THE JOURNAL OF TEACHING ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC AND ACADEMIC PURPOSES
Vol. 3, No 1, 2015, pp. 201203
CAMBRIDGE OBJECTIVE IELTS
First Edition
Michael Black & Annette Capel
Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2006 (208 pp)
Reviewed by Sharif Moghaddam, The University of Adelaide
ISBN 0-521-60883-X
BOOK REVIEW
Cambridge Objective IELTS Advanced is, indeed, a distinguished book among IELTS
practice materials. This book can truly be called an ‘All in one’ book. The book has been
developed for constructive and instructive language use. It is a lively coloured book which is
rich with authentic coloured pictures of events and circumstances. It is an authenticcommunicative practice book. The book’s authors - Michael Black and Annette Capel have
put much effort to create artistic works. Cambridge Objective IELTS comprises 20 units, 10
Test folders, 10 Writing folders, Revision Units, Grammar folder, Self-study folder, and a
CD-ROM accompanied by a guide to use.
The CD-ROM is, significantly, beneficial because it supported the following services: a)
10 sections in the CD-ROM which provide further practices of a selection of materials from
two units of Objective IELTS Advanced Student’s Book, b) creation of users’ own lessons, c)
link to grammar reference in order for users to type in and save their notes for each grammar
point, d) link to word list containing all vocabulary items used in the CD-ROM with
definitions from the Cambridge Learner’s Dictionary, audio and ability to type in and save
notes, and e) Phonemic chart with audio.
Cambridge Objective IELTS begins with an innovative coloured Map of Objective as its
table of content to introduce a variety of practices presented in the book. The Map of
Objective IELTS is followed by a comprehensive explanation of the content of IELTS. All the
units presented in the book are integrations of main skills (i.e., Listening, Reading, Writing,
and Speaking) and sub skills (i.e., Grammar, Vocabulary, and Pronunciation). Every other
unit is followed by either a ‘Test folder’ or a ‘Writing folder’. Also, after every four units a
‘Revision Unit’ is provided to enhance learning of the previous subject matters.
Unit 1 is a combination of discussion practice with inbuilt vocabulary of some compound
nouns which are enforced by some gap-fill exercises. This unit is then integrated with
‘Listening’ (Multiple choice and Note completion), ‘Speaking’ (part 1) and ‘Reading’
practices accompanied by ‘test spots’ which elaborate on important points. An explanation on
‘Modality’ as integrated grammar brings the unit to an end. This unit is followed by a
‘Reading’ test to explore ‘List of Headings’ (one of the IELTS Reading Test Types with high
frequency of appearance in the test).
In unit 2, an explanation on one of the problematic areas of pronunciation with respect to
numbers and letters such as 13 or 30, etc. is presented. This unit is accompanied with
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BOOK REVIEW
‘Listening’ test spot, beautiful pictures of sport events, vocabulary elaboration on intensifying
adverbs and ‘Speaking’ (Part 3). This unit is followed by ‘Writing folder 1’. The folder
provides an explanation on design of an essay plan with mind map and paragraph plan. The
unit concludes with some writing tasks. Next, unit 3 focuses on ‘Multiple Choice’ and
‘Matching’ in ‘Listening’, an explanation on the language of lectures and ‘Academic Writing’
in addition to ‘Cleft sentences’. Then, Test folder 2 provides important information on the
difference between ‘TRUE/FALSE/NOT GIVEN’ and ‘YES/NO/NOT GIVEN Questions’ (a
confusing and problematic area for most test-takers to realize the difference).
Unit 4 looks at ‘Skimming’ and its rules, language terms in vocabulary and small group
discussions both in ‘Reading and Speaking’ tests. In ‘Listening’, the focus is both on the
effects of attitude towards the language users of different accents or varieties and on the
influence of attitude towards the accents or varieties in use. Also, main functions of adverbial
clauses are explored through exercises in grammar followed by an elaboration on the
pronunciation of vowels in English. Finally, ‘Writing folder 2’ outlines ‘Academic writing
task1’ (description of information shown by graphs).
Units 5-8 with their accompanying ‘Test folders’ and ‘Writing folders’ focus on the
followings, respectively: collocations in vocabulary, identification of missing information,
how to introduce and link ideas in an oral presentation, how to describe a process, different
forms of passive, how to manage comparative structure in academic writing, how to manage
to speak in an appropriate length in speaking parts, how to quote in ‘Writing’, the use of
concessive clauses, outline of reporting ideas, some useful hints and techniques on matching
tasks in ‘Reading’, different functions of the preposition ‘up’ in phrasal verbs, how to
complete a flow chart in ‘Listening’, and explanation of the conditional sentences followed by
some tasks and exercises to further exploration.
Units 9-12 focus, mainly, on comparison and contrast. Comparing and contrasting things
are very usual in writing and speaking skills in IELTS. These units also provide some useful
vocabulary and expressions. In these units, easy to understand explanations on ‘Inversion,
Modal verbs of speculation and deduction, Non-finite clauses, and Infinitives’ have been
provided in ‘Grammar’ parts. Apart from invaluable information in ‘Grammar’, user can
benefit from a plenty of practices on ‘Multiple Questions, Missing Words, List of Headings,
True/False/Not Given and Yes/ No/ Not Given’ test types both in ‘Listening and Reading’
tests in units 9 to 12.
‘Cloze Type Tests, Matching and Locating information’ are very well explained in units
13-16. In these units, users can find helpful hints on ‘the Future Tense, Pronouns Clinic and
Verb Patterns’ in Grammar. Also, units 13-16 cover the notion of genre in ‘Writing’ (e.g.,
Formal vs. Informal). In addition to appropriate genre and tone in ‘Writing folders’, ‘Error
clinic and Vowel combinations and Suffixes, and Word order’ are provided, as well. In these
units, ‘Speaking’ (part 3), the advanced part of ‘Speaking’ test has also been elaborated up on.
Units 17 to 20 bring this invaluable book to an end. These units pay more attention to
‘Speaking’ (part 3) and provide readers with extra information on genre in ‘Writing’. Units
17-20 elaborate on ‘Classification and Summary completion’ in ‘Reading and Listening’.
These units provide some useful information on ‘Idioms and Metaphors and Word building’
in ‘Vocabulary’ parts. Also, these units provide users with significant information about
‘Relative clauses, Noun phrases and Modal perfects as parts of Grammar.
So, users can find invaluable answers to some of their questions and queries with respect
to different types of questions in IELTS and significant aspects of grammar, vocabulary,
pronunciation and genres. In the end, the ‘Grammar folder’ provides users with quick and
Cambridge Objective IELTS
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easy access to the desired key grammatical points. Answers to the questions in different units
and recorded scripts can all be found in the ending part of the book.
In my point of view, this book not only can be beneficial to IELTS instructors and testtakers both inside and outside of the classroom, but it can be beneficial to those who aim to
gain mastery over communicative tests. Last but not the least, it may be noteworthy that
IELTS is only a tool in order to measure test-takers’ level of language proficiency. So, testtakers should not consider it as the goal, rather they should try to attain mastery over the
English language with respect to its social and academic purposes.