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Recent IELTS exams

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

IELTS test in Scotland – July 2016 (Academic Module)

An IELTS test taker from Scotland (thanks, F!) remembered the following details about a recent exam. F didn’t remember the Listening topics, but had a good recollection of everything else:

Reading testIELTS test in Scotland

Passage 1. About lie detection.

Passage 2. About the clever pill (brain boosting medicine) and its future.
Questions: filling in blanks, short-answer questions (no more than X words), multiple choice.

Passage 3. About the process of making violins.
Questions: match headings to paragraphs.

Writing test

Writing task 1 (a report)

We were given a bar chart showing the land damage in four parts of the world (Asia, Africa, Australia and Europe) caused by over-grazing, tree destruction and farming.

Writing task 2 (an essay)

Many people believe that schools should teach students good behavior as well as other subjects. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Speaking test

Interview

– What is your full name?
– Can I see your ID?
– Where are you originally from?
– Where do you live now?
– Do you like it? Why?
– Is there a public transport available near your home?
– Do you intend to live there for a long time? Why?
– Do you like flowers?
– Do you have any plants in your home?
– What kind of plants are there?
– When was the last time you bought a plant?
– Have you ever had a garden?
– On what occasions do you use flowers in your country?

Cue Card

Talk about an instance when you received some good news. Please say

– What was the news?
– How did you receive the news?
– What did you do after that?

Discussion

– Let’s talk about news.
– Do you think people have the right to know the true news?
– Do you think public organizations should tell people bad news?
– What is the best way to say it?
– Do you prefer to read or to listen to the news? Why?
– What qualifications should a person have to work in a top position of news corporation?
– Let’s talk about an online business.
– Do you think an online business is a good or a bad thing?
– How helpful is it in your opinion?

IELTS test in India – July 2016 (General Training)

Thanks to our friends C, K and V who took their IELTS tests in India we know this much about the recent exam:

Listening testIELTS test in India

Section 1. Flight booking form.
Questions: filling in blanks.

Section 2. About an animal park in Australia
Questions: multiple choice, map labeling.

Section 3. A discussion between a student and a teacher about the assignment and improvements that are needed.

Section 4. About science in the future, environment-related.

Reading test

Passage 1. About archaeological findings in caves.
Questions: multiple choice, match headings to paragraphs.

Passage 2, 3, 4. Don’t remember.

Writing test

Writing task 1 (a letter)

You have recently ordered two items online, but the items you received are not the same as you ordered and you are not happy with the purchase. Write a letter to the company telling them that they have delivered 2 incorrect items. In your letter

– Describe what you ordered.
– What did you receive instead?
– What would you like the company to do about it?

Writing Task 2 (an essay)

In many countries school-age children spend their free time doing homework. Is it a good or a bad thing? Give examples based on your own experience.

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 job?
– Why did you choose to do it?

Cue Card

Talk about a mistake that you made as a child. Please say
– What was the mistake?
– Where and when did you do it?
– What did you learn from it?

Discussion

– What kind of mistakes do children make in school work?
– Do you think children should be allowed to make mistakes?
– Do you think parents make mistakes too?
– Do you think it is in human nature to conceal one’s shortcomings?