IELTS Speaking and Writing Guide – July 2014 Mark Griffiths Smashwords Edition Copyright 2014 Mark Griffiths Discover other titles by Mark Griffiths at Smashwords Smashwords Edition, License Notes Thank you for downloading and reading this free book You are welcome to share it with your friends under the following conditions Although this is a free book, it remains the copyrighted property of the author and may not be reproduced, copied, and/or distributed for commercial purposes This book may be reproduced, copied, and/or distributed for non-commercial purposes provided the book remains in its complete, undivided, original form and full credit is given solely to the author wherever and whenever it is used, publicly or privately General Introduction This book has sections Section is ‘The IELTS Descriptors Decoded’, a book giving a basic idea about what is needed to achieve various IELTS Speaking and Writing band scores In Section there are my ‘Top Twelve Tips for the Speaking Test’, based on my experience with Chinese IELTS candidates These are a little ‘old and simple’ but many candidates still find them useful Section is a showcase of my other books, both for IELTS candidates and for general students of English as a foreign language Links are provided to websites where you can buy the books Section features some of the most recent IELTS Speaking topics of 2014 For each speaking question there are suggestions on how to create suitable answers For each writing question there is a model answer In this section a few of the writing questions are actually not so recent, but I hope you find the model answers useful just the same At this point I would like to thank and credit Jimmy IELTS who regularly recent posts IELTS questions on Facebook At the end of the book there are links so that you can find me online Table of Contents Section – The IELTS Descriptors Decoded Introduction I need to get band in my speaking test But I need to get band 5.5! I need to get band in my speaking test But I need to get band 6.5! I need to get band in my speaking test But I need to get band 7.5! Top Twelve Tips for the Speaking Test I need to get band in my writing test But I need to get band 5.5! I need to get band in my writing test But I need to get band 6.5! I need to get band in my writing test But I need to get band 7.5! Section - Samples from other books 60 Topics for IELTS Speaking (with model answers) 101 Tips for the IELTS Speaking Module IELTS Speaking: A Comprehensive Guide IELTS Writing: A Comprehensive Guide NEW! – 51 Letters for IELTS General Training Writing Task – NEW! 101 Model Answers for IELTS Writing Task (Academic) 101 Model Answers for IELTS Writing Task (sets and 2) 101 Model Answers for Part of the IELTS Speaking Module 101 Model Answers for Part of the IELTS Speaking module 101 Model Answers for Part of the IELTS Speaking Module 101 Vocabulary Problems 101 Grammar Exercises 101 Connectives 101 Conversation Phrases 101 Phrasal Verbs (sets and 2) 101 Proverbs and Sayings (sets and 2) 101 Slang Terms (sets and 2) Section – Recent IELTS Speaking Topics Part Topics Part and Topics Writing Task Writing Task About the author Section – The IELTS Descriptors Decoded So, you’ve decided to take IELTS You’ve found out what band score you need to achieve in the speaking and writing parts of the test (almost certainly it’s between and 7.5) and you are now asking yourself a very simple, yet very important, question ‘What I need to to get that band score?’ I’ve been involved in IELTS since first qualifying as an IELTS examiner at the beginning of 2001 Let me tell you an interesting fact Many newly-qualified IELTS examiners are asking a similar question ‘What does a candidate need to to get that band score?’ That’s what this short book began life as It was originally a guide for examiners who felt that the IELTS examiner training had not provided them with the essential pointers that they needed in order to give accurate band scores to candidates The starting points for this short book are the public band descriptors for speaking and writing, as published by the organisations that administer IELTS Therefore, this book is divided into two parts – speaking and writing Each of those parts is then subdivided into three sections – bands and 5.5, bands and 6.5, and bands and 7.5 In IELTS speaking and writing, the differences between band and band 5.5 are less significant than those between band 5.5 and band It’s the same with bands 6, 6.5 and Think of moving from to as a small step and from to as a bigger step If you want to get band 6.5, and you are in a desperate hurry, feel free to skip the sections relating to bands and 5.5 and bands and 7.5 However, I strongly recommend that you read those other sections, if only for comparison purposes Please remember that the points and tips made in this book are by no means exhaustive This is only an introductory guide There is no single fixed way to achieve a particular band score However, there are certain things that every candidate needs to bear in mind Those things are presented here To achieve band or higher, you almost certainly need more than this book can offer in terms of detailed information and skills Check out the samples of my other books Four of my books contain up-to-date detailed information for candidates 60 Topics for IELTS Speaking 60 Topics for IELTS Speaking with Model Answers IELTS Speaking: A Comprehensive Guide IELTS Writing: A Comprehensive guide The English 101 Series contains useful information and exercises for candidates aiming for band or higher Let’s begin back to top I need to get band in my IELTS speaking test Band – Fluency and Coherence What does the band descriptor say? Usually maintains flow of speech but uses repetition, self-correction and/or slow speech to keep going May overuse certain connectives and discourse markers Produces simple speech fluently, but more complex communication causes fluency problems What does that mean? You can create long answers, but in order to so you repeat your points word-for-word, correct your own mistakes and/or speak a little slowly By repeating your points, you are not developing the answer or giving details Self-correction ‘breaks up’ your speech Slow speech can send the examiner to sleep! Connectives are words like ‘and’ and ‘however’ Discourse markers are words like ‘well’ at the start of a sentence You only need a limited number of these to achieve band for fluency and coherence, but don’t use a few repeatedly Your fluency may be fine when you are making simple sentences or talking about familiar topics (e.g your hobbies), but you have fluency problems when you make more complex sentences or talk about less familiar topics Band – Lexical Resource What does the band descriptor say? Manages to talk about familiar and unfamiliar topics but uses vocabulary with limited flexibility Attempts to paraphrase but with mixed success What does that mean? You can talk about any topic in the IELTS speaking module, but you are not able to give many details and you often use the same words in different topics You may reword points, but sometimes the rewording makes them hard to understand Band – Grammatical Range and Accuracy What does the band descriptor say? Produces basic sentence forms with reasonable accuracy Uses a limited range of more complex structures, but these usually contain errors and may cause some comprehension problems What does that mean? You don’t make too many mistakes when using short, simple sentence structures, such as the present simple You use a few complex structures, such as those containing clauses or conditionals, but they are not accurate and the examiner may not clearly understand what you are trying to say Band – Pronunciation What does the band descriptor say? Shows all the positive features of band and some, but not all, the positive features of band What does that mean? The band descriptors for pronunciation are less helpful than the others Pronunciation ‘features’ are frequently mentioned but not explained Basically, for band 5, the examiner can understand you much of the time, but you are not using intonation and/or you are not clearly making the sounds of English (particularly vowel sounds) Often, this is a result of you first language (L1) pronunciation influencing the way you pronounce words in English So, to summarise, what I to get band 5? You make answers that are longer than a few short sentences Some repetition, self-correction or slow speech is acceptable, but avoid these problems when giving answers on easy topics (especially in part 1) Use a variety of connectives and discourse markers Avoid using a few again and again Make sure you can say something about every topic in the test, even if it is limited to a few simple sentences or points Your basic grammar should be okay You can actually make numerous mistakes Use a few complex structures and don’t worry about making mistakes with them With regard to pronunciation, make sure that the examiner can understand most of what you say Don’t worry about intonation or getting sounds exactly right But I need to get band 5.5! To get band 5.5, you need to achieve band in one of the four criteria Most candidates this by getting band for pronunciation, so check out that section below back to top I need to get band in my IELTS speaking test Band – Fluency and Coherence What does the band descriptor say? Is willing to speak at length, though may lose coherence at times due to occasional repetition, self-correction or hesitation Uses a range of connectives and discourse markers but not always appropriately What does that mean? You can create long answers with little repetition, self-correction or pausing This means that you are devoting more time to developing your answers rather than just filling time Connectives are words like ‘and’ and ‘however’ Discourse markers are words like ‘well’ at the start of a sentence You can use many of these kinds of words, but you may make mistakes with them Band – Lexical Resource What does the band descriptor say? Has a wide enough vocabulary to discuss topics at length and make meaning clear in spite of inaccuracies Generally paraphrases successfully What does that mean? You can talk about any topic in the IELTS speaking module and you are able to give details The examiner knows what you mean even if you sometimes use the wrong words You are good at rewording points Band – Grammatical Range and Accuracy What does the band descriptor say? Uses a mix of simple and complex structures, but with limited flexibility May make frequent mistakes with complex structures, though these rarely cause comprehension problems What does that mean? You use complex structures like clauses or conditionals, but you don’t use a wide variety of them Although your complex structures contain mistakes, the examiner knows what you mean Band – Pronunciation What does the band descriptor say? Uses a range of pronunciation features with mixed control Shows some effective use of features but this is not sustained Can generally be understood throughout, though mispronunciation of individual words or sounds reduces clarity at times What does that mean? The band descriptors for pronunciation are less helpful than the others Pronunciation ‘features’ are frequently mentioned but not explained Basically, for band 6, the examiner can understand almost every word you say You are using some intonation and you are clearly making the correct sounds of English (particularly vowel sounds) First language (L1) pronunciation influences the way you pronounce words in English, but this does not create a problem for the listener (i.e the examiner) So, to summarise, what I to get band 6? You make answers that are quite long and contain good points A little repetition, self-correction or slow speech is still acceptable, but avoid these problems when giving answers on easy topics (especially in part 1) Use a wide variety of connectives and discourse markers Avoid using a few again and again You might make vocabulary mistakes, but the examiner knows what you mean Your basic grammar should be good Avoid making numerous basic mistakes Use complex structures often and don’t worry about making mistakes with them As long as the examiner can understand you, you’re okay With regard to pronunciation, make sure that the examiner can understand you clearly Make sure that you use intonation and get sounds right But I need to get band 6.5! To get band 6.5, you need to achieve band in one of the four criteria Most candidates this by getting band for lexical resource, so check out that section below back to top I need to get band in my IELTS speaking test Band – Fluency and Coherence What does the band descriptor say? Speaks at length without noticeable effort or loss of coherence May demonstrate language-related hesitation at times, or some repetition and/or self-correction Uses a range of connectives and discourse markers with some flexibility What does that mean? You can create long answers without any major problems Minor fluency problems will not adversely affect your score Connectives are words like ‘and’ and ‘however’ Discourse markers are words like ‘well’ at the start of a sentence You can use many of these kinds of words Band – Lexical Resource What does the band descriptor say? Uses vocabulary resource flexibly to discuss a variety of topics Uses some less common and idiomatic vocabulary and shows some awareness of style and collocation, with some inappropriate choices Uses paraphrase effectively What does that mean? You can talk about any topic in the IELTS speaking module and you are able to give details using a variety of words You can use some specialised words, idioms, sayings and perhaps even slang terms You are able to create collocations like ‘deep blue sea’ You are good at rewording points Band – Grammatical Range and Accuracy What does the band descriptor say? Uses a range of complex structures with some flexibility Frequently produces error-free sentences though some grammatical mistakes persist What does that mean? You use a variety of complex structures, i.e you don’t repeatedly use a limited number of structures Although your structures contain mistakes, there are numerous instances of structures used without errors Band – Pronunciation What does the band descriptor say? Shows all the positive features of band and some, but not all, the positive features of band What does that mean? The band descriptors for pronunciation are less helpful than the others Pronunciation ‘features’ are frequently mentioned but not explained Basically, for band 7, the examiner can understand every word you say You are using intonation and stress to help emphasise your points and you are clearly making the correct sounds of English (particularly vowel sounds) First language (L1) pronunciation has little influence on the way you pronounce words in English So, to summarise, what I to get band 7? You make answers that are quite long and contain good, developed points Rare instances of repetition, self-correction or slow speech are still acceptable Use a wide variety of connectives and discourse markers correctly Using less common vocabulary and phrasing in addition to a wide variety of common words will enhance your score You can use a lot of different complex structures A lot of your structures contain no grammatical mistakes With regard to pronunciation, use stress and intonation to make your points clear Make sure that the way you pronounce words in your first language has little influence on how you speak English But I need to get band 7.5! To get band 7.5, you need to achieve band in one of the four criteria Candidates should consult with an expert to see which of the four criteria they can most easily achieve this in, since moving up from a band to a band in any single criteria generally requires a lot of focussed work Twelve Tips for the IELTS Speaking Module Here are some tips to help you improve your IELTS Speaking result Speak clearly and try to speak at about the same speed as an English teacher Answer the questions that you are asked, not the questions that your book, your friend or the Internet says the examiner is going to ask! If you don’t understand a question, ask “Could you repeat that please?” in part or “Could you rephrase that please?” in part Don’t say phrases like “You know” and “As you know” at the beginning of every answer Similarly, don’t say “That’s all” at the end of answers Check the meaning of the words ‘always’ and ‘never’ in your dictionary Use them very carefully Don’t pause too much, especially in the middle of sentences Don’t make basic mistakes, e.g “She go …”, “Yesterday he see …”, “There are many car …” The examiner cannot give you a good grammar score if you make lots of mistakes from textbooks for beginners You will almost certainly make mistakes when using complex English It is usually better to focus on fluency, coherence, vocabulary and pronunciation before focusing on advanced grammar 211 words The diagrams show how a village park looked ten years ago and how it looks now The entrance is in the north-west corner In the centre of the park is a football pitch In the north, close to the entrance there are now four tennis courts, whereas ten years previously there were two On the western side of the park there is a car park A decade ago, it could take twenty cars, but now it has a capacity of fifty In the south-west of the park there is now a picnic area, where there was nothing marked on the older map In addition, a cycling path now encircles the park The eastern side of the park has changed considerably Ten years ago, near the north-east corner of the park, there was a children's play area with woods to the south of it and a pond to the west of the woods The play area is still there, but there is now a soft play area for children immediately to the south A toilet is to the south of those play areas, meaning that about half of the wooded area has been cut down In the remaining woods there is a cafe The pond has been transformed into a boating lake To summarise, the northern and western parts of the park have had facilities added to them whereas the eastern side has changed mainly as a result of the removal of trees 242 words The diagram provides information for visitors to Mount Eron A road approaches Mount Eron from the north-west and another approaches from the north-east In the vicinity of Mount Eron, these roads join a circular road around Mount Eron Along these roads we can see five car parks Two are on the road from the northwest – one at the sunset viewing area and the other just before the road makes a tight curve towards Mount Eron from the south-west One car park is on the road from the north-east, at the sunrise viewing area whilst the other two are on the road circling the mountain One is on the south side and the other is on the west side This latter car park also has toilet facilities and a first aid post Running around Mount Eron, just inside the circular road, is a path Another path leads from the car park on the south side of Mount Eron to the mountain Another path leads from the aforementioned tight turn in the road from the north-west to the car park, toilets and first aid post Finally, there is a climbing track on the western side of Mount Eron 197 words The maps illustrate how the village of Farmside has developed into a suburb of Townton since the sixties In 1965, Farmside a village separate from Townton, with a small road running through it from the west to the north We can also see that Townton had a railway line going north to east By 1985, Farmside had grown in size A housing estate had been built in to west of the village, with a superstore to the south of the now widened road Furthermore, a leisure complex had been constructed in the north-east of the village In addition, a new road leading from the vicinity of the superstore linked Farmside with Townton Now, Farmside is a suburb of Townton, the two being connected along the axis of the main road joining them together To the south of this road is a new business park To the north, there is a station on a spur from the railway line going through Townton Just north of the station is a hotel To summarise, Farmside was initially developed mainly by the addition of housing and facilities to the west and north Later, developments to the east caused it to become part of Townton 200 words The map illustrates the present layout of Riverside University campus and the proposed development of the site The university is currently situated between a river which lies to the west and north and a motorway which runs along its southern edge, crossing the river The entrance to the university is from the motorway The main building is to the west of the entrance and sports facilities are to the east Further to the east there is a large car park It is proposed that the main building be extended to the east and west and that the sports facilities be extended eastward, covering some of what is now the car park Faculty offices and a library are planned on the south side of the river, opposite the entrance Nearby, a footbridge is planned across the river, leading to a student union building and student accommodation To summarise, the university plans involve expansion of existing buildings and new ones to the north and across the river 165 words General Training Task Your assignment was due last week Write a letter to your teacher saying that you did not complete it on time In your letter say what the subject was why you didn't complete it when will you complete it Dear Mrs Mitchell, I am a first year student from your British History course I am writing to you to apologise for not completing my history assignment on Mary, Queen of Scots on time Unfortunately, my mother was taken ill last week and I felt that I had to go home to be with her I am at home now and I think I will be here for the foreseeable future until she is at least a little better I am taking some time each day to complete the assignment, but I think that it will still take me another week to complete it I would be very grateful if you could grant me an extension until next Friday I know that extensions are generally only given if students apply for them in advance, but I hope that you will take into account the exceptional circumstances of my mother's illness, which was totally unexpected Yours sincerely, Agnetha Bornholm back to top Writing Task Some people think what children learn in school is a waste of time Other people think the knowledge is useful Discuss both views and give your opinion Generally speaking, I think that what children learn in school is useful, but I would certainly not say that everything that every child learns there in classes is useful Often, you can hear people point to successful people and note that they didn't well at school However, I think that very often these arguments are not entirely fair For instance, there are many successful people who dropped out of school because they saw other opportunities open to them This doesn't mean that school educations are 'a waste of time' It simply means that there is more to success than a formal education Many students will not use the science that they learned in school in their later lives However, sometimes it is not learning the actual information that is important, but learning how to think and how to act Writing essays might seem boring and time wasting, but learning to communicate effectively is not Just because there is no direct relationship between what students learn and its usefulness in life, we cannot conclude that something is 'a waste of time' Perhaps teachers could explain the connection better Many people would like to see more practical subjects and relevant subject matter in schools Many students find academic subjects boring It may be a good idea for schools to provide alternative learning experiences for them Many students might find that it is more beneficial to learn about personal finance or they might prefer to focus more on a practical skill that leads directly to employment, such as carpentry However, it might be difficult for all schools to provide all these subjects, so it will not be possible to satisfy everyone In conclusion, I understand where the sentiment that a lot of school education is a waste of time comes from However, I think that most of the knowledge is useful, though the situation could be improved 315 words In some countries the age limit is 18 for adult responsibilities such as driving cars, marriage and voting but in some other countries it is older or younger What you think is the right age for adult responsibilities? I think that the correct legal age for adult responsibilities, such as those mentioned in the question rubric, is eighteen The first point that I would like to make is that any age is an arbitrary one I not believe that a teenager wakes up on their eighteenth birthday significantly more mature and able to deal with adult situations than when they went to bed the previous evening (assuming that they didn't stay up late!) However, from a legal standpoint, countries around the globe have felt that setting such an arbitrary age is the best policy Eighteen seems to me to be correct My personal experience is that younger teenagers generally lack maturity, but this is not universally true However, there may be other possibilities If we look at the legal age for driving, for instance, there may not be a completely logical reason for it I am not suggesting that we allow young children to drive However, it is quite common for people younger than 18 to drive and ride mopeds Perhaps we should allow them to so if they can show that have the requisite skills However, in many countries, this would require changes in other laws, such as those governing criminal responsibility and insurance Let's look at the issue from another perspective We not automatically allow people to drive cars when they reach a given age They must pass a test Could we this in other situations? If people had to pass a test in order to vote, would governments rig the test to favour those who vote for them? I suspect that, in many countries, the temptation would be great An independent commission is the obvious answer, such as there is in Britain to determine constituency boundaries In conclusion, I think that a fixed age for marriage, driving, etc., is best, though it certainly is not a perfect situation Eighteen is that age in most developed countries and I agree with it 330 words Old cities and towns were built for the people living in previous centuries What are the problems caused by them today? Suggest solutions to these problems We all know that modern life for the overwhelming majority of people is very different from life in the past One consequence of this is that many towns and cities were designed for a different age and are unsuited to the modern era This has led to problems that must now be dealt with A key issue is one of space The centres of towns and cities, in particular, are frequently full of what are now relatively small buildings They sit on valuable land This often makes them a target for redevelopment Often, the profit motive is a primary factor Office blocks, shopping malls and classy apartments are more profitable than old buildings Generally this is left to market forces, although many towns and cities have regulations that leave buildings of architectural interest or historical significance intact Another important issue is that of traffic Cities and large towns often require wide thoroughfares to cope with increasing numbers of cars, lorries, buses and other vehicles This almost always means that old streets have to be widened, involving the destruction of many old buildings This problem can be avoided in several ways First, new roads can be built around the existing buildings Second, the areas where there are old buildings can be preserved as pedestrian areas or places where only limited traffic is permitted A related issue is that of the layout of the streets One cannot fail to notice the difference between many US cities, which are often constructed on a grid system, and almost all European cities, which are full of little winding streets Frequently, the solution in Europe involves the demolition of older buildings, but the attraction of these little streets for tourists (and locals, no doubt) has meant that they have survived Sometimes, geography has lent a hand, as in Venice, which is partly made up of islands Market forces, once again To conclude, there are many problems caused by the manner in which cities and towns were constructed in the past However, there are a variety of solutions aside from simply bulldozing through them 347 words The famous American actor John Wayne once said “Tomorrow is the most important thing in our life.” However, some people think that the present time is more important How important is it for individuals and the country to think and something for the future? What is your own opinion? I think that it is incredibly important for individuals and countries to consider the future and take steps to something for it On an individual level, we need to consider the future in many important situations People need to think about their retirement People need to make decisions that influence their careers Certain choices might be financially detrimental in the immediate future, but significantly beneficial in the long term Consider the costs in both time and money, of training to be a doctor (a well-paid and respected job in most countries) Most people, when they consider their futures, must also take into account the futures of their children This is well-known to be an overarching consideration with most parents Countries need to consider the future too Successful countries usually have governments that make significant investments in infrastructure Nowadays, the need and search for energy is a powerful influence in international politics We can see this in the relationship between the USA and Saudi Arabia Some countries need to import energy to facilitate economic growth Others have excess energy resources which they can sell to the same effect In both cases, the future of the country is a key factor Of course, the present is important too Individual people often spend money in order to enjoy something Experiences, for example, are an important part of being human This doesn't always mean that those people not think about the future – or even that the present is more important than the future I eat because if I not, I will eventually die Similarly, countries need to consider the present in order to keep running However, it seems clear to me that many people often focus on the present at great expense These are the kind of people who spend money as soon as they get it – the people who require instant gratification Perhaps it is not because they don't think about the future Perhaps they simply believe that everything will work out well To conclude, I think that the future is extremely important, but we should also take care of the present 354 words With increasing demand of energy sources such as oil and gas, should people be looking for sources of oil and gas in remote and untouched places? Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages of damaging such areas? In my opinion, we should be looking for sources of fossil fuels such as oil and gas in remote and untouched places For me, the primary, over-riding issue is one of development The major economies of the world developed – and are still developing – largely thanks to the availability of relatively cheap fossil fuels In the past, coal was the main driver of this, but now oil and gas are as important – if not more so In addition, many of the remote and untouched areas where oil and gas have now been found are in countries where they are needed most It would be unfair and hypocritical to tell countries and populations that they should not develop their natural resources after more developed countries have already done so However, there are many people who point out the disadvantages of looking for oil and gas in remote and untouched areas The most fundamental argument is usually that these areas are important for our ecosystem However, this argument may not be as strong as is often thought Oil and gas reserves can, with modern technology, be accessed with much less environmental impact than previously In addition, despite the scenes of devastation following oil spills, evidence suggests that environments can recover quickly from them Certainly, there is no evidence that the environment is permanently wiped out To conclude, the benefits of tapping oil and gas resources in remote and untouched places provide a country with an opportunity to develop its economy if such resources are properly utilised Furthermore, the evidence suggests that people who automatically assume that development of these resources will lead to environmental disaster are wrong 274 words It is generally believed that education is of vital importance to the development of individuals and the well-being of societies What should education consist of to fulfil both these functions? In this short essay, I will explain what I believe education should consist of in order to contribute both to individual development and to society as a whole First of all, I think that education requires individuals to acquire a wide range of factual information This means that people should have a solid basic knowledge of a variety of fields, such as technology, science, language, mathematics, history, geography and current affairs These are useful to individuals because they need such subjects in order to live, work and communicate with a wide variety of people Society benefits because the population is well-informed and can use such knowledge to improve social conditions and work better Secondly, I believe that education should include some non-academic features, such as handicrafts, music and sports I think that these fields can broaden the horizons of individuals and provide a physical aspect to becoming a well-rounded person Sports can help people to stay healthy and handicrafts can encourage creativity Socially these are beneficial for various reasons For instance, prowess at sports can lead to success at international sporting events, such as the Olympics, raising national prestige and pride Thirdly, I believe that education should also have a moral aspect, teaching people how to be good citizens and providing lessons on how to interact properly with others This benefits individuals because they can find it easier to form healthy relationships with others, such as friends, colleagues or family members This in turn benefits society as a whole This aspect of education is likely to include a lot of the culture of a society To summarise, I think that education should comprise the aforementioned three parts so as to benefit individuals and society 284 words Fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, natural gas, are used in many countries But in some countries, the use of alternative sources of energy, including wind and solar power, are encouraged Is this trend a positive or a negative development? In this essay, I shall explain why I believe that the trend towards encouraging alternative sources of energy is a negative development Many people will no doubt disagree with my view It has become almost 'religious' to support the development of alternative energy sources, such as wind and solar power Everyone 'knows' that fossil fuels cause pollution and are leading to catastrophic climate change This is why governments are falling over themselves to encourage alternatives However, I believe that there are two key problems with this approach The first is that human-led catastrophic climate change is unlikely to be occurring For one thing, the data is unreliable Much of it results from studies of the width of tree rings However, there are several factors that influence the width of tree rings, such as the amount of shade that a tree is in and whether the tree is infested with parasites Furthermore, the projected climate changes are based on computer models, which are only as good as the data programmed into them If some data has been omitted, the model becomes unreliable In addition, most climate data is now obtained from cities In the past most was gained from rural areas Cities tend to generate heat The second problem is economic Many governments are spending huge sums of money on subsidies for alternative energy sources In the UK, it is estimated that the government will spend 750 million pounds on it This will increase energy prices at a time when many people – the elderly for instance – are finding it hard to make ends meet It also adds considerably to the national debt, which is already massive In some countries, alternative energy is creating unemployment In Spain, it is reliably estimated that the creation of one job in the alternative energy sectors costs two jobs outside that sector To conclude, I am not against alternative energy sources, but the reasons put forward, and the costs involved, are, in my opinion, an insufficient basis for encouraging them 336 words Some people support developments in agriculture such as factory farming and creations of new types of fruits and vegetables, while others oppose this view Discuss both views and give your opinion I am broadly in favour of developments in the field of agriculture such as factory farming and new kinds of fruit and vegetables I will outline my reasons in this short essay The main reason that I support these new developments is that they generally lead to higher production with the use of fewer resources The massive increase in the world's population over the past century or so has meant that humans need larger amounts of food and that more and more land is being used for buildings and infrastructure As a result, it would simply be impossible to feed everyone using low-tech methods that were common several centuries ago The creation of new fruits and vegetables can have great benefits For example, a new type of banana has recently been unveiled that contains a greater amount of vitamins than the usual variety This will aid people in poorer countries where diets frequently lack the necessary nutrition for humans However, there are many people who point out that there are problems with factory farming and the creation of new kinds of food Factory farming is often achieved at the expense of the welfare of livestock This had led to the popularity amongst some people of 'free range' products, such as chicken and eggs When it comes to new crops, many people say that we should be careful because we have no idea what our 'playing' with genetics could cause Whilst, I accept some of the points made by opponents of technological developments in agriculture, I think that we have to look at the great benefits In some situations, such as rearing livestock, I think that we should improve our approach, however 281 words Some people think that the government should establish free libraries in each town Others believe that it is a waste of money since people can access the Internet at home to obtain information Discuss both sides and give your own opinion I disagree with the suggestion that the government should establish free libraries in each town I will outline my reasons below First of all, as mentioned in the question rubric, people can access a lot of the information they used to get from libraries at home, via the internet Of course, this may not be true in many poorer countries, but in Britain, I think that spending money on libraries would frequently be a waste for this reason alone However, many people in Britain point to the social function of libraries They are not only places where people go to find information and to borrow books, but they also serve as meeting places for people with common interests In Britain, many book club members and collectors meet in libraries Furthermore, whilst accessing information by using the internet has become increasingly popular, that does not mean that everyone uses it or that everyone feels the need for an internet connection at home Elderly people may only need to access the internet once or twice a week Some people are simply used to getting their news and information in other ways, such as from television or newspapers In order to satisfy these needs, I think that we should look at alternatives that not require building expensive libraries that might not be utilised For example, many towns and villages have schools or other public buildings that could be used Schools are frequently not used in the evenings or at weekends in Britain, so they could easily fulfill the social functions of libraries, as well as the traditional one To conclude, I think that building a library in every town in Britain – though quite likely desirable – would not be worth the cost and there are cheaper alternatives available 297 words Nowadays, some workplaces tend to employ equal numbers of men and women workers Do you think it is a positive or negative development? Though I not have a particularly strong opinion on the subject, I generally believe that having more women in the workplace is a good thing If a society wants strong economic development, one thing that it is practically essential to is to ensure that its women are given education to the same standards as men Many people – myself included – would argue that this should be done simply on the basis of gender equality However, it has also been demonstrated that women who are better educated raise children who are better educated This has a n obvious benefit for a society seeking economic development Once there are better educated women in society, it is logical to suggest that these women should work This is a trend that it has proven impossible to prevent except through extreme coercion However, I not think that every company or organisation should be forced or required by law to employ equal numbers of men and women For one thing, there may be same professions where achieving this might be difficult For instance, I am sure that many British women would like to be soldiers or miners, but I doubt that there are sufficient numbers of women with the requisite skills or aptitude to those jobs to the same standard as the men who want to them Of course, this works both ways Relatively few men are nurses To summarise, I think that employing women is normal and that it benefits society and individuals If companies and organisations aim to employ equal numbers of men and women, I don't mind, so long as the best person gets the job and they are not forced to employ less qualified people 289 words The spread of multinational companies and the resulting increase in globalisation produces positive effects for everyone Do you agree or disagree? I disagree with the suggestion that the spread of multinationals and more globalisation produces benefits for everyone Without wishing to be too pedantic, there is simply no way that “everyone” benefits from these two phenomena Multinational companies exist primarily to make a profit and to this they compete with each other and with smaller companies If one benefits, it is likely that another loses in some way Globalisation allows people from one country to compete with those from other countries in the commercial world This frequently means that certain industries in given countries find that they have difficulty surviving For example, cheap steel production in other countries meant that Britain's steel industry suffered I think that there is nothing intrinsically bad about multinationals People frequently criticise multinationals, but these often grow by providing people with what they want at attractive prices Nobody is standing outside Starbucks with a gun forcing people to go there rather than to 'Joe's Cafe' around the corner However, many multinationals have enough power to unfairly influence governments Recently, Brazil had to change its law prohibiting alcohol in football stadia in order to accommodate Budweiser, a FIFA World Cup sponsor There is a difference between fair business and excessive influence Similarly, I am not against globalisation if it satisfies a market and provides employment It certainly doesn't benefit everyone and it frequently causes economic pain, at least in certain sectors of economies However, many countries have discovered that subsidising loss-making companies to protect them from foreign competition has long-term disadvantages, particularly in terms of expense One of the key problems is that most countries not provide level playing fields for foreign and domestic companies This generally benefits large companies as they are able to influence governments more easily and they have the benefit of scale In conclusion, multinationals and globalisation provide benefits, but we must take care to ensure that they operate fairly 320 words Modern society is based on selfishness and greed Some people think that we should return to a traditional society with respect for others Do you agree or disagree? In this essay, I shall express my thoughts on extent to which modern society is based on selfishness and greed and whether a more respectful society existed in the past I certainly believe that there is a lot of greed and selfishness in the modern world We can see this in the way that many people try to 'grab' whatever they can for themselves without regard for the feelings or circumstances of others In Britain, most British people are especially angry at certain bankers and financiers who, despite losing money that belonged to others, have still managed to squirrel away enough cash for relatively luxurious lifestyles Every year, lists of the world's richest people show that some individuals have greater personal fortunes than the annual GDPs of small countries However, I am not totally convinced that the situation in the past was much better Greed and selfishness are nothing new Whole empires have been built on these values The decimation of indigenous peoples and tribes all over the world shows that greed and selfishness are universal In Britain, monarchs used to have far more power than today's Prime Minister has I am not convinced that such a society was better than modern Britain However, there does seem to be an increase in the lack of respect between people of roughly the same social standing In some quarters, in poor urban areas of British cities, for example, showing respect can be taken as a sign of weakness Therefore some people are loath to show it, particularly to those outside their immediate peer group To conclude, I think that there is too much greed and selfishness and that there may well be less respect in society nowadays However, a return to a more traditional society might not be the solution and we should perhaps look at more original ways of solving the problem 311 words Some people think that the supply of fresh water should be strictly controlled by governments as the resources are limited While others think we can use as much water as we want Discuss both views and give your opinion I think that people should be permitted to use as much water as they want and that the government should not strictly control the supply of this precious commodity Many people believe that the use of water should be restricted in some way There can be little doubt that there is a limited supply of fresh water, although some parts of the world feel this more acutely than others Rising populations in parts of the world where fresh water is already severely limited might lead governments to the conclusion that they should impose restrictions on how water should be used and how much of it each person should be permitted to use Whilst I can see that this argument has a certain logic, I think that strict government controls are not the answer First of all, in many countries certain regions are frequently favoured over others, often depending on where politicians come from If a government is granted too much control over water supplies, a region might not be given the water it needs as a result Secondly, governments can already influence how much water people use through pricing If water supplies are low and demand high, governments can simply allow the price to rise to reflect this If necessary, governments can make special payments to people, e.g the elderly, if they have trouble with their water bills If prices rise, this could also encourage businesses to look for new sources of water (e.g by using desalination plants) or find ways of using it more efficiently In conclusion, I believe that governments should ensure that all citizens have sufficient access to fresh water and price it – or allow it to be priced – according to supply and demand 289 words back to top About the author Mark Griffiths began teaching English in 1990 and has worked mainly in the Czech Republic and China He first qualified as an IELTS examiner in 2001 and has had several IELTS books published in China with total sales exceeding 200,000 copies Some of his books, such as this one, are about the IELTS speaking and writing modules Others are part of the English 101 Series – a range of books published in the first half of 2013 Some of these books are specific to IELTS whereas others are of use to all people studying English as a foreign language Mark can be found presenting the pub quiz at ‘The Goose and Duck’ (a.k.a ‘Frank’s) near his home in Beijing on Wednesday evenings http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/markgriffiths (My Smashwords author page.) https://www.facebook.com/ieltsbookmark (A page about my books.) https://www.facebook.com/groups/610056515743734/ (A group dedicated to current IELTS speaking and writing questions.) https://www.facebook.com/pages/IELTS-Questions/654108384647546?ref=hl (A page for general questions about IELTS.) ... sections – bands and 5.5, bands and 6.5, and bands and 7.5 In IELTS speaking and writing, the differences between band and band 5.5 are less significant than those between band 5.5 and band It’s... information for candidates 60 Topics for IELTS Speaking 60 Topics for IELTS Speaking with Model Answers IELTS Speaking: A Comprehensive Guide IELTS Writing: A Comprehensive guide The English... Speaking Module IELTS Speaking: A Comprehensive Guide IELTS Writing: A Comprehensive Guide NEW! – 51 Letters for IELTS General Training Writing Task – NEW! 101 Model Answers for IELTS Writing Task