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March 2017

IELTS test in Sri Lanka – March 2017 (Academic Module)

Thanks to L who took the IELTS test in Sri Lanka we can share the topics and questions from a recent exam:

Reading testIELTS test in Sri Lanka

Passage 1. About the evolution of materials people used for writing, from ancient clay tablets to modern machines.

Passage 2. About native frogs in New Zealand.

Passage 3. Don’t remember.

Writing test

Writing task 1 (a report)

We were given a table showing the production of carbon dioxide emissions in five countries (China, the US, India, Australia and the UK) in 2005-2006. We had to summarize and compare data.

Writing task 2 (an essay)

Some people say that use of mobile phones should be banned in public places or crowded areas, while others disagree. Give your own opinion and relevant examples.

Speaking test

Interview

– What is your full name?
– Can I see your ID?
– Where are you from?
– Do you work or study?
– What do you do for a living?
– Do you find your job stressful?
– What do you do with your friends on weekends?
– Do you like to make new friends?
– Do you remember your dreams after you wake up?
– Do you like to hear dreams of others? Why?
– Do you like to learn about dreams? Why?

Cue Card

Describe a disagreement that you had with someone. Please say

– When and where was it?
– What was it about?
– How did you feel about it later?

Discussion

– How can decisions affect a person’s life?
– What are the main decisions youngsters have to make nowadays?
– Did you get advice from somebody before making crucial decisions? Why?
– Why do people make wrong decisions sometimes?

IELTS tips from Band 8.5 candidate: “Practice, analyse your mistakes and don’t get nervous”

Sai Bhargavi Satti is a lovely young lady from India, whose mother tongue is Telugu. She took IELTS for the very first time after some self-preparation at home and achieved an overall Band score of 8.5 (with straight 9’s in Listening and Reading). As a winner of our IELTS results competition Sai had a chance to share her best tips with everyone, and she said:

Band 8.5 in IELTS“I feel honoured considering that I’ve scored high though for me this was the first time taking the IELTS exam. I’ve practised on my own using the practice materials available on IELTS-Blog.com and they helped a lot.

Below are some strategies I’ve used and hope would be helpful to others as well:

1. The first and foremost tip I would suggest is that one must love learning English if they want to do well in the exam. It’s also important to know the test pattern beforehand. “Practice” is the key to success. Make sure you know the instructions and follow them precisely, long before the exam.

2. For the Listening section: One must get used to listening to the English language and actually understanding it. This is only possible with lots of practice as the audios are of various dialects/accents. Personally, I didn’t find much difference between varied accents. Practice with as many tests as you can. On the test day, relax and tune in. Do not worry about understanding every word. Just listen to the audio and be quick to write down the answers on the question paper first.

3. For the Reading section: Practice. Analyse your mistakes and try not to repeat them in the next practice test. There are many strategies for good performance in the reading part. Try each one and know which one works for you.

4. For the Writing section: Lots of practice is quite essential. Know the word limit for the two tasks and practice likewise. Take care not to write below the mentioned word limits in the respective tasks. You lose marks otherwise. Your handwriting must the legible and neat. Grammar, spelling and the content – all are evaluated. Look for a pattern of writing that looks good and works for you. There are many useful youtube channels that telecast videos on writing section like ielts-blog and others.

5. For the Speaking section: Don’t let nervousness get to you. You must not appear reluctant during the test or answer in very few words. You need to give long and relevant answers. This can only be achieved by practising speaking in English so that you can answer the questions spontaneously.

6. Last but not the least – time management is important in all the four sections.”