IELTS Secret Key #1 - Time is your greatest enemy |[pic] |[pic] |[pic] | |
|Written by Rad Danesh |
|Monday, 23 April 2007 |
|To succeed on the IELTS, you must use your time wisely. Many students do not finish at least one module. The table below shows |
|the time challenge you are faced with: |
|Module |
|Total time |
|Questions |
|Time for each question |
| |
|Listening |
|30 min |
|40 |
|.75 min |
| |
|Reading |
|60 min |
|40 |
|.67 min |
| |
|Writing |
|60 min |
|2 |
|30 min |
| |
|Speaking |
|11-14 min |
|N/A |
|N/A |
| |
|As you can see, the time constraints are brutal. To succeed, you must ration your time properly. The reason that time is so |
|critical is that every question counts the same toward your final score. If you run out of time on any passage, the questions |
|that you do not answer will hurt your score far more than earlier questions that you spent extra time on and feel certain are |
|correct. |
| |
|On the Reading Module, the test is separated into passages. The reason that time is so critical is that 1) every question counts |
|the same toward your final score, and 2) the passages are not in order of difficulty. If you have to rush during the last |
|passage, then you will miss out on answering easier questions correctly. It is natural to want to pause and figure out the |
|hardest questions, but you must resist the temptation and move quickly. |
| |
| |
|Pace Yourself |
|Wear a watch to the IELTS Test. At the beginning of the test, check the time (or start a chronometer on your watch to count the |
|minutes), and check the time after each passage or every few questions to make sure you are “on schedule.” Remember that on the |
|Listening and Reading Modules you have a little over half a minute for each question. If you can work quickly, you can pace |
|yourself at half a minute per question, which makes it easy to keep track of your time. If you find that you are falling behind |
|time during the test, you must speed up. Even though a rushed answer is more likely to be incorrect, it is better to miss a |
|couple of questions by being rushed, than to completely miss later questions by not having enough time. It is better to end with |
|more time than you need than to run out of time. |
| |
|If you are forced to speed up, do it efficiently. Usually one or more answer choices can be eliminated without too much |
|difficulty. Above all, don’t panic. Don’t speed up and just begin guessing at random choices. By pacing yourself, and continually|
|monitoring your progress against the clock or your watch, you will always know exactly how far ahead or behind you are with your |
|available time. If you find that you are a few minutes behind on a module, don’t skip questions without spending any time on it, |
|just to catch back up. Spend perhaps a little less than half a minute per question and after a few questions, you will have |
|caught back up more gradually. Once you catch back up, you can continue working each problem at your normal pace. If you have |
|time at the end, go back then and finish the questions that you left behind. |
| |
|Furthermore, don’t dwell on the problems that you were rushed on. If a problem was taking up too much time and you made a hurried|
|guess, it must have been difficult. The difficult questions are the ones you are most likely to miss anyway, so it isn’t a big |
|loss. If you have time left over, as you review the skipped questions, start at the earliest skipped question, spend at most |
|another half a minute, and then move on to the next skipped question. |
| |
|Lastly, sometimes it is beneficial to slow down if you are constantly getting ahead of time. You are always more likely to catch |
|a careless mistake by working more slowly than quickly, and among very high-scoring test takers (those who are likely to have |
|lots of time left over), careless errors affect the score more than mastery of material. |
| |
| |
|Scanning |
|For Reading passages, don’t waste time reading, enjoying, and completely understanding the passage. Simply scan the passage to |
|get a rough idea of what it is about. You will return to the passage for each question, so there is no need to memorize it. Only |
|spend as much time scanning as is necessary to get a vague impression of its overall subject content. |
| |
|IELTS Secret Key #2 - Guessing is not guesswork |[pi|[pic|[pic]|
| |c] |] | |

|Written by Rad Danesh |
|Tuesday, 24 April 2007 |
|You probably know that guessing is a good idea on the IELTS- unlike other standardized tests, there is no penalty for getting a |
|wrong answer. Even if you have no idea about a question, you still have a 20-25% chance of getting it right. Most students do not|
|understand the impact that proper guessing can have on their score. Unless you score extremely high, guessing will significantly |
|contribute to your final score. |
| |
|Monkeys Take the IELTS |
|What most students don’t realize is that to insure that 20-25% chance, you have to guess randomly. If you put 20 monkeys in a |
|room to take the IELTS, assuming they answered once per question and behaved themselves, on average they would get 20-25% of the |
|questions correct on a five choice multiple choice problem. Put 20 students in the room, and the average will be much lower among|
|guessed questions. Why? |
|IELTS intentionally writes deceptive answer choices that 'look' right. A student has no idea about a question, so picks the “best|
|looking” answer, which is often wrong. The monkey has no idea what looks good and what doesn’t, so will consistently be lucky |
|about 20-25% of the time. |
|Students will eliminate answer choices from the guessing pool based on a hunch or intuition. Simple but correct answers often get|
|excluded, leaving a 0% chance of being correct. The monkey has no clue, and often gets lucky with the best choice. |
|This is why the process of elimination endorsed by most test courses is flawed and detrimental to your performance. students |
|don’t guess, they make an ignorant stab in the dark that is usually worse than random. |
| |
|Let me introduce one of the most valuable ideas of this course. the $5 challenge: |
| |
|You only mark your 'best guess' if you are willing to bet $5 on it. |
|You only eliminate choices from guessing if you are willing to bet $5 on it. |
| |
|Why $5? Five dollars is an amount of money that is small yet not insignificant, and can really add up fast (20 questions could |
|cost you $100). Likewise, each answer choice on one question of the IELTS will have a small impact on your overall score, but it |
|can really add up to a lot of points in the end. |
| |
|The process of elimination IS valuable. The following shows your chance of guessing it right: |
|If you eliminate this many choices on a 3 choice multiple choice problem: |
|0 |
|1 |
|2 |
| |
|Chance of getting it correct |
|33% |
|50% |
|100% |
| |
|However, if you accidentally eliminate the right answer or go on a hunch for an incorrect answer, your chances drop dramatically:|
|to 0%. By guessing among all the answer choices, you are GUARANTEED to have a shot at the right answer. |
| |
|That’s why the $5 test is so valuable. if you give up the advantage and safety of a pure guess, it had better be worth the risk. |
| |
|What we still haven’t covered is how to be sure that whatever guess you make is truly random. Here’s the easiest way: |
| |
|Always pick the first answer choice among those remaining. |
| |
|Such a technique means that you have decided, before you see a single test question, exactly how you are going to guess and since|
|the order of choices tells you nothing about which one is correct, this guessing technique is perfectly random. |
| |
|Let’s try an example: |
| |
|A student encounters the following problem on the Listening Module in a conversation about the chemical term 'amine', a |
|derivative of ammonia: |
| |
|In the reaction, the amine will be? |
|neutralized |
|protonated |
|deprotonated |
|The student has a small idea about this question- he is pretty sure that the amine will be deprotonated, but he wouldn’t bet $5 |
|on it. He knows that the amine is either protonated or deprotoned, so he is willing to bet $5 on choice A not being correct. Now |
|he is down to B and C. At this point, he guesses B, since B is the first choice remaining. |
| |
|The student is correct by choosing B, since the amine will be protonated. He only eliminated those choices he was willing to bet |
|money on, AND he did not let his stale memories (often things not known definitely will get mixed up in the exact opposite |
|arrangement in one’s head) about protonation and deprotonation influence his guess. He blindly chose the first remaining choice, |
|and was rewarded with the fruits of a random guess. |
| |
|This section is not meant to scare you away from making educated guesses or eliminating choices- you just need to define when a |
|choice is worth eliminating. The $5 test, along with a pre-defined random guessing strategy, is the best way to make sure you |
|reap all of the benefits of guessing. |
| |
|Slang |
|Scientific sounding answers are better than slang ones. In the answer choices below, choice B is much less scientific and is |
|incorrect, while choice A is a |
|scientific analytical choice and is correct. |
| |
|Example: |
|To compare the outcomes of the two different kinds of treatment. |
|Because some subjects insisted on getting one or the other of the treatments. |
|Extreme Statements |
|Avoid wild answers that throw out highly controversial ideas that are proclaimed as established fact. Choice A is a radical idea |
|and is incorrect. Choice B is a calm rational statement. Notice that Choice B does not make a definitive, uncompromising stance, |
|using a hedge word 'if' to provide wiggle room. |
| |
|Example: |
|Bypass surgery should be discontinued completely. |
|Medication should be used instead of surgery for patients who have not had a heart attack if they suffer from mild chest pain and|
|mild coronary artery blockage. |
|Similar Answer Choices |
|When you have two answer choices that are direct opposites, one of them is usually the correct answer. Example: |
|described the author’s reasoning about the influence of his childhood on his adult life. |
|described the author’s reasoning about the influence of his parents on his adult life. |
|These two answer choices are very similar and fall into the same family of answer choices. A family of answer choices is when two|
|or three answer choices are very similar. Often two will be opposites and one may show an equality. |
| |
|Example: |
|Plan I or Plan II can be conducted at equal cost |
|Plan I would be less expensive than Plan II |
|Plan II would be less expensive than Plan I |
|Neither Plan I nor Plan II would be effective |
|Note how the first three choices are all related. They all ask about a cost comparison. Beware of immediately recognizing choices|
|B and C as opposites and choosing one of those two. Choice A is in the same family of questions and should be considered as well.|
|However, choice D is not in the same family of questions. It has nothing to do with cost and can be discounted in most cases. |
| |
|Hedging |
|When asked for a conclusion that may be drawn, look for critical 'hedge' phrases, such as likely, may, can, will often, |
|sometimes, etc, often, almost, mostly, usually, generally, rarely, sometimes. Question writers insert these hedge phrases to |
|cover every possibility. Often an answer will be wrong simply because it leaves no room for exception. Avoid answer choices that |
|have definitive words like 'exactly', and 'always'. |
| |
|Summary of Guessing Techniques |
|Eliminate as many choices as you can by using the $5 test. Use the common guessing strategies to help in the elimination process,|
|but only eliminate choices that pass the $5 test. |
|Among the remaining choices, only pick your 'best guess' if it passes the $5 test. |
|Otherwise, guess randomly by picking the first remaining choice. |
| |
|IELTS Secret Key #3 - Practice Smarter, Not Harder |[pi|[pic|[pic]|
| |c] |] | |

|Written by Rad Danesh |
|Tuesday, 24 April 2007 |
|Many students delay the test preparation process because they dread the awful amounts of practice time they think necessary to |
|succeed on the test. We have refined an effective method that will take you only a fraction of the time. |
| |
|There are a number of 'obstacles' in your way on the IELTS. Among these are answering questions, finishing in time, and mastering|
|test-taking strategies. All must be executed on the day of the test at peak performance, or your score will suffer. The IELTS is |
|a mental marathon that has a large impact on your future. |
| |
|Just like a marathon runner, it is important to work your way up to the full challenge. So first you just worry about questions, |
|and then time, and finally strategy: |
| |
|Success Strategy #3 |
|Find a good source for IELTS practice tests. These must be OFFICIAL IELTS tests, or they will be of little use. The best source |
|for these is official practice tests from IELTS. A link to a source of official practice tests is included in the appendix. |
|If you are willing to make a larger time investment (or if you want to really 'learn' the material, a time consuming but |
|ultimately valuable endeavor), consider buying one of the better study guides on the market. Again, do NOT use their practice |
|tests, just the study guide. |
|Take a practice test with no time constraints, with all study helps 'open book.' Take your time with questions and focus on |
|applying the strategies. |
|Take another test, this time with time constraints, with all study helps 'open book.' |
|Take a final practice test with no open material and time limits. |
|If you have time to take more practice tests, just repeat step 5. By gradually exposing yourself to the full rigors of the test |
|environment, you will condition your mind to the stress of test day and maximize your success. |
| |
|[pic][pic][pic] |
|IELTS Secret Key #4 - Prepare, Don't Procrastinate |[pi|[pic|[pic]|
| |c] |] | |

|Written by Rad Danesh |
|Tuesday, 24 April 2007 |
|Let me state an obvious fact: if you take the IELTS three times, you will get three different scores. This is due to the way you |
|feel on test day, the level of preparedness you have, and, despite IELTS’s claims to the contrary, some tests WILL be easier for |
|you than others. |
| |
|Since so much depends on your score, you should maximize your chances of success. In order to maximize the likelihood of success,|
|you’ve got to prepare in advance. This means taking official practice tests and spending time learning the information and test |
|taking strategies you will need to succeed. |
| |
|You can always retake the test more than once, but remember that you will have to wait a minimum of three months before retaking |
|the test. Don’t get into a situation where you need a higher score and can’t afford to wait, so don’t take the IELTS as a |
|“practice” test. Feel free to take sample tests on your own, but when you go to take the IELTS, be prepared, be focused, and do |
|your best the first time! |
| |
|[pic][pic][pic] |
|IELTS Listening Module |[pi|[pic|[pic]|
| |c] |] | |

|Written by Rad Danesh |
|Tuesday, 24 April 2007 |
|The Listening module of the IELTS consists of a total of 40 questions. |
| |
|There are four sections: |
|Social Needs – Conversation between two speakers |
|Social Needs – Speech by one speaker |
|Educational or Training – Conversation between up to four speakers |
|Educational or Training – Speech by one speaker |
|Main Ideas |
|Important words and main ideas in conversation are ones that will come up again and again. Listen carefully for any word or words|
|that come up repeatedly. What words come up in nearly every statement made? These words with high frequency are likely to be in |
|the main idea of the conversation. For example, in a conversation about class size in the business department of a college, the |
|term 'class size' is likely to appear in nearly every statement made by either speaker in the discussion. |
| |
|Voice Changes |
|IELTS expects you to be able to recognize and interpret nuances of speech. Be on the alert for any changes in voice, which might |
|register surprise, excitement, or another emotion. If a speaker is talking in a normal monotone voice and suddenly raises their |
|voice to a high pitch, that is a huge clue that something critical is being stated. Listen for a speaker to change their voice |
|and understand the meaning of what they are saying. |
| |
|Example: |
|Man: Let’s go to Wal-mart. |
|Woman: There’s a Wal-mart in this small town? |
| |
|If the woman’s statement was higher pitched, indicating surprise and shock, then she probably did not expect there to be a |
|Wal-mart in that town. |
| |
|Specifics |
|Listen carefully for specific pieces of information. Adjectives are commonly asked about in IELTS questions. Try to remember any |
|main adjectives that are mentioned. Pick out adjectives such as numbers, colors, or sizes. |
| |
|Example: |
|Man: Let’s go to the store and get some apples to make the pie. |
|Woman: How many do we need? |
|Man: We’ll need five apples to make the pie. |
| |
|A typical question might be about how many apples were needed. |
| |
|Interpret |
|As you are listening to the conversation, put yourself in the person’s shoes. Think about why someone would make a statement. |
|You’ll need to do more than just regurgitate the spoken words but also interpret them. |
| |
|Example: |
|Woman: I think I’m sick with the flu. |
|Man: Why don’t you go see the campus doctor? |
|Sample Question: Why did the man mention the campus doctor? |
| |
|Answer: The campus doctor would be able to determine if the woman had the flu. |
| |
|Find the Hidden Meaning |
|Look for the meaning behind a statement. When a speaker answers a question with a statement that doesn’t immediately seem to |
|answer the question, the response probably contained a hidden meaning that you will need to recognize and explain. |
| |
|Man: Are you going to be ready for your presentation? |
|Woman: I’ve only got half of it finished and it’s taken me five hours just to do this much. There’s only an hour left before the |
|presentation is due. |
| |
|At first, the woman did not seem to answer the question the man presented. She responded with a statement that only seemed |
|loosely related. Once you look deeper, then you can find the true meaning of what she said. If it took the woman five hours to do|
|the first half of the presentation, then it would logically take her another five hours to do the second half. Since she only has|
|one hour until her presentation is due, she would probably NOT be able to be ready for the presentation. So, while an answer was |
|not immediately visible to the man’s question, when you applied some logic to her response, you could find the hidden meaning |
|beneath. |
| |
|Memory Enhancers |
|You have scratch paper provided to you while taking the test. This can be a huge help. While you listen, you are free to make |
|notes. If different people are talking, use short hand to describe the main characteristics of each speaker. As you hear main |
|adjectives that you think might be hard to remember, jot them down quickly in order that you can refer to them later during the |
|question stage. Use your notes to help you remember those hard to remember facts. Don’t end your test without making use of your |
|scratch paper ally. |
| |
|Example: |
|Speaker 1: I’m Bob Thomas, and I’m majoring in business development. |
|Speaker 2: I’m Matt Smith, and I’m majoring in chemical engineering. |
|Speaker 3: I’m John Douglass, and I’m majoring in speech therapy. |
| |
|Your short hand might read: |
|Bob – Bus. |
|Matt – Chem. E |
|John – Sp. Th. |
| |
|On subsequent questions about the characters, you’ll be able to remember these basic facts and answer more accurately. However, |
|don’t spend so much time making notes that you miss something on the tape. You won’t be able to rewind it and catch what you |
|miss. The idea is that the notes should only supplement your memory, not replace it. |
| |
|IELTS Reading Module |[pi|[pic|[pic]|
| |c] |] | |

|Written by Rad Danesh |
|Tuesday, 24 April 2007 |
|The Reading module of the IELTS consists of a total of 40 questions. |
|There are three passages, with a total of 2,000 to 2,750 words. |
| |
|Skimming |
|Your first task when you begin reading is to answer the question 'What is the topic of the selection?' This can best be answered |
|by quickly skimming the passage for the general idea, stopping to read only the first sentence of each paragraph. A paragraph’s |
|first sentence is usually the main topic sentence, and it gives you a summary of the content of the paragraph. |
| |
|Once you’ve skimmed the passage, stopping to read only the first sentences, you will have a general idea about what it is about, |
|as well as what is the expected topic in each paragraph. |
| |
|Each question will contain clues as to where to find the answer in the passage. Do not just randomly search through the passage |
|for the correct answer to each question. Search scientifically. Find key word(s) or ideas in the question that are going to |
|either contain or be near the correct answer. These are typically nouns, verbs, numbers, or phrases in the question that will |
|probably be duplicated in the passage. Once you have identified those key word(s) or idea, skim the passage quickly to find where|
|those key word(s) or idea appears. The correct answer choice will be nearby. |
| |
|Example: What caused Martin to suddenly return to Paris? |
| |
|The key word is Paris. Skim the passage quickly to find where this word appears. The answer will be close by that word. |
| |
|However, sometimes key words in the question are not repeated in the passage. |
|In those cases, search for the general idea of the question. |
| |
|Example: Which of the following was the psychological impact of the author’s childhood upon the remainder of his life? |
| |
|Key words are 'childhood' or 'psychology'. While searching for those words, be alert for other words or phrases that have similar|
|meaning, such as 'emotional effect' or 'mentally' which could be used in the passage, rather than the exact word 'psychology'. |
| |
|Numbers or years can be particularly good key words to skim for, as they stand out from the rest of the text. |
| |
|Example: Which of the following best describes the influence of Monet’s work in the 20th century? |
| |
|20th contains numbers and will easily stand out from the rest of the text. Use 20th as the key word to skim for in the passage. |
| |
|Once you’ve quickly found the correct section of the passage to find the answer, focus upon the answer choices. Sometimes a |
|choice will repeat word for word a portion of the passage near the answer. However, beware of such duplication – it may be a |
|trap! More than likely, the correct choice will paraphrase or summarize the related portion of the passage, rather than being |
|exactly the same wording. |
| |
|For the answers that you think are correct, read them carefully and make sure that they answer the question. An answer can be |
|factually correct, but it MUST answer the question asked. Additionally, two answers can both be seemingly correct, so be sure to |
|read all of the answer choices, and make sure that you get the one that BEST answers the question. |
| |
|Some questions will not have a key word. |
| |
|Example: Which of the following would the author of this passage likely agree with? |
|In these cases, look for key words in the answer choices. Then skim the passage to find where the answer choice occurs. By |
|skimming to find where to look, you can minimize the time required. |
|Sometimes it may be difficult to identify a good key word in the question to skim for in the passage. In those cases, look for a |
|key word in one of the answer choices to skim for. Often the answer choices can all be found in the same paragraph, which can |
|quickly narrow your search. |
| |
| |
|Paragraph Focus |
|Focus upon the first sentence of each paragraph, which is the most important. The main topic of the paragraph is usually there. |
| |
|Once you’ve read the first sentence in the paragraph, you have a general idea about what each paragraph will be about. As you |
|read the questions, try to determine which paragraph will have the answer. Paragraphs have a concise topic. The answer should |
|either obviously be there or obviously not. It will save time if you can jump straight to the paragraph, so try to remember what |
|you learned from the first sentences. |
| |
|Example: The first paragraph is about poets; the second is about poetry. If a question asks about poetry, where will the answer |
|be? The second paragraph. |
| |
|The main idea of a passage is typically spread across all or most of its paragraphs. Whereas the main idea of a paragraph may be |
|completely different than the main idea of the very next paragraph, a main idea for a passage affects all of the paragraphs in |
|one form or another. |
|Example: What is the main idea of the passage? |
| |
|For each answer choice, try to see how many paragraphs are related. It can help to count how many sentences are affected by each |
|choice, but it is best to see how many paragraphs are affected by the choice. Typically the answer choices will include incorrect|
|choices that are main ideas of individual paragraphs, but not the entire passage. That is why it is crucial to choose ideas that |
|are supported by the most paragraphs possible. |
| |
| |
|Eliminate Choices |
|Some choices can quickly be eliminated. 'Andy Warhol lived there.' Is Andy Warhol even mentioned in the article? If not, quickly |
|eliminate it. |
| |
|When trying to answer a question such as 'the passage indicates all of the following EXCEPT' quickly skim the paragraph searching|
|for references to each choice. If the reference exists, scratch it off as a choice. Similar choices may be crossed off |
|simultaneously if they are close enough. |
| |
|In choices that ask you to choose 'which answer choice does NOT describe?' or 'all of the following answer choices are |
|identifiable characteristics, EXCEPT which?' look for answers that are similarly worded. Since only one answer can be correct, if|
|there are two answers that appear to mean the same thing, they must BOTH be incorrect, and can be eliminated. |
| |
|Example: |
|A.) changing values and attitudes |
|B.) a large population of mobile or uprooted people These answer choices are similar; they both describe a fluid culture. Because|
|of their similarity, they can be linked together. Since the answer can have only one choice, they can also be eliminated |
|together. |
| |
| |
|Contextual Clues |
|Look for contextual clues. An answer can be right but not correct. The contextual clues will help you find the answer that is |
|most right and is correct. Understand the context in which a phrase is stated. |
| |
|When asked for the implied meaning of a statement made in the passage, immediately go find the statement and read the context it |
|was made in. Also, look for an answer choice that has a similar phrase to the statement in question. |
|Example: In the passage, what is implied by the phrase 'Churches have become more or less part of the furniture'? |
| |
|Find an answer choice that is similar or describes the phrase 'part of the furniture' as that is the key phrase in the question. |
|'Part of the furniture' is a saying that means something is fixed, immovable, or set in their ways. Those are all similar ways of|
|saying 'part of the furniture.' As such, the correct answer choice will probably include a similar rewording of the expression. |
|Example: Why was John described as 'morally desperate'. |
| |
|The answer will probably have some sort of definition of morals in it. 'Morals' refers to a code of right and wrong behavior, so |
|the correct answer choice will likely have words that mean something like that. |
| |
| |
|Fact/Opinion |
|When asked about which statement is a fact or opinion, remember that answer choices that are facts will typically have no |
|ambiguous words. For example, how long is a long time? What defines an ordinary person? These ambiguous words |
| |
|of 'long' and 'ordinary' should not be in a factual statement. However, if all of the choices have ambiguous words, go to the |
|context of the passage. Often a factual statement may be set out as a research finding. |
| |
|Example: 'The scientist found that the eye reacts quickly to change in light.' |
|Opinions may be set out in the context of words like thought, believed, understood, or wished. |
|Example: 'He thought the Yankees should win the World Series.' |
| |
| |
|Opposites |
|Answer choices that are direct opposites are usually correct. The paragraph will often contain established relationships (when |
|this goes up, that goes down). The question may ask you to draw conclusions for this and will give two similar answer choices |
|that are opposites. |
| |
|Example: |
|A.) if other factors are held constant, then increasing the interest rate will lead to a decrease in housing starts |
|B.) if other factors are held constant, then increasing the interest rate will lead to an increase in housing starts |
| |
|Often these opposites will not be so clearly recognized. Don’t be thrown off by different wording, look for the meaning beneath. |
|Notice how these two answer choices are really opposites, with just a slight change in the wording shown above. Once you realize |
|these are opposites, you should examine them closely. One of these two is likely to be the correct answer. |
| |
|Example: |
|A.) if other factors are held constant, then increasing the interest rate will lead to a decrease in housing starts |
|B.) when there is an increase in housing starts, and other things remaining equal, it is often the result of an increase in |
|interest rates |
| |
| |
|Make Predictions |
|As you read and understand the passage and then the question, try to guess what the answer will be. Remember that most of the |
|answer choices are wrong, and once you being reading them, your mind will immediately become cluttered with answer choices |
|designed to throw you off. Your mind is typically the most focused immediately after you have read the passage and question and |
|digested its contents. If you can, try to predict what the correct answer will be. You may be surprised at what you can predict. |
| |
|Quickly scan the choices and see if your prediction is in the listed answer choices. If it is, then you can be quite confident |
|that you have the right answer. It still won’t hurt to check the other answer choices, but most of the time, you’ve got it! |
| |
| |
|Answer the Question |
|It may seem obvious to only pick answer choices that answer the question, but IELTS can create some excellent answer choices that|
|are wrong. Don’t pick an answer just because it sounds right, or you believe it to be true. It MUST answer the question. Once |
|you’ve made your selection, always go back and check it against the question and make sure that you didn’t misread the question, |
|and the answer choice does answer the question posed. |
| |
| |
|Benchmark |
|After you read the first answer choice, decide if you think it sounds correct or not. If it doesn’t, move on to the next answer |
|choice. If it does, make a mental note about that choice. This doesn’t mean that you’ve definitely selected it as your answer |
|choice, it just means that it’s the best you’ve seen thus far. Go ahead and read the next choice. If the next choice is worse |
|than the one you’ve already selected, keep going to the next answer choice. If the next choice is better than the choice you’ve |
|already selected, then make a mental note about that answer choice. |
| |
|As you read through the list, you are mentally noting the choice you think is right. That is your new standard. Every other |
|answer choice must be benchmarked against that standard. That choice is correct until proven otherwise by another answer choice |
|beating it out. Once you’ve decided that no other answer choice seems as good, do one final check to ensure that it answers the |
|question posed. |
| |
| |
|New Information |
|Correct answers will usually contain the information listed in the paragraph and question. Rarely will completely new information|
|be inserted into a correct answer choice. Occasionally the new information may be related in a manner than IELTS is asking for |
|you to interpret, but seldom. |
| |
|Example: |
|The argument above is dependent upon which of the following assumptions? |
|A.) Scientists have used Charles’s Law to interpret the relationship. |
|If Charles’s Law is not mentioned at all in the referenced paragraph and argument, then it is unlikely that this choice is |
|correct. All of the information needed to answer the question is provided for you, and so you should not have to make guesses |
|that are unsupported or choose answer choices that have unknown information that cannot be reasoned. |
| |
| |
|Key Words |
|Look for answer choices that have the same key words in them as the question. |
|Example: |
|Which of the following, if true, would best explain the reluctance of politicians since 1980 to support this funding? |
| |
|Look for the key words 'since 1980' to be referenced in the correct answer choice. Most valid answer choices would probably |
|include a phrase such as 'since 1980, politicians have...' |
| |
| |
|Valid Information |
|Don’t discount any of the information provided in the passage, particularly shorter ones. Every piece of information may be |
|necessary to determine the correct answer. None of the information in the passage is there to throw you off (while the answer |
|choices will certainly have information to throw you off). If two seemingly unrelated topics are discussed, don’t ignore either. |
|You can be confident there is a relationship, or it wouldn’t be included in the passage, and you are probably going to have to |
|determine what is that relationship for the answer. |
| |
| |
|Time Management |
|In technical passages, do not get lost on the technical terms. Skip them and move on. You want a general understanding of what is|
|going on, not a mastery of the passage. |
| |
|When you encounter material in the selection that seems difficult to understand, it often may not be necessary and can be |
|skipped. Only spend time trying to understand it if it is going to be relevant for a question. Understand difficult phrases only |
|as a last resort. |
| |
|Identify each question by type. Usually the wording of a question will tell you whether you can find the answer by referring |
|directly to the passage or by using your reasoning powers. You alone know which question types you customarily handle with ease |
|and which give you trouble and will require more time. |
| |
| |
|Final Warnings |
|Hedge Phrases Revisited |
|Once again, watch out for critical 'hedge' phrases, such as likely, may, can, will often, sometimes, etc, often, almost, mostly, |
|usually, generally, rarely, sometimes. Question writers insert these hedge phrases, to cover every |
| |
|possibility. Often an answer will be wrong simply because it leaves no room for exception. |
|Example: Animals live longer in cold places than animals in warm places. |
| |
|This answer choice is wrong, because there are exceptions in which certain warm climate animals live longer. This answer choice |
|leaves no possibility of exception. It states that every animal species in cold places live longer than animal species in warm |
|places. Correct answer choices will typically have a key hedge word to leave room for exceptions. |
|Example: In severe cold, a polar bear cub is likely to survive longer than an adult polar bear. |
| |
|This answer choice is correct, because not only does the passage imply that younger animals survive better in the cold, it also |
|allows for exceptions to exist. The use of the word 'likely' leaves room for cases in which a polar bear cub might not survive |
|longer than the adult polar bear. |
| |
| |
|Word Usage Questions |
|When asked how a word is used in the passage, don’t use your existing knowledge of the word. The question is being asked |
|precisely because there is some strange or unusual usage of the word in the passage. Go to the passage and use contextual clues |
|to determine the answer. Don’t simply use the popular definition you already know. |
| |
| |
|Switchback Words |
|Stay alert for 'switchbacks'. These are the words and phrases frequently used to alert you to shifts in thought. The most common |
|switchback word is 'but'. Others include although, however, nevertheless, on the other hand, even though, while, in spite of, |
|despite, regardless of. |
| |
| |
|Avoid 'Fact Traps' |
|Once you know which paragraph the answer will be in, focus on that paragraph. However, don’t get distracted by a choice that is |
|factually true about the paragraph. Your search is for the answer that answers the question, which may be about a tiny aspect in |
|the paragraph. Stay focused and don’t fall for an answer that describes the larger picture of the paragraph. Always go back to |
|the question and make sure you’re choosing an answer that actually answers the question and is not just a true statement. |
|IELTS Writing Module |[pi|[pic|[pic]|
| |c] |] | |

|Written by Rad Danesh |
|Tuesday, 24 April 2007 |
|The Writing module of the IELTS consists of a 60 minute module with two tasks. |
| |
| |
|Task 1: A diagram or table will be presented to you and you must write out approximately a 150 word discussion on it within |
|approximately 20 minutes. You must evaluate the diagram or table, organize your ideas, and develop them into a cohesive and |
|coherent explanation. |
| |
|Task 2: A topic will be presented to you and you must write out approximately a 250 word discussion on it within approximately 40|
|minutes. There is not a 'correct' answer to the topic. You must evaluate the topic, organize your ideas, and develop them into a |
|cohesive and coherent response. You will be scored on how well you are able to utilize standard written English, organize and |
|explain your thoughts, and support those thoughts with reasons and examples. |
| |
| |
|Brainstorm |
|Spend the first three to five minutes brainstorming out ideas. Write down any ideas you might have on the topic or table. The |
|purpose is to extract from the recesses of your memory any relevant information. In this stage, anything goes down. Write down |
|any idea, regardless of how good it may initially seem. You can use either the scratch paper provided or the word processor to |
|quickly jot down your thoughts and ideas. The word processor is highly recommended though, particularly if you are a fast typist.|
| |
| |
|Strength through Diversity |
|The best papers will contain diversity of examples and reasoning. As you brainstorm consider different perspectives. Not only are|
|there two sides to every issue, but there are also countless perspectives that can be considered. On any issue, different groups |
|are impacted, with many reaching the same conclusion or position, but through vastly different paths. Try to 'see' the issue |
|through as many different eyes as you can. Look at it from every angle and from every vantage point. The more diverse the |
|reasoning used, the more balanced the paper will become and the better the score. |
| |
|Example: |
|The issue of free trade is not just two sided. It impacts politicians, domestic (US) manufacturers, foreign manufacturers, the US|
|economy, the world economy, strategic alliances, retailers, wholesalers, consumers, unions, workers, and the exchange of more |
|than just goods, but also of ideas, beliefs, and cultures. The more of these angles that you can approach the issue from, the |
|more solid your reasoning and the stronger your position. |
| |
|Furthermore, don’t just use information as to how the issue impacts other people. Draw liberally from your own experience and |
|your own observations. Explain a personal experience that you have had and your own emotions from that moment. Anything that |
|you’ve seen in your community or observed in society can be expanded upon to further round out your position on the issue. |
| |
| |
|Pick a Main Idea |
|Once you have finished with your creative flow, stop and review it. Which idea were you able to come up with the most supporting |
|information? It’s extremely important that you pick an angle that will allow you to have a thorough and comprehensive coverage of|
|the topic or table. This is not about your personal convictions, but about writing a concise rational discussion of an idea. |
| |
| |
|Weed the Garden |
|Every garden of ideas gets weeds in it. The ideas that you brainstormed over are going to be random pieces of information of |
|mixed value. Go through it methodically and pick out the ones that are the best. The best ideas are strong points that it will be|
|easy to write a few sentences or a paragraph about. |
| |
| |
|Create a Logical Flow |
|Now that you know which ideas you are going to use and focus upon, organize them. Put your writing points in a logical order. You|
|have your main ideas that you will focus on, and must align them in a sequence that will flow in a smooth, sensible path from |
|point to point, so that the reader will go smoothly from one idea to the next in a logical path. Readers must have a sense of |
|continuity as they read your paper. You don’t want to have a paper that rambles back and forth. |
| |
| |
|Start Your Engines |
|You have a logical flow of main ideas with which to start writing. Begin expanding on the issues in the sequence that you have |
|set for yourself. Pace yourself. Don’t spend too much time on any one of the ideas that you are expanding upon. You want to have |
|time for all of them. Make sure you watch your time. If you have twenty minutes left to write out your ideas and you have ten |
|ideas, then you can only use two minutes per idea. It can be a daunting task to cram a lot of information down in words in a |
|short amount of time, but if you pace yourself, you can get through it all. If you find that you are falling behind, speed up. |
|Move through each idea more quickly, spending less time to expand upon the idea in order to catch back up. |
| |
|Once you finish expanding on each idea, go back to your brainstorming session up above, where you wrote out your ideas. Go ahead |
|and erase the ideas as you write about them. This will let you see what you need to write about next, and also allow you to pace |
|yourself and see what you have left to cover. |
| |
| |
|First Paragraph |
|Your first paragraph should have several easily identifiable features. First, it should have a quick description or paraphrasing |
|of the topic or table. Use your own words to briefly explain what the topic or table is about. |
| |
|Second, you should explain your opinion of the topic or table and give an explanation of why you feel that way. What is your |
|decision or conclusion on the topic or table? |
| |
|Third, you should list your 'writing points'. What are the main ideas that you came up with earlier? This is your opportunity to |
|outline the rest of your paper. Have a sentence explaining each idea that you will go intend further depth in additional |
|paragraphs. If someone was to only read this paragraph, they should be able to get an 'executive summary' of the entire paper. |
| |
| |
|Body Paragraph |
|Each of your successive paragraphs should expand upon one of the points listed in the main paragraph. Use your personal |
|experience and knowledge to support each of your points. Examples should back up everything. |
| |
| |
|Conclusion Paragraph |
|Once you have finished expanding upon each of your main points, wrap it up. Summarize what you have said and covered in a |
|conclusion paragraph. Explain once more your opinion of the topic or table and quickly review why you feel that way. At this |
|stage, you have already backed up your statements, so there is no need to do that again. All you are doing is refreshing in the |
|mind of the reader the main points that you have made. |
| |
| |
|Don’t Panic |
|Panicking will not put down any more words on paper for you. Therefore, it isn’t helpful. When you first see the topic or table, |
|if your mind goes as blank as the page on which you have to write your paper, take a deep breath. Force yourself to mechanically |
|go through the steps listed above. |
| |
|Secondly, don’t get clock fever. It’s easy to be overwhelmed when you’re looking at a page that doesn’t seem to have much text, |
|there is a lot of blank space further down, your mind is full of random thoughts and feeling confused, and the clock is ticking |
|down faster than you would like. You brainstormed first so that you don’t have to keep coming up with ideas. If you’re running |
|out of time and you have a lot of ideas that you haven’t expanded upon, don’t be afraid to make some cuts. Start picking the best|
|ideas that you have left and expand on those few. Don’t feel like you have to write down and expand all of your ideas. |
| |
| |
|Check Your Work |
|It is more important to have a shorter paper that is well written and well organized, than a longer paper that is poorly written |
|and poorly organized. Remember though that you will be penalized for answers shorter than the required minimum limit. Don’t keep |
|writing about a subject just to add words and sentences, and certainly don’t start repeating yourself. Expand on the ideas that |
|you identified in the brainstorming session and make sure that you save yourself a few minutes at the end to go back and check |
|your work. |
| |
|Leave time at the end, at least three minutes, to go back and check over your work. Reread and make sure that everything you’ve |
|written makes sense and flows. Clean up any spelling or grammar mistakes that you might have made. If you see anything that needs|
|to be moved around, such as a paragraph that would fit in better somewhere else, cut and paste it to that new location. Also, go |
|ahead and erase any brainstorming ideas that you weren’t able to expand upon and clean up any other extraneous information that |
|you might have written that doesn’t fit into your paper. |
| |
|As you proofread, make sure there aren’t any fragments or run-ons. Check for sentences that are too short or too long. If the |
|sentence is too short, look to see if you have an identifiable subject and verb. If it is too long, break it up into two separate|
|sentences. Watch out for any 'big' words you may have used. It’s good to use difficult vocabulary words, but only if you are |
|positive that you are using them correctly. Your paper has to be correct, it doesn’t have to be fancy. You’re not trying to |
|impress anyone with your vocabulary, just your ability to develop and express ideas. |
| |
| |
|Shortcut Keys |
|If you’re taking the IELTS on the computer, spend some time on your keyboard getting familiar with the shortcut keys to cut, |
|copy, and paste. It will help you to quickly move text around on your paper. First highlight the text you wish to move or copy |
|and then type: |
|Ctrl+C = copy |
|Ctrl+X = cut |
|Ctrl+V = paste |
|You must hold down the ctrl key and then tap the 'c', 'x', or 'v' key to perform the desired function. |
| |
| |
|Final Note |
|Depending on your test taking preferences and personality, the essay writing will probably be your hardest or your easiest |
|section. You are required to go through the entire process of writing a paper very quickly, which can be quite a challenge. |
| |
|Focus upon each of the steps listed above. Go through the process of creative flow first, generating ideas and thoughts about the|
|topic or table. Then organize those ideas into a smooth logical flow. Pick out the ones that are best from the list you have |
|created. Decide which main idea or angle of the topic or table you will discuss. |
| |
|Create a recognizable structure in your paper, with an introductory paragraph explaining what you have decided upon, and what |
|your main points will be. Use the body paragraphs to expand on those main points and have a conclusion that wraps up the topic or|
|table. |
| |
|Save a few moments to go back and review what you have written. Clean up any minor mistakes that you might have had and give it |
|those last few critical touches that can make a huge difference. Finally, be proud and confident of what you have written! |
| |
|[pic][pic][pic] |
|IELTS Speaking Module |[pi|[pic|[pic]|
| |c] |] | |

|Written by Rad Danesh |
|Tuesday, 24 April 2007 |
|The Speaking Module of the IELTS consists of a 60 minute module with three parts. |
| |
| |
|Part 1 |
|You will need to answer general questions about yourself, your homes/families, your jobs/studies, your interests, and a range of |
|familiar topic areas in four to five minutes. |
| |
|Part 2 |
|You will be given a verbal prompt on a card and asked to speak about a particular topic (listed on the card). You will have one |
|minute to prepare before speaking at length, and will need to speak between one and two minutes. Then the examiner will ask you |
|one or two follow up questions. |
| |
|Part 3 |
|You and the examiner will engage in a discussion of more abstract concepts and issues which will be linked to the topic you |
|discussed in Part 2. The discussion will last between four and five minutes. You will be scored on how well you are able to |
|communicate effectively in English. |
| |
| |
|Of all the test modules on IELTS, this is the easiest to prepare for. This is the test module that you can practice anywhere, in |
|your car, in your room, on the phone, by yourself or with someone else. After you successfully pass IELTS, you will be speaking |
|English a lot, so you might as well prepare by speaking it at every opportunity beforehand. |
| |
| |
|Exhausting the Possibilities |
|Part 1 will ask basic questions. There are only so many possible basic questions that can be asked about someone. You can easily |
|be prepared for every possibility. Go through and write down all the possibilities and a good answer for each. When you’re asked |
|about your family, don’t have to struggle to come up with descriptions for your family members. Practice ahead of time and know |
|what you’re going to say. Right now as you’re reading this, stop and take a minute to answer each of these following questions. |
|If you were asked these in an interview, what would you say? |
|Please describe yourself. |
|Please describe your family. |
|Please describe your home. |
|Please describe some of your interests. |
|Please describe your job. |
|Please describe your studies |
|This is important practice. Make sure that you can spend a minute or so answering each of these questions without having to take |
|time to think of a good response. These are basic questions and you should have your basic answers ready. |
| |
| |
|Tell a Story |
|Movie making is a multi-billion dollar industry. Why? It’s because everyone likes to hear a good story, and the best movies |
|contain great stories. The Speaking Module interview can be a big aggravation for both sides. Usually, it is tense, |
|uncomfortable, and boring for both the interviewer and the test taker. |
| |
|Think about your favorite relatives. In many cases, they are your favorite because they are such raconteurs, or good |
|storytellers. These are your aunts and uncles that can turn a simple trip to the grocery store into high adventure and will keep |
|you captivated and entertained. Even if you’re not a natural storyteller, with a little thought and practice, even you can turn |
|your dull past experiences into exciting exploits. |
| |
|Stories are your strongest weapon for captivating the interviewer and demonstrating your mastery of speaking English. The |
|questions in Part 2 of the Speaking Module literally beg for stories to be told. These need to be compelling stories, real time |
|drama, and you’re the hero. You want the interviewer begging for more, asking follow-up questions, eager to hear how it ends. |
|Once you begin a quick exciting story, you set the tone of the interview, and you will determine what will be the follow-up |
|questions. |
| |
|The easiest way to prepare for these Part 2 questions is to scour your memory for any exciting instance in your past. Perhaps |
|where you played a leadership role or accomplished a goal. These can be from any part of your past, during your education, at |
|home with your family, projects at work, or anything that you might have had a part in. Identify the main characteristics of the |
|story, you want to have things straight. Make sure you know the basics of what happened, who was involved, why it occurred, and |
|how the events unfolded sequentially. You certainly don’t want to stumble over the facts and repeat yourself during the |
|interview. |
| |
| |
|One Size Fits All |
|These basic stories are building blocks. Just as a piece of lumber can be cut into many different shapes and have many completely|
|unique uses, each of your stories does not only answer one unique question. Your stories are one size fits all. With practice you|
|will find that you can use the same story to answer two seemingly unrelated questions. |
|For example, a question about teamwork and working under pressure can both be answered by a story about your experience playing |
|intramural basketball. The story could describe how you had to work as a team in order to get into the |
| |
|playoffs, spending time practicing together, coordinating plays, whatever was necessary for the team to advance. Alternatively, |
|the story could focus upon the clutch shots that you made that season in order to win the game in the last few seconds of play |
|under enormous pressure. The basic story is the same: your experiences playing basketball. |
| |
|The questions were different, but you customized the story to fit the question. With practice you should be able to answer almost|
|any question with just a few stock stories that can be customized. |
| |
| |
|Find the Bridges |
|Some questions will lend themselves more readily to a story than others. You must have a set of basic stories ready that can be |
|modified to fit the occasion. You must 'find the bridges' in the questions offered to make sure your stories get told. |
| |
|In WWII, the US Army used Bailey bridges. Bailey bridges were bridges made of prefabricated steel sections that were carried |
|around and could be thrown together at a moment’s notice, allowing the army to move quickly across any obstacle and get to where |
|they wanted to go. |
| |
|You need to find bridges, i.e. opportunities to tell your stories. Look for any chance to turn a standard question about |
|anything, into a bridge to begin telling your story. For example, 'What is your job title?' |
| |
|On the surface that might not seem like the ideal bridge, but with a little insight your response might become: |
| |
|'My job title is Product Line Manager. I was responsible for everything from the development of new products, to the obsolescence|
|of old products. Marketing, sales, engineering, and production of the entire product line fell under my responsibility. One of |
|the products was even my own idea based on feedback I received from my interactions with our customers. In the first year, it |
|alone had achieved a sales level of over…' |
| |
|The key to remember is that just because a question is asked as a closed ended question (yes/no, or one word answers), doesn’t |
|mean that you have to answer it as a closed ended question. Answer the question asked, but then find a way to develop your answer|
|and a bridge to a good story of yours. With an open mind, the most closed ended of questions can become a launch pad into a |
|story. |
| |
| |
|Pregnant Pause |
|A good story can usually wind its way down a long path. There is always a danger that you will begin to bore the interviewer, who|
|may wonder if an end is in sight. Some interviewers may get worried that they won’t be able to get through the fifteen questions |
|on their list during the allotted time. Therefore, find natural breaks in your story and pause for a second. If the interviewer |
|maintains eye contact or asks continuation questions, then keep going. But this will give them a chance to stop the story and ask|
|a different question if they are getting bored and want to move on. |
| |
| |
|Taking the Final Step |
|By trying to answer each of your Part 2 questions with a basic story, you will be able to transition nicely into the final step, |
|Part 3. Part 3 questions are based upon your answers to Part 2 questions and will be asked at the interviewer’s discretion. By |
|using the story techniques listed above, you will have already determined the path that the interviewer will take with his |
|follow-up Part 3 questions. The interviewer will naturally ask questions that tie into your story and you will already be |
|prepared for those questions and will ace Part 3 as easily as the others. |
| |
| |
|Practice Makes Perfect |
|Don’t try to answer every question by shooting from the hip. You’ll spend most of your time trying to think of what happened and |
|repeating yourself. Think of the classic stories that you could tell and then practice going over them with your friends, |
|explaining how you successfully achieved the goal, or took charge and gave leadership to your group project. You don’t want to |
|have the story memorized, because it will become stale in the telling, but you want it to be smooth. This story must be live and |
|in living color, where the interviewer can see himself taking part on the sidelines and watching the situation take place. Have |
|your friends and family members quiz you by asking you random questions and see how well you can adapt to the question and give a|
|lucid response. |
| |
|[pic][pic][pic] |
|How Your IELTS Score is Viewed |[pi|[pic|[pic]|
| |c] |] | |

|Written by Rad Danesh |
|Tuesday, 24 April 2007 |
|For your IELTS score, you will be grouped in one of nine bands. |
|Band |
|Description |
|Meaning |
| |
|9 |
|Expert User |
|Fluent with complete understanding |
| |
|8 |
|Very Good User |
|Full operational command, occasional inaccuracies |
| |
|7 |
|Good User |
|Operational command, occasional inaccuracies |
| |
|6 |
|Competent User |
|Effective command, inaccuracies |
| |
|5 |
|Modest User |
|Partial command, many mistakes |
| |
|4 |
|Limited User |
|Limited command, frequent problems |
| |
|3 |
|Extemely Limited User |
|Only general understanding |
| |
|2 |
|Intermittent User |
|Only basic understanding with difficulty |
| |
|1 |
|Non User |
|No language ability |
| |
|0 |
|Did Not Take Test |
|N/A |
| |
|If you are on the upper edge of one of these bands, it is definitely profitable to work your way into the next one by studying |
|and practicing. |
| |
|[pic][pic][pic] |