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Simone Braverman

Simone Braverman is the founder of IELTS-Blog.com and the author of several renowned IELTS preparation books, including Ace the IELTS, Target Band 7, the High Scorer's Choice practice test series, and IELTS Success Formula. Since 2005, Simone has been committed to making IELTS preparation accessible and effective through her books and online resources. Her work has helped 100,000's of students worldwide achieve their target scores and live their dream lives. When Simone isn't working on her next IELTS book, video lesson, or coaching, she enjoys playing the guitar or rollerblading.

IELTS test in Malaysia – September 2021 (Academic Module)

Our lovely friend F.M. shared the questions she remembered from a recent IELTS exam in Malaysia:

Writing test

Writing task 1 (a report)

We were given a table showing the number of people from five European countries living in each other’s countries in 2011. It was a complex (six rows by six columns) table showing the number of expats received by each individual country as well as the number of its own citizens living as foreigners in other countries.

Writing task 2 (an essay)

In many countries, people do not recycle waste materials, such as paper, glass and cans. What are the reasons for this? What could be done to solve this problem?

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– What is your full name?
– Can I see your ID?
– Where are you from?
– Do you work or study?
– What do you do for work?
– Do you use any technology for your work?
– Is there a way you use technology to improve your work?
– Did you have barbeques when you were a child?
– What kind of barbeque food do you like to eat?
– Do you like to have a barbeque with your family or friends?
– Where can you go for a barbeque in your city?
– Why do you go for a barbeque?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Talk about your favorite movie. Please say

– What is it?
– When and where did you see it?
– What is it about?
– And explain why this movie is your favourite.

Follow-up question: Do you usually watch movies in a cinema?

Part 3 (Discussion)

– What movies are popular in your country?
– What genres of movies do people like to watch the most?
– Do different age groups like the same kind of movies?
– Do young and old people like to watch the same types of movies?
– Why do some people like to watch black and white movies?
– Do you believe that every country should have its own film industry? Why?
– Do you think in the future computer graphics and robots will be used instead of people in movies?

IELTS essay, topic: Schoolchildren today take part in short work experience sessions instead of school (positive/negative)

This is a model response to a Writing Task 2 topic from High Scorer’s Choice IELTS Practice Tests book series (reprinted with permission). This answer is close to IELTS Band 9.

Set 5 General Training book, Practice Test 22

Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Many schoolchildren today take part in work experience sessions for short periods of time instead of attending school. Is this a positive or a negative development?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Sample Band 9 Essay

It has been a popular trend for some time now to put children into what can be called ‘work experience placements’. The children are taken out of school and take part in various types of work, usually for around a week. Some people criticise this trend, but I can’t see how it can be a negative experience.

One of the criticisms is that children lose a week of schoolwork. With the pressure to do well at school increasing, children need every bit of help to maximise their potential. Taking them out of the school, it is therefore argued, stops them from getting access to needed education for a whole week. As the students won’t really be of much help to a workplace for just one week, it would therefore be better for them to remain at school.

While this is a valid point, taking a child’s entire experience of school into account, a single week away does not make a significant difference. Indeed, if the timing of the week’s work placements is done correctly, the week can also serve as a kind of ‘holiday’ away from school, something that is regularly needed in order to allow students to remain fresh and enthusiastic. In many work placements, children also get to see some of things they learn at school put into a realistic context, allowing them to understand the relevance of what they learn and thereby creating a way to reinforce the learning.

In addition to this, schoolchildren can be quite nervous about the world of work that they will have to join at some point in their lives. By getting this short taste of what it is like, they can see that it is nothing to be scared about. As well as this, children will often have some ideas of what they want to do for a living, but are not sure. By allowing them to see a type of work they are considering, they are better able to decide whether that career could be suitable for them.

I feel, therefore, that work placements can be seen as a positive development. Missing a short amount of school is not serious and the benefits that can be gained from the placements are significant.

Go here for more IELTS Band 9 Essays