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Recent IELTS exams

Real students tell about their recent IELTS exams: IELTS questions, topics, tasks, answers.

IELTS exams in South Africa and Mexico – October 2008 (Academic and General)

Thanks to M from Pretoria, South Africa, we know this much about the Academic IELTS exam there:

Writing

Task 1 (report)
We had a graph about three types of programs on one TV station. The three types were sport, weather and films. Number of hours been shown over the past 30 years plus expected predictions for the next 10 years.

Task 2 (Essay)
Will woman leaders, be less violent than men? Discuss, provide examples and your opinion.

Speaking

The oral part was difficult for me, I think have made a few mistakes. Everything was like your book said.

And this is N from Mexico, telling us about his General IELTS exam:

Listening

I missed some question, I could realize when the answer was coming but in that moment the volume was low, I was sited and the end of the line, so I am not pretty sure that I had reached my target band

Reading

I felt good in the Reading test, it were a lot of short readings and the questions were always in the different way, for example “Some kids learn one language slower than other said Mr. Joe” the question was: Who said that some children learn faster one language than other?

Writing

Task 1 (letter)
Write a letter to apply for a job taking care of one house when the owner was away.

Task 2 (essay)
What are the positive and negative aspects of electronic games for children? Discuss, what is your opinion?

Speaking

Interview
Describe your job
What are the positive and negative things about it

Card
Describe an electronic device, not a computer, that you find useful, you could say if is easy to use, why it is helpful and how to use it.

Discussion

  • How often do you send e-mails
  • How many e-mails do you send in a normal day
  • What are the pros and cons of sending e-mails

    • IELTS exam in Peru – October 2008 (General Training)

    Let’s all thank our pal R. from Peru for telling us about his General IELTS exam. Here’s what he remembers:

    Listening

    I can’t remember well the topics from my listening exam, it passed too quickly! I have problems with my listening skills, I practice a lot and I read a lot of tips, however, I constantly have trouble and misunderstandings in the Listening section.

    Reading

    Passage 3 was about the importance to learn a foreign language, here is a little summary: “Children tend to have more abilities to resolve problems and develop their knowledge of many languages as compared to adults, they used to be more intelligent and adapt to foreign cultures. However, some people in New Zealand think that children shouldn’t learn another language because it means loss of their culture”.

    Writing

    Task 1 (Letter)
    Write a letter to apply for a position to look after a house in Scotland where the owners are going away. Provide personal details, what qualities you have for this position and ask for information.

    Task 2 (Essay)
    “There are many technology games which have replaced the toys or traditional games. Why do you think it has happened?. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this situation?”.

    Speaking

    I had to talk about music, the questions were:

  • Where people find music?
  • What kind of people like music?
  • How important is the technology for the music?