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Recent IELTS exams

Real students tell about their recent IELTS exams: IELTS questions, topics, tasks, answers.

Update from an Academic IELTS exam, France

Listening test

Section 1. A young guy wanted to find a temporary job at the employment agency – don’t remember well but it was about the implementation of a swimming pool and an entertainment center (or something like that).
Section 2. 2 students were talking about a paper or an assignment they had to do.
Section 3. A man was talking about how to talk in front of an audience (a lecture).
Section 4. Don’t remember.

Reading test

Passage 1. About ambrosis ( substance found in whales’ sperm and used to make perfumes).
Passage 2. A text about map making.
Passage 3. About the printing industry and the development of new technologies.

Writing test

Writing Task 1 (a report)
We had a pie chart and a table about the causes of land degradation in 3 different regions in the world.

Writing Task 2 (an essay)

What is causing people to become overweight? Give reasons and suggest measures to deal with this problem.

Speaking test

Interview

The examiner asked me about where I was living at the moment, then about the kind of transportation in my town, then a few questions about meeting new people.

Cue Card

Describe a change that happened to you recently.

Discussion

I was asked questions about change in general.

Thanks to Aurore for sharing with us her IELTS experience.

Update from a General IELTS exam, Dublin, Ireland

Sergey has kindly updated us about his IELTS exam – good job, buddy!

Listening test

The Listening was very difficult to understand because the exam took place in a big lecture hall and the sound quality was awful. I could hear only echo.
Section 1. Stolen property: somebody rang and reported a stolen bag (when, where, the address, name, what was in the bag).
Section 2. An ad about some National Park (don’t remember the name).
Section 3. A discussion about how to make films.
Section 4. A lecture about Australian air, water, soil pollution (fill in the gaps).

Reading test

The Reading wasn’t too bad. I can’t remember the first one.
Passage 2. The winter season in OZ (a holiday trip package) where, when, what was included, price, payment method (fill in gaps).

Passage 3. College campus rules (keys loss, furniture damage, noise), type of tasks: T, F, N/G.
Passage 4. About Australian fish farms (the research how to grow fish, where, foreign experience). There were 6 questions: use the appropriate letters A-G, and 4 questions YES, NO, NOT GIVEN.

Writing test

Writing Task 1 (a letter)

You are going to do a computer course at your local college. Write a letter to the college and mention:
– Why do you want to do this course?
– Have you got any educational background and computer skills?
– Ask some questions about the course.

Writing Task 2

Private cars now are banned from the city centres. Does this have more advantages than disadvantages for individuals and businesses? What is your opinion?

Speaking test

Interview

– Tell me about yourself.

Cue Card

Talk about a foreign language you are going to learn (not English). Please say
– What language this is
– Why you prefer this language
– Where and how you will learn it

Discussion

– About languages around the world