IELTS ACADEMIC | 126 IELTS Academic Task 1 – What tense?!

The one thing that I repeatedly see ESL students get wrong when writing the IELTS Academic Task 1 is using the wrong tense. This can be fixed with a bit of knowledge and practice.  Let’s take a look at the golden rules and some examples.

The Golden Rules
There are two very basic rules that you should follow when determining which tense to use.

• First, look at the title given and the x and y axes to see if there are any dates used. If so, you can use the dates given, to help you choose what tense to write in. For example:
  – if the year is before the present year (i.e. 1999), use the past tense
  – if the year is after the present year (i.e 2020), use the future tense
  – if there is no year, use the present simple tense
• Check that you don’t accidentally change the tense half way through.
• Sometimes you will get charts and graphs that will require you to use more than one tense, but do this deliberately and with caution.

12 Verb Tenses
Before we look at the examples it might be useful to review the 12 verb tenses. Take a look at the chart for a quick refresher.

Past Tense Example
Look at the bar chart below. The title reads ‘U.S. sugar consumption 1900-2000’. Here we can clearly see that the dates given are before the present year (2016), therefore we should use the past tense.

Example: Between 1900 and 2000, the sugar consumption of US citizens more than doubled from 45 pounds per person to 100 pounds per person. It can be noted that the most significant rise occurred between 1920 and 1930 when the average person increased their intake by 13 pounds.

Future Tense Example
Let’s look at the next example. Here the title reads ‘Mobile Growth Continues Through 2020’. The date given here (2020) is clearly after the present year (2016), therefore we should use the future tense.

Example: “It can be seen from the bar chart that by 2020 the population owning mobile phones will exceed the number with electricity by 1%. It is also predicted that more people will have running water, at 45%, than a landline, at 28%.”

 

Notice some of the key language used: by 2020; will exceed; It is predicted; will have running water. This is all language used to talk about the future.

Present Simple Tense Example
Which tense to use becomes a little more confusing when there is no year/date given. Here we will need to pay more attention to the words used in the title. Let’s look at the example below. The title reads ‘Prevalence of overweight people in the Anglosphere”. The language in the title is about the general present time, so you should use the present simple tense.

Example: It can be seen from the chart that there are currently more overweight Americans than Irish. In fact, there are almost 30% more overweight US citizens. The next most overweight group in the Anglosphere are the New Zealanders with 68.4% of the population presently considered weighing more than recommended.

Varying Your Tenses
Sometimes you will get charts and graphs that will require you to use more than one tense. One example of this can occur when you have one chart in the past and one in the future or when the chart looks at years both in the past and the future. Look at the example below. The title clearly states that we are looking at past and projected future trends: “World energy consumption by fuel type, 1990 – 2040.”

To get the highest points you will really need to compare the changes in the fuel type consumptions between 1990 and 2040. To do this you may have to use one of the less usual tense in English – the future perfect.

Example: The chart shows the past and predicted world energy consumption by fuel type between 1990 and 2040. It can be seen that the usage of liquid fuels has been the highest of the five types listed, and will continue to be the most heavily used in the future. However, it is predicted that coal and liquid fuels will have the relatively same amounts of consumption in 2030 at around 200 quadrillion BTUs.

The idea remains the same though – if there is something in the future you want to use a verb form that is also future.

IELTS SUCCESS | 125 Divya jumps to Band 7 in 15 days (also asked for a remark…)

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IELTS Writing | 124 Four Ways to Use Comparisons in developing your essays for the IELTS Writing Tasks

Among the worrisome segments of the IELTS Exam is the IELTS Writing Tasks 1 and 2. That’s understandable because, since English, isn’t your first language these simple tasks of reading, understanding, brainstorming and expressing through words, become difficult challenges that you need to face for this part of the test.

No need to worry. There are certain ways to make it easier to conquer these types of tests, as you will find in many other articles in this site. One way is to use “comparisons.” Let’s take a look at how we can use comparisons for the IELTS Writing Tasks.

There are usually only two main ways to compare items. The first one is to point out their similarities and the second is to point out their differences. Let’s go a little deeper into the discussion of how each one can be used.

I. Comparing similar Items

Pointing out the similarities between two or more items can be done in two ways.

A. Expressing similarities but with different degrees or levels

– This means that the items compared share the same characteristics and qualities but one’s intensity is less or greater than the other.
– Here the words more, less, better, worse and words added with the suffix “er” are used.

Examples:
1. Discrimination against women in economic, social and political aspects of society, appears to be more severe in developing countries than it is in wealthier ones.
2. The integration of technology into our everyday lives has been beneficial to many but its accessibility is less apparent in the members of the lower class than in those who are members of the high and middle class societies.
3. The development of chemical weapons in some countries are among the growing concerns in the world but the     intensifying effects of global warming is a more pressing issue that the world needs to address urgently.

B. Expressing similarities in a different way with two sentences

– Here the words/phrases similarly, in like manner, in a similar pattern, in a similar way, etc. are used.

Examples:
1. Books are a wealth of knowledge. Similarly, the internet is a learner’s paradise, it just needs to be used purposefully and moderately.
2. Men are said to be the strength and protector of mankind. In much the same way, women are deemed as the heart and soul of humanity.
3. In the very early stages of our lives, as infants, we are very dependent on others for our every need. In a similar way, when we reach the latter years of adulthood we lose or weaken our faculties and resume dependency on others.

II. Comparing Different or Contrasting Items

Pointing out the differences between two or among three or more items can be expressed in two ways.

A. Contrasting with one sentence

– This means pointing out the difference/s in items with the use of just one (1) sentence.
– Here you make use of the words/phrases like while, whereas, however, but, in contrast to, compared with, and more.

Examples:
1. Adults deem play only as a fun leisurely activity, whereas, children deem it as a serious business.
2. Compared with cameras in Android phones and iPhones which are lighter and produce relatively good images, SLR/DSLR are heavier and more complex to use but they are still more preferred by professional photographers.
3. In contrast to the methods used by conventional doctors, non-conventional doctors promote the use of healthy diet and lifestyle and other less painful and less costly ways to fight cancer.

B. Contrasting with two sentences

– This means pointing out the difference/s in items with the use of two (2) sentences.
– Here you still make use of similar phrases like in contrast to, compared with, on the contrary, opposite that, from a different perspective, from a different viewpoint, on the other hand, and more.

Examples:
1. (On the one hand) Financial advisors recommend investments in bonds, mutual funds and FX swaps. On the other hand, businessmen believe that the best investment would often be in private companies.
2. Dehydration can cause blurred vision, brain fog and even high blood pressure. In contrast, being over hydrated causes an imbalance in one’s electrolyte levels.
3. Some analysts believe that formal qualifications prepare workers better. On the contrary, others believe that there is no substitute for real world experience.

*On the contrary is usually used for giving opinions.

So there you have it. A great way to develop your essay is through the use of comparisons and there are four different ways described here which you can choose from. All you need to do now is to practice using each one as many times as possible and find out later which one will best fit the answers you come up with during your IELTS test. And remember to make sure you choose good, not so common words and that your ideas are in good order. Again, this cannot be emphasized enough.

In short, if you have time, review your answers, because even if you have a good comparison point, it will not count much if your essay does not make sense.

 

Let’s put it this way. In this test, you are asked to do five things, and they are:

• 1st, you have to understand every word that was used in the question.
• 2nd, you have to understand the context meaning of the whole question.
• 3rd, you have to think of a suitable answer.
• 4th, you have to express your answer in English.
• 5th, you have to make sure that you use the right words appropriately and express your ideas logically and coherently. In other words, you have to make sure that your answer makes sense.

So one test involves five steps and all are in English!

IELTS Writing | 123 Getting ideas for Writing Task 2 – Essays about politics.

In this tutorial we will look specifically at getting ideas for IELTS essays about politics, we will then look at the collocations you can use to boost your score.

If you are stuck for ideas, then you need to fill your head up with information about politics.

Watch the TED Video below.

To get the full benefit from this you will have to do the exercise, so grab a pen and let’s get started.

I want you to go through the questions below and come up with ideas for each essay question. We are going to improve and develop our idea generating skills. This is an essential part of writing effective Task 2 articles.

Go through each question and try and get ideas, and back them up with examples if possible.

You really just need two ideas, then from these ideas we build the body paragraphs, then the introduction and conclusion. It’s really quite simple. If you need a simple essay structure for your ideas, then check out this online IELTS course.

Here is a quick tip: Simplify the question, what is the question saying?

For example:

Some believe that politicians are the most influential people in the world, while others believe scientists are the most influential. Which side do you agree with and why? Provide specific reasoning for your answer.

If we simplify the question we get:
Who are more influential, scientists or politicians?

This is a valuable to skill to develop because once we are clear about what we will write, we can develop ideas and start planning the our essay.

Try and simplify the questions below, THEN develop your ideas.

2. How can the government of a country prevent illegal drugs from entering the country? Explain your solution to this problem and provide specific examples and reasoning.

3. Many countries have different priorities when it comes to what they spend most of their time focusing on. While some countries focus on healthcare and education, other countries focus on infrastructure and employment. Out of these two compounded areas of focus, which do you find to be most beneficial? Provide ample details and examples for your answer.

4. People in developing countries have a positive outlook when it comes to economic growth, while people in developed countries do not have this same positive outlook. Why is this so? Explain with specific examples.

5. Many people in many countries prefer to shop in supermarkets as opposed to small, local shops. What is the developmental effect of supporting supermarkets instead of local businesses and how does it affect the local economy? Provide specific examples and reasoning.

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Sample Media: http://ift.tt/1QQEt6D

5 Comprehension Questions eliciting the collocations?:

Why is our inability to create and sustain economic growth the challenge of our time?

What are the three key drivers of economic growth according to Dambisa Moyo?

While they don’t need to grow as fast as developing countries, why is it important for developed countries to continue growing economically in the future?

What is capitalism and how does Dambisa relate it to economic growth in her talk? Explain.

What is Dambisa’s fundamental message to people on the topic of economic growth, why it has stalled, and how we can fix it?

 

Topic Specific Collocations

Economic growth – Economic growth is the main goal in developing countries in order to improve the way people live.

Private sector – The private sector of businesses has more money than the public sector.

Fundamental question – The fundamental question of the day is whether or not it will rain.

Developed economies – In developed economies, people are able to live in peace because the government has money to spend.

Emerging markets  – Emerging markets in small countries can help increase their economic growth.

Financial crisis – The financial crisis in the United States caused our economic growth to be destroyed.

Human progress – The invention of computers has contributed substantially to human progress.

Practical experience – You will need practical experience in order to get a job with construction because they don’t want you to hurt yourself.

Social programs – Social programs such as the use of food stamps in the United States help poor families in need.

Living standards – The living standards in small African countries in much lower than the living standards in developed countries such as the United States.

Broad minded – Broad minded people need to be leaders in every country in order to appeal to all the people and their different mindsets.

Dominant ideology – The dominant ideology in Tennessee supports the idea that abortions should not be legal.

Greater population – The greater population puts their faith in politicians to make important decisions for their country.

Political models – Different political models include the Republican and Democratic ways of thinking in the United States.

Inventive ideas – Inventive ideas help progress the country by bringing new and helpful products to the market.

SAMPLE TASK 2 ESSAY GAP FILL EXERCISE

The ___________ ________ is whether scientists or politicians are the most influential in the world. Both scientists and politicians bring forth progressive ideas in order to improve the ______ _________ for people in society. While politicians are responsible for many amazing changes such as the creation of ______ ________ to help the poor and _________ ______ that have created democracy and freedom, scientists have made discoveries that have fueled _____ ________ over time.

Firstly, politicians can be considered more influential, because they are in charge of changing our laws and our way of life. While scientists make discoveries, politicians are the ones who distribute these discoveries and cause the people to embrace these _________ _____. For example, scientists discovered that global warming is a major problem in our world today, but politicians are the ones who take this problem, make it a ________ ________, and teach how to fix the problem. Therefore, politicians can be seen as the most influential people.

Secondly, politicians can be seen as more influential because they do, in fact, have the most influence. Why scientists may be smarter and _____ ______ sometimes, politicians are well known and their job is to influence others and lead. For example, studies have shown that politicians are more favorable to scientists in the public eye, because they are trusted by their specific supporters. Politicians of all backgrounds have a set of followers who wholeheartedly believe in them and are influenced by them.

In conclusion, politicians are more influential than scientists because they are well-known, followed by many, and are in charge of implementing and distributing the ideas of scientists to the _______ __________.

Answers
Fundamental question
Living standards
Social programs
Political models
Human progress
Inventive ideas
Dominant ideology
Broad minded
Greater population

SAMPLE ESSAY

The fundamental question is whether scientists or politicians are the most influential in the world. Both scientists and politicians bring forth inventive ideas in order to improve the living standards for people in society. While politicians are responsible for many amazing changes such as the creation of social programs to help the poor and political models that have created democracy and freedom, scientists have made discoveries that have fueled human progress over time.

Firstly, politicians can be considered more influential, because they are in charge of changing our laws and our way of life. While scientists make discoveries, politicians are the ones who distribute these discoveries and cause the people to embrace these inventive ideas. For example, scientists discovered that global warming is a major problem in our world today, but politicians are the ones who take this problem, make it a dominant ideology, and teach how to fix the problem. Therefore, politicians can be seen as the most influential people.

Secondly, politicians can be seen as more influential because they do, in fact, have the most influence. Why scientists may be smarter and broad minded sometimes, politicians are well known and their job is to influence others and lead. For example, studies have shown that politicians are more favorable to scientists in the public eye, because they are trusted by their specific supporters. Politicians of all backgrounds have a set of followers who wholeheartedly believe in them and are influenced by them.

In conclusion, politicians are more influential than scientists because they are well-known, followed by many, and are in charge of implementing and distributing the ideas of scientists to the greater population.

IELTS Success | 122 She asked for remark of her IELTS result and…

Wow! You won’t believe what happened to this IELTS student!

Do you remember Gabriela?

Well in this episode I said to Gabriela that we will have another interview when she gets a Band 7.

Well she didn’t, what an absolute disaster, I was really down in the dumps after, and she was.

We both had worked so hard to improve her scores, and she felt deep down she had improved also.

So, in the end she got the result and was STILL on 6.5 in the writing, so she decided to apply for a remark.

She applied for an IELTS remark, and paid the $179.

The IELTS official said it would take up to 8 weeks to get her result back.

But she decided to anyway, and it came back in 2 weeks!

And yes she got the 7.0 in writing she felt she deserved!

Congratulations Gabriela – a real star!

In this episode Gabriela shares how she prepared, how she improved, and why she decided to study online instead of a going to a normal language academy.

Gabriela also mentions how the private Facebook group for Sentence Guide students really helped her by offering support and more guidance.

Have you applied for a remark? What was your experience? Leave comment below because I’d love to hear your story.

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