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The difference between times and tenses

Time is a concept which is related to our perception of reality.
There are three times: past, present and future. Tense is a
grammatical category which is marked by verb inflection and
expresses when an event or action happens in the flow of time.
Strictly speaking, only two English tenses are marked by the inflection of
the verb:

past (talked)

present (talks)
Other tenses are marked by auxiliaries (be, have):

past continuous (was/were talking)

past perfect (had talked)

past perfect continuous (had been talking)

present continuous (am/are/is talking)

present perfect (have/has talked)

present perfect continuous (have/has been talking)

Word Set 1
Phrasal Verb

Meaning

hang out

spend time relaxing (informal)

catch up
with

Meet someone after a period of time

and find out what they have been
doing

cut
down/back
on

Reduce

give
(something) Quit / stop doing it
up
cut out

Stop eating something (permanently

or for a long time)

find out

Discover

get along/on Like each other

fall out
clean up

Argue and be on bad terms with

someone
Tidy / Clean

come across Find something unexpectedly

Word Set 2
Phrasal Verb

Meaning

hand (something)
Submit
in
get away with
(something)
keep up with
end up
fall behind
drop out

Do something without being

noticed or punished
Continue at the same rate
To become eventually; turn out
to be
To fail to keep up a pace; lag
behind.
Quit a class, school, university
etc

look back on

Think about something that

happened in the past

put forward

Suggest or state the case for

something

catch up with

Reach the same level

pull out of

To stop being a part of

something

Word Set 3
Phrasal Verb Get
get something
across/over
get around
get away
get back at
someone
get back into
get by

Meaning
Make understandable or
communicate
To have mobility
To go on holiday / vacation
To get revenge
Become interested in
something again
To have just enough of
something such as money or
knowledge

get down to

Start doing something seriously

or with a lot of effort

get

Recover from something, like an

over something

illness or a problem

get round to
something

To find time to do something

get through

To survive something

get together

Social meeting

get up

Get out of bed

Essay Writing
I previously wrote about sticking to the same formula of a 4 paragraph
structure. Once you practice this approach, it will be very easy to plan and
organize your essay when youve only got 40 minutes.
For the agree/disagree essay, I think its probably easiest to just
completely agree or completely disagree because you just need to have 2
reasons to support why.
Remember, the examiner is marking you on how you express, organize
and support your ideas. They arent judging you on your opinion. As
long as its logical and cohesive (your argument is supported and your
ideas stick together) and written clearly, you will get a higher mark.
1.

Introduction introduce topic and give your clear answer to the

task question (I fully agree or disagree with the claim)
2. Main Reason #1 why you agree or disagree give examples
and supporting details
3. Main Reason #2 why you agree or disagree give examples
and supporting details
4. Conclusion restate your opinion (this is a very short paragraph
probably 1 to 2 sentences)
Heres an example:
Many children these days have an unhealthy lifestyle. Both schools and
parents are equally responsible for solving this problem.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?2
My outline of ideas for my essay (not fully written out):
1. Introduction Write a sentence about the topic, paraphrase the claim
and give my opinion I completely disagree. I think only parents are fully
responsible for solving this problem.

2. Main Reason #1
I believe parents are fully responsible for solving this problem.

main caregiver and spend the most time with their kids
should be the primary role model of living a healthy lifestyle
most effective because parents provide childs food/meals and
guidelines for childs free time and activities

3. Main Reason #2
Schools should not be responsible for solving this problem.

Schools should focus on academics reading/writing/maths and

science
Teachers have a relatively small amount of time with each child
they have to worry about a classroom full of 30+ children
least effective because they dont provide for the childs regular diet

4. Conclusion restate my opinion that I completely disagree and believe

that only parents, rather than parents and schools equally, are responsible
for changing childrens unhealthy lifestyles.

1. The discussion
Here you are given a social issue or problem and asked directly to discuss
it and very often asked to suggest a solution for it.
Two examples
In this type of question you are given the problem (here in red) and then
told how to discuss it/your task (in blue).
In many countries schools have severe problems with student
behaviour. What do you think are the causes of this? What solutions can
you suggest?
and
Many universities charge higher fees for foreign students. Why do they do
this? Do you believe that it is fair?

Typical task words

Why do they think that?
What solutions can you suggest?
Typical problems
There are 2 typical problems with understanding this type of essay
question.

1.

You are being asked for your personal opinion: it is not enough to
talk generally about the topic. You must give your personal view.
2.
Very often you given two tasks: for example, to discuss the causes
and the solution. If you discuss only one of these, you will be penalised on
Task Achievement.
3.
The question does not give you much help with ideas: you may need
to spend more time planning and thinking of ideas
2. The proposal
Here you are given an opinion about some social issue to discuss.
Typically, you are asked whether or to what extent you agree with it.
Two examples
In this type of question you are given an opinion (in red) and then told
how to discuss it/your task (in blue). Sometimes the question is longer and
you are given some background information (in green), then the opinion
and then the task.
Fatherhood ought to be emphasized as much as motherhood. The idea
that women are solely responsible for deciding whether or not to have
babies leads on to the idea that they are also responsible for bringing the
children up. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
and
Currently there is a trend towards the use of alternative forms of
medicine. However, at best these methods are ineffective, and at worst
they may be dangerous. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Typical task words

What is your opinion?

Do you agree that

To what extent do you agree?
Discuss
Typical problems
There are three typical problems with understanding this type of essay
question:

1.

The questions are simply longer to read and sometimes harder to

understand. Spend plenty of time reading the question and underlining
the key words and making sure you understand what words like this and
these refer to.
2.
It can be easy to confuse the background information from the
opinion. You must discuss the opinion (the bit in red). If you only discuss
the topic (the bit in green), you will be penalised on Task Achievement.
3.
You need to discuss the opinion in the question. You
cannot only give your opinion.
3. The argument
Here you are given a problem or issue and two different solutions or
opinions about it. Typically, you are then asked to decide which
solution/opinion is the better.
Two examples
The argument type essay question has two main types. In the first type,
you get two different situations or opinions (red) and then your task (in
blue) is to decide between them.
In some countries people pay different rates of tax depending on their
salary, in other countries everyone pays the same rate. Which do you
believe is the best system?
In the second type, you get a solution (in red) to a situation (in green) and
you then your task (in blue) is to discuss the advantages and
disadvantages of that solution.
Unemployment is one of the most serious problems facing developed
nations today. What are the advantages and/or disadvantages of reducing
the working week to thirty five hours?

Typical task words

What are the advantages and disadvantages of this
Typical problems
There are two typical problems here:
1.

The essay discusses the problem generally and doesnt talk about
advantages or disadvantages or make a choice between the two options.
Again this will be penalised under Task Achievement.
2.
The essay only looks at the advantages or the disadvantages. It
needs to look at both sides of the question.
Must To Do Thing in IELTS Writing Task 2:
IELTS Package, strongly advice all IELTS test takers to learn the usage of
the below mentioned words. If you are thinking to get 7 or 7.5 Bands in
writing task, than it is extremely important that you must learn the usage
of below mentioned words in your writing by Hook or Crook. In our
previous post we have already provided you the IELTS Writing Task 2 Free
Samples. Therefore, from those samples you can easily comprehend the
utilization of these mentioned words.
Showing
Instead of,
On the other hand,
Depicting
Conclude,
Even though,

Furthermore,
Despite of,
Likewise,
Revealing
In a nutshell,
Rather than

In Comparison of
In Addition to,

In contrast with
For Example,

Moreover,
Conclusively,
Depicts
Infer
Pertaining
In comparison
with
Adhere
For Instance,

It is very much important that you must incorporate these words in your
final writing; else you will not be able
Word

Synonyms

Advantage

Boon, Odds

Disadvantage

drawback, handicap, hindrance,

detriment
Good

Marvelous, Gnarly,

Beginning

Lay foundation for, trigger, prelude,

rudiment

End

Borderline, cusp, nib / neb,

Significantly

Markedly

In order to

So as to / so as not to

Consumtion

Decay, shallowing, expendatour

IELTS READING AT A GLANCE All You Need to Know

IELTS Reading: General Directions:

It is not a good idea to read the complete passage in the

beginning as suggested by some to get an overall idea about the
passage. In my opinion, and supported by many, candidates can at best

find out at first how many paragraphs and questions the passage
contains.
It is also a good idea to have a look at the question types the

passage includes, saving some time extra as some questions are really
helpful to understand the passage.
Spend 20 minutes for each passage or section (in the case of

GT). When you have already spent that, it is wise to move to the nest
passage / section.
Always try to spend a certain amount of time on a type of

question. For example, if there are 5 heading matching questions and

you can aim to spend at best 10 minutes on these as they will allow you
to get an overall picture of the passage contents. After 10 minutes it is
pointless to spend more time on this as you need to solve other
questions too. As a matter of fact, a question types difficulty does not
put impact on your total band score.Remember that, the number of
correct answers guarantees your desired band score.
Do not forget to read the direction of each type of question, it

will save you from making many grave mistakes such as looking for
location in a wrong paragraph, writing yes/ no / not given as true / false/
not given and writing answers not following the number of words
guideline mentioned in the direction.
Always try to find out location by the name of an object or a

person and numbers (if any) mentioned in the question. While trying
to locate something in the text, it is a good idea to use the point of
the pencil or pen as it makes you more alert and attentive to even
synonyms of that particular word. Remember, candidates tend to lose
their focus while solving subsequent passages under exam stress.
Do not make careless mistakes in transferring answers to the

answer sheet. In many cases, candidates forget to include a word,

write wrong spelling or completely miss out the serial in the
answer sheet.
Do not declare war on a passage or a specific question type, it

never helps you.

Do not think about your end result in the exam hall, it tends to

make you anxious or nervous. Just concentrate on the question at your

hand and answer.
Never hesitate to guess an answer as there is no minus marking
in the reading exam.

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Gone are the days when you could find an answer by reading
one or two sentences. Now, it is wise to read a certain portion, at
least the part that involves your questions overall subject content and
then you can decide.
IELTS Reading Tips and Tricks
IELTS Reading: The question types and their solution tips
HEADING MATCHING:

Read 2/3 sentences from the paragraph and then check in the list.
If confused, read some more.
If it is a small paragraph read the full Para.
Check options in the list that contains plural such as factors

affecting NMVs. In that case, the paragraph must include some or more
than one factors that affect NMVs. Some headings indicate the thirsty
sectors- then the paragraph must suggest two or more sectors.
Be careful of traps in the list. Remember, examples are not main

ideas.
many answers come in synonym forms. So, you may avoid those

that copy words from the passage directly.

LOCATING INFORMATION IN A PARAGRAPH:
It goes without saying that this is the most difficult question type

and requires greater reading ability and speed.

Always look at the number of this questions and the number of

paragraphs. It would be a good idea to solve these questions at the end

if there are a few of them in comparison to the number of paragraphs.
But, if there are as many questions as paragraphs in the passage then
solve them right in the beginning as it would give you the chance to
guess the location of the other questions.
If there are as many questions as paragraphs in the passage,
consider reading the small paragraphs first, resulting in quick location
of some questions.

MATCHING/ CLASSIFICATION:

There will be some matching criterion and you need to find them in
the passage and read, then come back to decide the answer.

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If you do not find anything in the criterion then read the questions,
at least two to start with, and find location in the passage.
SENTENCE HALF MATCHING:

Read at least two questions and try to locate in the passage. After

locating, read the portion and then read the answer options.
Sometimes it helps if you look at the grammar accuracy of the

answer and the question part, in many cases they do not make any
sense and you can ignore them.
Never read the answer options before you read the passage portion

that deals with the questions.

Some questions are really long and the answer options are too. One
approach can be leaving them till the end when you have solved the
other questions and have a fair idea about where to look for them in the
passage.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS:

You should read two questions at a time and find locations.

Never read the answer options before reading the text.
If finding the location is difficult then solve at the end.
You can expect to find location in serial.
SHORT ANSWER QUESTION:
You should read two questions at a time and find locations.
you can expect to find location in serial.
find location using the name of objects and person the question.
FACTOR IDENTIFICATION:
read the direction.
look for words in the direction that can help you find location.
sometimes it is difficult to find location as the direction does not

give any solid idea but asks you to get overall idea. In this case, you
may solve it later.
you can expect to get information in the passage in one or two
paragraphs.

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YES/ NO=/ NOT GIVEN OR TRUE/ FALSE/NOT GIVEN:

You should read two questions at a time and find locations

Find location using the name of objects and person in the question.
You can expect to find location in serial.
Be very careful in dealing questions that involve amount, number
and comparison. I mean read the question carefully and solve it
carefully.
If you do not have time to read ,you can answer all questions as
YES/ TRUE, it may give you some marks which is better than getting
nothing.
FILL IN GAPS:

You should read two questions at a time and find locations

Find location using the name of objects and person in the question.
You can expect to find location in serial (except table completion
and summary with clues)

There are some variations in the question type:

Notes completion: generally the answers are found in 1/2

paragraphs in the text.

Sentence completion: you can expect to find location in serial.
Table completion: read the column heading carefully, it helps to

understand the question overall.

Diagram completion: locations can easily be found by using the

names of object in the diagram. You can expect to find all answers in
one Para.
Flow chart completion: locations can easily be found by using the

names of object in the diagram. You can expect to find all answers in
one Para. Also, you need to understand the stages in the flow chart
properly.
Summary completion: This question is generally difficult,
particularly those with clues. A serial may not be found in the text but
you will find the answers in close 2/3 Para (if it is summary with clues)

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This is all you need to know about IELTS Reading. Practice Reading
Passages. The more you will practice the better chance to score high. So
apply IELTS Reading Tips, Tricks and Secrets. Definitely you can score
more then you expected in IELTS Reading Test.

A few things to know about heading matching:

This task can be difficult and time-consuming.

There are always more headings than you need.
If it is used for a reading passage, it will usually be the first set of
questions.
There is always an example given with a heading correctly matched
to a paragraph.

Some people find that doing these questions last will give you the benefit
of gaining a better understanding of the passage after answering the
other shorter questions. Also, many of the other types of questions follow
the order of the passage, whereas these are out of order. At the same
time, if you do go through these questions first, it may also give you a
better understanding so that you can answer the following questions
faster. Try it out different ways when you do a practice and see which
way works best for you.
For the task approach, heres what you do:

Study the example answer carefully. This will help you see if
you will need to look for the main idea in each section or scan for
specific details.
Read through the list of headings, become familiar with them
and underline key words that either identify the main idea or
target words that you will be scanning for in the passage.
Skim through the passage to get an overall idea of the content
and organization. Underline key words or take notes to the side what
the purpose of the paragraph is if it is quick to identify, i.e. cause,
effect, reason, example, definition, instructions, background info, etc.
Dont worry if you cant do that for all and dont spend too much time
trying to identify each paragraph. If at this point any heading jumps
out at you that matches a paragraph, note it to the side.
Next, try looking at the shortest paragraph(s) first. This way
you can skim through it quicker, choose the heading and therefore
reduce the number of choices you have to pick from for the other
paragraphs.

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You can then go to the first paragraph, skim through and see if
theres a match that stands out. Look at your headings noting the
key words underlined and choose the best one. Take notes and write
your possible answer down. You may need to come back and check.
Continue with the same process through the rest of the
paragraphs. Use the notes youve made next to the paragraphs to
help you choose headings.
For those you werent completely confident about, check back
and read more carefully around the key words you matched.
Please note that key words wont match exactly between the
headings and paragraphs they will most likely be synonyms/similar
expressions.

Some pitfalls (possible errors to watch out for!):

Just because a paragraph contains the key word(s) of a

heading, it doesnt mean that is the correct heading! You still
need to read carefully around the key words in the paragraph and
see if it does indeed have the same main idea as the heading. If
youre still unsure, just write a note to the side and come back to it
later after youre sure about the other headings
Keep track of your notes and answers. Students sometimes
carelessly write down the wrong roman numeral on the answer
sheet! Familiarize yourself with the roman numeral system (at least
just up to 15, which is XV).
Dont accidentally use the same heading twice. Again, keep
clear notes of what answers youre using for which paragraph.
Keep track of your time. You should allow 20
minutes *maximum per reading passage (as there are 3 of them to
do within 60 mins.) If you find that youre spending too much time
here, move on to the other questions! Maybe after answering those,
youll have a better understanding of the passage and you will be
able to go back and finish the heading questions.

IELTS Writing Task 2: four question types

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Here are 4 questions that illustrate the different types of task 2 question. Can you name each type?
Can you explain the big difference between the first and the second type?
1. Some people think that the only purpose of working hard is to earn money. To what extent
do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
2. Some people believe that punishment is the only purpose of prisons, while others believe
that prisons exist for various reasons. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
3. The number of plants and animals is declining. Explain this problem and suggest some
solutions.
4. Many people around the world are choosing to move to live in cities. What problems do
people experience in big cities? Should governments encourage people to move to
smaller towns?
DEAR SIMON,
1- first question is agree or disagree type and is asking us to give the personal opinion.
2-second one is a discussion type task and asking for personal belief.
3-Third one is an explainatory tye question and asking some solutions to the problem.
4-This is a double question type task, so both of the questions need to answered.

Agree/Disagree Type: Here you are given an opinion about some social issue to
discuss. Typically, you are asked whether or to what extent you agree with it.
"Families who do not send their children to government-financed schools should not be
required to pay taxes that support universal education. To what extent do you agree or
disagree with this statement?"
"Currently there is a trend towards the use of alternative forms of medicine. However, at
best these methods are ineffective, and at worst they may be dangerous. To what extent
do you agree or disagree?"
Once you determine what the social issue is, you must support one viewpoint. If you
agree strongly with one side of the issue and have enough supporting details, then you
can structure your essay to support your viewpoint throughout Task 2 writing. However,
the question asks, "to what extent.." In this case, not everyone agrees/disagrees with
the viewpoint entirely therefore your essay can include a paragraph with the opposing
viewpoint. The key is to state your opinion in the introduction, include 1-2 paragraphs to
support your viewpoint, one paragraph to argue the opposing viewpoint and finish by restating your opinion in the conclusion.
Discussion Type: You may be given a social issue or problem where ther task is to
present both sides to the issue. You may also also be asked to discuss the advantages
and disadvantages to the issue.
"Some people say children no longer need to develop handwriting skills. Others believe
that handwriting is still important. Discuss both these views and give your opinion."

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"Many people believe that an effective public transport system is a key component of a
modern city. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of public transport."
In these types of questions, it is not necessary to state your viewpoint in the introduction
of the essay. It is important, though, that your thesis statement show your intent to
discuss both sides of the problem. Structure your essay for a balanced argument and
then state your viewpoint to the issue in the conclusion.
Problem/Solution Type: Here you are given a social issue or problem and asked
directly to discuss it and very often asked to suggest a solution for it.
"In many countries schools have severe problems with student behaviour. What do you
think are the causes of this? What solutions can you suggest?"
"Drug abuse is becoming more and more common in many countries. What are some of
the problems associated with drug abuse, and what are some of the possible solutions?"
Once you understand the topic, then understand the task and how many parts to the
task. Sometimes the task asks for problems only, sometimes it asks for the problems
and solutions. In some questions, the task may involve three parts such as a problem
asking you to discuss the cause and effect and suggest possible solutions. To do well
here, ensure that all parts of the question are anawered. Leaving one part unanswered
will affect your writing band score negatively.