Week #5- TEST week

In class- full Listening

Listening Practice- extra 

Unit #4 Speaking Practice

Test Questions

Practice Questions


Opinion Phrases

more opinion phrases

Opinion topics to discuss

Writing Task #2

Writing practice and understanding
#1Gap fill exercise
#2Gap fill exercise


Extra Practice Task #1
Maps- description 

Unit #4

Reading

Try this link with a practice reading 

Remember :

Skim for main ideas and underline (proper nouns, dates)
Read the questions and underline key words
Find the corresponding paragraph
Decide on an answer
Move on.

Unit #4

Listening

Online Lectures

Be prepared to listen
Predict the content
Stay focused on the task
Review what you have heard

Unit #3

Speaking  questions 

Listen and practice

Part 1- practice

Week #3 Writing

Understanding what to write and where to put the information.

Essay - Task #1 Examples and structures
Essay - task #2 Examples and structures

More examples explained - Task #1

                                           - Task#2- topics

 Opinion essay estate whether agree or
disagree and support your 
opinion. No need to tackle the 
other side argument.

Discussion + opinion
Discuss both sides & give your
opinion.

Discussion essay of Problems &
Solutions. No opinion.

 It's a Direct Question.
Answer the questions directly,
explain, then give examples.
No need for an opinion.

Now Try to use the information

Task #1

Task #2

Vocabulary

Business words and phrases

Week #3 Reading

Read all passages  in order and try to complete as many questions as possible in 1 hour time limit.

Set a timer and stick to it!

1st Passage- 15 minutes
2nd Passage -20 minutes
3rd Passage - 25 minutes


Check over your answers in detail with the answer key

Review these topics by  writing down vocabulary and key words or phrases used in the passages.

Homework

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

School children are becoming far too dependent on computers. This is having an alarming effect on reading and writing skills. Teachers need to avoid using computers in the classroom at all costs and go back to teaching basic study skills.
Do you agree or disagree?

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

Write at least 250 words.

Linking words and phrases

Click here
 to see a list of useful words and phrases to add to the clarity of your writing

Writing Task 2-

Outlines of ideas and Topics for Task 2

ielts-simon.com

Daily Lessons with Simon, ex-IELTS examiner

Some IELTS writing task 2 questions ask: "Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?" or "Do the benefits outweigh the drawbacks?"

My advice for these questions is to write a paragraph about each side, and make it clear in the introduction and conclusion which side outweighs the other (i.e. your opinion about whether there are more advantages or disadvantages).

This was a recent exam question:

In some countries, governments are encouraging industries and businesses to move to regional areas outside the big cities.
Do the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages?

Here are some ideas:

1. Introduce the topic by paraphrasing the statement, then give a clear opinion about whether there are more advantages or disadvantages.
2. Advantages - e.g. costs are lower in regional areas; there is more space; provide jobs to boost deprived areas; avoid further overcrowding in cities.
3. Disadvantages - e.g. greater availability of skilled workers in big cities; better transport and infrastructure; companies based in regional areas are further from their clients, providers and other contacts.
4. Conclude by summarising your opinion in a different way.

Watch Videos to Learn about Water

IELTS Reading

           Topic   WATER-    Readings              

  Practice Links- writing task #1- topic (water use)


  Test information and tips

Week #2

Listening
Discuss the topics before and after for practice with the topics

TED TALKS

                Speaking- Topics for practice and discussion

Speaking Week #1

                                             Practice reading out loud
More readings to choose from........

                                             Listen to native speakers

Then, read the short passages out loud to improve fluency and pronunciation.

Learn new words and listen to how they are pronounced, repeat and use them in sentences.

Practice speaking into a mirror, out loud.

                                                        Practice

Speaking test #1

Interview
1. Is bicycle a best/good transport?
2. Do you think that there should be separate lane for bicycles?
3. Why should a child have bicycle?
4. Are you working or a student?

Cue card
Describe a famous person, you should say:
Who he is?
Why is he famous?
Would you like to meet him/her why?

Follow up questions:
1. Which quality should a famous person have?
2. Why do young generation copy them?
3. Who were the famous persons 50 years ago and who will be famous in the next 50 years?
4. Should they have personal life?
5. If you get a chance to be famous what would be your attitude?

Week #1 - Writing - Task 1

Trends and Main ideas

Ideally you need to find one main idea and, if possible, one or two more smaller ideas.

• Don’t have too much information
• Don’t analyze or explain everything in the graph
• Don’t go from left to right, explaining everything. Instead pick the main ideas.
• Use the biggest and next biggest – don’t mention everything in between.
• Don’t mention the small or unimportant stuff
• Pick an idea and find information that supports it
• Click here for more...

Week#1- Reading

Multiple choice questions Examine the statements carefully to identify common features, and areas of difference.  Try to use common sense to eliminate some of the answers. Underline key words to save time when scanning the reading passage. Gap Filling Read the gapped text carefully and think about both the meaning and grammar of suitable words to fill the gaps.  Note down your ideas so that when you read the text you are then reading for confirmation of most answers. Matching headings to paragraphs Read the headings first.  Then read paragraph one and return to the headings to choose the most suitable option.  You do not usually need to read the whole paragraph.  Often the first sentence is the ‘topic sentence’, which summarises the paragraph as a whole.  Sometime the topic sentence comes later, so you may need to read further.  When you have a good idea of your answer for one paragraph, look at the headings again before you move on to the next paragraph. True/false/not given Be careful with statements that have two parts, connected by words like ‘unless’ or ‘because’.  Often both parts of the sentence may individually be true or false, but without a link given between them. Be careful with statements that use words like ‘all’ or ‘always’: the ideas in the text may not be so absolute.

 

Reading Links -Practice  Topic- Music, Beetles (question-table), The Brain Reading tips

Listening - Week #1

Section 1 - listening and Practice in class

Applications
Entry forms
Personal information/ addresses
Notes

Listen for emphasis of words, key information and corrections.
Follow the conversation and key ideas. (synonyms)

Extra focus- listening samples- online