Today children are spending much more time watching TV compared to the past. Why do you think this happens? Is this a positive or a negative change?
Sample Band 8 Essay
A trend has emerged in the last two decades with youngsters watching more TV than ever before. One of the main reasons behind this issue is the recent advancements in technology in gaming and film industries. This tendency has both pros and cons, and will be further discussed in this essay.
The latest developments in video game consoles attracted both children and adults to spend extra time watching TV, compared to the past. With interactive gaming characters and high quality graphics, children are more likely to spend long hours playing games in front of the TV. A recent survey showed that TV addiction among young people, for example, has significantly increased from 5% to 80%, which was supposedly caused by the introduction of advanced gaming consoles. This increase is also partially due to films, drama series and cartoons being easily available on pirated websites and various gaming platforms.
This trend has had more negative than positive effects on young citizens. More time spent watching TV adversely affects the mental and physical wellbeing of a child. For instance, the obesity ratio among young individuals in the past 10 years has risen dramatically; this has caused further health problems such as anxiety and depression. However, TV can also be used in a positive way. It is a great source of information that can help youngsters increase their knowledge and succeed in their future careers.
In conclusion, recent breakthroughs in technology are driving up the amount of time our youngsters are spending in front of their TV screens. This can do more harm than good if we don’t regulate the use of TV, but parents have the power to make TV time useful and beneficial for their children.
The tips we have for you today come from a very reliable source. Michael Abosi, a winner of our June IELTS Results competition who scored Band 8 in IELTS, is sharing what he learnt in his exam preparation:
“IELTS exam is a test of your English language proficiency. In other words you are going to be tested, as you already know, on your grasp of the English language.
Whichever way you approach this exam, your frequent usage and skill will show in one way or another. The best way, in my opinion, to tackle this exam is to expose yourself to a broad base of material that will challenge your knowledge base on the subject matter.
Writing skill
My favorite writing tips can be found here, most notably the 4 C’s of writing. You should read and understand all the tips presented in this website as they are informative. Remember ‘skill’ is the key, and not being verbose. Less is more!
Listening skill
Have a pen in hand to scribble down all important points discussed (these may include dates, addresses, team members, pointers, topics, requirements nuances etc) as you listen to the recording. That will be your only reference while answering the questions later.
Reading skill
The key to acing the reading section is to read books. The more abstract the books are, the better. This will better prepare you for the various content IELTS exam reading section is based on.
I have found that reading the first two lines in a paragraph and the last sentence gives you a good overview of the paragraph information. Skim through all the paragraph this way at first glance. Then head straight and read all the questions and return to read the comprehension thoroughly. With the questions ringing at the back of your mind, as you approach possible answers while reading the text again, you will be better poised to answer quickly and correctly. Feel free to skip hard questions an return to them later on.
Speaking skill
The key is to communicate clearly. I found that speaking is a skill both native and non-native English speakers have to learn. You need to be clear, concise and expressive to make a subjective impact on your examiner.
In summary, all the necessary tips can be found on this website. Wish you all the best in your exams.”
As all of you know, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in many locations IELTS exams were temporarily put on hold, and there was a period of uncertainty. Gradually things have changed for the better and many countries have brought the virus under control. IELTS testing was restarted and today we are happy to announce the test takers who used lockdowns to sharpen their skills and get awesome scores!
With great pleasure we present the winners of IELTS results competition in June 2020:
Academic Module – 1st place
Michael Nwokenna Abosi from Australia, Band 8
Asef Madhi Rakin from Bangladesh, Band 8
Academic Module – 2nd place
Kourosh Moini from Iran, Band 7.5
General Training Module – 1st place
Simi Sebastian from India, Band 8.5
Congratulations on your success! To celebrate your achievements we are sending your special certificates to your emails. Winning IELTS results will be displayed in the IELTS-Blog hall of fame – so if you won, please feel free to show them off to your friends!
How did they score so well?
It is nice to see some of our students among the winners.
Dr. Asef Rakhin said, “Please accept my gratitude. I used your writing correction service and read the book ‘Target Band 7’. I practiced with your free materials too. These have helped me a lot to get band 8 in academic IELTS that I have taken recently with 7 in writing. Thank you guys for your support and suggestions.”
Kourosh Moini used High Scorer’s Choice practice test books and got Band 7.5 in his exam. He said, “You helped me along the way, and I feel I owe you a thank you. So I hope you keep your energy and continue to share and help test takers all over the world the same way you did with me.”
Now it is more important than ever that we hear from the winners of June’s competition. Why? Because not only they achieved great IELTS scores, but they also did it in a very difficult situation. They found the strength to keep going when others gave up. They remained resilient and strong, and we can all learn that from them. Their advice, as soon as we get it, will be posted on IELTS-Blog without delay, so everyone can use the same technique and get a better score in their own exam.
If IELTS exams in your country are suspended for now, don’t lose hope, don’t shelve your IELTS preparation. Remember that this situation is only temporary, and very soon testing will resume. In many countries you can take an IELTS Indicator test online and get an indicative IELTS score that lots of organisations accept (read all the details here).
The world can only stay in lockdown for a limited time, and as soon as restrictions end, you need to be ready! Many of us have wasted a lot of time already, let’s not waste any more, and get your target score! We at IELTS-Blog.com are here to support you every step of the way, so if you need help, email us any time.
P.S. IELTS results competition runs every month, and everyone is welcome to participate. Learn how to enroll here.
Nabial is doing a full simulated IELTS Speaking test with an examiner, who is asking him typical IELTS Speaking test questions. This video shows you what happens on the test day in the real examination room.
IELTS Speaking Test has 3 parts.
In Part 1 you should expect personal questions on familiar topics, for instance about your job or studies, your home, your family, etc.
Part 2 is different, because you receive a single topic to talk about for 1 to 2 minutes, with 4 bullet points you should cover in your speech. Another difference between Part 2 and the other parts is that in Part 2 you get 1 minute preparation time and you can write down some ideas to talk about. This doesn’t happen in Part 1 or Part 3.
Part 3 is a longer discussion where the examiner asks you questions related to Part 2 topic. You are expected to give longer, more elaborate answers and talk in-depth about the topics your examiner brings up.
Here is how you can learn from this Speaking test video
1. Get familiar with everything that happens in the Speaking test. It will help you feel prepared when it’s your turn.
2. Listen to the questions the examiner asks and note how Nabial answers them. Then think about what YOU would say in response to these questions.
3. Spot Nabial’s mistakes and avoid them when you speak.
4. Go over Examiner’s Feedback below to learn how he rated Nabial’s performance and why (he also points out some of his mistakes!)
5. You can even use this as a Listening exercise, and switch on subtitles on YouTube to understand every word on the recording.
This section shows you what goes on in the examiner’s mind when he rates a Speaking test. Make sure you read this before looking at the scores he gave Nabial in every criterion, because this explains the reasons he got those scores.
Nabial spoke hesitantly in this first part, maybe showing that he felt quite nervous. It seems he is a person who speaks slowly anyway, but the hesitancy affects his fluency band. Apart from this, Nabial produced a good Part 1. He answered most questions fully and took up the required amount of time. Nabial used a wide range of lexis in his Part 1 and showed he had access to some complex vocabulary, i.e. “population density” and “irks me”. There were some occasional awkward collocations, i.e. “so extremely popular”, but his vocabulary range allowed him to communicate fully everything he wanted to. In addition, Nabial’s grammar range was excellent and accurate and there were no issues at all here. He had a slight accent, but it did not affect his pronunciation or communicative ability in any way. Finally, Nabial used some mild humour in an appropriate way, which added to how he communicated his ideas and feelings on some of the topics.
Nabial spoke for an appropriate amount of time on the film that he chose, Now You See Me. Again, Nabial was a little hesitant, but this did not seem to be because he was searching for lexis or the right structures. Nabial’s vocabulary was again nearly always appropriate and accurate, though there were some awkward moments, his use of “heists” for example, seemed a little strange, even if it did describe the illegal activities to which Nabial was referring. Nabial’s grammar was again accurate and he used an appropriate range. He used one incorrect plural with “medias”, which stood out, as it was really the only error so far. Again, Nabial’s slight accent had no effect on his communication. As in Part 1, Nabial used some mild humour in an appropriate way, which helped communicate his feelings.
Speaking Test, Part 3 – 7:54
Nabial further showed his good oral ability in Part 3. There was the same hesitancy, this time more to access ideas and develop thoughts due to the more complex questions, but the time taken was appropriate. Nabial gave thoughtful and developed answers and did not need prompting to justify what he said. Nabial showed a good range of lexis, though it became apparent that he over-used the words / phrases “major” and “type of things” a little in this Part and in the two previous Parts. Occasional awkward collocations were apparent again, i.e. “throughout the years” instead of “over the years”. His grammatical range and accuracy was very good. His accent was again non-intrusive and did not impede communication in any way. Nabial did not fully understand the question on the role of advertising at the end, but he gave a coherent answer to what he thought I had asked about. Nabial’s humour was again apparent at appropriate times and he used mild irony, euphemism and litotes (“not the richest”) in order to convey nuance to his meaning.
Nabial’s IELTS Speaking score
The marking of the IELTS Speaking Test is done in 4 parts.
Fluency and Coherence 8
Lexical Resource 8
Grammatical Range and Accuracy 8
Pronunciation 9
Some cities create new housing for their growing populations by constructing a smaller number of high-rise buildings. Other cities create more of low-rise buildings. Which solution is better, in your opinion?
Sample Essay
Rising population in urban areas leaves governments with no choice but to build more houses to meet the demand. However, when it comes to construction, there is more than one way to build new homes. Some cities prefer to construct fewer residential towers, while others build a larger number of low-rises for their residents. In this essay both options will be discussed and a viable solution will be suggested.
One advantage of tall buildings is that they can accommodate a large number of people while having a small footprint. This type of construction is popular in central city areas where land is scarce and expensive. For example, in New York City high-rise buildings have significantly reduced housing problems, by as much as 55% in the last few years. As a result of this strategy, rents tend to decrease which has a further positive impact on the economies of such cities. However, tall buildings offer little or no privacy, they force certain rules and regulations upon residents, and attract higher maintenance costs.
Given a chance to voice their opinion, many individuals would prefer to live in low-rise buildings or even build their own houses. This option might be more attractive for big families and for older generation people who like to have their own personal space. Accessibility is also a concern for the elderly as taking the stairs when the lifts break down may not be an option for them. In addition, one or two-story houses are easier and cheaper to maintain compared to modern apartment towers. The downside of this type of dwellings is that they occupy much more land, and since land is cheaper on city fringes, new estates tend to be built away from city centres. This increases commute time to work for their residents and negatively affects their quality of life.
In conclusion, high-rise and low-rise buildings have their unique advantages and disadvantages. In my opinion, high rises are more suitable for younger residents and should be built in the areas where young population is prevalent, closer to the city centre and employment opportunities. Senior citizens should have a supply of lower dwellings available in quieter locations. Such flexible approach can be a good way to address the needs of growing city’s population.
