Ielts-ideas

I wish you all a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2021... and hope you overcome the challenges and anxieties of 2020 with health and confidence.

I hope the New Year brings you health, happiness, prosperity...and success in .

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Hoping that the New Year brings you many happy times shared with loved ones, good health and success in your venture.

JG.

What does the ‘merry’ in ‘Merry Christmas’ mean? | OxfordWords blog From Happy Easter to Happy Halloween to countless Happy Birthdays, our felicitations hardly vary from one celebration to the next. Christmas is the notable exception, with the dominant descriptor being Merry. We wish our friends a Merry Christmas but a Happy New Year. Is there any difference? Not ev...

UNDERSTANDING THE WRITING TASKS.

Make sure you understand the task of the question you need to answer. The type of question that is used to frame the writing task clearly and specifically indicates what you need to do.

Here is a list of some words which are commonly used in the prompts of writing tasks and academic essays.

-account for, analyse, calculate, characterize, classify, comment on, compare, consider, contrast, deduce, define, demonstrate, determine, differentiate between, discuss, distinguish between, elaborate, elucidate, enumerate, estimate, evaluate, examine, explain, express, identify, indicate, infer, illustrate, justify, mention, name, outline, prove, quantity, relate, show, speculate, suggest, state, summarize, trace, verify.

Make sure you understand them and use them. If you have any doubts, look them up in your dictionary.

All the best.
JG.

. RESILIENCE.

As you prepare for , try to develop a resilient mindset. Learn that putting in effort and employing the right strategies can empower you to achieve more. Don't give up!

Good luck!

JG.

We recently met up for coffee with Matthew Dubois, a local teacher, and expert in the exciting area of 'Growth Mindset'. It was a fascinating conversation about kids developing the right mindset and learning that putting in effort and the right strategies can actually make them smarter and they can achieve more!! 😃

A 'Growth Mindset' workshop will be coming up soon!

WHAT IS YOUR MINDSET?

Your attitude will influence the degree of your success in the exam. In order to succeed in ... and in life, you need to develop a positive mindset.

Your thoughts have weight. They can drag you down. Your thoughts have height. They can lift you up. Your thoughts have length. They can last a lifetime!

You can change your mindset with your choice of words. For example, instead of thinking "I am not good at this," you can tell yourself, "I am not good at this YET, but I WILL learn. I am consciously preparing for and I WILL succeed." Instead of thinking "I am afraid I will make a mistake," you can say, "I WILL learn from my mistakes and get better." Instead of feeling like giving up, you can remind yourself WHY you started.

We all have a soul with unique gifts and passions. If you want to become the best you can be, you need courage and discipline to keep improving them.

We are here on this planet to grow and realise our full potential. Think of your life as a competition with yourself to become extraordinary. Preparing for can provide you with such a challenge.

Good luck!
JG.

BRAINSTORMERS.
SHOULD EXAMS BE ABOLISHED?

Testing is a feature of most education systems around the world. In many countries young people are required to take exams which are imposed by the authorities in an attempt to raise educational standards. However, some educationalists argue that exams exert a pernicious influence on education and should be abolished.

ARGUMENTS FOR EXAMS.
* Some testing needs to take place otherwise academic standards will fall.
* They are a fair form of assessment given that all candidates do the same exam.
* They can instil a sense of competitiveness in someone and make them feel motivated to continue working harder.
* They can give you the opportunity to explore the strength of your character and commitment.

ARGUMENTS AGAINST EXAMS.
* Exams place unnecessary stress and pressure on candidates to succeed.
* Tests are not equally fair to all students. Those who are particularly adept at memorising facts or writing essays in a limited time are more likely to perform well.
* Students tend to focus on the outcome and forget to enjoy the experience of learning.
* Exams promote rote learning and limit critical thinking and creativity.

I hope you have found these ideas useful.
Good luck.
JG.

P.S. The image below is for educational purposes only and no copyright infringement is intended.

THE FUTURE.

You don't need to be a fortune teller to do well in the exam. However, you do need to be able to express your ideas and opinions about the future clearly and coherently using a broad range of vocabulary and grammatical structures in both the writing and speaking tests.

You can use the following key language to express probability if you have to answer a question like: "What is the possibility/ chance/ prospect/ likelihood of something happening, or that something will happen?"

ABOUT 100% SURE.
*Something will definitely/ certainly/ inevitably happen.
*Something is bound to happen.

ABOUT 75% SURE.
*Somethng will probably happen.
*It is likely/ probable/ possible that something will happen.
*Something is likely to happen.
*There is a strong possibility/ chance/ prospect/ probability of something happening, or that something will happen.
*In all probability something will happen.
*There is every possibility that something will happen.
*It is more than likely that something will happen.

ABOUT 50% SURE.
*Something may/ might/ could happen.
*Perhaps/ Maybe something will happen.

ABOUT 25% SURE.
*Something probably won't happen.
*It is unlikely that something will happen.
*Something is unlikely to happen.
*There is a remote/ slight possibility/ chance/ prospect/ likelihood of something happening, or that something will happen.
*There is litte/ There isn't much likelihood/ chance of something happening, or that something will happen.

*ABOUT 0% SURE.
*Something definitely/ certainly won't happen.
*There is no chance of something happening, or that something will happen.

You can practise using these vocabulary and grammatical structures about the future by expressing your opinion about the possibility of the following events happening in the next 20 years.

1. A cure for cancer will be found.
2. England (Your country) will win the World Cup.
3. A woman will become president of the USA (your country).
4. Computers will replace teachers.

You can also make predictions about events happening in your life in the next few months or years.

1, Will you live/ study abroad?
2. Where will you go on your next holiday?
3. Will you get married?
4. Will you succeed in ?

Remember that there is no need to look into a crystal ball. All you need to do is practise with a friend. GOOD LUCK!
JG.

BRAINSTORMERS.
WHAT ARE THE REASONS FOR AND BENEFITS OF LEARNING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE?

Learning a foreign language is one of the most rewarding experiences one can have. Nowadays, the number of people learning another language is increasing significantly. There is no doubt that learning a foreign languge is highly beneficial and there are various reasons for this.

REASONS FOR LEARNING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE.
- Can have more career options and enhance your professional qualifications.
- It is necessary if you wish to study or work abroad.
- More and more people are not only travelling abroad, but also communicating with people from all over the world either for personal or professional reasons.

BENEFITS OF LEARNING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE.
- Finding a job either in your native country or abroad can be easier.
- It enables and facilitates communication among people from different countries.
- It can give you a unique insight into different cultures and broaden your horizons.

I hope you have found these ideas useful. You can also add your own ideas. Good luck!

JG.

The image below is for educational purposes only and no copyright infringement is intended.

BRAINSTORMERS.
THE PROS AND CONS OF COMPUTER GAMES.

INTRODUCTION.
Computer games have become phenomenally popular, particularly among young people, who tend to spend a significant part of their day in front of a computer screen. Playing computer games can be highly entertaining, but there is widespread concern about the harmful effect that this habit can have on young people.

THE BENEFITS OF COMPUTER GAMES.
- can be a major source of entertainment
- can help to acquaint young people with technology
- can develop and improve a person's perception and reaction
- not as dangerous as playing outdoors.

The DRAWBACKS OF COMPUTER GAMES.
- no real social interaction with other people.
- no physical exercise
- can become addictive. Many young people spend a lot of hours in front of a computer screen
- can take their attention and interest away from their studies.

I hope you have found these ideas useful. Can you think of any more arguments for and against computer games?

Good luck!
JG.

The image below is for educational purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended..