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Free IELTS Lessons & Materials

New lessons and IELTS material will be posted on this page, providing you with free IELTS practice.

This free study material on IELTS will provide you with tips, exercises and more on writing, reading, listening and speaking.

If you don't have the time or money for IELTS lessons in a classroom, or you want to supplement the lessons you are getting, then all you need will be posted here.

Academic Reading Lessons

Writing Task 1 Lessons (Academic)

Writing Task 1 Lessons (GT)

Writing Task 2 Lessons (Academic & GT)

IELTS Grammar Lessons

IELTS Speaking Lessons

IELTS Listening Lessons

Academic Reading

Lesson 1:   Paragraph Headings Learn how to match paragraphs to headings - a common question type in the reading test.

Lesson 2:   Multiple Choice & Scanning In this IELTS Practice lesson you learn how to scan in order to answer multiple choice type questions.

Lesson 3:   True, False, Not Given In this IELTS lesson you learn how to answer True, False, and Not Given Questions.

Lesson 4:   Matching Paragraph Headings Further practice with matching paragraph headings to paragraphs.

Lesson 5:   Sentence Completion Learn and practice sentence completion type questions.

Lesson 6:   Multiple Choice / Skimming and Scanning Further practice on multiple choice questions and how skimming, scanning, and reading for detail can help you answer the questions.

Lesson 7:  Guessing meaning from context Improve your reading skills and speed by learning how to guess the meaning of new vocabulary. There is also a practice quiz.

Lesson 8:  Differences between 'False' and 'Not Given' This IELTS practice lesson has a reading on the ageing population and explains the difference between 'false' and 'not given' questions. There are practice questions and explanations of the answers.

Lesson 9:  Reading Strategies The aim of this lesson is to develop your  IELTS reading strategies  in order to find the answers to questions such as 'short answer' as quickly as possible.

Lesson 10:  Short Answer Questions Get advice and tips on IELTS short answer questions and further practice on True, False, Not Given questions.

Lesson 11:  Summary Gap fills Learn strategies to complete a gapped summary from a reading to prepare you for the IELTS test.

Lesson 12:  Mastering 'Not Given' Questions This is another lesson on True, False, Not Given, but there is some extra help on learing to deal with Not Given questions. 

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Writing Task 1 (Academic)

How to Write an Academic IELTS Task 1 This starter lessons tells you in simple steps how to structure and write a basic IELTS Graph. 

Graphs Over Time This important lesson shows you what you must do to properly describe a graph or chart that has a period of time. 

IELTS Pie Chart In this lesson you'll learn how to write about a pie chart, with tips on how to best organize your answer and advice on the language to use. 

IELTS Process In this lesson you'll learn how to describe an IELTS process diagram, with information about organizing your answer and using the passive voice. 

Two graphs together Sometimes you get two graphs to describe together. This lessons shows you how to organize your answer if you do. 

IELTS Tables This lesson provides you with IELTS practice for tables. It shows you that tables are not that different from other types of graph.

Language of Change This lesson explains some useful sentence structures using some common language of change and you can practice the words with a gap fill.  

Language to Compare and Contrast Compare and contrast language is needed for most graphs and diagrams so it is important to learn and practice it. 

A Common Mistake This lesson takes you through a mistake that is common when describing graphs in Task 1. 

Using Prepositions Learn how to use the right prepositions when you are using the language of change in a graph over time.

Describing graphs in the future Sometimes you may be given a graph to describe that is predicting what will happen in the future. View some strategies on how to approach a task 1 like this. 

Organizing a Line Graph (Part 1) Find out about how there is more than one was to organize a task 1 graph, and learn how to write about a graph divided into 'age groups'.

Organising a Line Graph (Part 2) If you want to achieve a high band score for your graph you must ensure it is well-organised. This lesson tells you more about one possible way of doing this.

Writing Task 1 (GT)

Lesson 1:   Structuring/Organising the IELTS Letter Learn the general structure of an IELTS letter, from beginning to end.

Lesson 2:   Opening and Closing a Letter Learn how to open and close a letter for the General Training Task 1.

Lesson 3:   IELTS Complaint Letter Complaint letters are very common. Get advice, strategies and key phrases to learn so that you can write an effective letter of complaint. There is also a model answer.

Lesson 4:   IELTS Letter Tenses It's important that you use the right tenses in your letter if you want a high score. Learn more about how to look out for what tenses to use in this lesson. 

Lesson 5: IELTS Band 9 Letter Find out what you need to do to get a band 9 in your letter.

Lesson 6:   Phrasal Verbs in IELTS Letters Learn how using phrasal verbs can improve informal letters.

Writing Task 2 (Academic & GT)

How to Write an IELTS Essay This starter lessons tells you in simple steps how to structure and write a basic IELTS essay.

Identifying the Topic Learn how to identify the topic of an essay question in order to help you answer it correctly. 

Identifying the Task This IELTS practice will help you identify the task of an essay question. The most important thing to make sure you answer the question. 

Brainstorming and Planning In this IELTS lesson, learn how brainstorm ideas for your essay and how to extend those ideas and create a plan.

IELTS Task Response In this lesson we look at the dangers of not properly answering an IELTS writing task 2 essay question.

Ideas for IELTS Candidates often worry about not having any ideas for IELTS essay topics. This gives you some advise on how to generate ideas. 

IELTS Essay Introduction This lesson explains how you should approach writing an introduction for an IELTS Task 2 essay. 

Writing a Thesis Statement The thesis statement is an important part of your essay, so this lesson explains how to write thesis statements for different essay types. 

Paragraph Writing Writing clear and well-organized paragraphs is essential for your essay, so here you will learn about the basic elements that make up a good paragraph . 

IELTS Essay Conclusion Learn how to write a quick conclusion for an IELTS essay.

Transitions Your writing must be coherent, and this lesson shows you how transitions can help you to do this.

Pronouns Your writing must be coherent, and this IELTS practice lesson shows you how pronouns can help you to do this

Substitution for Coherency Band 7   Learn how to use synonyms in IELTS to boost your coherence and writing quality. 

How to get an IELTS Writing band 7 There is no quick way to achieve this, but this lesson provides some general guidance on what is required to get an IELTS band 7 in the writing module. 

Band 7 Transitional Phrases for Essays Learn about useful phrases that can be used to improve the sophistication of your writing in argumentative essays.

How to Score IELTS Band 8 This lesson tell you more about how the scoring works for  band 8 writing and how long it can take you to get a band 8.

Problem Solution Essays Learn how to write a problem solution essay for the IELTS test - a quick method that will produce a well-organized answer.

IELTS Opinion Essays Get an overview of the various types of essay that ask for your opinion in the test.

Advantage Disadvantage Essay This lesson shows you how to write an IELTS advantage disadvantage essay that requires you to give an opinion.

A Complex Essay Question This lesson shows you how to answer a more complex IELTS essay question that does not have a straightforward 'task' given to guide you.

Personal Pronouns in Essays Can you use personal pronouns such as 'I', 'our' and 'we' in IELTS essays? Find out more in this lesson.

Paraphrasing in IELTS Writing Find out why you need to be able to paraphrase in the test for task 1 and 2.

IELTS Speaking

Lesson 1:   IELTS Speaking Part 2 - Extending Your Answer In this lesson, learn some tips on how to extend your speaking for part 2 of the speaking test.

Lesson 2:   IELTS Speaking Part 1 - Improving your Responses This lesson uses a quiz to teach you how to best answer questions in part 1 of the IELTS speaking test.

Lesson 3:   IELTS Speaking Part 3 - Describing Changes You often have to discuss changes in part 3 of the speaking test. This IELTS practice lesson provides you with grammar tips to answer these questions.

Lesson 4:   IELTS Speaking Part 3 - Talking about the Future You often have to discuss the future in part 3 of the speaking test. This lessons provides you with grammar tips to answer these questions.

Lesson 5:   IELTS Speaking Part 2 - Mind Map: Structuring your talk This lesson explain how you can use a mind map to help you brainstorm and organise you talk for part 2 of the test. There is also a sample answer.

Lesson 6:   IELTS Parts 1-3 - Formality & Getting the tone right This lesson explains what tone you should use in the speaking to help you sound natural.

Lesson 7:  IELTS Speaking Part 2 - A hypothetical situation IELTS Practice: speaking about an unreal future situation in part 2 of the IELTS test.

Lesson 8:  IELTS Speaking Part 3 - Giving & Justifying Opinions Learn some useful phrases for giving opinions in part 3 and justifying those opinions.

Lesson 9:  IELTS Part 1 - Types of Speaking Questions for IELTS In this IELTS practice lesson some of the common types of questions that appear in part 1 of the test are explained. The aim is to improve the accuracy of your answers to questions.

Lesson 10:  IELTS Speaking - Useful IELTS Interview Expressions This lesson provides you with a set of useful expressions that you can use to help you in the all parts of the speaking test, particularly part 3.

Lesson 11:  IELTS Speaking Part 3 - Talking about Personal Experiences Many students make the mistake of talking about themselves in part 3. This is ok, but only for examples. Learn more about it here.

Lesson 12: Common Questions about the Speaking Test Do you have questions about this part of the test? You'll probably find the answer here. 

Lesson 13: Filler for IELTS Speaking Avoid saying 'Uhm' and 'Eh' in the test - learn some better fillers for when you're not sure what to say.

IELTS Listening

Lesson 1:   IELTS Listening Multiple Choice Tips In this lesson, learn some tips on how to improve your listening skills for multiple choice type questions.

Lesson 2:   IELTS Listening Distractors In this lesson we learn more about a common way that you are tricked into writing the wrong answer. Learn about this so you can avoid the mistake.

Lesson 3:   IELTS Listening Map Labelling Here you can learn more about how to label a map, a task that sometimes comes up in Section Two of the test. Learn about the language of location and other top tips to score well.

Lesson 4:   IELTS Signposting Language for Section 4 Section 4 is the most difficult part of the listening test. Learn useful signposting language to improve your score for this section.

Lesson 5:   IELTS Pre-Listening Activities - Predicting the Answer Predicting what you are going to hear is a really important skill that can help improve your listening and increase your score.

Lesson 6:   IELTS Listening Sentence Completion Strategies In this IELTS practice lesson you will learn some strategies to deal with sentence completion questions.

IELTS Grammar

Goto the  IELTS Grammar page  for updates on the grammar lessons.

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IELTS Academic Writing Exercises

In the Academic module of the written IELTS exam, there are 2 tasks. In Task One, you, the candidate will have to describe a diagram, graph, process or chart, and in Task Two you respond to an argument and give your opinion, weighing up the pros and cons.

Each page contains an example of both Writing Task One and Writing Task Two.

Though we are not able to mark your writing practice for you, it's good for you to try these exercises yourself as they give good practice of what you will face in the IELTS examination.

IELTS Academic Writing - Example One Part One: airport delays. Part Two: going to university. Exercise Number: IELTS049

IELTS Academic Writing - Example Two Part One: Algerian exports. Part Two: over-reliance on cell phone/mobile phone. Exercise Number: IELTS050

IELTS Academic Writing - Example Three Part One: Internet browser market share. Part Two: roles of teachers and parents. Exercise Number: IELTS051

IELTS Academic Writing - Example Four Part One: supermarket fruit sales. Part Two: studying 'irrelevant' subjects at university. Exercise Number: IELTS052

IELTS Academic Writing - Example Five Part One: giving up technology. Part Two: treatment of prisoners. Exercise Number: IELTS053

IELTS Academic Writing - Example Six Part One: getting to school. Part Two: cost of space exploration. Exercise Number: IELTS054

IELTS Academic Writing - Example Seven Part One: pet ownership. Part Two: free medical treatment. Exercise Number: IELTS055

IELTS Academic Writing - Example Eight Part One: restaurant customers' complaints. Part Two: young people & politics. Exercise Number: IELTS056

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Cambridge IELTS 13 Academic Student's Book with Answers: Authentic Examination Papers | See in UK

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IELTS Writing

On this page you can find all the information about IELTS Writing , see IELTS Writing topics , try useful IELTS Writing lessons and tips and see IELTS Writing samples .

Information about IELTS Writing

IELTS Writing test is made to assess your writing skills and techniques. There are two IELTS Writing modules: Academic and General. If you plan to study abroad, then you should take IELTS Academic module. And if you wish to work abroad, then you should take IELTS General module.

IELTS Writing test lasts 1 hour and consists of 2 parts : task 1 and task 2. Writing task 1 is different for Academic and General IELTS, but Writing task 2 is the same for both modules.

In Academic Writing task 1 you're asked to describe a graph, chart or diagram. And in General Writing task 1 you have to write a letter to someone. In Writing task 2 you have to write an essay on a given topic.

IELTS Academic Writing

IELTS Academic Writing module lasts 60 minutes and has 2 tasks, which must both be completed. Although it is recommended to spend approximately 20 minutes on task 1 and about 40 minutes on task 2, you can divide your time between two sections the way you prefer.

See which skills are tested in IELTS Writing Academic.

Academic IELTS Writing Task 1

In this task you need to describe or summarize visualised data, such as graph, chart, table, diagram, process or scheme. You should write at least 150 words in this task.

IELTS Writing Task 1 sample (Academic) :

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The graph below shows tourism statistics among Venezuelian students from 2011 to 2014. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

• IELTS Writing task 1 samples
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IELTS Writing Task 2

This task is the same for Academic and General modules.

This is more challenging task. You should write an essay on a given topic, presenting your point of view and supporting it with relevant arguments. You should write at least 250 words in this task.

IELTS Writing Task 2 sample :

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Does Internet need to be controlled by the government?

Justify your answer.

Write at least 250 words.

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See IELTS Writing Marking Scheme

IELTS General Writing

IELTS General Writing module lasts 60 minutes and has 2 tasks, which must both be completed. Although it is recommended to spend approximately 20 minutes on task 1 and about 40 minutes on task 2, you can divide your time between two sections the way you prefer.

See which skills are tested in IELTS Writing General.

IELTS General Writing Task 1

In this task you are asked to write a letter concerning everyday situation that you are likely to encounter while living in an English-speaking environment. For example, a letter to an accommodation officer, your employer or a friend. The letter may be personal, semi-formal or formal.

• write personal correspondence
• provide general factual information
• express your opinions: views, needs, wants, likes and dislikes etc.

IELTS General Writing Task 1 sample :

Your friend is celebrating her Birthday soon and has invited you to a party. But you are unable to come because you are going to attend an important meeting that day.

• thank her for the invitation;
• explain why you cannot come;
• propose to meet on other day;

You do NOT need to write your own address. Begin your letter as follows:

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IELTS Writing Task 2: Paraphrasing Practice

IELTS writing task 2 paraphrasing practice exercise. To get a good mark in IELTS writing task 2 for the criterion of vocabulary, you need to be able to paraphrase. The exercise below is a chance for you to practice your paraphrasing skills.

The answers for this exercise have now been posted below. No more writing should be posted for this lesson. But you can still learn from completing the exercise on your own and checking your writing with the answers provided.

Paraphrase the words in this paragraph using the words in the box below. Only paraphrase a word if you are sure it is appropriate to do so.

Many people, when driving their cars, go over the speed limit in city centers. As a way of solving this, the government should put more speed cameras on major streets to put people off  speeding. If this is done, more people who speed will be caught and this problem will eventually be solved.

Paraphrasing Options

You do not need to use all the words. You must decide which words to use and which words not to use.

town         an answer            the law           install         motorway         stop        humans         put away         authorities               exceed               deter  from         directly          riding        ought to            key             by doing this            arrested       vehicles               resolved             citizens            large            caught red handed             speed prevention             increasing       urban

Answers and Advice

Please see the answers given below:

Many people, when driving their cars, exceed  the speed limit in urban centers . As a way of solving this, the authorities ought to install more speed cameras on major streets to deter people from  speeding. By doing this , more people who speed will be caught and this problem will eventually be resolved .

Common Mistakes and Explanations

• Collocation: drive a car, not ride a car. We use the verb “ride” with bicycles.
• A town is not a city.  You can write “city center” or “urban center”. A town is much smaller and this essay is not about small towns and villages.
• The government can usually be paraphrased with the word “authorities”.
• The word “should” can be paraphrased as “ought to”. This is a common paraphrase.
• If you are writing about setting up or putting up equipment, you can use the word “install”.
• “to deter” is used to put people off committing a crime or an offence. It is actually a better word to use than “put off” for formal essay writing.
• “By doing this” and “As a way of solving this” both have the same meaning in this context. You can’t write “As an answer for solving this” – it isn’t correct English even though the meaning is the same.
• “people” are people. We rare use the word “citizen” in an essay about transport. However, it would be acceptable to use it in the second sentence which refers to the government.
• “people” cannot be paraphrased as “humans” except in one context – please watch the video below to learn. Any student making this mistake is not studying effectively. The video below explains this very clearly so you should not be making this mistake.
• “caught red handed” must be written as it is shown. You can never write “caught red”. There are three words in this idiom. However, this expression is mainly for theft or other crimes in which a person is caught face to face by the police. It can’t be used for speed offences caught by camera.
• “vehicles” is used when we don’t know what type of transport is being written about or when we refer to different types. This essay is about cars only which means you can’t use the word “vehicle”.
• This paragraph is about “streets”. This is not the same as a “motorway”. A motorway is a very large road outside a city which contains two or three lines in both directions for heavy traffic.

Results and Advice

• If you had one mistakes, it is acceptable for band 7 or 8.
• If you have two or three mistakes, it is around band 6.
• More Mistakes = Lower Score
• You need to learn both the use and meaning of a word.
• Don’t aim for range until you can achieve accuracy.
• When you learn a noun or verb, learn the full collocation.
• When you learn a word, learn when you can and cannot use it.
• When you learn an idiom, learn if the words can be changed or not.

Best Writing Posted:

Well done to Esmaeil Bahmyari ! You wrote very well indeed but don’t avoid using the word “people”, it is the correct and most appropriate word to use for this essay. You have the potential to well with your level of English.

To all other students, I hope you learn to be careful when paraphrasing. Try to avoid making errors. You can see that a band score 9 student does not paraphrase continuously.

I hope you benefited from this lesson. I will put similar lessons up in the future if you found it useful.

Video: Paraphrasing Tips

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Most people drive their vehicles over the maximum speed limit in city centers. As a solution, the governmet should implement more speed cameras on main streets in order to hinder individuals from speeding. Consequently, more people who drive off the limit will be captured and eventually this will lead to solving the issue.

Majority of people, while driving their cars in city centers, exceed their speed limit. To tackle this problem, the government need to mount lots of speed cameras on the main streets to scare, and capture people driving beyond the speed limits, which in turn puts an end to the problem.

I don’t usually comment because I don’t offer feedback, but I will say “good but be careful of your language”: 1. The majority of people 2. the government need S 3. to scare = to deter 4. to deter people from driving over the speed limit Take more time thinking about your language to avoid getting a lower score.

Many people when driving their vehicles exceed the speed limit in city centers. As a way of resolving this, the authorities should install more speed cameras on major streets to deter people from speeding. By doing this, more people who speeds will be caught and eventually this problem will be resolved.

The authorities ought to install more cameras in urban centers to prevent the exceeding the speed limit by a large number of drivers. By doing this the authorities will manage to resolve the problem and deter motorists from speeding.

Hello Liz, Greetings from Cameroon and thank you for the tips it’s really help me. I would like to know what’s appropriate concerning the writing section American or British english for example the word center (American) and centre (British) which form is correct ? Thanks a bunch.

You can find your answer on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-help-faq/ . Look at question 5 of the test info section and review all other sections.

Lot of peaple go over the speed when they are driving in the urban cities. So govenment thoght putting more camaras in the street can be cought the person who drive more speed and they think problem will be resolved eventualy.

Establishing more speed monitoring systems such as speed cameras would be integral for the authorities, since more people are getting over the speed limits while driving. As more violators will be caught if more monitoring exhibits, less and less people will be willing to cross the limits.

Exceeding speed limits while driving is commonly seen in city centres. The government installing more speed cameras on the streets can be seen as a solution to this problem. This will ensure that more violators are punished and will prevent over speeding in urban areas.

Sometimes drivers exceed legal speed in towns. Because of the possible dangers, authorities should install more control cameras in the streets. Preventing predicted consequences could happen by arresting citizens who do not respect speed limits.

the people, when driving vehicles exceed the speed limit in urban centers, Authorities resolved this by installing speed cameras on streets to deter drivers from the law. By doing this, a large number of people have been arrested and this can be a good solution for this problem.

Most residents may ignore limitation of speed and surpass it. One way to defeat this problem is that governments should impose a limitation on speed. This goal having been achieved by checking speed with cameras at the road of cities.

Majority of drivers nowadays go beyond the implemented speed limits inside premises of cities, hence, it is expected that the ruling body should install speed cameras on major streets to demotivate such act and eventually solving the current issue.

Over speeding while driving is considered a problematic issue mostly in city centres. It is often suggested that in order to solve this issue, authorities should install more speed cameras on major streets to catch offender drivers and decrease over speeding in urban areas.

A large number of people exceed their speed limit while driving their cars. One possible solution to resolve this issue could be that the higher authorities should install more speed detection devices, especially on main roads to slow down people’s driving speed. By doing this, humans can be caught red-handed, and finally, the issue would be minimized.

I trust you are doing well. I wrote my test yesterday and I’d like to thank you immensely for the wealth of knowledge and information on this website and in particular, your Ideas for IELTS Essay book. I purchased it 5 days before my actual test and had to burn the midnight candle to go through all the topics. It was indeed an invaluable resource.

My task 2 topic : some people think that there is less communication between family members these days compared to the last few years. Do you agree/disagree. Give your opinion.

Task 1 topic: You just got an international job, write a letter to your former boss/ex-employer requesting for a reference letter.

A tip for everbody- on test day, I’d advise you tackle the task 2 essay first because it carries more marks and the time moves INCREDIBLY FAST!

Good luck with your results 🙂

Owing to the problem, those who drive cars over the limit at high speed in city centers, which is usually a rushy area. Despite a warning by the government, people considered it a casual way of driving, whereas putting more cameras is the most effective solution in consequences by which speedy drivers can be caught very easily.

Lot of people, cross the speed limit while driving their cars in urban centers. One of the way to solve this issue is that authorities should install more speed cameras on major streets to deter people from over speeding. With the help of this, more people exceeding the speed will be caught and this problem eventually will get resolved.

Personally I think “cross the speed limit” is not correct, it should be “exceed the speed limit”. Moreover, “to speed” means move quickly; so no need to use “over speeding”. The word “issue” is not appropriate in this paragraph, I suppose. Maybe “bad situation” is a better one, or just keep the word “problem”. 🙂

An attempt to solve speeding problems in downtown areas it is expected from the authorities to install an additional number of speed cameras on the most significant streets which, if done correctly will result in higher number of speed offenders to be captured and a gradual solution to this problem.

It would mean a lot if Miss Liz (or anyone) can point out any error if there’s any.

Two possible paraphrases I have managed to come up with:

1. Government should install many surveillance devices to discourage speeding automobiles since there are high number of people who cross the speed limit at the central town. Perhaps, this would enable law enforcement bring down those in speed violation and at the end put a full stop for this problem.

2. Towards solving the problem of speeding vehicle, the government should installing several surveillance devices, which acts as a harbinger of the consequences, because there are several people who have drove their automobiles over the speed limit in the central town. Implementing this, enables law enforcement to bring down those in violation, and at the end put an end to this problem.

Citizens,when driving their cars,go over the speed limit in city centers,In other way of solving this, the authorities should put more speed cameras on major streets for speed prevention and this issue will eventually be solved.

More often, many citizens while driving their car through the city, exceed the speed limits. To have a check over, speed cameras should be installed on the major streets of the cities. By doing so, the speed limits of the cars will be regulated, as the cameras would catch the rash drivers red handed.

I have just started surfing around, on your website and I am aiming for 7.5 band score of writing section in time period of 3 months (I got TOEFL IBT few year ago). This is really brilliant how you explained the answer for this example. Can I find more of this example somewhere? I am also wondering if there exists ”writing task correction” service available on your website which students can buy? .

I’m glad this was helpful 🙂 You can use the red menu bar to find what you need on this site. This site contains over 300 pages of free lessons, tips etc. Sorry, I don’t offer a marking service. I only offer Advanced Writing Task 2 lessons as extra: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Most people while driving in city centers exceeds the permitted limit for speed.This issue can be addressed by installing speed cameras on most popular streets to inhibit provocation .This will enable the authorities to capture evidence and penalize the violators of the law.

I need feedback .

Thank you Liz, your materials are helpful

this is mine. hope you correct me.

people often break the speed limit when driving their in the centre of a city. as an attempt to solve this. the ministry should install more trafic enforcement camera on the main street, to prevent people from speeding. if everything is set up. this will rise the number of people who get caught when they speed up. And this problem will be solved.

thank your for readding

Hello Liz, Kindly let me know, these four Linking word have same meaning “Due to, Owing to, By the virtue of, On account of. For instance, I must go to office today due to short of attendance.

Regards Khan

We don’t use “by virtue of” any more. Otherwise, they have the same meaning – but this doesn’t mean you can use them in the same way. Always review how the grammar structure changes.

Speeding while driving cars, which has become a problem in the city centres, can be curtailed by using speed cameras on motorways. By the installation of cameras, the people who exceed the speed limit will be caught. This will ultimately help authorities to resolve this problem.

While some “Commentators” believe…., other “analysts” defend the idea.

Is Using Commentators and Analysts in spite of People correct? Are they accurate synonyms of people?

It is not normal to use such language in IELTS essays. I would avoid it. The opinions are from people – not analysts. And the word “commentators” is an inappropriate word to use. There are many words you can paraphrase in your essay- the word “people” isn’t usually one of them. Please watch the video above again which explains about being more careful with paraphrasing.

Ought to exceeding the speed limit in urban cities by large number of drivers, the government can maintain this issue by installing cameras in main roads as a result, people who doing this can be arrested, which in turn this problem can be gradually solved.

Usally in city areas, people drive their car faster han in village areas. The government can solve this problem by installing more speed cameras on the major streets. Realizing that that the drivers are being constantly monitored, they will start driving slowly eventually.

Increasing number of people speed up their cars while driving in city centers. To overcome this problem, authorities ought to install speed cameras on major streets to keep drivers under the speeding limit. By doing this, overspeeding drivers will be caught and this problem will eventually be resolved.

Most of the people are exceeding their speed limits while driving their vehicles. As a result, the local authorities should take charge to shut down the rash drivers by keeping speed sensors and cameras in the major areas. If they accomplished the above idea ,then we can see the reduction in this problem .

These days, numerous shows related to the crime are broadcasted on the television. As a consequence lot of violence taking place giving birth to numerous criminal activities. Therefore, it is said that such a program should not be telecast. I strongly agree with this statement and will discuss in upcoming paragraphs.

First and foremost, nowadays, the most people more time to spend in mass media. It is responsible for framing through a human process. Therefore, it should be banned. Mostly young ones follow serials on television and its effects adversely on their mindset. For instance, in India, there is a program called Crime Patrol which talks about the different crimes and how those crimes are committed by criminals. Definitely, after watching this kind of telecast, the youngster may become delinquent, feeling that they would also appear on television if they do something of that sort.

Furthermore, some people instead of considering such serial as the part of an awareness program. programs grasp various ways and misuse them getting templated result in diverting them towards the path of crime. Although, it is a source whichever provided with a solution by watched shows. People adopt certain techniques and strategies come out of various problems an encounter ever in life. Yet, it is a total time wasting because of this type of show just a part of the entertainment. Overall, I strongly agree with this statement these programs should be stopped, it is less fruitful and more drawbacks. Moreover, it does not provide a particular knowledge of awareness.

I tried practice on writing tasks. But there is grammatical errors, plz guide me. How to improve it.

Your problem relates to your English language, not your exam skills. This means you need an English language website or a local teacher. Google online to find English language websites.

Many driver have tendency to do overspeeding in urban center while driving car. it is thought by some people that key way to overcome this is to install more speed cameras on major street by government. This will certainly result in catching more overspeeding drivers.

Urban drivers,overspeed their cars in city centers.To solve it, officials have to keep an eye on them through installing speed cameras on main streets to keep them under speed limit.This way whoever will speedup their cars will be arrested and problem will be resolved.

Majority of people, while driving cars, Saturate the speed limit in urban centre. To overcome this problem management should install possible number of speed cameras on streets.

mostly people living in the urban arease drive carelessly beying the exceeding limits. to overcome this problem, authorities should take control by putting some laws and rules like speed camers over the main areas of the town. if it is to be done than the law breakers can be eaily caught red handed and peope will automatically follow the rules.

liz can u check my parapharse sentence.. i am writing again and again but u r not replying me plz reply me

I do not offer a marking service.

We have to paraphrase in General IELTS essay as well. I am asking this because in one of the video you said that this is for academic. Kindly clear my doubt.

There is no difference between the GT and Academic writing task 2 techniques. You write the essays in exactly the same way. If you want to learn more about essay writing for IELTS, purchase my advanced lessons: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hi Liz Your lessons are very helpful Please can “the amount of meat” be paraphrased as “the quantity of meat” ?

Yes, that’s fine 🙂

Hi liz, please can we use individuals as a synonym for people.

Synonyms must be used in the right context and in the right way. Individuals is certainly a synonym that can be used, but you must learn when and how to use it.

While driving in the busy parts of city, many people drive their cars at such speed which is usually well above the authorized speed limit. To encounter, authorities must install more speed cameras to monitor the drivers effectively. Consequently, more violators will be be caught that will eventually resolve the issue of over speeding.

Over-speeding is a major problem in cities as many drivers tend to drive above the allowed speed limits. A possible solution to this problem is the installation of surveillance cameras on the highways in order to apprehend offenders. This will deter people from over-speeding and will eventually solve the problem on the long run.

I read the list of uncountable nouns. Isn’t tea is the countable noun? I am confused. Regards Sonia.

No, it is uncountable. You can have “a cup of tea”. When people say “would you like a tea?”, it is informal and the full meaning is “would you like a cup of tea?”.

my l/r/w was on 2/12/2017. A true false not given question was: The railway company owns 18,000 wagons. In the passage it was just mentioned in “all 18,000 wagons are washed every 28 days”. as it was not mentioned that the company owns it or if they are on lease. I answered Not Given. your views please

For this question, you need to refer to the whole paragraph or at least the five or six sentences surrounding that statement. It is common in IELTS that your answer will not be found in one sentence only and references might be made in other sentences.

Morning Liz,what is the difference between highways and motorways. Also,kindly check if highways is acceptable for my paraphrasing: Authorities ought to install speed cameras on the major roads because majority of the people tend to over speed along the main highways. Placing these cameras would make offenders caught,and thus resolving the issue

There difference is US English and UK English. For writing, you need to choose one only. For speaking, it is fine to have a mixed accent as long as pronunciation is easy to understand.

Several people, drive above the stipulated speed limit when driving their vehicles.As a method of combating this,there should be more speed cameras installed on major streets to stop people over speeding.More people will be apprehended when this takes effect and thus leads to an end to over speeding.

Citizen mostly exceed speed limits while riding their personal vehicle in the motorways. This can be put to end, by installing surveillance / monitoring camera in major streets and some other strategic locations where over-speeding can be monitored and noticed by the authority.

Wao. Have realized my mistakes.

To combat the problem of overspeeding in city centres, government should install more surveillance cameras on big streets, which will help to catch offenders and alleviate the menace.

In order to restrict people from driving cars above the speed limit, the government should impose strict rules such as installing speed cameras on busy streets which will be an incentive to overcome the consequences of speedy cars.

Hey, Liz I have paraphrased the above question as- In order to avoid over-speeding, which is very common in city centers, the Government has decided to install more speed cameras to qualify people from over-speeding. The authorities believe that after the installation of speed cameras the problem will be abated and in my opinion, the Government will get the desired results and the problem will be resolved.

Thanks Liz, informative and good for learning and introspection!

Hi Liz. I enjoyed watching your lessons and the same time I learn a lot about the Ielts exam. Actually my exam is on 14 October 2017. Im a little bit nervous. Writing essay task1 and task2 is the hardest part. Any advise please. Thank you.

hi liz, My name is Vishwas from India, My question is, is there any prescribed structure for IELTS task 2 writing part which guarantee the high band. please reply. Thanking you in anticipation.

No. Most essays will have either two body paragraphs or three. But it depends on your main points and what you want to say. The examiner is marking you on logic – so organise logically.

Thanks Liz. Tomorrow is my LRW pray for me

Thanku liz for such paraphrasing practice.please upload more such videos. Thanks.

Thank you ma’am for this lesson.I have really learnt a lot today.

Its a wonderful exercise , would you be kind enough to provide more exercises like this or share any link , where I can do more practice.

Sure, I’ll try to put more lessons like this up. Thanks for letting me know it was useful 🙂

Yes please do it…so usefu. Thank you

Hello Liz, I watched your video “how to write introduction” and have a question. If we are asked ” discuss this view and give your own opinion”, background statement and thesis statement in our introduction is the same ?

Yes, it’s the same technique. Paraphrase the essay question for the background and write your opinion as the thesis.

Hai mam, during speaking test , if I can’ t hear or understand the question, requesting for repeating the question may affect my score..??

It won’t affect your score. It is fine to say “Could you repeat that, please”.

Hi Liz, can I use highways for major streets? Thanks

You will need to check in a dictionary. It is American and I’m British.

Hello, liz im adithya should we write both “BACK GROUND STMT” and “THESIS STMT” in the introduction or any one is enough ?

Watch this free video lesson about writing introductions: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2-how-to-write-an-introduction/

Hello Liz, I am sadiya, Can you please check my errors in below writing task 2. so that I can rectify my mistakes. i will be thankfull

The relative importance of main aim of advertising the various product on television to attract teenagers has been targeted should be prohibited. which can not be fully agreed, has now become more controversial. The substantial influence of the different advertisements of various products included in different categories has sparked the controversy over the potential impact of this advertising trend in this recent years.it can be argued that it has some advantages on advertisements, but it has some drawbacks as well. This essay will elaborate both the positive and negative impact of advertisements resembling two sides of the single coin. Which usually runs in parallel and then will lead’s to the logical conclusion. At the outset, there are numerous ways to benefit the young children. The most conspicuous one is advertisements of various products which are used in daily life to improve the health as well standard of living according to status. Firstly, coming to improve or save the economic cost by spending on the product which is worth full in daily life. Like some branded products helpful in the kitchen with latest options as the technology has been fully developed. ex: which reduces the time spent in the kitchen for cooking, watching utensil, cleaning floors. Secondly, various health conscious product is known which help of advertisement, to cure the various minor diseases like cough syrup, pain reliefs painkillers, and healthy shakes so on.Thirdly, advertisements are beneficial to choose the good and cost effective product at less cost. The fourth one, the people are getting educated with these various adds in various ways, one of them is to maintain their personality lifestyle modification. Finally, people are knowing their rights to select the product and getting educated about the product before they are going to buy it,Products working status and its benefits has been compared with another. nevertheless, there remain some disadvantages, which can certainly, overwhelm the potential influence of advertisement on teenagers. But the most alarming one lies in the fact that the children are getting affected with advertisements via improper adds before their mindset has not well developed. There may chance of learning bad habits changing their social lifestyle.ex; smoking, chewing gutka, and other than this learning bad habits. Secondly, few adds are not proper for teenaged children like naked adds, getting addicted to television. from what has been discussed above it can be concluded that the impact of the advertising on children 70% is around beneficial and remaining 30% can be well handled by educating the children regarding good thing like having the proper diet, lifestyle modifications, learning how to improve the economic cost, learn the consumer rights.

Sorry, I don’t comment on writing. Make sure your introduction is only two sentences long. See the videos on this page to learn: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Hi Liz! Thank you for your videos. They’re very informative. I need your help though. Could you check if what I did was correct??

Q: Prevention is better than cure. Do you agree or disagree that out of the country’s health budget, a large proportion should be diverted from treatment to spending on health education and preventive measures.

A: The eradication of diseases is the focus of many countries in terms of health. However, disease prevention through health education is the lesser concern. In my view, the government should equally support both of these programs in terms of finances to create a better and healthier community.

This is my introduction. it took me almost 10 mins to formulate this one. What do you think??

What is the maximum limit of words for both task and can i use persnl words..?

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

Can you please post more lessons of this kind. thank you.

I am a student of Ielts. now i want to sit for exam but my hand writing is not up to mark i have problem on Grammer and spelling, what will i do?

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

Hi Liz, Thanks very much for all your ielts tip,they are very useful. I just checked my results now and i got the required bands listening-7.5,Reading-8.0,Writing-7.0,Speaking-8.5. Once again thank you very much. Beatrice

Overall band score 8 – excellent!! A very good score which you should be proud of. I hope you can now go forward with confidence and achieve your future goals. Thanks for letting me know 🙂 Liz

Hllo liz I have required a great practice material, for improve my band score. My target was to achieve minimum 7 band score overall. But, i scored only 5.5 band as on 27 june, 2015. S- 5 L-5.5 R- 6 W- 4.5 now i again fill my exam that will be on 8 oct. so now i want want to attain best score. I really thankful to you, if you give me some help to attain my goal.

All my lessons and tips are on this blog. To get band score 7, you will need to develop your level of English. Students getting around band 5 in speaking and writing are making too many mistakes to be awarded band 6. You now have just under 3 months to improve your English language. Go to google and look for English language websites. All the best Liz

Thanks a lot for the great tips and lessons. I just got my result and I was able to increase my writing score to 6.5. However, I need to score minimum 7 in writing, so I will give it another try as soon as possible.

Best regards.

Hi Teacher,

My name is Santhosh and I would like to improve my writing skills very much to attain a band score of 7+. First of all, I would like to thank you very much that, your online videos were very helpful for me.

I took IELTS GT exam for 3 times to get a band score of 7+ in each modules and below are the score that I got:

L8, S7, R6.5, W5 L7, S7, R6, W6.5 L7, S6.5, R6, W6.5.

As you can see my writing is not upto the mark. Kindly provide an effective method to reach my goal and also I would like to do some practice exercise for planning and paraphrasing also, the link provided for paraphrasing practice is not available.

Thanks, Santhosh.

All lessons are listed on this blog. I don’t have extra lessons. All the best Liz

Thank you teacher,

While going through all the lesson’s and writing topics that you had provided in the website, I think it is sufficient enough for practice.

Thanks for providing good materials for the exam.

Thanks Santhosh

Hi, Liz. First of all, I would like to thank you for all of the amazing resources you have created. I watched many of your video lessons and used them to prepare for my IELTS Academic test. I got my results this week and they were: Listening 6.5, Reading 8, Writing 6.5, and Speaking 9. I’ve got nothing to complain about the Listening part because I got distracted during the first track and didn’t hear the exact words and also because I also had trouble with another conversation about giving directions in a building. I’m not good at giving and getting directions. Not even in my native language, so I know I must work on that. However, I am puzzled at my writing score. I am pretty sure I made no grammar nor spelling mistakes. I felt I did well on Writing Task 2 but perhaps my graph analysis was rather simple. I’ve read about other examinees complaining about having a hard time to score higher than 6.5 in the writing section. Any thoughts on this? What would you suggest to improve this score? Thanks.

Thanks a lot, Liz. I just emailed you my writing samples.

Hello liz…. M planning to appear fr ielts in the coming 2 weeks, the only problem I feel with me is with speaking part…. I have no problem with speaking English or framing sentences but then I use the word umm… aa…. Quite often while thinking about the next sentence which I can say… Will that affect my bands??

Yes, that will affect your score for the criterion of fluency. However, it won’t affect your score for grammar, vocabulary or pronunciation. All the best Liz

I want to check my writing mam could you please provide any link for that to caliculate. Because I don’t have any idea about my standard in writing english.

Try this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2-band-scores-5-to-8/ All the best Liz

Thank you so much mam

Hello Liz, I have one question for you. Currently, just I am preparing my self to take IELTS exam in the first week of August. Always I wonder on time management. So, to manage my time in relation to my experience, what if I do the written exam in the following order. 1. Listening 2. Writing 3. Reading Thank you for your consideration, and I eagerly awaits your response. Kind regards,

Don’t change the order of doing the skills. In fact, I’m not sure that you can. The time management is during the skill. For example, sticking with only 20 minutes for each reading passage and spending no more than 20 mins on writing task 1. All the best Liz

Large no of people while driving their cars overshoot the speed limit in city centres. To avoid this , governent should place extra cameras on major streets . This will ensure that people who overshoot would be caught .

hi liz teacher ,thank you so much to teach us beneficial points i really confuse in paraphrases but i learn alot of things from your lessons

I’m glad the lessons are useful 🙂 Liz

mam,i am very weak in task 2. Becoz,when i strat essay to cofuse, what i write

You will need to develop ideas for topics, learn how to organise ideas and also improve your level of English. In your message above, you made two spelling mistakes and also grammar mistakes. This means, to get over band 5, you will need to be able to write more accurately. Here’s a link to my writing lessons: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ . For English will need either a teacher or to find a website to help you. You can google that. All the best Liz

A number of people exceed the speed limit, while they are crossing in the urban areas. To solve this problem the authorities have to install speed cameras in main junctions To deter people from speeding. By doing this, many people who are driving crazily will be coughed and the problem will disappear.

This lesson is now closed. You will find the answer above in the lesson. Liz

Thank you Liz for your valuable instructions. I doubted in using “citizens” , but at last I used it. Regards

You did really well. 50% of your writing is based on your grammar and vocabulary. That means you will do well in those criteria. You should focus now on coherence & cohesion and task response. Good luck Liz

hello Liz my name is Anna :-Certain individuals used to exceed their vehicles speed limit in urban centers.Futhermore,authorities ought to overcome the issue by increasing the quantity of cameras on main streets to deter drivers from speeding.As a result ,people will stop to drive fast and the problem will be resolved completely.

A lot of car drivers exceed in speed when riding their vehicles in urban centers, going over the mandatory limits. One way to face this issue could be an increase in number of speed cameras installed by authorities in the main streets. By doing this, citizens will be deterred from driving too fast by the risk of being caught handed out and, consequently, the problem will probably be solved.

Increasing number of people exceed the speed limit while driving in city centers. The only key to the problem is to install speed cameras on major streets by the government deterring people from speeding. By doing this, speed can be prevented and those who break the law will be caught red handed.

Many citizens, when driving their vehicles, exceed the speed limit in urban areas. In order to resolving this, the authorities should install speed cameras in motorways to deter from speeding. By doing this, more individuals who speed will be arrested and this issue will be solved.

Can you tell me please, if it is correct. Thank you.

I will post the answer at 5pm UK time. Liz

It’s almost 7 pm UK time

The answers have been posted. Please look above in the lesson. Thanks Liz

Many people, when driving cars, exceed the speed limit in city centers. To stop this, the government authorities should put more speed cameras on major streets to put people off speeding. If this is done, more people who speed will be caught red handed and this problem will eventually resolved.

A large number of people,when riding their vehicles,exceeds the speed limit in city centres. As a way of speed prevention, authorities should install more cameras on major streets to deter from speeding.By doing this,more people who speed will be arrested and this problem will directlly be resolved

Some people exceed the speed limit while driving their vehicle in town centers. In order to resolve the problem, authorities ought to install large number of speedy cameras on motorways to prevent from increasing speed as by catching citizen red handed on cameras that in consequent deter directly the motor speed in urban areas.

Many citizens, when riding their vehicles, exceed the speed limit in city centers. As an answer for this, the authorities ought to install more speed prevention cameras on motorways, to deter people from speeding. By doing this more humans who put the law away will directly be arrested and this problem will eventually be resolved.

An increasing number of people riding their vehicles in urban areas, exceed the speed limit. As an answer to speed prevention, the authorities ought to install more speed cameras on motorways to deter people from speeding. By doing this, more people who speed will be arrested and the problem will be resolved.

Large number of peopl, when driving their car, exceed speed limit in urban centers. In order to resolve this, authorities ought to install more speed cameras on motorway to deter them from speeding. Doing this, citizens who speed will be arrested and the problem will eventually be solved.

Please read my paragraph and advice. Thanks Meenakshi

Some people exceed the speed limit while driving in the town.To deter citizens from speeding, authorities ought to install more cameras on the motorways.By doing this, more people will be caught red handed which will eventually resolve this problem.

I will post my answer for all students at 5pm UK time. All the best Liz

A big number of drivers break the admitted legal speed when they are driving in urban areas. As a solution for this problem, the authorities should install surveillance cameras on main streets to deter drivers using exceed speed. By doing that, a large number of citizen would be caught red handed and this issue finally be resolved.

A large number of people, when driving their vehicles,exceed the speed limit in urban centers .As an answer of this ,the authorities ought to install more speed camers on motor ways to deter citizens from speeding.By doing this ,more citizens who speed will arrested and this problem will be resolved directly

Many citizens in urban areas exceed their speed limit when driving their vehicles.The authorities ought to install more speed cameras on motorway to deter from speeding.By doing this, humans who caught red will be directly handed to authorities to resolve this problem.

Many citizens in exceed their speed limit when driving their vehicles.The authorities ought to install more speed cameras on motorway to deter from speeding.By doing this,humans who caught red will be directly handed to authorities to resolve this problem.

In town, when people driving their cars, exceed the speed limit in city centers. Inorder to solve this,authorities should install more speed cameras on major roads to put people off speeding. By doing this, more people who speed will be caugth and the problem will eventually be solved.

Large number of citizens in urban areas exceed their speed limits when driving. As a way of prevention the authorities ought to install more speed cameras on motorways to reduce citizens from speeding.By doing this, citizens who speed will be put away and situation solved .

Owing,this problem many citizens while riding a vehicals in the urban aerea they exceeds the speed,There are number of solution to handle this situation.motor way officials should install some extra speed catching camera in street,by taking this step many people would go off the speed either,panalies or punished in the large number city.finally,this way could be overcome the problem/situation.

Hope for comments.

You must use the words given in the box. Don’t change the paragraph in any other way. Liz

In urban areas, many citizens exceed the speed limit when riding their cars. To deter from this problem, the authorities are ought to put more speed cameras on major motorways to put humans off speeding. By doing this, more people , who drive speedly will be caught red handed and finally this problem will be resolved.

Hi…. am from india. When i write the phase 2 in writing. .. it takes lot of time to complete the essay… And my vocabulary is ok i think. ..

The large number of citizens exceed their speed while driving their vehicles in the urban areas. To this problem be resolved,the authorities ought to install more speed cameras on main routes and motorways to make them reduce their speed.By doing this,more people, who drive speedly, will be caught red handed and finally this issue will be tackled.

Many citizens, when driving their vehicles, exceed the speed limit in urban areas. As a way of solving this, the authorities ought to install more speed cameras on major streets to deter citizens from speeding. By doing this, more citizens who speed will be caught and this problem will eventually be resolved.

Hello Teacher, In essay i write one introduction and thesis statement two body paraghraph and conclusion.is it ok?

The thesis statement is part of the introduction – it is not separate. Please watch my video about writing an introduction. The rest of the paragraph structure is fine. Liz

Yes,teacher it is. After introduction i could write only two paragraph and conclusion,in my test.

Thanks teacher forbreply. Regards.

That’s right. Although it is possible to have three body paragraphs. It depends on the number of main points you have. Liz

Many citizens, when driving their vehicles, exceed the speed limit in urban areas. As a way of speed prevention, the authorities ought to install more speed cameras on main motorways to deter people from speeding. By doing this, more citizens who speed will be caught red handed and this problem will eventually be resolved.

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IELTS Writing- How To Write a Complex Sentence

Introduction.

One of the biggest mistakes students make in IELTS writing is to try and show off and be overly ambitious with their grammar. This is because many students think that all of their sentences need to be ‘complex’ (they don’t!), and them not understanding what a ‘complex’ sentence is. Trying to write overly complicated sentences leads to grammar mistakes, and this will lead to lost marks in many different areas.

This post will look at:

• how many ‘complex’ sentences do you actually need in each paragraph? • what a ‘complex’ sentence actually is? • how to make complex sentences? • examples to help us understand and transfer this knowledge to our writing.

What does the examiner expect?

If we look at the examiners’ marking scheme it states that to get a band 6 for grammar, we need to:

• use a mix of simple and complex sentences.

For band 7, it states:

• Use a variety of complex structures.

This obviously means that we should use complex sentences in our writing, but it does not mean that we should try to make all of our sentences complex. All band 9 answers I have seen use a mixture of simple and complex sentences. The key is to know when to use them, and we will look at this below. But first, we need to understand what a complex sentence actually is.

What is a complex sentence?

The main problem here seems to be the word ‘complex’. Complex, in this situation, does not mean complicated, long or impressive. This is a common misconception and leads to students writing very long and grammatically incorrect sentences that are very difficult to understand.

For example:

‘In the modern world, global warming is one of the most popular topics causing many environmental difficulties and tough challenges arising from its serious consequences.’

This is a very typical sentence from an essay that is trying to be overly complex. This student has tried to put four simple ideas into one paragraph, resulting in an awkward and incoherent sentence. They have lost control of the grammar, and this affects the meaning. When meaning is affected, it stops the reading understanding of what is being said, and that isn’t good for your IELTS writing band scores.

‘Complex’ sentences are not very complex; they are just two or more simple sentences. Putting them together makes the essay more coherent and cohesive.

Let’s look at the first example again. In the sentence above, there are four simple ideas that we can put into simple sentences:

1. Global warming is a common topic these days. 2. Global warming causes environmental problems. 3. There are tough challenges associated with global warming. 4. Global warming has very serious consequences.

If we write all of our sentences in the IELTS exam like this, we lose marks because they are too simple. What we need to do is put them together to make complex sentences.

Complex Sentence Examples

One of the most common environmental issues is global warming which causes many serious environmental problems. Tough challenges are associated with this issue, and its effects have very serious consequences.

I don’t think there is anything ‘complex’ about these sentences, just simple ideas put together.

‘Complex’ is just a label, not a description.

I have taken each of the four simple sentences and put them together in two complex sentences. This result is a grammatically correct, easy-to-understand paragraph.

When should I use complex sentences?

Generally, we should use simple sentences when making main points, normally at the beginning of a paragraph. We should then use complex sentences when expanding on the main point, for instance, when giving a supporting example or explaining our main point.

This is a question about whether ‘fast food’ or ‘junk food’ should be taxed at a higher rate than normal food.

‘Increasing taxes would raise prices and lower consumption. Fast food companies would pass on these taxes to consumers in the form of higher prices, which would lead to people being unable to afford junk food. For instance, the cost of organic food has proven prohibitively expensive for most people. Despite this, people in many developed countries, where the problem is most acute, can afford price hikes and will continue to eat high-fat meals.’

The first sentence is the ‘topic sentence’ and makes the main point. It is, therefore, acceptable for this to be a simple sentence.

The second sentence explains the main point and uses the word ‘and’ to link two simple sentences together to make one complex sentence.

The third sentence gives an example and uses the linking phrase ‘for instance’. The final sentence makes a concession (shows the limitation of the argument) and is also a complex sentence, linking more than one idea together.

This paragraph has a mix of simple and complex sentences and therefore satisfies the marking criteria .

How do I make a complex sentence?

Remember that a complex sentence is more than one simple sentence to make one sentence. We, therefore, need to learn and become confident using the various grammatical structures that allow us to do that. Below are a few ways we can link ideas together in a sentence.

To make a complex sentence, we normally should have two things- a dependent clause and an independent clause. A clause is a group of words with both a subject and a verb.

An example of a dependent clause is ‘….because the weather was cold.’ This is a dependent clause because it has a subject and a verb but doesn’t make any sense. To make sense, we need to add an independent clause.

As the name suggests, an independent clause can make sense independently. For example, ‘I wore a warm coat.’ If we combine these two clauses, we get a complex sentence- ‘I wore a warm coat because the weather was cold.’

As you can see, ‘complex’ sentences don’t have to be complicated. Let’s now look at other ways we can make complex sentences.

1. Relative Clauses

You can use relative clauses to give essential or extra information about a person, place, or thing. This makes our writing more fluent and more coherent. We do this by using relative pronouns like who, which and that. For example, ‘He’s the kind of person who is always friendly.’

Air pollution can cause health problems. Air pollution is largely caused by motor vehicles.

We can convert these two simple sentences into one complex sentence by using the word ‘which’.

Air pollution, which is mostly caused by motor vehicles, can cause health problems.

There is evidence that some people are more likely to smoke. These people have parents and friends who smoke.

We can link both of these sentences together by using the word ‘who’.

Evidence shows that people with parents and friends who smoke are more likely to smoke.

2. Subordinate Clauses

A subordinate clause can describe nouns and pronouns; describe verbs, adverbs, and adjectives; or act as the subject or object of another clause. They connect an independent clause with a dependent clause with words like as, because, while, until, even though, although, when and if.

3. Conditional Clauses

Also known as ‘If clauses’, they are used to express that the action in the main clause can only take place if a certain condition is met.

If I had a million dollars, I would quit my job.

I will be really happy if I pass the IELTS test.

These clauses are good for giving examples in IELTS writing part 2.

‘Increasing taxes would raise prices and lower consumption. Fast food companies would pass on these taxes to consumers in the form of higher prices, which would lead to people being unable to afford junk food. If the cost of organic food proves prohibitively expensive for most people, they will not buy it. Despite this, people in many developed countries, where the problem is most acute, can afford price hikes and will continue to eat high-fat meals.’

They are also useful for discussing unreal situations or speculating about results in the past or present.

There are four different kinds of conditionals which I will outline below:

Zero Conditionals are used to talk about true information or facts. We can use if or when to introduce the conditional.

Example: Nowadays, when we travel long distances, we usually use air travel.

First conditionals are used to talk about things in the present or future.

Example: If the city’s population grows, we will need to build more infrastructure.

Second Conditionals are used to talk about impossible things.

Example: If the sun didn’t come up tomorrow, we wouldn’t have any life on earth.

Third Conditionals are used to speculate about past events. It is often used when we regret something or to imagine a past unreal situation.

Example: The Second World War would have never happened if Germany had been given a fairer peace settlement in World War One.

4. Compound Sentences

Compound sentences consist of two independent clauses linked together with a conjunction such as ‘and’, ‘for’ or ‘but’.

I really want to study, but I’m too tired. She got to the test centre early and did well on her IELTS test.

Some students think these sentences are too simple to count as complex, but they are wrong.

The crucial thing is to understand and be able to use these grammar structures before your IELTS test. Some students memorise many structures and try to insert them into their essays without considering how they work or if they are accurate. This will only lead to unnatural and incoherent sentences. Remember that your sentences must also be error-free, so only use structures you are confident using.

The key is to only use them appropriately. Concentrate on answering the question; if you know how to use these structures, they will flow naturally.

I hope this post has demonstrated that you can write your ideas down clearly and simply and still satisfy the marking criteria for complex sentences.

When you are practising IELTS writing questions, think of what you want to say in simple sentences and then think of how these might be linked into complex sentences. After enough practice, it will become a natural thing to do, and your writing will really improve.

Check out my IELTS Grammar video series below for more help with complex sentences:

The articles below contain some of our most comprehensive guides to Writing Task 2:

• Writing Task 2: 8 Steps to Success

This article is unique to anything we’ve published before. Read it now to access our 61-page Task 2 strategy.

• How to Plan an Essay

Making a good plan actually saves you time when you write your essay. If you don’t plan, you are more likely to get lost halfway through your essay, and the result is normally a very confusing piece of writing that is difficult to read. This guide will show you how to write a clear essay every time.

• How to Think of Relevant Ideas

Thinking of good ideas is one of the most challenging parts of the test for some people. This guide provides 5 different methods to help you quickly think of relevant ideas that are directly linked to the question.

• How to Paraphrase

Paraphrasing is one of the essential IELTS skills, not just in Writing Task 2 but in all parts of the IELTS test. You should paraphrase the question in every essay, and I recommend doing this in the very first sentence to help boost your vocabulary score.

• How to Write a Supporting Paragraph

Supporting paragraphs are the main body paragraphs and are the meat in the sandwich. This is where you provide the detail the examiner is looking for in the form of explanations and examples.

Do you need me to correct your essays and give detailed feedback and steps for improvement? Check out our  essay correction service  or join the  Waiting List  for my  VIP Course. 

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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How to Write IELTS Essays to Score Band 9!

Planning to go study or work abroad? Aiming for excellent scores in your IELTS writing? Do you wish to get a band 9 score? Say no more because this is the article for you! Please go through this article to find writing tips, and applicants must get essay samples, which will help you get a band 9 in your IELTS essay. Taking the IELTS test is mandatory for studying or employment abroad, therefore it is essential that applicants get excellent scores in the writing section of the test.

Achieving a score of band 9 in the IELTS Writing requires a mastery of language and also knowledge of the assessment criteria and good writing strategies for the exam. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced applicant, going through this article will help you in turning your essay-writing skills from good to great!

Table of Content

IELTS Writing Section

1. writing – academic, 2. writing – general training.

• IELTS Writing task 2: Essay Writing – Important tips for Band 9 score

Step 1: Understand the question/task

Step 2: structure your ideas, step 3: start with a captivating introduction, step 4: write focused paragraphs, step 5: display good vocabulary and language skills, step 6: conclude properly:, step 7: edit and revise your essay:, step 8: avoid being redundant:, step 9: more is not always the best, step 10: diligently practice time management, step 11: seek help from experienced tutors and high-quality prep materials, sample essays for ielts to achieve a band score of 9, sample 1: discussion essay, sample 2: problems and solutions essay, sample 3: advantages and disadvantages essay, how to write ielts essays- faqs, can we use formal idioms in ielts writing, what are 4 types of ielts essay, how to identify essay type, what is important in ielts writing, what is not allowed in ielts writing.

The most crucial part of test preparation for IELTS includes the writing section. The duration of test is 60 minutes and the writing section includes two parts- Academic and General Training, both of which have two tasks each. All of them are explained below for a better understanding of the candidates:

The Academic section of the Writing test includes two tasks, each covering topics of general relevance and suitability for individuals enrolling for undergraduate or postgraduate studies, or those seeking professional employment.

The General Training section of the Writing test also includes two tasks that focus on topics of general interest, which were made to assess candidates’ ability to communicate properly in common real-life situations.

IELTS Writing Task 2: Essay Writing – Important tips for Band 9 score

Given below is a step-by-step guide to the IELTS Essay writing task:

• Grasp the keyword in the question to ensure a high score in essay writing.
• Carefully read and comprehend the question before answering. Identify the type of essay they expect you to write.
• Take note of any specific instructions like word limits, or key points to address.
• Do not immediately start writing after reading the question and spend a few minutes generating ideas related to the question.
• Clearly structure the outline of your essay in your mind which should include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
• Decide on your main focus points for each paragraph and organize your ideas logically.
• A captivating opening that grabs the reader’s attention is always the best way to start your essay.
• Always provide some context to your topic in the introduction.
• The introduction should clearly state the main focus of your essay, which will be followed throughout in the your essay.
• Start each paragraph with a sentence that focuses on the primary concept of the essay.
• Support your ideas with relevant examples, facts, or evidence.
• Make sure that the transitions between paragraphs are smooth and comprehensive.
• Make sure to use an extensive range of vocabulary and grammatical structures.
• Express your ideas precisely and accurately.
• Use proverbs and phrases, if you can in relation to the topic.
• Provide a concise summary of the key points focused in the whole essay.
• Give a proper closing statement.
• Leave the reader with a lasting impression or a thought-provoking question.
• Allot some time in the end to re-read your essay to make sure there are no grammatical errors or spelling mistakes.
• Make necessary revisions to improve overall quality of your essay.
• Make sure your paragraphs are coherent and comprehensive.
• Make sure your answers are not repetitive.
• Avoid writing irrelevant information and unnecessarily repeating something. It will only make your writing too long and distract the examiner.
• The idea that lengthy essays will get you more marks is not always true.
• Ensure that you write approx. 300 words in task 2 as reading long answers can be frustrating for the examiner.
• Writing lengthy essays will also leave you with less time to revise.
• Make sure you have appropriate amount of time for each task.
• Practice writing essays within the given time limit to develop speed and efficiency.
• Keep track of your progress and adjust your writing speed accordingly.
• Share your essays with a teacher or experienced tutors for feedback.
• Identify areas that need improvement and work on enhancing those skills.
• Practice writing essays regularly to refine your technique.

Follow these guidelines to practice your essay writing skills and boost your confidence!

Some sample essays are given below in order to help the candidates enhance their writing skills:

Related Articles English Essay Writing Tips, Examples, Format IELTS Academic Test Experience IELTS Exam Pattern 2024: Section-wise IELTS Exam Paper Pattern, Question Types IELTS Exam Syllabus 2024 (Section-Wise): Listening, Reading, Writing & Speaking

Writing is an important aspect of the IELTS exam. Getting excellent scores in essay writing will definitely improve the prospects of clearing the exam for the applicants. A good understanding of the English language and a proper grasp of grammar along with the knowledge of how the writing will be assessed in the exam are the key to scoring band 9 in essay writing. Diligently practicing with a timer, and seeking feedback from experienced tutor will greatly improve one writing skills and help boost their confidence, which are important for achieving excellent scores in essay writing.

Only use idioms when it is appropriate. Writing Task 1 Academic, Writing Task 2 and formal letters are not appropriate as they require a formal tone. Don’t overuse idioms in the Speaking test. Don’t use idioms you don’t understand.

Some of the essay types seen in IELTS exams are- 1. Opinion essays (Agree or Disagree) 2. Advantages and Disadvantages essays. 3. Discussion (Discuss Both Views) essays. 4. Problem and Solution essays

Argumentative and expository essays are focused on conveying information and making clear points, while narrative and descriptive essays are about exercising creativity and writing in an interesting way.

On all writing tasks, paragraphing is important. You will really limit your score if you don’t use paragraphs or don’t use them well. So, make sure when you are preparing for the exam , you must review and practice proper paragraphs. A few key ideas here are topic sentences, supporting ideas, and staying on topic.

Avoid using contractions in your sentences. Example, can’t, don’t, it’s etc. Slang words and colloquialisms should be avoided in the writing tasks. Do not use the same words repeatedly.

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