Question 1: Sample answer and analysis Describe a major decision you have taken in your life.

You should say: - What the decision was - What other choices were available to you - Why you made the decision you did And explain if you think the decision was a good one. Like many questions in IELTS Speaking Part 2, this one deals with an event or action in the past. There is, however, a switch to the present when the candidate is required to reflect on the decision. A really important decision Ive made recently is to study abroad. No-one from my family has ever had the chance to do this before, and my parents were actually hoping Id start working for the family textile business. I think its too soon to join the business though. I really want to study marketing especially emarketing so I can contribute more to my parents firm in the future. If I study e-marketing in the UK, I can learn how to use the internet to sell our clothes all over the world. As for whether it was the right decision, Im pretty confident it was and I cant change my mind now anyway because my parents have borrowed money from my uncle to pay for my tuition. I really cant wait to come back with new ideas that will help expand our business. All I need now is to get a good score in IELTS. So, anyway, thats an important decision in my life. This IELTS candidate scores highly by: o o o o o o o o Getting straight to the point and saying what the decision was in the very first sentence Paraphrasing the topic: A really important decision Using a range of tenses past simple, present simple and present perfect with great accuracy Using a wide range of grammatical forms such as a conditional sentence (If I) and a cleft sentence (All I need now is) Answering all parts of the question Signalling one part of the question: As for whether it was the right decision Avoiding over-formality and using expressions such as actually and pretty that are appropriate to conversational style Providing a summarising sentence to wrap up the response

Question 2: Sample answer and analysis Describe something you do to forget about work or study. You should say: - What the activity is - How often you do it

- How it helps you forget And say whether you would recommend other people try the same thing. This is a much trickier question because the words work and study in the first sentence may lead some IELTS candidates to speak about either of those topics. In fact, you should speak about some kind or leisure activity or other form of relaxation that helps you forget about work or study. OK, Id like to talk about horse-riding. Im actually the joint owner of a horse with two of my friends and we take turns looking after him, cleaning out the stable and so on. I dont have a part-time job so I spend most of my weekends at the stable. Taking care of a horse is quite a dirty business so its obviously very different from studying at college. That means I can forget about my classes during the week when Im at the stable on the weekend. Theres quite a large field next to the stable and I just get a wonderful sense of freedom when Im riding around on my horse. College seems a million miles away! Do I think other people would enjoy horse-riding? Yes, absolutely. I think everyone should give it a try. This IELTS candidate scores highly by: o o o o o o o Showing a clear understanding of the question Getting straight to the point by mentioning the activity in the first sentence Using present simple verbs throughout to show that this is a regular activity Sticking to the question even though the topic might be a very enjoyable one to speak about Showing awareness of hyperbole (a million miles), phrasal verbs (give it a try) and other forms common to spoken English Using a rhetorical question to move from one part of the question to another: Do I think? Ending with a clear concluding sentence, in this case a recommendation

Question 3: Sample answer and analysis Describe a language you would like to learn. You should say: - What the language is - Where it is spoken - Why you are interested in this language And say if you think you will ever actually have the chance to learn it. One problem IELTS candidates have with hypothetical questions such as this one is that they fail to recognise them as hypothetical. Since candidates are already learning English, they should talk about another language that is neither English nor their first language. This can be realistic (e.g. Spanish) or unrealistic (e.g. Ancient Greek). It doesnt matter as long as the language is not one you are currently learning.

Let me tell you about a language Ive always wanted to learn, which is Russian. Its spoken in Russia, obviously, but also in many other countries which have been influenced by Russia including places like Mongolia and Kazakhstan. The reason I would like to learn Russian is that the energy industry is huge and there are lots of jobs. A lot of my countrys oil and gas comes from Russia so its really useful to be able to speak that language if you want to work in the energy field. And I know that a lot of Russians cant speak English very well so theres another reason to learn their language. The problem is Im already in my thirties and Ive spent more than ten years learning English. I dont know if I would ever be able to study Russian because it uses a completely different alphabet and sounds really difficult. But it would be really nice to have the chance to learn it. This IELTS candidate scores highly by: o o o o o o Beginning with an impact sentence: Let me tell you about Using would to show that the response is hypothetical Signalling parts of the question: The reason I would like to learn Russian is Using reference links to avoid overuse of the key topic word Russian: that language; their language; it Giving more than one reason Returning to the main point of the question in the final sentence

These three sample answers show that there are certain techniques that can be applied regardless of the topic in IELTS Speaking, Part 2. Perfecting a system for answering all parts of the question in a very short space of time is key. There are also factors such as pronunciation (not mentioned here) as well as nonverbal communication which, although not included in the scoring criteria for IELTS Speaking, can certainly influence an examiners judgement of your ability. Questions 1 & 2: Sample answers and analysis Is it better to make important life decisions on your own or is it better to consult other people? There are good reasons for both, I suppose. Ultimately, its your life so I suppose you should make the decisions. On the other hand, any decisions you make can affect other people so it seems only right to discuss things with others first. Like many philosophical questions, theres no simple answer, Im afraid. Do you think good decision-making can be taught? Well, if you go to a bookstore youll see lots of self-help books that claim to teach decision-making. Im not sure any of them are effective though. I suppose it depends on the type of decision you mean. If its a business strategy, then Im sure some decisions are better than others and business schools teach this.

But if its a moral issue then Im not sure anyone can claim to know the right decision, so how could anyone teach it? This IELTS candidate scores highly by: o o o o o o Giving balanced answers to both questions Using a time-buying strategy before answering Question 2: Well, if you go to a bookstore Using it depends and conditional sentences to explore different possibilities Using verbs of speculation such as suppose Using you in the general sense to mean any person Returning to the original question at the end of each answer

Questions 3 & 4: Sample answers and analysis Is watching TV a good way of forgetting about work or study? Absolutely, yes. These days theres so much choice available that we can completely immerse ourselves in entertainment. I mean, you can turn on a good drama or comedy show and pretty soon you forget about everything that happened that day. I think that without TV wed all go a little crazy. Should coworkers also spend their leisure time together? Im completely against this. The problem with people going out together after work is that they just gossip about certain people in the office or factory, and this can hardly be a good thing for the company, can it? Another thing is that theres always the risk that you will say something you regret after a few drinks and then you have to face your colleagues again the next day. So, in short, I would definitely advise people to think twice about socialising with colleagues. This IELTS candidate scores highly by: o o o o o o Using strong expressions of (dis)agreement: Absolutely, yes; Im completely against this Using ellipsis or substitution to avoid parrotting the question: Absolutely, yes; Im completely against this Supporting opinions with more than one reason Using you, we and they to make general observations about people Paraphrasing key elements of the question: entertainment; colleagues; socialising Summarising the main argument when an answer becomes quite long: So, in short

Questions 5 & 6: Sample answers and analysis Do you agree that English should be the main language of international exchange. Thats a very interesting question. Ive never really thought about it before, actually. We all just assume that it should be English, dont we? But what other languages could we use? I suppose Chinese is becoming quite an

important language, but the pronunciation is too difficult for most people. English is already the main language of universities and business, so maybe it should stay that way. What are the difficulties in creating a universal language? Do you mean inventing a completely new language? Yes? Well, I mean, er, its never been done before, has it? There was Latin, of course, which was used by people all over Europe, but Im not sure if it was really created for that purpose. Actually, I think there used to be a universal language about a hundred years ago. What was it called again, Esperanto? But that disappeared quite quickly. Er, what Im trying to say is, I dont think anyone has ever succeeded in creating a universal language, so I doubt if it will ever be possible in the future. This IELTS candidate scores highly by: o o o o o Using filler expressions to buy time: Thats a very interesting question; Well, I mean, er Thinking aloud rather than staying silent (both questions) Asking a checking question rather than simply asking for help: Do you mean? Using a fluency expression to rephrase an idea: What Im trying to say is Indicating an opinion at the end of each answer, even when uncertain at the beginning.

These sample answers show that there at least three different ways of getting a good score in IELTS Speaking, Part 3. How you answer will depend on various factors including the nature or difficulty of the question, your own personality, and your level of interest in and knowledge of the question topic. There are also factors such as pronunciation (not mentioned here) as well as nonverbal communication which, although not included in the scoring criteria for IELTS Speaking, can certainly influence an examiners judgement of your ability. Improvements in health, education and trade are essential for the development of poorer nations. However, the governments of richer nations should take more responsibility for helping the poorer nations in such areas. Todays world has been divided into developing and industrialised countrieswhich the main difference between them is the amount of money that governments apply in important sectors such as education, health and commerce. Most of the poorer nations are buried in debts as a result of their unbalanced finances which are reflect in a failed health care, an unstructured education system and a weak international trade. This vicious cycle will continue indefinitely unless wealthier nations show interest in minimizing the worldwide economic differences, as well as taking more responsibility for assisting unfortunate countries.

Most of the African countries live in sub-human conditions because of the extreme poverty, upheaval, hunger, disease, unemployment, lack of education and both inexperienced and corrupt administrations. The devastating consequences of the AIDS epidemic in those countries could improve if the infected populations receive free drugs to control the disease,

have access to health professionals and get information on how to prevent its spread. But this can only be achieved through international help programs in which leaders of the world?s richest countries donate medicine and also send doctors and nurses to treat and educate those in need. Moreover, most of the poor countries rely on selling agricultural products and raw material to rich nations and buying industrialized products from them resulting in a huge financial deficit. Consequently, they borrow a significant amount of money from the World Bank to try to improve their broken economies, but sometimes the money disappears with no significant changes and they cannot even pay the interest to the bank. Regarding this issue, last year the G8, which is comprised of leaders of the eight richest nations, decided to forgive billions of dollars worth of debt owed by the world?s poorest nations. In addition, they developed adequate loan programs to financially assist those countries. In conclusion, leaders of the industrialised countries play an indispensable role in assisting developing nations deal with essential areas such as health, education and trade. Also, their aid is the key to breaking the vicious cycle, which results in poverty and death. This is an amazing essay, looks like Band 8 to me, nothing to improve here.
Financial education should be mandatory component of the school program. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? It is an obvious fact that financial aspects are a major part of daily life, as an adult and even as a young individual. Each and every one of us has to make financial decisions concerning recreation, health, education and more. The question is whether to start with financial education as part of school program or postpone it for a later stage in life. To being with, being able to understand the value of money, the way the economic system works and interpret financial news and its implications is a virtue. Without this virtue, an individual, and even a young one, might suffer, to some extent. For an example, a child who doesnt understand the concept of money might find it more difficult to except choosing only one present out of more possible ones. In addition, many adults are lacking financial analysis capabilities. Quite often, the reason can be a shaky basis or insecurity when it comes to financial terms and concepts. Starting from an early age, building a strong background, can very likely prevent such a situation.

However, financial education necessarily involves quantifying and setting prices and value for services and goods. It can be easily turn young people into cynical and cold-hearted human beings. Furthermore, a tendency to self-concentration and egoism might rise when one start measuring everything from a profit making perspective. In conclusion, financial education has both pros and cons. In my opinion, the advantages are stronger than the disadvantages, making financial education an advisable component of school program. The disadvantages should be thought of as a certain price that young people have to pay due to the characteristics of the world that we live in. This is a wonderful essay. It covers the task, is correctly structured, the paragraphs are logically connected, the structure of sentences shows excellent command of English. The vocabulary is fine and both spelling and grammar are very good. See comments underlined in blue for some minor corrections. Overall, looks like a Band 7.5 8 essay.

Even though globalization affects the worlds economies in a very positive way, its negative side should not be forgotten. Discuss. Globalization is such a commonly used term in the twentiethcentury. It simply means that the world has become integrated economically, socially, politically and culturally through the advances of technology, transportation and communication. It is undeniable to say that globalization has resulted in both positive and negative effects which must be addressed accordingly. To begin with, globalization has contributed to the worlds economies in many beneficial ways. The advances in science and technology have allowed businesses to easily cross over territorial boundary lines. Consequently, companies tend to become more productive, competitive thereby raising quality of goods, services and the worlds living standard.

Secondly, several companies from the more developed countries have already ventured to establish foreign operations or branches to take advantage of the low cost of labor in the poorer countries. This kind of business activity will provide more influx of cash or investment funds into the less developed countries. However, one cannot deny the negative effects which havederived from globalization. One crucial social aspect is the risk and danger of epidemic diseases which can easily be spread as the mode transportation is easier and faster in todays advance society. This is evidenced in the recent birds flu disease which has infected most Asian countries over a short time frame. As large corporations invest or take over many off shore businesses, a modern form of colonization will also evolve which may pose certain power pressure on the local governments of the less developed countries. Unemployment rates in the more developed regions like Europe may also escalate as corporations choose to outsource cheaper work force from Asian countries. In conclusion. I like to reiterate that globalization is inevitable and we must urge individuals, companies and governments to use a more balanced approach by taking appropriate steps to deal with matters relating to the financial or economical gains verses the social, political or ecological concerns of the world. This essay is too long, 318 words instead of 250-265. Otherwise (except for some minor grammatical errors) it is a very nice work. It covers the task, has the right structure, the paragraphs are coherent and logically connected by elegantly used linking words, the structure of sentences is fine and so is your vocabulary. Looks like a Band 7.5 or higher essay.

The diagram shows how electricity is generated by a hydroelectric dam. Write a 150-word report for a university lecturer explaining how the process works.

The diagram illustrates the basic principles of hydroelectric power. The process requires the construction of a large dam connected to a powerhouse. The dam creates a large reservoir and the powerhouse is where the electricity is generated. First of all, water trapped in the reservoir behind the dam is forced through an intake. It then flows into a narrow chamber called a penstock, where the resulting high pressure turns a turbine. The turbine is connected to a generator in the powerhouse above, and this is where the movement of the turbine is converted into electricity. The resulting electricity leaves the powerhouse via cables that carry it over long distances to where it can be used. It is interesting to note that a hydroelectric dam creates no harmful byproducts and relies entirely on natural forces to produce electricity. After the turbine stage, water flows out through a second channel and into a river. The process is renewable, thanks to the water cycle in nature. (163 words, IELTS 8.0)