(Must For All) (M I Ngày 1 Page) Intermediate Vocab (Chia Theo Topics)

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20.10.16
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Sunday, June 12, 2011
IELTS Grammar: verb + noun collocations

When deciding whether to give a band 7 in IELTS speaking or writing, one of the things that examiners
look at is your use of collocations.
'Collocation' basically means using the right words together. Many students know a lot of nouns, but they
don't always know the right verbs to use with those nouns.
Here are some useful 'verb + noun' collocations:
 to make a mistake (not 'do' a mistake)
 to do/carry out/conduct research (not 'make' research, not 'a' research)
 to make/take/reach a decision
 to have/gain/lack experience
 to have/face/experience difficulties
Think about this, especially when you are writing essays. Check in a dictionary to make sure you have
used the right verb with the right noun.
Posted by Simon in Vocabulary/Grammar | Permalink | Comments (8)
Sunday, May 29, 2011
IELTS Grammar: correct the mistakes

The following sentences contain mistakes. Can you find them?
1.Governments have played an essential place in society.
2.Lack of exercise has bad effects to health.
3.Qualifications lead to get promotions.
4.This may contribute to reach their dreams.
5.The main important thing is to make people aware for this problem.
I'll put my corrections in the "comments" area tomorrow.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
IELTS Grammar: find the mistakes

Find the mistakes in the sentences below.
1.The graph shows the number of people travelled to and from UK.
2.In 1979, the number of people visited UK was 10 millions.
3.Turkey was the least country in terms of the number of people visiting it.
Feel free to share your answers in the "comments" area below. I'll post my answers tomorrow.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
IELTS Grammar: more mistakes!

Try to correct the mistakes in the following sentences:
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1.I am completely agree that job satisfaction for workers are important.
2.On the other side, maybe it is difficult for all workers to be happy in their jobs.
3.Although, we all need to work in order to pay our bills etc, but we also need to enjoy our jobs.
Be careful with "although". Most English learners make mistakes with this word.

Correct the mistakes in the sentences below.
1.With developments in nuclear technology, the risk of accidents are being reduced.
2.Scientists need to make more researches to improve the safety of nuclear power stations.
3.Using of nuclear power not only does it produce cheap electricity, but also it does not have any
pollution.
I'll put my answers in the "comments" area tomorrow.
Saturday, January 22, 2011

The following sentences contain mistakes. Try to correct them.
1.We are friends ever since we first met.
2.If people work in teams can help them to achieve more.
3.If we consider unemployment is another important issue.
4.It is difficult to live in a new country, it is also difficult to speak a new language.
5.Many children behave badly, could be because their parents are not strict enough.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
IELTS Grammar: subject + verb

Question: Which of the following is a correct sentence?
1.Learning a foreign language.
2.Firstly, learning a foreign language in order to improve your career prospects.
3.For example, learning a foreign language by living in a country where that language is spoken,
and communicating with native speakers on a daily basis.
Answer: None of these are correct sentences. None of them has a main verb.
To make a sentence, you need a subject (noun/noun phrase) and a verb:
1.I am learning a foreign language. OR, Learning a foreign language isuseful.
2.Firstly, many people learn a foreign language in order to improve their career prospects.
3.For example, some people learn a foreign language by living in a country where that language is
spoken and communicating with native speakers on a daily basis.
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Some students really need to work on writing correct "subject + verb" sentences. Missing the verb in a
sentence is a serious mistake that will definitely affect your score.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
IELTS Grammar: while, whilst, whereas, as

Joshua asked me the following question:
"Can you explain while, whilst, whereas, as? Either can be used to connect two sentences, but I am not
sure how to identify them and quite often I use them wrongly."
Here's my simplified explanation:
1.While and whilst are the same, but whilst is a bit more formal (according to one famous grammar
book).
2.Whereas is always used for contrast. While/whilst can be used for contrast, OR to mean "at the
same time".
3.As can mean "because" or "exactly at the moment when".
Try to write an example sentence using each of these words. Feel free to share your sentences in the
"comments" area below.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
IELTS Grammar: 'however' and 'whereas'

You can't use 'however' and 'whereas' in the same way. Follow these general rules in order to avoid
grammar mistakes:
Use 'however' (followed by a comma) at the beginning of a sentence to contrast with the previous
sentence:
 Some people believe that schools are responsible for the behaviour of their students. However,
others argue that discipline is the responsibility of parents.
Use 'whereas' (after a comma) to contrast two ideas in the same sentence:
 Some people believe that schools are responsible for the behaviour of their students, whereas
others argue that discipline is the responsibility of parents.
You can use 'on the other hand' or 'by contrast' in the same way as 'however'. You can use 'while' instead
of 'whereas'.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
IELTS Grammar: 'because of'

Last week I looked at how to use the word 'because'. One of my students then asked me to explain the
difference between 'because' and 'because of'.
Compare these two sentences:
I stayed at home because the weather was bad.
I stayed at home because of the bad weather.
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The important difference is the use of the word 'was' in the first sentence. After 'because', you need a
subject and a verb (e.g. the weather was). After 'because of', we don't use a verb, only a noun, nouns or
noun phrase.
IELTS Grammar: because

Students often make mistakes when using the word "because". You can't use "because" to connect ideas
in two separate sentences. Put both the main idea and the reason in the same sentence.
Which sentence is NOT correct?
1.Some children behave badly at school because their parents are too lenient at home.
2.Because parents are often too lenient at home, discipline in schools is becoming more difficult to
enforce.
3.Children's behaviour is getting worse nowadays. Because parents are not strict enough.
Saturday, September 04, 2010
IELTS Grammar: fall or reduce?

These two words are the opposites of 'rise' and 'raise' (see last week's grammar lesson):
 something falls (e.g. the price fell)
 somebody reduces something (e.g. the company reduced the price)
You will probably use 'fall' to describe numbers on a graph or chart for IELTS Writing Task 1:
 In 2008, the number of customers fell. (verb, past)
 There was a sharp fall in Internet usage. (noun)
'Reduce' and 'reduction' are probably more useful for Writing Task 2:
 We need to reduce the amount of pollution from exhaust fumes. (verb)
 Recycling leads to a reduction in waste. (noun)
Saturday, August 21, 2010
IELTS Grammar: before or ago?

Don't say: I came to Manchester before two weeks.
Do say: I came to Manchester two weeks ago.
Use "past time + ago"
 10 years ago, a long time ago, a few weeks ago, a couple of days ago
Use "before + action / event"
 before you left, before we start, before lunch
Don't use "before + past time" (before two weeks, before three days)
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Sunday, July 18, 2010
IELTS Grammar: some typical mistakes

Find 5 common mistakes in the paragraph below:
Some people believe that, all police officers should carry a gun. While, others disagree with this idea, and
argue that it is intimidating to see armed police officers on the streets. From my view, the advantages of
police officers carrying guns have overweighed the disadvantages. Because the police need to be able to
protect both themselves and the general public.
Feel free to share your answers in the "comments" area below. I'll reveal the correct answers tomorrow.
Saturday, July 20, 2013
IELTS Grammar: 'lead to'

Students often make mistakes when using 'lead to' in their writing. What's the problem with these
sentences?
1.Consumerism can lead to increase the economy.
2.Tourism can lead to destroy natural habitats.
3.A competitive atmosphere in lessons leads to motivate students.
The problem is that we need a noun or noun phrase after 'lead to', not a verb.
So, here are some some ways that you could rewrite the sentences:
1.Consumerism can lead to a more successful economy.
2.Tourism can lead to the destruction of natural habitats.
3.A competitive atmosphere in lessons motivates students.
Notice that in sentence 3 it is better to keep the verb 'motivates' and miss out 'leads to'.
IELTS Grammar: passives, conditionals, subjunctives?

It seems that teachers in some countries are telling their students to fill their answers with "difficult
grammar devices" like passives, conditionals andsubjunctives.
I tell my students to do the opposite: forget about these things!
In my experience, the more you focus on grammar (25% of your score), the less you focus on answering
the question well, organising your ideas, and using good vocabulary (75% of your score). Worrying about
"difficult grammar" is likely to ruin your answers rather than improve them! Focus on the other 75%.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
IELTS vocabulary review

Here's a quick review of the band 7-9 vocabulary from this week's lessons:
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- the current generation of language learners

- have the Internet at their disposal
- the chance to immerse themselves in
- upset by
- opposed to... for ethical reasons
- carry out research
- stalls are spread across several sites
- the centrepiece
- an array of
- mouth-watering food and drink
- spilling over into other pedestrian streets
- attracting thousands of visitors
- the fantastic atmosphere
- Manchester seemed to come alive
- the streets were bustling
- there was a real festive feel to the city
IELTS Grammar: 'for example' and 'such as'

Students often make mistakes when using these two phrases. To avoid mistakes, follow this simple
advice:
- Use For example, at the start of a sentence.
- Use such as in the middle of a sentence.
Compare these examples:
1.Children should eat less junk food. For example, they should avoid eating burgers and chips.
2.Children should avoid eating junk food such as burgers and chips.
Notice that 'For example' is followed by a comma and a full sentence. 'Such as' is in the middle of the
sentence, followed by two nouns. You can use 'For instance' instead of 'For example'. You can use 'like'
instead of 'such as'.
IELTS Grammar: rules and exceptions

When learning a language, grammar rules are useful because they show you how the
language normally behaves. For example, you might learn that the word "to" is followed by the infinitive of
the verb. The rule tells you that "to have" is correct and "to having" is wrong.
However, you should also be prepared to meet some exceptions to the grammar rules that you learn. For
example, students are often confused by phrases like 'look forward to having' or 'advantages to having',
both of which are correct.
When you find an exception to a grammar rule, don't get frustrated; consider it an opportunity to expand
your knowledge of the language, and perhaps to impress the examiner!
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Sunday, April 28, 2013

Try to improve the following sentences.
1.It is clear that, the commuter numbers by car are dominant.
2.The number of passengers in train showed upward trend.
3.The number of commuters favor car and train significantly increase.
4.About average 5 million commuters traveled by car.
5.The figure for train started from about 2 millions.
6.British people continuously used more car than other vehicles.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
IELTS Grammar: opinion + conditional

Try this useful technique for IELTS writing and speaking:
Give an opinion, then follow it with a conditional sentence.
Look at these examples:
1.In my opinion, governments should invest more money in public transport. If rail and bus
services were more reliable, fewer peoplewould need to drive.
2.Schools have an important role to play in children's health. If schoolsbanned junk food, they would
help to reduce the problem of childhood obesity.
3.In the future I think more people will do their shopping online. But ifInternet
shopping becomes more popular, many traditional shops will lose customers.
I've underlined the conditionals. Examples 1 and 2 are second conditionals, while 3 uses the first
conditional.
Practice:
Prepare your own "opinion + conditional" ideas for different topics. Having a few of these ideas ready could
help you in the writing and speaking tests.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
IELTS Grammar: 'finally' or 'at last'?

This week I wrote a lesson about using "Firstly, Secondly, Finally", and a student asked me whether it's ok
to use "at last" instead of "finally".
The answer is no. "Finally" and "at last" are not used in the same way.
Use "finally" in the IELTS writing test when you want to make your final point, or to talk about the final
stage in a process e.g. Finally, as well as making life more fun and interesting, new experiences can be
good for our physical and mental health. (taken from this lesson)
Only use "at last" when you have been waiting for a long time for something to happen e.g. At last I've
passed the IELTS exam!
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Saturday, February 23, 2013

Try to correct the mistakes in the sentences below:
1.Most of advertising aim to persuade people that buying things will make them happier.
2.Advertisers use every efforts to make their products more attractive.
3.Governments should control advertising or even banned.
I'll give you my answers in the "comments" area tomorrow.
IELTS Grammar: affect or effect?

Almost every week I see mistakes in the use of "affect" and "effect". These are common and important
words, especially in the IELTS writing test, so you need to get them right.
"Affect" is a verb. Don't write "affect on".
 Smoking affects your health. (smoking affects on your health)
 The Internet is affecting our way of life.
 Children are affected by what they see on television.
"Effect" is a noun. Do write "have an effect on".

 Smoking has a harmful effect on your health.
 The Internet is having a significant effect on our way of life.
 Television can have a negative effect on children.
If you use these words correctly, the examiner will be impressed.

IELTS Grammar: simplify to avoid mistakes

Try to correct / improve the following sentences by writing them in a simpler way.
1.There is no doubt that the attraction of video games are catching people’s attraction easily.
2.In our world today where technologies bound to run in our daily existence, playing video games
plays a vital part to our own society.
3.All RPGs (role-playing games), as the name already suggests, involves the player assuming a
character and controlling the entire process and unlock tasks to advance.
4.On the one hand, it is undoubtedly that video games have offered much more benefits to human
beings.
5.I personally believe that video games seem to have noxious implications.

Find the mistakes in the following sentences. All of the sentences relate to the graph in this lesson.
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1.Families who do not have cars have decreased from 1971 to 2007.
2.Households without a car percentage gradually decreased.
3.There is a rise can be noted in the proportion of households with two cars.
4.The number of household with no car were well below 50% in 1971.
5.There were least percentage of household who had three or more cars, but it steadily improved to
5% by 2007.
I'll put my answers in the comments area tomorrow.
Students' grammar questions

Here are a few grammar questions that I've been asked this week:
1. Which is better: "like normal" or "as usual"?
You might hear people say "like normal", but it's much better to use "as usual".
2. What do "in order to" and "in terms of" mean?
A dictionary will explain the meaning of these phrases. However, it's probably more useful to see some
examples of how they are used. A search engine like Google will give you many more examples than I
can.
3. Is it correct to write "it is worth spending maintaining libraries" or "libraries are worth
spending"?
Neither is correct I'm afraid. I would write: "It is worth spending money to maintain libraries" or "libraries are
worth maintaining".
4. Can we put "for example" in the middle of a sentence like this: "There are many environmental
problems, for example, people litter everywhere"?
The use of "for example" in the sentence above is not correct. To avoid confusion, I'd recommend using
"for example" only at the beginning of sentences. Use "such as" in the middle (e.g. There are many
environmental problems, such as air pollution).

Try to correct the mistakes in the following sentences.
1.More proportion of American people in 1970 than in 2000 got married.
2.There are many things easy enough for those young people to do.
3.I am agreed that volunteer work can build up the responsibilities in youngs.
4.Society gets benefitted as the juvenile crime rate reduced.
5.Having a work experience may help to having a job quicker and easier.
PS. Nobody answered this question from Monday's reading lesson:
If a survey showed that "households spent seven hours a day on transporting themselves and their
goods", does this mean that it was "a survey of household expenditure on transport"?
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Here are some sentences about this week's writing task 1 question. Can you find and correct the
mistakes? Not all of them are grammar mistakes!
1.There were 51 million pmt incidents than 35 million pmt injuries by bus.
2.In general, both the figures for serious fatalities and injuries were dramatically higher for the
demand response field.
3.The number of people having injuries showed the more popular level than that of people having
incidents.
4.There is a somewhat difference between the number of people using heavy rail and light rail.
5.The bar chart illustrates the amount of passengers who were been incidents and injuries travelled
by five types of transport such as demand response, bus, heavy rail, light rail, and commuter rail
in 2002.
6.The bus, which is used by almost 80 people, tallied 66 injuries.
7.In three types of rail, being lower than light rail, heavy rail surpassed commuter rail in the amount
of incidents and injuries.
8.Injuries by bus was went up approximately 4 times than commuter rail.
Saturday, May 05, 2012
IELTS Grammar: cause and effect

Here are some useful phrases for describing causes and effects (for IELTS Writing Task 2 and maybe
Speaking Part 3). I'll use the topic of 'global warming' to show how the phrases work.
1. Cause and Effect
Pollution causes global warming.
Pollution leads to global warming.
Pollution results in global warming.
Pollution is the main cause of global warming.
Factories pollute the atmosphere. As a result, global warming is occurring.
2. Effect and Cause
Global warming is caused by pollution.
Global warming is the result of pollution.
Global warming is due to pollution.
Global warming occurs as a result of pollution.
Notice the different uses of 'result' (results in, is the result of, as a result). Students make a lot of mistakes
with these phrases.
IELTS Grammar: punctuation

Here are some simple rules to help you with punctuation for IELTS writing:
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Full stops
Full stops are very important. Put a clear full stop at the end of each sentence, and then begin the next
sentence with a capital letter. If you don't do this, you will get a low score.
Commas
1.When you start a sentence with these words, put a comma after them:
Nowadays, Recently, Firstly, Secondly, Finally, Furthermore, In addition, Also, However, By
contrast, On the other hand, In my opinion,...
2.We use commas in lists:
e.g. This problem affects individuals, communities and society in general.
3.We don't usually put a comma after the word "that":
e.g. It is clear that the rate of immigration increased.
4.Don't worry about other uses of commas. The use of a comma is often optional in other situations.
Apostrophes
Avoid contractions in IELTS writing. Use "do not" instead of "don't".
You may sometimes need to show possession e.g. the government's decision.
Other punctuation
You don't really need to use any other punctuation in IELTS writing.
My advice is to avoid trying to use colons and semicolons.
IELTS Grammar: verbs with 'exam'

A lot of students write to me saying "I gave the IELTS test yesterday". Please note that "give an exam" is
not correct.
Don't say:
- I gave an exam.
- I gave the IELTS test.
Do say:
- I took the IELTS exam/test.
- I passed the exam. (i.e. you were successful)
In other words, use "take" not "give".

Try to find and correct the mistakes in these sentences:
1.I agree that we should interest more with our own societies and countries.
2.There three main problems that we need to tackle first, education.
3.You should mention your opinion in the introduction so examiner have some idea what to expect
from your essay.
Feel free to share your corrections as 'comments'. I'll add my answers tomorrow.
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Sunday, January 22, 2012
IELTS Grammar: capital letters

A few people have asked me about using capital letters in different parts of the IELTS test. Here's my
advice:
 In the reading and listening tests, they don't care about capital letters. So you can write everything
in lowercase or in capitals, and it won't affect your score.
 In the writing test, try to follow the normal rules for capital letters. Grammar books and websites
explain these rules in detail. Click hereto see a website that summarises the rules quite well.

Find the mistakes in the following sentences:
1.Parents influence on their children and give them many advices.
2.Students need to develop their knowledges and skills.
3.We can use the Internet to do some researches.
4.If we want to find some informations fastly, the Internet is the best resource.
Feel free to share your answers in the "comments" area. I'll give you my answers tomorrow.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
IELTS Grammar: 'highest' or 'the highest'?

Most grammar books will tell you that you need "the" before a superlative like "highest" or "lowest", but this
is not always true.
 We use "the" when there is a noun after the adjective e.g. the highest number, the highest
proportion.
 When we put the noun before, we don't need "the" e.g. the number was highest, the proportion
was highest.
So, compare these 2 sentences:
- The UK had the highest rate of unemployment.
- The unemployment rate was highest in the UK.

Here are some more sentences that contain mistakes. See if you can find them.
 Children are not enough mature to make decisions.
 Poor parenting has contributed children to misbehave more.
 Good parenting encourages children acquire social skills.
 Bringing up children and educate them is the responsibility of parents.
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Please share your corrections in the "comments" area below this lesson. I'll add my corrections tomorrow.
IELTS Grammar: number, amount, proportion, figure

Somebody asked me about the difference between these 4 words (for IELTS writing task 1). I'll try to
explain some basic ways to use them.
number
- Use "the number of + plural noun" e.g. the number of visitors.
- Don't use it to describe percentages or uncountable nouns e.g. money.
amount
- Use "the amount of + uncountable noun" e.g. the amount of money.
- Don't use it with countable nouns e.g. the amount of person/people.
proportion
- Only use this to describe percentages (not numbers).
- Use "the proportion of + plural noun" e.g. the proportion of people.
figure
- Use "the figure for + plural noun" e.g. the figure for visitors to the UK.
- Use it with uncountable nouns e.g. the figure for unemployment.
- Use it with countries e.g. the figure for Canada.
- Use it with percentages e.g. the figure (for...) rose to 10%.
Note:
If you've read any of my task 1 essays, you'll see that I like "the figure for" because it can be used in
almost any situation.
IELTS Grammar: using 'see' in writing task 1

A few people have asked me about using 'see' to describe numbers on a graph or chart. Look at the
following sentence:
 In Britain, CD sales increased dramatically in the 1980s.
We can write the same sentence in various ways using 'see':
 Britain saw a dramatic increase in CD sales in the 1980s.
 The 1980s saw a dramatic increase in CD sales in Britain.
 British shops saw CD sales increase dramatically in the 1980s.
Posted by Simon in IELTS Writing Task 1, Vocabulary/Grammar | Permalink | Comments (23)

Can you correct the mistakes in the following sentences?
1.The pollution and waste that we produce also affect on animals.
2.Many animals are in danger extinction.
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3.Traffic congestion in nearly all over the world is on the increase.

4.Most of people who live in cities are suffering from traffic.
5.Schools can make a big part in educating children about this issue.

Can you find the mistakes in the following sentences? You might need to make several changes.
1.It is clear that, diploma and degree were the most popular qualifications.
2.Parents are usually try to provide their children different alternatives.
3.Most of computer games contain several of violence.
4.The number of people living in cities will be sharply increased.
5.Advertising are widely spread nowadays.
Sunday, October 02, 2011
IELTS Grammar: notice your mistakes

Students often don't notice when a teacher corrects their mistakes.
Look at this example of a conversation between a student and a teacher:
Student: I gave the IELTS exam last week.
Teacher: Oh, you mean you took the exam last week?
Student: Yes, I have given the exam twice. (should be 'taken')
The student doesn't notice that the teacher is correcting a mistake. Your teacher can 'give' you a test or an
exam, but you 'take' or 'do' the exam.
When a teacher repeats something that you said in a different way, you probably made a mistake. Listen
carefully, and try to correct yourself.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
IELTS Vocabulary: word family for 'compare'

Let's look at the word family for 'compare'. Remember that we are looking at usage, not meaning (I'm sure
you know the meaning of these words).
 The graph compares the number of males and females...
 10% of males were unemployed, compared to only 8% of females.
 The unemployment rate was high in 2008 compared with previous years.
 The unemployment rate was high in 2008 in comparison with...
 By/in comparison, the unemployment rate in 2008 increased to...
 Figures for the USA were comparable with/to those for the UK.
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 The figure for females was comparatively low, at only 8%.

You've probably noticed that this word family is really useful for writing task 1.
PS. Thanks to Martin for sharing this online dictionary. The 'usage notes' at the bottom of the page are
especially helpful.
IELTS Grammar: word families

If you want to improve your vocabulary knowledge, it's a good idea to study word families.
Let's look at the word family for "different".
1.We usually say different from e.g. A is different from B.
2.The noun is difference e.g. There is a difference between A and B.
3.The verb is differ e.g. A differs from B (or A and B differ).
I'm sure you understood these words, but did you really know how to use them correctly? We'll look at
another word family next week.

The sentences below contain some common mistakes. Try to correct them.
1.The number of holidays abroad was dramatically increased in 2005.
2.The figure was raised again in 2006, but it reduced in 2007.
3.In 2008, the number of foreign holidays was reduced to its lowest point.
What grammar point can we learn by correcting these 3 sentences?
IELTS Grammar: for band 7

I don't think that using 'difficult' grammar is the best way to get a band 7.
If you want a band 7, the most important thing is to be able to write error-free sentences. If all of your
sentences contain small mistakes, it's unlikely that you'll get a 7. It might be better to take fewer risks with
complex structures, and aim for more error-free sentences.
IELTS Grammar: using 'by'

A student asked me about the two uses of the word "by" in these sentences:
Korea was the only country that managed to reduce its waste output by the year 2000. Korea cut its waste
output by 12 million tonnes between 1990 and 2000.
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Questions:
1. Can you explain how "by" is used in the two cases above?
2. What is the difference between "by the year 2000" and "in the year 2000"?
IELTS Grammar: nouns and verbs

Sometimes the noun form and the verb form of a word are the same. For example, the word “increase” can
be a noun or a verb. The problem is that nouns and verbs are used differently. Here are some examples:
Increase
There was an increase in the unemployment rate. (noun)
The unemployment rate increased. (verb)
Lack
There is a lack of investment in hospitals. (noun)
Many hospitals lack the investment they need. (verb)
Pay
Companies should give men and women equal pay. (noun)
Companies should pay men and women equally. (verb)
It's the little words like "an increase in" that cause most problems for students. Examiners do notice these
things, so it's worth getting them right.

Here are some sentences that people wrote below yesterday's speaking lesson (about 'collecting'). Can
you find and correct the mistakes?
1) There are a lot of things that people often are collect.
2) I think people often go to gather small things such as stamps.
2) Whenever I went in a vacation, I used this opportunity to buy another object.
3) Let me think, may be valuable watches which their prices increase by time.
5) People collecting things for many reasons for example they do it as a hobby.
Posted by Simon in IELTS Speaking, Vocabulary/Grammar | Permalink | Comments (39)
IELTS Grammar: using 'the'

People often ask me for help with articles (the, a, an). You really need to consult a specialist grammar
book if you want to know everything about articles, but here's a useful question about my use of "the" in a
recent lesson:
Look at the following sentences.
1) I would need time, commitment and the passion to keep working.
2) I would need the time, commitment and passion to keep working.
3) I would need time, commitment and passion to keep working.
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Are all three sentences correct? Is one better than the others? Does the position or absence of "the"
change the meaning?
IELTS Vocabulary: future plans

Here are the band 7-9 phrases from yesterday's lesson. Remember that I'm not trying to use strange or
difficult words; I'm trying to speak in a natural way, using 'native speaker' collocations and phrases.
 a future aim of mine
 the plot would be fictional
 influenced by some of my own experiences, ideas and views
 I might suddenly be inspired
 a vague objective
 time, commitment and passion
 to set a goal
 I’ve always wondered how
 create a work of fiction
 bringing a story to life
 follow in the footsteps of my favourite authors
IELTS Vocabulary: which sentence is best?

A student asked me which sentence I prefer from these two:
1.There is an array of reasons for the proliferation of high amounts of waste disposal.
2.There are various reasons for the rise in the amount of waste that we produce.
Although sentence 1 might look more 'difficult' (due to the use of array,proliferation and disposal), I
definitely prefer sentence 2.
The problem with sentence 1 is that it seems forced and unnatural:
 "Array of reasons" is fine, although no better than "various reasons".
 "Proliferation" and "high amounts" sound strange together. I would use one or the other, but not
both.
 "The proliferation of waste disposal" also sounds wrong to a native speaker. It isn't a collocation
that I would expect to read or hear.
 I think the topic would be about "waste production", not "waste disposal". The root problem is that
we are producing more waste, not that we are throwing it away more often. The word "disposal"
looks good, but for me it affects the coherence of the sentence.
I think this is a great example of what I said in Wednesday's lesson about having the confidence to keep it
simple. When students try too hard to be difficult, they write unnatural sentences like number 1 above.
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IELTS Grammar: wide range or error-free?

A student, Kishanth, asked me about two of the points in the grammar criterion for band 8 writing (both
task 1 and 2):
 uses a wide range of structures
 the majority of sentences are error-free
Here's the problem with these two points:

When you try to use a wide range of grammatical structures, you risk making more mistakes (errors). But
to reduce the number of mistakes, you might have to simplify your sentences.
So what should you do?
My advice is this: Forget about the 'wide range of structures' point. If all of your focus is on using complex
grammar, you'll probably do something worse than just make mistakes; you'll probably forget to answer the
question properly. The people who worry most about grammar usually neglect task
response, coherenceand vocabulary.
For me, grammar is the least important criterion to worry about. I tell students to focus on the other 75% of
the scoring system: task response, coherence and vocabulary. However, if you want my tip for improving
your grammar score, I'd say that it's better to focus on reducing errors. I think examiners notice errors
more than they notice grammatical range, and if you write a mix of short and long sentences, you'll
probably fulfil the 'wide range of structures' requirement without realising it.
IELTS Vocabulary: from the 'parks' topic

As I said yesterday, you don't need to 'show off' in part 1 of IELTS speaking. However, I did use some nice
vocabulary in my answers:
- every city needs some green space
- people can escape from the crowds
- Parks are like an oasis
- get away from the hustle and bustle* of city life
- take some exercise
- forget about work for a while
- I can't imagine what I would do
*hustle and bustle = busy activity, usually when describing a city
IELTS Vocabulary: band 7-9 phrases

Let's review the vocabulary that I used in yesterday's speaking lesson. Here are the phrases that I think
would impress an examiner:
 volunteer to run activity clubs
 help out (phrasal verb)
 residential homes for elderly people
 support people living below the poverty line
 there isn’t a scale of importance when it comes to helping others
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 all forms of help are positive

 experience difficult times
 run the risk of losing our jobs
 people help others because they empathise with them
 It’s impossible to generalise about...
 from one generation to the next
 judge or compare how altruistic people are
IELTS Grammar: 'natural' answers

The sentences in yesterday's speaking lesson contained some grammar mistakes. However, perhaps a
bigger problem was that the sentences didn't seem very 'natural' (most native speakers wouldn't talk like
that).
If you download the document attached below, you'll see my grammar corrections and my suggestions for
more 'natural' answers.
Click here to see the document
IELTS Vocabulary: less common phrases

Here is some 'less common' vocabulary from yesterday's lesson:
 defeat the other player
 trapping his King... checkmate
 portable chess set
 the chance to hone my skills
 I made it onto the school team
 the challenge of thinking ahead
 trying to outwit my opponent
 a very mysterious and intellectual game
 taught me to learn from my losses
 to congratulate the person who had beaten me
IELTS Vocabulary: review

Let's review the useful vocabulary that we've seen in this week's lessons:
 inconvenient
 nearby
 surfing the web
 an initiative
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 communal
 tuition fees
 applicants
 surveillance
 commonplace
 an invasion of privacy
 aged (adjective meaning 'elderly')
Would you be able to use all of these words and phrases in your own sentences?
IELTS Grammar: some conditionals

Did you notice that I used several conditional sentences in yesterday's speaking lesson? Here they are
again:
 But if I had to choose, I'd say the living room...
 ...so that's what I'd change first.
 I'd definitely move again at some point if I could afford to.
Notice that I use I'd instead of the full I would because these are spoken answers (although it's fine to
say I would).
Notice also that the 'if' conditional clause is missing from the second example. Sometimes we miss the
condition because it is understood from the context. We understand from the context that I mean: "If I
redecorated my home, that's what I would change first".
IELTS Vocabulary: notice, look up, use

Notice
A student called herry commented below this lesson that he/she noticed the phrase "resort to" in my
paragraph about credit cards.
Look up
Herry then looked the phrase up in a dictionary and found the meaning:
resort to something = do something that you do not want to do because you cannot find any other way.
Use
The next step is to try using the phrase in a sentence of your own (e.g. Many stores have resorted to
cutting prices). If possible, ask a teacher to check your sentence to make sure it's correct.
This is a great way to improve your vocabulary repertoire.

People often make mistakes when they try to use 'difficult' language. Can you correct the following
sentences and write them in a less complicated way?
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1.Banks always motivates their customers for availing various types of credit cards.
2.As a credit card has become prevalent for which it is easy to apply and gain this, there are several
problems that people undergo.
3.Credit cards do have both pros and cons but it depends on the inevitability of user and their
attitude to know purposely that determines the usage of mostly worth of it.
IELTS Grammar: Googling for grammar patterns

Have you tried using Google (or another search engine) to resolve grammar problems? For example,
students asked me to explain the following sentences from the essay in Wednesday's lesson:
1.There are some basic preconditions to achieving happiness.
2.There do seem to be some common needs that we all share.
3.It is no doubt true that...
If we put quotation marks ("...") around the key words, and Google them, we can look for patterns in the
search results that help us to understand the grammar.
Example:
Try searching for "preconditions to achieving", then try "preconditions to being" and "preconditions to
doing". The search results should show you that "preconditions to +ing" is a normal grammar pattern in
English.
Now search for "there do seem to be" and "it is no doubt true that". You might find that searching for
grammar patterns is more useful than learning grammar rules.
IELTS Grammar: uncountable nouns

Students often make mistakes with uncountable nouns. These are nouns that you can't count. Most
importantly, they don't have a plural form.
For example, you can't say "an information, two informations, many informations". You can say "some
information, more information, a lot of information, a piece of information".
Below are some common uncountable nouns. Do you know any others?
 give advice, some advice, a piece of advice (an advice, advices)
 do research, carry out research (a research, researches)
 gain knowledge, share knowledge, increase knowledge (knowledges)
IELTS Vocabulary: nice bits of language!

There were a few nice bits of language that you might have noticed in yesterday's speaking lesson:
 all sorts of things
 a certain amount of
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 I pick up a newspaper most days

 I usually have a book on the go
 I couldn't put it down
 opens the door to all aspects of education
These phrases made my answers sound very natural and "native-speaker-like". Try using them in your
own sentences.
IELTS Grammar: are phrasal verbs ok?

People often ask me whether it's ok to use phrasal verbs in the IELTS writing and speaking tests.
My answer is yes; phrasal verbs are generally fine. In Friday's speaking lesson I used the phrasal verb to
grow up, and the 'multi-word verbs' to take place andto make sure. In this essay, I used the phrasal
verb to result in.
It isn't true that all phrasal verbs are informal. Read this article for a full explanation.
IELTS Grammar: be careful with the 's'

Notice where we put the "s" on the end of a word and where we don't:
 Thousands of people watched the show.
 Fifty thousand people watched the show.
 over a period of ten years
 over a ten-year period
 The fish weighed 5 kilos.
 It was a five-kilo fish.
 The boy is three years old.
 He is a three-year-old boy.
IELTS Grammar: easy sentences

Here are my suggestions for the sentences in Friday's lesson. Remember, the aim was to make the
sentences as easy as possible.
1.I like learning languages because they help me to communicate with people from other countries.
2.I do lots of reading in my spare time.
3.If you can speak the local language, it's easier to make friends.
4.Knowing a foreign language can help you to get a better job.
5.The best time to learn another language is when you are young.
6.Learning a foreign language opens your mind and expands your horizons.
7.The more you practise, the easier it becomes to communicate in a new language.
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IELTS Advice: if you have a grammar question

If you have a grammar question, this website probably isn't the best place to find the answer. There are
many dedicated grammar sites, so all you need to do is put your problem into a search engine (e.g.
Google).
Example:
A student asked me to explain how to use "not only... but also...". If we do a Google search for "grammar
not only but also", here's the first website that Google suggests: click here.
After reading the explanation of "not only... but also...", you could try making your own sentences about
common IELTS topics, such as education, work or the environment.
Posted by Simon in Questions/Advice, Vocabulary/Grammar | Permalink | Comments (8)
IELTS Grammar: verbs and nouns

The problem with the following sentences is that the verbs and nouns (underlined) don't go together. Do
you know what the correct verbs should be?
1.I gave the IELTS exam last week.
2.I usually take a coffee in the morning.
3.This will bring a negative impact on people.
The correct 'verb + noun' groups are examples of collocation.
IELTS Grammar: lead, contribute, result

Students often make mistakes with the verbs lead, contribute and result. Try to correct the sentences
below.
1. Qualifications and skills may lead to get promotions.
2. Lack of exercise contributes to have an unhealthy body.
3. Violence on television is one factor that results to increase the crime rate.
What is the rule for these 3 verbs?

Improve the following sentences. All of them are about the 'teleworking' topic.
1.There are several disadvantages to do work at home.
2.In comparison with office, home is a relatively quiet and comfortable place to work at.
3.People's daily activity may be decreased.
4.Not everyone enjoy working and living at the same places.
5.Employee tend to put less important on work because there is no supervisor.
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Find and correct the mistake in each of the sentences below:
1.Technology allowed the growing of factories.
2.Parents should be more conscious on their children’s online activities.
3.The Internet allows people from all over the world to involve in discussions about current events.
I'll put my answers in the "comments" area tomorrow.
IELTS Grammar: two important points

Here are two grammar points to note from the mistakes in Friday's lesson:
1. Commas don't connect sentences
You can't write "They asked me to do an interview, I felt so shy" with a comma connecting the two ideas.
You would need a full stop or a linking word like "and" or "but" (e.g. They asked me to do an
interview, but I felt so shy).
2. Don't put "which" and "it" together
You can't write "a conversation which I found it interesting". Delete the "it".
Click here to see all of the answers to Friday's exercise.

Last Sunday's lesson was about using 'with' instead of 'and'. Several people tried to make their own 'with'
sentences, but some corrections are necessary. Can you help with the following sentences?
1.He love that girl, with she loving another boy.
2.London is the world's sixth most expensive city, with being visited by almost 1 million tourists every
day.
3.City life is quite stressful, with the people lacking of the sense of community.
IELTS Grammar: using 'with' instead of 'and'

Here's a structure that my students found interesting:
A) The IELTS exam is popular, and over 1 million people take it every year.
B) The IELTS exam is popular, with over 1 million people taking it every year.
A) The cost of living is high, and prices are going up every year.
B) The cost of living is high, with prices going up every year.
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Notice the use of the 'ing' verb form after 'with'. Notice also that there is no auxiliary verb 'are' in the
second example. To practise this type of sentence, try making an example of your own!
Sunday, August 18, 2013
IELTS Grammar: collocations

A student asked me to explain which is better: 'a prime example' or 'a primary example'.
I would say 'a prime example'. Why? The answer is that 'prime example' is a normal collocation in English.
It's the phrase that English speakers would use.
Native speakers instinctively know which words go together more commonly. They recognise groups of
words like 'prime example'. This is what we mean by "collocation".
Tip:
Put "prime example" and "primary example" into Google (don't forget the speech marks), and look at the
numbers of results. It should be clear which collocation we prefer.
IELTS Vocabulary: 'less common' not 'advanced'

In the comments below Wednesday's lesson, a few people said that they didn't see any "advanced"
vocabulary* in my essay. But examiners are not looking for "advanced" vocabulary; they are looking for
"less common" vocabulary.
"Less common" vocabulary means words and phrases that most students wouldn't think to use in their
essays. For example, in the first line of my essay, I used the verb "to rival". You might know the noun
"rival", but have you ever used it as a verb? This is not an "advanced" word, but it is certainly less
commonly used by IELTS candidates, and the examiner would be impressed to see it used in this way.
Here are the "less common" phrases from my essay:
 the Internet is beginning to rival newspapers
 the traditional press
 vital source of information
 the Internet age
 traditional means of communicating
 rural areas
 the ability or opportunity to get online
 trusted as reliable sources
 employ professional journalists and editors
 news in real time
 gadgets and mobile devices
 contribute with our own updates on social media
 an explosion in the use of platforms
Note:
Although you probably understand the phrases above, most candidates would not use them in their
essays.
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*I never use the terms "advanced vocabulary" or "difficult vocabulary". Anyone can find a "big" word in the
dictionary and translate it. The difficult skill is to use words together in collocations and phrases.
IELTS Grammar: 'most' or 'most of'?

Should you write "most people", "most of people" or "most of the people"?
Answer:
1.Don't write "most of people".
2."Most of the people" is correct when you are talking about a specific group of people e.g. most of
the people in my department.
3.For IELTS writing and speaking "most people" is the best phrase.
Here are some examples for IELTS Writing:
 English is taught in most countries. (most of countries)
 Most people agree that the ability to speak English is a useful skill.
 Most products are made in factories rather than by hand.
 Crime is on the increase in most major cities.
IELTS Vocabulary: 'easy' words in 'less common' phrases

You might think that a word is 'easy' because you understand it. But do you really know all the uses of that
word? There might be some 'less common' uses that would impress the examiner.
Take the word "interest" for example. When teaching a class of advanced-level students, I used the phrase
"out of interest" (e.g. I decided to take the course out of interest in the subject*). My students admitted that
they had never heard the phrase "out of interest" before.
*out of interest in the subject = because I'm interested in the subject
Can you think of any other examples of 'easy' words that are used in 'less common' phrases?
IELTS Grammar: interesting 'article' question

A student noticed something interesting in my video lesson about "discussion essays". In the lesson I
wrote the following two phrases:
1.their determination will help them in competitive situations
2.more useful than a competitive determination to win
The student asked why I used the article "a" in the second phrase. Isn't "determination" an uncountable
noun? The answer is, not always.
Sometimes we use "determination" as a countable noun. In the second sentence above, I'm writing about
one specific type of determination: the determination to win. In this case it's correct to write "a
determination".
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Note:
People often ask me to make a lesson that explains how to use articles. The problem is that article use
doesn't follow a set of simple 'rules'. I think it's best to learn gradually by reading lots of English and
by noticing things like the example above.
A note about grammar

The two lessons below demonstrate how crazy grammar 'rules' can be. Most people learn that we always
use the word "the" with superlatives (e.g. the highest, the oldest), but in reality the English language
breaks this 'rule' on many occasions.
I'm not a fan of learning such detailed grammar rules myself; I prefer my students to focus on vocabulary.
So don't worry if my "superlative without the" lessons seemed confusing to you. It wouldn't affect your
score if you made a mistake when using one of these phrases.
IELTS Grammar: superlative without 'the' (part 2)

Following on from yesterday's lesson, here are some key points to remember.
1) Superlatives can be used after possessive forms, without "the":
 My highest IELTS score was...
 His fastest running time was...
 Britain's oldest person is...
2) Miss "the" if the noun is before (not after) the superlative:

 The UK had the highest revenue from bananas. (noun after, use "the")
 Revenue from bananas was highest in the UK. (noun before, no "the")
3) Miss "the" when the meaning is "at its..." or "at their...":

 Revenue from bananas was (at its) highest in the UK.
 Temperatures are (at their) warmest in the south of the country.
Task:
Here's a puzzle for you. The sentence below is correct, but it seems to break the 'rule' in point 2 above.
Can you explain why I wrote "the oldest" even though there is no noun after the superlative?
The London underground is the oldest.
IELTS Grammar: superlative without 'the'

In this lesson I gave a grammatical explanation of when to write "highest" without the word "the" before it.
For example:
- The UK had the highest rate of unemployment. (the highest + noun)
- The unemployment rate was highest in the UK. (noun before 'highest', no 'the')
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However, there might be an easier way to remember when to miss the word "the". We miss the word "the"
when "highest" means "at its highest" or "at their highest" e.g. The unemployment rate was at its
highest in the UK.
Let's try this with a few more examples:
1. Rainfall is highest in October. (Rainfall is at its highest in October)
2. Temperatures are warmest in the south of the country. (at their warmest)
3. Traffic is slowest between 7 and 9am. (at its slowest)
In the above examples, don't put the word "the" before the superlative adjectives.
Note:
I'll add a bit more to this explanation in tomorrow's lesson, so feel free to ask any questions in the
comments area below.
IELTS Vocabulary: useful phrases

I used some good phrases in yesterday's letter task. Even if you're doing the academic IELTS test, I
recommend that you note them down.
 at short notice
 made the spontaneous decision
 to eat out
 we could not have chosen a better restaurant
 the ceremony had taken place
 my friends and I
 we were relieved to have finally (+ past participle)
 we were in good hands
 friendly and obliging
 such a memorable evening
Task:
Think about how you could use these phrases in your speaking test.
IELTS Vocabulary: this week's review

In my Saturday blog lessons, I often list the good vocabulary from the previous week. Today I'm going to
ask you to do this week's vocabulary review.
So, look back through this week's lessons here on the blog, and make a note of any good vocabulary that I
used. Feel free to share your lists in the "comments" area below.
IELTS Vocabulary: try this exercise

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Let's take some of the phrases from yesterday's lesson, and see if you can use them to make new
sentences about completely different topics.
Here are the phrases to use:
1.The focus of _____ is on _____ rather than _____.
2.I've recently started taking an interest in _____.
3.I would never have _____ when I was younger.
Remember to choose a new topic (not TV). You can put as many words as you want in the gaps.
IELTS Grammar: conditional mistakes

Can you correct the mistakes in the following conditional sentences?
1.If there was a ban on cigarette, less people would smoke cigarette.
2.If the tax rate on junk food had increased, people would likely to prefer making food at home.
3.If schools administered with any teachers, disorder and lawlessness would arise.
4.If uncensored commercials had been banned, the crime rate would be seized from rising.
IELTS Vocabulary: 'less common' phrases

Did you note down the following 'less common' phrases from the description that I wrote yesterday? Could
you use these phrases in your own sentences?
 each episode featured
 spectacular footage
 it was broadcast
 the DVD box set
 it was advertised repeatedly
 it was aired (means 'it was shown on TV')
 the trailers were eye-catching
 incredibly beautiful images
 the voice of the narrator
 stunning photography
 global scope
 to film such interesting creatures in so many locations
 opened my eyes to the hidden wonders of our planet
Note:
The phrase 'less common vocabulary' (or 'uncommon lexical items') is used in the examiner's mark
scheme. It refers to any vocabulary that examiners don't expect most candidates to use. But
this doesn't mean 'difficult' words; it means the kind of 'natural' phrases that native speakers use. A good
example is "DVD box set" - this isn't a difficult phrase, but it's something that English learnersmight not be
expected to use.
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IELTS Vocabulary: weekly review

Did you note down the good vocabulary from this week's lessons? Here's a list of some of the best words
and phrases. Try using them to make your own sentences.
 erratically
 precipitation
 mishandling, bungling
 convenient, handy
 certain key subject areas
 the courses of their choice
 from a personal perspective
 on the societal level
 job opportunities, career progression, better salaries
 knowledge and skill gaps are covered
 greater future prosperity
 passionate about what they are learning
 value creative thinking skills above practical or technical skills
 if this were the case
 I personally prefer the current system in which...

Here are some phrases (parts of sentences) that people wrote below Thursday's writing task 1 lesson. Can
you find and correct the mistakes?
Note: I'm focusing here on the parts of people's sentences that contained a problem. Don't worry about the
information that I've missed out.
1.The highest numbers of sales were 3 million Euros and 15 million Euros respectively.
2.The highest sales figures for Fairtrade coffee and bananas was recorded in Switzerland.
3.Switzerland was earning 15 million euros of fairtrade bananas.
4....with the sales figures for coffee and bananas stood at 3 million Euros and 15 million Euros
respectively.
5.Switzerland was the highest sales in fairtrade of coffee and bananas.
In case you didn't see it, here's my correct version:
In 1999, Switzerland had the highest figures for sales of both Fairtrade coffee and Fairtrade bananas, with
3 million and 15 million Euros of sales for the two respective products.
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IELTS Grammar: 'by/in contrast' and 'on the contrary'

A few people have asked me about these phrases. Do they have the same meaning? When is each one
used?
By contrast / In contrast
I often use these two phrases in both writing task 1 and 2. They are exactly the same, and are used in a
similar way to "however" or "on the other hand" to introduce a contrast / comparison. Put "By / In contrast"
at the beginning of a sentence, with a comma after "contrast".
Example
Unemployment rose in the UK. By contrast, the number of unemployed people in Canada fell.
On the contrary
I don't think you'll need this phrase for any part of the IELTS test. It doesn't mean the same thing as "by / in
contrast". We use "on the contrary" to deny that something is true, and to explain that the opposite is true.
Example
- Person 1: "You had some problems with your hotel, didn't you?"
- Person 2: "On the contrary, the hotel was great, but the airline lost my suitcase."
IELTS Grammar: 'future perfect' tense

Did you notice that I used the 'future perfect' tense in the answer that I wrote for Thursday's writing task 1
lesson? Here's the sentence:
- By 2024, a third building will have been constructed.
In fact, this is a 'future perfect passive' sentence. Another option was to write:
- In 2024, a third building will be constructed. (simple future, passive)
There's a small difference in meaning between these two sentences. The future perfect sentence suggests
that construction of the building will already be finished in 2024, whereas the simple future sentence
suggests that the construction work will happen in the year 2024.
IELTS Vocabulary: paraphrasing

In last Sunday's lesson I wrote that an advanced user of any language is someone who can express the
same idea in a variety of ways. When you do this, you are paraphrasing.
Let's practise paraphrasing some of the ideas from Friday's speaking lesson. Can you express the ideas
below in one or two (or more) different ways? Note: you don't need to use exact synonyms - just make
sure you communicate the same overall idea.
1.Traffic clogs up the main street.
2.Local people need to bring the problem to light.
3.They should come up with some possible designs.
4.This would have a positive knock-on effect.
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IELTS Vocabulary: from yesterday's lesson

Here's some of the good vocabulary that I used in yesterday's speaking lesson. Would you be able to use
these phrases in your own sentences? If you're not sure, look the phrases up in a dictionary, or use
Google to search for examples of their use.
 local neighbourhood
 pedestrianisation
 traffic diverted
 clogs up the main street
 congestion, noise and pollution
 pressure from local people
 bring a problem to light
 a campaign by residents
 come up with some possible designs
 a bypass
 blocked off
 quality of life
 outdoor seating
 a safer and more pleasant place
 a positive knock-on effect
IELTS Vocabulary: investigate!

Whenever you see a new word or phrase, it's a good idea to investigate. By this I mean that you should
search for the word or phrase online, and see how it is used in a variety of sentences.
For example, take this phrase from yesterday's lesson: "I'm not one for...". If you search for this phrase
on Google, you'll see examples like:
 I'm not one for complaining, but...
 I'm not one for writing reviews, but...
 I'm not one for settling for mediocrity.
 I'm not one for love songs.
 I'm not one for celeb news.
 I'm not one for too much structure.
I think you need to see five or more examples of a new phrase before you start to really see how you could
use it yourself. Can you see any 'rules' for the phrase "I'm not one for"? Can you explain what it means?
Can you use it in your own sentences?
IELTS Vocabulary: from this week

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Here are some good words and phrases from this week's blog lessons:
 an exact replica
 a mock-up
 to gauge
 painstaking work
 hands-on experience
 priceless
 outdated
 a career for life
 fixed roles of men and women
 take pride in your work
 the Hollywood formula
 a popular subject for film-makers
 share the experience
 replicate that cinema atmosphere
Did you notice that the noun 'replica' and the verb 'replicate' both appeared in this week's lessons, and in
very different contexts?
IELTS Speaking: verb tenses and vocabulary

In yesterday's lesson I asked you to find examples of verb tenses and good vocabulary in my sample
answer about a film that I would like to see.
Here are examples of different verb tenses that I used:
 Future with 'going to': it’s going to be called Spectre
 Future with 'will': I don’t know exactly what it will be about
 Present simple for the future: when it comes out later this year
 Present simple: I think Spectre refers to...
 Present perfect (active): I've seen the official trailer
 Present perfect (passive): hasn't been released yet
 Past simple: I saw in the news
 Past continuous: when I was watching the news
Here are some examples of 'band 7-9' vocabulary:
 when it comes out (meaning: when it is released)
 refers to the name of
 the imaginary criminal organisation
 hasn’t been released yet
 on a mission to save the world
 an arch-criminal
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 a plot line involving lots of twists and turns

 to defeat his nemesis
 the official trailer
 cast to play supporting roles
 James Bond films are always big news
 action scenes and special effects
 take place in spectacular locations
 unrealistic, you could even say ridiculous
 like a roller-coaster ride
IELTS Vocabulary: more good phrases

There were several good words and phrases in this week's lessons here on the blog. Here are some of
them, and I've left gaps to encourage you to look a bit harder!
1.universities became accessible to the ______
2.talented ______ film-makers
3.given the opportunity to ______ themselves
4.a ______ of other costs
5.partly ______ by government subsidies
6.foreign productions ______ the market
7.percentage of ______ inhabitants
8.each five-year age ______
9.each five-year ______
10. No significant ______ differences can be seen

This week's lessons contained some good vocabulary. Here are some of the words and phrases that you
could put in your notebook:
 cartography
 symptoms manifested
 fundamental things
 balance, symmetry and repetition
 soul-destroying
 rigid, bleak, relentless, harsh
 established film industries
 huge budgets, big-budget films
 shoot scenes in spectacular locations
 Hollywood blockbusters
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 global appeal
 they star the most famous actors
 made by the most accomplished producers
 suffers in comparison
 in theory, in practice
 made a mess of (informal)
 the core of
 the point at which

Can you correct the small mistake(s) in each of the following sentences, or change the sentences to make
them more natural?
1.Global filmmaking companies have more budget for action, special effects and spectacular
locations.
2.Governments should support local film industries by financially support the film makers.
3.If governments help local movie industry, it would create employment opportunities.
4.There are several reasons why locally made films lose popularity to foreign films.
5.The following essay will discuss in details about the issue.
IELTS Vocabulary: lists of 3

For my first answer in yesterday's lesson I wrote: "I like reading, learning from others, and trying to
understand difficult concepts." As you can see, I gave a list of 3 things that I like about studying.
Here are some more "lists of 3" that I could have used in my answers:
 I prefer to study alone so that I can concentrate, think deeply, andstay focused on the task.
 I like studying in the library because of its peaceful, studious andcontemplative atmosphere.
 When someone disturbs me I feel frustrated, annoyed and impatient.
Making "lists of 3" is a good way to practise adding variety to the language that you use. Try it yourself!
IELTS Vocabulary: collocations and phrases

There were some good collocations and phrases in the 'improved sentences' that I wrote for yesterday's
lesson. Did you write them in your notebook?
 give a presentation
 members of the audience
 my mind goes blank
 use visual aids
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 engage the audience

 feel anxious
 regardless of how (+ adjective) something is
 adequate preparation
 the key to doing something
IELTS Speaking / Grammar: improved sentences

Here are my suggestions for improved versions of the sentences in yesterday's lesson. Compare both
versions carefully to learn from the changes that I made.
1.In my opinion, people are afraid to give presentations when they think that members of the
audience might know more than they do.
2.My mind often goes blank when starting a new slide.
3.I believe that using visual aids can help to engage the audience.
4.Of course, giving a presentation can make people feel anxious, regardless of how confident they
normally are.
5.I think that adequate preparation is the key to giving a good presentation.
IELTS Vocabulary: review and practice

If I asked you to list the 10 best phrases from yesterday's speaking lesson and Wednesday's writing
lesson, which would you choose?
Could you then use those 10 phrases in your own sentences?
IELTS Grammar: 'to' with 'ing'

Many students have learnt that 'to' can't be followed by a word ending in 'ing'. But did you notice the
following phrase in the question in Wednesday's lesson?
"strict punishments for driving offences are the key to reducing traffic accidents"
This phrase is completely correct, so it must mean that the "rule" was wrong! You can put 'to' with 'ing' in
many situations. Here are some examples:
 The key to being more productive is...
 I look forward to seeing you.
 He admitted to taking the money.
 Scientists are closer to being able to...
 Seven steps to reaching your goals!
Can you find any more examples?
Tip: try searching on Google for "to being", "to having", "to doing" etc.
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Do you keep a notebook for useful words and phrases? And do you review the vocabulary in it regularly?
For example, here's a quick review of some useful vocabulary from the last seven days of lessons on this
blog:
 compile a list
 build a repertoire
 the current generation of language learners
 don't know how lucky they are
 they have the Internet at their disposal
 they have access to videos, podcasts and audiobooks
 they have the chance to immerse themselves in the language
 to take advantage of
 overuse of a word
 the charts compare three countries in terms of...
 dispose of harmful waste
 hazardous materials
 are buried underground / are recycled
 know the basics
 rely on pre-prepared meals
 that would surely be a good thing
Remember: Understanding a word is not the same as being able to use it. Practise using the phrases
above in your own sentences.
IELTS Vocabulary: from this week's essay

Did you write down the good vocabulary from the essay that I shared on Wednesday? Here are the 'band
7-9' words, collocations and phrases that I used:
 are increasingly likely to
 take on the role of househusband
 breadwinners
 equal rights movements
 made great progress
 gain qualifications
 pursue a career
 become socially acceptable
 the rising cost of living
 marriage partners
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 starting a family
 personal preference
 should be seen as progress
 equal opportunities
 put under pressure
 sacrifice their careers
 assume childcare responsibilities
 parental role
 their particular circumstances and needs
 wider changes in society
 these developments are desirable
Try writing your own full sentences using each vocabulary item above.
IELTS Vocabulary: topic-specific

Did you notice that the vocabulary list in yesterday's lesson contained no linking words and no phrases
that could be used in any essay?
Instead, all of the vocabulary in the list was what I call "topic vocabulary" - words and phrases that are
directly relevant to the specific topic of the question. This is the kind of vocabulary that impresses
examiners.
IELTS Vocabulary: review

Let's review some of the good vocabulary from this week's task 2 essay. It is this vocabulary that really
takes the essay up to band 9 level.
 a maximum wage
 employee remuneration
 should be capped
 excellent pay packages
 attract the most talented people
 the huge sums that they are willing to pay
 highly motivated
 drive their businesses
 a thriving economy
 increased tax revenues
 a limit on earnings
 the pay-gap
 demotivate workers
 lower executive salaries
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 higher minimum wages

 everybody will be better off
 poverty and crime rates fall
 the general population
 an improved standard of living
 set a limit
 the highest earners
IELTS Grammar: using Google

If you are unsure about the correct way to use a word, Google can often solve the problem. Here are two
examples:
1.Try searching for "drink driving" and "drunk driving". Both are correct, but which is more common?
2.I wanted to explain the use of "having had", so I googled "having had grammar" and found this
page from the BBC.
Google and Wikipedia are two of the best tools for improving your vocabulary and grammar. Try them the
next time you have a language problem.

Here's a list of the good vocabulary from my 'climate change' essay:
 represents a major threat to
 tackle this issue
 reduce the human impact
 to prevent, or at least mitigate, climate change
 limit the carbon dioxide emissions
 impose “green taxes” on drivers
 other polluters
 invest in renewable energy production
 energy efficient
 voting for politicians who propose to tackle climate change
 the consequences will be disastrous
 not optimistic that we would be able to cope
 rise in sea levels
 people would be displaced
 the means to safeguard low-lying areas
 forced to migrate to nearby cities
 the potential for human suffering would be huge
 outbreaks of disease and famine
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 increased homelessness and poverty

Remember: if you want a high score in writing task 2, you need to use good 'topic vocabulary' like the
examples above.
IELTS Vocabulary: from Friday's lesson

Here's a list of the good vocabulary from Friday's speaking lesson:
 working in a previous job
 catch an early flight
 a senior member of our department
 had volunteered to
 waiting to be picked up
 look out for his car
 I overslept
 I had set my alarm
 I must have turned it off
 I sprang out of bed
 got dressed in record time
 I splashed some water on my face
 put my shoes on without properly tying the laces
 I was filled with a sense of panic
 walked towards the awaiting car
 I felt so embarrassed
 it was obvious that I hadn’t been ready on time
Note:
These words and phrases might not seem 'difficult' or 'academic'. However, examiners don't often meet
candidates who use this kind of natural, native-speaker language.
In particular, phrases like "I sprang out of bed", "I got dressed in record time" and "I splashed some water
on my face" would certainly surprise an examiner.
IELTS Vocabulary: phrasal verbs

I used several phrasal verbs (e.g. pick up, look out for, turn off, carry on) in my description in yesterday's
lesson.
These verbs look easy, but they are good examples of the kind of natural, idiomatic language that native
speakers use. The tricky thing about phrasal verbs is that you have to learn what each one means; you
can't understand them by translating the individual words.
20.10.16
For example, I used "pick up" to mean "collect" (I was waiting for my colleague to collect me), but "pick up"
can also mean improve, learn quickly, or receive. Have a look at this page on a grammar website. Can you
see why phrasal verbs might impress the examiner if you use them correctly?
IELTS Grammar: active and passive

A student called Rosh asked for some help with the following sentences. Are they active or passive? Are
they all correct?
1.My boss recommended me a long holiday.
2.I was recommended a long holiday by my boss.
3.My boss was recommended me a long holiday.
4.Members asked me many questions in the meeting.
5.I was asked many questions by members in the meeting.
6.Members were asked me many questions in the meeting.
IELTS Grammar / Vocabulary: 'meaning that'

A student pointed out that I sometimes use the phrase "meaning that" in my essays, but he wasn't sure
how to use this phrase himself.
Here are some examples from my essays:
 Penalties for dangerous drivers can act as a deterrent, meaning thatpeople avoid repeating the
same offence.
 Some bilinguals also have two cultural identities, meaning that they are able to adapt their
behaviour effortlessly.
 Some people call this ‘cultural imperialism’, meaning that one culture has power over others.
Can you see when and how I use the phrase "meaning that"?

Can you improve the following sentences? They were all written by students below this lesson.
1.In 2005, only 5% of visitors gave excellent impression of the service.
2.45% of guests were in favour of satisfactory services in the hotel.
3.Satisfactory impression was given by 45% of hotel guests.
4.In 2005, negligible 5% of people surveyed thought the service was excellent, while the figure for
good was relatively larger, being 14%.
5.In conclusion, the hotel performance showed marked progress between 2005 and 2010.
20.10.16
IELTS Grammar: articles

Today I'm attaching some questions that a student asked about articles. You can read my answers below
each question.
Click here to download
Please note that I cannot provide a complete explanation of all article rules and uses. Grammar books take
many pages to do this!
Article rules can become very confusing, so don't worry too much about them. Students who are good at
using articles have normally learnt by copying what they read and hear, rather than by learning the 'rules'.

Here are some of the "Finally" sentences that people wrote below Wednesday'slesson. Can you find and
correct the mistakes?
1.Finally, development of an economy might help a nation tackle with such problems as currency
fluctuations, natural damages, terrorist attacks and the like.
2.Finally, a sustainable economy also help the government well-prepare for natural disaster as well
as the battle against inflation.
3.Finally, strong economy leads towards a better lifestyle for inhabitants by providing state of the art
technology.
4.Finally, from broader aspect, progress in economy enable government to gain authority in political
arena, thereby helps to future progression of a country.
IELTS Grammar and Vocabulary: from last week

Here are my correct versions of the sentences in Thursday's lesson:
1.In 1985, Canada exported about 19 million tonnes of wheat.
2.The figure for Australia was lower, at 15 million tonnes.
3.In 1988, the amount of wheat exported by Canada increased by about 5 million tonnes.
And here are some good phrases from last week's General Writing letter:
 the proposed closure
 stress how important something is
 on a daily basis
 which they enjoy immensely
 an integral part of the local community
 a social hub in the town
 lose a treasured facility
 within a reasonable distance
 have a detrimental effect on
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 quality of life
 take these concerns into consideration
Note: The phrases above are not only useful for GT task 1. You might be able to use them in writing task 2
or in the speaking test.
IELTS Grammar: question about verb tenses

Here's a question that someone sent me this week:
I have a big problem with verb tenses, especially the present perfect continuous and past perfect
continuous. I can't use these tenses when I'm speaking. How can I solve this problem?
My answer is simple: stop worrying about this! You don't have time to think about grammar when you're
speaking. Thinking about verb tenses will distract you from your main objective, which is to answer the
question well. Forget those tenses, and focus instead on listening to the question and answering it
naturally.
IELTS Grammar: linking with 'this'

All students learn to link ideas using words like "however", "furthermore" etc. Most students don't realise
that the word "this" is also a linking word. Look at the following examples:
 Nowadays, people can use the Internet, fax and mobile phones to work from home. In this way,
people who do not have access to transport can find employment.
 Most products are built to last only a short time, and this creates a "throw-away" culture.
 A global economy means free trade between countries. This can strengthen political relationships.
The word "this" refers to the sentence or idea that came before. "This" helps you to link ideas and avoid
repetition. Native speakers and good writers use "this" a lot, and the IELTS examiner will be impressed if
you can use it.
IELTS Vocabulary: from this week

Did you take note of the following vocabulary from this week's lessons?
 numerous
 unprecedented
 scepticism
 a spirited and compelling argument
 to extend human understanding
 disciplined intellectual enquiry
 can never be wholly harnessed
 the future of higher education lies in the balance
 deeper and more enlightened understanding
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 how best to improve transportation

 better provision for
 further investment in
 become more bicycle-friendly
 public transport infrastructure
 a mere 8%
 a massive 69%
 such dramatic differences
IELTS Grammar: simplify

Instead of correcting every grammar mistake, an easier way to improve the introduction paragraph in
yesterday's lesson would be to simplify it. To simplify something, we need to focus on the message that
we are trying to communicate; how can we deliver that message in the clearest, simplest way?
For example, here's a simplified version of the introduction:
Many people are confident that this century will be a positive one. I share this optimism, and there are
several positive changes that I hope to see over the coming years.

Can you correct and improve the following introduction paragraph?
It is commonly increasing to hear about that some people are in hope of the current century and look it as
an check out to make good changes to the globe. From my view some changes can be better for the
world, there are few ideas that I would love to see in the nextby century.
IELTS Vocabulary: topic list

Note: I'm reposting this list of topics because it was difficult to find amongst my older lessons.
Look through the following list of common IELTS topics. Do you have opinions about them? Could you
discuss them in an essay or in a conversation?
1.Advertising
2.Animal Rights: testing on animals, vegetarianism, zoos
3.Cities: urbanisation, problems of city life
4.Crime: police, punishments/prisons, rehabilitation, capital punishment
5.Education: studying abroad, technology in education, education in developing countries, higher
education, home-schooling, bad behaviour, corporal punishment, single sex education,
streaming (grouping children according to ability)
6.Environment: global warming, impact of humans on the environment, solutions to environment
problems, waste/rubbish, litter, recycling, nuclear power
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7.Family: family size, working parents, negative effects on children, divorce, care for old people
8.Gender: gender and education, gender and work, women’s and men’s role in the family
9.Genetic Engineering: positives, negatives, genetically modified foods
10. Global Issues: problems in developing countries, how to help developing countries, immigration,
multi-cultural societies, globalisation
11. Government and Society: what governments can do, public services, censorship, video cameras
in public places
12. Guns and Weapons: gun ownership and possession, police and guns, nuclear weapons, armed
forces
13. Health: diet, exercise, state health systems, private healthcare, alternative medicine, stress
14. Housing and Architecture: state housing, old buildings, modern/green buildings
15. International Language: English as an international language
16. Money: money and society, consumerism
17. Personal Development: happiness, success, nature or nurture
18. Sport and Leisure: professional/competitive sport, sport salaries, sport and politics
19. Tourism: positives, negative effects on environment, future of tourism
20. Traditions and Modern Life: losing traditional skills, traditional customs
21. Transport: traffic problems and solutions, public transport, road safety
22. Television, Internet and Mobile Phones: positives and negatives, Internet compared to
newspapers and books
23. Water: importance of clean water, water supply, water should be free, bottled water
24. Work: same job for life, self-employment, unemployment, work/life balance, technology and work,
child labour
This is the topic list that I work with when preparing lessons, and it's the basis of my ebook. It's a good idea
to print this list and try to work through it.
IELTS Vocabulary: paraphrasing

Let's review the paraphrasing that I used in Thursday's lesson:
 the pie charts compare = the pie charts give information about
 water usage = the water used
 water usage = water is consumed
 the rest of the world = the world as a whole
 the rest of the world = worldwide
 for residential purposes = by homes
 San Diego and California = two American regions
Remember: Paraphrasing is considered to be a 'high level' language skill. The ability to say or write the
same thing in several different ways is the sign of an 'advanced' language user.
20.10.16

Have you noted down the following good vocabulary from this week's lessons?
 should do the trick (informal) = should be enough
 resist the urge to
 ramble on (informal) = say too much
 dive right in (informal) = go straight to
 with the sole aim of
 maximising profit
 a wider role to play in society
 treat employees well, rather than exploiting them
 pay a "living wage"
 ensure that they have a good quality of life
 use a proportion of their profits
 support local charities
 environmental projects
 education initiatives
 minimise tax payments
 accounting loopholes
 contribute to society
 in the world as a whole
 accounts for the vast majority of
 they've used up their energy
 leave a good impression on someone
IELTS Vocabulary: collocations

Did you notice the following phrase in my conclusion in Wednesday's lesson?
"companies should place as much importance on their social responsibilities"
Notice the "verb + noun" collocation that I used: place importance on
Did you know that we can say "place importance on something"? Have you ever used this collocation /
phrase yourself?
You might think that you know the word "importance", but I would be surprised if you knew all of the
common collocations on this webpage. Remember: it's easy to learn the meaning of a word, but this
doesn't mean that you know all of the word's uses.
IELTS Vocabulary: learn from examples

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Instead of looking for a grammatical explanation for the use of a word or phrase, it's often better to search
for real examples of usage.
Take the following question, for example. A student asked me:
Is there a difference between "in terms of" and "with regard to"? When and how should we use these
phrases?
Task:
Can you find 3 examples of each of the two phrases in the student's question above? Use a search
engine, such as Google, and choose examples that come from reliable sources (e.g. newspaper articles).
Does this help you to see how and when the two phrases are used? Do you think there is a difference
between them?
IELTS Vocabulary: paraphrasing and comparisons

Did you notice the paraphrasing that I used in Thursday's lesson?
 the amount of time = the time spent
 10 to 15-year-olds = aged between 10 and 15
 chatting on the Internet = chatting online = chat online = engage in online conversation
 playing on games consoles = playing computer games = play on their consoles
 more popular = boys favour = girls prefer
 the majority of = most of them = most girls
and the comparisons that I made?
 ...is more popular than...
 Boys favour... / By contrast, girls prefer...
 while 85% of boys..., only 55%...
 close to 70% of girls..., compared to about 50% of this cohort who...
 most of them..., whereas most...

Did you note down these good phrases from Wednesday's lesson?
 it is an abstract concept with no definite meaning
 it can mean or represent
 depending on a person's age, culture or background
 a feeling of pleasure in a particular moment
 a state of mind
 adults equate happiness with...
 health, security, financial stability or success
 we seek contentment
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 in our own individual ways

If you want to write at a band 7-9 level, vocabulary is the key!
IELTS Grammar: mistakes with the passive

In which of these sentences is the passive used correctly?
1.The amount of rainfall was increased last month.
2.An increase in rainfall was seen last month.
3.The UK was experienced an increase in rainfall.
4.Rainfall has been reduced this year.
5.Income tax has been reduced this year.
IELTS Grammar: corrected (simplified) sentences

Here are my suggestions for correct, simplified versions of the sentences in yesterday's lesson:
1.People who live in cities face various problems.
2.The problems that urban inhabitants face include a high cost of living, social problems, and poor
air quality.
3.People who live in cities face various problems.
4.People who live in urban areas face various challenges.
5.City life is much more challenging than many people are led to believe.
Notes:
 Sentences 1 and 3 were trying to communicate the same simple idea, so I used the same easy
sentence for both.
 Notice that I removed the words 'dwelling' and 'denizen'. Don't try to show off with difficult words in
your introduction.
 Notice how the verb 'face' is used: A face(s) B. For example: people face problems.

Can you see the mistakes in the following topic sentences?
1.On the one hand, people facing different situation living in a city.
2.The problems that urban inhabitants may face with are high cost of living, many kinds of social
problems as well as poor air quality.
3.People dwelling in cities are facing different kind of issues every day.
4.On the one hand, the denizen need to face the challenge life in urban sprawl.
5.The fantasy of high standard city life is infact faced with reality of many daily challenges.
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Tip: the easiest way to improve these sentences is by simplifying them.

IELTS Vocabulary: the problem with synonyms

Someone asked me the following useful questions:
 Instead of 'reduce pollution', can we write 'bring down pollution' or'lessen pollution'?
 Instead of 'reduce the pressure', can we write 'cut down the pressure'?
My answer is no. Although 'bring down', 'lessen' and 'cut down' can be used as synonyms of 'reduce' in
some situations, most native speakers wouldn't choose to use them in the contexts above. In other words,
'reduce pollution' is a common collocation, but 'bring down pollution' isn't.
To see which verbs collocate (go well) with 'pollution' click here.
To see collocations with the word 'pressure' click here.
IELTS Vocabulary: essay analysis

Did you analyse the essay in Wednesday's lesson? Here are some good phrases that you could try to use
yourself:
 seen as places of opportunity
 major drawbacks
 a large metropolis
 the average inhabitant
 the cost of living
 urban areas, rural areas
 high crime and poverty rates
 the air quality is poor
 public transport systems are overcrowded
 take steps to tackle these problems
 affordable housing
 ban vehicles
 promote the use of cleaner public transport
 traffic congestion, a congestion charge
 curb the traffic problem
 provincial towns
 reduce the pressure on
 implement a range of measures
 enhance the quality of life
Remember that 'topic vocabulary' is the key to a high score in writing task 2.
20.10.16
IELTS Vocabulary: yesterday's sentences improved

Here are my improved versions of the sentences in yesterday's lesson. I've replaced the strange words
with more natural alternatives.
1.It is widely accepted that sport has a positive impact on people's physical and mental health.
2.Investment in facilities will not, by itself, lead to an overall improvement in public health.
3.In order to revolutionise public health, alternative measures will need to be taken.
IELTS Vocabulary: trying to be 'difficult'

I recently read a student's essay that contained the following sentences:
1.As a matter of fact, it is no clandestine issue to anybody that sport has indisputable impacts on
overall health of people.
2.The proponents of this view perceive that investment in enhancing the number of health-related
facilities is not alone a cure-all for protecting and maintaining healthy atmosphere.
3.To revolutionize public health, alternative effective measures are entailed.
I told the student that I thought she was trying too hard to be 'difficult'. Which words or phrases in each
sentence do you think I suggested changing?

(Must For All) (M I Ngày 1 Page) Intermediate Vocab (Chia Theo Topics)

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(Must For All) (M I Ngày 1 Page) Intermediate Vocab (Chia Theo Topics)

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COMPILED BY KHOLOV FERUZ IN NAVOI

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