IELTS Writing Task 2 Write about the following topic: Some people think it is worthwhile for countries to spend large amounts of money to host an international sports event such as the Olympics or the World Cup. Others believe that this is a waste of money and that the money could be better spent elsewhere. Discuss both views and give your opinion. Write at least 250 words. IELTS Essay | Hosting the Olympics or the World Cup While there is no doubt regarding the amount of prestige and attention a country can gain by being the host of events such as the World Cup or the Olympics, studies have shown that it is not always the case that the levels of investment required for such undertakings actually provide a net positive result for the host country in the long term. Over the years, various countries have become the high profile host country for the events mentioned previously. In some cases, the country clearly benefits in terms of improved infrastructure and greater tourism,

Talk about an exciting message that you have received by email or phone. You should say: who sent it to you what the message was about who you shared it with IELTS Speaking Answer | An Exciting Message Okay, so about a month ago my friend called me to let me know some important news. She has been accepted for a really interesting position at an international company. She is going to work in recruitment selection, I think they call it head hunting or executive search selection. She has been trying to get into this line of work for some time now, so I'm really happy for her because I know that she really wants to do this type of work. We spent about two hours talking that evening, most of it was about her new job, but we also spoke about some other things. She was very excitied by the news and couldn't stop telling me how delighted she was to finally get such a position. Apparently she will have to do quite a bit of traveling, visiting clients and doing research as

IELTS Writing IELTS General Writing Task 1 Here is a sample of an email inviting a friend to a concert. This is one of the questions asked in the writing section of the IELTS test. Sample email inviting to a concert IELTS Writing Task 1 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. Write an email to your friend inviting him/her to a music concert. Please say: where and when the concert is going to be what type of music will be played there, and why your friend will enjoy it. Write at least 150 words. Sample Answer Hi John, I hope you’re well and thanks for your last email. I was really happy to hear about your new boyfriend. I just wanted to know if you’d be interested in going to the Taylor Swift concert next month in London. One of my friends, Julie, who works in the events department at the stadium where Taylor’s appearing has managed to get some tickets and I know you’re a big fan of disposable pop music, so I thought I’d see if you’re up for going, I’m sure you’ll

IELTS Writing Task 1 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The pie chart below shows the main reasons why agricultural land becomes less productive. The table shows how these causes affected three regions of the world during the 1990s. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words Region % land degraded by … deforestation over-cultivation over-grazing Total land degraded North America 0.2 3.3 1.5 5% Europe 9.8 7.7 5.5 23% Oceania * 1.7 0 11.3 13% * A large group of islands in the South Pacific including Australia & New Zealand Writing sample Answer IELTS Task 1 The four sectors of the pie chart depict the primary sources which contribute to the degradation of land throughout the world, and the table provides data regarding the contributing cause and percentage of such degraded land in three distinct geographic areas: North America, Eu

Number of students studying abroad at UK elite universities doubles in 10 years The quantity of students electing to study abroad at top UK universities has almost doubled in the last 10 years according to figures just released. Official data provided by top UK universities such as Cambridge, Oxford, Birmingham and Durham clearly demonstrate a growing trend in the quantity of undergraduate students who have chosen to study abroad in the UK, an overall increase of around 192% since 2005. Among the UK universities considered as the top academic establishments in the country, Exeter University has experienced the largest increase in international students studying there – an increase of around 367%. In many cases, the largest single group of international students is young Chinese who have opted to study in the UK. Sheffield University reported that their Chinese student population was less than 1,000 in 2005 but it has grown to more than 4,000 currently - a staggering 580%

IELTS General Training Writing Test Task 1 Question IELTS Writing Task 1 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. Your friend wants to start a new import/export business in the country where you live now. Write a letter to him/her and say: What product is better to import. What part of the country does the product come from? Why he/she should import that product. Write at least 150 words IELTS General Training Writing Test Task 1 Answer Dear Mike, It was good to hear from you and thanks for all your news. I like your idea about starting an import/export business, I think there’s a lot of potential in it. After thinking about possible products which might be appealing for people back home, here’s one idea which I think would be good. You know how people there have been getting into wine a lot in the last couple of years; it was becoming quite the thing amongst a lot of our friends before I left. So I believe we could have an opportunity to offer something di

This latest book (April 2015) in the well established exam preparation series from Cambridge English gives IELTS candidates the chance to become familiar with the format of the IELTS test and learn to apply specific IELTS test strategies with these authentic IELTS exam papers compiled by Cambridge. The book has four different Academic IELTS tests, each one complete with Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking sections. There are also Reading and Writing sections for the IELTS General Training exam. Cambridge IELTS 10 includes an overview of each IELTS exam section as well as a comprehensive guide to how the IELTS exam is evaluated in terms of the different IELTS Band scores. Also included in Cambridge IELTS 10 is a complete answer key for all sections and transcripts of all the audio recordings, making it an ideal self-study resource for candidates preparing for the IELTS exam, or students who do not have access to an IELTS preparation course or IELTS tutors. Cambridge IE

Studying abroad compared to a UK university education Now that annual tuition fees for many UK universities are around £9,000 it raises the question: can British students get better value for money studying abroad? In many cases British students are finding equivalent educational opportunities at much lower costs outside the UK. So how does studying abroad stack up against studying in the UK? One British student decided to study European Studies, in the Netherlands, at Maastricht University, where she will shortly begin her second academic year of study. She calculated that studying in the UK for a similar degree would leave her with at least £27,000 of student debt based on tuition fees, plus other possible associated costs. Meanwhile the undergraduate European Studies Degree course she is attending at Maastricht University costs just £1,500 for tuition annually and her course is taught in English, as are ten other undergraduate courses at the same university. So basically

How good is your knowledge of English modal verbs? Can you score 100% on this online quiz? Modal Verbs Quiz (6) Present & Future Forms 1. He _____ expect to keep his job after that recent disaster with one of his clients! has to can't must 2. I'm sure we ______ be at the hotel by now. The woman said it was only five minutes down the road. might should must 3. I'm not sure, but I _____ go and see my grandmother this weekend. might can 'm bound to 4. Is there a mechanic here who _____ help? My car's broken down. can must should 5. I think she _____ be careful about what she says in the future - her boss was very angry. 'd better 's able to should to Score = Correct answers:

Modal Verbs Quiz 5 Present & Future Forms 1. We _____ have a barbeque later if the weather stays nice. might can't must 2. She's really good at her job, she's _____ to get a promotion soon. is able must bound 3. There's a package to be collected, but it _____ be today if you're too busy. doesn't have to can't mustn't 4. _____ take the train? It's really boring! Should we Could we Do we have to 5. Let's ask that man for directions - he _____ know. might can shouldn't Score = Correct answers: Quiz 6

Modal verbs can could In English grammar , the modal verbs ( can, could, may, might, must, will, would, shall, should, ought to, need ) are auxiliary verbs used to describe ability , possibility or necessity . Use an English modal verb + infinitive form of the verb without to . Do not change their form: She could speak German and Spanish .(NOT She could to speak...) Could you speak German before you went to live in Germany? (NOT Did you could speak German...) 1. Ability Use the following English modal verbs to express ability: Present tense : can, can’t, be able to, manage to I can’t drive. I manage to concentrate, but it’s difficult sometimes. I’m able to speak three languages. Past tense : could, couldn’t, be able to, manage to They weren’t able to find the address of the shop. Perfect tenses : be able to, manage to Have you managed to complete the assignment yet? Future tense : be able to, manage to He won’t be able to come to the meeting this afternoon. Use

IELTS Challenge #7 Today’s IELTS topic | Natural Resources & Alternative Fuels 1. Brainstorm as many verbs, adjectives, phrases and other vocabulary related to natural resources and alternative fuels as you can in 2 minutes. 2. Can you name 4 fossil fuels? Can you name 7 natural energy resources? Choose two of the examples you thought of and list the advantages and possible problems associated with each. 3. Road traffic is considered to be one of the biggest contributors to environmental pollution. Why? What is the name of the substance that is produced by cars, buses, trucks and other methods of transport which use fossil fuels? 4. How can we reduce the amount of this substance being produced? Can you think of any examples of schems in your country to try and reduce these emissions? What is involved? How are they organised? Are they successful? Why/why not? 5. Give examples of actions individuals can take to change the way they use energy at home/at work. What shou

IELTS workout of the day (WOD) #6 Today’s topic | Hobbies / Pastimes / Leisure activities 1. Brainstorm 5 indoor activities, 5 outdoor activities and 5 activities which can be done both indoors and outdoors. 2. Give 5 examples of hobbies / pastimes / leisure activities which are popular in your country. Now think of 5 different adjectives to describe each of your examples. 3. Give 2 reasons why you think each one is popular. 4. Many people think it is important to have a hobby / pastime. - Think of 3 possible benefits of having a hobby / pastime. - Now, using modal verbs of possibility/probability, make suppositions about why some of the hobbies / pastimes you identified earlier might offer benefits to those people who do them. Example: People who do a lot of sport may feel better and could be healthier. 5. Identify 3 reasons why a person might take up a hobby or pastime. 6. Do you have a hobby / pastime? Can you write a paragraph explaining what your hobby / past

IELTS workout of the day (WOD)#5 Today’s topic | The Media 1. How many different types of media can you think of in 1 minute? 2. Brainstorm as many verbs or phrases associated with the media as you can in 1 minute. 3. Which is the most popular form of media for news in your country? - for adults - for young people Is it different? Can you give two or three reasons why different ages prefer different media? 4. Prepositions: Here are some sentences related to the media. Each sentence contains a preposition. Decide if the preposition is the correct one or not in each case. Many people love commenting in social media pages. Satellite TV programs are broadcast all over the world. Most national newspapers are published in a daily basis. The man read the headlines on the newspaper. 5. Can you think of 5 adjectives commonly used to describe news stories. 6. Identify 5 sections which normally appear in a newspaper, news website or similar publication. What kind of content would you

IELTS workout of the day #4 Today's topic | The Economy 1. Think about the economy of your country. What are the main sectors? Can you name at least 5 of them? 2. How would you describe your country? Is it an importer of goods or an exporter of goods? What kinds of things does it import/export? TIP: If you’re not sure – go to Wikipedia and look for the relevant information about your own country. 3. What are the main challenges/problems facing the economy in your country at the moment? Examples: unemployment, loss of traditional industry, international competition How many problems can you identify? Can you describe a fast-moving sector of your national economy? What is it and why do you think it’s growing rapidly? 4. Can you think of 5 adverbs to describe changes in the economy or markets? 5. Identify 5 factors which can affect the economy. How can these factors be an influence on the economy of a country? Write 5 sentences (one for each factor) describing the poss

IELTS workout of the day (WOD) #3 IELTS workout of the day (WOD) is designed to help you develop your speed and thinking skills, as well as review and learn vocabulary and grammar related to common IELTS topics. They are NOT all-inclusive vocabulary or grammar resources. They are designed to get you thinking and focussing on typical vocabulary you may need for the IELTS test. If you think these IELTS exercises are difficult, then you probably need to learn more vocabulary first, or review grammar (there are many books and other resources here you can access for this.) IELTS WODs are a challenge, you should try and do them as fast as you can. Take note of the parts that cause problems for you - and then study to improve your knowledge. You should be able to complete this WOD in around 30 minutes. If it takes you more time, don't worry, just keep practising and you will get faster, better and more confident. Good Luck! Today's topic | Buildings 1. Brainstorm 15 vocabul

IELTS workout of the day #2 Today's topic | Health You should be able to complete this WOD in around 30 minutes. If it takes you more time, don't worry, just keep practising and you will get faster, better and more confident. Good Luck! 1. Brainstorm 10 common health problems/conditions. 2. Give 5 examples of adjectives you could use in relation to health. 3. Identify at least 3 life threatening diseases/conditions. 4. What are the most common causes of these diseases/conditions? 5. Describe the typical treatment or solution for one of these diseases/conditions in no more than three sentences. 6. Rewrite the following sentence in as many different ways as you can in 1 minute. In many developed countries, obesity is overtaking smoking as one of the leading causes of health problems. 7. Give 3 examples of things/activities/habits which are detrimental to your health in general, and 3 examples of good/healthy lifestyle choices. 8. Complete the following 5 condi

IELTS Challenge #1 IELTS challenges are designed to help you practise/learn using vocabulary and grammar closely associated with topics and skills require in the IELTS test. They are designed to help you think faster, develop wider vocabulary and variety in expressing your ideas and to make you more creative when tackling IELTS topics, especially in the speaking and writing sections. You should be able to complete this WOD in around 30 minutes. If it takes you more time, don't worry, just keep practising and you will get faster, better and more confident. Good Luck! IELTS Challenge #1 | The Environment Write down 20 words associated with the environment. Identify at least 3 environmental problems. Identify a minimum of 3 causes of pollution. Describe a solution for one of the above (an environmental problem or cause of pollution)in no more than three sentences. Rewrite the following sentence in as many different ways as you can in 1 minute: The threat of climate change

Powerful Paragraphs! You can improve your writing score in English tests like IELTS, TOEFL and CAE by learning to write well. It is important that you can organize your ideas and express them clearly. To be able to do this you need to know how to organize paragraphs and why they are important in making your writing easier to understand. Let's take a look at some tips on how to use paragraphs correctly to improve the quality of your writing. How to use paragraphs correctly A paragraph contains sentences which express ideas related to the topic of the paragraph. Normally, a paragraph has one or two topic sentences, the main body of the paragraph, and a sentence or two sentences which close or end the paragraph. In multi-paragraph writing, for example, in an essay, a report, or description, each paragraph presents an idea which is directly related to the topic of the entire document. The first sentences, or the opening sentences, in a paragraph establish the topic of the par

IELTS Writing Task 1 General Training | IELTS Writing Task 1 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. You’ve recently found an object and you think that it might be of some historical value. Write a letter to the director of the museum asking for some information on the object. Give a description of that object. Tell them where you found it. Ask for information you are seeking. Write at least 150 words. IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 Answer Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to ask you for advice regarding an item I recently came across while carrying out some construction work. The item in question was unearthed while excavating new foundations for an extension to a house, and was found at one of the deepest points of excavation on the site. The item has the appearance of some kind of cooking or kitchen utensil rather like a shallow bowl or frying pan. I have enclosed a photograph so you can see the object and possibly offer some advice as t