Tips for answering the Cue Card Sample

(Describe someone in your family who you really admire):

You already know a lot about your family members and this cue card should be an easy one to answer. Just focus on the questions mentioned bellow the Cue card topic. Following questions may come for this cue card and note the quick answers of these questions:

1. Who is he/ she?: My mother/ My father/ My bother/ My sister, etc.

2. Your relationship to this family member: She is my mother/ he is my father, etc.

3. What you do together: We walk out together/ cook together/ study together/ talk a lot about family issues, etc.

4. What is s/he like: He/ She is kind, talented, energetic, works a lot, dedicated, caring, possess a great personality, open-minded, etc.

5. How long do you know him/ her: From my childhood/ all of my life/ for more than 20 years, etc.

6. How often do you see him/ her: Everyday/ once in a month/ most of the time I stay at home/ in every three months, etc.

7. Why do you like him/ her or why do you admire him/ her?: She loves me a lot, very close to me, very caring, have a good heart, talented, helpful, my best mentor, etc.

While talking about what is she/ he like or what qualities he/ she has or even why do you like/ admire him/ her you can use some of the following points:

For father: He is honest, brave, had a good heart, talented, leads an ideal life, has sacrificed a lot to up-bring us, is an exemplary person, everybody respects him, is the best person I have ever seen, loves me very much, hardworking, punctual, talented, etc.

For mother: She is so caring, loving, hardworking and possesses a good heart, had done a lot to up-bring us, very close to me, very understanding, one of my best friends, knows a lot of things and has so many practical skills, etc.

For brother: He is so brave, talented, well mannered, knows a lot about different things, had always been supportive to you, loved by others, cooperative and have lots of memories together, like a mentor to me, is my best buddy, taught me almost everything he knows, always protects me, etc.

For sister: She is caring, a good friend, loving, a good mentor, helps you on study or on other tasks, supportive, a very good friends, talented and well-mannered, etc.

Possible Answer:

I've got a small family with only 5 members and all of us are very close to each other and we love each other very much. Among them I love my mother more than anyone else in the whole world. I adore my mother for her caring, loving, adorable behaviors and wit. She is the person I can share everything with and that's the reason I worship her so much.

Possibly she was the first human I saw when I opened my eyes in this world. A relationship with a mother is divine and all of my childhood memories are either related to my mom or my school. I can still remember a day I was late to come back home after school and that's because there was a ceremony at the school I did not know about. All of a certain I found that my mother was entering through the school-gate to find me. I was so frightened that my mother would rebuke me for being late unnoticed and she must be mad at me. But to my best surprise, when my mother saw me she had a warm smile in her face that I'll never forget till my last breath in this earth. Then she hugged me and gave me a kiss. I felt then that I love my mother more than me. She attended the program at the school and afterward we came back home together.

I spent my 19 years or so with my father and mother but I stay at a metropolitan city now for my education. Whenever I get vacation I meet my mother at my village home. On an average I spend 2/3 months with my mother each year but I talk to her over phone almost twice a day.

The reasons why I admire her are endless. She is caring, tender, she has got a big heart and she possesses love for everyone. She had been an ideal mother to raise 3 kids and making sure our education and moral values. She had made a lot of sacrifices all of her life and had never complained about anything to my best knowledge. She is the person who reminds me the power of love and caring.

Alternative Answer:

I have got 6 family members and all of them are very dear and close to me. If I need to pick one family member among them to talk about, that would be my father. My father’s name is (say your father’s name) and he is around 50 years old. He is the kind of person I would want my offspring to be. He did his graduation in a time when formal education was not people’s first choice. They would rather start earning from work rather than going to school. My father fought to ensure his education with the people who thought working or doing some sort of business has more value than education. But my father believed that education is the most important part of a man’s life. He heartily held the idea that education shapes a man’s life and is the kind of power and asset that would always accompany him.

I have lots of memories of my father and I see him every day. There exists a strong bonding between us that only two of us feel. I still remember those days of my childhood when I used to wait in the evening for my father to return from office. He would then play with me and help on completing my lessons. I vividly remember him sometimes taking me to the market and buy me gifts. When I was an infant he moved to the city from the village to ensure me better schooling and environment. That was a decision that has changed my life path. He himself helped me finishing my home works and lessons, always allured me of gifts if I could complete my study. Besides my education he taught me lots of moral values and important things of life.

He used to work in a Government organization and for his hard-working and kindness; he is revered by all of our relatives, his friends and neighbors.

He believes in humanity, good behavior, our creator, and leads a life that can be exemplary. He still does most of his own works and helps my mom on her house hold works. After retirement he has picked 2 new habits: gardening and teaching neighbors’ kids. He is a quiet and intelligent man who has benevolent heart and that what make him so admirable to me. He is still the pillar of our family and all of our family members love and respect him very much.       

If you prepare for this cue card you should be able to answer the following cue cards as well with very little changes:

1. Talk about someone who cares you a lot.

2. Describe a person who you like very much.

3. Describe the person whom you admire most.

4. Talk about a person you know for a long.

5. Talk about a senior person whom you like a lot.

6. Talk about a person who has a great influence in your life.

Read more at http://www.ielts-mentor.com/cue-card-sample/218-ielts-cue-card-sample-1-describe-someone-in-your-family

Tips for Writing an Essay

Whether you are a student or a profession applying for a new job, you would be required to submit good essays. However, it is not easy to produce a well-written essay. There are a number of things that go into making an essay an effective one. We give you some tips for writing an essay.

    1. Research well about the topic

Once you have the topic of the essay with you, it is extremely crucial to spend as much time as you can in order to research on the topic. The process of researching for the topic will help you immensely when you get down to writing on it. It will help you understand the topic better and will aid you in covering the topic in its entirety. The overall quality of your essay will get an immense boost if you have done a thorough research.

2. Brainstorm

It is not only important to research well about the topic; you must also spend some time in coming up with your own views. This is what will help your essay stand out from the rest. Your original ideas will lift the overall appeal of the essay and will help you convey your thoughts in a better way. A productive brainstorming session can go a long way in producing a great essay.

3. Keep your target audience in mind

Every time you write, be it an article, an essay, a bog entry, etc., you must always keep your target audience in mind. What this basically means is that you should know who you are writing for. Once you are clear about this, then you will be able to tone and present your essay in the right manner. Some essays may need to be very objectively written while some may require a very subjective approach. There might be essays that require a very academic tone whereas others may need to be written in a conversation tone. You must be very clear about your target audience before you outline your essay.

    4. Understand the purpose of the essay

Knowing the purpose of essay is just as important as knowing your target audience. Are you writing to inform or to preach? Are you writing to state the facts or to present your personal views on something? A good essay would require the writer to have a clear sense of purpose. This will ensure that you do not confuse your reader and that your ideas are presented in an appropriate manner.

5. Focus on the language

The kind of language that you use can make or break your essay. Your choice of language will be greatly affected by your target audience and the purpose of your essay. You need not always use big and difficult words to make an essay impressive. The most important thing is to make sure that the reader understands your writing with ease.

6. Have a proper structure for the essay

Every essay should have a proper structure. This is to say that there has to be a beginning, a middle, and an end. How you pace and structure your essay is totally up to you. However, one must try to have a powerful introduction so as to make the reader interested in reading your essay. The conclusion of the essay should also have an impact so that the reader is not left with unanswered questions or a sense of having wasted his or her time.

7. Make sure your writing has a flow

If you wish to be better at writing, then you must make sure that your writing has a proper flow. In other words, your ideas should have a logical and smooth movement. You must learn how to present an idea, develop it, and conclude it properly. It is not just enough to simply put the words and sentences together. They must flow smoothly.

8. Re-read what you have written

One of the most important exercises that you must do after you have written your essay is to read it again. You can either ask someone else to read it out to you or you can do it yourself. This will help you in correcting punctuation or grammar mistakes, if any. It will also help you to get the overall sense of the essay and then you can edit it accordingly.

Read more at http://www.magforwomen.com/tips-for-writing-an-essay

 

Рекомендации по написанию сочинения с элементами рассуждения

Формат и правила написания сочинения “ expressing opinion ”

Сочинение “expressing opinion” пишется в формальном (деловом) стиле.

В данном типе сочинения требуется выразить свою точку зрения на заданную тему, а так же привести противоположные вашей точки зрения других людей и объяснить, почему вы с ними не согласны. Ваше мнение должно быть четко сформулировано и подкреплено примерами или доказательствами.

Объем сочинения 200-250 слов (минимум 180 слов, максимум 275).

В сочинении должны активно использоваться конструкции типа «In my opinion», «I think», «I believe».

Необходимо использование вводных слов и конструкций типа “On the one hand, on the other hand”…, слов - связок (Nevertheless, Moreover, Despite …).

Запрещается использование сокращения, типа “I’m”, “they’re” “don’t”, “can’t” (иначе будет снижен балл за организацию сочинения).

Сочинение“expressing opinion” имеет строгую структуру, изменение которой при написании сочинения приведет к снижению балла. Сочинение “expressing opinion” состоит из 4-х абзацев:

1) Introduction (вступление)

Во вступлении необходимо четко сформулировать тему-проблему, указав, что существуют две противоположные точки зрения на проблему (Some people claim that mobile phones are very useful devices while others argue that life could be less stressful without them) и высказать свое мнение, не используя слишком много личных конструкций.

Однако первое предложение не должно слово в слово повторять заданную тему сочинения. Рекомендуемое окончание первого абзаца: Now I would like to express my point of view on the problem of …

2) Основная часть

1 абзац. Привести 2-3 аргумента, подтверждающих вашу точку зрения, подкрепляя их примерами или доказательствами.

Во втором абзаце вы должны придерживаться только ОДНОЙ точки зрения, например: Mobile phones in my opinion are very useful devices. ИЛИ I consider the mobile phone to be a harmful and useless invention.

Необходимо привести 2-3 аргумента с доказательствами в поддержку собственного мнения.

2 абзац. Привести противоположные точки зрения (1-2), и объяснить, почему вы с ними НЕ согласны. Пример: However, some people think that mobile phones not only keep you in touch with your relatives and friends but also provide you with a great number of facilities. I can’t agree with this statement because …

Ваши контраргументы мнению других людей не должны повторять 2ой абзац.

3) Conclusion (заключение)

Необходимо сделать вывод, обратившись к заданной в 1-м параграфе теме, что существуют 2 точки зрения на проблему, а также подтвердить собственную точку зрения.

Например: «There are different points of view on this problem. I think that …» или «Taking everything into consideration, there are two different points of view on this problem. I believe that …»

Useful vocabulary for composition "expressing opinion"

1 абзац. Вводные фразы:

It is popularly believed that...

People often claim that... Some people argue that …

A lot of people think that …

It is often suggested/ believed that …

Many people are in favour of idea that... Many people are convinced that...

Some people are against …

2 абзац. Фразы, выражающие свою точку зрения:

I would like to explain my point of view on this situation.

I would like to express my opinion on this problem.

Фразы, характеризующие преимущества обсуждаемой проблемы:

As already stated I’m in favor of … for a number of reasons …

There are many things to be said in favour of …

The best/ thing about … is …

Фразы, перечисляющие точки зрения:

Firstly/ First of all, …

In the first place …

To start with/ To begin with, …

Secondly, Thirdly, Finally, …

Last but not least, …

Фразы, добавляющие новые аргументы:

Furthermore/ Moreover/ What is more, …

As well as…. / In addition to this/ that …

Besides, /… also….

Not only …, but … as well.

Apart from this/that...

Not to mention the fact that …

Абзац

Some people believe that … however they fail to understand that …

They fail to consider that … they forget that …

Some people argue that … I can not agree with it as …

I disagree with this point of view (statement, opinion) because …

It has become fashionable for some people to argue that …

Contrary to what most people believe, I think that …

As opposed to the above ideas … I believe that …

4 абзац. Заключительные фразы:

In conclusion, …

On the whole, …

To conclude, …

To sum up, …

All in all, …

All things considered, …

Finally, …

Lastly, …

Taking everything into account, …

Taking everything into consideration …

Выражение личного мнения:

In my opinion this subject is very controversial.

In my view …

To my mind …

To my way of thinking …

Personally I believe that …

I feel strongly that …

It seems to me that …

As far as I am concerned …

 

Read more at http://anglyaz.ru/pismo/essay

Additional reading

LIFE AT COLLEGE

British universities

There are 46 universities in Britain. Good 'A' Level results in at least two subjects are necessary to get a place at one. However, good exam passes alone are not enough. Universities choose their students after interviews, and competition for places at university is fierce.

For all British citizens a place at university brings with it a grant from their Local Education authority. The grants cover tuition fees and some of the living expenses. The amount depends on the parents' income. If the parents do not earn much money, then children will receive a full grant which will cover all their expenses.

Free at last!

Most 18 and 19 year-olds in Britain are fairly independent people, and when the time comes to pick a college they usually choose one as far away from home as possible! So, many students in northern and Scottish universities come from the south of England and vice versa. It is very unusual for university students to live at home. Although parents may be a little sad to see this happen, they usually approve of the move, and see it as a necessary part of becoming an adult.

Anyway, the three university terms are only ten weeks each, and during vacation times families are reunited.

Freshers

When they first arrive at college, first year university students are called 'freshers'. A fresher's life can be exciting but terrifying for the first week.

Often freshers will live in a Hall of Residence on or near the college campus, although they may move out into a rented room in their second or third year, or share a house with friends. Many freshers will feel very homesick for the first week or so, but living in hall soon helps them to make new friends.

During the first week, all the clubs and societies hold a 'freshers' fair' during which they try to persuade the new students to join their society. The freshers are told that it is important for them to come into contact with many opinions and activities during their time at university, but the choice can be a bit overwhelming!

On the day that lectures start, groups of freshers are often seen walking around huge campuses, maps in hand and a worried look on their faces. They are learning how difficult it is to change from a school community to one of many thousands. They also learn a new way of studying. As well as lectures, there arf regular seminare, at which one of a small group of students (probably not more than ten) reads a paper he or she has written. The paper is then discussed by the tutor and the rest of the group. Once or twice a term, students will have a tutorial. This means that they see a tutor alone to discuss their work and their progress. In Oxford and Cambridge, and some other universities, the study system is based entirely around such tutorials which take place once a week. Attending lectures is optional for “Oxbridge” students!

After three or four years (depending on the type of course and the university) these students will take their finals. Most of them (over 90 per cent) will get a first, second or third class degree and be able to put BA (Bachelor of Arts) or BSc (Bachelor of Science) after their name. It will have been well earned!

TALKING POINTS

* Is it a good thing to leave home at the age of 18? What are the advantages and disadvantages?

* Many British people believe that if you do nothing more than study hard at university, you will have wasted a great opportunity. What do they mean and do you agree?

* How do British universities differ from universities in your country? What do you like and dislike about the British system?

 

Additional vocabulary