IELTS Writing Task 2, IELTS Speaking Topics, 26th April

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IELTS Writing Task 2, IELTS Speaking Topics, 26th April

Academic writing Task 1

The table below shows the results of a 20-year study into why adults in the UK attend arts events.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

**IELTS Writing Task 2, IELTS Speaking Topics, 26th April**

Sample Answer:-

The table illustrates four reasons why adults in the UK have attended arts events over the past twenty years. The major reason over the whole twenty-year period was a desire to see a specific performer or artist; while the least important reason was attending arts events for work-related reasons.

The percentage of people who attended events out of a desire to see a particular performer has remained relatively stable throughout the twenty-year period; varying from 58% twenty years ago to 56% today.

On the other hand, the percentage of people accompanying children has shown a significant increase, from 9% 20 years ago to just under a quarter today. As far as those who attended arts events because of special occasions or celebrations are concerned, the percentage fell slightly from 27% 20 years ago to 20% a decade ago, dropping dramatically to 9% today.

There has been a slight increase in the percentage of people attending arts events for work or business, from 6% 20 years ago to just over 10% today.

Overall, there has been a rise in people attending events in order to accompany children and for work-related reasons, while fewer people choose to attend an arts event as a form of celebration

General Writing Task 1

You are having some trouble with a work colleague. Write to your employer. In your letter

Explain what the problem is
Describe how it is affecting you
Make a suggestion about what could be done

Sample Answer:

Dear Sir,

I have decided to write to you so you have a clear record of my concerns. My grievance relates to a fellow employee with whom it has become increasingly difficult to work alongside.

Mark Jones from the Sales Department has repeatedly ignored my requests for further information about clients he is speaking to, and is unwilling to share information necessary for me to complete my job. This is subsequently giving the appearance that I am not completing tasks, which is not the case and a situation that is causing me some considerable distress.

I would respectfully suggest that Mr Jones be informed of company policy regarding client information and be strongly encouraged to be more open and forthright with colleagues so that we can all achieve our goals. It seems that Mr Jones is not particularly focused on teamwork, and this is causing some resentment around the office.

Hoping for your swift action in this matter,

Blair Atkinson, Human Resources Department

Writing Task 2 (AC+GT)

Overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous problems.
Identify one or two serious ones and suggest ways that governments and individuals can tackle these problems.

Sample Answer:-

Many countries of the world are currently experiencing problems caused by rapidly growing populations in urban areas, and both governments and individuals have a duty to find ways to overcome these problems.

Overpopulation can lead to overcrowding and poor quality housing in many large cities. Poorly heated or damp housing could cause significant health problems, resulting in illness, such as bronchitis or pneumonia. Another serious consequence of overcrowding is a rising crime rate as poor living conditions may lead young people in particular to take desperate measures and turn to crime or drugs.

In terms of solutions, I believe the government should be largely responsible. Firstly, it is vital that the state provides essential housing and healthcare for all its citizens. Secondly, setting up community projects to help foster more community spirit and help keep young people off the street is a good idea. For example, youth clubs or evening classes for teenagers would keep them occupied. Finally, more effective policing of inner city areas would also be beneficial.

Naturally, individuals should also act responsibly to address these problems, and the motivation to do this would hopefully arise if the measures described above are put into place by the government. This is because it will encourage people to have more pride in their own community and improve the situation.

Therefore, it is clear that the problems caused by overpopulation in urban areas are very serious. Yet if governments and individuals share a collective responsibility, then it may well become possible to offer some solutions.

IELTS Speaking Full Interview

PART – 1 Intro Part

What is your full name?
My name is Kulwinder Singh

Can I see your ID?
This is my passport. Here it is!

Where are you from?
I live in Chennai, but my family belongs to Kerala and they migrated to Tamil Nadu long abroad for which I’m here in front of you.

What part of India do you live in?
Tamil Nadu is located in the southern part of India, and my city is situated on the Bay of Bengal in eastern India. It’s a port city.

Do you do household chores?
Candidly speaking, not much because we’ve a resident maid appointed for household chores. Only when she’s gone for holidays or sick, my mother and I’ve to do household chores. In her absence, I help my mother with washing linen, mopping the floor, dusting and other chores.

What household chores do you like or dislike?
I would prefer to do dusting because I embrace cleanliness. I don’t like dirty walls, or the shabby furniture. I’ll take the duster and start dusting fans, electronic goods, artifacts and anything that comes in my rader. The household chore that I dislike is washing dishes and crockeries. It’s because my skin is very sensitive and when I use the dish-washing liquid, I’ve skin irritation.

Did you do household chores as a child?
Sometimes I did and again in the situation that I describe just now. However, my mother didn’t allow me to engage myself with household chores much when I was a kid. She always wanted me to focus on my studies and playing.

PART – 2 Cue Card

Describe an advertisement you have seen/heard recently
You should say:

When and where you saw it
What was advertised
What the contents of the advertisements were
And explain how you felt about it

Band 8.5 Sample Answer:–

We have been bombarded with an array of information every single day. Whether it is newspaper, television or social media like Facebook or LinkedIn, news always has their own way to reach us. One of the most frequent pieces of news I have encountered these past few days was about Echelon Vietnam 2016 – Discover Asia’s Next Dragon.

As an avid Facebook user, I scroll down my newsfeeds board practically every 30 minutes to stay abreast of every latest action within my social network. Admittedly, there are some better things I can do but I just can’t help myself. Therefore, the fact that Echelon Vietnam 2016 repeatedly popped up on my newsfeed really caught my attention. Some of my friends were already “interested” in Echelon official page, others were even “going”. It piqued my interest so much that I paid a visit to their website to figure out what their gig was. As far as I am concerned, Echelon Vietnam 2016 this November is a 2-day international technology and investment event for entrepreneurs and business leaders within and outside Vietnam. It is appealing not only to big tech companies but tech savvy individuals as well. The event aims to reach out to foreign investors, raising funding opportunities and developing the tech and start-up community in Vietnam in the era where tech disruptions are leading almost every industry. With some of the most brilliant and world-class speakers, attendees are going to get some food for thought and inspiration during and after the event.

I personally believe that this could be a golden opportunity for Vietnam to shine as a promising land where young and talented engineers, developers and entrepreneurs are thriving non-stop toward a better future, a better life within Vietnam and beyond. If I am able to schedule my time and afford the tickets, I will definitely be there to enjoy the vibe and explore many potentials in this rising industry.

PART – 3 Discussion

Do you think advertising influences what people buy?
Yes, definitely. If there were no advertising and you went to a shop, then you would just buy what you wanted based on maybe what others have told you, what the product looks like, or, depending on the product, what it says on the label. Advertising builds up a brand and people then trust a certain thing because they have seen it on television or elsewhere. Also, there is so much advertising around it must influence us. You can’t escape it as it is fed to us constantly in our daily lives – not only in magazines, radio and television, but on billboards, on TVs installed on trains and platforms, even in schools and universities. So yes, advertising influences what we buy.

Do advertisements give correct information, or do they encourage people to buy things that they may not need?
I think some do and some don’t, but it’s difficult to know which are giving us the correct information. For example, the skin whitening products – I do not believe that these work but we see them everywhere in Asian countries, and we are encouraged to buy them even though they are not actually necessary. The adverts, though, tell us they are necessary as they will improve our lives and we will become more accepted and successful. This then, is an example of advertising encouraging people to buy something they do not need. I do think there are checks in most countries these days to make sure that adverts are giving the correct information and not lying to people, but I think it is still easy for advertisers to exaggerate or to do this without breaking the regulations.

Is advertising really necessary in modern society?
It could be seen to be necessary in terms of the fact that, as I mentioned before, there is so much choice that we need someone to guide us in what to buy or to give us some extra information about products. Without this, it would be difficult to know where to start. However, that said, I’m not sure that I would regard it as ‘necessary’ as overall I think it may do more harm than good. As we just discussed, advertising encourages people to buy things they possibly do not need. We live in a consumer society and many people are in debt because we are encouraged to buy and buy, and I’m sure advertising plays a major role in this. Without advertising we could just do our own research and decide what we really need. So no, I would not say that advertising in necessary in modern society.

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