He got a band 9 in Writing Task 2

Economic progress is often used to measure a country's success. However, some people believe that other factors are more important. What other factors should also be considered when measuring a country's success? Do you think one factor is more important than others?

The relative success of different countries is usually defined in economic terms. There are several other factors, apart from the economy, that could be used to assess a country, and in my opinion education is the most important of all.

Standards of education, health and individual human rights should certainly be considered when measuring a country’s status. A good education system is vital for the development of any nation, with schools, colleges and universities bearing the responsibility for the quality of future generations of workers. Healthcare provision is also an indicator of the standard of living within a country, and this can be measured by looking at average life expectancy rates or availability of medical services. Finally, human rights and levels of equality could be taken into account. For example, a country in which women do not have the same opportunities as men might be considered less successful than a country with better gender equality.

In my view, a country’s education system should be seen as the most important indicator of its success and level of development. This is because education has a considerable effect on the other two factors mentioned above. It affects people’s health in the sense that doctors and nurses need to be trained, and scientists need to be educated to the highest levels before they can carry out medical research. It also affects the economy in the sense that a well-educated workforce will allow a variety of companies and industries to flourish, leading to trade with other countries, and increased wealth.

In conclusion, nations can be assessed and compared in a variety of ways, but I would argue that the standard of a country's education system is the best measure of its success.

(288 words, band 9)

Idioms...

When Pigs Fly :
Something that will never ever happen.

Wild and Woolly:
Uncultured and without laws.

Water Under The Bridge:
Anything from the past that isn't significant or important anymore.

Under the weather:
Feeling ill or sick.

Turn A Blind Eye:
Refuse to acknowledge something you know is real or legit.

To Make A Long Story Short:
Something someone would say during a long and boring story in order to keep his/her audience from losing attention. Usually the story isn't shortened.

The Bigger They Are The Harder They Fall:
While the bigger and stronger opponent might be alot more difficult to beat, when you do they suffer a much bigger loss.

Start From Scratch:
To do it all over again from the beginning.

Smell A Rat:
To detect somone in the group is betraying the others.

Skid Row:
The rundown area of a city where the homeless and drug users live.

Rise and Shine:
Time to get out of bed and get ready for work/school.

Rome Was Not Built In One Day:
If you want something to be completely properly, then its going to take time.

Rule Of Thumb:
A rough estimate.

Run out of steam:
To be completely out of energy.

Practice Makes Perfect:
By constantly practicing, you will become better.

Pull the plug:
To stop something. To bring something to an end.

Pulling Your Leg:
Tricking someone as a joke.

Put a sock in it:
To tell noisy person or a group to be quiet.

Over My Dead Body:
When you absolutely will not allow something to happen.

Off On The Wrong Foot:
Getting a bad start on a relationship or task.

Off The Hook:
No longer have to deal with a tough situation.

Off the Record:
Something said in confidence that the one speaking doesn't want attributed to him/her.

On Pins And Needles:
Anxious or nervous, especially in anticipation of something.

On The Fence:
Undecided.

On The Same Page:
When multiple people all agree on the same thing.

Out Of The Blue:
Something that suddenly and unexpectedly occurs.

Out On A Limb:
When someone puts themself in a risky situation.

Out On The Town:
To enjoy yourself by going out.

You should be a genius to fill ALL the gaps with appropriate words.

Once, children had ambitions to be doctors, explorers, sportsmen, artist, or scientists. Now taking……1……lead from TV, they just want to be famous. Fame is no ……2…… a reward for gallant service or great, perhaps even selfness endeavor. It’s an end in ……3.….. and the sooner it can be achieved the sooner the lonely bedroom mirror can be replaced by the TV camera and flash gun the ……4..…. .   Celebrity is  profession ……5……. the moment, a vainglorious vocation which, ……6………some 18^th century royal court, seems to exist largely……7…….that the rest of us might watch and be amazed …….8……..its members live …...9……..  their lives in public, like self-regarding members of some glittering soap opera.

Today, almost ……10....….can be famous. Never has fame ……11…… more democratic, more ordinary, more achievable.   …12…… wonder it is a modern ambition. It’s easy to see why people crave a celebrity, ……13……. generations are reared on the instant fame ……14……by television who want to step out of ……15…… limousine……16……the flash lights bouncing ……17……… them.     ……18….. doesn’t want to be the center of attention at some time in their lives?

Modern celebrity, peopled by largely vain and vacuous, fills a ……19……. in our lives. It peoples talk shows, sells goods and newspapers and rewards the famous for well, …20…… famous. 

 

Can you complete these PROVERBS?

1. One man's meat .....................
2. Out of the mouths of..............
3. A stitch in time.................
4. Many true words..............
5. A miss is ....................

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1

The plans show the changes to a health center over the last six years. Since 2005, the center has expanded in a number of different ways. Firstly, an extension has been added to accommodate a minor operations room. Also, the interior has been significantly remodeled. In 2005, there was a large entrance area with wide doors and a lot of open space for waiting, with the reception desk in the  middle. There were only three consulting rooms and a physiotherapy room. This room has stayed the same size but the consulting  rooms have been made smaller and increased to four in number. The office has been made smaller and the reception desk put in front of it. A children's play area has been added in the corner near the entrance. Outside there have been changes. The car park has been expanded in size to accommodate 18 more cars. The garden is decreased in size to accommodate the extra parking space.

 

IELTS Speaking: 'band 9' example

IELTS Speaking: 'band 9' example

Improve Your Listening and Speaking Podcast # 58

Describe someone in your family that you like.

I am best friends with my cousin with my cousin. We can really relate to each other. He/She has always been there for me and I have done all I can to help him/her out. We have been playmates ever since we were kids and we went to school together. He was much better in general studies than I was and we had our own little study group. There is a lot of mutual respect between us, and it has been building up over the years. I really like spending time with him/her because he/she has a wonderful sense of humor and that he/she  delivers all he/she promises. I have never caught him/her lying or backbiting. I lay all my trust with him/her. The chemistry we have is anything beyond words. ....

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

TIPS; Dos and Don'ts in IELTS Speaking Part 2

• Read the topic card (cue-card) carefully 
• Make the best use of the minute given to organize your answer, and make brief notes for each key word, such as who, what, when, where, how, or why. A common criticism of some candidates in that they don't plan; you don't impress the examiner if you start immediately without planning, whatever your level is. Candidates who don't make notes tend to describe the general aspect of the question rather than covering the prompts of the card and giving specific information.
• Don't write on the topic card.
• Write notes not sentences.
• It may be easier to read and use your notes if you write them in a vertical list and in order.
• It is important to keep talking, but don't talk about things which aren't related to the topic.
• As you speak, refer to your note to organize your answers. If your talk is not organized, you will lose marks. 
• Remember that the IELTS test is a communication test, not a memory test. If there is something you can't remember, simply use other words and explain about it.

        -- ' I am not really sire when it happened to me, but I am sure I was very young.', is just as good as a date. 

• Don't worry if you decide to change a little of what you have palnned to say. Keeping your talk natural and fluent in much important than sticking rigidly to your note.
• There are some ways to extend your talk. For example, talking about your preferences, comparing or contrasting with other subjects.
• In the IELTS books, you can see a number of topic cards which are thematically the same, but have different prompts. make sure to talk about the question that you are asked to talk about NOT the one that you have prepared.
• Don't miss out any questions.
• Don't hesitate for too  long when it is time to speak. It is better to speak about anything than not to speak at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

I usually get many frequent questions regarding the IELTS speaking test.
Below, I try to answer some of them.

1. What happens if I don't understand a question?
 You should not be worried much about this. If you don't quite get what the question means, you can always ask for clarification. However, if this occurs too much you may leave a negative effect on the examiner.


2. Do I have to answer all of the questions?
Absolutely. You should never pass a question or say t hat you have no idea about it. You must always try to provide an answer that is as relevant as possible to the question.


3. Should I edit myself?
Not too much. It is a positive sign to be able to notice your mistakes and correct them. However, if this is done a lot, it will cause you to be speaking slowly. Fluency should never be sacrificed for any thing else.


4. What of I get a topic that I have no idea about?
It is simple. in the minute that you have to prepare for your talk you can ask the examiner by starting up giving you a few examples that you could speak about. It is good to know that those who have practiced intensively have a greater chance to get a topic that they are familiar with.


5. Is it alright if I ask the examiner how well I did?
Doing so would be pointless. The interviewer is instructed to provide no information about the candidates' performance on the test as this is confidential information until another examiner listens to your performance on the test. Don't even insist on knowing how you generally did on the test.


6. Can I ask the examiner to change my topic on cue-card on part 2?
I wouldn't recommend it. There is a pre-planned cue-card for every test taker and you are required to give a talk about it.


7. What happens if I speak for less that two  minutes on part 2?
It is not such a crime. It all depends of how fast a speaker you are and whether you have completely covered all the points on  the cue-card. Remember that you are instructed to speak for 1 to 2 minutes so the IELTS people must have taken the above two factors into account.