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How to write the Overview in Writing Task...
A great trick for paraphrasing in Writing
Speaking Part 3: Saying “It depends”
Three easy steps when writing an idea in...
Speaking Part 1 Sample Answer: ‘Mirrors’ Topic
IELTS Speaking: Give personal examples
IELTS Tips in 3 Minutes: How to write...
Process in Writing Task 1: A band 8.0...
IELTS Tips in 3 Minutes: Think of a...
How to compare numbers in Writing Task 1

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How to write the Overview in Writing Task 1
IELTS Writing Task 1

How to write the Overview in Writing Task 1

written by Thang

The Overview is the most important part in a Task 1 essay. In order to get a good band score, you must be able to write a good Overview.

I have a simple technique for writing the Overview: Write 2 sentences, and in each sentence, you write 1 noticeable feature from the graph. So, in the Overview, you need to analyse the graph carefully, select 2 noticeable features and then write them in your Overview.

So, how do you analyse the graph and select the main features? Overall, you need to look at these things:

  • The main trends of the figures in the graph (do all the figures increase, or decrease?)
  • Are there any important or special figures to mention? (you need to pay attention to the highest or lowest figures in the graph).
  • Are there any remarkable changes? (for example, if there is a number that changes dramatically, you should mention it in your Overview).

To sum up, when looking at a graph, you need to analyse the points above to find 2 noticeable features, and then write them with 2 sentences in your Overview.

Let’s look at a couple of examples.

Example 1:

The graph below shows the proportion of the population aged 65 and over between 1940 and 2040 in three different countries.

When analysing the graph above, we can see that there are 2 noticeable features:

  • All these three figures are expected to increase in the research period. (We need to look at the overall trend, don’t look at individual years). I use the “prediction tense” because there are predictions for future years in this graph (2040).
  • The line of Japan is expected to change most dramatically (from the lowest in the first year to the highest in the final year).

So, I can write my Overview with 2 sentences like this:

“It is clear that the percentages of people aged 65 and over in all three countries are expected to increase during the research period. Additionally, the figure for Japan is predicted to experience the most dramatic change.”

Example 2:

Looking at this table, I can see 2 main points:

  • The proportion of boys in the 6-11 group playing sports was higher than the other group.
  • Football was the most common sport (played by the most boys).

Based on this analysis, I write the Overview:

“It is clear that boys aged 6-11 played sports more than those in the older group. Additionally, football was the most popular kind of sport for both age groups.”

In conclusion, this is a simple and effective way to write the Overview for a Writing Task 1 essay.

March 22, 2019 0 comment
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A great trick for paraphrasing in Writing
IELTS Writing Task 2

A great trick for paraphrasing in Writing

written by Thang

Everyone who studies for the IELTS knows that we need to avoid repeating words too much in an essay. We need to paraphrase. However, for those who have a limited range of vocabulary (non-native English speakers, like me!), finding a synonym to paraphrase can usually be challenging, especially when being in the exam room.

There is one great and simple trick that very few students notice: We can paraphrase by simply changing the word forms ( or word classes). For example, we can use the same word but change it from a noun into a verb, an adjective into a noun, and so on. By doing this, we avoid repeating the same words, and this can be counted as a successful attempt of paraphrasing, which should get us a better score.

Some simple examples:

  1. People have different views about which factor contributes the most to an individual’s success (n) ….
    -> Personally, I believe hard work is the most important element that helps a person to succeed (v).
  2. Playing sports regularly can improve (v) people’s health.
    -> Playing sports regularly can contribute to improvements (n) in a person’s health.
  3. There are several ways to help children become more creative (adj). …
    -> This might help children to develop their creativity (n).

Of course, it will be better if you learn more vocabulary in order to improve your paraphrasing skills. However, this technique will still be very useful in the situation where you cannot think of a synonym for a word.

November 6, 2018 0 comment
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Speaking Part 3: Saying “It depends”
IELTS Speaking

Speaking Part 3: Saying “It depends”

written by Thang

In Part 3 of the Speaking test, students will encounter a lot of difficult questions, as these questions usually mention big social issues. Therefore, many students struggle to immediately think of ideas for an answer.

There is a simple tip/technique that can help you deal with this. You can say: It depends on the person/situation, and then describe the situations.

This technique helps you answer a lot more easily. Instead of having to think about what to say, this technique allows you to cover different aspects of the issue and therefore have more ideas to say.

There are some structures that you can use:

“I think it depends on the person. For some people, …… . But for others, ……. .”

“I believe both these things have their own advantages. A can help people to ….. . Meanwhile, B can also ….. “.

Let me give you some examples:

  • Do you think it is better to rent or to buy a place to live?
    Well, I think it really depends on the person. For young people who are just at the beginning of their career, they do not have much money, so renting is a more suitable option. This also brings them flexibility as they might want to change their workplace several times. However, for those who are older, maybe over 40, they have already accumulated a large sum of money, so I think they should buy a house or an apartment to be able to live comfortably in their own home.
  • Do you see televisionas being educational or just a form of entertainment?
    Well, it depends on the person in my opinion. Many people use televisions only as a way to entertain themselves. These people tend to watch programs like movies or game shows. However, there are also many people who use television to learn something. For example, I have a friend who loves watching a program called Shark Tank, which is about investing in companies and stuff like that.
  • Do you think it is necessary for companies to offer good customer service?
    Well, I think it really depends on what type of customers these companies want to target. If a company wants to attract customers who are wealthy, then excellent customer service is a must. However, if a company wants to target those who have a low income, then I think customer service doesn’t really matter. These customers usually only care about the price, and they will still buy the product if they can afford it.

I personally find this technique quite helpful, especially when you encounter difficult questions in Part 3. However, do not overuse this technique, you should only use it for 1-2 questions.

October 31, 2018 0 comment
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Three easy steps when writing an idea in Writing Task 2
IELTS Writing Task 2

Three easy steps when writing an idea in Writing Task 2

written by Thang

Although ideas are the most important parts of a Task 2 essay, many students find it difficult to write and express their ideas coherently and clearly. Today, I’ll share with you 3 easy steps that you can follow to write a good idea.

Here are my three steps:

Step 1: Think of a main idea. A main idea is what you write to support your opinions. For example, if you say that advertising is good, your main ideas would be the benefits of advertising.

Step 2: Develop your main idea with some supporting ideas. These ideas help to make your main idea clearer and stronger. There are a few different ways to write supporting ideas:

  • Explain why
  • Give a clear example for the main idea
  • Give a positive/negative result of the main idea

I have already posted a lesson regarding this step. Have a look at the lesson here.

Step 3: After having the main idea and the supporting ideas, we link these ideas together to form complete sentences. This is the easiest step, you just need to use some linking words:

  • Linking words for expressing causes/effects: Due to / Because of, Since / As / Because, or Therefore / As a result…
  • Linking words for giving examples: such as / For example / For instance

Okay, so now you can apply these 3 steps to writing all your ideas.

Let’s look at one specific example. Here is one question that was recently given in Vietnam. This is an easy question (Note that you should begin practising new techniques with easier questions, and then you can gradually raise the difficulty level).

Question: The use of social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, is replacing face-to-face contact in this century. Do you think the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

For this topic, let’s say I believe social media is good. Therefore, my main ideas will be about the benefits of social networks.

I will apply the 3 steps above to write my idea:

Step 1: Think of a main idea. What are the benefits of social networks? I can come up with a simple one: “Social networks make it easy for people to keep in touch with the latest activities of their family and friends, including those who live far away.”

Step 2: Develop the main idea with some supporting ideas. I will develop my main idea by several ways:

  • Explain why. I ask myself: Why/How do social networks help people to do that? “Because social networks allow users to share content such as videos or photos with others via the Internet.”
  • Give a clear example. “For example, when I was studying abroad in the UK, I was able to show my parents all the photos and I took at the places I went to.”
  • Give a positive result. For this main idea, I can’t think of any good result, so I’ll skip this and just use the 2 supporting ideas above.

Step 3: Link these ideas together. This is the easiest step. I only need to use some simple linking words:

“Because social networks allow users to share content such as videos or photos with others via the Internet, they make it easy for people to keep in touch with the latest activities of their family and friends, including those who live far away. For example, when I was studying abroad in the UK, I was able to show my parents all the photos that I took at the places I went to.”

In order to have a complete body paragraph, you will need 2 ideas like that and link them together following this template:

“On the one hand, there are some benefits of social networks. Firstly, …………. *idea 1*………… . Secondly, ………….*idea 2*………… .

You can try this method to write about the disadvantages of social networks.

October 16, 2018 0 comment
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Speaking Part 1 Sample Answer: ‘Mirrors’ Topic
IELTS Speaking

Speaking Part 1 Sample Answer: ‘Mirrors’ Topic

written by Thang

In a previous lesson, I introduced a quick tip for answering Speaking Part 1. The tip is to give short answers with 2 sentences:

Sentence 1: Give a direct answer.
Sentence 2: Give an explanation or an example.

Today, I will give you another example for the topic “Mirrors”, which is a strange topic given recently.

1. Do you often look in the mirror?

(give a direct answer) Yes, I look in the mirror almost every day in the morning. (explain) This is to make sure that I don’t look like a mess going to my office.

2. Do you often buy mirrors?

(give a direct answer) No, I do not. (explain) Perhaps the reason is that I’m a man and I don’t need too much make-up, so there is no need to buy too many mirrors.

3. Where do you put mirrors?

(give a direct answer) I put mirrors in my bathroom, (explain) because that is the place where I get ready in the morning.

4. Do you think mirrors are a necessary decoration?

(give a direct answer) No, but I guess for some people mirrors really are a crucial decoration in their home. (give an example) For example, if you put a big mirror in your living room, it will make the room seem much more spacious.

The answers above deserve a band score of at least 8.0.

October 16, 2018 0 comment
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IELTS Speaking: Give personal examples
IELTS Speaking

IELTS Speaking: Give personal examples

written by Thang

Examiners usually have to mark many candidates during one session, so they are likely to feel bored and tired if they have to listen to the same boring answers. To avoid this situation, when answering questions, you should give your own personal examples. This will make your answers much more interesting, and your examiners will feel more comfortable.

Look how I answer these two questions of Part 3. The personal examples are underlined:

  1. What are some of the different types of advertising?

Well, I think companies nowadays use a lot of different methods to advertise their brands and products. About 10 or 20 years ago, there used to be only TV or radio commercials. But now, companies are increasingly placing their advertisements on the Internet, especially some social websites. I go to Facebook and YouTube all the time, and I can always see hundreds of advertisements on those sites, and to be honest, I find it a little bit annoying.

  1. Do you think people really buy the things they see them in an advertisement?

Some people do, I guess. Advertisements are created in a very attractive way in order to make the customers interested, so they will buy the product. For me, I do not rely entirely on advertisements. When I need something, I often ask my friends or my family who have already used the product for their opinions before deciding to buy it. I don’t want to waste my money on a bad product.

September 17, 2018 0 comment
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IELTS Writing Task 1

IELTS Tips in 3 Minutes: How to write the Introduction for Writing Task 1

written by Thang

Hi, I’m back with the second video in the series “IELTS Tips in 3 Minutes”. Today I’ll show you a simple way to write the Introduction for Writing Task 1.

Turn on captions/subtitles for easy learning 😉

September 10, 2018 0 comment
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Uncategorized

Process in Writing Task 1: A band 8.0 model essay

written by Thang

Process is a difficult type of questions that usually appears in the IELTS test. Today, I want to share with you a band 8.0 essay I have written for this type.

In a Process question, there are usually some keywords already given in the diagram/process. What we need to do is to paraphrase these keywords in our essay in order to avoid repetition.

Have a look at my model essay and how I paraphrased the keywords below:

Full essay:

The flow chart illustrates how waste paper is recycled. It is clear that there are six main stages in the process of recycling waste paper. The first step of the process involves collecting paper that has been thrown away, and the final step is creating usable paper.

At the initial stage of the process, used paper is collected from either individuals or companies. The process continues with the paper being classified by workers, and inappropriate paper is eliminated. After that, the paper is carried to a paper mill to be ready for the next stages.

At the paper mill, the paper is cleaned and pulped. This step involves getting rid of other materials such as staples. The process continues with a step called “de-inking” where all inks and glues are removed from the paper. At the final stage, paper is put into a machine, and then new paper is finally produced and is ready to be used again.

(158 words, by theieltsgenius.com)

How I paraphrased the keywords given in the question:

– waste paper = paper that has been thrown away

– manufacture = create = produce

– first stage = initial stage

– public = individuals

– businesses = companies

– sort = grade = classify

– unsuitable = inappropriate

– remove = eliminate = get rid of

– transport = deliver = carry

– usable = can be used

September 5, 2018 0 comment
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IELTS Writing Task 2

IELTS Tips in 3 Minutes: Think of a result in Writing Task 2

written by Thang

Hi guys, I’m Thang from The IELTS Genius. I have just launched a series of video lessons called “IELTS Tips in 3 minutes”. In these short videos, I will be providing simple and useful tips that you guys can easily apply to improve your IELTS band score.

This is the very first video called “Think of a result in Writing Task 2”. I’d love to hear your feedback, and please support me if you want me to make more videos like this.

Note: Turn on caption/subtitle to learn more easily.

Thanks for watching.

August 18, 2018 0 comment
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How to compare numbers in Writing Task 1
IELTS Writing Task 1

How to compare numbers in Writing Task 1

written by Thang

In a previous lesson, I talked about how we should practise describing numbers.

However, in a graph or chart, there are always a lot of different numbers. Therefore, apart from describing these numbers, we also need to compare them with each other (Note that the topic always says: “make comparisons where relevant”).

The good news is, comparing numbers is super easy! You will need to use several linking words, and that’s it!

Some linking words are: respectively, compared to/compared with, while/whereas, By contrast/In contrast…

Let’s look at some examples:

  • The numbers of Italian and French car users were 2 million and 5 million respectively.
  • The amount of pizza consumed in Vietnam stood at 2,000 tonnes, compared to 10,000 tonnes in China.
  • The percentage of Internet users in the UK was 70%, while the figure for the US stood at 80%.
  • 10 million foreign visitors travelled to the UK in 2000. By contrast, only 2 million went to Denmark.

So, try to use some simple linking words, and you have already made great comparisons in your Task 1 essays.

August 14, 2018 0 comment
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About Me

About Me

Hi, I am Thang, an experienced IELTS teacher in Vietnam. I achieved IELTS 8.5 overall in 2015. I created this website to help non-native English speakers (like me!) deal with the IELTS test.

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