TIPS for improving your English language proficiency
If you have no time to read the chapters, you may omit the vocabulary section (chapter 11-58) and read the remaining chapters, i.e., Chapter 1 (listening), 2 (speaking), 3-5 (chart), 6-10 (essay), and from the Vocabulary TIPS (follows chapter 61) until the end.
Note: if you take the computer-based test, the advice is similar; the only difference is that you type on a computer instead of writing on paper.
Preamble
Throughout the last
decades, the English language has been Americanized, losing the old glory
of the poetic language of William Shakespeare!
''Hey bro'', ''Yo guys,'' ''lol,'' ''dude WTF?''.... Globalization means Americanization. So, unfortunately, the above urban US English slang and internet/ text message abbreviations are familiar to youngsters all over the world. Undoubtedly, this awful slang of North American English has prevailed. For instance, young guys worldwide often call each other ''bro'' as if they live in a ghetto in the USA, while most people pretend to have an American accent as if they live in California! Internet slang makes matters worse with semantic changes, neologisms, and heterographs such as meme, vine, bump, cringe, lurker, noob, and pwned (for owned)! The American trend to abbreviate everything has also prevailed, e.g., nukes, sub, POW, ammo, etc. The youth playing violent video games learn a telegraphic language such as ''go, go, go,'' ''enemy down,'' etc.
An issue of concern is that people often use phrases that are not right according to their definition, for example, the word ''idiot'' when it is not needed or the word ''boy'' or ''kid'' for a teenager or a young adult. Another example was during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 when the media misused the words ''quarantine'' and ''lockdown'' which are not suitable when not referring to a region or a building but a whole country. I think that the word ''stay-at-home order'' (and the word ''curfew'' in some countries with many fatalities, such as Italy) would be better. The most ridiculous, however, was the term ''herd immunity,'' as if people are livestock!
May informal English be adequate for chatting with friends on the web or writing or saying nonsense. Still, the trend of speaking and writing telegraphically brief with slang and abbreviations means people of narrow intellect! Indeed, poor language skills affect intelligence! Logic comes from ''logos'' meaning speech that, along with the erect position (and chewing their food instead of swallowing it), is a privilege only of humankind.
Aristotle’s logic revolves around deduction, that is speech in which certain things have been supposed, something different from those supposed results of necessity because of their being so. Each of the ''things supposed'' is a premise of the argument, and what ''results of necessity'' is the conclusion. (Reference and for further reading: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle-logic/#Int )
The purpose of this text is to familiarize with formal English, along with informal, and use it properly. For instance, to use it in a dissertation or a formal meeting. Reading English literature is essential for improving your vocabulary skills. Avoiding American slang is also vital to get rid of the ''addiction'' to speaking or writing informal English on every occasion!
Preface
Is the English language ideal as an international language?
Are you kidding? With nearly 500,000 words (including dated) and endless colloquial and urban slang words, English is not at all an ideal international language. Things are going from bad to worse as every day new words are invented! Dictation, grammar, and pronunciation difficulties, as well as the discrepancy between British and North American English, make matters more complicated. Noteworthy, someone needs approximately ten years to reach a satisfying level of English proficiency!
Which English language variety has prevailed as international?
The form of the international English language that has dominated is North American English of a colloquial style, instead of British English, the language of Shakespeare. The US English is perfect to speak in the ghetto of an American city, but not sufficient to read, for example, literature, as it consists mainly of urban slang! Unbelievably, most people worldwide speak this kind of colloquial language. I remember once I read a post on Facebook (when I had a profile and before the breach of data scandal make me leave it) of a guy that spoke North American English perfectly. When I looked at his profile, supposing that he was an American, I found out that he was from India! Poor language means poor intellect, so I think that there is a purpose for making North American English, rather than British English, an international language, as the system benefits from people of meager intellect who are keener to manipulation!
Can you suggest another language as better than English?
The question is if we need a language easy to learn or a language that enhances our intellect. For the former, the ideal global language is Italian. In contrast, for the latter, the ideal language is ancient Greek which makes us smarter for various reasons, including the fact that the words include their meaning.
Most people ignore that the Latin alphabet came from Greece, specifically from the Island of Euboea and its colony Cumae in Italy (8th century B.C.), from which the Etruscans (ancient Italians) adopted it. I am shocked that most encyclopedias ignore this. But it may be even earlier. For example, I can recall the Greek ancient Mycenean word 'wanax' (meaning king) mentioned in Homer's books (poems). Earlier evidence for this influence comes from the linear B syllabic script that dates to about 1450 B.C. The Roman Civilization was, in fact, the continuation of the Greek one that preceded it. The ancient Greeks colonized Italy and Sicily before the advent of the Romans. However, the modern world is based more on ancient Roman culture and its flaws rather than the ancient Greek one and its virtues!
A historian I once met said that the ancient Greeks spoke first about everything, from atoms and astronomy to maths, theatre, and art. The terminology in all fields, especially science, is Greek. Drama, comedy, Olympics all originate from ancient Greece. The point is not to have words for everything, such as in English (for example, the word ''coo,'' meaning the soft murmuring sound of a pigeon/dove), or to have myriads of slang words, but to have a language that makes us wise! That is ancient Greek. Universities worldwide have recognized the value of the ancient Greek language and include ancient Greek classics in their curriculum.
Which is the origin of the English language?
It is German! In fact, the Germanic tribes who settled in Britain following the withdrawal of the Romans were the Angles, Saxons, Jutes, and Frisians! The British people are a combination of Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Norman ancestry! Their ethnonym ‘English people’ is derived from the Angles, one of the Germanic peoples who migrated to Great Britain around the 5th century AD. The first inhabitants of Great Britain and Ireland were the Celts and the Iceni. London’s first name was Londinium, and it was founded by the Romans in AD 43, while in AD 61, the Iceni tribe led by Queen Boudica stormed it, burning it to the ground!
English is a West Germanic language that was first spoken in early
medieval England and is now a global ‘lingua Franca (= a language
or dialect systematically used to make communication possible between people
who do not share a native language or dialect). As mentioned above, the word 'English’
comes from ‘Angles,’ one of the Germanic tribes that migrated to England!
However, it also originates from the Anglia (or Angeln) peninsula in the
Baltic Sea. The English language is also related to the '’Frisian
languages,'’ a closely related group of Germanic languages! Frisian words
are spoken by nearly 500,000 Frisian people who live on the southern fringes
of the North Sea in the Netherlands and Germany. However, English has been influenced by other Germanic languages, particularly Norse (= a North Germanic
language), as well as by Latin and French!
English has developed over the course of 1,400 years. Old English is the earliest form of English, a set of Anglo-Frisian dialects brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlers in the 5th century. Middle English began in the late 11th century with the Norman conquest of England and had a French influence. Early Modern English started in the late 15th century with the introduction of the printing press.
On the other hand, the Celtic languages are not related to English. Still, they are a group of related languages descended from Proto-Celtic, or ‘Common Celtic,’ originating in the Indo-European language family. Modern Celtic languages are mostly spoken on the north-western edge of Europe, notably in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall, and the Isle of Man (*****).
The English language as the current international language
The English language as an international language has prevailed. However, the recent tendency to use American English, especially the urban style, worldwide has rendered the knowledge of proper English mandatory to fight the simplification of English. Undoubtedly, throughout the last decades, the English language has been Americanized, losing the old glory of the poetic language of William Shakespeare. In this text, I included an extended vocabulary section to enrich your English so that you differ from the other people whose vocabulary is confined to about 1,000 – 3,000 words, usually of American slang, abbreviations, and text message content!
My contribution
This text took me two
years to compose (and an additional two to correct and update it), and I used
references for all the information displayed here. First and foremost, I wrote
this text as I was feeling frustrated by the abuse of the English language I
came across throughout the web. I am also a writer & blogger, so, as a writer
and an Australian native speaker, I took the initiative to publish this text
with advice on how you can improve your English language skills. However,
everyone makes mistakes, including me!
You should keep in mind that in this review, I mostly used American English. For instance, I use the word ‘favorite’ instead of ‘favourite’ and 'color' instead of ‘colour.’ So, students taking the IELTS exams should better avoid using the American forms, although I do not think that this may be an issue to be considered as wrong!
Contents
TIPS for all modules
‘Grammarly’ and ‘Word’ automated English correctors
Exam day TIPS
Unbiased & politically correct language
Listening TIPS
Reading TIPS
Speaking TIPS
Writing part (1): The Graph (IELTS exams)
The graph
The Process diagram (flowchart)
The Diagram (illustration)
Writing part (2): The Essay
Vocabulary – Definitions
Vocabulary TIPS
a) How to avoid pitfalls
b) TIPS (Misc.)
c) Grammar TIPS
Reference (Bibliography & links)
Introduction
About the broad ignorance of the difficulty of the English language on a higher, expert user level; the strictness and the inflexibility of the IELTS exams;
the difference between North American and British English, and the question of who is
entitled to teach English that raises the need for international English
teaching and certification
Common errors in the English language
Apart from spelling and grammar, the most common errors in the English language made by most people, even native speakers, including me, include a) The right use of prepositions, especially the ‘prepositional verbs.’, b) The proper use of the articles ‘a/an’ and the definite article ‘the.’ c) The correct use of the ‘comma.’ In my opinion, someone can easily distinguish a native speaker from the proper use of prepositions and prepositional verbs, as a non-native speaker may think that the verb ‘engage,’ when related to an activity, goes with ‘on,’ when in fact goes with ‘in’ (engage in activity)!
So, no one is perfect, including me, in the English language, as we continuously come across errors, even trivial! Thus, in this text, you may still meet some minor mistakes or typos! The goal is to make fewer mistakes. For all the provided information in this writing, I used references from various sources such as books and online articles and mainly three prominent dictionaries. For British English, the Cambridge and the Oxford dictionary were used, while for North American English, the Merriam-Webster dictionary was used.
The levels of English language proficiency
The levels of English language proficiency have been defined by the Common European Framework of Reference for
Languages, including Learning, Teaching, and Assessment (CEFR). It is a
guideline used to describe the achievements of learners of foreign languages
across Europe and, increasingly, in other than Europe countries. For the
CEFR, you may visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages and https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/ and https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/relating-examinations-to-the-cefr For the English Language Scales (CEFR) you may also
visit https://tracktest.eu/english-levels-cefr/ and https://www.londonschool.com/level-scale/
The vastness of the English language
It would be impossible to include nearly 500,000 words in the English language! The ‘vocabulary’ section consists of the most important words for your essay. But I was wondering if there are native speakers who know 500,000 words. I doubt, thinking that most people do not have time to read literature and enrich their vocabulary. Additionally, worldwide most people speak American English which is simplified to 2,000 - 3,000 words that are sufficient to chat on the internet in the form of abbreviations (in the US, they tend to abbreviate everything) and text message style. So contemporary people will never learn 500,000 words because they just do not need them unless they indulge in literature!
Is the English language easy to learn?
Not at all, at least if you wish to reach an advanced level (proficient
user: C2 level). The problems that someone faces in trying to become a
skilled English language user are a) The English language has almost 500,000
words! There are words for everything tangible (that we can touch) or abstract.
I am wondering if all native speakers know all these words. At least, I do not,
although a writer! Noteworthy, the difficulty in learning all these words is
that many words are obsolete/ archaic/ dated, colloquial, or specialized/
technical. b) The English language has many words to describe the same thing,
i.e., many synonyms! Another issue is that a particular word may have many
meanings. Thus, things are complicated! c) International English, apart from
the international versions of news channels such as CNN and the BBC, does not
exist. But even then, the ‘international’ English will be more Americanized for
the former and more British for the latter! The ‘genuine’ international English
accent is in between the American and the British accent.
The English language has nearly 500,000
words! Webster’s 3rd New international dictionary, unabridged,
together with its 1993 Addenda Section, includes some 470,000 entries. The
Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, reports that it
contains a similar number. According to Oxford dictionaries, over 50% of these
words are nouns, about ¼ adjectives, and about 1/7 verbs; the rest is made up
of exclamations, conjunctions, prepositions, suffixes, etc. The
question is if it is easy to remember all
these words? Definitely not!
The fact that there are many synonyms for a
single definition complicates things, and it is weird that the English language
has many words with the same or almost the same meaning. For example, the word
‘perform’ has the following synonyms: carry out (that is the dominant synonym),
do, execute, discharge, bring about, bring off, accomplish, achieve, fulfill,
complete, conduct, effect, dispatch, work, and implement! Also, it is
characteristic that most English words do not have a meaning that can be
explained by using a single word but with many. For instance, the
adjective ''scrupulous'' means (related to a person or process) diligent,
thorough, and extremely attentive to details
It is also odd that a word may have many meanings, such as the words ‘bill’ and ‘rally.’ For instance, the word ‘perform’ itself has the following meanings (with the most striking the 3rd one): a) Carry out, accomplish, or fulfill an action, task, or function. b) Work, function, or do something well or to a specified standard. c) Have successful or satisfactory sexual intercourse with someone. d) Present a form of entertainment to an audience. e) Entertain an audience, typically by acting, singing, or dancing on stage. Another example is the word ‘crèche’ is used in the UK as a synonym for nursery school!
Pronunciation is often confusing. For example, the word ‘often’ is
pronounced ˈɒf.(ə)n or ˈɒf.t(ə)n (although
the latter is obsolete, I don’t know why many native speakers use it; I don’t),
and the word ‘sergeant’ is pronounced ˈsɑː.dʒənt. The word
‘controversy’ is pronounced ˈkɒn.trə.vɜː.si or kənˈtrɒv.ə.si, and the word ‘libel’ is pronounced ˈlaɪ.bəl . The
word ‘ballet’ is pronounced ˈbæl.eɪ (but it is bælˈeɪ in North American
English), and the word ‘foyer’ is pronounced ˈfɔɪ.eɪ. The word
‘heroine’ is pronounced ˈher.əʊ.ɪn, similar to ‘heroin’ that is
pronounced ˈher.əʊ.ɪn!
Similarly, the word ‘track’ is pronounced træk and may be confused with the word ‘truck’ that is pronounced trʌk (the slight subtle difference in the pronunciation may not be so apparent in a non-native speaker). So, you do not know which letter to stress from phonetics. For this reason, I underline and bold the letter that needs to be stressed.
Differences between North American and British English
There are many differences in the English language, often striking, between North American and British English, as well as with other countries such as Australia. So, words and pronunciation are not always written or spoken interchangeably between different English-speaking countries! Consequently, we may disagree about who is right and who is wrong. Although American English has prevailed worldwide, I think that my idea for an international English format should be taken into consideration.
Pronunciation also differs (pronounced ˈdɪf.ərs) between different English-speaking countries, e.g., the word ‘adult’ is pronounced ˈæd.ʌlt or əˈdʌlt in British English and ˈæd.ʌlt or əˈdʌlt in North American English! Regarding pronunciation, there is often a discrepancy between North American and British English, and often differences are striking. For instance, the word ‘aubergine’ in British English is called ‘eggplant’ in North American English, and the word ‘ant’ (insect) is pronounced in British English: ant, but in North American English, it is pronounced ænt, the same with ‘aunt!’ Another classic example is the word ‘aluminum,’ pronounced əˈlu·mə·nəm in North American English, however, it is ‘aluminium,’ pronounced ˌæl.jəˈmɪn.i.əm, in British English!
Also, when a British says, ‘coach trip,’ a person from the US. may not think that ‘coach’ refers to ‘bus,’ but to a ‘teacher’! The word ‘coach,’ pronounced kəʊtʃ, may be confused with the word ‘couch,’ pronounced kaʊtʃ, which sounds different. Another example is the word ‘harass’ pronounced ˈhær.əs or həˈræs in British English and həˈræs or ˈher.əs in North American English. Similarly, ‘harassment’ is pronounced ˈhær.əs.mənt or həˈræs.mənt in British English and həˈræs.mənt in North American English! Spelling may also be different. An example is the word ‘tyres’ (of a car) in British English that goes ‘tires’ in North American English!
In my opinion, the confusion and discrepancy in the myriads of synonyms and their pronunciation (that differs between British and North American English), as well as the endless number of words (nearly 500,000) and the confusion in prepositional verbs, is not for the benefit of the English language. I believe that simplicity is essential. To my mind, ancient Greek had the advantage of this simplicity, combined with the fact that the words themselves contained their meaning. Perhaps this simplicity may be an example of ‘international English’ if and whenever it is created to imitate.
Who monopolizes the English language certification?
It is the Cambridge and Michigan Universities that monopolize first certificate, advanced, and proficiency certificates. Additionally, Cambridge University, the British Council, and Australia have created the IELTS exams, while the ETS (Educational Testing Service in New Jersey) has created the TOEFL exams.
Who is entitled to teach the English language? Is English teaching and certification a profitable business?
Who is entitled to teach the English language? This is a crucial question. Is it Cambridge University or the University of Michigan? Is it the UK and Australia or the USA? In fact, English teaching and certification is a hugely profitable business, but I believe that it should not be monopolized by specific institutions or universities as the pre-mentioned. No one has the Trademark English or the Brand Name. As an international language, it belongs to humanity, neither the UK nor the US. Thus, as I will analyze below, there is a need to create international English that will replace the current international exams, TOEFL and IELTS. In many cases, these exams are not interchangeable as in the UK and the (former) ‘Commonwealth,’ including Australia, they often do not accept the TOEFL exams, but they insist on recognizing their own exams!
Are the exam markers of the Cambridge exams strict?
In my opinion, they are strict, as I have never met a non-English speaking
friend passing Cambridge's first certificate or advanced or proficiency exams
with an A grade! The strictness of the Cambridge exams led to the emergence of
LRN exams that are easier and seem very promising. For this reason, LRN exams
became immensely popular and now seem to dethrone the Cambridge exams!
IELTS Exams (British English based) created by the British Council, Cambridge University, and Australia
Cambridge University, the British Council, and Australia have created
the IELTS test that is held by the British Council and PeopleCert (IDP
Education). These exams are cognitive tests rather than English language
tests! For example, the ‘Writing part 1’ module of the IELTS test contains a
graph (chart) as if the English student is a mathematician! The second part is
the ‘Essay.’ Both need to be completed only in 1 hour, so students have just a
min of 40 to write min 250 words in the essay and only 20 min to complete the
graph with a min of 150 words! The ‘Reading’ module is challenging, as students
have to scan and skim through 3 large academic texts (with the last passage being
the most difficult) and answer difficult questions related to the test in only
1 hour! Many students do not have time to complete the last questions as they
are short of time!
Are the IELTS exams
easy?
No, as the exam markers of the IELTS are strict and usually spare a high
grade on the essay. The time is too short to complete the ‘Reading part,’ while
the ‘Essay’ is corrected in such a strict way that it is challenging to take a
mark equal to or higher than 7. Additionally, I do not know why they include a
graph as if the students are statisticians! Another disappointing feature is
that the students taking the IELTS exams will have the chance to listen to the
‘Listening’ part only once, contrary to the proficiency exams where they will
listen to it twice! The ‘Listening’ often contains a map, that is what I call a ‘maze,’ that is incredibly complex to name the specific areas, and it is
confusing to follow the direction and answer the questions related to it.
About TOEFL (iBT) exams
(US English based)
On the other hand, the ETC has created the TOEFL (iBT), which is the American version of the IELTS that has many similarities and many differences (for example, it has not got a graph). However, IELTS focuses on British English, while the IELTS on American English.
Do international institutions and organizations accept the TOEFL exams?
Many do not, especially if related to Britain and the Commonwealth, such as
Australia. Often, institutions (such as the General Medical Council in the UK)
don’t recognize the TOEFL exams. Still, instead, they accept only the IELTS test
with a very high score of 7.5 out of 9, as if a medical graduate should be a
scholar! The Australian medical association accepts the TOEFL with a relatively
high total score and an extremely high mark (27 out of 30!) in the essay that
is almost impossible to achieve.
The need for other than the Cambridge & Michigan University institutes to certify the English language – The emergence of the LRN exams
It is unacceptable for institutes such as the ETC (TOEFL exams), Cambridge
University, the British Council, and Australia (IELTS exams), and Cambridge
& Michigan University (first certificate, advanced and proficiency) to
monopolize the English language teaching and certification. In my opinion,
teachers should be more flexible. For example, the strictness of the Cambridge
exams gave a chance to other institutes to emerge, such as the LRN of the Esol
Education (Educational Services Overseas Limited), an organization in the field
of primary and secondary education, specialized in establishing and managing
American and British international schools. The English language today is
patronized by the US. that has imposed American English worldwide! If you doubt
this, you may merely check which language is the default one on your computer
programs or on internet sites. It is usually the US. English, not the
British!
About the Learning Resource
Network (LRN): their exams are easier and seem very promising!
LRN was founded by a group of educators and business people and specializes in
ESOL, Education training, and management qualifications. Their London head
office is supported by a team of representatives from around the world. LRN is a
member of leading international testing associations. Specifically, it is a) An
affiliated Institute member of the Association of Language Testers in Europe
(ALTE). b) An institutional member of the European Association for Language
Testing and Assessment (EALTA). c) An institutional member of the International
Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL). d) A
corporate member of English UK. LRN is recognized as an awarding organization
by Ofqual that regulates qualifications, examinations, and assessments in England.
LRN is recognized for international English requirements for those who want to
provide evidence of their English Language skills for their professional or
personal development. These qualifications are internationally recognized. LRN
qualifies for English language proficiency at all levels (B1, B2, C1,
C2).
Which test to choose: TOEFL (iBT) & IELTS exams of English
language proficiency; Cambridge & Michigan exams of proficiency/
advanced/ first certificate or the LRN exams (exams of English language proficiency
at all levels: B1, B2, C1, C2)?
In my opinion, Cambridge exams are rigorous, as I have never
met a non-English speaking friend passing Cambridge's first certificate or
advanced or proficiency exams with an A grade! The modern world speaks
American English, while the IELTS exam is not only British-English based but also
is a concentration and cognitive test, as it even includes a graph! Students
have a short time to complete the IELTS exams (especially the Reading), while
they hear the listening part only once. Additionally, the exam markers of the
IELTS are strict and usually spare a high grade in the essay. However,
the problem is that British-related organizations and institutes accept only
the IELTS exams. In my opinion, this is 'weird,' as TOEFL tests English as
well! Additionally, the difficulty level of the IELTS varies in each
examination.
Therefore, I strongly recommend the LRN exams, which are easier than the IELTS and TOEFL English language proficiency exams and the Cambridge & Michigan exams of proficiency/ advanced/ first certificate. For this reason, LRN exams became immensely popular and now seem to displace the Cambridge and Michigan exams concerning preference! For further information about the LRN, you may visit their website on http://www.lrnglobal.org/
Which are the benefits of the LRN test?
Students can choose the level they wish: B1, B2, C1, or C2. Additionally, the
base at all Levels is 50 percent. All skills are counterbalanced without
conditions, while the students can repeat the test at no charge! Moreover,
listening is simple, and students listen to it twice. An innovation of LRN is
that the students hear Listening Section 3 for the third time, and it is
similar to the topic of Writing Section 1 Task 1. Another benefit is that
students can prepare for the Speaking two weeks before the Exams. The Speaking Syllabus for the January and June Examinations is from the beginning
of the School Year. Moreover, the LRN test is affordable for Exams as they give
opportunities without traps or peculiarities! That makes it favorable for
Level C2. They aim to reduce the stress of the students who take the exams and
achieve their highest performance! It is also desirable for students with
learning disabilities.
Is there a worldwide consensus on using a specific globally accepted English language form?
No, there is not. Thus, the confusion is perpetuated, as every
English-speaking country has its idioms, rules, and accent! Often, between
different countries, there may be striking differences. For instance, ‘At the weekend’ is OK in British English, but it may be ‘on the weekend’ in North
American English! Also, I recall an American commenting on a forum
chat who found the phrase ‘Hi guys’ incorrect as the audience may include
females as well. But I don’t find it insulting as ‘guys’ may mean people of
either sex!
An additional confusion exists with the units of measurement, e.g., weight is
internationally measured in kilograms. Still, it is measured in pounds in the USA or stones when measuring body weight in the UK! In my opinion, it’s time to
establish ‘International English’ with
an international consensus of what is acceptable and right to use referring to language
rules and accent, rather
than splitting English into UK, US, Canadian, Australian, and other types of
English as the confusion will continue!
Two funny personal examples
A funny personal example was when I once landed at Sydney airport, and I was asked, along with the rest of the passengers, to fill in a form asking various typical questions. Among the questions, one asked, ‘Do you carry any drugs?’ I naively ticked the ‘yes’ option, as I thought they meant medicine, presuming that it would be stupid for someone to admit to carrying illicit drugs of abuse! Soon after this, several cops gathered and inquired about me until I explained to them that I simply meant ‘medicine’! After my explanations, they next let me free. The point of this story is to ‘never presume,’ which became one of my favorite mottos!
Another funny example is the word 'pants.' As an Australian, I use the word pants with the meaning of 'underpants.' In American English, 'pants' means trousers. So, I feel a bit strange when I meet the word 'pants' (with the meaning of trousers) in American movies!
The need to create an integrated international English
International English is the global form of English language that is between North American and British English. An example is the British-American amalgam accent on the international version of broadcasts such as Deutsche Welle and the BBC, and especially their documentaries, as well as documentaries on History Channel, Discovery Channel, and National Geographic that address an international audience.
I firmly believe that there should be an integrated international organization teaching and assessing what I call ‘international English.’ Therefore, I hope one day people, after an international consensus, to create ‘international English.’ Until then, confusion will still exist!
TIPS for all modules
To my mind, the best-qualified teachers for the IELTS exams are at the British Council, so I advise you to visit their site and search for how you can attend an IELTS class.
Have a good sleep (8 hours minimum) before the test. In the morning, you should have breakfast, so do not go to the exams on an empty stomach! But do not overeat! You may take together a sandwich to eat before the oral test that often comes last. In the morning, but not on an empty stomach, you may drink a cup of coffee to be more alert during the exams but avoid it if you are very stressed!
Arrive early at the designated center for the exam. Calm down, do not be stressed!
Do not forget to take together the needed stationery (especially a pencil and an eraser, as well as a pen) and – most important – your passport/ ID. If you forget the former, it is not a disaster, as they will provide you with the necessary stationery. But if you forget the latter, you will not be able to sit for the exams!
In the essay and the speaking module, avoid the word ‘must’ (it is imperative, like a military or police order; use ‘should’ or ‘need’ instead), avoid referring to sex, privacy (private/ intimate matters), races, and politics. Also, you should use a neutral form of the words, e.g., you should say ‘police officer’ instead of ‘policeman’ (e.g. if you say ‘policeman,’ you neglect that there are also women as police officers!). Do not say or write 'he' as if all people are men. Write, instead, 'he or she' or 'he/she,' or ‘they’ to refer to both sexes (genders).
Finally, your appearance, including your outfit (=clothes), should be appropriate for this occasion, i.e., neither too casual nor too formal! You should avoid provocative/ sexy/ kinky dressing such as miniskirts/ shorts (some boys also like wearing mini shorts!). If you are a female (this also applies to LGBT or metrosexuals) candidate, you should not exaggerate with your makeup! On speaking that comes last, you should keep a body language that shows confidence. However, you should not look overconfident and intimate but remain rather subtle!
Exam day TIPS
Check your emails for updates and information about the test and the location of the test center, as well as the rules.
Read the information at the test center
Go early. You should arrive 30 minutes earlier for check-in and ID check
Your outfit should be comfortable – do not wear tight clothes that do not fit or make you feel uncomfortable
Do not bring unnecessary things. You need to bring stationery such as a pencil, pen, eraser (rubber), and your ID (identity) document such as an ID card or passport (I guess that they also accept a driving license) that needs to be the same as the one you enrolled in. You can bring a bottle (500 ml or 16 oz) of water with the label removed. Neither cell phones nor watches are allowed. Everything else, including handbags, jackets, etc., will be left outside the testing room.
IELTS Official sites & useful Links
The British Council:
The following links from the British Council include TIPS for each of the 4 parts, as well as ways for preparation, including books, links, and online exercises ('Road to IELTS')
British Council site:
https://www.britishcouncil.org/
For the IELTS exams (to
book a test and to check all the details about the test), you may visit the
British Council site:
http://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/
General TIPS for the
IELTS:
http://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/prepare-your-test/tips-candidates#
IELTS preparation books
https://ieltsprofi.com/blog/ielts-preparation-books-start-practising-now/
IELTS. org (PeopleCert)
For the IELTS exams (to
book a test and to check all the details about the test), you may visit their
site IELTS:
For preparation
materials:
https://www.ielts.org/book-a-test/prepare-for-your-ielts-test
For test day TIPS:
https://www.ielts.org/book-a-test/on-test-day
‘Grammarly’ and ‘Word’ automated English correctors
If you have Microsoft Office, you can use ‘Word’ to write texts. You will notice that it has an automated spelling and grammar corrector. When you use it, you should pay attention to the mistakes you make and try to avoid them next time. If you cannot afford a subscription, you may use for free the ‘Libre Office’ which also has a corrector. On the internet, you can find many free English correctors.
'Grammarly' is, to my mind, the best corrector. If you cannot afford a
subscription, you can use the preview version of Grammarly. But to have all the
features available, I strongly recommend buying the complete ‘premium’ version
and using it every time you write something in English. Not only it corrects the
mistakes, but it also explains which error is giving further information.
It also has an extension to add to your browser that opens the corrector
immediately without having to copy-paste the text to the Grammarly site. For
example, when you write a comment on your social media or in a forum, then you
can use it immediately as you write the text.
Unbiased & politically correct language
Using a
gender-unbiased (gender-neutral) language
Certain words and phrases can express bias, even when we do not intend to be biased. Choosing the right words can be complicated as not everyone agrees on what is acceptable and what is not. However, there are a few guidelines that you can follow.
If gender is irrelevant to the related topic, then it is best to avoid gender-specific titles when a neutral alternative is available. For instance, you can use the term ‘reporter’ or ‘journalist’ instead of ‘newsman’ (or ‘anchorman’). (My comment: that means that we should find an alternative to ‘superman’!)
Similarly, you may use general terms that apply to all genders. For example, you may use the term ‘humankind’ instead of ‘mankind’. I call these words ‘gender-free’ or ‘unisex!’ Other examples of using gender-unbiased language are to begin a letter with the phrase ‘Dear Sir or Madam’ (or Dear Sir/Madam) instead of ‘Dear Sir’; to use he/she (or ‘he or she’ or ‘they’). So, it is dated and sexist to use ‘man’ for a ‘person’!
About sexism in gender-biased language, you may read the scientific article on http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1471-6402.1985.tb00859.x
Some examples of the above are:
Inappropriate: The spokesman of Greenpeace referred to their new campaign on saving the whales.
Appropriate: The spokesperson of Greenpeace referred to their new campaign on saving the whales.
Inappropriate: They
stole my wallet, and I asked a policeman for help.
Appropriate: They stole my wallet, and I asked a police officer for help.
Inappropriate: The advent of the internet changed the world for all mankind.
Appropriate: The advent of the internet changed the world for all humanity.
Inappropriate:
The gunman killed 3 citizens. (My comment: otherwise,
we should say ‘the gunwoman’ for a female! However, for 'hitman' and 'hitwoman,' there isn't any gender-neutral term)
Appropriate: The shooter killed
3 citizens.
Other Examples:
‘Member of the armed forces or ‘soldier’ is a politically correct gender unbiased term that is better than ‘serviceman’
‘Businesspeople’ is a politically correct gender unbiased term that is better than ‘businessmen’
‘Fisher’ is a politically correct gender-unbiased term that is better than ‘fisherman.'
‘Doorkeeper’ is a politically correct gender-unbiased term that is better than ‘doorman.’
‘Workers’ is a politically correct gender unbiased term that is better
than ‘workmen.’
A language that understates the meaning of words (common in the media and the movies)
An example of this is using the words ''eliminate'' and ''neutralize'' instead of saying ''kill,'' the word ''clear'' that special forces use, meaning the enemy is killed (also in medicine, it is used before defibrillation), etc.
Politically correct language
Inappropriate: You
should get up and give the elderly man your seat.
Appropriate: You should get up and give the senior man your seat.
Note: Older adults/senior citizens/ people over retirement age are more politically correct terms compared to
‘elderly’ or ‘old people.’
Disability-unbiased language
Example (1): ‘He has
been wheelchair-confined since 2015.’
A disability-unbiased
language would be: ‘He has used a wheelchair since 2015.’
Example (2): ‘He suffered from asthma.’
A disability-unbiased language would be: ‘He had asthma.
Example (3): Senile macular degeneration (an eye disease)
A disability-unbiased language would be Age-related macular degeneration.
For a list of gender-neutral words, you may visit http://www.writinghelp-central.com/gender-neutral.html
Reference – Links for gender-unbiased language
(Retrieved: March
25, 2018):
1) https://www.proofreadnow.com/blog/tips-for-avoiding-gender-bias-in-your-writing
3) http://academics.smcvt.edu/writingctr/gender%20bias.htm
4) http://simplewriting.org/how-to-avoid-gender-biased-language-in-your-writing/
5) https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/608/05/
6) https://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/grammar-and-syntax/gender-neutral-language/
7) http://www.writinghelp-central.com/gender-neutral.html
Listening TIPS
In the IELTS exams, you listen to this part only once!
Be careful about how many
words or numbers you are allowed to use in your answers. You should have in mind that hyphened words count as one word, e.g., on the
phrase ‘the lowest–ever point,' the ‘lowest–ever’ counts’ as one word! However, contractions
count as two words, e.g., the words ‘won’t’ (will not) as well as
‘I’m not’ (I am not) count as two words. The only exception is
the word ‘can’t’ that counts as one word (as it comes from
‘cannot’). Phrasal verbs count as two words, e.g., ‘come across,’ ‘put off,’ etc.
Be careful with what the instructions ask you. Accuracy is important here! For example, when it asks you to write less than 3 words (without mentioning ‘and/or numbers’) and the answer to a question is, for instance, 50%, then as an answer, you should write ‘fifty percent’ and not ‘50%’.
In the IELTS exams, the most difficult part of listening is what I call a ‘maze,’ i.e., a map of a building, a place with roads, or something else. The description is very confusing (e.g., ‘you turn right, then left, then you come back’ etc.), and it is not suggested to write the dialogue as it is impossible to keep up with the visual description by looking at the map simultaneously. The tip of the tips here is simply to follow the described route with your pen simultaneously as the voice describes it! Then you will find it easier to recognize the subjects, e.g., A is the ‘Bathroom,' B is the ‘Kitchen’ C is the ‘living room’ etc. Beware of the similarities in the map, e.g., in the garden, there may be plants beside C (e.g., the pool), but also beside B (e.g., the garage) as well!
Do not forget to keep time to write the answers on your answer sheet before time runs out!
For the IELTS exam, an excellent tip is to visit the site of the British Council and subscribe to the FULL version of ‘The Road to IELTS’ where you can find six listening tests for preparation and practice. It includes the answer keys!
The site of the British Council is http://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/
The Road to IELTS with preparing tests is on http://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/prepare/road-to-ielts
The TIPS from the British Council for the Listening are on http://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/prepare-your-test/test-day-advice/listening-test-advice
You may also find free online listening practice tests e.g., on
http://www.ieltsbuddy.com/ielts-listening-test.html
http://www.ielts-exam.net/practice_tests/49/IELTS_Listening_Section_1/454/
https://www.ieltsessentials.com/global/prepare/freepracticetests/listeningpracticetests
http://ielts-up.com/listening/ielts-listening-practice.html
Other useful TIPS
Read the questions
before you listen to the audio.
My recommendation: before each question group (e.g., questions 1 – 5 or 10 – 15), you have a short time to read fast (scan & skim through) the questions and underline the keywords.
If you cannot answer a question, then do not waste your time but go on to the next question. You will find time at the end to fill in the unanswered questions. If you still do not know the answer, then you may guess!
You should take notes on the question booklet as you listen to the audio.
You should be careful to use the correct spelling, tense, and grammar. I do not think that it is a problem if you use American or British English.
You can also familiarize yourself with the speaking part by watching news broadcasts in English, e.g., you may watch the BBC, Euronews, and CNN, as well as the English version of international news channels, e.g., Deutsche Welle. These international broadcasts offer the chance to familiarize yourself with different English accents of non-English speaking countries, including Indian, African, German, French, etc. This will help you adjust to contemporary multicultural societies where it is rare to find a pure ‘high bred’ Oxford British accent. Instead, it is more common to listen to hybrid English accents! The ‘genuine’ international English accent is between the American and British accents.
On YouTube, you can watch the 'CNN student news' at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTOoRgpHTjAQPk6Ak70u-pA/videos ‘You may also watch various videos, especially news and documentaries about animals/ nature, history, and science, and biology, geology, medicine, psychology, as well as movies and soap operas. I recommend using auto-generated English subtitles (CC) to read the subtitles while watching a video).
An excellent TIP is to watch your favorite movie in English, adding subtitles on YouTube or Daily Motion (although the long intro ad may be frustrating), other sites, or on a DVD. By adding subtitles (CC option on YouTube; English subtitles on DVD – English for impaired hearing – if available – is better), you watch the movie, focus on lip-reading, and read the captions.
When you watch a movie or news on YouTube, I strongly advise you to use only English subtitles with the CC option (usually, they appear immediately as auto-generated captions when you open the CC) and not to translate English into your language. In case you come across an unknown world, then you can translate it on Google Translate.
Similarly, when you watch a movie on the internet or on DVD, you should use only English subtitles. English for people with hearing impairment is a better option than plain English, as they describe sounds additionally, e.g., ''A horse neighed.'' You should not use captions in your language but only in English. I insist on using only English captions because when you use subtitles in your language (in case it is not English), you cannot focus easily on English phrases as your attention is distracted from the translation. You may write down the unknown words and turn them later to Google Translate to find their meaning.
If you take the IELTS exams, I strongly suggest watching at least the BBC and (if available) Sky News (the British) on a daily basis as the IELTS test is based on British English! However, as internationally most are more familiar with American English, you may find it easier to listen to the US English accent, e.g., on CNN. However, still, you need to watch the BBC as the IELTS test is based on British English!
Listening test format (IELTS exams)
Section 1: A conversation between 2 speakers in a social or semi-official context
Section 2: A talk by a single speaker based on a non-academic situation
Section 3: A conversation with up to 4 speakers based on academic topics or course-related situations
Section 4: A university-style lecture or talk
Important TIPS
Before you listen to
the recording
Use the reading time to decide who the speaker might be and what the topic is. You will need to use the questions to help you follow the conversation and find the answers, but you also have some time before the talk begins you read through the questions. (My comment: the best TIP here is to use the time given between 2 parts of a recording and before the recording starts to take advantage of the short time and scan & skim through the next set of questions and underline in the booklet the key features of the conversation or diagram. You should do this fast, as the time you have is some seconds!).
Use your pencil to underline in the booklet keywords in the question and keywords in the dialogue or diagram)
Work out the topic and decide what sort of information and answers you need to listen to Keywords carry meaning and help you make sense of the questions
During the recording
Sections 1, 2, and 3 are divided into 2 parts, while in section 4, there is NO break
You should write your answers on the question paper as you listen
If you cannot answer a question, then move on to the next one
Section 1 includes a conversation between 2 speakers in a social or semi-official context. It always has an example question first to give you plenty of time to get started.
Understand what people are saying, what their relationship is to each other, why they are speaking, what the topic is, and which is the view of each speaker. You have to work out who the people are, where they are, and what they are doing.
Read the summary and figure out what information you need to listen e.g., direction, position, places
Note the words and features, as well as the order of the questions on the plan, as these may guide your listening
Note what the questions ask you to do. For example, do they ask you to write words or choose a letter from a box?
Be careful to follow the instructions e.g., ''No more than 3 words and/or a number.''
Make sure you know what sort of answer you must write e.g., words, a letter, an option from a box, etc.
When you must complete a note, you have to keep in mind that notes are not complete sentences and may NOT always contain articles or full-verb forms.
When you must complete a table, keep in mind that the words included are there to guide you. You need to use the correct spelling
If you have a summary to complete, you need to figure out the type of words that are missing and listen for these on the recording. Your answers should make sense grammatically. Be careful with the spelling and punctuation
Multiple-choice questions are common in the Listening part
You may have to label a diagram, map, or plan. The key TIP here is that the answers will come in the question order of the recording!
You may have to listen to a description of where some places are located on a map or plan and match these to the correct point on the map (My comment: don’t keep notes as they will destruct you – the best TIP here is to follow the route with your pencil simultaneously as the voice describes it)
In a short conversation, you must find what the topic is and how many speakers are in each conversation, and what is their view
You sometimes must classify a list of ideas or concepts into categories. There are always fewer categories than ideas, so you may have to use some of the options more than once
In section 3, when you have to complete a diagram before you listen, you should decide what the topic is; you should read the summary and try to predict what is missing; note the words and features in the diagram that may help guide your listening; not if you have to write words or letters from a box or if you have to write the words that hear in the recording, and note the order of the questions i.e., how the numbers move around the diagram.
You should follow signpost words that direct your listening. They warn you that more information is coming and suggest what kind of information this may be.
Signpost words within a sentence: even though, although, despite, even if, so, also, but, while, whereas, because, as well as unlike.
Signpost words that link 2 sentences: on the one hand; but in the other (hand); in addition, for example/ for instance; first of all; consequently; then; lastly; however; by contrast; in other words.
An
example is: ''I am interested in geography, but… (signaling a
contrast)...I prefer math.''
You need to identify the main ideas and separate them in your mind from the supporting detail
Try to see both sides of an argument!
You must focus on the
words people use, as well as their word stress and intonation patterns. (My comment: stress and intonation of words are more striking in
British English rather than in North American English).
The speaker may introduce the topic at the start of the conversation. You should use your own knowledge of the topic to help you make sense of what you listen to.
In section 4 (a university-style lecture or talk), you should have in mind that there is NO break, so you need to read all the questions before you listen to the recording.
In section 4, information is sometimes presented sequentially or chronologically in a conversation, and a flowchart may be used to test your understanding of the sequence of the ideas. Use the flowchart to help you anticipate what is coming. Use the words in the flowchart as links to guide you.
After the recording
Make sure your answer sheet is correct i.e., is the one that writes ‘listening’! Answering on a different page (the opposite page is the ‘Reading’!) will be a disaster! Be careful not to make any mistakes with your personal and the other data you need to fill in. If you are having doubts about what you must complete, you may ask the instructor!
Transfer your answers onto the answer sheet carefully. You have 10 min to do this!
Make sure you put the right answers in the right place!
Check your spelling
Return to any questions you could not answer and try to guess the answer from the context.
You should attempt to answer ALL the questions, as negative marking for wrong answers does NOT exist! An error is just not counted as correct without affecting the overall mark negatively.
Describing an item
Shape: round, oval (pronounced ˈəʊ.v(ə)l), rectangular, spherical, circular, cylindrical (pronounced sɪˈlɪn.drɪ.k(ə)l), shaped like a square/ cube/ sphere, long, thin, flat, pointed, curved
Qualities: stripped, colored, spotted, sharp, blunt
Parts: top, bottom, rear, main/ outer/ inner/ part, end, handle, side
Material: wood(en), paper, leather, metal, rubber, glass, plastic
Position: on one/ both sides, in the middle, on/at the top, above, below, vertical, transverse, inside, outside, horizontal, longitudinal (pronounced ˌlɒŋ.ɡɪˈtʃuː.dɪ.n(ə)l) = running lengthwise rather than across).
Reference
1) Jakeman V., McDowell
C., New Insights into IELTS, Workbook with Answers, Cambridge English,
Cambridge University Press, 1st published 2008, reprinted 2016
2) Jakeman V.,
McDowell C., New Insights into IELTS, Student’s Book with Answers, Cambridge
English, Cambridge University Press, 3rd edition, 2008, 17th printing,
2015
3) Jakeman V.,
McDowell C., New Insights into IELTS, Student’s Book with Answers, Cambridge
English, Cambridge University Press, 2016.
English first names of men and women
(to get accustomed to the spelling)
Forename = first
name = given name. See https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/FML_names-2.png
Most common male first names in England: Oliver, George, Harry, Jack, Jacob, Noah, Charlie, Muhammad, Thomas, Oscar
Most common female first names in England: Olivia, Amelia, Emily, Isla, Ava, Jessica, Isabella, Lily, Ella, Mia
Most common male first names in Wales: Oliver, Jacob, Noah, Jack, Oscar, Harry, Charlie, Alfie, George, William
Most common female first names in Wales: Olivia, Amelia, Ella, Ava, Isla, Emily, Evie, Mia, Lily, Isabelle
Most common male first names in Scotland: Jack, James, Oliver, Lewis, Logan, Harry, Noah, Leo, Charlie, Alexander
Most common female first names in Scotland: Olivia, Emily, Sophie, Isla, Ava, Amelia, Jessica, Ella, Lucy, Charlotte
Most common male first names in the US. (My comment: as you can see, most have Hebrew origin): Noah, Liam, William, Mason, James (yes, mine is common in the USA!), Benjamin, Jacob, Michael, Elijah, Ethan. Other less common: John, Robert, David, Richard, Charles, Joseph, and Thomas.
Most common female first names in the US.: Emma, Olivia, Ava, Sophia, Isabella, Mia, Charlotte, Abigail, Emily, Harper. Other less common: Mary/ Maria, Patricia, Linda, Barbara, Elizabeth, Jennifer, Susan, Margaret, Dorothy.
Most common male first names in Australia: Oliver, William, Jack, Noah, Jackson/ Jaxon/ Jaxson, Thomas, Lucas, James, Alex/ Alexander, and Ethan.
Most common female first names in Australia: Olivia, Charlotte, Mia, Ava, Amelia, Emily, Sofia/ Sophia/ Sophy, Chloe, and Ruby.
Most common male first names in New Zealand: Oliver, Jack, William, Mason, James, Hunter, Noah, Lucas, Leo, Max
Most common female first names in New Zealand: Olivia, Charlotte, Isla, Harper, Ella, Amelia, Emily, Mia, Ava, and Sophie.
For a full list, you may visit for women https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:English_feminine_given_names and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:English-language_feminine_given_names and for men https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:English_masculine_given_names
and for unisex https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:English-language_unisex_given_names and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:English_unisex_given_names and http://usefulenglish.ru/vocabulary/unisex-names
Numerical (Time, amount/ value, address)
In the IELTS exams, you
write numbers and currencies as words, not symbols.
Numbers: be aware of the period (.) and
the comma (,) that are not the same when
counting an amount, e.g., 1.50 kilos (kilograms) is one and a
half kilo, while 1,500 kilos is 1 kilo and 500 grams.
We mark the thousand as
value with a comma, e.g., 3,000
(thousand) cases of malaria (write neither 3.000 nor 3000) (My comment: in my
texts, I often write it with the international form, e.g., as 3 000, with a gap
instead of a comma, but in the IELTS exams you should write it as 3,000). The
currency symbol goes before the number, e.g., $ 5.
Also, we write $1,024.50 (for one thousand twenty-four point fifty;
we do not write 1024,50 $). An example of the
above is the amount of $3,896,547 is three million, eight hundred and ninety-six
thousand, five hundred and forty-seven dollars.// 1,200,000 = one point two million.
1,500 is pronounced ‘one thousand five hundred’ or ''fifteen
hundred!''
bn (abbreviation) =billion
m (abbreviation) =million
g (or gr) = gram
Thrice = three times (x3) (e.g., (in a prescription) The dose
(of medicine) is 20 mg thrice daily (the abbreviation is 20 mg t.i.d.)
Quarter (= each of four equal or corresponding parts into which something
is or can be divided, e.g., ‘There was an increase in the second quarter of the
year’).
Hundredfold = X100
Notes
The SI (International System of Unit) prefix for a thousand is kilo- with the official symbol 'k'—for instance, prefixed to ‘metre’ (meter in US English) or its symbol ‘m,’ kilometer or symbol ‘km’ signifies a thousand meters. So, people occasionally represent the number in a non-standard notation by replacing the last three zeros of the general numeral with "K": for instance, 30K for 30,000. [My comment: Neither will you find the symbol ‘k’ (as 1,000) in the IELTS exams, nor will you have to use it, as it is colloquial. So, do not write it in the IELTS exams! You may find the ''K'' symbol, for example, in the number of ‘likes’ or ‘dislikes’ or the resolution in YouTube videos! I just refer it for the record!].
A decimal separator is a symbol used to separate the integer part from the fractional part of a number written in decimal form. Different countries officially designate different symbols for the decimal separator. By the SI (International System of Unit) writing style, space can be used as thousands separator, i.e., to separate the digits of a number at every power of 1 000 (i.e., 1(space)000). The convention for digit group separators historically varied among countries but usually sought to distinguish the delimiter from the decimal separator. Traditionally, English-speaking countries employed commas as the delimiter – 10,000, while other European countries employed periods or spaces: 10.000 or 10 000 (i.e., 10(space)000). Because of the confusion that could result in international documents, in recent years, the use of spaces as separators have been advocated by the superseded SI/ISO 31-0 standard. [My comment: In the IELTS exams, you will find and use the comma as the delimiter, i.e., 1,000. As a writer, in my texts, I use space to distinguish the delimiter from the decimal separator to avoid confusion. The problem is that we do not have an internationally accepted way to write standards, such as a system of units. For example, weight is expressed in different units in different countries, such as in ''Kilogram'' worldwide, but in ''pounds'' in the US and ''stones'' and ''pounds'' in the UK! My point is that we live in the 21st century, so we need to have international protocols, units, and measurements for everything, from science (including medicine), to measurement units and languages where we need to create what I call ‘international English’ that officially does not exist!].
Time: is referred to as a.m. (meaning before noon) and p.m. (meaning after noon) (''noon'' or ''midday'' is 12 o'clock in the day), e.g., 5 a.m. (in the IELTS, we don’t write 5:00), 5 p.m. (in the IELTS we don’t write 17:00) or 2.40 p.m. (in the IELTS we don’t write 14:40)
Pronunciation – spelling of numbers
Be
careful with the pronunciation and spelling of numbers! Examples:
571 (‘five-seven-one’ or
‘five-seventy one’)
803 (‘eight-oou-three’)
3024
(‘three-oou-two-four’ or ‘thirty-twenty four’)
Be careful: ‘three-oou’
is 30, NOT 000! Similarly, ‘two oou’ is 20, not 00, as 00
is called ‘double oou,’ NOT ‘two oou’
388 (‘three-double
eight’ or ‘three-eight-eight’ or ‘three-eighty eight’)
202 (‘two-oou-two’ or
‘two-zero-two’)
2711
(‘two-seven-double-one’ or ‘two-seven-one-one’ or ‘twenty seven-eleven’)
0550 (‘oou-double
five-oou’ or ‘oou-five-five-oou’ or ‘zero-five-five-zero’)
Address order:
The
address order is: number, street (road), postal code or PO Box, city, province/ county/
prefecture/ state, country
e.g., 24 Smith Road, 11265, Copenhagen, Denmark
To include the state, we
may write, e.g., …. GC (Gold Coast (city)), QLD (Queensland (state)), Australia
Postal code: with capitals e.g., (I think it is in London) SW164AE
Time: say the time referring to p.m. or a.m., e.g., 5 a.m.
or 2.40 p.m. (we do not write 14:40)
Reading TIPS
The main problem is
that time runs out fast!
Do not forget to keep time at the end of the specified period to write the answers on the answer sheet!
Read the title and understand what the topic is. The main tip is scanning and skimming through the test.
It is NOT suggested to read everything! You should read and underline specific information.
I recommend underlining the keywords of the main ideas in each paragraph and circling the dates, organisms, and names of the referred scientists, as it is common to have a question that asks which scientist said or did something specific.
Do not underline everything, but only the keywords, and circle boldly the persons (e.g., scientists) who refer to something related to the theme.
I recommend writing a very brief heading beside each paragraph.
Use in your answers the correct spelling and grammar!
Do NOT include unnecessary words!
Be careful with what the instructions ask you. Accuracy is important here! For example, when it asks you to write less than 3 words (i.e., one or 2 words) without mentioning ‘and/or numbers’ and the answer to a question is, for instance, 50%, then as an answer, you should write ‘fifty percent,’ not ‘50%’.
Some suggest that you can earn time by reading the introduction, the 1st sentence of each paragraph, and the conclusion to have some clues before you answer the questions. Then you may come back to the text, and with the help of the keywords that you have already underlined, you can read the text more extensively to find the specific answers.
Write down the 1st passage as it is easier than the others!
Some suggest reading the questions first before reading each passage; others suggest right the opposite.
I recommend reading first the questions of each passage to have some clues of what you need next to read more carefully!
I think it is prudent not to read the whole passage. In each passage, you should read the first lines of each paragraph to have a rough idea of what follows. Then you can scan and skim through the rest of the paragraph. You should underline the most important information as you already have clues from the questions that you read in advance before reading each passage. Then you should circle the names of the scientists or prominent people (e.g., artists) and organizations (e.g., WHO or CDC), as there will always ask you for details about what these people or organizations said. You can also write a brief heading beside each paragraph, but it should be noticeably short e.g., ‘Causes’ instead of ‘Causes of neurodevelopmental disorders.’ Moreover, do not forget to number each paragraph, writing the number beside the paragraph, e.g., write the number 1 beside the 1st paragraph, 2 beside the 2nd, end so on. That helps you when the question asks you something about the 4th paragraph that you have already numbered it so that you can find it quickly.
I also recommend writing the answers on the answer sheet immediately when you complete each of the three passages, as at the end, time will run out fast, and you may not have the chance to write down the answers!
If you cannot find the right answer quickly (e.g., less than 2 min), just mark this point, e.g., by drawing aside a star with your pencil, and then continue with the rest questions. At the end of the specified period, you will find time to check again the questions that you previously delayed finding the answer to. If you still cannot answer them, then use common sense to guess the answer.
In case you haven’t organized your time properly, and you have left unanswered the last or other questions, but the time runs out in a few minutes, then you can at least write fast the answers in random, guessing which the right answer from your knowledge is or using common sense. In this case, it does not matter if you make mistakes, as negative scoring does NOT exist in reading!
You can become familiar with the reading part by reading scientific texts that you can easily and for free track down online. For instance, you may visit the site of Animal Planet, the University of Maryland Medical Center, and Medline Plus. The last two are excellent for laypeople as they often contain many interesting articles explained easily without the medical terminology of scientific databases such as PubMed. You may also visit the site of National Geographic, Nature, etc. You may also purchase Scientific American. Moreover, it is immensely helpful to watch online or on TV English news broadcasts such as the BBC and CNN.
The site of the British Council is http://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/
The Road to IELTS with preparing tests is on http://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/prepare/road-to-ielts
Other useful TIPS
Do NOT get stuck on parts or words that you do not understand
When you answer the questions, you should NOT spend too much time on the questions that you are not sure about. You may guess and go on with the rest of the questions. At the end, you will find time to go back and check them.
My recommendation: After each passage, write the answers immediately on the answer sheet
You should save time for the last passage, which is longer and more difficult.
Write the answers on the answer sheet before the time ends.
Useful Skills
You should use the 1st paragraph to make predictions about the context of the passage. Recognize in the 1st paragraph the topic sentence that is a summary of the main idea of the passage. The 1st paragraph also gives a definition of the topic and clues to the organization of the passage.
Use the topic sentence of each paragraph to make predictions. The topic sentence is a key sentence in every paragraph that explains the content of the paragraph and gives you a general idea of the paragraph.
By understanding the general idea, you may then look then for supporting details, i.e., specific details that support the author’s ideas. Knowing where to look for these supporting details will help you answer the questions. In a paragraph, the specific details usually follow the topic sentence.
As you look at the questions and answer options, you should search for keywords in the passage that may give you a clue to the context.
You will know where to search as you have already made predictions using topic sentences and supporting details.
Basic TIPS
Approach
Spend 20 min on each
passage and its questions. This should include the time you need to write the
answers on the answer sheet
My TIP: read the questions first before reading each passage! Also, have in mind that the 1st passage is easier, so try to complete it faster than the other 2 passages. The 3rd passage is the most difficult, so you will need more time for it. By completing the 1st passage faster, you gain time for the last one!
Reading the passages
Start with the 1st passage. Read the title and subheading, and consider what you expect the passage to be about. You have to predict the next type, content, and structure. If there is no title or subheading, use the introductory paragraph to find the topic.
Think about what you know about the topic. Your own knowledge will help you to follow the passage and understand the questions carefully. But the answers should come from the passage, not your own ideas!
Read the passage fast – scan and skim through – before you start answering the questions. You need to underline the key ideas in each paragraph that will give you an overview of the content.
Answering the
questions
Start with the first set of questions
Read the instructions carefully
Transfer your answers onto the answer sheet carefully. Use the strategies that are mentioned below e.g., You should keep in mind that some questions follow the order of the information in the passage, while others do not!
Make sure your answer sheet is correct i.e., is the one that writes ‘reading’! Answering on a different sheet (the opposite page is the ‘listening’!) will be a disaster! Be careful not to make any mistakes with your personal and the other data you need to fill in. If you are having doubts about what you have to complete, you may ask the instructor!
At the end, try to check all your answers and especially the spelling and grammar
Be careful with mis-spelling words, extra words (that are not needed), and wrong words.
Important TIPS
You need to predict
what the text will be about by reading the title and subheading. You should pay attention to paragraph themes and keywords.
An excellent TIP is to read first the questions of each of the 3 passages and next read the relevant passage – the questions will guide you better on what to seek.
After completing each set of questions, you should also immediately write the answers on the answer sheet, as the time, in the end, may not be adequate to do this!
You should find out what the introduction is about, why the text was written, and who it was written for.
If a passage does not have a title or subheading, this is because one of the questions will test your understanding of the theme of the whole passage or the reason why the writer wrote the passage.
In each paragraph, figure out what is the writer’s purpose and how you would expect the article to continue.
Underline the main idea in each paragraph. This will help guide you to the information you need to find.
My recommendation is: to underline key phrases and keywords and circle organisms, dates, and – most importantly – scientists, as they will always ask you which one said or wrote a piece of particular information! The main TIP here is that you do NOT need to read everything! You will read more extensively when you try to answer a specific question – the most important is to find fast the paragraph or paragraphs that you need!
In each paragraph, read the 1st sentence and then skim through fast the rest of the paragraph.
Often there may be unknown words. Some (such as adjectives) may not be so important for understanding the meaning. However, others may be. Sometimes it is possible to guess what a difficult word means. This may be possible by the word in the context. You do not need to understand all the words in each passage but to recognize which words are important that give key information.
You may find words from the list of headings in the passage they may be in a different paragraph from the one that is the answer.
Consumerism, the natural world, and technology are popular topics. I would also add health-related issues, biology, geology, and psychology
Using scanning & skimming through, you should read each passage faster than normal
During this, you should underline key features and keywords
My recommendation is: after numbering the paragraphs (1,2,3 etc.), you may also write a very brief heading beside each paragraph).
In a set of short-answer questions, you will find that answers occur in the text in the same order as the questions. That means that you will come across the answer to question 1 first, and so on. When you move to another set of questions, you have to start reading from the beginning of the text again.
Scanning and Skimming through
Scanning is used for locating specific detail
Scanning will help you locate a specific detail. Scanning means running your eyes over a text to find something important such as a name or a date. There are often words, names, or numbers that you can scan for.
Skimming through is used for general understanding.
Skimming through (or over) means reading the text fast and finding the main ideas or information, and getting a general idea of the content.
You should also skim the questions and passage when you are looking for answers
You should read the questions carefully before you start so that you know what you are looking for and whether you need to scan (for example, a word, number, or name) or skim for the answer.
Make sure you use the exact words that are in the passage and that you use the right spelling.
Practical TIPS
How to find the topic sentence(s) that carry the main idea(s).
A text has a title and a subheading. For example:
(the main idea is underlined).
AirHeads (title)
Pilot’s judgment may be impaired by too many long-haul (= long-distance) flights (subheading)
Globetrotting (1) across several time zones on long-haul flights impairs memory and reaction times by shrinking part of the brain. This might mean that airlines should allow their crews at least 10 days to recover from jet lag before they work on another long-haul flight, say the scientists who discovered the effect.
Reference for the above example: Jakeman V., McDowell C., New Insights into IELTS, Student’s Book with Answers, P. (37) & (177), Cambridge English, Cambridge University Press, 2016.
(1) When people trot somewhere, they go there in a quick or busy way (like a horse), e.g., Peter came trotting down the street after me (*).
You should find the topic sentence(s) that carry the main idea(s).
A paragraph may be factual & descriptive (like pure scientific texts) or may present opinion(s) and arguments.
How to identify the main idea from the supporting ideas
In each paragraph, you should identify the main idea from the supporting ideas/ details.
Often the main idea is in the 1st sentence of the paragraph, followed by the supporting ideas.
Most paragraphs contain at least one main idea, and very often, these ideas are supported by examples or details (supporting ideas). The key reading skill is to distinguish the main from supporting ideas. By this, you will find important information you need for the answers.
An example is the 2nd paragraph of a passage:
a) The truth is that blame can also be a powerful constructive force. For starters, (b) it can be an effective teaching tool, helping people to avoid repeating their mistakes. When used judiciously (1)– and sparingly – (b) blame can also prod (2) people to put forth their best efforts while maintaining both their confidence and their focus on goals. (a) Indeed, blame can have an immensely helpful effect when it is used for the right reasons. The key, then, is the way in which blame is managed, which can influence (c) how people make decisions and perform their jobs and ultimately affect the culture and character of an organism.
(1) Judiciously = in a way that has or shows reason and good judgment in making decisions, e.g., A judiciously worded statement (*). (2) Prod = to encourage someone to take action, especially when they are being slow or unwilling, e.g., He gets things done, but only after I've prodded him into doing them./// To push something or someone with your finger or with a pointed object; poke, e.g., I prodded him in the back to get his attention (*).
In the above example, (a) is the main idea which is in 2 parts; (b) are examples of the main idea; (c) is a new idea, again leading to a new paragraph. We expect the following (3rd) paragraph to refer to some exemplification of how to manage blame. The words and phrases that you may have to guess their meaning of are: constructive (= useful/ helpful); judiciously (= wisely), sparingly (= not too often), prod (= encourage), put forth their best efforts (= try hard), maintaining (= keeping), and ultimately (= finally).
Reference for the above example: Jakeman V., McDowell C., New Insights into IELTS, Student’s Book with Answers, P. (49) & (178), Cambridge English, Cambridge University Press, 2016.
Multiple-choice questions
Multiple-choice questions often require detailed reading. You should keep in mind that wrong options, called distractors, will come from the same part of the passage as the answer, and you need to eliminate these. You should underline the keywords in the question and use them to find fast the part of the passage that you need to read in more detail.
In some passages, the same main idea may be developed across more than one paragraph.
TRUE/ FALSE/ NOT GIVEN
answers
The difference between a FALSE and NOT GIVEN answer is that the FALSE answer indicates that the information in the statement contradicts the information given in the passage, while the NOT GIVEN answer says that you can find nothing in the passage about this information. The TRUE answer means that the information in the passage exactly matches the idea in the statement. You should find evidence in the passage, regardless of your opinion or presumption.
Note completion task
For note completion tasks, the answers may NOT always come in passage order.
You need to form a global idea of each passage, i.e., a mental summary of the content and the overall structure.
Paragraphs may have overlapping themes. Some paragraphs contain more detail/ supporting ideas, and some are more important to the main message.
Global questions
Global questions test your comprehension of the main theme of the whole passage.
List of Headings
When a list of headings is given before a passage, you can read through the headings before you read the passage. Then read the passage and underline the main ideas and the keywords in each paragraph. There are always some extra headings that you do NOT need to use. There is sometimes an example of an answer.
Filling the gap of missing words
When you must fill the gap of missing words, be careful of the proper grammar and spelling
There may be 2 gaps in a sentence, and this may be worth 1 or 2 marks. The word ‘both’ in the sentence or summary means that 2 answers may be required
Questions usually contain different words and phrases from those used in the passages (paraphrasing).
Summarizing
Summarizing tests your understanding of a whole text (global reading skills) or your understanding of the details within a part of the text.
To complete the summary, you must read the heading and mark the part of the passage it relates to. You should read through the summary and try to predict the missing words by using keywords in summary. Use correct spelling and grammar. The TIP here is that answers do NOT necessarily come in passage order, so you must check above and below the previous answer for the next answer. There may be some words in the summary that are the same as those in the passage. This helps you find them easier.
Completing a summary
with a box
For completing a summary with a box, you should keep in mind that there are extra words in the box that you do not need to use. You CANNOT use any of the words more than once.
At least one of the
passages will contain some detailed, logical argument. Research-based
texts combine data with views and claims. You should identify the arguments that will help you understand
the overall organization of the passage.
Choosing from a list
When you must choose from a list, you should underline the keywords in the questions and then skim through the passage for similar ideas. If a question asks you for 2 or 3 answers, you will need to get all the answers correct for one mark.
Classification task
In the classification task, you must match statements to categories. The questions may NOT be in passage order.
Matching task
A matching task shows how well you can understand different arguments or views from different sources, such as people or organizations. You should do these questions in the order of the people in the box, not the question order. Some options in the box may be used more than once, while others may not be used at all.
You may have to distinguish the writer’s views and claims (claiming to be a fact). On matching sentence endings, the questions or part sentences come in passage order. There are some options in the box that you do NOT need to use.
Yes/ No/ Not Given
questions
On Yes/ No/ Not Given questions, the questions are in passage order
Completing a
flowchart, diagram, or
table
The information you need to complete a flowchart, diagram, or table is usually based on one part of the passage. You should use the title of the chart to help you find the right part. The provided words will help you predict the type of answer that is needed.
Reference
1) Jakeman V., McDowell C., New Insights into IELTS, Workbook with Answers, Cambridge English, Cambridge University Press, 1st published 2008, reprinted 2016
2) Jakeman V.,
McDowell C., New Insights into IELTS, Student’s Book with Answers, Cambridge
English, Cambridge University Press, 3rd edition, 2008, 17th printing,
2015
3) Jakeman V.,
McDowell C., New Insights into IELTS, Student’s Book with Answers, Cambridge
English, Cambridge University Press, 2016.
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