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April 2009

IELTS in Brussels, Belgium – just a short update

Today instead of a full size update I have only a short one. An email arrived from a Belgian student and it said that their IELTS exam was a lot like the one I’ve posted about in India, New Delhi (click here to read it). The only difference was in the Speaking test:

Speaking test

Interview
– What is your name?
– What do you do? Do you study or work?
– Do you have visitors sometimes?
– What preparation do you make for visitors?
– Do you think it’s difficult to offer gifts? Why?
– Is that different for men and women? Why?

Cue card
Tell me about a sculpture (or a painting) that you like. Describe what it is and what does it represent. Why do you like it ? When and where did you see it for the first time?

Discussion
– What kind of art is popular in your country? Why ?
– Why do you think it is popular ?
– Why do you think cartoons are not always considered art? Do you think it’s related to the age of the audience?

IELTS Essay Plan – Traffic congestion and possible solutions

A student asked me about the following topic, whether I think it is a situation essay or an argument one.

“The first car appeared on Britain’s road in 1888. By the year 2000 there may be as many as 29 million vehicles on British roads. Alternative forms of transport should be encouraged and international laws introduced to control car ownership and use. What are your views?”

I think this is a situation essay because it is talking about a problem and is looking at a possible solution.

Essay plan

Introduction paragraph

Here you should explain what is the problem, what is it’s reason and it’s consequences. The problem is traffic congestion and a higher number of traffic accidents, the roads are jammed and the environment suffers from increasing amounts of pollution.

First body paragraph – an explanation of the reasons for this situation

The reason is people are accustomed to using their own cars and that population growth combined with higher living standards means that more and more people own cars.

Second body paragraph – a possible solution (alternative transport)

Explain what forms of public transport should be developed more and why the state they are now is not sufficient to convince people use the public transport. How exactly can government develop the public transport and how can it encourage people use it.

Third body paragraph – another possible solution (laws to control cars ownership)

Write about what kind of laws can be introduced world wide to limit the number of cars per family / per company. Write whether or not you think it will work and why.

Conclusion paragraph

Summarize what was said before, do not add new information.