Free complete-ielts-guide sample questions

Correct answer: False

While the primary focus is on understanding and capturing correct information, answers must also be grammatically correct to be accepted. For example, if the answer requires a plural noun (e.g., 'books') and the candidate writes the singular form ('book'), the answer will be marked incorrect. Spelling and grammar count.

Correct answer: Overall, enrollment increased significantly in most faculties, with the notable exception of Arts, and Business became the most popular faculty by 2020.

A strong overview identifies the main trends and overall patterns without citing specific data. This option correctly summarizes the general increase, points out the single exception (Arts), and highlights the change in the most popular faculty. This provides a comprehensive summary that prepares the reader for the detailed analysis to follow.

Correct answer: False

A more time-efficient and effective strategy for 'Matching Headings' questions is to read the list of headings first to understand the main ideas you are looking for. Then, read the first paragraph, determine its main idea, and match it to a heading. Proceed paragraph by paragraph. Reading the entire passage in detail first is time-consuming and can lead to confusion.

Correct answer: Introduce yourself, explain the problem in detail, describe the action you have already taken, and state the resolution you expect.

To achieve a high score for Task Achievement, the candidate must address all parts of the prompt. This option correctly identifies the key functions required: describing the item and the problem, explaining the previous attempt at resolution (the phone call), and clearly stating the desired outcome (e.g., a refund, replacement). This structure ensures the purpose of the letter is clear and all requirements are met.

Correct answer: Grammatical Range and Accuracy

While there are issues with fluency (hesitation, simple connectives) and lexical resource (simple vocabulary), the most glaring weakness is Grammatical Range and Accuracy. The student uses very simple sentence structures ('It's everywhere.' 'People see it.') and makes noticeable errors ('He buy it' instead of 'He bought it'). This limited range and lack of accuracy in basic structures are characteristic of performance at Band 5 or below in this specific criterion, significantly impacting the overall score.

Correct answer: 5,400

The instruction 'NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER' means the answer can be one word, two words, a number, one word and a number, or two words and a number. The phrase 'exactly 5,400' contains one word and a number, but 'exactly' is a distractor. The essential information is the number of participants. '5,400' is a number and fits the instructions perfectly. 'five thousand four hundred' would be incorrect as it exceeds the two-word limit.

Correct answer: Despite the undeniable benefits that technology has brought to fields such as communication and education, its potential drawbacks should not be overlooked.

This sentence displays a high level of grammatical range. It begins with a complex subordinate clause ('Despite the undeniable benefits...'), uses a relative clause ('that technology has brought...'), and employs a passive modal structure ('should not be overlooked'). This variety of structures, combined with its accuracy, is characteristic of a high band score (7+). The other options use simple or compound sentences with basic structures.

Correct answer: 'No' means the passage explicitly states the opposite of the question statement, while 'Not Given' means there is no information in the passage to confirm or contradict the statement.

This is the core distinction. For an answer to be 'No', there must be direct evidence in the text that contradicts the writer's view presented in the question. For 'Not Given', the information is simply absent; it's impossible to know the writer's view on that specific point based on the text provided.

Correct answers: Logical paragraphing.; The use of linking words and phrases (cohesive devices).; Clear progression of ideas throughout the response.

Organizing ideas into logical paragraphs, each with a clear central topic, is a fundamental aspect of coherence.

Cohesive devices (e.g., 'however', 'in addition', 'as a result') are essential for creating clear relationships between ideas, sentences, and paragraphs.

Coherence refers to the overall clarity and logical flow of the argument from beginning to end. A response with clear progression is easy for the reader to follow.

Correct answer: The ability to express and justify opinions, and to analyse, discuss, and speculate about issues.

Speaking Part 3 moves beyond personal topics to test a candidate's ability to handle more complex and abstract discussions. The focus is on demonstrating a wider range of language functions, such as evaluating, speculating, comparing, and contrasting ideas, which are essential for academic or professional environments.