Toefl iBT or PBT? Which One to Take?

PBT means paper-based test. The PBT is the original TOEFL test started back in the 1963. There are four sections: listening, structure, reading, writing. 

With the popularity of computers, the PBT changed to the CBT, the computer-based test. The CBT was replaced in September, 2005 by the iBT, the internet-based test. The CBT is no longer available. That means you have two choices: the PBT or the iBT. Which is right for you?

First, check with your school, agency or institution to find out which TOEFL score they require, PBT or iBT. Most North American schools, agencies and institutions accept only iBT scores. Why? Because the iBT tests speaking proficiency . North American schools, etc., want to know if you can speak English. Remember: The PBT does not test speaking. 

Also, the iBT is arguably the more difficult test. Why? Because of the speaking component and because you must write two essays. The PBT has only one essay. Also, with the PBT you can look at the listening section answers as you listen. For the iBT listening section, however, you see the answers only after you listen. Much harder.

So what should you do? Don't take the PBT simply because you've heard it is easier. Take the iBT. Only take the PBT if the iBT is not available. And remember: check with your institution first. Don't take the PBT, then apply, and find out that Princeton only accepts the iBT. You will waste your time and your money.

Idioms - Do's and Don'ts

You have two vocabularies. I call them your active vocabulary and your passive vocabulary. Your active vocabulary consists of words you use every day. Because you use your active vocabulary every day, you make fewer mistakes when speaking and when writing. An example of your active vocabulary would be something like this:

"Yo, dude. What's up?"

"Nothing. How about you?"

"Not much. Just reading this blog."

"Learning anything?"

"Definitely. I love Spanish."

As you can see, your active vocabulary is based on informal conversation. Idioms are also part of your active vocabulary ("dude"). However, you know more English idioms than you actually use. All those idioms you know, but don't often use, are part of your passive vocabulary. Because you don't use these idioms every day, there is a good chance you will make a mistake when using them, especially on the TOEFL test. I know. I see this all the time. On the TOEFL iBT, incorrect idiom usage demonstrates a lack of proficient language use. What should you do? Don't try and impress the speaking and writing raters with a lot of idioms. Use an idiom(s) only if you are 100% sure you are using it correctly. Correctly means the right context.

                                                               

Look at the paragraph below. Can you identify any idiom problems?

A new airport in my hometown will create new jobs for young people. In my hometown, when young people graduate from high school and college, out of the blue they leave and go to the big cities. In the cities, there are more jobs and a better future. However, if we had a new airport, the young people would go crazy because there would be new jobs. There would be jobs like construction and catering, as well other jobs connected to the airline business like hotels and restaurants. This would be good because more new jobs means the young people will have a reason to stay and develop the economy of my hometown.

The problem is the idiom "out of the blue." Out of the blue means suddenly. However, "out of the blue" also means unexpectedly. This suggests surprise. Is it surprising that students leave for the big cities after graduating? No. All students do it. It is expected therefore it is not a surprise (not out of the blue).

As you can see, the idiom out of the blue is in the wrong context. The result is a loss of coherence. Notice also how an idiom in the wrong place changes the tone of another wise excellent body paragraph. A native speaker (a writing or speaking rater) will notice this idiom problem immediately. A rater will also notice "go crazy." In this context, "go crazy" means you are so happy you lose control. Once again, wrong idiom, wrong context. Combined, these language use errors will impact scoring.

Remember: Fewer idiom errors = greater coherence = higher speaking and writing scores = a higher final TOEFL iBT score.

The DOs and DONTs of IELTS Writing Task 1

You should ALWAYS: 

• Read the task and the instructions carefully.
• Do some brain storming and plan your response before you actually start writing.
• Stick to the information which is given on the graph/ pie chart /table. Using outside information is a serious offence!
• Present the information logically and coherently.
• Mind your grammar. Remember the rules of subject and verb agreement, rules related to count nouns and mass nouns, prepositions, comparatives….
• Use a variety of vocabulary. Never repeat key words and phrases. The idea is not to use heavy weight words but words which add variety to your writing.
• Write a minimum of 150 words. That sounds a very trite advice but then it is here that many students make mistakes.
• Complete the task in 20 minutes

You should NEVER:
 

• Use outside information. Its an excercise on report writing. Using outside information may be penalised.
• Give opinions. Save your opinions for Task 2.
• Write anything less then 150 words. You will be penalised for doing so.

If you found this information useful please let me know. If you have any questions please feel free to ask me.
In the next post I will be talking about the DOs and DONTs of writing Task 2.

IELTS Writing - An Introduction

IELTS Writing - An Introduction

Writing

There are two tasks. The instructions specify the minimum number of words for each task and also recommend the amount of time you should spend on each one. It's important to follow these guidelines, because Task 2 carries more weight in marking than Task 1, for example if you score a 6 on Task 1 and a five on Task 2 your overall band score for writing will come to 5.
Task 1: You are given a diagram or table of some kind and you have to present the information in your own words. For example, you may have to consider a set of statistics and then write a report outlining the key features; you may have to study a diagram of a machine and explain how it works; or you may have to look at a flow chart and describe the main stages in a process. The task explicitly asks you to summarize the important information and make comparisons where relevant.

You have to write at least 150 words for Task 1 and you are recommended to spend 20 minutes on it.

Task 2: You are given brief details of an opinion, an argument or a problem, and you have to write an essay in response. For example, you may have to consider an opinion in relation to evidence, or weigh up the pros and cons of an argument before presenting your own view on the matter. You may also have to discuss various aspects of a problem and then outline your ideas for solving it.

You have to write at least 250 words for Task 2 and you are recommended to spend 40 minutes on it.

NB You will lose marks if you write less than the required number of words.
MARKING

Task 1 scripts are assessed on the following criteria: 

• Task Fulfillment: Have you followed the instructions exactly? Have you given a clear, accurate and relevant description of the information? 
• Coherence and Cohesion: Is your writing well organised? Are sentences logically linked? • Vocabulary and Sentence Structure: Have you used a variety of appropriate vocabulary, and are your sentences well constructed?
• Task 2 scripts are assessed on performance in the following areas:
  Arguments, Ideas and Evidence: Have you evaluated arguments and ideas? Have you compared and contrasted evidence and opinions?
• Communicative Quality: Have you presented your ideas clearly and coherently and organised your writing logically?
• Sentence Structure: Have you used a variety of vocabulary and sentence structures? Is your writing reasonably accurate?

There are loads of available on the market. Make sure that before you appear for the test you have had enough practice. Still if you feel that you need guidance join a good language institute.

IELTS Writing Topics

Essay Topics

1. In what ways has information technology changed work and working practices in the past 10 years?
   
2. We are becoming increasingly dependent on computers. They are used in businesses, hospitals, crime detection and even to fly planes. What things will they be used for in the future? Is this dependence on computers a good thing or should we be more suspicious of their benefits?
3. To what extent is the use of animals in scientific research acceptable?
4. Forests are the lungs of the earth. Destruction of the world’s forests amounts to death of the world we currently know. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
5. To what extent should economic planning be influenced by the need of environmental conservation?
6. The idea of going overseas for university study is an exciting prospect, for many people. But while it may offer some advantages, it is probably better to stay home because of the difficulties a student inevitably encounters living and studying in a different culture. To what extent do you agree or disagree  this statement? Give reasons for your answer.
7. Education is recognized as vital to the future of any society in today’s world. Governments throughout the world should make education compulsory for all children between the ages of 5 and 15. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
8. Should wealthy nations be required to share their wealth among poorer nations by providing such things as food and education? Or is it a responsibility of the governments of poorer nations, to look after their citizens themselves?
9. Should wealthy nations be required to share their wealth among poorer nations by providing such things as food and education? Or is it a responsibility of the governments of poorer nations to look after their cit
   izens themselves?
10. The rising levels of congestion and air pollution found in most of the world cities can be attributed directly ,to the rapidly increasing number of private cars in use. Discuss possible ways to encourage the use of public transport.
11. The mass media, including TV, radio and newspapers, have great influence in shaping people’s ideas. To what extent do you agree or disagree this statement? Give reasons for your answer.
12. Should rich countries pay more for environmental damage?
13. Are famous people treated unfairly by the media ? Should they be given more privacy, or is the price of their fame an invasion into their private lives?
14. Does modern technology make life more convenient, or was life better when technology was simpler?
15. Will modern technology, such as the internet, ever replace the book or the written word as the main source of information?
16. If children behave badly ,should their parents accept responsibility and also be punished?
17. Tourism is becoming increasingly important as a source of revenue to many countries, but its disadvantages should not be overlooked. What are some of the problems of tourism?
18. News editors decide what to broadcast on TV and what to print in newspapers. What factors do you think influence their decisions?
19. To what extent should universities function as training grounds for employment?
20. Does travel  help to promote understanding and communication between countries?
    

Letter Writing Topics

1. Letter to an important personality telling him that you have given his name & reference.
2. Letter to a postmaster complaining about non delivery of money order.
3. Letter from  an employee to his employer for leave of absence.
4. Letter to a credit card company complaining about fraudulent charges in your credit card.
5. Letter to the manager of the bank of change of  address.
6. Letter from the  manager  confirming the services of an employee.
7. Enquiring about a vacancy in a commercial firm.
8. Letter to local residents on the formation of a recreational club.
9. Your friend has just given birth to a baby boy. Write a letter to her congratulating her on the birth of a son.
10. Letter from a principal to a parent about her child’s poor performance in his examination.

Academic Writing : Grammar and Vocabulary

Academic Writing : Grammar and Vocabulary

Avoiding Repetition

You will receive a higher mark if your writing uses a range of structures and vocabulary correctly rather than a limited number. For example, the candidate who writes:
The number of cases of X disease started at 50 in 1965 and then went up to 200 in 1970 and then went up to 500 in 1980 and then went down to zero in 1990.
will lose marks for being repetitive. You should therefore practise writing reports using a wide variety of terms to describe the different movements in the graphs and different structures to vary your writing.


Describing Trends


Trends are changes or movements. These changes are normally expressed in numeric items, for example, population, production volumes or unemployment. There are three basic trends: 
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Expressing Movement: Nouns and Verbs 
For each trend there are a number of verbs and nouns to express the movement. We can use a verb of change, for example:
Unemployment levels fell
Or we can use a related noun, for example:
There was a fall in unemployment levels

Direction	Verbs	Nouns
	Rose (to) Increased (to) Went up (to) Climbed (to) Boomed	A rise An increase Growth An upward trend A boom (a dramatic rise)
	Fell (to) Declined (to) Decreased (to) Dipped (to) Dropped (to) Went down (to) Slumped (to) Reduced (to)	A decrease A decline A fall A drop A slump (a dramatic fall) A reduction
	Levelled out (at) Did not change Remained stable (at) Remained steady (at) Stayed constant (at) Maintained the same level	A levelling out No change
	Fluctuated (around) Peaked (at) Plateaued (at) Stood at (we use this phrase to focus on a particular point, before we mention the movement, for example: In the first year, unemployment stood at … )	A fluctuation Reached a peak (of) Reached at plateau (at)

 Describing the movement: Adjectives and Adverbs



Sometimes we need to give more information about a trend as follows:
There has been a slight increase in the value of the dollar
(degree of change)
Unemployment fell rapidly last year (the speed of change)
Remember that we modify a noun with an adjective (a slight increase)
and a verb with an adverb (to increase slightly).

IELTS LISTENING.......

 AN OVERVIEW:

Total Time 30 mins* Listening Sections 4 Each section 10 questions Total Questions 40 Total Marks 40 * + 10 mins to transfer answers to an answer sheet. Section1 Conversation Section 1, 2 are based on social topics Section2 Monologue Section3 Conversation Section 3, 4 are academic Section4 Monologue Questions are in the form of :  Objective Multiple Choice Sentence Completion Labeling a Diagram Notes/tables/forms/summary/flow charts questions Classification questions The students answer the questions as they listen. Sequence of the conversations and questions are same. 30 sec gap between sections gives the candidate time to read keywords. Keywords help to identify answers.  Listen to complete conversation of each question before writing the final answer.