IELTS Task 1 - Describing a process

The diagram below shows the process of using water to produce electricity.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The illustration demonstrates how sea water is transformed into hydro-electric power to supply our energy needs.

Initially the sun’s rays heat the surface of the sea causing the water to evaporate into clouds which then results in rain. A man-made dam stores this rainwater in a reservoir. With the aid of a valve, the reservoir water completes a cycle as it is channeled through a turbine and pump. In this way, water is re-cycled and the pressure from its circulation produces energy.

The turbine is connected to high voltage cables and once the water energizes the turbine this goes to a transformer station. The station is responsible for distributing the electric power to hospitals, schools, factories and houses via underground cables. This forms the final stage of the process.

To conclude, natural resources (water, sun, rain) in combination with man-made aids (turbine, cables, power station etc) supply us with clean energy using a relatively simple procedure.

Question taken from Official IELTS Practice Materials (2009) p.32

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Idioms with "word"

Could I have a word? = May I speak to you in private? e.g. Could I have a word? It’s about Peter.

In other words = clarify something that has just been said. e.g. There are conference, meeting and banqueting rooms, in other words, the hotel has many facilities.

Mark my words = take note of what I’m saying. e.g. Mark my words, he’ll come back for revenge. He doesn't give up that easily.

My word! = an expression showing surprise, annoyance. e.g. My word! What a mess!

Not a word = Don’t say anything. e.g. I can hear them coming. Not a word or you will ruin the surprise.

Words fail me = to show surprise, shock, happiness, anger e.g. I won the lottery. I can’t believe it. Words fail me.

One more word out of you = punishment will follow if there isn’t silence e.g. One more word out of you and you’ll be sent to your room.

You can take my word for it = believe me e.g. Take my word for it, she’s an excellent teacher.

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Synomyms (modern)

Contemporary, current, latest, new, novel, present day, state-of-the-art, up-to-date

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Phrasal Verbs with "write"

Write something down = to write something so that you don’t forget it. e.g. Please write down your email address.

Write in = to write a letter to an organization. e.g. The students wrote in with their questions.

Write something or somebody in = to add a scene or character to a book, play or film. e.g. They wrote in that part just to hire the superstar.

Write something off = to accept that money will never be re-paid. e.g. Our government is writing off the debt.

Write something off = when a damaged vehicle can’t be repaired. e.g. Following the accident the Honda has been written off.

Write out = to write information on a document such as a cheque or prescription. e.g. He wrote out a cheque for the money he owed us.

Write up = to complete something usually using notes. e.g. Finally she wrote up that report.

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GrammaTube - learn the active and passive voice in English

Do you know the difference between the active and passive voice in English? Would you know how to transform a sentence from active to passive voice and vice versa? If you are not sure, don’t miss out this new episode in the GrammaTube series.

In this new post we introduce several videos chosen from YouTube that will allow you to understand and properly use the active and passive voice in English.

Grammar can be one of the most difficult skills to develop in English but it is without doubt the key to progress throughout your learning. A good grammar base will help you to write properly and speak in English, hence improving communication with other people.

Good introduction to active and passive verbs



Link to the video on YouTube

Explanation about the active and passive voice in English



Link to the video on YouTube

Why use the passive voice?



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Introduction to the passive voice by JenniferESL



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Second video about the passive voice by JenniferESL



Link to the video on YouTube

Creative video that explains the passive voice in English – first part



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Interesting video to learn the passive voice in English – second part



Link to the video on YouTube

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Planning as a Cornerstone of Successful English Writing

Speaking to yourself and putting it down on paper isn’t enough if you want to be able to compose fast and efficient letters, reports or do some creative writing. You still may find yourself in a limbo of dead ends when your thoughts seem to be constantly shifting and you can’t maintain a consistent writing style.

This is when planning comes into action, and believe me – it does wonders to your writing speed and clarity of thoughts!

What I’m talking about is a short, about five bullet-point long list of things you want to tell about in your piece of writing. You may have a very clear general idea about what you have to say, but when it comes to the actual writing, having a more detailed action plan is crucial in order to produce a logical and well-structured story. You will also avoid jumping from subject to subject and returning to things you’ve already discussed if you have a nice blueprint of all the main points in a logical sequence!

Planning also helps you to add substance to your story. Not having enough to say was probably one of the reasons you dreaded writing essays and reports at school, am I not right in saying that? You can write all you have to say on half a page and your flow of thoughts is exhausted!

Of course, not all types of writing need to be long and comprehensive. Sometimes your goal might be quite the opposite – to put all information into a short and concise piece of text. A typical example of such writing would be an e-mail including instructions for a project partner. You don’t need to write it as long as an essay as it would only inhibit the recipient’s perception and your instructions might become dubious.

Still, a clear idea of what exactly you want to say in your e-mail in a form of a short list is going to make a big difference in your writing time and clearness of thoughts while you write.

Let’s have a look at a bullet-list I drew up before I started to write this article:

• Speaking as you write is not enough!
• Planning as a crucial element of the writing process;
• Planning helps adding substance;
• Planning example;
• Planning aids perception.

It took me less than five minutes to come up with this short list yet it easily saves about ten minutes – if not even more! – in writing time. Had I started writing this very article with only the main idea in mind - “planning the writing process” – I would be struggling with conveying the message as fluently and easily as I do now. Moreover, by failing to do so, I’d be actually conflicting with the very topic I’m writing about!

Bear in mind as well that planning adds not only substance to what you write, it also helps structuring the text which aids the perception of the reader. You can’t forget that on most occasions you don’t write only for yourself. There’s almost always a person who the written message is created for so you have to keep in mind that you have to make your writing a pleasant and easy reading as well!

Guest post from English learning enthusiast Robby Kukurs. Robby writes about improving spoken English on his blog EnglishHarmony.com. He also regularly posts videos about improving English fluency on his YouTube channel.

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Teaching English to Children

Teaching English to children are not as simple as it sounds, but it is not impossible. The great challenge for all teachers is to ensure, as educators, they are able to keep them captivated. Once you do that, you have 70% of the battle won. Thank you to the Internet, most subjects in English can be found online for teachers and students. New media has added value to teaching from images to audio to video. English courses for children are available online, with lesson plans available for teachers to follow. You can find songs in English for children to sing and singing in the class who make the classes lively and exciting for students. There are even many types of online English dictionaries ranging from American to British English.

The four simple ways to teach English to children are listed below:

1. First of all increase the interest to your children and best way is to keep closer to your children; the more they will be interested to learn from you. Always Speak English and English only. Do not take Pronunciation lightly as it is a very important factor, when you introduce a new vocabulary for students. First, write on the white board. Pronounce each word clearly. Then have them repeat the words aloud and say, look it up in a dictionary to know what that means. At first they might be reluctant. Once you encourage them to do, it will become part of their routine. As educators, the most important thing is to ensure that children can identify, read and above all speak the word clearly and learn the meanings of new words. When they come back for the next class. Enhance the game playing, word on who can spell and remember the meaning of the word. For every word spelled right to give them a star. This would make their day.

2. Identify how each child learns to be sensitive to their style. This is certainly not easy to teach and control of a class of 20 to 30 students. There are different types of learners, whether a child learns quickly, notably through "audio". This means that the particular child is an audio learner. Try to teach them through music by having them perform a song in a sing-along. If you can afford why not use video clips or even animation. You can even get interesting songs in English for children from CDs, stores music or a book. For example, if your kids like Barney, then get your children to participate in a Barney sing.

3. You can also let your child mix with children who are their peers who are native speakers of English. How? Well, during the hours of play, you can let your children experience this group of children who will always be in the park. Ask your child bring a toy on which he can share with children as well. Please continue to check that your child is comfortable being around these children.

4. For children who are most at hand, you are advised to seek activities that involve movement therewith. Make them dance shake their bodies to an Englishman. Barney sing the same songs are very good examples. This is because, generally, by observing the movements Barney fact, most children are attracted to follow and sing too. You can also have your children write what they see or perhaps an interesting story short. Make it resemble a game so they feel more interested in playing with you. Praise your child when they do well and encourage them.

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English Language Games for Kids

I think one of the failures in English speaking countries when it comes to second language teaching is that we are not amused. I remember starting French at age 7 and repeat sentences over and over again. I remember the boredom of my mind and while squirming in his chair.

So how do we learn English the fun of a second language for most of the language games kids.English.

Remember when you were young, what do you like most? Reading a book aloud to your embarrassment terrible accent and stumbling through the words, or jump, sing, dance and play! I do not think I'd be alone in saying that I prefer the latter! So how do you teach children ESL? Do you want to repeat sentences in English after you, or use a method that receives 100% of their attention and gets them to remember an incredible 80% of their learning? This is not really much choice, it is!

But what kind of games are the best English language to teach ESL beginners? It's the great thing about the English game, there are so many choices. One of my favorites is called the Rainbow Road, or the way Magic. You can also call Do not swim with the fishes!

I love him so much that he crafts a time before the match begins. I think it helps kids motivated and energy levels on how the class now!

1. The first stage of this game is to get sheets of different colors and get the kids to cut out shapes. By age class, you can help with this or give them stencils to use.

2. The next step is to place the colored shapes in a path, making sure to create different color patters. This path is your deck and the stress I used to create water the size using paper or fabric and even put fish or crab inside.

3. Each child has a turn in crossing the bridge, you call the colors and the kids at the stage of forming the right color. If they err, they fall into the water. I'm overreacting to this situation and record sounds of splashing onto a CD. I like the fact that you are teaching kids that it's OK to laugh at their mistakes - they do not need to be embarrassed because this is all part of the game if you want you can give a small rewards to children who are at the end of the road, you can.

This game is perfect because it bond with children on special levels of learning. They learn to move, which is always a must. Many Kids like the models which connect with kids and you can even add songs to the children who respond well to music. For me, it consists of the two most essential English language games, laughter and accessories! So try these games in English with your children. I guarantee you they will appreciate it! Also, keep an eye on other online games. There are so many games to choose who can make the experience of your child's learning interesting and fun.

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The passive voice

The passive voice is used to show what happens to something.

We use the passive: When what is being done is more important than who does it or we don’t know who is doing the action.
To describe a process.
In formal writing .

Form: Verb be + past participle

Present simple →The lemons are picked by workers.
Present continuous →The lemons are being picked by workers.
Past simple → The lemons were picked by workers.
Past continuous →The lemons were being picked by workers.
Present perfect →The lemons have been picked by workers.
Past perfect →The lemons had been picked by workers.
Going to →The lemons are going to be picked by workers.

Infinitive →The lemons are to be picked by workers.
-ing form →The lemons are being picked by workers.
Used to →The lemons used to be picked by workers.
Modals →The lemons should be picked by workers.
Need to / have to →The lemons need to / have to be picked by workers.
Need +ing →The lemons need picking by workers.

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GrammaTube - learn the modal verbs (can, could, be able to…) in English

Modal verbs in English are a category of auxiliary verbs used to express ability, possibility, necessity or other condition for the main verb.

They are really important in English as they allow expressing many situations in daily life. Moreover, their learning curve is not very big and once you understand how they work, they are easy to use.

Grammar can be one of the most difficult skills to develop in English but it is without doubt the key to progress throughout your learning. A good grammar base will help you to write properly and speak in English, hence improving communication with other people.

Learning the modal verbs is usually recommended for students with an intermediate level of English. In any case, we recommend you watch these videos as they’ll help you to learn or remember.

Expressing ability with can, could, be able to



Link to the video on YouTube

Learn American English explains that the modal verb "can" is almost the same thing as "(be) able to"



Link to the video on YouTube

Explanation about the modal verbs when they are used in the present perfect tense



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Modals can be put in front of the continuous form to express some present action that is or isn't happening



Link to the video on YouTube

Excellent video to understand modal verbs in the passive voice



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More explanations about modal verbs and passive voice



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Learn how to use “be able to” in the past tense



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How to use “be able to” with other modal verbs



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Learn how to pronounce can and can’t



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How to put “have to” an “be able to” together



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Very funny song in English for the kids to learn how to use “can”



Link to the video on YouTube

Learn how to use the modal verb “can” with questions and answers from real people interviewed at different locations



Link to the video on YouTube

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Model Answer – IELTS (Task 2)

Many old buildings are protected by law because they are part of a nation’s history. However, some people think old buildings should be knocked down to make way for new ones because people need houses and offices.

How important is it to maintain old buildings? Should history stand in the way of progress?

Many modern cities such as Prague, Venice and Budapest are memorable because of their historical architecture. Contemporary buildings are often placed amongst ancient ones to accommodate the increasing populations in cities. It is difficult to imagine a visit to a city, for example New York, which does not include a tour to the Flat Iron or Empire State building.

There is no doubt that old buildings add to the character, culture and history of a country and as such should be maintained. Old buildings have a life of their own and an interesting story to tell. Any architect will tell you that old buildings indicate the style of architecture of a certain period and provide information of how people used to live in the past. In order to add to a nation’s cultural heritage, these landmarks need to be maintained with the appropriate funding and restoration work in order to ensure they are safe.

Those who wish to replace these historical buildings with high rises for business and accommodation purposes promote progress and practicality. They do not appreciate history, art and architecture. I believe there are other creative solutions that do not involve demolishing historical buildings in favour of impersonal skyscrapers. Business parks and accommodation villages could be build in suburbs for example.

Well preserved old buildings are the pride and joy of a nation. They become an instant tourist attraction and appear on postcards thus promoting the cultural heritage of a country. Even though there is a great demand for housing and office blocks, alternative solutions need to be found.

Question taken from Official IELTS Practice Materials (2009) p.33

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Model Answer – IELTS (Task 2)

Television is dangerous because it destroys family life and any sense of community; instead of visiting people or talking with our family we just watch television.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Due to the fact that television is no longer considered a luxury it has become part of our daily life and can be found in almost all households. Despite the many advantages it provides in the form of endless hours of entertainment, a vast variety of programme choices and the educational possibilities it offers, I strongly agree that television is destructive to family and community life.

Television has changed the way people communicate with each other. Before the invention of television, a family would spend more time together discussing the events of the day and attempting to solve any problems that existed. Family meals were also enriched by conversation whereas today, TV encourages a solitary existence. It is a passive use of time and does not encourage individuals to talk to each other as all their attention is focused on the screen. In some cases, if someone is disturbed when they are watching their favourite show, they tend to get irritable leading to an argument.

Television has also had an impact on community life. People no longer visit others as frequently as they used to. In the past individuals spent their time with their friends and relatives playing interactive games and activities such as playing cards, singing and storytelling. Life in front of a box is lonely and discourages any form of community life. People are trapped in their homes and their inner lives, glued to the television.

In conclusion, the danger of television lies in its ability to fool people into believing they are not required to make an effort to socialise. Communicating, interacting and visiting others is part of being social and as human beings are social animals, this aspect of our personality is becoming extinct by watching television.

Question taken from Official IELTS Practice Materials (2009) p.36

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Traditional Maltese Figolla for Easter

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Smories - Great Stories in English for Kids

Smories is a fantastic web page that contains hundreds of stories (in video format) for kids. Moreover, every story is read by a child and it’s also possible to add subtitles, so it’s quite easy to understand these stories.

Every video-story has a title, a summary and the name of the child that reads it. It also mentions the recommended age for the audience of the story along with similar stories for the same range of age.

At Smories, they also have competitions every now and then where quite significant sums of prize monies are awarded to the more successful video-stories.

Smories is without doubt an excellent online resource for your children to listen to a story before going to bed or for the kids at school to have a good time during English or Computer lessons.

Visit Smories and start enjoying its wonderful stories.

This is a guest post written by Mattias. Matthias collaborates at Lernenblog, a blog where you’ll find many tips, material and free resources to learn German online.

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