low. It is easy to make a mistake with the essay question, lose focus in your writing and present disorganised ideas. This is another reason why planning is so important. It helps you focus and create a clear strategy with clear ideas. This will make writing your essay easier and help you write a strong essay.

How much time should I spend planning?

Some teachers will tell you to plan for at least 10 minutes. This is good advice but I know what most students are too nervous to spend so much time planning. Other teachers advise students to spend about 3 minutes. This is enough to plan main ideas but not to plan supporting points and to organise ideas.

I advise you to spend at least 5 minutes planning. You must practice planning your essay and calculate how long it really takes you to create a strong plan for your essay. Whatever you decide, know that planning is critical. Lack of planning is the common downfall of most students.

What should I plan before I start writing?

You should have a clear outline of the following before you start your essay:

• identifying the issues in the essay question
• brainstorming main points
• choosing the best main points
• planning supporting points
• organising paragraphs

Should I practice planning my essays at home before my test?

Yes, definitely. There is a skill to good logical essay planning which you need to practice. On this blog, I have over 100 essay questions for IELTS writing task 2. While it might be difficult to practice writing over 100, you should certainly spend time planning a lot of them even if you don’t have time to write the full essay. The better you are at planning, the better your essay will be. See the link below for essay questions.

Where can I write my plan?

You can write your plan on the question paper. There is plenty of room to write on the question paper and the examiner will not see it. The examiner only sees the answer sheet. So, use the question paper to plan your essay.

I have seen many high level students with very good English fail to get band score 7, not because of their English, but because of their poor essay planning. Don’t let that happen to you! Plan your essay thoroughly before you start writing your essay.

Recommended

• Band Scores 5 to 8 Explained for Writing Task 2
• Over 100 Essay Questions for IELTS
• Essay Ideas for Writing Task 2
• All Writing Task 2 Lessons & Tips

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Thank you Liz for all you do for us. Please I wrote an essay on this topic; Some people think that the government is wasting money on the arts and that this money could be better spent elsewhere. To what extent do you agree with this. Most people believe that the government spends a lot of money on the arts and that the money could be invested in something better. In my opinion,I agree that the government spends a lot of money on arts than investing in health. Firstly,health is an aspect of an individual’s life that deals with a state of well being either physically, emotionally, socially and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Health encompasses the state of being free from sickness but the government does not invest well on this aspect as can be seen in the areas where there are no rehabilitation centres or programmes to help persons in the society who may be recovering from mental stress or sickness,to help them adapt well into the society,neither are there good hospitals and facilities to improve people’s health and well being. Some hospitals lack essential equipments that is necessary to carry out investigations and sometimes the hospitals make use of worn-out instruments which gives false readings and hence leading to judgement of a wrong diagnosis. On the one hand, the government maps out huge amount of money to be used on arts,artworks, exhibitions and displays . She also redecorates the museum always and forgets some important aspect of of every individual’s life. Yes,it is true that the museum should be in good shape and function so that the crafts and old artifacts in it will be preserved but if the people that would utilize it are not with good health, of what essence is it? In conclusion, I would recommend that less money should be spent by the government on arts and more invested in science , technology and health so as to create a balance and improve the lives of the people.

Please help to rate it let me know how much I need to practice. Thank you.

Children brought up in families with less money are better prepared for life than those from whealthy families? To what extend do you agree or disagree?

Ans- childhood is a age when children learn useful skills and with its help make their future better . Some people think that pupils from middle class familiea are provident for their future comparing to those belong from prosperous families . However, in my point of view ,family financial status alone cannot impact much on children future prepration

On the one hand ,children from poor families know the conditions of their family life and they donot waste money . Poor family students often seen doing best in school ans universities . However ,some children from middle class families donot get proper financial support from their family and will not able to take admission in finer school and college . children from poor families work somewhere to fulfil their needs that donot provide them much time for studies.

On the other hand, pupils from rich families often seen in parties ,pubs and clubs .They donot care for money because their families have enough money to give them facilities to join superior university and can hire personal tutor. Needless to say, that not every child belong form wealty family is week in studies and donot care for their future.

In conclusion, it is often seen that children from middle class families are much aware comparing to those belong from high class families .But i personally believe that, family conditions alone cannot allow pupils to take decision for future .Family environment ,parents behaviour and student own thinking ability also play a crucial role to be prepared for future

Please tell me that how many band this essay can get i will be happy if you reply😊

Hi liz Thank you so much for your website I have a question and hope you could help me asap. I’m close to my exam but confused. You know far better than me one criterion for band 7 8 is that “each paragraph focuses on one central topic” . I saw an IELTS learning video says do not put two three points in one paragraph base on law above. It will lower your score. That says just tell one, then explain it and finally give an example. So, is it true? In your videos you are putting some numbers of reasons in a paragraph (showing them with firstly, secondly, one problem, another issue). Although you extended every points, it is not against rule of “one central topic on one paragraph”?! Is not several topic?

I will be grateful if you answer. I used to your method as more answers give the chance to write more to reach 250 word limit and in my level, extending just one topic could not be that easy. What do you think? Thanks.

I can understand your confusion. The band score descriptors do say “each paragraph focused on one central topic”. For example, all advantages in one paragraph is a central topic – it is a collection of advantages. This is 100% normal for IELTS and does come under the category of central topic. Paragraphing in IELTS is very largely about logic. I hope this helps.

I have two more days for my IELTS and I`ve realized that I`m nowhere close to scoring more than 6 due to lack of my preparation.I’m relying on your videos and whatever I score, I owe it to you. I found your videos and you are my savior. Thank you Liz.

Use your two days carefully. Make sure you review this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-help-faq/ and also read this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-exam-tips-on-the-day/ . Make a short list of other things to check. Good luck!

Thank you for this amazing IELTS source. I have struggle with generating ideas for writing task-2. My mind always goes to writing fancy ideas but it ends with not organizing my thoughts properly. Could you please tell me how to organize ideas?How to simple simple and find relevant ideas?

Organising ideas is about technique. Gaining ideas is about learning ideas. For technique, see my Advanced Lessons. For ideas see my Ideas E-book: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hi dear Liz I used to think it is incorrect to mention ” I will discuss ” in an academic essay until two weeks ago that I was told by my Ielts tutor that I “must” use the pronoun “I” in my IELTS writing task 2. I was wondering what is the correct answer?

That is 100% untrue. If the instructions ask for your opinion, you must give it. The only way to write your personal opinion in English is to write: I think or I believe or In my opinion or I agree etc. So, you must use “I” if the instructions call for it. If the instructions do not call for it, you don’t use it. Just follow the instructions. See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Hello Liz I’m Alphonse Taju from Cameroon. I appreciate ur wonderful work here. Infact it’s really helping me through my preparation. I’m so privileged to have come to know this blog.

Pls is there a link which explains other forms of task 2 essay questions apart from opinion essay?? Thanks in advance for ur reply

Click on “Writing task 2” on the RED BAR at the top of the website.

Hello Liz, Do we get higher band score for better ideas ? If I maintain the structure and give supporting points along with examples, will it still not boost the band score? Please advise mam

All your answers are found on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Hi Liz, I am Nitin Singh from India. I read your blog posts & article about tips to get high score in IELTS exam. Your viewpoints are really worth to follow and your suggestions are really good. I was doing practice for IELTS general writing task 2 by writing essays. When I saw few examples, I found a line “This essay will first discuss about advantages of and then outline about disadvantages” (for an essay about advantages or disadvantages) . This line “This essay will first discuss……and then…..” was written in all different type of essays (Opinion/Advantages or disadvantages/Discussion etc). My question- is it OK to write this line in all types of messages? Will it make structure of my essay better to get more score? Kindly guide me.

This is an English test. You are marked on your ability to create your own sentences.

Would mind showing us an example how do you plan an essay? Maybe you could use an essay from the suggested 100.

My full writing task 2 lessons are my advanced lessons: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

I want to purchase your all videos but I live in Turkey ,Paypal is forbidden here . I need to buy ıf there is another method , for example I have credıt card. You have mentioned about your site but ı could not find this method to buy it.

Please help me.

Using either an account or card is fine, but paypal will process the transaction. Try asking a friend elsewhere to buy the lessons for you.

The last link in this article is linked to a 404 (not found) page.

Thanks for letting me know – I fixed it.

Thank you so much for all your tutorials. I found them very beneficial. I am currently practicing Writing Task 2 GT and I would like to see sample answers to some of the common essay questions. Is there a link for that?

Thanks again Nadine

You can find essay questions here: https://ieltsliz.com/100-ielts-essay-questions/ . you can find all tips, lessons and model essays here: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Hello Liz mam I revently had a discussion with a ielts trainer near my house.He said you can get a high band score only if u write factual information.For example write international examples, write dates of events related to information of your topic. He said start reading newspaper for this..google search etc. What should i do? I AM TOTALLY CONFUSED

The examiner does not check dates or facts. Do you really think the examiner reads your task 2 essay and then researches your data? Of course not. The examiner will mark you on the following band requirements: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2-band-scores-5-to-8/ . Accuracy of data is not part of the writing task 2 marking criteria. Also see my model essays on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Hello Liz Mam I use very long sentences during my ielts writing practise. Please give me some tios for better writing and a good score.

I am currently writing a grammar list e-book for writing task 2 – I hope to have it ready to purchase in a couple of months. Long sentences are not always good. You should be limiting the length and selecting different types of sentence structures.

Hello Liz, I am interested with the book. Could you notify me, when it is ready to purchase. You can send me the email.

I’ll post a notice on this site when it’s ready. I’m hoping to have it ready by March or April. Sorry it can’t be sooner.

Can I write task 2 essay entirely based on personal experience?

It is a formal essay so keep a formal content.

Hello Liz my question is that it is very difficult to me to analyze many questions in writing task 2 . I don’t know how to write introduction paragraph in a good way . Similarly, planning brainstorm ideas, and how to describe it with example, mentioning topic sentence is more difficult for me. Please Liz help me about this issue I am very weak in ielts task 2. I am unable to get good marks in writing. How can I get at least 6.5 in ielts writing thank you ..

It sounds like you need to learn step by step. I suggest you get one of my advanced writing task 2 lessons. They are not cheap but they will answer your questions and help you see more clearly and write an essay more easily: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hi Liz I want to know how much panulty made on grammatical mistakes both inWT-1 and 2

Grammar counts for 25% of your marks in writing. Your grammar is assessed by range and accuracy.

Hey Liz , I have my exam within 3 days . I would like to know, do they reduced the score if cancel out or strike out your mistake and rewrite in above it . It looks shabby atimes . Could please answer my question .

If the examiner can easily read your writing, it’s fine. If the examiner can’t easily read your writing, it will impact your score.

1.So the strike words or crossed words will be ignore and not affect the score right as long as it can be read ? 2.Also can I put a small arrow “^” to indicate the word have replaced is it wrong or right ? 3. Neat and non strike essay increase your band score .

Thank for the reply Could please answer these questions too.

I don’t know what you mean by non-strike essay. This is not an English term. You can alter mistakes, insert new words and as long as it is clear, it won’t affect your score.

This tip will really help me to manage my time in writing . All your lessons were also great help to me to prepare for the exam . Thank you so much 🙂

First of all thank you for such useful tips. My question is, Does poor hand writing affect getting a good band? My hand writing is not very clear no matter how hard I try, it never looks pretty on paper. Please advise.

Many thanks Sajid

If the examiner can’t read it, you will get a low score.

Liz I was wondering if I could write some samples for the writing tasks both 1 and 2 and send you for comments and suggestions. Would that be all right? How would I mail them to you? I missed out on my required band score just by 0.5 getting a 6.5 instead of 7 so I really need to improve it! Thanks.

I’m so sorry but I don’t offer that service.

I wish to confirm few things from you regarding TASK-2 in GT. 1) If in the Question, it’s not mentioned to give relevant examples and we quotes them, will we be marked negatively on that? 2) In my previous exams, I wrote approx 390-400 words and I got 6.5…was I marked negatively if I exceed the limit ?

1) it’s fine to use examples when you want 2) a long essay will produce more errors and be less focused – so it will not help your score. You should aim for between 270 and 290 words for task 2 with no errors (this means spending time proof reading).

Hi Liz. Wanted to know regarding the writing task 1 do we give any opinion or suggestion or possible explanation for the graph/pie figures or only describe the data?

You NEVER give an opinion. Task 1 is a factual report based on the information given – not your views. See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/

Hi Liz, Thank you for your help. I normally come up with good answers ( main points ) and examples ; however, I found out that my weak point is to develop supporting points. can you talk more about this part please?

Thanks Abdu

People think supporting points are special and different ideas. Your body paragraph should contain a topic sentence which is your main point. All sentences after that explain your main point in more detail – that’s all. Supporting sentences are just more details.

Dear Liz, Just now I bought your Advanced lessons to improve my writing skill. I took IELTS GT last month and got 6.5 in writing. I want to get 7. Hope I would get 7 in next sitting after studying your advanced lesson. If you have any special advice for students those who are struck on 6.5, please do share with us

Here are some pointers: 1. Avoid errors in grammar or vocab. This means – don’t make your sentences too long, keep them accurate, don’t use words you are not 100% sure about. Aim for accuracy and don’t try to impress. 2. This is a language test. That means each sentence is unique to you and your essay. Don’t use learned expressions or phrases, such as “this essay will discuss the …” 3. Address all issues in the question and follow the instructions. Never add anything that isn’t asked for. 4. Learn from my advanced lessons. I’m sure you will have your eyes opened.

Hi Liz, I found out your blog while searching for IELTS tips on the internet. Thank you very much for this resourceful and very helpful blog. This is just what I was looking for. Since I’m preparing by myself, I was afraid of the process of studying. Your blog is a guide for me from now on. Thank you very much!!

I’m glad you found my website. Remember , the more you understand about the test, the less confused you will feel and the more your confidence will grow 🙂 Good luck!

Hi Mam, Good day to you. could you please give your opinion that, which book is right choice to buy? Is it Cambridge IELTS 11 or 12 Academic?

They are both fine. Book 12 is more recent.

Thank you so much . You are the best !

Hi Mam, Is it advisable to use pencil for the task 2 in the academic?

It’s your choice entirely in the writing test. What do you feel most comfortable using?

I think that using pencil will make me to write without any mistakes I mean in case if i need to correct it can easily handle . Do I need to make sure that my entire writing is neat? Is that more important?

It needs to be easy for the examiner to read.

I think I understand how to write an essay before I write it.

Hi Liz, Have you covered your lessons, tips and lectures in a book? If so, how and where can I find it. A book would be really helpful. Thanks

I don’t have a book but I do have advanced writing task 2 lessons: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hi Liz, I recently took my IELTS exam and I got a 6.5 on my Writing and I was aiming for at least a 7.0. As I was taking my Writing exam, I had trouble with time. I wrote an introduction, 2 body paragraphs and a conclusion but the words weren’t enough. Also, due to the topic, which I was not familiar with (Space Tourism) and the time constraint, I wasn’t able to organize my thoughts completely. Before I took the test, I was chatting with some of the other test takers and one of them said that she planned to do the Task 2 first and never mind if she doesn’t answer the Task 1 well or AT ALL. I was wondering if this is a good exam strategy. Should I answer the Task 2 first then get to my Task 1 after IF I have more time? What if I don’t get to finish my Task 1 because I spent too much time trying to pass my Task 2? Since in the Writing Test, Task 2 has a bigger point percentage than Task 1.

You can decide which one to do first. But to decide that task 1 isn’t worth much is wrong. It is worth 33% of your marks – that’s quite a lot. You should be training yourself to do task 2 in 40 mins and task 1 in 20 mins. You should be practising this at home. The topic of space tourism is well known in IELTS and it is listed on my essay questions page: https://ieltsliz.com/100-ielts-essay-questions/ . This means you didn’t prepare all the topics sufficiently. Start preparing ideas for common topics and recent topics: http://www.ieltsliz.com/recent-ielts-questions-and-topics and also practise timing.

Hi liz thank you very much for the very nice level of the information you are giving to us. i have one point which is really confusing me always in task 2 writing . for example, the video that you posted in you tube about single sex schools VS mixed schools or the essays which have the same way of presentation. should i mention advantages and disadvantages of the single sex schools and then go to the mixed schools paragraph and again mention advantages and disadvantages. or i should plan my essay by writing FIRSTLY the advantages of the single sex schools and then mixed schools and SECONDLY the disadvantages of the single sex schools and mixed schools. or i should mention only the advantages of both kind of schools in 2 paragraphs. thank you

I posted a video about ideas for co-ed schools or single sex schools – only the ideas. You must use those ideas appropriately for the essay question. I suggest you start looking at model essays and other tips: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Dear Lize, First, i am extremely appreciating what you did for us as IELTS success seekers. I had so mush of your tips and lessons through the last few months. I did my IELTS test on 13th May 2017. I thing my performance in Reading, Writing and Speaking was OK (thanks to your videos and tips), however, i don’t think my grade in Listing will be as i was wishing. For the Writing test: Task 1: write a letter responding to Airline company survey about your last trip with them. how you heard about them, what did you like and what is your recommendations. Task 2: some people thing that employees at the age of 60 or 65 should be retired, but others think they shouldn’t be released until they choose to. what is your opinion? for the Speaking test: after the casual introduction. where you live and what you like about it, do you wish to stay living there and why? speak about a situation when you tried new foreign food, when and where, what did like and dislike. Do you like shoes? do you think that people expend so much on shoes, do people choose based on where it made? and why? choosing based on where it made, is it discrimination? why and why not? My results will be after 13 days. Please wish me luck.

Thanks for sharing 🙂 Good luck!!

Hi Liz, i have been following your webpage from a week and very thankful for your prompt replies and valuable suggestions. Im currently using this blog for my GT prepration. Below i have made an attempt to task1 above assuming it to be formal, i may be wrong but appreciate your quick comments and suggestions. If you were an examiner, what band do you give. Sorry but im curious here. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear Sir, My name is Jagan. I have come across your advertisement and considered your airliner for one of my recent trip to London. I am writing this letter in response to your survey request to prvide my feedback followed by some recommendations.

I have booked my travel ticket using your webpage. It is very intutive and well organised. I personally liked the way you have communicated the flight departure information with all germane details.

I also liked and enjoyed the inside ambience of your aircraft that was clean and hygenic. Arrangements like magazines, music CDs and ear phones are much appreciated. The onboard crew’s response and politeness is impressive. The food was delicious and served with care.

Having enjoyed my travel, I would like to recommend availabilty of general physician onboard who could help the passengers with high altitude numbness and vomiting sensations. It would be great to increase the limit of water bottles to two from one.

I hope my recommendations will help you to serve better.

Yours Faithfully, Jagan Mudinendla ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks in advance….

Thanks Liz… your tips and lectures were amazing…. i jut prepared for two days from your blog and did very well in today’s exams… but not sure about speaking..

I’m glad to hear it went well for you. I’ll keep my fingers crossed you get a good score in speaking 🙂

hello mam, while writing in task 1 and task 2 should I underline with pencil the main points???????

Not in your writing, no. The examiner will know the main points because of the way you organise your essay. Purchase my advanced lessons if you need training: http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore

Good afternoon liz

When we get an opinion type of essay, after brainstorming ideas and the selection of relevant ideas how can we for the explanation ? Do you have any method to explain our ponits / arguments?

Each body paragraph states one reason why you have your opinion. Each body paragraph presents one main point with explanation and detail to support or explain your view.

Hi Liz!! Can we use citations of authorities, of the news, science or just “most psycologist state that children…” as supporting points in Essay 2? I´m afraid about my arguments..

You are not marked on evidence or facts. You are marked on your language and your explanations which support your ideas. Just explain it in your own words.

great articles indeed

Hopefully next month 🙂

FIRST OF ALL I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE AND THANK YOU FOR THE WONDERFUL WORK ON THIS SITE. THIS IS GREAT HELP FOR THE CANDIDATES.

IF YOU COULD POSSIBLY ANSWER ONE QUESTION I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT CAN I USE UNCOMMON VOCABULARY WHILE ATTEMPTING TASK 2 FOR EXAMPLE WORDS LIKE “ACQUIESCE ” IN STEAD OF AGREE ? AND IS THE PASSIVE VOICE MORE ACCEPTABLE FOR TASK 2?

Uncommon vocabulary is fine to use when it is appropriate but it will not give you a higher score when you use is inappropriately. In normal essay writing for IELTS, we do not write “acquiesce”, however we do use “agree”. Be appropriate at all times – any use of inappropriate vocabulary will lower your score. The passive voice is used when it is appropriate, for example “it is thought that” instead of “people think that”.

Thanks for your reply

I have an ambition to score 9 bands. Is it possible? If yes please give some tips.

Band 9 is possible if you have excellent English and understand IELTS thoroughly.

Hello Thanks for your useful website in Writing task2,what should we do if we would not know the meaning of the keyword.for example,if the topic asks us to explain our opinion about Anorixia(one of my friend`s topic) would you please guide me?

This is a difficult situation. In writing task 2, you are being marked on your ability to address all the issues in the essay question. If you don’t understand the words, you won’t get a high score. There is nothing you can do except try to guess the meaning and write your essay as closely to the topic as you can. Each exam is a gamble in some way as you can’t predict the topics which is why some students take more than one test.

Hi mam My ielts exam date 4 August 2016 Please send me some information writing task 2 questions

https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Hello liz.. I want to know about the singular and plural answers in listening.. if I could just catch the word and not the tense.. for example waiter and waiters.. what should I do. Can I write the answer using a slash for example.. waiter/waiters or a bracket like waiter(s)… to be on a safer side….

You write one answer.

Hi mam, I have an advise for everyone, please read the question at least three time .Then only you will understand the question clearly.

Good advice. Not only read it three times but underline key words in the question to ensure your essay addresses all parts of the task.

Hi mam can u please give me an example about how actually u prepare ur plan brainstorming for eassy give me some example so that i can practise a bit please?

See my advanced lessons which explain how to analyse the essay question and organise ideas: http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore

Dear Liz Is it right if I have my topic sentence in the middle or at the end of a paragraph? I mean “starting the paragraph with explanation or supporting ideas, then putting the topic sentence if it is possible to logically and grammatically add it”. Will it increase my overall band score? I’m looking forward to hearing you at your earliest convenience. Thanks in advance

https://ieltsliz.com/liz-notice-2015-2016/

Mam can I write an idiom in the conclusion.. like for example.. in conclusion, I am of the opinion that children should be given formal education at school as it is the ‘need of the hour’.

Mam I also wish to know.. recently I appeared for an ielts exam. General category.. my essay question was Newspaper and music I available for free on internet. Is it a positive or negative trend? I should write both the advantages and disadvantages if I am not wrong.. (the question is not completely the same but near it for sure)

Just answer the question: do you think it is a positive trend or do you think it is a negative trend?

https://ieltsliz.com/using-quotes-or-idioms-in-your-ielts-essay/

hi😊 good day., i am practicing myself on the writing area where i only got a 5.5 score on my first ielts exam., i will retake ielts on saturday ( jan. 23) please help me do better to get a band score of at least 6 here is a writing on what i have done in a full 40 mins… >>there seems to be an increasing number of serious crimes committed each year. while some think the best way is to use the death penalty as a deterrant , many people believe that other measures will be needed. discuss both sides. it seems taht there is a growing number of serius crimes committed each year cycle. a number of people believe that the most effective method as a deterrent is to use the death penalty, on the other hand , people think that there are other measures that will be needed. death penalty have been implemented in some countries like china, uae and malaysia. by this punishment, people in their country are afraid to commit a crime. they are afraid to be caught and be put into death. though, there are still some who have committed crimes. before the day of their scheduled death penalty, their family members were the ones who were trying to convince the government to give them another chance and forgive the culprit. but having mercy with the relatives will not hinder the official to push through the punishment & abide to their law. another were the tourists. they have commited a crime because they are unaware of the law and their practices that such death penalty is being used in their country. though they are unaware, they are still unexcused to acquire the said penalty. as tonwhat the law states ” ignorance of the law excuses no one ” . many have witnessed death penalty is really implemented and no one is exempted because they are just following the law. thus, many people believe that death penalyty is the best method to reduce the number of crimes annually. however , other believe that other measures will be needed to control the increasing number of crimes. such measures are putting the culprit into jail,and also having the person person pay the damages he has done. this punishment will give the suspect a little chance to put right what he has done wrong. by this methods, the person will realize that it is not easy to be in prisonned and to pay a big amount of money. he is internalizing that he will not commit a crime agaiin because he is now suffering inside the cell and in paying a big amount of money, it is a big lost for the person. by this methods, folks will be aware that if you will commit a crime there is a certain punishment that would be given to you. this will be a factor to decrease the crimes that is happening in a year. 😊please have time to read it and please give comments on my weaknesses . thank you 😄

Mam I am confused about writing the main paragraphs of the essay , please help me on that

I have two questions

1. Even though I use a pencil, I keep missing words or phrases in the middle of sentences, which I notice later. What I always do is use the following arrow sign to add the info – ” ^ ” on top. But is it forbidden to use this technique in the IELTS exam?

2. Does neatness matter?

I am looking forward to your reply. And I really wanted to thank you for helping all of us prepare for this exam.

I bought 3 of your videos and I watched discussion essay video today. I have a query writing one sided discussion essays. As per video tutorial, in BP1, you have given your opinion along with others’ view and in BP2, opinions of people for other side . But is it not required to mention why we are not choosing the second opinion?

I am practising sample discussion essay questions now. Your video helped me a lot.

Thanks and Regards, Pallavi

If the question was “To what extent do you agree” you should certainly explain why you don’t agree with the other side because your whole essay is about giving your opinion in lots of detail. However, this is a discussion essay with an opinion. That means the opinion takes up only 30% of the whole essay. You don’t have enough words to explain why you support one side and also why you don’t support the other side. For this reason, the structures I have suggested work best. All the best Liz

I got your point now. Thanks for the detailed explanation.

Regards, Pallavi

My question is , is there any word limit for writing example in writing task 2. How many examples we can write in writing task 2.

Don’t write more than one for each main points. It is unnecessary to write more. Liz

Thanks for the wonderful information. I have a question, what tense shall I choose in writings task 2? Can I choose more than one tense? What about passive and active voices? And what shall I use?

See my model essays for writing task 2 can count the number of tenses I use. All the best Liz

Dear Liz Thanks for the reply in which you recommended me your video lesson on task conclusion /overview. But my problem is that I can’t open any of your video lessons. Don’t know how to get it open. If u could kindly help or if I can find these lessons in written form Thanks and regards

All my videos are hosted with youtube. The information is only contained on the videos. Sorry Liz

Dear Liz Do we have to write conclusion in task 1????? Waiting for your valuable reply

Please see this lesson: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-tips-conclusion-or-overview-for-writing-task-1/ Liz

Hello, I found in some Ielts task 2 questions of writing this sort of sentence : “Do you have any reservations?” or similar. Can you please explain me what this means Thanks

There is no IELTS writing task 2 question like that. You should only be using IELTS Cambridge test papers to practice writing. All the best Liz

Dear teacher, Should we use these terms: 1. However, we should not turn a blind eye to the unexpected outcomes, one of which is the… 2. This is not to say that… / Those who harbor the view that…would argue that…

Certainly don’t use the first one. You can’t memorise a whole sentence or 17 words together and pretend that they are your own. The examiner will know that you have memorised that language and will not count it. For the other examples, they are shorter and more flexible so are fine. All the best Liz

Thanks a lot for your advice 🙂 I also find this kind of question confusing: ‘Do you think this is a positive or negative development?’ do I discuss both sides along with giving my opinion? or should I focus on my chosen view?

I don’t know how to explain it more clearly. It does not ask for both, it does not say “and”. It says “or” which means you choose. Your opinion is your choice and is the only task given to you. The whole essay is your answer. You chose one and explain it. All the best Liz

Thank you so much for your fantastic website. For the essays that ask for the reasons of a specific problem as well as the solutions, can we include the solution at the end of each paragraph that starts with the topic of the reasons of the problem? If not, how can we arrange the paragraphs if we want to offer more than one solution? What I usually do is: introduction, 1st reason or main point in the 1st paragraph, 2nd reason in the other paragraph, and one solution that is included in conclusion. Is that okay? Also, I usually, write my thesis as: “This essay will explore the reasons of this issue as well as the solutions.” In this way, I try to attract the reader’s attention to follow the essay for my reasons and solutions, Is that okay or do I need to mention the specific reasons and solutions in my thesis? I’m a bit confused, would you please advise?

Thank you in advance

Always keep your paragraphing clear and logical. One body paragraph – reason(s) and one body paragraph for the solution(s). All the best Liz

Dear mam, I have just found your website and it’s very important every ielts test takers as I. So I first thank for you. I had five times ielts general module exam and unfortunately, every time I have received 5.5 for reading and listening how can I improve my score up to 7 for both .

Try this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-reading-tips-how-can-i-improve-my-score/ Liz

Respected Madame, Greetings to you.I got my UKVI IELTS Academic results just today.Unfortunate enough,I scored only 6.5 in writing module where I was requiring and expecting band 7.Additionally,I scored 7 in speaking and 8 in both reading and listening.I need to achieve band 7 in each module and overall for my NMC registration in U.K.. Albeit,I am contemplating on re-evaluation but am dithering about it for the fact that it takes 7 weeks for the outcome.Therefore,I request your valuable opinion regarding re-evaluation and the chances of getting band 7 from 6.5 when evaluated by a senior British examiner. In anticipation. Your faithfully, Bobby. P.S.: kindly oblige me by evaluating my leter.

You could consider a remark for writing if you can answer “yes” to the following questions: Task 1 1. did you write a clear overview in task 1? Did your overview contain ALL key features? 2. Did you avoid the conclusion? It isn’t needed. 3. Did you support your body paragraph with facts, dates and numbers, if you had a chart, table or graph? 4. Did you write over 150 words? If you didn’t don’t bother with a remark. Task 2 5. Did you write a clear answer to the essay question in your introduction? If you were asked for an opinion, did you put it in the introduction? 6. Did you write over 250 words? If you didn’t, don’t bother with a remark. 7. Did each body paragraph have a clear central topic? 8. Did you use a range of linking devices? If you use a reasonable range, it’s ok. 9. Did you finish your essay? Did you write a conclusion? If you didn’t don’t bother with a remark. 10. Did you over paraphrase? Did you try to change words too much which produces too many errors?

Hopefully that will help you make the right decision. It is possible to get an increase of 0.5 in one skill. But it does depend on your performance relating to the above points. All the best Liz

I need your suggestion as I’m unable to figure out where I am losing the score.

S-6.5, R-7.5, L-7.5, W-7.0 (1st attempt, 13 Jun) S-8.0, R-8.0, L-8.0, W-6.0 (2nd attempt, 27 Jun)

As I needed at least a 7 in each section, I knew it after 1st attempt that I’d messed it up in Speaking and immediately booked the next available date.

However, in next one as you can see, my score has dropped by an entire band (7.0 to 6.0) in Writing, though, the score went up in all the other sections.

As far as Writing goes, I think I’ve lost marks in task achievement section.

It was a double essay question and I did follow your paraphrasing techniques in the introduction as well as conclusion.

Also, made sure that I’ve directly answered both the questions.

But was not confident after exam in task achievement criteria.

Moreover, I’ve booked next exam in 2 weeks and need your suggestion on the things that I should concentrate on to get at least a 7 in Writing.

The problem with writing could lie in either task 1, task 2 or both. You mention Task Achievement but this is for task 1 not task 2. Task Response is for task 2. You need to learn more about how your writing is assessed and what the examiner is looking for. See my band score pages in the writing sections.

Also ask yourself these questions: Task 1 1. Did you write an overview? 2. Did the overview contain ALL key features? 3. Did you avoid the conclusion? 4. Did you use the right grammar, the right vocabulary and the right linking devices for the type of task? 5. Did you have two body paragraphs? 6. Did you avoiding giving too much detail? 7. Did you write over the word count?

If you answer “yes” to all the above questions, the problem might be writing task 2. You will need to review all lessons. It is a shame to book your next test in only two weeks when you don’t know where your problem lies. However, hopefully you will be successful and work on your weaknesses. All the best Liz

After you’ve pointed out, it indeed sounds silly that I’ve booked anothe exam before understanding my weaknesses.

Thanks for sharing this valuable advice.

Don’t worry. If you spend time trying to sort out your weak points, you can still do well 🙂

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IELTS Daily Speaking Topic – Speaking Part 3: Family (Follow-up Discussion)

• Updated on  
• May 30, 2024

Discussion Topics

• Family Roles
• Parenting Styles
• Family Traditions

Follow-up questions

1. family roles, q.1. how have family roles changed in your country over the past few decades .

Ans . Family roles in India have changed significantly over the past few years. Traditionally, India had a patriarchal system where the male was the primary authority figure and was the breadwinner of the family. However, with the advent of urbanization, education and women empowerment these roles have evolved. For example, one of my friends Ravi, grew up in a traditional Indian Family where his father was the sole earning man and his mother took care of the household chores. But when he got married to Priya, they decided to do things differently. They both share household chores and take turns cooking. Their story is a testament to how family roles have evolved in India over the years.

Q.2. How do family roles differ in urban and rural areas in your country?

Ans . Family roles in urban and rural areas differ significantly due to socioeconomic factors, and I’ve seen this firsthand in my own family. In rural areas, traditional roles are more prevalent. Men are usually the primary earners, working in agriculture or other labour-intensive jobs, while women manage the household and childcare. For example, one of my relatives lives in the rural part of Punjab. In their village, every man works in the fields, while the women handle all the household chores.

When I returned to my city, Delhi, the contrast was striking. My neighbour, Mrs. Sharma, is a high-ranking officer in a multinational company, while her husband, Mr. Sharma, is a homemaker who takes care of their kids and the house. This difference between my rural relatives and my urban neighbours highlights how socio-economic factors shape family roles in different settings.

2. Parenting Styles

Q.1. how do parenting styles affect a child’s development and personality.

Ans . Parenting styles have a profound impact on a child’s development and personality. For example, my friend, Meera, grew up in a family where her parents used an authoritative style of parenting. They had clear boundaries but also encouraged open communication. As a result, Meera has grown into a confident and independent woman who is not afraid to express her opinions. On the other hand, there is another acquaintance of mine named Rohan. His parents had a permissive style of parenting where he was allowed to do whatever he wanted without many rules or consequences. As a result, Rohan still struggles with self-discipline and responsibility.

Q.2. Do you think one parenting style is superior to others? Why or why not?

Ans . I believe that no parenting style is superior to others. Each style has its strengths and weaknesses, and what works best is based on the child’s personality and family circumstances. For example, authoritarian parenting might work well for a child who responds well to rules and regulations. Still, it will not be effective for a more independent and self-motivated child.

Moreover, it’s important to remember that parenting is not a one-size-fits-all approach. It’s about finding the right balance and adapting to the needs of the child. After all, every child is unique, and what works for one might not work for another. 

3. Family Traditions

Q.1. do you think it’s important to maintain these traditions why or why not.

Ans . Yes, I do believe it’s important to maintain traditions. They serve as a link to our past, providing us with a sense of continuity and connection to our ancestors. For example, in my family, we have a tradition of celebrating festivals together, which not only brings joy but also helps us understand our cultural heritage. These celebrations create lasting memories and strengthen our family bonds, making us feel more connected to our roots.

Q.2. How have modern lifestyles impacted family traditions in your society?

Ans . Modern lifestyles have certainly impacted family traditions. With the rise of nuclear families and the fast pace of life, many traditional practices have been sidelined. For instance, the tradition of extended families dining together has become less common due to differing schedules and distances.

In my own experience, growing up, we used to have large family gatherings every Sunday. All my aunts, uncles, and cousins would come over, and we’d share a meal together. It was a noisy, chaotic, and incredibly joyous time. However, as everyone started moving to different cities for work or education, these gatherings became less frequent. Now, it’s rare for us all to be in the same place at the same time.

Similarly, during festivals, we used to have elaborate celebrations involving the entire extended family. But now, with everyone’s busy schedules and the geographical distance, our celebrations have become more modest and often limited to the immediate family. While we still try to maintain the essence of these traditions, the scale and participation have undeniably changed.

Are you preparing for IELTS? Check out this video to improve your speaking skills for the IELTS exam given below👇.

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Purti Chawla

Purti is a CELTA, British Council, and IDP-certified language trainer. Having worked as a Study Abroad Test Prep Expert for the past 7 years, she has guided thousands of students towards their desirable scores in IELTS, TOEFL, GRE, GMAT and other language proficiency tests to study abroad. She is adept in molding learning strategies according to the needs of the learners and has built multiple courses at Leverage IELTS with result-oriented strategies. Proficient in test prep courses such as IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, and Duolingo, she loves to explore different classroom teaching methods, keeps continuously improving her own skills, and stays abreast with the latest teaching methodologies. She is a master trainer at Leverage Edu and aims to help thousands more through her expertise.

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How to Plan an IELTS Essay

This post will show you how to make a great plan that will help you write a clear essay every time.

The Benefits of Planning

There are normally around 16 students in my IELTS classes. Every new class gets at least a 30-minute session with me on planning and how much it improves your essays. I normally give the students 20 minutes to plan a Task 2 essay which they finish for homework.

This is always interesting because normally, only 2 or 3 students actually follow my instructions and use the time to plan. The rest of them go straight into writing the essay. The result? The students who always took the time to plan (and I mean EVERY time) produce better essays.

Writing an IELTS essay without a plan is like putting IKEA furniture together without instructions. You will get halfway through it, get lost and frustrated, and you will lose control of your entire essay and end up with something like this:

A good plan should be like a map that guides you through the essay and ensures you get to where the examiner wants you to go. Every sentence should have a purpose; if you are writing for the sake of writing, then it won’t be a very good essay. Less is more in many cases, and a good plan ensures that every sentence has a purpose.

But Teacher, I Don’t Have Time!

This is the number one excuse for not planning.

What if I told you that the longer you plan, the less time it will take you to write the essay?

Let’s look at two examples: student A who doesn’t like to plan, and student B, who spends 10 minutes planning.

Student A does this: write-think-think-write-delete-think-write-write-delete-think-write.

Student B does this: think-write.

It is impossible for most people- including IELTS examiners and teachers- to sit down and write a good essay without thinking it through first. If you don’t plan, you have to think as you write and doing these two things, plus writing in a foreign language, thinking about grammar and vocabulary and thinking about writing skills all at the same time, results in a very confusing piece of writing. I also find that students who don’t plan have to restart their essays, and it is not uncommon to see students delete entire essays and start again.

How Does a Plan Save You Time?

You have 40 minutes to write a Task 2 essay. Even if you took 10 minutes to plan and 5 minutes to check your work at the end, you still have 25 minutes to write your essay.

The average 250-word essay is about 12 sentences long, so you have over 2 minutes to write one sentence. I think everyone is capable of doing that.

When you have a good plan, you know exactly what that sentence will be about and how it fits in with the rest of the essay. You don’t have to think of ideas or structure; write grammatically correct sentences and clearly say what you think about the question.

You don’t have to spend exactly 10 minutes planning and 5 minutes checking at the end. You could plan for 7-8 minutes and check for 2-3 minutes. Practice finding out what works best for you.

How To Plan

Planning has  4 stages:

• Question Analysis 
• Idea Generation 
• Structure 
• Vocabulary  

Question Analysis

This is probably the most important stage. The number one problem most IELTS students have is not answering the question properly. Did you know you can’t get above a band score 5.0 if you don’t address all parts of the question?

Let’s look at an example question:

One of the consequences of improved medical care is that the people are living longer and life expectancy is increasing . Do you think the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages ? 

The keywords here are ‘ improved medical care ‘. This is our general topic. It is important to know this, not for what we should write about but about what we shouldn’t write about. A common mistake is to highlight the main keywords or main topic and write about this very generally. If you do this, you have not answered the question.

We, therefore, need to think about things more specifically and look for what I call micro-keywords. They are ‘ living longer ‘, and ‘ life expectancy is increasing ‘. We, therefore, need to write about these and how improved medical care has increased life expectancy. But we can’t just write a general essay about this; we must look at the instruction words next.

The instruction words are ‘ Do you think the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages? ‘ 

In this example, we must decide which side (advantages or disadvantages) is stronger. If you choose advantages, you will have to say why these are much stronger than the advantages and why the disadvantages are not so strong. If you discuss the advantages, you will not answer the question correctly. We will also need to make our opinion about this very clear.

So, in summary, we must:

• Find keywords (general topic)
• Find micro-keywords (specific topic) 
• Find instruction words (how to answer the question) 

Idea Generation

Many teachers and books about IELTS advise students to brainstorm (thinking of as many ideas as possible) at this stage. I don’t think that brainstorming is very effective because it leads to irrelevant ideas and wastes valuable time.

Instead of brainstorming, we need to answer the questions directly. If one of your friends asked you this question in a coffee shop, you would have no problem thinking of an answer, so do the same in the exam. It helps to frame it within ‘Why?’ questions.

So for the example above, we could ask ourselves two questions:

Why are the advantages of increased life expectancy strong? Why  are disadvantages of increased life expectancy weak?

We can then think of one or two relevant ideas for each question.

The advantages of increased life expectancy are strong because most people think it is good if their friends and family don’t die too quickly and everyone is happier.

The disadvantages are that there is more demand for food and resources, but this is a weak argument because technology can solve these problems.

We now have two very relevant ideas, and we can now move on to our next stage.

Next, we need to put our ideas into a structure. This is very important because it helps us coherently organise our ideas, just like the examiner wants us to.

There are several different types of essays and each of them has a different structure .

For this essay, our structure will look like this:

Paragraph 1- Introduction 1- Paraphrase Sentence 2- Thesis Statement 3- Outline Statement Paragraph 2- Why advantages are strong 4- Topic Sentence 5- Explanation 6- Example Paragraph 3- Why disadvantage are weak 7- Topic Sentence 8- Explanation 9- Example Paragraph 4- Conclusion 1- Summary of main points

We can these fill in our ideas:

Paragraph 1- Introduction Sentence 1- Paraphrase Sentence Sentence 2- These Statement – advantages outweigh disadvantages Sentence 3- Outline Statement – Advantages- happiness Disadvantages- technology  Paragraph 2- Why advantages are strong Sentence 4- Topic Sentence – happiness Sentence 5- Explanation – death causes unhappiness and longer lives lead to happiness Sentence 6- Example – Okinawa and Sardinia  Paragraph 3- Why disadvantage are weak Sentence 7- Topic Sentence – technology  Sentence 8- Explanation – technology can solve any of the drawbacks  Sentence 9- Example – GM crops and renewable  energy Paragraph 4- Conclusion Sentence 1- Summary of main points

Now we have all our ideas, and we can think of some vocabulary.

Another common problem students have is repeating the same words, especially ones from the question, repeatedly. This lowers our mark for vocabulary because it shows that we can’t think of synonyms. A solution to this problem is to identify words in the question that we might need to use more than once in the question.

Let’s look at the question again:

We can think of the following synonyms:

Improved medical care- enhanced medical treatment

Living longer- improved longevity

Life expectancy is increasing- the length of time people live is rising

Advantages- benefits

Disadvantages- drawbacks

What It Looks Like On Paper?

That might seem like a lot to do in 5- 10 mins, so here is what it looks like on paper.

The more you plan, the better and more quickly you will write, and it will lead to every single sentence in your essay having a purpose, which is exactly what the examiner wants.

Like everything on this website, you need to take the advice and practice using it. Next time you practise a Task 2 essay, try using my advice, and I guarantee your writing will improve.

About Christopher Pell

My name is Christopher Pell and I'm the Managing Director of IELTS Advantage.

I started IELTS Advantage as a simple blog to help 16 students in my class. Several years later, I am very humbled that my VIP Course has been able to help thousands of people around the world to score a Band 7+ in their IELTS tests.

If you need my help with your IELTS preparation, you can send me an email using the contact us page.

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Moscow SI centre. 24 March. Speaking.1: – work (1 or 2 questions here) – dreams (do you remember your dreams after you wake up etc) – robots (would you like to have robots at home etc.) 2: Describe an interesting shop 3: Questions about shop: – why some people like small shops? – how shops attract young and adult buyers? – should governments promote small shops So on I think I used very simple grammar. But I hope vocabulary wasn’t too simple. 25 March. Writing Letter: – write a letter to a friend who agreed to stay at your flat Essay: – some people think that governments should not spend money on wildlife protection. Do you agree or disagree. I wrote less than 250 words. And I think second paragraph will be considered off topic. I didn’t expand the idea well. Good luck to everyone!

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Reading Practice Test 82

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READING PASSAGE 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13 which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.

With rapid urbanisation, more people now live in cities than in the countryside, and this number is set to rise. For all the benefits cities bestow, they are expensive places. In some years, Tokyo records the highest cost of living; in others, Moscow. In 2014, for expatriates, Luanda, the capital of Angola, received the dubious accolade; and, for Angolans themselves, it had also suddenly become pricey with real estate going through the roof, so to speak, and food being prohibitive – even locally sourced mangoes were $5 a kilo.

What can urbanites do to reduce the financial burden of paying for food? Diet? Grow their own? Beg for subsidies? Some economists have proposed that they buy contracts giving rights to a food stream in perpetuity, for example, a kilogram of beef would be delivered weekly from the date the contract started until the end of the owner’s life. In essence, this is what house purchase is – indefinite security of a single commodity. As is the case with buying a house, a loan from a financial institution might be necessary for the beef contract, even if it were merely for Australian blade steak and not Japanese Wagu. The contract could also be sold at the current market price if its owner moved out of delivery range or renounced beef.

In order to maintain or increase the value of their investment, it is likely some owners would support national and international policies to limit food production – a sound idea in a world where 40% of food goes to waste.

But let’s imagine, in this system, a consumer purchased a 25-year contract for beef, which, over time, doubled in value. Naturally, at sale, the owner would make a tidy profit. Conversely, if mad cow disease erupted, and no one dared eat beef, then the vendor would suffer. If the owner had bought ten beef contracts, he or she might even go bankrupt in this scenario.

Let’s also imagine that people bought contracts on items they had no intention of consuming: that the health-conscious purchased, yet eschewed, saturated-fat meat; that shrewd amoral vegetarians speculated in beef, as they already buy share portfolios in which multinational agri-business is represented, or they deposit money into banks that do just that on their behalf.

It is quite plausible that this speculative behaviour could lead to the overheating of the food-stream market. The state may intervene, attempting to cool things down, or it may tolerate such activity. Indeed, a government that proposed a capital gains tax or high death duties on food-stream contracts might be voted out in favour of another that believed in laissez-faire.* Besides which, an investment contract may be a way to realise wealth when there are few other possibilities either because the stock market is highly volatile, or much of the local economy generates little revenue, as is the case in Angola and many developing countries. Indeed, food-stream speculation could become a middle-class prerogative, indulged in by legislative members themselves.

I hope by now, you’ve realised this essay is a spoof. Yet, the fantastic food-stream market is reminiscent of the global housing market, where homeownership and property speculation have become the privilege of a few at great expense to the many, who either cannot participate, or sign their lives away to banks. You may also have realised that when I bring this topic up at a dinner party, for instance, I am usually shouted down, despite what I believe to be its inherent logic, because my friends consider a house as more tangible than a steak, and their identities are bound up with vague but powerful notions of property rights and independence.

I do concede that home-ownership offers security (not having to move, being connected to one particular neighbourhood) and creativity (being able to modify and decorate as you please), but I would prefer people rent rather than buy in an effort to lower property prices and to encourage investment in other sectors of the economy. Economists Moretti and Chang-Tai Hsieh of the University of Chicago have estimated that US output between 1999 and 2009 was 13% lower than it could have been because high housing costs forced so many people to move. Income locked up in housing could otherwise have been spent on local businesses, like restaurants or gyms, and job creation would likely have ensued.

So, next time you toss a steak on the barbecue, ponder whether we should treat food in the same way we treat housing, or whether we should treat housing as we do food.

*French for ‘allow to do’. An economic doctrine advocating that commerce should be free of state controls of any kind.

Questions 1-7

Complete the notes below.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage.

Write your answer in boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet.

A food-stream contract

• Would guarantee access to one kind of food stream 1 …………………
• Due to its expense, a bank 2 …………………might be needed to buy one
• Could be bought and sold at the current 3 …………………
• When sold, could result in a decent 4 …………………or a considerable loss
• Could be purchased on food a person did not plan on 5 …………………
• May be one of the few legitimate ways to make money when the stock market is very 6 …………….or other parts of the economy perform poorly
• Would probably be a privilege of the 7 ………………… and members of parliament

Questions 8-12

Do the statements below agree with the information given in Passage 1?

In boxes 8-12 on your answer sheet, write:

TRUE                if the statement agrees with the information.

FALSE               if the statement contradicts the information.

NOT GIVEN     if there is no information on this.

8   The writer makes an analogy between the current housing and food markets.

9    The writer rents his or her own home.

10    The writer’s friends share his or her ideas on the property market.

11   The writer thinks people like to own their homes because they can customise them.

12    Because Americans spent so much on housing, other parts of the economy suffered.

Question 13

What would be a suitable title for Passage 1?

Choose the correct letter A , B , C , D , or E .

Write the correct letter in box 13 on your answer sheet.

A     How to make homes affordable

B      Buying a house is a bad investment

C     Rethinking the housing market

D      A new model for buying and selling food

E     The madness of house and food prices

READING PASSAGE 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26  which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.  

Egypt’s beautiful game

It is estimated that over a billion people watched the 2014 World Cup – the biggest TV event in human history – and that football is a trillion-dollar industry.

The fact that a handful of countries dominate the World Cup does not lessen interest in the competition or the sport by people in the remotest of regions. Take the largely inaccessible Omo Valley of southern Ethiopia, where shepherds with few possessions sport Arsenal or AC Milan T-shirts, and where women who may not know of the existence of the UK wear pendants with Wayne Rooney’s face on them. In Qiqihar, in northern China, middle-school children choose ‘English’ names for themselves, like David Beckham or Ronaldo, while in the Sinai, where temperatures soar and there are no other signs of life outdoors, adolescent boys dribble, kick, header, and feint with homemade footballs, dreaming of lifting themselves from abject poverty by playing for a famous team.

Although football generally stimulates the economy, many places grind to a halt when a big match is on – indeed the inhabitants of Cairo quip that the best time to drive across town to shop is during a final between Al Ahly and Zamalek.

As a codified game, football is a modem phenomenon, but the fifth-century-BC Greek historian, Herodotus, noted that young Egyptian males played with a ball made from straw-filled goatskin. The 1882 occupation of Egypt by the British saw the introduction of the game prescribed by the English Football Association in 1863, and almost immediately, football became the national sport and gripped the Egyptian psyche.

Psychologists propose that football appeals to fans for two main reasons: firstly, however vicariously, they participate in a triumphal world greater than their own, especially important when their lives seem mundane or troublesome; secondly, by attaching themselves to one club, they experience a powerful sense of belonging.

In the past 50 years, Egypt’s population has risen exponentially while its quality of life – but for a fortunate few – has deteriorated markedly. Injustice, corruption, and tyranny have borne down upon the average Egyptian, who, for 90 minutes once or twice a week, forgets his woes in a football match. Fans also believe that on the field, there are still some rules, though that is not to say there is no corruption or lawlessness within football: referees are not always fair, and fans, themselves, behave fanatically and dangerously.

In Egypt’s case, a fan’s loyalty to a club is interwoven with class and political allegiances. Al Ahly, for example, founded in 1907, boasted a famous anti-British revolutionary as one of its honorary presidents, and in 1956, the beloved Gamal Abdel Nasser was honorary club president as well as President of the Republic of Egypt. In some ways, Al Ahly remains the people’s club, whereas Zamalek, by contrast, established in 1911, allowed foreigners to play for it, and was associated with affluent Egyptians allied to Kings Fuad and Farouk. In fact, the club was named Farouk in the 1950s.

In more recent times, Hosni Mubarak, president until 2011, was accused of using football as a way to divert the masses from the parlous state of the nation or coerce them into outbursts against teams from other African nations, like Algeria. He, himself, seldom missed a game played by the national team, and his appearance brought on a media frenzy along with patriotic songs and the chanting of slogans. Two of his sons – fabulously wealthy playboys – were frequently photographed socializing with football stars. On the financial side, club owners and managers contributed funds to Mubarak’s campaigns. It is rumoured that, even in disgrace, he is supported by football stars and billionaires.

Egypt has been in turmoil for the last decade. During the 2011 revolution, when Mubarak was deposed, a group of Ahly fans known as the Ultras took an active role in demonstrations in Cairo’s Tahrir Square. In February 2012, during a football match in Port Said, the Ultras were attacked: 74 people died in the brawl. The Ultras claim they were assaulted by both fans from the opposing team and members of the security forces as punishment for their role in Tahrir Square. Other examples of apparently unprovoked violence may signal that even football no longer serves as a fantasy for the frustrated masses. In any case, it is as thorny a game off the field as it is on.

It seems the beautiful game in Egypt may need a radical facelift. Egypt’s poor showing in the 2014 World Cup – it failed to qualify whereas its rival Algeria did – meant that more Egyptians have started following European teams. Match violence and unprecedented social upheaval had already reduced support. Still, as every fan knows, when life is sweeter in Egypt again, there will be magical moments to savour at local stadiums too.

Questions 14-19

Reading Passage 2 has seven sections, A-G .

Which section contains the following information?

Write the correct letter A-G , in boxes 14-19 on your answer sheet.

14   a comparison of football clubs

15   a hope for the future

16   a brief history of Egyptian football

17    a description of the manipulation of football for political ends

18    hypotheses on the allure of football for spectators

19   examples of the global reach of football

Questions 20-24

Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 2?

In boxes 20-24 on your answer sheet, write:

YES                   if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer

NO                    if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer

NOT GIVEN     if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

20   Egyptian football players are represented in South American teams.

21   FIFA estimates that Egypt’s football economy is worth $2 billion a year.

22    European football stars have great importance in rural Africa.

23   While their own lives may be chaotic, some Egyptians like the rule-bound nature of a football game.

24   The Mubarak family involvement with football was largely sporting.

Questions 23-26

Choose the correct letter A , B , C , or D .

Write the correct letter in boxes 25-26 on your answer sheet.

25   According to the writer, what has caused the violence at Egyptian football matches?

A   Alcohol consumed by fans

B   Police assaulting fans

C    The very poor standard of play

D    A number of complex issues

26    What does the writer think will happen to Egyptian football teams?

A    They should qualify for the World Cup.

B   They will thrill their fans again.

C    They may continue to suffer losses.

D    They should limit their political affiliations.

READING PASSAGE 3

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27-40 which are based on Reading Passage 3 below.

CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE

High coal dependence

Renewable energy is much discussed, but coal still plays the greatest role in the generation of electricity, with recent figures from the International Energy Agency showing that China relies on it for 79% of its power, Australia for 78%, and the US for 45%. Germany has less reliance at 41%, which is also the global average. Furthermore, many countries have large, easily accessible deposits of coal, and numerous highly skilled miners, chemists, and engineers. Meanwhile, 70% of the world’s steel production requires coal, and plastic and rayon are usually coal derivatives.

Currently, coal-fired power plants fed voracious appetites, but they produce carbon dioxide (CO2) in staggering amounts. Urbanites may grumble about an average monthly electricity bill of $113, yet they steadfastly ignore the fact that they are not billed for the 6-7 million metric tons of CO2 their local plant belches out, which contribute to the 44% of global CO2 levels from fossil-fuel emissions. Yet, as skies fill with smog and temperatures soar, people crave clean air and cheap power.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that advises the United Nations has testified that the threshold of serious harm to the Earth’s temperature is a mere 2° Celsius above current levels, so it is essential to reduce carbon emissions by 80% over the next 30 years, even as demand for energy will rise by 50%, and one proposal for this is the adoption of carbon capture and storage (CCS).

Underground carbon storage

Currently, CO2 storage, or sequestration as it is known, is practised by the oil and gas industry, where CO2 is pumped into oil fields to maintain pressure and ease extraction – one metric ton dissolves out about three barrels, or separated from natural gas and pumped out of exhausted coal fields or other deep seams. The CO2 remains underground or is channelled into disused sandstone reservoirs. However, the sale of oil and natural gas is profitable, so the $17-per-ton sequestration cost is easily borne. There is also a plan for the injection of CO2 into saline aquifers, 1,000 metres beneath the seabed, to prevent its release into the atmosphere.

Carbon capture

While CO2 storage has been accomplished, its capture from power plants remains largely hypothetical, although CCS plants throughout Western Europe and North America are on the drawing board.

There are three main forms of CCS: pre-combustion, post-combustion, and oxy-firing. In a 2012 paper from the US Congressional Budget Office (CBO), post-combustion capture was viewed most favourably since existing power plants can be retrofitted with it, whereas pre-combustion and oxy-firing mean the construction of entirely new plants. However, pre-combustion and oxy-firing remove more CO2 than post-combustion and generate more electricity.

Post-combustion capture means CO2 is separated from gas after coal is burnt but before electricity is generated, while in oxy-firing, coal is combusted in pure oxygen. In pre-combustion, as in an Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle system (IGCC), oxygen, coal, and water ae burnt together to produce a synthetic gas called Syngas – mainly hydrogen – which drives two sets of turbines, firstly gas-driven ones, then, as the cooling Syngas travel through water, steam-driven ones. Emissions from this process contain around ten percent of the CO2 that burning coal produces.

The pros and cons of CCS

Several countries are keen to scale up CCS as it may reduce carbon emissions quickly, and powerful lobby groups for CCS exist among professionals in mining and engineering. Foundries and refineries that produce steel and emit carbon may also benefit, and the oil and gas industry is interested because power-plant equipment consumes their products. In addition, recent clean energy acts in many countries mandate that a percentage of electricity be generated by renewables or by more energy-efficient systems, like CCS.

As with desalination, where powerful lobbies wield influence, states sometimes find it easier to engage in large projects involving a few players rather than change behaviours on a more scattered household scale. Furthermore, replacing coal with zero-emission photovoltaic (PV) cells to produce solar energy would require covering an area nearly 20,720 square kilometres, roughly twice the size of Lebanon or half of Denmark.

Still, there are many reservations about CCS. Principally, it is enormously expensive: conservative estimates put the electricity it generates at more than five times the current retail price. As consumers are unlikely to want to bear this price hike, massive state subsidies would be necessary for CCS to work.

The capital outlay of purchasing equipment for retrofitting existing power plants is high enough, but the energy needed to capture CO2 means one third more coal must be burnt, and building new CCS plants is at least 75% more expensive than retro-fitting.

Some CCS technology is untried, for example, the Syngas-driven turbines in an IGCC system have not been used on an industrial scale. Post capture, CO2 must be compressed into a supercritical liquid for transport and storage, which is also costly. The Qatar Carbonates and Carbon Storage Research Centre predicts 700 million barrels per day of this liquid would be produced if CCS were adopted modestly. It is worth noting that current oil production is around 85 million barrels per day, so CCS would produce eleven times more waste for burial than oil that was simultaneously being extracted.

Sequestration has been used successfully, but there are limited coal and oil fields where optimal conditions exist. In rock that is too brittle, earthquakes could release the CO2. Moreover, proposals to store CO2 in saline aquifers are just that – proposals: sequestration has never been attempted in aquifers.

Most problematic of all, CCS reduces carbon emissions but does not end them, rendering it a medium-term solution.

Alternatives

There are at least four reasonably-priced alternatives to CCS. Firstly, conventional pulverised coal power plants are undergoing redesign so more electricity can be produced from less coal. Before coal is phased out – as ultimately it will have to be – these plants could be more cost-effective. Secondly, hybrid plants using natural gas and coal could be built. Thirdly, natural gas could be used on its own. Lastly, solar power is fast gaining credibility.

In all this, an agreed measure of cost for electricity generation must be used. This is called a levelized cost of energy (LCOE) – an average cost of producing electricity over the lifetime of a power plant, including construction, financing, and operation, although pollution is not counted. In 2012, the CBO demonstrated that a new CCS plant had an LCOE of about $0.09-0.15 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), but according to the US Energy Information Administration, the LCOE from a conventional natural gas power plant without CCS is $0.0686/kWh, making it the cheapest way to produce clean energy.

Solar power costs are falling rapidly. In 2013, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power reported that energy via a purchase agreement from a large solar plant was $0.095/kWh, and Greentech Media, a company that reviews environmental projects, found a 2014 New Mexico solar project that generates power for $0.0849/kWh.

Still, while so much coal and so many coal-fired plants exist, decommissioning them all may not be realistic. Whatever happens, the conundrum of cheap power and clean air may remain unsolved for some time.

Questions 27-28

Write the correct letter in boxes 27-28 on your answer sheet.

27   What is the global average for electricity generated from coal?

28   What does the average American pay each month for CO2 produced by a local power plant?

D   Nothing

Questions 29-34

Label the diagrams on the following page.

Write the correct letter, A-H , in boxes 29-34 on your answer sheet.

A   CO2            B   Coal                          C   Natural gas            

D   Oil                E    Saline aquifer         F   Steam-driven turbines

G   Syngas        H   Syngas-driven turbines

Carbon dioxide sequestration

Questions 35-40

Complete the table below.

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.

Write your answer in boxes 35-40 on your answer sheet.

Reading Test 81

Reading test 83, answer reading test 82.

1. in perpetuity

3. market price

5. consuming

6. volatile

7. middle class

9. NOT GIVEN

20. NOT GIVEN

21. NOT GIVEN

35. carbon emissions/ carbon dioxide/ CO2 emissions

36. powerful lobbies/ lobby groups

38. massive state subsidies

39. untried

40. $0.0686/kWh/ $0.0686 per kilowatt-hour

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PTE Speaking/Writing Practice Test 2024 for Exam Preparation

Updated on May 27, 2024, 13:08

The PTE Speaking/Writing section assesses your ability to communicate effectively in English. This section includes reading aloud, repeating sentences, describing images, and writing short essays. 

To prepare for this section, practising speaking and writing in English regularly is important. You can also familiarise yourself with the test format and practice sample questions to improve your skills.   

Additionally, working with a tutor or taking a preparation course can provide valuable feedback and guidance for this section.

On This Page

1. PTE Speaking Practice Test: Sample Paper

The PTE speaking section includes various questions, such as personal introductions, read-aloud, repeating a sentence, describing an image, retelling a lecture, and answering short questions. 

2. PTE Writing Practice Test: Sample Paper

The PTE Writing section includes multiple question types such as summarising written text, writing an essay, and summarising spoken text. 

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PTE Speaking Practice Test: Sample Paper

The PTE speaking section includes various questions, such as personal introductions, read-aloud, repeating a sentence, describing an image, retelling a lecture, and answering short questions.   

The speaking section lasts 30-40 minutes and contains multiple questions of different types. To perform well in this section, it is essential to practise speaking English regularly and familiarise yourself with the test format.

PTE Writing Practice Test: Sample Paper

The PTE Writing section includes multiple question types such as summarising written text, writing an essay, and summarising spoken text.   

The writing section lasts  40-50 minutes , and to perform well in it, it is important to practice writing regularly and familiarise yourself with the test format.

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Q. What types of questions are included in PTE speaking questions?

A. PTE speaking questions include tasks such as Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, Describe Image, Re-tell Lecture, and Answer Short Questions. These tasks are designed to evaluate your ability to speak English fluently and accurately in an academic setting.

Q. How can I practice PTE speaking read aloud?

A. To practice PTE speaking, read aloud, use sample passages and practice reading them clearly and naturally. Focus on pronunciation, intonation, and fluency. Online resources and PTE preparation materials often provide passages specifically for read-aloud practice.

Q. What is covered in the PTE speaking module?

A. The PTE speaking module covers tasks such as reading aloud, Repeating Sentences, Describing an Image, Retelling a Lecture, and Answering Short Questions. These tasks assess your ability to understand spoken English, produce spoken responses, and effectively communicate in English.

Q. What is the PTE Academic Speaking section?

A. The PTE Academic Speaking section is a part of the PTE Academic exam that tests your speaking skills through various tasks. It evaluates your fluency, pronunciation, and ability to convey information clearly in spoken English.

Q. Where can I find a PTE sample speaking test?

A. You can find a PTE sample speaking test on the official PTE website, in PTE preparation books, and on educational platforms that offer practice tests. These samples help you get familiar with the format and types of questions you will encounter in the speaking section.

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IELTS Speaking test in Russia, Moscow – September 2010

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Speaking questions from the IELTS test in Moscow were shared by our kind friend O. Here is what she remembered:

Speaking test

– Introduce yourself. – Where do you work? – Was it easy for you to find this job? – Would you like to change your job? – Do you like animals? – Were you surrounded by animals when you were a child? – Do people in your country like animals? Why?

Talk about an interesting job which you would like to do: – describe this job, – say what skills are required for this job and – explain why it is interesting to you.

Related posts:

• IELTS Speaking test in Russia – March 2021 Some very kind IELTS test takers from Russia shared their...
• IELTS test in Russia – January 2021 (Academic Module) Thanks to the lovely K.V. from Russia we are sharing...

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