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IELTS Speaking part 2 : Strategy

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Speaking Part 2 You will be given a card with a topic and 4-5 questions about the topic.  You will have to speak about that topic for 1-2 minutes.  The examiner may ask you 1 or 2 question at the end, but only after you are finished speaking. Before you begin speaking, you will have 1 minute to take notes.   Important Pointers: Answer all of the questions  Don't skip any of the questions listed on the topic card. Otherwise, you will be marked down for missing information. Stay focused  Make sure you respond very directly to the prompts on the page, and don’t discuss unrelated topics.   Timing Use your preparation time to develop an answer to Feature 3 of your topic card. This part of the card requires an extended response with main points and supporting details. Do not waste time writing out notes for the first questions (Features 1 and 2). Use the topic card as a reminder of what you should say. Write simple notes ...

How to paraphrase while writing IELTS essay???

PARAPHRASING Paraphrasing is simply re-writing a phrase or sentence so that it has the same meaning, but with different words. Paraphrasing is one of the most important skills to learn before doing your IELTS test. It is most important for writing and speaking, but will also help you in the reading and listening tests. In other words, if you know how to paraphrase you are more likely to get the score you need. Method Number 1: Using Synonyms Synonyms are different words that have the same meaning. For example , ‘humans’ is a synonym of ‘people’ and ‘attractive’ is a synonym of ‘beautiful’ . This method simply replaces words with the same meaning in order to produce a new sentence. For example: 1. My car needs petrol .       * My vehicle requires fuel. 2. Violent crime is on the rise among  teenagers .      * Violent offences are rising among  young people . This student has changed the word ‘teenagers’ for ‘young peo...

IELTS: TASK 2 ESSAY STRUCTURE

Task 2: ESSAY   ESSAY   can be broken down and thought about more easily in 5 steps:       1. Question Analysis You must first understand the question to know exactly what the examiner is looking for. One of the biggest mistakes students make is not answering the question properly. If you do not answer the question fully, you can’t score higher than a Band 5. In order to do this, you must first identify the question type, then identify the keywords in the question and finally identify the instructions words in order to find out what the examiner wants you to do with the question. We will look at these  skills  in more detail below.     2. Planning The students who get the highest marks plan before they write and they often plan for up to 10 minutes. Planning helps you organise your ideas and structure before you write, saving you time and helping you write a clear essay.     3. Introduction The intr...

IELTS Writing Task 2 Guidelines

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  BEFORE YOU WRITE • Read the task carefully to decide how many parts it has and what your position is. • Why?  Because you will lose marks if you do not address all the parts of the question relevantly. • Make a quick plan either mentally or on rough paper. Decide on your main ideas. • Why?  Because the examiner will be looking for a number of clear main ideas.   AS YOU WRITE • Introduce your answer in your own words and make your position clear. You may state your position here as well. • Why?  Because the examiner will not count copied material as part of your total word count. • Present your main ideas clearly and use examples to support them. • Why?  Because you will get more marks if your ideas are clear and well supported. • Write a conclusion and re-state your position. • Why?  Because your examiner will expect to find a logical conclusion and a consistent position.   HOW YOU WRITE • Try ...

Speaking Part 1: Tips and Tricks

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  Speaking Part 1 The examiner will ask you questions about yourself.  This part will last 4-5 minutes. Example part 1 questions: · What kind of food do you like to eat? · Where do you study/work? · How often do you visit your hometown? · Do you spend a lot of time with your family? Easy Ways to Extend Your Part 1 Answers Feelings and Opinions Speaking Part 1 You can easily extend your answer by saying how you feel about the question you were just asked. It will also make your answer more interesting. What do you like to do in your spare time? Short answer : ‘I like shopping.’ Longer answer : ‘I like shopping because I love trying on new clothes and I always feel more confident when I’m wearing a new outfit. Contrasting Details One of the easiest ways you can extend your answer is to simply use the word ‘but’ to contrast details. How long have you worked there? Short answer : I’ve worked there for three years. Longer answer : I’v...