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October 2009

How IELTS-Blog helped Elham get Band 8

Do you remember Elham Khani, our results competition winner? I asked her what resources in IELTS-Blog helped her achieve this beautiful score (Band 8!), and here is her answer:

“Thanks Simone,

I’m absolutely happy with my result and surely IELTS-Blog and you helped me a lot. There are loads of tests for practicing and I used them as much as I could.

I used IELTS-Blog in three ways:

First, the sample writings which I read many times, tried to avoid repeating the same mistakes and memorized some of the sentences.

On the other hand, I received some emails from IELTS-blog which contained latest tests. They were all helpful (especially the speaking samples).

The lessons (in PDF format) were great too. By reading them I understood how to act in speaking test to have better impression.

Sadly, I could not buy the offered book (Target Band 7) due to sanction in Iran (we aren’t allowed to pay through Internet).

Now I recommend IELTS-Blog to every one of my friends (actually a friend of mine suggested it to me) and it’s really much, much cheaper than having a private tutor and it works exactly like that.

Best wishes for you and all of IELTS-Blog users,

Elham Khani”

IELTS in Kenya and Kazakhstan – October 2009 (Academic Module)

According to students from Kenya and Kazakhstan IELTS exams in both countries were the same (apart from the Speaking, of course). All the credits go to R. and N. for sharing. Although they didn’t remember the topics from the Listening or the Reading sections, they managed to describe the Writing and Speaking sections quite well:

Writing test

Writing task 1 (a report)
We had one graph showing the sales of some selected European books in the following categories: adult fiction, children’s books and educational books.

Writing task 2 (an essay)
Some subjects are compulsory at school, for example mathematics and philosophy. Some people think these subjects should be optional. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?”

Speaking test

Interview
– What is your full name?
– Do you work or study?
– Do you drive a car?
– Do you think it is important to drive well?
– Do you spend your time with your friends?
– Where do you prefer spending time with your friends, in your home or outside?

Cue card
Talk about a position you would like to have in the future. You should say
– What is it?
– What is the difference the future job and the recent one that you have?
– Why do you think you can have that future job?

Discussion
– Do you think you will have that position in the future?
– Why do you think people change their career?
– Why is it beneficial to a person to stay in one company for a long time?
– Will there be any changes from the past in the way people will work?

One of the students was also asked the following questions:

– What are your plans for the nearest future?
– Why people make plans?
– What is the most crucial environmental problem that mankind may face in the future?