PART Ⅰ Getting Started 3
Chapter 1 Introducing IELTS 3
What is the IELTS exam? 3
What are the four parts of the test? 3
How is IELTS marked? 6
How should I prepare for IELTS? 9
Characteristics of different bands 10
PART Ⅱ Building IELTS Skills 16
Chapter 2 IELTS Listening 16
Introduction to the Listening test 16
How is the Listening test marked? 19
How to fill out the Listening and Reading answer sheets 19
Listening strategies 22
Always listen for evidence 25
Strategies for each question type(i) 27
Strategies for each question type(ii) 32
The alphabet and numbers in the Listening,Speaking,and Writing tests 34
Listening Taster Test 43
Chapter 3 IELTS Reading 57
What happens in the Reading test? 57
How is the Reading test marked? 60
Academic Reading Taster Test 61
Reading strategies 70
Extra practice filling in a flowchart 76
Extra practice labelling a diagram 80
Special information about the General Training Reading test 82
GT Reading Taster Test 84
Chapter 4 IELTS Writing 92
What happens in the Academic Writing test? 92
What happens in the GT Writing test? 94
How is the Writing test marked? 94
Model answers to Academic Writing Task 1 questions 97
A single table in Task 1 102
Model answers to Writing Task 2 questions 102
Assessing candidates for Academic Writing Task 1 105
Assessing candidates for GT Writing Task 1 112
Assessing candidates for Academic and GT Writing Task 2 116
Understanding Task Fulfilment in Writing Task 2 120
Tone in Academic Writing Task 2 and GT Writing Task 1 122
The introduction in Writing Task 2 129
Writing the essay 131
Topic and supporting sentences in Writing Task 2 134
The conclusion in Writing Task 2 136
Understanding Coherence and Cohesion in Writing 136
Paragraph organisation in Writing Task 2 141
Linkers 143
Punctuation 146
Handwriting 150
Understanding Vocabulary for Writing 151
Describing graphs and charts in Academic Writing Task 1 152
Using approximate language in Task 1 157
Nominalisation 159
Understanding Grammar for Writing 162
Grammar and Vocabulary Test 1 164
Grammar and Vocabulary Test 2 164
Grammar and Vocabulary Test 3 165
GT Task 1 formal letters 166
Academic Writing Taster Test 171
GT Writing Taster Test 175
Writing-Putting it all together 177
Chapter 5 IELTS Speaking 180
What happens in the Speaking test? 180
How iS the Speaking test marked? 181
Speaking Taster(Buzzer)Test 187
Fluency and Coherence 187
Spoken vocabulary and grammar 205
Pronunciation 220
Speaking-Putting it all together 234
Chapter 6 IELTS Spelling 236
Writing Task 1 236
Writing Task 2 238
Spelling and Pronunciation 238
Spelling and remembering what you see 245
Chapter 7 IELTS Vocabulary and Grammar 255
Introduction to Vocabulary 255
Word families 263
Reference and substitution 267
Vocabulary in Speaking Part 1-Personal information and mini topics 276
Phrasal verbs 281
Thirty-three idioms which are safe to use in the Speaking test 292
Multi-choice test for vocabulary,grammar,and spelling 1 293
Multi-choice test for vocabulary,grammar,and spelling 2 296
Multi-choice test for vocabulary,grammar,and spelling 3 297
Sentence types(i) 299
Sentence types(ii) 300
PART Ⅲ IELTS Practice Tests 302
Academic Practice Test 1 302
Academic Practice Test 2 317
Academic Practice Test 3 333
Academic Practice Test 4 350
General Training Practice Test 367
Answers to Parts Ⅰand Ⅱ 381
Answers to Part Ⅲ 407
Appendices 443
Answer sheet 456