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IELTS Reading Tips (True / False / Not Given)

1. These kinds of questions can be asked in two formats:
a. True / False / Not Given:
In these types of questions, you have to select the option ‘TRUE’ if the statement is factually correct according to the information presented in the passage. If you assess that the statement directly contradicts the information presented in the passage, ONLY then select ‘FALSE’. The option ‘NOT GIVEN’ should be selected if you are not able to find information related to the statement anywhere in the passage.
b. Yes / No / Not Given:
In these types of questions, you have to select the option ‘YES’ if you think the author will agree with the statement based on the information presented in the passage. If you assess that the statement directly contradicts the opinions of the author based on the information presented in the passage, ONLY then select ‘NO’. The option ‘NOT GIVEN’ should be selected if you are not able to conclude whether the author will agree with the statement.

2. As you can see, both the formats are logically quite similar so you need to be very careful that you use the correct terms based on the instructions provided.

3. These questions always appear in chronological order in the passage, so you need to be aware of the sequence of information presented. If you underline relevant portions while reading the text and make notes for your understanding, you should be able to locate the relevant portion of the passage and arrive at the answer accurately.

4. Moreover, understand that the passage will not use the same words that appear in the statement in the question. Therefore, you should focus on understanding the meaning of the text rather than focusing on searching for key words.

5. By default, you should stick to ‘Not Given’ until you have concrete proof that the statement is either directly supported or directly opposed by the passage. In case of the former, you should lean towards choosing ‘TRUE’ or ‘YES’ and in case of the latter, you should lean towards choosing ‘FALSE’ or ‘NO’ as your answer.

Sample Exercise:

LearnEnglish Courses

LearnEnglish courses are a great way to learn, because they’re so flexible. All our courses are taken online using a computer, so you can work through the course at your own speed, and go back to any session whenever you want to. For some courses there are workbooks, in addition to the computer course, to provide extra written practice.

We offer hundreds of courses in a whole range of subjects from reading, writing and maths to business and management. Many of these are specially designed for people whose first language isn’t English.

Step one: have a chat with a friendly member of staff in one of our 1,500 LearnEnglish centres around the country. They can advise you on the most suitable course. They’ll also work out whether you qualify for funding, so that you won’t have to pay the full fee for the course.

You might want to try a taster lesson first. This is a single computer session in any subject of your choice, and it will show you what learning with LearnEnglish is like.

When you’ve made your final decision, step two is to register on your course. Once you’ve done this, a staff member will show you how to get started, whether you’re using a computer at home, at work or at a LearnEnglish centre.

That’s all you need to do! When you start your course, you can contact your LearnEnglish centre by phone (we’re open during normal office hours) or email if you need help.

Questions:
1. You can work through parts of a course more than once. – TRUE
This statement is directly supported by the passage; hence it is true. It is mentioned in the first paragraph that ‘you can work through the course at your own speed, and go back to any session whenever you want to’.

2. The number of courses offered by LearnEnglish has increased enormously. – NOT GIVEN
There is no comparison between the number of courses offered by LearnEnglish now compared to the past. The passage only mentions that ‘We offer hundreds of courses in a whole range of subjects from reading, writing and maths to business and management’.

3. Many staff members have worked through a LearnEnglish course themselves. – NOT GIVEN
Again, there is no indication whether staff members of LearnEnglish have gone through the courses themselves. Hence, we will stick with the option ‘NOT GIVEN”.

4. You may have to pay to take a LearnEnglish course. – TRUE
This statement is true because the passage states that ‘They’ll also work out whether you qualify for funding, so that you won’t have to pay the full fee for the course.’ This statement implies that the candidate may have to pay for the course.

5. Everybody takes the same taster lesson. – FALSE
This statement is directly contradicted in the passage because it is mentioned that ‘You might want to try a taster lesson first. This is a single computer session in any subject of your choice.’ Hence, we will select the option ‘FALSE’.

6. LearnEnglish centres are open seven days a week. – FALSE
This statement is also directly contradicted in the passage because it is mentioned in the last paragraph that ‘we’re open during normal office hours’. This indicates that the centres are not open every day.

IELTS Speaking Parts 2 & 3 (Favourite Shop) – Model Answers

Describe your favourite shop. You should say:
• where it is
• what things it sells
• what sort of people are its customers

and explain why you like the shop so much.

Answer:
My favourite shop is Big Bazaar and it is located near my house in a suburb of Mumbai known as Bandra. It is close to the railway station and that is one of the reasons it attracts many customers as people can just walk to it as soon as they exit the station and can easily catch a train back home once they are done shopping.
This shop sells a multitude of items ranging from groceries and toiletries to clothing and appliances. Big Bazaar caters to the needs of every member of the household. You can find essentials for men, women and children and they have great discounts on their products as well. I recently went there to stock up on food items before the lockdown started in my city and ended up saving a lot of money because of the offers given in the shop. It also has a fresh food counter where people can buy food and eat it as they shop, thus giving the shoppers a unique experience and enabling them to linger in the shop longer by eliminating the need to go out for refreshments.
You can see people of all age groups at Big Bazaar. It has a section selling toys for kids and a section for comic books as well. Families frequent the shop to buy groceries and sometimes even clothing items, whereas some people go to the shop just to look around and find some decent offers if they can.
I really enjoy going to this shop because it is a one-stop destination for all my household needs. I enjoy shopping here because it is air-conditioned, so I do not get tired and the prices are competitive as well. Moreover, the checkout process is quite simple and they accept several forms of payment, so I can even utilize promotional coupons at this shop.

Part 3:
1. What typical things can visitors to your country buy?
Visitors to my country can buy a plethora of clothing items which are unique to India. From Pashmina shawls in Kashmir to Kancheepuram sarees in Tamil Nadu, there is a wide variety of clothing for them to choose from. My country is also famous for its monuments and tourists can buy souvenirs to gift their loved ones back home or to keep these items as reminders of their visit to India.

2. What things do young people like to buy in your country?
Young people mostly spend on consumer durables and eating out in my country. They spend a lot of money on mobile phones and those with high paying jobs like to buy expensive cars. Some youngsters who are financially wise also allocate a part of their income to spend on investment products such as gold and property.

3. Is it a good idea to save money?
It is definitely a good idea to save money because it enables people to invest wisely and grow their portfolio. Moreover, people need savings to rely on in difficult times such as a nation-wide pandemic, when they lose their job or when there is a medical emergency in their family. For these reasons, I believe that it is essential to save money.

4. Do you think that people are happier if they have money?
Though there is a cliché that says money cannot buy happiness, I think that people misinterpret it and believe that they should not focus on accumulating money. I believe that having money and being happy are two different things. For example, there are rich people who are happy and there are also poor people who are not happy. So I believe that though money may not lead to happiness directly, it certainly provides people with peace of mind that facilitates happiness.

5. What can shops do to make shopping more pleasant for their customers?
I can talk about the shops where I live and say that they can definitely have more parking space for their customers! They can also have more helpful sales people to guide customers if they are looking for something.

6. Do you think that in the future people will do most of their shopping using the Internet?
I do believe that this is true. In fact, a lot of people even nowadays do most of their shopping online and this trend is only going to increase. Earlier, people mostly used to buy books and mobile phones online, but now they have even started buying groceries on platforms such as Big Basket. So in my opinion, though brick and mortar shops will never go out of business, the popularity of online shopping will definitely increase.

IELTS Sample Letter # 2 (Formal)

You and your family are moving to another country for work, and you are looking to buy a house there.

Write a letter to a property agent. In your letter:

• Introduce yourself and your family
• Describe the type of accommodation that you hope to find
• Give your preference for the location of the accommodation

Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:

To Whom it May Concern,

To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing this letter to enquire about residential properties as I am moving from India to Germany with my family for work and we are looking to buy a house in Berlin.

I am moving there with my wife and two children who are in primary school and we are looking for a 4-bedroom villa with a garden and parking space for two cars. My wife is an artist so it would be great if the house has a backyard where she can set up her workshop.

I would prefer it if the house is in a suburb as we want a quiet and pollution-free place so that the children can study and I can focus on my work. Moreover, we would like a house that is close to a supermarket and a school, though we do not mind if public transport is not very good in the area as we have our own cars.

I hope that you have some properties that suit our needs and I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,
Vibhu Anurag

(184 words)

IELTS Speaking Part 1 (Work) - Model Answers

1. What do you do for a living?
I work for a multi-national company in the information technology sector. I am a coder by profession and help my clients in developing banking applications.

2. How long have you been doing it?
I have been working in this field for the last 10 years and really enjoy my work. I have worked on several projects over the years and am currently working as a Project Manager.

3. Can you describe one of your typical working days?
A typical day for me starts at 10 am with a meeting with my team members where we give updates on our progress and plan our work for the day. Then I oversee the work of my team members and complete my work. I usually take a lunch break of half an hour and try to finish work by 6 pm, though sometimes I end up working late as well.

4. Why did you choose to do that job?
I chose this field because software is something that has always fascinated me. I developed a couple of apps with my friends in college and my current employer was very impressed with it and ended up giving me a job offer. I am passionate about technology and the prospect of working on new technology makes me feel productive.

5. What things do you enjoy about your work? Why?
I enjoy being able to work on cutting-edge technology and the high salary, which enable me to indulge in my hobbies and treat my family to the good things in life. The recognition I get at office is also a driving force which keeps me motivated. Moreover, I enjoy the positive relationships I have with my colleagues because I believe that a healthy work environment is crucial for success.

6. What is your ideal job?
I would like to start my own software development company and heading that would be my ideal job. I feel this way because I will have the freedom to choose the projects that I want to work on and I will also get to explore the business development aspect of an organization, which is currently lacking in my scope of activities.

7. Do you want to change your current job? Why or why not?
I would not like to change my current job any time soon as I am quite satisfied with the work that I am doing and with my salary as well. I intend to continue in my current job for at least 3-4 years so that I can gain more experience. Subsequently, I plan to take the entrepreneurial route and start my own software development company.

IELTS Sample Essay # 2 (Advantages & Disadvantages)

The influence of social media has increased many fold in people’s lives. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this phenomenon.

It is true that the impact of social media has increased tremendously in people’s lives and they are spending many hours every day on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. In my opinion, the advantages of using social media far outweigh its disadvantages.

First of all, the main advantage of using social media platforms is that people get access to an audience to promote their talent, which they may not have had otherwise. Secondly, people can also learn useful skills through social media by watching videos and reading forums. This is because people from all over the world post questions on websites for discussion and this improves their knowledge. For example, many people have become famous and wealthy by creating channels on the video sharing website YouTube. Therefore, it can be clearly seen that there are many advantages of using social media.

In contrast, the main disadvantage of using social media is that it may provide incorrect information, leading to dangerous situations. This is because people tend to believe whatever they read and see online without verifying the information from a reliable source. For instance, unauthorized posts on social media platforms such as Facebook have led to civil unrest in certain countries, resulting in a lot of chaos and lawlessness and the police have had to intervene in order to bring the situation under control. Therefore, it is evident that if social media is not used properly, then it can cause serious problems.

To conclude, even though there are a few disadvantages of using social media and they must be kept in mind, overall I believe that social media is beneficial for people and has innumerable advantages. In the future, the use of social media is going to increase as the Internet becomes more popular and people must be educated to use these platforms responsibly.

(306 words)

IELTS Academic Task 1 - Sample Graph Analysis (Pie-Chart & Line Graph)

The pie-charts given above show the change in the allocation of the food budget of an average family over a span of 30 years from 1970 to 2000. The line graph shows the change in the number of fast-food meals and sit-down restaurant meals per year for the average family over the same period of time.

It can be observed that 90% of a family’s budget was allocated for home cooking in 1970 and this percentage decreased through the years. It reduced to 85% in 1980, 65% in 1990 and by the year 2000, families were spending equal proportions of their food budget on home cooking and restaurant meals.

From the line graph, it can be seen that families had an equal number of fast-food meals and sit-down restaurant meals, at 20 each in 1970. From 1970 to 1980, annual sit-down restaurant meals increased from 20 to 35, but annual fast-food meals only increased from 20 to about 30. After this period, fast-food meals experienced exponential growth and were recorded at 90 per year for the average family in 2000, whereas sit-down restaurant meals were recorded at only 50 per year in 2000. This is reflective of a global trend wherein fast-food restaurants such as KFC and McDonald’s have gained popularity and families visit them to spend time together and enjoy the food and ambience.

Hence, it can be concluded that families increased their budget allocation for eating out from 1970 to 2000 and the number of fast-food meals grew at a much higher rate than the number of sit-down restaurant meals.

IELTS Speaking Parts 2 & 3 (Beautiful Place)

Describe a beautiful place to visit in your country.
You should say:
• where it is
• how to get there
• what there is to do when you are there
and explain why you recommend this place.

Answer:
A beautiful place to visit in my country is Goa. It is situated in the southern part of the country on the western coast, bordering the Bay of Bengal. It is quite easy to reach Goa by air, rail and road. There are many flights to Goa Airport from all major cities of India and most of the places in Goa are well connected by rail as well. Goa has national highways connecting it to all parts of the country and the drive to the place is very scenic. If you enter from the north, you will cross a wildlife reserve and you may get to see some exotic animals if you are lucky!

There are many activities to do in Goa. The northern part of the place is known for its nightlife and you can find several clubs and bars which are frequented by tourists. The place has many beautiful beaches as well. The beaches in north Goa are known for their water sports and if you want to experience a peaceful environment, then you can head to the beaches in south Goa. The city of Panjim, which is the capital of Goa is also host to several casinos, which are a major attraction for tourists. Hence, we can see that there are many activities to choose from in Goa and it is very difficult to get bored while you are there!

I recommend this place because of its natural beauty and the plethora of activities it offers. The local cuisine is delicious as well. Goan food is famous all over the world and I would be remiss not to mention it as an attraction. You can go there with your friends to enjoy the nightlife and the beaches or you can go there with your family to enjoy the beautiful resorts and tourist attractions. Goa also has a bird sanctuary and a very famous waterfall for nature lovers to enjoy. All in all, it is a perfect getaway and for this reason it is a very popular destination in my country.

Part 3:
1. Why do you think people like to travel to different places in their free time?
In my opinion, people enjoy travelling to different places in their free time because they want to rejuvenate themselves and get away from the humdrum of daily life. Most people prefer to go to domestic locales as it takes less time to travel and is cheaper, but the popularity of international tourism is on the rise as well.

2. How do you see tourism changing in your country in the future?
I foresee drastic changes in the tourism industry in my country. Many governments have now started promoting tourism to their states via advertisement campaigns and they are allocating significant funds for this as well. Several new hotels have come up all over the country to cater to tourists and tourism is becoming a major driver of employment.

3. Why is it important to protect the countryside?
It is important to protect the countryside because most of the hinterland is used for agricultural activities and this forms the backbone of the economy. Moreover, the countryside is where the true culture of our country can be observed and these regions are largely free of pollution. Most importantly, as most of the people in my country are engaged in agriculture and their livelihood must be protected, it is imperative to protect the countryside.

4. In what ways is the countryside in danger in your country?
The countryside has come under increasing threat from industries in my country. There have been several instances where villagers have protested the establishment of factories near their settlements as these establishments will destroy the ecological balance of their villages. The countryside is also in danger because of the widespread urban migration in my country. Most of the employable youth prefer to go to cities and in this way, the upkeep of the countryside is neglected.

5. Why are historic buildings and monuments important to a city?
Historic buildings and monuments are important to a city because they are representative of the history and culture of the city. They remind people of their roots and the sacrifices of previous generations. Moreover, they lend character to the city and make it unique. For example, it would be hard to imagine New York without the Empire State Building or Paris without the Eiffel Tower!

6. Is it better to keep old buildings, or build new modern ones?
In my opinion it is better to keep old buildings if it is possible to refurbish them and if they are structurally sound. This is because old buildings display the original architecture of the city and replacing them with modern buildings takes away from the charm of the place. Furthermore, old buildings are constructed keeping the local climate in mind, which may not be the case with modern buildings.

IELTS Sample Letter # 1 (Formal)

You missed an international flight due to a problem at the airport.

Write a letter to the airline. In your letter:
• Describe what happened that caused you to miss your flight
• Explain how missing your flight impacted you
• Clearly state what you would like the airline to do

Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or Madam,

Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to inform you that I missed my flight from Amsterdam to Bangkok this morning due to street blockages outside the airport.

I had booked an economy class ticket on the flight that was supposed to depart at 10 am and I was supposed to reach the airport at 8 am. However, on my way to the airport I saw that the street outside the airport was cordoned off for security reasons to allow governmental convoys to pass to attend an international convention being held in the city.

As a result of this unexpected disruption, I was unable to reach the airport on time and missed my flight. Because of this, I missed an important business meeting that I was supposed to attend in Bangkok and my clients have had to extend their trip in order to meet me. This has caused a lot of inconvenience to everyone and financial loss to me.

Therefore, I request you to book a ticket for me on the next flight from Amsterdam to Bangkok at no extra cost as the reason for delay was beyond my control.

I look forward to your immediate assistance in this regard.

Yours faithfully,
Vibhu Anurag

Speaking Part 1 - Model Answers (Studies)

1. Are you a student or are you working?
I am currently pursuing my MBA from IIM, Ahmedabad and will graduate in the Spring of 2022. I am majoring in marketing and am really passionate about my field of work. It is a reputed institute and I look froward to a bright future!

2. Why did you choose that subject?
I have always been interested in marketing and have done my BBA before enrolling for an MBA. My subject has lucrative career opportunities and the work is very challenging, which I really enjoy.

3. What do you find most interesting about your course?
I find studying marketing strategy fascinating. The subject has a lot of case studies that give me insight about how the corporate world actually works and it is a brilliant learning opportunity. This semester, I had a group project in which my group and I were supposed to find the reasons behind the failure of a hotel in our area. When we spoke to the hotel manager, we were able to analyse and solve their problem and got a discount at their restaurant as a bonus! So it was a very interesting experience and I am very fond of this subject.

4. What do you dislike about your study?
There is nothing in particular that I dislike, but sometimes the schedule can be very hectic. For example, last week I had three presentations on the same day and the previous day was very exhausting because my group and I were rehearsing our presentations and could hardly get any sleep at night!

5. What do you hope to do after your graduation?
After my graduation, I hope to work as a Process Consultant at a prestigious consulting firm in India. Then after gaining some experience and building a good network, I plan to follow the entrepreneurial path by starting my own business consulting company.

6. What are the advantages of studying instead of working?
I believe that being a student gives you the freedom to plan your future and strengthen your skill sets. These opportunities may be more difficult for working professionals as it is difficult for them to take time out of their busy schedules for self-improvement. For instance, before joining MBA, I found it very difficult to manage office and CAT preparation, but now as a full-time student, it is relatively easy for me to research about my target companies and prepare for job interviews.