Happy Birthday Mr.Tony

ieltscommunity3: ieltscommunity4

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR.TONY WISH YOU ALL THE HAPPINES IN YOUR LIFE
i know it's too late but i just logged on :)

Ashwag AlAmri

ieltscommunity4

ieltscommunity4

Hello all,,,
I'm from iltes-match member,,,just wanna give you some useful sites and wish you the best of luck in your exams ,,

Speaking:









4 modules:
http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/IELTS/default.htm
http://www.ielts.snt.ru/book1/

Reading+ speaking very helpful,,but but i don't recommand the others modules especialy writing task 1 and 2 you can just take the ideas



Best regards,
Ashwag AlAmri

Hey everyone!

Hello, this is Zeena, Tony's daughter.

I just read the beating my dad gave you online, I personally think that you aren't wusses, but you all need to communicate. What use is it if people don't pass on tips and things, eh? Well, don't take my dad's messages too seriously. (Between me you guys, my dad can be a grump sometimes!)

Goodbye for now,

Zeena

We were a kind of community . . . . .

Hi I-match folk!!

Well, is it the wuss-factor again?

Where are you?

Some of you have taken the IELTS but no Yasmeen, Mohammed Saeed, Mubarka or Afaq amongst you? Come on, show your colours!

My new class are very, very keen on feedback from you. They value your contribution to your weblog and we are all a little bit sad that no one seems to be carrying on the splendid work of Yasmeen, Mohammed Saeed, Mubarka and Afaq...

Ah well, "C'est la vie, pussy cat" as they said in the Tom and Jerry cartoon.

If you aren't wusses, then SOMEONE / ANYONE will reply...

If you are a bunch of wusses, then ...

Come on, make my day!

Over to you

Tony the Wussmaster General (apologies to Vincent Price...)

The caravan is moving on . . .

Dear I-match bloggers

Yes, the caravan is moving on and new travellers have started their journey to IELTS fame and fortune...
We kicked off the new course last night, another course, same teacher, same jokes but a different audience.
Anyone who wants to help the new class is most welcome!!! I can invite you specifically or you can use blogmember for the time being.
Also I would love to have a volunteer from IELTSmatch class address the new students about how the actual IELTS test went and what advice they have to give to the new class. Maybe during our third week - 2nd July - 6th July would someone care to do an 'Afaq' and help my new group? Otherwise I shall ask likely candidates to come forward . . .
So the new weblog is: www.ieltsdream.blogspot.com
The class is more or less evenly split between Academic and General Training, which kind of helps me. They will have been looking at YOUR weblog and the two previous ones (I-magic & I-words) so you guys are a resource and an asset to me and the British Council - thank you!
The ongoing blog for former students: www.ieltsclubseven.blogspot.com is very moribund, if not dead in the water. I'll invite you all to join and maybe, just maybe some fresh blood will do the trick!

Bye for now

I haven't forgotten you, the blog lives on and on!

All the very best

Tony

ieltscommunity3

ieltscommunity3
Hello all,,,
I want to thank all of u Mr.Tony ,Mub,jithu,mohd sarhan and Santosh for your help and support,,,honestly,,, i gained alot from ieltsmatch especially vocabs and known about other's experience,,,I'll have my exam on 23 of June,,,
Wish all the best for all of you,,

I found this site very helpful,,

http://www.ielts.snt.ru/book1/

Ielts experience: "essential reading" says Tony

Hello everybody,

This is Santhosh one of the members of ielts community -2 www.ieltswords.blogspot.com (Tony's hard core team) writing my veiws about the IELTS test conducted recently on 9 and 11 June 2005 .

Well, Ielts is not such a very hard test as usually expected by students. However, it is all about using appropriate words as and when required to link the required answer or subject matter.
The most suitable answers should be given in this way - KISS (Keep It Short and Simple)

Important information:
a) Always carry your personal ID card or passport with you.
b)Ensure to keep the test registration card attached with fee receipt with you.
c)The British Council egistration slip with the time of the exam and number should always be carried along with the above .
d) No mobile phones are allowed as it would be a hindrance during test.
e)Lastly do not strain yourself by thinking too much as it does not help. On the contrary, be relaxed and prepared to face any questions with your ability of using words and creative ideas.

Speaking Test:
The Examiner who conducted my test put me at ease and explained what he was expecting from me and also explained that my voice would be recorded live as we start our conversation. Here it gave me chance to really think of Tony's advice such as to be soft and clear and think about the connectivity of what I was saying.
Questions asked:

1)To speak about myself and my family,then someone whom I really liked personally and why?
2)How does technology help to learn about your ancestors? .Discuss (This question was given a I spoke about a person who lived about 50 years ago)
Total time-15 minutes

It was easy to speak about family but while explaining about a person, I felt I used only vague ideas to describe him and was just faking it but I still kept it relevant to the person. Again linking with the second question was even more easy as I just had to think about how I found out about the person. So examples of Technology used such photography and video-recording came to my mind.

So creativity in describing and connectivity of words to the subject is important .Sometimes it is alright to fake as it is not really important for the examiner to know the truth about the person who you really liked .

11 June brought a shower of tensions and many thoughts wandering around me (because I did not listen to Tony's advise to rest well and to be relaxed before my exam date)!!
Although the Examination centre was at the Al-Bustan Rotana Hotel, a very nice venue , the invigilators were not from British Council.

Listening Test:

First listening test and reading test are together on the same answer sheet with bact to back print.
The test papers are different for academic and general.
(Nobody is allowed to open the question paper unless told to do so by the invigilator.)
For the listening test I had taken lots and lots of useful practice through www.bbc.co.uk where I learnt different accents and looking for stressed word.Also the Learning Zone at the British Council offers really wonderful assistance with its various study modules for each test.

Suggestions for listening:

Always keep your pencils ready, 1 or 2 extra would be a good idea with eraser, sharpener and highlighter.
Listen carefully and write on the question paper,later it can be transferred to the answer sheet in the 10 minutes after the recording. Always skim the given question paper quickly for answers you need from the tape or from the passage given in the question paper.
At times in a conversation try to understand as a whole subject and listen to answers as and when it is mentioned,sometimes it is clear the these answers are also repeated during the conversation.

Reading test: {Academic version}

This part of IELTS needs a lot of practice as time is not sufficient for understanding 3 passages completely.
So, always try to understand the gistof the paragraph as you may not really have enough time to read completely word by word.
I would suggest practising at home with a stopwatch to time yourself for practice reading.
Also, there are No breaks in between the exams (not even to go to the toilet)! If natures calls, then only one person at a time can go to the toilet and you will be accompanied by an escort all the way till returning to your seat.
Also do not wait for some answers, instead go ahead with the tape or reading part then always you can return to the left out question if you understand the subject matter (sometimes guessing works out) as empty space does not earn any marks.
Finally be cautious of singular and plurals while writing the answers.

Writing test:

The final hurdle comes immediately after Listening and Reading - without any breaks!
The usual Academic version Writing task 1 and task-2 are there for you:

Task 1
Describe the bar chart showing the percentage of annual spending on household expenses for seven countries in Europe .
And describe a pie chart depicting the percentage of annual spending in a particular year for households such as books,computers,holidays and so on.

Task 2
A discussion type of essay: "Recent figures show a sharp rise in crimes conducted by younger age people."
Here I was asked whether to agree or disagree regarding the reasons for this trend.
Please understand the whole idea and chart out your ideas in your question paper ,with an appropriate heading and rebuild the whole ideas as appropriately required then finally put in your conclusion with personal agreements and suggestions .
In this part of the test it very important to describe the situation as appropriately mentioned or as shown in the figure (remember to read the list of words given by Tony for Writing Task -1&2)
The list which includes words such as: on the contrary, however,by the way,on the onehand/on the other hand and descriptive adverbs / adjectives for task 1
These words are to be used judiciously to describe using your creativity with relevent information to the subject matter.
Also give the correct information with regards to the facts and figures given in the
question paper.
Also use your expamples to explain for task-2 and the essay need not be very short nor too long just appropriately with 250 words for task-2 and about 150 words for task-1. (As Tony says, KISS the subject) .

Thanks for reading this long blog but I felt it could help all my friends who would be taking up the test in near future.

All the best to all Tony's cronies and present and future aspiring Ielts candidates.

Regards

Santhosh from the ' Palace '

Thara's Thoughts Posted by Tony

Thara commented these thoughts - thanks, but let's make sure they get wider circulation!

Thara did the IELTS Academic version on 9 / 11 June. Here is her report:

Finally exams over!

Finally the much awaited day is over. The exam was much better than what i thought it to be.
Listening was very clear..but in between i missed 1 answer.........i guess like sir said i thought that the answer was over.so went onto next question.........anywayz other than that rest was good. Moving on ...
Reading was ok ok........like we had choosing the suitable headings for paragraphs which was kinda driving me crazy....;) but anywayz it was fine.........i had a good timing finished everything 10 mins before the end.
Writing was not bad....... basically i really didn't understand task 1...........it was about some percentage of household spend on leisure...........whatever. i wrote something........i dont know if what i wrote really made sense.;) lol.............Task 2 was good.......i was able to write well.............but i fear if my word limit exceeded a bit or not............so
Well that's it.................i guess it was not bad..................and hope to get expected band.all i have to tell to my friends is to take it easy..........it's going to be much better than what u expect it to be:)

Best wishes

Thara

PS Please write in if you want any more specific details from Thara - how did the Speaking go for instance? How did she manage to do the Reading in 50 minutes? What went wrong in Task 1 - had she read Aisha's model answer properly?

It's really great to hear from recent test takers - keep the feedback coming!

All the best!

Tony

Afaq's Wise Words Echoed by Tony

Dear IELTS hopefuls

I have taken the liberty of posting Afaq's IELTS test details. In his typically modest way he posted this as a comment. I think it deserves greater prominence. He took the General Training IELTS and scored Band 8.5 overall - a phenomenal achievement! Here's his story (+ some minor edits from me):

"Regarding the details, let me try to recollect the finer things that were instrumental in getting these kind of scores. Apart from what I learnt during the classes, the following points were helpful before, during and after the test:

1) Have a very clear mind on the day of the test, i.e. leave the rest of the world out. IELTS and ONLY IELTS.

2) Positive thinking - see it an easy exam, and that you can easily give what the examiners want. This gave me confidence and relaxation. It may or may not work like this for everyone.

3) Prayers, knowing that God is very kind and luck will be on your side during the test.

4) Listening module: - Read the questions carefully.- Try to guess the probable answers during the time given (before the tape starts)- go with the speaker, i.e. answer as you listen, leave out the confusing questions to come back to and make an intelligent guess. Even if you lose some, don't PANIC, or the rest will go as bad. My thoughts did get carried away in section 2 but somehow I managed and made 1-2 guess answers. Look for the words stressed by the speaker(s).- avoid careless mistakes in transferring the answers to the answer sheet.- avoid spelling mistakes.- answer to the point, if not more than three words , then the answer should not be more than three words.

5) Reading module: Take a quick glance at the passage, 5-10 seconds to understand the nature of the text - read the instructions carefully - read the questions - find the answers in the passage, this helped me to skim the passage. Leave out difficult answers, come back to them at the end. I managed to have 7 minutes spare at the end of the whole section to review the answers. I did make some corrections in this review time. Transfer the answers to the answer booklet very carefully. Avoid spelling mistakes.

6) Writing module: here I did not do as well as the other sections, I reckon these may be the reasons: I did not manage my time well and ended up spending 30 mins on task 1. Although, I did manage to complete and review both the tasks for spelling or any obvious mistakes... Phew that was an achievement! My first task was approximately 350 words, that's a lot of words, I think I might have got lost in the middle, and somehow tried to bring the letter to an end. This showed a lack of planning and clarity of thought. The task 2, was also long approximately 400 words, it may have lost marks on planning, ideas and grammar as I think the conclusion was not very solid. I think a good essay should have a very good starting paragraph with a clear mention of the side you are going to take (gosh, I am forgetting the key word here) 3-4 good points with examples in the following 2 paragraphs and a very strong and logical conclusion. Use of linking words is very ESSENTIAL.

7. Speaking module: I was nervous in the mock speaking with Tony, he pointed out my flaws, I corrected them for the actual exam, then we got another opportunity to do a speaking exam with IELTS examiner trainees. It was a very good opportunity. During the actual interview, most of the answers were instantaneous, I did not think much. This I guess, worked for me, as it gave an impression that I know how to speak English, I did try to be careful in making sentences and clevery cooked up stories, to make the examiner interested. I used gestures in trying to explain things and kept on going till the examiner asked me to stop. I kept it long and lively!!

8) CONCLUSION: I hope the above written experience comes in handy while doing the IELTS. It goes without saying that knowledge of English and preparation is essential. Use the available time in preparation and come up with strategies regarding how to cover up / erase / compensate for your flaws.

Best of luck to you all. The above is my opinion only, as an IELTS candidate, I cannot clearly think like an examiner".

Afaq Aly

Band 9.0 Listening
Band 9.0 Reading
Band 7.0 Writing
Band 8.0 Speaking
Band 8.5 Overall

Posted and edited by Tony Beale, IELTS Preparation Tutor, 12 June 2005

general query!

Is there going to be any wall clock in the hall?
Or do i need to take my own watch to the exam?

got my highlighter pen/pencil/rubber/sharpener/eraser/ID- ready..!
Where do i get to keep my bag?

need an answer before 7am..PLZZZ~!

Speaking test-Mubs story

Dear people!

where is everyone?
Anyways, got my speaking test done.
It started at 1:20pm.
Saw Sheikha, Santhosh, M.Sarhan and Jithu.

The examiner's name was Peter.
Below you will find the list of questions i got:

1. Are you studying or working?
2. What are you studying?Why do you want to study english?
3. Which country do you want to go to pursue your studies?
4. Where do you plan to work after doing your course?
5. What role does advertisement play in Pakistan?
6. Are people brand conscious in Pakistan?
7. What kind of music do you listen to?
8. Do you listen to radio? when?
9. How often do you use emails?What about the scenario in Pakistan?Is it on the rise?
   

Task 2-speak for 2 min

Best gift/present given to you?

Gift giving-is it common in Pakistan?

I think i did well, the examiner seemed happy and we enjoyed talking.

However he did not give any comments regarding my band, neither did i ask.

I see the seashore...

Halooo people!

This is me,Mubs posting one of the last comments on this weblog BEFORE MY EXAM!
Whoaaaa! this course has definitely been a 360 degrees roller coaster for me. I have worked hard but still feel dissatisfied with my performance.InshAllah i will put in more efforts over the weekend.

I would like to thank certain people from the core of my soul:

Sir Tony- no words can even start to express my gratitude towards you.After my parents, you have been my mentor.In short- U ROCK!!

Yasmeen-you have been more like an elder sister to me.I will miss your presence at BC when i arrive for my exam tomorrow.

Afaq- Albeit we started on opposite ends,castigating and questioning each other's believe,i appreciate your efforts to bear my views humbly.

Mohammad Saeed-i have read your essays on i-magic and gone through some of the websites you mentioned.My sincere felecitations on your Superb Seven band.

I-match: Mohammad Sarhan,Mais and Jithu( sorry but i have not met any one else from i-match)
Best of luck guys,was a pleasure correcting your essay's and meeting you all
catch you tomorrow.

Finally, any comments, views or questions posed by me to anyone is not meant to be taken personally.I say things in the same manner as i think of them.

Ain't no diplomat!

Remember me in your prayers,

Sorry Mubs

Hi Mubs!

Sorry but your essay on population control got aborted after I had spent 20 minutes correcting / editing / commenting. Oops! Can you re-post and I'll retrieve from my brain what I'd written?

As I recall, you'd written 421 words and I felt that you are being rather self-indulgent. You SHOULD be able to make your case in 250 - 300 words - that is a mark of good writing. Your concluding paragraph needed serious attention - it was overblown and pompous! Don't let your emotions run away with you at the final hurdle. Keep to a calm, measured, non-confrontational, reasonable tone. It degenrated into a 'rant'.

Avoid emotive words - so use neutral words such as "religious" rather than "dogmatic". There were no howlers as such, as I seem to remember.

So do an "Afaq" - calmly go over what we did together on the course and then DELIVER with style and panache.

All the best for you and the 9 / 11 crowd

Tony

Afaq or anyone

Hey people!
How are things goin?

I just read Afaq's comments.
Sanx Afaq for letting me know what you got in your writing task :)

He wrote:"Topic for writing task 2 was.. Should parenting be taught to students? Give your opinion"
Did he mean, that should students be taught how to become parents for instance, how to take care of younger kids ?.
That is what i understood from the sentence(!!)

views..anyone?

Essay # 29

The dominace of black people in US sport is due to sociological rather then physiological factors.Discuss

Somehow, i find the ending a bit bland.Do you agree?

Sport is one area of mankind where everyone of any ethnic background can take part.But, such a positive and enlightened situation was not always prevalent.Coloured people in US sports have come a long way (+ yet more to go, even in the 21st century).In this essay, I will present both the aspects, sociological and physiological contributing to the achievements of black people in US sport.

When the black people were shipped to the US as slaves, they were shunned as outcastes.They suffered discriminataion in every field.But things changed when in the 1920's and 30's, Joe Louis became the first black US boxer to defeat a German boxer.Louis eventually became the first ever black man champion in boxing.He portrayed the West beating the Nazi Hitler (very contentious and historically dubious).The world took him seriously, America took him seriously.Since education to coloured people was not heard of, blacks resorted to sports to prove themselves.Furthermore, what better way than boxing where a black man could get away after beating a white man? Thus, the era of coloured people in US sports history started.This does not imply that all white people were racist-Joe Louis' coach and promoter was a white man.Albeit a forgotten hero, Louis was the epitome of the black nation.Then came Mohammad Ali, with his fiery temper and words as fast as his feet.My point here is that, such powerful men became known faces due to their commendable physiques and because American people acknowledged them 'superior' when it came to sports. (Too sweeping!)

Other names like Carl Lewis, an athlete by par excellence (drug allegations?)followed by numerous runners shine in the US history of sports.Magic Johnson is almost synonymous with basketball itself.The new generation of black people were encouraged by their black idols.Currently, in US colleges and universities, black students are given admission based on their performance even if they fall short in the academic requirements.In addition, science proves that black people have more stamina and physical strength than their counterparts because thir genes are adapted in such a way to help them adapt to harsh physically exhaustive situations. (rather controversial to say the least)

To sum up, let me cite the example of a black jockey (who?) who won the Derby (which?) race 3 times consequently,a record not yet broken.No doubt, the black nation of US have shown to the world that winning is not about colour or creed nor religion but determination and will power.

Time: 40 min
Words: 373

Black US sporting success has not led to social acceptance and recognition. Why did Muhammad Ali throw his Olympic gold medal in the river after encountering outright racism when returning to Louisiana in 1960?
Sporting success was a route out of the ghetto but not into the Senate, Congress or the White House...
Bravo to you and your spirited ideas, Mubs! I admire your guts.

All the best

Tony

Mohammed Sarhan, be patient! Mubs' need is greater and more immediate. Bear with me . . .

The great debate and other issues . . .

Hello blogmates!

The end is almost nigh! What will you now be doing with yourselves in the evenings?

As some students will be absent tonight (no comment!!!), I'd like to remind you that TOMORROW there will be the final debate on the proposition that:

"The threat of nuclear weapons maintains world peace. Nuclear power provides cheap and clean energy. The benefits of nuclear technology far outweigh the disadvantages. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer".

FOR the motion: AZZA and GHALYA

AGAINST the motion: SAMIRA and SUHA

The rest of the class will listen with open minds and decide which team makes the better arguments and why.

Also we shall have a final listening (?); I'll give you back your graded writing; you'll get your reports; we can have a general forum on what problems still bother you and I'd like you to fill in a questionnaire on this IELTS course. I'm also interested in when you plan to sit for the IELTS exam and how you will be proactive in helping yourselves tackle the "real thing".

TONIGHT:

We have the final timed writing - you will all do Task 2 first, so that you only spend 20 minutes on task 1 - the answer papers are separate + I'll have my stopwatch counting down
we can do some speaking practice (I have a final handout to give you for speaking)
you analyse where you went wrong on last night's reading

As for the silent majority of IELTSMATCH, who hardly contribute in the class or on the weblog, I assume then that you are listening (and reading)and that in your passive way you have been learning. Soon you will have to perform and there will be nowhere to hide.

Good luck!

CU tonight

Tony the Tormentor (role model for JK Rowling's Dementors!!!)

Essay # 51

**Is animal testing necesary?


The great physicist, Newton once said: "to every action there is a reaction".This can be metaphorically applied to the fact that every disease has a solution.Every year we witness thousands of patients dying from diseases such as cancer, Aids and so on.For the continuation of the human race, animal testing plays an (invariably) vital role.In my opinion, such experiments on animals should be carried out to find the causes of such epidemics and eventually help lead to their eradication from the face of earth.

No doubt animal lovers disagree with man playing God with regard to such creatures.But, are the lives of animals more important then human beings? For instance before Dolly, the first cloned sheep came to being, around 1000 similar experiments took place to create a perfect sheep.By doing so, human beings can find out about the code of life.Most importantly, we can discover how genes decide our physical and psychological nature.Another example that must be cited here is regarding human beings' century old romance with (the) outer space.The constant need to find life in any form outside earth has given birth to numerous (outer) space ventures.But not many people know that here too animal testing took place-the first earth inhabitant to go into space was a monkey {it was a dog, actually!!}, long before Neil Armstrong landed on the moon.This was done to check whether humans could survive in outerspace with artifical oxygen and no gravity. (Is this line of argument relevant to the sphere of animal testing per se?)

To strengthen my stand on animal testing, let me state that billions of dollars are spent annually on experimenting the latest make-up products on animals before certifying them usable for humans. {not such a noble endeavour??} Such steps are necessary to check what sort of allergies or side effects could occur due to use of the product.Since monkeys and mice have almost the same genetic material as humans, it is essential to check any new medicine on them, before certifying it for the public use.We can not risk experimenting drugs on humans as they might have deadly results.Appropriate vaccines for diseases such as polio, cancer,meningitis,chicken pox and so on have been developed by having been tested on animals // with the help of animals.

To sum up (my essay), I do believe in and support animal testing - for the sake of human survival.If we want a disease-free life then we have to sacrifice these animals.There is no other way because it is a "do or die" situation fo the human race.

Time : 40 min(including 5 min for checking)
Words: 382

Yeah, strong opening and conclusion - the paragraph on using animals to test make-up allergies was not as convincing as the others. Similarly, animals into space was a very limited undertaking. However, you make your case very powerfully and there is no uncertainty as to your position on this issue.
I prefer the less confrontational tone of this essay - it works better, Mubarka!

Good luck on 9 / 11 !!!!

Tony

Essay # 17 + the tiger treatment - grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!

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 at home because of the difficulties a student inevitably encounters living and studying in a differnt culture.To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? .Give reasons for your answer.

This essay was due on friday.My tooth had given me a run for my life.Lots of pain,tears and a visit to the doctor prevented me to write yesterday.
Iam back..yet again!

Fredrick Douglas, a black US writer once said:" without struggle, there is no progress". This quote stresses (on) the fact that standing still is more dangerous (WC) then growing slowly.Every year, we witness thousands of prospective students, mainly from Asia, flocking to the UK, Australia and Canada for higher studies.In my essay, I will highlight both the sides of the argument. I am a strong supporter of obtaining education in a different country, for a better recognized and viable degree which is and should be the choice of all students. (hmmm. let's see if you deliver...)

Due to the intense culture shock and independent life stlye (S) in distant countries, many asian (P) parents prefer their children to secure education at home.I personally know of such a case, where the student attained his Master's degree from an American institute in Dubai.Nevertheless, he failed to get a job as a teacher because the institute was not recognized by the Ministry of Education.The parents regretted their decision later on, after much (of the) time and effort was wasted, not to forget the money spent which was almost (of) the same value if he would have studied in some foreign country.

Education abroad is not just about getting a degree and returing (S) home.It is about learning other traditions, interacting with unknown cultures, being tolerant and open minded.Many misconceptions and notions regarding various nationalities are cleared.Furthermore, university life means being independent from doing your own laundry, grocery, to paying bills and so on without Mum and Dad on the side to help one out. Let me strengthen my stand by relating a program I saw on Pakistani channel Geo Tv, Career Online, where a succesful fashion designer and a make up artist emphasized the importance of univeristy (S) degrees-for customer satisfaction, because high level education in these fields are not available in Pakistan and foreign degrees are a guarantee to getting a job or to having a flourishing business.

To conclude, let me cite a statistics report that states that around 100-200 PhDs graduate from Pakistan every year.Whereas the figure reaches 2000 and more in neighbouring countries. (in Asia) If a student does not get the chance for better education in his required field in his native country, should he waste his life or shift to another country for better learning opportunities? My opinion reflect's my stand which is that aiming for a goal and attaining are of paramount importance. As an ancient saying goes: "receive education even if you have to travel all the way to China".

words:385
time:35-40 min

Yes, I would say that you have proven your case. have you consciously tried to "tone down" the rhetoric? If so, I definitely think it enhances the style, content and register of your essay.

Yes, I-match people, Mubs is really going for it. Are you idling along on cruise control? Hmmmmm "no pain, no gain" - maybe a raging toothache would do some of the sleepwalkers some good, eh Mubs?

That's all from me for the moment. My stomach is rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrumbling, can you hear it?

Tony the Tiger

Essay # 14 + The Tony Treatment

** Education is the single most important factor in the development of a country.Do you agree? Plenty of 'fighting' talk here, Mubs!

In 1947 the partition of Pakistan and India took place.Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, a Pakistani educationist and writer advised muslims of Pakistan to attain education or continue to be ruled by the farengi or white man [rather 'aggressive' Mubs, can't you make a more general statement about the value of education in its own right? Besides, didn't the original Aryans come from present-day India/Pakistan?].Learning is to the mind what air is to the body.In my opinion, knowledge brings awareness to a human being and in my essay I shall be giving the upsides [WC, why not advantages/benefits?] of education which is the only gauge to judge a country's progress. [Thanks for the 'signal'!]

Learning makes a man forewarned thus forearmed.For example, the Quaid-e-Azam, founder of Pakistan and a !!! educated barrister, used his anaylitical [S]thinking and observation to reach a conclusion that muslims in the sub-continent were ill-treated.He used his knowledge of law and wisdom to bring all the muslims under the Pakistani flag.Furthermore, let me highlight how Pakistan was portrayed after the 9/11 attack on US - as a terrorist hub.To break this horrendous image,the current President P.Musharraf used his cabinet of educated,diplomatic and moderate peace-loving people to bring forward [WC 'promote'?] the soft image of the country.They helped to stress to the world that Islam does not allow harbouring of terrorists nor does it teach religious fanaticsm.

Due to such positive policies by the enlighted ,broadminded government in Pakistan, increasing investment is flowing into the country, thus doubling the annual G.D.P.In the province of Punjab, around 7 lakhs [WC, stick to x 100,ooo]children, who previously did trivial house jobs or sold newspapers and so on ,[P] have been enrolled into the schools.In addition, let me promote my stand on education being the sole [WC 'most critical' ? factor to influence the positive growth of a country.Mother's !!! of children need to be educated so that the child grows into a world citizen and act [SVA] as an ambassador of good will when he goes abroad.

To sum up my essay, let me quote Quaid-e-Azam's advise [S] to the youngsters of Pakistan:"As students, your first and foremost duty towards your country is to obtain education."Thus, i [P] reiterate my stand that 'only' education can allow us to accomplish our dreams.After all, it is and will be the only line to differentiate between us and the other lesser mortals.

Words:341
Time:less than 40 min


Only minor quibbles, Mubs. You have toned down the rhetoric somewhat - thanks! I appreciate your strong opinions, once again don't get carried away with the strength of your convictions and thereby 'overstate' your case.
Only one 'howler' - that one stands out from the text.
You seem well on track to meet your IELTS goals, well done.
As you can see, I have time at the weekend to help you, during the week the going gets tough, but then the tough's gotta get going too, ain't it?
Rock on for 9 / 11 June (mmmm that has a ring about it)

I-words and I-match people this is evidence for you that success in IELTS is not a fluke, or just down to luck, it's a matter of sheer hard work and application to the task that is before you. Ameen!

bfn

Tony the Taskmaster

Jithu's essay

Sorry Jithu

I deleted your post.

I'm keeping those tasks from the coursebook for a final writing practice next week.

I'll look at your report separately.

Regards

Tony

ESSAY # 11-writing task 2

**To what extent should economic planning be influenced by the need(s) ? of environmental conservation? [+ The Tony treatment]

I tried my best to do justice whilst writing this essay.Somehow, i feel unsatisfied.Perhaps because i had done a similar essay for i-words (#8).

Since the advent of the industrial revolution,many countries are taking quantum leaps to progress into the 21st century.Every year huge amounts of money in South Asia are invested for the construction of a modern world such as skyscrapers, malls, sports centres, latest technology and so on, but at the expense of exhausting natural resources. In this essay I shall be arguing that governments (The government of a country) should take steps to plan the yearly budget in accordance with preserving (to preserve) (the) nature, so that the individuality of the nation is not lost amongst the smog of constructing a new world.

Certain intellectuals believe that history is past (WC "dead"?), whereas the present is here to be (WC "created"?) availed.But does trading (of) green pastures or jungles for technology justify our egoistic ambitions?.(there's no full stop after a ?...c im using purple now;))Every year due to the rising levels of carbon dioxide and such air pollutants, millions of people die of cancer.Upsetting the web of life by destroying trees can cause natural disasters, such as the Tsunami which left 3 million people homeless and over 40,000 dead.Nevertheless, the day can still be (is) saved by a few eco-loving human beings.For instance, due to alarming levels of air pollutants (WC "spewed out"?) spurted by the industries in India, the Taj Mahal was losing it's (Mubs, how could you? G / P mistake) lustre.The government took extreme steps to bring the monument back to life by banning such industries, albeit it meant lesser cash inflow for the country. (Environment 1 Business 0)

Nature - (P) is a gift from (of) God.Unfortuately not many economic planners of various countries take this into account.Due to exceedingly high concentration levels of poisonous chemical's (G/P mistake)in the air and water, the Minar-e-Pakistan, ancient Lahore and Old fort are some of the (few) sites in Pakistan who's (G/P mistake) very foundations are being corroded . Several (Few) years back (, due to) a massive oil spill in the Karachi sea caused the whole aquatic life as well as atmosphere to suffer.Ecologists inspected the situation and concluded that the effects will be catastrophic and will remain for 10 years to come (u can write it this way? ...will remain for years to come, or 10 more years to come - also are you talking about the past / the problems NOW and the length of time it will take to clear up / recovery of the eco-system?).On a positive note, the government of Pakistan is trying to provide money to clean up the mess after such a disaster.Further more, in the UAE, a new governmental body named EWRDA has been (is) formed to save the lives of desert animals and aquatic life. Every year (Yearly), EWRDA campaigns in various schools all over the UAE are held to spread awareness amongst the younger generation (people).

Nature is man's friend (not clear).It provides us with comfort that we enjoy today.Sadly, human beings act as ecocides.It is not too late - yet, before nature's pleas get engulfed within the crescendo of modernization.

Excellent work Mubs. I really liked this essay! Its very well worded and the connecting words are also well placed. The conclusion can be more solid if you can give it a bit more substance. Don't let the ending fizzle out. Should be equally powerful as your topic sentence. But it is good nevertheless! So dont worry about it at all.

GOOD JOB. KEEP IT UP! :)
Yaz.

Don't get carried away with the rhetoric, Mubs! Where did you find "ecocides"? Is it a Mubs original?

I like the relevant examples that back up your argument.

As ever, I'd like a clearly stated thesis statement in the introduction (I-match pls take note) and I want a killer conclusion too. I'm not so sure of your use of the - punctuation mark, please explain why you need it.

Three alarming GRAMMAR / PUNCTUATION mistakes - oops tiredness / late nights / pre-exam ennui ?

Don't try to say too much - your ideas are very creative and interesting don't "gild the lily" as we say in English (ask Mum about that one's meaning! :)

It's all there, just don't overcook the dish you're preparing.

Enjoy the ride!

bfn

Tony

General announcement

Halloooooooooo people!

Yep, iam set to to tackle the ielts monster on the 9th and 11th of this month.Santhosh, who is also of i-words will be giving the exam on the same dates.
Heba, yet another of i-words did her exams and secured a band of 6.She is quite impressed by her results.Btw, i did go through the other weblog"tonies cronies" and than reached to this conclusion (haha, couldn't resist this one ;) its then not than and it could b written like...and reached to this conclusion..) that i could not get much out of what came in her exam.If Sir Tony or Yasmeen have a clue than please explain it to me.(!!!) (i'm as clueless as you are my dear. didn't really go through her postings there)

As I believe:"an essay a day keeps the(ielts) monster away".
Therefore, I will be posting one essay everyday for your viewing.Yasmeen,will have the honour of ripping it apart. ;)

Since i do not bite or punch,comments/suggestions are most welcome on my posts. (Phew!!! that's a BIG relief, since it would just take u 5 floors to reach me!!!!!)